Aired - July 17, 2026
0. SHOW RUNDOWN
1. SHOW OPENING
2. CROWD SHOT AND WELCOMING
3. MATCH 1
4. A MASK LEFT BEHIND
5. MATCH 2
6. MATCH 3
7. THE LAW ABOVE THE CROWN
8. MATCH 4
9. MATCH 5
10. THE BUNKER WITH DAVE KENT
11. MAIN EVENT
12. CLOSING
“THE COMING SUCCESSION”
PART 1: THE DATE OF SUCCESSION
PART 2: THE FOURTH SEAT
(Black screen.)
(The sound of a heavy book opening.)
(Not cleanly. Not gently.)
(Old pages scrape against each other like bone over stone.)
(A candle ignites.)
(The flame burns blue for a moment… then deepens to red.)
(Ink crawls across parchment, but this time it does not form words.)
(It forms a crown.)
(Then an arrow.)
(Then a hand.)
(Then an oni mask.)
(A low choir begins. Beneath it, a war drum beats once.)
Voice-over:
“Once upon a time… they told you every kingdom needed a hero.”
(beat)
“They never told you heroes bleed.”
(The ink spreads faster now, swallowing the parchment edges.)
“They never told you crowns grow heavier.”
“They never told you stories change hands.”
(A bell tolls.)
(The screen flickers with torchlight.)
Voice-over:
“Here… legends do not rest.”
“They are tested.”
“They are broken.”
“They are remade.”
(The burning parchment folds inward, becoming a dark fairytale title card.)
NPCW: DARK FABLE
Voice-over:
“This is the MYTHIC Division.”
“Welcome… to DARK FABLE.”
SIGNATURE MONTAGE — QUARTER 3
1) King Arthur
(A sword is raised beneath a storm-black sky.)
Arthur stands alone in the ring, armor battered, breath steady, eyes forward.
The crowd roars around him, but he does not answer them.
An opponent charges.
Arthur turns, counters, and drives him down with royal certainty.
Another figure rises behind him.
Arthur meets him too.
The crown does not make him safe.
It makes him hunted.
But still…
The king stands.
2) Blonde Bombshells — Alice, Dorothy & Rapunzel
(Bright storybook light floods the screen.)
(Then the color sharpens into something dangerous.)
Alice moves first—quick, fluid, smiling as she slips through a strike and sends her opponent spinning.
Dorothy follows with perfect timing, cutting the escape off before it begins.
Then Rapunzel steps in.
Graceful.
Precise.
No wasted motion.
Three women stand together as the fallen opponent reaches for them and finds nothing.
A familiar dream.
A dangerous mirror.
A fairytale with sharper teeth.
3) Robin Hood
(An arrow cuts through darkness.)
(It strikes a hanging lantern, and green light spills across the ring.)
Robin Hood ducks beneath a wild swing by inches.
He answers instantly.
One shot to stagger.
One movement to shift position.
One clean finish to end the moment before his opponent understands it.
He rises with calm defiance and looks toward the hard camera.
Not a prince.
Not a servant.
Not a man waiting for permission.
A thief.
A hero.
A problem no king can tax away.
4) The King’s Hand
(A gauntleted hand closes around a royal seal.)
(The wax cracks.)
The Sheriff of Nottingham steps through torchlight, cold authority in every movement.
Will Scarlet strikes beside him, violence wrapped in loyalty and resentment.
The King’s Collectors close in after them.
No chaos.
No wasted cruelty.
Only enforcement.
A man is dragged down.
Another is silenced.
Another is left staring up at the lights while the Hand of power tightens around the ring.
The law has arrived.
And mercy was never written into it.
5) Crimson Viper — The Queen of Hearts
(Red roses bloom across black parchment.)
(One by one, the petals fall.)
Crimson Viper stands motionless as her opponent circles.
Then she smiles.
A trap springs.
A strike lands.
A body folds.
She moves like a sentence already passed, turning panic into punishment.
The Queen of Hearts does not chase control.
She assumes it.
And when the final blow lands, there is no rage in her eyes.
Only judgment.
6) Monster Bash’s Enforcers — Kong & Ogre
(Chains drag across stone.)
(The sound becomes a heartbeat.)
Kong surges forward and crushes an opponent into the corner with impossible force.
Ogre follows, lifting another body high before driving it down with brutal finality.
No pageantry.
No speeches.
No warning.
Tag made simple.
Power made sacred.
Two bodies fall.
Two monsters remain.
Kong and Ogre stand over the wreckage, gold and violence bound together.
The Enforcers do not protect a throne.
They make sure no one survives long enough to challenge it.
7) Raigen the Maryu
(Red and gold flame cuts across the screen.)
(A dragon’s shadow coils behind it.)
Raigen stands in the center of the ring, still as a blade before the strike.
His opponent rushes him.
Raigen erupts.
A brutal combination lands in flashes—strike, turn, impact, silence.
The old storm is gone.
Something darker has taken its place.
He lowers one hand.
The air around him seems to burn.
This is not Raigen returning.
This is Raigen becoming.
The Maryu has awakened.
8) Blood Oni Syndicate — Lord Kurogami, Kaen, Enrai & Yurei Rinn
(The screen fades to black again.)
(A single red mask appears.)
(Then another.)
(Then another.)
(Lord Kurogami stands in shadow, unmoving, his presence heavier than sound.)
Kaen steps through firelight, fists clenched, eyes burning with violent purpose.
Enrai follows beneath a flash of white-blue lightning, calm and lethal.
Yurei Rinn appears last, ghostlike, silent, her stare fixed on something the audience cannot see.
Four figures.
One shadow.
The ring becomes a ritual space.
The Syndicate does not enter stories.
It infects them.
And when Lord Kurogami raises one hand…
The darkness answers.
(The choir rises.)
(War drums thunder beneath it.)
(The arena appears, lit like a cathedral built for judgment.)
Voice-over:
“This isn’t the North.”
“This isn’t the light.”
(beat)
“This is where crowns are tested.”
“Where heroes are hunted.”
“Where monsters wear gold.”
“And where every victory leaves a scar.”
(The music drops.)
(Only the bell remains.)
Voice-over:
“In DARK FABLE… the story does not end happily.”
(beat)
“It ends… with a winner.”
(A final image flashes: crown, arrow, rose, chain, dragon flame, oni mask.)
Voice-over:
“And in Quarter Three…”
(beat)
“The story belongs to whoever is strong enough to take it.”
(The bell tolls one final time.)
Voice-over:
“This… is DARK FABLE.”
The camera returns from the opening darkness into the thunderous interior of Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
Blue and gold light washes across the stone walls. Torches burn along the entranceway, their flames bending beneath the movement of the air as thousands of voices rise together.
The camera sweeps across the crowd.
One section raises shields marked with the crest of the Round Table.
Another answers with black banners bearing the symbol of the Broken Crown.
Red-and-gold signs call for Raigen. White-blue lightning symbols answer for Enrai. Near the lower bowl, supporters of Taro Okami pound the barricade in rhythm.
Green banners for Robin Hood and Allan A Dale hang across the front row, but there is a harder edge to the support tonight. The men of Sherwood are not entering from victory.
They are entering from wounds.
At ringside, Julian Ward and Brick Brody sit behind the commentary desk as the camera settles upon them.
Julian Ward: “Good evening, and welcome to NPCW Dark Fable, live from Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum. I am Julian Ward, joined as always by Brick Brody, and tonight this division returns beneath the weight of consequences that have not yet finished falling.”
Brick Brody: “That is a long way of saying everybody brought grudges, Julian Ward. Good. Grudges make people hit harder.”
The camera cuts briefly to the entranceway.
The crest of Camelot appears across the stage screen.
A thin black fracture runs through its center before the image changes.
Julian Ward: “One week ago, Camelot watched several of its brightest figures fall. Sir Lancelot stood against Frankenstein’s Monster and was overwhelmed by repeated, crushing force. Honor endured, but it did not prevail.”
Brick Brody: “Honor got flattened. Sir Lancelot kicked, fought, and kept standing until Frankenstein’s Monster finally drove him through the canvas. That is what happens when pride meets something heavier than pride.”
A replay appears on the screen.
Frankenstein’s Monster drives Sir Lancelot down with The Flat Liner.
The image freezes on Merlin kneeling beside the fallen knight.
Julian Ward: “Tonight, Sir Lancelot returns beside Sir Gawain and Sir Galahad. Together, the Round Table will face Sir Agravaine and the Dread Knights, with Myrrden standing in the shadows beside them.”
Brick Brody: “That is a wounded army walking into an ambush. Sir Lancelot is not healed because seven days passed. Sir Agravaine knows it. The Dread Knights know it. And Myrrden probably knew it before the match was even signed.”
Julian Ward: “With Merlin accompanying the Round Table, this will be more than a contest between six men. It is loyalty against corruption. Brotherhood against resentment. And perhaps another measure of how much damage Camelot can absorb before its foundations begin to shift.”
Brick Brody: “Foundations do not shift, Julian Ward. They crack. Tonight, somebody should start listening for the sound.”
The stage screen changes.
Deep red flame spreads across black stone.
The Eternal Flame Championship appears within the fire.
The crowd erupts.
Julian Ward: “The fire surrounding the Eternal Flame Championship also spread last week. Raigen defeated Kaen in two straight falls, first forcing the submission with the Demon Sleeper, then winning the second fall by disqualification after the interference of Lord Kurogami became impossible to ignore.”
Brick Brody: “That should have been the end of it. It was not.”
The replay continues.
A masked attacker strikes Raigen from behind.
The mask is torn away.
Enrai is revealed.
Then Taro Okami races down the ramp and enters the fight.
Julian Ward: “The challenge became an ambush. Enrai revealed himself beneath the mask, joining Kaen in an assault upon the champion. Then Taro Okami entered the ring and stood beside Raigen.”
Brick Brody: “He did not just save him. He chose enemies. There is a difference. Taro Okami looked at Kaen, Enrai, and Lord Kurogami, and decided he wanted a piece of that war.”
Julian Ward: “Tonight, that choice becomes official. Raigen and Taro Okami will face Kaminari Hono, the alliance of Kaen and Enrai, with Lord Kurogami at ringside. Last week ended with those four men separated by ropes and restraint. Tonight, there may be neither.”
Brick Brody: “Good. Let them settle it with strikes instead of masks. Kaen wants the champion. Enrai wants revenge. Raigen wants both of them hurt. And Taro Okami walked into the middle because apparently peace bored him.”
Julian Ward: “The championship will not be defended tonight, but the future of its reign may still be shaped. A champion can retain gold and still lose ground. Raigen understands that better than most.”
The flames disappear.
Silver light spreads across the stage.
The crest of Camelot appears on one side of the screen.
A golden thunderbolt appears on the other.
Julian Ward: “Tonight also brings a confrontation between two courts. Lady Guinevere, accompanied by Merlin, will face Athena, who comes to the ring with Zeus.”
The crowd reacts strongly to both names.
Brick Brody: “That is not some ceremonial meeting between kingdoms. Athena knows war. Lady Guinevere knows what it means to stand beside power while everybody watches for weakness. Put them together, and pride becomes a weapon.”
Julian Ward: “The pressure surrounding Camelot has changed in recent weeks. King Arthur has spoken with increasing authority. He has declared that Camelot will no longer merely endure, but command. Tonight, Lady Guinevere steps into the ring carrying the expectations of that throne.”
Brick Brody: “Then she had better win. A crown can make speeches. A queen still has to fight.”
Julian Ward: “And across from her stands Athena, disciplined, formidable, and accompanied by the authority of Zeus. This is not simply grace against strength. It is one vision of power confronting another.”
Brick Brody: “Power does not care how beautiful the banner looks. Power cares who is still standing when the banner falls.”
The screen darkens.
A royal seal appears in burning wax.
The seal breaks beneath the image of a black gauntlet.
Boos rise through the coliseum.
Julian Ward: “Royal enforcement will also enter the ring tonight. The Sheriff of Nottingham, accompanied by Prince John, faces Hansel.”
Brick Brody: “That is law against survival. The Sheriff of Nottingham likes control. Prince John likes collecting obedience. Hansel has spent too much of his life escaping monsters to be impressed by either one.”
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham has become one of the clearest instruments of authority in the Mythic Division. He does not merely seek victory. He seeks compliance.”
Brick Brody: “And Hansel does not comply. That is why this match interests me. The Sheriff of Nottingham wants a man who stays where he is placed. Hansel has survived because he never does.”
Julian Ward: “For Hansel, this is an opportunity to remind the division that survival is not passivity. For the Sheriff of Nottingham, it is another chance to turn punishment into policy.”
Brick Brody: “Policy sounds better when it leaves bruises.”
Chains drag across the stage screen.
Two enormous shadows appear beneath violent white light.
The Universal Tag Team Championship titles emerge between them.
The crowd reaction becomes loud and uneasy.
Julian Ward: “Later tonight, the reigning Universal Tag Team Champions, Kong and Ogre, the Monster Bash Enforcers, will compete in a non-title match against Robin Hood and Allan A Dale.”
The screen shows Robin Hood trapped in the Sharpshooter.
Then Allan A Dale caught in the Sleeper.
Julian Ward: “Both members of the Merry Band suffered painful defeats last week. Sandman silenced Allan A Dale in only three minutes. Later, Mordred forced Robin Hood to submit after attacking the legs and lower back throughout their contest.”
Brick Brody: “And tonight they get Kong and Ogre. Whoever arranged that has no sympathy and excellent taste.”
Julian Ward: “The championships are not at stake, but that may make the danger worse. The Enforcers have nothing to protect tonight. They have only bodies to punish.”
Brick Brody: “Exactly. Kong and Ogre do not need a title defense to motivate them. Dr. Frankenstein points toward two targets, and the monsters go to work.”
Julian Ward: “For Robin Hood and Allan A Dale, this match is about more than recovering from defeat. It is about proving that the Merry Band can withstand the weight now pressing down upon it.”
Brick Brody: “Songs and speeches are easy when the road is clear. Let us see how much rebellion remains after Kong and Ogre start throwing them into corners.”
The screen turns green.
An arrow cuts through the darkness.
Then the green light is swallowed by blue and gold.
The image from last week appears again.
Robin Hood lies wounded in the ring.
Mordred stands victorious.
At the top of the ramp, King Arthur holds the Mythic Crown Championship and smiles.
The crowd reaction becomes uncertain.
Julian Ward: “That defeat left behind an image which has followed this division for seven days.”
Brick Brody: “The king smiling.”
Julian Ward: “Earlier that night, Robin Hood had spoken with concern for King Arthur. He warned that a crown must remember the common hands beneath it. He asked his friend not to mistake distance for wisdom.”
The image tightens on King Arthur’s expression.
Julian Ward: “Then, when Robin Hood fell, King Arthur appeared. He did not rush to his ally. He did not offer aid. He looked upon Robin Hood, looked upon Mordred, and smiled.”
Brick Brody: “Maybe the king saw two problems solving each other. Mordred wants his crown. Robin Hood has started questioning how he wears it. A smart king notices both.”
Julian Ward: “A wise king may notice. The question is what he chooses to feel.”
Brick Brody: “Feelings are why kingdoms fall. Decisions are why they survive.”
Julian Ward: “Tonight, Robin Hood must place those questions aside and stand with Allan A Dale against the most destructive tag team in NPCW. But the meaning of that smile remains.”
The image burns away.
A cracked iron crown appears amid ash.
A dragon’s shadow moves behind it.
The crowd grows louder.
Julian Ward: “And then, our main event.”
