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'I found your sword.'
Fate worked in mysterious and certainly bizarre ways, for he never imagined it would turn him into a criminal. No. No, Adam Glenn was no thief. But as he paced back and forth in this park, clutching his sword in his arms as if he were doing a good job of hiding it from the gaze of others (this sword he'd snatched from the hands of a statue of a muscular man from a cartoon he never seen in his life) and tried to hide from any police officer he spotted nearby, he looked like a thief. Especially when the girl from the shop called the authorities. but this was his sword; when he saw it he instantly knew- finally found the sword he arrived on Earth with, the sword he lost as a child, and the one his mother gave him to protect with his life.
And he found it thanks to a strange message that appeared on a Thursday night, from a number that must have been from another world cause it didn't seem to belong to any area or country. The messenger's identity another mystery: he didn't remember sharing his number on the forums, and yet this persons had been right, they had found his sword. He reread the conversation:
'Who are u?'
'Look for me in the Hudson Forest. Where the ivory tower is, I'll be with you in moments.'
'How did u find this number?'
'I always find you. You'll recognize me, I'm sure of it.'
Despite the strange instructions (what forest? in Oklahoma City?), he managed, after fleeing the shop and losing the police, he arrived. He had spent thirty minutes there, looking around, searching for a face out of place or perhaps familiar.
But looked at the sword once more, seeing himself in it but not the answers to his most turbulent doubts.
When suddenly the sword vanished from his hands, he turned and found the two police officers who had been chasing him from the store.
"Finally found you, thief!" said the policewoman, holding his sword. Before he could say anything, the other police was already cuffing him behind his back.
"I'm not a thief! The sword's mine-" Adam tried to explain.
"It's part of the statue of Torak-" the policeman cut himself off when saw the look on his partner's face.
"Sure." Simply said the policewoman getting closer to pat Adam down for anything else. "Smell alcohol?"
"What?!"
"Nah, must just be an obsessive nerd, obsessed with plastic swords..." the policeman quickly pulled his hand away from the blade. “Sharp!"
"I get it!" Adam began to speak aloud. "I get it, that what I'm about to tell you now is going to make me look like a lunatic." the two officers exchanged glances. "That sword is from another planet: Eternia. I came here with it and it's the only way to-"
"How many lunatics have we arrested this week?" the policewoman said.
"Two."
"Must be our lucky day. Get him in the car"
"No! wait" Adam began to struggle a little to break free from the two officers. He thought about running off again, but that would only cause him to lose his sword once more or get himself into even worse trouble. “I had to meet someone!”
"Bet. Collectibles trafficking."
Adam’s protests faded as he was escorted out of the park; unbeknownst to all three of them, they were being watched by a hooded figure in the distance.
"It's mine. I know, I know I don't have any proof, and understand why you don't want to believe me, but that's the sword my mother sent me here with. She told me to take care of it and uh failed at that! and now it's the only thing that will guide me back home! To my family, I'll be able to fight alongside them against whatever they're facing right now..." Adam let out a long, heavy sigh as he collapsed onto the bed in the cell where the two officers put him. "I know it must sound crazy, but it's the only proof that my memories are real."
"You're crazy."
"I know I sound like a crazy person-"
"Or high on drugs." Adam sat up quickly and saw how both officers looked uncomfortable. Before he could say anything more, the policewoman continued: "Listen, be thankful no one got hurt. Also pray this stays as just a minor incident, you nutcase."
How many times had he been called that? If he tried to count them, he'd surely get depressed. Both officers left and he was all alone.
Now he really was a criminal. Behind these bars and with the handcuffs adorning his wrists, it couldn't be more obvious. But he did it almost on instinct, he knew it was his from the flash it gave off the moment the light reflected off its blade, he saw it out of the corner of his eye, it hit him like a thunder. The sword that had tormented him day and night since he was a child, he would recognize it by its weight alone, by its edge. Holding it again felt just like being ten years old again, his mother placing it in his hands, before saying goodbye to him with the most loving eyes, careful no to show too mucho worry, fear and panic, so as not to infect her son with them in spite of the explosions outside the room growing louder. How many times must have him dreamed of her? With pleading eyes, crying his eyes out in her green dress, asking 'why, why, why did you send me away?'
Sometimes he also saw his strong father, consumed by the soldiers, and his dear green tiger, Cringer, disappearing in the burned forest, only ashes, smoke and screams came out. His family always chased by this enormous skull-shaped cloud that wanted to burn everything in his path, and he didn’t understand why, what did it gain?
Other times he saw a kinder yet strong face of his best friends from those days, Teela, or as several therapist had put it 'imaginary girlfriend'. And some while ago he heard this disembodied, strange voice persuading him to find the sword, making him swear to protect it from those who wanted it for evil and promising that he would use it only to protect those he loved. He always woke up to the image of a hawk screaming towards his face.
