Monday, December 18, 2017

Episode 18 : The Crooked Wheel of Law

Skeleton General Skull Kaiser
(Halloween Empire)

Skull Kaiser, formerly one of Samhain's greatest generals, stages a rebellion against impossible odds. The fate of countless worlds rests upon his ability to protect the Loss Queen and beat back her assailants. Along the way he is forced to fight old friends and make new allies...

Episode 18 : The Crooked Wheel of Law

Skull Kaiser and Phantasma King emerge from the Trap House exhausted. Both have been fighting nonstop for some time and could use a break. Unfortunately for them, Kali Dharma arrives, smug and haughty, issuing a challenge to Skull Kaiser. She sneers at Phantasma King and tells him that he's worth less than dirt and that his punishment can wait until after Skull Kaiser's been dealt with. She turns her attention back to Skull Kaiser and glowers at him. After a time, her composure cracks and she begs to know what happened to him, why has he turned against Samhain and his friends? She confesses with cast-down eyes that she once loved Skull Kaiser. Skull Kaiser balks at this, is shocked by the news, as Kali Dharma voice-overs us into a flashback. We see images of Kali Dharma with Titan Foiler, though she's looking longingly after Skull Kaiser. When she's done telling her tale, Skull Kaiser laughs bitterly at the sick irony: he loved her too, but stepped down because he knew that his best friend also loved her. He avoided going into the Darkness Squad specifically so he could be free of that heart-wrenching torment of seeing his best friend with the woman he loved. Now she stares dumbfounded, unable to say anything. She gingerly approaches a subject that Skull Kaiser quickly quashes (presumably that there might be a chance for them again as he tells her it's too late for such things). Her beauty and softness contort into instant rage and bitterness as she proceeds to engage him in physical combat. Eventually she rises into the air and uses her Dharma Wheel attack. Due to his exhaustion, Skull Kaiser is unable to avoid the attack and he suddenly appears to be crucified, spread eagle on a great black wheel. Skull Kaiser's mind is flooded with images of past deeds which begin to crush him with guilt. He's also undergoing a great deal of physical stress from the attack and not faring well. While he feels it inappropriate to interfere physically, Phantasma King has to do something. He shouts to Skull Kaiser that while the root of the Dharma Wheel's power lies in the victim's own mind, it is fueled entirely by Kali Dharma's will and emotions. Skull Kaiser's mind clears somewhat. His quest to destroy Samhain is his penance for the misdeeds of the past. He masters himself and the Kaiser Bones start to glow until they seem to burn with blast furnace force. He uses the newly upgraded Ghost Kaiser attack, which shatters the Dharma Wheel, and he flashes through Kali Dharma until he stands just beyond her. For a moment, each are still then Kali Dharma erupts into flames as she cries out. Skull Kaiser offers a tender and choked up, "Farewell." He walks away from the conflagration as Phantasma King looks on.

To Be Continued...

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