A deep drum begins.
One strike.
Then another.
Julian Ward: “Last week, Mordred forced Robin Hood to submit and reminded this division that defeat has not extinguished the Broken Crown. Tonight, accompanied by Myrrden, he faces Takuma Ryujin.”
Brick Brody: “Now that is a fight.”
Julian Ward: “Takuma Ryujin walks beside Lady Ayame Ryu, carrying the force and discipline of the dragon’s path. He is not bound to the politics of Camelot. He does not owe the throne loyalty, and he does not carry Mordred’s grievance.”
Brick Brody: “That makes him dangerous. Mordred understands knights, kings, and outlaws. Takuma Ryujin is none of those. He is a violent man with a different code.”
Julian Ward: “For Mordred, victory tonight would extend the momentum gained over Robin Hood and move the Broken Crown deeper into the heart of this division.”
Brick Brody: “And for Takuma Ryujin, beating Mordred means walking straight into the royal war and leaving with the prince’s blood on his hands.”
Julian Ward: “Two men forged beneath different legends. One shaped by betrayal and inheritance. The other shaped by discipline, fury, and the ancient path of the dragon.”
Brick Brody: “Neither one is coming to negotiate.”
The camera pulls back from the commentary desk and rises above the ring.
The crowd stands beneath the blue and gold light, divided banners moving across the coliseum like armies gathering beneath castle walls.
Julian Ward: “Six matches. Alliances tested. Kingdoms represented. Champions surrounded. The Round Table enters wounded. The Eternal Flame burns across open war. The Merry Band faces monsters. And in our main event, the Broken Crown meets the dragon.”
Brick Brody: “And by the end of tonight, somebody is going to learn that legends bleed the same as everybody else.”
A bell sounds once.
The lights begin to lower.
The crest of the Round Table appears across the stage screen, but shadows gather around its edges.
Julian Ward: “We begin with six men and one fracture running through the heart of Camelot. Sir Agravaine and the Dread Knights face Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain, and Sir Galahad.”
Brick Brody: “The wounded knights against the men who came to finish the job.”
The camera cuts toward the ring, where Louie Linville steps into position beneath the gathering light.
The camera returns to the ring inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
The blue-and-gold light from the opening welcome has disappeared.
In its place, the entranceway is covered in cold iron gray. Smoke gathers close to the floor while the sound of metal scraping across stone rolls through the building.
The stage screen shows the crest of the Round Table.
A dark blade strikes through it.
The crest splits.
A low horn sounds.
Myrrden steps onto the stage.
He is hooded, his face concealed beneath shadow. He moves without urgency, carrying himself with the stillness of someone who believes the result has already been written.
Behind him comes Sir Agravaine.
His armor-inspired gear is blackened at the edges, stripped of ceremony and polished honor. His expression carries resentment sharpened into purpose.
The Dread Knights emerge behind him.
Dread Knight One and Dread Knight Two move in disciplined silence. Neither acknowledges the hostile crowd. They stand on either side of Sir Agravaine, forming a wall of dark steel beneath the entrance lights.
Julian Ward: “Sir Agravaine enters tonight beside the Dread Knights, guided by Myrrden, and there is no uncertainty in their presentation. They have not come merely to defeat the Round Table. They have come to diminish what it represents.”
Brick Brody: “Good. Symbols are overrated until somebody breaks them. Sir Agravaine knows every oath those knights ever took. That means he also knows exactly where to put the knife.”
Myrrden leads the group down the ramp.
Sir Agravaine walks behind him with his eyes fixed on the ring. The Dread Knights remain close, their movements measured and military.
At ringside, Myrrden stops near the corner post.
Sir Agravaine climbs the steps and enters through the ropes. The Dread Knights follow, taking possession of the ring without raising their arms or acknowledging the crowd.
The lights go dark.
For a moment, the broken crest remains on the screen.
Then a blue-white flame appears within the fracture.
The sound of a ceremonial trumpet rises through the coliseum.
The crest of the Round Table reforms.
The crowd erupts.
Merlin steps onto the stage first.
He stands beneath the blue-and-gold light, hood lowered behind his shoulders, his eyes fixed upon Myrrden at ringside.
Behind him comes Sir Galahad.
Young, composed, and carrying himself with unshaken purpose, Sir Galahad pauses beneath the crest before looking toward the ring.
Sir Gawain emerges beside him.
His posture is broader, more aggressive, his expression carrying the readiness of a knight who no longer expects battle to remain honorable.
Then Sir Lancelot steps into view.
The crowd reaction grows louder.
The damage from his confrontation with Frankenstein’s Monster one week ago is not entirely hidden. His movement is controlled, but there is stiffness through his back and shoulders.
He does not disguise it.
He walks forward anyway.
Julian Ward: “One week ago, Sir Lancelot was overwhelmed by Frankenstein’s Monster. Tonight, he returns before full recovery, standing beside Sir Galahad and Sir Gawain because the Round Table cannot afford absence while its enemies gather.”
Brick Brody: “That is either courage or terrible judgment. Sir Agravaine does not care which. He sees the bruises. The Dread Knights see them. If Sir Lancelot has one damaged rib, they are going to find all twelve.”
Merlin turns toward the three knights and speaks quietly.
Sir Galahad nods.
Sir Gawain tightens his fists.
Sir Lancelot looks past them toward Sir Agravaine.
The four men begin their walk toward the ring.
At ringside, Merlin and Myrrden hold one another’s gaze from opposite sides of the floor.
Neither speaks.
The three members of the Round Table enter the ring. Sir Agravaine steps forward from his corner, but the referee moves between the two sides before the confrontation can begin.
In the center of the ring, Louie Linville raises the microphone.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, this opening six-man tag team contest is scheduled for one fall.”
The crowd roars.
Louie Linville: “The referee assigned to this match is Honest Abe.”
Honest Abe raises one hand, then turns toward each corner to confirm the competitors.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Myrrden. The fallen blade of fellowship, Sir Agravaine, and his instruments of ruin, Dread Knight One and Dread Knight Two. Together, they are Sir Agravaine and the Dread Knights!”
The coliseum fills with boos.
Sir Agravaine steps forward with his chin raised. The Dread Knights remain behind him, motionless.
Louie Linville: “And their opponents, accompanied to the ring by Merlin. Knights bound by courage, loyalty, and the defense of Camelot. Sir Galahad, Sir Gawain, and Sir Lancelot. They are the Round Table!”
The crowd erupts.
Sir Galahad raises one arm. Sir Gawain strikes one fist against his chest. Sir Lancelot keeps his eyes fixed on the opposing corner.
Honest Abe directs both teams to their corners.
Dread Knight One remains in the ring.
Sir Galahad steps forward for the Round Table.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Julian Ward: “Sir Galahad begins against Dread Knight One, and the opening exchange immediately breaks toward the corner of the Round Table.”
Sir Galahad catches Dread Knight One with a quick strike and drives him toward the ropes. Sir Gawain reaches over the top rope, and the two knights begin working together.
Julian Ward: “A rapid double-team from Sir Galahad and Sir Gawain. Sir Galahad takes flight with a Running Shooting Star Press.”
Brick Brody: “That is a risky way to start, but it landed. Put weight on the dark knight before he settles into that armor.”
Sir Gawain pulls Dread Knight One upright and launches him across the ring with a Fallaway Slam.
Julian Ward: “And Sir Gawain follows with the Fallaway Slam. The Round Table is trying to establish unity before Sir Agravaine’s side can impose its own structure.”
Dread Knight One rolls through the punishment, rises, and drives his forehead into Sir Galahad with a brutal Headbutt.
Brick Brody: “There is the answer. No speeches. No formation. Just skull against face.”
Julian Ward: “The double-team gives the Round Table an early advantage, but Dread Knight One has made it clear he will not be overwhelmed quietly.”
Minute 2
Dread Knight One closes behind Sir Galahad, locks his arms around the waist, and launches him with a Belly-to-Back Suplex.
Julian Ward: “Dread Knight One changes the angle and brings Sir Galahad down across the shoulders.”
Brick Brody: “Good. Take the young knight off his feet and make him carry his own ambition.”
Sir Galahad rolls to his knees, surges forward, and answers with another Running Shooting Star Press.
Julian Ward: “But Sir Galahad responds with movement and impact. He refuses to allow Dread Knight One to slow him completely.”
Both men crawl toward their corners.
Dread Knight One tags Sir Agravaine.
Sir Galahad reaches the opposite corner and tags Sir Lancelot.
The crowd rises as the two knights step through the ropes.
Brick Brody: “Now we get the argument everybody came to see. The knight who still believes in the table against the knight who decided the table betrayed him.”
Julian Ward: “Sir Lancelot and Sir Agravaine stand across from one another, and no introduction is required.”
Minute 3
Sir Agravaine strikes first.
He steps behind Sir Lancelot, locks the waist, and hurls him across the ring with a Release German Suplex.
Julian Ward: “Sir Agravaine immediately attacks the back of Sir Lancelot, and that cannot be accidental after the punishment Sir Lancelot suffered last week.”
Brick Brody: “Of course it is not accidental. Sir Agravaine saw Frankenstein’s Monster soften the target. Now he is collecting the benefit.”
Sir Lancelot uses the ropes to rise. Sir Agravaine charges, but Sir Lancelot lowers the top rope and sends him spilling to the floor.
Sir Lancelot rebounds from the opposite side and dives through the ropes with a Suicide Dive.
Both men crash into the barricade.
Julian Ward: “Sir Lancelot throws caution aside and takes Sir Agravaine down on the floor.”
Brick Brody: “That dive hurt both of them. Maybe Sir Lancelot thinks his back was not damaged enough.”
Honest Abe begins the count.
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
“Four!”
Sir Lancelot rolls back beneath the bottom rope.
“Five!”
“Six!”
“Seven!”
Sir Agravaine slides into the ring at seven.
Julian Ward: “Sir Agravaine returns at seven, but Sir Lancelot has shown that injury has not removed his willingness to take risks.”
Sir Agravaine reaches his corner and tags Dread Knight One.
Minute 4
Dread Knight One enters cautiously, keeping his hands high as Sir Lancelot circles.
At ringside, Merlin raises one hand.
His eyes flash beneath the arena lights.
Dread Knight One stops.
For a moment, his posture slackens as though the movement of the ring has shifted beyond his understanding.
Julian Ward: “Merlin uses Mesmerize Foe, and Dread Knight One has lost focus.”
Brick Brody: “That is legal only because nobody has written a rule for wizardry. I admire the loophole.”
Sir Lancelot rushes forward and drives Dread Knight One into the corner with a hard forearm before snapping him down to the mat.
Julian Ward: “Sir Lancelot takes full advantage of the opening. Dread Knight One could not defend himself once Merlin disrupted his concentration.”
Brick Brody: “That is what a manager is for. Some trip ankles. Some throw powder. Merlin reaches into your skull and rearranges the furniture.”
Minute 5
Dread Knight One recovers and chops Sir Lancelot across the chest.
The sound echoes through the coliseum.
Julian Ward: “A hard Chop from Dread Knight One, striking directly through the guard.”
Sir Lancelot answers with a Rolling Elbow across the jaw.
Brick Brody: “And Sir Lancelot gives it back with interest.”
Julian Ward: “Neither man is trying to create distance. They are standing close and testing which body will surrender first.”
Dread Knight One fires another chop.
Sir Lancelot drives forward with another elbow, forcing the dark knight back toward the ropes.
Brick Brody: “This is the kind of exchange Sir Lancelot should avoid with a damaged body. Which is exactly why he refuses to avoid it.”
Minute 6
Dread Knight One steps inside Sir Lancelot’s reach and drives another Headbutt directly into his face.
Sir Lancelot falls backward and lands heavily.
Julian Ward: “A brutal Headbutt from Dread Knight One, and Sir Lancelot could not defend against it.”
Brick Brody: “There is the first real crack. Sir Lancelot absorbed all of that.”
Dread Knight One presses his forearm across Sir Lancelot’s face, grinding him against the mat before dragging him upright.
Julian Ward: “The Dread Knights do not compete with flourish. They reduce opponents through repeated blunt force.”
Brick Brody: “And right now, Sir Lancelot is being reduced.”
Minute 7
Sir Lancelot breaks free and dives toward his corner.
Sir Gawain tags in, but Sir Lancelot remains inside long enough for the two knights to strike together.
Sir Lancelot lifts Dread Knight One and drives him down with a Falcon Arrow.
Julian Ward: “The Round Table combines again. Falcon Arrow from Sir Lancelot.”
As Dread Knight One rises, Sir Gawain charges and blasts him with the Verdant Oath, the Brogue Kick landing across the chest and jaw.
Brick Brody: “That kick nearly took the helmet with the head.”
Dread Knight One fights through the sequence and catches Sir Lancelot on his shoulders, dropping him with an Electric Chair Drop before the referee forces Sir Lancelot back to the apron.
Julian Ward: “Even while isolated, Dread Knight One creates damage. He absorbed the coordinated attack and still found a way to punish Sir Lancelot.”
Brick Brody: “That is what makes the Dread Knights useful. They do not need to win the exchange. They only need to make sure nobody leaves it clean.”
Minute 8
After the referee restores order, Sir Lancelot becomes the legal man again.
He catches Dread Knight One and drives him down with another Falcon Arrow.
Julian Ward: “Another Falcon Arrow from Sir Lancelot, and this time Dread Knight One absorbs the full landing.”
Sir Lancelot hooks the leg.
Before Honest Abe can settle into position, Dread Knight One twists his body and reverses the pin.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
“Two!”
Sir Lancelot kicks out.
Brick Brody: “That nearly embarrassed the entire Round Table. Sir Lancelot went for the victory and almost pinned himself.”
Julian Ward: “An excellent reversal by Dread Knight One. Sir Lancelot escaped, but the counter forced him to spend precious energy.”
Dread Knight One rolls toward the corner and tags Sir Agravaine.
Minute 9
Sir Agravaine enters and immediately launches Sir Lancelot with another Release German Suplex.
Julian Ward: “Again, Sir Agravaine attacks the back. The strategy remains consistent.”
Sir Lancelot lands hard, but rises through the pain. He catches Sir Agravaine, hooks both arms, and drives him face-first with the Pedigree.
The crowd erupts.
Brick Brody: “There is the answer. Sir Agravaine went after the old wound, and Sir Lancelot planted him for it.”
Julian Ward: “The Pedigree lands clean. Sir Lancelot has taken significant punishment, but he continues to produce the stronger individual moments.”
Sir Agravaine rolls to the ropes, holding the back of his neck.
Minute 10
Sir Agravaine catches Sir Lancelot before he can tag.
He lifts him across one shoulder, turns, and drives him down with an Over-the-Shoulder Back-to-Belly Piledriver.
Julian Ward: “A devastating Piledriver from Sir Agravaine. Sir Lancelot could not defend, and the head and spine take the full punishment.”
Brick Brody: “That is the move you use on somebody whose body is already cracked. Do not reopen the wound. Drive through it.”
Sir Lancelot lies motionless for a moment as Sir Agravaine kneels beside him, staring toward the Round Table’s corner.
Julian Ward: “That may be the most dangerous blow of the match so far.”
Sir Agravaine drags Sir Lancelot toward the opposing corner and tags Dread Knight One.
Brick Brody: “Now the Dread Knights get the injured knight exactly where they want him.”
Minute 11
Dread Knight One enters with a Savate Kick that catches Sir Lancelot high across the jaw.
Julian Ward: “The Savate Kick lands clean, and Sir Lancelot is driven backward.”
