Sorry for the delay. My daughter got strep, the hubby was also sick and my son was being a pre-teen… so in short real life happened.

Thank you all who read and reviewed. I am honored that you've been so welcoming even though I had very little idea of what I'm doing. Unfortunately, unless I get any other ideas this will be it. I don't want to overstay my welcome. You have many great writers on this site like Evelyn CMB, hooked, foxy11814, livs2write, TeelanaFalcao, and numerous others. Please continue to enjoy their stories. I know I will.

For the last time, I don't own MOTU.

Randor stood at the edge of the Evergreen Forest. He glanced behind him at the troops amassed there. The dense forest would be hard to maneuver through so he had them split into four groups. Stratos will lead one, Duncan another, the captain the third, and him the fourth group. His thoughts of Marlena were pushed to the deep recesses of his mind. There was a job to do and a planet to protect. His broken heart can wait… or as the pessimistic/fatalistic part of his brain told him he might not live long enough to worry about his broken heart.

He looked back one more time at the groups and gave them the signal. The group leaders acknowledged it and led their troops into the thick forest.

Randor lost sight of the captain, Stratos and Duncan as they wove deeper and deeper into the heart of the forest. The trees in the interior were taller and lusher than the ones at the outer edges of the forest. If the mission had not been so dire Randor would be appreciating the beauty that the untouched part of the forest held. By mid-day they still did not see the spire and Randor began to worry. Maybe the Elders were wrong. Maybe they were on a wild goose chase. What if the snakemen attacked the palace … or Grayskull while they were gone? Doubts flooded Randor's mind as more time passed.

"Your majesty!" A frantic call came through the communicator.

"Yes?" Randor quickly answered.

"We're… attacked… overwhelmed…snakemen" Communications broke off.

"Captain! Come in captain!" Randor frantically tried to reach his captain of the guards.

When he only got static, he immediately called Duncan and Stratos.

"The captain needs reinforcements!"

"We're not doing so well ourselves." Duncan's reply came. Randor could hear the sounds of battle in the background.

"We're pinned down by the snakemen." Stratos announced next.

Randor gritted his teeth. This was not good. The ground rumbled and the trees in front of them fell as if they were toothpicks.

"Randor!"

The king of Eternia looked up to see Malkine standing triumphantly on a tank holding the glowing Serpent's Ring. "Thank you for leading us to the Ophidian Spire! I knew if we'd just follow you, you would lead us right to it."

Randor wondered what he was talking about when he realized that the spire was right in front of them. The trees had obscured their view of it.

"Your usefulness is at an end. Finish them!" Malkine ordered the army of snakemen around him.

Randor and his guards formed a barricade with their vehicles and began firing. To his dismay he saw the snakeman with two heads take the ring from Malkine and insert it into a slot on the spire. The Ophidian Spire glowed hot white. The eyes of the snakes on the spire grew angry red. A beam of light shot out from the spire and into the sun. The sky grew dark.

Eternia was lost!

0o0

In order to get back to Earth, Marlena had calculated that she needed to orbit the planet and use its gravitational force like a slingshot to fling her back home. Home. That word no longer seemed right anymore. She glanced at the planet she had just left. It looked beautiful from high up in space. She would not be seeing it ever again, better enjoy the view before she reached the proper trajectory. By her estimations it would be noon when she reached the point that would catapult her back to Earth. Noon was when Randor should be reaching the spire in the forest and hopefully destroying it so that the snakemen would not have a chance to enslave all of Eternia. She hoped he was successful and remained safe. She hoped he would find someone who was worthy to be his wife and step into the role of Queen. She hoped Fawna's father would find comfort in the fact that his daughter is a hero. She had many hopes and she realized they were all tied to the planet she had just left. Was she doing the right thing? Of course you are, girl! She chided herself. She needed to go home. Again that word. Where was home? Eternia? Would Randor even welcome her back? Marlena shook her head. What was she thinking? There's no going back now. She was minutes away from being propelled back to her planet. She gritted her teeth. Keep focus! She told herself. Just as her hand was about to reach over to flip the switch to start the secondary boosters to pitch her around the planet, a single beam of light bright enough to illuminate the dark of space shot from the planet. It seemed to hit the sun and to Marlena's horror the sun started to turn black, not unlike a solar eclipse but no shadow was passing over it. The darkness looked like it was coming from within the sun.

