Thirty
Castle Grayskull
Eternia
29 September 2017
After the war council finally broke up, General Hammond and King Randor met with the Sorceress near the Ring of Elders. Plans were in motion to get fleets ready to engage Unit Six Sixty-six's fleet of modified warships. Turns out the Val-kyrie were watching a sector of space within the sphere of attacks that pointed to a likely rally point for the enemy forces. They will know in a few days if they are on to something.
General Hammond left the prep work to the people back on Earth. Eternia was being provisioned with everything Captain Takamora would need to defend the castle. Colonel Markson had already compiled a list of men and material to shipped out for his part of the strike team that would board Six Sixty-six's command ship. In the meantime, Admiral Conlin was gathering his Third Fleet in part of space away from shipping lanes and exploration channels, but close enough to execute a short hyperspace jump to the Eternian system and support the Val-kyrie fleet.
All anyone could do now was pray they had enough time to gather for the fiercest fight yet against the revived Shadowdemon army.
"Good to see you up and around, Sorceress," Ring Randor said upon seeing her.
"It is good to be up and around," Sorceress replied. She still looked pale and drawn, and there was a pain in eyes she quickly concealed.
"Are you sure your people can find a weakness in Unit Six Sixty-six's armor?" Randor asked Hammond.
"Gabe has his best people, and himself, working on it. They will find one," the general assured him.
"Captain Majourny reports she should be starting back to Eternia the day after tomorrow," Colonel Markson said, joining the group. "Jake isn't happy with the GAU-8 autocannon pods, he says he will live with it."
"What's wrong with them?" the king asked.
"Something to do with the recoil. Having the autocannon in an aircraft is one thing. Mounting it in a pod to be carried by his battlesuit is something else. Seems the recoil damages the suit's arms at the joints," Jon answered, grimly.
"We have been trying to construct alternatives to the twin barreled Gatling cannon pods that fire plasma bolts," Hammond added. "It seems the Etherium we recovered from the Horde ships destroyed at the sanctuary moon is substandard."
The king nodded in understanding. There were always problems creating something new. "You certainly hold your own in fight," Randor said to the Sorceress, a touch of awe in his voice. "Seeing you fighting those machines reminded me of myself and Marlena during the Great Unrest. She told me you were the one who stopped Prahvus."
Sorceress gave her shoulders a modest shrug. "I am no longer one to wait around for some prince to come rescue me when I get into trouble."
"General, I'd like it noted for the record that she said 'when', not 'if', she got into trouble," the colonel requested. Had they been lasers, the three pairs of eyes boring into the man would have burned him down to a pile of ash despite the validity of the statement. Suddenly self-conscious of the intense scrutiny, Jon said, "If you'll excuse me, I need to check the perimeter… Somewhere."
When the colonel had walked out of earshot, Hammond said, "He really is good at what he does, even if his tact is somewhat wanting."
The trio chuckled at that.
"Where is he?" Hammond asked the Sorceress.
In response, she shifted her eyes and lifted her chin toward the east tower.
The general and king walked to the grand staircase and mounted the steps, turned right at the top and headed for the spiral stairs winding their way up the tower to the top. The stairs originally stopped at the door to the Sorceress' private chambers. After having to scale the outside of the tower in order to get to the top and be in position to use magic in an effort to stop Evilseed, the Sorceress extended the stairs all the way to the top complete with the door.
The pair stepped within sight of the door, saw it thrown open, and continued up. They emerged into the wanning light of the coming sunset. Adrian stood at the parapet watching the sun sink to the horizon. Although they stepped lightly, Adrian still turned his head slightly at their approach.
Hammond wondered once again how he did that. Ever since the Sorceress brought him here to heal injuries sustained when his starship crashed on an unclaimed world in the buffer zone between Val-kyrie and Horde space, Adrian had developed a heightened sixth sense. Maybe it was the combat missions. Maybe it was the experiences inherited from his predecessor who operated War Wing. Whatever it was, even the stealthiest person had a hard time getting close to him undetected.
Randor and Hammond quietly watched the sunset with him. Both knew why Adrian was up here. Quiet solace away from everything and everyone. A chance to clear his mind and not think about the three Guardians out of action from the last battle.
It was one thing to risk one's own life in battle for a cause. It was another thing entirely to send people into battle knowing there wasn't a thing one could do to help them. All you could do was hope they came out alive. Both General Hammond and King Randor knew all too well what it was like to send good people into battle and not return.
Both Claw and Blitz had given a good accounting of themselves when the demons caught up to them. Hawk managed to get out with invaluable data now being analyzed by all three temporary allies in the fight against the new Shadowdemon army.
