Chapter 4
He-Man stood at the foot of the Sorceress's throne, watching as she paced in front of it. Surprisingly, she wasn't yelling as he'd expected, but the icy tone of voice and severe facial expression were enough to let him know she was far from pleased.
"How could you?" she said. "You abused your powers, killed two of Skeletor's men, revealed your secret despite promising never to do so, and for what? Petty revenge? I thought you were above such things."
"Petty? Not from where I'm standing. You didn't see them laying dead in the ballroom! You didn't see their bodies destroyed mere moments after they were laid to rest! You've never experienced a loss so severe!"
The last sentence was like a dagger in her heart. "How could you say such a thing?! I gave up my daughter years ago to keep her safe, and I've been haunted by that decision for years!"
"But she's alive. That makes a world of difference."
"So the death of your parents makes giving up Teela insignificant by comparison? If you think that, then you can't possibly know how I feel."
"I guess not."
They did not get the chance to debate any further, as an explosion rocked the castle's jawbridge. He-Man raced outside to investigate, and found Skeletor, Evil-lyn, Tri-Klops, and Whiplash waiting.
"He-Man! So nice of you to be here to witness my moment of triumph! You may want to step aside, before you end up like the kingdom's late rulers!" He cackled, still savoring his triumph at the palace.
That was a BIG mistake.
Anger welling up inside him, He-Man surged forward, sword drawn, toward Evil-lyn.
Evil-lyn grinned. "I love it when my eneimes make themselves such easy targets." A large, whitish-blue orb of flame appeared in her palm, and she hurled it at He-Man as hard as she could. But he was prepared. Blocking the fireball with his sword, he sent it hurtling toward Whiplash. It severed his tail from his body, cauterizing the wound before any blood could be lost. Howling in pain, he collapsed, on the verge of passing out.
As He-Man continued his advance, Tri-Klops fired a burst of energy at him, catching him off guard and throwing him to the ground, slightly dazed.
Evil-lyn stood over him, a twisted smile contorting her face. "You look exhausted. Perhaps a cold shower will wake you up."
She aimed her staff at a passing cloud, firing a large burst of energy into it. The sky darkened, filling up with rain and lightning. A lightning bolt struck the ground near He-Man, sending sparks up at his feet.
Not far from the battle, Skeletor observed with a sick sense of satsifaction. "Losing the advantage, He-Man? You've lost! Greyskull is as good as mine!"
Another lightning bolt streaked from the sky, but He-Man was waiting for it. Raising his sword high, he caught the bolt, almost being forced to his knees as a result. He managed to stay standing, however, and continued rushing toward Evil-lyn, blocking the fireballs she hurled his way, as well as a few energy blasts from Tri-Klops, who he was now watching very closely.
With a mighty yell, He-Man struck the orb on Evil-lyn's staff with his sword, sending a massive amount of electricity surging through her body. The orb shattered, sending one last, fatal rush of energy through her, sending her to ground, convulsing. With electricity still surging through the sword, he aimed it at Tri-Klops, sending the energy through his eye. Glass and smoke filled the air as Tri-Klops fell to the ground, never to get back up.
Sheathing his sword, He-Man walked over to where Whiplash's severed tail lay and picked it up. As Whiplash got to his feet, He-Man swung the tail at the small of the villain's back. A loud crack was heard as the club-like appendage at the end of the tail connected, shattering his spine and sending fragments through his lungs, tearing them apart. He collapsed again, coughing up blood. Then, he was still.
He-Man turned to his arch nemesis, a look of sheer hatred etched on his face. "SKELETOR! IT'S YOUR TURN!"
"Oh, I'm afraid I've no more time to play with you, He-Man. I have other things to attend to, you see. Another time perhaps." And with a chuckle and a flash of light, he was gone.
"SKELETOR! COME BACK HERE, YOU DAMN COWARD!!!"
He rushed toward Castle Greyskull, but stopped in his tracks as the jawbridge snapped shut before him. From the castle's depths, the voice of the Sorceress floated down to him.
"I'm sorry He-Man, but I'm afraid that-for the time being at least-I must forbid you from entering Castle Greyskull. You're treading down a very dark path, one that I fear will lead to your destruction. Now please go, until such time as I feel you are ready to enter these sacred halls once more."
He-Man was surprised, but not upset. He boarded the Wind Raider, and with one last look at Castle Greyskull, headed at top speed for the Sea of Rakash.
TO BE CONTINUED...