No! It means that the snakemen had won! That couldn't be. She couldn't let that happen. Not to all those wonderful (and some not so wonderful) people down there. She watched as the planet was engulfed in darkness. A new determination flooded her body. She turned her ship around just missing the point of no return. She flew directly at the beam of light. She was not giving up Eternia without a fight.

0o0

The glow from the spire cast an eerie hue in the forest but it was the only light now that the sun was darkened. Randor rallied his troops. The snakemen may have won but he was determined to make it a costly victory. But for every snakemen they took out two more came to take its place. Duncan and Stratos fought their way to Randor but they were now surrounded.

"This doesn't look good." Duncan said as he came over to Randor.

"How many men?" Randor didn't stop shooting.

"Only about three dozen left." Duncan said sadly. "But many are injured."

"My bird men have not sustained any losses but many have been injured as well." Stratos said calmly. "Since there doesn't seem to be anyway out. I suggest that we take them to Hades with us."

"My thoughts exactly." Randor said through gritted teeth. He emptied the last of his rounds in his firearm. He pulled out his sword. "For Eternia!" He shouted at the top of his voice. Then leaping from his position he charged the snakemen head on.

"I like him. Too bad we're all going to die." Stratos said. He turned to his wife. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now let's take them out." Delora growled. She pulled out her mace and shot up into the air. With a primal yell she attacked the snakemen above ignoring the arrows and lasers whizzing around her.

"What a woman." Stratos sighed before he too gave a yell and flew head long into the fray. The rest of the bird men who were still able to fight followed their leader into the thick of the fight.

Duncan ordered the men who still had ammunition. "Take out the tanks. Give them cover."

Randor engaged the two headed snakeman with his sword. They traded blows. Another snakemen tried to take Randor from behind but Randor spun around and blocked his weapon. Randor did a roundhouse kick to take him out before blocking the two headed snake's sword.

"Give up, human! We've won! Today Eternia belongs to us!" The two-headed snakeman crowed.

"Never! As long as there is breath in me, I'll never give up!" Randor raised his sword and with one expert blow knocked the sword from the snakeman's hand. He again lifted his sword but a cobra snakeman jumped in front and shot gas into Randor's face.

Randor gasped and stumbled back. He was knocked onto his back.

"Good bye, former king of Eternia!" The two headed snake snarled. He raised his sword…

A sonic boom stopped everyone in mid fight. Everyone looked at the sky to see a ship swooping down. The ship fired into the midst of the snakemen army, scattering them.

The ship then started shooting at the spire.

"Marlena?" Randor gaped at the ship.

"Stop it you fools! Protect the spire." The two headed snakeman yelled looking at the ship. Randor made a low sweep with his legs and knocked the snakeman to the ground.

Out of no where several ships rose from the ground and went after the ship.

On the radar, Marlena saw three ships on her tail. She started evasive maneuvers.

Randor knocked out the two headed snakeman. Then he looked worriedly at the sky.

One of the ships broke off and fired at the Rainbow Explorer. The ship rocked back and forth avoiding each shot. Then the ship pulled up swiftly and slowed. The enemy ship raced passed the Rainbow Explorer, which then came back down and shot it down in flames.

The other two ships flanked Marlena trying to force it down. The Rainbow Explorer rolled onto its side and pulled up then flew upside down. This time it shot past the other two ships all the while still upside down. When it went some distance it looped back so that it was now facing the two planes. She opened fire knocking them down.

Randor was worried when the planes went after Marlena but when he saw that she was more than capable of taking care of herself, he smiled. It was time for him to take charge on the ground.

