An Abominable Antagonist

Turning to the fallen Dead Eye, Nurse Deadheart whispered something he could hear even though she wasn't immediately near him. "Remember a life worth fighting for."  The more severe burn marks started to heal themselves though many of the others still lingered.

Status and Actions:

The skeleton begins a fast paced dance, leaping here and there, the orbs attempting to directly strike any creatures they come near. They fail and only fly about the beast wildly.
((Blind prevented attack))

As Mr Bones nears Deadeye, it turns to face him and somehow breaths out a pungent cloud. Fortunately for the semi-reformed criminal, the skeleton misinterprets a rock as the intended target. The cloud billows outwards after contact and the surrounding rock is eaten away slightly.
((Blind prevented attack))

((Back around to Storm Blade))

>react Draining Shields
The skeleton continues to laugh, and the orbs waver without creating more flame waves.
((Blind continues to block attacks))

>interrupt shield bash
The shield strikes the skull and stops its laughter, but bounces off at an accelerated velocity and strikes Storm on its return. The skeleton staggers back and forth as the orbs form mock stars around its head.
((Storm Blade stunned until the end of his next turn))

The Joy opens up with another series of burst fire shots at the skeleton. She then continues with yet another barrage of grenades pulled from hammer-space. While most are sent at the creature one more glass barrier grenade is thrown at the rest of the group.

Combat:

Stats:

>death from 40 damage
The series of shots blows the skeleton apart, and while the bone fragments are still falling a new skeleton springs from a quickly spawned ring of purple light on the ground and into the hat. A fourth orb appears, as the others stop their wavering.

>react to crush 12
>react to crush 8
>react to 8 special
The skeleton's laugh begins anew, and the now steady orbs launch out multiple waves of fire, each slightly stronger than those before.
((3 attacks. all the same.))
((Storm Blade takes 2+2+2 damage))
((The Joy takes 4+4+4 damage is not attacked))
((Phoenix takes 4+4+4 damage))
((Sunny Zoo takes 4+4+4 damage is not attacked))
((Homing Pigeon resists))
((Dead Eye resists))
((Nurse Deadheart takes 1+1+1 damage, all taken from temporary, ends with 3 temporary health (rolled for increases, no luck) ))

Zero smiles. "Thanks for the Shield..." Then he fires off yet another super magical laser blast at Mr. Bones...

combat talent:

status:

PCHOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The concentrated light tears through the bone demon, and after the light fades there's again no evidence that the creature existed, besides a now somewhat singed top hat.
After a moment a new orb appears and the purple ring appears on the ground again, but there's something different about this time. Instead of dramatically bursting through with a leap, the creature just slowly rises. A heat emanates from it, and the skeleton speaks; the clacking bones putting unneeded emphasis to its words.
"You...you are much more annoying than the other were. I would have add you to the queue, but now I think I might...indulge."

"Oooh, somebody's upset. Keep using that death beam on him, bet he'll just keep getting knocked down 'til he dies." Phoenix smirked at the hulking, heaving ossuary in a hat. He didn't quite like being outclassed by the pony with the equivalent of a vehicle-grade beam weapon, but if nothing else, it was doing the job, and that was fine. Might keep the skeleton's focus as well, and let the rest of the team catch breath and work on its weak points. Though, he certainly wouldn't admit the weapon was all that impressive.

---

Combat:

If anyone is feeling healy or looking to drop a guardian on anyone, I'd be happy to accept.

Another guard leaps from cover and adopts a defensive stance near Dead Eye as Sunny Zoo signals the soldiers to fall back, their attacks only aggravating the situation. The medics continue their work, cautiously healing the commando and the Firagaean while keeping an eye on the creature.

Combat:

Status:

"A life worth fighting for, huh..." Dead Eye pondered Nurse Deadheart's comment as he slowly got back to his feet, taking up his rifle again. "That's a life I don't have... but other ponies do. And I'm ready to fight... even if it's for a death worth dying for." With that, he took up his flare gun and gave another shot at Mr. Bones.

Action:

Status:

With the situation mostly stable, Nurse Deadheart set about healing herself and Phoenix while preparing for any incoming attacks.

