CHAPTER 4
The Fright Zone...
Hordak stood on the balcony of the Throne Room and gazed at the smoky clouds over the Whispering Woods. He was still in awe that the Rebellion was finally out of his non-existent hair. He smiled and chuckled to himself as he thought about how that was made possible.
"If only Randor knew what a magnificent warrior his son has become," he thought to himself.
"I don't think he would be too pleased, my lord," a voice from behind hissed.
Hordak turned to see Shadow Weaver floating behind him. Hordak knew she was capable of reading his mind. Usually, he kept a mental block up to prevent her from doing as such, but he was so lost in his triumph, he let his guard down. A mistake he would not repeat.
"Weaver," he nodded and turned back to the view. "I assume everything is ready?"
Weaver floated up next to him and put her hands on the balcony edge. She hesitated a moment.
"Hordak, you know it is very risky sending Damas to Eternia," she said slowly. "The magic of Grayskull is great, the Sorceress will know something is wrong the second he steps through the portal. Not to mention the fact that someone else may recognize him. Perhaps this is a bad idea."
Hordak clenched his jaw but did not avert his eyes from the horizon. Shadow Weaver knew her master's mind was made up but nonetheless, she felt in her dark soul that something very bad for the Horde was about to happen.
"I have considered this too Weaver," he responded bitingly. "But it is Prime's will. We have to look at it this way, it's been 22 years since I left Eternia. I doubt anyone will recognize Adam. He certainly won't know anyone there. We've made certain of that."
He turned and looked at Weaver intensely.
"As for the magic of Grayskull and the Sorceress," he continued. "You just make sure you play your part correctly. Your magic should be able to shield Adam long enough so that the Sorceress won't know he's there until it's too late."
Hordak turned back to his view.
"And in the remote chance that his loyalties start to waiver," he said nonchalantly. "You'll be there to put him back into check. I assume these instructions are clear, witch?"
Shadow Weaver nodded. She started to turn away when a thought occurred to her.
"Won't Skeletor recognize the son of his enemy?" she asked worriedly. "He was there the day you kidnapped the child, he will most likely know him when he sees him."
Hordak sighed and looked down.
"Yes," he said. "I considered that also. But I am confident your magic is stronger than his. And if he does recognize Adam, make him understand that if he does anything in anyway to cause a hindrance to this mission, Horde Prime will have him executed before he can pick up that silly little havoc staff of his."
He leaned in close to her, his eyes narrowing.
"Is your mission clear now, Weaver?" he asked forcefully.
The witch crossed her arms and nodded her head.
Behind them the doors to the throne room opened and the general appeared, carrying a small bag and wearing his uniform covered by a long, hooded black cloak.
Hordak smiled as his son approached and dropped the bag at his feet. Damas bowed in front of Hordak and folded his arms. His blue eyes seemed dark and gave away the intensity of the thoughts in his mind.
"My troops have been briefed on the mission," he said sharply. "I will go to Eternia tonight to do some reconnaissance and finish planning the strategies for the assault. Force Captain Catra will lead the troops through the portal in three moons time in which we will commence the attack on the Castle Grayskull. Given that no unforeseen events should occur, I am confident that we can assure a victory."
Hordak put his hands behind his back and nodded as his son detailed his mission. When Damas finished, Hordak tapped in his finger on his chin.
"There is one more thing son," he said. "I have instructed Shadow Weaver to assist you on this mission. You will require her help."
Damas looked taken aback at the idea. In every mission he had ever led, he had never required anyone to assist. He considered it a sign of weakness to require a second in command, let alone one who, other than magic, had no combat skills whatsoever.
"I must protest," Damas stammered. "I can work faster if I don't have someone tagging along. She will only slow me down. I am more than capable of handling this mission without the need for a second."
Hordak tried not to smile at his son's over-confidence. He was indeed the best soldier he had ever known but there were a few times Adam could be a little insubordinate. Hordak cleared his throat and straightened up.
"Adam, I told you Eternia is a magical place," he said forwardly. "Some may try to use magic against you to try to confuse you or render you helpless. You are a great soldier, but you are no sorcerer. Weaver is will be an equalizer that you will need."
Damas narrowed his eyes and looked at the witch standing next to him.
"But sire..." He started to say before Hordak cut him off raising his hand.
"THAT is an order GENERAL," he commanded loudly.
Damas lowered his eyes and nodded.
"Ay, sire," he grumbled.
With that, Weaver waved her hand and a red, swirling portal appeared in the middle of the room. Damas looked at Hordak and bowed. Hordak put his hand on his son's shoulder and smiled as warmly as the cold-blooded dictator could.
"Good luck, my son," he said gently. "Don't forget, your enemies will try to play games with your mind. Remember who you are and why you are there. I have no doubt you will be victorious. I will see you soon."
