Chapter One

"Morning Stories"

The dirt began to churn - slowly at first, then fast and began to push up. The plants around it seemed to move away, as if knowing what was happening by sheer instinct. The dirt moved and swirled, allowing for a man to rise up from the earth.

Moss Man stood up from the ground, the plants now shifting towards him. He smiled and soaked in the pre-dawn air. The soil in this part of the Evergreen Forest was strong and fertile, causing him to become stronger just by walking on it. Soon, the sunlight would bath the area, and Moss Man would be in the full embrace of plant-life.

As Moss Man began to move to tree to tree, he began to hear a story. In a sketchy, slow voice that only Moss Man could understand, the trees and the plants of the Evergreen Forest began to relate to him a tale. A story. A tragedy that had occurred only two nights ago.

At hearing this story, Moss Man quickly went into action. He ran west, leaping over logs, swinging from friendly branches, carried by allied plants. His green heart pumped loudly within his chest as he sped towards his destination.

After swinging from eight trees, Moss Man landed at the source of the stories. He took one look with his yellow eyes and felt his mouth drop.

There was a five-mile radius of burnt trees before him. They were snapped down, charred, some of them incinerated. A howling, pre-dawn air silenced all animal life within the burnt circle. As Moss Man stepped between the dead trees - whose stories had gone silent - he sensed that the once exceedingly fertile land had been killed as well. All of the nutrients within were gone, leaving the ground dead and useless.

As Moss Man entered the center two miles, he noticed that more and more of the trees and plants that once stood here were actually just incinerated. While the others burned, these were completely wiped out. Once within the first mile, the land was now completely barren. And when Moss Man reached the center, the dirt was upturned and loose. Moss Man ran his fingers through the dirt and felt a part of him weaken.

The potential this place once had for growth and life was gone, never to return. It was obvious this was no natural act and he knew he had to report it to King Randor and Eternos. But first, the other trees and plants that were friends of the trees here needed to know what happened.

So Moss Man fell to his knees and let out a bellowing, tragic, story-telling cry that echoed through the air and reached all the trees and plants of the Evergreen Forest.

***

Adam awoke easily, his mind drifting from his dreams. He rubbed his eyes, the sleep falling from them as he did. The early morning sunlight was drifting through the windows of the Central Tower, helping him to come fully awake. His thoughts were somewhat chaotic and he was trying to figure out what exactly he was supposed to do today.

And then, of course, she walked into his mind. Teela. Adam thought of her nearly every morning since he moved out of the Palace. The way she talked, the sound of her voice, the feel of her skin and those sweet kisses that had shared . . .

Adam stopped himself, realizing just how long ago all that was. Eight? Ten Months? It wasn't a year - not yet. Ten months, just about on the dot. How much had changed since then.

After a few skirmishes with Hordak on Etheria since then, King Randor had noticed that while he his daughter was helping to lead a rebellion, his son was sleeping in and not doing much of anything. (Which wasn't exactly true - there was this little thing called 'turning into He-Man,' but of course, Randor knew nothing about that) Realizing that it was about time for Adam to start to be more responsible, he had Adam move into the Central Tower.

Which was something Adam had been more than grateful for. In truth, other than a few times, Skeletor seemed to be attacking far less than he had before. And it was about time for Adam to start taking his 'royal' duties seriously. Acting like a 21-year-old goof-off was getting old, even if he was only acting that way to dispel even the slightest possibility that he was He-Man. Taking command of the Great Towers in the Eternos and the Light Hemisphere was a good thing. And with his parents not around, it was easier to transform into He-Man when necessary.

Adam got dressed and looked at the agenda for a day. In two hours, there would be a meeting with other Heroic Warriors to discuss today's events and news of the week. He smiled a bit. That was good - it would give him time to do some reading.

He made for the monorail, which was on the next level and then set for Grayskull Tower. As the monorail circled Viper Tower, Adam fought back to sense of uneasiness. There was something about the Viper Tower that bothered Adam. It was sealed off from the rest of the Great Towers, so whatever was inside couldn't be reached. But often times, Adam that there was something - someone- within it, watching him and plotting against him.

Maybe it was just paranoia - maybe. But it wasn't exactly unfounded in his eyes. It was evil, this confirmed by the Sorceress when the Great Towers first rose. And it was common knowledge that if Skeletor, King Hiss, Hordak or any of the others took possession of the Great Towers, the Viper Tower would be unsealed. Of course, that meant that Grayskull Tower would be sealed.

When Adam reached Grayskull Tower, he pushed all of these thoughts out of his mind and thought of the escapism he was about to be apart of. He entered fully into the Grayskull Tower and made for the library.

Reading was something Adam had really found himself getting into. Although in the past in school he had hated it - like any other teenager - Adam appreciated the written word far more than the average Joe-Eternian.

He smiled when he saw the book he was currently in the middle of sitting on the table in the middle of the library. It was something of legend and myth, but so true that it couldn't be denied. The main character was easy to relate, simply because Adam was following in his footsteps. It was book that none other could read - but Adam could.

'He-Ro: Master of Skull Castle and Legend of Eternia.'

***

Thunder rolled and cracked above Snake Mountain, and the dark clouds sent streaks of lightning down to the ground. Centurions and Skull Warriors - both minions of Skeletor's - marched through the torrential downpour and into the warm caverns of Snake Mountain.

Evil Lynn oversaw their entrance alongside Tri-Klops, who was seemed uneasy. "It's been three months, Evil Lynn," he said to her. "Three months."

"Whatever happened to Skeletor is his own concern, not ours, Tri-Klops," Evil Lynn replied. "You may be bloodthirsty and ready for battle, but Skeletor is obviously not. Whatever those Earthlings did to him . . . whatever they brought out in him . . . it is his problem to deal with him."

"Bloodthirsty?" a voice questioned. "Tri-Klops, may just be. But I'm just impatient."

Evil Lynn turned around and saw King Hiss walk into the fortress. "What are you doing here, Hiss?" she asked, perking an eyebrow.

"I've come to meet with Skeletor," Hiss stated clearly. "There is much we need to talk about . . ."

Skeletor sat alone in his quarters and stared off into the chaotic storm. His thoughts were a jumble, much like this terrible weather, filled with destructive and loud events. He kept thinking back to the GOOD had he done with those Earth children during back in December. It had been - what? - five months? Yet, still, it disturbed him greatly.

Thoughts kept flowing through his head - if he had done good now, what if he had done good his entire life? How much would be different? His fingers touched his boney face, and a pang of loss feeling hit him in his stomach. His life was such a mess . . . since then.

"Skeletor?"

Skeletor looked up, barely even recognizing that name. Skeletor . . . Keldor . . . the man he once was . . .

He stood up.

"What? Hiss? What do you want?"

King Hiss folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "You're still disturbed by what happened with those alien children?"

"That's none of your business!" snapped Skeletor.

"Sssssss," hummed King Hiss. "I sssee. Sskeletor, we must speak. Something is happening. Is about to happen."

"What? What is it?"

"He'ssss back . . ."

"Who? Who's back . . . no."

King Hiss smiled and nodded. "Yes. Most certainly, he's returned."

Skeletor's heart leapt. This was exactly what he needed right now. "Yes . . . yes! His plan? Is it what he thought it would be?"

"Indeed. It's just beginning as we speak."

"Excellent!" Skeletor rose to full height and grabbed his Chaos Staff. "EVIL LYNN! ASSEMBLE THE TROOPS!"

"We're giving him time, then?"

Skeletor nodded, an old, evil grin appeared on his skull. "Yes. We are. He'll need it."