A/N: There are still probably eight to ten chapters left in this story, but we are going to be wrapping things up. As this is the semi-final story for Adam and Eternia (there's a loose plot bunny out there we may or may not one day decide to tame) we would appreciate any comments about things you feel are left unresolved from the entire series so far. We would hate to finish the story and realize we forgot to tie up a loose end or two. ;-)


Adora's question hung in the air. Hawk reminded himself that he was in a very expensive restaurant with the Princess of Eternia, and no matter how much he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and take her to a remote island until she came to her senses, he couldn't do it.

"When isn't something disrupting our lives, Adora? " he asked instead, his voice rough. "These rumors will never stop. They'll just change. Tomorrow it will be something else. As for the sentencing...if it takes Adam as long as Ramos said it would to recover, the sentencing won't be until we get back from our honeymoon. Your father won't try Keldor without Adam present, and by the time he's up to it, it will be too close to our wedding." He settled back in his chair and folded his arms, confident he had sliced holes into all of her arguments. Another thought struck him, though, and his heart froze in fear. "Adora? You do still want to get married, don't you? "

Adora's jaw dropped. "How can you even ask that?" Adora stopped a moment as she saw Hawk's upraised brow. She dropped her gaze. "I know I want to marry to you, Hawk," she said softly, realizing he had every reason for thinking what he was.

Hawk let out a sigh of relief.

"I guess, I just wanted our wedding day to be perfect Hawk. Everyone happy and safe. I wanted my whole family there." Adora took a breath, her shoulders slouching slightly. "I wanted my family completely back. No anger, no hatred, no animosity, no suspicion and no black cloud of discord anywhere."

"Life isn't a fairy tale, Adora," Hawk said gently.

Adora frowned. "I know that. Better than most."

Hawk nodded and reached out to take Adora's hand. She gripped his hand and looked into his green eyes--a green that reminded her of the South Eternian Sea.

"Hawk, it's just that…" Adora broke off for a moment. She shook her head as if to clear it. "Mother asked me almost a year ago what I wanted in a wedding. At first I wasn't sure, but with her help I remembered some of the weddings we had in the Whispering Woods. Friends and family celebrating, flowers in my hair, and you."

Sensing she wasn't finished, Hawk waited patiently as Adora gathered her thoughts. "It wasn't so much the ceremony or location that made those weddings so special Hawk. I realize that now. It was the feeling of complete and utter happiness in those moments. I want our day to be just as happy."

Adora forced her gaze back to Hawk's face. "I don't want anything to cast a shadow over our day."

Hawk sighed, holding onto his patience only because he loved this woman before him with all his heart. "The only shadows that will be cast are the ones you allow," he said, his tone a bit rough. "Adora, weddings are happy because of the hope they celebrate. They aren't an end in themselves. No matter what else is going on, that day we celebrate our love for each other and the hope we share for a life together. It's not about Keldor, or She-Ra, or Adam, or anyone else."

"Hope," Adora repeated simply. "I suppose we all could use that now." She lowered her eyes to the table.

"I could use some myself," Hawk muttered. As Adora's eyes flew to his face, he decided to be blunt. "I'm not rescheduling this wedding, Adora. I intend to marry you when I said I would." He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms. "So you gonna be there or not?"

Adora chuckled ruefully. "I suppose I'd better be there. Knowing you, you'd have the whole kingdom in an uproar if I weren't there."

Hawk raised an eyebrow. "Me?" he inquired innocently.

"You," Adora repeated dryly. "And it doesn't hurt matters any that all of your old crew will be in the first couple of rows either."

Hawk grinned roguishly. "But I wouldn't have the kingdom in an uproar, Adora," he drawled. "I'd just have my crew hunt you down, then we'd drag you back to Etheria, and Sven would marry us on the Eternian Ocean."

"And you think a crew of pirates carrying off the Princess of Eternos wouldn't cause an uproar?" Adora asked, her eyes twinkling.

