Eternal Foe
Chapter 6-Hidden Secrets
Skeletor lay on the ground, panting hard. A perverse satisfaction coursed through him at having so effectively obliterated an entire forest. Many hours passed while he inflicted his wrath against the defenceless woodlands, hours without relenting or weakening. What more did he need to demonstrate his power?
The mysterious presence had dared not reveal itself. Skeletor could not blame it, lest it too face his unmitigated rage and suffer the same fate as the hapless trees. But he could sense it, nearer than before. It was like a low humming, more like a vibration really. To Skeletor it was the familiar resonance of magic.
He lay back and listened intently for the hum, whilst it gave off no audible sound the vibrations it emitted travelled through Skeletor's veins, massaging his tense muscles. Calm came over the warlord and he soon found himself, aided by weariness, drifting off. Skeletor felt some alarm, he did not wish to revisit the nightmares, but rest he needed badly.
He found himself in a large cavern. A natural grotto carved by millions of years of erosion. He found himself standing upon a shelf overlooking a lava lake that broiled impatiently, spitting and hissing at the intruder. Its' vivid amalgam of red, black and orange hues cast a veil of firelight upon the walls and ceiling of the rocky den. The heat was intense, it put Skeletor in mind of a kiln, he could feel sweat soaking what flesh remained on his body.
A narrow catwalk jutted out from the shelf, bridging over the fiery lake and adjoining a platform that sat roughly centre of the lake. Suspended above a podium adorning a diamond glistened. It refracted a reddish light, most likely a reflection of its environment. Skeletor looked about, wary of a trap, when something odd struck him; the reverberations were coming from the jewel.
Ignoring caution, Skeletor stepped upon the walkway. Was it truly this gem that sung to him so? If so, then what was it doing here untended, waiting for the first brigand to lay their filthy paws on its lustrous beauty. Or perhaps not just anyone, possibly it waited for a certain someone to wield its as yet unexplored gifts, someone like Skeletor. Avidly, he wrung his hands together, greedily anticipating the opportunity to discover what secrets this delicious little fragment of earth held.
He stepped from the catwalk and onto the circular platform; the diamond was but a few steps away. But as he took his first step towards the dais a ring of flame shot up from the ground, Skeletor jumped back and landed on the rim of the ledge, the rock beneath his feet gave way and he plunged towards a fiery death. "Noooo."
"ooooo!" he screamed as awoke from his slumber. Just how much was it to ask for one nap without some nightmare that ended in his demise? Skeletor sat there a moment catching his breath and regaining control of his nerves.
Once he calmed himself he focused on the dream, no not a dream, a vision. Somewhere in this area lay the lava cave and its precious treasure inside. With renewed vigour Skeletor resumed his trek. While he couldn't quite say how, he knew this gem focused power of incomparable magnitude. Skeletor was certain that with it he could easily defeat He-Man and take control of Castle Grayskull. Revenge would be his.
The Sorceress led He-Man down a long winding corridor, there were no torches to light the way, in fact the there was no visible light source to be found anywhere. In spite of this the passage shone a muted green, the effect was quite unsettling. The Sorceress had said not a word since greeting him at the Castle's gates which He-Man found.unsettling.
"So, uh, nice home you got here." He said awkwardly trying to break the silence. The Sorceress only looked back and smiled at his obvious attempt at humor. It annoyed him that she could also glide above the ground, He- Man wondered why he could not glide as well, that would certainly make saving the world a lot easier.
"Within these walls." the Sorceress spoke quietly, "the slightest sound can be heard, even the echoes of the mind's thoughts." It took him a moment, but He-Man realised she meant that his thoughts could be read. He hoped that blushing couldn't be heard by the walls.
"It can." The Sorceress said in response to the unvoiced question. He-Man blushed further.
"Fear not young warrior, the time of enlightenment will soon be upon you," the Sorceress assured him.
