Fourteen
Castle Grayskull
Graylands, Eternia
8 June 2017
Teela'Na watched her sleeping self while fighting off another wave of déjà vu. This time it wasn't as bad as watching Dannon depart for whatever lay beyond the veil of this life, though the ache of that departure would take a long time to come to terms with. She thought back to a few hours ago when she had awakened from a near coma-like sleep.
Teela'Na clawed her way back to consciousness to discover she was safe and sound in her private chambers in Castle Grayskull. She thought the dreams of Dannon finally leaving, people from another world, and living on that alien world called Earth, were all a long nightmare from which she'd finally awakened. The euphoria did not last but for a moment when the man in combat armor entered her chambers. Not recognizing Lieutenant Garber, Teela'Na panicked. That's when she discovered she had been tightly wrapped in fur blankets to prevent her thrashing about. The man exited quickly and called for someone. To her astonishment, Kodec Ungor entered a minute later at a near run despite the dress she wore.
It took Kodec almost ten minutes to calm Teela'Na down and explain that her memories were repressed due to the trauma of the past several days. Kodec promised everything would be fine after another restful sleep. Still unsure, Teela'Na allowed Kodec to put her to sleep, not that she had much of a choice wrapped up as she was. A short time after that, Teela'Na found herself corporeal once more, only this time she had a female companion.
The woman sat in the arched window looking out at the landscape. Teela'Na noted she was about her height, wore her straight black hair down past the shoulder blades, and was clad in a clinging outfit of soft, brown leather. "It's different than I remember," the mystery woman said idly. She turned and saw Teela'Na's puzzled expression. "The landscape. It's different now than it was in my time."
The woman slid from the window with barely a whisper and moved to stand before Teela'Na. Teela'Na stood stoically and endured the silent appraisal while conducting one of her own.
"You have no idea who I am, do you?"
Teela'Na shook her head, noticing for the first time she did not wear the headdress of the Sorceress of Grayskull. "Should I?"
The woman sighed. "You should at least have a clue. You do have several already." Teela'Na still looked perplexed. "Think back to what Gabe said."
"Gabe said a lot of things. Why can't you just tell me who or what you are?"
"That would be too easy, I'm not allowed, and you are now half right."
A flash of insight hit Teela'Na at that moment. It was a conversation with Gabe about the armor. The details remained fuzzy, however.
"Use your insight. Your conversation was about intelligence, which you seem to be lacking at the moment," the mystery woman chastised. "All the pieces are there. Put the puzzle together."
Teela'Na thought hard, shooting the woman an angry sneer. We talked about the armor and the level of intelligence they seemed to have. Wait; was it possible they are more intelligent than he first thought? Teela'Na whirled to face her companion.
"Uh, oh," the woman said patiently. "She's got that light in her eyes. Or is it a false alarm?"
"I do know you. There was a record from around a thousand years ago of a woman coming to Eternia from a world far away. She took up the mantle of guardianship of this castle for several hundred years before it passed to another." Teela'Na thought a moment before continuing. "All the guardians save Veena were endowed with immortality. But there was one of instance where such an honor was denied at personal request."
"And her name was?"
"Cira," Teela'Na responded.
"Well, her full name was Cirandar, but her close friends were allowed to call her Cira."
"You are Cira?"
"Well, to be honest, I am a reflection of her. An echo of what once was Cira," Cirandar replied, looking a bit uncomfortable.
The final piece clicked into place in Teela'Na's mind. "You are the armor reflected in human form. The form of your previous owner."
Cira threw her eyes to the ceiling. "Finally, she gets it. Yes. I was Cira when her memory engrams were impressed on my circuits. I have evolved into much more than that. We all have. I wouldn't say she really owned or used me, it was supposed to be a kind of symbiosis when the project first started. Then Horde Prime came. We didn't get much beyond putting the armor into storage after the memory engrams impression. We did engage in a few battles, but it didn't matter much in the end."
"Why did Cirandar decline immortality? She would be a great help to us now."
"I don't know. I have no memories beyond her selection to become the new Sorceress of Grayskull at that time."
Teela'Na's mind whirled. So much information to take in at once, almost too much. She had so many questions she wanted to ask, and yet, Teela'Na felt she already knew most of the answers. Then it dawned on her. The transfer of information, knowledge, and experience that took place when they recovered the armor several months ago prepared the inheritors of the Guardian legacy as much as was possible a thousand years ago.
Cira interrupted Teela'Na's contemplation. "You need to rest. I will be here when you wake up. We can talk more then."
Teela'Na didn't want to, but she knew Cira was right. She also knew she had to get up to speed on her armor's operation, now that she was completely healed. It wouldn't be too much longer before King Hiss decided to make an attempt at capturing Grayskull now that it was unsealed.
Snake Mountain
Dark Side of Eternia
Colonel Markson made himself a royal pain in the butt to Skeletor. His demands for transport back to Castle Grayskull were ignored at every turn. Evacuation of the slaves to a refugee camp in some other part of the continent continued with load after load of people leaving the vast underground chamber on the same vehicles that brought them here. It got to the point where Skeletor, idly stroking Panthor's purple-furred head, contemplated having the troublesome Colonel Markson and his companions locked away in the dungeon until he could figure out what to do with them.
King Randor wasn't much more help in the area of transport. While he and Skeletor had an uneasy alliance, it was Skeletor who controlled the small robot army. They only obeyed Randor when directed to do so. The deposed king did, however, keep his promise to talk about the fall of He-Man and his companions.
Colonel Markson, Sonja, Brad, and Jeromy joined King Randor and his wife, Marlena, in a cramped office set up for the meeting. A small window allowed one to see the scarred landscape, which really wasn't an attractive sight. The lava flows cast its eerie red-orange glow across the ceiling while several pale yellow lights struggled fleetingly to dispel the darkness. Randor gestured for the colonel and companions to enter, and then he and his wife followed.
Jon noticed that while Marlena was dressed in a fresh green dress and gold belt, she still looked haggard and worn despite having eaten a hot meal and slept in a soft bed. The fire in her eyes, however, spoke of the determination lying just below the surface.
When all were settled, Randor began his tale. "Seven years ago, a starship from the future arrived from a planet called Primus. The crew desperately needed help against an enemy simply called 'Mutants.' He-Man came before me and my wife to reveal his most closely guarded secret before announcing he was going to leave for the future to add the planet Primus." Colonel Markson raised an eyebrow, but Randor refused to elaborate on the secret. "He left on the starship they called the Eternia and was never seen again. Peace had settled across this world at that time. We didn't know until a month or two later that Skeletor had followed He-Man into the future, and that the Sorceress of Grayskull had mysteriously vanished.
"It wasn't long after our disturbing discoveries that King Hiss also learned of He-Man's mission and the disappearances of the Sorceress and Skeletor. His minions freed King Hiss from the prison the cosmic guardian Zodak had exiled him to, and began a deadly campaign to conquer Eternia. Evil-Lyn assisted in freeing King Hiss in return for being spared the fate of those who resisted. The rest of Skeletor's followers quickly joined the Snake Men."
"Why would they join such a brutal and evil creature?" Sonja asked.
"It was either join his empire, or be literally consumed by it," Randor answered gravely. Sonja made a sick face, for she knew what he meant by being 'consumed.'
"What happened?" Colonel Markson asked gently.
"We were no match for the snake army. Duncan, our Man-at-Arms, and his daughter, Teela, led the Royal Guard in battle against the snake army. We won a few battles, but the end was inevitable. Their army was just too strong for us to deal with. Duncan was killed six months into the war, which ended barely a month later. By that time myself and what was left of the Royal Guard had been chased into the Dark Side of Eternia where we remain to this day. I lost Marlena in the chaos, and thought her dead until you brought her back to me yesterday. Teela brokered a peace agreement with King Hiss. In return for becoming his bride, the Snake Men would limit their raids on villages.
