He didn't like this; he didn't like it at all. For the first time ever, Man-at-Arms rode Battlecat, fleeing from the battle and leaving He-Man alone…literally alone. He-Man didn't even have Battlecat with him. Duncan looked down at the back of the great cat's head and squeezed his eyes shut. "Is this right?" he asked himself.

When Duncan reopened his eyes, he saw the Windraider in the near distance and knew he had to make a decision, now. Was it right to leave?

Man-at-Arms never before felt such guilt weighing so heavily upon his shoulders. In his mind, he had always separated them—he had always separated He-Man from Prince Adam. But tonight it felt like he was leaving Prince Adam to the wolves, not He-Man. He couldn't shake the feeling that his worst nightmare was about to come true, that he would fail Adam, Randor, and all of Eternia because he didn't follow protocol. "I am supposed to be the last line of defense before someone strikes at a member of the Royal Family," he thought.

But Adam is He-Man and Eternia's Champion. That naturally meant that he was the last line of defense before someone took over Castle Grayskull or the entire planet. He fought almost everyday against the most evil forces imagined… So, why did Man-at-Arms feel as if he were making a grave mistake? Why was he no longer able to follow He-Man's plans without hesitation? Why did he want to go back and force He-Man to leave the cave and fight Skeletor when they had more equal footing?

It didn't take him long to come up with an answer. It all went back to a few night's ago when a truth he had always known subconsciously came to slap him right in the face:  He-Man was not invincible; he could get hurt and die like any other mortal. All Skeletor had to do was weaken him, make him act before he was ready, and make him do something stupid.

"It's happening right now," said Man-at-Arms aloud, startling himself and Battlecat. Battlecat just arrived at the Windraider, but Man-at-Arms stayed on his back and continued his words. "He-Man isn't at his best, but Skeletor is. He could win." Battlecat turned his head to the side to look at Man-at-Arms. Duncan caught the tiger's eye, and he whispered again, "He could win."

=)=)=)

Randor laid quietly in his bed, listening to the sounds of his wife tossing and turning under her sheets. After he had informed Marlena of his plans concerning their son, she had ceased speaking to him.

Randor didn't know what he was angrier about:  the fact that Adam just wouldn't grow up and face his responsibilities or the fact that his wife, the Queen of Eternia, was acting just as irresponsible and childish as their son.

He rolled to his side and stared at his wife who was now staring at the ceiling angrily as if it had done something to offend her. "Marlena," he called.

The only response he received was her hands, which were resting at her sides, balling into fists. He sat up and said incredulously, "This is ridiculous!"

Finally, the queen glanced at her king and spat, "Yes, you're absolutely right. For you to even believe that your plan is actually going to work is ridiculous."

If the king had not already resolved that his actions were indeed the right course of action, her words might have made him cringe and reconsider…but not this time. Instead, he climbed out from underneath his sheets and went immediately to Marlena's side. He sat down on the edge of the bed and said softly, "Let's not fight over this, Marlena. Adam is a grown man now, and he doesn't need you to fight his battles for him. Let him deal with me."

Marlena sat up and said, "He shouldn't have to defend himself to his father. This is probably the exact reason why Adam does not talk to us. He would have to deal with the King of Eternia getting on his case, enforcing his almighty power. Who would want to come to an overbearing tyrant about his problems?"

Marlena could see that her words startled and surprised Randor. Immediately, he jumped off of the bed and glared at her. "An overbearing tyrant?" he echoed. "Marlena, I promised myself that I would follow my family's tradition and never give my people a reason to call me such a thing…and now, my own wife and queen throws it in my face. How could you say that?"

She closed her eyes for a short period of time, suddenly realizing her poor choice of words since it could be taken literally in her husband's case. "Randor," she said softly, "you are a fine king, the greatest on all of Eternia, and you know very well I wasn't referring to your treatment of the people. I was referring to your treatment of our son."

Randor shook his head and said, "How I treat my son is how any other father treats a son who isn't living up to his responsibilities. A father has to be tough and make him go in the right direction."

