Chapter 8: Fall From Grace
"Adam …"
"Adam …"
"You have to wake up, Adam …"
He-Man slowly opened his eyes to see Queen Marlena and Man At Arms over him with a worried expression, "W-What happened?" He-Man asked sitting up with Marlena and Man At Arm's help.
"Kagato hit you really hard, Son," Marlena said rubbing his shoulder, "But you seem alright. You were just knocked out."
"Oh, that explains why I ………………………" He-Man started but froze stiff when what Queen Marlena said registered.
"You changed in front of everyone to fight Kagato and protect Teela, son," Duncan said with a weak smile.
"Everyone's more then a bit shocked at this revelation, Adam," Marlena said with her own gentle mothering smile, "But your father took it the hardest, and I fear where he might go with it …"
"I didn't want it to happen like this … but after the funeral and what happened to … TEELA!" He-Man exclaimed as happened before he was knocked out flooded his memory.
He-Man pulled himself to his feet, but Duncan and Marlena tried to force him to stay down futilely. "He-Man, calm yourself," Duncan said still fighting him, "You're injured and we already have all the Masters out looking for her."
"Duncan, Kagato beat the hell out of me, how do you think the Masters will handle him?" He-Man said reaching for the sword of power, "And as for my injuries …" he said raising the sword over his head, "BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL!"
In a flash of light He-Man's bruises and cuts were gone and his strength was renewed. "Now, Sorceress, where is Teela, where is YOUR daughter?"
'This problem is out of your hands, He-Man,' Sorceress's voice replied in his mind, 'I caused this problem, as you and Teela helped me to see, and I will solve it. You must not be involved any longer.'
"The hell I'm not!" He-Man barked, causing Marlena and Man At Arms to gasp, "Teela's in danger and you expect me to set back and wait? If that's what you believe, Sorceress, you have another thing coming!"
'You are responsible for protecting Grayskull and Eternia now, Prince Adam,' Sorceress said with an almost sad tone, 'I am willing to risk my life for my daughters, but I am not willing to risk yours as well. If you are to fall for my mistake, who will rise to defeat Skeletor and other threats to the realm?'
"This is as much a threat as Skeletor," He-Man growled gripping the handle of the Sword of Power, "You say I am the Guardian of Eternia? Champion of Grayskull? Then let me champion it, damn it!"
Sorceress was silent for a moment, "Sorceress, you know I'm the best chance at taking this guy down, now tell me where he's taken her. NOW."
'There's a temple one forth of a mile away from Eternos, there are no traps and only one pathway in. he is in the center preparing to sacrifice Teela so he can gain control of the Armor of Power. It is the only way for him to gain control: by offering the blood from the death of his own creation. Teela is his … our only child …'
"Oh Elders …" He-Man gasped, "CRINGER!" He cried, aiming his sword at the bed and a moment later Battle Cat burst from under the mattress.
He-Man mounted Battle Cat, and the two dove through the large window and dashed toward the temple Sorceress spoke of.
"Go with him, Duncan," Marlena said turning toward the commander of the Masters, "He'll need protection."
"I'm sure He-Man will be fine, your highness," Duncan said walking toward the door.
"I was referring to Kagato," Marlena said, "at least try to have enough left of him for trial."
---
"What are you doing?" Teela hissed as he forcefully threw her down over an altar, tying her legs down and her arms above her head. She asked, but she already figured it out herself, he stripped her of her armored uniform and placed her in a thin white gown like the one that damsels in distress she's read about almost being sacrificed before being rescued by their knight or prince. Now she's living out one of her books, "figures I'd fall for the slowest prince on the planet …" she hissed under her breath.
"I know this might not make you feel better about meeting your untimely end, my daughter, but with the power your death will give me I will take Eternia and remove all good and evil from her and all will be at peace!" Kagato announced, smiling down at Teela.
"Oh I get it …" Teela said slowly, glaring back at him, "You're insane!"
