The Defense of Skeletor

"...Running low on friends, Skeletor?"

"Evil-Lyn and I together can handle two enemies in my house, Muscle-Man!"

"...and what about four, old friend?"

Skeletor pivoted with a start to face the shadows; and was greeted by a cannon blast...

"Hordak!" She-Ra shouted. "Here?"

"...In my house!" Skeletor added, gathering up his Havoc Staff to mystically block the cannon blast, then to attempt a spell of his own.

Skeletor's magic attack didn't even faze Hordak as he threw back his head and laughed. Tormak, the interloping warlord, joined right in on the laughter.

"Shadow Weaver, you are here on my plan!" Skeletor barked. "Do something!"

"Oh, yes; at once, mighty Skeletor!" Shadow Weaver answered with a magical gesture of her own.

Instantly, shadows bound Skeletor and stripped he and Evil-Lyn of their staffs. The spell would have likely done the same to He-Man and She-Ra's swords had the Twins of Power not used their swords to shatter the spell.

"Now," He-Man declared approaching the bound villains, "Skeletor, you may not deserve what I'm about to do for you; but this is your home. Stand still..."

With that, He-Man cut through the shadowy bonds to free Skeletor. Now free, the Lord of Destruction promptly lunged for his Havoc Staff. Nevertheless, the most Powerful Man in the Universe kicked the staff out of his reach and caught it for himself.

"Why you...!" Skeletor protested.

"...Skeletor, you and Evil-Lyn get behind She-Ra; she'll protect you." He-Man ordered. "I am standing behind all of you to keep an eye on you two."

"A solid plan, Lord Skeletor." Evil-Lyn declared.

"It was, wasn't it?" Skeletor relented. "Alright, you two; we are in an alliance."

"For now." She-Ra added over her shoulder as she maneuvered her mystic Sword of Protection. "SWORD TO SHIELD!"

Hordak had lost patience for not shooting and had fired from his cannon yet again just as the sword became its mystic shield form. The blast bounced back and Hordak ducked while Shadow Weaver and Tormak dove to either side. The results were a giant hold in Snake Mountain's throne room wall.

"My wall!" Skeletor mused. "Look what you did to it!

"Exactly what our mutual enemy, Hordak, meant to do to you!" She-Ra reminded him.

"Meh; good point." Skeletor relented.

"Sis, we can stand here deflecting attacks all day; but Snake Mountain is still Skeletor's home and we do have these interlopers outnumbered here." He-Man pointed out.

"Agreed." She-Ra answered, converting her shield back into the Sword of Protection.

"Enough of this!" Hordak spat. "Shadow Weaver, now!"

"My Shadow Cells will do away with any vestiges of goodness and empathy in He-Man and She-Ra!" Shadow Weaver declared, aiming her hands.

"I've had just about enough of your inclusion in this fight!" She-Ra declared, aiming the Sword of Protection. "Sword to Flash!"

Instantly, the Sword of Protection glowed and glistened brightly. Shadow Weaver saw no other choice but to shield her eyes.

"Bah; the bright light!" she hissed.

"Shadow Weaver, you fool, aim your spell!" Hordak bellowed as the Shadow Cells surrounded them. "Your magic is affecting me now! I am...growing...mightier!"

"What sorcery is this, witch?" Tormak demanded.

"We have no goodness or empathy; my misdirected Shadow Cells are only making us stronger!" Shadow Weaver pointed out.

"We might have a problem on our hands here!" He-Man declared.

"Indeed, my brother." She-Ra conceded. "Skeletor, Evil Lyn; standing by is no longer an option."

"I should say not!" Skeletor added, snatching his Havoc Staff back. "If those Shadow Cells amplify evil power, then I want part of it."

With that, Skeletor lunged forward.

"Skeletor, stop!" He-Man bellowed.

Suddenly, the Eternian strongman was frozen in place.

"Brother!" She-Ra cried out.

"Not this time, He-Man!" Evil-Lyn chortled, cradling her own magic wand. "We can't have these interlopers here holding all of this evil power for themselves!"

