Author's Note: Special thanks to Fusion Blaster who named the pub. Many thanks, my friend!

Chapter Three: "Identity Crisis"

The doors to the foyer opened wide, permitting Duncan entrance. The Castle was particularly dank that evening, a heavy moisture in the air. The Sorceress stepped over from a series of candles she had been lighting.

"Man-At-Arms . . . what brings you to Castle Grayskull?"

Duncan took a deep breath and gripped his cane. "It's time, Teelana."

"What . . . what do you mean?"

"Time to tell Teela the truth. All of it."

She looked at him for a long, silent moment. Duncan just stared back and she could see the pure truth to his words in his eyes. Sighing, she walked forward. "I am not . . . Duncan . . . is now the best time?"

"Yes. It is. Next April, remember? The power of Grayskull will vanish for a year, allowing you freedom to walk among us mortals again." He stepped forward. "The knowledge you gave me was scared, Teelana. The knowledge that you were able to become mortal was intense. And you shared it with me. Now I'm asking you to share not only that knowledge, but the time you'll have . . . with your daughter and grandson."

The Sorceress looked away. "I . . ." Her eyes closed. A series of clanking told her Duncan was coming over to her.

"Teelana, you and I have been doing this long enough to know that the battle we're gearing up for is likely to be the last. I believe Teela would make it a harder point to make it through the battle if she knew her mother was still alive and waiting for her."

The Sorceress turned to Duncan, eyes wide with fright. "Duncan, I know how she reacted to Adam being He-Man. I can not dare to imagine . . . how much scorn she would have for me."

Duncan ran his hands across her arms. "And now look, Teelana. They're getting married. I'm sure she'll be angry and upset, but we can work through that. Trust me."

She turned from him again, head down. Duncan waited for her to answer. She raised her head, took a deep breath, then turned back to Duncan.

"Two days, Duncan. In two days, at dawn, you and Teela will come here and we shall tell her the truth. Addison, too. I would like him - " She smiled brightly now. "- to be here when he finds out who his grandmother is."

Duncan smiled warmly and hugged her. "Thank you."

"No, Duncan . . . thank you." She paused then, and quickly withdrew from the hug. Her face was scrunched in concentration and concern. "Something . . . something is wrong . . ."

"What is it?"

It started with a crack in the ice. But rather quickly, the crack grew larger and larger. Within minutes, the block shattered and Faker leapt free. He knocked out the two Royal Guards before they even had a chance to sound the alarms. Placing his hands on the computer, he accessed the mainframe and made sure was undetectable within the Central Tower.

Faker was on the move, then, collecting his effects and making for the top of Central Tower. It was there, hiding in plain sight, he began reaching into the power of the Great Towers using the Elvin magic that was a part of him. He was slow and subtle at first, but he knew it was only a matter of time before someone found out what he was doing.

The local pub – the Soaring Eagle – was filled to the brim. In addition to the usual patrons, the whole host of Heroic Warriors, Galactic Guardians, Great Rebellion, and even the Meteorbs were there, drinking up to the victory in the Tar Swamp.

He-Man was just about down his mug of mead when he felt strange draining sensation throughout his whole body. His feet wobbled, his legs went shaky.

"What is it?" asked Teela, noticing immediately.

"Something is happening," he replied. "I'm being drained. But it's not the power of Grayskull . . ." His eyes widened. "Something is going on at Central Tower."

He-Man quickly made for the exit, followed quickly by She-Ra and Teela.

He-Man! The Sorceress called.

"I hear you, Sorceress?" he asked, pushing himself to the limit. "What is happening at the Towers?"

Faker. He has broken free and is using his Elvin magic to tap into the power of the Elders, she returned.

He-Man nodded and made for the nearest Talon Fighter.

"Wait up!" shouted She-Ra. "Let us go with you."

He-Man shook his head. "No. I want you and the others to stay here. Last time we split up, Eternos was attacked. Skeletor wants Eternos destroyed and I'm certainly not going to allow that to happen tonight." Teela was about to protest, but He-Man cut in. "Plus, Teela, the last time I faced Faker, he nearly killed all my friends. I won't let that happen." He kissed her, and then activated the engines. "I'll be back. Promise."