Randor turned to his ground troops. "Loyal defenders of Eternia, unite to take out this scourge on our planet and bring back our sun." The men cheered and began attacking the snakemen. The royal guards and bird men began pushing the snakemen back.

"No," Malkine yelled. "Stand your ground! We have them." When the snakemen ignored him and started retreating, Malkine ran to the spire. He tried to pull the Serpent's Ring out.

"Stop! Once the ring is in you can't remove it from the Ophidian Spire, otherwise…" The two headed snakeman had just regained consciousness. He got up to stop Malkine.

Malkine fell back against the two headed snakeman with the ring in his hand. At first there was silence and darkness as both talismans stopped glowing.

Both the spire and ring began to glow green. Energy beams engulfed Malkine and the two headed snakeman. They both screamed in pain as the green energy began morphing them. Everyone backed away as they twisted and grew. Then in a flash a giant snake stood in their place. At first the snakemen cheered and approached the snake but stopped when the snake actually consumed some of them. They turned and ran away in fear.

Stratos, Randor, and Man-at-Arms regrouped behind the tanks.

"What is that?" Duncan asked.

Stratos stroked his chin. "Well, judging by the coils and reptilian head, I'd say it's a giant snake."

Duncan glared at him. "I know what it is. But what is it?"

"It's dead!" Delora yelled as she flew at it with her mace. The snake swung its tail and flicked her away. She flew backwards and into the arms of her husband who flew her to the ground. "It's no good, my love." He observed as Randor's soldiers turned their weapons onto the beast. "Nothing seems to affect it."

Duncan clutched his head.

"What's wrong?" Randor asked his friend with concern.

"I'm getting something from The Sorceress." Duncan said with his eyes shut and hand on his forehead.

"Duncan, that is their serpent god Serpos incarnate. When Malkine removed the ring its power is no longer being channeled by the spire. Serpos has taken over Malkine and the snakeman's life force. It must be destroyed or it will utterly destroy all of Eternia by draining all the life force from the planet." The Sorceress's serene voice echoed into his head. Even as she spoke the trees and grass around the serpent started dying.

"She says that we have to stop it before it destroys the planet." Duncan called out.

"Yeah, we figured that. Did she happen to mention how?" Stratos asked sarcastically as he used his sword and shield to deflect the green energy blasts that started shooting randomly from the serpent's body.

"Duncan, the only way to destroy that demon is to cut off its source," was The Sorceress's calm reply.

"Cut off its source? What source?" Duncan cried out loud but The Sorceress was gone.

"Cut off its source? You mean the ring? Where is it?" Randor strained his eyes to look.

"I think I see it! It's part of its head now!" Duncan pointed at the shiny object sticking out of the snake's forehead.

"Stratos!" Randor looked at the bird man.

"On it! Delora with me." He flew into the air with his wife. Delora distracted the snake while her husband tried to knock the ring off with his sword. After the second swing he managed to dislodge it. It fell to the ground but the snake was still there. Again Delora and Stratos was knocked down by the serpent's tail.

Marlena watched the heroic warriors fight against the giant snake. Whatever they were doing did not seem to be working. Then she saw the snake knock down her friends. She was about to open fire on the snake when she heard The Sorceress's voice.

"Marlena, Marlena,"

"Yes?" Marlena looked around wondering if she was going crazy. "What is it?"

"To help your friends you must cut off the snake's power source." The Sorceress's voice instructed.

"Power source?" Marlena looked out her cockpit window. She saw the spire reflected on its glass. "That's it!" She aimed her cannons at the spire. The snake hissed in anger and tried to bite the ship in half. Marlena flew through its jaws just as it slammed shut barely escaping the fangs. She looked and to her consternation she hadn't even made a dent. When she faced front the snake was right there with its fangs dripping with venom. She quickly pulled up. The bottom of her ship grazed the snake's face. The exhaust from the engines caused it to stagger back into the spire. The spire shuddered and a crack appeared.