He-Man stood at the foot of the Sorceress's throne, watching as she paced in front of it. Surprisingly, she wasn't yelling as he'd expected, but the icy tone of voice and severe facial expression were enough to let him know she was far from pleased.
"How could you?" she said. "You abused your powers, killed two of Skeletor's men, revealed your secret despite promising never to do so, and for what? Petty revenge? I thought you were above such things."
"Petty? Not from where I'm standing. You didn't see them laying dead in the ballroom! You didn't see their bodies destroyed mere moments after they were laid to rest! You've never experienced a loss so severe!"
The last sentence was like a dagger in her heart. "How could you say such a thing?! I gave up my daughter years ago to keep her safe, and I've been haunted by that decision for years!"
"But she's alive. That makes a world of difference."
"So the death of your parents makes giving up Teela insignificant by comparison? If you think that, then you can't possibly know how I feel."
"I guess not."
They did not get the chance to debate any further, as an explosion rocked the castle's jawbridge. He-Man raced outside to investigate, and found Skeletor, Evil-lyn, Tri-Klops, and Whiplash waiting.
"He-Man! So nice of you to be here to witness my moment of triumph! You may want to step aside, before you end up like the kingdom's late rulers!" He cackled, still savoring his triumph at the palace.
That was a BIG mistake.
Anger welling up inside him, He-Man surged forward, sword drawn, toward Evil-lyn.
Evil-lyn grinned. "I love it when my eneimes make themselves such easy targets." A large, whitish-blue orb of flame appeared in her palm, and she hurled it at He-Man as hard as she could. But he was prepared. Blocking the fireball with his sword, he sent it hurtling toward Whiplash. It severed his tail from his body, cauterizing the wound before any blood could be lost. Howling in pain, he collapsed, on the verge of passing out.
As He-Man continued his advance, Tri-Klops fired a burst of energy at him, catching him off guard and throwing him to the ground, slightly dazed.
Evil-lyn stood over him, a twisted smile contorting her face. "You look exhausted. Perhaps a cold shower will wake you up."
She aimed her staff at a passing cloud, firing a large burst of energy into it. The sky darkened, filling up with rain and lightning. A lightning bolt struck the ground near He-Man, sending sparks up at his feet.
Not far from the battle, Skeletor observed with a sick sense of satsifaction. "Losing the advantage, He-Man? You've lost! Greyskull is as good as mine!"
Another lightning bolt streaked from the sky, but He-Man was waiting for it. Raising his sword high, he caught the bolt, almost being forced to his knees as a result. He managed to stay standing, however, and continued rushing toward Evil-lyn, blocking the fireballs she hurled his way, as well as a few energy blasts from Tri-Klops, who he was now watching very closely.
With a mighty yell, He-Man struck the orb on Evil-lyn's staff with his sword, sending a massive amount of electricity surging through her body. The orb shattered, sending one last, fatal rush of energy through her, sending her to ground, convulsing. With electricity still surging through the sword, he aimed it at Tri-Klops, sending the energy through his eye. Glass and smoke filled the air as Tri-Klops fell to the ground, never to get back up.
Sheathing his sword, He-Man walked over to where Whiplash's severed tail lay and picked it up. As Whiplash got to his feet, He-Man swung the tail at the small of the villain's back. A loud crack was heard as the club-like appendage at the end of the tail connected, shattering his spine and sending fragments through his lungs, tearing them apart. He collapsed again, coughing up blood. Then, he was still.
He-Man turned to his arch nemesis, a look of sheer hatred etched on his face. "SKELETOR! IT'S YOUR TURN!"
"Oh, I'm afraid I've no more time to play with you, He-Man. I have other things to attend to, you see. Another time perhaps." And with a chuckle and a flash of light, he was gone.
"SKELETOR! COME BACK HERE, YOU DAMN COWARD!!!"
He rushed toward Castle Greyskull, but stopped in his tracks as the jawbridge snapped shut before him. From the castle's depths, the voice of the Sorceress floated down to him.
"I'm sorry He-Man, but I'm afraid that-for the time being at least-I must forbid you from entering Castle Greyskull. You're treading down a very dark path, one that I fear will lead to your destruction. Now please go, until such time as I feel you are ready to enter these sacred halls once more."
He-Man was surprised, but not upset. He boarded the Wind Raider, and with one last look at Castle Greyskull, headed at top speed for the Sea of Rakash.
TO BE CONTINUED...