Chapter Two – "Defeat"
Duncan turned around, the Sorceress by his side. The ship roared out of the Valley of Storms as forces of the Light Hemisphere rumbled forth. At the head of the army was King Randor, flanked by Stratos, Dekker, Buzz-Off, and Rohad.
"Oh no . . ." moaned Duncan, his fate sealed as Randor rode hard towards them.
The Sorceress put her hand on Duncan's shoulder. He pulled from it. He now had to tell Randor what happened to his only daughter. Duncan stood up straight as Randor came to a halt and leapt from his saddle.
"Where is she?" Randor cried. "Where's Adora?"
Duncan stepped forward. "Randor . . . Hordak . . . he took her."
Randor's face went white. His jaw slackened. His hands balled into fists. Randor's eyes arched up and he watched as the ship vanished into the sky.
"But . . . but you . . ."
"He was too fast and too powerful," the Sorceress explained.
"No . . . no . . ." Randor moaned. His knees gave out. His hands landed on Duncan's shoulders. "No . . ."
Randor's face turned scarlet. The others stared as the great king began to sob. Duncan pulled Randor against him, hugging his best friend as he wailed in defeat and loss.
"They took her . . ." he muttered, tears falling down his cheeks.
"I'm so sorry, Randor, I'm so very sorry."
After a few more gut-wrenching moments Randor composed himself. The army of Eternos was stationed just as the edge of the Valley of Storms. A few miles away, thunder rolled. A bolt of lightning crashed just at the edge of Snake Mountain.
"Let's get the hell out of here," Randor spat.
"Yes sire."
That when was the Sorceress spoke. Whenever she had met with Randor before as Teelana, her appearance was changed. He had never seen her in her true form.
"I have just received a telepathic call from the Elders, King Randor. You, Queen Marlena, Prince Adam, Commander Duncan, and myself are to go to the Hall of Wisdom."
"Why?" Randor asked.
"I do not know."
After saying those words, the Sorceress was transformed into Zoar and she flew off into west. Randor turned to Duncan, and then they proceeded to follow suit.
Hours later, Duncan and Randor arrived at the Hall of Wisdom. Stratos, Buzz-Off, Dekker, and Rohad escorted them, as they could not see their dear friend in such a sorry state without them being there as well. Already there was a royal entourage, which included Marlena, who was sitting on the stairs before the great doors. In her arms was little Adam, sleeping soundly.
"Marlena . . ." Randor choked.
She simply ran her finger across Adam's soft cheek. "I know. I heard."
Randor bent down and the two embraced, crying into the night. Everyone waited patiently and then when Randor pulled from his wife, he stood up. She did the same and the whole group walked into the Hall of Wisdom. Within were King Stephan, Queen Johanna, and Johanna's fiancé, Captain Edward.
"This is horrible. Truly horrible," Johanna stated, tears budding.
"I'm very sorry," commented Edward, whose words were genuine.
Zoar came fluttering in at that moment and transformed back into the Sorceress. Her eyes fluttered across the entire group, soaking them all in. Marlena had a strange feeling of déjà vu and was reminded of that dinner before she and Randor were dating in which everyone save the Sorceress was present.
Teelana had been there, but she was gone. As was Adora, though the princess' life may or may not have ended. That sick feeling rolled in her stomach once more as she thought of her daughter being raised by a tyrant dictator. The sick feeling grew ever larger as she actually faced the possibility that she would rather Adora die than be raised by Hordak . . .
Marlena started to sob and Randor embraced her, kissing her on the head, and stroking her hair. At that moment, the doors to Main Hall opened up. The Elders were sitting in the far of the chamber and Eldor stood at the doors.
"Sorceress, Duncan, Marlena, Randor, Adam, Johanna, Stephan, Edward, if you will all please enter. The rest of you, please remain outside," Eldor addressed.
The group entered and the doors slammed shut. Eldor walked to his seat in the center of the semi-circle of chairs.
"We have a problem," Eldor stated.
"No kidding," Stephan snapped.
Eldor ignored him. "We are going to make you privy to some information that shall not be passed from these walls."
"What is it?" asked Randor.
"The Council of Elders is disbanding later this year. With the victory over the Horde, Eternos stands at the height of its power," Eldor revealed.
