Chapter 3

Little did Adam, Teela, and Karla know that during their sparring session, Skeletor and his warriors were capturing more video footage of them via Tri-klops' Doomseeker.

"So..." Skeletor pondered. "It would seem that Karel's sister is quite the formidable warrior as well. If we could just recruit them both..."

He trailed off, pondering the possibilities of what he would have them do, as well as how to make them cooperate. With Karel already recruited, getting his sister wouldn't be too difficult. For now, however, he would continue his reconnaissance on the girl. He could very well learn more about her, and about Karel as well.

Man-at-Arms spent most of his time in his workshop building all sorts of technological tools and weapons. Adam went to visit him every once in a while.

"So...I heard about what happened with Teela," Man-at-Arms remarked casually.

"Ah, yeah..." Adam lowered his head shamefully. "We were just...surprised at how strong Karla was. She beat both of us in less than a minute. If she joined us against Skeletor, she'd be a great ally."

"Perhaps..." Man-at-Arms pondered as he applied more heat with his blowtorch.

"Also..." Adam went on, "Orko says he accidentally told her my secret."

That made Man-at-Arms stop completely, removing his goggles and face mask, looking directly at Adam. "You mean she knows that you are He-Man?"

Adam frowned again. "Yeah. But she also knows that it's supposed to be a secret, so she's been keeping it to herself."

Man-at-Arms sighed. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be done about Karla knowing the secret. "Well, as long as no one else learns it from her..."

Adam gave a sigh, relieved that Man-at-Arms didn't get as angry as he had anticipated. "Thanks."

And without another word, he left the workshop.

A few moments later, Karla found Adam on a balcony, overlooking the kingdom of Eternia. She stopped to admire the view herself before Adam noticed her.

"Hey, Karla..."

"Hey..." Karla replied softly. "How's Teela?"

"She's all right," Adam said. "She's taken far worse than that. She's pretty tough."

"That's good. I really didn't mean to strike her that hard. I'm just not used to sparring. I'm more accustomed to real battle, where you give it your all."

"Yeah, I can tell. So...is your brother as strong as you?"

Karla smiled warmly. "Even more so. His skill far surpasses mine."

"Seriously?" Adam almost couldn't believe it. He had already been awed at Karla's strength. To think that her brother was even stronger was just mind-boggling.

"He has a passion for battle that I just don't have," Karla went on. "That is what makes him stronger."

"Well, hey..." Adam gave her a smirk. "Do you think he could beat He-Man?"

Karla gave an amused laugh. Knowing that Adam was actually He-Man, it was obvious why he would ask that question.

"Well, since I haven't actually seen He-Man, I can't really say."

Adam shrugged. "Well, that's true. So if we have to fight him, how do we defeat him?"

"Well, that's simple enough," Karla said. "Don't fight him."

"What?"

"My brother's always looking for a good fight," Karla explained. "He fights primarily for the fight itself. But there's no pleasure in fighting someone who won't fight back. Once the opponent makes an attack, there's no turning back."

"I see..." Adam stared off into the sky for another moment. There was something else weighing on his mind that he had heard about and spoken to Man-at-Arms about. But he had yet to ask Karla herself. "Karla...is it true that Orko told you my...secret?"

"Your secret?" Karla was puzzled at first, before it dawned on her. "Oh, that. Yes, it's true. But don't worry; your secret is safe with me."

"I just wish I could tell the others..." Adam mused. "Teela and my father think I'm some sort of coward, always disappearing when the battle starts."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that," Karla told him. "Let them think whatever they want. The important thing is that you know the truth, right?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Adam conceded. He had to admit that she had a good point there.

Karla smiled behind him, and then turned to her left, staring off into space and pondering. As she did so, she spotted a floating device hovering nearby.

"What is that?" she asked curiously.

"What?" Adam looked over at her, then following her eyesight, spotted the Doomseeker hovering in the air. "A Doomseeker!"

Immediately, he dashed towards it, attempting a leap to try and snatch it from the air, but the device quickly moved away before he could reach it. Once the Doomseeker was out of sight, Adam paused with an exasperated sigh.

Karla walked closer to him. "What's a 'Doomseeker?'"

"It's a device that Skeletor uses to spy on people," Adam said.

"That's...interesting..." Karla pondered, baffled by the technology.

"Yeah...that's one way to put it..." Adam said, his voice drenched in sarcasm. Obviously, his definition of the word "interesting" was very different.

"Prince Adam..." Man-At-Arms suddenly interrupted as he stepped out onto the balcony. He stopped upon seeing Karla standing next to the prince, however. But then he remembered what Adam had told him about Karla knowing the secret. "Ah...there's a mysterious swordsman who seeks a duel with He-Man. You must go and meet him."

"Right." Adam nodded.

Karla gasped softly. "It has to be my brother. Let me go with him!"

Man-At-Arms held his hand out towards her, stopping her. "Sorry, Karla. The swordsman has demanded to face He-Man alone."

"Oh..." Karla gave a disappointed sigh before glancing at Adam again. "Then be careful. And remember what I told you."

"Right." Adam gave her a thumbs up before heading off.

Man-At-Arms waited until Adam was out of sight before glancing at Karla again. "Karla...I understand that you learned Adam's secret?"

"Um, yes...and you know it as well?" Karla asked. "If you and Orko know it, just how 'secret' is it?"

