A BRIEF NOTE: Okay, howdy. First of all, thank you for all the support you have given me. I'll have a full thanks at the end of the story. Second, I need to remind you that this is my own, personal version of MOTU, NA, and PoP. What follows is part of that new take. I want everyone to acknowledge that this is not the regular He-Man. I would like a lot of feedback on this chapter, it took me a long time to work on and get ready for. So, without further ado . . .

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"The Truth"

A full day later and the group of four encountered yet another door like from before. It was shattered with evidence of magic having effectively been used to control it. They took note of it, but went on. Though they still possessed their torches, the ordeal left the four - even Roboto - with a feeling of claustrophobia.

"I just wanna smash up that idiot Hiss," grumbled Ram Man.

"I hope you'll get your chance," Adam replied as they continued through the tunnel. This tunnel was different than the one from before. There was more evidence that this was actually beneath either the Sands of Time or the Desert. Though the latter seemed stretching a bit. While the past tunnel was made out rock and dirt, this one seemed to be sand and rocks of its golden color.

"Adam!" exclaimed Roboto, who was in the lead.

The trio stopped dead behind Roboto. Before them was a door much like what was seen in Snake Mountain. The same one that had led them into this fiasco. But this one was different. Not only was it silver instead of gold, but it was also left slightly ajar.

With the key inside the keyhole.

"Well, let's see what's on the other side," suggested Ram Man. He opened the door, revealing a sight that will never, ever be forgotten.

On the other side of this was a very, very large room that towered above them. The ground was a dark marble. There were also three large statues. One all the way on the other side of the room was a gigantic eagle. The second one to their extreme left was a lion. And the last one, which was on their side of the room, was a snake.

There were torches everyone, giving the whole, large room a good source of light.

"Where are we?" asked Snout Sprout.

"I . . . I wonder . . ." Adam thought aloud. "Roboto, run an analysis on this marble. How old is it?"

"Running . . ." Roboto answered. He placed his hand on the floor, information being sent to his computer systems. "Adam, my King, it is nearly 1,000 years old."

Adam nodded. "That's what I thought. This is where the Great Towers were held after they sunk! And this is where they were re-surfaced from!"

"That would be the right size, I guess," Ram Man supposed.

"You are correct, my young king," said a voice from behind. The four turned around to see an old man in robes, holding a long staff and very thick book.

"Who . . . who are you?" asked Adam.

"You may have heard my name before, my King. My name is Eldor."

Adam's eyes grew. "You're . . . yes. I've heard of you."

"Good. I am glad you have come. Please, Adam, I must speak with you and you alone."

Eldor waved his hand. In a flash, a portal appeared behind them.

"Wait a minute, Adam, I don't like this!" protested Ram Man.

"Go! Trust me!"

"Come on, Ram Man, Roboto," Snout Sprout soothed. They all three reluctantly passed through the portal. Adam turned from the vanished tunnel through time/space and back to Eldor. He walked over to a bench and sat down.

"What is it? Why did King Hiss come down here? Where is he now? I have so many questions, Eldor. Please . . ."

"The Soceress warned you, didn't she?"

"Yes."

"She told you that there are truths down here that should not have been created, correct?"

"Yes."

"And you came anyways?"

"Yes! Now, will . . ."

"Then you are willing to accept the truth?"

"I am."

"Listen to me words, King Adam. Let them take shape. Let them occur around you," Eldor instructed, opening his book.

Everything around Adam seemed to fade away and all he heard was Eldor's voice and saw exactly what Eldor narrated . . .

1,200 years ago, Adam, the Eternians were guided by magic. The only technology we had was a few, scant windmills. Castle Grayskull was brand new and Eternos was only a village. The king and queen commanded Eternia in harmony with magic and the peoples of the world. With the help of the Council of Elders, the world of Eternia was a virtual utopia. A balance was set forth of good and evil.

And then everything changed.

An alien species called the Zodak arrived from the stars. The Council was weary of these visitors, but the king and queen greeted the Zodak with open arms. The Zodak was interested in the power of Eternia's magic. So, with curiosity, they sent some of the population of Eternia to our sister world, Etheria.

"Why?" asked Adam.

To keep them pure, for the time being.

"Pure?"

Allow me to continue, please, King. The Zodak returned the compensation of having a loss in population to the Eternians in the form of advanced technology. The Zodak left Eternia and watched from afar.

They watched for a reason. But we will get in the reason later. The Council members sensed an imbalance in the polar good and evil shifts. The imbalance was created because technology had upped the tension between those of good and those of evil.

For two hundred years, the Council and the ruling party attempted to balance out the shifts of power, but to no avail. So, finally, they created the Great Towers. One tower would channel the power of good. The other would channel the power of evil. Both powers would be channeled into the Central Tower, where it was hoped to be neutralized.

I was there, Adam, when that hope failed.

Master of Snake Mountain, King Hiss, led his armies against the Great Towers. It was now established that whomever would command the Central Tower would become greatly powerful. And that power could be used for either good or evil.

The Council empowered a man we call He-Ro. Together with the King's royal guard, King Hiss was beaten that day. By the Council knew that the Great Towers needed to hidden. So, they buried and sealed the Great Towers beneath the Sands of Time.

