*Disclaimer in #1.
**Thanks to LadyNiko and Mystryfann for the reviews. I appreciate any
feedback I can get. Here's the next Chapter! Read, enjoy and as always,
please review! Thanks!
CHAPTER 9: CONVINCING ARGUMENTS
Princess Adora sat in her brother's chair with her arms folded and her left eyebrow cocked. Adam knew he was about to hear it, she had that "You're going to listen to every word I say," look on her face. There was no way out for him now, but he was still going to try.
"What brings you here Sis," he asked nonchalantly hoping to avoid the upcoming confrontation. "Is the Horde not giving you enough to do on Etheria?"
Adora flipped her long, wavy blonde hair over her shoulder and glared at her twin. He wasn't about to pull something over on her. She gave him a slanted smile.
"Um, yeah actually, you are in more trouble with me than the Horde is at the moment so for the time being, Hordak is off the hook," she said. "Now, I'll ask you again, why are you acting like such an ..."
Adam held up his hands in a sign of retreat. He didn't need to hear this right now, his head was already swimming from the day's events.
"Adora, I can't do this right now, you have no idea what kind of day it has been," he begged her to stop harassing him.
Adora unfolded her arms and put them on her knees as she leaned forward. She looked like she was about to unleash.
"I don't, huh?" she chuckled sarcastically. "You seem to forget my dear brother, that we have that twin thing going on that when you have bad days, I have bad days, when you have a headache, I get a headache, when you act like a jerk, I suddenly become very much aware of it."
She tossed him a velvet pouch with some herbal medicine in it. "By the way, chew these will ya, this headache is killing me, so it must be wreaking havoc on you." She paused. "Madame Razz made these, but I think they are safe. "
Adam caught the bag as it flew it mid-air and set it on the bed. "No thanks," he said cautiously. "The last time I tried any of Madame's remedies, I thought I was Cringer for a week."
Adora tossed her head back and laughed at the memory. That had been a wild day. The image of Adam cowering behind a tree on all fours was still really amusing.
"I remember that," she giggled. "Putting you on a leash was all Erin could do to keep you from getting into any more trouble. You chewed up one of her favorite shoes. You even thought you had fleas!"
Her smile faded as she watched the look on her brother's face become solemn. She looked at the portrait of her dead sister-in-law and nephew on his wall. She knew he wasn't going to like hearing this again, but he had been so miserable for five years, she needed to do something.
"Adam," she said slowly. "There are days when I don't like the responsibilities I have been given either."
He just nodded blankly. She continued, trying not to sound like a total witch.
"But they are my responsibilities and I must handle them, I have to use the power given to me to help the people of Etheria, just as you have that same obligation to the people of Eternia."
Adora took a deep breath. If she couldn't get through to him than no one could.
"I know Skeletor's back, and I know this time, the fight is going to be big," she said nervously. "I can feel it, can't you? That looming presence in the air, that anxiety that makes you want to protect everyone who hold dear and those you don't even know? He's out there, Adam, and he's not going to wait for you to go to him."
Adam looked out the window to the dark clouds that seemed to get bigger and bigger with each passing hour. What she was saying was making some sense.
"Adam, you can't reject what Teela has told you, what I'm telling you," Adora prodded. "There's way too much at stake. People's lives are on the line."
Adora stood up and walked over to Adam and put her hand on his shoulder. She finished her speech with the most convincing argument she could think of.
"What would Erin want you to do if she were here?" She said, hoping her brother wouldn't rip her arm off. "I wasn't around that much but I'm pretty sure from what I remember of her that she would want you to let her go and move on with your life. I know she didn't want you to be this unhappy for the rest of your life."
Adam looked at his sister. Normally, he would have been furious with her, but not this time. This time he knew in his soul, that she and Teela were both right. He couldn't sit idly by and let so many suffer. He knew if Erin were there, she would kick him right in the ass for even comprehending such.
He took his sister's hand and nodded his head. The door opened behind them.
"Hey dad, are you in here?" Adacan's voice rang through the room as he stuck his head in uneasily. His father had been so mad at him before, he couldn't face him at dinner knowing that he was still angry.
However, his face brightened with excitement as he saw his favorite aunt in the room.
"Aunt Ads!" he yelled his nickname for her and ran to give her a hug. She laughed as he hit her with such force that they both fell down.
Adam chuckled and watched his son tackle his twin to the ground, her red boots sticking straight up in the air.