He had spent a sleepless night within the Castle's walls. It was cold, dank, dark and the Sorceress ignored him save for the time she served him a supper. What kind of a dreary existence could one live here? He-Man could sympathise for the Sorceress who barely left the keep, but he could not understand her reticence. If it were he cooped up inside for Gods only know how many years, he would talk the ears off the first person he came across.
Now, here he was, following the enigmatic creature down yet another, seemingly endless hallway. Castle Grayskull had too many corridors He-Man decided, at least too many that were door-less. What was the point of having a big, creepy castle with endlessly, long hallways if there were no doors through which to explore?
The Sorceress halted her flight and turned to him. Still wearing an amused smile she tapped the staff she carried everywhere with her on the floor in an indistinct pattern. After the fifth strike the stones in the wall nearest her shifted and swung inwards. "Because you see no frames, it does not mean that there are no doorways."
Admonished again, He-Man concluded that he needed to better control his thoughts. At that moment he could have sworn he heard a chuckle escape the Sorceress' lips.
It was an indeterminable time later, with the Sorceress still gliding ahead and He-Man following quietly behind (trying not to think embarrassing thoughts) when the lady mystic again came to a halt. He-Man was pleased to see a set of thick doors behind her.
"Through these doors lie the Hall of Knowledge, the most complete library in Eternia."
"You brought me here to read some books?" He-Man asked sceptically.
"Though tomes of learning do adorn these walls my young prince, the Elders stored information by other means as well. The world of the Ancients' was unlike ours, they had resources at their disposal that have not been used outside these walls in over a thousand years."
A sense of magnitude settled upon He-Man's shoulders. Those words rung true in his ears, the fact that he existed was proof of that.
The doors swung wide open revealing the room beyond. The architecture here was radically different from that of the rest of the Castle. The ceiling arced high overhead, coalescing into a single point forming a dome. There were no support beams he could see, nor columns for that matter, it seemed as though the library was carved from the one rock. Unlike the corridors, torchlight shone all around, illuminating the room so that any texts could be read clearly. Hundreds of shelves line the walls, supporting countless thousands of books from a lost era.
The Sorceress glided along the marble floor, a stark contrast to the sickly green stone of the rest of the keep, coming to a stop before a single door. "Through here we travel." She said to him. The door led to another hallway, He-Man groaned before realising that this hall had doorframes, twelve in all, six on each side.
"It is through these doors that you must go," instructed the Sorceress.
"But what will I find behind them?" asked He-Man.
"History." A male voice spoke. An apparition appeared from the other end of the room; it was clad in red, ceremonial armour and wore a matching helmet. Both of which were as ephemeral as the ghost itself. Though its feet did not touch the ground, it was obvious to He-Man that he was once a warrior; from the proud, erect posture to the hands that sat half-curled to either side in readiness to draw a weapon.
"Through these doors you will find the history of Eternia." The spirit reiterated.
"I don't understand how that will help me," said He-Man.
"The threat which will soon plague Eternia has its roots in history." The spirit answered. "By seeing history unfold with your own eyes you can see how this threat was first dealt with, how its weaknesses were exploited. With this knowledge you can better prepare yourself for the forthcoming battles you will face."
"Is being vague a prerequisite for living here?" asked He-Man.
"Go forth knight of Grayskull find the answers to your questions through these doors."
"The Sorceress." He-Man paused as he realised she was no longer there. "Uh, she didn't tell me who you are."
The spirit bowed. "Forgive me, introductions are a rare occurrence here as you might well imagine." He straightened. "I am Zodac, the spectral guardian of Castle Grayskull. It is my task to guide those who enter these walls as appointed me by the Council of Elders." He-Man nodded. "Now son of Eternia, choose a portal and witness the history it reveals unto you for time does grow short.
Wordlessly He-Man slipped through the first door on the left-hand side of the hall. When it clicked back into place the Sorceress reappeared. "How much will he learn?"
Zodac looked sympathetically at her, "As much as he is willing." He replied before dissipating into air.
The Sorceress glanced at the door through which He-Man disappeared. Had he been there He-Man may have been startled by the worried countenance on the normally stoic Sorceress.
