Wheua Mīti [Dark Data]

[Skeletor]

Skeletor was in a good mood.

For all their posturing on morality and proclamations on heroism, his two supposed teammates seemed entirely all too ready to shout insults and orders like the best of villains. They were really all the same deep down. Not only that, but the bio-mechanical had given him the pleasure of testing his newfound powers on the unsuspecting fools. And they hadn’t even mentioned the Darkchips… neither of his travelling companions seemed to have more than a passing interest in the chips, and Skeletor was in no rush to ask their preference. It was simply more power for him.

Now as the other primes snuck off to their parts of Kopaka’s plan, Skeletor stood tall in the gathering blizzard, his purple cloak a stark contrast. The Magician leapt forward, powerful muscles taking him well into the air, landing meters away from his former hiding spot. They had closed what distance they could while still hidden, but the openness of the Tundra meant that Skeletor would be seen well before he could attack. The Warlock did not run however, walking with a cocky swagger as he approached the disassembling crew. As he drew closer, a red flare whistled into the air, coming from the direction of the giants on the slope. They certainly knew he was coming.

While most of the Darklings continued to break down the camp a dozen or so mixed beings broke off from the main group to form a hasty defensive line, the goblins and trolls bullied to the front by the dwarves and Talz. Skeletor noted a particularly nasty looking Yeti with a pair of matching scars on its torso and stomach, hanging near the back of the group. Skeletor did not stop his advance, but made no move to attack yet, there was still several meters between him and the group, and the longer he waited, the more of their attention he occupied. The lime of Darklings held firm leveling crossbows, spears and amateur firearms in his direction.  

The rag-tag line parted as a black-bearded dwarf rode forward on a Tauntaun. He was probably considered a better-looking member of his race, with well-groomed hair tied intricately in braids.  The look was somewhat ruined by the blackened skin that covered half of his face like a burn

“Yer kind is na welcome here, Prime! Go die in the blizzard before my men have to pipe you full of arrows and whatnot.” The dwarf bellowed, straining to make his voice heard above the wind’s rising intensity.

The Corruption of Nebula was truly fascinating to Skeletor. This dwarf had clearly been a leader of some kind before Nebula’s rise, and within the addled recesses of its brain it knew this. However, its attempts at exercising authority and control came out only as murderous threats. All that Nebula’s corruption left it capable of.

The fool.

Skeletor swept his arms out wide, his cloak billowing wildly in the blizzard’s wind. “You would dare to challenge me, you undergrown-barkeeper? When I have taken that which your masters feared to take for themselves? Their powers are mine! Allow me to show you!” Skeletor all but screamed. His words reaching over the blizzard’s howling, and his muscled form ignited in black flames as he ignited the power he had absorbed from the dark carcass the disguise of Keldor melted away, what need had he to hide his face, when he was so in control?

The sudden burst of energy disturbed the nearby snow causing the dwarf to reach for a hip holster with a concerned look. A single bullet? Did the dwarf truly think that would be enough to stop Skeletor? The dwarven fool was entirely too willing to trade blows with a prime for his own good. With a smug look Skeletor raised his havoc staff, its ram-head gleaming with eldritch power. The dwarf raised the large pistol, preparing himself for the inevitable magical blast. The beam that shot forth was not directed at the dwarven officer however, instead tracing a line through his forces waiting behind him. In seconds the entire squadron was thrown into chaos as a wall of flames erupted into their midst.

Skeletor braced himself for the shot, but instead the officer raised his pistol into the air, and a second signal flare arced upwards into the wind-whipped snow. With a snarl Skeletor took aim, loosing a blast from his Havoc-staff into the dwarf’s chest and knocking him clean out of the saddle to go sprawling in the snow.  The Skull-faced warlock began to advance swiftly, energy beams firing into the scattered ranks of the darkling line. A few missiles came back his direction, and though his magic deflected most of the attacks a stray bullet caught him in the left shin. It barely halted his momentum, so fueled was he by adrenaline and his newfound power.

Noting the result of the first attempts to stop their attacker, the remainder of Nebula’s forces were taking up defensive positions, their leaders shouting orders as best they could above the blizzard. It would not be enough. Skeletor leapt into the air, again tracing lines into the enemy camp with his havoc staff. These lines were short and scattered, peppering the bulk of Nebula’s forces. As Skeletor landed thin columns of flame sprung into the midst of Nebula’s assembling forces. Distract the enemy, Skeletor thought with contempt, he would hardly need Kopaka’s assistance with this rabble.

The Warlock’s confident assault met its first real obstacle as a dark shadow crossed over the snow. Skeletor’s non-existent eyes widened slightly as he saw the huge chunk of rock collide solidly with the ground nearby, spraying snow outwards as it slid to a stop. The Giants, so that was what the flare had been for. Skeletor leapt away as another boulder crashed into the snow where he had been standing. Those giants were almost half a mile away, but their aim was impressive and Skeletor was frustrated by how close their attacks were getting. Wasn’t this exactly what that blasted girl was supposed to be stopping? He didn’t have time to look and he likely could not have even made it out through this thrice-blasted blizzard.

Nebula’s remaining darklings were taking this distraction to form a more organized defense, and Skeletor’s momentum was faltering. How much longer of a distraction did that robot even need? With a growl, Skeletor unleashed a large volley of energy globules towards the biggest clump, the white missiles practically invisible in the blinding snow. Nebula’s forces were well encamped, and the majority of the blasts struck only snow or metal, but a few found targets, and the group was delayed from any sort of counter. Another giant chunk of ice and rock smashed into the ground nearby. He needed to get into the camp proper, at this distance and in this open terrain, a concentrated volley might prove dangerous

A bellowing roar in what would have been his ear caused Skeletor to whirl suddenly. That yeti with the chest scars had somehow eluded Skeletor’s sight during the chaos, and before the mage could react it scooped him up, pinning his arms and crushing him in a powerful bearhug, heedless of the black flames that still danced along Skeletor’s form. His havoc staff fell from his grasp into the snow, as Skeletor struggled with the beast. The dark-fueled warlock strained, magically reinforced muscles bulging as he struggled with the yeti’s grip. There was a snap he felt sure was a rib as Skeletor managed to tear one arm free.  The Yeti roared into his face, saliva spraying the bone and the force of the wind knocking back his hood. Red pinpricks gleamed to light in empty sockets and Skeletor thrust his free arm into the yeti’s gaping maw, firing a point-blank energy blast into the creature’s throat.

The mage dropped to the ground gasping as the creature staggered backwards, a low moaning sound reverberating amidst the now howling winds. Skeletor staggered to his feet and pulled his twinsword from it’s sheath, hacking savagely at one of the yeti’s legs bringing it down to one knee. He spun, evading the wounded creatures swipe, and brought the combined blade down into the beast’s neck, cleaving unnervingly deep into its torso.

Skeletor was grinning as always when the beast fell his weapons returning to his grasp with telekinesis, but as quickly as pride had usurped his fear, the confidence of victory was erased by rage and pain as a boulder collided directly with him, shattering against his form and sending him flying several meters in the snow. The Warlock struggled to his knees, still engulfed in flames, and saw that several of Nebula’s darklings had worked up the courage to charge him directly, there were over two dozen of them, and even with the added power he was still starting to feel lacking. Where were his so-called team mates when he needed them? Skeletor grimaced and prepared for combat.

Skeletor has made use of a power-up he acquired from his absorbed power,

The power up in question is Dark Heart. Grants the following effects:
ATK: +2
DEF: +2
SPD: +2
TEC: +0

modified stats are 6/4/4/3