"What are you doing here? How long are you staying? Did you bring Spirit? Is Madame Razz with you? Does Grandma and Grandpa know you're here?" Adacan rattled off a million questions as Adora and Adam just laughed.
Adam reached down and helped his sister and his son off the ground. He ruffled the boy's hair and winked at him. Adacan knew he was forgiven and smiled back as he hugged his father.
"He's getting huge Adam!" Adora laughed. "What are you feeding him?"
Adacan wrinkled his nose at his aunt and crossed his arms.
"Well, I am almost eleven-years-old," he said defiantly.
Adam picked the boy up by his waist and started to carry him sideways under his arm as the three left the room.
"C'mon, it's almost time for dinner," he said giving his sister a reassuring smile. "Besides, Adora, I'm sure mother will have many questions for you, like when are you going to find a suitable husband? When are you going to have kids? Why don't you visit more often?.."
Adora put her hand on her forehead as Adam went on with more fun questions she was sure to hear again soon. She shut the door behind them as they entered the hallway.
"Ooooh, I think my headache just got worse," she said dryly.
*******
The vast halls of the Universal Counsel's chamber were surprisingly quiet. The ghostly figure in the white cloak floated gracefully down the hallway to the Counsel's meeting room. The Counsel was not in session, but Zodac was there, and he was not pleased with being summoned.
"What could be so important that you would interrupt me on the day that I was watching the Earthlings play soccer?" he demanded as he sat with his arms behind his head. "Those creatures are merciless, it's the funniest thing I've ever seen. This had better be good."
The figure didn't not speak, it just waived it's arm and the image of Skeletor attacking Grayskull appeared. Although it was a premonition, it was going to be fact very soon.
Zodac looked at the image and looked at the cloaked advisor with ambivalence.
"And?" he yawned and stretched out in his chair. "I know about it, we ALL know about it, this is the halls of the Universal Counsel you know?"
The advisor put its hands on its hips and the image disappeared. Zodac knew he would have to explain. He wondered what the score of the game was.
"Look," he sighed sitting up. "This was foretold, but the thing is, we don't know what the outcome will be yet. Those damned fates aren't giving anything up. They love to keep us in suspense. Personally, I find it to be very petty on their behalf. So it's literally out of our, MY hands."
Zodac waived his hand and a goblet of ale appeared. He held it out to the advisor, who stood still.
"No?" he asked. "Okay, more for me. Anyway, that's the predicament we're in, not that we could do anything anyway."
The advisor waived its hand and another image appeared. This time it was Teela staring glumly outside the window of Castle Grayskull. Zodac just chuckled at the sight of his former student.
"Don't you worry," he said smugly. "She HAS been taught by the best. She's ready, she's more than ready. SHE just has to believe it herself."
******
After dinner and a round of fifty questions, Adora and Adam walked around the palace grounds.
From his bedroom, Adacan watched them laugh and talk. It always bothered him that he didn't have any brothers or sisters. He really only had one friend, Man-At-Arms' grandniece, Leva, who had come to live with him about a year-ago when her parents disappeared. She picked on him a lot, but he didn't mind, he was just grateful to have SOMEONE to play with.
He placed his head on his arms and rested them on the windowsill. Jerry sat next to him.
"What you looking at kid?" he snorted, then scratched himself behind the ear.
Adacan reached over to help him and the dog sighed in contentment.
"Yeah, right there, thanks." The dog murmured. "So, like I said, what's out there that was so interesting?"
Adacan sighed. He watched his father and aunt continue their discussion, it looked like Adora was trying to explain something to his father, who looked depressed.
"What was my mother like Jer?" he asked the question he had asked his father a million times. He was used to just getting a vacant gaze and some cryptic answer, nothing ever concrete. "Seriously, what did she do for fun? What is Earth like? Why did she come here? Anything? I need to know something."
Jerry cocked his head to the side. Adam had asked him not to say anything to Adacan about how his mother died, but he didn't see anything wrong in giving the kid a little background information.
"She loved the outdoors," the rottweiler snorted. "She worked in the forests back on Earth, a place we called the Black Hills. It was beautiful. We used to go hiking and running on the trails and go fishing. She was a lot of fun."
Adacan listened intently as his pet continued.
"She loved snow, in fact that's the one thing she said she missed when we came here, snow. But she never had any regrets about leaving Earth, she loved your father more than anything. She always said you two were all she needed."