Chapter 6-Hidden Secrets
Skeletor lay on the ground, panting hard. A perverse satisfaction coursed through him at having so effectively obliterated an entire forest. Many hours passed while he inflicted his wrath against the defenceless woodlands, hours without relenting or weakening. What more did he need to demonstrate his power?
The mysterious presence had dared not reveal itself. Skeletor could not blame it, lest it too face his unmitigated rage and suffer the same fate as the hapless trees. But he could sense it, nearer than before. It was like a low humming, more like a vibration really. To Skeletor it was the familiar resonance of magic.
He lay back and listened intently for the hum, whilst it gave off no audible sound the vibrations it emitted travelled through Skeletor's veins, massaging his tense muscles. Calm came over the warlord and he soon found himself, aided by weariness, drifting off. Skeletor felt some alarm, he did not wish to revisit the nightmares, but rest he needed badly.
He found himself in a large cavern. A natural grotto carved by millions of years of erosion. He found himself standing upon a shelf overlooking a lava lake that broiled impatiently, spitting and hissing at the intruder. Its' vivid amalgam of red, black and orange hues cast a veil of firelight upon the walls and ceiling of the rocky den. The heat was intense, it put Skeletor in mind of a kiln, he could feel sweat soaking what flesh remained on his body.
A narrow catwalk jutted out from the shelf, bridging over the fiery lake and adjoining a platform that sat roughly centre of the lake. Suspended above a podium adorning a diamond glistened. It refracted a reddish light, most likely a reflection of its environment. Skeletor looked about, wary of a trap, when something odd struck him; the reverberations were coming from the jewel.
Ignoring caution, Skeletor stepped upon the walkway. Was it truly this gem that sung to him so? If so, then what was it doing here untended, waiting for the first brigand to lay their filthy paws on its lustrous beauty. Or perhaps not just anyone, possibly it waited for a certain someone to wield its as yet unexplored gifts, someone like Skeletor. Avidly, he wrung his hands together, greedily anticipating the opportunity to discover what secrets this delicious little fragment of earth held.
He stepped from the catwalk and onto the circular platform; the diamond was but a few steps away. But as he took his first step towards the dais a ring of flame shot up from the ground, Skeletor jumped back and landed on the rim of the ledge, the rock beneath his feet gave way and he plunged towards a fiery death. "Noooo."
"ooooo!" he screamed as awoke from his slumber. Just how much was it to ask for one nap without some nightmare that ended in his demise? Skeletor sat there a moment catching his breath and regaining control of his nerves.
Once he calmed himself he focused on the dream, no not a dream, a vision. Somewhere in this area lay the lava cave and its precious treasure inside. With renewed vigour Skeletor resumed his trek. While he couldn't quite say how, he knew this gem focused power of incomparable magnitude. Skeletor was certain that with it he could easily defeat He-Man and take control of Castle Grayskull. Revenge would be his.
The Sorceress led He-Man down a long winding corridor, there were no torches to light the way, in fact the there was no visible light source to be found anywhere. In spite of this the passage shone a muted green, the effect was quite unsettling. The Sorceress had said not a word since greeting him at the Castle's gates which He-Man found.unsettling.
"So, uh, nice home you got here." He said awkwardly trying to break the silence. The Sorceress only looked back and smiled at his obvious attempt at humor. It annoyed him that she could also glide above the ground, He- Man wondered why he could not glide as well, that would certainly make saving the world a lot easier.
"Within these walls." the Sorceress spoke quietly, "the slightest sound can be heard, even the echoes of the mind's thoughts." It took him a moment, but He-Man realised she meant that his thoughts could be read. He hoped that blushing couldn't be heard by the walls.
"It can." The Sorceress said in response to the unvoiced question. He-Man blushed further.
"Fear not young warrior, the time of enlightenment will soon be upon you," the Sorceress assured him.
