He's Bad to the Bone, but it's Hammer Time! Brawl in the Nexus!

[Thor]

Thor left the little girl with the big backpack where she stood. In this Omniverse nothing was as it seemed, and that bothered Thor. He did not like being asked questions he did not know the answer to. He did not like being a plaything for the Omni being. Thor needed to hit something. As he approached the fountain Thor saw a strange looking man yelling at an equally strange little person. He wanted to attack the larger man. He might be trying to hurt what Thor could now see was a small girl. He wanted to charge at the hooded man Hammer first and lose himself in the simplicity of battle. But he would not attack until he had actual cause. He had walked the path of blind violence and he did not like were it lead. It was then that the hooded man with blue skin threw back his head and Thor saw the necrotic face beneath the hood. Thor’s eyes widened he let Mjolnir slide down his hand so that he held it at its full length. A necromancer. Surely he was planning on spreading evil and suffering for the living. Thor raised his Hammer and pointed at the blue-skinned man.

“Necromancer!” With that he spun his Hammer and launched himself through the air at his skeletal foe, Hammer first.

Thor slammed into Skeletor, sending him tumbling backwards over the vast emptiness of the Nexus. Thor landed heavily after the brutal bash and looked at the small green-haired girl standing in between him and the fountain.

“You need no longer fear that sorcerer of death! He faces the Prince of Asgard now!” Thor bellowed, charged once more at the blue-skinned man.

Skeletor lifted himself from the ground in time to see the massive blonde warrior halt in his charge just long enough to throw his Hammer at him with surprising force. Another prince with a magic weapon… Wonderful. Skeletor though to himself as he raised his hand, holding his palm out to face the Hammer. Thor watched as Mjolnir came to the sorcerer’s hand and turned back without making contact. Thor caught his Hammer and stopped. This sorcerer had the power to turn Mjolnir. This necromancer was obviously stronger than those that he had faced in the past.  He would need to be careful in this fight. Thor began to spin his Hammer and circle around Skeletor, studying his opponent. In his world Thor had met very few who could match his strength in combat, but it was become obvious that in this Omniverse that was no longer the case.

[Skeletor]

Skeletor eyed the new warrior as he brandished his Havoc Staff. This fight would be difficult, that much was already apparent. The enemy had struck from nowhere, and although his garb looked vaguely Eternian, his mannerisms were clearly from elsewhere. Necromancer? As if control over that which had died was the extent of Skeletor’s powers. The fool would learn soon enough.

“So you’re a prince of Asgard, eh? Well, let’s see you guard against this!” he pointed towards the Thunderer, and a bolt of white energy streaked from his extended finger. Thor interposed his swirling hammer, and the bolt ricocheted off, soon invisible on the off-white background of the Nexus. “Not bad, but I’ve seen better!” the warlock shouted, as another bolt was similarly deflected. 

With a shout, his opponent launched the hammer yet again. Skeletor extended his hand to deflect the incoming attack, and the missile was turned away without danger. Skeletor’s gaze flickered to his own hand, which was trembling with effort. He was too weak to block that powerful a weapon many more times.
Skeletor looked up as Thor neared, the warlock had been too focused on the hammer, and hadn’t seen that his opponent had charged in the interim. The God closed with surprising speed, and Skeletor had to leap backwards to avoid a vicious downward swipe as Mjolnir returned to his enemy's hand. Skeletor landed smoothly, Havoc staff firmly in hand. “So that’s how we’re going to play, is it? Then I'll deal with you myself!” he cackled and brought the staff to bear against his foe.

The two primes clashed and fought a short distance away from the fountain, their weapons sounding off into the white abyss around them. Skeletor had a large amount of reach on his opponent, and was fighting defensively for the moment, keeping Thor at bay with the length of his staff.  Suddenly Skeletor stepped forward, bringing the Havoc staff around in a sweeping arc aimed at his opponent’s head. “Is that the best you can do with that tiny hammer of yours?” the warlock taunted as he struck.

