Author's Note: Again, I'm sorry for the delay everyone. I have only sporadic internet access, and with school starting, free time is something I have little of. Anywho... I own nothilng but the original characters and cultures I create. Skeletor, Lyn, and the rest of the MOTU crew belong to another--more's the pity. Please don't sue. I make no money from this.
My beta readers are goddesses, and I need to tell them that more often. For all those who review, thanks. For any who read, enjoy!
Later from the Llama
Chapter 20—Cleansing
Skeletor and Lyn stood by the serene pool of water and watched the noonday sun dance and play across the small ripples that crossed the pond. Skeletor draped his arm over her shoulder. They watched as several blue and purple flutterbugs soared above the pool in some strange aerial acrobatics.
"You know," commented Lyn, "if we weren't about to die a painful and horrendous death, this would be very romantic."
Skeletor laughed ruefully. "Leave it to me to mess that up."
"I know," continued Lyn conversationally, "You are the same person that spent the last twenty-something years trying to take by force a throne that you had a legitimate claim to. You know you really are a bone head?" Lyn leaned into his side. She sighed then whispered, "Do you think we'll make it?"
"I don't know. But if we do…..Can you imagine Lyn? Being pure—I don't know what I'd do. But to just be clean again..."
"I know," breathed Lyn with a wistful sigh.
They stood by the peaceful silvery water lost in thought for the next few minutes.
"I am informed that I am to prepare you for Taking the Waters," said Cacila from behind the two mages.
Lyn turned to see the conductor of the Purification Rites approaching.
"Yes," answered Skeletor. He dropped his hand from Lyn's shoulder and turned to face Cacila, his arms crossed.
Jonas walked up quietly behind Cacila. "I have requested that Jonas assist me in your preparations. Will that be a problem for either of you?" asked the stern Truth Sworn.
Skeletor looked at Jonas. He was red-eyed and looked as though misery had been etched on his face. Jonas averted his gaze from his friend.
"No," said Skeletor, feeling both annoyed at and sorry for his friend at the same time. Taking Lyn's hand he said, "Show us what we must do."
Cacila led the others away from the pool and towards a group of seven colossal stone towers. Directing the others towards a set of steep spiral stairs, Cacila led the group up to a golden wood platform surrounded by floating walkways leading to the remaining six towers.
Once everyone was on the platform, Cacila turned to face the unlikely initiates. "This is where we must part. Lyn, you must enter here with me." She pointed to the first walkway to her right. "Skeletor," she began, with a small nod to the wizard, "you must go with Jonas."
Jonas turned and walked silently across the platform and led Skeletor to a floating walkway. As they made their way towards the distant tower, Skeletor realized they were walking above the canopy of the jungle. He gingerly glanced over the side of the walkway and took in the sight of the rustling leaves underneath him. The only sound that reached Skeletor from the forest was the muffled cries of the perens hidden in the branches below.
Looking up towards the looming tower, Skeletor noticed a trail of smoke curling up from an attached circular stone chimney. He turned back and looked towards Lyn and saw a similar smoke column winding up from the tower she was about to enter.
"So you burn us first, huh?" asked Skeletor annoyed.
"What?" asked Jonas. Skeletor pointed to the white and gray wisps streaming up from the tower.
"Oh, that's not for you, at least not for your body," Jonas turned to look back at his friend. "I'm sorry, Skeletor. I didn't want to tell what Weaver told me, but—,"
"You had to tell the truth," snapped Skeletor. Then seeing the hurt on his friends face, he stopped. "Look, Jonas, none of this is your fault. I can't say that I'm happy with what has happened so far, but I have learned one thing. Good is stronger than evil. I believe that now. Good can take any pain or sorrow and use it to bring a greater good. Now I'm going to live in the truth that I know, and if I die, I die. It is no less than I deserve. I guess your Truth Sworn insanity has infected me."
Jonas smiled sadly, "It appears it has."
The Truth Sworn and the wizard entered a surprisingly simple chamber. Jonas shut the door behind them and in spite of the dark curtains that hung around the room. The room was flooded with light from the brazier in the center of the room. The dark metal bowl was as long and wide as Skeletor's leg and the raging flame was burning and sending a tower of smoke through a large skylight in the bare room. On either side of the fire were raised stones and off to the edge near a wide window was a bath filled with steaming water. Jonas walked to the wall nearest the window and unfolded a large screen in front of the tub. He reached out to take Skeletor's Havoc Staff. Skeletor reluctantly passed his staff to Jonas and walked behind the screen.