"Betrayer!" She-Ra thundered, swinging her Sword of Protection at the wand.

"So, this is where Tormak's evil ended up!" another voice suddenly piped up.

All heads turned just in time to see a new form enter the throne room.

"Galtar!" Tormak shouted.

"Just in time." She-Ra murmured.

"Who is this impotent boy?" Hordak demanded, his voice amplified in his increased evil.

"A gnat who will stand in my way no longer!" Tormak answered, reaching for a sword.

"This gnat still wields his Golden Lance; and you will face its fury!" Galtar answered, unsheathing the Golden Lance from his back and separating it into two swords.

As the Golden Lance was split in twain, the two blades sparked with energy and fired bolts to strike Tormak and Shadow Weaver.

"No!" Tormak shouted as he began to fade in and out of view in Eternia.

"Curses!" Shadow Weaver added as she too began to waver.

"Shadow Weaver, you fool; you're...making...us...both...disappear from Eternia!" Hordak shouted.

Sure enough, as Tormak vanished back to Bandisar, Galtar's time on Eternia was done as well. Meanwhile, Skeletor raged at the fading Hordak.

"No; you can't be beaten at the hands of good; not in my house!" the Lord of Destruction shouted, banging his Havoc Staff in frustration.

"Sorry, old friend; but, if you witness, this does escort She-Ra back to Etheria with us!" Hordak retorted.

Skeletor turned and did see She-Ra slowly but surely fading back to Etheria.

"Farewell, my brother; until the next time that Eternia needs me!" she called out.

"...or until Etheria needs me." He-Man added.

With that, She-Ra vanished altogether. However, Hordak's image held fast for a moment longer and Skeletor waved his Havoc Staff.

"I must know what has brought you back to Eternia; and how to prevent the occurrence ever again!" Skeletor raged.

"Ask your dear precious Evil-Lyn about that, Bonehead!" Hordak's fading image answered; then, in a wavering voice even as he did fade away completely, "Until the next time I am on your precious Eternian soil!"

Skeletor heard Hordak's clue and pivoted.

"Evil-Lyn?" he growled.

"Oh; it was a simple prank, Lord Skeletor; a nice surprise to help bolster your plan." the evil wizardress insisted. "Besides, we do still have He-Man here; and at our mercy!"

He-Man withdrew his Power Sword once more as Orko peeked over his shoulder.

"Skeletor, if not for me, Hordak would have finished you!" He-Man reminded him.

Skeletor scratched his chin for a moment as if to consider.

"Yes." he mused. "Alright, He-Man; this time, you may go at your leisure."

He-Man and Orko exchanged a stunned look in reply.

"Thanks, Skeletor." He-Man declared. "Orko, use your magic to get me back to Battle Cat. He'll get us back to Grayskull."

"Right!" Orko answered; then, with a tip of his hat, the tiny Trollan whisked He-Man and he back to Battle Cat.

"Castle Grayskull." Skeletor mused. "One of these days, its secrets will be mine."

"Ours, Skeletor." Evil-Lyn amended.

"Is that right, my dear Evil-Lyn?" Skeletor demanded, settling back onto his throne and pushing a hidden switch to activate his trapdoor...

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"...and that's the story." Prince Adam concluded, scratching Cringer on the head as they faced the Sorceress. "I'm sure that Skeletor read Evil-Lyn the riot act for her part in today."

"Indeed." Sorceress chuckled. "And Eternia is safe once again."

"Yeah; maybe it's good that I summoned all of those heroes!" Orko added.

"Yes, Orko; your intentions were good." Sorceress conceded. "But you could have asked first."

"Oh; uh, right." Orko mumbled, his ears turning purple.

"Don't worry, Orko." Adam answered. "I'm sure that you'll have another chance to save Eternia another day..."

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HE-MAN:

Whew, today was quite a day! Today, we actually had to help Skeletor!

SHE-RA:

Not every opportunity to help others will always come easy. However, even when you must aid someone difficult, the opportunity to help others is an important one.

Until next time, this is She-Ra...

HE-MAN:

...and He-Man, wishing you good day and good health.

(End music sting)...