CHAPTER NINETEEN

"Banished"

Prince Adam surveyed the table. He recited all of their names in his head. Man-At-Arms, Teela, Stratos, Man-E-Faces, Mekaneck, Ram Man, Buzz-Off, Fisto, Oroko, Moss Man, Roboto, Sy-Klone, Rio-Blast, Snout Sprout, Extendar, Clamp Champ, Rotar, and Gwildor - all Defenders. His parents, King Randor and Queen Marlena. His sister Adora and the remaining members of the Great Rebellion, Glimmer, Castaspella, Bow, and Fluterina. Not to mention the Soceress.

"What I am about to say," he began, "will be difficult to follow. But it's the truth. Let me first tell you what we know for a fact. Up until 1,000 years ago, the Eternians practiced only magic. Then, when the Zodak came and shared with us technology, we split between the two.

"What you don't know is that when the Zodak did this, they purposely undid the balance of good and evil that maintained on Eternia. For a reason I don't think any of us could understand, they wanted to see how it was played out.

"The Council of Elders attempted to correct the balance by creating these three towers. It would have worked, but it instead only stoked the fires. King Hiss rose to power. He-Ro was able to stop him. The Towers were sunk and ordered remained until the day that Keldor teamed with Hordak. The rest is history, as we all know.

"The Zodak have been watching this balance being played out. You see, every battle has been fought because of what they did 1,000 years ago. The Council created four swords to restore the balance. This intrigued the Zodak and they have seen use test and test again. All of the battles and all the wars we've been through? Nothing more than an experiment. Now they've returned to reap the benefits. The energy cloud is the Zodak.

"We never realized it, but they've had agents in our ranks for years. Rokkon and Stondar have been reporting back to the Zodak. So has their ambassador of the selfsame name - Zodac."

Shock filled the Hall. Adora put her head in her hands. "I can't believe it . . ." she kept muttering. "I can't believe it . . ."

"How can we stop this, son?" asked Randor.

"I have spoken to the Sorceress and we have decided to banish the Great Towers forever. They will be cast into the Sands of Time. Not just sunk, but forever lost into oblivion."

The Sorceress stood forth. "I can not administer the spell. Someone else will. And that someone else is Oroko."

Oroko about exploded. "M-Me?"

"Yes, you," Sorceress answered. "Tomorrow at dawn, you will begin reading this book. Cover-to-cover."

She handed him an 800-page book.

"Eepies!"

"Indeed."

"That means this place needs to be evacuated by then," Adam said. "We need to get moving on this. We don't have a lot of time."

***

The rest of the day and into that night was spent gathering personal belonging and treasures from the Great Towers to ship back to Eternos. The Soceress ordered that the library in the "Grayskull Tower" was to be left alone. Nothing was allowed out of there.

Amongst the physical clean up, there was also the emotional one. The warriors had invested a lot of emotion into the battles they fought in. And for it all to be exposed as a 1,000-year-old experiment . . . it was difficult for them to handle. Adora spent most of the night speaking to either Adam, Marlena or her fellow warriors.

"No matter what happened or why," Adam said. "It's important that we remember that battles that we fought were done because they had to be fought."

"It touches our lives, Adam. I don't know if I could ever lift my sword ever again."

"There is much that happens in our lives that we don't understand. I suppose we have no choice but to do what needs to be done in the service of our people. If Evil Lynn decides to attack Eternos, then we will have to raise our swords, become He-Man and She-Ra and fight on. We have no choice. It's taken me a long time to accept it."

As the first rays of the sun came over the horizon at the Sands of Time, a camp had been set-up about a mile away from the Great Towers. It was from there that most of the Defenders stood in both saying 'good bye' to their homebase and supported Oroko as he opened up the books of spells.

"Are you ready, Oroko?" asked He-Man.

"I'm ready."

"Remember. You can't say anything else you've reached that last page."

"I know."

"Then let's get started."

Oroko opened up the book and began to read the words outright. "Tseb eht si gro tod eh nam," he began from the top of the first page.

There was a sudden rumble from above as he spoke the words. He paused in fright and intimidation.

"Keep going, Oroko. You're doing fine," Ram Man supported.

"Ffuts tsop I erehw si ten tod noitcifan . . ."

A wind started to pick-up and swirl around the Great Towers. Oroko cleared his throat and turned the page.

