Aired - June 5, 2026
(Black screen. The sound of a heavy book opening.)
(A candle ignites. Ink creeps across parchment like it’s alive.)
(A choir hums low. A single bell tolls—slower this time.)
Voice-over (smooth, ominous):
“Once upon a time… they told you monsters weren’t real.”
(beat)
“They were wrong.”
(The ink burns darker now—spreading like rot across the page.)
“Here… they don’t hide.”
“They reign.”
(The words sear into the screen like a cursed fairytale title card.)
NPCW: DARK FABLE
Voice-over:
“This is the MYTHIC Division.”
“Welcome… to DARK FABLE.”
SIGNATURE MONTAGE (Q2)
1) Frankenstein’s Monster — Mythic Crown Champion
(Lightning rends the sky. Thunder shakes the frame.)
Mordred swings with fury—desperation made flesh.
The Monster does not fall.
He absorbs. Endures. Advances.
A hand clamps around Mordred—lifting him as if he weighs nothing.
A devastating slam. The ring buckles.
Silence—then impact echoes like judgment.
The Monster stands over him. Crown claimed. Not won—taken.
2) The Enforcers — Kong & Ogre
(Steel chains drag across stone. Heavy footsteps echo.)
Kong crushes a man into the mat with raw force—no finesse, only inevitability.
Ogre follows—lifting, driving, ending.
Tag precision without mercy.
Two bodies fall.
Two monsters stand.
Gold raised—not in celebration… but in ownership.
3) King Arthur
(A sword is driven into the ground. The camera circles.)
Arthur rises from one knee—battle-worn, unbroken.
A strike dodged. A counter delivered clean.
Another opponent falls. Then another.
He does not roar.
He does not boast.
He simply stands…
The last one left.
4) Takuma Ryujin
(A dragon’s silhouette coils through smoke.)
Takuma explodes forward—precision wrapped in violence.
A brutal strike combination snaps his opponent backward.
Then—final impact. Sudden. Absolute.
He kneels for a moment… not in weakness—
But in control.
5) Morgana Le Faye
(Dark mist curls across the screen.)
Her opponent charges.
Morgana does not move—until it’s already over.
A twist. A trap. A cruel, inevitable finish.
She rises slowly, eyes cold.
This was never a match.
It was a lesson.
6) Blonde Bombshells — Alice & Dorothy
(Bright light flickers… then distorts.)
Alice spins through an opponent—fluid, sharp.
Dorothy follows—precise, perfectly timed.
Double-team execution—clean, ruthless, synchronized.
They stand side by side.
Not innocence.
Not nostalgia.
Something sharper… wearing a familiar face.
7) Robin Hood
(An arrow cuts across the screen—transitioning the shot.)
Robin slips a strike by inches.
Counters instantly—clean, efficient.
Another opponent falls to precision, not power.
He looks into the hard cam—calm, defiant.
A thief.
A hero.
A problem.
8) Monsters of Myth — Hydra Veyne, Medussa Nemesis, Serpenta Veyne
(A low hiss fills the air. Multiple shadows move at once.)
Hydra overwhelms—relentless, many-headed offense.
Medussa strikes—cold, calculated, finishing with venom.
Serpenta coils and crushes—tight, suffocating control.
Three forces. One presence.
They do not fight for victory.
They consume it.
(The choir rises. War drums thunder beneath it.)
(The arena appears—lit like a cathedral built for conflict.)
Voice-over:
“This isn’t the North.”
“This isn’t the light.”
(beat)
“In DARK FABLE… the story doesn’t end happily.”
(The music drops—just the bell now.)
“It ends… with a winner.”
(beat—longer than before)
“And now… the winners are changing the story.”
“This… is DARK FABLE.”
The broadcast returns from the opening darkness into the living roar of Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
Torchlight burns along the upper walls.
Blue flame.
Gold flame.
Red flame.
The banners of the Mythic Division hang above the crowd like old verdicts waiting to be read aloud. The camera sweeps across thousands of fans packed shoulder-to-shoulder beneath the stone arches, still restless from what happened five nights ago at The Long Night.
The noise is not celebration.
Not completely.
It is anticipation with memory beneath it.
The camera finds a row of fans near the barricade wearing King Arthur shirts. One shirt shows a silver crown over crossed blades with the words:
CAMELOT RISES AGAIN
Another fan holds a sign high above his head:
THE CROWN HAS A KING AGAIN
A chant begins in the lower bowl.
“AR-THUR! AR-THUR! AR-THUR!”
The camera cuts across the opposite side of the arena.
A group of fans wear green Merry Band shirts, but the mood around them is different. One shirt reads:
SHERWOOD NEVER BOWS
Another sign is held by a young fan with a grim face:
WILL SCARLET ANSWERS TONIGHT
A third sign:
ROBIN HOOD DESERVED BETTER
The camera pans higher.
Two fans wear matching Blonde Bombshells shirts, each holding replica North Star Tag Team Titles above their heads. A handmade sign between them reads:
DREAM SURVIVED THE NIGHTMARE
Another fan waves a glittering poster:
DOROTHY & ALICE: CHAMPIONS AGAIN
The shot moves toward the aisle, where a cluster of fans chant for Sinbad. One wears a shirt showing the Eternal Flame Championship burning over storm-tossed waves.
The slogan reads:
THE FLAME STILL SAILS
A sign nearby reads:
TAPE THE RIBS. KEEP THE TITLE.
Then the camera catches a group near the hard-camera side wearing black, red, and gold Takuma Ryujin shirts. The front shows a dragon coiled around a raised knee.
The back reads:
DISCIPLINE DOES NOT DIE
They chant sharply, almost in rhythm.
“TA-KU-MA! TA-KU-MA! TA-KU-MA!”
The camera finally settles at the announce desk.
Julian Ward sits composed, hands folded over notes, his expression measured beneath the coliseum torchlight. Beside him, Brick Brody leans back with arms crossed, jaw set, eyes narrowed like he already hates half the decisions that have not happened yet.
Julian Ward: “Good evening, everyone. We are live from Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum, and this is NPCW Dark Fable. I am Julian Ward, joined as always by Brick Brody, and tonight the Mythic Division steps out of the shadow of The Long Night and into the first consequences of everything that was broken, reclaimed, and exposed.”
Brick Brody: “That is a fancy way of saying a lot of people limped out of here five nights ago, and not all of them had the sense to stay home. Good. Pain makes schedules interesting.”
The camera shows another wide shot of the arena. The King Arthur chants rise again, answered by a smaller but fierce chant for The Merry Band.
Julian Ward: “At The Long Night, this division changed. King Arthur defeated Frankenstein’s Monster to win the Mythic Crown Championship, returning the crown to Camelot after one of the most punishing main events of the year.”
Brick Brody: “And let us tell the whole truth. Merlin had a hand in that. Flash powder, timing, a spinebuster, and suddenly the monster was staring up at the lights while King Arthur held the crown. I am not calling it clean. I am calling it effective.”
Julian Ward: “And that may be the lesson of The Long Night. Nothing left untouched. Nothing left clean. Frankenstein’s Monster was not diminished, but he was defeated. Dr. Frankenstein unraveled at ringside. King Arthur now walks into tonight as Mythic Crown Champion, and in our main event, he faces Ledger Knight in a non-title match.”
Brick Brody: “That is a dangerous first night with the crown. Ledger Knight does not care about royal speeches. He cares about calculation, punishment, and finding out where the new champion bends.”
The camera cuts to a section of fans wearing green, many holding Merry Band signs. Their reaction grows louder, more emotional.
Julian Ward: “But the wound that may run deepest belongs to The Merry Band. In the Sherwood Forest Fight, The King’s Hand defeated The Merry Band after Will Scarlet struck Robin Hood with the quarterstaff, opening the door for Sheriff of Nottingham to finish him through the tavern table.”
Brick Brody: “Not a good night for The Merry Band, Julian. Let me say that clearly. Not a good night at all. They got beaten, they got betrayed, and they got embarrassed in their own woods. That is not a setback. That is the kind of night that makes a man look at every friend twice.”
Julian Ward: “Tonight, that conflict continues when Robin Hood faces Brute Bailiff. After betrayal, after defeat, after Will Scarlet vanished into the shadows, Robin Hood must now stand across from one of Prince John’s most brutal enforcers.”
Brick Brody: “And that is exactly the wrong opponent when your trust is broken. Brute Bailiff is not there to discuss healing. He is there to hit Robin Hood so hard the rest of Sherwood hears the echo.”
A replay flashes briefly on the arena screen: Dorothy driving Hydra Veyne down with the one-armed neckbreaker slam, then Alice and Dorothy holding the North Star Tag Team Titles.
The crowd cheers loudly.
Julian Ward: “There was restoration as well. Dorothy and Alice, The Blonde Bombshells, reclaimed the North Star Tag Team Championships from The Monsters of Myth. The first champions are champions again.”
Brick Brody: “I doubted them. I did. Hydra Veyne and Medussa Nemesis are monsters, and Serpenta Veyne is always one bad idea away from poisoning the whole match. But Dorothy and Alice took the beating, found the hole, and walked out with the gold. Credit where it is due.”
Julian Ward: “And tonight, one of their closest allies, Rapunzel, faces Morgana Le Faye. Morgana failed to take the Queen of the North Championship from Lilith at The Long Night, but ambition denied is not ambition ended.”
Brick Brody: “No, it usually gets worse. Morgana Le Faye does not strike me as the kind of woman who loses a title match and goes home to reflect peacefully. Rapunzel better not come in thinking this is just another match. Morgana is going to be angry, and angry sorceresses are bad for everybody’s dental plan.”
The camera catches a fan sign near ringside:
SINBAD BURNS THROUGH PAIN
The crowd cheers when Sinbad’s name appears on the arena screen.
Julian Ward: “The Eternal Flame Championship was also defended at The Long Night, where Sinbad survived Sir Lancelot, repeated attacks to the body, and the influence of Merlin at ringside to retain the title.”
Brick Brody: “That man is held together by tape, stubbornness, and bad decisions. But the title is still his. Tonight, he defends the Eternal Flame Championship against Cheshire Cat, and I do not like that match for him.”
Julian Ward: “Because of Cheshire Cat’s unpredictability?”
Brick Brody: “Because of everything. The grin, the movement, the angles, the way he turns a wrestling match into a bad dream with footwork. Sinbad can fight pain. Can he fight confusion? We find out tonight.”
The arena screen shifts to red-gold. Takuma Ryujin appears in a brief graphic opposite Kaen.
The chant starts again.
“TA-KU-MA! TA-KU-MA! TA-KU-MA!”
Julian Ward: “Another man who left The Long Night changed was Takuma Ryujin. He challenged Ghost of Christmas Past for the Universal Championship on short notice and pushed the champion into deep waters before falling to the Axe Bomber.”
Brick Brody: “That was a loss that made him look more dangerous. I do not hand those out often. Takuma Ryujin got ambushed by the moment, walked into a title match against a ghost, and nearly kicked memory right out of the building.”
Julian Ward: “Tonight, Takuma Ryujin faces Kaen. The Dragon’s Veil and the shadow of the Blood Oni conflict continue to press against this division, and this match may tell us whether Takuma carries disappointment from The Long Night, or whether he has sharpened it.”
Brick Brody: “Against Kaen, disappointment better become violence fast. That is not a match where you work through feelings. That is a match where you keep your hands high and your ribs protected.”
The camera returns to the desk.
Julian Ward: “And we begin tonight with history. The first Aurora Title Tournament match will open the road to a new championship. Rosalyn Queen of Thorns faces Athena in a no time limit, best two out of three falls match.”
The crowd reacts with a rising buzz.
Brick Brody: “That is not an opener. That is a sentence. No time limit. Best two of three falls. You are not asking who gets lucky. You are asking who can suffer twice and still have enough left to take the third.”
Julian Ward: “Rosalyn Queen of Thorns brings cruelty, control, and a willingness to make every exchange feel like punishment. Athena brings discipline, poise, and a warrior’s refusal to be ruled by intimidation. The first step toward the Aurora Title will not be brief, and it will not be gentle.”
Brick Brody: “Good. New titles should be born the hard way. Make them bleed into existence.”
The match graphics begin cycling across the screen one by one.
ROSALYN QUEEN OF THORNS VS ATHENA
FIRST AURORA TITLE TOURNAMENT MATCH
NO TIME LIMIT
BEST TWO OUT OF THREE FALLS
The crowd cheers.
Julian Ward: “That match is still to come, and it is only the beginning.”
The next graphic appears.
ROBIN HOOD VS BRUTE BAILIFF
Julian Ward: “Robin Hood looks to answer the violence of The King’s Hand after betrayal shattered The Merry Band.”
Brick Brody: “Answering betrayal with Brute Bailiff in front of you sounds miserable. I approve.”
The next graphic.
TAKUMA RYUJIN VS KAEN
Julian Ward: “Takuma Ryujin meets Kaen, discipline against fire, control against pressure.”
Brick Brody: “Somebody is getting kicked, burned, or both.”
The next graphic.
ETERNAL FLAME TITLE MATCH
SINBAD VS CHESHIRE CAT
Julian Ward: “Sinbad defends the Eternal Flame Championship against Cheshire Cat.”
Brick Brody: “Champion better keep one hand on the title and one eye on every shadow.”
The next graphic.
RAPUNZEL VS MORGANA LE FAYE
Julian Ward: “Rapunzel faces Morgana Le Faye, who enters tonight after failing to dethrone Lilith.”
Brick Brody: “That means Rapunzel is not getting the calm version of Morgana. I am not sure the calm version exists, but she is definitely not getting it.”
The final graphic fills the screen.
KING ARTHUR VS LEDGER KNIGHT
NON-TITLE MAIN EVENT
The crowd erupts.
“AR-THUR! AR-THUR! AR-THUR!”
Julian Ward: “And in tonight’s main event, the new Mythic Crown Champion, King Arthur, faces Ledger Knight in a non-title match. A champion crowned in consequence now faces one of the coldest instruments of The King’s Hand.”
Brick Brody: “That is the match I am watching. King Arthur gets the crown, and five nights later he gets a man who wrestles like a tax audit with elbows. Welcome to being champion.”
The camera pulls back from the announce desk as the torches around the arena flare.
The crowd noise swells.
King Arthur chants.
Merry Band chants.
Blonde Bombshells chants.
Sinbad chants.
Takuma Ryujin chants.
All of them collide beneath the stone ceiling of Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
Julian Ward: “Five nights ago, The Long Night ended. Tonight, the consequences begin.”
Brick Brody: “Good. Open the gates. Let somebody pay for something.”
The screen darkens.
A cold gold light forms around the words:
THE CORONATION NEXT
The screen returns from black.
A single bell tolls.
Not the ring bell.
A deeper sound.
Older.
Ceremonial.
The lights inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum lower until the arena is covered in royal blue shadow and gold torchlight. The crowd quiets into a restless murmur as the camera slowly pans across the ring.
At the center of the ring sits a majestic throne.
High-backed.
Dark wood.
Gold trim.
Crimson velvet.
The armrests are carved into the shape of lions, their mouths open in silent judgment. Behind the throne, a black-and-gold banner bearing the sigil of Camelot hangs from a raised standard. The Mythic Crown Championship logo glows on the entrance screen above the stage.
Along the aisle, trumpeteers stand in two perfectly arranged lines.
Their armor gleams beneath the torchlight.
Their horns lift.
A royal fanfare erupts.
Sharp.
Bright.
Commanding.
The crowd rises with it.
Some cheer.
Some boo.
Some simply watch, aware that this is not only celebration.
This is a declaration.
Julian Ward: “We were told there would be a coronation tonight. After King Arthur defeated Frankenstein’s Monster at The Long Night to become Mythic Crown Champion, Camelot has chosen to mark the moment not quietly, but with ceremony.”
Brick Brody: “Ceremony? Look at that throne, Julian. That is not ceremony. That is a man telling the locker room to look at him and remember where the power sits. I do not hate it. I just hope King Arthur understands that when you put yourself on a throne, everybody can see the target.”
The fanfare continues.
The stage lights burn silver.
The Roundtable appears.
Sir Lancelot steps out first, solemn and wounded pride still visible from The Long Night. He walks with knightly precision, eyes forward, jaw tight. Behind him comes Sir Galahad, younger in presence but calm, carrying himself with reverence and conviction. Sir Gawain follows, broad-shouldered and stern, looking left and right as if daring anyone in the arena to interrupt.
Together, they march down the aisle between the trumpeteers.
The crowd gives them a strong reaction.
Respect.
Admiration.
A little unease.
Julian Ward: “There are Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, and Sir Gawain, the knights of The Roundtable. They do not enter as competitors tonight. They enter as witnesses.”
Brick Brody: “Witnesses and bodyguards. Let us not pretend the shiny armor is just for symbolism. If anybody tries to crash this little crown party, those three are not here to hold flowers.”
The Roundtable reaches the ring.
Sir Lancelot enters first, then Sir Galahad, then Sir Gawain. They move behind the throne and line up in a formal row, standing at attention. Sir Lancelot stands in the center. Sir Galahad to his right. Sir Gawain to his left.
The fanfare lowers.
A single staff strikes the stage.
Once.
The torches flare white.
Merlin emerges.
The crowd reacts with immediate awe.
He walks slowly, hood lowered, staff in hand, robe trailing behind him like a shadow stitched to history. His eyes remain fixed on the throne, not with admiration, but with the burden of someone who understands what thrones have done to good men before.
Julian Ward: “And now Merlin, the old counsel of Camelot, the architect of so much surrounding King Arthur’s rise, including what we saw in the main event of The Long Night.”
Brick Brody: “That is one polite way to put it. The other way is that Merlin knows exactly when to make things happen. Flash powder. Distraction. Opportunity. Call it wisdom. Call it magic. Call it what you want. King Arthur has the crown.”
Merlin reaches the ring steps, climbs them with measured grace, and enters the ring.
He does not stand behind the throne.
He moves to its right side.
A counselor’s place.
Close enough to advise.
Far enough to let the king be seen.
The trumpeteers lift their horns again.
This time, the fanfare is louder.
The entrance screen floods with gold.
A crown appears.
Then a sword.
Then the words:
THE MYTHIC CROWN HAS RETURNED TO CAMELOT
The crowd erupts.
King Arthur emerges.
Beside him walks Lady Guinevere.
King Arthur wears a royal cloak over his ring gear, deep blue trimmed in silver and gold. Across his waist rests the Mythic Crown Championship, polished and gleaming, the central plate catching every torch and camera flash in the coliseum. His chin is raised. His expression is proud.
Too proud, perhaps.
Not cruel.
Not villainous.
But aware.
Deeply aware.
A man who believes the moment is his because history has agreed with him.
Lady Guinevere walks beside him in elegant white and gold, serene but watchful. She smiles softly to the crowd, yet her eyes keep returning to King Arthur as if measuring how much of this he is taking into his heart.
The crowd chants.
“AR-THUR! AR-THUR! AR-THUR!”
King Arthur stops at the top of the ramp.
He spreads his arms slightly.
The chant grows.
Brick Brody: “There it is. That look. That is not just a champion. That is a man who knows the entire building is saying his name and likes the sound a little too much.”
Julian Ward: “After defeating Frankenstein’s Monster, perhaps King Arthur feels the weight of vindication.”
Brick Brody: “Vindication is fine. But if you wear it too long, it turns into arrogance. And arrogance gets men punched.”
King Arthur and Lady Guinevere walk down the aisle.
The trumpeteers continue to play as they pass.
Fans reach out.
King Arthur does not slap every hand.
He acknowledges them with nods, with lifted chin, with the controlled warmth of a monarch accepting tribute. Lady Guinevere is more personal, reaching to touch a few hands, offering small smiles, grounding the display with human grace.
At ringside, King Arthur pauses.
He turns slowly and looks across Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
The camera catches fans bowing theatrically.
Others hold signs.
