Chapter II: The True Face of Evil
LORD HORDAK'S JOURNAL
6th DAY IN THE TENTH YEAR IN MY CONQUEST OF ETHERIA
I had locked myself in the Doom Tower for most of the day so I could prepare for Horde Prime's return.
Millennia ago, Doom Tower served as Horde Prime's throne room when he built the Fright Zone. Locked within these walls are all of his books and scrolls on magic and the key to freeing Horde Prime from Horde World.
While I was studying, Shadow Weaver came in with some interesting news, He-Man and She-Ra have left the Eternian Solar System, this could be the chance I have waited for.
"Weaver, prepare our forces to leave for Eternia at once, now is the time to exact revenge against Grayskull!" I told her as put a book I was reading down and left for my throne room.
At last Eternia and Etheria would be mine!
PRINCE ADAM'S JOURNAL
15h DAY IN THE SIXTEENTH YEAR OF SKELETOR'S ATTEMPT TO ENTER CASTLE GRAYSKULL
It has been over a year since we left Eternia; thanks to the Grayskull's advanced technology we are halfway to Primus. While I am excited about this mission I can't help thinking about my parents.
Before we left for Grayskull, I had bid them farewell and told them about my secret. They were shocked that I was He-Man ad told me that they were proud of me.
I told them about the mission to Primus, they were saddened that I and sis had to leave but they understood why I had to go.
"My son, I want you to know, that we're proud of you no matter what and we love you," mom said as she smiled and gave me a kiss and hug.
"I love you too mom, as soon as we recruited these Galactic Guardians we'll head back home," I told her with tears in my eyes.
She told me before I left to be brave and to take care of Adora, I told that I would, then we broke the embrace and I left the palace.
The voyage so far has been peaceful; everyone is asleep except for me. I decided if I can't sleep I would take a bath to help me to relax.
I went to the supply closet to get some towels, when I got there I found Skeletor hiding there.
"YOU!" I shouted as I went to grab him, but he escaped before I could capture him.
I raced to the cockpit to grab my sword and went after him. I searched for hours until I found him in the mess hall.
"You'll never win," he said as he blasted me with his Havok Staff and ran out of the mess hall.
"You will be brought to justice," I told him as I deflected the bolt.
We fought for hours, I was getting exhausted and I was afraid that he would win. We had fought throughout most of the ship.
The battle drew to its climax in the Power Room, the room where the ships engines are kept.
"The universe is mine!" Skeletor yelled swung his staff at me trying to knock me unconscious.
"Never!" I yelled as we continued to fight, we were on a balcony that overlooked the generator. I was hoping to knock the staff out of his hand and capture him , but everything did not go as plan.
Skeletor went to attack but he tripped and went sprawling backwards into the power generator. Luckily, he grabbed onto the edge of the balcony.
"Skeletor, grab my hand before you fall!" I told him as I held out my hand to him. Even though he is my enemy I was not going to let him die.
Skeletor paused for a moment and then let go of the ledge and went spiraling into the generator and in a flash of light it was over.
I looked down at where Skeletor fell and tried to see if he was still alive but could see nothing, I could still hear his demonic laughter in my ears.
I wished I could have saved him; Skeletor didn't deserve to die no matter how evil and twisted he was. I wish he would have listened to reason, but instead he gave into his madness and chose to end his life.
I feel that I have failed to uphold my duties as He-Man by letting Skeletor die. Am I worthy to have this power bestowed on me? Although I knew the answer was yes, deep down I felt as if the answer was 'no'.
I went back to the cockpit to reflect on what had happened.
When I got there I found She-Ra sitting on her seat, she seemed distracted and sad.
I walked up to her and put my hand on her shoulder, "You have a bad dream sis?" I asked her jokingly hoping it would make her smile.
"No, just a little homesick that's all," she said as she sighed, I knew how she felt I too was home sick and wished I was back at the palace, but I knew that this mission was important.
She looked at me and saw the bruises on my body, the look in her eyes turned from sadness to concern.
"What happened to you?" she said as she got up and took me to the infirmary of the ship.
"Skeletor, he snuck aboard the ship and while we're fighting he fell into the power generator. I tried to help him but he refused and that was it," I sighed, I kept thinking about his death and how I wish I could save him.
"It wasn't your fault, it was Skeletor's choice and there was nothing else you could do," she said as dressed my wounds with bandages.
"I know sis, but still a person died and I did not stop him," I told her, my mind still reeling from Skeletor's demise.
"Adam, it was not your fault," she said adamantly as she helped me stand up. She then looked into my eyes and asked me worriedly, "What do your think this new planet will be like?"