Sir Lancelot swings in response and connects with a Rolling Elbow, but Dread Knight One remains standing.
Brick Brody: “That elbow landed, but Sir Lancelot did not have his full weight behind it.”
Dread Knight One snaps another kick into the body, drops across Sir Lancelot, and hooks the leg.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
“Two!”
Sir Lancelot kicks out.
Julian Ward: “Sir Lancelot survives the cover, but the pressure is increasing.”
Brick Brody: “That pin cost Dread Knight One position. He had the knight hurt and gave him a chance to breathe.”
Dread Knight One rises in frustration and tags Dread Knight Two.
Minute 12
Dread Knight Two enters as Sir Lancelot pulls himself upright.
Both men brace defensively, each waiting for the other to commit.
Julian Ward: “A cautious beginning between Dread Knight Two and Sir Lancelot. Neither gives the first opening.”
The stillness breaks.
Dread Knight Two catches Sir Lancelot and drops him across the knee with a Backbreaker.
Brick Brody: “Back to the spine. Everybody on Sir Agravaine’s side understands the assignment.”
Sir Lancelot slides from the knee, creates distance, and snaps a Superkick beneath Dread Knight Two’s jaw.
Julian Ward: “A sharp Superkick from Sir Lancelot, and that strike may have prevented Dread Knight Two from building control.”
Both men stagger.
Brick Brody: “Sir Lancelot is hurt, but he still has enough balance to kick somebody’s head off. That keeps him dangerous.”
Minute 13
Dread Knight Two tries to close the distance.
At ringside, Myrrden steps closer to the apron.
He speaks quietly.
The words cannot be heard over the crowd, but Dread Knight Two’s posture changes. His shoulders rise. His hands tighten.
Julian Ward: “Myrrden is attempting to strengthen his protégé, feeding Dread Knight Two something from the shadows.”
Brick Brody: “Confidence, rage, a curse. It does not matter what you call it if it makes the knight hit harder.”
Sir Lancelot tries to disrupt the moment, but he cannot fully prevent Myrrden’s influence from reaching the ring.
Dread Knight Two forces Sir Lancelot backward, but the sequence produces no decisive strike.
Julian Ward: “The interference shifts the posture of the match, though neither man gains complete control.”
Dread Knight Two tags Dread Knight One.
Minute 14
Sir Lancelot sees Dread Knight One enter and charges toward the ropes for another Suicide Dive.
Dread Knight One catches the movement and reverses it, forcing Sir Lancelot to crash awkwardly against the ropes.
Brick Brody: “That risk finally betrayed him.”
At ringside, Myrrden steps forward and antagonizes Sir Lancelot, trying to draw him toward the floor and away from the match.
Sir Lancelot turns toward him, but stops himself before leaving the ring.
Julian Ward: “Myrrden tries to lure Sir Lancelot into a mistake, but Sir Lancelot recognizes the trap.”
On the opposite side, Merlin raises his hand again.
Dread Knight One freezes beneath the Mesmerize Foe spell.
Brick Brody: “And the old wizard answers immediately. This match has two managers trying to win a war without entering the ring.”
Sir Lancelot strikes Dread Knight One repeatedly, forcing him back into the corner.
Julian Ward: “Sir Lancelot survives both the reversal and Myrrden’s deception, while Merlin creates another opening for the Round Table.”
Dread Knight One reaches behind him and tags Dread Knight Two.
Minute 15
Dread Knight Two enters, but Sir Lancelot reaches the Round Table’s corner.
Sir Galahad and Sir Gawain step through the ropes as the referee struggles to contain the sudden three-man attack.
Julian Ward: “All three members of the Round Table surround Dread Knight Two.”
Sir Lancelot strikes first with an Enzuigiri.
Sir Galahad cuts off Dread Knight Two’s escape and keeps him trapped in the center.
Sir Gawain drives him down across the knee with a Backbreaker.
Brick Brody: “That is not ceremonial brotherhood. That is three men deciding one opponent has nowhere to go.”
Julian Ward: “Dread Knight Two attempted to defend, but the Round Table overwhelmed him through positioning and numbers.”
Honest Abe orders Sir Galahad and Sir Gawain back toward their corner, but the attack continues before order can be restored.
Minute 16
Sir Lancelot lifts Dread Knight Two and drives him down with a Falcon Arrow.
Sir Galahad follows with a Pele Kick.
Sir Gawain pulls Dread Knight Two forward into a Short-Arm Clothesline.
Julian Ward: “Falcon Arrow. Pele Kick. Short-Arm Clothesline. The Round Table is attacking in sequence.”
Brick Brody: “This is the unity Sir Agravaine hates. Three knights moving like one weapon.”
Dread Knight Two refuses to collapse quietly.
He catches Sir Lancelot, powers him upward, and drives him down with a Powerbomb amid the confusion.
The impact shakes the ring.
Julian Ward: “But Dread Knight Two answers with the heaviest blow of the sequence. A tremendous Powerbomb to Sir Lancelot.”
Brick Brody: “That is survival through force. He took three attacks and still found the injured man.”
Honest Abe finally forces Sir Galahad and Sir Gawain out of the ring.
Minute 17
Dread Knight Two pulls Sir Lancelot up and drives him across the knee with another Backbreaker.
Julian Ward: “The back remains the target. Dread Knight Two is making sure the Powerbomb was not an isolated blow.”
Sir Lancelot falls forward, but uses the momentum to create space.
He turns and lands another Superkick.
Brick Brody: “Sir Lancelot keeps finding that kick. Every time the match closes around him, he throws one boot through the wall.”
Julian Ward: “The Superkick gives Sir Lancelot another moment, but he is not moving toward his corner. Fatigue and damage may be clouding the decision.”
Brick Brody: “Or pride. Pride has kept more wounded men in the ring than courage ever did.”
Minute 18
Dread Knight Two catches Sir Lancelot from behind and drives him down with an Atomic Drop.
Julian Ward: “The Atomic Drop further jars the spine and hips of Sir Lancelot.”
Sir Lancelot staggers forward, rebounds from the ropes, and throws himself into a Running Shooting Star Press.
He lands across Dread Knight Two.
Brick Brody: “That is reckless, but it worked. Sir Lancelot turned pain into momentum.”
Julian Ward: “The Running Shooting Star Press keeps the Round Table alive in this exchange, though every landing appears to cost Sir Lancelot more than the last.”
Both men remain down briefly before pushing themselves up.
Minute 19
Dread Knight Two charges and crushes Sir Lancelot beneath a Vertical Splash.
Julian Ward: “A full-body Vertical Splash from Dread Knight Two. The injured ribs and back take the impact.”
Brick Brody: “That is exactly where Sir Lancelot did not need another man landing.”
Sir Lancelot rolls toward the ropes, breathing hard.
Dread Knight Two tries to follow, but Sir Lancelot turns and lands another Superkick.
Julian Ward: “Another Superkick, and once again Sir Lancelot denies sustained control.”
Brick Brody: “He is running out of answers, but that one answer keeps working.”
Julian Ward: “The question is whether the kick can end the match before the accumulated punishment ends Sir Lancelot’s resistance.”
Minute 20
Myrrden raises one hand from the floor.
A dark expression crosses his face as he directs a curse toward Sir Lancelot.
Sir Lancelot’s movement slows.
Julian Ward: “Myrrden interferes again, and Sir Lancelot appears momentarily disoriented.”
Brick Brody: “That is the opening. Do not ask whether it is fair. Ask whether Dread Knight Two is smart enough to use it.”
Sir Lancelot stumbles toward the ropes, then suddenly launches himself through them with another Suicide Dive.
He strikes Dread Knight Two and sends him to the floor.
Honest Abe begins the count.
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
Dread Knight Two returns at three.
Julian Ward: “The curse limited the force of the dive, but Sir Lancelot still removed Dread Knight Two from the ring.”
Brick Brody: “And once again, Sir Lancelot hurt himself to hurt somebody else. That strategy has an expiration date.”
Minute 21
Dread Knight Two returns and reaches for his corner.
Dread Knight One tags in, but remains inside alongside his partner as they trap Sir Lancelot.
Dread Knight Two attempts another Backbreaker.
Dread Knight One positions for a Belly-to-Back Suplex.
Julian Ward: “The Dread Knights are attempting to combine their attacks and isolate Sir Lancelot.”
Sir Lancelot twists free before either move can be completed.
He sends Dread Knight One into Dread Knight Two, then rebounds from the ropes and lands a Running Shooting Star Press across both men.
The crowd erupts.
Brick Brody: “He reversed the entire trap.”
Julian Ward: “An extraordinary escape by Sir Lancelot. The Dread Knights had the numbers, but neither man completes his attack.”
Honest Abe forces Dread Knight One back out after confirming Dread Knight Two as the legal competitor.
Brick Brody: “That was the moment the Dread Knights should have buried him. Instead, Sir Lancelot made both of them pay.”
Minute 22
Dread Knight Two rises first.
He runs forward and crashes down across Sir Lancelot with another Vertical Splash.
Julian Ward: “Another Vertical Splash, and this time Sir Lancelot absorbs all of it.”
Brick Brody: “There is the punishment for the escape. Dread Knight Two just flattened the knight who embarrassed them.”
Sir Lancelot lies beneath the ropes, one arm wrapped around his ribs.
Dread Knight Two presses a boot against his chest while Honest Abe begins a warning count.
Julian Ward: “The Round Table is calling for a tag, but Sir Lancelot remains trapped on the wrong side of the ring.”
Brick Brody: “He has had chances to leave. He keeps choosing the fight. Eventually, the fight chooses for you.”
Minute 23
Myrrden approaches the apron and calls toward Sir Lancelot.
The words are quiet, but deliberate.
Sir Lancelot turns toward him, anger overriding caution.
Julian Ward: “Myrrden is antagonizing Sir Lancelot again, drawing his attention away from Dread Knight Two.”
On the opposite side, Merlin raises both hands and turns his focus toward Honest Abe.
The referee’s eyes become distant for a moment.
Brick Brody: “Now Merlin is bending the referee’s attention. Everybody has abandoned innocence.”
Dread Knight Two attacks during the confusion, driving Sir Lancelot back into the corner.
Julian Ward: “The interference from both sides creates chaos, but Dread Knight Two gains the physical advantage.”
Brick Brody: “That is why you stay focused on the man in the ring. Wizards do not pin you. Wrestlers do.”
Minute 24
Dread Knight Two lifts Sir Lancelot for another Atomic Drop.
Sir Lancelot shifts his weight and reverses the attempt, landing behind him.
Julian Ward: “Sir Lancelot reverses the Atomic Drop.”
He rebounds from the ropes and strikes with another Running Shooting Star Press.
Dread Knight Two takes the full impact.
Brick Brody: “That one landed clean. No curse. No distraction. Just body across body.”
Sir Lancelot hooks the leg.
Honest Abe drops into position.
“One!”
“Two!”
Dread Knight Two kicks out.
Julian Ward: “A close near fall for Sir Lancelot. Dread Knight Two escapes, but that was the strongest cover the Round Table has produced.”
Brick Brody: “And now we find out whether Sir Lancelot gets frustrated or gets mean.”
Minute 25
Sir Lancelot rises and waits as Dread Knight Two pushes himself upright.
He springs forward and lands an Enzuigiri against the side of the head.
Julian Ward: “The Enzuigiri connects. Dread Knight Two tried to defend, but the strike broke through.”
Brick Brody: “That caught him above the ear. Balance disappears quickly when the head starts ringing.”
Dread Knight Two falls to one knee.
Sir Lancelot pulls him toward the center of the ring, refusing to allow the dark knight to reach Sir Agravaine or Dread Knight One.
Julian Ward: “Sir Lancelot is finally controlling the ring position. He is keeping Dread Knight Two away from the opposing corner.”
Brick Brody: “That took twenty-five minutes. Better late than never.”
Minute 26
Merlin lifts the crystal ball at ringside and directs Sir Lancelot’s attention toward its surface.
The light within it flickers.
Julian Ward: “Merlin offers guidance through the crystal ball, trying to show Sir Lancelot the path through the final exchange.”
Across the ring, Myrrden speaks sharply to Dread Knight Two, urging his protégé to rise.
Brick Brody: “And Myrrden is answering with his own influence. Both corners know the next clean strike could finish this.”
Sir Lancelot and Dread Knight Two regain their footing at nearly the same moment.
Neither attacks immediately.
The crowd rises as they circle.
Julian Ward: “The magic and guidance cancel around the ring, leaving the decision where it belongs. Between the two men still standing.”
Minute 27
Dread Knight Two steps forward.
Sir Lancelot strikes first.
The Superkick lands flush beneath the jaw.
Dread Knight Two collapses backward.
Julian Ward: “Superkick from Sir Lancelot. Dread Knight Two absorbs the full strike.”
Brick Brody: “That is the kick he has been building toward all match.”
Sir Lancelot falls across the chest and hooks both legs.
Honest Abe drops to the mat.
“One!”
Sir Agravaine starts through the ropes.
Sir Gawain enters and intercepts him.
“Two!”
Dread Knight One tries to cross the ring.
Sir Galahad cuts him off.
“Three!”
The bell rings.
The crowd erupts.
Sir Lancelot releases the cover and rolls onto his back, exhausted.
Honest Abe signals toward the Round Table’s corner.
Louie Linville: “Here are your winners, Sir Galahad, Sir Gawain, and Sir Lancelot—the Round Table!”
Sir Galahad and Sir Gawain help Sir Lancelot to his feet.
Merlin enters the ring and stands beside them.
Across the mat, Sir Agravaine kneels beside Dread Knight Two, but his eyes remain fixed upon Sir Lancelot.
There is no concern in his expression.
Only resentment.
At ringside, Myrrden raises one hand.
Sir Agravaine and Dread Knight One slowly withdraw without launching another attack.
The Dread Knights regroup around Myrrden on the floor.
Inside the ring, Sir Lancelot struggles to remain standing as Sir Galahad supports one arm and Sir Gawain supports the other.
The crowd continues chanting for the Round Table.
Julian Ward: “The Round Table has prevailed, but this victory demanded nearly everything Sir Lancelot had left. The Dread Knights attacked the wounds created one week ago, isolated him for long stretches, and repeatedly forced him to survive.”
Brick Brody: “Sir Lancelot should have tagged out ten different times. He did not. That was stubborn, reckless, and exactly why his team won. He kept throwing that Superkick until one finally ended the night.”
Julian Ward: “Sir Galahad and Sir Gawain protected the final count, Merlin countered the influence of Myrrden, and Sir Lancelot transformed injury into endurance. The Round Table remains standing tonight, but Sir Agravaine’s expression makes one truth clear. This fracture within Camelot has not been repaired. It has only survived another battle.”
RESULT: THE ROUND TABLE DEFEATS SIR AGRAVAINE AND THE DREAD KNIGHTS BY PINFALL AT THE 27-MINUTE MARK AFTER SIR LANCELOT PINS DREAD KNIGHT TWO WITH A SUPERKICK.
The camera cuts backstage.
The noise from Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum reaches the dressing room only as a distant pulse through thick stone walls.
The room is functional rather than ceremonial.
Dark wooden benches line the walls. Open lockers stand beneath iron hooks. Towels, wrist tape, and water bottles have been arranged with careful precision. No banners hang here. No royal colors. No symbols of faction or throne.
Only preparation.
Hana Nakamura stands near the center of the room with a microphone in hand.
Beside her stands Taro Okami.