CAMELOT HAS A CHAMPION
THE KING HAS THE CROWN
MONSTER SLAIN. MYTH RESTORED.
King Arthur sees them.
He smiles.
Just slightly.
Then he climbs the steps.
Lady Guinevere follows.
The ropes are held open by Sir Gawain.
King Arthur enters the ring first. Lady Guinevere follows, taking her place near Merlin but slightly forward, close enough to King Arthur to speak if needed.
The fanfare stops.
The arena holds on silence.
Louie Linville stands beside the throne, dressed formally, microphone in hand. His posture is straight, his voice ceremonial and restrained.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen… citizens of the Mythic Division… assembled tonight beneath the torches of Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum…”
The crowd quiets.
Louie Linville: “At The Long Night, in this very coliseum, the champion called creation stood against the king called destiny.”
A roar builds.
Louie Linville: “Steel met flesh. Power met purpose. The monster endured. The king answered.”
Brick Brody: “He is laying it on thick.”
Julian Ward: “That is the nature of coronation.”
Brick Brody: “No, that is the nature of people who want you to forget how much flash powder was involved.”
Louie Linville: “And when the final count was struck, when the longest shadow fell behind him, the Mythic Crown Championship changed hands.”
Louie Linville turns toward King Arthur.
Louie Linville: “Therefore, by victory earned in battle, by judgment rendered in the ring, and by the roar of those who saw the night give way before him… allow me to present the new Mythic Crown Champion…”
The crowd rises again.
Louie Linville: “King Arthur.”
The arena erupts.
“AR-THUR! AR-THUR! AR-THUR!”
King Arthur slowly removes the Mythic Crown Championship from his waist and lifts it above his head.
Gold light pours over the ring.
The Roundtable lowers their heads in formal respect.
Merlin watches.
Lady Guinevere applauds softly, but her smile carries concern beneath the pride.
King Arthur lowers the championship and stands before the throne.
He looks at it.
Then at the crowd.
Then at the championship again.
A microphone is handed to him.
He waits for the chant to crest.
He lets it continue longer than necessary.
Then he raises the microphone.
King Arthur: “Five nights ago, The Long Night came for Camelot.”
The crowd cheers.
King Arthur: “It came wearing stitches. It came carrying rage. It came beneath the shadow of Dr. Frankenstein, with a champion so powerful that many believed the crown had passed beyond the reach of kings.”
He pauses, eyes moving slowly across the coliseum.
King Arthur: “Many believed strength alone had become law.”
He lifts the title slightly.
King Arthur: “They were wrong.”
The crowd roars.
King Arthur: “At The Long Night, I did not merely defeat Frankenstein’s Monster.”
A few boos appear under the cheers.
King Arthur hears them.
His chin rises.
King Arthur: “I stood before a force of pain, rage, rejection, and brute dominion… and I proved that even the strongest creature in this division must answer to something higher.”
Julian Ward: “There is pride in King Arthur’s words tonight.”
Brick Brody: “Pride? That is putting it mildly. He is polishing his own statue before the cement is dry.”
King Arthur turns toward The Roundtable.
King Arthur: “To Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, and Sir Gawain… loyal knights of The Roundtable… your presence here reminds this division that Camelot is not a single man.”
He turns toward Merlin.
King Arthur: “To Merlin, whose counsel has guided kings before kingdoms knew how to stand…”
Merlin lowers his head faintly.
King Arthur looks to Lady Guinevere.
His expression softens, but not completely.
King Arthur: “To Lady Guinevere, whose grace has steadied the hand that now carries this crown…”
Lady Guinevere nods gently.
King Arthur turns back to the crowd.
King Arthur: “And to every soul in this coliseum who called my name when the night was darkest…”
He lifts the championship again.
King Arthur: “Behold what your faith has restored.”
Another massive cheer.
King Arthur lowers the microphone and walks slowly around the throne.
He does not sit yet.
He lets the camera follow him.
He lets the arena look.
King Arthur: “There are those who will say this display is unnecessary.”
A small smile.
King Arthur: “They will say a true champion needs no throne.”
He looks directly toward the hard camera.
King Arthur: “But those people misunderstand the meaning of symbols.”
He taps the faceplate of the Mythic Crown Championship.
King Arthur: “This championship is not leather and gold alone. It is judgment. It is burden. It is the right to stand at the center of myth and say what this division shall become.”
The cheers mix with boos now.
Not rejection.
Discomfort.
King Arthur continues, emboldened.
King Arthur: “For too long, the Mythic Crown was carried like a weapon. A monster held it. A scientist displayed it. Fear surrounded it. Suffering spoke through it.”
His voice hardens.
King Arthur: “That ends now.”
The Roundtable remains still behind him.
Merlin watches carefully.
Lady Guinevere lowers her gaze for half a second.
King Arthur: “Under my reign, the Mythic Crown will not be a trophy for the violent. It will not be a prize for the grotesque. It will not be a banner for the broken to justify breaking others.”
The camera catches fans reacting to the word “reign.”
Julian Ward: “That is a striking choice of words from King Arthur. Reign.”
Brick Brody: “There it is. Champion was not enough. Now it is a reign. That throne is doing exactly what thrones do.”
King Arthur: “This division will remember order.”
He steps closer to the throne.
King Arthur: “It will remember honor.”
Another step.
King Arthur: “It will remember Camelot.”
The crowd erupts again.
King Arthur: “And let any challenger hear me clearly. Ledger Knight tonight. Mordred tomorrow. Any monster, thief, sorcerer, traitor, or pretender who believes this crown can be taken from me simply because they desire it…”
He raises the title.
King Arthur: “Come forward.”
He pauses.
King Arthur: “But understand what awaits you.”
His voice lowers.
King Arthur: “You do not challenge a wounded man.”
He glances toward The Roundtable.
King Arthur: “You do not challenge a lonely king.”
He looks toward Lady Guinevere.
King Arthur: “You do not challenge a myth without foundation.”
He faces the hard camera again.
King Arthur: “You challenge Camelot.”
A huge cheer.
King Arthur lowers the microphone.
For a moment, the pomp overtakes the substance.
The fanfare begins again, softer this time.
King Arthur turns toward the throne.
Lady Guinevere steps slightly toward him, her voice too quiet for the microphone at first.
Lady Guinevere: “Arthur…”
He looks at her.
She offers a small, cautioning smile.
Not a rebuke.
A reminder.
King Arthur nods.
But the nod is brief.
He turns back to the crowd and speaks again.
King Arthur: “Tonight, I sit not because I am above this division.”
A beat.
His eyes sharpen.
King Arthur: “I sit because the crown has finally found the place where it belongs.”
The crowd explodes, but the line lands differently at the announce desk.
Julian Ward: “That may be the closest King Arthur has come to declaring ownership over the Mythic Crown.”
Brick Brody: “Closest? He just built a throne in the ring and told the world the belt belongs there. Julian, that is not close. That is the whole parade.”
King Arthur steps backward.
Slowly.
Formally.
He turns and sits in the throne.
The image is powerful.
The Mythic Crown Champion seated at the center of the ring.
The Roundtable standing behind him.
Merlin at his right hand.
Lady Guinevere beside him.
The championship rests across his lap like a royal decree.
The crowd chants again.
“AR-THUR! AR-THUR! AR-THUR!”
Then—
The Jumbotron flickers.
The fanfare distorts.
The horns bend into a harsh, broken note.
The screen cuts to black.
The arena boos before the image even appears.
A cracked crown fills the screen.
Then the camera reveals Mordred.
He stands in a dark chamber lit by sickly red candlelight. His armor gleams with tarnished silver. His eyes are cold and amused, his smile thin enough to cut. Beside him stands Myrrden, cloaked in shadow, hands folded over the top of his staff.
The crowd erupts in boos.
King Arthur rises halfway from the throne immediately.
Sir Gawain steps forward.
Sir Lancelot lifts one hand to hold position.
Merlin turns toward the screen without surprise.
Mordred: “How beautiful.”
His voice echoes through the arena.
Mordred: “How polished.”
He tilts his head.
Mordred: “How painfully desperate.”
The crowd boos louder.
King Arthur stands fully now, microphone in hand, eyes burning.
Mordred: “A throne in the ring. Trumpets in the aisle. Knights arranged behind you like ornaments. A wizard at your hand. A queen placed close enough to soften the ugliness of your vanity.”
Lady Guinevere stiffens.
King Arthur: “Choose your next words carefully, Mordred.”
Mordred smiles wider.
Mordred: “There he is. The noble king. The patient king. The humble servant of Camelot.”
A pause.
Mordred: “So easily angered when the mirror speaks.”
Brick Brody: “I do not like Mordred, but he just hit bone.”
Julian Ward: “This is exactly the kind of provocation Mordred thrives on.”
Mordred: “You call yourself champion. You call yourself king. You sit in that chair as if gold and furniture can make truth kneel.”
He steps closer to the camera.
Mordred: “But you are not the rightful king of anything.”
The crowd boos.
King Arthur steps away from the throne, jaw clenched.
Mordred: “You are a false king wrapped in borrowed ceremony.”
King Arthur: “I won this crown in the ring.”
Mordred: “You survived a monster with magic at your side and called it destiny.”
The arena reacts sharply.
Merlin narrows his eyes.
Mordred: “You speak of order because you fear what happens when the division refuses to arrange itself around you. You speak of honor because you need the word to cover ambition. You speak of Camelot because without the name, what are you?”
King Arthur steps closer to the ropes.
Mordred: “A man. Proud. Frightened. Aging beneath the weight of an old legend. And now drunk on applause because the people chanted loudly enough to make you believe the lie again.”
Lady Guinevere moves to King Arthur’s side.
She places a hand lightly on his arm.
Lady Guinevere: “Arthur, do not give him what he wants.”
King Arthur keeps staring at the screen.
His breathing has changed.
The regal calm is cracking.
Mordred: “Look at you.”
He laughs softly.
Mordred: “One sentence away from drawing the sword. One insult away from proving me right.”
Myrrden finally speaks, his voice low and ancient.
Myrrden: “A crown reveals. It does not transform.”
The crowd quiets at the sound of him.
Myrrden: “If pride sat beneath the skin before victory, victory merely gives it a throne.”
Merlin steps forward now, staff in hand.
Merlin: “Careful, old shadow. You have mistaken poison for prophecy before.”
Myrrden smiles faintly.
Myrrden: “And you have mistaken manipulation for wisdom.”
The arena buzzes at the confrontation.
Mordred raises one hand, silencing Myrrden without looking at him.
Mordred: “Enjoy this, Arthur. Enjoy the horns. Enjoy the velvet. Enjoy the adoration of people who cheer kings until kings fail them.”
His eyes lower toward the championship on Arthur’s lap.
Mordred: “Because that crown does not belong to you.”
King Arthur: “Then come take it.”
The crowd erupts.
Lady Guinevere tightens her grip on King Arthur’s arm.
Lady Guinevere: “Not like this.”
Mordred smiles.
Mordred: “There. The challenge made before the thought. The temper before the judgment.”
He leans closer to the camera.
Mordred: “Unworthy.”
The word lands like a blade.
Mordred: “False king.”
King Arthur pulls free from Lady Guinevere’s hand and takes another step toward the screen.
Sir Gawain moves forward again, angry.
Sir Galahad holds him back.
Sir Lancelot watches King Arthur, not Mordred, concern hidden behind discipline.
Mordred: “You may sit on the throne tonight. You may polish the title. You may let Louie Linville dress your victory in velvet words.”
His smile disappears.
Mordred: “But I know what sits beneath that crown.”
A pause.
Mordred: “And soon, so will everyone else.”
The screen flickers.
Myrrden speaks one final time.
Myrrden: “The throne has accepted him.”
His eyes seem to look directly through King Arthur.
Myrrden: “Now let us see what it awakens.”
The Jumbotron cuts to black.
The arena erupts in boos.
Inside the ring, the coronation has changed.
The throne remains.
The knights remain.
The championship remains.
But the triumph has been stained.
King Arthur stands rigid, gripping the microphone so tightly his knuckles whiten.
Lady Guinevere steps in front of him just enough to meet his eyes.
Lady Guinevere: “Arthur. Look at me.”
He does not at first.
Lady Guinevere: “Look at me.”
Finally, King Arthur lowers his gaze to her.
The crowd noise rolls around them.
Lady Guinevere: “You are champion. Do not let him make you smaller than the crown.”
King Arthur breathes hard.
Merlin watches silently.
The Roundtable waits behind the throne.
Slowly, King Arthur lowers the microphone.
He turns back toward the throne.
For a moment, it seems he may sit again.
Instead, he takes the Mythic Crown Championship from the seat and raises it high.
The crowd cheers, but the energy is no longer pure celebration.
Now it is defiance.
Now it is insecurity.
Now it is a champion answering an insult he could not ignore.
Julian Ward: “What began as a coronation has become a warning. Mordred and Myrrden have reached directly into King Arthur’s first night as Mythic Crown Champion and touched the one place even victory may not have fortified.”
Brick Brody: “His pride. That is where they hit him. Not the ribs, not the jaw, not the title. Pride. And I will tell you something, Julian. A man can protect a belt with both hands. Pride leaves openings everywhere.”
King Arthur remains standing before the throne, championship raised.
Lady Guinevere stands beside him, still close, still concerned.
Merlin looks toward the black screen.
Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, and Sir Gawain stand behind their king.
The trumpeteers do not play.
The silence is too heavy for fanfare.
Julian Ward: “Tonight, King Arthur still has Ledger Knight in the main event. After this interruption, after those words from Mordred, the question is no longer only whether King Arthur can carry the crown.”
A close-up catches King Arthur’s face.
Proud.
Angry.
Unsettled.
Julian Ward: “It is whether the crown has already begun to change him.”
The screen fades to black.
The screen returns from black.
The image of King Arthur standing before the throne fades from memory, but not fully from the arena.
The crown.
The challenge.
The anger.
The warning from Mordred.
All of it still hangs over Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum as the ring crew clears the last remnants of coronation ceremony. The majestic throne is carried carefully up the aisle. The trumpeteers are gone. The royal banners are lowered.
In their place, the lights shift.
Gold becomes silver.
Silver becomes pale blue.
Then a soft aurora-like glow begins to move across the entrance screen.
Green.
Violet.
White.
Gold.
The Aurora Title Tournament graphic fills the Jumbotron.
FIRST AURORA TITLE TOURNAMENT MATCH
NO TIME LIMIT
BEST TWO OUT OF THREE FALLS
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns vs Athena
The crowd rises with anticipation.
Julian Ward: “The coronation of King Arthur has ended in anger and warning, but now history begins in another form. The first match in the Aurora Title Tournament is upon us.”
Brick Brody: “And thank goodness. I have had enough velvet and speeches for one night. Give me a tournament match where somebody has to win twice. That tells you who is tough, who is smart, and who has enough cruelty in the tank.”
Julian Ward: “No time limit. Best two out of three falls. Rosalyn Queen of Thorns meets Athena, and the winner advances in the pursuit of a championship that may reshape the competitive landscape of this division.”
Brick Brody: “Two out of three falls means excuses die early. You get caught once, you still have to come back. You get caught twice, go home and rethink your life.”
The ring mat glows beneath soft reflected light from the stage. At ringside, Honest Abe checks the ropes, his face serious after the chaos of The Long Night and the lingering tension already present tonight.
A low drumbeat begins.
Dark vines appear across the entrance screen, twisting around a silver crown until the crown cracks.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns enters first.
She walks slowly through a wash of crimson and black light, regal and cruel, her posture straight, her expression untouched by doubt. Her gear carries rose-red and thorn-black accents, every detail suggesting beauty sharpened into punishment.
Behind her comes Huntsman.
He moves with heavy menace, axe handle resting across one shoulder. His eyes scan the aisle, the ring, the referee, and then Zeus’s empty side of the ramp that has not yet been filled. He looks less like an attendant and more like a warning given flesh.
Julian Ward: “There is Rosalyn Queen of Thorns, accompanied by Huntsman. Everything about Rosalyn suggests control. She wants the pace, the posture, and the pain to belong to her.”
Brick Brody: “That is a queen who does not ask for space. She takes it. And with Huntsman out there, Athena better understand that the ring is not the only dangerous place tonight.”
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns reaches ringside.
She pauses at the steps, turns her head slightly, and looks over the crowd as if evaluating subjects rather than fans.
Huntsman remains below, gripping the axe handle.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns enters the ring and moves to the far corner, hands resting lightly on the top rope. She looks completely comfortable beneath the pressure.
The lights shift.
A thunderclap cracks through the arena.
The entrance screen turns white-gold.
A temple silhouette appears, flanked by storm clouds.
Athena steps onto the stage.
The crowd gives a strong reaction.
She carries herself like a warrior scholar, controlled and battle-ready, with silver and gold gear catching the aurora light. Her eyes are fixed on Rosalyn Queen of Thorns. No fear. No theatrics. Just purpose.
Beside her emerges Zeus.
He stands tall, imposing, draped in white and storm-gray, his presence immediately drawing boos and cheers in equal measure. Lightning flashes across the screen behind him as he lifts one hand toward the ceiling.
Julian Ward: “And here comes Athena, accompanied by Zeus. Athena brings strength, discipline, and a directness that may test whether Rosalyn Queen of Thorns can maintain that regal composure once impact begins.”
Brick Brody: “She better test it fast. Do not admire the thorns. Break the stem. That is how you deal with somebody like Rosalyn.”
Athena marches to the ring, never looking away from Rosalyn Queen of Thorns.
Zeus stops near the corner outside the ring, staring across at Huntsman.
The two seconds lock eyes.
No words.
Only warning.
Athena enters the ring and steps into her corner.
Honest Abe stands between both women, looking from Rosalyn Queen of Thorns to Athena, then to Huntsman, then to Zeus.
He already knows this may not stay simple.
Louie Linville steps to center ring, microphone in hand. His voice is formal, controlled, and ceremonial.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is the first match in the Aurora Title Tournament.”
The crowd cheers.
Louie Linville: “This match will be contested under no time limit, best two out of three falls rules. The winner will advance in the tournament.”
Another reaction rises.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Huntsman… she is the sovereign of poisoned beauty, the thorned monarch of punishment… Rosalyn Queen of Thorns.”
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns lifts her chin slightly, accepting the boos like tribute.
Louie Linville: “And her opponent, accompanied to the ring by Zeus… warrior of wisdom, storm-forged challenger, and disciplined force of battle… Athena.”
Athena steps forward and raises one fist.
The crowd responds strongly.
Honest Abe checks both competitors.
Huntsman remains still at ringside.
Zeus watches with a stern expression.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Athena does not wait.
She steps forward, gets underneath Rosalyn Queen of Thorns, and hoists her high with raw strength. The crowd reacts as Athena presses Rosalyn Queen of Thorns above her head and drives her down with Pallas Drop, the gorilla press slam shaking the canvas.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns absorbs the landing but cannot stop Athena from immediately dropping into the cover.
Honest Abe slides into position.
One.
Two.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns kicks out.
Athena rises quickly, trying not to show frustration, while Rosalyn Queen of Thorns rolls to one side and steadies herself with one hand on the mat.
At ringside, Huntsman narrows his eyes.
Julian Ward: “An emphatic opening from Athena. Pallas Drop connects, and she nearly claims the first fall inside the opening minute.”
Brick Brody: “That is how you start a tournament match. Pick her up, drop her hard, make the queen feel gravity before she gets comfortable on the throne.”
Julian Ward: “Rosalyn Queen of Thorns kicks out, but Athena has established the first major impact.”
Brick Brody: “Good. But first impact is not first fall. Athena better remember that.”
Minute 2
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns regains her footing with a colder expression now.
Athena steps back in, but Rosalyn Queen of Thorns slips behind her, locks the waist, and snaps her over with Scepter Snap, a German suplex that folds Athena across her shoulders and upper back.
Athena tries to defend, but the throw lands clean.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns rolls through to one knee, smoothing her posture as if the opening slam was an insult she has now answered.