"looc si nemx . . ."

Hours passed then and Oroko continued to go through the spell as carefully as possible. He was right on the money with each page and incantation.

"Skcor kert rats! Epacsraf evas!"

He-Man looked through a pair of binoculars and took one last look at the Great Towers. At the rate Oroko was going (and it had been hard for the little Trollian), they had about another hour to two hours until the Towers were gone.

Just as He-Man put them on and took a closer look at the "Grayskull Tower," he saw someone moving the window. He paused and pulled away binoculars. He looked normally and saw nothing. He put the binoculars on and looked closely. There was someone still in there!

"There's someone in the Towers!" He-Man shouted. Oroko stopped. "Keep casting the spell, Oroko! I'm heading over there!"

Oroko nodded and continued on. "Reverof nivek dna aicirt!"

He-Man ran down across the sand and up into the main doors. He could the energy from Oroko's spell swirling about through the rooms. "HELLO?!" He-Man shouted as he ran towards the library in the Grayskull Tower.

The hero of Eternia and Primus threw open the door to large library and found no one inside. But there was definitely evidence of tampering. Many of the books were scattered onto the floor. Papers had been thrown to the ground. Someone was in here, looking and rummaging around.

But not in this room. Not anymore, at least.

He-Man turned around and into the corridor. It was empty. He heard a strange thud from around a corner and followed it. It led to another corridor, which curved. As soon as He-Man looked down it, he saw the corner of cape moving around the bend. He-Man ran after it.

"Whoever you are, we've got to get out of here!" he commanded, coming around the bend.

No one. He-Man saw a door shut. He ran after it, swung the door open. There was a series of stairs heading down to surface level. He ran down the stairs, catching he corner of cloak or cape every few seconds.

Finally, he reached the end of the staircase. Once again, no one was there. He-Man's eyes searched the room, but he knew he was running out of time. Maybe this person was smart enough to know this and got out on their -

THERE!

He-Man spotted a cape once again heading through a corridor. He made after it.

***

"Secirp tsewol sah tekram hserf emca!" Oroko continued.

"Where is he?" asked Teela impatiently.

"I'm sure he's coming," assured Man-At-Arms, looking through the binoculars.

"He doesn't have much time," Ram Man noted. Oroko didn't have many pages to go.

"Eikooc a flesruoy teg dna kcab eht no flesruoy tap segassem eseht tuo ekam nac uoy fi."

***

He-Man continued after the corner of the cape until finally, it reached a room he knew was a dead-end. He threw open the door and pounced in.

"Who's in . . . here . . . ?"

No one. Not a single person was to be found in the room. Just as he was about to turn around, there was sudden crack and he felt a smack on the back of his head. He-Man went to the ground, and turned to face his attacker.

"No . . . NO!"

"Well, well, well . . . surprised aren't you? It's true! Your good 'ole Uncle Skeletor is back in town!"

Skeletor stood above He-Man, in all his glory. His chaos-staff glowed brightly and his cape ruffled in the air. His black eye-sockets stared straight at He-Man.

"How did . . . how did you . . . ?" was all He-Man could muster as he struggled to his feet.

"Long story, He-Man. Or should I call you 'Adam?' Hmmm. Choices, choices."

Adam. Skeletor just called He-Man 'Adam.' He-Man felt a thousand pins fall across his skin. He knew who he was. HE KNEW WHO HE WAS! That means he's been here, watching everything unfold!

"Skeletor . . ." He-Man started.

Skeletor put out his hand. "Not here. Not now. You better get out of here, boy. I know I will." With that, Skeletor disappeared.

He-Man stood in shock for a moment, then darted for the nearby window. He had very little time left now. His thick skin and heavy muscles smashed through the glass and he rolled onto the ground. He-Man made for the camp as a vortex of sand spun round and round the Great Towers.

"Esuoh s'dawkcid no xop a!" shouted Oroko, finishing the last page. He fell to the ground with strain and exhaustion.

The winds spun and spun until there was a loud crack of energy and the Great Towers were gone. Teela ran towards He-Man and immediately took him into her arms.

"I can't believe it . . . I can't believe . . . he's back . . ."

"He-Man, what is it?" she asked. "What? Who's back?"

He suddenly went grim. "Skeletor. Skeletor has returned."