His wrists are already taped. His posture is straight, controlled, and quiet. A dark equipment bag rests on the bench behind him, partially unzipped.
On the other side of Hana Nakamura stands Raigen.
The Eternal Flame Championship rests across his shoulder. Red and gold light from the overhead fixtures catches along the faceplate, but Raigen does not look toward it.
His attention remains fixed ahead.
Still.
Focused.
The crowd watching from inside the arena reacts loudly when all three appear on the stage screen.
Hana Nakamura: “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guests at this time, the reigning Eternal Flame Champion, Raigen, and the man who will stand beside him later tonight, Taro Okami.”
The arena response grows.
Hana Nakamura turns first toward Taro Okami.
Hana Nakamura: “Taro Okami, one week ago, Raigen had already defeated Kaen in two straight falls. But after the match, Enrai revealed himself beneath a mask, and together Kaen and Enrai attacked the champion.”
The screen briefly shows footage from the previous week.
Enrai striking from behind.
Raigen fighting against both members of Kaminari Hono.
Then Taro Okami racing down the ramp and entering the ring.
The footage ends with Taro Okami standing beside Raigen while Lord Kurogami, Kaen, and Enrai retreat toward the entranceway.
The camera returns to the dressing room.
Hana Nakamura: “You had no obligation to involve yourself. You were not part of the championship match, and you had no established alliance with Raigen. Why did you come to his defense?”
Taro Okami takes a moment before answering.
He does not look toward Raigen immediately.
His eyes remain on Hana Nakamura.
Taro Okami: “Because it was no longer a match.”
His voice is calm.
Direct.
Taro Okami: “The bell had rung. The championship had been decided. Raigen had faced Kaen, endured the interference of Lord Kurogami, and still remained champion.”
He glances briefly toward the title resting on Raigen’s shoulder.
Taro Okami: “Then the mask appeared.”
Hana Nakamura: “And that changed the situation for you?”
Taro Okami: “It revealed the situation.”
The answer settles heavily.
Taro Okami: “Enrai did not enter that ring to challenge Raigen. He entered to weaken him. Kaen did not remain because he believed the match was unfinished. He remained because the ambush had begun.”
Hana Nakamura nods slowly.
Taro Okami: “There are moments when standing aside becomes a decision of its own.”
He finally turns his eyes toward Raigen.
Taro Okami: “I chose not to stand aside.”
Hana Nakamura: “Was it about respect for Raigen?”
Taro Okami considers the question.
Taro Okami: “Respect is earned through what a man does when the path closes around him.”
He looks toward Raigen again.
Taro Okami: “He fought them both.”
Raigen remains silent, but his expression tightens slightly.
Taro Okami: “He did not call for help. He did not crawl toward the ropes. He fought until the numbers became greater than the body could answer.”
A faint reaction rises from the arena.
Taro Okami: “That earned respect.”
Hana Nakamura: “But respect alone did not require you to enter the ring.”
Taro Okami: “No.”
A brief pause.
Taro Okami: “That required choice.”
The room grows quiet.
Taro Okami: “Lord Kurogami has built power by making others believe his shadow is unavoidable. Kaen brings fire. Enrai brings thunder. Together, they expect opponents to see the storm and accept that they are already surrounded.”
His expression hardens.
Taro Okami: “I do not accept that.”
Hana Nakamura turns toward Raigen.
Hana Nakamura: “Raigen, when Taro Okami entered the ring, you did not hesitate to stand beside him. Did you trust him immediately?”
Raigen lowers his eyes for a moment.
When he speaks, his voice is low and measured.
Raigen: “Trust is not immediate.”
Hana Nakamura waits.
Raigen: “A man may stand beside you once because the moment called to him. That does not mean he will stand when the fire grows hotter.”
Taro Okami listens without reacting.
Raigen: “But Taro Okami entered when there was nothing to gain.”
He shifts the Eternal Flame Championship slightly on his shoulder.
Raigen: “No title opportunity.”
Raigen: “No promise.”
Raigen: “No protection.”
His eyes move toward Taro Okami.
Raigen: “Only enemies.”
Hana Nakamura: “And what did that tell you?”
Raigen: “Enough.”
The single word carries weight.
Raigen: “He did not ask me to trust him.”
Raigen: “He gave me a reason to begin.”
Taro Okami gives the smallest nod.
Hana Nakamura: “Tonight, the two of you compete as a team for the first time against Kaminari Hono. Kaen and Enrai have fought together for a long time. They understand each other’s timing, movement, and instincts. You do not have that experience together.”
She looks between them.
Hana Nakamura: “How do you counter a team with that kind of familiarity?”
Taro Okami: “We do not pretend to possess what we have not earned.”
Hana Nakamura: “Meaning?”
Taro Okami: “Kaen and Enrai have shared battles. They know when the other will move before the movement begins. They know how to cover weakness without speaking.”
He folds his hands briefly in front of him.
Taro Okami: “We cannot create years of experience in one night.”
Raigen: “So we destroy the rhythm those years created.”
Hana Nakamura turns toward him.
Raigen: “A team becomes dangerous when each man knows where the other will be.”
His gaze sharpens.
Raigen: “Remove one.”
Raigen: “Trap the other.”
Raigen: “Make instinct useless.”
Taro Okami: “Kaminari Hono will want motion. Quick exchanges. Tags made before pressure settles. Kaen will strike, then Enrai will attack the opening left behind.”
Hana Nakamura: “So your strategy is isolation?”
Taro Okami: “Isolation and interruption.”
He gestures lightly toward Raigen.
Taro Okami: “Raigen can absorb the first storm and force them to commit.”
Then he touches two fingers against his own taped wrist.
Taro Okami: “I will break the timing.”
Raigen: “They expect us to fight as two individuals.”
Hana Nakamura: “Are they wrong?”
Raigen looks directly into the camera.
Raigen: “They will be.”
The crowd reacts loudly.
Hana Nakamura: “Lord Kurogami will also be at ringside. Last week, his interference directly affected the championship match. How do you prevent him from becoming the deciding factor again?”
A cold stillness enters Raigen’s expression.
Raigen: “We do not prevent him.”
Hana Nakamura looks surprised.
Raigen: “We make him watch.”
Taro Okami: “Lord Kurogami controls matches by dividing attention. He wants the opponent looking toward the floor, fearing the next curse, the next snare, the next masked hand.”
Taro Okami looks toward the camera.
Taro Okami: “Tonight, one of us watches the ring.”
He turns his head toward Raigen.
Taro Okami: “One watches the shadow.”
Raigen: “And when the shadow moves, we strike it.”
Hana Nakamura: “That sounds like more than a match strategy.”
Raigen: “It is.”
A beat passes.
Raigen: “Last week, Kaminari Hono tried to leave me damaged enough that the championship could be taken later.”
He grips the edge of the title.
Raigen: “Tonight, there is no later.”
Taro Okami: “They wanted a battlefield.”
His eyes narrow.
Taro Okami: “They have one.”
The crowd reaction swells through the distant walls.
A production assistant appears briefly at the open doorway and signals that the match is approaching.
Hana Nakamura: “Raigen, Taro Okami, thank you. Your match against Kaminari Hono is next.”
Raigen steps forward.
He looks toward Taro Okami.
No words pass between them.
None are needed.
Taro Okami reaches toward the bench and closes his equipment bag. He pulls the strap over one shoulder, but a loose piece of fabric near the opening slips down behind the bag, unnoticed.
Raigen heads toward the doorway first.
Taro Okami follows beside him.
For the first time, they leave the room moving at the same pace.
Hana Nakamura turns back toward the camera.
Hana Nakamura: “Taro Okami says he entered the fight because standing aside would have been a choice. Tonight, he and the Eternal Flame Champion, Raigen, test that decision against the established force of Kaminari Hono.”
She pauses as the distant crowd begins chanting for the approaching match.
Hana Nakamura: “Back to ringside.”
The camera operator begins to lower the shot.
Hana Nakamura steps away from the interview position and reaches for the dressing-room door.
Then she stops.
Something dark lies on the floor beside the bench where Taro Okami’s bag had been resting.
At first, it looks like a piece of discarded cloth.
Hana Nakamura glances toward the empty doorway.
The footsteps of Raigen and Taro Okami fade down the corridor.
She turns back.
Slowly, Hana Nakamura walks toward the bench.
She crouches and picks up the object.
A black wrestling mask.
Plain.
Unmarked.
Its eye openings are narrow, the fabric worn slightly along one edge as though it has been used before.
Hana Nakamura’s expression changes.
Confusion first.
Then concern.
She turns the mask over in her hands.
There is no symbol on the front.
No name.
No visible explanation for why it had been lying beside Taro Okami’s bag.
Hana Nakamura looks toward the doorway again.
Hana Nakamura: “Taro Okami?”
There is no answer.
Only the distant roar of the coliseum.
She looks down at the mask.
The camera slowly moves closer.
Black fabric fills the frame.
For one brief moment, the narrow eye openings seem to stare back at her.
The screen cuts to black.
The camera returns to the arena.
The lights inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum fade into darkness.
A low roll of thunder moves through the building.
The stage screen flickers with white-blue lightning trapped behind a field of deep crimson flame. The two forces coil around one another until they form the symbol of Kaminari Hono.
A single gong sounds.
Lord Kurogami steps onto the stage.
He stands beneath the fractured light with his hands folded behind his back. His expression is cold, controlled, and unreadable.
Behind him comes Kaen.
Red light burns across his shoulders. His jaw is tight, and the anger from last week’s championship defeat has not faded.
Then Enrai appears.
White-blue light flashes behind him. He carries none of Kaen’s visible fury. His posture is calm, but the stillness feels deliberate rather than peaceful.
The crowd reacts loudly as the two men take their places beside Lord Kurogami.
Julian Ward: “One week ago, Kaen failed to take the Eternal Flame Championship from Raigen. When the match ended, Enrai revealed himself beneath a mask and joined the assault upon the champion. Tonight, Kaminari Hono no longer hides its intentions.”
Brick Brody: “Why should they hide now? The trap worked until Taro Okami came running down that ramp. Tonight, Kaen and Enrai get to punish him for sticking his nose into their war.”
Lord Kurogami begins the walk toward the ring.
Kaen follows with impatient steps, never looking away from the entrance opposite him.
Enrai moves beside him with quieter purpose.
At ringside, Lord Kurogami stops near the corner post.
Kaen and Enrai enter the ring together. They stand side by side beneath the lightning-red glow, the experience between them visible in the ease of their positioning.
The lights change.
The red flame disappears.
White-gold fire rises across the stage screen.
A dragon’s eye opens within it.
The crowd erupts as Raigen steps onto the stage with the Eternal Flame Championship resting across his shoulder.
He pauses beneath the fire, his expression hard and focused.
Then a silver crescent appears behind him.
Taro Okami walks into view.
His wrists are taped. His posture is calm. He does not acknowledge the noise around him. His attention remains fixed on Kaminari Hono inside the ring.
For a moment, Raigen and Taro Okami stand separately beneath the light.
Then they begin walking together.
Julian Ward: “This is the first match for Raigen and Taro Okami as a team. They do not possess the history or established rhythm of Kaminari Hono. What they possess is common purpose.”
Brick Brody: “Common purpose lasts until somebody misses a tag. Kaen and Enrai know each other’s instincts. Raigen and Taro Okami had one backstage conversation and decided that made them partners.”
Julian Ward: “Earlier tonight, Taro Okami said they would not attempt to manufacture experience. They would isolate, interrupt, and destroy the rhythm that makes Kaminari Hono dangerous.”
Brick Brody: “Then they better do it fast. A new team learns through mistakes. Kaen and Enrai hurt people through theirs.”
Raigen reaches ringside first.
His eyes move from Kaen to Enrai, then settle upon Lord Kurogami.
Taro Okami steps beside him and follows the same line of sight.
One man watches the ring.
The other watches the shadow.
They climb onto the apron and enter.
Raigen removes the Eternal Flame Championship from his shoulder and hands it to an attendant at ringside.
Inside the ring, Louie Linville raises the microphone.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, this tag team contest is scheduled for one fall.”
The crowd roars.
Louie Linville: “The referee assigned to this match is Honest Abe.”
Honest Abe steps forward, looking first toward Lord Kurogami, then toward both teams.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Lord Kurogami. The union of consuming fire and merciless thunder, Kaen and Enrai. Together, they are Kaminari Hono!”
A hostile reaction fills the coliseum.
Kaen steps forward with his fists clenched.
Enrai remains still beside him.
Louie Linville: “And their opponents. First, the disciplined fang beneath the moon, Taro Okami!”
The crowd cheers as Taro Okami gives one restrained nod.
Louie Linville: “And his partner, the reigning Eternal Flame Champion, the awakened dragon, Raigen!”
The reaction grows louder.
Raigen steps forward and stares directly at Kaminari Hono.
Honest Abe directs both teams toward their corners.
Enrai remains in the ring for Kaminari Hono.
Raigen begins for his team.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Raigen closes the distance immediately.
He slips behind Enrai, hooks an arm around the neck, and drags him backward into the Demon Sleeper.
Julian Ward: “No hesitation from Raigen. The Demon Sleeper is locked in within the opening moments.”
Brick Brody: “That is a champion making the first statement. Forget feeling him out. Take the air before the thunder starts.”
Enrai tries to turn into the hold, but Raigen keeps the grip tight and pulls him toward the center of the ring.
Honest Abe moves in close.
Julian Ward: “Enrai attempted to defend, but Raigen established the hold cleanly. This is the same submission that forced Kaen to surrender the first fall last week.”
Brick Brody: “And Enrai knows it. That is why he is fighting the hands instead of wasting energy reaching for ropes he cannot reach.”
Enrai drops to one knee but refuses to submit.
He twists his body, creates a narrow lane, and reaches backward toward his corner.
Kaen tags himself in.
Raigen releases the hold as Kaen steps through the ropes.
Julian Ward: “Enrai survives, but he is forced to make the first tag. Raigen has already disrupted the opening rhythm of Kaminari Hono.”
Minute 2
Kaen enters aggressively.
Raigen attempts to catch him in the Demon Sleeper as well, but Kaen drops beneath the grip and traps the champion’s leg.
He twists Raigen down into an Ankle Lock.
Julian Ward: “Kaen anticipated the Sleeper and countered directly into the Ankle Lock.”
Brick Brody: “That is experience. Kaen spent twenty-five minutes with Raigen last week. He knows what the champion wants.”
Kaen torques the ankle and leans backward.
Raigen presses both palms against the mat, his face tightening as the pressure increases.
Julian Ward: “The ankle was targeted repeatedly in their championship match. Kaen has returned immediately to the same weakness.”
Brick Brody: “A wound is an invitation. You do not wait for it to heal. You tear it wider.”
Honest Abe asks the question.
Raigen refuses to submit.
He rolls through the pressure, forcing Kaen to release before the hold can deepen further.
Julian Ward: “Raigen survives, but Kaen has reminded him that familiarity works in both directions.”
Minute 3
Raigen regains his footing and drives both hands down across Kaen’s shoulders with a Double Axhandle.
Kaen tries to brace, but the blow forces him toward the ropes.
Julian Ward: “A heavy Double Axhandle from Raigen, breaking through Kaen’s defense.”
Brick Brody: “Simple and effective. When a man is thinking about your ankle, hit him somewhere higher.”
Raigen follows with another clubbing strike, then turns toward his corner.
Taro Okami extends his hand.
The tag is made.
Across the ring, Kaen reaches Enrai.
Both fresh men enter.