He-Ro once again confronted King Hiss at Snake Mountain and sealed him away for centuries. After he was defeated, He-Ro was never seen again.

Still, though, the balance was remained undone. The Council appointed the mantle of Soceress to the Castle Grayskull. The Council focused all of their power into Grayskull. And most importantly, into the forging of the Great Swords.

These four swords were created by beings we called the First Ones. The First Ones are mysterious entities that were able to use both magic and science to create them. The swords were then sealed within Castle Grayskull. For order was on the horizon once again.

And so, for over 900 years, the Four Swords kept the balance in check. That was, until, a student of the Council named Hordak began to study the lost ways of Snake Mountain and King Hiss. When this was uncovered, he was stripped of his magic. He went into hiding in Snake Mountain, where he built an army in secret. Apparently, as he did this, he accidentally made it apparent to the alien conqueror Morgoth that Eternia was ripe for the picking.

Morgoth came to Eternia. But a girl named Teelana was able to stop him - by becoming the next Soceress of Castle Grayskull and defender of the great swords.

As she took control of the Castle, Keldor - son of King Miro and brother to Randor - became interested as to how and why Hordak was banished. He studied ancient and forbidden books and became very powerful. Seeing his son turn like this broke Miro's heart and the king vanished, leaving the seat of power in the hands of the Council.

By this time, a human named Marlena crash landed on Eternia. She was rescued by Randor and the two married. It was during those first months of their marriage that Man-At-Arms and the Soceress began their relationship.

"Wait!" said Adam. "What do you mean?"

A child was needed to take the role of Soceress after Teelana. The two had fallen in love from afar and now planned on having a child together. She was born not long after you and your sister Adora were born. Her name was Teela. The Soceress created a spell that made people seem to just accept this fact that Man-At-Arms had a child with no mother. It was never questioned.

After you and your sister's birth, Keldor and Hordak attacked the palace of Eternos. Instead of going for the King and Queen, Keldor and Hordak hoped to kidnap the hope of Eternia - you and your sister.

Hordak captured Adora, but Keldor was stopped before he reached you. Hordak's forces were being beaten, though, and he went Etheria with Adora. It was there that he raised an army against the 'pure' Eternians - the Etherians.

Keldor freed himself and took Snake Mountain as his own. He assaulted Eternos once more, but was pushed back to his fortress. The Council had strangely vanished, but in truth, had placed all of their power into the four swords.

Man-At-Arms was with Soceress, the two knowing that their union must be kept secret and this was a farewell to the love that they shared. It was discovered, however, that Keldor was in the Castle as well. He had been drawn to the Swords of Darkness and Deception. Man-At-Arms tried to stop him, but Keldor made off with the Sword of Darkness. The Sword of Deception fell into the great canyon beneath Grayskull.

Keldor, with this sword, attacked Eternos once more. In this attack, Keldor's head skin was melted away and he became known as Skeletor. He was forced into hiding.

As you know, Skeletor returned and you became He-Man to stop him. Adore became She-Ra to stop Hordak. King Hiss returned and he restored the Great Towers. Everything is coming full circle, now.

"What? How?"

My young King, the Zodaks are returning.

"Why? I don't understand."

I have been waiting for hundreds of years for you to ask that question. The Zodaks brought the imbalance. By giving Eternia technology, they hoped that the people of Eternia would be thrown into war. They are curious, Adam. This is a game to them. Everything that has occurred in the past 1,200 years has been because of a race of beings growing curious.

"Then that means . . ."

You are a pawn. As is your sister. Your father. Man-At-Arms. Teela. Bow. Light-Hope. Skeletor. Hordak. The Soceress.

"She knew?"

Yes, though she is vowed not to tell anyone. It is all occuring, Adam. The final battle over good and evil looms and the Zodaks will be here to watch. They've known it was coming. They've sent agents. Om, Morgoth . . . even ones you thought were allies.

"Who do you mean?"

Tell me. Where was Rokkon and Stondar when you left for Primus?

"They were at the Great Towers."

And where were they when you returned?

Adam paused. "I . . . I don't know. I . . ."

You were caught in a spell. They didn't want you to know that they were missing. The Soceress weaved them that spell.

"Where . . . where are they?"

They went home, Adam. The Meterorbs went with them. They went back their masters. The Zodak. This whole battle of good versus evil that you've been fighting, Adam? It's been nothing but a mere study for the Zodaks.

"It's impossible."

It's the truth. Think of the vortex your mother stumbled upon when she came to Eternia. Just chance it was there? No. You see, they've been to Earth, too. The vortex is what they leave behind when they travel. After they see how things are done here on Eternia, they'll stop caring about us and move on to another civilization to ruin.

"Wha-what? What's next?"

They've been there before.

"N-No . . ."

After they're done playing this game with Eternia, they'll be heading to Earth. And you can bet what kind of power they'll be giving a planet with that much population . . .

Faster results. More power. And a much larger scale on what they're doing here.

"What can I do?"

You're one of the strongest men in the universe. Your cause is true, if not being manipulated. You're the good guy, Adam. And anyone that would use people as pawns in a cosmic study would be . . .

". . . The bad guy."

That's right. There's nothing I can do about this, Adam. But you can. Fight them. Show them what you are. It's your only chance of stopping them once and for all.

"I will. I WILL!"