CHAPTER TWENTY

"Boys and Girls"

Snake Mountain was filled with preparation as thunder and lightning rocked outside its stone walls. Evil Lynn grinned at the army she had built in the aftermath of Skeletor's absence. She was ready to strike.

The peace between Eternos and Snake Mountain was only a temporary one, only to secure and prepare for the true strike against the forces of good. She paused in thought as she looked upon the goblin forces below. The powers that she was trained in demanded that the darkness lashed out on the light. But she always wondered why.

Perhaps a study once she crushed Eternos would aid her.

"This battle will not be an easy one," Karg said from behind.

"I am aware of that, Karg," she replied curtly. "But we will fight and fight until this day is won. In three days, we shall strike. I want your goblin army ready for full assault."

Evil Lynn left Karg and entered into the empty throne room of Snake Mountain. She hadn't checked on Skeletor in a few days, so it would be best if she made sure he was still alive. And still useable.

She waved her hands over a crystal ball, searching for Skeletor in the Mystic Mountains, where his ship had crashed there after attacking He-Man.

"What?!" she cursed aloud.

Skeletor was no where to be found!

"This . . . this is . . ."

"Impossible?"

Evil Lynn's eyes widened incredibly. She turned around and saw him. Blue skin, violet armor, purple hood, and that empty, skull face.

"Skeletor! How . . . how did you . . . but I . . ."

Skeletor stepped forward and grasped his chaos staff. "You knew where I was," he said straightly, the betrayal oozing from his voice.

"I was . . . waiting to restore . . ."

"You were going to use me. Like a weapon."

"Skeletor, I . . . no, of course not," she attempted.

"DO NOT LIE TO ME, EVIL LYNN!" Skeletor shouted. His voice carried throughout the hot air in the corridors of Snake Mountain.

The two of them stood there in silence as Beast Man, Karg, and Tri-Klops all ran into the throne room. Their jaws dropped, then they went down on their knees.

"Master Skeletor!" Karg exhalted.

"Skeletor, you're back."

"Yay!"

Skeletor's head flickered between the three warriors and Evil Lynn. He waved his hand, commanding them to stand up once more.

"Please. We have a war to prepare for. I will address you and your fellow warriors in due time."

The trio left Evil Lynn and Skeletor. The Master of Destruction turned to her. "You've consolidated a lot of power here, Evil Lynn. I will be taking it. It belongs to me. We strike in two days. You will be at my side. When I have He-Man dead, then you will be judged. I want you to remember something, Evil Lynn."

He stepped closer to her. "I have grown far more powerful than you can imagine. My eyes have been opened to new truths. I will punish you for your attempt to betray me."

Skeletor lifted his staff and muttered a few words. A beam of light struck Evil Lynn, transforming her. In a flash, she had been changed into a small lizard. Skeletor picked her up and smiled.

"Two days, Evil Lynn. For two days, you'll have to squirm around on the floor and hunt for bugs to eat. Two days."

Skeletor then dropped her and she went running off into a tunnel, her tail whipping behind her.

***

Prince Adam sat back in the hot tub and looked up at the stars. His mind drifted back to easier times. It was once just a simple thing, this war. As simple as one could get. Advance, retreat. A dance, as it were. But now . . . now things were so much different. The Zodak were sitting in orbit, watching them walk like ants in some sort of Ant Farm.

Or mice in a maze.

He relaxed his body in the hot water, feeling the bubbles run against him, bringing the heir of Eternia a moment of peace. Only a moment.

"Mind if I join you?" asked a voice he had been dying to hear all day.

Teela. She wore a slim, two-piece bathing suit that caught Adam's eyes immediately. He grinned and nodded.

"Of course not. Hop on in. I was hoping to see."

Teela slid into the hot water and moved her trim body next to him. She took his hand and held it. "We haven't had much of a chance to talk."

"Yeah."

"Listen, Adam, this whole Zodak thing . . . is this why it's been so hard for us to be together these past few months?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Teela, I'm sorry. I really am. I guess learning that I've just been a tool in this stupid . . ."

"Shush," she ordered, putting a finger to his lips. "I don't care. I love you, Adam. I love you with all my heart. I don't give a damn about tools or toys or balances of powers. All I know is that there has been a war on Eternia since before I was born. It's been terrible and the fact that it's the result of nothing more than a science experiment angers. But this war . . . it's brought us together.

"Adam, despite the Zodak, we've witnessed things we could never have seen otherwise. We've done things that no ordinary person could ever do. We've forged alliances that have been separated since before the Zodak came here. And that goes double for you, Adam. Double. I know that now everything has been out in the open and revealed. But what we experienced this past ten years compares nothing to what we would have experienced if not for the Zodak manipulation.

"I know this has been very hard for you to accept, but for better or worse, it's happened. And if Skeletor attacks - and it's only a matter of time - then I will fight next to you. Even if you don't draw that sword of yours, I will fight next to you. Because I love you. I love you. I love you with all my heart. I will never leave you."

Teela kissed Adam full on the lips. Adam held her thin body close to his, then they broke. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered gently into her ear. "Teela . . ." he started, ". . . there's a question I need to ask . . ."