But Thor was ready. Ducking under the reckless attack, The Thunderer brought his hammer around connecting solidly with Skeletor’s side, and sending him skidding across the floor of the Nexus. “Not in the least, Necromancer! I am just getting started.” the Thunderer called, this was the battle he had been craving. Skeletor groaned and pulled himself to his feet. His opponent hurled the hammer yet again, and Skeletor was obliged to duck as he didn’t have the time or concentration to block the attack. Mjolnir sailed unimpeded off into the whiteness.
“Ha HA! You fool! Now I have you!” Skeletor shouted, and raised his havoc staff. Magical energy erupted from the tip striking an unprotected Thor, who could only brace himself for the impact. “You should never have thrown that hammer, you Cape-clad Dolt!” the warlock proclaimed, as magic continued to pour from his staff, “Now you will feel the might of Skelet-Aah!” the warlock’s declaration was cut short as Mjolnir returned, catching Skeletor in the shoulder as it pasted, knocking him to the ground yet again.
Thor allowed himself a sigh of relief as the hammer returned to his grasp, faithful as always. He thought as he faced his foe. The Necromancer had gotten back to his feet, his mouth quiet for once. “Have you had enough yet, bonelord?” he called, but the blue-skinned prime made no reply. Thor studied his opponent carefully as he began to swing the hammer again. The Necromancer was both skilled and powerful, Thor's outfit had the singe-marks to prove it. He was also extremely rash, his tactics reminded Thor of his past self. Surely he had learned something new since then…

Skeletor stood silently as Mjolnir cut tight circles in the air besides his opponent, always increasing in speed. A week ago, this enemy would have stood no chance against his power. As it was, his weakened state left him at the disadvantage in the conflict. His opponent began to charge again. “For Odin, For ASGARD!”  Skeletor remained impassive. His power had been taken. Stripped from his body like an undesired garment. In the dark hollows of his eye sockets, two pinpricks of red gleamed. This was an outrage. Someone would pay for this!

With a shout Skeletor brandished his havoc staff and met his opponent’s charge head-on, the cry morphing into a cackle as it burst from his lipless face. The crash of their weapons echoed off of the fountain, as the two primes stood, weapons locked, vying with each other. His power had been taken away, and he was going to get it back.
Anyone who stood in Skeletor’s path would be crushed!

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[Thor]

Thor locked weapons with his skull faced opponent. For a necromancer he was surprisingly strong and capable in close range combat, but Thor was the God of Thunder! Thor pushed forward, knocking his opponent’s glorified club aside, then spun around to bring his Hammer slamming into the skeletal head of his foe. Skeletor was just fast enough to bring his staff up and in to block the mighty blow, yet the force still knocked Skeletor back across the white abyss.

Thor started walking toward his foe as Skeletor picked himself off the ground. Picking his speed up into a decent jog Thor watched as Skeletor raised his staff and pointed it at the Asgardian. A beam of light shot forth from the staff. Thor raised his Hammer, but it was too late. The God of Thunder was blasted backwards as the beam slammed into his chest.

Thor lay on the alabaster floor, looking at the pale emptiness above him. He thought about the blast that had knocked him to the floor. It was very similar to the weapon employed by the destroyer Loki had once sent to hunt him, but in his full Asgardian armor he shouldn’t be in this much pain. No that wasn’t it, the armor had blocked everything it was supposed to. Yet if that was true why did he still feel so much pain? Then he realized what it was. He hadn’t noticed when fighting the stormtroopers because their attacks were so weak that his armor absorbed them, and in the fight with the dragon he had become so badly wounded so quickly, but now he had time to feel out his situation he realized he was not healing. Normally his body would already be recovered from most of this injury but as Thor lay there he could feel the pain linger.

The God of Thunder rose just in time to take an energy bolt to the shoulder. His armor deflected most of the damage, but he could not hold back a wince. Thor would see if he could fix this with Omnilium after the fight, but for now he would deal with the fiend in front of him. A second bolt zipped toward him. He raised his Hammer and deflected the shot. He would not go down so easily. Thor began to spin his Hammer, deflected another shot, and then launched himself through the air at the necromancer. Skeletor loosed bolt after bolt of eldritch energy at Thor’s rapid approach and while some of them did hit their mark, nothing could stop the inevitable impact. The God of Thunder slammed into his Skeletal foe with reckless abandon. They tumbled across the white expanse of the Nexus, struggling against each other in a clash of considerable might. Thor took hold of Skeletor and crushed himself against the self proclaimed lord of evil. Neither could make much use of their weapon in that state but they would not land apart either and that suited Thor just fine. He was tired of having to fight around the reach of that staff and the eldritch blasts that this necromancer liked to sling. They hit the ground hard and Skeletor, seeing the danger in being below the massive warrior shifted his weight so that when they landed he found himself looking down at the Asgardian pinned beneath him.

“Nhe, hee hee he he he! Now you are mine, Prince of Asgard! And after I’m through with you here I will find this Asgard and destroy it t--” Thor slammed his mighty Hammer into the blue skinned necromancer mid rant. Thor smiled as he thought of his brother being similarly interrupted by the hulk during the battle in Manhattan.