He was so sure of all of it, that it would lead him home. But now, that he looked more closely... he had never felt so lost in his life.
No more than when he fell to the Earth. He still remembers the rapid flashing lights of the portal, so many colors before everything turned black and damp, woken up by loud noises made by giants trying to shatter the sky with hammers and succeeding. Just a small child, found in a stormy night, in the middle of the road, by a couple who taken him to the nearest hospital while he screamed for his mother, the sword must have been left behind and forgotten at that moment. Unprotected.
He pulled one of his many childhood drawings out of his pocket, one featuring his parents and Cringer. 'Oh you're so creative, Adam. You could turn this into something truly great' they'd told him... 'You just need to channel all these fears into something much healthier, you'd make a great comic artist' and lock them away in frames? That would be admitting they were false and that he was a nutcase. A foolish child who was abandoned and trying to hide created in his own fantasy world...but from what was he hiding?
Suddenly his cell phone started ringing; from the bars, he could see the name of the caller: Suzie. Oh, Suzie, how could he ever look her in the face again? After his stupid crime went viral (because he was sure someone had recorded the scene) and she found out he had taken a five-hour trip to a city he knew nothing about because of a message from a stranger, how would she react?
He could just picture himself, overcome with shame, and her with her ice queen stare, the last bit of patience she had for him evaporating.
He covered his face, trying to stop thinking that maybe he really was a fool, a lunatic, someone obsessed with something he was now beginning to doubt was anything more than childish nonsense. A fantasy of...
The light bulb suddenly burst; he uncovered his face and saw he was in complete darkness. And a scream was heard in the distance. He pressed himself against the bars to make out even the faintest murmur before catching a second scream. Then a third, now accompanied by a gunshot. The only thing he could make out was the sound of footsteps approaching the door.
It gave way with a crash; the doorknob lay abandoned on the floor, and a hooded figure entered, holding a gun, which they were pointing at Adam.
“Woah!” He quickly moved away from the bars. The figure continued to approach, shuffling their feet, the gun held high. Adam’s heart raced. “Wait! P-please…?”
Everything lit up with the shot from the gun; it became clear it wasn't shooting bullets when Adam saw the lock on his cell melting away.
The figure finally spoke "Your wrists."
A woman? "Why?" he responded instantly until realized. "You aren't thinking of...? It's unnecessary! The keys--"
Adam screamed as everything brightened again. He could already see that there would be a missing finger but the shot was too precise. Pieces of metal and black ash only fell to the floor.
"It's easier that way. Now, on foot!" the mysterious woman ordered as she rushed towards the exit.
"But" Adam was cut off when his sword was thrown at him, nearly hitting him in the face.
"And don't forget the sword this time." And with that, she left the room. Adam hurried after her but stopped when he saw all the cops on the floor, who didn't look like they were taking a peaceful nap.
"They're asleep. But won't stay that way forever."
All Adam whispered was a 'sorry' as he stepped on one of the officer's face. He quickened his pace to catch up to her and grab her arm, perhaps a little roughly. “I need you to tell me who you are. What do you know about me and this sword?”
There was a brief silence. Everything seemed to stand still. Then she let out a little laugh.
That was interrupted when a bullet made them separate. One of the police officers woke up. “Move!” the figure shouted, pushing Adam away as he drew his gun, but Adam realized this was not the best plan and threw himself at her.
The policeman’s finger on the trigger was faster: two bullets followed and burst against the wall. Adam was about to apologize until he noticed that beneath him, hidden inside that hood, several strands of red hair were peeking out.
Unable to believe what his eyes were seeing, he quickly began to push the strands aside, like a curtain in a theater; they revealed the best of sights: the kindest and strongest face he had ever seen in his life was now before him. “Teela?!” he couldn’t help but shout with joy.
For a second she was annoyed, but Adam’s smile seemed to rub off on her. “You were taking your sweet time. Now move aside—we’re under attack.”
Adam quickly stepped away from her, fighting the urge to crush her in his arms. Teela sprang to her feet the moment the bullets stopped, and her weapon fired a laser that completely melted the cop’s gun barrel. He stood there gaping before running off.
"Follow me!"
She shouted, and Adam tried his best to keep up. As soon as they stepped out of the police station, Teela started running west.
“Where are we going?!” Adam shouted from behind. Teela had always been the fastest girl in training; the memory made Adam feel a strange sensation in his chest, which grew stronger when Teela turned around and smiled at him:
“Far away! Far, far away from here!”
Amid the huge crowds, they darted from one side to the other, dodging children, dogs, families, and couples on the bustling streets of Oklahoma.