Hawk shrugged. "That's their problem. I'd be worlds away." He winked at her.

Adora grinned back at him. "And if I attempted to escape the vile clutches of my kidnappers?"

Hawk stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Well, I'm sure we can prevent that. I have my ways, you know. Or perhaps She-Ra would marry me instead."

"I knew it!" Adora teased. "You do like She-Ra more than me." She sighed dramatically, then leaned forward and said in a whisper, "I think she and I might be willing to share you Hawk. As long as you abandon this kidnapping scheme of yours."

Hawk's face fell. "Oh, are you sure? I was certain I would get kicked off Eternia and not have to worry about royal formalities anymore." He grinned to let her know he was still teasing.

"Really, Hawk. I'm disappointed. You are more than capable of coming up with something else that can have you kicked off the planet. What happened to all of your strategic skills?"

Hawk leaned in close. "Don't worry, Adora. I have plenty of plans in the works already." He laughed aloud at the look on her face. "Let's finish our dinner, Princess, so we can go check on your brother."


The insistent beeping had kept Keldor up most of the night. Now, shortly before dawn, he turned onto his side, punching weakly at the pillow. He was more than ready to get out of bed, but so far a trip to the bathroom was as far as he had managed to make it. He couldn't imagine what Adam would be like when he woke up. Keldor frowned impatiently. Maybe he could speed that along. After all, they only had Adam on painkillers; he wasn't in a drug-induced coma any more. Ramos had even removed a majority of the tubes chasing each other around Adam's body; all that was left was the IV in his hand and the small tubes running into his nose. It was high time sleeping beauty woke up.

'Wake up!'

The somewhat familiar voice in his head jarred Adam awake. His eyes flew open, but as he tried to sit up or roll over to get out of bed, all he was conscious of was pain. He let out an involuntary groan as he squeezed his eyes shut against the nausea that threatened.

"Glad to see you back among the living," greeted Keldor.

Adam took a breath, then another. Slowly, the pain radiating from his stomach eased. He decided against trying to sit up again, and instead turned his head towards the voice that seemed familiar yet not. "Skeletor?" he asked weakly. 'Have I been captured again?'

Keldor chuckled. "You must have hit your head harder in that fall than I thought. It's Keldor now. And we are allies."

Adam struggled to remember. "Allies?" he repeated. "I don't-" A flash of memory, of the two of them near a campfire together, came to Adam. 'The Alma'Odela,' he thought as the memories started to roll through his mind. 'I called him back to help.' Adam moaned slightly. "My whole family's ready to skin me for bringing you back."

"I think the fact that you are alive now will earn you all of the forgiveness you'll need." Keldor grinned. As groggy as Adam was, he could have some fun with this. "Rest easy, Nephew."

"Nephew?" Adam repeated, starting to feel like one of Duncan's recorders. 'Blast these drugs," he thought as he tried to recall something about being related to Skeletor--no, that wasn't it. He had said his name changed. "What's your name again? And where'd you get the face?" The words came out in a raspy whisper. His throat was so sore. Adam swallowed painfully.

Keldor suppressed a chuckle. "I got my face from my father, King Miro, and my injuries to it were healed when I gave up evil in the purification of the Truth Sworn. And my name is Keldor. Older brother to Randor." He leaned back and tucked his arms behind him in an attempt to act nonchalant, but he watched Adam carefully out of the corner of his eyes.

Adam blinked hard. He knew he was in the infirmary, and he knew he was on some drugs--he could tell by the way he felt. Though he didn't remember what was wrong with him, he was pretty sure he was thinking straight--he just wasn't remembering well. 'Maybe I'm hallucinating.' That would explain a lot. Like why there was a man with blue skin and a voice somewhat similar to Skeletor's in the same infirmary room he was in. "Of course I'm hallucinating," he muttered, straightening his head to stare at the ceiling. "What other explanation could there be?"