"That's it," Man-At-Arms told her. "Orko and I are the only ones who know...aside from the Sorceress of Castle Greyskull who gave him his power. I just need to make sure you understand the importance of keeping that secret."

Karla nodded. "Yes, I understand."

"Good. I can assure you that He-Man will be able to bring your brother back."

"I hope so..."

Satisfied, Man-at-Arms turned and walked back into the palace. Not quite satisfied, Karla turned to look out from the edge of the balcony once again. Somewhere, in that massive kingdom, her brother would meet with He-Man. Would Karel listen to reason? Or would He-Man be forced to draw his weapon?

Karla let out a melancholy sigh as she continued to stare for a few more silent moments. And then the silence was broken.

"Karla!" Teela called as she joined the swordswoman on the balcony.

Karla glanced back, relieved that Teela was awake. "Teela. Are you well?"

"I'm fine," Teela said. "I barely felt anything when I was knocked unconscious."

"I'm sorry..." Karla apologized once again. "I really didn't mean to knock you unconscious. I'll have to be more careful. I'm just not good at holding back..."

"You shouldn't have to be," Teela assured her. "I don't hold back against Adam when we spar. He just needs to take his training more seriously."

Karla nodded. "Yes, he does..." she agreed.

As she turned once again to look out from the palace, Teela noticed that something was bothering her.

"What is it? Did something happen?"

Karla paused, pondering how to answer without revealing Adam's secret. She concluded that it was best not to mention Adam. "He-Man...went to face my brother in a duel."

"I see..." Teela said. "But you won't have to worry. He-Man is the most powerful man in the universe. He'll be able to defeat anyone."

"But...defeating him is not the goal," Karla pointed out sadly.

"Well, I guess that's true..." Teela said.

"I can only hope that He-Man will be able to bring him back here..."

"So you're just going to stand there and wait?"

"Yes...I will wait."

"Come on..." Teela gently took Karla by the wrist. "Let's keep ourselves occupied while we wait. There are still plenty of things to show you."

"Hmm?" Karla gave her a puzzled look. "Well, all right..."

Prince Adam had snuck off to a secluded spot to make his transformation into He-Man. The mighty warrior then mounted his trusty companion, Battle Cat, and raced across the land to meet his challenge. A challenge that would be fought not with swords, but with words.

After asking the people of a nearby village about this mysterious swordsman, He-Man found him in a vast, grassy field. Immediately, he could tell that this was the man he was looking for. The swordsman's resemblance to Karla was unmistakable. He stood calmly on the field, sword in hand. Battle Cat stopped about twenty feet away, and He-Man dismounted and stepped forward.

"You are He-Man?" Karel asked, his voice emotionless.

"Yes," He-Man responded. "And you are Karel?"

Karel raised an eye, surprised that the warrior knew his name. He must have learned it from Karla, he thought.

"Aye, that is my name," Karel responded. "The introduction is complete. Draw your blade."

At that moment, He-Man knew that what Karla had said was true. "No," he said flatly.

"Why?" Karel asked, just as coldly.

"Karla told me about you. She said that you are not evil. So why do you follow Skeletor?"

Karel pointed his sword at the mighty hero. "This has nothing to do with Skeletor. I would just as soon cross blades with him. My sword is my reason. I long for battle. I crave it."

"But what about Karla?"

Tired of the banter, Karel rushed at the warrior with a fast stroke. He-Man's power allowed him to react much more quickly, hopping back to avoid the attack.

"What about her?" Karel asked. "She is safe, correct? Then there's nothing to worry about."

"But she's worried about you!" He-Man pointed out.

"If you manage to survive this duel, tell her there's no need to worry for me." Karel rushed at him again with another fast sword stroke, but He-Man rolled to the side, gaining even more distance with a few handsprings. He straightened himself, facing Karel again.

"And if I don't survive? What will you do then?"

Karel faced the hero, holding his sword in a defensive stance. "Karla and I will meet again. I've no doubt of it."

He dashed at He-Man once again with yet another slash. He-Man leaped over him, landing gracefully a good distance away. Karel spun around to face him, growing more irritated with his evasion and his lack of counter attacks. No one had ever evaded Karel's attacks like this, so he knew He-Man had to be a formidable opponent. If only he would just fight back.

"Why do you not draw your blade!?" Karel growled.

"I'm not here to fight you, Karel," He-Man replied. "I've come on your sister's behalf. Come back with me, and join the Masters. Join your sister."

Karel paused, apparently considering the offer. He no longer looked tense or ready to attack again. He sighed, sheathing his sword.

"You disappoint me, He-Man," he said, turning his back. "If you will not fight me, then you waste my time. Leave."

He-Man let out a sigh of his own. He would not force Karel to come back with him, but he was disappointed that he would have to tell Karla about his refusal.

"As you wish," he said. "Come, Battle Cat."

The green tiger-like creature with yellow stripes moved to He-Man's side. He mounted on Battle Cat's saddle and rode off. Karel didn't even bother watching him leave, instead staring up into the sky.

"Karla..." he lamented.

Should he have gone back with He-Man? Should he bother going back to Snake Mountain? Where else could he go? How could he arrange to meet with Karla?

Having nowhere else to go, Karel began the journey back to Snake Mountain.