"What do you mean disbanding, Eldor?" wondered Johanna.
"We can not reveal those details to you, Queen Johanna," stated Gor, a small wizard that sat next to Kor.
"Know that it is for the good of all Eternia," added Ulong, a very old female Elder.
"You mentioned Eternos becoming more important. How does that tie in here?" Marlena asked.
"The heir of Eternos must be very strong to continue the glory of the kingdom," Eldor said with a hint of sadness in his tone. "Eternos' next king must be strong of will, mind, and spirit. Our concern is that the shadow of Adora's kidnapping with linger over Prince Adam all his life."
"We are also worried the morality of Eternia as a whole. The war may have ended in a great victory, but the loss of a princess could potentially destroy any chance of building from that victory," Ali continued.
"What do you propose, then?"
Exchanges were fired from all across the Main Hall. "That Adora's existence is wiped from all memory beyond this room," Eldor answered.
"You're joking?" shouted Randor.
Stephan and Johanna looked to each other, and then to Marlena, all concerned. Johanna's hand went reflexively to her belly.
"I am afraid we are not," Eldor responded.
"How – how can you even propose such a thing? My daughter – wiped from all memory? That's foolish! I wanted to memorialize her and here you are, wanting to pretend she never existed!"
Marlena stepped forward and put her hand on his arm "Randor . . ."
"I can't believe you'd - " Randor continued to rant.
"Randor, stop this," Marlena said, still holding Prince Adam. "It is for the better. For the kingdom, for Adam, even for us."
Randor looked at his wife, a terrible look of complete uncertainty plastered on his face. "What?"
"Yes. And you know it too." She then turned to Eldor. "I only have one question."
"What is that?"
"Can you wipe my memory of what's happened too?"
Eldor's face looked similar to that of someone who was heartbroken. A few gasps came from people unknown.
"I don't think I can live with the idea that Adora is either dead or being raised by a monster . . ." she murmured.
The Sorceress was the one that spoke then. "You must, Queen Marlena. You must find strength from your tears. You must always be aware of what happened to Adora so that you can ensure that Adam lives a great life. There is a great tragedy here, but you can find power from it."
Marlena began to cry. Duncan stared intensely at the Sorceress. Randor held his wife and sleeping son.
"I will, then," Marlena stated between crying fits.
"Then let it be done."
The Elders stood up, closed their eyes, craned their necks up, and held hands. A white light began to flow from them, moving swiftly out from the room. The light dissipated after it left the Hall of Wisdom, but it had become an invisible telepathic wave that ran along the surface of all Eternia. Everyone, for the most fleeting of moments, had a strange sense of déjà vu followed by the feeling that they had forgotten something, as if the day was important in some significant way . . .
The party did leave the Hall of Wisdom then, making for their homes. All save the Sorceress, who had remained to speak with Eldor and the rest of the Elders.
"This was the right course," she told them, as if unsure in her statement.
"Yes, we believe so," Ali answered.
"There is only one thing I do not understand, Elders," the Sorceress said then. "I sensed that you purposely left one person out from your mind-wipe. In fact, he was even aware of what happened to everyone. Why did you leave his memory intact?"
Eldor frowned a little. "We can not all see into the darkness. Though I feel that his evil is vast and its potential has yet to even be tapped, he stands against Hordak now. And I feel as though he may just be the link to Hordak that could someday help us . . ."
"Keldor! You're alive!"
Keldor smiled as Lynn jumped up from chair and threw her arms around him. Once she released her grip, he looked around the chamber.
"The Horde has left then?" he asked.
"Yes. They left some of the equipment, but I can't make heads or tails of it."
"Let me look at it," said Kronis, stepping in. "I used to be an engineer for the kingdom of Calla, under King Galdor."
"I've heard of him," Lynn stated as Kronis went to work at a computer. "King Galdor's a huge enemy of Eternos. Rumors have it he's a bit of sorcerer . . ."
Keldor nodded. "Yes. He will be the first."
Beast-Man grunted curiously. "The first? The first what?"
"The first one we approach for membership," Keldor stated. This plan had come to him not long after he became aware the Elders altered everyone's memory.
"Membership?" asked Lynn, perking a sexy eyebrow.
"Yes. Membership in our council. A Council . . . of Evil!"