Chapter Four
"The attacks on the villages appear to have stopped," said The Sorceress. She and He-Man were at Grayskull, peering over a map. "For now, at least."
"You think Lysia is preparing another diversion?" He-Man asked.
The Sorceress shook her head. "She would be foolish to use the same tactics twice. If she were any kind of warlord at all, she would be wise to assume that we're onto her strategy."
"What about Teela?"
"We're not out of the woods, yet," The Sorceress replied. "Shadow is still at large. I believe it's safe to assume that Lysia will not pay him his fee until Teela has been killed once and for all." The Sorceress paused. "If and when he does strike again, he will do so without warning … when we least expect it."
"So … what happens now?"
"For now … we will watch over Teela," said The Sorceress.
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In the wee hours of the morning, Shadow -- wearing a small black backpack, a grappling hook launcher slung over his shoulder, and carrying a knotted rope ladder -- made his way towards the Royal apartments. He stopped just below Teela's balcony, which was located five floors above him (A paid informant at the Palace had told him where Teela's apartment was located.)
No need to turn on the cloaking device, he thought. No guards around. Besides, he thought with a grin. Who would be visiting Teela at THIS hour of the morning?
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Just as she had done for the past several nights, The Sorceress of Grayskull sat on the side of Teela's bed, holding her hand and whispering words of encouragement to her. All at once, she heard a pop and the sound of clanking metal outside.
The Sorceress got up and investigated the source of the noise. She found a metal grappling hook draped over Teela's balcony. Grappling hook, she thought. Trouble.
She then turned her attention back towards Teela. "I must go," she said softly, stroking Teela's cheek. "I have to go to work." With that, she turned around and disappeared into thin air.
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Second floor … Third Floor…
Inch by inch, knot rung by knot rung, Shadow made his way up the knotted rope ladder. This is TOO easy, he thought. No guards … no alarms … NOTHING. Talk about a milk run.
Fourth Floor…
Shadow's heart pounded with excitement as he inched his way up the knotted rope ladder. His adrenaline surged. I can just taste those 50,000 gold pieces right now, he thought greedily. Who would've thought that knocking off the Captain of the Royal Guard would be THIS easy?
Shadow never made it to the Fifth Floor. The last thing he saw was a crazed, shrieking Zoar -- in a burst of maternal fury -- diving towards him, razor-sharp talons bared, at 180 miles per hour…