Skeletor stood at his monitor where he watched various locations throughout Eternia. The machine had come in handy plenty of times in the past and he knew it would again.

Evil-Lyn stood behind Skeletor as he flipped through the cameras with Beastman and Clawful. "What are you doing, Skeletor?" she questioned, sounding almost annoyed that he hadn't shared his latest plan yet. All she knew was that it involved Prince Adam and King Randor. Other than that, he hadn't divulged a single detail.

"I'm looking for the rescue party," he replied.

Trap Jaw walked into the room and said, "I thought you warned them not to send one."

Skeletor turned around and snapped, "Imbecile, do you really think they're not going to try? I have their prince and their king. Besides, I said I had better not see He-Man and She-Ra! I never had a doubt in my mind that a rescue attempt would be made. The letter was sent to get Prince Adam here without the muscle-headed duo accompanying him. I knew they would come later."

"Why do we want Prince Adam in the first place?" asked Clawful. "He's nothing to us."

Skeletor turned back to the monitor and replied, "Because he's the future King of Eternia, twit, or at least he would have been."

"Would have been?" asked Beastman suddenly getting happy. "What are you planning to do?"

Skeletor yelled an enthusiastic "Ah ha!" as he focused the monitor on a Windraider landing several hundred yards away from Snake Mountain. He laughed triumphantly and answered, "We are going to break the Eternians' spirits. We're going to crush their every hope for the future."

=)=)=)

"What do they want from us?" complained Randor as he stood and went to the bars to see if anyone was around. There wasn't. "I'm tired of waiting! Usually Skeletor tells us what he has in mind right away!"

Adam stayed seated on the floor and looked up at his father. "It might be a good thing that he hasn't. We might not like what he has planned and I have a feeling if he tells us about it, he's going to do it right then."

Randor looked back at him and nodded. "Perhaps you're right. He has been a little unpredictable recently—there's no telling what he is thinking or what he might do."

As his father settled beside him again, Adam rested his head back against the wall. He didn't want to let on, but he was worried. His father was right—Skeletor usually did tell them his plans right away. He was always so egotistical and sure that his plans would work. Because of that, he couldn't wait to share his supposed genius. The fact that Skeletor had smartened up and wasn't telling them anything was a little frightening. He had no idea what the villain was plotting or what could happen next. He knew in order to get out of this, he'd have to act in the spare of the moment and seize whatever opportunity presented itself. There was no way to prepare for a specific moment of escape and he was worried that his father would get hurt in the process…or that he might not be able to keep his promise to Teela.

Unaware of his son's concerns, Randor decided to pass the time discussing another topic that would have already been addressed if he hadn't been his usual hot-tempered self and Skeletor hadn't kidnapped him. "So," he said slowly getting Adam's attention, "we were talking about you and Teela before I stormed out last night. Let's pick that topic back up."

Randor turned to his son who looked mildly startled. He laughed amusedly and questioned, "Well, what else are we going to do besides talk? Why waste the moment together? Let's take advantage of the little good we have in this situation."

Adam smiled a little and nodded. "What do you want to know?" he asked. He didn't start shooting off explanations like he had earlier because he could no longer say what he had said last night. At that time, he had claimed adamantly that Teela and he were not in a relationship, but that had changed since he had last seen his father. He blushed, and Randor saw it.

"Developments?" he guessed.

Adam lowered his head a little in embarrassment and nodded. He then looked up and said, "She returns my feelings. We…we've decided that we want to see where this goes. I'm…courting her now. Well, I will if we get out of this."

Randor pursed his lips and replied confidently, "We will get out of this, Adam. Have no doubts. We will get back to Eternos and you will have ample time to court Teela."

Adam was totally surprised by his father's words. He smiled brightly and questioned, "So, you're okay with the Prince of Eternia courting his bodyguard and Captain of the Guard?"

Randor sighed. "I won't lie. I was a little concerned at first, and I was upset because I thought you were hiding the relationship from me, but I believe you now. I know you weren't consorting behind my back. I must warn you, though, that there are things that we will have to handle with the court, but overall I'm okay with you courting Teela. We just have to discuss the bodyguard and Captain of the Guard part."

Adam frowned. "She loves her jobs," he stated firmly, knowing all too well where the discussion was going. "I don't want to turn her life upside down just because we've decided we want to be together."

Randor reached over and patted his son's knee comfortingly. "I'm afraid that comes with dating royalty, son. When we date someone who isn't already a royal, it's inevitable that we make big changes in their lives. It's unavoidable because there are certain expectations that must be met. But if Teela does love you, she'll accept them. She has to if she wants to be with you."

"And, what must she do for us to be together?" Adam asked resentfully.

