Chapter 1 : A dark journey
Eternia.
A planet with vast evergreen forests, hight snow-crowned mountains and fiery deserts. A planet with powerful magic as well as advanced technology. And a planet with peace-loving people.
Yet, there is a dark side to this peaceful planet. A place, where the sun never shines and nothing grows and only the vilest creatures dwell. A place where the only flowing streams are made out of lava. This place is the Dark Hemisphere. This gloomy, desolate landscape is towered by one lonely mountain. A mountain shaped like a fire-spitting serpent. This grizzly stronghold is the lair of the most evil creatures that had walked the planes of this planet. Ruled by a skull-faced mage they bring chaos and destruction to the good folks of Eternia. Skeletor rules with an iron fist and his whispered name is enough to strike the hearts of brave men with fear. The dark sorcerer yearns for power unspeakable of. And the rulership of the entire planet.
This night however, Skeletor isn´t plotting against the forces of good. This night he takes a path leading to his own personal nightmare.
Deep down under Snake Mountain his lone figures walks through cavern long forgotten, on a rocky and dark path leading right to the heart of the mountain. Leading to a secret. Though every fibre in his body yearns for him to return to his throne room the skeletal sorcerer is bound to take this journey. He has to do so once a year. Skeletor had feared that day to arrive, knowing what lies ahead of him. Knows, that the he would take a path full of grief, regret, hate and agony. But he can´t turn back. He can´t change his fate. Can´t fight the spell of evil cast upon him so long ago. And thus he returns once again to this hidden place.
His empty eye sockets stare at the winding narrow path ahead of him. He doesn´t need a light source. Without eyes, he had to rely on other ways of seeing.
I shoudn´t be here. I should be plotting against those accursed masters! But the urge...it is just too strong.
He feels rage built up in him. Unable to fight it, he screams in the darkness, his voice being broken a thousand times by the tunnel walls
" Curse you Hordak!"
His eyes begin to glow crimson red as he shakes his fist to an unseen opponent.
"Curse you, Hordak, for putting me under this spell! Why would you punish me this hard? Have I not been your faithful student? Have I not suffered enough? Have I not suffered enough by bearing this face?"
He stops dead in his tracks and takes a moment to ponder over the words uttered in burning rage. Then realising the irony in his own words his whole body is shaken by hysterical laughter. But his laughter stops as abruptly as it has begun and as he continued walking he is plagued by questions he had asked him self over and over, unable to find a satisfying answer. And like an incantation he mutters the same questions.
" Have I not suffered enough by living in fear, that my secret may be revealed? Have I not suffered enough by going through this transformation once? By being tormented by unspeakable agony?"
And as he is haunted by his thoughts, the path he walks upon begins to change. What were untouched cave walls before turn into handcrafted stone quarters. And finally he reaches a long winding staircase. And at its end would lie the very heart of the mountain.
"No I have not. Instead I have to come here..."
he hesitates a moment and looks back into the darkness, knowing there is no turning back.
"...and hide away!"
He descents the stairs in silence, steeling himself for what would await him at the end. It seems like an eternity to him, the stairs seemed to go on and on, but finally he reaches a room with a single door. It´s a strong door made of polished black wood. A door without lock or handle but ornamented with runes of long forgotten times. No thief foolish enough to come down here would be able to break into the chamber that lies behind the door. To Skeletor however this door meant no barrier. As he lifts his Havocstaff above his head his magic awakens.
"Retne d´na traeh kaeps!"
He calls and thus awakening the spell. Silver lines appear on the polished wood and with a loud creak it opens revealing a crystal lit chamber. In its center a pillar stands with a heart shaped stone on top. This is Skeletor´s goal. This is Skeletor´s destiny. With a shaking hand the mage touches the dreaded stone. For a moment nothing happens, but then he feels the heartstone pulse with energy. The skullfaced man cries out in agony as a flash of bright light hits him. He feels his back connecting with the wall, as he is thrown back by the stone´s power. And then Skeletor´s world turns black.