The Sorceress was on her control-fly over the hills of Grayskull when she received a strange telepathic message. She returned to her castle to have full power. She could only hear a thin, not to understand voice so far, but when she entered her throne room, she startled. `Help´ said someone. `How could you give up so easily?´ She didn't know the speaker but she felt, he was very, very powerful. `Who are you?´ `My name is not important. Important is, that somewhere out there someone needs you. And you just gave up to find him. How could you?´ Suddenly she understood. `We tried all´ she defend herself. `Please, tell me, what I can do!´ `The answer is beside you and you don’t know it? Hurry up, Sorceress. We don’t have much time anymore.´ With this the strange presence disappeared. Zoar was totally shocked. What was going on? Nothing for years and today... What should she do now? The answer was beside her, the speaker had said. She looked around. What had he mentioned? Her sight fell on a door. It was closed. Up to now she hadn’t been able to open it. Slowly she raised her hand. Would it work? It did. She shook her head thoughtfully. Perhaps... But why hadn’t the spirits of Grayskull told her? She went inside the forbidden room and opened a secret drawer. There it was. She touched it gently. "Can it be?" she asked. "After so long?"
Princess Adora caught less sleep this night. She was having a strange dream. About much enemies and crying people. Something like that. When she woke up, she didn’t want to rest anymore. She decided to take a short walk around. She had no special reason for it, suddenly she thought, going outside would be good now. She put on her clothes, the dark blue skirt, the dark blue, sleeveless, tight top with the shoestring straps, her high-heeled, blue boots, which covered her legs up to her thighs... ready. No need for a tiara in the middle of the night. She was glad if she hadn’t got to put it on, which was only possible, when her parents weren’t around. She went through the yards of the palace, when suddenly she heard a quiet roaring. Puzzled she looked around. There, in the bushes... Carefully she took a closer look. And suddenly had to laugh. "Ey, did you lost your way?" A green tiger sat there, who shrank back scared, when she wanted to touch him. She saw that his leg was hurt. "Oh! Come with me. I’m sure, Man-At-Arms can help. Come on! I won’t harm you." Hesitating he got closer. "But... isn’t that dangerous?" Now she frightened. "You... you speak?" "Why not? Are you sure, it’s safe in here?" He trembled. Lovingly Adora ran her hand through his fur. "Of course. Come with me." Restless he looked around when he went into the lab with her. She called for Duncan at once, who came lightly angry and sleepily. "Princess, honor to your love for animals, but do you always have to do that in the middle of the night?" he moaned. With a sensor he searched the leg of the tiger and healed it then with one of his gadgets. "Alright, little friend. You can go now." Adora saw that the animal was afraid of the night. "You can also stay here for now." Man-At-Arms wanted to protest. "But... Princess?" She touched her forehead. "The Sorceress..." For seconds she listened to the silent voice. Then she said: "I have to head for Grayskull." "Now?" She didn’t answer but ran to the door- and stopped. "You know what? I'll take our friend here with me. Perhaps he can stay in the castle. Come on!" The tiger followed her. Somehow he trusted the girl. Man-At-Arms sighed quietly. To Grayskull once more. Since he knew, that the Princess was really She-Ra, the thought of the past hurt even more. She shouldn’t go alone to Grayskull now. It was so unfair... He suppressed it. It was over.
"If this is a door, where does it lead to?" Puzzled Adora looked at the yellow light. "I don’t know, Princess. I couldn’t open it for a long time. Only minutes before I called you, I’ve managed it. This will lead you." She gave a her a impressing looking sword. "But Sorceress... This sword looks nearly exactly like mine..." "Please, Adora, don’t ask anything. You must find the person, for whom this sword was made. The fate of the universe will depend on it!" "You can’t tell me anything about this person?" "I’m afraid so." Shaking her head Adora looked down on Cringer, how she had called the tiger. He was scared of the dark castle and stayed close by her side. "This night is really strange. How shall I find someone, I know nothing about?" "You’ll see then. Go now, Princess. You must hurry. And if there’s any problem, contact me through the sword." "Sure I will." Suddenly she had an idea. "May I take Cringer with me?" "Certainly." "Well, ready for an adventure, Cringe?" she asked smiling. "An adventure? But..." "Come on!" Fearless Adora passed the gate. The tiger followed her more slow. Zoar sighed. She was very worried about the two of them. But it was so endless important... She turned round. She had to protect Eternia alone now.
It was a pretty world, Adora found herself in. She loved Eternia but for the first time she realized how dark it was there sometimes. Here it was bright and sunny. Colorful plants were everywhere. Amazing. She was in some woods. Where to go now? She hadn’t thought about it yet, when suddenly a tiny pink man came out of a bush. He directed a crossbow on her and her tiger. "Stop! In the name of the Great Rebellion!" Cringer frightened nearly to death and fled on a tree. She had to laugh. "Sorry to drop in so suddenly... I don’t mean you any harm." He sized her. "You aren’t a Horde’s spy?" "A what?" She arched an eyebrow. The twigget smiled. "Okay, it doesn’t seem to be very likely. Who are you, stranger?" "The name’s Princess Adora. This is... Cringer, come down!" "I am Spragg. Sorry for having scared you, Pussycat?" "Pussycat?" Adora saw a quarrel coming and asked fast: "You live here?" "Yep. These are the Whispering Woods. Not everybody is allowed to enter, so I think, you really aren’t an enemy... Come on, I bring you to the rebels. We’re always happy to have some new recruits." First she had been a Horde’s spy, now she was a recruit? Well, if he mentioned so... But Adora had still no idea how to begin her mission, so she went with him for now. They reached a campsite, where about twenty people were working on weapons. One of them, wearing blue trousers and a uniform top with a cape, was very handsome... But for this she wasn’t here. Besides she thought of some secret meetings of her with a certain man named Fisto... Fast she looked away. And then her sight fell on the man, who amazed her from the first moment on, the man, who should change all. He stood a little bit away from the others and was just about to mount a brown horse. Black, tight trousers, a black shirt and a silver west covered his muscular, tall body. He had short, brown hair. The simple clothes and a weapon belt gave him the appearance of a real fighter. He surely was not older than her, perhaps nineteen. There was something in his brown eyes which was somehow... familiar to her. The man seemed familiar to her at all. What was it? He felt her sight and turned around for a moment. She thought to see an amazement on his face too, but then he looked away again, apparently not interested. "Who’s the boy over there?" Adora asked Spragg. "Who? Oh, that is Alaimo. Don’t worry about him, he’s a little strange. Actually he’s the strangest one here, and believe me, we have a lot of psychos. Come on now. I want you to meet our leader." "Cringer, do you want to go around a little bit?" the Princess asked friendly. "Oh ...okay. But you’ll come back soon, promise me!" "Of course I will." They went into a pink tent. On it’s top soared a strange angel, made of silk. "Glimmer!" Spragg shouted. "I’m back." The girl stood with the back to them. She leaned over a map. Firstly, all, Adora could see was long, beautiful, pink hair. "Spragg? Finally! Have you seen..." She turned around. "...oh! Hello!" "May I introduce? This is Princess Adora." "Pleased to meet you." They shook hands. "What brings you here, Princess?" "Please, call me Adora." She made a grimace. "I hear this silly `Princess´ all day. It’s not necessary that strangers say that to me too." Glimmer laughed. Now she looked even prettier in her violet, tight dress, her perfect body. Adora decided that she wouldn’t have had a chance at this warrior, she had seen, the one with the blue trousers, anyway. "I know, how you feel. I’m glad, the others have got rid of their habit to see me as a Princess. I’m a rebel. That’s what I wanted to be called too. Sit down, Adora. And then let’s talk."