Was it all worth it? As far as Adrian was concerned, only when that bastard creation Horde Prime failed to destroy a thousand years ago was put down once and for all. Even then if Sonya lost her right arm because of the demon that caught her, it still would not balance out.
All six of them had an idea of what they were getting into when they first found the battlesuits and the sentient artificial intelligence within them. A brief period of time existed when any one of them could have declined the offer to be the chosen operator for a battlesuit. That period had long closed after going into battle numerous times with the suits. Human operator and AI were now inextricably linked together. Only the death of the operator could break the link.
The sun sank low on the horizon. Pastel colors slowly darkened giving way to night.
"Bravo, gentlemen," Adrian said, approvingly. "Most people want to talk it away rather than appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature. It's why I usually watch sunsets alone."
"The Queen and I used to do that. Also watch sunrises," Randor admitted. "We know someone who can properly appreciate sunsets. And wouldn't mind spending the time with someone. Don't we, general?"
"I believe we do, Your Majesty," Hammond responded.
Adrian rolled his eyes. Great. More matchmakers.
"Oh, come on," Randor chided. "I saw the way the two of you fought together when those machines invaded the castle. The way you two moved, watched each other's back. Two warriors coordinated like true veterans. Reminds me of myself and the queen during the Great Unrest. Marlena and I ended the careers of many would-be warlords. I'm told the Sorceress stopped one of the most vicious warlords." He shook his head, still hardly believing what Marlena had discovered about the fall of Prahvus.
"Those robots did make satisfying sounds being ripped apart," Adrian admitted. And it was fun, though he would ever admit to that. Neither would the Sorceress. He knew she enjoyed being off the leash as it were from the castle.
"It's a quiet evening. Nothing is likely to happen for several days," Hammond said. "I believe the Sorceress mentioned cooking for you for a change. Any idea what that is about?" "Oh, she told me of a stew she used to make before becoming the castle's new guardian. Said it lacked spices, but wanted to experiment," Adrian replied. He could go for a bowl of stew now that he thought about it.
"A good opportunity to keep her company. One can get lonely in a place like this," Randor pointed out.
Adrian frowned. "She said it's an honor to serve as guardian of this place."
"It is. But that doesn't make it easy to watch life on the planet go by while staying in here all the time. I'm sure loneliness sets in at some point. Even the women who wear the mantle of the Sorceress can't ignore their own needs forever." Randor paused to let that sink in. He wasn't trying to be too obvious in pointing out the change he has seen in the Sorceress since her return from wherever it was, she and He-man had disappeared to over seven years ago. "She does seem to have an affection toward you. She hides it well, but it's there."
"All right. Stop twisting my arm."
King and general put on their best innocence facades. "Who us?" Randor said lightly.
Adrian walked to the hatch in the floor and started down the steps. He heard the king offer to the general to precede him. Hammond tried to be gracious and allow the king to go first. Adrian paused long enough to shout up to the men, "Flip a coin for God's sake!"
Hammond and Randor stared at each other for a moment, then they broke into a fit of laughter. Randor gestured to the stairs and Hammond started down.
Adrian paused at the top of the grant staircase to look around. He had seen the ever-changing planetary landscape, the Circle of the Elders statues, and the mammoth multipurpose screen. The fact that he stood in a different dimension larger than the structure housing it did not faze him. Probably from all the years of watching Doctor Who.
The Sorceress was nowhere to in sight. The Spirit of Grayskull materialized near the door to the left of the screen that accessed the main unrestricted library. He was telling Adrian where to go. Curiously, Falcon and War Wing, standing inert off to the right of the ring of statues, were shut down. He expected some sort of no-so-gentle nudging from them, but they were staying quiet.
Spirit faded away when Adrian approached the door. Grasping the handle, he thumbed the release lever and pushed it inward. The hinges made no sound as he opened the door, stepped through, and closed it behind him.
The library still left him in awe at the amount of knowledge stored here. The Library of Congress had nothing on this place. He could spend a lifetime in here and barely finish reading a few shelves. Provided he could read the language, that is. Many of the books had been written in dead languages from equally dead worlds.
The Sorceress stood at a rectangular table on the other side of the couch that faced the large fireplace. She was busy preparing the stew from her youth. Although her back was to him, she was aware of his entrance. Foregoing trying to sneak up on her, a virtual impossibility within the castle's walls, Adrian walked around the couch and recliners to face her across the table.
"Enjoy the sunset?" she asked, not looking up from slicing vegetables.