"I need to bathe before I enter your pool?" asked Skeletor incredulously as he removed his harness behind the screen.
"It is symbolic. It means that you are removing every last trace and connection to your former life to seek cleansing and alliance with the Truth. So," explained Jonas I will need you to pass your clothing around the screen when you have it all."
Skeletor began to mutter behind the solid wood screen as he passed his battle gear, harness, cloak, and hood to Jonas. He tossed his boots out across the room and lowered himself into the warm water with a sigh of contentment.
"Is it true?" asked Jonas reaching around the screen to put a towel and ceremonial white wrap for Skeletor to change into upon leaving his bath.
"What?" asked Skeletor, rubbing his scarred neck. The wizard wondered for a moment if they'd allow him a white hood, but quickly decided that it wasn't worth the irritation to ask.
"That you are a prince," Continued Jonas as he shuffled around the small room.
"My father was a king, but I forfeited the title prince years ago," answered Skeletor.
"Even your actions cannot change your lineage," answered Jonas, hope coloring his voice.
"You're the second person to ask me about that. What's so important about it?" demanded Skeletor.
"It's probably nothing," Jonas answered. "I need to go get something from Cacila. Dress in your wrap when you finish you bath, and I will return shortly."
Skeletor leaned back in the bath and allowed the tension to flow from his body. He covered his eye sockets to block all light and sent out tendrils of thought to connect to his love.
Lyn was relaxing in her soothing bath when she felt the touch of Skeletor's mind seeking hers.
'I wish you were here,' came the thought to her mind.
'Really, my prince?' she teased. 'Such an unworthy thought, I am not dressed.'
'Nor am I, and that is the point, my dear Lyn,' Skeletor sent with such an intensity of feeling that Lyn blushed and sank lower into the water.
"Lyn? Have you finished?" asked Cacila re-entering the room. Lyn released as irritated sigh. 'I must beg your leave, my prince. I am being summoned.' she sent to Skeletor with mock solemnity.
"Blast! So am I," his annoyance traveling with his thoughts to Lyn.
Lyn laughed quietly as she dried herself. "I'm coming," she said, dropping her towel as she slipped into the strapless purification vestment.
Lyn tucked her wet hair behind her ears as she walked out to see all of her belongings and clothing in a pile in front of the raging fire.
"If you will kneel on the stone in front of your belongings," we can begin, said Cacila as she knelt on the raised stone opposite Lyn.
"I have a really bad feeling about this," muttered Lyn as she knelt before the flame.
"Lyn," continued Cacila, "You have chosen to seek purification from the evil in your lives. You have chosen to seek alliance with the Truth that guides and binds us. If you have any doubt that this is the path you wish to walk now is the time to leave, because from this point forward you cannot turn back."
"I have made my choice," said Lyn, pushing away the fear that threatened to overwhelm her.
Cacila nodded. "Then you must destroy all links to your past. Cast all of these things that once defined who you are into the fire."
The color drained from Lyn's face, but she nodded. She tossed the black and purple bodysuit that had for so long been her uniform in Skeletor's army of evil. The boots and cloak followed close behind. Finally she held her wand before her. This one tool of metal, wood, and crystal had helped her control and hone her power into a deadly weapon—a tool that made her feel powerful and free. The sorceress took a deep breath and placed the wand into the flames.
"I can't believe I just did that," muttered Skeletor, the flames slowly consuming his Havoc staff. He lowered his head in his hands with a groan.
Jonas stood and clasped Skeletor's shoulder bracingly. "We must go."
Skeletor stood to see Jonas standing beside him in the same purification vestment that he was now wearing.
Skeletor stood up and walked beside Jonas out the door. His breath caught as he saw Lyn standing next to Cacila in the dress worn by initiates. He walked up and pulled her into his arms. "You look beautiful," the sorcerer whispered only loud enough for her to hear.
"You don't look too bad yourself," she said lowly as she traced his arms with her fingers.
"You are ready?" asked Cacila.
Skeletor nodded. He released Lyn and looked down at the pool beneath. The other had already assembled and Jonas was already quickly making his way down the steps to the group gathered below. The chanting prayers of the people rose from the Truth Sworn below as Cacila led the way down the steep high steps toward the Waters of Truth.
Skeletor took Lyn's hand and together they walked down the steps in time with the chant swelling beneath him.
Just as Lyn and Skeletor approached the mass of people surrounding the Waters, they parted. Cacila led the way to the silvery pool in front of the semicircle of people gathered for the ritual. The two mages walked toward the water.