"Two years ago, Skeletor and He-Man returned from the future, however, there was no starship. I don't know how they got back or why they did not return to moments after they left. I think Skeletor knows, but refuses to say. I also think he knows why Teela had to browbeat He-Man into taking up the fight to drive Hiss and his army back into exile. He-Man was a broken person, possibly due to returning home five years after departing and seeing what had happened to us. Anyway, Teela succeeded in getting He-Man to take up his sword and fight once more. They and the army assembled from what remained of He-Man's friends, and those allied with his sister, She-Ra, they drove the Snake Men out of the Fertile Plains. However, as the final battle at Castle Grayskull ended, immense magical portals opened in the atmosphere above the castle. Out of these ports flew hundreds of Horde warships armed and ready for a fight."
"Catra's fleet," Brad put in solemnly.
Randor nodded. "What followed couldn't even laughingly be called a battle because it was so one-sided. Most were rounded up and imprisoned on board a Horde transport along with He-Man and She-Ra. Those who escaped capture went into hiding either here on Eternia, or back on Etheria."
"What happened to He-Man?" Jeromy asked, fearing the worst.
Randor shrugged his shoulders. "I know he and the others were taken away to a penal planet called Hel, but I can't say for certain if they are still alive. For all I know, they were executed immediately upon arrive there."
Colonel Markson leaned forward slightly. "Where is this 'Hell?' "
"No one knows. The location is Horde Prime's most closely guarded secret. Rumor had it King Hiss had the location stored in the palace computer core. We managed to break into it and copy a considerable portion of the database, but we couldn't decode it to be sure."
Jeromy exchanged knowing looks with Colonel Markson. "We may be able to help."
Randor was visibly surprised by that. The colonel explained, "We raided the computer core of a Horde battleship under the command of General Rongar. Our scientists have managed to create some kind of key to decode the Horde languages. It's all very technical, but I have been assured it works."
"Who are you people?" Marlena demanded, speaking for the first time.
"We're the ones tasked with saving the galaxy," Brad replied. He tried to sound serious when he said that, but the words just did not come out right.
"Whether we like it or not," Colonel Markson added. "I have this really nasty feeling that king snake is going to make a try for the castle. We really need to get back there before that happens. Or would you prefer its power fall into enemy hands?"
Randor pondered the events carefully for a few minutes. Skeletor turned a blind eye to his runs to Palace Eternia to free slaves. Anything that kept Randor occupied and out of Skeletor's business was a plus, as far as Skeletor was concerned. As he pondered a course of action Skeletor would undoubtedly object strenuously over, Randor thought back to several months after He-Man's fall when a brown-haired woman dressed in a stunningly simple white silk dress came to him and told him the prophecy he now know hailed the coming of these warriors from a distant world called Guardians.
The forces of Evil shall rise up and strike down the Heroes of Light. For a period darkest night shall all but eclipse the light. Then, from out of the darkness, there will arise six warriors who shall drive back the Darkness. They shall know triumph and tragedy, joy and sorrow. Their light will unite a galaxy and end the reign of Darkness once and for all. Six must fall, rising again like the Phoenix to heights undreamt of.
And they shall be called, Guardians.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Randor replied, "All I can promise is to see what I can do. I realize that does not mean much, but this situation puts me in an awkward position. I just want you to understand that." Colonel Markson nodded his understanding. "Then we should leave," the king continued. "Skeletor may take notice if we meet too many more times in secret like this."
They rose and left the room without further comment. Randor and his wife left to see if there was any way of getting Colonel Markson back to his companions without risking Skeletor's wrath. Colonel Markson, Sonya, Brad, and Jeromy returned to the lower caverns where the rest of Alpha platoon was assisting with the relocation efforts.
They had learned much this day, more so than they expected. A least a few more of the missing pieces had fallen into place, but a very large piece remained elusive.
The location of the penal planet the Horde called Hel.
As the group neared the gigantic underground cavern, a gentle, almost musical voice called out from a shadowed alcove. "You wish to return to Castle Grayskull? Perhaps I can be of assistance," Moria Vadorian replied, amethyst eyes sparkling in the dim light.
Quaedian Village
Prasinus Forest
Kragor stared at Adrian Cobretti as he paced back and forth in the rather confining hut in which his mortal shell lay. At around the same time the Sorceress was discovering the true nature of the mystical armor, Adrian was having an argument with the echo of the man who once commanded the nameless armor. Kragor was upset that Adrian had yet to decide on a suitable name, to which Adrian would say it would come at the opportune moment.
"Look, you figured out pretty quick who and what I really am. Quicker than the Sorceress, actually, but for all that you still can't decide on a name?" The handsome features of the man once called Kragor twisted into a mask of displeasure.
Adrian stopped his pacing at the mention of the Sorceress. "She's alive? Restored?"
"Oops," Kragor muttered to himself. "I wasn't supposed to reveal that."
"Let me guess. Her armor told you not to," Adrian scoffed.
"Well, we are linked. That isn't the point right now." The phantom strode over to stand before Adrian. Kragor stood over six feet in height forcing Adrian to look up at him. "Forget the name thing right now. What really chaffs my butt is your reluctance to embrace the gifts you've been given."
Adrian looked flabbergasted. "Gifts? A suit of armor pissed at me because I won't name it right here and now; the ability to become whatever form I want by visualizing it in my mind; and skills and memories from a dead man flooding my head. You call those gifts?"
"Well, I admit it's all a bit overwhelming, but I can help you with that. If you'll let me."
"I'm a monster. I change shape and people shy away from me as if I were a leper," Adrian snapped acidly. "I never asked for this. Why me?"
Kragor dismissed the obvious reply to that because it would only alienate the man more. Instead, he asked, "Do you believe in Fate?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life," Adrian answered, subdued.
"I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same when I my abilities surfaced. Your abilities are the same as mine. I had a lot of trouble accepting what I could do, but there was one who helped me to see that it wasn't a curse," Kragor explained.
"Cirandar. Cira to her friends," Adrian replied automatically, though he had no idea how he knew that.
Kragor nodded, grinning. "Your subconscious is adapting to having all my memories and experiences rattling around in there. Yes, Cira helped me to see what an asset the ability to change my shape really is. The Sorceress can also change her shape and I got the impression she wanted to help, otherwise why would she and Takamora have talked you into those transforming sessions before leaving Earth?" The apparition stepped closer. "I can show you the door, but you must make the decision to open it and step through."
Adrian was wondering what that meant when a commotion outside the little hut. Kragor explained that several of Adrian's friends appeared to have finally caught to him. Unfortunately, Adrian could not stray far from his physical self in this state. He tried, but a cold numbness can over him every time. He would have no way of knowing who was coming until they entered the hut.
Anyssa, Jake, and Frost left the inn before dawn and continued their journey south west. They came upon the River of Prosperity shortly after noon. The trio paused to stare at the wall of trees several miles past the river looking for signs of life. All along the way they noticed the usual wildlife one would normally find was strangely absent. That was usual when intruders entered habitat areas, but this was different. Not only had the higher lifeforms of this world been subjugated by the ruthless Snake Men, but it seemed the wildlife had been as well.
It hardly mattered. It just meant there would be few obstacles toward reaching their goal other than the natural landscape. The point on the river where they stood was wide and the slow moving waters deep. They walked south for several miles looking for a safe point to cross, or a bridge someone built. Going north around where the river began was an option, but it would mean losing the rest of the day in the process. Somehow all three felt the need to urgency for no specific reason other than they needed to find Adrian, and get him and his armor back to Castle Grayskull.