"I'm not sure sis, but don't worry we won't be alone. Bow, Glimmer, Teela, and Duncan are here with us and if these Guardians are like what the Sorceress said they are then I'm sure they will want to us help us sis," I told her. I knew she was trying to be brave but I could see the fear in her eyes, and it broke my heart.
"It will be okay sis, you'll see," I told her as I stood up and gave her a hug and went back to bed.
LORD SKELETOR'S JOURNAL
15th DAY IN THE SIXTEENTH YEAR OF MY ATTEMPT TO ENTER CASTLE GRAYSKULL
He-Man thinks I'm dead, he thinks that I perished in the explosion but evil never dies!
After he left the Power Room, I crawled of out the power generator, and went into the second infirmary. I used the medical technologies there to repair in my body.
I amputated my limbs and replaced them with mechanical prosthetics; constructed a metal chestplate and fashioned a metal death's head mask to hide my own damaged skull. The final improvement was I updated my Havok Staff adding a laser blaster to it and instead of a ram's skull a human skull and crossbones now adorns the top of my weapon.
"Let the universe tremble before the Cybernetic Overlord of Evil!" I shouted as I left the infirmary and headed for an escape pod and left the Grayskull.
I floated in space for what seemed hours until I crashed on a planet, from what my sensors said I was on a moon called Nordor, only a few Astronomical Units from Primus. What a perfect place to plan my revenge against He-Man and She-Ra.
A few moments later two natives came to my pod, one seemed to be some sort of reptilian monster wearing a helmet and a backpack with four mechanical tentacles. The other one had a giant eyeball for a head.
"It's just where you said it would be, Optikk," the tentacled creature told his comrade.
"Of course Slushhead I'm psychic remember and look there is a survivor. Brakk will have someone new to torture instead of us," Optikk commented.
They approached me, put shackles around my wrists and ankles and led me away.
We arrived at a large military bunker, inside were statues and pictures of the leader of the group or at least that was my theory. Along the way we passed many control rooms filled with vast arrays of technology, which I will soon control.
Finally, we reached the throne room, it was a shrine to technology and egotism, and sitting at the other end of the room was this Brakk.
"Who is this you have brought before me?" he asked as stood up and walked towards me. He was a tall purple skinned being dressed in a red jumpsuit with silver shoulder pads and a silver helmet.
"I am Skeletor, great Brakk and I come in peace," I said mockingly as bowed to him hoping to gain his trust.
"I'm not falling for your tricks Horde lackey!" he snapped defiantly as he walked back to his throne.
"I do not work for the Horde, I have come to help you and grant your greatest wish," I told trying to convince him that I was not a Hordesman.
"You don't fool me, Horde scum, the Bloodbat on your armor gives you away," he said pointing the bat on my armor.
I was getting annoyed now, I had tried to be nice but this fool was asking for it now.
"YOU PATHETIC FOOL; I AM THE OVERLORD OF EVIL, THE LORD OF DESTRUCTION, THE MOST FEARED ENTITY IN THE COSMOS, YOU WILL BOW DOWN TO ME!" I shouted as I summoned my Havok Staff, broke the shackles, and zapped the Lord of the Mutants.
"Please have mercy, Skeletor! What do you want?" he said in between his cries of pain.
I could tell that he was in pain and stopped torturing him, "For all intents and purposes I will be running things here. Submit to my rule and you will prosper; refuse me and you will die," I told him as I blasted a statue to bits.
"All hail Lord Skeletor!" he said as he got down on his knees, soon this planet will soon feel my power and He-Man and She-Ra will die!
QUEEN MARLENA'S JOURNAL
16th DAY IN THE SIXTEENTH YEAR OF SKELETOR'S ATTEMPT TO ENTER CASTLE GRAYSKULL
There has been no sign of Keldor in over a year, there had reports that he had been killed by his henchmen, but I do not believe it somewhere out there he's plotting his return and we must be ready for him.
Randor has finally recovered from his injuries and even though I am overjoyed because of that I am still worried: worried for Adam and Adora. I wonder if they are safe and sound, do they have enough supplies to last the entire journey and if they miss home.
I wish I could see them again, I know that they can take care of themselves but I still worry about them, how I miss my babies.
To make matters worse, we have received word from our spies that Hordak is invading Eternia with a large army.
I had contacted Queen Angella on Etheria and we have come up with a solution to this problem. We will form an alliance between the Rebellion and the Masters, this union will be called the United Coalition against the Horde or the Coalition for short. Together we hope to oust Hordak from the planets of Etheria and Eternia!
I hope to the Goddess that this will work.