Julian Ward: “Now we see Taro Okami and Enrai. The man who disrupted last week’s ambush against the man who hid beneath the mask.”
Brick Brody: “This is the real receipt. Enrai wanted to finish Raigen. Taro Okami took that moment away from him.”
Minute 4
Taro Okami steps forward with a sharp Knee Strike to the face.
Enrai’s head snaps backward, but he immediately catches Taro Okami’s arm on the follow-through.
Enrai turns, secures the pumphandle, and drives Taro Okami down with the Karma Pumphandle Half Nelson Driver.
Julian Ward: “A hard Knee Strike from Taro Okami, but Enrai answers with the Karma Driver.”
Brick Brody: “That is why Enrai is dangerous. He does not need to recover before he counterattacks. He turns the impact into position.”
Taro Okami rolls onto his side, holding the back of his neck.
Enrai rises steadily, showing little reaction to the knee he absorbed.
Julian Ward: “The exchange belongs to Enrai. Taro Okami struck first, but Kaminari Hono’s experience allowed Enrai to end the sequence with the heavier attack.”
Minute 5
Taro Okami pushes himself upright as Enrai closes in.
He creates a narrow opening and drives another Knee Strike directly into Enrai’s face.
This time, Enrai cannot counter.
He falls backward to the mat.
Julian Ward: “Another Knee Strike from Taro Okami, and this one lands without an answer.”
Brick Brody: “Good adjustment. Same weapon, cleaner angle.”
Taro Okami stays close, controlling Enrai’s wrist and preventing him from reaching Kaen.
Julian Ward: “Taro Okami is already attempting the isolation he described earlier tonight. He is keeping Enrai away from the established tag rhythm.”
Brick Brody: “That only matters if he keeps him there. One mistake and Kaen is back in.”
Minute 6
Both men circle cautiously.
Taro Okami reaches for position.
Enrai withdraws.
Neither commits.
Julian Ward: “A defensive pause. Both men are testing the response before taking another risk.”
Brick Brody: “That is not hesitation. That is calculation.”
The stillness breaks.
Enrai moves behind Taro Okami, grips the head, and drives him backward into the mat with a Head Crusher Sitout Rear Mat Slam.
Julian Ward: “Enrai finds the opening and crushes Taro Okami’s head and neck into the canvas.”
Brick Brody: “That is what patience buys. Taro Okami waited for the strike, and Enrai waited longer.”
Taro Okami absorbs the full landing and remains down for several seconds.
Enrai pulls him away from Raigen’s corner.
Julian Ward: “Now Enrai is the one controlling position. The new team’s inexperience is being tested.”
Minute 7
Enrai attempts to maintain control, but Taro Okami turns suddenly and drives another Knee Strike into his face.
Enrai tries to raise his guard.
The strike breaks through.
Julian Ward: “A third Knee Strike from Taro Okami. Enrai saw it coming, but could not stop it.”
Brick Brody: “That is persistence. If the door does not open, hit it harder.”
Enrai staggers toward the ropes.
Taro Okami does not chase recklessly.
He turns and tags Raigen.
Julian Ward: “A disciplined tag from Taro Okami. He scored the strike and left before Enrai could create another counter.”
Brick Brody: “That is better teamwork than I expected. I hate being pleasantly surprised.”
Minute 8
Raigen enters as Enrai regains his balance.
Both men brace defensively, neither giving the other a clean line.
Julian Ward: “A cautious reset between Raigen and Enrai.”
Raigen suddenly reaches for the neck and attempts the Demon Sleeper again.
Enrai catches the arm, turns beneath it, and breaks the grip before it can settle.
Julian Ward: “This time, Enrai neutralizes the Demon Sleeper completely.”
Brick Brody: “That is the adjustment. He felt the hold in the first minute. He was not letting it close twice.”
Raigen follows, but Enrai retreats toward his corner and tags Kaen.
Julian Ward: “Enrai does not linger. He stops the champion’s best hold and brings Kaen back into the match.”
Brick Brody: “That is the rhythm Taro Okami talked about. Defend, escape, tag. No wasted pride.”
Minute 9
Kaen steps through the ropes and lunges forward.
Raigen turns with him, gets behind, and locks in the Demon Sleeper.
Julian Ward: “Raigen catches Kaen in the Demon Sleeper again.”
Brick Brody: “He knew what was coming and still got caught.”
Kaen tries to pry the arms apart, but Raigen keeps his body close and drags him away from Enrai.
Julian Ward: “This is exactly the isolation strategy Raigen and Taro Okami promised. Kaen is being pulled away from his partner.”
Kaen fights to remain standing.
He refuses to submit.
Raigen releases the hold before Kaen can force him toward the ropes and turns toward his corner.
Taro Okami tags in.
Brick Brody: “Smart release. Do not hold it until the counter comes. Take the damage and bring in the fresh man.”
Minute 10
Taro Okami enters, but Kaen reaches backward and makes the tag to Enrai.
Both members of Kaminari Hono remain inside as the pace suddenly accelerates.
Kaen lifts Taro Okami into the GTW Death Valley Driver and drives him down.
Kaen follows immediately with an Elbow Drop.
Julian Ward: “The experience of Kaminari Hono appears now. GTW from Kaen, followed by the Elbow Drop.”
Enrai pulls Taro Okami upright and plants him with a Running Sitout Powerbomb.
Brick Brody: “That is what an established team does. One attack ends exactly where the next begins.”
Taro Okami absorbs the Powerbomb but catches Kaen advancing again.
He turns his hips and launches Kaen with a Belly-to-Belly Suplex.
Julian Ward: “Taro Okami fights through the double-team and throws Kaen with the Belly-to-Belly Suplex.”
Brick Brody: “He is surviving, but survival is not control. Kaminari Hono is making him fight two men at once.”
Honest Abe orders one member of Kaminari Hono out of the ring, but the coordinated assault continues before order is restored.
Minute 11
Kaen remains active and catches Taro Okami across the shoulders.
He drives him down with an Ushigoroshi.
Julian Ward: “The Ushigoroshi lands across the knee. More punishment to the head and neck of Taro Okami.”
Enrai remains near the ropes but does not commit to another strike as Honest Abe forces him toward the apron.
Brick Brody: “Enrai did not need to touch him. Kaen had the opening.”
Taro Okami rolls through the pain, grabs Kaen’s leg, and drags him down.
He mounts the body and begins driving short strikes into the head and ribs.
Julian Ward: “Taro Okami responds with Ground and Pound. He has abandoned distance and is forcing Kaen into a close fight.”
Brick Brody: “Good. Pretty combinations disappear when somebody is punching you from six inches away.”
Honest Abe separates them as the double-team period ends.
Minute 12
Taro Okami reaches backward.
Raigen tags in but remains inside beside him long enough for the new team to attempt its own coordinated attack.
Taro Okami launches Kaen with another Belly-to-Belly Suplex.
As Kaen rises, Raigen drives a Front Kick into his chest.
Julian Ward: “Now Raigen and Taro Okami answer with a double-team of their own. Belly-to-Belly Suplex into the Front Kick.”
Brick Brody: “Less polished than Kaminari Hono, but the impact still counts.”
Kaen catches Taro Okami’s leg during the confusion and pulls him down into a Single-Leg Crab.
Julian Ward: “But Kaen finds a counter and traps Taro Okami in the Single-Leg Crab.”
Brick Brody: “That is the flaw in new teamwork. Too many bodies, too many moving parts, and Kaen found the loose one.”
Taro Okami reaches forward while Raigen attempts to preserve the offensive sequence.
The hold does not produce a submission, but it interrupts the new team’s momentum.
Minute 13
Taro Okami regains his footing and spins through with the Lunar Fang, the Spinning Back Kick striking Kaen across the jaw.
Julian Ward: “The Lunar Fang lands clean. Kaen is rocked.”
Brick Brody: “That was the best strike Taro Okami has landed all match.”
Kaen answers with a Headbutt, catching Taro Okami before he can fully withdraw.
Raigen enters during the exchange and charges toward Kaen, sending him through the ropes to the floor.
Julian Ward: “Raigen interrupts the retaliation and throws Kaen out of the ring.”
Honest Abe begins the count.
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
Kaen pushes himself upright near Lord Kurogami.
“Four!”
“Five!”
Brick Brody: “Kaen is taking his time. He knows exactly where the count stands.”
“Six!”
“Seven!”
Kaen slides into the ring at seven.
Julian Ward: “Kaen returns at seven, but the sequence shows the new team finding a method. Taro Okami strikes. Raigen removes the response.”
Brick Brody: “That is not experience yet. But it is becoming coordination.”
Honest Abe forces Raigen back toward the apron as the double-team ends.
Minute 14
Taro Okami closes with Kaen and launches him with another Belly-to-Belly Suplex.
Kaen rolls through the landing, rises quickly, and swings with the Tokko Discus Lariat.
The arm crashes across Taro Okami’s chest and jaw.
Julian Ward: “A strong Belly-to-Belly Suplex from Taro Okami, answered by the Tokko Discus Lariat.”
Brick Brody: “That is an ugly trade. Taro Okami throws him. Kaen gets up and takes his head off.”
Julian Ward: “Taro Okami produced the greater impact at the beginning of the exchange, but Kaen ensured there would be no clean advantage.”
Both men remain on their feet, though neither stands steadily.
Minute 15
Taro Okami steps toward Kaen.
Kaen drives his forehead directly into Taro Okami’s face.
Taro Okami absorbs the Headbutt and collapses to one knee.
Julian Ward: “A direct Headbutt from Kaen, and Taro Okami could not defend.”
Brick Brody: “That is not technique. That is one hard skull testing another man’s face.”
Kaen pulls Taro Okami upright and presses him toward the corner of Kaminari Hono.
Julian Ward: “The established team has isolated Taro Okami again. Raigen is calling for the tag, but the path has been closed.”
Brick Brody: “This is where a new team starts doubting itself. The fresh partner can see the damage but does not know exactly when to enter.”
Minute 16
Taro Okami slips beneath Kaen’s next strike and traps him in an Arm Triangle.
Julian Ward: “Taro Okami changes the fight completely. The Arm Triangle is locked in.”
Brick Brody: “Good transition. Take the head, trap the arm, force Kaen to carry his own weight.”
Kaen refuses to submit.
He plants his feet, powers Taro Okami upward, and drives him across the knee with another Ushigoroshi.
Julian Ward: “Kaen breaks the submission through force and lands the Ushigoroshi.”
Brick Brody: “That is the difference between controlling a hold and finishing it. Taro Okami had the position. Kaen had the power.”
Taro Okami rolls away, clutching the back of his neck.
Kaen remains standing over him, breathing heavily.
Minute 17
Taro Okami rises and catches Kaen with a Judo Throw, using Kaen’s forward momentum against him.
Julian Ward: “A clean Judo Throw from Taro Okami. He is still finding ways to redirect Kaen’s aggression.”
Kaen rolls through, catches Taro Okami in the headlock, spins, and drives him down across the knee with the GTR Spinning Headlock Lariat into Backbreaker.
Brick Brody: “That is a vicious answer. Kaen took the throw, stood up, and broke him across the knee.”
Julian Ward: “The GTR lands with tremendous force. Kaen covers.”
Honest Abe drops into position.
“One!”
“Two!”
Taro Okami kicks out.
The crowd erupts.
Brick Brody: “That was close. Taro Okami just survived the strongest attack of the match.”
Julian Ward: “And the survival matters. Kaen believed the GTR had ended this. Now he must carry the frustration of being denied.”
Kaen sits beside Taro Okami, staring toward Honest Abe before turning his attention back to the injured man.
Minute 18
Kaen pulls Taro Okami up and catches the leg again.
He drops into a Single-Leg Crab.
Julian Ward: “Kaen returns to the leg. Taro Okami is trapped in the Single-Leg Crab near the center of the ring.”
Brick Brody: “After the GTR, this is smart. Make the man carry pain through every joint.”
Taro Okami twists his hips, turns beneath the pressure, and catches Kaen’s balance.
He breaks the hold and launches Kaen with another Judo Throw.
Julian Ward: “Taro Okami escapes and turns the submission into the Judo Throw.”
Taro Okami reaches toward the corner.
Raigen tags in.
The champion enters with sudden force.
Kaen tries to rise between them, but Taro Okami controls the arm while Raigen drives forward.
Together, they send Kaen through the ropes and down to the floor.
Julian Ward: “The new team combines again. Taro Okami creates the angle, and Raigen throws Kaen out of the ring.”
Honest Abe begins the count.
“One!”
“Two!”
Kaen lies near the barricade, one hand pressed against his lower back.
Lord Kurogami moves closer but does not touch him.
“Three!”
“Four!”
Enrai calls from the apron.
Raigen stands inside the ring, watching him closely.
“Five!”
Taro Okami remains near the ropes, prepared for Kaen’s return.
Brick Brody: “Kaen has time, but he has to move. The floor does not care how experienced his team is.”
“Six!”
“Seven!”
Kaen reaches the apron but slips back to one knee.
Julian Ward: “The damage from the sustained attack is preventing Kaen from climbing back inside.”
“Eight!”
Lord Kurogami stares down at Kaen, his expression unchanged.
“Nine!”
Kaen reaches toward the bottom rope.
“Ten!”
Honest Abe calls for the bell.
The crowd erupts.
Kaen remains on the floor, furious as the realization settles over him.
Inside the ring, Raigen and Taro Okami stand together.
Louie Linville: “Here are your winners by count-out, Taro Okami and the Eternal Flame Champion, Raigen!”
Enrai steps through the ropes, but Honest Abe immediately moves between him and the victorious team.
Raigen does not celebrate.
He watches Enrai.
Taro Okami stands beside him, breathing heavily but refusing to retreat.
At ringside, Lord Kurogami raises one hand.
Enrai stops.
He leaves the ring and joins Kaen on the floor.
Lord Kurogami gathers Kaminari Hono without a word.
Inside the ring, the attendant returns the Eternal Flame Championship to Raigen.
Raigen takes the title but does not raise it.
He turns toward Taro Okami.
The two men exchange a brief look.
No embrace.
No celebration.
Only acknowledgment.
Julian Ward: “Raigen and Taro Okami have won their first match as a team. They did not possess the experience of Kaminari Hono, but they disrupted its timing, isolated its members, and ultimately prevented Kaen from returning before the count of ten.”
Brick Brody: “A count-out is not domination, but it is still a loss. Kaen and Enrai had the cleaner teamwork. Raigen and Taro Okami had enough violence and enough instinct to survive it.”
Julian Ward: “Tonight, common purpose became something more tangible. Not complete trust. Not yet. But the beginning of coordination. Kaminari Hono remains dangerous, and Lord Kurogami’s shadow remains close. Still, the team formed against that shadow leaves tonight with victory.”
RESULT: RAIGEN AND TARO OKAMI DEFEAT KAMINARI HONO BY COUNT-OUT AT THE 18-MINUTE MARK AFTER KAEN FAILS TO RETURN TO THE RING FOLLOWING A JUDO THROW FROM TARO OKAMI AND A THROW TO THE FLOOR BY RAIGEN.
The camera returns to ringside inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
The atmosphere changes.
The violence of the previous tag team contest gives way to something more ceremonial, but no less dangerous.
Blue-and-gold light spreads across the entranceway. The stage screen fills with the crest of Camelot, polished and whole, while the sound of distant cathedral bells rises beneath a measured orchestral theme.
A silver staff appears first from behind the curtain.
Merlin steps onto the stage.