The boy blinked and smiled a little. It bothered him that he couldn't remember her face, just the images from the portraits and pictures around palace.
"How did she die Jer, I really want to know?" he pleaded.
The dog put his paw over his face and growled.
"Ugh, you know I'm not supposed to tell you that kid," he growled. "Your father will tell you when it's the right time. But please don't look at me with those 'puppy' eyes, you're breaking my heart."
Adacan nodded and returned his attention on the dusk surrounding the land. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw the dark storm clouds getting closer.
"We better go check the stables," he said flatly. "Look's like there's a storm rolling in."
*****
"So what are you going to do?" Adora continued to pester her twin. She looked up at the angry sky, something wasn't right and she felt there wasn't a whole lot of time.
Adam ran his hand through his hair and looked at the stern expression on his sister's face. You knew what needed to be done, he just wasn't sure how he was going to do it.
"Okay," he conceded. "You're right. You're ALWAYS right. There, are you happy?"
Adora smiled. She knew she was right and she loved it.
"But you have to promise me something." Adam continued as his sister's smile faded into a look of suspicion. She nodded.
"When this fight occurs, promise me that you will stay here and guard Adacan." He put it right out on the table.
Adora's eyebrows shot up.
"You must be kidding!" she blurt out and then lowered her voice as a couple of guards walked by. "You know that I should be out there, fighting next to you. You're going to need all the help you can get and that includes She-Ra too."
Adam shook his head and stood to face his sister. He had to make her see where he was coming from.
"Look, if Skeletor is back, there's a good chance that he's going to send one of his goons after my son," he pleaded. "It would be just like him. He destroyed Erin because she took him on, and now he'll go after her child, maybe me too, but as you know I can take care of myself."
Adora looked at him in disbelief. He continued to beg.
"Please, don't you see, you would be better equipped to protect him than any guards," he was doing his best to persuade her. "And should anything happen to me, you could get him and our parents off Eternia to safety. You HAVE to stay here."
Adora didn't like what she was hearing, it wasn't like her brother to talk about not returning from a battle and she didn't want him to start now.
"What are you talking about?" she retorted defiantly. "No one's going anywhere because nothing is going to happen to you! You've defeated Skeletor before, you'll do it again and then you'll come home to your son and all of us. And to make sure that happens, I'm coming with you!"
Adam took his sister's hand and squeezed it in both of his. He looked at her with such anticipation on his face, she didn't like it but she felt her convictions start to cave.
"Adora, please? Do this for me? I can't take the chance of Adacan getting hurt. This is the only way I can protect him."
Adora looked down shuffled her feet. She hated this, with every fiber of her being she wanted to be in the battle with her brother but she couldn't ignore his request.
"Fine," she muttered. "But don't think for a second that you are going to lose this fight, because that is not going to happen!"
Adam nodded but pressed on.
"I'll instruct Teela to open a portal here for you if I.." He stopped and closed his eyes. "In case I fall in the fight. When that opens, get yourself, Adacan, mom and dad, and who ever else you can out as quickly as possible. Don't you DARE try to take on Skeletor yourself. Promise me."
Adora nodded her consent and Adam hugged her. He let go and turned to go back into the palace.
"I have to get 'something' and go to Grayskull," he said. "I need to talk to Teela right away."
Adora put her hands on her hips and yelled to her brother.
"While you're out there, don't forget to apologize for acting like an .."
******
Adacan secured the rest of the windows down in the stables and looked outside. The sky was almost completely covered in clouds. He figured the brunt of the storm would hit in a couple of hours, maybe in the morning.
Whatever kind of storm it was, it would be big.
He looked around to do a last minute check before closing the door. He thought about what Jerry said about his mother as he brushed some hay off of his leg.
"Aaaaddddaaacccaaannn."
The voice was so soft and faint that he passed it off as the wind at first. He stood up, stretched and started back to the palace.
"Aaaddaaccaann..."
This time it was a little louder, but the voice still had a certain softness to it that it alarmed him, but didn't scare him.
He looked around for Jerry, but couldn't find the rottweiler anywhere. He dismissed the voice again and continued back to the palace.
"Adacan!"
That got his attention.
"Who's there?" he yelled into empty air. "Leva, if you're playing a trick, so help me I'll.."
He saw the small globe of light floating in the air about ten feet in front of him. It was beautiful and comforting. He was entranced by it. He stared at it a second longer before it started to move away, into the forest.