"Maybe so, but that won't stop me from this disheartening sacrifice, I so longed for a grandchild," Kagato sighed, yet drawing a dagger, "Oh well, perhaps I will find a servant girl somewhere as easy to seduce as you were to Prince Adam, then she shall give me a daughter or son who won't be so hard to handle."
Teela panicked at the sight of the dagger, and knew she had to buy Adam and her father time, "Adam didn't seduce me, Kagato," spitting his name, "He actually loves me, and I him. That's something you'll probably never understand."
"Maybe so, but oh well," Kagato shrugged easing the dagger toward her throat, "One can't have all of the knowledge of the universe."
"Hey, wait a second!" Teela gasped, "Aren't I supposed to be a virgin or something for this to work? I mean, you don't want to kill your daughter if it won't do anything to help you, right?"
Kagato stopped for a moment, and smiled down at her, "Oh no, that wouldn't have any effect on the matter," Kagato chuckled, "I'm well aware of your romp in the tower of Castle Grayskull with the young Prince of Eternia. I was watching, you know?"
"You sick …" Teela scowled turning pale.
"Temper, temper," Kagato said tracing her jugular vein with the dull edge of the dagger, "Hadn't Duncan taught you the Laws of the Ancients? Honor thy father and mother?"
"You'll never be my father," Teela growled ignoring the knife at the throat, but then she gasped as a sharp pain struck the side of her neck, and with a strong breath she forced out, "Tell Adam I'll always love him …"
---
Battle Cat and Man At Arm's hover bike shot through the large hallway of the temple and came to stop by pair large sealed doors, they were strong, but He-Man's brute strength was far superior.
"HANG ON, TEELA," He-Man cried as the doors gave way, "We're on our way!"
He dashed in, to see Kagato trembling in rage. Kagato turned and glared passed the guardian of Grayskull to Man At Arms who was standing behind him, "You! It had to have been you!"
"What?" Man At Arms asked in confusion.
"You had an affair with MY wife, didn't you, Duncan, eighteen years ago?" Kagato snarled, "DIDN'T YOU?"
Zoar flew through the open entry and took the form of the Sorceress by Duncan's side, "Where's my daughter, Kagato," Sorceress growled, He-Man noting where Teela got her commanding voice.
"YOUR daughter is the least of your problems, Teelina!" Kagato smirked, causing a cold chill to run down all their spines.
"Eighteen years ago … Teela's … Teelina … we … oh Elders … Teelina, Teela's not Kagato's at all!" Duncan cried as if the very concept was foreign.
"What?" Sorceress gasped looking at Duncan at surprise, then at Kagato, "But how could you know unless … oh no …"
The three then looked behind him at the altar where a white sheet was laid over a motionless form, with red patches around where the neck area. "TEELA!!!" He-Man cried running past his foe, and jerking the cloth back. He could almost hear his heart shatter at the sight that lay before him.
Teela laid motionless completely, not breathing, and even the gash across her throat had stopped bleeding, "No … Teela …" He-Man whimpered dropping to his knees, and laying his head upon her still chest.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Adam," Kagato said with an insane smile, "Teela told me to tell you she'll always love you, or something like that."
He-Man heard his words, but they almost mixed into his own whirlwind of emotions, love, hate, hurt, loneliness, to name a few rushed through every bit of his being. But he felt something else as well, ever since he became He-Man he unconsciously created a wall to prevent him from losing control and being overcome by the powers of Grayskull, to always even as He-Man continue to be Adam. But now, seeing flashes of his experiences with Teela, that wall began to buckle.
He remember their first meeting, how scared she was to be in such a big palace, and how lonely he had been being the one of the few children not pampered to death in the palace.
A small crack appeared on his wall.
He remembered the fire in her eyes as she fought or spared.
The crack grew larger.
He remember the confident smirk that would cross her lips when ever she had come up with a foolproof plan
The crack split into two different cracks, and his physical appearance began to shift again.
He remembered how it good it felt to hold her when she realized he was alive and well after his 'death'
The wall began to tremble, and his muscles grew harder yet smaller and sleeker with the excess energy sparking as electricity on his body's surface.