"I don't make the rules in these matters, Adam," said his father abruptly when he heard the emotion in his son's voice.

"You're king."

"Yes, but there are reasons why we handle things the way that we do when it comes to courting," Randor explained. "Surely, you already know all of this. I know Teela is an exceptional warrior and that she is already a target since she is the Captain of the Guard, but Adam, that makes no difference. She will become a bigger target if she is your future bride. Skeletor and our other enemies will try to capture her to get to you and me. And, son, they might try to rape her for kicks or to get their offspring in a position of power." The king shook his head. "And, that's assuming that the people would accept you marrying Teela if she carried another person's child."

Adam gasped, but his father continued, "That's why Teela can't be in the field, son. If she wants to court you and one day possibly become our princess, she cannot endanger herself. She will have to give up her life as a soldier. There's no other way. But, on the bright side of things, I have a feeling if Teela has consented to courting you, she's already given this some thought. Duncan wouldn't have let her walk into this blindly."

"Things have happened so quickly," responded Adam. "I don't know if she's discussed this with anyone in any real detail. I know we haven't."

"Then, you must do that when we get back to the palace."

Adam frowned as he thought about asking Teela to give up her career. Could he do that to her? And, would she be willing if he could?

=)=)=)

Plans needed to be made. She had no problem with that whatsoever. They couldn't just go barging into Snake Mountain and think Skeletor would give Adam back willingly. She hadn't fought He-Man's adversary a lot, but she knew enough about him to know that he most definitely wanted Adam for a reason and that he wouldn't give an intricate part of his plan away without a fight.

What she did have a problem with was how the plans were being made. As soon as they had gotten out of the Windraider, Teela had turned to Man-at-Arms and asked which entrance into Snake Mountain would be the best. What ensued was a mumbled conversation with drawings that they etched on the ground with a stick. There was no "She-Ra, what do you think about this?" or "Hey, She-Ra, Adora and Skeletor were Hordak's favorites in the past, so you must have some things in common. Maybe you have an idea of how to get Adam back?" No, they stayed in their little group and discussed everything without including her. What made it worse is that Cringer and Orko interjected their thoughts and the two would address them and give it consideration. She groaned in frustration.

She-Ra knew she was being a little unfair. Why was she so up in arms today, aside from the facts that her father had been kidnapped and Adam had traded himself for the king's release? She knew she could do exactly what Cringer and Orko were doing and tell Man-at-Arms and Teela her ideas. She knew they weren't intentionally excluding her—they were simply used to doing this on their own. Whether she liked to admit it or not, she may technically be the Princess of Eternia but when it came to habits and instincts, she was an Etherian and they naturally viewed her that way. She was the outsider who didn't know ways inside Snake Mountain or all of Skeletor's strengths and weaknesses. Shoot, she had never even spent much time in Castle Grayskull, which is the very place that gave her all of her power and had a role in reuniting her with her family, or at the palace, her supposed true home.

She shook her head as she tried to rein in her emotions and scattered thoughts. She knew it was possible that her earlier contemplations were a factor now. Adam was her brother, and yet, Teela was the one taking charge in the rescue effort. Part of her wanted to argue that she was the ex-Horde Force Captain, so she had a great understanding in tactical measures of search-and-rescue, but that wasn't much of an argument considering Teela was Captain of the Royal Guard. They both undoubtedly had training in this area, but she couldn't help but think smugly that since she lived on a planet being ruled by an evil dictator essentially, she had carried out these acts a lot more than Teela had.

"She-Ra," she heard her name being called. She looked up to see Teela wave her over to their location. She walked over and looked down at their drawings.

"We've decided we're going to enter Snake Mountain behind the waterfall," said Teela hurriedly. "If Adam is being held in the dungeon, this will be the quickest route to him."

"And, if he isn't?" questioned She-Ra.

Man-at-Arms answered, "He almost certainly is unless Skeletor needs him at that precise moment for whatever his plan is. Skeletor likes to keep his prisoners out of the way until he wants them."

She-Ra nodded, deciding not to press the issue—there wasn't really much of one anyway—and said, "Well, what are we waiting for, then? Let's go." The voice that answered surprised her so much that she jumped and breathed in audibly.

"Perhaps you were waiting for me, She-Ra."

Everyone looked to their right, and on top of a large hill was Skeletor with Evil-Lyn, Trap Jaw, and Clawful with their weapons pointed at them readily. Skeletor had his Havoc Staff, Evil-Lyn had her wand, Trap Jaw had one of his firearms attached, and Clawful merely held his arms out at them and snapped his claws menacingly.

She-Ra reached towards her back to grab the Sword of Protection, but Skeletor yelled, holding up what appeared to be a communicator in his hand, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, She-Ra. One word from me, Prince Adam and King Randor dies!"