Keldor laughed heartily at that.

The door to the room opened quietly, and Adam turned his head once more to see who was coming in. "Father?" he hesitantly asked the figure outlined by the brighter light from the hallway.

"Adam? You're awake?" Randor asked rhetorically, his voice full of joy. He rushed to Adam's bedside. "Thank the Ancients!" He grasped Adam's hand and forearm in his hands, tears pooling in his eyes. He glanced at Keldor. "And thank you, Keldor."

Adam's mouth opened slightly, then closed again. He groaned again as he shut his eyes. Randor no longer angry, and thanking Keldor. "Definitely a hallucination," he mumbled.

"What?" Randor asked, alarmed. He looked to Keldor for an answer.

Keldor laughed even harder, barely managing to calm himself when Randor glared at him. "He's still a bit disoriented. He remembers who I used to be and that you are angry with him. He's fairly sure the rest of this is drug-induced."

Randor didn't find it funny at all. "Adam, what's the last thing you remember?"

Adam opened one eye. That didn't sound like a hallucination. "Fighting the Alma'Odela with Skele- uh, Keldor," he answered. He swallowed with difficulty, wondering if his mouth would be this dry if he were hallucinating. Another memory surfaced. "Josiah," he said suddenly. "Teela had the baby." He felt a mixture of panic and joy at the thought.

"That was before the fight with the Alma'Odela," Randor said gently. He pulled a chair over, pushing the button for Ramos. "Do you remember anything else?"

Adam frowned in concentration. "Is Skeletor really my uncle?" he asked abruptly.

Keldor chuckled.

Randor smiled, sighing. "Yes," he said simply. "He is my older half-brother."

Adam shut his eyes again. "Definitely a hallucination."

Keldor caught the worried look that passed over Randor's face. "Don't worry, Randor. Adam took a huge blow to the head from his fall. He is bound to be a bit confused for a bit. He remembers much and should be fine within a few days or so."

Randor frowned, wondering if that was all there was too it. Before his thoughts got too far along the lines of the emotional traumas Adam had gone through, Adam spoke again.

"How did I get hit on the head? And where's my sword? That'll have me up in no time." 'And it'll take care of these hallucinations,' Adam thought in satisfaction. Assuming a hallucination could produce his sword.

Randor and Keldor exchanged looks, but before they could answer, Ramos bustled in. "It's about time, young man," he grumbled as he set about checking Adam's vitals. Adam gave a sigh of long-suffering patience, earning a dark look from the healer.

"Ramos, can I get a drink?" Adam rasped after a few moments.

"Not yet," the old healer answered. "You had a lot of damage to your intestines. They're not completely healed. For now, this," he tapped the IV, "is the only way you're getting any nourishment." Adam's face paled at Ramos' words, but the old healer, intent on taking the prince's blood pressure, didn't notice. "You can rinse your mouth out if it's too dry, but no swallowing..." He prattled on, but Adam was no longer listening.

"By the grace of Eternia," he whispered. He cast his gaze about the room, starting to realize he wasn't hallucinating as another memory surfaced. "Josiah. Is Josiah all right?" he asked in a panicked voice.

"He's fine," interjected Keldor.

Ramos stopped his check-up and stared at Adam. "Are you havin' trouble rememberin' things?"

Adam licked his lips, wishing for water. "I guess so."

Ramos shook his head. "Stupid question. How would you know what you don't remember?" He turned to Keldor. "I assume you've been here since he woke up," he observed dryly. "Is he delusional or forgetful?"

"He seems to be confused. His memory seems to be patchy, but he seems to be recovering bits and pieces quickly," Keldor answered. "He only thinks he's delusional."

"Ah," Ramos said, satisfied. "As long as it's comin' back quickly, it's just a side effect of the head injury and bein' drugged for so long."

"No more drugs," Adam interrupted. "I thought I told you to tell them that." He looked as surprised as Keldor when those words slipped out of his mouth.

