Chapter 4: New Allegiances
A small tavern within the Dark Hemisphere, a resting spot on a long road for weary travellers but also a spot for bandits and theives. The Dark Hemisphere is a cruel place and even a spot where you think you can rest can also be your final resting place.
The tavern was busy with the sounds of voices and the clanking on tankards. But a lone figure sat in the corner. A cloak over his body and the hood pulled over his head. On his table was a tankard but it is what he was doing that had attracted the attention of three bandits. The bandits had noticed the stranger when they had entered the tavern due to him counting some gold and silver pieces. All three knew who their next target was.
They observed the stranger finish his drink and place his gold and silver pieces in a small bag in readiness to leave. The bandits decided it was time to set up an ambush. Two of the bandits, one a yellow furred Qadian male and the other a green scaled small repton both left the tavern. The third bandit a large Fantuan remained, the stranger observed all this and almost chuckled to himself. This was exactly what he wanted.
The stranger got up to leave and has he walked to the door he saw the Fantuan get up from his seat and follow him. The stranger had just walked out and stopped to see both the Qadian and Repton stood in front of him. The Qadian was stood to his left and the Repton to his right and with the Fantuan behind him he knew he was surrounded.
"Stranger, you have some nerve walking into our tavern and showing off your gold and silver pieces. You are either stupid or suicidal?" shouted the Fantuan. The stranger stood there and didn't reply.
"You have two options. Either you hand over the gold and silver and we may let you leave here or we take them by force and this will be your last stop. Personally I hope you choice the latter option"
Still the stranger just stood there and didn't reply. But under his hood he was enjoying how this was all turning out. The Repton became impatient and drew his dagger and took a step forward.
"Have you lost your tongue stranger?" shouted the Fantuan, who was now becoming frustrated by the strangers lack of response "well looks like Ska-Ler wants to take your things by force, so..."
Before the Fantuan could utter another word, a laser bolt shot from the stranger. The Repton, Ska-Ler stopped walking forward and crumpled to the floor. A large hole in his torso where the laser bolt blast had ripped through him.
The stranger spoke "Your second option was my choice and it is you who as walked into a ambush. Today you all die at the hands of Trap-Jaw!" and with that he threw off the cloak.
The Fantuan was shocked by who the stranger was.
"I don't care if you were Skeletor himself. You will pay for killing Ska-Ler" growled the Quadian.
Like all Quadians he had amazing agility and speed. His attack was quick and he came at Trap-Jaw, his sword drawn ready to kill. Trap-Jaw tapped a button on the inside of his right cybernetic arm and the laser rifle disappeared inside and was replaced by a metal hook. It was just in time has he managed to use it to block the sword strike. In one swift move he had gone from defense to attack. He pushed the Quadian back and then swung his hook straight through his side, ripping through his ribs and stomach. The Quadian let out a death howl and went limp.
With a maniacal laugh Trap-Jaw threw the dead Quadian straight at the Fantuan. The impact of the dead body hitting him knocked him to the floor. His dead partner laying on top of him. He threw the body off him and went into a rage. He got up and drew his war axe "You will pay for killing my friends" he roared. He drew his axe in his right hand and charged.
"You've just done exactly what I knew you would do. Letting your rage take over has just sealed your death" Trap-Jaw muttered to himself.
He tapped the button again on his cybernetic arm and the hook disappeared and was replaced by a clamp with razor sharp teeth. Has his opponent swung his axe down in a fit of rage, Trap-Jaw used his clamp to grab the Fantuans axe arm. The Fantuan was a large strong man but Trap-Jaws cybernetic arm was too powerful and the strike was instantly stopped. He twisted his cybernetic clamp to the left and broke his opponents arm at the elbow. The Fantuan let out a loud scream and dropped his axe, due to the pain. Trap-Jaw caught the axe in his left hand and stuck it into his opponents chest.