He stands beneath the crest with ancient composure, his robes catching the light in muted blue and gray. His expression reveals little, but his eyes move immediately toward the ring and then toward the opposite entrance.
The music swells.
Lady Guinevere steps into view.
The crowd rises.
She is dressed in royal blue, white, and gold, the colors of Camelot carried not as decoration, but as authority. Her posture is straight. Her expression is composed. She does not wave or seek approval.
She stands beneath the crest as though the building belongs to the throne she represents.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere enters tonight carrying the grace of Camelot, but grace should not be mistaken for fragility. She has stood beside kings, endured the politics of the throne, and watched this kingdom tested by betrayal from within.”
Brick Brody: “Standing beside the king is one thing. Standing across from Athena is another. Royal posture will not stop a spear.”
Merlin turns toward Lady Guinevere and speaks quietly.
She listens without looking away from the ring.
Then she begins the walk down the ramp.
Her steps are calm and deliberate.
The crowd reaches toward her from behind the barricades, but Lady Guinevere keeps her attention forward. She enters the ring through the middle rope and moves to the center, where she turns slowly beneath the blue-and-gold light.
There is no grand gesture.
Only presence.
Merlin takes his place at ringside.
The lights change.
The crest of Camelot fades.
A deep roll of thunder moves through the coliseum.
The stage screen fills with storm clouds gathering around the white marble columns of Olympus. A golden owl spreads its wings across the screen as a war horn sounds.
A bolt of white light strikes the stage.
Zeus steps through the smoke.
He is broad, commanding, and draped in white and gold. His expression carries the confidence of an authority that does not believe it can be questioned.
He raises one hand.
The thunder stops.
Behind him comes Athena.
The crowd reacts strongly.
She steps onto the stage in bronze, ivory, and dark crimson. Her posture is disciplined. Her gaze is direct. Every movement carries the control of a warrior trained to conserve effort until the moment of impact.
She pauses beside Zeus.
Neither looks toward the crowd.
Their attention is fixed entirely upon Lady Guinevere.
Julian Ward: “Athena arrives from another court and another tradition of power. She is wisdom shaped for war, discipline given armor, and she enters with Zeus standing behind her.”
Brick Brody: “That is what makes this interesting. Lady Guinevere represents a kingdom trying to hold itself together. Athena represents a court that never learned humility.”
Zeus leads the way down the ramp.
Athena follows a step behind, maintaining the same measured pace.
At ringside, Zeus stops across from Merlin.
The two men exchange a long look.
One carries the authority of thunder.
The other carries the patience of old magic.
Athena climbs the ring steps and enters between the ropes.
She moves to the center of the ring and stops several feet from Lady Guinevere.
Neither woman looks away.
In the center of the ring, Louie Linville raises the microphone.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, this contest is scheduled for one fall.”
The crowd responds loudly.
Louie Linville: “The referee assigned to this match is Honest Abe.”
Honest Abe steps between the competitors and raises one hand.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Merlin. She carries the dignity of the throne and the resolve of Camelot, Lady Guinevere!”
The crowd cheers strongly.
Lady Guinevere steps forward and lifts her chin, accepting the response with composed authority.
Louie Linville: “And her opponent, accompanied to the ring by Zeus. The shield of wisdom, the huntress of war, Athena!”
The reaction becomes divided.
Athena steps forward, her eyes never leaving Lady Guinevere.
Honest Abe gives final instructions.
Neither woman offers a hand.
Lady Guinevere takes one step backward.
Athena lowers her center of gravity.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Lady Guinevere and Athena circle cautiously.
At ringside, Merlin raises one hand and directs his focus toward Athena.
The warrior’s stride slows.
Her eyes briefly lose their sharpness as Mesmerize Foe reaches her.
Julian Ward: “Merlin attempts to disrupt Athena’s focus immediately. Even a warrior of her discipline can be affected by ancient influence.”
Brick Brody: “That is one way to fight wisdom. Make it forget what it was doing.”
Lady Guinevere closes the distance and drives Athena toward the corner.
The hesitation does not last.
Athena plants her feet, turns the position, and launches herself forward with the Shield Bash, driving her shoulder into Lady Guinevere’s midsection.
Julian Ward: “But Athena breaks through the spell and delivers the Shield Bash in the corner.”
Brick Brody: “That shoulder went straight through the queen’s ribs. Magic slowed her. It did not make her harmless.”
Lady Guinevere absorbs the impact, but she immediately controls Athena’s arm and turns her back toward the center.
Julian Ward: “The early advantage still belongs slightly to Lady Guinevere. She used Merlin’s opening effectively and refused to surrender control after the collision.”
Brick Brody: “Neither woman wants to retreat first. That tells me this is going to get ugly.”
Minute 2
Both women reset near the center of the ring.
Lady Guinevere reaches for the waist.
Athena pulls away.
Athena attempts to close from the side.
Lady Guinevere blocks the approach.
For several seconds, neither commits.
Julian Ward: “A defensive struggle. Both women understand that the first clean mistake may shift the entire contest.”
Brick Brody: “They are not admiring one another. They are looking for the weak hinge in the armor.”
Lady Guinevere suddenly catches both arms.
She pulls Athena forward, lifts her, and drives her down with a Double Underhook Powerbomb.
The ring shakes beneath the impact.
Julian Ward: “The Double Underhook Powerbomb from Lady Guinevere. Athena tried to brace, but could not prevent the lift.”
Brick Brody: “That was royal strength. Lady Guinevere did not ask permission. She picked Athena up and planted her.”
Athena rolls onto one shoulder, visibly surprised by the force.
Lady Guinevere remains close, denying her time to recover.
Minute 3
Athena rises with her hands high.
Lady Guinevere steps inside the guard, catches the head, and drives her down with a Snap DDT.
Julian Ward: “A sharp Snap DDT from Lady Guinevere. The head and neck of Athena are driven directly into the canvas.”
Brick Brody: “That is how you deal with a proud warrior. Put her crown into the mat before she decides she owns the battlefield.”
Athena attempts to protect herself during the descent, but the impact remains severe.
Lady Guinevere rolls through to one knee and watches her opponent rise.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere has seized the early rhythm. She is not allowing Athena to establish the measured pace she prefers.”
Brick Brody: “That is smart. Athena wants time to calculate. Do not give her enough time to count her own teeth.”
Minute 4
Athena tries to regain position near the ropes.
Lady Guinevere catches her from behind, lifts her across the shoulders, and drives her down with an Alabama Slam.
Julian Ward: “The Alabama Slam connects. Athena could not defend against the force of that descent.”
Brick Brody: “That is three heavy landings in three minutes. Wisdom is useful, but the spine still has limits.”
Lady Guinevere remains standing over Athena, her expression composed despite the growing intensity.
Julian Ward: “There is no hesitation in Lady Guinevere tonight. She is competing with the certainty of someone who understands that the eyes of Camelot are upon her.”
Brick Brody: “Good. If the king wants Camelot to command, then the queen cannot wrestle like she is asking.”
Athena pulls herself upright using the ropes.
Her expression has changed.
The calm remains.
The patience does not.
Minute 5
At ringside, Merlin lifts the crystal ball and directs Lady Guinevere’s attention toward the shifting light within it.
Julian Ward: “Merlin offers guidance through the crystal ball, attempting to show Lady Guinevere the next opening.”
Brick Brody: “She better look quickly.”
Athena advances before the guidance can produce an attack.
She catches Lady Guinevere beneath the arms and lifts her high overhead with the Pallas Drop.
The crowd reacts as Athena holds her aloft.
Then she throws Lady Guinevere down with the Gorilla Press Slam.
Julian Ward: “The Pallas Drop from Athena. Tremendous strength, and the guidance from Merlin could not prevent it.”
Brick Brody: “That is what happens when you look into a crystal ball while a warrior is standing in front of you.”
Lady Guinevere crashes onto her back.
Athena stands over her, shoulders rising and falling as she regains control.
Julian Ward: “That is the first decisive shift toward Athena. She has interrupted the early dominance of Lady Guinevere with one display of overwhelming power.”
Minute 6
Athena reaches for Lady Guinevere, but the queen traps an arm and turns through the movement.
She lifts Athena across her shoulders and drives her down with the Air Raid Crash.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere answers immediately with the Air Raid Crash.”
Brick Brody: “Good recovery. She got thrown from the sky and came back with something mean.”
Athena rolls toward the corner.
Lady Guinevere follows too closely.
Athena rises suddenly and drives another Shield Bash into her midsection.
Lady Guinevere is forced backward.
Julian Ward: “And again, the Shield Bash from Athena. Both women land significant offense in the same exchange.”
Brick Brody: “That shoulder is becoming a battering ram. Lady Guinevere keeps winning the throw, and Athena keeps making her pay for standing close afterward.”
Julian Ward: “The advantage remains narrow. Neither woman can create separation without receiving punishment in return.”
Minute 7
Lady Guinevere catches Athena at the waist.
She lifts her slowly into a Delayed Fisherman Suplex.
For several seconds, Athena remains suspended.
The crowd rises.
Julian Ward: “A remarkable show of balance and control from Lady Guinevere.”
She falls backward and completes the suplex.
Athena lands across the shoulders and neck.
Brick Brody: “That delay made the landing worse. Athena had time to understand exactly where she was going.”
Lady Guinevere maintains the grip for a moment before releasing.
Julian Ward: “Athena tried to resist, but Lady Guinevere controlled the position completely. The strength of the queen has become one of the defining elements of this match.”
Brick Brody: “People see the robes, the throne, and the ceremony. Then she picks somebody up and reminds them why queens survive kingdoms.”
Minute 8
Athena drives Lady Guinevere backward toward the corner.
She lowers her shoulder and attempts another Shield Bash.
This time, Lady Guinevere steps aside.
Athena strikes the turnbuckles.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere reverses the Shield Bash. Athena has returned to that attack once too often.”
Brick Brody: “The third charge found an empty wall.”
As Athena staggers backward, Lady Guinevere catches her across the shoulders.
She turns and drives her down with another Air Raid Crash.
Julian Ward: “A second Air Raid Crash, and Athena could not defend after the collision in the corner.”
Brick Brody: “That is the punishment for becoming predictable. Athena brought the shield. Lady Guinevere found the opening behind it.”
Athena lies on her side, one hand pressed against the back of her neck.
Lady Guinevere remains upright, but her breathing has become heavier.
Julian Ward: “The accumulated punishment is beginning to show on both women, but Lady Guinevere has once again forced the match toward her preferred pace.”
Minute 9
Athena rises with sudden urgency.
She catches Lady Guinevere, pulls her into position, and attempts the Goddess Bomb.
Julian Ward: “Athena looks for the Goddess Bomb.”
She begins lifting for the Powerbomb.
Lady Guinevere widens her base and blocks the attempt.
Athena tries again.
Lady Guinevere drops her weight and breaks the grip.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere neutralizes the Goddess Bomb completely.”
Brick Brody: “That may have saved the match. If Athena got her up, the landing would have changed everything.”
Lady Guinevere forces separation with a forearm and backs toward the center.
Athena watches her carefully, recognizing that one of her most dangerous weapons has been denied.
Julian Ward: “That counter carries more than physical value. Lady Guinevere has shown Athena that strength alone will not dictate the outcome.”
Brick Brody: “Now Athena has to find another way to break her.”
Minute 10
Lady Guinevere moves behind Athena and launches her with a Release German Suplex.
Athena lands across the upper back and rolls toward the center.
Julian Ward: “A Release German Suplex from Lady Guinevere. Another hard landing for Athena.”
Athena rises through the momentum.
She catches Lady Guinevere’s arms before the queen can follow and drives her down with Wisdom’s Wrath, the Pedigree landing with brutal precision.
Brick Brody: “There it is. Athena took the suplex and answered with the strongest move of the night.”
Julian Ward: “Wisdom’s Wrath connects. Athena turns directly into the cover.”
Honest Abe drops into position.
“One!”
“Two!”
Lady Guinevere kicks out.
The crowd erupts.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere survives at two.”
Brick Brody: “That was a costly cover for Athena. She thought the Pedigree had ended it, and the queen told her otherwise.”
Athena sits beside Lady Guinevere, staring toward Honest Abe.
There is no argument.
Only a tightening of the jaw.
Julian Ward: “The first pin attempt belongs to Athena, and it came close. For the first time, Lady Guinevere has been forced into true survival.”
Minute 11
Both women rise slowly.
Neither commits immediately.
Lady Guinevere raises her guard.
Athena watches for the opening.
For several seconds, the match becomes still.
Julian Ward: “Another defensive pause. The near fall has changed the calculation.”
Brick Brody: “This is where fatigue makes liars out of plans.”
Athena strikes first.
She catches Lady Guinevere turning and whips her across the knee with the Owl Wing Backbreaker.
Lady Guinevere’s body bends sharply on impact.
Julian Ward: “The Owl Wing Backbreaker from Athena. Lady Guinevere absorbs the full punishment.”
Brick Brody: “That is a cruel move. The queen’s back has been folded across the knee, and Athena is finally building sustained damage.”
Athena holds Lady Guinevere across the knee for an extra moment before releasing her.
Lady Guinevere falls to the mat, one arm pressed against her lower back.
Julian Ward: “The momentum has shifted. Athena is no longer trading individual blows. She is beginning to construct a sequence.”
Minute 12
At ringside, Zeus steps forward.
He raises one hand toward Athena.
A flash of golden light spreads across the edge of the ring.
Athena’s posture straightens.
Her breathing steadies.
Julian Ward: “Zeus offers a Divine Blessing from ringside, strengthening the resolve of Athena.”
Brick Brody: “Every court brings its own form of interference. Merlin uses visions. Zeus throws thunder into his daughter’s spine.”
Lady Guinevere attempts to move toward Athena, but the force of the blessing leaves her uncertain for a moment.
Athena uses the time to recover fully.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere could not disrupt the blessing. No direct attack follows, but Athena has regained composure at a dangerous stage of the match.”
Brick Brody: “Recovery is an attack when the other woman is still hurt.”
Merlin watches Zeus from the opposite side of the ring.
The tension between them sharpens.
Minute 13
Athena waits as Lady Guinevere rises.
She lowers her stance and charges.
The Huntress Spear drives directly through Lady Guinevere, folding her backward onto the mat.
Julian Ward: “The Huntress Spear connects with tremendous force.”
Brick Brody: “That may have broken the queen in half.”
At ringside, Merlin urgently lifts the crystal ball and calls toward Lady Guinevere, trying to guide her through the danger.
Julian Ward: “Merlin attempts to offer guidance, but the Spear has already landed. The vision cannot erase the impact.”
Athena rises to one knee, watching Lady Guinevere struggle for breath.
Julian Ward: “This is the deepest trouble Lady Guinevere has faced. Wisdom’s Wrath, the Owl Wing Backbreaker, the Divine Blessing, and now the Huntress Spear. Athena has built an extended assault.”
Brick Brody: “This is what disciplined cruelty looks like. One wound leads to the next.”
Athena pulls Lady Guinevere toward the center but does not cover immediately.
She wants more.
Minute 14
Athena reaches down.
Lady Guinevere suddenly catches her by the legs.
She lifts Athena and drives her down with another Alabama Slam.
Julian Ward: “An explosive Alabama Slam from Lady Guinevere. She has interrupted Athena’s momentum at the moment it appeared overwhelming.”
Brick Brody: “That came from instinct. Lady Guinevere was hurt, but she still knew where the opening was.”
Athena strikes the mat hard and rolls toward the ropes.
Lady Guinevere remains seated for a moment, unable to rise immediately.