Adora learned much about Etheria this afternoon. She heard of the tyranny of the Evil Horde and of the rebels, who wanted to stop them. Of Alaimo, she wanted to know all about. But there wasn’t much to say. "We don’t know, where he comes from, we don’t know, if he has a family. He doesn’t speak very much with us. Mostly he’s riding through the woods with his horse. He joined us a few months ago, when we came here into the Whispering Woods." "You came here? I thought, the rebellion started here?" Adora asked. "Oh, no! When we started, we had another leader. A great woman. Our base was in her castle, the castle of Brightmoon, the Kingdom, she was the Queen of. It was the last Kingdom to fall to the Horde. We had to flee." Glimmers sight became sad. "What happened to your leader?" Adora asked. "We don’t know. She vanished. We couldn’t find out anything." "You sure miss her very much" the Princess mentioned. "Of course. She... is my mother." "Oh, no! I’m so sorry!" "Don’t be sorry. The only one, who has to be sorry, is this devil Hordak. One day I’ll get him, I promise. But at the moment it doesn’t look very good..." "Why?" "You saw, how tiny this Great Rebellion is. The people are feared of the Horde, they don’t help us. They rather bow to this tyranny than risking to be a slave or even getting shot. There are many ways to get punished. In a way I understand them. But if this is continuing like this, we’ll never get far. Besides I have a feeling for a long time, that we get spied. Perhaps by one of our own men." Her face became angry. "How is this possible?" Adora wanted to know. "It shouldn’t be, you’re right, but it has to. In every fight the enemies are ahead of us. They must get information about our plans somehow. And since no one, serving the evil, is able to penetrate the Whispering Woods, which are protecting us, somebody must get things out." She jerked her shoulders, helplessly. "It’s getting late, Adora. You look tired. You can stay in the guest’s tent, if you want." The Princess thought on her mission once more. She believed, that the person, she searched, was to find in the rebellion. She had no sure idea, who it was yet, but it would be good to stay. "Yes, I want to help you. Besides there’s a little job, I have to do." "You’re welcome here. And thanks." Glimmer stood up. "Good night, my new friend. I hope, you’ll have a good time here." Adora stood up too. "Good night." When she passed the door, the fighter, she had met before, just came in. "Glimmer, I’m finished with the supplies now. Oh, hello, Princess." He looked even better to her from the near. He had brown hair, a beard and fascinating dark eyes. "Please, call me Adora." She sighed. This sentence she would have to repeat many times in the future. "I’m Bow. Will you join us for a while?" "Yep. From tomorrow on, if it’s possible" Adora smiled. "I’m a little tired. Bye!" The Princess fast went outside. That the man entered the leader’s tent at this time had taken all her last hopes from her. Strange, Fisto seemed to be so far away suddenly... She shook her head. What should this be? The strong eternian fighter was her first love. Many people were interested in her, but he was the first, she had feelings for too. Nobody knew yet. She had wanted to be absolutely sure before telling her parents. And now this Bow came and she was so puzzled... Thoughtfully she was, she hadn’t seen Cringer coming. "Adora!" He jumped up on her gladly. A strange bird was with him. "Hi! I’m Kowl! Do you stay here now?" "I sure want" she laughed. "Can you tell me where the guest’s tent is, please?" "Of course I can. Just follow me." "Well, have you found a friend yet, Cringe?" "Yes. The people here are nice. But they all talking about fights... We won’t join one, will we? Please not!" But Adora had made a decision yet. At least for the time, she would spend here, she would help the rebellion in the fight against the Horde. This tyranny scared her. She had never thought of something else like her home, where they were free to do what they wanted. Skeletor was just a strange presence there. A danger, for sure, but he wasn’t that powerful to rule everything. That a force could really control a whole planet... She just had to help. And poor Glimmer! To loose her mother that way... Perhaps she could help here too. If only they would know, who the betrayer was! That would solve many problems... "I’m going to find out" she murmured. "We have to help, my little friend, I’m sorry." She entered the tent, Kowl showed her. "Thanks." "But... me? Battles are dangerous! I don’t like battles!" She jerked. "Well, you can of course stay here and guard the Whispering Woods, when we are leaving." Alone in this strange area? "I’ll join you" he said quickly. "Good. Let’s have some rest now. Tomorrow we’ll see."
Adora's wish to sleep this night shouldn’t come true. At one a.m. she woke up and didn’t know why. Something was going on, she could feel it. Perhaps somebody was in danger... Quietly she put on her clothes and went outside. She didn’t realize Cringer following her. All was quiet. There- hadn’t there been a noise? Hoofsteps, yes, now she heard it clearly. Who was riding away in the middle of the night? Well, someone who didn’t want anybody to know where he or she was going to... Perhaps... Resolutely she went a little bit away from the campsite. If there was going on what she thought to go on it was time for a little change. She held aloft her magic Sword of Protection and said loudly: "For the honor of Grayskull! I am She-Ra!" Being the Princess of Power now she ran to the rebel’s stable and got a horse herself. `Angel´ stood on the nameplate over his box. She mounted. "Well, then, Angel- let’s see, how fast you can go." She hadn’t rode a real horse often and hoped not to have any problems. "Go!"
It was difficult to follow the runaway without being seen. Finally he stopped. She stayed away in the dark to see, what he was doing. Her sight as She-Ra was better than as Adora. It was no problem to realize, what the man, who wore a black robe and had a mask on his face, took out of his pocket: An audio-sender. She had been right. "Adam to Hordak! Adam to Hordak!" he said. `This is Hordak. What is it, Force Captain?´ "Tomorrow the rebels plan to free their friends in Thaymor, mighty one. In the morning they’ll strike." `No´ the other voice, a hard, unpleasant voice, gave back. `Tomorrow we will strike. Prepare to come back, Captain. Your information are irreplaceable, but I need you here too. I’ll be there in the fight tomorrow. If it’s working good enough for us, you can come back to the Fright Zone. I’m very proud of you, son. You serve the Horde very well with this mission.´ "Thanks, mighty one. I’m glad to come back. I think, the others foresee something." "That’s an understatement" Adora murmured. "Especially the leader becomes mistrustful against me." Silence. `That’s not good. You know, what I told you. Perhaps you’ll have to repeat such missions. If someone knows... You have to eliminate her, Captain.´ She-Ra took a deep breath. They were talking about life and death here! She didn’t even wanted to think of, what could have happened, if she hadn’t come here. Surprised she heard the traitor say: "Eliminate? No, you... you can’t expect me to..." `I can and I do expect you, Force Captain. Remember, she’s responsible for many deaths. She’s attacking the Horde. The people believe her, that we are evil. It’s for the good of the Horde. It has to be done. Hear me, Captain! You can solve all our problems with killing her! Without her no rebellion! The Horde will have full power again!´ Break. "But... killing is evil. Killing is false." `Of course it is. But do the rebels care about? Has she ever cared about?´ Adora got puzzled. What was going on? Hadn’t Glimmer told her the truth about the Horde? No, that couldn’t be! But why was this stranger over there so blind then? Why did he believe, the Horde was good? She would have to talk to him. "Can’t you just take her prisoner, Hordak?" `I wish, I could. But you yourself saw that you are the only one of us, who can penetrate Whispering Woods. Even, when you wanted to lead our troopers to the rebel’s camp, you got split, and our men are still lost. In the fight we will never get her. You know, she’s strong. Now, Captain, go to her tent and take care of her. Once and for all!´ Would he... "Yes, mighty one. For the Horde." Oh no! `I’ll wait for your message after you did it. Horde out.´ "Adam out." She saw him standing there for a while, only looking at the stars. In a way she had mercy with him. But nevertheless Glimmer had to be protected. She put herself together and dismounted. "Stay, where you are!" she screamed. He startled and shrank back. "Who are you?" "I am She-Ra. I have no wish to fight with you, but you’re a traitor and will be delivered to the rebels. Better surrender." "You’ve got to be joking!" He was fast. He had already a phaser in his hand and shot. But She-Ra was faster. She had defeated other guys than this babyface here. With her sword she reflected the ray. Adam’s phaser got slang away. Immediately he grasped for a sword on his belt. He didn’t fight bad with it but She-Ra had only to held her sword up, then his one broke. Now he looked really astonished. Probably he hadn’t lost often before that way... Well, then it was time for it! She directed her sword exactly on his chest. "The fight is over, boy. Take away your mask." He saw that he had no chance. Slowly he raised his hand and took of the black material, which covered half of his face. Somehow Adora had expected it. "Alaimo." "Adam. As you heard. It’s not very polite to listen to private talks." She arched her eyebrows. "Oh, but it’s polite to betray people, who trust you, to break their laws?" "I plan to break some more, rebel" he said hard and wanted to escape with a fast step to the side. But this move was a reflex of She-Ra, which she even hadn’t got to think about anymore- again she stopped him with the sword. "You stay here." Then it happened. Suddenly the weapon began to glow! "What’s that?" Scared she looked at the stone in the sword when- Adam appeared in it!" "How is this possible? You’re the one I came to find!" "Is that so? Well, we can discuss this later." She had been distracted and hadn’t seen him taking a second phaser from his belt. "Back at the Fright Zone" he hissed. A hot pain let her scream, when a red ray caught her from the near on her belly. She got unconscious. The traitor knelt beside her and put up at the sword, she had carried. The glow was away. He stared at it thoughtfully. "You’re mine now, stranger" he murmured. "You and this- curious sword."
They had been watched all the time. After Cringer had digested the shock of seeing Adora transforming, his first thought was running back to the camp, so much she scared him in that moment. But an inner voice had told him to follow her. Horrified he had seen the traitor shooting her down. Immediately he ran back to the tents, he had come from. Where to go now? He only knew Kowl so far. But the bird slept somewhere in the woods. "Help! Somebody help!" he yelled. "What is it?" A second later an old woman stood in front of him. A broom was beside her. "Who needs help?" The tiger told her, fast and often not to understand. But she got it. "I’ll wake up Glimmer at once. Don’t worry, we’ll help your friend. I’m Madam Razz, by the way." "I’m Cringer." "I tell you something, Cringer: Adora can be glad to have a friend like you." She wanted to go yet, but her broom stopped her. "You saw your friend transforming, Cringer? But she hasn’t told anyone about this, has she? So I don’t think, we should." "You’re right, broom" Madam nodded. "As you always are. We’ll tell the others to look for Adora and... How was she called, Cringer?" "She-Ra." "That’s it. Come on now! We’ve got work to do."
Unfortunately they didn’t got a good moment. "Glimmer!" In her excite Madam didn’t knock. "Something... oh!" She blushed and turned round fast. Annoyed the leader of the Rebellion and her lover grasped for some clothes. "What is it, Madam? Could you ask before coming in next time?" "I’m really sorry. It’s just... There’s someone who needs us." "We need some silence" Bow groaned. "Do we know this person?" "Yes... aeh, no! There are two of them..."
