Chapter 12
Adam struck the ground hard, his breath flying from his lungs. He didn't know how long he'd been tumbling through space and time, or even where he had ended up. But he knew one thing: it was definitely not Eternia.
He picked himself up off the ground and gazed at his new surroundings. A large palace, even more immense than the one he called home, loomed over the edge of a steep cliff. Carved in the wall at the base of the cliff were ornate openings resembling doorways. Silk cloths were placed over them to form makeshift doors. Adam guessed that people lived there, and he was proven right when a young boy and his father emerged from one of the openings.
"Excuse me," said Adam, "but can you tell me where I am?"
The man turned to Adam and smiled. "Why certainly, stranger. This is Zelgor. I am Canteel, and this is my son Bekta."
Bekta grinned. "We don't get many visitors these days. Not since-oh, neat!"
The boy had spotted Adam's sword, which he was still holding in his hand. Adam was surprised-it was as if he had never seen a sword before.
"Why are you so excited? It's just a sword. Surely this isn't the first time you've seen one."
"Of course I have. But swords like that are very rare. I only saw one that nice once, when I was 3 years old. The swords we have around here are made of iron, and not that fancy. I wish I could have one like that."
Canteel patted his son's shoulder. "Now, now, you're a little young for something like that. Swords are for soldiers..."
"Or thieves! That's something you'd know about, Canteel!"
The three of them turned in the direction the voice had come from. The person who spoke was a rather stocky man with a scarred nose and a pronounced limp. He was staring at Canteel with intense hatred burning in his eyes, and his muscles tensed as if he were itching to attack the other man.
Canteel's expression changed to one of annoyance. "Tharvan, how many times must we go through this? I stole nothing from you!"
"Liar! That sack full of gold didn't just get up and walk away, now did it?"
"I don't know who robbed you, but it wasn't me! I have told you this many times before, and I am tired of discussing it!"
"I grow weary of your lies! I suggest you start looking behind you from now on, because one day I will take that stolen gold out of your worthless hide!" With that, Tharvan stalked off, scowling.
Canteel turned to Adam, embarassment evident on his face. "I'm...sorry you had to witness that...I'm sorry, but I forgot to ask your name, friend."
"It's Adam."
"Nice to meet you. Again, I apologize. Tharvan just won't admit he's wrong."
"What was he talking about? He seemed rather angry."
Canteel turned his head away from Adam. "He was robbed over a year ago while a group of us were traveling to meet with our emperor. We were setting up camp when a thief tried to make off with a rather large sack of gold that he'd brought. I chased him down and managed to recover the gold, but the thief escaped. Tharvan was away from the campsite when the thief made his move, and when he returned he saw me holding the sack of gold. The others tried to tell him about the thief, but he was far too angry to listen to reason, and nothing our companions said could make him see the truth. He has believed me to be the true thief since that night."
Adam nodded. "Anger can affect a person's judgment. It's a sad fact..."
Something flickered in the back of Adam's mind. Images of the brutal deaths he had caused as He-Man recently flashed before his eyes. He shook his head, clearing the images away as if they were cobwebs.
Canteel sighed. "That is something I know far too well. Yet, I still worry. Tharvan has always been hot headed, and he's known for following through on his threats. I'm worried that he might do something drastic...but enough about my problems. Come, you look exhausted. I will have my wife set up a place for you to stay. And I warn you-you may explode from trying to eat too much of her delicious cooking. Bekta, it's time for dinner."
As he followed father and son into their dwelling, Adam glanced over his shoulder. The exchange between the two men, combined with Canteel's remarks, made him wary. Perhaps his new friend was right...
After taking one last look at the Power Sword, he returned it to its sheath and passed through the cavern entrance.
Tharvan, still angry after the argument, continued home. The rage he felt was causing his vision to blur, yet he made no effort to clear the bluriness away.
"Damn Canteel....lousy thief...I've let him get away with his crime for far too long. It's time to bring him to justice!"
He reached over his shoulder and unsheathed a long, wide sword with a serrated blade. From his pack he withdrew a vial of sickly green liquid, which he poured along the sword's blade.
"This fangcat venom should put him out of my misery...and it's going to feel so good to drive the blade into his heart...and lungs...and everything else..."
He turned around and headed back toward the cliff dwellings.
"Tonight, Canteel, you die..."