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
17h DAY IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR OF THE HORDE'S CONQUEST OF ETHERIA
After a long journey, we reached Primus. From the cockpit it appeared to be a beautiful planet and reminded me a lot of Eternia.
At first we had some trouble getting clearance to land but once we identified ourselves as non hostile they allowed us to land at their main spaceport.
When we touched down and exited the ship, we were greeted by three beings one wore a green wetsuit and a diving helmet, a second wore a blue jumpsuit and wore a jet pack; the third one was bald and wore suit of armor.
"He-Man and She-Ra, I am Commander Flipshot, this is Captain Hydron and Lieutenant Lubic, we're the Galactic Guardians and we have been expecting you," the man in the green wetsuit said as he shook Adam's hand and motioned for us to follow him.
While we were walking to their headquarters Flipshot told us about their mission.
According to him, Primus and Denebria, its sister planet, have been at war for millennia. Over the centuries the Denebrians have totally wiped out the Primian army so the leaders of Primus recruited beings from all across the universe to defend Primus from its enemies.
He also told us that Denebria's leader, a being named Brakk, has ties to the Horde. Millennia ago, he was a low-level ambassador sent to Etheria. It was there he met the Magi, Ralabad the Wise. The corrupt Magus had found the Crystal of Prime and Brakk asked him to plead with the god for power, which he desired above all things. But Brakk believesRalabad double-crossed him and since then Brakk has severed his ties to the Horde.
We talked for hours until we reached a large military citadel, which Flipshot identified as their headquarters.
"We have quarters setup for you and your guests," he told my brother as he set our bags down and showed us to a table.
"Flipshot, have any other craft landed on Primus besides us?" I asked him, I was worried that Skeletor might have survived his fall, escaped from our ship, and had landed here already amassing an army to attack Primus.
He told me that no one had landed on Primus but their sensors picked a strange craft on Nordor, a moon of Denebria, something about that set off something in my mind, could it be Skeletor, I wish I could check it out, but right now I have other things to worry about.
Flipshot ordered his men to show us to our rooms so we could relax for awhile.
Once we were settled in, I decided to take a short nap, I was suffering from space lag and my head was throbbing from hearing the engines for such a long time and a quiet nap would be a welcome relief.
I plopped down on my bed and closed my eyes waiting for Hypnos to take me away.
LORD SKELETOR'S JOURNAL
16th DAY IN THE SIXTEENTH YEAR OF MY ATTEMPT TO ENTER CASTLE GRAYSKULL
These mutants are pushovers; I have already set up my throne room in their base and will soon be ready to begin my conquest of this solar system and crush my enemies.
According to Brakk, He-Man and She-Ra have landed on Primus; I knew this was the chance I was waiting for.
"Slushhead! Optikk! You dimbulbs are coming with me to Primus, we have work to do," I told them as walked towards the hangar bay.
He-Man and She-Ra will be in a rude awakening.
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
16th DAY IN THE TENTH YEAR OF THE HORDE'S OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA
I slept for several hours; I had the most wonderful dream. I had dreamt that me and Adam were kids and Hordak never kidnapped me. It was the most wonderful experience I ever had, I wish it were true.
This peace was disturbed when Adam came rushing to my room. He said that Skeletor had been spotted along with two other creatures.
I got up and followed Adam outside, sure enough there was Skeletor or I thought it was Skeletor.
He looked different; he had a red chestplate decorated with skulls and wore a red cape. His limbs were mechanical and his skull was hidden by a metal death's head mask with a gold helmet. Instead of his Havok Staff he had a staff with a silver skull and crossbones.
"Greetings He-Fool and She-Moron! You're just in time for your destruction!" he cackled evilly, he thenturned to his flunkies "is everything in place?" he asked them to which they nodded.
Adam stepped forward, "New look same Bone Face!" he said as he charged at Skeletor.
"That's what you think," Skeletor retorted as he blasted Adam with his staff sending him flying a across the platform.
"That wasn't very nice," I said as I ran up to him, sword drawn. I was hoping to knock him off his guard and disarm him.
"I don't play nice," he retorted as he grabbed me by the throat and held me in the air, his grip was stronger than normal and was crushing my windpipe.
"What's wrong She-Ra, skeleton got your tongue?" he said as he tightened his grip, I could feel the bones in my neck cracking and the blood slither down my throat, everything was going black.
With what little strength I had left, I kicked Skeletor in the gut, the force of which made him lose his grip on my throat and released me.
"You're…done…for…Skele…," I murmured as I tried to get up but I was too weak and collapsed.
The last thing I remember was hearing an explosion and then there was darkness.