Julian Ward: “There is Scepter Snap from Rosalyn Queen of Thorns, and that German suplex immediately slows Athena’s early momentum.”
Brick Brody: “That is the answer of somebody who got embarrassed in minute one and did not appreciate it. Rosalyn just reminded Athena this is not a strength contest. It is a wrestling match.”
Julian Ward: “The first fall remains open, but both women have already landed significant offense.”
Brick Brody: “And that matters in two out of three falls. You are not just winning a moment. You are spending the other woman’s body for later.”
Minute 3
Athena tries to step back into range.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns reads the movement first.
She ducks behind again, cinches the waist, and delivers another Scepter Snap, throwing Athena backward with a second German suplex.
Athena attempts to brace, but her defense breaks under the snap and torque of the throw.
She rolls toward the ropes, shaking her shoulders out.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns rises slowly, her expression almost serene now.
Julian Ward: “A second Scepter Snap, and Rosalyn Queen of Thorns is beginning to stack damage across Athena’s neck and shoulders.”
Brick Brody: “That is good strategy. Athena wants to be upright, strong, and powerful. Keep throwing her backward until standing becomes expensive.”
Julian Ward: “The repeated German suplexes are forcing Athena to think before advancing.”
Brick Brody: “Thinking is nice. Getting dumped on your shoulders interrupts it.”
Minute 4
Both women meet in the center, neither willing to surrender ground.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns shoots behind again, hunting another Scepter Snap.
At the same time, Athena lowers her shoulder and drives forward with Huntress Spear, spearing through the movement as Rosalyn Queen of Thorns completes the German suplex motion.
The collision is violent and strange.
Athena lands the spear.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns still gets enough grip to throw her over.
Both women crash to the mat in a heavy exchange that brings the crowd to its feet.
Honest Abe checks both competitors.
Julian Ward: “Both connect. Rosalyn Queen of Thorns gets the Scepter Snap, but Athena drives through with Huntress Spear at nearly the same moment.”
Brick Brody: “That is a car crash with better footwork. Neither woman got away clean, and that is the kind of exchange that makes the second fall hurt before the first one is even decided.”
Julian Ward: “A crucial simultaneous impact. Neither competitor could seize full control.”
Brick Brody: “But both left a receipt.”
Minute 5
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns reaches her feet first.
She catches Athena before Athena can fully set her base and launches another Scepter Snap, the German suplex sending Athena hard to the mat again.
As Athena lands, Zeus lifts one hand from ringside.
A sudden shimmer of white-gold light pulses near Athena’s corner.
Athena stirs, breathing sharply, the apparent blessing giving her enough recovery to avoid being immediately covered.
Honest Abe turns toward Zeus, but Zeus lowers his hand with calm authority.
Julian Ward: “Another Scepter Snap from Rosalyn Queen of Thorns, but Zeus appears to offer some form of divine blessing from ringside.”
Brick Brody: “Of course he does. Nobody brings Zeus to the ring because he is good at holding towels.”
Julian Ward: “That intervention may have prevented Rosalyn Queen of Thorns from capitalizing.”
Brick Brody: “Maybe. But if I am Rosalyn, I make a note. Divine help still means somebody needed help.”
Minute 6
Athena surges up with renewed force.
She drives forward and lands Huntress Spear, blasting Rosalyn Queen of Thorns backward and down.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns tries to defend but cannot brace in time.
The crowd cheers as Athena rises, jaw set, shoulders still aching from the earlier suplexes but fire in her eyes.
Huntsman steps closer at ringside.
Honest Abe immediately points him back.
Julian Ward: “Huntress Spear lands clean, and Athena has changed the direction of this first fall.”
Brick Brody: “That was a good spear. Low, direct, mean enough to matter. Rosalyn has been throwing her around, but Athena just reminded her that a spear can make all that elegance collapse.”
Julian Ward: “The power of Athena remains dangerous even after the repeated suplexes.”
Brick Brody: “Power is always dangerous. Especially when it gets annoyed.”
Minute 7
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns pulls herself up near the ropes.
Athena gives her no space.
She charges again and connects with a second Huntress Spear, driving the air out of Rosalyn Queen of Thorns and sending her skidding across the mat.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns attempts to defend, but Athena cuts through the guard with force.
The crowd roars.
Athena does not cover immediately. She stays close, trying to make sure Rosalyn Queen of Thorns cannot escape toward Huntsman.
Julian Ward: “A second Huntress Spear, and now Athena is stacking her own damage. The body of Rosalyn Queen of Thorns is being tested.”
Brick Brody: “That is how you answer German suplexes. If she wants your shoulders, you take her ribs. Simple, beautiful math.”
Julian Ward: “Athena may be close to claiming the first fall.”
Brick Brody: “May be. But in this kind of match, close is where somebody at ringside gets ideas.”
Minute 8
Athena forces Rosalyn Queen of Thorns into the corner and drives in with Shield Bash, a shoulder thrust that cracks into the midsection.
Before Athena can continue, Huntsman moves.
He reaches from ringside and hammers Athena with the axe handle, a brutal shot that lands while Honest Abe is partially screened by the corner positioning.
The crowd boos loudly.
Athena staggers from the illegal blow.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns uses the moment to drag herself out of the corner, clutching her midsection but still alive in the fall.
Zeus steps forward in anger.
Huntsman backs away only after making sure the damage is done.
Julian Ward: “Athena had Shield Bash in the corner, but Huntsman intervened with the axe handle. That was blatant from our angle.”
Brick Brody: “Blatant, useful, and exactly why Huntsman is out there. Athena was rolling, and Huntsman chopped the wheels.”
Julian Ward: “Honest Abe did not have a clear view.”
Brick Brody: “Referees never have a clear view when the bad idea happens behind their head.”
Minute 9
The match slows as both women recover.
Athena shakes off the axe handle shot while Rosalyn Queen of Thorns steadies herself.
They step into each other again.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns hooks the waist for another Scepter Snap.
Athena climbs toward the middle rope in the struggle and fires back with Helm Breaker, a double axe handle from the middle turnbuckle that crashes down as Rosalyn Queen of Thorns completes enough of the German suplex to send Athena backward.
Both women take punishment.
Athena lands hard.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns drops to a knee, rocked by the double axe handle.
Julian Ward: “Another brutal exchange. Rosalyn Queen of Thorns finds Scepter Snap, but Athena answers with Helm Breaker from the middle turnbuckle.”
Brick Brody: “These two are turning every opening into mutual damage. That is not sustainable, but it is fun while the bodies hold together.”
Julian Ward: “The first fall still has not been claimed, and fatigue is beginning to show.”
Brick Brody: “Good. Now we find out who can think while tired.”
Minute 10
The action spills toward the ropes.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns catches Athena near the apron and drives a pump kick that knocks Athena to the floor.
Athena crashes outside near Zeus, clutching her jaw as Honest Abe begins the count.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Athena makes it back into the ring at five.
But Rosalyn Queen of Thorns is waiting.
Athena surges forward and somehow hoists Rosalyn Queen of Thorns for Pallas Drop, landing the gorilla press slam again despite the damage.
Athena drops into the cover.
Honest Abe slides down.
But Rosalyn Queen of Thorns shifts her weight, traps the momentum, and reverses the pin.
Honest Abe adjusts position.
One.
Two.
Three.
The bell sounds for the first fall.
The crowd reacts with surprise and anger.
Athena sits up, stunned.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns rolls away, breathing hard, but the cruel smile returns.
Louie Linville: “The winner of the first fall… Rosalyn Queen of Thorns.”
Julian Ward: “What a turn. Athena returned at the five count, landed Pallas Drop, and appeared to have the first fall within reach, but Rosalyn Queen of Thorns reversed the pin and stole the count.”
Brick Brody: “That is not stealing. That is awareness. Athena hit the big move and got sloppy for half a second. Rosalyn turned half a second into a fall.”
Julian Ward: “Rosalyn Queen of Thorns now leads one fall to none.”
Brick Brody: “And now Athena has to win twice. That mountain just got taller.”
Minute 11
The second fall begins with Athena visibly angry.
She charges in, hooks both arms, and plants Rosalyn Queen of Thorns with Wisdom’s Wrath, the Pedigree driving Rosalyn Queen of Thorns face-first into the mat.
Athena rolls her over and covers immediately.
One.
Two.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns kicks out.
Athena slaps the mat once, then forces herself back under control.
Zeus calls to her from ringside, demanding focus.
Huntsman grips the axe handle tighter.
Julian Ward: “Wisdom’s Wrath from Athena, and she nearly evens this match immediately after losing the first fall.”
Brick Brody: “That was anger with technique. Good combination. But Rosalyn kicked out, and that means Athena still has to climb.”
Julian Ward: “The urgency has changed.”
Brick Brody: “Of course it has. Down one fall in a tournament match, urgency becomes oxygen.”
Minute 12
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns and Athena collide again in the center.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns traps the arm and sweeps the leg, driving Athena down with Glass Garden Slam, the side leg sweep to arm trap slam landing clean.
Athena refuses to stay underneath.
She shifts behind Rosalyn Queen of Thorns and locks in Gorgon Clutch, the rear chinlock with the knee driven into the back.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns grimaces as Athena pulls back.
Honest Abe checks for submission.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns refuses.
Julian Ward: “Excellent exchange in the second fall. Glass Garden Slam from Rosalyn Queen of Thorns, but Athena transitions into Gorgon Clutch.”
Brick Brody: “That is what Athena needs. Stop chasing the quick pin. Grind her down. Put a knee in the back and make the queen carry her own ribs.”
Julian Ward: “Rosalyn Queen of Thorns survives the hold, but Athena is beginning to attack the body and posture.”
Brick Brody: “Good. Posture matters when somebody loves looking regal.”
Minute 13
Athena releases only to drag Rosalyn Queen of Thorns upright.
She hooks both arms again.
A second Wisdom’s Wrath lands.
This time Rosalyn Queen of Thorns attempts to defend, but Athena powers through and drives her down.
The crowd rises.
Athena considers the cover, but Rosalyn Queen of Thorns rolls just enough to keep her shoulders from being cleanly controlled.
Athena follows, frustration building.
Julian Ward: “Another Wisdom’s Wrath, and Athena is targeting the head and neck after repeated suplex damage earlier in the match.”
Brick Brody: “That should have been a cover. I know Rosalyn rolled, but Athena has to smother her there. You are down a fall. You do not get picky.”
Julian Ward: “Rosalyn Queen of Thorns remains aware even under heavy damage.”
Brick Brody: “That is the difference right now. Athena is fighting harder. Rosalyn is fighting colder.”
Minute 14
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns creates a sudden opening.
She traps Athena’s arm and spikes her with Dagger Bloom, the hammerlock DDT landing sharply.
Athena rolls through the impact and drives Rosalyn Queen of Thorns backward into the corner with Shield Bash, shoulder thrusting into the midsection.
The crowd reacts as both women absorb another double exchange.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns clutches the arm she used for Dagger Bloom.
Athena leans against the ropes, trying to reset her breathing.
Julian Ward: “Dagger Bloom from Rosalyn Queen of Thorns, answered by Shield Bash from Athena. The second fall is becoming as punishing as the first.”
Brick Brody: “That hammerlock DDT was nasty. Twist the arm, plant the head, make the warrior fight with one less weapon.”
Julian Ward: “But Athena still answered with force in the corner.”
Brick Brody: “She answers everything. The problem is she needs to finish something.”
Minute 15
The fight spills toward the ropes again.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns catches Athena moving forward and sends her to the outside with another pump kick on the floor.
Athena lands hard near the barricade.
Honest Abe starts the count.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Athena makes it back in at five again, slower this time, anger and fatigue written across her face.
Zeus steps closer, his expression darkening.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns backs away with calculated satisfaction, letting the count and the floor do part of the work.
Julian Ward: “Again Rosalyn Queen of Thorns sends Athena to the outside with the pump kick, and again Athena returns at five.”
Brick Brody: “That is smart from Rosalyn. She is up a fall. Make Athena climb in, climb out, climb back in, breathe through frustration, and carry every second of it.”
Julian Ward: “Athena is running out of room to make mistakes.”
Brick Brody: “She is running out of match.”
Minute 16
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns moves in for the finish.
She hooks Athena’s arm and turns for Dagger Bloom again.
But Athena reverses the hammerlock DDT, slipping out and forcing Rosalyn Queen of Thorns backward.
For a moment, the crowd surges.
Athena has the opening.
Then Zeus storms into action.
He grabs Honest Abe and throws the referee out of the ring.
The crowd erupts in shock and boos.
Honest Abe hits the floor hard.
The bell rings immediately.
Athena freezes.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns drops to one knee, stunned but suddenly smiling as she realizes what has happened.
Zeus stands at ringside, chest heaving, furious at the flow of the match and his own loss of control.
Huntsman laughs without warmth, axe handle still in hand.
Louie Linville confers with the timekeeper as Honest Abe pulls himself up on the floor.
Then Louie Linville raises the microphone.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen… due to outside interference by Zeus, Athena has been disqualified. Therefore, the winner of the second fall, and the winner of the match by two falls to none… Rosalyn Queen of Thorns.”
The crowd boos loudly.
Athena turns toward Zeus, stunned, furious, and betrayed by the consequence even if not by intent.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns rises slowly, her smile now fully formed.
She has won.
Not by domination.
Not by honor.
By the storm losing restraint.
Julian Ward: “Zeus has cost Athena the match. Athena reversed Dagger Bloom and may have had an opening to even the falls, but Zeus threw Honest Abe from the ring, and that is a disqualification.”
Brick Brody: “That is disastrous. Athena was down one fall, but she was still alive. Then Zeus lost his temper, tossed the referee, and handed Rosalyn the second fall. That is not divine intervention. That is divine stupidity.”
Julian Ward: “Rosalyn Queen of Thorns advances in the Aurora Title Tournament, but this ending will leave deep questions around Athena and Zeus.”
Brick Brody: “Questions? I have one. What is the point of bringing a god to ringside if he cannot count to disqualification?”
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns steps through the ropes as Huntsman joins her at ringside.
She turns back toward Athena and gives her a small, mocking bow.
Athena glares after her, fists clenched, while Zeus argues with Honest Abe from the floor.
Honest Abe points sharply toward the backstage area, refusing to hear it.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns walks backward up the ramp, eyes bright with victory, Huntsman beside her like a shadow with teeth.
The tournament graphic appears again.
ROSALYN QUEEN OF THORNS ADVANCES
Julian Ward: “The first step in the Aurora Title Tournament belongs to Rosalyn Queen of Thorns. A first fall stolen through reversal, a second fall awarded by disqualification, and a tournament path opened under controversy.”
Brick Brody: “Controversy still advances. Pretty wins, ugly wins, cheap wins, stupid wins caused by somebody else. The bracket does not care. Rosalyn moves on.”
Julian Ward: “For Athena, this will not sit quietly. She came within reach of survival, perhaps even recovery, but the presence meant to aid her became the reason she was eliminated.”
Brick Brody: “That is the lesson. Sometimes the storm does not strike your enemy. Sometimes it burns down your own house.”
ROSALYN QUEEN OF THORNS DEFEATED ATHENA TWO FALLS TO NONE IN A NO TIME LIMIT BEST TWO OUT OF THREE FALLS MATCH TO ADVANCE IN THE AURORA TITLE TOURNAMENT.
FIRST FALL: Rosalyn Queen of Thorns pinned Athena after reversing a pin attempt following Pallas Drop.
SECOND FALL: Rosalyn Queen of Thorns won by disqualification after Zeus threw Honest Abe from the ring.
SEGMENT 5 – MATCH 2
The broadcast returns from the controversial end of the first Aurora Title Tournament match.
The final image still lingers on the arena screen.
Rosalyn Queen of Thorns walking away with victory.
Athena furious.
Zeus arguing with Honest Abe after costing his own warrior the match.
Inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum, the crowd is restless now. The night has already seen coronation, insult, disqualification, and pride turning victory into something unstable.
The lights dim.
Green shadows crawl across the entrance screen.
A familiar forest sigil appears.
Then it splinters.
The crowd reacts immediately.
Some cheer.
Some boo.
Most understand what this means.
Robin Hood is coming.
Julian Ward: “We move now from tournament controversy to the bleeding wound of Sherwood. Five nights ago at The Long Night, The Merry Band suffered one of the most devastating betrayals this division has seen when Will Scarlet struck Robin Hood, allowing The King’s Hand to win the Sherwood Forest Fight.”
Brick Brody: “And I said earlier, it was not a good night for The Merry Band. This does not feel much better. Robin Hood is walking into Brute Bailiff with betrayal still fresh and Prince John at ringside. That is not a match. That is a trap with a bell.”
The entrance screen shows a quick flash from The Long Night.
Will Scarlet raising the quarterstaff.
Robin Hood being struck.
Sheriff of Nottingham driving him through the tavern table.
The crowd boos loudly.
The image burns away.
Brute Bailiff Entrance
Heavy drums pound through the arena.
Iron-gray light fills the stage.
Prince John steps out first.
He wears rich royal colors, smiling with smug satisfaction, one hand resting on a polished sceptre. He waves to the crowd as if their hatred is admiration that has not yet learned manners.
Behind him comes Brute Bailiff.
Massive.
Thick-necked.
Heavy-handed.
He walks with no flourish, only threat. His fists open and close as he moves down the ramp, shoulders rolling like he is already imagining impact.
Prince John points toward the ring with the sceptre, as though sending a weapon forward.
Julian Ward: “There is Brute Bailiff, accompanied by Prince John. This man exists to enforce power through blunt violence.”
Brick Brody: “And tonight, he gets Robin Hood after Robin got cracked by his own ally five nights ago. Perfect timing. Terrible for Robin, beautiful for Prince John.”
Brute Bailiff climbs onto the apron and steps over the middle rope.
Prince John remains outside, circling slowly, already talking at fans near the barricade.
Brute Bailiff stands in the center of the ring and cracks his knuckles.
The lights shift.
Forest green cuts through the gray.
A single flute note rises, but it is not hopeful tonight.
It is sharp.
Wounded.
Defiant.
Robin Hood Entrance
Robin Hood steps onto the stage.
The reaction is strong, emotional, and angry on his behalf.
He does not raise his arms.
He does not smile.
His hood is drawn low, but the camera catches his eyes beneath it. They are focused, tired, and burning with something deeper than frustration.
This is not a hero stepping into another battle.
This is a man trying not to let betrayal define the ground beneath him.
The crowd chants.
“RO-BIN! RO-BIN! RO-BIN!”
Robin Hood begins walking toward the ring.
At ringside, Prince John smirks and lifts the sceptre slightly, pretending to inspect him.
Julian Ward: “There is Robin Hood, and this crowd has not forgotten what happened in Sherwood. Betrayal does not leave quickly. It remains in the body. It remains in the mind.”
Brick Brody: “That is the problem. Robin Hood needs to fight Brute Bailiff, not the memory of Will Scarlet. If he keeps looking over his shoulder, Brute Bailiff is going to put him on the mat in front of him.”
Robin Hood enters the ring and immediately steps toward Brute Bailiff.
Honest Abe moves between them, arms extended.
Prince John laughs from ringside.
Louie Linville stands at center ring, microphone in hand.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall.”
The crowd reacts.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Prince John… the iron hand of forced order, the collector of punishment, the enforcer of The King’s Hand… Brute Bailiff.”
Brute Bailiff raises both fists.
The crowd boos loudly.
Prince John applauds as if the reaction pleases him.
Louie Linville: “And his opponent… fighting in the name of Sherwood, rebellion, and justice wounded but not surrendered… Robin Hood.”
The arena erupts.
Robin Hood steps forward, eyes still fixed on Brute Bailiff.
Honest Abe checks both competitors, then turns toward Prince John and warns him before the bell.