TO BE CONTINUED
Adam struck the ground hard, his breath flying from his lungs. He didn't know how long he'd been tumbling through space and time, or even where he had ended up. But he knew one thing: it was definitely not Eternia.
He picked himself up off the ground and gazed at his new surroundings. A large palace, even more immense than the one he called home, loomed over the edge of a steep cliff. Carved in the wall at the base of the cliff were ornate openings resembling doorways. Silk cloths were placed over them to form makeshift doors. Adam guessed that people lived there, and he was proven right when a young boy and his father emerged from one of the openings.
"Excuse me," said Adam, "but can you tell me where I am?"
The man turned to Adam and smiled. "Why certainly, stranger. This is Zelgor. I am Canteel, and this is my son Bekta."
Bekta grinned. "We don't get many visitors these days. Not since-oh, neat!"
The boy had spotted Adam's sword, which he was still holding in his hand. Adam was surprised-it was as if he had never seen a sword before.
"Why are you so excited? It's just a sword. Surely this isn't the first time you've seen one."
"Of course I have. But swords like that are very rare. I only saw one that nice once, when I was 3 years old. The swords we have around here are made of iron, and not that fancy. I wish I could have one like that."
Canteel patted his son's shoulder. "Now, now, you're a little young for something like that. Swords are for soldiers..."
"Or thieves! That's something you'd know about, Canteel!"
The three of them turned in the direction the voice had come from. The person who spoke was a rather stocky man with a scarred nose and a pronounced limp. He was staring at Canteel with intense hatred burning in his eyes, and his muscles tensed as if he were itching to attack the other man.
Canteel's expression changed to one of annoyance. "Tharvan, how many times must we go through this? I stole nothing from you!"
"Liar! That sack full of gold didn't just get up and walk away, now did it?"
"I don't know who robbed you, but it wasn't me! I have told you this many times before, and I am tired of discussing it!"
"I grow weary of your lies! I suggest you start looking behind you from now on, because one day I will take that stolen gold out of your worthless hide!" With that, Tharvan stalked off, scowling.
Canteel turned to Adam, embarassment evident on his face. "I'm...sorry you had to witness that...I'm sorry, but I forgot to ask your name, friend."
"It's Adam."
"Nice to meet you. Again, I apologize. Tharvan just won't admit he's wrong."
"What was he talking about? He seemed rather angry."
Canteel turned his head away from Adam. "He was robbed over a year ago while a group of us were traveling to meet with our emperor. We were setting up camp when a thief tried to make off with a rather large sack of gold that he'd brought. I chased him down and managed to recover the gold, but the thief escaped. Tharvan was away from the campsite when the thief made his move, and when he returned he saw me holding the sack of gold. The others tried to tell him about the thief, but he was far too angry to listen to reason, and nothing our companions said could make him see the truth. He has believed me to be the true thief since that night."
Adam nodded. "Anger can affect a person's judgment. It's a sad fact..."
Something flickered in the back of Adam's mind. Images of the brutal deaths he had caused as He-Man recently flashed before his eyes. He shook his head, clearing the images away as if they were cobwebs.
Canteel sighed. "That is something I know far too well. Yet, I still worry. Tharvan has always been hot headed, and he's known for following through on his threats. I'm worried that he might do something drastic...but enough about my problems. Come, you look exhausted. I will have my wife set up a place for you to stay. And I warn you-you may explode from trying to eat too much of her delicious cooking. Bekta, it's time for dinner."
As he followed father and son into their dwelling, Adam glanced over his shoulder. The exchange between the two men, combined with Canteel's remarks, made him wary. Perhaps his new friend was right...
After taking one last look at the Power Sword, he returned it to its sheath and passed through the cavern entrance.
Tharvan, still angry after the argument, continued home. The rage he felt was causing his vision to blur, yet he made no effort to clear the bluriness away.
"Damn Canteel....lousy thief...I've let him get away with his crime for far too long. It's time to bring him to justice!"
He reached over his shoulder and unsheathed a long, wide sword with a serrated blade. From his pack he withdrew a vial of sickly green liquid, which he poured along the sword's blade.
"This fangcat venom should put him out of my misery...and it's going to feel so good to drive the blade into his heart...and lungs...and everything else..."
He turned around and headed back toward the cliff dwellings.
"Tonight, Canteel, you die..."
TO BE CONTINUED