"Countdown"

By Jagwarknight, Fusion Blaster, PrincessAdora, General Stingrad, Classic Cowboy, and thew40

This story takes place after "Tears of Sorrow, Tears of Hope"

Deep within in the bowls of Snake Mountain, Hiss was plotting. In a strange way, the events that have happened were a boon to him as it pushed him to delve deeper into the ancient texts and research into the First Age.

It was then that something caught his eye. The location of the last of the great first age beasts...

Pythor.

Hiss looked at the text relating to the beast before shutting the book close for the moment. He paused in thought for the moment before summoning the Generals.

Now what does he have planned? Rattlor thought grimly to himself as he and the others entered the room.

Evil-Lynn sat at the mouth of Snake Mountain. She had been sitting there for several hours. Contemplating her lot in life. She was not happy.

"Hold it together, he said. Hold it for my return he said. Bastard gives me what I've been wanting and now I find it's a load of shit."

She thought back to her past and how it began. The early days with Keldor seemed a lifetime ago. Then with his transformation things changed. Their relationship changed and she began to desire his position of leadership. Now she laughed at having those desires.

Now she had it and what had she done in that time. Nothing. She had sat there when the Horde came in. She had simply had the forces under her control sit idle for years as the Hordak kept his power growing. The Rebellion was now all but a non factor these days. With He-man and Skeletor both gone none could face Hordak in combat. Even the vaunted King Hiss would not face him one on one.

She sighed as another dark thought occurred to her. It would only be a matter of time until the Horde finished the rebellion off and then break the non aggression pact they signed. "Now there was an inspired idea. Skeletor would never have just capitulated like that." She stood and now began to pace. No he would have signed but he would have begun striking in secret. He would have made sure Hordak knew he was in only holding what was his by right." She then slammed a fist against a stone fang.

The rage she had dissipated slightly as the pain in her fist increased. Hiss had slipped deep into Snake Mountain days before. She knew he had something planned. Patience is what she needed now. Soon Hiss would make his move. The lord of the snakes would draw all the attention to himself and she knew that once they weakened their forces then hers would be ready and fresh. She looked up into the sky and saw a shooting star. She smiled, it was an omen. Soon things would change. She could feel it.

"Of all the things I had to do on my day off fish... without my brother," Adora thought to herself as she made herself comfortable on the grass next to a tall oak tree. Threading the worm she had found in the mud on the hook she cast the rod into the crystal waters of the lake where she and her brother spent a lot of time when she visited from Etheria. "Where are you when I need you, Adam? I don't know if I did that right. I've seen you do it half a million times," she thought to herself hoping that her brother would hear her, even if she knew he was too far away to do so.

It was then Adora sensed the presence of her twin brother near by. Shaking her head she couldn't believe what her mind was telling her. "Your mind is playing tricks on you Adora. Adam is not going to be back anytime soon. I must miss him so much and now I'm seeing him," Adora told herself as she leaned back and waited for a fish to bite. She was tired sore and exhausted.. They were virtually prisoners due to Hordak's conquest of Etheria, the only place she could go was the Crystal Pond but even did not make her happy. "Where are you when I need you Adam? Please come back home soon where ever you are," she said as she began to feel a bit more relaxed

She continued to fish, but she could not shake the feeling that Adam had returned, "It couldn't it," she said as she closed her eyes and concentrated. To her surprise she could sense Adam, "It is him," she said happily, she couldn't believe it, her brother had returned and with him hope that Hordak could be overthrown and Etheria be liberated, "I have to tell the others," she said as she raced from the Crystal Pond to the castle to tell the others

When she arrived to the Crystal castle she found her best friend Casta in the antechamber of the castle. The queen of Mysticor looked over at her with a look of surprise and handed Adora her canteen, "What ever is the matter Adora? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Adam, he's back. I saw him when I was fishing," Adora told her frantically.

"I think you've been working too hard, Adora, you need to rest," Casta said as she took Adora back to the Crystal Castle.

Adora turned around and looked at her friend with a look of disbelief, "You don't believe me?" she said indignantly as she left Casta and entered the main hall of the castle.