Keldor grinned widely. "I did tell Lyn to tell the others, but it's not like I could supervise the removal of the drugs. I was a bit busy myself at the time."

"Busy?" Adam asked, losing his train of thought. He had been about to remember something important, he was sure.

"Trying to stay in the land of the living," elaborated Keldor.

Adam remained confused as Ramos interrupted them. "We brought you out of the drug-induced coma, Your Highness, but we could not remove you from painkillers completely. Your injuries were far too extensive."

'Extensive injuries, land of the living, drug-induced coma, head injuries, intestinal damage...' The puzzle started to come together, but Adam still couldn't seem to remember exactly what had happened.

Abruptly he yawned and his eyes closed as if by their own accord. "Adam?" he heard his father say, but he couldn't respond as he slipped back into the darkness.


"He woke up?" Teela asked excitedly, flinging her door open all they way. Randor stood in the hallway, having wanted to deliver the news personally.

"For just a few minutes," Randor confirmed. "He's very confused, Teela. His memory of the last few months is spotty. And his body is still straining to heal itself, so he didn't have the energy to stay awake."

Teela cast a quick glance towards a sleeping Josiah. "I'll have to call my mother to see if she can sit with him," she murmured as she pulled on her boots with short, jerky motions, her stomach twisting. Tears sprang to her eyes. "I need to see Adam."

"I can watch him," Lyn offered from behind Randor. The king turned in surprise to see Lyn standing in her own doorway, her face hesitant. "I'm sure your mother would like to see Adam as well."

Teela straightened up and barely gave any thought to the fact that she had completely distrusted this person not so long ago. "That's great, Lyn. Thanks!" She took off down the hall, almost running in her haste, leaving Randor standing there bemused.

"Jonas and Antaris are here as well, with my children," Lyn said, as if she still had to convince Randor. "I promise I won't hurt him."

Randor smiled at her. "I'm sure you wouldn't, Lyn, but I rarely have time with my grandson, and it's been a long few days. I think I'd like to catch a nap on Adam and Teela's couch until Josiah wakes up."

Lyn smiled and nodded in understanding. "We'll be here if you need any help, Grandpa," she said, the last word said so softly as she closed the door that Randor wondered if he had heard her right.


Teela had been sitting at Adam's side for over an hour, waiting eagerly and impatiently for him to wake up again. Keldor had explained to her what Adam had remembered, then slipped into sleep himself.

"Would you wake up already, you big lout?" she complained aloud to Adam in a low voice. "I feel like it's been forever since I've looked into your gorgeous blue eyes and seen you smile. The past two weeks have been awful." Impulsively she leaned forward and kissed Adam on the lips.

A gentle touch on her face stopped her as she started to pull away, and Adam's mouth moved softly under hers. Tears of joy spilled out from under her eyelids as Adam's fingers played lightly over her cheeks and traced her jawline.

Teela pulled back slightly to look in his now-open eyes. "It's about time you woke up," she told him with a watery smile.

"So I hear," Adam returned hoarsely with a smile of his own. "Ancients, Teela, I feel like I haven't seen you in months." His eyes drank in the sight of her, though his hand weakly dropped back down the bed.

"Why don't you two get a room?" Keldor teased from the other side of the room.

"We have one," Teela retorted lightly. "I believe you're in our space."

"It was a necessity," Keldor reminded her archly, his tone still teasing.

The confused jumble of memories assailed Adam again, and he groaned.

"Are you in pain?" Teela fretted.

"No," Adam denied, then sighed. "Well, a little, but that's not the issue. I feel so confused about everything, like I'm missing parts of my life."

Teela went over everything Keldor had told her earlier, and was pleased to note that Adam still remembered all of it.

"But Josiah?" Adam asked, frowning. "Keldor said he's fine…" He struggled to remember how his son had been saved. Finally a glimmer came to him. "It was Lyn who helped save him. Lyn and Dree Elle and…" Adam's voice trailed off and his brow furrowed. "Pregnant women. Sorceresses. Lana. Lana was the third one."

