Chapter Five

"Was it necessary to KILL him?" The Spirit of Grayskull asked The Sorceress. The Sorceress was in her quarters, staring out a window.

"When I got out there, he was on the second floor and well on his way to the third," The Sorceress replied. She then shot back, "What would you have me do … ask him politely to LEAVE?"

"Could you not have left him to the authorities?"

The Sorceress turned around. "He escaped once," The Sorceress replied. "What was I supposed to do … let him escape again? Let him kill again? Let him have yet ANOTHER shot at Teela?" The Sorceress paused. "So long as he walked among us, Teela would've been in danger. He wouldn't have stopped until he had killed her." The Sorceress paused again. "Teela would've been looking over her shoulder, living in fear for her life. I can't put her through that … I don't have the heart."

"I fear Teela has become a distraction…"

"NOTHING … will ever come between me and Grayskull," The Sorceress reassured The Spirit. "Teela supports my work. She herself has come to the defense of Grayskull on more than one occasion." The Sorceress paused. "Do you not remember … the vow that I took … when I first put on this uniform?" she added, tugging at the sleeve of her uniform for emphasis.

" 'Vow'…?"

"Permit me to refresh your memory," said The Sorceress. "I vowed to 'protect and defend Castle Grayskull and its secrets, champion justice, protect and defend the innocent, and to aid and assist any and all who are in need.' " The Sorceress paused. "The Elders instituted the vow for a reason -- the Power of Grayskull was never intended to be locked away and forgotten as a historical relic. We … and It … were intended to serve the people of Eternia."

"I was afraid that you were neglecting your duties…"

"Nothing could be further from the truth," said The Sorceress. "Teela is alive today because of what I did … because of what I've done." The Sorceress paused. "I've carried out my duties … to the fullest," she added with a smile.

"You have no regrets?"

"None," said The Sorceress quietly. "None, whatsoever."

-------------------

Later that night, The Sorceress sat at Teela's bedside -- just as she had every night for the past week. She gently stroked Teela's shoulder and whispered words of encouragement to her.

All at once, Teela began to gurgle and cough. Alarmed, The Sorceress turned on the lamp that was sitting on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Teela … Teela…" The Sorceress called out to her, shaking her shoulder in an attempt to rouse her. "Teela, can you hear me?"

Teela opened her eyes, sat up in bed, and looked around the room. "Where am I?" she asked.

"You're in your quarters … at the Palace," The Sorceress replied. She placed her hands on Teela's shoulder and gently eased her back into bed. "It's Oh-Three-Thirty hours. You've been in a coma for over a week."

"A week?" Teela exclaimed. "The last thing I remember, I was at Dragon Rock. Something … slammed into my chest…"

"Shhh … we can talk about that later," said The Sorceress, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just get some rest." The Sorceress paused. "I'll send for Man-At-Arms."