Anyssa found the crossing she was looking for. Shallows several miles downstream were the best place they were to find. The river narrowed to some nine yards across with a depth of around three feet. The downside was the flow had picked up, but it wasn't so much that they could not cross. They would just have to be careful. And so they were. It only took a few minutes for each to cross one after the other. Once safely on the western bank, Anyssa set off straight for the tree line several miles away. Jake and Frost followed their guide without comment. She appeared to know the land without having to consult the map Kodec Ungor had provided.
Anyssa called a halt at the tree line to rest and get her bearings. Although she seemed confident in where they were headed, Anyssa looked slightly undecided as to what they should do next.
"Problem?" Jake asked, a slight sneer twisting up one side of his mouth. He and Anyssa bickered time and again along the journey about who was better; males or females.
Frost sighed, and shook his head. Jake was a good man to have around in a fight, but his social graces were sorely lacking.
Normally, Anyssa wouldn't back down from anything or anyone, but this time she ignored the man's tone. "The area has changed a little bit since I was last here. We aren't more than an hour or so from the village gates."
"What village? I don't see anything were a village could exist," Frost replied.
"The entire forest belongs to the Quadians, but there is only one way into it," Anyssa explained, continuing to look about.
"Well, we can't just walk up and knock on the door," Jake scoffed. "Hello, Eternia Pizza Delivery."
"Give it a rest, Jake!" Frost snapped irritably. "So if walking up to the gates isn't a bright thing, what do we do? If they have patrols out, how do we find one?"
Jake's bluster evaporated while Frost posed his questions to Anyssa. He was suddenly and uncharacteristically sober.
"Now what?" Frost growled.
"I don't think we'll have to go looking for them," Jake said quietly, pointing south.
The trio froze as catlike, bipedal beings literally materialized from the trees in pairs. They were led by a tall female cat dressed in a blue outfit that left her arms and legs unhindered. A white disk lay draped around her shoulders, chest, and back. Centered above the breast was a remarkably accurate brass carving of a cat face. Bands encircling the upper arm, forearm bands, belt buckle, and knee protectors were all adorned with cat visages. Fur-capped wrappings covered the forelegs while leaving the feet bare. A sheathed knife was strapped to the left thigh just below the short shirt, and an empty holster was strapped to the right. The contents of that holster were clutched in the feline's right hand. A mane of brick-red shoulder-length hair flowed from her head around pointed ears and down the back with two braids hanging down in front caught with gold rings near the ends. Golden brown soft, short fur covered the lean muscles of her body.
"Umm, we come in peace," Frost said nervously, moving with slow, exaggerated movements. He never realized how lame that line sounded until this moment.
"We come in search of a friend who may have been picked up by one of your patrols," Anyssa explained.
The female's right hand never wavered as she stepped forward. Anyssa met the female's stare while Jake and Frost eyed the laser pistol. The Quaedian warrior sized up the trio with long lingering stares taking in their wardrobe and obviously concealed weapons. More felines emerged from the forest behind the three humans as the female leader made her choice.
"A patrol did come across a human male near the edge of the Evergreen Forest," she purred quietly. "What makes you think he was brought here?"
Anyssa answered, "We came across witnesses in two villages who confirmed he was brought in this direction."
The warrior feline considered Anyssa's words for a moment. "A human was brought to our village by a scout who has a habit of bringing…items…back with him." Clearly, she didn't know whether or not to trust these humans. "I will take you to him, but you must relinquish your weapons first."
Anyssa did not hesitate, while Jake and Frost exchanged concerned looks before following her lead. The felines were surprised by the type and amount of weapons the humans were carrying. They distributed the equipment amongst themselves then spread out around their charges.
"Are we prisoners?" Anyssa asked guardedly.
"No," the female in charge replied. "There are other dangers out here besides Snake Men and Horde patrols." She turned and led the way south.
"Could we at least know your name? 'Hey you' seems a bit insulting," Frost demanded.
"My name is Kittrina."
"I've heard of you," Anyssa replied, a newfound respect reflected in her eyes.
"And I know of you, Anyssa of the Val-kyrie. I am surprised to see you in the company of males," Kittrina said.
"They freed me from the dungeons with the help of the one whom we seek," Anyssa explained. A warning look to Jake and Frost said she would not discuss her origins at this time.
They walked in silence for more than an hour heading south along the forest's edge. Nature resumed its daily routine of survival of the fittest. No one could see the animals moving around among the trees, and by the sounds of a few of them, Jake was glad they were in there and he was outside. One in particular sounded big, nasty, and not something he'd want to meet anywhere day or night.
It wasn't long before the towering walls and gates constructed from felled trees came into view. No one saw the structures until they were practically on top of it. While impressive to behold, Frost was amazed they could not spot it from further away. The reason for this was simple. The entire assembly had been built ten meters back from the forest edge. That way no one could see the wall and gates unless approaching it straight on from the southeast.
Sentries spaced along the top of the twenty-foot wall recognized Kittrina and one shouted down to open the gates. The was a grinding of something massive being drawn back, and metallic clank, and one massive door was pulled inward on well-oiled hinges. Despite the obvious notion that the doors weighed several tons a piece, they swung easily because of the counter-balance construction. As the group filled through under the watchful eye of the armed sentries above, Frost took a moment to note the doors and walls were five feet and nearly ten feet thick respectively. Made of solid tree trunks, it would take some serious firepower to penetrate them.
Kittrina spoke briefly with a passing soldier, and then gestured for Frost, Anyssa, and Jake to follow. Their entourage dispersed as they walked through the village. An open area hundreds of square feet in diameter made a prime place for gathering to repel potential invaders. Sturdy single story structures were strewn along the tree line of the gigantic clearing one square mile in size. Male and female Quaedians of every shape and size went about their business. Blacksmiths were hard at work pounding out pieces of iron for weapons, tools, or whatever else was needed in the village. Merchants readied carts to take to nearby markets. Children ran among the buildings playing whatever games kids played on this planet. They regarded the strange humans with open curiosity while the adults were wary, even hostile.
Their guide led them to a small, out of the way shack toward the back of the encampment. It looked as nondescript as the rest of the buildings. No markings separated it from the other buildings as to its purpose, yet Kittrina knew exactly where to go. The feline woman grasped the iron handle, depressed the latch release with her thumb, and pushed the door inward. Iron hinges squeaked as the door swung open. Two small oil lamps with their wicks turned low cast pale yellow globes of light. One lamp hung on the wall to their left while the other sat on a small wooden table beside a single bed.
Despite the gloom, Frost could make out the features of the man lying under the layers of blankets. He, Anyssa, and Jake rushed past Kittrina to the bed to see check the man's condition. He stirred as Frost felt along the neck for a pulse.
Adrian Cobretti moaned as he struggled toward consciousness. When he finally opened his eyes, his gaze settled on the first person he saw. "Oh, God!" he croaked. "I've died and gone to Hell."
Snorting in spite of himself, Frost asked, "Why is that?"
"Because God would never allow someone like Jake Rockwell through the Pearly Gates," Adrian answered sourly.
"Yep. He's getting better," Jake confirmed with a mock angry expression.
"No offense," Anyssa said guardedly, "but you should be dead."
"Yes, I should," Adrian agreed.
"So why aren't you? Not that I'm tired of your company," Jake added quickly.
"It's…complicated. I'll tell you later."
"He is indeed lucky to be alive," a gruff voice said from the open door. There stood another Quaedian about five feet in height with course brown fur, wearing plates of armor that had seen many battles, a dented helmet, and had a double-bladed battleaxe slung across his broad back. "Let's let the man rest while we talk further somewhere else," the squat warrior suggested.