Prince John places one hand over his chest in mock innocence.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Robin Hood moves immediately, refusing to let Brute Bailiff dictate the early pace.
He springs forward and crashes down with a senton, driving his body across the larger man and forcing Brute Bailiff to absorb the impact.
But Brute Bailiff rolls through the pain, rises with anger, and answers with a hammer fist barrage.
One heavy shot lands across Robin Hood’s upper back.
Another across the shoulder.
A third drives Robin Hood down to one knee.
The crowd rallies as Robin Hood rolls away and gets back to his feet, but Brute Bailiff has already shown how quickly he can turn momentum into punishment.
Julian Ward: “Fast opening from Robin Hood with the senton, but Brute Bailiff answers immediately with that hammer fist barrage. This is already physical.”
Brick Brody: “That is what I mean. Robin Hood can fly in all heroic, but Brute Bailiff is going to hit him like a man trying to collect overdue pain.”
Julian Ward: “The early exchange is even, but the nature of the damage is very different.”
Brick Brody: “Exactly. Robin Hood lands impact. Brute Bailiff leaves dents.”
Minute 2
Robin Hood stays mobile.
He ducks under Brute Bailiff’s reach and snaps a superkick up under the jaw, staggering the big enforcer backward.
The crowd cheers as Brute Bailiff nearly loses balance.
But before Robin Hood can follow, Prince John moves toward the announce desk.
He leans over the barricade and begins shouting at Julian Ward and Brick Brody, waving his sceptre and demanding they acknowledge the lawful superiority of The King’s Hand.
Honest Abe turns toward the commotion.
Robin Hood glances that way for half a second.
That half second is enough.
Prince John’s argument breaks the rhythm and leaves Robin Hood forced to reset defensively instead of pressing the advantage.
Julian Ward: “The superkick landed clean, and Robin Hood had an opening, but Prince John is over here arguing with us and pulling attention away from the match.”
Brick Brody: “He is yelling at the wrong announcer. I already know Prince John is a rat. He does not have to prove it at the desk.”
Julian Ward: “That distraction has put Robin Hood on the defensive.”
Brick Brody: “That is what rats do. They do not beat you with strength. They make you look away while the hammer gets ready.”
Minute 3
Brute Bailiff uses the hesitation.
He steps in, grabs Robin Hood by the wrist, and yanks him forward into a short-arm lariat.
The blow crashes across Robin Hood’s chest and throat, dropping him hard to the mat.
Robin Hood absorbs the punishment but rolls immediately toward the ropes, trying to create space before Brute Bailiff can pile on.
Prince John claps smugly at ringside.
Honest Abe turns back toward him with a sharp warning.
Prince John only smiles.
Julian Ward: “Short-arm lariat from Brute Bailiff, and the distraction from Prince John has already shifted this match.”
Brick Brody: “That lariat was ugly. That is the kind of shot that makes your lungs wonder if they still work for you.”
Julian Ward: “Robin Hood is no longer on immediate defense, but he has already paid for taking his eyes off the fight.”
Brick Brody: “And against Brute Bailiff, one look away can cost your ribs.”
Minute 4
Robin Hood pulls himself up near the ropes.
Brute Bailiff advances, but Prince John again inserts himself.
This time he steps close to the apron and rams the sceptre into Robin Hood while Honest Abe is screened by Brute Bailiff’s body.
The crowd erupts in boos.
Robin Hood doubles over from the illegal shot.
Brute Bailiff presses forward, using the damage without hesitation.
Honest Abe senses something happened, but by the time he moves around the larger man, Prince John has already backed away, hands raised in theatrical innocence.
Julian Ward: “That was the sceptre. Prince John rammed Robin Hood with the sceptre, and Honest Abe did not have the clear view.”
Brick Brody: “Of course he did. That little peacock carries that thing like decoration, but he uses it like a weapon. I hate the man. I respect the commitment.”
Julian Ward: “This is becoming exactly what Robin Hood could not afford: Brute Bailiff’s power amplified by Prince John’s interference.”
Brick Brody: “That is how authority works when it gets dirty. The big man hits you, the little man cheats you, and both pretend it is legal.”
Minute 5
Brute Bailiff drags Robin Hood away from the ropes.
He lifts him with raw strength and launches him into a flapjack, sending Robin Hood face-first into the canvas.
The impact snaps Robin Hood’s body down hard.
He rolls onto his side, one arm across his midsection, still feeling the sceptre shot from the previous minute.
Brute Bailiff stands over him, breathing heavily through his nose.
Prince John points down at Robin Hood and laughs.
The crowd chants against him.
“PRINCE JOHN SUCKS! PRINCE JOHN SUCKS!”
Julian Ward: “Flapjack from Brute Bailiff, and Robin Hood is absorbing a dangerous sequence of punishment now.”
Brick Brody: “This is where Brute Bailiff is at his best. Nothing fancy. Pick the man up, drop the man down, let gravity do the paperwork.”
Julian Ward: “The crowd is trying to rally Robin Hood, but physically he is in trouble.”
Brick Brody: “Crowds can chant all they want. They are not the ones eating canvas.”
Minute 6
Brute Bailiff pulls Robin Hood upright and hooks him for a flowing DDT.
For a moment, it looks like Robin Hood is about to be driven down again.
But Robin Hood shifts his weight, slips free, and reverses the motion.
He hooks Brute Bailiff from the side, lifts with sudden force, and drives him down with a pumphandle kneecap brainbuster.
The ring shakes.
The crowd erupts.
Brute Bailiff hits hard and rolls onto his back, stunned by the reversal.
Robin Hood stays down on one knee for a second, unable to immediately capitalize, but the opening gives him life.
Julian Ward: “There it is. Robin Hood reverses the flowing DDT and lands the pumphandle kneecap brainbuster. A major counter when he badly needed one.”
Brick Brody: “That was good. That was not heroic poetry. That was survival with a spike on it. Robin Hood needed to drop the big man, and he did.”
Julian Ward: “Can he build from it?”
Brick Brody: “That is always the question after a beating. Landing the counter is one thing. Having enough left to use it is another.”
Minute 7
Robin Hood rises slowly, trying to steady himself after the damage.
He steps toward Brute Bailiff, but Prince John climbs onto the apron.
He shouts directly at Robin Hood, waving the sceptre and accusing him of treason, theft, cowardice, and every crime he can invent quickly.
Robin Hood turns toward him, anger flashing.
Honest Abe moves to remove Prince John from the apron.
The distraction works.
Robin Hood loses the timing, forced back into defense.
Brute Bailiff rolls to the side and begins recovering.
Julian Ward: “Again Prince John gets involved, this time with a direct distraction. Robin Hood could not defend against it emotionally, not after everything surrounding Sherwood.”
Brick Brody: “That is because Prince John knows exactly where to poke. He is not strong, he is not brave, but he is excellent at being irritating at the worst possible second.”
Julian Ward: “Robin Hood had momentum after the brainbuster, and now it has been interrupted.”
Brick Brody: “Momentum is fragile when your enemy brought a mouth with a crown.”
Minute 8
Brute Bailiff takes advantage.
He rises behind Robin Hood and unloads another hammer fist barrage.
Heavy blows hammer down across Robin Hood’s back and shoulders.
Robin Hood tries to cover up, but the shots drive him toward the corner.
Brute Bailiff keeps swinging until Honest Abe orders him to break away.
Prince John applauds from ringside, smiling broadly.
Robin Hood leans against the turnbuckles, breathing hard, still forced to defend.
Julian Ward: “Hammer fist barrage from Brute Bailiff, and Robin Hood is being punished for every moment of distraction.”
Brick Brody: “Those are clubbing shots. No finesse, no decoration, just fists coming down like unpaid debts.”
Julian Ward: “Prince John has changed this match repeatedly without having to enter the ring.”
Brick Brody: “That is management. Cowardly management, but management.”
Minute 9
Brute Bailiff grabs Robin Hood around the waist.
He lifts and throws him with a German suplex, dropping Robin Hood high across the shoulders.
Robin Hood absorbs the punishment and rolls through to the ropes, but his movement is slower now.
The crowd grows louder, trying to pull him back into the match.
Brute Bailiff rises, expression unchanged, as though the match is not personal to him.
Only assigned.
Only enforced.
Julian Ward: “German suplex from Brute Bailiff, and Robin Hood has taken sustained damage across the back, neck, and ribs.”
Brick Brody: “This is ugly for Robin Hood. He keeps getting close to a comeback, and then Prince John or Brute Bailiff shuts the door on his fingers.”
Julian Ward: “The betrayal from Will Scarlet at The Long Night may still be weighing on him, and now the physical punishment is compounding it.”
Brick Brody: “Betrayal makes you hesitate. Brute Bailiff makes you regret hesitation.”
Minute 10
The arena suddenly stirs.
A movement appears near the aisle.
Will Scarlet steps into view.
The crowd erupts in immediate anger and shock.
Robin Hood, still struggling near the ropes, sees him.
For one frozen second, the match leaves Robin Hood’s eyes.
Will Scarlet does not come to help.
He reaches down, scoops dirt from near ringside, and tosses it into Robin Hood’s face.
The crowd explodes in boos.
Robin Hood staggers blindly, wiping at his eyes.
Honest Abe turns toward Will Scarlet, but the damage is already done.
Brute Bailiff grabs Robin Hood, lifts him, and drives him down with a brainbuster.
The impact is brutal.
Brute Bailiff covers.
Honest Abe drops to count.
One.
Two.
Three.
The bell rings.
The crowd erupts in fury.
Robin Hood lies on the mat, one hand still near his eyes.
Brute Bailiff rises slowly, satisfied but not celebratory.
Prince John enters the ring clapping, face bright with smug delight.
At ringside, Will Scarlet backs away, expression unreadable, disappearing before Friar Tuck or Little John can reach him.
Louie Linville: “Here is your winner… Brute Bailiff.”
Prince John raises Brute Bailiff’s arm himself, then points down at Robin Hood as if the fallen rebel is proof of law restored.
The crowd boos heavily.
Julian Ward: “For the second time in less than a week, Will Scarlet has directly caused Robin Hood to fall. Dirt to the eyes, followed by the brainbuster from Brute Bailiff, and Robin Hood has been pinned.”
Brick Brody: “That was cold. That was ugly. And that was exactly what The King’s Hand needed. Will Scarlet did not just betray him once. He came back to make sure the wound stayed open.”
Julian Ward: “This was not only a loss. This was another act of psychological damage against Robin Hood and The Merry Band.”
Brick Brody: “And I hate to repeat myself, but it is still not a good night for The Merry Band. This is turning into a nightmare they cannot wake up from.”
Prince John leans over Robin Hood, speaking down at him with a sneer.
Honest Abe forces Prince John back.
Brute Bailiff steps between them, making it clear the referee will have to move him first.
The boos grow louder.
Robin Hood rolls to his side, blinking through dirt and pain, fury slowly replacing the daze.
Prince John exits the ring with Brute Bailiff, still smiling.
The camera catches Robin Hood looking toward the aisle where Will Scarlet vanished.
Not broken.
But wounded in a place no brace can protect.
Julian Ward: “Brute Bailiff wins the match, but the larger story is Will Scarlet. His betrayal at The Long Night was no accident, no moment of confusion, no fracture that healed with time. Tonight proved it continues.”
Brick Brody: “And now Robin Hood has two fights. One against The King’s Hand, and one against the man who used to stand beside him. That is how groups fall apart, Julian. Not all at once. One dirty handful of dirt at a time.”
Julian Ward: “The Merry Band entered this week searching for an answer. They leave this moment with only deeper betrayal.”
BRUTE BAILIFF DEFEATED ROBIN HOOD BY PINFALL AFTER A BRAINBUSTER FOLLOWING INTERFERENCE FROM WILL SCARLET.
The broadcast returns from the image of Robin Hood staring toward the aisle where Will Scarlet disappeared.
The crowd is still angry.
The wound of Sherwood has not closed.
Then the arena lights change.
Green fades.
The torches darken.
A deep drumbeat begins.
Slow.
Controlled.
War-like.
Red-gold light pulses across the entrance screen.
Then black fire cuts through it.
Two symbols appear opposite one another.
The dragon crest of The Dragon’s Veil.
The burning mark of the Blood Oni Syndicate.
The crowd rises.
Julian Ward: “The night now turns toward a conflict with roots far deeper than the ring. Takuma Ryujin of The Dragon’s Veil faces Kaen of the Blood Oni Syndicate.”
Brick Brody: “Good. This is the kind of fight I like. Not friendship. Not pageantry. Not thrones. Just two sides that hate what the other represents and enough striking power to make somebody forget their own name.”
Julian Ward: “Five nights ago at The Long Night, Takuma Ryujin challenged Ghost of Christmas Past for the Universal Championship and pushed the champion harder than many expected. Tonight, he meets a very different danger.”
Brick Brody: “Yeah, ghosts are haunting. Kaen is impact. Takuma is not getting memory tonight. He is getting fire with fists.”
The entrance screen turns black and crimson.
A harsh drumbeat rolls through the arena.
Kaen Entrance
Lord Kurogami steps through the curtain first.
The reaction is immediate.
Boos.
Fear.
Recognition.
He moves with absolute authority, dressed in dark formal combat robes, his presence cold and oppressive. He does not look at the fans. He does not acknowledge the noise. His eyes stay fixed on the ring as if the ring itself is merely another chamber of judgment.
Behind him comes Kaen.
He walks through red light with restrained fury, shoulders loose, jaw set, eyes burning forward. His gear carries the colors of the Blood Oni Syndicate, dark and violent, with crimson accents that catch the torchlight like fresh flame.
Kaen does not posture.
He stalks.
Julian Ward: “There is Kaen, accompanied by Lord Kurogami. Everything about Kaen suggests force under command. Violence, but disciplined by obedience.”
Brick Brody: “That is a dangerous combination. A wild man can be tricked. A trained killer who listens to a man like Kurogami is a problem you cannot just dodge.”
Kaen reaches ringside.
Lord Kurogami stops near the corner and turns slowly toward the entrance ramp.
He is waiting.
The lights shift.
Red-gold washes over the stage.
A fan opens in silhouette on the screen.
The dragon crest glows.
Takuma Ryujin Entrance
Lady Ayame Ryu emerges first.
The crowd cheers strongly.
She walks with quiet authority, elegant and composed, carrying a folded fan in one hand. Her face reveals nothing, but her presence changes the atmosphere. It is not theatrical. It is centered.
Then Takuma Ryujin steps onto the stage.
The reaction grows.
He stands in the red-gold light, still after his war with the Universal Champion, but not diminished by it. His posture is controlled. His expression is focused. He does not look like a man recovering from defeat.
He looks like a man who studied it.
Lady Ayame Ryu turns slightly toward him.
She lifts the fan once.
A small signal.
Takuma Ryujin nods.
Then they walk.
Julian Ward: “And there is Takuma Ryujin, accompanied by Lady Ayame Ryu. He came within moments of shocking the world at The Long Night, but tonight he must move from near triumph into immediate danger.”
Brick Brody: “That is wrestling. Nobody cares how close you came five nights ago when the bell rings tonight. Kaen is not going to say, ‘great effort against the ghost.’ He is going to try to take his head off.”
Takuma Ryujin reaches ringside and stops.
Across from him, Lord Kurogami watches.
Lady Ayame Ryu steps into the same line of sight.
The crowd buzzes at the silent confrontation.
Lord Kurogami gives no expression.
Lady Ayame Ryu gives no fear.
Takuma Ryujin enters the ring.
Kaen is already inside, pacing in the opposite corner.
Fast Count Frank stands between them, looking alert and slightly too eager.
Louie Linville steps into the center of the ring.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall.”
The crowd reacts.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Lord Kurogami… representing the Blood Oni Syndicate… the ember of obedience, the fist of burning discipline… Kaen.”
Kaen steps forward and stares across the ring.
Louie Linville: “And his opponent, accompanied to the ring by Lady Ayame Ryu… representing The Dragon’s Veil… disciplined, dangerous, and forged by oath… Takuma Ryujin.”
Takuma Ryujin bows his head slightly, never taking his eyes off Kaen.
Fast Count Frank checks both competitors.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Takuma Ryujin moves first.
No wasted motion.
He steps inside Kaen’s reach, locks the waist, and powers him up with a deadlift German suplex. Kaen attempts to defend, widening his base and fighting the grip, but Takuma Ryujin breaks through the resistance and throws him hard onto the back of his shoulders.
The ring snaps beneath the impact.
Kaen rolls through to one knee, surprised for half a breath before anger replaces it.
Takuma Ryujin remains centered, hands raised, eyes calm.
Julian Ward: “A deadlift German suplex from Takuma Ryujin to open the match, and Kaen could not stop it.”
Brick Brody: “That is a statement. Takuma just told the Blood Oni Syndicate that he is not here to trade stares. He is here to throw bodies.”
Julian Ward: “After the punishment Takuma Ryujin endured at The Long Night, this is a sharp, controlled opening.”
Brick Brody: “That tells me he recovered right. Or he is hiding the damage beautifully.”
Minute 2
Kaen rises and comes forward with more aggression.
Takuma Ryujin meets him with dash middle kicks, sharp strikes thudding into the body in quick succession.
One to the ribs.
Another to the midsection.
A third forces Kaen to turn slightly.
But Kaen absorbs enough to plant his foot and explode back with Tokko Discus Lariat, the spinning lariat catching Takuma Ryujin across the upper chest and shoulder.
Takuma Ryujin staggers.
Kaen drops to one hand from the body kicks, but his eyes burn as he rises again.
Julian Ward: “Dash middle kicks from Takuma Ryujin, but Kaen answers with the Tokko Discus Lariat. That was the first true collision of philosophies in this match.”
Brick Brody: “Kicks against lariat. Discipline against blunt force. I like both, but that lariat had bad intentions stitched into it.”
Julian Ward: “Neither man gained full control there.”
Brick Brody: “No, but both learned the other one is willing to hurt through contact.”
Minute 3
The pace tightens.
Takuma Ryujin takes a measured step back, drawing breath and resetting his stance.
At ringside, Lady Ayame Ryu lifts her fan.
One motion.
Precise.
Then another.
The signal is subtle, but Takuma Ryujin sees it.
His shoulders lower.
His breathing steadies.
Dragon’s Poise settles over him, not as magic, but as disciplined command.
Kaen watches, absorbing the moment with disdain.
Across the ring, Lord Kurogami studies Lady Ayame Ryu without blinking.
Julian Ward: “There is Lady Ayame Ryu with the fan signals. Dragon’s Poise from ringside, reinforcing Takuma Ryujin’s focus.”
Brick Brody: “That is coaching done right. No screaming. No panic. Just a signal that says, ‘remember who trained you and stop breathing like a fool.’”
Julian Ward: “Kaen allows the reset, but perhaps only because he wants the fight direct.”
Brick Brody: “Or because Lord Kurogami is watching, and nobody under that man wants to look impatient.”
Minute 4
The match accelerates suddenly.
Takuma Ryujin shoots in again, locking the waist for another deadlift German suplex.
He lifts Kaen with frightening strength and throws him backward.
But Kaen uses the momentum of the throw and the scramble near the ropes to drag Takuma Ryujin into danger. The action spills toward the apron, and Kaen catches him with a Concrete Brainbuster, driving Takuma Ryujin down near the boundary of the ring and floor.
The crowd gasps as Takuma Ryujin spills outside.
Fast Count Frank begins the count.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Takuma Ryujin slides back into the ring at nine.
The crowd erupts.
Kaen turns immediately, frustrated that the count did not finish the work.
Lord Kurogami does not react.
Lady Ayame Ryu remains still, though her eyes sharpen.
Julian Ward: “A massive sequence. Takuma Ryujin lands another deadlift German suplex, but Kaen answers with the Concrete Brainbuster, and Takuma barely beats the count at nine.”
