The bodies of his family and friends lay around him. He saw Duncan first. Then his parents. Tears streamed down his face. Adora lay near them, her body broken and twisted. Further away was…Teela, her green eyes staring into nothing. His heart broke, and he cried out his pain and anguish.

"Adam! Wake up!" Hands shook his shoulders. He jerked awake, grabbing the arms and ripping the hands from him with abnormal strength.

"Ow! Adam, it's me," Teela gasped, nearly falling to her knees.Adam's eyes suddenly focused in on her, and he let go.

"Ancients, Teela, I'm sorry," he said, collapsing back on the bed. "Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head, rubbing her arms lightly. "I came in a while ago with your breakfast, and you were tossing and turning. I wasn't sure if I should wake you. Then you just let out this…unreal cry. As if you were breaking inside. What was it?" Her eyes searched his face, taking in the haunted look and the lines of exhaustion that stayed there even after three days of rest.

"Just a dream," Adam muttered.

"Adam-"

"Don't tell anyone, Teela, please. I don't want to worry anyone. It's just memories of the fears from the spell. They'll go away," Adam assured her. She hesitated. "Please Teela. I'm asking you as a friend. Don't make me order you as the prince."

Her back stiffened with the threat, but the look on his face stopped her from making the retort that flew to her tongue. Adam didn't want to go that route, she could tell, but he would try if he had to. He really couldn't, actually, because her first duty was still to the king, not the prince. This was almost a test of some sort, she sensed. Of their friendship, and something more…

"I won't tell your parents," she said softly. "But you have to promise me you'll tell my father or the Sorceress…someone who can help you through it. Because this scares me. I don't like what it's doing to you."

Adam stared at her a moment, then nodded curtly. "If they continue, I'll talk with someone. Thanks."

Teela stared at him uncertainly for a moment. This wasn't her happy-go-lucky prince. This was someone weighed down by things she only partially understood.

Adam wanted nothing more than to be left alone, but Teela looked so uncharacteristically lost, he couldn't find a way to ask her to leave without hurting her feelings. She still hadn't left by the time he'd used the bathroom and come out, and rather than be rude, he invited her to sit while he ate breakfast.

"I guess you arrived just in time when Skeletor attacked Grayskull the other day," Adam commented, for lack of anything better to say. Battles with Skeletor were always safe discussions.

Teela shrugged. "I guess. I couldn't believe He-Man was out there fighting them off after all he'd been through. He was actually holding his own pretty well until Skeletor caught him off-guard with a blast."

"And then there's me. I can't even walk down the hall without practically passing out," Adam said, surprising them both with the bitterness in his voice. Where did that come from? he wondered.

"Adam, why do you insist on comparing yourself to him in the most ridiculous ways?" Teela demanded. "You two are completely different!"

"Oh? How so?" Adam knew he should stop the conversation, but curiosity got the better of him for once. He knew what she'd say. Let her dig herself out of this, he thought. The uncharitable thought was completely unlike him, he knew, but he didn't feel quite like himself either.

"He-Man has the power of Grayskull giving him extraordinary strength, and you're a normal man!" Teela exclaimed, clearly exasperated. "He's a warrior, and you're a gentleman! He's courageous, and you're-" she broke off, turning red.

"A coward," Adam finished softly. Hurt and shame filled him, and he dropped his eyes, toying with his food. He'd apparently played his role too well. In spite of what the Sorceress had said, he couldn't see Teela or Randor ever figuring out the truth. And he certainly wasn't going to willingly endanger them by telling them.

"No," she whispered. "Saving your father like you did—that was courageous, Adam. Breaking that spell took courage too." Her voice gained in volume slowly as she began to sort through things. "There have been other times you've come after me when He-Man couldn't be there. You're one of the most courageous people I know when you have to be." She stopped and stared at him until he met her eyes. "I don't understand, Adam. You're obviously not a coward. So why do you disappear every time there's trouble?"

"I still don't think we need him for this," Evil-Lyn complained to Skeletor as they waited near the Sands of Time.

"Silence, witch. I've studied this spell for years, and even combined our magic cannot complete it," Skeletor replied, scanning the desert for the third member of their party.

"And what spell might that be?" Count Marzo asked from behind them. "Something you think will defeat the mighty He-Man, I understand?"

Skeletor whirled around with an evil chuckle. "Marzo, how nice of you to join us. Yes, I have a plan to make He-Man the most hated man in the universe. Are you interested?"

"Absolutely. Please, do tell me more," Marzo replied, with a twisted smile and an evil glint in his eye.

The queen and king took a stroll immediately after breakfast, their first quiet time together since the attack four days ago.

"Have you been in to see Adam much?" Marlena asked her husband. She herself had spent hours on end just watching her son sleep, thankful that Skeletor had failed. Orko and others had come in, but Adam had slept through most of the visits. Randor nodded.