Kittrina did not look happy about it judging by the agitated twitching of her tail, but didn't object to her companion taking charge of the visitors. She went off saying she would see if the king was available to meet with their guests.
Adrian waved weakly as his friends filed out.
"My name is Dhalon," he introduced himself, shaking each person's hand in turn. "My patrol heard the battle at Palace Eternia two nights ago. We followed the sounds until we were in sight of the castle where we settled down to wait. When you friend fly out of the left eye, we trailed him as best we could. Our intent was to make contact with these most remarkable humans. Assaulting the dominion of King Hiss and escaping to tell about it is no easy feat.
"We found him collapsed near the remains of Roboto. What an amazing thing that suit of armor is! We couldn't carry him because it was too heavy. As if it heard us, the suit shrank itself down to a more manageable size. It vanished entirely except for that glowing medallion once we got him here."
They were following a well-traveled trail lined with oil lamps hanging from wooden hooks driven into the tree trunks. There was no space between the trail and the trees. Wildlife went about its business as darkness settled across the lands. A cool wind blew out of the night straight down the dirt path.
"Our healers looked him over," Dhalon continued after a short pause. "They didn't give him much hope of survival. We have seen the effects of the Horde mind sifter in the past. They knew exactly what was happening. Early this morning they discovered he not only survived another night, but was close to waking up." Dhalon shook his head. "He has a strong will to live, that friend of yours."
"Yeah, he's proving to be a survivor like the rest of us," Frost agreed.
"This is an incredible village," Anyssa replied, changing the subject.
"Is this all there is?" Jake added.
Dhalon laughed heartily. "No, there are villages throughout the entire forest. We own this forest. The dense packing of the trees makes a natural barrier from our enemies. Those gates you entered through are the only way into the network of trails and roads which link all the villages."
"Good defense, but that can make this forest a deathtrap should the Snake Men or the Horde decide your people need to be eliminated," Frost pointed out.
"Indeed," Dhalon agreed. "However, my people are fierce fighters. They will find the victory extremely costly."
They continued on along the trail to the nearest village. This one was a purely residential area with a wide street running through it. Adults and children regarded the group curiously for a few moments before returning to their activities. They were on their way back to the building where Adrian was recovering when a tall feline warrior rushed up to them.
The male gulped down a few breaths before he could proclaim, "King Carnivus has agreed to meet Kittrina's guests."
Palace Eternia
Commander Franik despised the creature on the screen with all the fiber of his being. There were some things in this galaxy that shouldn't be allowed to exist. Or continue to exist. King Hiss and his hordes of Snake Men were two of those things. There were worst places to be stationed, he supposed; Etheria orbit at the beck and call of Hordak, or on station within half a day's travel of the penal planet Hel. Anything would be better at this point than having to bow to this freak of nature.
King Hiss stared back from the throne room of Palace Eternia. His thoughts ran much the same way toward the Horde was this commander's did toward him, though neither could know that. "I don't care about your problems, commander. I want every available piece of equipment and trooper transported to the surface for an assault on Castle Grayskull."
"I may have to take your orders, King Hiss, but I will not throw Horde resources away on a whim," Commander Franik replied in a cool, measured tone. "Nor will I allow you to tell me how to deploy my forces. This isn't something you just throw together spur of the moment. If you want a coordinated attack on Castle Grayskull, I need time to get the troops and equipment together, loaded, and transported to the surface. Ideally, that will take two days. I've lost two destroyers to these humans, and I'm waiting for replacements to arrive."
"How soon until your replacements arrive?" King Hiss asked irritably. He wanted to attack the castle now before these impudent humans could be allowed another day or two to fortify their position.
"Should be here by local morning," Franik answered. "I just received a message from the ships to that effect."
"Very well. Begin your preparations. I assume the coming ships can start before they get here?"
"Yes," the commander replied, thinking, I knew you'd want that information. "They should be ready to deploy as soon as they reach orbit."
"I do not want these vermin in possession of Castle Grayskull any longer than necessary. You will deploy in one day, whatever it takes. Castle Grayskull will be mine, or you will use your firepower to wipe it from the face of Eternia," King Hiss proclaimed. "Is that clear?"
"Very clear."
Evil-Lyn turned away from the screen as it dissolved into nothingness. She, Beast Man, Tri Klops, Trapjaw, and Clawful were tasked with assembling the robot army already in place in the palace. A small detachment had already been dispatched to the Prasinus Forest at the behest of Blade, who was tracking that irritating thorn of a Quaedian called Kittrina. Mer-man and Twobad were sent to assist Blade, despite his argument that he did not need help to capture one female Quaedian.
Evil-Lyn saw her chance to slip away as General Rattlor and Snake Face were prowling the corridors snapping at any Snake Man in site to prepare arms for the coming assault on Castle Grayskull. Quite effortlessly, she managed to get lost in the shuffle and slipped out of the palace, where she opened a time/space portal to another part of Eternia. She would not be missed for several hours. Time enough to have a chat with someone close to her.
Chambers of the Monarchy
Sands of Time Desert
Colonel Markson was naturally suspicious of people offering to help in this strange alien land. Especially when the help was offered by people he had never heard of until a moment before.
"Oh?" the colonel said cautiously. "And why are you so willing to help when others in this place don't care, or can't?"
The pale woman stepped into the dim light of the corridor. "Let's just say I am an 'acquaintance' of the Sorceress, and I have my own reasons for seeing to it that Castle Grayskull does not fall into the hands of the Snake Men."
"Are you saying that king snake intends to attack the castle soon?"
The tiniest smirk fell over the Ancient woman's features. "I didn't say anything. One doesn't have to be a genius to realize with the castle now unsealed, King Hiss cannot afford to let anyone other than himself have access to the secrets and power contained within," Moria explained at length.
"That would be bad," Colonel Markson stated.
"Yes," Moria agreed. "I therefore have a proposition for you. Gather your people and I shall take you to a place from which you can attack King Hiss when he least expects it."
The colonel thought about the offer. It appeared simple and straightforward on the surface. He supposed he could talk to the Sorceress about this woman at a later time. For now, his instincts said to trust Moria, for the moment, so Jon keyed his mike. Within minutes, Sergeant Apone had the entire platoon assembled in a side chamber off the gigantic underground cave.
Making sure no one would come by at the wrong moment, Colonel Markson turned to the Ancient pale woman offering to take them to their intended destination. "So what now?"
In response, Moria cast a rueful smile, and extended her hand, thumb and two fingers raised. A shimmering portal, like the ones Jon had seen the Sorceress make when demonstrating her magical power, formed at the back wall. "I will go first. There are defenses I must deactivate before you may enter." Without waiting for a response, Moria stepped through the portal into whatever lay on the other side.
Minutes passed slowly by as the platoon waited for Moria to return. Jon grew annoyed as the ten-minute mark came and went. He knew one could stick their head through the portal to see what lie on the other side and pull back without losing anything. The only danger lay in the portal suddenly dissolving while one was actively passing through it. Such an event was always fatal.
Just as Colonel Markson was working up the courage to stick his head through, Moria reappeared. "It is now safe for you to enter," she said, and returned through the oval portal.
Jon looked around his nervous group, and knew he had to take first step. He never believed in the concept of leading by example because there was no real definition for it. Taking a calming breath, Colonel Markson led the way into the unknown.
They emerged one by one into the Chambers of the Monarchy deep under the Sands of Time. Moria awaited them near the end of a long stone corridor lined with busts of people long dead. Torches cast yellow pools of light near every bust, but it wasn't enough to dispel the gloom entirely.
"Home sweet home," Jon remarked idly. "Kinda dreary, isn't it?"
"I much prefer this to that cabin you have on some lake in the middle of nowhere," Moria replied. She smiled thinly as he showed his polite surprise. "You were just thinking about it," she stated simply.