"Talking through these seems to help you recall," Teela observed. "I think you ought to rest now, Adam. You-"

"The prophecy," Adam said, a look of terror on his face. Memories began flooding in so quickly he could no longer speak. He saw Damien before him, tempting him, Josiah's presentation, Keldor renouncing his claim to the throne, a mob attacking the palace, the Faceless One, and the Damien-possessed snake of Snake Mountain coming to life.

The heart monitor began to increase rapidly, and Adam's breath came in short bursts. "The sword," he gasped, his frantic eyes going to Teela. She wondered briefly if she should lie, but Adam would know it. If the sword were here, it could have healed him. He would know that.

"It's gone," she confirmed heavily. "He-Man is no more, Adam."

Rather than creating a panic attack as she had feared, Adam relaxed. "I remember," he said, a hand going to his side. A sense of loss filled him. "I've lost a part of myself, Teela."

His words tore at her heart. She knew it was the most honest response she would get from him about how he felt over losing his sword and the ability to become He-Man. "No you haven't," she whispered, brushing his bangs away from his face. "You still have He-Man's heart."

Adam shook his head slightly, pushing aside the despondency. He offered a slight, lopsided smile. "I think the people would rather have He-Man than me," he said.

"But with He-Man to depend on, they would never again rely on themselves," Keldor pointed out. "Now you have a chance to lead them as their prince and king, the way you were meant to."

Adam turned his head to look at Keldor. "You're still here?"

"We'll move him out," Teela promised. "We just had to have him in there because his spellwork was all that was keeping you alive."

"No," Adam said quickly, surprising both Keldor and Lyn. "I can't even sit up yet, but I sense a magic helping me heal. Leave him here for now, please."


"Duncan, what's this about?" Randor asked as he entered the conference room. Lyn, Lana, Adora, Marlena, Miro, Hawk and Teela were already gathered, he noted.

Duncan shut the door firmly. "Your Majesty, you know that Adora and some of the Etherians heard rumors earlier this week that He-Man had saved a town."

Randor nodded. They had decided it must have been shortly before He-Man's demise; Adam had been gone for a few hours they couldn't account for.

Duncan didn't mince words. "It's happened again. Today."

Lyn's brows drew together.

"Perhaps this is a trick. Keldor did something similar to fool the sorceress years ago."

"Oh yeah," Teela recalled. "Faker, right?"

Lyn nodded. "It took preparation and hoarding of power to create Faker. Much of which he took from the Shaping Staff itself, but there are other ways."

"Other ways?" Adora repeated worriedly. "But Adam told me that the creature even had He-Man's strength. If it looks like him and sounds like him and has his strength, what hope do we have of convincing the people it's not really him? "

Randor waved his hands slightly. "Slow down. Duncan, what exactly happened? "

Man-at-Arms sighed. "It's very similar to what happened before. This fake He-Man showed up at a town that was struck by an earthquake and saved some people. He then proceeded to tell everyone that Skeletor has all of us--even She-Ra--under a spell, and that they must join with him to overthrow the royal family."

"Is it possible that He-Man has manifested in some other form?" Miro asked logically.

Lana shook her head immediately. "No. He-Man was merely a magnification of the good already inside Adam. Only he could call on Grayskull's power with the sword. And without it, He-Man as Eternia knows him does not exist."

"So it has to be a trick," Hawk muttered. "But how? Who has that much power?"

"Hutch may not have the connections but both he and Marzo are powerful magicians now. And there are dark sources of power all over this world." Lyn looked at the rest of the family. "Keldor and I regularly searched for these talismans."

"Could they have found their way out of the Valley of Echoes already?" Teela asked, her brow furrowed.