Brick Brody: “That was dangerous. That was not a move you shake off. Kaen planted him near the floor and made him crawl back before Fast Count Frank could hit ten.”
Julian Ward: “The count reached nine. Takuma Ryujin was one second away from a countout loss.”
Brick Brody: “And that second matters. That is the difference between discipline and disaster.”
Minute 5
Takuma Ryujin rises slowly.
Kaen charges, looking to finish the damage.
But Takuma Ryujin catches him.
One more lock around the waist.
One more lift.
This time the deadlift German suplex lands with perfect control.
Kaen crashes high on the shoulders and folds over.
Takuma Ryujin bridges.
Fast Count Frank drops quickly.
One.
Two.
Three.
The bell rings.
The crowd erupts.
Takuma Ryujin releases the bridge and rolls to one knee, breathing hard but composed.
Kaen lies on his side, stunned by the sudden finish.
Lord Kurogami stands motionless at ringside, his expression unreadable but colder than before.
Lady Ayame Ryu steps toward the apron, not celebrating wildly, only nodding once with quiet approval.
Louie Linville: “Here is your winner… Takuma Ryujin.”
Takuma Ryujin rises as Fast Count Frank raises his hand.
The crowd chants.
“TA-KU-MA! TA-KU-MA! TA-KU-MA!”
Julian Ward: “Takuma Ryujin defeats Kaen with the deadlift German suplex. After nearly being counted out, after absorbing the Concrete Brainbuster, he found the final throw and secured the pin.”
Brick Brody: “That was efficient. Ugly little scare at nine, but efficient. Takuma got dropped, got back in, and ended it before Kaen could turn that brainbuster into a longer beating.”
Julian Ward: “For The Dragon’s Veil, this is an important response after The Long Night. Takuma Ryujin does not leave that Universal Championship loss diminished. He leaves this match with momentum restored.”
Brick Brody: “And for Kaen, he better not look at Lord Kurogami too long. That man does not seem like he offers comforting speeches after losses.”
In the ring, Takuma Ryujin stands tall.
At ringside, Lady Ayame Ryu turns her eyes toward Lord Kurogami.
The two leaders stare across the space between them.
No words.
No movement.
The rivalry remains alive beneath the result.
Kaen pulls himself toward the ropes, anger and pain mixing across his face.
Lord Kurogami finally turns away.
That simple motion lands harder than a reprimand.
Julian Ward: “The match ends in five minutes, but the tension around it does not. The Dragon’s Veil gains the victory. The Blood Oni Syndicate absorbs the loss. And somewhere within that silence from Lord Kurogami, there may be consequences still waiting.”
Brick Brody: “Silence from a man like that is worse than yelling. Yelling ends. Silence follows you home.”
TAKUMA RYUJIN DEFEATED KAEN BY PINFALL WITH A DEADLIFT GERMAN SUPLEX.
The camera stays with the aftermath of Takuma Ryujin’s victory.
Inside the ring, Takuma Ryujin stands near the ropes, his breathing controlled again, one hand briefly touching the back of his neck where Kaen’s punishment nearly changed the outcome. At ringside, Lady Ayame Ryu offers him a small nod of approval.
Across from them, Kaen has pulled himself upright with the ropes. His jaw is tight. His eyes burn with frustration. Beside him, Lord Kurogami stands with his cane in hand, expression unreadable, disappointment hidden beneath a colder and more dangerous silence.
Julian Ward: “A major win for Takuma Ryujin, but the atmosphere around these two camps remains as tense as ever.”
Brick Brody: “Yeah, nobody is hugging this out. Takuma won, Kaen lost, and Lord Kurogami looks like a man deciding whether silence or violence is more educational.”
Fast Count Frank exits the ring quickly, eager to be nowhere near what might happen next.
Takuma Ryujin steps through the ropes and joins Lady Ayame Ryu at ringside. He does not celebrate. He simply begins the walk back up the ramp, eyes forward, mind still working.
On the opposite side, Kaen drops from the apron and falls into step behind Lord Kurogami. Kaen’s anger is visible. Lord Kurogami’s is not.
They are halfway up the aisle when the lights in Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum shift.
Not to darkness.
To something stranger.
A red-gold wash stretches across the stage.
Then a deep shadow settles over it.
The crowd begins to murmur.
At the top of the ramp stands a figure.
Still.
Silent.
Cloaked in a dark hooded robe. The fabric is heavy and severe, black at first glance, but laced with red and gold markings that catch the arena light in sharp, ritual lines. On one side of the robe, the symbol of the Oni. On the other, the mark of the Dragon.
The entire aisle freezes.
Takuma Ryujin stops first.
Beside him, Lady Ayame Ryu stops as well.
A few steps behind them, Kaen halts, his posture instantly sharpening.
Lord Kurogami does not move at all.
The crowd noise rises.
Not with cheers.
With recognition dawning.
Julian Ward: “Wait a moment…”
Brick Brody: “Who is that?”
The hooded figure slowly raises his head.
Then, with deliberate calm, he lowers the hood.
The crowd erupts.
It is Raigen.
But not the Raigen they knew before the trials.
His face is leaner.
Harder.
There are traces of what he endured beneath the skin: the memory of pain, discipline, and transformation. His eyes hold that same impossible balance seen at the end of the trials, something burning behind them without losing control. He does not look broken.
He looks forged.
The robe falls around him like a chosen identity rather than a disguise.
Julian Ward: “It is Raigen. After everything we witnessed in the trials beneath the Blood Oni Dojo… after pain, humiliation, obedience, rage, restraint… Raigen is here.”
Brick Brody: “And he does not look like anybody’s student anymore.”
The camera cuts to Takuma Ryujin.
He stares up the ramp at Raigen for a long moment.
Then he slowly shakes his head.
Not in disgust.
Not in fear.
In disbelief mixed with understanding he does not yet want to name.
Beside him, Lady Ayame Ryu looks up at Raigen and her expression shifts.
There is no triumph in it.
Only sadness.
A quiet, almost maternal sadness.
As if she is looking at someone who survived the fire, but not without being changed by it forever.
Kaen reacts differently.
His eyes widen.
Then narrow.
His body surges forward.
He starts up the ramp aggressively, fists clenched, ready to close the distance.
But Lord Kurogami stops him.
One hand.
One motion.
He catches Kaen by the arm and holds him in place without even looking at him.
Kaen strains for a moment, then stops, still glaring.
The camera tightens on Lord Kurogami.
He slowly lifts his cane and points it straight at Raigen.
The arena quiets enough to hear him.
Lord Kurogami: “Your betrayal will be your undoing.”
The words hang in the air.
Cold.
Measured.
Not shouted.
Which makes them worse.
Raigen does not flinch.
He does not answer immediately.
He simply stares down the ramp.
At Takuma Ryujin.
At Lady Ayame Ryu.
At Kaen.
At Lord Kurogami.
Then he smiles.
Not mockingly.
Not warmly.
A knowing smile.
A smile from someone who has already walked through the fear that threat was meant to create.
Brick Brody: “That is not the smile of a guy asking for forgiveness.”
Julian Ward: “No. That is the smile of someone who has already chosen his road.”
Without another word, Raigen turns around.
The robe shifts behind him, the gold and red markings catching the light one last time.
Then he walks through the curtain and disappears backstage.
The crowd remains stunned.
Kaen takes one hard step forward again, but Lord Kurogami does not release his arm.
Takuma Ryujin continues to stare toward the curtain where Raigen vanished.
Lady Ayame Ryu lowers her eyes for a moment.
Julian Ward: “What does this mean?”
Brick Brody: “It means the trials did not give Lord Kurogami what he thought they would. And it means Raigen just walked into the middle of both worlds and refused to bow to either.”
The camera cuts backstage.
A narrow corridor.
Concrete walls.
Dim overhead lighting.
The sounds of the arena are distant here, muffled by distance and structure. The black curtain at gorilla position sways as Raigen steps through it and keeps walking.
He does not move quickly.
He does not look lost.
He looks like a man feeling the weight of a new name before he speaks it aloud.
A voice calls out behind him.
Hana Nakamura: “Raigen.”
He stops.
Slowly, he turns.
Hana Nakamura stands a few steps away, microphone forgotten at her side, her professional composure gone. She is not acting as interviewer now. She is simply a sister looking at her brother after everything.
For a moment, neither speaks.
Her eyes search his face.
Not just to confirm he is alive.
To understand what remains.
She steps closer.
Hana Nakamura: “Are you okay?”
The question is soft.
Real.
It hits deeper than the threat from Lord Kurogami.
Raigen looks at her for a long time before answering.
When he does, his voice is calm.
Changed.
Still Raigen.
But stripped of the uncertainty that used to live under his words.
Raigen: “No.”
The answer catches her off guard.
He continues before the silence can deepen.
Raigen: “I am not the same as I was before.”
Hana Nakamura’s expression tightens, but she does not interrupt.
Raigen: “The trials did what they were meant to do. They broke what was weak. They stripped away what was borrowed. They burned through the parts of me that belonged to fear, to pride, to obedience without understanding.”
He takes a breath.
His eyes lower for half a second, remembering.
Stone corridors.
Blood.
Kneeling.
The red-gold light that had once risen behind him.
Then he looks back at her.
Raigen: “I stood in the path of the Syndicate.”
A beat.
Raigen: “I stood in the path of the Dragon’s Veil.”
Another beat.
Raigen: “And I chose neither.”
Hana Nakamura: “Neither?”
Raigen nods once.
Raigen: “I am not Blood Oni.”
He touches one side of the robe lightly, where the Oni mark rests.
Raigen: “And I am not Dragon.”
His fingers shift to the other side, where the Dragon mark is stitched.
Raigen: “I carry both. But I belong to neither.”
Hana Nakamura listens without blinking.
There is worry in her eyes.
But also relief.
And something like awe.
Raigen’s voice stays quiet, certain.
Raigen: “I thought the trials would end with a choice.”
He gives the faintest hint of that same knowing smile.
Raigen: “They ended with truth.”
He straightens.
Not proudly.
Not arrogantly.
With clarity.
Raigen: “I am Raigen.”
A small pause.
Then the words that define the moment.
Raigen: “The Maryu.”
The arena sound seems to disappear for a moment.
Even backstage, the words land with weight.
Hana Nakamura repeats it almost in a whisper.
Hana Nakamura: “Maryu…”
Raigen: “A bridge between both worlds.”
He steps closer to her now, not as a warrior, not as a disciple, but as her brother speaking plainly.
Raigen: “Not Oni. Not Dragon. Not what Lord Kurogami wanted. Not what others hoped I would become.”
His gaze sharpens, but remains peaceful.
Raigen: “My own path.”
Hana Nakamura’s eyes well, though she keeps control of herself.
Hana Nakamura: “And where does that path lead?”
Raigen glances back toward the curtain.
Toward the arena.
Toward the two worlds that now both have reason to watch him carefully.
Raigen: “Forward.”
A small silence follows.
Not empty.
Earned.
Then Hana Nakamura nods slowly.
She does not fully understand what waits for him.
Maybe he does not either.
But she understands enough.
He is not lost.
He is changed.
And perhaps those are not the same thing.
Hana Nakamura: “Then whatever that path is…”
Her voice softens.
Hana Nakamura: “Walk it as Raigen.”
For the first time, his expression eases.
Not into the smile of defiance shown to Lord Kurogami.
Something gentler.
More human.
He nods once.
Raigen: “I intend to.”
He turns and walks deeper backstage, the robe trailing behind him, the red and gold markings moving together with each step.
Hana Nakamura watches him go.
The camera lingers on her face.
Worried.
Proud.
Uncertain.
Hopeful.
Then it fades back toward the arena.
Julian Ward: “An extraordinary development here tonight. Raigen has returned, but not to rejoin the Blood Oni Syndicate or the Dragon’s Veil. By his own words, he has chosen a third path.”
Brick Brody: “That is dangerous. You know who hates a third path? Everybody standing on the first two.”
Julian Ward: “He calls himself Raigen the Maryu. A bridge between two worlds.”
Brick Brody: “Bridges get walked on, Julian. But they also connect places that were never supposed to meet. That kid may have just become the most interesting problem in this whole division.”
Julian Ward: “The trials changed him. Tonight confirmed it.”
Brick Brody: “Yeah. Raigen went into those trials as somebody being shaped by other people. He walked out naming himself.”
The final image is Raigen disappearing into the shadows backstage, no longer fully claimed by either flame or discipline.
Only by his own becoming.
The broadcast returns from the lingering image of Raigen disappearing into the backstage shadows.
The words still echo.
Raigen the Maryu.
A bridge between two worlds.
Inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum, the crowd has not fully settled. The night has already shifted identities, fractured alliances, and exposed pride.
Then the arena lights dim.
The torchlight turns gold.
A low crackle fills the sound system.
Fire.
Ancient fire.
The entrance screen burns open with the image of the Eternal Flame Championship.
The crowd rises.
Julian Ward: “We move now from transformation to championship consequence. The Eternal Flame Championship is about to be defended.”
Brick Brody: “And after the night we have had, that title might be the most stable thing in the building. Until the bell rings, anyway.”
The graphic fills the screen.
ETERNAL FLAME TITLE MATCH
Sinbad vs Cheshire Cat
Champion vs Challenger
Julian Ward: “Sinbad survived Sir Lancelot at The Long Night, retaining the Eternal Flame Championship through damaged ribs, repeated punishment, and the influence of Merlin at ringside. Tonight, the champion faces a very different kind of threat.”
Brick Brody: “Yeah, Sir Lancelot tried to beat him with discipline. Cheshire Cat is going to try to beat him with confusion, speed, and whatever madness Mad Hatter brought in a teapot.”
The lights shift into violet and green.
The flames on the screen bend sideways, like reality has forgotten which direction fire should rise.
A crooked grin appears across the entrance screen.
Cheshire Cat Entrance
A strange, warped melody plays.
Not cheerful.
Not frightening.
Both.
The stage fills with purple mist, and Mad Hatter steps out first.
He is dressed in clashing colors, moving in exaggerated, unpredictable bursts. He clutches a teacup in one hand and waves with the other, speaking to fans, himself, the ceiling, and possibly someone who is not there.
Behind him, Cheshire Cat appears.
He does not walk down the ramp so much as drift through it. His grin is sharp. His eyes are bright. His movements are loose, elastic, and unsettling, as though every joint has a secret. He pauses at the top of the ramp, tilts his head, and stares at the title graphic as if it has said something amusing.
Julian Ward: “There is Cheshire Cat, accompanied by Mad Hatter. The challenger brings unpredictability, sudden offense, and a way of turning rhythm against the person trying to establish it.”
Brick Brody: “I hate fighting people like that. You cannot read them. You cannot intimidate them. You hit them, and they smile like you just told a joke you do not understand.”
Cheshire Cat slides into the ring under the bottom rope, then springs up in the corner, grinning toward the crowd.
Mad Hatter circles ringside, talking animatedly to Honest Abe, who immediately looks like he regrets being assigned this match.
The lights shift again.
The violet mist burns away under gold and sea-green light.
The sound of drums rolls like waves striking stone.
Sinbad Entrance
The crowd erupts as Sinbad steps onto the stage with the Eternal Flame Championship over his shoulder.
He stands tall, but the toll of recent battles remains visible. The champion carries himself with confidence, yet every breath seems measured. His ribs are still not a forgotten story. They are a warning wrapped beneath the title.
He raises the championship high.
The flames on the stage rise.
Julian Ward: “And here comes the champion. Sinbad has built his reign on survival, daring, and the refusal to let pain have the final word.”
Brick Brody: “That is noble and dangerous. The body keeps score, Julian. Sinbad keeps winning, but every defense is writing something down.”
Sinbad walks down the ramp, eyes fixed on Cheshire Cat.
At ringside, Mad Hatter leans toward him and says something wildly animated while lifting the teacup in a mock toast.
Sinbad does not take the bait.
He climbs the steps, enters the ring, and hands the Eternal Flame Championship to Honest Abe.
Cheshire Cat watches the belt with a smile that widens too slowly.
Louie Linville stands at center ring, microphone in hand, framed by firelight.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall, and it is for the Eternal Flame Championship.”
The crowd cheers loudly.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, the challenger, accompanied to the ring by Mad Hatter… a grin in the dark, a question without an answer, the smile that arrives before the danger… Cheshire Cat.”
Cheshire Cat gives a slow bow, never losing the grin.
Louie Linville: “And his opponent… he is the reigning and defending Eternal Flame Champion… voyager, survivor, and bearer of the fire that refuses to die… Sinbad.”
Sinbad raises one fist as the crowd cheers.
Honest Abe lifts the championship high.
The Eternal Flame Title glows beneath the arena lights.
He hands it to the timekeeper.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Sinbad moves quickly, trying to seize the match before Cheshire Cat can turn it strange.
He catches the challenger and twists for the inverted tornado DDT, looking to spike Cheshire Cat early and establish control.
But Cheshire Cat bends through the motion, shifts his weight at the last moment, and neutralizes the move before Sinbad can complete the rotation.
Sinbad lands awkwardly on his feet and has to reset.
Cheshire Cat backs away with that same grin, one finger tapping the side of his head as if telling the champion he has already read the first page.
Julian Ward: “Sinbad tried to open with the inverted tornado DDT, but Cheshire Cat neutralized it immediately.”
Brick Brody: “That is a bad sign. Sinbad wanted a statement. Cheshire Cat turned it into a shrug.”
Julian Ward: “The champion is already forced to confront the challenger’s unusual balance and timing.”
Brick Brody: “Exactly. You cannot hit a man clean if he refuses to stand where reality says he should.”
Minute 2
Cheshire Cat darts in before Sinbad can fully reset.
He springs forward and blasts the champion with a shotgun front dropkick, driving both boots into Sinbad’s chest and knocking him backward.
Sinbad attempts to defend, but the impact gets through and sends him into the ropes.
The champion clutches briefly at his upper body before pushing forward again.
Mad Hatter applauds at ringside and shouts something about proper tea-time foot placement.
Honest Abe tells him to stay back.
Julian Ward: “Shotgun front dropkick from Cheshire Cat, and that one lands clean.”
Brick Brody: “That is the shot you throw at a champion with bad ribs. Straight line, both feet, make breathing feel like a privilege.”
Julian Ward: “Sinbad is trying not to show the damage.”
Brick Brody: “He can try. The ribs already know.”
Minute 3
Sinbad advances again, but Cheshire Cat stays a step ahead.
Another shotgun front dropkick lands, driving Sinbad down before he can cut the distance.
This time the champion absorbs the punishment but rolls away quickly, refusing to let Cheshire Cat follow into a cover or hold.
Cheshire Cat lies briefly on his side after the kick, propped on one elbow, smiling at Sinbad like the match is a conversation only he understands.
Julian Ward: “A second shotgun front dropkick, and Cheshire Cat is repeating the attack with purpose.”
Brick Brody: “That is smart. Do not get cute just because you are weird. If the dropkick hurts, keep dropkicking.”
Julian Ward: “The champion has not found stable offense yet.”
Brick Brody: “Because Cheshire Cat is making the ring feel crooked.”
Minute 4
Sinbad finally traps the challenger near the corner.
He forces Cheshire Cat into the ropes, climbs just enough to set the angle, and drives down with a tree of woe diving double foot stomp.
The crowd erupts as Sinbad lands the punishing attack.
But Cheshire Cat answers almost immediately, twisting through the recovery and catching Sinbad with Last Supper, snapping the champion down in a sudden counterstrike.
Both men roll away damaged.
Mad Hatter cackles at ringside, slapping the apron.
Julian Ward: “There is the champion’s first major offense. Tree of woe diving double foot stomp from Sinbad, but Cheshire Cat answers with Last Supper.”
Brick Brody: “That is what makes Cheshire Cat dangerous. You hurt him, and somehow he turns the landing into your problem.”
Julian Ward: “Sinbad scored heavily there, but he could not maintain control.”
Brick Brody: “Control is hard when the other guy fights like a disappearing staircase.”