Marlena shook her head and said, "No, that's how a dictator makes someone do what they want regardless of anyone else's wants and needs. A father would talk to his son, listen to him, try to figure out where the problem lies, and help him fix it. He would give his input, point him in the right direction, and hope his son had learned enough from him to make the right choice."

Randor sighed and replied, "I have tried that with no results, Marlena. Instead I have a son and prince who keeps secrets from us and runs off all the time to avoid his responsibilities. How else am I going to set things right?"

Marlena jumped out of her bed, stood face to face with her husband, and cried, "You have never tried just talking to him! You're always barking out orders and questioning him as if he were your subject who had better do as he is told." When she was through talking, she lowered her eyes to the ground and said, "But maybe I'm foolish to look at it that way. I was never raised in the court. Maybe you're supposed to rule his life, so he'll know how to rule others…" She walked away and got back into bed.

Randor stood there feeling completely flabbergasted. "I don't rule his life. I don't…Marlena, I do talk to the boy. It's just that…" He noticed Marlena had turned away from him. With her back to him, he was able to admit to himself that maybe she was right. Maybe it was time he threw the king façade aside and just had a heart-to-heart with his son. Maybe Adam was scared to confide in them because of the reaction it might cause. It was possible.

He immediately left his bedchambers and went straight to Adam's. He didn't want to wait until morning. He wanted to get things out in the open as quickly as possible.

Once he was standing in front of Adam's door, he gave it a sharp brush with his knuckles. Not a sound was heard from inside. He opened the unlocked door and whispered, "Adam?" When no response was given, he opened the door wider and turned on the lights. The room was empty, and it was evident that he hadn't been there since the maids had cleaned his room.

Randor gritted his teeth as the thought of Adam running around Eternos having “fun” while they all thought he was home asleep came to mind.

Now, everything finally made sense to Randor:  he always knew Adam was a bit of a playboy. He did enjoy the ladies' company, but never before had he guessed that his son was going a step further than he should and was allowed to as a prince.

The wheels were turning in Randor's mind and he was quickly making all the connections to Adam's actions. Of course, Adam would be tired all the time during the day if he was out with ladies all night long doing the unimaginable for an unwedded heir to the throne. And, it was definitely something Adam wouldn't want to confide in his parents about. In fact, he would do his best to keep it a secret that would never see the light of day. Obviously, his son had found some very discreet young ladies who hoped one day the prince would take pity on them and make one of them his queen. Of course, the others would merely be his concubines and nothing more, but they would settle for that. Adam would undoubtedly take care of them since they were keeping his dirty little secret…

The more Randor thought about it, the more believable it seemed and the more disgusted he became. He walked out of the room and slammed the door shut. There would be no heart-to-heart tonight or tomorrow. Instead, he was going to lay down the law.

=)=)=)

He-Man held his sword tightly in his hand as he went farther into the cave. His eyes were wide with anticipation and determination.

Since Man-at-Arms and Battlecat had left, the cave once again became enveloped in an eerie silence, almost like no one was there, but he knew Skeletor was waiting to strike:  he was just waiting for the perfect opportunity.

"And, I'm not going to give it to him," thought He-Man as he stopped to stand still.

He looked in each direction and thought about calling out to his nemesis but quickly changed his mind as he heard a small creak behind him in the not so far distance. He turned around and walked back toward the source of the noise. A smile and a wave of calm came over He-Man as he noticed a flash of gold and green, but before he could utter a word, he saw a fast movement out of the corner of his eye. He decided it was no longer a good idea to try to surprise the evildoers.

"Okay, Skeletor," yelled He-Man. "I know you're here. Come out, and let's get this over with."

He-Man was astonished to discover that his words were immediately answered by the appearance of Skeletor coming to stand in front of him out of thin air. He-Man took a step back and held his sword in front of him, ready for Skeletor to make the first move.

Skeletor chuckled with almost delight as he stared at Eternia's Champion. "My, my, He-Man," he said. "I was so sure you would listen to that coward Man-at-Arms and go back for reinforcements."