He remembered the taste of her lips when they kissed.
The wall began to chip as his hair began to float from the energy erupting from his body.
He remembered the night in the tower of Grayskull, how it felt to be with her, and to have her sleeping in his arms and her hair blanketing his chest and body.
The wall began break apart until finally it was gone and the flood of energy filled his veins, unveiling the True He-Man.
"Now, if you wish to join her," Kagato laughed, not noticing the change, or not caring, "I'll send you to join her!" He growled as he reared back and swinging at the back of He-Man's head.
He-Man in a faction of a second spun around and caught Kagato's hand in his palm. Kagato looked up in surprise to see He-Man's eyes glowing with power, "W-Wha?" he forced out before crying out in pain as He-Man began to crush his fist.
"Now … you pay …" He-Man hissed grabbing Kagato's collar with his free hand.
He-Man threw the older warrior across the chamber and through two stone walls. "You took her from me …" He-Man said calmly, striding toward the falling villain.
He then picked the cowering Kagato up by the shoulder plates, and then crushed them along with the bones they protected.
Meanwhile Duncan and Sorceress slowly approached the altar, tears in both their eyes.
"Oh Ancients," Sorceress sobbed, stroking Teela's clammy cold face, "Oh my baby …" she whimpered as the tears ran down her cheeks.
Duncan placed a hand on the Sorceress' shoulders, and closed his eyes tight, wishing that when he opened them again, his daughter, HIS daughter would be alive and well. Duncan released a trembling sigh as his emotions started to overtake him as well. "Oh Teela," Duncan whispered reaching down to brush some of his daughter's dark red hair from her face.
He felt a faint feeling of contentment though at hearing Kagato's screams and the sound of flesh and metal giving to He-Man's tremendous blows. "Go, see to Adam, Duncan," Sorceress choked out.
"But what about you, Teelina?" Duncan asked, not wanting to pull He-Man off his daughter's murderer.
"Go, I'll be fine," Sorceress nodded, not taking her eyes off her daughter. Duncan watched her for a moment before leaving her to follow after He-Man and Kagato. Sorceress watched him climb through the hole the two made, then looked back to her daughter, "Yes, I'll be fine, we'll be fine …"
---
"Mercy …" Kagato begged as he was tumbled to the ground. He-Man glared down at the man's battered form hatefully. The Armor of Power was completely destroyed, and Kagato was beaten to an inch of his life. His eyes were swollen shut, his face was black and blue, and his nose was crumpled horribly.
"You want mercy?" He-Man hissed angrily, drawing the Sword of Power, "You want MERCY?!?"
He-Man plunged the sword into the ground, before picking Kagato up above his head roughly, then brought him down as hard as he could, his spine bending across his knee.
Kagato cried out in pain and He-Man let him drop to the floor with a sickening thud.
"My legs … oh Elders, my legs!" Kagato cried still laying in an unnatural position on the floor.
He-Man then drew the Sword of Power and put the end of the of the blade against the battered Kagato's throat, "You took her from me … now I'm going to make you pay for it." He-Man hissed preparing to ram the broad sword through the man's throat.
"Adam … that's enough, son," Duncan said, walking up and placing a hand on He-Man's shoulders. "Killing him won't bring Teela back. And you're not a killer. You never were. He-Man is a hero."
Adam looked back at Duncan, then down at the bloody pulp that was at one time Kagato. He-Man took and raised it over his head, "You're right, Duncan … Let the Power RETURN!" He cried and Prince Adam held the Sword of Power out before him, "He-Man doesn't kill … He-Man won't kill."
Adam brought the sword over his head, and held it there, angrily glaring down at the beaten monster.
"Adam, that's enough son," Duncan's voice called from behind him, "don't sink to his level. Despite what you think, you're not a monster, not like him."
"He killed Teela …" Adam hissed, not taking his eyes off the bloodied villain.