"I'll show her, I'll show her Adam's real, besides I know that the others will believe me," she said to herself as she saw Bow and Glimmer nearby.

"Bow! Glimmer, I have wonderful news, Adam, he's back," she told excitedly, hoping they would believe her.

Bow and Glimmer looked at each other than Adora, "Adora, I think you need something to drink, you seeing things," Bow said as he went to help Adora.

"I can't believe, can't you sense it, Adam's back, I just know it," she said as she left to search for the one person who could give her assurance-Light Hope.

She left the main hall and went to dungeons to find the entrance to the caverns of Chronos beneath the Crystal Castle.

She still didn't like the dungeons, but she knew what to expect now, she walked passed the skeletons, but even though she had seen them before they still filled her with horror and wonder- who were they and what was their offence that warranted them to be sent her- but she did not have time for such things, she was on a mission.

She got down on her knees and began to search for the clocks on the floor that pointed to the entrance, once she found them she followed them until she found the entrance, "I hope he's here," she said as opened the door and entered the caves.

"Light Hope you here?" she asked as she waited for her eyes to adjust, then continuing her search.

As she wondered through the caverns she marveled at drawings of clocks and scythes on the walls of the cave, she knew that Mermista told her that monks once lived there, but she knew only what she and Light Hope told her, how they worshipped Chronos and he was said to still guard this area.

Meanwhile on the surface, Bow was thinking about Adora's words. "Could it be she was right and her brother has returned? But that couldn't be, could it? From what Adora said Adam accompanied He-Man to whatever planet he was on, but his gut told him that this might be more than wishful thinking, and he should keep his eyes open, if only it was out of hope and a hunch.

Meanwhile, in the dungeon, Adora was still looking to Light Hope, when she heard a voice say, "Light Hope is resting, but maybe I can be of assistance?" a voice answered her.

Adora turned around and saw the familiar form of Chronos behind her, "Chronos I'm a glad to see you," she said as she looked at the mysterious being, she was curious how Chronos could manifest himself outside of dreams and visions, but concluded that as Master of Time, Chronos could do as he wished.

"What brings you to my sanctuary, young one," he said as he removed his hood, revealing his aged face.

"I seek your help, I need to know, is my brother back home?" she asked her friend.

Chronos closed his eyes and remained silent for a moment before saying, "he is on his way home, do not fear," and opened his eyes.

"I knew it, but why don't believe me, why do they think I'm crazy," she asked him, curious to know the answer.

"They don't have the benefit of your intuition and worry that time has taken it's toll on your mind," he explained to her carefully.

"What can I do to make them believe me?" she asked him anxious to persuade her friend to her beliefs.

"Allow time to work its magic and you can help that magic by giving them this," he said as he took out a pocket watch from his robe, "this is pocket watch of all times, it shows what will be, it help them see that you are right," he explained to her.

"Thank you, Chronos," she said as she carefully put the watch in her pocket and left to tell her friends, just as she reached the entrance again, she looked back, wanting to see if Chronos was watching her, but to her surprised, he was gone, bur she had other things to do, like persuade her friends and with her mysterious friend's help, she will.

Teela yawned as she stepped out of the meeting tent into the hidden cavern. The meeting proved to be as usually boring and tiresome. But despite her headache the sound of children's laughter brought a smile to her face.

"There you are," Teela smiled as she turned a corner, but the sight brought her to a full stop. For a moment she saw a young blond headed boy with a large grin on his face being chased by a redheaded young girl with a matching expression. She watched them for a moment, before she shook her head, the blond headed boy faded back to her dark haired son Addison and the girl's red mane became a platinum blond. "Addison!" She said loud enough to grab the boy's attention.

"Mommy!" He beamed as he ran to her, slowly followed by the suddenly shy girl. "Mommy, meet my new friend, Layla." He said motioning to the flushing young girl.

"Nice to meet you, Layla," Teela said going to one knee to get on eye level with the young girl. "Are you new to the group?"

"Ahuh, mommy and daddy came to be with everyone else here last week," she said not fully understanding what was going on with the rebellion.