Lyn shrugged. "If the Syriak could I suppose others could as well." That reminded her that the creature needed to be taken to the jungle for its daily outing. She would be glad when Keldor was well enough to take over that duty again.

"But it took him two years to find his way out," Marlena said in dismay. "I had hoped-" She broke off. It didn't really matter that she had hoped for more time of peace, and no one needed to hear her whine.

"At least this happened now," Lyn pointed out. "Before Keldor's and my sentencing. I can investigate and if there is a dark power being used that we know of, we can work with Grayskull to destroy it."

"Agreed. I'll go to Grayskull and talk with Serena and Malick," Adora said, her fingers steeped together as she thought. "Perhaps they have an idea of what's going on."

"And what do we tell Adam and Keldor?" Lana asked.

The group exchanged glances for a long moment.

"Adam doesn't need any additional stress," Teela said firmly.

Lyn looked uncomfortable for a moment. "I will only tell what I am led to, but I will not lie if asked."

Randor scowled darkly. "I have to agree with Teela. Adam needs to focus on his recovery. He won't do that very well if he's fretting about a false He-Man running around."

"I don't think it's a good idea to keep this from him," Duncan disagreed. "He'll hear rumors from the healers and visitors anyway."

"Perhaps Lyn's way is best," Hawk suggested. "Don't tell them what's going on before you have to, but don't lie about it." Lyn shot Hawk a grateful look.

"I never said to lie," Teela said grumpily.

"I know you didn't," Lyn said. "It's just that hiding something that is asked for feels like a lie to me."

Teela sighed. "I know, I know."


"Josiah," Adam breathed as Teela brought in their son. Marlena was right behind them, tears in her eyes.

"It's about time you were awake when I came by to see you," Marlena chided. Adam had only managed to stay awake a total of about two hours each of the two days before, and Marlena had missed him every time he was awake. She leaned down and kissed his forehead as Teela carefully placed Josiah next to Adam's right side on the bed.

Adam gave his mother a warm smile and hugged her half-heartedly with his left arm--it was painful to move still, and he was incredibly weak from more than two weeks in bed with no food. He turned his gaze to Josiah. "Hey, little guy," he said. "Did you miss me?" Josiah, whom Teela had placed gently on the right side of Adam's stomach, carefully raised his head, wavering from side to side, and stared up at Adam's face.

"Look at you!" Adam exclaimed, reaching to touch Josiah's hair, which was starting to lighten.

"He just started that a few days ago," Teela said proudly, a smile on her face.

Josiah gave Adam a toothless grin that warmed the prince's heart. "I'm glad to see you too," Adam joked.

Keldor watched with a tinge of envy. He was impatient to get out of this blasted infirmary and go be with his family, but Adam wasn't completely healed, and they had all agreed Keldor should remain in close proximity to Adam for at least a few more days. He eyed Adam thoughtfully. 'I wonder if there's more to it than that, actually. I sense some trepidation from him.'

Keldor settled back against his pillows and waited for the others to leave so he could ask Adam exactly what was going on.


Keldor drifted in and out of sleep for the remainder of the visit between Adam and his son. He relaxed in the bed as much as he could but became wide awake as he heard the door of the room close quietly.

He propped himself up on his elbow and turned to look at Adam.

"Mind explaining exactly why you want to keep me in here?"

Adam turned and grimaced at the challenge in Keldor's eyes. For a moment Adam considered what to say; a partial truth wouldn't work with his uncle anymore. And the expression on his face led Adam to know that Keldor wasn't going to just drop it.

"I'm not through healing yet," Adam finally said.

"And I'm no longer your link to life and the healing our link is giving you now is negligible, and you know it. So why am I still in here? I'm fairly certain it isn't that you enjoy my company."

Adam glared at Keldor. "Fine. Maybe I want you in here because I don't want to have the conversations with my family that I know are coming. I doubt they will bring up certain things with you present."