=)=)=)

Adam knitted his brow angrily as Beastman opened the cell door. "Time to go, Your Majesties," the villain said as he stepped inside. Tri-Klops, Mer-Man, Stinkor, and Kobra Khan also joined them.

"Where are we going?" asked Adam as he and Randor stood quickly.

"Oh, you'll see, prince…and it just might be the last sight you'll ever see." Beastman laughed horrifically as he grabbed Adam by both of his arms and forced him to move towards the door.

At that moment, a cry erupted from Mer-Man and Tri-Klops as they rushed past Beastman. Adam and he immediately turned around to see them restraining King Randor who had a tray they had given them during lunch earlier. It was apparent that he would have used it as a weapon against Beastman if they had not stopped him.

Adam stood aghast as he watched the king try to fight their captors. "Father!" he cried, not understanding his unwise actions until he heard the king's words.

"What do you mean by that, villain? You are NOT going to hurt my son! Let him go and take me instead. I won't fight at all if you let him go," he offered sincerely.

By this point, Mer-Man and Tri-Klops had restrained the king's movements and held his arms behind his back. The evildoers laughed amusedly. Then, Beastman replied, "Skeletor has plans for the both of you, so you are offering him something he already has."

They forced the king and prince from the room, and Adam knew enough about Snake Mountain to know that they weren't headed for Skeletor's throne room: they were going outside.

=)=)=)

Adam felt completely helpless as he and his father were chained to a stone wall outside of Snake Mountain. It wasn't a feeling he was used to. Normally, he would have already been He-Man and had his father half way back to Eternos by now. Yet another reason why he resented that he had to keep his secret from his father.

"What is the meaning of this?" Randor yelled as Beastman secured the last bolt which held them in place.

Suddenly, Skeletor's voice was heard. "Why don't we tell him, Beastman?" He laughed as he walked before them.

No one said anything as Skeletor turned to look behind him. Randor and Adam followed his gaze and both gasped. Coming with their hands tied together were She-Ra, Teela, Man-at-Arms, and Orko. Cringer was also there, but he wasn't tied up. Evil-Lyn had her wand pointed at him while the tiger shook softly. Once everyone was in speaking distance of one another, Adam cried out, "What are you doing here? I told you to stay at the palace!"

She-Ra spoke, "We…"

She was cut off by Teela. "You should already know me by now, Adam. I wasn't going to let you go through this alone. Besides, why should we follow Skeletor's demands when he clearly doesn't keep his side of the deal?" She gestured towards the king.

"Enough," said Skeletor, stepping between them so they couldn't see one another. "While some might want to hear this heartfelt reunion, I am on a schedule. I want to be sitting on the throne of Eternia within the hour."

"It's not going to happen, villain," snapped King Randor.

Skeletor chuckled merrily. "I'm afraid neither you nor your son will have any say in the matter. No one will." He turned back to Teela and her group to say, "The Reign of Skeletor begins now, and I wanted you to have a front row seat to see how it happened."

Skeletor turned around and held up his Havoc Staff. Normally, when Skeletor wanted to shoot a beam, it turned a glowing white color, but this time it was the opposite. It turned black and a dark haze seemed to surround it.

She-Ra widened her eyes as the wind started whipping furiously and black particles from the sky rushed all around them and to the staff. She had a horrible feeling of what was about to occur. She cried out terrified, "You said you wouldn't hurt them if we came peacefully!"

Skeletor glanced back at her briefly and questioned, "And, you believed me? No wonder Hordak still has control over that planet. You're clearly not as smart as I gave you credit for, She-Ra!" He held out the Havoc Staff and pointed it directly at Prince Adam.

Instead of closing his eyes to prepare for the impact—he couldn't break the chains so there was no way to escape—Adam glanced over at his father who yelled out in protest and fought in vain against the chains that held him to the wall. Blood suddenly dripped from the king's wrists where he was bound as he tried his best to get to his son. "No!" Randor cried. "Please, I'll do anything!"

It almost seemed like the voice came from a million miles away as Adam focused on the king, but he heard Skeletor faintly when he replied, "It's too late, King Randor!"

Adam didn't pay attention to the villain, only to his father. If this was it, there was something he had to say. "Father…," he said hurriedly, "…Dad, I want you to know that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I wasn't the son you always wanted." A few tears dripped down his eyes as he heard a buzz coming from Skeletor's direction. He knew he was getting ready to fire. "I'm sorry that I wasn't the ideal prince. I promise you, though, that I always wanted to be. It's just that so many things got in the way, but if I die, I hope the Sorceress allows Adora to tell you the truth. I love you. And, please tell Mom, Adora, and Teela that I love them if you can. I'm so sorry that I didn't save us."