Thor rose from the ground. Skeletor lay not far away. He to was rising from where he had fallen, though much more slowly than the prince of Asgard. Thor imagined that if his magic had not claimed his face, the necromancer would be wincing. The God of Thunder ran over and struck Skeletor clean in the jaw as he was still attempting to rise. Thor hear the crack of bone as his Hammer collided. Skeletor fell to the ground once more. Thor watched his blue skinned foe stir on the ground. He was impressively tough for a necromancer, to have taken so many blows from Mjolnir and still be able to move, but it was plain to Thor that this fight was his. Thor approached his fallen enemy. A necromancer would be a useful ally in the fight against Omni. He would let his enemy decide if he would end this fight with his Hammer or his hand.

[Skeletor]

The Overlord of evil was sorely matched. His foe approached slowly, almost leisurely, as if their fight was a refreshing constitutional. Skeletor would have spit blood, if he did not lack the requisite parts. He put a hand to his jaw, he could feel a hairline fracture running down the left-hand side of his jawbone. It would hold for now, but he couldn’t keep taking this kind of punishment for much longer.  He looked up as his opponent drew closer. His Havoc staff lay on the ground, some ten feet away. Too far to retrieve in time. The Thunderer drew near, and Skeletor sat up, arms propped on his knees. The oaf had stopped hitting him for the time being, but Skeletor was still suspicious.

“You fight with vigor, Necromancer! Not many can take a blow from the God of Thunder and keep fighting!” Skeletor looked up as The Asgardian neared. His enchanted hammer hung loosely in his hand, relaxed but ready at his side. He thinks I’ve been beaten! Skeletor realized with outrage. Does it seem like that’s all it takes to best me! He was silent as the Prince stood, a confident smile on his face. This was how combats were supposed to go. He addressed the warlock almost jovially, though his caution was evident in his tone. “Have we finished our discussion? Or shall I let Mjolnir continue my argument?” He asked, waiting for a response from his foe. The Warlock was clearly having the tougher way of things, His breathing (such as it was) sounded raspy and labored, his hood had fallen, revealing the floating skull that was all that remained of his head. “I… may have been mistaken prince…” The Warlock said, looking up at Thor, “I agree. We are finished here…”

The Thunderer smiled and with ceremony, dropped Mjolnir to the floor of the Nexus before offering his hand to pull Skeletor up to his feet. “AHA! That’s the spirit!” he laughed as Skeletor took the hand “It was a good brawl and…” Thor stopped midsentence, as from the corner of his eye he saw red dots flare in the eye-sockets of the Warlock's skull. "Did I say we? I meant YOU were finished here!" With surprising speed Skeletor’s free hand shot up and towards Thor’s face, finger pointed and already flaring with magic. Thanks only to the instinct forged by countless battles, did Thor manage to throw his head to the side at the last second. As it was, the magic beam struck his temple, and he stumbled back with a bellow, hands clutched to the searing pain on his face.
“Nhe, Hee he! More like the God of Blunder, you barbaric buffoon!” Cackled Skeletor as he rose to his feet and his gaze fell upon the Hammer Thor had placed on the ground. He bent down to grab it  “First rule of battle! Never drop your weap…” Yet again, Skeletor found his victory short-lived, as his momentum halted abruptly as the Hammer refused to budge. “Infernal Thing! Why… Won’t… You… Move!” The Hammer continued to resist his best efforts to lift it. There was a shout, in his rage at the immovable hammer, Skeletor had ignored its wielder for two long.
He looked up just in time to receive a right cross to the jawbone, and he staggered backwards, off-balance away from the hammer. The Asgardian warrior began punching, using tricks and maneuvers he had learned from a certain Super soldier he continued to keep Skeletor on the defensive. For his part, the Warlock was inexperienced with fisticuffs, and could only do his best to keep up with his much stronger opponent.   
By sheer luck, Skeletor managed to land a sharp jab amidst the battle and Thor’s head snapped back. The God stepped back slightly, “Is that the best you can do?” He bellowed, then began his onslaught with renewed vigor, fists pummeling the warlock with blinding speed. “I say thee NAY!!!” he yelled, and tackled the Overlord, driving his shoulder into his opponent’s ribcage. They tumbled across the Nexus floor yet again, breath labored, both combatants clearly growing tired from the conflict.

They rose to their feet a short distance apart. “I tire of this brawl, Necromancer! Let this end!” Thor challenged, and flung out his hand. A confident smile spread across his lips as the familiar hum of Mjolnir drew closer. Now he would have the upper hand indeed! “I couldn’t agree more you Man-at-arms Reject!” came Skeletor’s reply, and to Thor’s dismay, his foe’s staff also began to fly across the white expanse. The weapons returned to their respective owner’s hands in almost perfect unison.

