The Count

PERSONAL

Gender: Male

Kit: Elemental

Location: Khazan City, Khazan

AFFILIATION

Alignment: Hero

Team: Solo Hero

VITAL STATS

Strength: ultimate (rank 4)

Agility: standard (rank 1)

Mind: standard (rank 1)

Body: standard (rank 1)

Spirit: standard (rank 1)

Charisma: standard (rank 1)

RECORD

Fame Points: -25

Personal Wins: 1

Personal Losses: 1

Team Wins: 0

Team Losses: 0

Tourney Wins: 0

Tourney Losses: 0

STATUS

Status: Active

Pseudonym

Sollus strode blithely through the bombed out dock terrain with a man clutching to his back, cackling madly.

"I've finally got you," the Unholy Count crowed into the ear of his nemesis. "I've got you and now I'm gonna suck you dry."

Sollus chuckled and lifted a car off an injured woman. The Unholy Count's arms were wrapped around his neck, legs wrapped around his waist. Sollus's boundless life energy surged into his enemy, making him powerful, more than he'd ever imagined. The Count's muscles bulged in his arms as he drank in the unlimited fountain of juice flowing from the hero.

"I'm going to kill you," howled the Count.

"I'm sure you will." said Sollus. "I'm going to go save that woman, now."

"You won't have enough energy to." The Count laughed but his heart wasn't in it anymore. What if he didn't have enough energy, then those people would die. "Hey, wait, no. I'm sorry." The Count released his grip on Sollus. "I-I don't know what I was thinking. These people can't die right here. Let me help you."

 

It didn't rain on the day of the funeral. The Count felt like it should have. Instead the disrespectful sun shone. The Count sat alone in the front row seats. No one would make eye contact with him. They knew who he was, or at least who he used to be. The crowd applauded as Mike finished his speech and then it was the Count's turn. He walked to the microphone stand and cleared his throat to deliver his eulogy.

"We fought not long ago, Sollus and I, and he changed me. I don't know how, but he did it. He could have killed me, thrown me to goddamn America but instead he gave me a second chance. I'll be forever in his debt. It's a shame he'll never get to see me live my life the way he intended. I-" Tears welled in the Count's eyes. He turned away from the microphone and wiped his face. In the silence the crowd started to applaud and cheer. The Count looked up at them with a smile on his face and walked back to his seat to watch the rest of the funeral.

 

Strength of Sollus

     Enhanced Strength: ultimate

 

A building was falling through no fault of anyone's. It wasn't a supervillain plot or a Syndicate ploy to make money off the insurance claim. It was just lazy architecture and these things happen. Without Sollus around, there was only one person who could help stabilize the building and save the lives inside. Having stolen a lot of the hero's energy before he died, the Count had all the strength the hero had had. He ran to the base of the falling building, planted his feet in the concrete and pushed his hands up against the front door. It was hardly any strain at all to keep aloft. The Count was surprised. Was this the unbridled power that Sollus had been used to all his life?

As the Count pushed, the top of the building began to sag over, looming over the street. The Count gritted his teeth and took his attention away fromt he bottom of the building for a second. He could tell that if he let go at all, the entire building would collapsed. It would be better, he decided, to at least save the bottom

Until he saw a little girl fall from a very high window.

 

Flight of Sollus

     Flight: standard (rank 1)

 

The Count zoomed up to meet the falling girl. He didn't know he could fly until he was in the air on his way to save her. The girl screamed as he fell. The sound of her voice struck on the keys of the Count's heart. He had to save her, to make her feel better.

In time, the Count caught up to her. He crashed into her at speed and the girls' screams intensified. He felt her bones warping around his. Her face was a mask of terror and pain. The Count stopped in mid-air and stared at the girl. He noticed blood standing out on his clothing and saw that it was coming from her.

"Oh God," breathed the Count out loud, "I'm so, sorry."

He started to descend. More slowly this time, cradling the little girl and staring at her face as the colour drained from it. He found a spot of curb to sit on and sat there with the little girl. He couldn't let this happen. She wouldn't just be dead. He had to do something.

 

Heart of Sollus

     Energy Absorption: supreme (rank 3)

 

It felt strange to use his powers in reverse. The Count balanced the young girl on his lap, looking down at her soft, angelic face. The Count concentrated and pushed the life energy from inside him out to the little girl. The Count started to feel light-headed, he wasn't sure if it was from the exertion or from giving away too much of his energy. A touch of red had returned to the little girl's cheeks. She looked almost as though she might be sleeping, but the cold of her body radiating through the Count's forearms told him otherwise.

A crowd had gathered. They stood around, hushed, staring at the ex-villain and the young, dead girl he held. The Count looked down, focused on his task and redoubled his efforts on resurrecting the little girl. He gave a great push, sending waves of his energy into her. He could feel the weight of his head on his neck. The little girl's eyes fluttered open. The Count stared for a moment, lost in the emerald green.

She opened her mouth to speak. Her voice came out as barely a whisper. "D-dad?"

The Count smiled. "No." And then he passed out.

 

Soul of Sollus

     Guardian: standard (rank 1)

 

"Oh hello" said a familiar voice. The Count whipped around but the dark fog of unconsciousness prevented him from seeing anyone.

"Sollus?!"

"Hey, you saved a part of me in you when you absorbed my life essence."

"I absorbed your soul?"

"You could say that. I saw what you did out there and I'm proud of you. You saved that little girl's life."

"Yeah, I did, didn't I."

"Now you have to get back out there and keep the peace. I'm not around anymore so you're going to have to hold the fort while I'm away. "