Eternia: The Dark Years

Chapter 6

After watching the monitors in front of him for hours as the computers searched through thousands of harmonic frequencies for the one that Gwildor had used on the Cosmic Key, Duncan's eyes ere beginning to hurt.

Rubbing his eyes with his left hand Duncan sat back in his seat and glanced around his empty lab before settling on to the two Doom Troopers who remained at their post either side of the door.

Suddenly one of the monitors in front of Duncan flashed catching his attention. Pressing a button Duncan activated the monitor and the image of Gadgette appeared.

"I thought you would like to know that your allies at the Dinoreps' village will most likely be dead by now." Gadgette said in a tone as close to glee as her robotic voice could get. "Now you have nothing to further distract you from the task Hordak has given you."

Duncan hit the button to shut off the monitor and Gadgette's evil laughter. With Gadgette's voice echoing in his ears the pain in his right shoulder began to return. The effects of the painkillers were wearing off again, only this time it seemed faster that usual.

Duncan began to raise his left hand and reach for the button on his right shoulder to administer another dose of the painkillers when he glanced back over to the Doom Troopers. His hand hovered over the button. Duncan gritted his teeth and lowered his hand, he was determined that his two guards would witness no more weakness from him. Instead Duncan rose from his seat and headed towards the rear of the lab.

"Where are you going?" one of the Troopers said.

"Hordak wants you at your desk at all times." said the other Trooper.

Duncan paused and turned back to the two Doom Troopers.

"I am taking a break," replied Duncan. "Please feel free to shoot me. Then the pair of you can take over the futile task. Or better yet get that mechanical witch out there to do it. Frankly I don't care anymore."

For a moment Duncan felt that he was going to get his wish when one of the Troopers slowly lowered its weapon. When the Trooper didn't fire Duncan turned his back on them and continued towards his private quarters within the lab.

Like the rest of the lab Duncan's quarters had been stripped bare, only a bed, chair, cupboard and sink remained in the room. Duncan strode over to the sink in the corner of the room and poured himself a glass of water.

"Stupid old fool!" Duncan spat at his reflection in the mirror above the sink.

Everything was going wrong, Hordak was one step ahead of him all along, Duncan had expected that his sabotage of the new Horde Troopers would be discovered, in fact he had planned on it. The sabotage would distract Hordak from what Duncan was really planning. But Hordak had outmanoeuvred him, Hordak had fed him information that he had foolishly passed on to the rebels that had led them in to a trap. But what grated on Duncan the most was that any lives lost would be down to his foolishness.

That brought Duncan back to his current task. He had to find the correct harmonic frequency that Gwildor had used in order to escape Eterina with the King and Queen. It was a mission that he dare not fail. Eternia had never needed its champion more than it did now. Eternia needed He-Man back and the only way Duncan could see to achieve that feat was by finding the Cosmic Key, wherever it in time and space.

Although Duncan had fought alongside him for many years Duncan had never found himself prouder of Prince Adam on the day when the prince selflessly leaped at Skeletor as the evil warlord was being transported up to the giant spaceship that hovered above Castle Greyskull. Adam had sacrificed everything in order to prevent Skeletor's evil from tainting the universe further. For a time Duncan had hoped that Eternia was heading towards an era of peace.

But then the full force of the Horde descended on Eternia and everything changed for the worst.

Duncan took a drink of his water as the pain in his shoulder steadily grew worse. Duncan closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths trying to block out the pain. Now that Hordak had made it clear that he knew about Duncan's growing addiction to the painkillers and would likely cut him off from gaining any more Duncan decided that he would have to ration his remaining medication. No matter how much his shoulder hurt he would no longer give Hordak or any of his followers the satisfaction of witnessing his pain and holding the access to his medication over his head.

Duncan opened his eyes and looked back to the mirror and dropped his glass in surprise.

"Teela-Na!" gasped Duncan as he saw the reflection of the Sorceress of Castle Greyskull in the mirror.

Slowly Duncan turned around half expecting to find that his imagination was playing a cruel trick on him. But the Sorceress remained standing before him.

"You're back! Bless the elders!" Duncan could barely hold back the tears as he stared at her. His heart was beating so hard that he felt that it would burst from his chest. Unable to control himself Duncan stepped over to the Sorceress in order to embrace her. But Duncan just passed through her body and almost stumbled and almost fell.

"I'm not really here Duncan," said the Sorceress turning to face Duncan. "I am a psychic echo. I was left behind to come to you when you needed me the most."

Duncan felt his heart breaking once more as the realisation of the Sorceress' words sunk in.

"I-It can't be," said Duncan. "You are needed here. We need you and He-Man back on Eternia."

"I know," replied the Sorceress stepping closer to Duncan.

Duncan could swear that if he hadn't already passed through her body, that the Sorceress was really standing before him and not a figment of his already strained imagination.

"I know," said the Sorceress once more. "I dearly wish that I was here with you, but our destinies have taken different paths."

"I-I wish it wasn't so," said Duncan. "Hordak is destroying us, he's twisting Eternia in to his own evil image. There is no one to stop him now that She-Ra is dead. No matter what we do there is no way we can win this war without you and He-Man." Duncan shook his head in defeat. "I'm too old and tired. I don't think I have the strength to carry on anymore."

"You have to remain strong," said the Sorceress softly. "Even though we currently walk different paths we are working towards the same goal. Eternia may be suffering at the moment but it will pass. But it can only pass if you remain strong."

"How can I remain strong!" snapped Duncan his anger flooding out of him like a burst dam. "I've tried to be strong. When He-Man left I was strong! When the Horde invaded I was strong! Then when we were betrayed by one of our own I tried to be strong! It cost me an arm and leg!"

Duncan held up his right robotic arm for the Sorceress to see.

"I tried to be strong as I grew addicted to the painkillers I take for the constant pain in my arm. I have even sold my soul to Hordak in the seemingly futile attempt to fight this war from the inside. Now I find that I've been a fool all along! I'm tired foolish old man."

Tears began to flow down his cheeks. Duncan turned away from the Sorceress in the attempt to hide his weakness from her.

"Duncan," said the Sorceress. "I know it is hard but believe that it will get better. You have to be strong, if only for the belief that no matter how long it takes I will return to Eternia. To Teela and …to you."

Duncan slowly turned back to face the Sorceress again. The Sorceress raised a hand and to Duncan's amazement, gently wiped away the tear on his right cheek. The Sorceress then placed her hand on Duncan's right shoulder. Duncan felt a warming sensation pass through the coldness of the metal that attached his shoulder to his robotic arm. Duncan closed his eyes, for the first time in a long time the constant pain in his shoulder eased.

"Remember Duncan, be strong."

Duncan opened his eyes, the Sorceress was gone and he was sat he was sat in his chair. A sense of loss washed over him. Was all he had just been part of a dream or was his mind finally cracking under the strain, Duncan didn't know which he preferred, Duncan shook his head.

Suddenly the door to Duncan's quarters opened and the two Doom Troopers stormed in.

"Back to work old man." commanded one of the Troopers as both levelled their weapons an him.

Sighing Duncan slowly got up from his chair and returned back to the lab.