He had spent a sleepless night within the Castle's walls. It was cold, dank, dark and the Sorceress ignored him save for the time she served him a supper. What kind of a dreary existence could one live here? He-Man could sympathise for the Sorceress who barely left the keep, but he could not understand her reticence. If it were he cooped up inside for Gods only know how many years, he would talk the ears off the first person he came across.
Now, here he was, following the enigmatic creature down yet another, seemingly endless hallway. Castle Grayskull had too many corridors He-Man decided, at least too many that were door-less. What was the point of having a big, creepy castle with endlessly, long hallways if there were no doors through which to explore?
The Sorceress halted her flight and turned to him. Still wearing an amused smile she tapped the staff she carried everywhere with her on the floor in an indistinct pattern. After the fifth strike the stones in the wall nearest her shifted and swung inwards. "Because you see no frames, it does not mean that there are no doorways."
Admonished again, He-Man concluded that he needed to better control his thoughts. At that moment he could have sworn he heard a chuckle escape the Sorceress' lips.
It was an indeterminable time later, with the Sorceress still gliding ahead and He-Man following quietly behind (trying not to think embarrassing thoughts) when the lady mystic again came to a halt. He-Man was pleased to see a set of thick doors behind her.
"Through these doors lie the Hall of Knowledge, the most complete library in Eternia."
"You brought me here to read some books?" He-Man asked sceptically.
"Though tomes of learning do adorn these walls my young prince, the Elders stored information by other means as well. The world of the Ancients' was unlike ours, they had resources at their disposal that have not been used outside these walls in over a thousand years."
A sense of magnitude settled upon He-Man's shoulders. Those words rung true in his ears, the fact that he existed was proof of that.
The doors swung wide open revealing the room beyond. The architecture here was radically different from that of the rest of the Castle. The ceiling arced high overhead, coalescing into a single point forming a dome. There were no support beams he could see, nor columns for that matter, it seemed as though the library was carved from the one rock. Unlike the corridors, torchlight shone all around, illuminating the room so that any texts could be read clearly. Hundreds of shelves line the walls, supporting countless thousands of books from a lost era.
The Sorceress glided along the marble floor, a stark contrast to the sickly green stone of the rest of the keep, coming to a stop before a single door. "Through here we travel." She said to him. The door led to another hallway, He-Man groaned before realising that this hall had doorframes, twelve in all, six on each side.
"It is through these doors that you must go," instructed the Sorceress.
"But what will I find behind them?" asked He-Man.
"History." A male voice spoke. An apparition appeared from the other end of the room; it was clad in red, ceremonial armour and wore a matching helmet. Both of which were as ephemeral as the ghost itself. Though its feet did not touch the ground, it was obvious to He-Man that he was once a warrior; from the proud, erect posture to the hands that sat half-curled to either side in readiness to draw a weapon.
"Through these doors you will find the history of Eternia." The spirit reiterated.
"I don't understand how that will help me," said He-Man.
"The threat which will soon plague Eternia has its roots in history." The spirit answered. "By seeing history unfold with your own eyes you can see how this threat was first dealt with, how its weaknesses were exploited. With this knowledge you can better prepare yourself for the forthcoming battles you will face."
"Is being vague a prerequisite for living here?" asked He-Man.
"Go forth knight of Grayskull find the answers to your questions through these doors."
"The Sorceress." He-Man paused as he realised she was no longer there. "Uh, she didn't tell me who you are."
The spirit bowed. "Forgive me, introductions are a rare occurrence here as you might well imagine." He straightened. "I am Zodac, the spectral guardian of Castle Grayskull. It is my task to guide those who enter these walls as appointed me by the Council of Elders." He-Man nodded. "Now son of Eternia, choose a portal and witness the history it reveals unto you for time does grow short.
Wordlessly He-Man slipped through the first door on the left-hand side of the hall. When it clicked back into place the Sorceress reappeared. "How much will he learn?"
Zodac looked sympathetically at her, "As much as he is willing." He replied before dissipating into air.
The Sorceress glanced at the door through which He-Man disappeared. Had he been there He-Man may have been startled by the worried countenance on the normally stoic Sorceress.