"Layla!" A woman called from the far end of the camp. "It's time for dinner,"

"I gotta go," She said, glancing from her mother to Addison and his mother. "See you tomorrow, Addie!" She said giving him a quick hug before barreling toward her mother.

"I think it's time for someone else's dinner too," Teela said taking her son's hand and leading toward their own tent.

Later that night as Teela began to tuck her pride and joy into bed for the night, she smiled down at him. "You and Layla seem to have hit it off well." She winked.

"Moooom," Addison whined with a flush. "She's just my friend."

"I know, I just think its sweet," She said before frowning slightly.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Addison asked, picking up on her sadness instantly. "Just because Layla is my new best friend doesn't mean I'll run away from you," he said misunderstanding.

"You're silly," Teela laughed, leaning down to kiss the boy's nose. "I know, and you should know you will always be my baby. But that's not why mommy's sad."

"Then why?" Addison's curious eyes cut through hers like a knife.

"You and your new friend just reminds me of …" She drifted off, "I tell you what, why don't I tell you a new bedtime story? This one's about mommy when she was your age."

"Ok!" He grinned excitedly.

"Ok …" Teela began as she sat down in the chair next to his bed. "When mommy was a little girl, I believe just about your age, your grandpa was very active in defending Eternia."

"Like a knight in shinning armor?" Addison piped in.

"Exactly like that," Teela nodded with a fond smile. "But because of what he did he traveled a lot, and took me with him." Teela sat back and looked out the window of the tent. "But finally he came to Eternos City, and there I met my first friend, my most true friend…his name was … is Adam."

Teela wiped a tear quickly before her son could catch her crying. "He was a bottle of energy, nothing compared to me, but he could easily keep up with my playing. And ... despite the fact I didn't have a mommy and was raised by my very famous daddy he didn't treat me any different at all. In fact, we had loads and loads in common, and we were friends for a long, long time."

"What happened to him mommy?" Addison asked innocently.

"You've heard mommy and others talk about He-Man haven't you?" Teela asked, glancing to her son.

"Ahuh, he's gone off to fight some bad man, right?" Addison asked crinkling his nose in thought.

"That's right, and Adam went with him to help, after all you know what I always tell you about going to someplace you don't know …"

"Never go alone," Addison chorused with an eye roll.

"Good boy."

"Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?" Teela leaned forward.

"Your bestest friend," He asked biting his lip. "Was he my daddy?"

"No, sweetheart, your daddy's gone to be with the elders and to watch over you from above," She said brushing his hair with his fingers, "But you know what? Adam even though he's not your daddy he's going to love you, I just know it. And he'll teach you how to fish, how to climb a tree, and do stuff like hide from mommy to get out of doing work," she said teasingly.

"Really?" Addison said his eyes shinning excitedly.

"Really," Teela nodded kissing his forehead.

"Will he be my new Daddy?" he asked, and Teela's throat constricted instantly.

She glanced away for a moment, before looking back. "I really don't know about that, baby… but I do know … Adam will be one of the truest friends you could ever have."

"Like Layla?" Addison asked innocently.

"I hope so," Teela nodded, "Now go to sleep rug-rat," She said kissing him one last time before blowing out his light.

Teela started to leave the room before glancing to the curled up boy in the bed, then up to the stars outside the window. "He-Man … wherever you are … bring my best friend home with you safe … Addison and me … we need him as much as Eternia needs you." She said before turning and going to her own bed.

Adam stood on the bridge of the Starship Eternia, blue eyes looking out at the stars as they zoomed by. The mission was complete. The war was over and Skeletor was finally defeated. His heart thundered in his chest, his stomach feeling a fleet of butterflies flying within. Tomorrow . . . tomorrow he would be back home.

He turned his back to the window and started to head to his quarters. However, just as he was about to the corridor, he looked back once more.

Though he knew no one could hear it, he drew a breath and simply said: "I'm on my way."

THE STORY CONTINUES IN "ACROSS ALL WORLDS - BOOK ONE: ETERNIA"