Minute 5
The champion steps back in, but the movement stalls.
Sinbad reaches for offense and cannot fully complete the setup.
Cheshire Cat takes the hesitation instantly.
Another shotgun front dropkick crashes into Sinbad, sending him backward and down.
The crowd groans as the challenger’s repeated attack again interrupts the champion’s rhythm.
Sinbad sits up slowly, jaw tight.
Cheshire Cat rolls backward and springs to his feet.
Julian Ward: “Sinbad could not complete the attack there, and Cheshire Cat punishes the opening with another shotgun front dropkick.”
Brick Brody: “That was hesitation. Champions cannot afford hesitation, especially when a lunatic with good aim keeps kicking them in the chest.”
Julian Ward: “The challenger’s timing is causing real problems.”
Brick Brody: “Problems? He has made the champion look like he is trying to wrestle smoke.”
Minute 6
Sinbad changes the approach.
Instead of chasing speed, he catches Cheshire Cat’s arm, twists behind him, and drives him down with a hammerlock DDT.
The impact is sharp and clean.
Cheshire Cat attempts to defend but cannot stop the spike.
The crowd roars as the challenger rolls onto his side, holding his shoulder and head.
Sinbad rises more slowly than he would like, but the champion finally has something meaningful to build on.
Julian Ward: “Hammerlock DDT from Sinbad, and that may be the adjustment. Trap the limb, remove the angle, then drive him down.”
Brick Brody: “That was good. Stop chasing the grin. Grab the arm and bounce his head off the mat.”
Julian Ward: “The champion needed that desperately.”
Brick Brody: “Needed it, landed it, now he better stack another one before Cheshire Cat starts bending again.”
Minute 7
Sinbad tries to continue, but the offense does not fully materialize.
He reaches for control, but Cheshire Cat twists, recoils, and forces an awkward reset.
The sequence leaves Cheshire Cat taking some damage in the scramble, but Sinbad cannot produce the decisive follow-up.
The crowd buzzes with frustration as the champion keeps moving but cannot fully command the pace.
Julian Ward: “Sinbad remains active, but he cannot complete the next sequence cleanly.”
Brick Brody: “That is the match right now. Sinbad has the better impact when he lands, but Cheshire Cat keeps making him miss the second step.”
Julian Ward: “The champion is not losing control completely, but he is not establishing it either.”
Brick Brody: “Against a challenger like this, that is almost the same thing.”
Minute 8
Both men collide again.
Sinbad finally catches the rotation and lands the inverted tornado DDT, spiking Cheshire Cat into the canvas.
But Cheshire Cat comes alive out of the impact with disturbing speed.
He springs up and catches Sinbad with a standing diamond dust, snapping the champion down with a sudden neckbreaker-like attack.
The arena reacts loudly as both men hit the mat.
Julian Ward: “Inverted tornado DDT lands for Sinbad, but Cheshire Cat answers with the standing diamond dust. Tremendous counter-offense from the challenger.”
Brick Brody: “That was nasty. Sinbad finally gets the move he wanted in minute one, and Cheshire Cat answers like getting dropped on his head was part of the plan.”
Julian Ward: “The champion cannot create separation after his biggest attacks.”
Brick Brody: “That is how titles change hands. You hit hard, but you cannot breathe long enough to cover.”
Minute 9
Sinbad goes back to what worked.
He traps the arm again and drives Cheshire Cat down with another hammerlock DDT.
The challenger hits hard.
The crowd rises, sensing Sinbad may finally have the championship defense turning.
But Mad Hatter suddenly climbs onto the apron, talking wildly, waving his arms, and shoving Honest Abe backward in the chaos.
Honest Abe stumbles, furious but unable to call enough to disqualify Cheshire Cat before Mad Hatter drops back to the floor.
The interference gives Cheshire Cat time.
Sinbad turns toward Mad Hatter, anger flashing across his face.
Julian Ward: “Hammerlock DDT again from Sinbad, and Mad Hatter gets involved, talking wildly and pushing Honest Abe.”
Brick Brody: “That is ridiculous and effective. He just turned a title-threatening moment into referee confusion.”
Julian Ward: “Mad Hatter gets away with it, and Cheshire Cat is not disqualified.”
Brick Brody: “Of course he gets away with it. This match is being officiated inside a traveling circus with a belt.”
Minute 10
The distraction costs the champion.
Cheshire Cat slips behind Sinbad and locks in a rear naked choke.
The hold is tight.
Sinbad tries to defend, but Cheshire Cat has the body positioned well enough to drag the champion down toward the mat.
Honest Abe checks closely.
Sinbad reaches for the ropes, fingers stretching.
He refuses to fade, fighting the grip hand first, then rolling his shoulder just enough to create space.
Cheshire Cat holds on as long as he can before Sinbad finally forces separation.
Julian Ward: “Rear naked choke from Cheshire Cat, and that was a dangerous submission attempt after the interference from Mad Hatter.”
Brick Brody: “That is great work. Distract the champion, get behind him, choke him. Simple madness is still strategy.”
Julian Ward: “Sinbad survives, but that hold drains the body.”
Brick Brody: “Especially a body that has been taking dropkicks to the chest all match.”
Minute 11
Sinbad fights back with urgency.
He catches Cheshire Cat and lands another hammerlock DDT, spiking the challenger again.
But Cheshire Cat answers almost immediately with yet another shotgun front dropkick, driving the champion away before he can cover.
Both men stagger.
Sinbad holds the ropes.
Cheshire Cat drops to one knee.
The crowd cheers the exchange, though the champion’s frustration is visible.
Julian Ward: “Hammerlock DDT from Sinbad, shotgun front dropkick from Cheshire Cat. Again, the champion lands big, and again the challenger prevents the follow-up.”
Brick Brody: “That dropkick is saving Cheshire Cat’s title hopes over and over. Every time Sinbad starts to build, boom, both feet in the chest.”
Julian Ward: “The champion needs a way to close distance without absorbing that strike.”
Brick Brody: “Or he needs to hit one hammerlock DDT so hard the cat stops smiling.”
Minute 12
Cheshire Cat looks for a Yoshi Tonic, trying to snap Sinbad down into a sudden pinning combination.
Sinbad reverses it.
The crowd rises as the champion fires a double knee strike.
But Cheshire Cat reverses that too, twisting out of danger and catching Sinbad with another standing diamond dust.
The move lands clean.
Sinbad hits hard and rolls to his side.
Mad Hatter spins in a circle at ringside, laughing like the reversal sequence was a dance.
Julian Ward: “A wild series. Cheshire Cat attempts the Yoshi Tonic, Sinbad reverses into a double knee strike, but Cheshire Cat reverses again into the standing diamond dust.”
Brick Brody: “That is what I mean about fighting this guy. You reverse him, then he reverses your reverse, then suddenly your neck is the punchline.”
Julian Ward: “The challenger is beginning to win the scramble exchanges.”
Brick Brody: “And scrambles are where tired champions get embarrassed.”
Minute 13
Sinbad drags himself up and changes direction again.
He catches Cheshire Cat with an inverted facelock backbreaker, driving the challenger across the knee with force.
Cheshire Cat snaps backward in pain but fires almost instantly with another shotgun front dropkick.
The champion is knocked down again.
Cheshire Cat rolls away, his grin fading just enough to show the backbreaker hurt.
Sinbad pushes to one elbow, breathing heavily.
Julian Ward: “Inverted facelock backbreaker from Sinbad, and still Cheshire Cat answers with the shotgun front dropkick.”
Brick Brody: “That backbreaker hurt him. You can see it. But he keeps answering. That is bad news for Sinbad.”
Julian Ward: “The champion’s offense is landing, but the challenger’s responses are immediate.”
Brick Brody: “Immediate responses win long matches. They do not let the pain settle into control.”
Minute 14
Sinbad finds a clean opening.
He steps around Cheshire Cat’s movement and cracks him with a discus back elbow.
The shot lands flush.
Cheshire Cat tries to defend but cannot stop the impact.
He drops hard to the mat.
The crowd surges as Sinbad steps forward, looking for a cover or another attack.
Mad Hatter paces nervously outside, teacup shaking in his hand.
Julian Ward: “Discus back elbow from Sinbad, and that may be one of the cleanest strikes the champion has landed all match.”
Brick Brody: “That was beautiful. Spun through and cracked him. For once, Cheshire Cat did not have an immediate answer.”
Julian Ward: “This may be the moment Sinbad needs.”
Brick Brody: “Then he better use it before the lunatic at ringside finds another teapot.”
Minute 15
Cheshire Cat survives the moment and rises with sudden motion.
He climbs, turns, and launches backward with a coffin drop.
The impact crushes Sinbad underneath him.
Sinbad attempts to defend but takes the full weight of the attack.
Cheshire Cat hooks the leg.
Honest Abe drops.
One.
Two.
Sinbad kicks out.
The crowd erupts.
Cheshire Cat rolls onto his back, still smiling, though now there is strain in it.
Sinbad turns to his side, clutching at his ribs.
Julian Ward: “Coffin drop from Cheshire Cat, and we nearly had a new Eternal Flame Champion.”
Brick Brody: “That was close. Real close. Sinbad got flattened, and those ribs had to fight their way through that kickout.”
Julian Ward: “The champion survives at two.”
Brick Brody: “Survives again. That word keeps following Sinbad like a debt collector.”
Minute 16
Before Sinbad can recover, Mad Hatter strikes.
He throws hot tea into Sinbad’s face from ringside.
The crowd erupts in outrage.
Sinbad recoils, blinking and covering his eyes as the liquid splashes across him.
Honest Abe turns late, catching only the aftermath.
Mad Hatter holds up the empty cup with exaggerated innocence.
Cheshire Cat uses the opening to gather himself, while Sinbad absorbs the punishment and tries to clear his vision.
Julian Ward: “That was hot tea from Mad Hatter, thrown directly into the face of Sinbad.”
Brick Brody: “I have seen powder, mist, fireballs, chairs, canes, and now tea. This company finds new ways to blind people every week.”
Julian Ward: “The champion is hurt, and again Mad Hatter has affected this title match.”
Brick Brody: “That is not a manager. That is a walking health violation.”
Minute 17
Sinbad swings back on instinct.
He catches Cheshire Cat with a short-arm lariat, turning the challenger sideways.
But Cheshire Cat fires back once again with a shotgun front dropkick.
Both men stagger from the exchange.
Sinbad’s lariat lands with force, but the dropkick drives him back and keeps him from pressing forward.
The champion wipes at his face again, still feeling the tea and the accumulated damage.
Julian Ward: “Short-arm lariat from Sinbad, but Cheshire Cat answers with yet another shotgun front dropkick.”
Brick Brody: “That dropkick has been the challenger’s best friend all night. Every time Sinbad gets mean, Cheshire Cat kicks the door shut.”
Julian Ward: “The champion is still fighting through compromised vision.”
Brick Brody: “Compromised vision, bad ribs, and a challenger who will not stay hit. That is a rough shopping list.”
Minute 18
Both seconds are animated now.
Sinbad fires open-hand chops into Cheshire Cat’s chest.
One.
Two.
Three.
The crowd counts with each slap of flesh.
But Cheshire Cat absorbs enough to twist in close and snap Sinbad down with another standing diamond dust.
The champion lands hard.
Cheshire Cat rolls through, slower now, but still dangerous.
Mad Hatter shouts nonsense from ringside while Honest Abe warns him again.
Julian Ward: “Open-hand chops from Sinbad, but Cheshire Cat answers with the standing diamond dust. That move has repeatedly turned the champion’s offense against him.”
Brick Brody: “And that is the problem. Sinbad can chop, he can DDT, he can elbow, but Cheshire Cat keeps snapping his neck down before the champion can stack damage.”
Julian Ward: “The challenger is getting closer.”
Brick Brody: “He has been close since that coffin drop. Now he is getting dangerous-close.”
Minute 19
Sinbad tries to rise.
Mad Hatter climbs onto the apron again, rambling wildly and waving his arms near Honest Abe.
He shoves the referee during the chaos.
Honest Abe stumbles and turns, furious, but Mad Hatter slips back down before the official can fully act.
The crowd boos heavily.
Sinbad tries to protest, but the confusion forces him to defend rather than attack.
Cheshire Cat crouches nearby, watching the opening form.
Julian Ward: “Again Mad Hatter interferes, talking wildly and pushing Honest Abe. Once again, Cheshire Cat avoids disqualification.”
Brick Brody: “This is getting ridiculous. Effective, but ridiculous. Honest Abe has been pushed around by a man with tea and riddles.”
Julian Ward: “The champion has been forced to fight both the challenger and the chaos at ringside.”
Brick Brody: “That is title defense number one rule. Do not bring one opponent’s manager unless you brought a plan for him too.”
Minute 20
Sinbad finds one last surge.
He traps Cheshire Cat’s arm and drives him down with another hammerlock DDT, spiking the challenger with authority.
The crowd explodes.
But Cheshire Cat rolls through the damage just enough to catch Sinbad’s arm and twist into a Fujiwara armbar.
Sinbad grimaces as the hold torques the shoulder.
Honest Abe checks closely.
The champion refuses to submit.
He drags himself toward the ropes, teeth clenched, one hand clawing forward.
Cheshire Cat wrenches harder.
Finally, Sinbad reaches the ropes and forces the break.
Julian Ward: “Hammerlock DDT from Sinbad, but Cheshire Cat transitions into the Fujiwara armbar. That is extraordinary survival from the challenger.”
Brick Brody: “That was nasty. Get spiked, grab the arm, make the champion suffer anyway. I hate how good that was.”
Julian Ward: “Sinbad reaches the ropes, but the damage continues to accumulate.”
Brick Brody: “At this point, every limb has filed a complaint.”
Minute 21
Sinbad pulls himself upright with the ropes.
The crowd rises behind him.
He turns—
And Cheshire Cat strikes.
One more shotgun front dropkick.
Both boots crash into Sinbad’s chest.
The champion hits the mat hard.
Cheshire Cat covers immediately, hooking the leg tight.
Honest Abe drops.
One.
Two.
Three.
The bell rings.
For a moment, the arena is stunned.
Then the reaction explodes.
Boos.
Shock.
Scattered cheers from those who cannot believe what they have seen.
Mad Hatter leaps in circles at ringside, laughing and clapping, nearly spilling nothing from an already empty cup.
Cheshire Cat rolls off the cover and lies on his back, grinning at the lights.
Sinbad remains down, one arm across his ribs, the Eternal Flame Championship no longer his.
Louie Linville takes a moment to confirm with Honest Abe, then raises the microphone.
Louie Linville: “Here is your winner… and the new Eternal Flame Champion… Cheshire Cat.”
The crowd erupts again.
Honest Abe retrieves the Eternal Flame Championship and hands it to Cheshire Cat.
Cheshire Cat takes the title slowly, staring at the center plate as if it has just told him the punchline.
Then he lifts it.
The firelight across the arena turns strange under the violet glow.
Mad Hatter climbs into the ring and dances around him, pointing at the belt, then at Sinbad, then at Honest Abe, then at absolutely nothing.
Julian Ward: “Cheshire Cat has defeated Sinbad. The Eternal Flame Championship has changed hands after twenty-one minutes of confusion, punishment, interference, and relentless attacks to the champion’s body.”
Brick Brody: “That dropkick did it all night. It kept cutting Sinbad off, kept driving into those ribs, kept stopping momentum, and at the end it took the title. Say what you want about the madness. The strategy worked.”
Julian Ward: “We cannot ignore the role of Mad Hatter. The referee was shoved. Hot tea was thrown into Sinbad’s face. Multiple moments of interference altered this match.”
Brick Brody: “No argument. Mad Hatter was a menace. But the record book will not say tea. It will say Cheshire Cat pinned Sinbad. That is the ugly truth of championship wrestling.”
Sinbad rolls to the ropes, looking at the title in Cheshire Cat’s hands.
His expression is pain, disbelief, and the realization that survival finally failed him.
Cheshire Cat sits cross-legged in the middle of the ring, the Eternal Flame Championship across his lap.
He tilts his head.
He grins.
Mad Hatter kneels beside him and pretends to pour tea onto the title like a royal offering.
Honest Abe orders him to stop.
Julian Ward: “For Sinbad, this is the end of a reign defined by endurance. He fought through damaged ribs, title defenses, and pain that would have stopped many others. But tonight, the fire was pulled into madness.”
Brick Brody: “And madness won. That is the thing about a flame, Julian. You think you know how it burns until somebody laughs and turns the wind sideways.”
Julian Ward: “Cheshire Cat is the new Eternal Flame Champion, and the title now enters a far stranger chapter.”
Brick Brody: “Stranger, meaner, and probably sticky with tea.”
CHESHIRE CAT DEFEATED SINBAD BY PINFALL WITH A SHOTGUN FRONT DROPKICK TO WIN THE ETERNAL FLAME CHAMPIONSHIP.
The broadcast returns from the shocking sight of Cheshire Cat seated in the ring with the Eternal Flame Championship across his lap.
The title has changed hands.
The flame has entered madness.
Inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum, the crowd is still unsettled. Some fans are standing with hands on their heads. Others are booing toward the aisle where Mad Hatter and the new champion vanished. The energy has shifted again.
Nothing tonight stays stable.
The arena lights dim.
Violet shadow spills across the entrance stage.
The screen shows a familiar image.
A black crown.
A green flame.
A sorceress’s hand reaching toward power that was denied.
Julian Ward: “The Eternal Flame Championship has changed hands, and this night continues to alter the landscape of the Mythic Division. Now we turn to a woman who came close to altering another championship picture at The Long Night.”
Brick Brody: “You mean Morgana Le Faye, who tried to take the Queen of the North Championship from Lilith and found out demon queens do not give up thrones because somebody arrives with better posture.”
Julian Ward: “Tonight, Morgana Le Faye faces Rapunzel. And after failing to dethrone Lilith, the question becomes whether Morgana can redirect that frustration, or whether the denied ambition begins to consume her.”
Brick Brody: “Ambition does not get consumed, Julian. It gets meaner.”
The stage darkens fully.
A low chant begins.
Not loud.
Not musical.
A spell given breath.
Morgana Le Faye Entrance
Myrrden appears first.
He steps out beneath a cold green spotlight, hooded and still, staff in hand. His presence draws immediate boos from the crowd after the repeated role he has played in influencing matches and bending outcomes toward his chosen side.
Behind him, Morgana Le Faye emerges.
Her expression is composed, but the calm is brittle. Her eyes are colder than they were at The Long Night. The loss to Lilith has not humbled her. It has sharpened something already dangerous.
She walks down the ramp with slow precision, never acknowledging the fans, never glancing away from the ring.
Julian Ward: “There is Morgana Le Faye, accompanied by Myrrden. She enters tonight after a failed championship challenge, but there is no sign of retreat in her.”
Brick Brody: “Of course not. Morgana is not the kind of woman who loses and learns humility. She loses and starts making lists.”
Myrrden pauses at ringside and looks toward Honest Abe, who is already standing in the ring.
The referee gives him a firm warning before the match even begins.
Myrrden only smiles faintly.
Morgana Le Faye enters the ring and moves to the far corner.
The lights shift.
Violet fades into warm gold.
A single bright beam reaches down from high above the entrance stage.
The crowd cheers.
Rapunzel Entrance
Rapunzel steps onto the stage.
She carries herself with quiet strength, her long golden hair draped over one shoulder. Her posture is upright, her eyes clear. There is no fear in the way she looks toward the ring, but there is caution. She knows exactly who waits for her.
The crowd chants her name.
“RAP-UN-ZEL! RAP-UN-ZEL!”
Rapunzel begins her walk down the ramp, the gold light following her like dawn pushing through a locked tower window.
Julian Ward: “And here comes Rapunzel. We saw her stand beside Dorothy and Alice at The Long Night, and we saw the Blonde Bombshells reclaim the North Star Tag Team Championships. Tonight, Rapunzel steps forward on her own.”