Actually Adam was a little afraid of coming home. His adoptive father had told him to kill Glimmer and although the Force Captain was glad, that he wasn’t forced to now, he had a bad conscience. But for his surprise Hordak praised him as soon as he had told the whole story. "Adam! Did you foresee something like that? Shadow Weaver just told me that a stranger from another world has come to Etheria. She brings with her the seed of great trouble for the Horde. I just wanted to send for this stranger, but if it is, as you said, this won’t be necessary. Or did you see this woman before?" He went to the table made of stone, where the girl laid on, unconscious, chained by a strong force field. "No, mighty one." Adam got a little bit restless when he saw Hordak's sights on the beautiful body of the stranger. It somehow reminded him of something... only a shadow in his head for a second... a dark memory of a crying woman... then it was away again. "I'd like to stay here until she wakes up, Hordak. I want to ask her a few things." "Good idea. I always admired your talent to make people speak without touching them. Try to find out, why she’s here and find her weakness. Everyone can be defeated by the Horde." With this he went away. "And- Adam..." "Yes, mighty one?" "Prepare for the fight tomorrow. I want to show these rebel fools, who you really are. I think, they’d find out now anyway." "As you wish, mighty one." He vanished. Thoughtfully Adam looked at She-Ra. Who was this woman? Why did she seem to be so familiar to him? He was absolutely sure to never have seen her before. Nevertheless... The two swords, she had carried, stood in a base nearby. The weapons were as fascinating as their carrierness. The stone in the sword of one of them gleamed lightly. She-Ra was sleeping restlessly, apparently having nightmares. He made a grimace. The nightmare would start, when she would wake up. She was a rebel and would be treated like one. Yet... why did that make him feel so unsure? Who was she to let him feel that way? "Who are you?" he whispered in the silence. Sighing he sat down on a chair. Until she would wake up, there would be no answers.
"Why did Adora actually go out in the woods in the middle of the night?" Glimmer shook her head without understanding. They were on the way to rescue, Bow and her on horseback, Madam on broom, and Kowl had joined them too. "Cringer, is she always that careless?" the leader of the rebellion asked the tiger, who ran beside them. Feared or not, Adora had been so good to him the last hours, he felt, he just had to help her. "Don’t ask me, I only know her since seven hours myself..." "And who is this other woman, this She-Ra?" Bow wanted to know. For this the tiger had an excuse yet. "A warrior woman from the world, we came from. Adora has called her in the evening to help her with her mission." "So perhaps they meet in the woods, when Alaimo came" Madam winked at Cringer. "Yes. So it has to be" he said relieved. "Alaimo." Glimmers face got even angrier. "I foresaw it in a way, but I had no proof. This bastard Adam has caused so much trouble, in the past, we have to do something." "Who is Adam?" Cringer asked. "The Horde’s Force Captain" Bow explained. "We were wondering why he didn’t show up the last months, but never we would have expected, that he was Alaimo. Nobody knows much about Adam. In fights, he mostly stays in the background. In compare to the others of the Horde he seems to be better. He doesn’t have fun in torturing someone, as the other troopers too. But that’s the only positive thing, I can say about him. We’re entering Fright Zone area now. Take care, all. We have managed it only one time to get in and out again here safe." "One time?" Cringer looked like turning around at once. But again the inner voice told him to stay. "We have a secret entrance" Glimmer said. "That’s the only advantage, we have at present. Only Bow and I know of it. Adam can’t be conscience about. Come on!"
Laughing very scornfully Grizzlor watched them on the view screen in front of him. `Grizzlor to Hordak!´
She-Ra woke up with a terrible headache. Doomed laser-guns! The first thing she realized, were those strange, glowing chains. Never before it had happened to her that she couldn’t tear up simple chains! Angry she pulled on them, but it was useless. "Let it be, stranger. This force field is stronger than you are." That voice... No one was to see. Something gleamed in the darkness. When Adam turned on a little light, She-Ra could see that it was the stone in her sword, which stood on a table nearby. The other one he held in his hand. "These weapons are sure fascinating" he said. "Above all this. It feels as it was made just for me..." Adora looked at him seriously. It didn’t surprise her that the rebels hadn’t recognized him as a member of the Horde. Apparently he had worn a wig all the time. Really he had long blond hair, which was tied in the back, and big blue eyes. She thought that this fit him much better. "It could be right, what you say. I was to give this sword to someone serving the forces of good. But you serve the forces of evil." "Me?" She saw, he was really amazed. Perhaps there was a chance. "You’re the rebel fighting the Horde, who are the rightful rulers of Etheria!" His arrogance came back. His way annoyed the Princess. "Have you never been on the streets of your planet? Have you never seen all the wrongs, all the torture of the people? I can’t believe it!" "I don’t know, what you’re talking about. But you’re right. I’ve only been out for fights. I spent most of my life training here, in the Fright Zone." "You really never saw, how the Horde treats people?" "I saw it" he nodded. "I saw, how we treat rebels to make sure to be stronger than them. They’re responsible for it themselves. We only try to survive." "Boy, open your eyes!" She-Ra was really in rage now. "All people are treated like that! Or why do you think, the rebellions exists?" His face was hard. "To make trouble. You seem to know all about the Horde, do you? May I ask you, for how long you are on this planet yet?" Great. In a way her arguments weren’t convincing, she felt it herself. She looked away. "Since yesterday." He rolled his eyes and put the sword to the other one into the base. "Better to continue this talk later." "Why? Because you’re afraid of learning the truth about the Horde?" "I’m afraid of nothing" he bitched. "Then take a look outside! If it isn’t, as I heard, tell me. But if it was me to choose between the Horde and the Whispering Woods, I knew, where to go. Just go outside, Adam, and see yourself, what the Horde is about." "I’ll think about it." Away he was. Adora smiled weakly. At least a little hope. If it would fail, she perhaps wouldn’t leave this building alive, she knew it. Nobody of the rebels even knew, she was here. But... her sword! It still stood over there. If she concentrated enough... "Sorceress, can you here me?" Nothing. The stone only kept on gleaming regularly. Probably she was too far away. She was alone. She had never felt so alone before.
When Adam left the room he saw the red alert. "What’s going on?" he asked a trooper running by. "Rebels are in the Fright Zone, Captain." Immediately the thoughts and the doubts were away. Only rationality and the need to defend Adams home counted. "Blast, why wasn’t I informed? Where are they?" "Sector fourteen, Captain." Adam ran there at once. But too late. Hordak had already captured the troublemakers. When the Force Captain came in, Glimmer, Bow, Madam Razz and Broom got just took away in chains. "Why haven’t you told me, Hordak?" he asked angrily. "You were busy with that woman, weren’t you?" the ruler gave back, unimpressed by the rage of his adoptive son. "Guards, wait! Bring the rebels here! May I introduce: Force Captain Adam. I’m sorry to tell you, that you were fooled all the time, my friends." No one gave a comment. They knew themselves. Only Glimmer couldn’t put herself together and spit on the floor in front of Adam. But she didn’t say a single word too, only turned away her head, being sick by watching the traitor. He tried not to show his mixed emotions. Since the talk with She-Ra he saw the rebels in a totally completely way. But Hordak wasn’t allowed to know it, never! "Take them to the dungeon, guards" Adam said... and suddenly stiffened. "Wait! Where is this bird?" "Which bird?" "His name is Kowl. He’s always in fights! We have to find him before he makes trouble." Hordak laughed. "A bird?" "He’s tricky, mighty one." "Well, then..." Hordak went to Glimmer. "Perhaps she can tell us, where her little friend is." The leader of the rebellion looked at him icily. "You don’t really expect a comment, do you?" "Of course not." He pretended to turn away, but then he beat her without warning. Bow’s first reaction was to attack the enemy, but a trooper held him back and beat him too. Adam fast looked away. He hated this. One time, in the beginning he had protested against Hordak’s methods. He didn’t really remember this day, only, that Shadow Weaver had been there too... And that since this day something in him told him: `Don’t worry. They’re rebels.´ That was always the excuse. The most dangerous enemies. But especially today another voice in him wanted to scream at Hordak, wanted to pull him back. `It’s evil!´ this inner voice told him. Sure- but they were rebels... "Bring them to the dungeon now" Hordak ordered. "Captain, you go search for this... Kowl. I think, you can do this alone, can’t you?" "Of course, mighty one." Adam left the room, with his worries, his split mind and a strange fear inside him. Something was going on. And it all had to do with this woman chained in the cell down there. He had to see her again. But first he had one more little job to do.
He hadn’t seen Shadow Weaver, when he had left. The witch flew to Hordak. "Mighty one, we have a problem. I feel doubts in Adam. He has to be watched!" "That’s not necessary, Weaver" Hordak refused. "He is loyal. Your spells of control and my training guarantee that." He turned away. Weaver stayed back thoughtfully.
"Are you alright, Glimmer?" Worried Bow placed his arm round her shoulders. Her left cheek was swelled up, the lip bled and the eye was already getting black. "Who does actually tell you men how to beat a woman?" she groaned. "I wonder, where Kowl is... God in heaven, look at us! We claim to be this Great Rebellion and our best fighter is that bird!" "Wait for a moment! Cringer! Cringer's missing too!" Madam said suddenly. Only now the others realized. "Oh no! Just him! Alone in this strange castle" Glimmer said. "Perhaps he’ll get some help" Bow mentioned dryly. "Wonderful! Our hope are two speaking animals! Far we have come..." Suddenly the door of the cell went open. "Come on!" Kowl shouted. He really had managed it to come to the dungeons unseen. "Time to leave this horrible place." "I don’t think so, you nasty little nit" a voice behind him said. Before the others could react, a phaser ray was shot on the bird. Stunned he fell on the floor. Adam put him into the cell too, keeping the other rebels in cheek with a gun. "Nice try. But not good enough." "I’m sure, you would have made it better, traitor" Bow said sarcastically. "Perhaps. Anybody else of you gathering around here?" Silence. He jerked. "Be pig-headed as long as you want. You’ll see the consequences." "What? Do you want to beat us too?" Glimmer hissed. "But don’t forget to chain us first so we can’t defend." Adam left the cell and switched on the field again. He was nearly at the door when he said: "I’m the Horde’s Force Captain. That doesn’t mean I like all, we do." "Oh, I’m touched" Bow gave back. "Return to your people, traitor." The door closed with a loud bang. "I hate him" Bow murmured. Glimmer didn’t feel like discussing the Force Captain. She was thinking of Cringer. "One last chance" she said. "Otherwise we’ll have to expect to never come out of here again."