Bowls of various sizes contained spices, vegetables already sliced, cubed meat, and even something looking suspiciously like potatoes were arranged in a half circle around the cutting board. An iron pot with a handle sat to her right waiting to be filled.
"It was beautiful, like most sunsets," Adrian answered. "Anything I can do to help?"
Sorceress shook her head. "Just observe. This normally takes hours to cook, but I am taking a magical liberty. It will be ready in an hour or so. It won't hurt the outcome," she assured Adrian, who pulled out a chair and sat down. She did not miss his soft sigh at letting the chair hold him up. While his busted ribs had been fixed by Doctor Carter aboard the Eternia, he still had bruises that would only heal over time.
Satisfied that all the ingredients had been properly prepared, Sorceress slid the cutting board aside and moved the pod in front of her. She began by mixing the sauce and spices together using a wooden spoon. Next, she stirred in the vegetables one at a time. Lastly, the meat cubes went into the mix. Although the stew had yet to be warmed, a pleasing aroma filled the air. Sorceress' stomach rumbled in anticipation.
"Is this your own recipe?" Adrian asked.
"It is. The spices are new. Hard to grow then in the desert," she said, lifting the pod by the handle and walking around to the hearth.
The small fire flared up with a wave of her hand. Plucking the poker from the rack of tools as she walked by, Sorceress used the hook to swing the iron hanger out, set the pod's handle into the hook at the end, and pushed the hanger back into place where the pot hung over the roaring flames. She dialed back the flames to her preference and left the stew to cook.
With a resigned sigh, Adrian winced shoving himself out of the chair. Sorceress shook out a throw blanket and draped it around his shoulders. After he settled in the recliner, she shook out another, laid it across his legs and wrapped them in it. Pulling the release lever, Adrain settled back, wincing from the occasional stab of pain.
Sorceress set two glasses on the small table between his chair and the couch and filled them with a copper liquid from a chilled pitcher. It was a berry juice Adrian thought was very close to apple juice, though apples were not native to Eternia. She set one glass on a coaster within his reach while taking the other. The pitcher rested on a larger coaster to refill the glasses as needed.
Adrian noticed for the first time the Sorceress was wearing the modified costume she had brought out several months ago after the mission to the penal planet. It was her usual outfit minus the feather cape with the very short tapering skirt extended into a normal ankle length full skirt. Unlike the earlier version, the black markings were now a more subtle shade of gray and adorned the dress from bodice to hem.
Sorceress settled herself on the end of the couch closest to Adrian, pulled her legs up next to her and cupped the glass in her hands. Sensing him watching her, she asked, "Is there something wrong with the juice? I can bring something else if you like."
"No. This is fine. I just noticed the outfit from that time you wore it months ago."
A touch of red colored her cheeks. "Yes. I don't often have a reason to wear something like this. It feels nice to dress down once in a while."
"Dress down?" Adrian said, confused. Then he remembered their dinner date after his appearance before the World Government Security Council. She looked so radiant then. Adrian secret thought Sorceress could look just as stunning wearing a burlap sack. "I'm not sure what that means."
"Well, all anyone ever sees me wearing is the falcon costume or the black and gray jumpsuit we have adopted for operating the battlesuits. I find this comfortable."
Sorceress lapsed into silence, cupping the glass, and staring into the flicking flames licking at the pot. Adrian did not intrude. He settled in a watched the flame patterns. One did not have to fill dead air with idle chatter. His grandmother once told him sometimes just being in the same room sharing a quiet moment proved more meaningful than aimless talking.
Adrian grudgingly admitted his grandma may be right. He did enjoy the Sorceress' company whether separated, as they were now by a small table, or those few times when she spent time in his arms. It was hard to tell if she felt the same or was simply relieving boredom. Adria wondered how one could get bored in this castle with its storehouse of knowledge.
Sorceress unfolded herself from the couch to stir the stew periodically, then return and sit staring into the flames. Neither could think of anything to talk about that had not been covered already. They studiously avoided discussing the remote viewing of that fateful day when the original Guardians fell secreting the battlesuits away for the future.
So, what else was there?
"Teela," Adrian said, suddenly.
Sorceress shook her head. "I do not wish to talk about her," she said, an uncharacteristic edge to her voice.
"No," Adrian insisted, gesturing to the library door. "Teela."
Seeing the gesture, Sorceress looked, and nearly dropped the glass.
Teela closed the door and faced the pair lounging before the huge fireplace. The smell of cooking stew slowly permeated the air. From her position, Teela could just get a hint of the spices the Sorceress used in her mix. Her stomach grumbled from the lack of food for almost a whole day. What drew her mother's attention were the marks on Teela's face and neck. Teela had put on a cloak and hood to hide them until she got somewhere private inside the castle. Spirit told her where to find her mother, which, unfortunately, included the man she still thought tried to kill her despite the Sorceress' assurances to the contrary.
