Chapter Four
The Sorceress of Grayskull was lying asleep in her quarters. All at once, she was jerked awake by a sharp pain radiating from her legs. What the…? Instinctively, her thoughts then turned to one person. Teela!
She leaped out of bed, scrambled to her feet, put on her boots, and rushed out of the room.
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As The Sorceress stood before her Great Mirror, an image slowly began to resolve itself into crystal clarity. What she saw horrified her: an image of an unconscious injured Teela lying facedown on the cave floor, her legs pinned under a large slab of rock.
The Sorceress reached out with her mind to Teela, attempting to contact her stricken daughter. Something's blocking me, she thought. Something … or SOMEONE. I can't reach her, I can't go to her.
"Spirit!" she called out to the Spirit of Grayskull. "SPIRIT!"
"How may I serve you, My Lady?" The Spirit replied.
"Teela's in trouble," said The Sorceress. "She needs help. I can't go to her, I can't contact her. Something's blocking me." The Sorceress paused. "I want you to go to her, assist her."
"If YOU are unable to reach her, how will I be able to do so?" The Spirit asked.
"You reside within her," said The Sorceress. "Go to her. Be near her … Protect her."
"By your command, My Lady," said The Spirit.
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The Spirit of Grayskull called out to Teela. "Teela … Teela…"
The barely conscious Teela stirred. "Who's there?"
"It is I, The Spirit of Grayskull," said The Spirit.
"What are you doing here?" Teela asked. Her head was swimming with pain.
"My Lady has sent me to assist you," The Spirit replied.
"My Lady" meaning The Sorceress of Grayskull, Teela thought.
"She has tried to contact you," The Spirit continued. "But something is preventing her from doing so."
"If SHE can't reach me, how are YOU able to do so?" Teela inquired.
"I reside within you, my child," said The Spirit.
"How is that possible?" Teela asked.
"So long as the Power of Grayskull flows through your veins, I will reside within you," said The Spirit.
"Can she see me? Does she know I'm here?"
"My Lady sees your predicament," said The Spirit. "She is simply unable to reply." The Spirit paused. "How may I serve you?"
"Can you get this ROCK off me?" said Teela, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"I cannot," The Spirit replied. "…But YOU can."
"How?"
"Wield the Power of Grayskull."
Here we go again, Teela thought. "You KNOW I absolutely REEK as a sorceress…"
"I'm afraid it's the only way, my child," said The Spirit.
There's a BIG difference between creating a viewer and lifting a slab of rock, Teela thought bitterly. She sighed and said, "All right, here goes." She then concentrated on the rock, trying to picture it lifting into the air.
"Rely not on your own strength, my child," said The Spirit. "You are a conduit…"
" 'A conduit for The Power of Grayskull'," said Teela. "You two are always telling me that."
"Let it flow THROUGH you," said The Spirit. "Wield the Power of Grayskull."
Teela couldn't take it anymore. "HOW?" she exclaimed, exasperated. "HOW do I DO it? Ever since I sat in for The Sorceress, you two have been telling me to 'will it' and 'bend it to my will'." Teela paused. "What do I DO? What do I SAY?"
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Back at Grayskull, The Sorceress cradled her chin with her thumb and index finger, deep in thought. How to command the Power of Grayskull, she thought. Clearly, the methods we have utilized thus far have NOT been successful.
Command …command … command. Her mind kept coming back to that one word. It was then that inspiration struck her. "Of course!" she exclaimed, snapping her fingers. "Why didn't I think of this BEFORE?" The Sorceress paused. "Spirit…" she called to the Spirit of Grayskull.
"Yes, My Lady," said The Spirit.
"I believe I have the answer," said The Sorceress. "Teela's a soldier … she's the Captain of the Guard. She's used to commanding troops…"
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"Let me get this straight," said Teela. "She wants me to pretend … that The Power of Grayskull is a soldier under my command?"
"That is correct," said The Spirit of Grayskull.
"She wants me to give orders to IT … as I would give orders to one of my soldiers?"
"That is correct."
"I'll try ANYTHING once," Teela said with a sigh. "All right, soldier," she said, psyching herself up. She then barked in her commanding officer tone of voice, "Power of Grayskull, GET THIS ROCK OFF ME!"
With that, the slab of rock suddenly vanished into thin air. "I did it," Teela interjected, surprised. She then exclaimed in triumph, "I DID IT!"
"My Lady is speaking," said The Spirit. " 'When you give an order to your soldiers, you expect it to be obeyed … Do you not?' "
"That's true," said Teela. "OOOW!" she yelped in pain as she shifted her weight slightly.
"My Lady asks if you are hurt," said The Spirit.
"I think I broke something," Teela replied, her face contorting in pain. "Can the Power of Grayskull … HEAL me?"
"You need but will it to do so, my child," said The Spirit.
Without missing a beat, Teela commanded, "Power of Grayskull, HEAL ME!" With that, she was bathed in a bolt of mystical lightning that seemingly appeared from out of nowhere. A surge of electricity shot through her body. What's HAPPENING to me? she wondered.
Just as quickly as the lightning appeared, it vanished. Teela lay facedown, spread-eagle on the ground, exhausted.
"Teela…" The Spirit of Grayskull called out to her.
"Yes, Spirit," Teela replied, gasping for breath.
"My Lady asks if you are all right."
"I'm fine," Teela replied. "Give me a moment to rest." She then rose to her feet and surveyed the damaged chamber. Dust, fallen slabs of rock, and fallen stalactites lay everywhere. Piles of debris blocked both exits of the cave.
Great, Teela thought wryly. Looks like whatever powers I have are getting a workout today. She then commanded, "Power of Grayskull, CLEAR THE EXITS!" The debris blocking the exits to the chamber quickly vanished into thin air.
"What now, Teela?" asked The Spirit of Grayskull.
"Father always told me … if I start something, I must finish it," Teela replied. "I've come too far to stop now."