"You are no warrior. A true warrior never lets their emotions for fallen comrades effect their fighting stratergy in battle" he sneered "You have my permission to die. Be happy that you died a quick death to the future warlord of the Dark Hemisphere"
With that he let go of the Fantuans dead body, He surveyed the carnage around him and the three dead bodies. He took the spoils of his victory and removed their gold and silver pieces. When he had taken the last of the pieces he looked up and saw a small crowd had gathered outside the tavern. He tapped the button again and the clamp was replaced by a cybernetic hand. He stood there covered in blood from his kills and shouted "Anyone else want to test me?"
The crowd remained silent and some began moving back into the tavern.
"Who is the stable hand? where are these fools wagon and steads?" he demanded
A small Thenurian stepped forward, he was no more than three foot tall and nervously stated "I am the stablehand and I will show you to the stables, mighty Trap-Jaw"
"Lead me to them little one"
He then followed the stablehand towards the stables.
"Why didn't you just take their steads whilst they drunk in the Tavern? Thats what I would have done"
"That is where we differ, small one. I am no thief, I am a warrior and a warrior never steals. He takes the things he wants"
"I understand"
"Now stop asking me questions and lead me to my new steads before I loose my patients" trap-Jaw demanded
With that they disappeared into the stables and a few minutes later he came out riding a carriage being pulled by two Unilopes. They headed away from the tavern and on towards Tahryn.
From some nearby trees a figure moved from the shadows. Webstor had watched the entire fight "Oh yes, Trap-Jaw. Now that you are no longer clouded by Skeletors magic, you will be the perfect weapon for my master"
Elsewhere in the Dark Hemisphere, the Dark Lands. This area is the darkest part of the Dark Hemisphere. Though the Dark Hemisphere was always in perpetual darkness, during the day it was as if it was sunset all day. However in the Dark Lands region even during the day it is total darkness. It is said that even before Hordak attempted the spell of separation and created the light and dark hemispheres. The Dark Lands were already in total darkness and was said to be created by the evil witch Shokoti and her cult the Nocturnals during the age of the Council of Elders. Her sanctuary, the Temple of Darkness had been lost in the Sands of Mystery but was said to contain great power.
A small Palezeean thief makes his way from a campsite of travelling herders, counting the silver pieces he had stolen.
"Yes this makes me happy. Another good raid" he smuggley muttered to himself
He made his way towards the Dark Forest to get shelter before anyone woke and realised their pieces were missing. Has he made his way into the forest he found his path blocked by a figure that was shadowed by the darkness. He couldn't make out anything of the person blocking his path bar their outline.
"I haven't done anything" he stammered believing that the figure was one of the herders
"I have no interest in what you may have taken" replied the figure. His voice sounded soulless and cold
The Palezeean soundly started to shake and stammered "Wha.. wha.. what do you want?"
"I am hungry and need energy" he chillingly replied
"Bu.. But I have no food. I could steal you some"
"Its not food I need from you. Do you feel scared? can you see your fears?"
The Palezeean found himself feeling numb and began thinking about the herders waking and catching him.
"Yes I can feel your fear and now is the time to feed" with that the figure came into view. he looked like you could see through him and see his skeleton. then suddenly his skeleton began to glow a eerie green that filled the Palezeean with terror and fear
The Palezeean was dumb with fear, all he could think about was being beaten by the herders and then hung.
"Yes I can feel your fear feeding me, making me stronger"
The green light faded and the Palezeean was on the verge of passing out and managed to stammer "Wh.. who are you?"
"I am Scareglow and I am Eternias worst nightmare"
With that the Palezeean passed out
Scareglow picked up his scythe and walked to the edge of the forest. He had been watching the herders when he had seen the Palezeean steal from them. He had been waiting for them to sleep before killing them and then resting. He took the pieces from the unconscious victim and made his way to the campsite.