Brick Brody: “And she steps forward against a very angry sorceress with Myrrden lurking outside. That is not brave. That is walking into a haunted house and insulting the furniture.”
Rapunzel reaches ringside and stops for a moment as Myrrden turns his head toward her.
She does not back away.
She steps past him and enters the ring.
Morgana Le Faye watches her with cold contempt.
Honest Abe steps between them.
Louie Linville moves to center ring.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall.”
The crowd reacts.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Myrrden the Hollow… sorceress of shadow, royal ambition denied but not extinguished… Morgana Le Faye.”
Morgana Le Faye lifts her chin, accepting the boos without expression.
Louie Linville: “And her opponent… standing with light unbroken, strength unchained, and a spirit no tower could keep… Rapunzel.”
The crowd cheers loudly.
Rapunzel steps forward.
Honest Abe checks both competitors, then turns again toward Myrrden.
Honest Abe points to the back.
The message is clear.
Do not interfere.
Myrrden lowers his head slightly, as if listening to a child explain law to the night.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Both women begin cautiously.
Rapunzel and Morgana Le Faye circle, neither committing immediately. Morgana Le Faye lowers her stance, studying the reach and balance of Rapunzel, while Rapunzel keeps her hands high, refusing to be drawn into the first mistake.
They close.
Reset.
Close again.
For a brief moment, the match remains defensive, both women testing the boundary between patience and provocation.
Then Rapunzel strikes first.
She catches Morgana Le Faye, lifts, and bends her into a bridging back rack, forcing the sorceress’s spine across the pressure point while maintaining control.
The crowd cheers as Morgana Le Faye grimaces, trying to twist free.
But at ringside, Myrrden the Hollow steps closer.
His voice cuts through the moment, low and venomous, antagonizing Rapunzel, speaking words the microphone barely catches but the effect clearly shows.
Rapunzel’s focus shifts for an instant.
Morgana Le Faye uses that instant to fight through the pressure and drag the exchange away from danger.
Honest Abe turns toward Myrrden with a warning.
Myrrden spreads his hands as if he has done nothing but breathe.
Julian Ward: “A measured opening from both women, then Rapunzel locks in the bridging back rack. That was a strong start, but Myrrden the Hollow immediately involved himself from ringside.”
Brick Brody: “That old shadow does not even need to touch you sometimes. He just says the right rotten thing at the right time, and suddenly the hold loses teeth.”
Julian Ward: “Rapunzel had control, and Myrrden’s antagonizing created the space Morgana Le Faye needed.”
Brick Brody: “That is ringside strategy. Ugly, cheap, and useful. My three favorite words when somebody else is taking the blame.”
Minute 2
Rapunzel does not retreat.
She steps back into Morgana Le Faye and catches her again, forcing her into a second bridging back rack. This time Rapunzel leans deeper, trying to make the pressure decisive before Morgana Le Faye can regroup.
Morgana Le Faye reaches out, jaw tight, refusing to show fear.
Honest Abe checks closely.
But Myrrden the Hollow moves again.
This time he does not merely speak.
He climbs onto the apron and shoves Honest Abe.
The referee stumbles sideways, nearly falling into the ropes.
The crowd erupts in boos.
Honest Abe turns immediately, furious.
He points toward Myrrden the Hollow, then calls for the bell.
The bell rings.
Morgana Le Faye freezes in the hold, eyes flashing with anger as she realizes what has happened.
Rapunzel releases the back rack and steps away, surprised but ready to defend herself.
Myrrden the Hollow drops from the apron with maddening calm.
Louie Linville confers with Honest Abe for a brief moment, then raises the microphone.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen… due to outside interference by Myrrden the Hollow, Morgana Le Faye has been disqualified. Therefore, the winner of this match… Rapunzel.”
The crowd cheers the decision, but the reaction is tangled with frustration at the abrupt ending.
Morgana Le Faye turns slowly toward Myrrden the Hollow.
Her expression is not gratitude.
It is fury barely contained beneath royal restraint.
Myrrden the Hollow does not apologize.
He simply watches Rapunzel from ringside with an unreadable expression, as if the match ending was not a mistake but a message.
Julian Ward: “Myrrden the Hollow has just cost Morgana Le Faye the match. Rapunzel had the bridging back rack applied for a second time, and Myrrden shoved Honest Abe, leaving the referee no choice but to call for the disqualification.”
Brick Brody: “That was either the dumbest interference of the night or the smartest. I have not decided yet.”
Julian Ward: “What do you mean?”
Brick Brody: “I mean Morgana was in trouble. Rapunzel had her bent again, and maybe Myrrden decided losing by disqualification was better than watching his sorceress tap or get broken. But look at Morgana’s face. She does not look thankful.”
Rapunzel stands in the ring as Honest Abe raises her hand.
The crowd cheers her, but she keeps her eyes on Morgana Le Faye and Myrrden the Hollow.
Morgana Le Faye steps through the ropes and joins Myrrden at ringside.
She says something to him that the camera does not catch.
Myrrden answers with a slight tilt of the head.
That only makes her expression colder.
Julian Ward: “Rapunzel earns the victory, but this match leaves questions surrounding Morgana Le Faye and Myrrden the Hollow. Was that an attempt to save Morgana from deeper damage, or was it another act of control?”
Brick Brody: “With Myrrden, control is usually the point. Everybody near him is either a weapon, a lesson, or both.”
Julian Ward: “For Rapunzel, this is a meaningful win, even under unusual circumstances. She stood her ground, applied pressure, and forced the opposition into crisis almost immediately.”
Brick Brody: “No argument. Rapunzel looked strong. Two minutes in, Morgana was getting bent backward and Myrrden was shoving referees. That tells me Rapunzel hit a nerve fast.”
Morgana Le Faye and Myrrden the Hollow back up the ramp.
Morgana never takes her eyes off Rapunzel.
Rapunzel remains in the ring, golden hair over one shoulder, posture calm but alert.
The victory is hers.
The danger is not finished.
Julian Ward: “The official result will show Rapunzel defeating Morgana Le Faye by disqualification. But the image that remains is Myrrden the Hollow stepping in before we could learn how deep Rapunzel might have taken that hold.”
Brick Brody: “And now Morgana has another loss attached to her name after The Long Night. Championship match gone. This match gone. Pride wounded twice in one week. That is when dangerous people start making terrible decisions.”
Julian Ward: “Rapunzel wins, but the storm around Morgana Le Faye may only be gathering.”
RAPUNZEL DEFEATED MORGANA LE FAYE BY DISQUALIFICATION AFTER MYRRDEN THE HOLLOW SHOVED HONEST ABE.
The broadcast returns from the brief, uneasy aftermath of Rapunzel’s disqualification victory over Morgana Le Faye.
The arena noise lowers beneath the transition.
The camera cuts backstage.
A stone corridor inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum stretches behind a black interview backdrop marked with the Dark Fable insignia. Torchlight moves across the walls in uneven waves. The mood is tense before anyone speaks.
Hana Nakamura stands center frame with a microphone in hand.
Beside her stands Prince John.
Smug.
Comfortable.
Dressed in rich colors, one hand resting on his polished sceptre, the other tucked near his coat as though he is protecting something valuable.
At his side stands Will Scarlet.
The crowd reaction from inside the arena is immediate.
Boos.
Loud and personal.
Will Scarlet does not flinch. He wears the same familiar colors once associated with The Merry Band, but now they feel different on him. Less like loyalty. More like evidence.
His face is hard, but not calm.
There is anger beneath the surface.
Old anger.
The kind that has waited for permission.
Hana Nakamura: “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guests at this time… Prince John and Will Scarlet.”
The boos grow louder through the walls.
Prince John smiles proudly.
Will Scarlet keeps his eyes on Hana Nakamura, refusing to look toward the camera.
Hana Nakamura: “Will, five nights ago at The Long Night, you struck Robin Hood during the Sherwood Forest Fight and directly helped The King’s Hand defeat The Merry Band. Tonight, you interfered again, throwing dirt into Robin Hood’s face and helping Brute Bailiff defeat him. Everyone wants to know the same thing.”
She takes a breath, steadying the anger in her voice.
Hana Nakamura: “Why?”
Will Scarlet looks down.
For a moment, the answer seems to catch in him.
Then his jaw tightens.
Will Scarlet: “Why?”
He lets out a short laugh with no humor in it.
Will Scarlet: “That is what everyone asks now. Now that Robin Hood is on the ground. Now that The Merry Band looks broken. Now that I finally did something nobody could ignore.”
Hana Nakamura: “So this was about attention?”
Will Scarlet’s eyes snap up.
Will Scarlet: “No.”
The word is sharp.
Prince John lifts his eyebrows, amused.
Will Scarlet: “This was about being forgotten.”
He turns slightly toward the camera now.
Will Scarlet: “Everyone sings about Robin Hood. Everyone cheers Robin Hood. Every child in the crowd has a green hood and a wooden bow because Robin Hood is the name they remember.”
His voice gets colder.
Will Scarlet: “But when The King’s Hand came hunting, who was sent ahead? Who was asked to distract them? Who was told to buy time? Who was expected to stand in front of Brute Bailiff, Ledger Knight, and Sheriff of Nottingham while Robin Hood made another heroic entrance later?”
Hana Nakamura listens, her expression tightening.
Will Scarlet: “Me.”
He taps his chest.
Will Scarlet: “I was sent out alone more times than anyone wants to admit. I was the one bleeding before the song started. I was the one getting dragged through punishment so the great Robin Hood could arrive at the perfect moment.”
Prince John nods with theatrical sympathy.
Prince John: “A tragedy, really. So much talent wasted in the shadow of a man with better public relations.”
Hana Nakamura: “Will, Robin Hood trusted you. The Merry Band trusted you.”
Will Scarlet: “Trusted me?”
He steps closer to the microphone.
Will Scarlet: “No. They used me. They called it brotherhood because that sounds better than sending a man into the mouth of the enemy and hoping he comes back with enough bones intact to smile about it.”
His face hardens again.
Will Scarlet: “And when I came back hurt, where was Robin? Standing in the light. Talking about justice. Talking about Sherwood. Talking about the people.”
A pause.
Will Scarlet: “I was one of the people.”
That lands.
For a second, even Hana Nakamura has no response.
Prince John gently places a hand on Will Scarlet’s shoulder, smiling like a man watching a lock finally open.
Prince John: “And that is where true leadership recognizes what rebellion wastes.”
Hana Nakamura turns to him.
Hana Nakamura: “Prince John, are you saying you arranged this?”
Prince John places a hand to his chest in exaggerated offense.
Prince John: “Arranged? Such a crude word. I merely listened.”
He turns toward Will Scarlet.
Prince John: “I saw what Robin Hood refused to see. I saw skill. I saw courage. I saw a man treated as disposable by rebels who preach loyalty only when it benefits the man wearing the hood.”
Hana Nakamura: “And what did you offer him?”
Prince John’s smile widens.
Prince John: “Value.”
He reaches into his coat and produces a small sack.
The sound is unmistakable.
Gold coins shifting inside leather.
The boos from the arena grow louder as the camera tightens on the sack.
Prince John holds it out.
Will Scarlet looks at it for a moment.
Then he takes it.
The coins clink in his hand.
Prince John: “Recognition has many forms, Hana Nakamura. Some men prefer applause. Some prefer songs. Some prefer empty promises from a friend who sends them to suffer alone.”
He looks at Will Scarlet with satisfaction.
Prince John: “I prefer payment.”
Hana Nakamura: “So that is it? Gold?”
Will Scarlet turns toward her slowly.
Will Scarlet: “Gold does not lie.”
He lifts the small sack slightly.
Will Scarlet: “Gold does not tell you that your pain means something and then leave you to collect more of it. Gold does not call you brother only when there is danger to stand in front of.”
His eyes harden.
Will Scarlet: “Prince John knows my value.”
A beat.
Will Scarlet: “Robin Hood never did.”
Suddenly, the camera jolts.
A shout erupts from off-screen.
Robin Hood bursts into frame.
No entrance.
No warning.
No composure.
He tackles Will Scarlet against the stone wall.
The sack of gold flies from Will Scarlet’s hand, coins spilling across the floor in a bright, ugly scatter.
Hana Nakamura gasps and backs away.
Prince John yelps and scrambles behind a production crate, clutching his sceptre to his chest.
Robin Hood drives a forearm into Will Scarlet, then another, pure fury spilling through every strike.
Robin Hood: “You sold us!”
Will Scarlet shoves him back and swings wildly, catching Robin Hood across the jaw.
The two crash into the interview backdrop, tearing part of it loose.
Hana Nakamura: “Security! We need security back here!”
Will Scarlet grabs Robin Hood’s vest and drives him shoulder-first into the wall.
Robin Hood fires back with a knee to the midsection, then slams Will Scarlet into a rolling equipment case.
The case crashes sideways.
Gold coins continue rolling across the floor.
Prince John, still ducked behind the crate, points with his sceptre while keeping a very safe distance.
Prince John: “Assault! Assault upon a recognized associate of lawful authority!”
Robin Hood turns for half a second toward Prince John.
Will Scarlet uses the opening to tackle him from the side.
Both men spill across the floor, punching, grabbing, clawing for position.
This is not wrestling.
This is betrayal becoming violence.
Will Scarlet: “You left me!”
Robin Hood: “You chose him!”
Will Scarlet: “You made the choice first!”
Robin Hood gets on top and rains down strikes until Will Scarlet covers up. Will Scarlet bucks free and drives his elbow into Robin Hood’s ribs, then scrambles up and lunges again.
Security rushes into the corridor.
Four guards.
Then six.
They swarm both men.
Robin Hood fights to get through them, reaching toward Will Scarlet.
Will Scarlet struggles just as hard, shouting over the shoulders of the guards.
Will Scarlet: “You want to know why, Robin? Look at the floor!”
Robin Hood looks down.
Coins glitter near his boots.
Will Scarlet: “That is what value looks like when someone actually pays it!”
Robin Hood surges forward again, nearly breaking free.
Security drives him back against the opposite wall.
Hana Nakamura stands to the side, shaken, microphone still in hand.
Prince John emerges only after enough guards stand between him and danger. He bends down carefully, picks up one gold coin, inspects it, then wipes it on his sleeve.
Prince John: “Do be careful. Those are counted.”
The crowd boos thunderously from the arena.
Robin Hood glares at Prince John, then at Will Scarlet.
His voice is low now.
More dangerous than shouting.
Robin Hood: “This is not over.”
Will Scarlet, held back by security, breathes hard and smiles through a split lip.
Will Scarlet: “No, Robin.”
He pulls against security just enough to lean forward.
Will Scarlet: “It finally started.”
Security forces Will Scarlet backward down one side of the corridor.
Other guards keep Robin Hood pinned in place until the distance grows.
Prince John gathers the small sack from the floor and begins picking up coins with offended dignity.
Hana Nakamura watches the scene, visibly disturbed.
Hana Nakamura: “Will Scarlet has made his choice. Robin Hood has heard the reason. But whatever this began as, whatever wound created it, this has become something far beyond betrayal.”
The camera follows Robin Hood as he shakes free from the guards once they release him.
He does not chase.
Not yet.
He stares down the corridor where Will Scarlet disappeared.
Then down at one remaining gold coin near his boot.
He steps on it.
Hard.
The camera cuts back to ringside.
Julian Ward: “An explosive scene backstage. Will Scarlet claims he was abandoned, used, and sent into danger by Robin Hood, and Prince John has now quite literally paid him for that resentment.”
Brick Brody: “That was ugly. Real ugly. But resentment does not appear out of thin air, Julian. Will Scarlet has been carrying that for a while. Prince John just put gold in the wound and called it value.”
Julian Ward: “Whatever sympathy may exist for feeling overlooked, Will Scarlet struck Robin Hood at The Long Night, interfered again tonight, and has now aligned himself with Prince John.”
Brick Brody: “And now Robin Hood wants blood. Forget songs. Forget Sherwood speeches. This is personal now.”
Julian Ward: “A brotherhood has broken. A rebellion has been wounded from within. And Prince John may have found the most damaging weapon possible against The Merry Band.”
Brick Brody: “A traitor who knows where every door is unlocked.”
The final shot is backstage.
One gold coin remains half-crushed under Robin Hood’s boot.
The camera holds on it as the screen fades.
The camera returns from the image of the crushed gold coin beneath Robin Hood’s boot.
Inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum, the crowd is unsettled.
The night has crowned a new chapter for Raigen.
It has seen the Eternal Flame Championship fall into madness.
It has seen Will Scarlet explain betrayal with resentment and gold.
And now the coliseum turns back toward the throne.
The lights lower.
A deep horn sounds.
The main event graphic fills the screen.
KING ARTHUR VS LEDGER KNIGHT
NON-TITLE MATCH
The crowd erupts at the sight of King Arthur’s name.
Julian Ward: “It is time for tonight’s main event. Earlier tonight, King Arthur held a coronation to mark his victory at The Long Night, where he became Mythic Crown Champion. But that coronation did not end in peace.”
Brick Brody: “No, it ended with Mordred calling him false, unworthy, and a little too proud of his new chair. And I will say it again, Julian. King Arthur looked angry because part of it landed.”
Julian Ward: “Tonight, King Arthur must turn from insult to combat. He faces Ledger Knight, representing The King’s Hand, with Prince John at ringside.”
Brick Brody: “And after everything Prince John has done tonight, after paying off Will Scarlet, after watching Robin Hood get humiliated again, this is a dangerous spot for the new champion. Ledger Knight is not flashy. He is cold paperwork with fists.”
The lights shift to iron-gray.
The sound of a quill scratching parchment echoes through the arena.
Then a heavy stamp.
Judgment rendered.
Ledger Knight Entrance
Prince John steps onto the stage first.
The boos are immediate and vicious.
He is still smiling from the chaos backstage, still smug, still holding his sceptre like a symbol of law rather than a weapon of cowardice. He stops at the top of the ramp and gestures grandly toward the curtain.
Ledger Knight emerges behind him.
Measured.
Severe.
Emotionless.
His armor-trimmed gear catches the torchlight in cold flashes. Every movement is precise. He carries himself like a man who does not fight out of passion, but obligation. If Brute Bailiff is violence enforced, Ledger Knight is punishment recorded.
Prince John walks ahead of him, waving off the boos with royal irritation.
Ledger Knight never looks at the crowd.
Only at the ring.
Julian Ward: “There is Ledger Knight, accompanied by Prince John. After Brute Bailiff defeated Robin Hood earlier tonight, The King’s Hand now sends another enforcer into the main event.”
Brick Brody: “And this one is different. Brute Bailiff hurts you because he likes the force. Ledger Knight hurts you because he already decided the punishment fits.”
Ledger Knight climbs the steps and enters the ring.
Prince John remains outside, pointing his sceptre toward the hard camera and proclaiming something the boos drown out.
The arena lights shift.
Iron-gray gives way to royal blue and gold.
A crown appears on the entrance screen.
Then crossed blades.
Then the Mythic Crown Championship.
The crowd rises.
King Arthur Entrance
A solemn fanfare begins.
Not as elaborate as the coronation.
Sharper now.
More martial.
Merlin emerges first, staff in hand. His expression is grave. He walks slowly, listening to the arena like it is carrying warnings beneath the noise.
Then King Arthur steps onto the stage.
The crowd erupts.
The Mythic Crown Championship is around his waist.
He is no longer cloaked in the full pageantry of the coronation, but the pride from earlier has not entirely left him. He stands tall. Chin lifted. Shoulders squared. A champion who believes he has earned the right to be looked upon.
But there is anger under the pride.
Mordred’s words still remain.
False king.
Unworthy.
King Arthur looks toward the ring and fixes his eyes on Ledger Knight.
Julian Ward: “Here comes the new Mythic Crown Champion, King Arthur, accompanied by Merlin. This is a non-title match, but after what Mordred said earlier tonight, every step Arthur takes carries meaning.”
