Part 9

Running down the hall toward his fallen friend and enemy, He-Man barely spares Teela a glance before focusing his attention on Skeletor. Shifting his sword from right to left and back again, He-Man faces off against his sworn enemy.

"The game's over, Skeletor," states He-Man.

"You may have arrived, but my game is far from over," replies Skeletor with a sneer.

Raising his staff, the sorcerer fires an energy blast at the muscled man. Using his sword to deflect the shot, the beam bounces harmlessly off the sword and strikes the wall behind Skeletor. Twice more, Skeletor fires at He-Man, but no blow lands on the man.

"What will it take to stop you?" demands Skeletor, shaking his staff at He-Man.

"More than you have," replies He-Man, as he draws the sword back to strike down Skeletor.

Using his staff to protect himself, Skeletor blocks He-Man's blow. Stepping back, the evil sorcerer glances down once at Teela, who is just starting to move from her fallen position.

"I've won enough for one day," says Skeletor.

Raising his hands above his head, Skeletor disappears from view. Sheathing his sword on his back, He-Man turns to Teela and looks her over completely for the first time since he arrived. Though he notices the scratches from Panthor, it's the torn and misshapen lower half that truly draws his attention.

No, thinks He-Man, as he looks over his friend once more. "Teela?"

"I…I don't want to talk about it right now," she replies, not looking at Eternia's hero.

"Who did this?" demands He-Man as anger crawls into his voice.

"Please, He-Man," says Teela, raising her eyes once to meet He-Man's. "Just drop it for now?"

Nodding his head, He-Man calls for Battle Cat and, helping Teela on top of the animal, they leave Snake Mountain.

...

Lying calmly in her bed at the Palace, Teela stares off into space, trying not to think about what has happened. Hearing a knock on her door, she ignores it.

"Teela?"

"I don't want to talk right now, Adam," she replies, not turning even when the Prince open her door and enters her room.

"I know what happened," starts Adam, but stops when Teela whips around to face him.

"Do you?" she demands. "Do you really know what happened?"

"He didn't succeed," he responds quietly.

"Small comfort," she replies, but turning away from her childhood friend.

"Do you want me to go after him?" the Prince demands, striding around her bed and staring down at the red haired woman. "I'd kill him with my own two hands, if that's what you want."

"Adam, be serious," she replies, raising her gaze to meet his.

"I am," he replies, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "You mean a great deal to me."

Shocked, Teela stares up at the man sitting on her bed and hears another man's voice saying those same words to her.

"What?" she asks, lowering her feet to the floor.

"I care," Adam says.

"I thought you said…never mind," she says, shaking her head.

For a moment, neither says anything in the room.

"What would you have me do?" Adam asks softly.

Turning away, Teela raises a hand to her cheek and brushes away the tear the came from her eye.

"Let me forget," she whispers.

Hesitating for a moment, Adam wraps his arms around Teela and holds her as she cries out her pain.

...

Standing in the shadows, Evil-Lyn stares off in the distance toward where the Palace would be.

I was wondering how long it would take that muscle-bound bafoon to finally get here, she thinks.

Turning away and walking back into the mouth of the snake, Evil-Lyn smirks.

All things considered, it was fun. Not many people can trick Skeletor the way I did and live. If only I could have seen his face when my spell worked. 'Piece of ass' indeed! The only piece he got was my spell shriveling his chances of getting some ass.

Laughing, Evil-Lyn enters Snake Mountain and leaves the night behind.

…..

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, I know that at least one of you had an idea of who was behind Skeletor's problem. Hope you guys like it! Don't forget to tell me what you thought! Who knows? Maybe I'll continue this story line?