A few minutes later dead bodies laid at the side of the campsite and Scareglow sat feeding at the side of a fire. He finished eating and looked around. What had he become, he had once been the great wizard, Karak-Nul. He had been powerful and sought the powers of Grayskull. In his time he had slaughtered anyone who had stood in his way with the help of his trusteed Fighting Foe Men
But they were stopped by the sorceress of Grayskull, Kuduk Ungol and the cosmic enforcer Strobo. His Fighting Foe Men had been cast into a ice tomb and sent to the wastelands of the frozen north. He had been far to dangerous to risk being found and was stripped of his magic and sent to another dimension where he was subjected to his fears for eternity, has punishment for his crimes. Over the countless years he had managed to control those fears and use them for his own and he had changed from Karak-Nul to Scareglow.
He had been brought back to Eternia by Skeletor, who had used the Elixir of Schneidor to open a portal for him to pass through. He had been told in return for his servitude then he would be returned to his former magical self. He had faced the new champion of Grayskull, the warrior He-Man and been defeated, Upon returning to Snake Mountain he had been humiliated by Skeletor and told his powers would not be returned to him. He was nobodies servant and had left and since been wondering the Dark Lands feeding of peoples fears to keep his strength. He needed his magic powers back.
His thoughts were replaced by anger. he threw his food down and shouted "What have I become. I am reduced to a scavenger, I am the great wizard Karak-Nul"
Suddenly thunder crashed above him and a mini cyclone appeared. Scareglow grabbed his scythe.
"Scareglow or should I call you Karak-Nul?" came a chilling evil voice
"Who asks of me? and how do you know my name?"
"Karak-Nul, I know you were once a feared wizard, Who even worried the cosmic enforcers but now you are reduced to this"
"No one talks to me like that. Show yourself coward" Demanded Scareglow
"I am no coward you fool" replied the voice, sounding even more evil
The clouds began to move and took the terrifying image of Hordak
"Hordak"
"Yes Scareglow"
"But you were destroyed so many years ago in your battle with King Grayskull"
"No, like you I was cast into another dimension. I was cast to Despondos and like you I want to walk upon Eternia again and take my revenge. But I need your help"
"But why should I help you and how can I without my magic powers?"
"I can restore your magic powers that were taken from you and make you powerful again. Help release me and join my Evil Horde and we will bring Eternia to its knees"
"You can give me back my magic powers?"
"Yes Scareglow and you will be more powerful than ever"
Scareglow thought about this. He had read the legends of how powerful Hordak was but with his powers back he would no longer be this week shadow of his former self. He could find and release his Fighting Foe Men and they would be a rival for Hordak and his Horde. It would pain him to call someone master but the prise was to great.
"Tell me what I need to do master?" he asked
Hodak gave a grunting, cackled laugh "Very good. Firstly you were summoned here by my former pupil Skeletor using the Elixir of Schniedor"
"So I need to return to Snake Mountain for it?"
"No that fool used it all. The only person who ever used it was Shokoti, when she tried to summon the sleeping beast. You need to travel to the Temple of Shokoti in the Sands of Mystery, There you will find the Elixir"
"But the Temple as been lost for centuries, buried within the sands"
"I know the location of the Temple and your scythe will guide you to it"
Suddenly lightening struck the scythe and sent pain through Scareglow. Suddenly the it felt like he was one with the scythe and he knew where he needed to go.
"You now know the location, Scareglow"
"Yes master but it will take me many cycles to make it there"
"You are near the village of Simonian. Go there and find the one called Galen Nycroft. This man found my former sanctuary, the Fright Zone and took things belonging to me. One of these is Night Stalker, a cyborg steed that will carry you to the temple and then to the Fright Zone. Bring Nycroft with. He will guide you to the Fright Zone and then answer to me for his thefts"
"But how will I know.." But Scareglow was stopped in mid question by the crashing of thunder
"Enough, I have told you what you need to do. Your rewards are great, Scareglow. Don't make me find someone else, now do has I say" demanded Hordak
"Yes master" replied Scareglow through gritted teeth
The thunder stopped and the image of Hordak disappeared. Scareglow took the spoils from his kills and set on his way to Simonian.
"Be careful how you talk to me Hordak, for once my power is returned and added to my fear powers I will be your equal. And with my Fighting Foe Men returned, I will take over the Evil Horde and then Eternia" he muttered to himself