"You're a mind-reader," Sonya stated flatly.
"I did not have to read his mind, Sonya Boradni. It was plain to see," Moria answered. "Or would you prefer it if I called you Guardian Hawk?"
"Okay, this is creepy," Brad said guardedly.
The white-haired woman turned towards them, her amethyst eyes whirling slightly as her gaze landed on Brad Johnson and Jeromy Ironwood. "Ah. Two more Guardians in my presence. Claw and Blitzkrieg, respectively. You should feel honored."
"Who are you?" Colonel Markson demanded. "Then we'll decide whether or not we're honored."
Moria turned towards him slowly, almost taken aback at the idea that there were people on this planet who did not know of her. "I am Lady Moria Vadorian, Fourteenth Monarch of the Dereskígía."'
"I've never heard of them… or you, for that matter," the Colonel stated, "How do we know we can trust you?"
"You don't," the Ancient woman replied shortly. "But you agreed to follow me, and it is now too late to turn back."
"…Guess we'll have to take your word for it. The Sorceress will confirm it when I see her," Jon replied, fingering the closest statue.
"I would advise that you do not touch anything. There are still dangers in these chambers that I have not bothered to deactivate." Moria warned evenly.
Jon made a show of removing his hand, saying, "At least the Sorceress has a sense of humor."
"Oh, I have quite a sense of humor, Colonel Markson. After all, you are still alive. No non-Dereskian who has ever entered these chambers has ever lived to tell about it. Other than the current Sorceress of Grayskull, you will be the first in the history of over seven thousand years that these chambers have been standing."
"I'm honored," a subdued Jon Markson said to Moria's retreating back.
"You should be," the Ancient woman said softly in reply, and then continued to lead the way.
After what seemed an unusually long time to Markson and his team, their guide opened the double doors to their momentary destination, and the group shuffled into a room that looks almost as though it should belong in Earth's Ancient Rome.
The chamber itself was gigantic, the marble floors stretching for at least fifty yards before it reached the back wall. Immense carved and engraved pillars filled the room, and it took Markson a moment to realize that they began with one vividly detailed pillar in the center and circled outward.
Sonya walked up to one and studied it closely, noticing with not a small amount of shock that a large hawk was engraved upon it. She looked at the top of the pillar, and her amazement grew. Just above the hawk, there was a claw. Beyond that, there was a lightning bolt engraving. Sonya stared at the pillar, looking at each symbol that progressed at the engravings went down. A wing, an arm, the hawk, the claw, the lightning bolt, and above that, a falcon. The six symbols of the guardian armor.
"I see you've discovered the purpose of this chamber," came a voice directly behind her. Sonya whirled around, coming face to face with Moria Vadorian.
"…What is this place?" the younger woman questioned uncertainly. "Why are the Guardian symbols on this pillar?"
Moria looked beyond her, inspecting the engraving of the falcon. "This is the Hall of History," she replied simply. "Every pillar in this room depicts images that pertain to a certain event in the history of the planet. These six…" she said, gesturing to the carvings Sonya had been studying, "show the Guardian armors, as you've just discovered."
"Can they tell us how the first Guardians used the armor?" Colonel Markson asked, stepping up behind the two women with Jeromy and Brad behind him.
The Ancient woman shook her head. "No. The pillars serve only as a record of the past. They do not go into detail."
Jeromy muttered beneath his breath, "Then why bother bringing us into this room if we can't learn anything from it?"
Moria's eyes flashed as she turned towards the young man. "I am so sorry these chambers were not designed to suit your needs, Mister Ironwood," she uttered, threat entering her voice where her words indicated that apology should go. "The truth of the matter is: these are my personal chambers," she continued, her eyes beginning to pinwheel faster as her ire grew. "There are very few rooms here that can fit a group the size of this one comfortably. This is one of them."
"I am sure that Jeromy didn't mean to offend you," Sonya said sensibly, her tone calming as she drew the Ancient woman's attention away from the smart-alecky operator of the Blitzkrieg armor. "Truly, we appreciate the fact that you have let us into your home and offered to help us."
The elder woman inhaled slowly, closing her eyes and exhaling even slower. She took a private moment, and then reopened her eyes. Markson and his team were relieved to see they were no longer pin wheeling. "Thank you," she said after a moment, and then looked at Jeromy. "Be glad that you have such a pragmatic member on your team as this one, young man. She just saved you from some extreme… discomfort." Lady Moria then turned her attention to Jon. "…You will excuse me, Colonel," she said with emotionless politeness. "I've not spent this much time around this many people in years."
Before Markson could question her actions or her words, the white-haired woman raised her hand and sunk down into the floor, vanishing before their eyes. "Do not leave this room," came her voice after she had gone, almost as an afterthought.
Not far from the conversing Guardians, Moria Vadorian sat alone in her bedchamber. She rested in an overstuffed armchair, her eyes closed and a hand at her temple. Her exit earlier had been nothing but a retreat, and she knew it. The multitude of people that had suddenly been thrust into her home had slowly stifled her. Every thought, every idea, every wisp of an unformed sentence that had lurked in their brains had leaked into hers. When she had been within Snake Mountain, it had not been quite so bad, because the walls of Skeletor's domain were designed to prevent such mind reading. Her own walls had no such hindrances in place. Indeed, the Chambers were specifically designed in such a way that almost no thought could escape being read, especially from Moria herself. Thus, when she had been confronted in verbal form as well, she had understandably been peeved. Her only defense had been to depart from the large group and set a barrier around herself. Now, alone in her bedchamber, she had peace enough to let her thoughts drift away, casting her consciousness outwards to find that of someone she cared for.
Evil-Lyn was not far from her now, of that Moria was sure. Her daughter's mind was guarded, as if there were something she wanted to keep hidden, at least for the moment. This interested Moria, but as it was not uncommon for her daughter to keep small bits of information from her, it did not her cause great concern. Lyn's location, however, did. She was getting closer.
With a slight gasp, Moria sat up, her eyes opening wide as her consciousness returned to her body with a jolt. Her daughter was on her way here.
She nearly jumped out of her chair before she caught herself, realizing that she did have a short while before her daughter arrived. Even so, there was little time to waste. She would likely have to spend some time explaining things to Markson. With an exasperated sigh, the Dereskian Queen created a portal on the floor she stood upon, and then sunk into it.
"Where did our mysterious hostess go off to, anyway?" Jeromy idly complained, sitting down upon the marble floor as he waited impatiently.
"Well maybe if you hadn't offended her, she wouldn't have rushed off in such a hurry," Brad countered, sitting not far from the British smart-aleck.
Jeromy glared at the Sergeant. "How was I supposed to know she'd take offense so easily? All I did was ask a question…" he trailed off, trying to defend himself and not doing very well. "…I wonder if everyone in Eternia just comes and goes as they please…" he mused aloud.
"Only when they have vitally important, pressing matters to attend to, Mister Ironwood," came a familiar feminine voice from above them.
The members of the squadron looked upwards towards the sound of the voice, and Moria Vadorian dropped down nimbly from the ceiling, landing gracefully on her feet. Almost immediately, she turned toward Colonel Markson, who was rising from his own sitting position.
"There is a slight problem," the Ancient Woman stated flatly.
Home, at last, Evil-Lyn thought to herself, sliding through the portal she had created and appearing in her mother's bedchamber. Moria was not there. "Odd," the dark witch said aloud, looking in the adjacent chambers. "Mother is almost always here to meet me when I arrive." She decided to wait, knowing that as long as the Ancient Dereskian was anywhere within a few hundred miles, she would be able to sense her daughter's presence and would not be absent for long.
