I wanted to take this time to say thank you for the reviews, especially the recent ones. I haven't forgotten about you guys or this story! Sorry it took so long to get a chapter of this out. I hope you enjoy it!
Noticing Adam: The Uprising Chapter 20
He was filled with rage and it was overwhelming in its intensity. Even when Skeletor had tried to kill Adam in front of him, he hadn't felt like this. At that time, he had been too worried about his son's life to give into the anger of Adam being subjected to such treatment…but right now, Adam was alive and safe in his arms but completely vulnerable and overwhelmed. He would admit it: he was filled with murderous intent, and if Adam pulled back and looked into his eyes, he knew his son would see it.
He tried his best to school his expression, especially since the others looked on worriedly, but he just couldn't. His mind was already jumping to things he could do as retaliation for the pain Hordak had caused Adam. He was no longer thinking with a benevolent and pacifistic mindset, and truthfully, he didn't want to. Hordak had pushed him too far this time. For once in his life, he allowed himself to feel complete and utter hatred towards the villain. Hordak was a monster, plain and simple.
He thought about all the things Hordak had done that he knew about: Hordak had led an army to invade Eternia; his men and he had killed numerous people during the war on the planet; he had kidnapped his daughter when she was a baby; he had tried to do the same with Adam; he had kept Adora away from them for twenty years; he had tricked Adora into serving evil most of her adult life; he had invaded Etheria; no doubt he had killed people when he did that; he had made most of the Etherian people slaves to do his bidding and if he didn't, he had taxed them to death; he had saved Skeletor when they had won the war over Eternia; he had kidnapped Adam and brainwashed him; and now, he subjected his son to witnessing a person being murdered. Not only that, his actions made his sensitive son feel responsible for it.
"He deserves to die," he told himself confidently. He never thought he would ever think those words about anyone ever, but that was how he felt. He couldn't deny it, couldn't escape it. Besides, how could he not? Hordak was the kind of villain that would continue his evildoings until the day he dies. Even if they managed to defeat the Horde and make them leave the planet, Hordak and his men would go elsewhere and do the same thing there. In fact, he might do worse! He shook his head and told himself again, "He deserves to die."
He felt Adam stiffen in his arms. His son pulled his head back and stared into his eyes. "What?" he asked.
Instead of answering the question right away, Randor took in his son's appearance now that he could see his face again: his eyes were red from crying, tearstains streaked down his cheeks, his skin was red from the emotional outburst he had, and he was looking at him almost as if he were scared.
When he didn't answer the question after a long wait, Adam asked again, "What did you say a moment ago, Father?" He brought his hand up and wiped at his face.
It was at that moment that Randor realized he must have spoken aloud. He didn't look away from his son and didn't regret his words for a second. At the very least, it helped Adam to calm down and focus once more. Adam was worried about his father killing someone, yes, but he was rational now for the moment. Randor locked his jaw in determination and then answered, "I said Hordak deserves to die."
Adam, Teela, and Adora gasped.
"Father," Adam said shaking his head continuously, "please don't say that. I feel guilty enough as it is. I'm already responsible for one death. Let's not make it another."
Randor gritted his teeth and then spat, "You are not responsible for anything that monster has done, Adam, so get that out of your head right now! He killed that man, not you! And, when I kill Hordak, it won't be your fault either—it will be his, because he is the one who pushed me that far! He is the one who kidnapped and hurt my children. He is the one who brutalizes and tortures people. He's the one who invades worlds and causes destruction. He must be stopped permanently."
"Not like that," Adam said firmly.
Randor's resolve did not waver. "Tell me another way to stop him once and for all, Adam. Tell me and I'll consider it."
Adam turned his head and looked over at Adora. She was wiping her eyes, as well. Why she was crying, he was unsure. Was it because he was upset or that their father was contemplating on killing the man that had raised her? Regardless, he couldn't allow it to happen. "We can capture him," he stated determinedly; "We'll lock him in an Eternian prison and keep him there for rest of his life."
The king sighed and said, "It won't work. He has magic and skills, Adam. You know that. He'll get out eventually, just like Beastman and the others did. It's obvious what we must do."
"We should never kill!" Adam cried. "We'll find another way! There is one—I just haven't thought of it yet."
Randor raised a hand to his son's shoulder and stared deeply into his eyes. "You have a heart of gold, Adam. It's obvious why you were chosen to be He-Man. You could so easily kill your opponents and solve everything once and for all, but you don't. You always give Hordak and Skeletor a chance to mend their ways. You always allow them to live. I do recognize the nobility in that, Adam. Normally, I feel the same way about this issue, but…Hordak is the exception. He kills people, he enslaves them, and he tortures them." His face wrinkled up in pain. "He tried to change who you are: he wanted to extinguish the innocence you are displaying right now with trying to convince me not to kill him."
"Please, Father," he mumbled. "Don't do this. I'm begging you."
Randor immediately pulled Adam into his arms once more. As his son wrapped his arms around his waist again, he thought about a way to end this once and for all without his son or daughter getting involved. He grinned and came up with an idea, but there was one catch. He needed to speak with Man-at-Arms. He pulled away and whispered, "I need to go for a walk and clear my head to think things through. Will you be all right if I leave you here with Adora and Teela?"
When Adam nodded, he stood and turned to leave.