Damas nodded and picked up his bag. He held an arm out to Shadow Weaver towards the portal.
"Witches first," he growled and then followed Weaver into the portal, leaving a smiling Hordak behind.
*******
On Eternia...
Rays of moonlight shone through the windows and crevices of Castle Grayskull. Deep within the halls of the mystic place, the Sorceress sat on her throne, studying an ancient book.
She was easily a hundred years old but didn't look a day over 30. Her wondrous magic and her position made her as close to immortal as one could be without actually being immortal. Her green eyes memorized every line in the book and her slender finger turned each page delicately.
Slowly, a strange feeling turned inside of her and she looked up from her book. The feathers from her falcon headdress brushed her cheeks slightly, but she didn't notice it. Beads of sweat formed at her brow and she felt fuzzy.
She closed her book and it disappeared into thin air. Looking around the dark castle, she could hear a faint hum, as if something within the castle was almost singing.
She felt ill and placed a hand on her stomach. For a moment, she wondered if something had happened to her daughter, Teela, and opened a mystic window into the palace. To her relief, she saw an image of Teela sleeping soundly, her covers lightly rising and falling as she breathed.
The Sorceress closed the window. And walked down the long stairs to the main floor. The feeling in her stomach churned again and she fought the urge to vomit. She teleported herself to the battlements of the castle and looked out onto the Eternian horizon.
"Something has occurred," she thought to herself. "Something..unnatural."
She looked into the general direction of the dark hemisphere and although she could not see Snake Mountain, she had no doubt in her mind that whatever it was that made her feel sick, was coming from there.
In her mind, she debated calling upon Man-At-Arms and Princess Adora, but she relented.
"I must know more about what's going on first," she thought.
The Sorceress spread her arms out and transformed into Zoar, the mighty falcon, and few off towards Snake Mountain.
As she flew away, a secret chamber deep in the recesses of Grayskull filled with light. The chamber, which had been sealed for centuries, had huge, thick stone doors that no mortal could ever move. The humming sound the Sorceress had heard earlier, seemed to reverberate with the walls of the chamber as peaking rays of light highlighted the growing moss on the doors.
Behind the large sealed doors, inside the unseen chamber, a long, silver sword seemed to come alive with brilliant light. As quickly as it came alive though, the light faded and the sword fell cold and quiet.
The Fright Zone...
Hordak stood on the balcony of the Throne Room and gazed at the smoky clouds over the Whispering Woods. He was still in awe that the Rebellion was finally out of his non-existent hair. He smiled and chuckled to himself as he thought about how that was made possible.
"If only Randor knew what a magnificent warrior his son has become," he thought to himself.
"I don't think he would be too pleased, my lord," a voice from behind hissed.
Hordak turned to see Shadow Weaver floating behind him. Hordak knew she was capable of reading his mind. Usually, he kept a mental block up to prevent her from doing as such, but he was so lost in his triumph, he let his guard down. A mistake he would not repeat.
"Weaver," he nodded and turned back to the view. "I assume everything is ready?"
Weaver floated up next to him and put her hands on the balcony edge. She hesitated a moment.
"Hordak, you know it is very risky sending Damas to Eternia," she said slowly. "The magic of Grayskull is great, the Sorceress will know something is wrong the second he steps through the portal. Not to mention the fact that someone else may recognize him. Perhaps this is a bad idea."
Hordak clenched his jaw but did not avert his eyes from the horizon. Shadow Weaver knew her master's mind was made up but nonetheless, she felt in her dark soul that something very bad for the Horde was about to happen.
"I have considered this too Weaver," he responded bitingly. "But it is Prime's will. We have to look at it this way, it's been 22 years since I left Eternia. I doubt anyone will recognize Adam. He certainly won't know anyone there. We've made certain of that."
He turned and looked at Weaver intensely.
"As for the magic of Grayskull and the Sorceress," he continued. "You just make sure you play your part correctly. Your magic should be able to shield Adam long enough so that the Sorceress won't know he's there until it's too late."
Hordak turned back to his view.
"And in the remote chance that his loyalties start to waiver," he said nonchalantly. "You'll be there to put him back into check. I assume these instructions are clear, witch?"
Shadow Weaver nodded. She started to turn away when a thought occurred to her.
"Won't Skeletor recognize the son of his enemy?" she asked worriedly. "He was there the day you kidnapped the child, he will most likely know him when he sees him."
Hordak sighed and looked down.
"Yes," he said. "I considered that also. But I am confident your magic is stronger than his. And if he does recognize Adam, make him understand that if he does anything in anyway to cause a hindrance to this mission, Horde Prime will have him executed before he can pick up that silly little havoc staff of his."