"Will killing him bring her back?" Duncan asked, walking toward the pair, "You're a hero, Adam, always have been, you don't kill unless there's no other option. There's another option here, so what will it be, son?"
"Would Teela want you to kill? In her name?" Duncan asked, "Would she?"
"She wouldn't …" Adam said stepping back, sheathing the Sword of Power. He gave Kagato one last angry glare, "You're going to pay for what you've done, you don't deserve the pleasure of knowing you made me a monster like you." With that Adam turned his back and walked back toward the main chamber.
As he passed Man At Arms he heard him mutter, "yes he will pay," but didn't pay any attention.
Adam froze at the hole in the wall as he heard Man At Arms'
arm cannon echo through the chamber.
"It's finished," Duncan said coldly catching up to the teenager, and the two walked together back to the main area.
----
Duncan and Adam reentered the chamber, and gawked at the sight.
"Teelina, no!" Duncan called out as the two ran up toward the altar where the Sorceress was standing over Teela's body, magical energy flowing around them.
"Stay back, Duncan," Teelina called, "I have lived the longest, Teela is still but a child, if a sacrifice is needed, let it be me!"
In a flash of light, the Sorceress' wings and garb was faded away and she stumbled backwards into Man At Arm's waiting embrace.
Duncan was shocked to see the woman in his arms. The Sorceress' youthful appearance was replaced by an aged woman Duncan's age, no less beautiful then before, but nowhere near as young. Her once flawless face was marked by small wrinkles and smile marks, and her long red hair that ran to past her thighs was now mixed with silvery lines and was her only means of clothing. "Teelina … what happened?"
"My … our daughter is alive …" Teelina said weakly, gazing up at Duncan and Adam, "but the gift I was given at Grayskull is gone … never to return."
Adam handed his vest to Man At Arms to wrap around Teelina's shoulders when her words clicked in his mind, "Teela's …"
"Oh my head …" Teela groaned, sitting up slowly. Next thing she knew she was in an extremely tight embrace.
"Adam …" Teela choked out, as Adam's arms seemed to only squeeze her tighter, "Adam, I need air …"
"I thought I lost you …" Adam said, pulling back, tears flooding his crystal blue eyes.
"Like you could get rid of me that easily," Teela smiled, before moving in to give a gentle kiss to Adam.
"As touching as this reunion is," Duncan tried to sound serious but the broad smile on his face destroyed any sense of seriousness, "We really need to go back and report to the King, after what happened earlier and all."
---
Adam, Duncan, Teela, and Teelina made their way to Eternos after making a stop by Grayskull to gather clothing for Teela and Teelina, and were surprised by what was waiting for them at the front gates.
"Prince Adam of Eternos," one of the large squad of Royal Guards stated stepping out from the group, "We have a warrant for your arrest."
"Arrest?" Duncan bellowed, "On what charges!"
"Falsifying death, multiple charges of deceit to the Crown, vigilantism, and treason," the guard read off.
"No!" Teela shot, stepping between Adam and the guards, "What idiot trumped up these charges?"
"His Majesty King Randor himself," the Guard stated, "Now step aside or be arrested as well."
"The only way you're getting Adam is over my dead body!" Teela hissed, pulling her staff.
"Teela, it's ok," Adam said unnervingly calm, "It's ok, really. I had this coming for not thinking my actions through, all my actions." The prince turned to the shocked Man At Arms and Teelina, "Take care of Teela for me," He said before glancing at the guards. "Lets get this over with, I'll go peacefully."
"Adam …" Teela whimpered, but Man At Arms held her arms tightly.
"It will all work out," Duncan whispered to his daughter, "After all, you heard the charges. There's no way they can stand in court."
Teela wasn't even paying attention, her full concentration was used to keep her from attacking the Royal Guards who were now shackling Adam's wrists and ankles and placing a restraining collar around his neck.
"I love you," Teela forced out, before the guards jerked him roughly along toward the palace. Teela watched him go before dropping to her knees praying this was all a nightmare.
To Be Continued.