Chapter Seven

Where could he have gone? Teela thought as she flew a search pattern in the Wind Raider over the Evergreen Forest. The forest canopy below was a thick carpet of green interspersed with the occasional bare clearing.

This is like looking for a needle in a haystack, Teela thought bitterly.

All at once, Teela's eyes were filled with a vision - a vision of a rocky outcropping nestled amidst a grove of trees.

A cave? Is Jaxx in THERE?

Stranger still, Teela knew exactly where it was, even though she had never before seen the place in her life.

Is this The Sorceress's doing? Teela wondered. It CAN'T be, she thought, answering her own question. It's not her style. It's not how she operates.

If she wanted me to know something, she would've just TOLD me … either in person or telepathically. She wouldn't beam me pictures.

The vision nearly made Teela lose control of the Wind Raider. Better set this thing down, she thought as she spotted a nearby clearing.

A small hidden entrance sat just to the right of the outcropping. Must be some sort of cave, Teela thought. She approached the outcropping wearing a set of wrist lights.

Ancients, I hope there isn't a bear in there, Teela thought apprehensively as she crawled through the entrance.

"Jaxx?" Teela cried, calling to him. The beams from her wrist lights cut through the darkness like a pair of long, golden talons. "JAXX!"

"Who's there?" a man's voice replied.

"It's Teela," Teela replied.

"How did you find me?" the voice asked.

I'M still trying to answer THAT question MYSELF, Teela thought. "I followed a hunch," she replied as the beams came to rest on Jaxx, who was sitting against the wall of the cave. He now appeared to be a young man in his early twenties. "Are you all right?"

"I think so," Jaxx replied. "I'm sorry I upset everyone."

Teela sat down on the floor next to Jaxx. "No need to apologize," she said.

"Is The Sorceress … angry?" Jaxx asked apprehensively.

"She's not angry," Teela replied. Her mind suddenly had a vision of Zoar attacking Shadow on Teela's balcony. "I've seen her when she's angry. You … don't wanna be around her.

"Skeletor had you under his control. She KNEW that," Teela continued. "You weren't in control of your actions."

"How did she know my name? How did she know what happened at the palace?"

"She's a sorceress," Teela replied. "She read your mind."

Jaxx's eyes widened. "She can DO that?"

Teela nodded. "Yes, she can," she replied. "She's … worried about you." Teela paused. "We ALL are."

"What good am I to anyone?" Jaxx asked bitterly. "Who wants a soldier that doesn't like killing?"

"I'M a soldier," Teela replied. "… And I don't like killing."

Jaxx's eyebrows shot upwards. "You DON'T?"

Teela shook her head. "I don't know any SANE person who does," Teela replied. "The Sorceress and I … neither one of us likes killing. We kill when we have to … when it's necessary."

"He-Man?"

Teela snorted. "He-Man would give up his sword before he'd kill someone," she said.

"REALLY?" Jaxx exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement.

"Really," Teela said with a smile. She then added, "Not everyone in this world is like Skeletor. Not everyone in this world is out for blood. In fact…" Teela paused. "I'd like to think there's more good people in this world than bad."

"What's to become of me?" Jaxx asked. "I can't sleep without aging."

"Come back with me to the palace," said Teela. "My father … er, Man-at-Arms … can fix it so that you'll age normally from now on."

"Skeletor still has a hold over me," said Jaxx. "I was lucky before … The Sorceress helped me snap out of it. I may not be so lucky the next time."

"Man-at-Arms can fix that too," said Teela. "He can sever your neural link with Skeletor. He'll never bother you again."

"What will I do? Where will I go?" Jaxx asked plaintively. "I can't be a soldier."

Teela thought for a moment. She then remembered that Helga the Royal Cook had just recently fired an assistant. "You like cooking?" Teela asked.

The Sorceress of Grayskull sat on her throne, watching the scene in the cave through a magical transparent orb.

And you say you'd make a lousy sorceress, The Sorceress thought with a smile.