The day had been hard and actually Adam wanted to go into his room now and relax. But the thought of She-Ra didn’t let him go anymore. Now even Hordak was asleep. The opportunity was perfect. Up to now Hordak hadn’t liked him to go out of the Fright Zone. Always he had said it was too dangerous. Was this the real reason? Adam decided he had to find out or he would never be sure. He went into the Horde’s stable. His stallion called Speed almost slept. "Come on, old buddy" the Force Captain said quietly. "We’re going for a ride."
As soon as he had passed the door, Cringer had come out of his hide. The worry about She-Ra gave him the courage to look for her. No one realized him, thank goddess. It didn’t take long until he had found the room, where she was in. The alarm sensor didn’t catch him, he was too small. "She-Ra" he said. "Cringer!" Astonished she looked at him. "How... what...?" "I saw you transform" he confessed silently. Break. "Do the others know...?" "No. But we can talk about this later. Where are the controls of this force field?" "Over there. But be careful. Here are sensors everywhere." He was amazing. Finally She-Ra was free. Relieved she jumped up. "Now to find our friends." She ran to the base in the corner- and frightened. Only her sword was left. She didn’t know, when the other one had disappeared, but she had a pretty good idea, who had it. "Well, Force Captain" she murmured. "Looks, like we’ll have to meet once again. Come on, Cringe. I’ve had enough of this room."
Unfortunately it didn’t last long until the alarm bell sounded. But the short time was enough for the Princess to free her friends. Armed with her sword and having her full power back it was no big thing for her to get them out of the Fright Zone. "Wait!" Glimmer shouted in the stable. "Where’s Adora?" How often had She-Ra used this excuse yet? "She’s safe. Let’s go now, folks." The Princess looked around in the stable. "I can’t see Angel." "Adam sent it back to the rebel’s camp before taking you with him" Glimmer informed her. "Take any of these horses. I’m sure, the Horde stole them themselves somewhere." Later She-Ra couldn’t have said why she just chose the one standing in the last box. No name. It was just a white, beautiful horse with eyes full of temperament. No saddle or bridle was around. "Sword to rope!" She-Ra yelled. With skilled grasps she made a halter and put it round the precious head of the stallion. "Ready. Time to leave." They galloped away in the fastest speed. And for the first time in her life Adora had no single problem with riding on a bare horseback.
Far away enough of the Fright Zone She-Ra told the rebels to go back to the Whispering Woods. "And you?" "I have to find someone. Cringer, come with me, won’t you? See you then." Before the others could protest she directed her horse to the east. Cringer had taken the track of Adam’s stallion before and now guided her to him. Slowly she got pretty worked up by the Force Captain, but that he had left the Fright Zone, gave her new hope. She couldn’t believe, he was that evil. She followed him through several villages and got restless more and more. Above all because the trail seemed to lead back to the Fright Zone. Hadn’t he seen, what was going on? During the short travel around now she had realized so much pain and sadness everywhere... The Horde was evil. So why was he returning now? Had she been mistaken with him? To enter the Fright Zone again would have been sillier than anything. This time they would be prepared for her. So she decided to go back to Whispering Woods. The others surely were looking for Adora yet. Sighing she combed the red mane of her horse with her fingers and looked at the dark place where the towers of the Fright Zone stood out like poisoned stings. "What a mystery... Let’s go." "As you wish, master." She startled so much, that she had nearly fallen down. This wasn’t the first strange thing here but one of the most shocking ones. "God in heaven! You speak? But... why haven’t you done so before?" "I’m the last of my species. We were the only horses being able to speak. But with the Horde destroying our environment we couldn’t survive." "And you?" she asked. "I’m only half one of this gone animals. That’s why I live. Hordak has found out that and captured me as a present for Horde Prime. But I didn’t say a single word, so the receiver didn’t want me. Since then I was locked up in this stable. You saved me. You are my new master." "No." She shook her head. "I’m your friend. And you’re free now. So you can go. You’re wild. It wouldn’t be right for you to come with me." "You saved me. Now it’s up to me to do something for you." She thought about it for a moment. "Okay. It would be helpful, if you could stay with me until I’m returning to my planet. But then you’ll go, where you belong, okay?" "I belong nowhere. But that’s just fine with me." This dry `I belong nowhere´ sounded hard to Adora. She had to think of Adam again. If now he was convinced of how evil the Horde was, he actually was in the same situation as Spirit. Belonging nowhere. A cruel thought. "I’d have a wish" Spirit interrupted her thoughts. "Say it." "Put away this halter. It’s annoying. I’ll go where you say. Hold on to my mane." "Of course. Rope to sword!" "Your powers are amazing" Spirit neighed, when he galloped on into the direction of the Whispering Woods. "Well, let’s see, if they’re a match for the Horde" she murmured. In front of the Whispering Woods she stopped. And now? She had to return as Adora. Well, it was only forbidden to her to tell a human of her secret...
Hordak and Shadow Weaver were together in the throne room and discussed the last battle. "This She-Ra is too powerful for us" he said. "We have to find out, why she’s here and how we can defeat her." "Perhaps..." Next moment the floor in front of them opened. A platform got lifted up, on which Adam stood. He carried a sword and looked angry as Hordak had never seen him before. "Force Captain! Where have you been?" "Outside. In Etheria. To see, how we rule this planet." Weaver gave Hordak a warning sight. "What have you discovered, Captain?" he asked. "You lied to me! Both of you!" Adam directed the sword on them. "The Horde’s evil, dust and cruel! The people hate us! They have good reasons for complaining." "Somehow the spell on him weakened" Weaver whispered. "I feel, it has to do something with the sword, he carries." "Then strengthen the spell! Immediately!" Hordak ordered. He stayed calm and looked at his adoptive son without any emotion. "I don’t know, why I have never seen this before!" Adam shouted. "But now, that I have..." He frightened when Shadow Weaver appeared behind him. "Let me help you, son." "Stay away from me!" Again he held up the sword. "Surely you would never harm me" she hissed. "Am I not like a mother to you?" "I... I..." Adam got unsure. It was true. She had ever been good to him. But what he had seen today... He had no time to think about it anymore. Shadow Weaver covered him with a dark cloud. "You will see things clearer after some- sleep." He fell. Weaver put up the sword and looked at it long. "This weapon isn’t from this world, Hordak. I’ll have to consult my books to search it." "We have more serious problems" he groaned. "First this She-Ra arrives and now Adam is turning against me!" "Never forget, who he really is" she said. "Yes..." Thoughtfully Hordak looked at his Force Captain again. "But have no fear" Weaver continued. "When he wakes up, he will be under my spell again. And I’ll make sure, he’ll never break it! And for this sword- I’ll discover his secrets soon. If it is as powerful as it seems to be, we have a solution for this pest called She-Ra too." They laughed evil and not very quiet. But Adam didn’t wake up.
"Adora! Finally! Where have you been?" The rebels were relieved, when she joined them again. "Helping She-Ra. She had to return to Eternia for now and gave me this horse to come back to you. Some news?" The Princess dismounted and let Spirit run. They sat down at a table. Madam gave her a plate with some food. "The predator’s feeding" she laughed. "Before we leave." "Leave? Where to?" "We’re going to Thaymor. Our friends are prisoner’s in a Horde’s jail there" Glimmer said. Adora realized how pale she was. Bow didn’t sat beside her but vis-à-vis. He also didn’t look good. You didn’t have to be a great psychologist to know, what was going on. Before they left Adora managed it to speak to Glimmer alone. "He’s different since yesterday" the leader of the rebellion said quietly. "He was always a dreamer but now he doesn’t seem to be interested in doing something with me at all anymore. Of course he denies this but I can tell." She put away some tears. "Oh, damned!" "Glimmer- don’t you think, you react a little bit too hard?" Adora asked carefully. "Because of one day..." "You haven’t seen him. If you know someone for so long you realize when he’s different. And by the way..." Suddenly her eyes were very angry. "I think, you are the reason for him loosing interest." "What?" "We have to go." The leader didn’t look at her. The Princess became sad. Unfortunately this wasn’t the first time she broke another relationship without wanting it. And just with Glimmer and Bow it had to happen! Blast! Perhaps she could talk to the warrior. But now another thing was important. The rebels were ready for striking yet. She looked around, when she saw, Spirit stood beside her yet. "Always ready" he said. "Come on!" In the bustle Adora forgot of Cringer again, who was sleeping in her tent. All the rebels were away, when he woke up. Scared as he ever was he decided to follow them. With the sense of the horses this was no problem. But he surely wouldn’t have gone if he had known, what was waiting for him...
Of course the Horde was already in Thaymor, when the rebels came. The fight was hard and Adora began to worry. First she had no chance to transform into She-Ra. But then the rebels got into the prison. Immediately she went into a dark corner and changed. They didn’t fight bad, but the Horde Troopers were good too. And there got more and more in. Also She-Ra couldn’t handle them all. Perhaps something terrible would have happened, but suddenly the fight in the jail got interrupted by an earthquake. Parts of the buildings got destroyed, the ceiling broke. All fled. She-Ra's first thought was to free the prisoners before they would get buried in the ruins. But unfortunately she didn’t got into the cellar. When she was on the staircase the earthquake grew stronger. The metal building broke. Adora had no chance. She fell down a long distance and hit the floor hard. A racing pain- then the world became black.