Sorceress set the glass on a coaster and practically flew off the couch and across the floor to her daughter. She gently took hold of the woman's shoulders and walked her back to the couch. "What happened?" she asked, removing the cloak and hood. She folded it and set it on the narrow table behind the couch.
"After the battle with the demon army, I returned to the palace to see what damage the machines had done. I lost good people," Teela said, sitting on the edge of the cushion, hands clasped in her lap. Her shoulders sagged under the weight of a burden only she knew about. After a brief pause, Teela continued. "The Snakemen lost more. Even King Hiss was unable to stop even one of the Shadowdemons."
"Magic is, in its simplest terms, nothing more than a form of energy their refractive coatings can repel," Sorceress explained. "I would have been surprised if Hiss had managed to disable one."
Teela nodded. "When I returned, Hiss had called for a meeting of his top lieutenants to discuss the attack. When I showed up, I was immediately set upon for running out on them and my Royal Guardsmen."
Sorceress explored the bruises on Teela's throat and left cheek with a gentle touch. "Hiss did this?"
Teela's eyes snapped to her mother's face, noting the hard edge in her voice. "No. General Rattlor."
"Rattles," Adrian hissed. "Knew I should have killed that snake when I had the chance." He referred the battle outside Castle Grayskull on their first trip to Eternia months ago. Adrian had faced General Rattlor in his Syngenor form. The battle had been brief and unsatisfactory in that the Rattlor survived.
Offhandedly, Sorceress said over her shoulder, "I'm sure you'll get another chance." Returning her attention to Teela, she said, "You'll be safe here. Make yourself comfortable. I have stew on and it's just about ready. I made plenty." She rose from the couch and walked to the fireplace to check on meal's progress.
Teela found the chest behind the other recliner, pulled out a throw blanket and wrapped it around herself. Instead of returning to the couch, she walked over to the fireplace. She checked on Adrian, who was snoozing again. "So, you are cooking for him now?"
"He has made meals for me a number of times. I just wanted to return the favor. I rarely get the chance to cook for others."
"Or dress up, apparently," Teela scoffed, eying the modified costume her mother wore.
The wood spoon dropped into the pot with a plop, and the Sorceress pegged Teela with an icy stare. "If this is the way you are going to behave, the jawbridge is that way." She pointed for emphasis.
"You would put me out?" Teela asked, eyes widening in shock.
"I have no time for your childishness. Or patience. If you want to stay, behave and I may even feed you."
Mollified, Teela asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Go sit on the couch and have a glass of juice. The stew is ready." Sorceress turned away and walked back to the table where she had prepared the stew. Picking up three bowls and spoons, carried the stack in one hand and picked up a loaf of bread with the other. She laid the bread on the end table by Adrian and returned to the hearth.
Sorceress filled the first bowl in the stack, stuck in a wooden soup spoon and took it over to Adrian. She had to rouse him from his nap. Adrian cradled the bowl of steaming stew, inhaled the aroma of the spices. His stomach grumbled in response. Smiling, Sorceress returned to fill the next bowl, taking to Teela. Lastly, she filled the last bowl for herself and used the poked to push the swingarm back over the fire just enough to keep it warm.
Sorceress set down the bowl and tore off a third of the bread loaf and left it for him. Tearing the remainder in half, she set it on the table for herself and handed the other piece to Teela. Returning to her end of the couch, Sorceress watched Adrian expectantly.
He blew on the steaming brew to cool it down enough to avoid burning his mouth. Aware he was being watched, Adrian cooled a spoonful of stew and poured it into his mouth. An explosion of several spices went off in his mouth. Just a little kick blending with the meat that fell apart on his tongue.
"Oh, that's good," Adrian crowed, Spooning another scoop into his mouth. "One spice might not be right for this, but it doesn't detract from the overall effect."
"You really mean that?" Sorceress asked, surprised. She thought she might have overdone it with one or two ingredients, but his reaction was better than she could have hoped. Or she was just being harder on herself than usual.
"Of course I do. This is better than my usual attempts. They always go down in flames. Beef stew is still a nemesis for me," Adrian admitted.
"Well, no one is perfect," a relieved Sorceress said, picking up her bowl and the hunk of bread. She dipped the bread into the stew and bit off the soaked piece.
"Ain't that the truth," Adrian replied.