There was a moment’s pause.
“Well then.” Thor said with a sigh, and launched his hammer.

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[Thor]

Thor’s Hammer flew to toward its intended target, but the Lord of Evil had grown adept at dodging this attack and easily stepped out of the way of the airborne bludgeon. Thor ran at the skeletal sorcerer, attempting to draw his attention away from the rounding Hammer but the pain in his shoulder was still too fresh in Skeletor’s mind for him to fall prey to the trick a second time. The Hammer sailed harmlessly over Skeletor’s ducked head and into Thor’s hands. From there the melee began.


In speed and skill the two were well matched, with Skeletor having just enough skill and strength to block each blow he could not dodge, but to anyone watching it was clear that even the hits he blocked were taking a toll on the Asgardian’s less sturdy adversary. Every blow that struck the Havoc staff forced the Lord of Evil to put a dangerous amount of stress on his accumulated injuries. Thor was not going to leave this fight unscathed either, for even as he pressed his offensive he felt his armor move uncomfortably against the flesh made so tender by the skeletal sorcerer’s eldritch bolts, but he had been raised to ignore worse in the heat of battle. His assault continued. Hammer, dodge, Hammer, Block, Hammer, dodge. Skeletor knew he had to do something or it would only be a matter of of time before the blond warrior broke through his defenses and finished what he started. If Skeletor had lips he would have smiled. It was such a devilishly obvious plan, such a simple trick it made Skeletor want to cackle.


Skeletor planted his feet, no longer attempting to dodge Thor’s mighty attacks, and began instead to parry aggressively. If this Hammer wielding buffoon wanted to think of him as a necromancer Skeletor would use that to his advantage.


“You fool!” The Havoc Staff clashed against Thor’s Hammer, punctuating his screeching insult.  “You have been so busy fighting me you did not notice my minions creeping upon the who you thought you saved.” Skeletor said staff and Hammer still locked.


Thor’s eyes widened. He spun around, tossing his Hammer toward the fountain and the fictional undead only to see the small girl standing there, unharmed and unthreatened. Thor realized too late the trap that had been set. Skeletor brought the horned skull at the top of his staff crashing into the back of the God of Thunder’s own head with a resounding thud. Thor stumbled forward. Skeletor slammed the staff into his adversaries back viciously. Thor fell to the ground on hands and knees.


“That’s right, Prince of Asgard! Without your Hammer you are no threat to the Lord of Evil! Nye hee hee he he!” Skeletor cried as he stuck the God of Thunder gleefully.


“I am never without my Hammer.” Thor said. The Prince of Asgard raised one hand. Thor took hold of Mjolnir and rose to his feet with surprising speed and force. Thor knocked the staff’s next attack aside, then brought his Hammer back around in a brute uppercut. Skeletor flew through the alabaster emptiness of the Nexus skidding to a halt some fifteen feet away.


As Skeletor began to rise, battered and broken, he saw Thor raised his Hammer above his head. For a moment Skeletor thought he saw He-man, blond haired champion of Eternia standing there, before his sorcery riddled mind found its way back to reality. Blue lightning streamed down from the endless emptiness of the Nexus sky into the God of Thunder’s Hammer. Skeletor new he should do something, but he had not recovered his strength from the last blow and in this place there was nothing behind which to take cover. Thor’s voice boomed, mixing with the Thunder of his lightning.


“FOOL ME ONCE, NECROMANCER, SHAME ON YOU! FOOL ME TWICE,” He lowered the Hammer at Skeletor, crackling with power. He said the next part just loud enough to carry over the distance, “And feel my WRATH!”

The Bolt of the Thunder God shot forth, a messy blue streak of power and might charging toward Skeletor. His bruised and beaten form silhouetted by the light of his coming doom; the Lord of Evil would learn the wrath of the Thunder God!  

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[Skeletor]

Skeletor’s non-existent eyes widened in pure terror as the Thunderer unveiled his namesake. The bolt of lightning streaking down from the storm clouds that had suddenly formed out of the empty whiteness. No… it can’t be… the pose… the lightning…it can’t BE!  Skeletor's knees were weak as Thor pointed Mjolnir at his foe, and the lightning that swirled and wreathed around his hammer shot forth with deadly portent. Skeletor threw up his hands, knowing it would be futile even as he attempted to deflect the lightning. The deadly electricity coursed through his system with merciless abandon, and for a brief moment Thor could see the entirety of his opponent’s skeleton, his foe sinking to blue-skinned knees as the deadly current wracked the Warlock’s body.