Marlena saw that.

"So the only thing that can hurt the spire is…" Marlena rapidly formulated a plan. She flew around the head of the snake.

"What is she doing?" Duncan asked.

"I think she's going to…" Randor's eyes widened. "Marlena, watch out!"

The snake followed just as Marlena had thought but what she hadn't planned on was the snake's tail wrapping around her ship.

"Marlena!" Randor yelled. He grabbed his sword and plunged it into the snake's body so hard that the blade snapped. The snake was startled into letting go of the ship. Marlena gunned the engine which singed the snake. The enraged snake flew after the ship. Marlena flew towards the spire.

"She's going to slam into the spire!" Duncan shouted.

Randor had his hands balled at his sides. He knew what she was about to do but it was dangerous and he feared for her.

The snake struck suddenly. Marlena veered to the left with nary a second to lose. The snake crashed into the spire head first. The crack in the spire grew wider and it began to topple over. The snake hissed in rage but the spire lost its glow. The sun started to shine again. The snake started smoking and started growing smaller. Marlena's ship flew too close to its tail which unexpectedly lashed out. It hit her ship breaking off one of the engines. The ship went into a tail spin crashing into the trees in a spectacular explosion. Smoke came out of the snake's mouth as it dissolved into ashes on the ground.

Randor didn't even notice. He wordlessly ran to the crash site. When he reached the ship, it was on fire. His heart seized inside his chest. He started running into the burning ship.

"No, Randor, no. She's gone." Duncan held him back.

"Let go of me Duncan, or so help me…" Randor said wildly.

"Hey you two, she's over here!" Stratos yelled.

Randor spun around so fast that Duncan fell over. He ran over to an unconscious Marlena.
"She must have jumped out before her ship crashed." Delora noted.

"She saved us all." Duncan said as he ran over. Randor picked her up hoping that she would wake up like last time. But she stayed motionless.

"We need to get back to the palace now!" He bellowed as he ran to the tanks.

0o0

Marlena's leg started hurting. Then as she became aware of her surroundings she realized everything was hurting.

"She's coming too." She heard a voice floating just outside of her consciousness.

"Marlena, Marlena, my dear, can you hear me?" It sounded familiar, comforting, like an old favorite sweater. "Please Marlena, say something."

Marlena's brain finally registered who it was and what had just happened. Her eyes flew opened but everything was blurry. When the figures came into focus, Randor's worried countenance was the first thing she saw. Next she recognized the healer that had helped her the last time.

Marlena opened her mouth. Randor leaned in expectantly.

"We have to stop meeting like this." She quoted his line before passing out in pain.

The second time she came to, it was much less painful. She carefully pulled herself up. Her movement startled the person sitting next to her bed.

"Randor?" She asked with surprise.

Randor was on his feet standing next to her in a matter of seconds. "How do you feel?"

Marlena wondered if she should say it but decided what the heck, "Like I got hit by a giant snake."

Randor looked at her in surprise before his lips twitched in amusement.

"So, I'm guessing we won?" Marlena shifted slowly in the bed.

"Yes, thanks to your intervention." His face became serious. "Why did you come back?"

Marlena felt a lump forming in her throat. She looked away. "I saw the sun go dark and knew… I couldn't sit by and do nothing. I couldn't let this beautiful planet be taken over… I couldn't…" She trailed off not knowing if the next part she had to say would be welcomed.

Randor clenched the railing tightly. "You couldn't what?" He gently prompted.

"I… I couldn't …" The words would not come.

"Your highness, she needs to rest." The healer walked in. "If she doesn't get enough rest there might be a relapse."

Randor clenched his teeth but agreed. "I'll see you later." He said gently to her.

Marlena nodded and slid back into the bed. She was feeling tired.

Randor knew he had been given a second chance and he resolved not to let it go.