But everything was blurry, only that smile… “I can’t believe it’s you!” Adam suddenly blurted out, catching up to her, staring at her.
“What on earth did you do to end up in the dungeon?” Then she rolled her eyes when she saw Adam nearly crash into a family. But he also seemed on the verge of hysteria; he couldn’t stop laughing.
Adam barely processed the question. “You really haven’t changed…” and to Teela’s surprise, his smile grew even brighter. “Although I’m taller now!”
“Yeah, sure, and you’re still just as airheaded. ” She quickened her pace but then an arm reached out to her. “Woah!” Teela said as Adam pulled her toward him, grabbing her by the shoulders and stopping her in her tracks. Your hands are bigger… “What’s going on?”
And Adam hugged her, and she felt her feet leaving the ground. Taller, she thought but wouldn't said it, maybe a little stronger but still the same Adam. Nostalgic, she remembered the times she would hug him, only to then push him to the ground and start a little wrestling match; he had to learn that even the friendliest gesture could signal danger, but he always fell into her arms, no matter how her eyes sparkled with obvious mischief. Teela patted his shoulder; he was already getting too mushy. They had to get to the ship; go home and save it. Adam pulled away and looked at her, with that gleam that screamed, 'You have no idea what I’m going to do now', and he thought Adam would do it: he was going to throw her to the ground just as she had done so many times long ago.
But not at all, now their faces so close, her lips pressed agains his. Firmly as if he wanted them to become a single mounth, so they would never be separated again. Something so different- for a moment, she thought of pulling away when she heard what sounded like footsteps growing louder and closer, which turned out to be her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. She felt herself changing colors. Changing, changing.
“Fascinating!”
What seemed like an eternity was less than a minute. Teela quickly shoved Adam hard, and Adam’s eyes widened like plates when he saw a robot standing on a strange ship, staring at them (for how long have it been staring?).
“What is that?!”
“You said it was a friend, but you were in the middle of an romantic ritual: I’d say mating--”
“Shut your face!” Teela said quickly, pushing the robot inside the ship, her face all red. Then she turned to Adam and said, “It’s my sister.”
“Oh! Y-your sister?!”
“It’s a long story. Now get in.” And Teela held out her hand to him.
Adam would later discover that the robot’s name was Roboto, and that she was one of Duncan’s inventions. He wouldn’t find out why Duncan had built it until much later.
Roboto headed off to one side of the ship while Teela went into what appeared to be the cockpit, leaving Adam confused. Suddenly, in the silence, the hours, the weeks, and the years began to weigh heavily on him. Guilt made a space in his chest, and he went after Teela.
“Teela,” he called. She didn’t turn around, she just let out a small “hmm?” as she quickly pressed various buttons. “I’m sorry about the kiss. It was—” He saw her tense up. “It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing… I just had to make sure you were real.”
Teela spun around on her heels and landed a quick punch on his arm, with enough force to almost make him stagger.
“What a peculiar way to check, don’t you think?” Teela crossed her arms, looking him in the eyes. It hadn’t occurred to Adam that maybe Teela already had a boyfriend in Eternia; the idea displeased him, but it could be true. She had come to rescue an old friend (perhaps long forgotten), and suddenly he had done that, he always felt this way about her, but he had changed and she in others ways; yet his feelings for her continued, though perhaps she never felt the same way about him.
“Everyone told me that you, home, Cringer—they were all just figments of my imagination… that my mom was crazy, missing… dead.” He looked away toward the sword, catching his reflection in it once more, but then he saw Teela’s face, softer, closer.
“Your mom is alive, Adam.” And Teela fixed her gaze on her hand; a part of her screamed that they were wasting time right now, arguing about feelings when the only thing she had been able to think about all this time was her father captured, how Sorceress might barely survive another massive attack by Skeletor, how Orko had disappeared, and how millions of villages were being reduced to ashes with every passing moment, the fire staining the forests with horror. But another part of her could understand this sense of unreality they were experiencing; she hadn’t realized how much she had missed him until now. She took his hand and caressed his knuckles with her thumb. “It would have been much easier to find you if you’d stayed by your sword,” she said, a hint of reproach in her voice. Abandoned on this strange planet… she looked at the sword and then at Adam, feeling a little overwhelmed by being the center of his attention. She remembered when she used to scold him for running away from royal events: only she was able to bring him back, to find him in the hole he’d crawled into, he always hid in the same place. “You’re my best friend, and I’ve come to take you back. Eternia really needs you.” She let go of his hand to sit in the pilot’s seat, gesturing with her eyes for him to sit in the other seat. There was a brief pause. “And I missed you, too.”
And Adam thought that today had truly been his lucky day, and in fact, he had made only one mistake; it wasn’t the sword that would lead him home.
It was Teela.