"So let me get this straight," Markson intoned, his arms crossed as he regarded the elder woman incredulously. "Your daughter, Evil-Lyn, who King Randor said is currently working with King Hiss, is on her way here, to this building, where myself and my entire squadron, not to mention half of the Guardian force itself, is just sitting here, waiting like sitting ducks!"
Moria paused for a second or two, and then answered simply and flatly, "Precisely."
Jon glared at her for a moment, and then realized that it had no effect upon the Ancient woman. "And you want us to wait here, like good little sheep ready to be slaughtered, while one of our enemies sits upstairs!" he growled, the last few words of his sentence growing loud.
"No," Moria stated, her tone calm but her face showing the first signs of irritation. "I want you to stay here, like good little 'sheep,' out of sight and hearing and wait for me to find out what it is she wants. More likely than not, she will have information as to King Hiss' plans, which she will tell me. My daughter will then leave, and I will come back here and tell you what, if anything, I have learned," she clarified.
Colonel Markson still looked uncertain. "And how do we know that you won't just tell her that we're all here and she'll call the Snake men to come and get us?"
"Several reasons," Moria bit back, her eyes beginning to pinwheel as she regarded the Colonel. "Firstly, because having the Snake Men invade my personal quarters would inconvenience me as much as it would you. Secondly, I have already mentioned the fact that having the Snake Men succeed in this war would not please me in any way, shape, or form. And thirdly, if I were going to turn you in, do you not think I would have done it by now?"
She was answered by an unsure look from the Colonel, but Markson slowly conceded to himself that she did have a point. "Point," he said after a moment. "What should we do?"
"Stay here. Do not touch anything, and do not leave the room."
Jon nodded affirmatively and moved to inform the rest of his squadron. The Ancient Queen held up her hand, making him pause.
"And Colonel?" Moria added in a hushed but strong tone. "Do try to and keep that mouth of yours shut. If my daughter finds you here, it would not be …advantageous… for either of us."
Markson was quiet for the briefest of moments as he considered that alternative. Stifling an involuntary urge to pop off with some smartass remark, he nodded again. "Whatever you say."
Evil-Lyn was getting slightly peeved. She was certain that her mother knew of her arrival, but Moria's continued absence was becoming irritating. The Ancient Dereskian was almost always nearby. Just when Lyn was about to cross the line of annoyed to angry, she recognized the familiar glow of a portal appearing in the floor. Through it, weary and looking rather tired, came Moria.
Upon seeing her daughter, she smiled softly. "Hello, dear."
"Mother," Lyn nodded back, allowing herself a rare genuine smile as her anger slowly dissipated.
"I have missed you, Moritënia," the Ancient Queen said gently, embracing her daughter and lightly caressing her cheek.
The former dark mistress of Snake Mountain momentarily rested her head on her mother's shoulder for a moment, before quickly pulling away, as if showing such emotion was a weakness and she feared someone might see. "I've missed you too, Mother," she admitted. "And I wish I could say that I came only to see you, but–"
"I understand, Lyn," Moria interrupted, smiling softly at her daughter. "It is too dangerous for you to leave King Hiss' sight for trivial matters. What has happened?"
While what Moria had said was true enough, her daughter was leery of simply spitting out the reason for her visit. She had not forgotten Moria's role in reviving the Sorceress, and while she was sure that her mother had her reasons, Lyn still felt a little personally betrayed. Instead of revealing Hiss' plan directly, she elected a more subtle plan. "Do you recall my plan involving the shaping staff? Or Skeletor's plan to summon Shagora to do his bidding? Or his use of the Dragon Pearl?"
Moria nodded. "You had a good plan going with the shaping staff until you gave it to that bone-faced fool, who let He-Man snap it in half like a twig. I left you as a frog for a week to remind you of the consequences of your plots. Shagora would have destroyed us all, as would Evil Seed, if you all had not joined forces with He-Man. The use of the Dragon Pearl was not a bad plan, though you continue to underestimate He-Man and his friends," she explained in a tired tone. "And let's not forget Skeletor's failed attempt to move Castle Grayskull into another dimension. Even there, he could not hold on to it."
"Well, yes, but most of the plans were sound…"
All of this recollecting was slowly getting on the elder woman's nerves. She could not forget that Markson and his men were just a few levels down, waiting impatiently for her to return. And all of this idle chatter with her daughter was eating up time. "Dear," Moria intoned slowly, interrupting her child in mid sentence. "While reminiscing with you is always nice, would you kindly inform me of the relevance of this?"
"I was just trying to help you recall the more vivid times when our combined power worked wonders over any odds," Lyn replied, a little angry at being interrupted.
"My memory is impeccable as ever, Moritënia. So let us skip the remainder of this story, shall we? What did you really come here to discuss?"
Moria's daughter crossed her arms in front of her chest and regarded her mother a bit callously. She sighed after a moment, and turned away from her mother's gaze. "King Hiss plans to invade Grayskull within the next twenty-four hours."
"So soon," Moria intoned mostly to herself, a little surprised. She reached out for her daughter's chin, bringing her daughter's eyes up to meet her own. "Tell me everything."
Grinning wickedly, Evil-lyn launched into the plan. It was very simple, really. A force of Snake Men with Horde ground support would assault the castle. They would occupy the human defenders while King Hiss used his formidable power to bring down the jawbridge and take possession of the castle. If the Sorceress had somehow been revived - which Evil-lyn did not confirm for him, much to Moria's surprise – then he would neutralize her and take the power of Grayskull for himself. If he was routed, an event he scoffed at the mere mention of, then the heavier Horde weapons brought down from the orbiting warships would converge on the castle and blow it from the face of Eternia. If King Hiss could not have it, no one would.
Lyn crossed her arms as she finished the report. "So that is the plan, Mother. The only question now is what you will do with it." The latter part of her statement was not so much a fact as it was a demand. She raised her brows at the elder Dereskian, pointedly awaiting her mother's answer.
It was not as readily forthcoming as Lyn would have hoped. "That is not your concern." Moria replied quietly, casting her eyes downwards before once again raising them to meet her daughter's. "But whatever I do, the outcome is one that will do nothing if not benefit you."
The younger woman felt her lips curl back in a small snarl. "Then why is it that every time I turn around you seem to be helping our enemies!" Lyn exclaimed rather loudly, her eyes growing wide in her sudden anger.
Moria looked at her with surprise in her eyes. She had not anticipated her daughter's sudden anger. "They are not my enemies," she intoned in her defense, her voice passionate but not enough so to be classified as 'loud.' "They are King Hiss' enemies, yes; and since you are currently in his employ, I suppose that would make them yours as well. But that does not make them mine."
Evil-Lyn's reply was almost instantaneous, her anger building faster and faster with each passing second. "Then I suppose you now consider me your enemy, Mother!"
"Of course not," the elder woman replied, sighing in a mixture of exasperation and sadness. "You know that I do anything and everything in my power to help you, Lyn," she continued softly, reaching out to put her hand on her daughter's shoulder and visibly stung when Lyn turned away.
A still silence fell over mother and child, then, and Moria wondered how their relationship had suddenly become so strained.
After a moment, the younger Dereskian finally spoke. "If you truly want to help me, Mother, then stop aiding those who would defend Grayskull's power and use your influence to help me get it."
Moria Vadorian swallowed slowly, closing her eyes and lowering her head in defeat. "I cannot do that, Lyn."
Her daughter nodded, as if she had anticipated that answer. But the expectation did not mean she was any less angry about it. Still facing away from her mother, Lyn snarled. "As I thought: you are willing to help our enemies, even willing to risk your health to bring the Sorceress of Grayskull back to life, but you won't help your own daughter," she found it difficult to say the next word, but managed to do so despite her hesitation. "Traitor."