The Horde had gone. While Glimmer cared for the injures in the Rebellion, Bow looked for some, who were missing. All came together finally- but not Adora. Worried he told his girlfriend. "Perhaps she’s still in the house" he mentioned. "I tried to get in but it’s impossible." "I can beam in" Glimmer said. "The hell you’ll do" he said strictly. "It’s much too dangerous. Perhaps another earthquake comes." "But... Cringer! What do you do here?" "Searching for Adora. Where is she?" Worried the rebels looked at each other, then at the house. Faster than they realized it Cringer ran into the ruins. Glimmer wanted to follow, but Bow held her back. "He’s tinier than all of us. He can go, where we aren’t able to. Perhaps he can help." "I hate doing nothing" she murmured. "Yeah, that always was the problem, wasn’t it?" he said thoughtfully. Before she could wonder what that should mean again he vanished. Madam had broken a leg while escaping and he wanted to look for her. Glimmer knew, it was over.
The tiger was fantastic. It was as there would be a special power giving him courage and guiding him through the house. It couldn’t be pure chance, that he passed the room, where Hordak was in, unconscious, and it was less likely, that per pure chance he saw the sword. The sword of the Sorceress. He didn’t thought about it but took it with him. Now to find Adora before it was too late.
It was too late. Somebody else had found her. Not only Hordak, his Force Captain was captured in the house too. He was searching for an exit when he saw somebody lying on the floor ahead of him. Taking a closer look he realized She-Ra. He knew, what Hordak had expected him to do now. He really was about to pass by for a moment, but as strong as the spell controlling him was- letting someone die and knowing it, that wasn’t for him. He ran to her and searched her. Apparently she was okay, only a little cut in her beautiful face. But if she had inner injures... Behind them another part of the ceiling came down. Adam decided that he could worry about inner injures, when he would have brought his prisoner to safety. Yes, at that moment she wasn’t more for him than a prisoner. A very pretty prisoner, no doubt. He wanted to pick her up when his sender peeped. `Hordak to Force Captain! Are you still here?´ "Yes, mighty one." `Then what are you waiting for? Meet me outside!´ "It’ll take some time, mighty one. I have to bring someone else out." `No someone is important enough to hold you back from getting out of a house, which will break totally in a few minutes. Go, Captain! That’s an order!´ "But Hordak, it’s She-Ra!" Silence for seconds. Actually Adam knew, what was to come. And then his adoptive father said it: `Kill her. At once.´ "But..." `Do it! In five minutes I’ll see you out there! Understood?´ Again the spell came over Adam, deleted every part of his true identity. "Yes, mighty one." His hand trembled when he got a phaser. It was the fight inside himself, the enemy within. The evil would triumph. "Adam, no!" He turned round. "Where are you?" "Down here." Astonished the Force Captain looked at the green tiger on the floor. "You can’t do this!" the animal said. "I have to." Without noticing the pet further Adam directed the phaser on She-Ra again. "No! It’s false!" Cringer screamed. `Listen to him, Captain´ a third voice said. No one was too see. Angrily Adam looked around. "Where do you hide? Come out!" `Look here.´ Because of surprise the Captain let fall his phaser when he saw She-Ra’s sword- soaring in the middle of the room! The diamond in it gleamed brightly, as a beautiful woman appeared in it. `Adam, listen to me! It’s time for you to seek your destiny! Get rid of the spell controlling you, and follow the path, which you know to be right. All your answers are in the sword behind you.´ Cringer put it up once more and laid it in front of Adam’s feet. Hesitating he held it up. "I... I don’t understand..." The truth and warmth of the strange voice had weakened Weaver’s power over him. But he still was the Horde’s Force Captain. "Who are you? What are you talking about?" `I am the Sorceress. I’m from the planet, She-Ra comes from and...´ Break. `...actually you do come from too.´ "What?" "Adam, the Horde stole you from your parents when you were a tiny baby! So you never knew your mother and you never knew your father!" My god... could it be? Weaver was nearly defeated. Her spell left a excited and puzzled man who at this moment had no idea what to feel. He got the truth of these words the Sorceress had said- but it destroyed his whole world! Zoar saw his turbulence. She knew, she had to tell him now or never. "Adam, but you also had a- twin sister!" "My god!" The spell was broken. Frightened Adam looked on She-Ra. All became clear suddenly. "This woman is your sister, Adam! And Adam- she needs your help! By the power of Grayskull, Prince Adam!" With that the Sorceress vanished. "By the power... of Grayskull?" he repeated surprised. "By the power- of Grayskull..." Another earthquake let the house shake again. The walls wouldn’t last much longer! The shock and the adrenaline got over Adam. Suddenly knowing the only thing, which was to do, he held aloft his sword and yelled: "By the power of Grayskull!" Unbelievable power came down from the weapon on him, took him and changed him totally. His appearance, his clothes, all. He became He-Man- the most powerful man in the universe! Now being a part of its magic he held the sword in front of him. "I have the power!" He saw Cringer beside him trembling with fear and understood at once. He directed the Sword of Power to the tiger. A bright ray caught the animal, when another transformation took place- Cringer became the mighty Battle Cat! Like he never would have done anything else before He-Man smashed the wall in front of him with a single punch. Carefully he put up She-Ra and sat down in Battle Cats saddle. "Bring us out of this place, Cat!" "Sure!" With a wide jump the tiger saved the three of them before the last of the prison crashed. When Hordak saw the stranger he vanished without looking back. One muscle-bound had been enough for him. Seeing the second one made him think, that he could wait for his Force Captain on a safer place. He-Man saw the rebels standing only a little away, but he knew, he would never be able to talk to them now. "Bring us somewhere in Whispering Woods, Cat" he ordered. She-Ra slowly woke up. "Where... am I?" "Not in heaven" He-Man said dryly. "On the contrary I’ve seen the hell today." She wanted to sit up but fell back with a quiet scream. "Slowly" he smiled. "You’re safe now." "The prisoners..." she murmured. "I have to save them..." "Calm down, She-Ra. As much as I saw, the rebels freed them all." He helped her coming up. "You know my name? Who are you?" she asked. "A friend." "I suppose, you are. You saved me. Thanks, by the way." "You’re welcome. And- what are brothers for anyway?" "Brother? What do you mean?" "I wish I knew... I think, we have a lot to talk about, She-Ra." They left the place of the destruction behind. To find a whole new world.
It was already getting evening in Etheria. On a big clearing there sat two young people side by side on a fallen tree. Both of their lives had changed totally. Both of them had no idea what was going on. "You say, you’re my brother?" She-Ra shook her head without understanding. "I’ve never had a brother." "I know how you feel. I never dreamed to had a sister. But the woman in your sword told me so, then I knew, it was true." Adora’s eyes became wide. "The woman in my sword? The Sorceress! What’s going on here?" She looked behind, when the trees split and a white horse joined them. "Spirit! Good to see you again! Come here!" The animal had given her a few seconds to put herself together. If it was true, what the man beside her said, he surely had a second identity too. And actually it wasn’t hard to guess, who he was. "Adam?" she asked silently. He startled. "Why do you know?" She-Ra stood up, held up her sword. "Let the power return!" On a day like this she was very relieved to be Princess Adora again. She looked at He-Man inviting. He was totally astonished for a moment but did the same like her then. They stared at each other intensively. "Now to continue the fight?" he asked smiling. "We have something better to do" she gave back. Taking a deep breath she called for the Sorceress. Her sword soared up again. The picture of Zoar became visible. `Greetings, Adora. And to you, Adam. I see, you’ve completed your task, Adora. Good work, as usual.´ The Princess rolled her eyes. Not now, please! "Zoar..." `I know. Look here, you two, and I shall tell you all.´ The following pictures made all a little bit clearer- but not much. "So we’re twins, Sorceress? But why doesn’t anybody know on Eternia? Or of the Horde?" Adora asked. `I enchanted them. For you, Princess. To spare you the pain of Adam’s lost. Because we didn’t know if we would ever see him again. But now, Prince Adam, you got the Sword of Power and became He-Man, as you were always meant to do. You both were ones chosen to protect Eternia.´ "So what happens now? Where am I going to?" Adam asked. `That, my Prince, is up to you. You alone have to decide.´ "You do wanna see our mother and father, don’t you?" Adora asked. "Of course. But I can’t just leave Etheria in the hands of the Horde. The rebellion needs me. And..." His face grew darker. "...there’s a little personal battle for me to fight with Hordak." `You don’t have to decide right now´ Zoar said. "Take time to think things over. You’re sword has the power of telepathy. Whenever you wish to come back, just think of me and we will talk. Good-bye, dear child of Eternia.´ Slowly She-Ra put her sword back into the scabbard. "My god." That was all, Adam could say. "My whole life has changed because of this sword." "I know. And you should think about it well. But there’s something you can do right now" She-Ra smiled. "What would that be?" "Give your sister a big hug." With tears in her eyes she embraced him. Everything had changed.