He-Man furrowed his brow and said, "You're not leaving this cave with that coridite belt."

Suddenly, He-Man noticed that Evil-Lyn and Beastman were coming to stand behind their master.

Skeletor ignored his allies' advances and said, "Do you really think I care one way or the other about this belt? Once you are defeated, there will be nothing to stand in my way of taking over Castle Grayskull and then the entire universe!" Skeletor started to laugh, but He-Man quickly cut him short:

"And, what makes you think you can beat me, Skeletor? You may have the coridite as an advantage, but you always make mistakes. You never follow the plans completely through."

"What are you talking about, you fool?" screeched Evil-Lyn, finally speaking up. "The plan is working out perfectly." She turned to her master and screamed, "Let him have it, Skeletor!"

Skeletor quickly raised his Havoc Staff and shot an energy beam at He-Man, which he immediately deflected with the Power Sword. The beam shot back, struck Beastman square in the chest, made him fly a few feet back, and fall to the ground.

Skeletor let out a yell of frustration as He-Man smiled and reiterated, "Like I told you, Skeletor, you never set up your traps, perfectly. You always manage to make one mistake, and it's ultimately your undoing." He-Man pointed behind them. Immediately, Skeletor and Evil-Lyn turned around to see Battlecat and Man-at-Arms running at them.

"Oh, no, you don't!" screamed Skeletor at the meddlers. He raised his Havoc Staff, prepared to shoot Man-at-Arms but almost immediately found himself being lifted off the ground by He-Man. "Let me down, you muscle-bound buffoon!"

"If you insist!” exclaimed He-Man, and he threw Skeletor into Evil-Lyn as she tried to twirl her wand in some kind of spell to stop Man-at-Arms and Battlecat.

The two miscreants were huddled together on the ground, trying to get up as the heroic trio surrounded them. "All right, Skeletor. You lose. Take off the Coridite Belt before I remove it myself."

"Not a chance, Musclehead!" cried Skeletor as he shot a beam out of his finger.

He-Man immediately moved to deflect the shot but suddenly realized Skeletor had moved his hand abruptly before shooting out the beam. He hadn't been aiming at him.

Before He-Man realized what was happening, he heard Man-at-Arms cry out in pain and saw him falling back. "DUNCAN!" cried He-Man as he reached out to grab his friend and prevent him from colliding with the cold hard ground of the cave.

He-Man quickly lowered the figure to the floor and kneeled before him. "Duncan," he said. Everything else around him seemed to be a blur. As he had caught his friend, he had failed to notice any movement. He was worried Man-at-Arms might be…

"No," He-Man whispered and then let out a loud, "NOOOOOO!"

He stood up at the mere thought and possibility that his friend was dead and whirled around to where Skeletor and Evil-Lyn had been sitting. They were nowhere in sight. Immediately, He-Man turned his attention back to Duncan. Battlecat was already there nudging his fallen friend with the side of his head armor. "Is he all right?" the great cat asked with great concern in his eyes.

"I don't know," He-Man answered, dropping to his knees to check for signs of life, but before he could he heard Skeletor's evil laugh.

"Your mistake shall cost you, dearly, my enemy," the demon yelled.

Suddenly, Battlecat let out a roar as a glowing rope shot around his feet and fastened them together. He fell to the floor beside Man-at-Arms as He-Man stood to see Skeletor with the Havoc Staff a mere foot away from his head.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to stop this beam, He-Man," said Skeletor as Evil Lyn finished using her wand to tie up Battlecat.

She then stood beside Skeletor and raised her wand. "Or two, for that matter," she added.

He-Man immediately relaxed his grip on his sword and lowered it to the ground. "What do you want, Skeletor?"

Skeletor laughed and answered, "I want to rid Eternia of your hated presence forever. I want you some place where you will never bother me again."

He-Man glanced at Man-at-Arms and Battlecat and then asked, "Do I have your word you will you let them go?"

