Chapter 8: What Happens Now?

“A hero is made in the moment, not from questioning the past or fearing what’s to come.”

— BrainIAC 5 (as portrayed by James Marsters), in Smallville, Season 10, Episode 4, “Homecoming.” Originally aired on October 15, 2010. Directed by Jeannot Szwarc. Written by Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson. Developed for television by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. Based on the DC Comics character Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions, Millar Gough Ink, and Warner Bros. Television. Originally broadcast on The CW. Copyright © 2010 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.

A hall shattered in the Ruins of Zalesia from colliding magic.

A crimson bolt exploded against ancient stone as the Faceless One staggered backward. He wore armor of skeletons and black robes, but on this day his robes tore where Skeletor’s spell had struck only moments before.

The Havoc Staff whirled again.

“Age has made you slow, old man,” Skeletor sneered.

The Faceless One answered with a wave of his hand. The Lord of Zalesia was not one to waste his efforts in overly gaudy movements and incantations being shouted. Instead, pale blue sigils lit up beneath Skeletor’s feet; however, the Lord of Destruction shattered them with a violent blast before driving the ram-headed staff into the old mage’s chest.

The blow hurled him across the chamber.

“You swore,” the Faceless One said between measured breaths, “never to return here.”

The head of the elder mage looked into that of the Evil Overlord. Of disdainful disappointment, there could be no greater emotion felt in that moment.

Skeletor laughed.

“I have broken greater promises.”

“You vowed to protect Evelyn in exchange for my Havoc Staff and to never return!”

The Faceless One lowered his hands.

“And now you desecrate my home.”

Skeletor let out a gutteral laugh.

“I have need of the Ram Stone.”

“Why?” the Faceless One inquired, suspicious.

“I need it...” Skeletor growled. “ ... to protect Evil-Lyn.”

Silence settled between them.

For the first time since the battle began, the Faceless One searched Skeletor’s face instead of preparing another spell.

“My daughter?”

Skeletor tightened his grip upon the Havoc Staff and threw another blast, which knocked the Faceless One back.

Rather than defend himself, the Faceless One looked into the distance. Others made windows in the air or water, but not him. He commanded ancient magic, so he only needed to summon forth the power and then he could see past great distances to find that which he was looking for.

A circle of silver light formed before his sight. A cave was lit up by a modest fire, and there was a young man. He must have only reached manhood recently, for he was no longer a child by the growth rate of men, but he was certainly young. He could not be older than twenty-five, but in his face, the Faceless One saw the countenance of the long dead King Grayskull himself.

He lay on the floor with a jacket over himself and someone else. No father wishes to see their daughter in any relation to that of sex, but as the Faceless One saw how Evelyn slept peacefully beside this young man, the older man smiled softly. This was not about what his daughter had done but was doing.

One of the young man’s arms was wrapped around her, fently, but both were in the land of dreams. Beside them was the Sword of Power, and the Faceless One knew that Evelyn was no longer in the danger that the once-called Keldor had brought to her life. There was a chance she might find a path to light or at least goodness.