Julian Ward: “The move lands, but the damage to Lady Guinevere prevents her from following quickly.”
Brick Brody: “That is the price of surviving. Sometimes you hit the counter and still cannot collect the result.”
Both women begin pulling themselves upright from opposite sides of the ring.
Minute 15
Athena reaches her feet first.
She moves behind Lady Guinevere, traps the head and neck, and drives her backward with the Oracle’s Curse.
The Sleeper Slam sends Lady Guinevere crashing onto the mat.
Julian Ward: “The Oracle’s Curse from Athena. Lady Guinevere could not defend.”
Brick Brody: “That was a vicious landing. The queen’s head snapped backward before the body hit.”
Athena remains on one knee beside her opponent.
She looks toward Zeus.
Zeus gives one slow nod.
Julian Ward: “Athena has regained control again. Each time Lady Guinevere produces resistance, Athena answers with another attack directed toward the neck and back.”
Brick Brody: “That is how you extinguish courage. Do not argue with it. Keep dropping it until it stops standing.”
Minute 16
Lady Guinevere forces herself upright.
She catches Athena and attempts another Alabama Slam.
Athena recognizes the position.
She hooks the head, shifts her weight, and slips free before Lady Guinevere can complete the lift.
Julian Ward: “Athena neutralizes the Alabama Slam. She has learned from the earlier applications.”
Brick Brody: “That was the adjustment she needed. Lady Guinevere has gone back to that slam repeatedly, and now Athena has the answer.”
Athena shoves Lady Guinevere toward the ropes.
The queen catches herself before rebounding.
Both women turn and meet in the center.
Julian Ward: “The finish Lady Guinevere has relied upon has been stopped. She must now decide whether to abandon it or create a better opening.”
Brick Brody: “That is where stubbornness becomes either greatness or stupidity.”
Minute 17
Athena advances, believing the Alabama Slam has been removed from the match.
Lady Guinevere lowers her stance.
She catches Athena’s legs before the warrior can secure her balance.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere goes back to the Alabama Slam.”
Athena tries to shift her weight as she did moments earlier.
This time, Lady Guinevere drives forward before the counter can form.
She lifts.
Turns.
And drives Athena down with the Alabama Slam.
The impact echoes through the ring.
Brick Brody: “She got all of it.”
Lady Guinevere falls across Athena and hooks the leg.
Honest Abe drops into position.
“One!”
Zeus steps toward the apron.
Merlin moves between him and the ring.
“Two!”
Athena tries to lift one shoulder.
She cannot.
“Three!”
The bell rings.
The crowd erupts.
Lady Guinevere releases the cover and rolls onto her back, exhausted.
Honest Abe signals toward her.
Louie Linville: “Here is your winner, Lady Guinevere!”
Merlin enters the ring and kneels beside Lady Guinevere.
He speaks quietly as she pushes herself to one knee.
Across the ring, Athena sits near the ropes, staring toward the center with controlled frustration.
Zeus climbs onto the apron.
He does not enter.
He looks first toward Athena, then toward Lady Guinevere, and finally toward Merlin.
The air between the two courts remains tense.
Lady Guinevere reaches her feet.
She does not celebrate wildly.
She stands in the center of the ring, breathing heavily, one hand pressed against her lower back.
Athena rises in the opposite corner.
For a moment, the two women look at one another.
There is no handshake.
But there is recognition.
Athena gives one restrained nod.
Lady Guinevere answers with the same.
Then Zeus leads Athena from the ring.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere has defeated Athena after a contest defined by strength, adjustment, and endurance. Athena neutralized the Alabama Slam once, but Lady Guinevere trusted the weapon, created a better opening, and completed it when the match demanded certainty.”
Brick Brody: “That was a fight between two women who refused to admit the other one belonged above them. Athena had the stronger middle stretch. She hit the Pedigree, the Backbreaker, the Spear, and the Sleeper Slam. But she could not keep the queen down.”
Julian Ward: “With Merlin and Zeus influencing the margins, the final decision remained inside the ring. Tonight, Lady Guinevere did more than represent Camelot. She proved that beneath the ceremony, the throne still possesses strength of its own.”
RESULT: LADY GUINEVERE DEFEATS ATHENA BY PINFALL AT THE 17-MINUTE MARK WITH THE ALABAMA SLAM.
The arena lights fade.
The blue and gold of Camelot disappear beneath a spreading field of black.
A heavy iron gate slams shut somewhere in the darkness.
Chains rattle.
A single torch ignites on the stage screen.
The footage is pre-taped.
The image reveals a stone courtyard beneath the walls of Nottingham.
Rain falls steadily across the flagstones. Wooden stocks stand near one wall. Iron cages hang from thick beams, empty but swaying slightly in the wind. Torn green banners have been nailed beneath the crest of Prince John, their colors darkened by water and mud.
At the far end of the courtyard stands a raised wooden platform.
Prince John waits beneath a black canopy, dressed in royal crimson and gold. He rests one hand upon a carved chair that resembles a throne, though it is smaller, harsher, and built more for judgment than ceremony.
Beside the platform stands the Sheriff of Nottingham.
His armor is dark.
His hands are clasped behind his back.
Rain rolls from his shoulders, but he does not move to shelter himself.
Between them rests a low stone pedestal.
Upon it lies a battered metal crown.
Not the Mythic Crown Championship.
A crude imitation.
A symbol waiting to be crushed.
Prince John looks toward the camera with a satisfied smile.
Prince John: “Every kingdom tells itself the same comforting lie.”
He slowly steps down from the platform.
Prince John: “That the crown belongs to the worthy.”
His fingers brush across the imitation crown.
Prince John: “The people repeat it because it makes obedience feel noble. Knights repeat it because it makes service feel chosen. Kings repeat it because they fear what would happen if anyone looked too closely at how power is truly kept.”
The rain strikes harder against the stone.
Prince John looks toward the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Prince John: “Power does not belong to the worthy.”
A faint smile touches his face.
Prince John: “It belongs to the one capable of enforcing it.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham steps forward.
His boots strike the wet stone with slow, deliberate weight.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “A kingdom is not held together by hope.”
His voice is cold and controlled.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “It is not held by songs from the forest.”
A green banner shifts behind him.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “It is not held by knights reciting vows after those vows have failed them.”
He stops beside the pedestal.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “A kingdom survives because someone decides where the boundary stands.”
He places one gloved hand upon the crude crown.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “Someone decides who may cross.”
His grip tightens.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “Someone decides who is punished.”
He lifts the imitation crown from the stone and studies it.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “And someone possesses the strength to make that decision final.”
The footage cuts to black-and-white images.
Robin Hood being pursued through the crowd.
Members of the Merry Band dragged away from ringside.
The Sheriff of Nottingham standing beside Prince John while beaten opponents lie beneath the ropes.
The images pass like entries in a record of punishment.
The vignette returns to the courtyard.
Prince John: “For too long, King Arthur has allowed ceremony to disguise uncertainty.”
The crowd inside the coliseum reacts loudly at the name.
Prince John: “He speaks of unity while Camelot fractures beneath him.”
The screen briefly shows the cracked crest of the Round Table.
Prince John: “He speaks of loyalty while allies question him.”
An image of Robin Hood looking toward the top of the ramp flashes across the screen.
Prince John: “He speaks of command while challengers gather from every shadow of his kingdom.”
The image fades back to Prince John.
His expression sharpens.
Prince John: “A king who must continually remind the realm that he is in control has already heard control slipping from his hands.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham turns toward him.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “King Arthur has survived war.”
Prince John: “He has.”
Sheriff of Nottingham: “He has survived betrayal.”
Prince John: “For now.”
Sheriff of Nottingham: “He has survived monsters, broken heirs, and the weight of the Mythic Crown Championship.”
He looks directly into the camera.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “But survival is not authority.”
A long silence follows.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “Authority is the power to impose order upon those who reject it.”
He lowers the crude crown onto the wet flagstones.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “That is what I have done.”
He places one boot on the crown.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “That is what I will continue to do.”
The metal bends slightly beneath his weight.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “And that is why the Mythic Crown Championship belongs in my hands.”
The crowd erupts into boos.
The Sheriff of Nottingham does not react.
Prince John steps beside him, visibly pleased.
Prince John: “There it is.”
He spreads his hands toward the dark courtyard.
Prince John: “Not a request.”
He turns toward the camera.
Prince John: “Not a plea.”
His smile widens.
Prince John: “A declaration.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham presses down harder.
The crude crown buckles beneath his boot.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “I do not intend to ask King Arthur for an opportunity.”
The metal groans.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “I intend to create a record he cannot ignore.”
He removes his foot.
The false crown lies bent and broken.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “Opponent by opponent.”
A flash of Hansel appears on the screen.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “Sentence by sentence.”
The image of Hansel is stamped with the black seal of Nottingham.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “Until the throne has no choice but to recognize the man already enforcing its laws better than the king who claims to embody them.”
Prince John: “Tonight, that record begins with Hansel.”
The footage shifts.
A dark forest appears in the rain.
A trail of bread crumbs lies scattered across the mud.
One by one, armored boots crush them into the ground.
Prince John: “A survivor.”
Another boot falls.
Prince John: “A hunter of monsters.”
Another crumb disappears beneath iron.
Prince John: “A man who believes escaping death has made him beyond the reach of royal judgment.”
The camera rises.
The Sheriff of Nottingham stands at the end of the trail.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “Hansel has survived witches.”
A pause.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “He has survived hunger.”
Another step forward.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “He has survived the darkness that waits beyond the path.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham lowers his head slightly.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “Tonight, he meets something he cannot escape.”
He lifts his gaze.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “The law.”
The footage returns to the courtyard.
Prince John stands beneath his canopy once more.
The Sheriff of Nottingham remains beside the broken crown.
Prince John: “When Hansel falls, the first stone will be placed upon the road to the Mythic Crown Championship.”
Sheriff of Nottingham: “When Hansel falls, King Arthur will watch.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham kneels and picks up one bent piece of the false crown.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “He will watch the law advance.”
He closes his fist around the metal.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “He will watch the challengers beneath him disappear.”
The metal creaks inside his hand.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “And he will understand that the greatest threat to a king is not rebellion.”
He opens his hand.
The broken piece falls onto the stone.
Sheriff of Nottingham: “It is replacement.”
Thunder rolls above the courtyard.
Prince John smiles.
Prince John: “Tonight, Hansel is demolished.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham turns away from the camera.
Prince John: “Tomorrow, the kingdom begins to count the days remaining in King Arthur’s reign.”
The torchlight extinguishes.
The screen goes black.
For several seconds, there is only the sound of rain.
Then the crest of Nottingham appears in dark red wax.
A black gauntlet presses into it.
The seal cracks.
The arena lights return slowly.
At ringside, Julian Ward watches the darkened screen with a grave expression.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham has declared his intention to pursue the Mythic Crown Championship, and he believes the path to King Arthur begins tonight with Hansel.”
Brick Brody: “I like it. No petitions. No waiting for somebody to call his name. The Sheriff of Nottingham is going to build his claim out of damaged bodies.”
Julian Ward: “But Hansel has spent much of his life surviving those who believed they could make him disappear. The Sheriff of Nottingham may see tonight as the first entry in a record of dominance. Hansel may see it as another trap waiting to be escaped.”
Brick Brody: “Then he better escape quickly. The law is already walking toward the ring.”
The camera returns to the ring inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
The last image from the vignette still hangs over the building.
A broken crown beneath an iron boot.
The arena lights dim into deep crimson and black.
A heavy stamp strikes parchment across the stage screen.
The seal of Nottingham appears in dark red wax.
A second stamp falls.
The word JUDGMENT burns beneath it.
A harsh trumpet sounds.
Prince John steps onto the stage.
He is dressed in crimson and gold, carrying his jeweled sceptre in one hand. His expression is pleased, almost indulgent, as though the hostile reaction from the crowd merely confirms his importance.
He lifts the sceptre.
The boos grow louder.
Then the Sheriff of Nottingham emerges behind him.
The Sheriff of Nottingham wears dark armor-inspired gear marked with the colors of royal enforcement. He does not survey the crowd. He does not acknowledge the signs directed against him.
His attention is fixed upon the ring.
Julian Ward: “Moments ago, the Sheriff of Nottingham declared his intention to challenge King Arthur for the Mythic Crown Championship. He believes that claim begins by demolishing Hansel tonight.”
Brick Brody: “That is how you build a title case. No speeches about deserving an opportunity. No petitions. You stack bodies until the champion has to notice.”
Prince John begins walking down the ramp.
He waves the sceptre dismissively toward several supporters of Hansel, then points it toward the ring as though issuing an order.
The Sheriff of Nottingham follows several steps behind.
Every movement is deliberate.
Every step carries the confidence of a man who believes the law has already decided the result.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham presents himself as something greater than a challenger. He sees himself as the authority already doing the work of a king.”
Brick Brody: “And he may have a point. King Arthur talks about command. The Sheriff of Nottingham actually enjoys enforcing it.”
At ringside, Prince John stops beside the commentary desk long enough to look down at Julian Ward and Brick Brody.
He smiles.
Then he continues toward the corner.
The Sheriff of Nottingham climbs the steps and enters the ring. He walks to the center, turns toward the entranceway, and waits.
The crimson light fades.
The sound of wind moving through a forest replaces the trumpet.
Bare trees spread across the stage screen.
A narrow path appears between them.
Small pieces of bread lie scattered through the darkness.
A low drumbeat begins.
Hansel steps onto the stage.
The crowd responds strongly.
He wears rugged, battle-worn gear suited more to survival than ceremony. His expression is guarded, but not afraid. He looks toward the ring, then briefly toward Prince John at ringside.
Julian Ward: “Hansel has survived traps, hunger, monsters, and those who believed isolation would make him easy prey. Tonight, he stands against a man who intends to turn him into the first step toward the Mythic Crown Championship.”
Brick Brody: “Survival is useful, but it can become a bad habit. Sometimes surviving only means the beating lasts longer.”
Hansel starts down the ramp.
He keeps his distance from Prince John as he approaches ringside, never allowing the sceptre to leave his sight.
The Sheriff of Nottingham remains in the center of the ring.
Still waiting.
Hansel slides beneath the bottom rope and rises quickly. He steps toward the Sheriff of Nottingham, but Honest Abe moves between them before either man can strike.
Prince John takes his place near the corner, resting both hands upon the top of his sceptre.
In the center of the ring, Louie Linville raises the microphone.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, this contest is scheduled for one fall.”
The crowd roars.
Louie Linville: “The referee assigned to this match is Honest Abe.”
Honest Abe raises one hand, then looks toward Prince John with a warning expression.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Prince John. He is the iron hand of royal judgment, the keeper of the seal, the law of Nottingham, the Sheriff of Nottingham!”
The coliseum fills with boos.
The Sheriff of Nottingham steps forward and looks directly toward the hard camera.
Prince John raises his sceptre behind him.
Louie Linville: “And his opponent. A hunter who has walked through darkness and returned, a survivor who refuses every cage set before him, Hansel!”
The crowd cheers as Hansel raises one fist.
Honest Abe gives final instructions.
The Sheriff of Nottingham says nothing.
Hansel keeps his eyes moving between the Sheriff of Nottingham and Prince John.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
The Sheriff of Nottingham charges immediately.
He catches Hansel before the survivor can establish his footing, lifts him across the shoulders, and drives him down with the Execution Order.
Julian Ward: “The Execution Order in the opening minute. The Sheriff of Nottingham has begun exactly as he promised.”