Keldor leaned back a bit. "Maybe you should talk to me about whatever it is. After all you don't given a sand slug's spit about my opinion anyway, right? Could help you prepare for these other conversations you dread."

Adam shifted uncomfortably, wishing he wasn't so sore from lying around. "You're the one who said I don't give a sand slug's spit of your opinion," he said, avoiding Keldor's eyes now.

In spite of himself, Keldor was intrigued. And the more Adam tried to evade him, the more curious he became. "You're trying to avoid the question," he said, a note of amusement in his voice. "And if I recall you agreed with me at the time."

"I haven't had a chance to process it yet!" Adam snapped.

"Process what?" Keldor pounced, sensing Adam's irritation would lead him to say more than he intended.

"That I am no longer He-Man!" Adam growled, giving Keldor a look that implied the mage was an idiot. He sighed heavily, the very motion making his abdomen protest. He closed his eyes, hoping to avoid further conversation, but Keldor wasn't having any of it.

"You might be able to process it better if you talk about it," he suggested, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.

Adam peeked over at Keldor and found his uncle simply waiting and watching, no expectation or worry on his face. He cast about for a way to explain the tumbling emotions within him. "I'm thankful for another chance at life, that I'll be here to see Josiah grow up," he said slowly. "But for my entire adult life, I have had a dual identity. I have been able to help people not just politically, but in ways most people only dream of. I have fought against evil with borrowed strength. And now it's gone. There's just Prince Adam left. I was blessed with a huge gift, and now it's been taken away." He struggled to sit up, gritting his teeth angrily when pain left him gasping for breath. "I don't mean to whine," he added softly, once his breathing had steadied. "But I feel that there's a huge hole in who I am now."'

"That's because there is," Keldor noted. "You are going to change the way you see yourself. You have given up a part of your life that you rightly took great pride and satisfaction in."

Adam bit his lip to keep from speaking the next thought. 'He's right. And I'm just not sure being Prince Adam is enough.'

Keldor raised an eyebrow as he heard Adam's thought. Apparently losing Grayskull's power had not affected Adam's own magical abilities--and apparently he didn't realize it. Or perhaps it was the magical healing link still between them that made it possible to hear Adam's more emotional thoughts. Keldor made a mental note to point it out later, but he didn't want to veer off-topic right now. Keldor's mind traveled back to that day when he willingly laid his Havoc staff in the flames. It was incredibly hard to give up his source of strength.

"I cannot say that I took pride in myself those last few weeks I lived among the Truth Sworn as Skeletor. I didn't. But facing the Truth taught me something. You can't hide from who you really are. No matter how I denied that I was Keldor, son of Miro and Keely, I could never get away from the fact that, at my core, that was who I was. And before the waters released me I had to lay aside my mask of Skeletor and embrace my true identity as Keldor."

"I never denied who I was," Adam protested weakly. He was beginning to tire already, which irritated him even more. At Keldor's disbelieving look, he amended, "I just never told anyone...if I could avoid it." He gave Keldor a pointed look, and the mage flushed slightly.

Clearing his throat, Keldor continued on. "I'm sure there are times when you don't feel Prince Adam is enough. And I'm fairly certain with your track record as He-Man, you felt pretty certain of yourself when empowered by that sword, but no matter what form you were in, you are Adam. And it wasn't He-Man's strength that defeated Skeletor." Keldor waited until Adam met his eyes, then finished, "It was Prince Adam and his mercy."

Adam was silent as he absorbed Keldor's words. He was shocked that the same thought he had had earlier had just crossed Keldor's lips, but he couldn't deny a word of what his uncle was saying. Nor, however, could he deny the heavy sense of loss he was feeling. Eventually, his thoughts grew disjointed and his eyes drifted shut of their own accord.

Keldor could tell Adam was wrung out emotionally and physically. He watched his nephew fall asleep and reflected on how odd it was that before he had left Eternia, he would have celebrated He-Man's demise. Now, he felt the loss in a completely different way.