"Are you sure you don't want one of us to go with you?" Adam asked. "It's getting dark and…"
"I'm sure. I just need to think. You know how I am. I must be alone when contemplating things," he answered.
Without waiting for a reply, he walked out of the tent and started to make his way back to the area where the Sorceress put the dimensional gate. He needed to go back to Eternia—he had to speak with Man-at-Arms. Together, Duncan and he would stop Hordak's tyranny once and for all, and if what he had in mind could be done, it would happen without Adam's involvement. There would be no way for his son to blame himself, and then he could bring his children home and they'd finally be the family they were always meant to be. He could hardly wait.
=)=)=)
Adora watched her father walk off; then, she turned to Adam. "Do you think he means it, brother? Do you think he really wants to kill Hordak?" She sat beside him on the bed and stared at the flap where their father had disappeared and gone outside.
Adam grabbed her hand and nodded. "Yeah, I do. He wants to. The question is if he will."
"Do you think he will?"
He looked at her and saw the worry in her eyes. He tilted his head downward as tears gathered in his. "I hope he doesn't. I don't want to be responsible for another death, and I would be precisely the reason why he'd do it." He looked up and stared at her morosely. "Besides, despite Father's current anger, I know he'd regret it if he actually did it. It would eat him up inside. I don't want him to feel what I feel now."
Adora sighed. "Adam, what happened at the Fright Zone isn't your fault."
Adam turned his head away stubbornly. Unfortunately, Teela took that opportunity to sit on the other side of him and said, "Adora's right, Adam. It wasn't your fault."
He merely folded his hands in his lap and stared straight ahead of him. Adora placed one hand on his and continued, "Hordak has killed many people over the years, Adam. She-Ra and He-Man have slowed the rate and opportunities that he has, but…he's killed. He's used to it. He wanted to kill that man today, Adam, because he wanted to frighten the others so they would stop fighting. He goes for the quick solution, and unfortunately, the quick solution is to usually kill the problem, person or not. Today would have happened regardless of whether you were there or not. The prisoners still would have been sorted through, and he would have separated both of them, especially since you said Devin didn't look fit to work in the Etherian Mines. Your presence changed nothing except for the fact that you were there to try to save him."
He stood and mumbled, "You don't know that, Adora." He knew she was trying to take away his guilt, but it wouldn't work.
"I do know," she insisted; "I know far better than you."
Adam turned to face her and widened his eyes slightly at her words. He had a horrible thought. "Did…did he ever kill someone in front of you when you were a kid?"
She shook her head. "No, he never did that, but I did witness him being cruel. Of course, he always had an excuse as to why it had to be done the few times that I had witnessed it. Also, there were some people who had 'disappeared.' I didn't know at the time, but looking back now, yes, I know he killed them."
Adam turned back around and looked at the ceiling for a moment. Then, he asked aloud but seemingly to no one in particular, "Is Father right? Does Hordak deserve to die after everything he's done?"
He heard both Teela and Adora gasp. He looked back at them. "I'm not saying we should do it."
Teela pursed her lips as she stood and went to his side. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he returned the hold. With her cheek resting on his shoulder, she admitted, "I'm not the best person to answer this question, because I'm biased. He hurt you deeply in so many ways. This is war, Adam, and if the opportunity presented itself on the battlefield, I wouldn't hesitate."
He looked down at the top of her head and grimaced. He looked over at Adora and noticed she adorned the exact same expression. "How do you feel about it, Adora?"
She stayed seated and stared at her hands, breathing calmly. "I'm not a good person to ask either. It's…difficult for me to answer that."
Teela pulled away from Adam and stood at his side. She slipped one hand around him and asked Adora, "What do you mean?"
She looked at her brother and whispered, "I want Hordak to pay for every wrong he has caused you and our parents. I want him to pay for what he's done to the people of Etheria, and yet…"
"You don't want to see him killed," Adam finished.
She nodded. "I just don't know if I could be a part of that, much less see it or know about it."
Adam nodded. He bent down and kissed Teela's forehead. He then left his embrace and went over to Adora. Tears gathered in his eyes again and he whispered, "I have to go back to the Fright Zone."
"What?" Adora and Teela exclaimed.
"Adam, no!" his sister all but shouted. "Why in the world would you want to go back there after what just happened?"
He shrugged and answered, "Hordak will know I recovered my memory if I don't." He took a deep breath. "All of this would be for nothing if I simply gave up now."
Both ladies shook their heads adamantly. Teela placed her hands on her hips like she used to do when she was scolding him for being lazy. "You're not ready!" she exclaimed. "Look at you! You haven't even stopped crying yet! And, you still believe you're responsible for that man's death! You are in no shape to go back! You would only be endangering yourself!"
He frowned and said, "But I have to."
He started to walk away but stopped when Adora yelled out, "You can't leave without telling Father! Wait for him!"
Adam didn't look back. He knew what his father's reaction would be. He would have the same feelings Adora and Teela had, and he might not handle it with mere words. The king might use his Guard to force him to stay. Their father had done it once on Eternia already, so it was possible he could do it now. "It might be easier on him if I don't," he whispered. Finally, he looked back at them and said, "Tell him that I'm fine and I wanted to go back."
"But you're not fine," Teela snapped.
Adam ignored her words. He turned his back on them and walked outside the tent.
=)=)=)
Sorry I didn't get more out. Luckily, though, tomorrow I get out for the holiday, so I'll have a lot more time to write! I'm truly looking forward to it!