The Talon Fighter screeched away from Eternos and He-Man sat back, sighing. He wasn't even sure how Faker could be alive after their last battle back on Primus. It was obvious that Faker was in the employ of Skeletor once again, but how and why that was was unknown. It wasn't like he was surprised, though. Nothing seemed to faze He-Man anymore . . .

He-Man felt himself getting weary. His power was bonded to the Great Towers ever since he had taken it upon himself to be their guardian. However, when Hordak took control, the effects didn't occur due to his being on Primus.

Faker had changed so much. The simple doppelganger he had battled at Eternos and Grayskull had grown – evolved – into something far more than just an 'evil double.' Back in the Elvin realm of Oris, there appeared to be hope for him. When the world was falling apart, Faker saved He-Man's life. He breached the dimensional barriers and hunted He-Man down, believing that it was simply his nature to be evil to He-Man's good.

I killed him, He-Man thought for certain and he felt his heart grow heavy at that.

He-Man pushed all thoughts away from him. The sky was getting darker as he flew towards the night.

A little later, He-Man was nearing the Great Towers. Atop of Central Tower, there was an intense glowing blue and silver light. Central Tower was glowing green, covered in a mist-like energy. Grayskull Tower and Viper Tower stood next to it, just the same as they always had. His eyes caught a burst of light from the top of Central Tower.

He-Man leapt out of the Talon Fighter at just the same minute. It exploded loudly behind as he parachuted down. He slipped out the hover disc and secured his feet, zooming towards Central Tower.

Faker stood at the top of Central Tower, the mist-like energy circling around him.

"You didn't actually think that would stop me, did you?" questioned He-Man, Sword of Power drawn.

"I did not."

"Do you understand now, He-Man? Do you?"

"Understand what?"

"When I said that you and Skeletor were reflections of each other. I know you found out the truth about him at last."

He-Man shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"No."

Faker launched forward, his faux Sword of Power out. The blades slammed against each other, resonating into the night air.

"How many times shall we do this, He-Man?"

"As many as it takes."

"Until when? Death?"

"Shut up."

He-Man swung his sword around, but it was blocked. He-Man went to kick Faker's chest, but Faker blocked it with his hand. He-Man stumbled back, but recovered as best he could. He swung out again, hoping to catch Faker's leg. Faker lifted up and managed to kick He-Man in the face.

He-Man rolled back, but stood up fast. He slipped to the side, driving Faker back towards the middle of the roof top. Their swords struck again, thundering at the impact.

All of a sudden, there was a new noise. A loud crack was heard and it accompanied a burst of crimson light. Faker and He-Man were suddenly thrown to either side of roof. He-Man turned and watched as Skeletor stepped off the ledge and walked between them.

"Faker, it seems you've grown up again," Skeletor said with a sneer.

"Skeletor . . . leave now or - "

"Shut up, He-Man! I'm doing us both a favor!"

Skeletor pulled out from his person the Jewel of Amara. He-Man gasped. Wasn't it destroyed as well?

"You're going to use that . . . on Faker?"

Before He-Man could get an answer, Faker was on his feet and rushing towards Skeletor. Faker flicked the Jewel of Amara in his hand. A beam of red light was unleashed, striking Faker. Faker stopped in his tracks, eyes closing, body shaking.

Skeletor turned He-Man. "The Jewel of Amara is supposed to make its victim believe their worst nightmare has come true. Since Faker is an artificial life-form, the nightmare will cause a break-down in his programming. He is dead and done for, He-Man."

He-Man grunted, leapt forward, and kicked at Skeletor's hand. The Jewel of Amara went clattering to the ground. He-Man then spun with the Sword of Power and it was again blocked (and not surprisingly so) by the Sword of Darkness.

As He-Man and Skeletor battled it out, Faker's computer brain was whirling and spinning.