A deep growl suddenly came from deep within the elder woman's throat. Her patience had been thin to begin with, but the use of that word rather than any other finally pushed the Dereskian Queen over the edge of her control. "I will not be called that by my own daughter!" Moria exclaimed, harsher than she meant to be but having little power over the force in her force.
Without losing a beat, Evil-Lyn whirled on her, as if she had been deliberately provoking her mother. "Then you expect me to just sit back and let you betray me!" she practically screamed, her eyes flashing wildly.
Moria faltered, taken aback by the sheer malevolence in her daughter's tone. "I have your best intentions at heart, Moritënia. I always have." Slowly, the battle over her emotions was decided, and the unreadable expression once more fell across her face.
"I'm sure," Lyn spat back, bile rising in her throat as she glared daggers at the elder woman. As Lyn turned to go, angry and betrayed, she could not help giving her mother a glance over her shoulder. "I sometimes wonder whose side you're even on, Mother." The last word came out harsher than she probably meant it, but the sting, to Moria, was real.
Had Moria not been hiding behind her sangfroid, her face would have revealed the feelings of anguish that were now passing through her mind at Lyn's mistrust. "I do what I can to make the future what I want it to be. What you want it to be. I am on your side, Lyn. Always. " Before the echoes of her reply had faded, her child was gone, and the Ancient woman sighed raggedly. A feeling of great emptiness overcame her, as if a great piece of her heart and herSelf had left with her only child.
Castle Grayskull
The Sorceress awoke from her long nap feeling more alive than she could ever remember being. She kicked aside the blankets, swung her feet over the side of the bed, and sprang onto nimble feet. The cold stone floor went unnoticed as she paraded around in the pink nightgown she could not remember dressing in. The jubilation over having been completely healed waned after looking in the full-length mirror standing against the wall opposite an elaborately carved armchair. The Sorceress stared in shock at the image reflected back at her. The headdress that was part of the costume of the Guardian of Castle Grayskull was gone, replaced by her natural mane of strikingly red, shoulder-length hair. A stabbing pain like a knife to the heart gripped her chest, but only for an instant. She knew immediately that in order to regain her status as the castle's guardian, Teela'Na would have to go back into the Pool of Power.
She changed into the reignments of the guardian of the castle and was pulling on her boots when there came a soft rap on the door to the Sorceress' private chambers. Lieutenant Garber entered at her bidding. His eyes lit at seeing her up, around, and most importantly, alert.
"Well, you look better than you did yesterday. I must say you had me scared," Garber admitted candidly.
Sorceress smiled softly. "I'm feeling much better now. I can never repay you for all you have done for me. Losing a man in exchange for my freedom from King Hiss…"
Garber raised a hand to forestall the coming apology. "Don't apologize. We all knew the risks. Drake would be comforted to know you are healed; that he didn't die in vane."
Sorceress nodded, finished pulling on the right boot, and rose from the armchair.
Puzzled, the lieutenant asked, "No headdress?"
"I must return to the Pool of Power. In order to heal me, the castle was required to strip me of my magic and immortality. To regain both, I must return briefly to it," she explained.
"Oh," he replied, not really comprehending. "So this is your natural look?"
Sorceress nodded. "I was dressed differently and was much younger when I first came here."
"Well, I suppose I should get out of your way, then," Garber said, smiling. "I have a sneaking suspicion we are going to need your abilities in the next few days. And you need to catch up on what has been happening while you've been…away."
Her last memory before the assorted dreams of seeing her husband depart this world, and the chat with the strange female who was some kind of spectral image only she could see, was of Adrian Cobretti clutching her tightly in his arms. Did he know she had been healed? She reasoned something must have happened to him otherwise he would have been among the first to see her alive and well.
As the pair walked down the stairs toward the main chamber Garber explained what had been going on while she healed. Adrian's running off came as a shock, but not a totally unexpected one. She knew something of the effects of a Horde mind sifter. The Sorceress also knew that with the help of his armor Adrian could find the will to survive and heal himself. She was relieved to know Frost, Jake, and their new companion, Anyssa, were out looking for him.
Colonel Markson's group along with the remaining three Guardians had still not been heard from. Their communications equipment was limited. Despite using relays between the castle as their home base and the dropships ranging out across the planet, they still had no idea of the colonel's whereabouts or status. If he was dead or captured by King Hiss, they would have known by now.
They only thing they knew for certain was someone was keeping an eye on the castle. That someone was likely King Hiss. Snake Men had been spotted repeatedly just beyond the tree line watching the activity in and around Castle Grayskull. Several people volunteered to go root out and neutralize the scouts, but Garber vetoed the idea. Instead, he used the observers to his best advantage by allowing them to report only what the lieutenant wanted them to see.
At last, the pair arrived at the spot where the Sorceress had disappeared and later re-appeared. Lieutenant Garber could not hide his concern as the Sorceress looked for the proper stone block.
"Do not worry, lieutenant. I won't be gone long," she assured him.
A small crowd had begun to gather as word spread that the Sorceress was up and around. The Sorceress stepped upon a stone block indistinguishable from those around it. For a moment nothing happened, then the block slowly rose about twelve inches, then dropped just as slowly and smoothly into the pool below. Wisps of steam drifted up out of the opening followed by the flare of blindingly bright light. The scream of a large bird blasted from the opening an instant ahead of a mass of white energy that flew out of the pit. The mass rapidly solidified into the familiar shape of a red falcon with a blue beak, red, white, and blue striped tail feathers, red and blue wing feathers, and black orbs for eyes reflecting the intelligence no normal falcon possessed.
Zoar the Falcon squawked, flapped her wings to maintain her position around the average person's head height, then wheeled, and soared off around the impossibly large chamber. She looped around the globe and through large openings in stone support structures truly enjoying herself. After several minutes of putting on an acrobatic display no real falcon could ever be taught to perform, Zoar flew back tot eh stairway leading up to the stone throne where visitors would often find the Sorceress, and transformed back to her human form.
Both the headdress and the magic had been returned to her. The castle had not forsaken the Sorceress as she had first feared, and she was relieved beyond the ability to express vocally.
"Amazing," Garber replied, awed by what he had just witnessed. "Almost as amazing as this castle." He gestured to the globe, the skyline behind it, and the light coming from hidden sources. "Is that real or works of magic?"
"Both," the Sorceress replied. She and the lieutenant walked across the chamber to stand next to the staircase up to the eastern tower. The crowd dispersed as she explained the mechanics of what they were looking at. "You have undoubtedly noticed this castle is far larger inside that it is outside."
"That had not escaped my attention," Garber acknowledged.
"Well, think of it like this," the Sorceress said, hold both hands palms up. A black box materialized in each hand. The one in the left hand was about one quarter larger than the box in her right hand. "Which one is bigger?"
Frowning, the lieutenant pointed to the woman's left hand. "That one."
"All right." She walked over to the staircase and placed the larger box on the flattened spiral end of the handrail, and walked back or to the lieutenant. She held up the smaller box and asked, "Now which one is bigger."
Garber's frown deepened as he tried to wrap his brain around where this was going. "That one," he said, pointing to the box resting on the handrail.
"But it looks smaller."
"That's because it's further away."
"Right. Now if you could have a box that size and distance away, but have it here with this smaller one, the large box would now fit inside the smaller one," the Sorceress explained at length.
Garber exclaimed, "That's crazy!"
"That's trans-dimension mechanics; a key Elder discovery shortly after the Counsel of Elders was formed," she chastised mildly.
Before they could argue the point further, they were interrupted by a buzzing from his headset mike. Evidently, a couple of explorers ventured into parts of the castle Garber proclaimed off-limits. Two soldiers accidentally discovered one of several entrances to the heart of the castle were the true power of the Elders was stored. The explorers had been taken by surprise when the stone gargoyle-like face came alive and asked them if they sought the castle's secrets.