"A group of well-wishers in their finery, singing, a priestess of sorts, and a leader of the community and you and I walking slowly in a procession," whispered Skeletor into Lyn's ear. "Seems almost like that wedding we wanted to have."
Lyn laughed quietly, "I even have the white dress."
"Too bad I had to show up in my bath towel," Skeletor complained.
They both laughed at that observation as they cleared the last of the Truth Sworn to approach the shore of the small pond in front of them.
Cacila took her place to one side of the waters as Antaris walked to the other.
Skeletor and Lyn walked hand in hand between the two and waited nervously.
"Those who approach the waters today, have you laid all aside that you were to become, this day, something new?"
Skeletor and Lyn looked at one another, "We have."
"And you understand that sometimes the Truth has you serve it by living, and sometimes you serve Truth by dying?"
"We do," said the two magic users, holding each other's hand all the more tightly.
"You understand that you now offer your life and future completely into the service of good as Truth dictates and in whatever Truth commands."
"We do," affirmed these two unlikely seekers.
"Antaris, do you accept these initiates?"
"I do," he said, his eyes bright with unshed tears.
"Then rise," said Cacila. She struck the ground with her staff, and, with a burst of power, the Skeletor and Lyn were lifted over the pool by the power flowing from Cacila's staff.
For a moment Lyn and Skeletor felt nothing but the flow of magic that lifted them over the smooth face of the Waters. But as they reached the center of the pool a power began to flow from the waters and the two former servants of evil saw their very souls in the waters before them. Lyn began to sob. Skeletor lifted his hands to his eye sockets to block out the miserable sight of his maimed and broken spirit, but it was too late. The image had burned itself on his heart and mind.
"No," he choked out in a strangled voice. "Just let me die. No!"
"Are you ready to enter the Waters that can purify you—mind, body, and soul?"
"Yes," shouted Lyn and Skeletor. They reached out to take each other's hand as they each hovered above their own private horrors.
"Then let it be done." And with a wave of her Cacila's staff Skeletor and Lyn fell beneath the Waters of Truth.
Skeletor and Lyn were blasted apart by the surge of power that exploded within and around them as they fell below the surface of the pond.
Skeletor screamed and thrashed beneath the water. He felt as if every cell of his body was in flames. His head felt as though it were in the midst of Idril's kiln. He choked and coughed, yet he did not drown. He would have welcomed death if it came because even worse that the pain he felt were the truths he saw about himself. Every secret motive and unworthy act were brought before him.
He saw how his life could have been different if he'd chosen Good. He saw his mother perishing from her illness because it was her time, and his father comforting him through the pain if his father had told the truth about his marriage to his mother.
He saw his father welcoming him home if he'd stormed up under the balcony at Randor's presentation, screaming and raging at his betrayal. He saw Randor's mother drying his tears and welcoming him into the palace all the while sharing with every servant and each courtier she and Miro passed about her two princes.
Skeletor saw how he could have lived his life with his brothers and sisters running and playing midst the palace—admired and loved by his family and the kingdom. He saw how he as a young prince who learned to control his magic would have faced a witch—Lyn seeking to steal great power. He saw how choosing good and helping her make peace with her past would have caused her to turn to good—how they would have married and would have been happy. Before his vision passed every good deed and every ounce of potential he wasted in his miserable and bitter adulthood.
Skeletor saw how he and Randor would have stood side-by-side in battle and would have crushed the Horde on Eternia—Hordak and all. No one on Etheria need ever have known slavery. He saw that years later Horde Prime would seek to destroy Eternia in vengeance for their destruction of his brother, only to be overthrown by King Miro and his princes, and mysterious warriors, He-Man and She-Ra, who would have appeared just in time to crush the Horde for good.
His heart shattered as he realized all the harm he'd caused. All the time he'd hurt others when he could have helped them and all the laughter he could have shared with those he should have loved and protected, not chose to hurt, crushed his already broken spirit.
When he felt he could take no more, other truths came to him. His pain increased and he felt lines of fire curve and race around and through him. He saw how much good he could still do. He saw Micah and Neara grown and happy because of his influence on their lives. He the destruction of the Horde not only on this world but the remnants of the tyranny swept away under his leadership, and Prince Jed firmly established as a leader of the Horde and repurposing this once evil empire into protectors of freedom in this galaxy. He saw people restored from great evil and changed by his influence, and he saw Lyn, as his wife, bearing children who would serve good and live in Truth's light all of the days of their lives. The pain was increasing as he felt the waters rip and tear away every scrap of evil that within and around his form. He screamed as a surge of power focused on his head. He choked and swallowed the Waters of Truth and felt their flames and power fill him entirely. He wanted to die.