Skeletor glanced at the two figures lying on the floor and said, "In exchange for letting me send you to the farthest galaxy imagined, yes."

He-Man nodded and said, "Then, do it."

Skeletor stood there unmoving for a second and asked, "What? No heroic effort to save yourself and your friends? You're merely going to give up?"

"I'm not giving up," he hissed. "I'm saving my friends."

Skeletor laughed. "A wise choice, He-Man."

The head of the Havoc Staff started growing and Skeletor started reciting an incantation. While Skeletor was occupied, He-Man knew the time was now or never. He quickly lunged out, grabbed the Havoc Staff, and pushed the head of it towards the cave wall and away from him. Skeletor cried out in protest, and immediately Evil-Lyn shot an energy beam squarely on He-Man's back.

He-Man felt the overwhelming sting of the blow to his back, but he knew he couldn't let Skeletor win this battle. With all the power he could muster, he ripped the Havoc Staff from Skeletor's grip and tossed it aside. Once it hit the cave wall, its glowing top immediately went back to its natural shade.

He-Man tried his best to push Skeletor against the wall but was finding it difficult since Skeletor was still wearing the Coridite Belt and had a little height on him.

"You will pay for that, He-Man!" yelled Skeletor as he kneed He-Man in the midsection and pushed him a few steps away from him. "Evil-Lyn!"

Suddenly, He-Man felt another blow to his back which was more intense than the first. He knew now that he had only one choice left. With the beam still on his back, he lunged once more at Skeletor and used the force the beam to fly at him. As he flew into Skeletor, he ripped the Coridite Belt off of him and clasped his hands around the hard formed rock, determined to ball it up and destroy it as soon as he had the chance.

Skeletor and He-Man collided into the cave wall with the force from He-Man's lunge and Evil Lyn's beam. He-Man didn't know about Skeletor, but he could feel himself losing consciousness. "No," he thought as he fought against the dizziness he felt. "Not now."

He tried to force himself to stand and immediately dropped to one knee again. The room seemed to be spinning, and he couldn't quite seem to catch his balance.

Suddenly, he heard Evil-Lyn cry out. He-Man looked in her direction and saw her falling to the ground. He glanced to his right determined to see where Skeletor had gone and he noticed the villain crawling towards the Havoc Staff. Once Skeletor retrieved it, he looked at He-Man and cried, "I will have my revenge!" He suddenly disappeared, taking Evil-Lyn and Beastman with him.

He-Man immediately sat down, laid his head back on the wall behind him, and closed his eyes. He was tired and aching all over, and the demand for sleep was overwhelming. He was tempted to fall asleep at that very moment, but the sudden thought of Duncan on the ground a few feet away made him open his eyes.

He-Man almost believed he was looking at a ghost. Before him, Man-at-Arms was leaning his face close to his. "Are you all right?” the ghost asked.

He-Man groaned and gasped, "Duncan…" He grabbed the back of his head and suddenly felt another set of hands there, as well. "You're alive!" he said, relieved.

"Of course, I'm alive," replied Duncan still examining He-Man's head and pulling him forward to look at his back. "Skeletor only knocked the wind out of me. This armor is good for something, you know. You, on the other hand, aren't wearing any."

He-Man closed his eyes again and said softly, "I'm okay. Just give me a few seconds."

Man-at-Arms wasn't as confident as He-Man sounded, but he allowed He-Man to rest on the wall again and breathe in deeply and slowly.

After five minutes of waiting, He-Man opened his eyes, smiled weakly, and said, "We better be on our way back to the palace. Prince Adam has an appointment with the king tomorrow, and I would prefer to get a little rest."

Duncan nodded and watched as He-Man winced as he stood to his feet. "We also need to get you checked out," replied Duncan. "You're obviously in pain and you weren’t up for this kind of battle in the first place…"

"I'm fine," muttered He-Man, cutting Duncan off short. "All I need is a little sleep."

Duncan frowned as he watched He-Man crumble Skeletor's belt in his hands.