Skeletor was only half-right. The fear magic was breaking down Faker's programming, but as they started to delete themselves in a state of collapse, new programming was taking place. Faker had been programmed with various adaptation settings, making sure that he was able to keep up with He-Man. As the power of the Jewel of Amara was overwhelming his programming, the adaptation settings were clicking, adapting Faker's cybernetic systems to deal it. In a nutshell – Faker grew emotions. And his first emotion was fear.

Fear of death.

His eyes opened and he watched as He-Man and Skeletor battled. Either could die at any second. He closed his eyes. Good. Evil. War. Death. The fear of death was overwhelming. As Faker stood there, still, his new programming was now changing. Magic that he had gathered together from both the collapse of Oris and the Great Towers was going to work. As he became aware of the changes that were subtly beginning, Faker had a new emotion . . . curiosity.

Surely there had to be more than just war and death. Surely.

His eyes opened. He-Man and Skeletor were locked in the heat of battle.

"STOP!" Faker roared and raised his hand. There was a burst of orange energy and He-Man and Skeletor were thrown away from each other.

"Faker . . ." gasped He-Man, staring at him. Skeletor was doing the same.

Faker was changing rapidly. He was glowing with blue light, his entire being ripping before them.

"That is a name that no longer means anything to me." He looked between the two of them. "Your war must end. Death will only come from it. Death is to be feared."

He-Man blinked.

"You've become a pacifist?" asked Skeletor.

"I am finished with Eternia, Skeletor. As we speak, my programming is being re-written. I have evolved. I am no longer . . ." He paused briefly. "A blue reflection."

Skeletor sneered. He waved his hand at the Jewel of Amara. It shot into the air. He-Man grabbed it first, heaving it out Skeletor's telekinetic snare. Skeletor paused and watched as He-Man tried to smash the final tie to Skeletor's past. Faker simply watched on.

"I . . . am not strong . . . enough . . ."

Skeletor cackled, but remained where he was.

"Faker!" He-Man then shouted. Skeletor was startled, but again, didn't move. "Faker, he will only bring about more death with this! I know it! You know it!"

Faker paused, then understood what needed to be done. There was burst of green energy. The mist-like energy was gone and it struck He-Man, flowing to him like the receding tide. He-Man felt his strength return, his power completely restored.

Holding the Jewel of Amara in his left hand, he slammed his right fist straight onto it. There was an intense red light that wrapped around them all. The Jewel of Amara let out a loud 'CRACK' and was destroyed.

He-Man turned to Skeletor, but he was gone. A moment later, a Fright Fighter was in the sky, heading towards Snake Mountain.

He-Man then looked to Faker, who didn't even look like Faker anymore.

"What . . . what happened?"

Faker blinked. His body was completely silver. "I . . . am reborn."

"I can see that," He-Man replied. "What are you going to do now?"

"This war will destroy this world."

"So will Skeletor."

Faker nodded. "I do not envy you nor any others here. I have outgrown the form I was once in, but . . . I still have the fear of a child."

"There's nothing wrong with fear."

"Perhaps." Faker looked up at the stars. "Curiosity is good as well." He then looked back at He-Man. "I suppose you will not permit to leave?"

He-Man studied Faker. Everything about him was suddenly so different. Even his face had changed, gotten longer, leaner. The muscles were deflated. The only tie he had to He-Man was the clothing – that of which He-Man wore on Primus. Even that had turned silver and looked bonded to Faker. Faker's voice was changed, too. Lighter. Smarter. Mature.

Natural, He-Man realized.

"What are you, now? Cyborg? Human? Alien?"

Faker looked down at his new body. "I . . . I do not know. But I am curious."

He-Man found himself smiling. "Go then, Faker. I . . . I tired to destroy."

"I was careless and did not understand." Faker blinked heavily. "I . . . forgive you."

He-Man was taken aback. "Thank you."

Faker took a giant step back. He lifted up the faux Sword of Power. It changed as well, becoming more like a staff. Faker held it up, pointing its tip to the stars high above.

"Good journey, Faker," He-Man said to him.

Faker nodded. "Good journey, He-Man."

There was a burst of golden light, and then Faker fired towards the stars and vanished.