Adam hesitated very much to go to the rebel’s camp. "They hate me, Adora. They will never accept me." "That’s nonsense. You were under a spell. They’ll understand" she said. "I don’t know..." "Sit on my back. I can carry you both" Spirit said. He shook his head. "That’s not necessary." He took a little gadget out of his pocket and pressed a button. Ten minutes later his horse joined them. "He’s trained on this peep" Adam explained. "Don’t look so jealous, Cringer! I’m sure I will also need you soon again." Adora looked at the tiger seriously. "Have you made your decision yet?" "Yes. I’ll stay with Adam. No matter where." "You’re a very courage little pet, my friend" she praised him. "Little?" No time for discussing this now. Now they entered the campsite of the rebels. When Bow saw them, he grasped for a weapon immediately. "Adora, are you insane? Why bringing a Hordesman in here?" "He is no Hordesman" she informed him. "He’s a rebel." "You can’t be serious, Adora!" Now the others came too. "Did he tell you so?" Glimmer asked. "And you believed him? Why?" The Princess smiled. "Well, after all he’s my brother..." "Brother?" Adam nodded. "Yes, that’s right. Adora is my sister. Without her I would never have learned the truth about the Horde. With her help I broke Shadow Weaver’s spell, which was controlling me. From now on I’m with the rebellion." He saw the disbelieve of the others and suddenly thought of something very important. "I know, I betrayed you once yet. But I’ll proof, I say the truth. I know, where Queen Angella is imprisoned. And I will free her." "I help you, brother." Adora winked to him. Glimmer came to them. "I hope, you know, that this is your only chance to get our trust again. But if you can do that, Adam", she closed her eyes for a moment, "my life belongs to you." The others took a deep breath. To say this to someone meant so much... For their surprise he shook his head. "I have to right my wrongs, Glimmer, not you. Let’s go, sis. We’ll be back soon." "I want to come with you" the leader of the Rebellion said. "Better not" Adam refused. "A small group has a much better chance to get the Queen back. After all she’s captured in Telan Mountain. Bye now." As soon as they were away Glimmer said: "I’ll go too. I can’t trust him. Who knows, what he’s doing." Bow was against it. "If we want to test him we just have to trust. And he’s right: Telan Mountain is much too dangerous for you." "Oh, yes? You won’t worry about me, will you?" she bitched. "It’s my mother, we’re talking about! I won’t just leave her in the hands of a traitor!" "Don’t be a fool, Glimmer!" he begged her. "You’re the fool if you think, you can stop me, Bow." She ran to her horse and mounted. "Do what you want. Just allow me to remind you that she was your Queen too!" With that she galloped away. "Follow her?" Madam asked. "Do we have another choice?" He got Arrow. "Slowly I wish I’d never had laid my eyes on her." "You’re unfair" Razz said when they raced away side by side. Her leg was okay again and she wanted to help. Kowl joined them too. "Perhaps. Sometimes you have to be if you are together with that woman." His face was hard. "But you aren’t together with her anymore, that’s the point" Madam said. "What are you talking about? We have a little quarrel, that’s all." The silence following this sentence said all. "My god" he said finally. "I just don’t know, Madam. What shall I do? I don’t want to hurt her that much." "Hurt her more than you did yet? Better tell her immediately before you have a good turn with Adora and she finds out afterwards." "Why do you know that? I mean, how can you know, that this Adora fascinates me? You’re able to read my thoughts, aren’t you?" he asked angrily. "God in heaven, no! I’d never like to be able to do such a thing! But the way you act, all in the Rebellion know. Make your decision- Glimmer or Adora. Or you’ll loose both. Plus the possibility to ever love again." Break. "Thanks, Madam" he said quietly. "Always welcome. There she is." Glimmers horse stood on the edge of the woods. She herself looked pale and as if she had just seen a ghost. "Bow! Madam! There... Adam... and Adora... they..." Razz knew immediately what had happened, must had happened. Probably the Princess and her brother hadn’t seen Glimmer and had transformed... Yes, suddenly it was totally clear for the widge, that Adam and only Adam could be the warrior, who had saved She-Ra today. "Glimmer!" she stopped the younger woman. `Don’t tell!´ her sight said, and the other one understood immediately. "What was it?" Bow asked. "Nothing... I mean, nothing important... But we should Adam and Adora let handle this alone. Come on, let’s ride back." Kowl and Bow stayed back with open mouth. "I can’t believe this" Kowl murmured. "I do" his friend sighed. "Do you think, it’s for fun, I split with her? We’re just too different." More slow than the woman they went back to their camp.
Adora and Adam really hadn’t realized that they had been watched. When Adora saw her brother and Cringer transforming she was impressed, but never she had thought of trying, if Sprit could change too. She had always worked alone, only sometimes with these mechanical horses called horshines. She had never had a partner. Besides she still was determined to set Spirit free, when she would go home. So she was more than shocked, when she jumped on his back and suddenly they were surrounded by a green light. The power of her sword caught Spirit. He got a horn and wings. Surprised himself he raised shortly. But he knew more than her. "I am Swift Wind now, dear friend" he neighed. "But... Spirit..." "Since today my decision is totally clear. I’ll come with you. So I got the powers now to help you in fights." She smiled. "Alright, my friend. And thanks. Let’s head for Telan Mountain now. There’s someone, who needs us."
If there was an ugly place in Etheria, then it was this one. The Harpies were evil people who served Hordak whenever they could. Because of this he had given their leader Hunga Queen Angella as a present. She wasn’t a very good slave, Hunga thought. Her will was too strong to be broken. Even now, when she was bound on the floor, robbed of her power, she looked straight at her master, with her sight not lowered at all, determined to never surrender or kneel before her. Scornful the harpie through a piece of a orange peel on her. "I’ll bring you back to Hordak. You’re useless. Ey, what do we have here?" On the view screen two people appeared. They were just about to enter her castle. "Visitors! How nice! What do you think, are they here to free you?" She laughed loudly. "Dear Angella!" She prepared for a little fight. Nothing special, she had fought other people than muscle-bound and Barbie-doll here. When they entered the throne room she welcomed them with a salvo of stun beams from her magic wand. He-Man and She-Ra landed on the floor. "Uh!" Adora shook her head. "Quite a magic, ah, brother?" "Let’s show her our kind of magic! Come on!" He kept on going. She needed only another second more. Why? Well, after all she was a woman... They got very close to Hunga, but the harpie used her wand once more. Suddenly the twins were surrounded by huge rocks. "Stones." She-Ra arched her eyebrows. "Quite impressing, Hunga..." They smashed them together. They hadn’t made a move yet when other stones surrounded them, and again. "Give it up! You’ll never come out there again!" Hunga laughed. "Blast!" For a moment it really looked hopeless... But then there was unexpected help. They had left their animals outside, but they had followed them and smashed the stones now from behind. Hunga hadn’t foreseen this and couldn’t do anything against. He-Man and She-Ra were free again. "Give up, Hunga!" "Dream on!" In rage she shot, directly on the twins once more. And they knew, this time it was a stronger ray. "Fast, let’s cross swords!" She-Ra shouted. The ray got reflected and caught Hunga herself. With a loud scream she fell. Adam came to her. Actually this had been fun for him- he had never liked the harpies. "Alright- where is Queen Angella?" he asked hard. The beast saw, she had no chance. "Behind the throne." Adam went to free her, while She-Ra thanked Swift Wind. "I had the feeling, not only Adam had to proof himself" he said silently. She understood. "Sorry, my friend. I really was mistrustful first. You know, I never worked with someone else so close... The time of doing my job alone is over. But your job is safe. As long as you want it."
Queen Angella seemed quite alright, thank goddess. When She-Ra came to her brother, he had just took a glowing collar from her neck. "It has prevented me from using my power" the Queen explained. "But now, that it is gone..." The room filled with glaring light. Fast the twins covered their eyes. A second later Angella looked neither dirty nor exhausted anymore. She-Ra arched her eyebrows. "She’s magnificent!" Yes, she was. With her white wings and the beautiful golden hair she appeared more like an angel than an human. She was a real queen. "Let’s go now" Adora smiled. "There’s someone in the Whispering Woods, who’s waiting for you..." Without problems the left Telan Mountain behind.
"How did you manage to beat Hunga?" Queen Angella asked them on the way. "The harpies are that powerful..." "We had help" He-Man said fast. "Our good friends Adam and Adora." He looked at She-Ra. She nodded. She hoped, Glimmer would accept her brother now. If he really wanted to stay with the rebellion- oh, that thought hurt! To leave him that way... She hoped, he would think about it once more. It was a taking moment, when Angella and her daughter meet again. Not being able to say a single word they hugged each other, tears in their eyes. Adora looked at He-Man. Did he think the same, she did? "Come with me, brother. At least for now." He thought about it for a moment. "Now, that Queen Angella is here again, the rebellion can fight alone, I think..." "So you’ll come?" "What are we waiting for?" he grinned.
Later Glimmer went to Madam Razz. "Did you see Adam or Adora anywhere? I can’t find them. You know, I wanted to tell them now, that I saw..." "I don’t think, you should do this" the widge interrupted her. "I talked to Cringer before they left..." "They left? Where to?" "To their planet. Didn’t they tell you? Adam said, he would come back, though he didn’t know exactly, when." Strange, the thought of not seeing the young man for a while let Glimmer sigh. Why? What should that be? Her relationship with Bow had just ended and she still cried as soon as she was alone! Nevertheless she had to think of Adam very much... She shook her head inertly. No! Not again! Nobody would hurt her again! Razz saw her restlessly and knew, what it meant. `What a fool you can be, Glimmer´ she thought. "As I said, I talked to Cringer. He promised me not to tell the twins, if we don’t want this. And I think, we shouldn’t." "Why?" Puzzled the leader sat down beside her. "I’m absolutely sure, Adam and Adora aren’t allowed to tell anyone. Otherwise they would have said us. They sure would be worried, if they get, three people know it yet. I can imagine that above all Adora is so used to hide She-Ra, that shouldn’t be changed." "Perhaps you’re right" Glimmer mentioned. They shook hands shortly. That was a silent promise, which made any other words needless.