"ADAM!" yelled Randor as tears poured from his eyes and he saw a dark shimmer come from the Havoc Staff, but it was also at that moment that he saw She-Ra rip her arms apart and jump at Skeletor, almost as if she were flying.

They both hit the ground with sickening thuds, but that was all Randor could see because the area beside him suddenly exploded and rock fell around him. He cried out, terrified that his son had been hit. When the debris cleared so he could see, he saw Adam lying on the ground with several rocks scattered on top of and around him. "ADAM!" he hollered again.

Adam groaned and moved his head back and forth several times. He knew he hadn't been hit. She-Ra had hit Skeletor at the last second, so the beam had hit the chains and the rock beside him. He was free if he could make his dizziness go away: unfortunately, he had bumped his head lightly on the ground again as he had fallen.

It took him several moments but Adam finally sat up and moaned in pain as he grabbed his head. After a moment, he looked up at the king and said, "I'm okay." He then turned to see his sister fighting Skeletor. The Lord of Destruction was using his staff to block She-Ra as she tried earnestly to attack him with her sword. Adam tried to stand up and fell several times before he actually got to his feet.

"Son!" Randor called out, but the prince ignored him. He already knew from experience that he couldn't free his father in this form. He had to change into He-Man. Adam started to run away from the chaos, knowing it was time to even the odds…

But Adam's plans abruptly changed before he left the area. He stopped running as he looked around and noticed Skeletor taking a cheap shot at his sister. The villain had kicked her in the stomach and shoved her away from him. It was at that moment that Skeletor's minions surrounded her.

Adam swallowed roughly with indecision. Should he try to save her in this form or keep going so he could turn into He-Man? He knew he was taking a chance that he might be too late to save her if he chose the latter, but she was She-Ra right now and trying to save her as Adam might make things worse. He turned to run but paused when he saw Skeletor whip around away from the fight.

The villain canvassed the area undoubtedly looking for him while his men kept She-Ra busy. Adam almost began to run yet again when he noticed that Skeletor's eyes fell on Randor.

Skeletor yelled out in frustration at not finding the prince but screamed, "Your son may have escaped, Randor, but you have not! It will only be a matter of time before the throne of Eternia is mine and this is the first step!"

Once again, Skeletor held up his Havoc Staff and the wind picked up again as the head of the staff turned black.

Adam turned to run at Skeletor to stop him but quickly paused. He was too far away to reach him in time. He turned to his father who was closer and knew what he had to do! "No, Skeletor!" he yelled, hoping to grab his attention to stop him from killing the king. He had no doubt that the impact that freed him earlier had the strength to kill and he just couldn't allow that to happen to his father.

=)=)=)

Man-at-Arms, Orko, and Teela struggled against their ropes, trying desperately to free themselves. Everywhere they looked, they saw something that frightened them. Things could go horribly wrong in a matter of seconds and they wouldn't be able to do anything about it unless they freed themselves.

Now that all of Skeletor's men were occupied by She-Ra, Cringer sprung into action to help them. He ran to his friends and started chewing on their ropes frantically.

"That's it, Cringer!" cried Teela with relief. When the ropes finally fell apart, Man-at-Arms and Orko ran toward She-Ra to help her as Teela turned to see Adam running towards his father. It was then that she noticed Skeletor was preparing to shoot another beam at them. "Oh, no you don't!" she yelled as she ran to stop him.

But she was too late.

=)=)=)

"I'm going to make it! I'm going to make it!" Adam chanted in his head as he ran towards his father. He turned briefly as he ran and saw that Skeletor had finally brought down the staff and pointed it straight at the king. "NO!" he screamed and used all of his strength to jump and propel himself in front of his father.

It worked. Just as Adam fell into Randor, the prince felt a massive impact on his back and heard a loud boom for only a brief second. Then, everything got extremely quiet. He knew he coughed suddenly but he didn't hear it nor feel it. Nor could he fathom why his father looked so frightened until he realized that when he had coughed, he had covered his father's clothes with huge drops of blood. He looked up into his father's eyes as Randor yelled something at him, but he still couldn't hear it.

Suddenly, he fell back as his father continued to seemingly yell at he knew not who. He had tried to hold on to the king, to continue to protect him, but he had been too weak to lift his arms far to get a good grip. He had only managed to grab the edge of his father's robe before gravity pulled him down.

Intuitively, he knew when he hit the ground, but pain and groans that usually accompanied such a fall were missing. Once he was down, he merely laid there and tried to keep his eyes open, but all he could see was moving blurry colors before all went black.

=)=)=)

She-Ra cried out in pain. She didn't know why it was there specifically, but she instinctively knew the source. "Adam!" she cried hysterically and dropped to her knees.