He wasn't sure why, but he followed it.
CHAPTER 9: CONVINCING ARGUMENTS
Princess Adora sat in her brother's chair with her arms folded and her left eyebrow cocked. Adam knew he was about to hear it, she had that "You're going to listen to every word I say," look on her face. There was no way out for him now, but he was still going to try.
"What brings you here Sis," he asked nonchalantly hoping to avoid the upcoming confrontation. "Is the Horde not giving you enough to do on Etheria?"
Adora flipped her long, wavy blonde hair over her shoulder and glared at her twin. He wasn't about to pull something over on her. She gave him a slanted smile.
"Um, yeah actually, you are in more trouble with me than the Horde is at the moment so for the time being, Hordak is off the hook," she said. "Now, I'll ask you again, why are you acting like such an ..."
Adam held up his hands in a sign of retreat. He didn't need to hear this right now, his head was already swimming from the day's events.
"Adora, I can't do this right now, you have no idea what kind of day it has been," he begged her to stop harassing him.
Adora unfolded her arms and put them on her knees as she leaned forward. She looked like she was about to unleash.
"I don't, huh?" she chuckled sarcastically. "You seem to forget my dear brother, that we have that twin thing going on that when you have bad days, I have bad days, when you have a headache, I get a headache, when you act like a jerk, I suddenly become very much aware of it."
She tossed him a velvet pouch with some herbal medicine in it. "By the way, chew these will ya, this headache is killing me, so it must be wreaking havoc on you." She paused. "Madame Razz made these, but I think they are safe. "
Adam caught the bag as it flew it mid-air and set it on the bed. "No thanks," he said cautiously. "The last time I tried any of Madame's remedies, I thought I was Cringer for a week."
Adora tossed her head back and laughed at the memory. That had been a wild day. The image of Adam cowering behind a tree on all fours was still really amusing.
"I remember that," she giggled. "Putting you on a leash was all Erin could do to keep you from getting into any more trouble. You chewed up one of her favorite shoes. You even thought you had fleas!"
Her smile faded as she watched the look on her brother's face become solemn. She looked at the portrait of her dead sister-in-law and nephew on his wall. She knew he wasn't going to like hearing this again, but he had been so miserable for five years, she needed to do something.
"Adam," she said slowly. "There are days when I don't like the responsibilities I have been given either."
He just nodded blankly. She continued, trying not to sound like a total witch.
"But they are my responsibilities and I must handle them, I have to use the power given to me to help the people of Etheria, just as you have that same obligation to the people of Eternia."
Adora took a deep breath. If she couldn't get through to him than no one could.
"I know Skeletor's back, and I know this time, the fight is going to be big," she said nervously. "I can feel it, can't you? That looming presence in the air, that anxiety that makes you want to protect everyone who hold dear and those you don't even know? He's out there, Adam, and he's not going to wait for you to go to him."
Adam looked out the window to the dark clouds that seemed to get bigger and bigger with each passing hour. What she was saying was making some sense.
"Adam, you can't reject what Teela has told you, what I'm telling you," Adora prodded. "There's way too much at stake. People's lives are on the line."
Adora stood up and walked over to Adam and put her hand on his shoulder. She finished her speech with the most convincing argument she could think of.
"What would Erin want you to do if she were here?" She said, hoping her brother wouldn't rip her arm off. "I wasn't around that much but I'm pretty sure from what I remember of her that she would want you to let her go and move on with your life. I know she didn't want you to be this unhappy for the rest of your life."
Adam looked at his sister. Normally, he would have been furious with her, but not this time. This time he knew in his soul, that she and Teela were both right. He couldn't sit idly by and let so many suffer. He knew if Erin were there, she would kick him right in the ass for even comprehending such.
He took his sister's hand and nodded his head. The door opened behind them.
"Hey dad, are you in here?" Adacan's voice rang through the room as he stuck his head in uneasily. His father had been so mad at him before, he couldn't face him at dinner knowing that he was still angry.
However, his face brightened with excitement as he saw his favorite aunt in the room.
"Aunt Ads!" he yelled his nickname for her and ran to give her a hug. She laughed as he hit her with such force that they both fell down.
Adam chuckled and watched his son tackle his twin to the ground, her red boots sticking straight up in the air.