The gate was open. Adam only had to pass by. Why did he hesitate so much? Adora and Cringer were already in Eternia. They were waiting for him. But would his parents like him, when they got, he had served the evil for so long? He was really worried about that point. But finally he got Speed moving. He didn’t saw the shuttle above him.
"So- Adam rides with the rebels now, does he? So much for your great spells!" Hordak said morosely. Shadow Weaver jerked. "It was that sword, he got from She-Ra. Shall we follow him?" Through the window of the ship the tyrant looked on his ward, who passed a yellow door. He knew, where it lead too, and also, who this other woman beside him had been. The Princess Adora. He closed his eyes for a moment. Unbelievable rage was in him. He should have taken both of the twins, when he had had the possibility to. Now there was the thought of another revenge left. "I have a better idea."
The twins came out in Grayskull. The Sorceress welcomed them smiling. There he was. And a handsome boy he had become. "Greetings, Prince Adam." He made a grimace. "I don’t think, I like this `Prince´. I’ve been called many names, but this is the strangest one..." "Well, you’ll just have to get used to that" Adora laughed. "You’re the son of a King and a Queen, remember." "How could I forget that?" he grinned. "You remind me every single minute..." "Let’s go now" his sister said. "They’ve waited for you long enough."
"Adora! Where have you been?" Worried her mother came to her when the twins rode into the courtyard. "I was so..." Then her sight fell on the company of her daughter. She startled. "My god!" It took only a second until she had recognized him. "Adam!" He dismounted fast. "Mom!" Crying they hugged each other while Adora sent for her father. They both couldn’t believe it first: Their long-missed son was back! For minutes they saw nothing else, stood there in the courtyard, embracing each other, showing each other their love. Nothing could have come between them in these moments.
"Prince Adam?" He turned round, smiling. "Ey, Teela! What do I have to do to make you calling me Adam?" "Marry me" she said promptly, half serious, half funny. "Wanna go for a ride?" "Sure." They got their horses and left the area of the palace. "Well, have you enjoyed your first night on Eternia?" the Royal Guard Captain asked. "Very much, thanks. It’s very quiet in here." "You think so? Well, then wait for an attack of Skeletor" she laughed. "Your point" he grinned. "Tell me a little bit about you, Teela. I’m curious." She blushed and looked down. She herself didn’t know, how beautiful she was just that moment, and Adam couldn’t take the look from her. He wasn’t curious, he was in love. And that, since he had seen her the first time. "Oh, sorry, is the question too personally?" "No, why?" she hastened to say. Damn, why was she so unsure, when he was there? What feelings were there in here, when she looked at him? Teela had always believed, she was immune to love. She wasn’t allowed to love. She had responsibilities. Nevertheless... bullshit! There was nothing! "Well, let’s see..." she began. "My father you know. I think, you already met my mother too. She’s the Sorceress of Grayskull." "Really? Adora didn’t told me that... That’s sure good..." "Call it interesting. You know, I didn’t know a few months ago, she’s my mom. She just told me" Teela explained. "Why?" They entered the Wide Forest now and got into a slow trot. "Man-At-Arm's task was to raise me until I was eighteen, old enough to understand, why Zoar couldn’t take care of me herself. Unfortunately I don’t see her very often. But I love her very much." Adam thought of his own mother, who he only knew since yesterday but already had taken a liking to her very much. "I see." "With eighteen I became Royal Guard Captain, about the same time, when Zoar invited me in Grayskull to tell me all. Actually Adora should have become the leader of the troopers, but she refused. Who knows, why..." Adam knew. His sister had told him. `I just got the Sword of Protection and became She-Ra first time. God in heaven, I didn’t even know how to handle this leave alone being the leader of Dad’s troopers´ he remembered her. Teela jerked. "When the Princess said no, the King didn’t think about it very much but promoted me to the rank of the Captain. I had been the first officer only for a month then and had no idea if I would make it. But it worked out quite good." "More than good, what I heard" he smiled. "Adora told me a few pretty impressing stories..." Again Teela blushed. When she felt his sight on her, she fastened her horse called Rainbow a little bit. "Let’s gallop, come on!" They raced over the hills of the land quite a time, when suddenly Rainbow frightened of something and raised. The Captain wasn’t prepared and fell down. "Teela!" Adam stopped Speed at once and dismounted. "All okay. This is the way, I’m always dismounting..." she grinned, a little bit shattered. "This bitch! Rainbow! Come here!" Guilty the mare hung her head. Teela wanted to stood up- and grasped her head. "Shit!" "Are you alright?" Adam knelt beside her. "Yeah. Only a little headache..." She opened her eyes again and looked directly into his. Butterflies were in her stomach at once. She had expected all, but not, that he suddenly bend forward and kissed her! He himself probably not either... He took her hands. "I like you, Teela. You’re aware of this, aren’t you?" She had to clear her head for a second. Had it been only a hallucination? So hard she couldn’t have fallen, could she? No, he really had just kissed her! Gently he put a slipped strand of her beautiful red hair back. She realized surprise that she liked his touch. It made her feel like being in flames, her heart began to beat wildly. Suddenly she didn’t care about her job or something else anymore. He saw the agreement in her sight and hugged her happily. "Oh, Teela!" The little headache of the Royal Guard Captain disappeared immediately, when they kissed again, long and passionately. She had never been so happy before.
Nobody knew, Adam had a relationship with Teela. They both were afraid of Tales and Gossip. So they mostly meet out in the woods, where they sat down in the grass, hidden behind bushes, talked and cuddled. One time they got interrupted. Skeletor had got, that the Prince of Eternia was back and had no better thoughts than kidnapping him a second time, this time without Hordak. But he didn’t knew He-Man... First his plan worked. Adam and Teela were much too busy with each other to realize the evil troopers. They got totally surprised by them. Adam’s first reaction was to transform, but in time he thought of, that no one was allowed to know the secret. Not even Teela. They fought hard, but there were too much of the enemies. Soon they got captured.
Adam didn’t worry. Not really. He knew, She-Ra would come soon. He hadn’t the possibility to fight right now, that was, what he thought, so he was more than shocked, when Teela, as soon as they were locked up in a cell and alone, asked: "Wouldn’t it be time for He-Man?" "What?" She smiled lightly. "That is your name, isn’t it? At least Adora told me so..." "She told you..." Adam grew a little pale. "Of course. Don’t you know? My father and me, we’re beside the Sorceress the only people, who know She-Ra's secret. Well, it wouldn’t have taken long, until we would have found out, who He-Man is, so Adora told us at once. Sorry, I thought, she has already said that to you." "Not really" he murmured. "But if it is that way- what are we waiting for?" He held aloft his sword and said loudly: "By the power of Grayskull! I have the power!"
"Sir, I have bad news!" Man-At-Arms joined the throne room. "Skeletor has just contacted us. He has captured Teela- and the Crown Prince!" "Oh no!" Marlena stiffened because of the shock and began to weep then, while Randor felt only rage. A second time they had taken one of his children. "Call for the guards, Duncan! We’ll head for Snake Mountain immediately." "Sir, I know, how you feel. But we shouldn’t go all. With a smaller group we have much better chances to get them back." "Listen to him, King Randor." They startled. She-Ra on Swift Wind had joined them. She bowed shortly into the direction of the Royal Couple and said to Man-At-Arms: "I think it’s enough, when the two of us ride to the rescue." "I agree" he nodded and looked at the King asking. Marlena slowly calmed down. She knew, she could count on the Princess of Power. "Bring them back, She-Ra, please. I couldn’t bear to loose my son again." "I will, my Queen. I promise. Come on, Duncan. Let’s go."
It wasn’t hard for the Prince and Teela, to find their way through Snake Mountain. Soon they were in the throne room and nearly outside, when some of Skeletor's men were in their way. Skeletor himself stood in the background. When he saw Adam, he gasped. "And who might you be?" "The name’s He-Man. Try to remember it, bonebrain. You’ll hear it often in the future." "Oh, I don’t think so." Skeletor shot with a phaser. Adam reflected it with his sword. "I have enough to deal with muscle-bound female She-Ra. No time for fighting the male exemplar of her" the Lord of Destruction hissed. "Beastman! Trap-Jaw! Tri-Klops!"
She-Ra and Man-At-Arms had just reached Snake Mountain, when four person got thrown out of the door. Stunned they laid on the floor. Duncan arched his eye-brows. "Do you think the same, I think, Princess?" "I don’t know, what you think..." She-Ra smiled at her brother, who came out of the castle hand in hand with Teela now. "But I think, we won’t have much problems with Skeletor in the future..."
A week went by and all seemed to be okay. But then the call for help came. Adam was asleep, when he heard a strange, quiet voice talk to him. `Come back´ it said. `You’re our last hope...´ He woke up puzzled and went to the window. His sister had shown him the star, but he couldn’t find Etheria in the sky. What was going on here? He decided to head for Castle Grayskull. Perhaps the Sorceress knew something.
The answer was shattering: Hordak had taken prisoner the whole rebellion. When Zoar and the Prince saw it in the dimensional mirror, they were speechless for minutes. They knew, all had changed again, the Sorceress knew it immediately, when she looked at her ward. "You’ll go?" she asked quietly. "Do I have another choice?" he asked. "Yes, you have." She knew, it was useless, but she had to try it at least. "This planet isn’t yours, Adam." His face grew hard. "Yes, it is." He wanted to go, but Zoar shouted: "And what about Teela?" He startled, but didn’t stop. Then the Sorceress knew, it was over.