Lieutenant Garber excused himself and strode purposely toward the stairway back around the corner from the elevated throne where the many time/space portals were located. Sorceress smiled slightly listening to the lieutenant's threats to have her create a Navy yardarm for the express purpose of hanging the interlopers from it.
She cast her thoughts toward the immediate future, trying to discern whether or not Grayskull was in urgent danger. Before she could delve too far, however, she became aware of something else. The presence of a certain person began to fill her mind, and she silently groaned. She had been expecting this visit, for she knew that was what it was, but it was not one she had been looking forward to.
Knowing she had a few minutes before her 'guest' was due to arrive, the Sorceress drew her thoughts back to herself at a somewhat leisurely pace. She begged her leave of the Lieutenant and made her way upstairs, knowing that when the 'visitor' arrived, she would do so in her personal chambers. Still inwardly dreading this encounter but knowing that there was nothing she could do to stop it, the Sorceress made her way back into her room. Once there, Teela'Na sat down in her chair to wait. She took a private moment for herself, just relaxing her body as she waited. Dying always took so much out of someone.
After several long moments had passed, she looked towards the mirror in her room, idly fixing a few stray feathers on her headdress as she waited the final few moments for her 'guest.'
"Are you expecting someone, dear?" came the all-too familiar voice from behind her, and the Sorceress did not have to glance at the woman's reflection in the mirror to know who it was. Even so, she turned around, hiding her minimal surprise at the silent arrival.
She frowned slightly as Moria Vadorian smirked softly back at her, the elder woman's head quirked a little to the side as she stood against the back wall. "No one of importance," the Sorceress replied glumly. "Only you."
Moria put a hand on her chest, looking at the redhead theatrically. "Oh, you were primping for me. I didn't know you cared."
"I don't," the Sorceress nearly snarled, not even bothering to get out of her chair as she glared at the other woman. "What are you doing here, Moria?"
"What?" the elder woman questioned, feigning innocence. "I cannot just stop by to see how you are feeling?" Before the Sorceress could answer, the elder woman continued, genuinely. "How are you feeling, te lynïa?"
Teela'Na crossed her arms in front of her, suspicious. "Since when do you honestly care how I'm doing?"
The elder woman smiled softly at her, replying quietly. "Believe it or not, dear, your continued existence does matter to me."
"I'm sure it does," the Sorceress muttered sarcastically, knowing and not caring that Moria could hear it. "For some entirely self-serving reason." She groaned quietly, closing her eyes and then reopening them. "What do you want?"
The white-haired woman countered amusedly, "I have to want something, too?" She slowly took a few steps forward, caressing the Sorceress' cheek with the tips of her fingers. "What makes you so sure that I was not simply genuinely concerned for your well-being?"
"Because you always want something," the Sorceress stated flatly, batting the hand away and rising out of her chair.
"Ah. Well, I cannot argue you there, dear," Moria returned, smiling softly as she returned her hand to her side, leaning the other arm against the back of the chair Teela'Na had been sitting in. "In this case, however, what I 'want' correlates with your own wishes."
The Sorceress crossed her arms over her chest and muttered out of the corner of her mouth, "I doubt it."
Moria raised one eyebrow as she regarded the other woman. "Oh," she stated simply. "Well then, it appears I've been wasting your time. Do forgive me, dear." She turned, as if she were about to go. "I simply thought you might appreciate warning of King Hiss' imminent attack on this castle."
Teela'Na's eyes opened wider and she stared at the elder woman's retreating back, exclaiming, "What! When!"
With her patented smirk, the Ancient Queen turned back. "Within the next twenty-four hours. Do I hold your attention now?"
"Yes," came the immediate response, though Teela'Na disliked having to say it.
"Good. King Hiss has ordered that every fighter and piece of equipment that can be spared will descend upon Grayskull within the next day."
The Sorceress sat back into her chair, taking in the words of the elder woman with suspicion. "What makes you think this?"
"I saw it in my pool, and my daughter just confirmed it to me," came the reply.
Teela'Na barked out a short laugh. "And which of those is supposed to make me believe you? I have no reason at all to trust you."
Moria's eyes lowered, and she nodded slowly. "You're right. You do not." Gradually, her gaze rose, locking eyes with the other woman. "But I have very rarely ever lied to you, Te lynïa. And you did think he was going to attack."
"That isn't exactly guesswork, Moria. He has coveted the power in this castle for centuries," the Sorceress replied, turning away from the elder woman.
"And perhaps you knew, too, that he has given the order for its destruction?" the elder woman countered, her eyes beginning to pinwheel ever so slightly.
The redhead snapped her eyes back toward Moria. "What!" she demanded almost wildly. Never, in the entire history of her guardianship of the Castle, had anyone simply tried to just destroy the castle. The secrets and power within had always been considered too much of a prize to waste by any force.
"If his forces and I will remind you that they will be considerable, do not succeed in the conquest of the Castle, he has given his commanding officer permission to destroy it," Moria repeated. She paused for a moment, watching as expressions of slight panic and uncertainty passed over the redhead's face. "Do you still think I am lying to you?" The Sorceress glared at her for a moment and then closed her eyes, sighing heavily in resignation. "No," Moria answered for her, smiling softly. "You cannot afford to."
Teela'Na sighed once more and then rose from her chair, turning to the white-haired woman. "I'll grant you that, Moria," she growled, not happy about the current situation. "But that does not mean I do not doubt your motives. What is in this for you?"
Lady Moria Vadorian straightened herself, hiding even her smirk behind her sang-froid. "How do you mean?" she questioned, her tone becoming as emotionless as her face.
"Why does it matter to you who wins this battle?" The younger woman pressed angrily, knowing that Moria's impassive state was a minimal retreat. "How does the fate of this entire war even affect you at all!"
The Ancient Queen turned away, swallowing slowly as her expressionless composure began to ever so slightly crack. "…Hiss has my daughter in a position that she cannot get out of by herself. I want her to be free." Moria looked over her shoulder at the Sorceress. "I would think you, of all people, would understand that, Te lynïa."
The Sorceress hid her inner feelings, recalling with pain her last conversation with Teela. "Very well," she conceded after a long moment. "As you said, I cannot afford to not trust you, at least this time," she finished, stressing the last four words. "Should I expect further 'assistance' from you in the future?"
Moria chuckled softly and a tiny hint of her smirk fell over her lips. "It is possible."
Teela'Na nodded and sighed, as if anticipating something of the sort. "You won't give me a definite answer, of course."
"You know how I loathe being predictable, dear," the white-haired woman replied, smirking at her.
Muttering irritably, the Sorceress groaned, "How like you, Moria. You set the events in motion and simply stand back to watch them unfold."
"How like you, Teela'Na," Moria countered, surprising the Sorceress with the use of her real name, which the elder woman almost never used. "I offer you my assistance and still you resent me for it." She sighed softly, wondering idly to herself if these visits of hers would ever end without either of them being angry. Gradually, she turned to go, setting up her portal with a swift motion of her hand. She paused at the wall, just before leaving. "I wonder," she began quietly, looking inquisitively at the other woman as she decided to test something. "Even if I saved your life, would you still feel bitterness towards me?"
The Sorceress crossed her arms over her chest impassively. "Hopefully, we'll never have to worry about that," she responded as coldly as she could.
Moria nodded slowly, looking down at the floor. So Kodec had kept her word. "I suppose not," she replied, passing her hand through the wall. "Goodbye, Te lynïa. I shall see you again soon." She smiled not unkindly, and then was gone.
Afterwards, the Sorceress groaned quietly to herself. "Too soon, I'm sure."