But like many things in life it proved more difficult than he had thought. It took a few more days before the healers would let her out of the recovery ward. Randor was busy rebuilding what was destroyed. They recovered the Serpent's Ring and entrusted its care to Stratos who said he would put it some place safe. The rest of the snakemen were rounded up and sent by the Council of Elders and The Sorceress to the great void. Randor was sure that a few had escaped but hopefully not enough to cause any trouble. They were no longer on Snake Mountain which now sat empty. Marlena's ship by some miracle had survived the explosion and fire. Duncan even said he could fix it but it would take considerably longer this time. Randor told him to go ahead and see what he could do. But secretly he hoped that they would not need it. He had an epiphany when he saw Marlena's ship come back. She belonged here and when The Sorceress told him to help her find her home, she had meant for Randor to help Marlena find her home on Eternia.

He hoped he was not too late.

Marlena missed seeing Randor during her convalescence. She told herself it was because he was busy running a kingdom. He didn't have time to visit. After Marlena was released three days later, she still did not see Randor. She sat in the gardens feeling melancholy.

"May I join you?" Marlena jumped. She turned around. Randor stood behind her.

"Your garden." Marlena tried to sound blasé. But her heart was racing.

Randor sat down next to her. They were both silent.

"So…" Marlena began.

"So…" Randor repeated.

"Nice night." Marlena said.

"Yes, very peaceful." Randor replied.

"I'm sure you'd appreciate that after the last week." Marlena wanted to kick her herself. What a stupid thing to say!

"Well, yes. I suppose." Randor was screaming at his brain to think of something clever to say.

"I guess it's getting late I should get to my room." Marlena tried to leave.

"No, wait please." Randor clutched her hand and pulled her back to the bench. He didn't let go. Marlena started blushing. She was glad it was dark. Randor swallowed hard and began, "Marlena, please answer my questions as honest as you can."

Marlena nodded unable to speak.

"Why did you come back?" He asked quietly.

"I told you why." She said evasively.

"Is that all? No other reason?" He questioned urgently.

"Why?" She countered.

"Because I was hoping there's another reason." He said sorrowfully. "Perhaps I was wrong?"

Marlena looked into his dark eyes and sucked in a breath. She decided to be honest.

"I…I couldn't leave you." Marlena said shakily. "I missed you. I missed this planet, the people."

Randor's heart was thumping so hard he could barely hear her words but they were words he longed to hear.

"Marlena, I was afraid to tell you this before because I thought you wanted to go home. But if you are willing I would be honored and blessed if you would stay here with me. I know this is not your world but I will do everything within my power to… to make this your home."

Tears sprung to Marlena's eyes. Embarrassed she looked away but Randor gently lifted her chin so that their eyes met.

"Oh Randor, I'm not qualified to be queen." Then Marlena regretted it. Randor never said he wanted to marry her. She was being presumptuous again. She tried to move away but he just held her hand tighter.

"You are more than qualified, my dear. But the question is will you accept me as your husband?"

"What?" Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"Marlena Glenn, I'm asking you to stay here on Eternia and be my wife." Randor said huskily.

"Are you sure?" Marlena asked tears now falling from her eyes.

"I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't." Randor smiled.

"Yes, Randor. I will." She wrapped her arms around him. She buried her wet face against his chest.

"Thank you Marlena. I promise I will make you happy." Randor pulled her close.

"You already have." She sniffled.

He then lifted her face up and kissed her tenderly. When they pulled apart they were both smiling.

"About time!" Stratos called from somewhere. There was a sound of someone being smacked. "Ow, woman! Don't hit me."

"Then stop being an idiot!" His wife snapped.

"Shhhh," A man shushed them. No doubt it was Duncan.

Both Marlena and Randor burst into laughter. They got up to share their joy with their friends.

0o0

"And that children is how I met your mother." Randor concluded.

Adora sat on the edge of her seat, wide-eyed. "Oh, wow, was that all true, mother?"

"Well, my dear husband may have exaggerated some parts a bit." Marlena had an amused smirk on her face.