"Going back to Etheria? You can’t be serious, Adam!" His parents were really astonished. He hadn’t said anything like this in the time, he had passed here, and now, suddenly... "Please, Mom, Dad, try to see it my way! I must return! They need me!" "And what about us?" the King said. "We need you too." His son hung his head. "I know. I wish, I could stay, but Etheria is my world. Only when it’s free, I can come here." "And how long will that take? How many more years will we have to live without our son?" Randor asked. Adam realized, that his mother was less excited than her husband. She seemed to understand the decision of her son. "I don’t know, Dad. But if it was Eternia under the boot of the Horde- could you leave the fight before it was over?" Silence. The King came down from his throne and hugged Adam sadly. "I understand. And I want you to know, that I’m very proud of you. Will you come visiting us at least?" "As often as I can, count on it. But for now I have to return, as hard, as it is." "When will you leave?" his mother asked, tears in her voice. "Very soon. I only have to say good-bye to someone first."
Teela waited with her horse at the place, where they had kissed each other the first time. Somehow she knew it, although he hadn’t told her yet. But he saw it in her face. "Why?" she asked silently. "Just tell me, why you do it." "I must. Don’t you understand that?" She understood. "Then I’ll come with you" she said. She shrank back when she saw the scare in his face. "No, Teela, don’t even think of this! Never!" "Why? Don’t you wanna be with me, Adam?" He saw hear tears. He leaned over to her and hugged her tightly. "Of course I want, more than anything else. But Etheria will be a very dangerous place in future, Teela." "I can take care of myself. I fight against Skeletor every day. Don’t treat me like a child, Adam. You know, how I hate that." He looked at her seriously. "You would give up all?" "I’d do anything for love." He saw, she meant it seriously. He knew her only for days now, but he knew, that she had a unbelievable strong will. No one could talk her out of something. So why should he destroy this wonderful relationship? "Okay, Teela. And thanks. I love you." "I love you too, Adam." They kissed long and tenderly.
Adora waited in Grayskull for them. Teela's farewell had been short, but painfully. Her father was very sad of course, and the Royal Couple too. After all the Royal Guard Captain had always been like a daughter to them. But they also knew, no one could talk Teela out of something, she wanted. Most hard it was for her mother. Only for months she had been allowed to be really together with her daughter. They hugged long, crying, before the gate to Etheria opened. "Remember, Adam" Zoar said with tears. "Whenever you wish to return, just take the sword and think of me. The same for you, Teela." "We will" her daughter said quietly, then went to Adora. It would be hard to be without her best friend, she knew it. They embraced shortly. "So I have to kick Skeletor’s ass without you now?" the Princess smiled sadly. "You’ll miss all the fun..." "Oh, I’m sure, we’ll have our own." Typical kind of gallows humor... "Will you come to visit us from time to time, sis?" Adam asked. "Of course. I have to take care of you, little brother, remember..." "Funny. We have to go now. Who knows, what Hordak's doing to the rebel’s right now?" Adam really worried about. An hour ago the voice had called him. He hoped, that it wasn’t too late yet. The couple mounted their horses. "Well, then- bye." Slowly they rode through the yellow door.
"Here we are, babe. The Whispering Woods." Adam looked around. "I don’t think, Hordak has come in here. So some of the twiggets should be around at least." "Twiggets? What’s..." "Stop! In the name of the Great Rebellion!" a thin voice shouted. "That’s a twigget" Adam said dryly. "Spragg, it’s us!" "Oh, Adam, sorry... Do you know...?" "I know. How many of us are still there?" The tiny man looked sad. "Nearly no one. A few twiggets and me. And Madam." "Madam! Where is she?" "In the camp. Come on."
"Adam! You’re back!" The witch stood up. "Thank goddess! Hordak has..." "I know. Where are they, Madam?" She hung her head. "In the Fright Zone. But there’s no way to get them out. Glimmer has tried. She failed. Queen Angella has tried. Bow has tried. And they’re all prisoners now." "Come on" Adam said to Teela. "Adam, didn’t you hear me?" Razz asked angrily. "It’s too dangerous! It’s useless for us, if you get captured too. There’s a field round the Fright Zone, with which Hordak sees you from the moon. And with the transporter he can beam you in the castle in seconds." "There must be a way!" the Prince said. "Perhaps..." All looked at Broom. "If we could find the Crystal Castle..." "What’s that?" Teela asked. "A legend" Adam throw in. "At least I thought so..." He remembered the voice talking to him. Could it be... "The Crystal Castle is no legend, Adam" Razz said. "But it hasn’t been seen for centuries. Some of the oldest ones say, that it is there, but that it is invisible. Only a man... a moment... the legend says... yes, I think, the words are: `Only a man of courage and goddess, a man, who combines the strength of the founders and the intelligence of the spirits with the heart of a real fighter, the man, who will be our hero, will see it. This man is attached to it forever.´ Yes, that’s it." Adam looked at Teela shortly. "Then we’ll just have to find this man. Come on, babe." They galloped away. Madam looked at them thoughtfully. Her hope had come back with Adam. If the oldest ones were right, the decade of suffering could be over soon.
"Where are we riding to?" Teela asked. "To the mountains of the unknown. There the castle should be, if the legend’s right. But I’m afraid, we have to split, remember the words. I have to be alone." "Of course." They kissed fast. "I’ll be back soon- at least I hope so." As Adam rode away, Teela saw him transform into the hero once more.
He-Man realized, how the area changed. The cold, unfriendly mountains seemed to become his friends, to lead him directly to his destination. The castle was amazing. What a difference to Grayskull! Its beauty was as visible as its great power. Adam wasn’t surprised, when the crystal gate opened and the voice said: "Come in, He-Man. I’ve been waiting for you." Inside he found the speaker, he had searched for so long. A magnificent light, which shone through the golden walls of the castle. "You have called me" Adam said quietly. "So I did. It was necessary. The Horde must be beaten. And I know, you can do this. You’re the hope of this planet. My name is Light Hope. I shall lead you." "Light Hope, I’ve come to..." "I know. The powers of your sword are not complete yet, He-Man. The energy and will of the founders of Etheria will make it to the weapon, which shall stand for the freedom of Etheria. Drop it into the pool." Only for a moment Adam hesitated. But he felt the truth of the voice. All seemed to be alright. So he did it. Only moments later the Sword of Power came back to him. "And now beat the Horde with their own weapons, He-Man." "But how..." "Use the power of your thoughts." Then Adam remembered Zoar. `Your sword has telepathic powers...´ He held it above him, like at the transformation. And then he got disappeared. "It’s unbelievable" he murmured. "It’s for you, He-Man. As protector of this planet you must have great powers. But never forget: The greatest strength has to be in your heart. And if you ever need my help again- come back." "I will. Thanks, Light Hope." He was nearly outside, when the powerfulness shouted: "He-Man! Wait!" "What is it?" "You must hurry! They- have taken your friend."
Teela had had no chance. The Horde Troopers had followed her and Adam since they had left the Whispering Woods. When she got attacked, she wasn’t able to fight anymore. They stunned her with laser rays, before she could even take a weapon. She got unconscious.
Waking up she found herself in a dungeon. A young woman sat beside her and looked at her worried. "Are you alright?" "Yes... Who are you?" "My name is Glimmer." "Mine is Teela. I’ve heard of you" she smiled lightly. The other one looked puzzled. "Where?" "A certain young man named Adam..." "Adam? He’s here?" Teela saw the flash in Glimmer's eyes and heard an alarm-bell in her head. She suppressed it. They had other problems at present. Looking around she saw many others in the cell. "You’re the rebellion?" It was no question. "A very great rebellion, indeed" a young man murmured. "A bunch of clowns, how Hordak would call that. I mean, look at us. Trapped in here and no chance to see the daylight again." "Bow, stop being so negative!" Glimmer shouted. "You heard it. Adam is here. Perhaps he can free us." "Alone." The man laughed bitterly. "Dream on. Even this... He-Man couldn’t break through the Force Field unseen." "Don’t count on it." All startled. In front of the bars a person appeared. Only a silhouette first, but then they saw him exactly: "He-Man!" He destroyed the cell door. "Come on! I manipulated Hordak’s transporter. He isn’t able to hold us in here. Let’s go!" Speechless the rebels followed them. With the several magic powers of the group and the hero as their leader it was no problem to leave the Fright Zone behind.
The sunset in the Whispering Woods was amazing. But this day it didn’t lighten the two young people, who watched it. They stood beside a dimensional gate for an hour now and just couldn’t let go. She cried. One last time she asked him to come with her. But Adam shook his head. "I can’t. One battle does not win a war. You heard Glimmer, they have big plans. Next week we’ll head for Brightmoon to win it back. And that’s only the beginning. I’m needed here, Teela. At least for now. And I’m glad, you decided to return. Now I can really concentrate on the fight, without having fear to loose the one I love." They hugged a last time. "Tell my parents and my sister that I love them" he said quietly. "I will. And if you’ll ever need help..." "I call for you. And if you ever..." "...then I know, whom to call too. I love you, Adam. I will always love you." "I love you too, Teela." One last kiss, then she went away. When the gate closed behind her, her boyfriend shed a tear. The Prince mounted Speed. "Come on, buddy. Time to join the rebels." And he galloped into the Whispering Woods again. To the future.