"What are you doing here? How long are you staying? Did you bring Spirit? Is Madame Razz with you? Does Grandma and Grandpa know you're here?" Adacan rattled off a million questions as Adora and Adam just laughed.
Adam reached down and helped his sister and his son off the ground. He ruffled the boy's hair and winked at him. Adacan knew he was forgiven and smiled back as he hugged his father.
"He's getting huge Adam!" Adora laughed. "What are you feeding him?"
Adacan wrinkled his nose at his aunt and crossed his arms.
"Well, I am almost eleven-years-old," he said defiantly.
Adam picked the boy up by his waist and started to carry him sideways under his arm as the three left the room.
"C'mon, it's almost time for dinner," he said giving his sister a reassuring smile. "Besides, Adora, I'm sure mother will have many questions for you, like when are you going to find a suitable husband? When are you going to have kids? Why don't you visit more often?.."
Adora put her hand on her forehead as Adam went on with more fun questions she was sure to hear again soon. She shut the door behind them as they entered the hallway.
"Ooooh, I think my headache just got worse," she said dryly.
*******
The vast halls of the Universal Counsel's chamber were surprisingly quiet. The ghostly figure in the white cloak floated gracefully down the hallway to the Counsel's meeting room. The Counsel was not in session, but Zodac was there, and he was not pleased with being summoned.
"What could be so important that you would interrupt me on the day that I was watching the Earthlings play soccer?" he demanded as he sat with his arms behind his head. "Those creatures are merciless, it's the funniest thing I've ever seen. This had better be good."
The figure didn't not speak, it just waived it's arm and the image of Skeletor attacking Grayskull appeared. Although it was a premonition, it was going to be fact very soon.
Zodac looked at the image and looked at the cloaked advisor with ambivalence.
"And?" he yawned and stretched out in his chair. "I know about it, we ALL know about it, this is the halls of the Universal Counsel you know?"
The advisor put its hands on its hips and the image disappeared. Zodac knew he would have to explain. He wondered what the score of the game was.
"Look," he sighed sitting up. "This was foretold, but the thing is, we don't know what the outcome will be yet. Those damned fates aren't giving anything up. They love to keep us in suspense. Personally, I find it to be very petty on their behalf. So it's literally out of our, MY hands."
Zodac waived his hand and a goblet of ale appeared. He held it out to the advisor, who stood still.
"No?" he asked. "Okay, more for me. Anyway, that's the predicament we're in, not that we could do anything anyway."
The advisor waived its hand and another image appeared. This time it was Teela staring glumly outside the window of Castle Grayskull. Zodac just chuckled at the sight of his former student.
"Don't you worry," he said smugly. "She HAS been taught by the best. She's ready, she's more than ready. SHE just has to believe it herself."
******
After dinner and a round of fifty questions, Adora and Adam walked around the palace grounds.
From his bedroom, Adacan watched them laugh and talk. It always bothered him that he didn't have any brothers or sisters. He really only had one friend, Man-At-Arms' grandniece, Leva, who had come to live with him about a year-ago when her parents disappeared. She picked on him a lot, but he didn't mind, he was just grateful to have SOMEONE to play with.
He placed his head on his arms and rested them on the windowsill. Jerry sat next to him.
"What you looking at kid?" he snorted, then scratched himself behind the ear.
Adacan reached over to help him and the dog sighed in contentment.
"Yeah, right there, thanks." The dog murmured. "So, like I said, what's out there that was so interesting?"
Adacan sighed. He watched his father and aunt continue their discussion, it looked like Adora was trying to explain something to his father, who looked depressed.
"What was my mother like Jer?" he asked the question he had asked his father a million times. He was used to just getting a vacant gaze and some cryptic answer, nothing ever concrete. "Seriously, what did she do for fun? What is Earth like? Why did she come here? Anything? I need to know something."
Jerry cocked his head to the side. Adam had asked him not to say anything to Adacan about how his mother died, but he didn't see anything wrong in giving the kid a little background information.
"She loved the outdoors," the rottweiler snorted. "She worked in the forests back on Earth, a place we called the Black Hills. It was beautiful. We used to go hiking and running on the trails and go fishing. She was a lot of fun."
Adacan listened intently as his pet continued.
"She loved snow, in fact that's the one thing she said she missed when we came here, snow. But she never had any regrets about leaving Earth, she loved your father more than anything. She always said you two were all she needed."
The boy blinked and smiled a little. It bothered him that he couldn't remember her face, just the images from the portraits and pictures around palace.