Lyn arched her back with a pain that threatened to break her apart. The water burned away at every nerve as though she had been dropped in a vat of acid.
She felt lines of fire lancing through her like the jagged edges of a thousand tiny knives.
Before her eyes she saw how her father grieved for her. She saw him stand at the entrance of his desert citadel each night hoping his Lyn would come home. She understood now that he was hurt so deeply by her mother's passing that the time he stayed away from her was spent in mourning. That he did not want to inflict his misery and pain on his daughter, so he stayed away.
She saw that he threw himself into his work because it relieved his pain and gave him purpose. He wanted to give that same gift to his daughter. That was why he had pushed her so hard. She understood now that her father was right about their noble task, and that he was right to guard the Ram Stone so carefully. She knew somehow that this stone was linked to the freedom of the very galaxy, and she had almost handed it over to one of the most evil beings on Eternia at the time. She saw that if all had followed Truth's path she would have one day met a handsome prince who would have become her husband and taken her from her desert home. She would have been adored with all of the passion she longed for and have children she loved completely.
All of the lives she ruined, all of the years she wasted, rushed past her eyes and etched themselves on her very soul. She saw how many years of laughter and joy she could have spent with her father, and how they could have healed their relationship if she'd just been truthful with him about the pain she felt. She saw how she missed chance after chance to change, leaving year after year of death destruction and misery in her wake.
She screamed and writhed in misery as she felt herself being torn and shredded, and when she could stand no more she intentionally breathed in the waters hoping for death.
She felt the blazing of the waters flowing within and without her and new truths passed before her beleaguered mind. She saw that there was still hope for her and her prince, and that they could help people both here on this world but all over the galaxy. She saw the faces of her children, Micah and Neara, and others with skin of pale blue laughing and playing on their wide balcony. She saw how she could heal her true love's injured soul with her love and stubborn determination, and she knew that she must somehow rise from this pool. 'Truth help me!' she thought desperately.
Lyn focused that once empty place in her spirit where love for Skeletor, Neara and Micah overflowed, and kicked against bottom of the pool in spite of the pain that still burned and streaked around and in her.
She pushed herself toward the rising shore before her and clawed the muddy bank until she was able to push her head above the churning water.
Lyn gasped and coughed as she struggled to crawl out of the pool with each movement the pain slackened but so did her strength. She finally placed her hand upon the shore only to fall on the side. Idril, Jonas, and Linwe rushed to her side. "Lyn you must leave the waters on you own. Then we can help you. You must come out," said Jonas.
"Truth help her," whispered Idril.
Lyn pushed up again enough to drag herself to the shore. When she felt herself free of the water, she crumpled to the ground panting.
"Idril get her legs, I'll get her arms. We need to take her to the recovery chambers now," Linwe ordered.
"No," gasped Lyn, weakly pushing against the ground, "Must see Skeletor safe. I won't go till then."
Linwe helped Lyn sit up and were about to try again to convince her to go to a recovery room when a blue hand covered in white Truth Scores burst forth from the water.
Skeletor tried once more to move out of the water, but the pain gripped him and dragged him back under. 'Something's not right, I don't know what, but Truth is holding me back.' Skeletor looked around him, and his vision was obscured by a strange blue mass. 'Truth what have I not seen? What must I do?'
'Tell me your name,' a strange voice commanded.
"Skeletor!" screamed Lyn. Fear at seeing his hand sink back under the waters had given her a surge of adrenaline and she was now struggling against Linwe and Idril. "Let me go. I have to get to him."
"Peace, Lyn," said Linwe, "He must come out on his own."
"No," denied Lyn, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Skeletor."
A second later the blue mage burst from the water and began to crawl toward the shore. Midnight-blue hair dripped down from where his bare skull was only a few minutes earlier. Lyn gasped, her eyes wide open in shock. White Truth Scores formed a huge diamond shape all across his muscular back and an inch-and-a-half band of Truth Scores encircled each of his biceps. An inch wide line of Truth Scores traveled around his chest and down his right arm and leg. The wizard coughed and wavered in the water.
"Skeletor!" she cried, trying once again to break free of those women who only seconds before had been helping her rise from the ground.
The newest Truth Sworn pulled himself on the shore. Midnight blue eyes locked with Lyn's amethyst eyes. "My name is Keldor," said the former overlord of evil and now Truth Sworn. With those words, he passed out.