Feeling left out, Teela ate her stew and drank her juice in silence. Adrian was full after one bowl and hunk of bread. Sorceress helped herself to a second bowl, though only half filled. Teela, hunger only partially sated, fixed herself another bowl. Only when it was gone did her hunger finally go away.
Sorceress cleaned up all the dirty bowls, nearly empty pot, and anything else no longer needed. By cleaned up, she simply disappeared them with magic. Only the pitchers of juice remained.
Eventually, Teela and the Sorceress engaged in awkward conversation while Adrian dozed in a light sleep. The buzz of quiet conversation washed over him. His mind returned to the problem of Unit Six Sixty-six's weak spot. The joints were a natural conclusion, but he had a feeling, as did Gabe, that there was another one staring at him in plain sight. He just could not recognize it.
Then a phrase from the Sorceress hit him. Eyes popping open, Adrian sat upright, internal bruising forgotten. "What did you just say?"
Conversation interrupted; Sorceress turned to Adrin. "About having faith? Well-"
"No. Before that."
Frowning, she said, "We have to come together if we are going to survive the coming war with the Horde."
Adrian let out a strangled cry, ripping the blanket away that wrapped his legs. "That's it," he declared, getting to his feet. He approached the Sorceress and took her head in his hands. "Genius," he added, kissing the beak of her headdress. "Birdlady's a genius." He walked away lost in whatever revelation he had just had.
Sorceress thought at first that he was going to kiss her on lips. When that didn't happen, she found herself both pleased and disappointed by that. Confused, she said, "I don't get it."
Equally confused by the man's behavior, Teela added, "I don't want it."
Teela started to nod off from all the stew she had eaten. Sorceress draped a large fur blanket over the couch and told Teela to lay down. She pulled her daughters boots off and set them aside. Once Teela was settled with a fluffy pillow under her head, Sorceress pulled the blanket down over her.
Sorceress had never had the opportunity to tuck her daughter in at night. She had watched from afar as Duncan did that. Watched her daughter grow up in anonymity so that the Sorceress' enemies did not use the girl against her. She had always intended to reveal Teela's heritage to her when the time was right. When it was time for Teela Na to step aside and let Teela take her place as the new Sorceress of Grayskull.
Things did not go as planned. Teela found out her heritage another way and resented her mother for hiding it. The block on memories of discovering me mother's identity earlier in her life only added to the resentment. Whether Teela's anger was directed at her mother, herself, or some other reason Sorceress could not say. The turmoil inside Teela was apparent even though she tried to hide it and Sorceress had no idea how to alleviate that if it were possible.
"You've done this before." Teela commented, settling in.
"First time," Sorceress replied, pulling off Teela's tiara and setting it on the end table. "You are safe here. I hope you can believe that."
Teela nodded. When the Sorceress rose and started to walk away, Teela suddenly grew anxious. "Don't leave, please!"
"Teela, I will be right over there on another couch." Teela craned her head around and saw a couch had materialized perpendicular to the one she lay on. "I will be right over there."
That seemed to reassure her.
Sorceress rubbed Teela's right cheek with her left hand. A mother's caress. A brief flow of magic ensured that when Teela woke in the morning, all the marks from her encounter with General Rattlor would be gone.
Sorceress walked over to the other couch, spread out a blanket and sat down. A weariness settled over her as she pulled off her boots, swung her legs up and stretched out. She pulled the blanket down over herself relishing the feel of the fur against her cheek. Sorceress watched Teela until she finally fell asleep. She drifted off shortly after.
Teela awoke sometime later, sensing a presence close by. Slowly cracking open an eye, she spied Adrian Cobretti, throw blanket still wrapped around his shoulders, standing about a dozen feet from her sleeping mother. She had fidgeted in her sleep and flipped the blanket down to her waist. Adrian stood there staring at the slumbering woman. Teela could not see his face, but by the man's posture, she saw he had feelings for her mother. This was not a new revelation as Teela had had that feeling ever since witnessing the pair fighting together against the Servators that had invaded the castle.
It must be nice having someone to care for you, Teela thought. Even if she did not realize it. Or maybe she did. Suddenly Teela grew very lonely.
Making up his mind, Adrian stepped up to the sleeping Sorceress, reached out and pulled the blanket back up into place. The woman moaned and shifted, turning over onto her left side, but did not wake.
Teela snapped her eyes closed when Adrian looked her way. He knew his presence had woken her. He quietly walked out of the library leaving her to the illusion of not being caught. After he had gone, Teela opened her eyes and cast a glance once more to her mother.
Yes, it would be nice to have someone who cared about her. Teela fell back asleep feeling lonelier than ever.
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