Brick Brody: “He is wearing that belt like a man trying to prove the insult did not bother him. That usually means it bothered him plenty.”
Julian Ward: “Can that emotion sharpen him, or can Ledger Knight exploit it?”
Brick Brody: “That is the whole match. King Arthur has the crown. Ledger Knight has no feelings. Sometimes no feelings is a big advantage.”
King Arthur walks down the ramp with Merlin beside him.
At ringside, Prince John mocks a bow.
King Arthur stops and glares at him.
Merlin places a hand lightly against Arthur’s arm.
A reminder.
Focus.
King Arthur turns away from Prince John and steps into the ring.
He removes the Mythic Crown Championship and hands it to Merlin, who carries it to ringside with reverence.
Ledger Knight watches the exchange without expression.
Honest Abe stands between both men.
Louie Linville moves to center ring.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is tonight’s main event, scheduled for one fall.”
The crowd cheers.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Prince John… representing The King’s Hand… the keeper of accounts, the collector of punishment, the cold measure of authority… Ledger Knight.”
The boos rise.
Ledger Knight steps forward, unmoved.
Prince John applauds from ringside.
Louie Linville: “And his opponent, accompanied to the ring by Merlin… he is the reigning Mythic Crown Champion… the king who reclaimed the crown at The Long Night… King Arthur.”
The arena erupts.
King Arthur steps forward and raises one hand.
Honest Abe checks both competitors.
He turns toward Prince John and gives a firm warning.
Prince John smiles innocently.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
King Arthur opens by taking control low.
He steps in, catches Ledger Knight’s leg, twists through the base, and straps in the Indian Deathlock near the center of the ring.
The crowd roars as Ledger Knight is pulled down and trapped.
Honest Abe drops to check for the submission.
Ledger Knight refuses, jaw tight, hands clawing at the mat.
But Ledger Knight uses his reach and positioning to drag King Arthur toward the ropes. He shoves and twists, forcing the champion off balance and throwing him through the ropes to the outside.
King Arthur lands hard near ringside.
Honest Abe begins the count.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
King Arthur rolls back into the ring at five, eyes locked on Ledger Knight.
Julian Ward: “King Arthur opened with the Indian Deathlock, trying to force Ledger Knight into immediate submission danger, but Ledger Knight survived and threw the champion to the outside.”
Brick Brody: “That was smart. You cannot get submitted if you turn the hold into a trip to the floor. Ledger Knight did not panic. He found the exit.”
Julian Ward: “King Arthur gets back in at five, but already Ledger Knight has shown composure under pressure.”
Brick Brody: “That is the problem for Arthur. This man does not care about crowns, chants, or coronations. He cares about solving the hold in front of him.”
Minute 2
Both men reset carefully.
King Arthur reaches for a Flowing DDT, trying to pull Ledger Knight down quickly before the challenger can establish posture.
Ledger Knight reverses, slipping out and snapping forward with a dropkick.
But King Arthur reads it.
He shifts aside, catches the opening, and drives down with a jumping knee drop across Ledger Knight’s upper body.
Ledger Knight attempts to defend, but the knee lands clean.
The crowd cheers as King Arthur rises, intensity building in his face.
Julian Ward: “A chain of reversals there. King Arthur looked for Flowing DDT, Ledger Knight reversed into a dropkick attempt, but Arthur countered with the jumping knee drop.”
Brick Brody: “That was sharp from the champion. He did not get rattled after being thrown outside. He kept moving through the counter.”
Julian Ward: “King Arthur is wrestling with urgency tonight.”
Brick Brody: “Urgency, pride, irritation. Take your pick. They all make men move faster.”
Minute 3
King Arthur presses forward.
He catches Ledger Knight around the waist, lifts, and drives him down with a spinebuster that shakes the ring.
The crowd erupts.
But Ledger Knight fires back from the mat almost immediately, sitting up and cracking King Arthur with back hand chops.
One across the chest.
Another across the collarbone.
A third forces King Arthur to step back.
The champion absorbs the sting, glaring down as Ledger Knight rises without emotion.
Julian Ward: “Spinebuster from King Arthur, but Ledger Knight answers with those back hand chops. He does not allow the champion to fully take command.”
Brick Brody: “Those chops are nasty. No windup, no drama, just leather across the chest like a clerk stamping overdue fees.”
Julian Ward: “King Arthur landed the heavier move, but Ledger Knight made him pay immediately.”
Brick Brody: “That is how you survive a champion. Make every success hurt.”
Minute 4
Ledger Knight steps forward now.
He traps King Arthur near the ropes and unleashes more back hand chops, each one sharp and punishing.
King Arthur absorbs the punishment, refusing to back fully into the corner, but the strikes clearly land.
Prince John applauds from ringside, calling for Ledger Knight to mark every blow in the ledger.
Merlin watches from the opposite side, the Mythic Crown Championship held carefully in his hands.
Julian Ward: “Ledger Knight now has a clean offensive stretch with the back hand chops. King Arthur is absorbing them, but they are leaving visible marks.”
Brick Brody: “That is a great approach. Do not try to out-royal the king. Slap the crown right out of his posture.”
Julian Ward: “Prince John is enjoying this far too much.”
Brick Brody: “Of course he is. A coward loves watching somebody else be brave on his behalf.”
Minute 5
King Arthur surges out of the ropes.
He ducks under another chop, rebounds, and blasts Ledger Knight with a clothesline.
The shot lands clean and drops Ledger Knight flat.
Ledger Knight attempts to defend but cannot stop the impact.
The crowd roars as King Arthur stands over him, chest rising, face stern.
For a second, the champion looks toward Prince John.
Prince John backs away from the apron.
Julian Ward: “Clothesline from King Arthur, and he breaks the rhythm Ledger Knight was building.”
Brick Brody: “That was needed. Ledger Knight was chopping him into bad decisions. Arthur stopped it with a simple, heavy answer.”
Julian Ward: “You saw King Arthur glance toward Prince John after the impact.”
Brick Brody: “He better be careful. The match is in front of him, not outside the ring in a royal costume.”
Minute 6
King Arthur keeps the pressure on.
He pulls Ledger Knight upright, hooks the head, and drives him down with Flowing DDT.
This time Ledger Knight cannot reverse it.
The impact spikes him into the canvas.
The crowd rises as King Arthur rolls through to one knee, the champion now finding command.
Merlin nods once from ringside.
Prince John shouts at Ledger Knight to get up, his voice turning more panicked than commanding.
Julian Ward: “Flowing DDT connects this time. King Arthur attempted it earlier and was countered, but now he finds the execution.”
Brick Brody: “That was a champion adjusting. First time did not work, second time did. I like that. Less throne talk, more head planting.”
Julian Ward: “Ledger Knight is in real danger now.”
Brick Brody: “He is, and Prince John knows it. Listen to that little weasel squeal.”
Minute 7
King Arthur moves in for the finish, but Ledger Knight refuses to go quietly.
The champion catches the leg again, looking to return to the Indian Deathlock.
At the same time, Ledger Knight fires upward with back hand chops, striking King Arthur across the chest and jawline as the hold is being secured.
The strikes land.
But King Arthur does not release.
He absorbs the chops, twists through the legs, and straps in the Indian Deathlock fully.
Ledger Knight is trapped in the center of the ring.
Honest Abe drops beside him.
Prince John screams from ringside, pounding the apron with the sceptre.
Merlin remains still, eyes fixed on the champion.
King Arthur leans back, face intense, the pride from earlier transformed into punishing control.
Ledger Knight reaches forward.
No rope.
No escape.
He tries to hold on.
He cannot.
Ledger Knight submits.
The bell rings.
The crowd erupts.
King Arthur releases the hold and rises slowly, breathing hard, chest marked from the chops but posture unbroken.
Louie Linville: “Here is your winner… King Arthur.”
Honest Abe raises King Arthur’s hand as Merlin enters the ring with the Mythic Crown Championship.
Prince John pulls Ledger Knight toward the floor, furious and humiliated.
Ledger Knight clutches his leg, trying to recover his composure.
Merlin hands the title to King Arthur.
The champion takes it, looks down at the gold, then lifts it high.
The crowd roars.
Julian Ward: “King Arthur wins by submission. The Indian Deathlock that opened this match becomes the hold that ends it, and the Mythic Crown Champion closes his first night after coronation with victory.”
Brick Brody: “That was strong. I will give him that. Ledger Knight chopped him, threw him outside, made him work, but Arthur kept going back to the hold and finally trapped him where there was nowhere to run.”
Julian Ward: “The champion looked emotional earlier tonight, especially after Mordred’s interruption. But here, when it mattered, he found focus.”
Brick Brody: “Focus, yes. But do not pretend the ego disappeared. When Arthur leaned back on that hold, he looked like a man trying to make the whole building submit with Ledger Knight.”
King Arthur stands in the center of the ring with the Mythic Crown Championship raised overhead.
Merlin stands just behind him, expression unreadable.
At ringside, Prince John retreats with Ledger Knight, pointing angrily toward the ring, but there is no victory for him tonight.
The crowd chants.
“AR-THUR! AR-THUR! AR-THUR!”
King Arthur closes his eyes for a moment, absorbing it.
Perhaps too much.
Then he opens them and looks toward the entrance screen.
The same screen where Mordred appeared earlier.
For a moment, King Arthur does not celebrate.
He waits.
The screen stays dark.
Julian Ward: “You can see King Arthur looking toward that screen. Mordred’s words have not left him.”
Brick Brody: “That is the danger. He won the match, but he is still wrestling the insult.”
Julian Ward: “The champion stands victorious tonight, but the question from the coronation remains. Can King Arthur carry the Mythic Crown without letting the crown expose something within him?”
Brick Brody: “Winning answers the bell. It does not answer pride.”
King Arthur lowers the championship slightly, still staring toward the stage.
Then he raises it again, higher this time.
The crowd roars once more.
The final image of the main event is unmistakable.
King Arthur, victorious.
The crown in his hands.
The shadow of Mordred still somewhere beyond the light.
KING ARTHUR DEFEATED LEDGER KNIGHT BY SUBMISSION WITH THE INDIAN DEATHLOCK.
The screen returns from the main event replay.
King Arthur locking Ledger Knight in the Indian Deathlock.
Ledger Knight fighting.
Prince John screaming from ringside.
The tap.
The bell.
The Mythic Crown Champion standing tall with the title raised high, but still looking toward the entrance screen where Mordred’s words had appeared earlier in the night.
The camera cuts back live to Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
The crowd is still roaring.
The torches burn lower now, casting long shadows across the ring. The canvas is empty, but the night does not feel finished. It feels wounded. Altered. Open.
At the commentary desk, Julian Ward sits composed, though the weight of the episode is clear in his expression. Beside him, Brick Brody leans forward, elbows on the desk, eyes narrowed with grim satisfaction.
Julian Ward: “What a night here on Dark Fable. The first episode after The Long Night has not allowed this division to breathe. It has only driven the consequences deeper.”
Brick Brody: “Good. Breathing is overrated. This show needed fallout, and it got fallout with teeth.”
Julian Ward: “We began with King Arthur’s coronation as the new Mythic Crown Champion. A display of pageantry, power, and perhaps pride. But Mordred and Myrrden interrupted from the screen, calling Arthur unworthy, calling him a false king, and striking directly at the insecurity beneath the crown.”
Brick Brody: “And Arthur reacted. That is the part that matters. You can decorate the ring with thrones, trumpets, knights, and velvet, but one insult from Mordred had the new champion ready to storm the castle by himself.”
Julian Ward: “Later tonight, King Arthur did defeat Ledger Knight in the main event by submission, proving he could still focus under pressure. But the question remains. Is the crown strengthening Arthur, or revealing something already within him?”
Brick Brody: “Both can be true. A crown is heavy. Sometimes it makes your neck stronger. Sometimes it makes your head bigger.”
A replay shows Rosalyn Queen of Thorns reversing Athena’s pin attempt to steal the first fall, then Zeus throwing Honest Abe from the ring.
Julian Ward: “The Aurora Title Tournament began tonight in controversy. Rosalyn Queen of Thorns defeated Athena two falls to none. The first fall came through a reversal after Athena appeared close to victory. The second came by disqualification after Zeus threw Honest Abe from the ring.”
Brick Brody: “That was a disaster for Athena. She brought a god to ringside and still got knocked out of the tournament because the god could not keep his hands off the referee.”
Julian Ward: “Rosalyn Queen of Thorns advances. But the tournament’s first step was taken through manipulation, interference, and uncontrolled power.”
Brick Brody: “Sounds like a title worth fighting for already.”
The screen cuts to Robin Hood being blinded by dirt thrown by Will Scarlet, followed by Brute Bailiff’s brainbuster.
Julian Ward: “The wound inside The Merry Band only deepened. Robin Hood fell to Brute Bailiff after Will Scarlet interfered again, throwing dirt into Robin’s face.”
Brick Brody: “Not a good night for The Merry Band. Again. They got betrayed at The Long Night, they got humiliated tonight, and then backstage Will Scarlet stood beside Prince John and said the quiet part out loud.”
A replay shows Prince John handing Will Scarlet the sack of gold coins.
Julian Ward: “Backstage, Will Scarlet claimed he felt abandoned by Robin Hood, sent alone against The King’s Hand too many times, used as a shield while Robin remained the song and symbol of Sherwood.”
Brick Brody: “And then Prince John handed him gold. That is ugly. That is honest. That is poison with a receipt.”
Julian Ward: “Then Robin Hood attacked him. Security separated them, but we can now confirm the first match on the Road to Ashes of Empire.”
The crowd begins buzzing before Julian finishes.
The screen fills with green and red.
ROBIN HOOD VS WILL SCARLET
The arena erupts.
Julian Ward: “It is official. Robin Hood will face Will Scarlet.”
Brick Brody: “That is not a match. That is a friendship funeral with fists.”
Julian Ward: “A brotherhood has broken, and now the road ahead leads directly through betrayal.”
The screen shifts to Takuma Ryujin defeating Kaen, then Raigen appearing at the top of the ramp in the robe marked with Oni and Dragon symbols.
Julian Ward: “We also saw Takuma Ryujin defeat Kaen, restoring momentum for The Dragon’s Veil after The Long Night. But the larger development came afterward.”
Brick Brody: “Raigen came back.”
Julian Ward: “Changed. Transformed by the trials. He stood before Lady Ayame Ryu, Takuma Ryujin, Kaen, and Lord Kurogami, and he refused to belong fully to either side.”
Brick Brody: “That kid walked out and named himself Raigen the Maryu. Not Oni. Not Dragon. A bridge between both worlds.”
Julian Ward: “And Lord Kurogami warned him that his betrayal would be his undoing.”
Brick Brody: “Bridges get attacked from both sides, Julian. Raigen may have found his identity, but he also put a target on it.”
A replay shows Cheshire Cat landing the final shotgun front dropkick on Sinbad.
Then Cheshire Cat holding the Eternal Flame Championship while Mad Hatter dances around him.
The crowd reacts loudly again.
Julian Ward: “And perhaps the most shocking competitive development of the night. The Eternal Flame Championship has changed hands. Cheshire Cat defeated Sinbad after twenty-one minutes of chaos, interference, and relentless attacks to the body.”
Brick Brody: “Sinbad survived storms, monsters, damaged ribs, and Sir Lancelot at The Long Night. Tonight, he could not survive madness. Mad Hatter threw tea, shoved the referee, and made the whole match feel like a fever dream with a three-count at the end.”
Julian Ward: “Cheshire Cat is now the Eternal Flame Champion. That title enters an unpredictable and dangerous new era.”
Brick Brody: “Dangerous, strange, and probably sticky.”
The screen shifts to Rapunzel applying the bridging back rack to Morgana Le Faye, then Myrrden the Hollow shoving Honest Abe.
Julian Ward: “Rapunzel defeated Morgana Le Faye by disqualification after Myrrden the Hollow shoved Honest Abe. It was brief, but it raised serious questions.”
Brick Brody: “Yeah. Did Myrrden save Morgana from getting bent in half, or did he remind her who controls the room? Either way, Morgana has now taken two bitter results in one week.”
Julian Ward: “And for someone like Morgana Le Faye, wounded pride rarely remains quiet.”
The lights in the arena shift toward the entrance stage.
The Dark Fable graphic appears, followed by next week’s preview images.
Julian Ward: “And next week on Dark Fable, the Road to Ashes of Empire continues.”
A graphic appears.
MONSTER’S BASH
INCLUDING FORMER MYTHIC CROWN CHAMPION FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER
The crowd reacts with a deep rumble.
Julian Ward: “We will hear from Monster’s Bash, including the former Mythic Crown Champion, Frankenstein’s Monster.”
Brick Brody: “That is the one I want. Everybody has been talking about King Arthur and the crown, but the monster lost the title. We have not heard what that loss did to him yet.”
The next graphic appears.
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’S VEIL
Julian Ward: “The House of the Dragon’s Veil will appear after tonight’s victory by Takuma Ryujin and the emergence of Raigen the Maryu.”
Brick Brody: “That room is going to be tense. Lady Ayame Ryu looked sad tonight, Takuma looked conflicted, and Raigen just became a problem nobody can ignore.”
The next graphic appears.
AURORA TITLE TOURNAMENT
ROUND 1
LADY FROST VS CRIMSON VIPER
The crowd buzzes.
Julian Ward: “The Aurora Title Tournament continues with another Round One match, as Lady Frost faces Crimson Viper.”
Brick Brody: “Good. After tonight’s tournament opener ended with a disqualification and a god throwing a referee, maybe next week we get a clean match.”
He pauses.
Brick Brody: “I do not believe that, but it sounded nice.”
The next graphic cycles quickly through names.
SINBAD
BLACK KNIGHT
PRINCE CHARMING
HANSEL
CHESHIRE CAT
RAIGEN THE MARYU
PLUS MORE
Julian Ward: “Also appearing next week: Sinbad, the former Eternal Flame Champion, Black Knight, Prince Charming, Hansel, the new Eternal Flame Champion Cheshire Cat, and Raigen the Maryu, plus more.”
Brick Brody: “That is a dangerous list. You have a former champion who just lost his fire, a new champion who smiles like a crime scene, a man calling himself a bridge between two ancient enemies, and whatever Black Knight decides to ruin.”
Julian Ward: “And all of it now moves toward Ashes of Empire.”
The crowd reacts as the PPV name appears across the screen.
ROAD TO ASHES OF EMPIRE
The torches flare across the coliseum.
Julian Ward: “The Long Night is behind us, but its consequences are not. King Arthur holds the Mythic Crown, but Mordred has already challenged the legitimacy of his reign. Robin Hood and Will Scarlet are on a collision course. Cheshire Cat has captured the Eternal Flame Championship. Raigen has chosen a new path. And the Aurora Title Tournament has begun under controversy.”
Brick Brody: “That is what I like about this division. Nobody gets peace. You win a title, somebody calls you false. You survive trials, both sides hate you. You betray your friend, now he wants your head. You win a championship, and madness follows you home.”
Julian Ward: “Tonight reminded us that in the Mythic Division, victory rarely ends a story.”
Brick Brody: “It usually makes the next chapter meaner.”
The camera pulls back from the commentary desk.
The ring sits empty beneath the torchlight.
Above it, the screen shows three images in succession.
King Arthur raising the Mythic Crown Championship.
Cheshire Cat grinning with the Eternal Flame Championship.
Raigen the Maryu lowering his hood.
Then one final image.
Robin Hood staring at the gold coin crushed beneath his boot.
Julian Ward: “For Brick Brody, I am Julian Ward. Thank you for joining us on Dark Fable. The road continues. The empire waits. And every story now moves closer to ash.”
Brick Brody: “Goodnight. Lock your doors, count your friends, and if a prince offers you gold, ask who he wants buried.”
The screen fades slowly to black.
The final words appear in ember-red light.
THE ROAD TO ASHES OF EMPIRE CONTINUES
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