Status and Actions:

The skeleton begins the fast paced dance again, making quick soft leaps to and fro between the fallen back creatures. The fire spheres orbit him swiftly and strike the creatures as he passes, forming small explosions as they contact the soldiers and bird.
((Multi-target attack))
((Soldier dies))
((Guard-Medic (Zero One) dies))
((Reserve dies))
((Reserve dies))
((Homing Pigeon dies))

He ends his dance with a powerful leap, landing before the now exposed golem. The ground shudders and collapses beneath the golem and those near him, upsetting their footing and seriously setting back their preparedness.
((Multi-target))
((The Joy dazed and weakened until the end of Mr Bones' next turn.))
((Zero One dazed and weakened until the end of Mr Bones' next turn.))
((Phoenix dazed and weakened until the end of Mr Bones' next turn.))

He stands over the now exposed golem, letting loose a deep breath that attempts to expand, but remains only on the golem.
((Surprisingly single-target attack))
((Zero One loses 3 life and suffers Decay (save ends) ))

Decay:

((Back to stunned Storm Blade. And yes, I did just daze over a Gather Energy. >:3))

Sensing the plague of decrepitation placed upon the golem, Nurse Deadheart chose to pull the curse into herself.

Interrupt:

The Joy finding herself significantly weaker after that last attack attempts to reassess the situation of the battle now that the creature was enraged.

Combat:

Stats:

Storm Blade managed to shake of his ringing head, only to grimce at how it had changed. "Everyone, listen up." Storm Blade said, keeping a wary eye on skeleton. "I've figured out a pattern to its moves. You might know it, and now I'm speaking it might change it, but I'm gonna speak. Whenever you stun, blind, daze., etc. It reflects it back, ewhenever you you strike an attack more than once, it unleashs those fire waves. So be careful with what you do."

"Whatever... Most of that doesn't mean anything to me. I'll just keep to blasting this thing till it stops moving." Zero One states with a laugh as he starts charging up his magics again...

combat actions:

status:

Phoenix, his approach ruined by the broken ground... waits, allowing everything to settle, not taking his eye off the big dumb skeleton.

---

Best tactical action:

Distracted by the great loss of nearly the entirety of her forces, Sunny Zoo manages little but call a new guard-medic from the shadows, who takes the place of his fallen brethren near the golem.
It would seem our strength is inadequate, and thus we must defend.
((Summon Guard-Medic (Zero One) ))
((Guard-Medics heal: 2+4, total 6 to Zero One))

Status:

((Spectral Wardens will transition to their current version at the beginning of their next turn, at which point their ability to infini-shield severely degrades due to not being able to force target.))

Wiping blood out of his eye, Dead Eye took aim once more. For whatever reason, pain and adrenaline gave him clearer aim than normal. It was times like these he lived for, when a particularly troublesome beast had him nearly defeated.

Nearly.

The result was a powerful blast from his elephant gun that shook Dead Eye violently from the recoil - and had an even more devastating effect on the skeleton.

Action:

Status:

The large shot plows a hole through the skeleton's chest, throwing bone shards across the room and causing the skeleton to stagger about.
((Bloodied))

Nurse Deadheart briefly shudders and turns pale as the curse washes over her.  Recovering, she turns her gaze to Phoenix, noticing his delay and giving a subtle smirk as she wondered what he was up to.

Status and Actions:

>reacting to Decay being removed
As the curse washes past the Nurse, the skeleton waggles a bony finger and says "Ah ah ah!", and she feels it come upon her again.
((Nurse Deadheart subject to Decay (save ends), prevents regeneration))

((Make an end of turn save throw against it, at her usual +3 bonus. If this would change your turn, make a post on OOC before editing.))

Mr Bones leaps into the air, attempting another crushing landing. However, such was the force from the elephant gun that one of its legs is left behind, and it ends up completely missing everything, landing alone with a thud.
((Blind prevented attack))

A direct result of the impact, the ground cracks and dramatically lifts beneath the pony criminal, throwing him and those near him off-balance.
((Guard-Medic (Dead Eye) is dazed and weakened until the end of Mr Bones' next turn.))
((Dead Eye is dazed and weakened until the end of Mr Bones' next turn.))
((Nurse Deadheart is dazed and weakened until the end of Mr Bones' next turn.))

The skeleton limps back up, haphazardly balancing on the one good leg it still has attached. It doesn't seem particularly worried by that fact.
((Phoenix's turn.))
((Dice almost continued to daze Phoenix.))