"How did she die Jer, I really want to know?" he pleaded.
The dog put his paw over his face and growled.
"Ugh, you know I'm not supposed to tell you that kid," he growled. "Your father will tell you when it's the right time. But please don't look at me with those 'puppy' eyes, you're breaking my heart."
Adacan nodded and returned his attention on the dusk surrounding the land. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw the dark storm clouds getting closer.
"We better go check the stables," he said flatly. "Look's like there's a storm rolling in."
*****
"So what are you going to do?" Adora continued to pester her twin. She looked up at the angry sky, something wasn't right and she felt there wasn't a whole lot of time.
Adam ran his hand through his hair and looked at the stern expression on his sister's face. You knew what needed to be done, he just wasn't sure how he was going to do it.
"Okay," he conceded. "You're right. You're ALWAYS right. There, are you happy?"
Adora smiled. She knew she was right and she loved it.
"But you have to promise me something." Adam continued as his sister's smile faded into a look of suspicion. She nodded.
"When this fight occurs, promise me that you will stay here and guard Adacan." He put it right out on the table.
Adora's eyebrows shot up.
"You must be kidding!" she blurt out and then lowered her voice as a couple of guards walked by. "You know that I should be out there, fighting next to you. You're going to need all the help you can get and that includes She-Ra too."
Adam shook his head and stood to face his sister. He had to make her see where he was coming from.
"Look, if Skeletor is back, there's a good chance that he's going to send one of his goons after my son," he pleaded. "It would be just like him. He destroyed Erin because she took him on, and now he'll go after her child, maybe me too, but as you know I can take care of myself."
Adora looked at him in disbelief. He continued to beg.
"Please, don't you see, you would be better equipped to protect him than any guards," he was doing his best to persuade her. "And should anything happen to me, you could get him and our parents off Eternia to safety. You HAVE to stay here."
Adora didn't like what she was hearing, it wasn't like her brother to talk about not returning from a battle and she didn't want him to start now.
"What are you talking about?" she retorted defiantly. "No one's going anywhere because nothing is going to happen to you! You've defeated Skeletor before, you'll do it again and then you'll come home to your son and all of us. And to make sure that happens, I'm coming with you!"
Adam took his sister's hand and squeezed it in both of his. He looked at her with such anticipation on his face, she didn't like it but she felt her convictions start to cave.
"Adora, please? Do this for me? I can't take the chance of Adacan getting hurt. This is the only way I can protect him."
Adora looked down shuffled her feet. She hated this, with every fiber of her being she wanted to be in the battle with her brother but she couldn't ignore his request.
"Fine," she muttered. "But don't think for a second that you are going to lose this fight, because that is not going to happen!"
Adam nodded but pressed on.
"I'll instruct Teela to open a portal here for you if I.." He stopped and closed his eyes. "In case I fall in the fight. When that opens, get yourself, Adacan, mom and dad, and who ever else you can out as quickly as possible. Don't you DARE try to take on Skeletor yourself. Promise me."
Adora nodded her consent and Adam hugged her. He let go and turned to go back into the palace.
"I have to get 'something' and go to Grayskull," he said. "I need to talk to Teela right away."
Adora put her hands on her hips and yelled to her brother.
"While you're out there, don't forget to apologize for acting like an .."
******
Adacan secured the rest of the windows down in the stables and looked outside. The sky was almost completely covered in clouds. He figured the brunt of the storm would hit in a couple of hours, maybe in the morning.
Whatever kind of storm it was, it would be big.
He looked around to do a last minute check before closing the door. He thought about what Jerry said about his mother as he brushed some hay off of his leg.
"Aaaaddddaaacccaaannn."
The voice was so soft and faint that he passed it off as the wind at first. He stood up, stretched and started back to the palace.
"Aaaddaaccaann..."
This time it was a little louder, but the voice still had a certain softness to it that it alarmed him, but didn't scare him.
He looked around for Jerry, but couldn't find the rottweiler anywhere. He dismissed the voice again and continued back to the palace.
"Adacan!"
That got his attention.
"Who's there?" he yelled into empty air. "Leva, if you're playing a trick, so help me I'll.."
He saw the small globe of light floating in the air about ten feet in front of him. It was beautiful and comforting. He was entranced by it. He stared at it a second longer before it started to move away, into the forest.
He wasn't sure why, but he followed it.