"We had a good talk yesterday," he told her. "I never wanted to believe that you were right, that he doubted my love for him. But you were. I hope he feels better about it now."

"And you?" Marlena prodded, sensing there was more.

Randor hesitated. "I don't really know my own son," he admitted. "I know that others believe he is a coward, and that's why he runs from battles. But he's gone from here for hours on end. I think perhaps Duncan may know why, but he's never said anything definitive. I've realized that Adam has a life I know nothing about. I love him, I'm proud of what I do know about him, but…he's hiding something from us, Marlena."

She nodded. "I agree. I've thought so for a long time."

Randor turned to her with hope in his eyes. "Do you know what it is?"

"No," she said softly. "I have ideas, but I don't know anything for sure."

Randor nodded sadly. After a few minutes it became clear she'd said all she was going to say. He kissed her gently, and they went their separate ways for the day, his mind heavy with her words.

Adam stared at Teela, not sure how to answer her question. The sword had always protected him from questions like this, or Grayskull's wisdom had provided him with a vague answer that shouldn't have satisfied the questioner, but did anyway. Always answer honestly, Adam, the Sorceress' voice came back to him from years ago. You must not abuse the power of Grayskull by lying.

"Because I have to," he finally answered. If Teela was still under the full strength of the sword's magic, that would be enough to satisfy her.

"Why do you have to?" Teela didn't know why she was being so persistent. She just felt that she needed to know.

"I can't tell you that," he muttered. You must keep your secret at all costs, the voice from his past came again. If your enemies ever find out you are He-Man, the lives of all those you love would be in danger.

"What?"

"I said I can't tell you!" he snapped, his patience broken. He propped his elbows on the table and buried his face in his hands. "Just go away, Teela, please. I need some rest."

Something made her stay put. For the life of her, she couldn't explain it. Normally she would have snapped back at him, but today, she felt nothing but peace and patience as she stared at him.

"I'm not leaving, Adam, until you tell me," she said calmly. He lifted his head and glared at her.

"Then you're going to have a really long wait, because-" he broke off as a knock sounded and his mother came in.

"Good morning!" she said cheerily, then stopped short, taking in the sight before her. Teela looked completely comfortable, while Adam looked as distressed as she'd ever seen him.

"Am I interrupting something?" she asked innocently.

"No," grumbled her normally good-natured son. Marlena stared at him with wide eyes.

"Adam was just going to tell me why he always disappears when there's trouble, even though he's obviously not a coward," Teela informed her with a self-satisfied smirk. Adam folded his arms and put his head down, groaning.

"Because he's keeping a promise," his mother answered smoothly. Adam's head jerked up, his startled expression almost comical.

"What promise?" Teela asked, annoyed for the first time since she'd started the conversation.

"I don't know," Marlena answered honestly. "But that's the only thing I can think of that would keep someone with courage from partaking in a fight."

Teela shrugged and stood to give Adam a hug good-bye. "This isn't over," she whispered in his ear. "You owe me for keeping your secret." His heart lurched before he realized she was talking about his nightmares.

Adam awoke from his nap in late afternoon, drenched in sweat. The dreams just seemed to be getting more and more detailed, and each time he woke he felt less rested instead of more. Now he was left with a feeling of deep depression, something he barely recognized, and only because he'd seen it in others. Although he'd been upset over the conflicts created by his dual role as He-Man—especially the ridicule of his father, Teela, and others—the fact that as He-Man he did an immeasurable amount of good kept him from being down for long. This was almost suffocating. Cringer, sensing his mood, jumped up onto the bed.

"What's wrong, Adam?" he asked timidly.

Adam threw an arm around Cringer and hugged him tight. He didn't answer, and Cringer's worry grew. Adam always talked to him. When he was sure that Adam had fallen back to sleep, he crept out of the room, and ran to Duncan's workshop.

"Man-at-Arms?" Cringer called in his trembling voice. Duncan and Teela looked up from working on one of Duncan's many inventions.

"Cringer? What are you doing down here?" Duncan asked.

"I'm worried about Adam," the tiger answered. "There's something really wrong with him."

"I agree," Teela added quickly. "He…wasn't himself this morning."

"Adam has been through a terrible ordeal. We must give him time to heal," Duncan assured the two of them.

Teela shook her head. "No, Father. There's more to it than him needing rest."

"What do you know about it, Teela?" her father demanded.

"I-I can't say," she admitted. "I promised Adam I wouldn't tell his parents if he agreed to talk to someone about it. I don't feel right telling you behind his back."

Duncan nodded. "All right. I'll go speak to him."

Adam had woken up again when his parents brought in his dinner. Feeling even worse than before, he got up and sat at the table without a word.