After what felt like ages, the electric current faded, Skeletor knelt on the marble white floor of the Nexus, head bent over, acrid smoke steaming from his charred flesh. The Thunderer paused, his hammer ready by his side, ready and waiting for any retaliation that might be coming. “Do you surrender now, Necromancer?” he called out, and gestured with Mjolnir. The tattered hood no longer hid the skull that was his opponent’s face, but his face remained bent forward and shadowed. “I said do you surrender! Speak quickly for you have sorely tried my patience!” 

The ever-grinning skull of his opponent began to chuckle. Thor was immediately on guard, Mjolnir whirling, ready to finish the opponent before the overlord could recover. Head still bowed, the skull-faced man continued to laugh. “Surrender, I say!” shouted Thor, his unease with the situation rising. He had seen good warriors, certainly far better men than this one, lose themselves to the bloodlust of battle. He would not see any more.

“Never…”

Skeletor’s head flung up to stare directly at his foe, eye-sockets gleaming with a red balefire, as he sprung to his feet, cackling madly. Thor reacted at once, loosing Mjolnir directly into his opponent’s stomach, staggering Skeletor a few steps before returning to the Thunderer’s grasp. Skeletor stood tall, his Havoc staff crossing the nexus to his waiting hands, a mad laugh bursting from his mouth. Immediately on its return, Thor sent Mjolnir back towards his foe, this time aiming for the face. The Warlock leapt sideways however, firing a short blast at Thor’s feet, which the Thunderer was forced to dodge. With his foe distracted, Skeletor turned his attention to the Uru hammer. “Now to send that hammer MjolFar!” Skeletor cackled, using his magic to increase Thor’s speeding throw. The Hammer went streaking across the Nexus at high speeds, and as soon as Thor realized the plan he immediately summoned it to return. It did so at once but Thor was painfully aware of the time it would take to return.

Immediately Skeletor’s assault came, blasts cannoning forth from the havoc staff, forcing Thor to dodge and avoid as best he could. All the while the Warlock kept advancing, an insane cackle on his lipless mouth. Thor dodged one blast, then another, one eye watching the glint of Mjolnir as it raced back across the white void. I need assistance, old friend! He thought, as a third blast soared past him.

Then he took a blast in the leg, and he lurched in pain, as the magic seared his thigh. Another shot quickly followed, this one striking him full in the chest and staggering him slightly. Skeletor poured his magic into the staff, and a stream of raw sorcery assaulted Thor, who could only brace himself against the impact. He felt his feet skidding across the smooth floor as the eldritch energies struck him relentlessly.
 “Now I have you! You muscle-bound meathead!” Skeletor’s voice was ragged, this attack was the very last reserves of his energy. He continued to advance as the magic of his havoc staff pummeled Thor mercilessly. The Thunderer dropped to one knee, arms held up to take the brunt of the attack as best as he could. “You can’t keep this up forever!” Skeletor shouted in rage, as his foe refused to fall. Thor grunted, he could feel Mjolnir’s approach, “Neither can you, Necromancer!” he roared in defiance.

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[Skeletor]

Thor gritted his teeth as the magic washed over him. He couldn’t keep taking this much punishment for very long. Relief washed over him as his fingers closed around the familiar handle of Mjolnir. Now the Necromancer would pay! The magic stopped assaulting him, and Thor got out of his defensive crouch preparing to strike. However, before he could adjust to the sudden lack of pain, the smoking ram-head of the havoc staff came into view for a brief moment as the staff caught Thor under the chin and landed the Asgardian clean on his back. 
Thor struggled onto hands and knees, chest heaving with the effort. A few feet away, Skeletor looked to be in no better state. The Warlock was still standing, but he was leaning heavily on his Havoc staff, and his lack of a taunting was testament to his exhaustion.

“Freeze, Primes!” came the static-distorted shout from the distance. The two exhausted primes turned to look as the squadron of imperial troops approached rapidly, speeder bikes growling loudly as they zoomed closer.
Skeletor turned to face the new arrivals, straightening up into a more intimidating pose. “Who dares to command me!” he demanded. The dozen or so imperial soldiers arranged themselves in a half circle around the two drained primes.
“Drop the staff, Creep!” ordered the commanding officer, a stormtrooper with a blast-scorched helmet and a very powerful looking blaster-rifle. “Drop it or we drop you.”
Skeletor pointed the Havoc staff at the officer with a slightly tired cackle. “Nhe he he! I don’t think you understand the situation, Captain! I’m the one who gives orders here! You and your men will bow to me!”

“Right, prime, you just keep telling yourself that!” replied the officer, leveling his blaster rifle as he shouted the command. “you heard the man, he definitely attacked us first. Lethal force has been authorized, let’s take these primes down!”