He leaned in close to her, his eyes narrowing.
"Is your mission clear now, Weaver?" he asked forcefully.
The witch crossed her arms and nodded her head.
Behind them the doors to the throne room opened and the general appeared, carrying a small bag and wearing his uniform covered by a long, hooded black cloak.
Hordak smiled as his son approached and dropped the bag at his feet. Damas bowed in front of Hordak and folded his arms. His blue eyes seemed dark and gave away the intensity of the thoughts in his mind.
"My troops have been briefed on the mission," he said sharply. "I will go to Eternia tonight to do some reconnaissance and finish planning the strategies for the assault. Force Captain Catra will lead the troops through the portal in three moons time in which we will commence the attack on the Castle Grayskull. Given that no unforeseen events should occur, I am confident that we can assure a victory."
Hordak put his hands behind his back and nodded as his son detailed his mission. When Damas finished, Hordak tapped in his finger on his chin.
"There is one more thing son," he said. "I have instructed Shadow Weaver to assist you on this mission. You will require her help."
Damas looked taken aback at the idea. In every mission he had ever led, he had never required anyone to assist. He considered it a sign of weakness to require a second in command, let alone one who, other than magic, had no combat skills whatsoever.
"I must protest," Damas stammered. "I can work faster if I don't have someone tagging along. She will only slow me down. I am more than capable of handling this mission without the need for a second."
Hordak tried not to smile at his son's over-confidence. He was indeed the best soldier he had ever known but there were a few times Adam could be a little insubordinate. Hordak cleared his throat and straightened up.
"Adam, I told you Eternia is a magical place," he said forwardly. "Some may try to use magic against you to try to confuse you or render you helpless. You are a great soldier, but you are no sorcerer. Weaver is will be an equalizer that you will need."
Damas narrowed his eyes and looked at the witch standing next to him.
"But sire..." He started to say before Hordak cut him off raising his hand.
"THAT is an order GENERAL," he commanded loudly.
Damas lowered his eyes and nodded.
"Ay, sire," he grumbled.
With that, Weaver waved her hand and a red, swirling portal appeared in the middle of the room. Damas looked at Hordak and bowed. Hordak put his hand on his son's shoulder and smiled as warmly as the cold-blooded dictator could.
"Good luck, my son," he said gently. "Don't forget, your enemies will try to play games with your mind. Remember who you are and why you are there. I have no doubt you will be victorious. I will see you soon."
Damas nodded and picked up his bag. He held an arm out to Shadow Weaver towards the portal.
"Witches first," he growled and then followed Weaver into the portal, leaving a smiling Hordak behind.
*******
On Eternia...
Rays of moonlight shone through the windows and crevices of Castle Grayskull. Deep within the halls of the mystic place, the Sorceress sat on her throne, studying an ancient book.
She was easily a hundred years old but didn't look a day over 30. Her wondrous magic and her position made her as close to immortal as one could be without actually being immortal. Her green eyes memorized every line in the book and her slender finger turned each page delicately.
Slowly, a strange feeling turned inside of her and she looked up from her book. The feathers from her falcon headdress brushed her cheeks slightly, but she didn't notice it. Beads of sweat formed at her brow and she felt fuzzy.
She closed her book and it disappeared into thin air. Looking around the dark castle, she could hear a faint hum, as if something within the castle was almost singing.
She felt ill and placed a hand on her stomach. For a moment, she wondered if something had happened to her daughter, Teela, and opened a mystic window into the palace. To her relief, she saw an image of Teela sleeping soundly, her covers lightly rising and falling as she breathed.
The Sorceress closed the window. And walked down the long stairs to the main floor. The feeling in her stomach churned again and she fought the urge to vomit. She teleported herself to the battlements of the castle and looked out onto the Eternian horizon.
"Something has occurred," she thought to herself. "Something..unnatural."
She looked into the general direction of the dark hemisphere and although she could not see Snake Mountain, she had no doubt in her mind that whatever it was that made her feel sick, was coming from there.
In her mind, she debated calling upon Man-At-Arms and Princess Adora, but she relented.
"I must know more about what's going on first," she thought.
The Sorceress spread her arms out and transformed into Zoar, the mighty falcon, and few off towards Snake Mountain.
As she flew away, a secret chamber deep in the recesses of Grayskull filled with light. The chamber, which had been sealed for centuries, had huge, thick stone doors that no mortal could ever move. The humming sound the Sorceress had heard earlier, seemed to reverberate with the walls of the chamber as peaking rays of light highlighted the growing moss on the doors.
Behind the large sealed doors, inside the unseen chamber, a long, silver sword seemed to come alive with brilliant light. As quickly as it came alive though, the light faded and the sword fell cold and quiet.