"How are you feeling, Adam?" Marlena asked, kissing the top of his head. Adam shrugged, which caused pain to ripple through his neck and shoulders. It was the only thing he seemed to be able to feel.

Eyeing his son critically, Randor cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to come down earlier, son. There was an uproar in Northern Eternia today; some rogues causing trouble. A few of the masters took care of it, but I had to personally go to address the concerns of the villagers."

Adam barely heard his father. Randor and Marlena looked closely at him. For as long as they could remember, Adam had been a fun-loving, positive person. His reputation as a warm, caring individual earned him both respect and criticism, but that's who he was. Today, there was no trace of that person. There were shadows in his eyes. Normally he seemed as if he didn't have a care in the world; now he looked as if he just didn't care.

Randor reached over and grabbed Adam's hand. His son looked down at their clasped hands, but made no effort to move or speak.

"Adam? Adam, why aren't you saying anything?" Randor asked, his voice going from gentle to a bit harsh with his worry.

"Adam please tell us what's wrong," Marlena begged, stress showing in her face. Adam's mouth opened just a little, then closed. He couldn't even find the energy to respond. He couldn't explain what was wrong, either. Randor felt a mixture of anger and concern, and wisely kept silent for the moment as he tried to figure out his son.

"He was grumpy before," Marlena said worriedly, "but he wasn't like this."

It's just hopeless, Adam thought. The fact that his parents were in the room speaking to him wasn't registering. The depression was beginning to consume him. No one understands. It's never going to end. It'll always be this way.

Adam still hadn't spoken by the time Duncan and Cringer came in. The tiger looked guiltily at Adam and laid down at his feet.

Man-at-Arms was shocked by Adam's appearance. Yesterday he had looked exhausted and in pain, but he'd been laughing, talking—he was Adam. Now he looked haunted, as if he'd seen the worst in the world and lived to tell about it. It was as if someone had snuffed out his caring, outgoing, fun personality, and replaced it with a mask.

Duncan pulled up a chair. "Out with it, son. What's going on with you?"

Adam didn't respond. Duncan was even more alarmed. The only time he'd ever seen this man stoic was in the persona of He-Man, when some evil villain was trying to get information from him. Adam always had a witty response to everything, no matter how serious. How had he slipped into such a deep depression so quickly?

"Adam, we can't help you if you won't talk to us," Duncan tried again.

The shake of his head was barely perceptible. He looked out his window and saw Zoar, the Sorceress' falcon form, sitting there. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. Go away, he thought. Leave me alone.

Prince Adam, you have every reason to be down right now. You have been attached physically, mentally, and spiritually during the last several days, she said, speaking telepathically to both him and Duncan. Adam felt a slight stirring in his heart as she reached out to him with Grayskull's magic; Duncan paid rapt attention to what she said. However, this depression is not normal. The depths of what you are feeling are a result of the remnants of Kaspanya's spell. Remember that he left some of his magic in you when he retreated to the talisman. That magic was not caught up in the crystal with the rest. It continues to attack you. You must fight it, Adam.

How? Duncan asked her. How can he fight it?

I do not know, the falcon replied, with great sadness. She slowly flew away. Good luck, Prince Adam.

Adam watched her go, knowing he should be angry that this spell still had any kind of hold on him after all he'd been through. But he just couldn't bring himself to care.

If you won't talk to me, I know who will, Duncan thought, and went to find his daughter. The king and queen continued to talk to Adam, trying to draw him out.

"Teela, I need to talk to you," Duncan said urgently when he found her in her room.

"Did you talk to Adam?"

Duncan shook his head. "He won't talk. He's in a deep depression. The Sorceress says that it is because part of Kaspanya's magic is still affecting him, the part not taken away when the crystal absorbed it." He stopped short, realizing his mistake.

"I thought He-Man removed that magic from Adam," Teela said in confusion.

"We thought he did, but ah, apparently it didn't completely work," Man-at-Arms fumbled.

"Oh. So what do we need to do?"

"I need to know what Adam told you. You said you promised not to tell his parents if he agreed to talk with someone, and he's not talking. You're the only one who knows what's going on."

"He's been having nightmares about what that spell put him through," Teela said without hesitating. She'd known when her father came in that she was going to have to tell him. "He had four fears that he had to work through, and I don't think it's the first two that he's been having nightmares about. I think it's the last two. One is about his wife and children being taken hostage, and the other is about…all of us being killed and Skeletor taking over the power of Grayskull, and ruling the universe. He said he felt like it was all his fault." She grew thoughtful. "Why would he say that, Father?"

"You'll have to ask him that, Teela," Duncan said, shaking his head. She was getting closer and closer to figuring it out, he felt sure.

"Man-at-Arms, Captain Teela!" A soldier came running in. "Skeletor is attacking!"