"Nonsense. Every word is true." Randor protested.

"Well, father, the story does change slightly every time you tell it." Adam teased.

"It most certainly does not. It's just that I remember different details at different times." Randor sniffed indignantly.

"I never grow tired of hearing it." Teela added.

"Nor I. And I was there." Duncan said good-naturedly.

"So it was happily ever after?" Adora asked ignoring everyone else's comment.

Marlena's eyes clouded over slightly. "My dear, we still had many trials we had to face but we overcame them because we faced them together."

"Yes that we did. But that's a different story for another day." Randor said firmly.

"Was one of the trials me?" Adora asked sadly.

"Yes," Marlena answered frankly, "but everything worked out in the end. And our greatest joy was when we got you back and now we are whole again."

"Whatever happened to Lord Baem, Tala and Fawna's father?" Adora continued asking.

"You're certainly inquisitive today." Marlena laughed.

"I have so many years to make up." Adora sighed.

"Actually, I'm curious myself." Adam interrupted. "Especially since I've never heard of them before."

"Well, that's for good reason. Lord Baem made some political missteps, shall we say, and his title was stripped. Lady Tala unable to make a suitable match because of her father's situation ended up married to a cousin of a duke. Not quite the position she had wanted." Randor said. "But Adam, you have heard of Fawna's father. He was given Lord Baem's title and lands."

"You mean?" Adam's eyes grew wide.

"Yes, Lord Farhan of the Northern Kingdoms." Randor nodded.

"Well, well, poetic justice." Adam said satisfied. Then he thought about it. "Or is that irony?"

"Oh Adam!" Teela rolled her eyes at him.

"Anyway, we are very much late for dinner." Man-at-Arms said calling attention to the time. "I for one am starving and if we don't show up soon there may not be a dining room left thanks to Orko's entertainment."

"Come now father, " Teela protested, "You know Orko's only trying to help."

"Humph." Duncan huffed as he walked out followed by his amused daughter.

"A-a-a-dam?" Cringer finally spoke, "D-d-do you think there will be a d-d-dining room left?" He had a worried look about him.

"Don't worry cat. We'll find you food one way or another." Adam fondly ruffled his best friend's head.

"T-t-that's a relief." Cringer strolled out.

Randor put his arm around his daughter and led her out after Cringer.

"Mother?" Adam said as they too walked toward the door.

"Yes, my son." Marlena stopped and looked back at Adam. She wondered when he had gotten so tall.

"Do you ever regret staying with father?" Adam seemed nervous.

"Of course not." Marlena frowned wondering what Adam was getting at.

"But it wasn't easy." Adam continued.

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy. I love your father and even though it took me millions of miles away from where I was born, I am home." Marlena insisted.

"I see." Adam's eyes were still downcast. Marlena could tell that the question Adam was asking was not about her.

"Adam, if there's someone you like, you must tell her." Marlena said bluntly.

"What if you're not sure if that person can deal with all the baggage I come with?" Adam asked dejectedly.

"Well, that's up to that person. But you can't assume. Let that person decide. You are doing her a disservice if you take that choice away from her." Marlena replied.

"What if you and father don't like her? She's not nobility." Adam asked.

"Adam, I wasn't nobility. Whoever this person is must be very special to have captured your heart. I'm sure we will love her." Marlena reassured him.

"Thanks mother." Adam hugged her. Marlena returned the hug. They continued walking toward the door.

"Just make sure you clear it with her father first. You know how protective Duncan can get." Marlena winked at Adam before walking out.

Adam was left gaping after her. How did she know? Then a small grin spread across his face. That woman was something else. He was glad she found her way to Eternia because he couldn't imagine having any other mother.

So that's it. Hoped you enjoyed it. Thank you to AdTeeFan, KP's Man, Renee, hooked, Lanafalcon, TeelanaFalcao, Timothyblack0412, HazzaTL3, and various guests for leaving comments and reading.

Deus Abençoe!

Dios Bendiga!

God Bless!