Brick Brody: “That is not a warning. That is a sentence. Hansel barely heard the bell before he was dropped on his head and shoulders.”
Hansel rolls onto his side, clutching the back of his neck.
The Sheriff of Nottingham stands over him and looks briefly toward Prince John.
Prince John nods in approval.
Julian Ward: “Hansel absorbed the full force of that Death Valley Driver. The intention is unmistakable. The Sheriff of Nottingham wants this match to feel like punishment from its first moment.”
Minute 2
The Sheriff of Nottingham reaches down to pull Hansel upright.
Hansel catches the arm, twists through, and traps the Sheriff of Nottingham in a Front Facelock.
Julian Ward: “Hansel responds by securing the Front Facelock. He is trying to slow the match and remove the Sheriff of Nottingham’s ability to dictate the pace.”
Brick Brody: “Smart. You cannot issue royal decrees when somebody has your head trapped beneath an arm.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham attempts to widen his base, but Hansel keeps the grip tight and pulls him away from the ropes.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham tried to defend, but Hansel has the hold established. This is the survivor’s first answer.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham eventually drives Hansel backward into the corner, forcing Honest Abe to call for the break.
Minute 3
As Hansel steps out of the corner, the Sheriff of Nottingham moves behind him and wraps an arm around his neck.
The Sleeper is locked in.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham catches Hansel in the Sleeper.”
Brick Brody: “Now the law is trying to choke the resistance out of him.”
Hansel fights the grip and moves toward the ropes.
He creates just enough space to turn, then launches himself forward with a Flying Forearm Smash.
The blow catches the Sheriff of Nottingham across the jaw.
Both men fall.
Julian Ward: “Hansel breaks the rhythm with the Flying Forearm Smash, but the Sheriff of Nottingham maintains part of the Sleeper even through the collision.”
Brick Brody: “That is stubborn control. He got hit in the mouth and still tried to keep the arm around the throat.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham tightens the Sleeper again as both men rise.
Honest Abe asks Hansel if he submits.
Hansel shakes his head and drives backward into the turnbuckles until the hold breaks.
Julian Ward: “Hansel refuses the submission and uses the corner to force his release.”
Minute 4
The Sheriff of Nottingham recovers first and catches Hansel with a Snap Brainbuster.
Hansel’s head and shoulders strike the canvas sharply.
Julian Ward: “A Snap Brainbuster from the Sheriff of Nottingham. The head and neck remain the target.”
Brick Brody: “That is good enforcement. Pick one area and make every law apply to it.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham attempts to follow.
Hansel catches him around the waist, lifts, and drives him down with the Spine Crusher.
Julian Ward: “But Hansel responds with the Spine Crusher. Both men land severe offense in the same exchange.”
Brick Brody: “The Sheriff of Nottingham tried to make this a public execution. Hansel is turning it into a fight.”
Both men roll apart, each holding the back after the violent exchange.
Minute 5
The Sheriff of Nottingham rises with his guard high.
Hansel steps inside, locks both arms around the body, and launches him across the ring with a Belly-to-Belly Suplex.
The Sheriff of Nottingham lands hard and slides toward the ropes.
Julian Ward: “A powerful Belly-to-Belly Suplex from Hansel. The Sheriff of Nottingham could not defend against it.”
Brick Brody: “That was the first clean statement from Hansel. He picked up the man who calls himself the law and threw him like anybody else.”
Hansel remains close, denying the Sheriff of Nottingham the space to reach Prince John’s corner.
Julian Ward: “Hansel is doing more than surviving now. He is beginning to force the Sheriff of Nottingham backward.”
At ringside, Prince John’s satisfied expression fades.
Minute 6
The Sheriff of Nottingham catches Hansel advancing and swings with a Lariat.
The blow lands across the chest and jaw.
Hansel is turned inside out.
Julian Ward: “A brutal Lariat from the Sheriff of Nottingham. Hansel attempted to defend, but the strike broke straight through.”
Brick Brody: “That is how authority answers embarrassment. Hit the man hard enough that nobody remembers the suplex.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham grabs Hansel by the wrist and pulls him upright.
He drives a forearm into the back of the neck, then forces him toward the ropes.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham has restored control with one direct blow. The force behind that Lariat changed the entire exchange.”
Prince John applauds slowly from ringside.
Minute 7
The Sheriff of Nottingham sends Hansel toward the ropes.
As Hansel rebounds, the Sheriff of Nottingham jumps onto the middle rope and springs backward with a Dropkick.
Both boots strike Hansel in the chest.
Julian Ward: “A Springboard Dropkick from the Sheriff of Nottingham. Surprising speed from the larger man.”
Brick Brody: “People expect law to be slow. This one just flew through Hansel’s chest.”
Hansel falls beneath the bottom rope but remains inside the ring.
The Sheriff of Nottingham pulls him away from the edge before he can create distance.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham is refusing to allow Hansel even the temporary safety of the ropes.”
Brick Brody: “Because safety is not written into the law tonight.”
Minute 8
Both men rise cautiously.
Hansel watches for another Lariat.
The Sheriff of Nottingham waits for the next charge.
For several seconds, neither gives the first opening.
Julian Ward: “A defensive pause. Both men are reading the weapons that have already landed.”
Brick Brody: “That is what happens when the first mistake starts hurting before the second one arrives.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham moves first.
He rebounds from the ropes and launches another Springboard Dropkick.
Hansel tries to meet him with a Flying Forearm Smash.
The two attacks collide in the center of the ring.
Both men crash to the mat.
Julian Ward: “Springboard Dropkick against the Flying Forearm Smash. Both men score, and neither leaves the collision clean.”
Brick Brody: “That was two bodies trying to occupy the same piece of air with bad intentions.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham rolls onto one knee first.
Hansel follows more slowly.
Minute 9
The Sheriff of Nottingham charges before Hansel can fully stand.
Another Lariat crashes across the chest.
Hansel falls backward.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham returns to the Lariat, and Hansel cannot defend in time.”
Brick Brody: “When a weapon works, keep using it. Variety is for men who doubt themselves.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham presses one boot against Hansel’s shoulder and looks out toward the crowd.
Boos spread through the coliseum.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham is beginning to impose the kind of control he promised in the vignette. Heavy strikes, little wasted motion, and complete certainty.”
Brick Brody: “That certainty is what King Arthur should be watching.”
Minute 10
The Sheriff of Nottingham pulls Hansel upright.
At ringside, Prince John suddenly turns toward the commentary desk.
He steps between the desk and the barricade, pointing his sceptre toward Julian Ward.
Prince John: “You will acknowledge the next challenger to the crown with proper respect.”
Julian Ward: “Prince John, we are attempting to call the match.”
Prince John: “Then call it correctly.”
Brick Brody: “Sit down, Your Highness. You are blocking my view.”
Prince John turns toward Brick Brody, offended.
Prince John: “You will address me as—”
Inside the ring, Hansel catches the Sheriff of Nottingham’s leg and twists him down into the Spinning Toe Hold.
Julian Ward: “While Prince John argues at the desk, Hansel has trapped the Sheriff of Nottingham in the Spinning Toe Hold.”
Brick Brody: “That is what happens when management starts worrying about commentary. Their wrestler gets his leg twisted off.”
Hansel continues rotating through the hold.
The Sheriff of Nottingham reaches toward the ropes, but Hansel drags him back toward the center.
Julian Ward: “Hansel is attacking the leg and forcing the Sheriff of Nottingham onto defense.”
Prince John turns back toward the ring, suddenly alarmed.
Minute 11
The Sheriff of Nottingham kicks free and rises with a noticeable limp.
Hansel steps toward the damaged leg.
The Sheriff of Nottingham catches him from the side and drives him backward with a Russian Legsweep.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham breaks free and lands the Russian Legsweep.”
Brick Brody: “That is a useful answer. When the leg hurts, bring the other man down before he can touch it again.”
Hansel attempted to brace, but the back of his head strikes the mat.
The Sheriff of Nottingham remains seated beside him, gripping the knee damaged by the Toe Hold.
Julian Ward: “The attack scores, but the leg remains compromised. Hansel has created a weakness that may shape the rest of the match.”
Prince John moves closer to the corner and calls instructions toward the ring.
Minute 12
Hansel catches the Sheriff of Nottingham trying to rise.
He pulls both legs backward, steps through, and turns him into a Boston Crab.
The crowd rises.
Julian Ward: “The Boston Crab is locked in. The Sheriff of Nottingham’s lower back and damaged leg are under severe pressure.”
Brick Brody: “Now the law is being stretched until it starts bargaining.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham reaches toward the ropes.
They remain several feet away.
Honest Abe kneels beside him and asks if he submits.
The Sheriff of Nottingham shakes his head.
Prince John slams the base of the sceptre against the floor.
Prince John: “You will not surrender!”
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham refuses to submit, but Hansel has the hold secured.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham crawls forward, dragging both men toward the ropes until his hand closes around the bottom strand.
Honest Abe orders the break.
Hansel releases at four.
Brick Brody: “Hansel made him work for that rope. The back and leg both paid.”
Minute 13
The Sheriff of Nottingham uses the ropes to rise.
Hansel charges with a Dropkick.
At the same moment, the Sheriff of Nottingham launches himself from the middle rope with another Springboard Dropkick.
Their boots strike almost simultaneously.
Julian Ward: “Dropkick meets Springboard Dropkick. The Sheriff of Nottingham lands with greater force, but Hansel catches him as well.”
Brick Brody: “The Sheriff of Nottingham won the collision, but the bad leg had to absorb the landing.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham rolls through and clutches the knee.
Hansel lands near the opposite ropes, holding his ribs.
Julian Ward: “The exchange favors the Sheriff of Nottingham, but every high-impact landing now carries additional risk.”
Prince John gestures urgently for him to continue.
Minute 14
The Sheriff of Nottingham pulls Hansel across his shoulders.
He turns and drives him down with another Execution Order.
Julian Ward: “A second Execution Order. The Death Valley Driver lands with even greater force.”
Brick Brody: “That is the move from the opening minute, and Hansel just felt it again after fourteen minutes of punishment.”
Hansel somehow rolls through the landing and catches the Sheriff of Nottingham as he rises.
He drives him down with the Spine Crusher.
Julian Ward: “But Hansel answers with the Spine Crusher. Another violent exchange in which neither man accepts the other’s strongest attack without retaliation.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham falls across Hansel and hooks the leg.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
Hansel kicks out.
Brick Brody: “That was a poor cover. The Sheriff of Nottingham assumed the second Execution Order had finished the work.”
Julian Ward: “Hansel escapes at one, and the wasted cover costs the Sheriff of Nottingham valuable control.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham looks toward Honest Abe with disbelief.
Minute 15
The Sheriff of Nottingham moves behind Hansel and attempts the Sleeper again.
Hansel catches the wrist before the arm can close around his neck.
He turns beneath it and breaks the hold completely.
Julian Ward: “Hansel neutralizes the Sleeper. He learned from the third minute and refuses to be trapped again.”
Brick Brody: “That is how survival becomes experience. The first time, the hold catches you. The second time, you know where the arm is coming from.”
Hansel drives an elbow into the ribs and creates separation.
The Sheriff of Nottingham stumbles toward the corner.
Julian Ward: “For the first time, one of the Sheriff of Nottingham’s established weapons has been fully denied.”
Prince John pounds the apron with the sceptre, demanding that the Sheriff of Nottingham regain control.
Minute 16
The Sheriff of Nottingham charges and attempts to lift Hansel for another Execution Order.
Hansel hooks the leg and tries to pull the Sheriff of Nottingham into another Boston Crab.
Neither man can complete the movement.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham attempts the Execution Order while Hansel reaches for the Boston Crab. Both men recognize the danger and prevent the other from establishing control.”
Brick Brody: “That is a stalemate built from memory. They know exactly what happens if either move is completed.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham shoves Hansel away.
Hansel rebounds off the ropes but stops before running into another Lariat.
Both men reset in the center.
Julian Ward: “No damage scored, but the exchange reveals the growing familiarity between them. Every successful weapon is now being anticipated.”
Minute 17
The Sheriff of Nottingham moves behind Hansel and throws him with a German Suplex.
Hansel lands across his shoulders but rolls through the momentum.
He rises, catches the Sheriff of Nottingham, and launches him with another Belly-to-Belly Suplex.
Julian Ward: “German Suplex from the Sheriff of Nottingham, answered immediately by the Belly-to-Belly Suplex from Hansel.”
Brick Brody: “Hansel got the better end of that trade. The Sheriff of Nottingham landed first. Hansel landed harder.”
Hansel hooks the leg.
Honest Abe drops into position.
“One!”
The Sheriff of Nottingham kicks out.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham escapes at one.”
Brick Brody: “That cover cost Hansel momentum. The suplex hurt him, but it was never enough to finish.”
Hansel rises quickly, visibly frustrated by the early kickout.
Minute 18
Hansel reaches for the Sheriff of Nottingham and attempts another Spine Crusher.
The Sheriff of Nottingham drops his weight and blocks the lift.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham neutralizes the Spine Crusher before Hansel can elevate him.”
Brick Brody: “That is the adjustment. He has been planted by that move twice. He was not allowing a third.”
Hansel tries to reposition his grip.
The Sheriff of Nottingham drives a forearm against the side of the head and escapes.
Julian Ward: “The block prevents damage and forces Hansel to reconsider one of his most effective attacks.”
Both men circle slowly, fatigue visible in their movement.
Minute 19
Hansel tries the Spine Crusher again.
This time, the Sheriff of Nottingham uses the momentum to reverse the lift.
He pulls Hansel forward and drives him down with a Snap Brainbuster.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham reverses the Spine Crusher into the Snap Brainbuster.”
Brick Brody: “That was the counter he needed. Hansel became predictable, and the law punished repetition.”
Hansel attempts to protect his neck but cannot stop the impact.
The Sheriff of Nottingham covers.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
“Two!”
Hansel kicks out.
The crowd cheers.
Julian Ward: “Hansel survives at two.”
Brick Brody: “That Brainbuster almost ended it. The Sheriff of Nottingham finally turned defense into a real near fall.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham sits beside Hansel, breathing heavily and looking toward Prince John.
Prince John points the sceptre toward the fallen survivor and mouths a single command.
Finish him.
Minute 20
The Sheriff of Nottingham pulls Hansel upright and swings with another Lariat.
The blow lands clean.
Hansel falls but catches the Sheriff of Nottingham’s leg during the follow-through.
He turns and traps him in the Boston Crab again.
Julian Ward: “Another Lariat from the Sheriff of Nottingham, but Hansel uses the fall to secure the Boston Crab.”
Brick Brody: “That is ugly survival. He got hit hard enough to drop, then grabbed the leg on the way down.”
Hansel sits deep into the hold.
The Sheriff of Nottingham claws at the mat.
Honest Abe asks if he submits.
The Sheriff of Nottingham refuses.
Julian Ward: “The damaged leg and lower back are under pressure once more, but the Sheriff of Nottingham will not surrender.”
Prince John reaches toward the bottom rope with his sceptre, trying to bring it closer to the Sheriff of Nottingham’s hand.
Honest Abe notices and warns him away.
Brick Brody: “Prince John almost extended the kingdom by three feet.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham eventually twists his hips and kicks Hansel away.
Minute 21
The Sheriff of Nottingham catches Hansel from the side and drives him down with another Russian Legsweep.
Julian Ward: “The Russian Legsweep lands, but Hansel uses the fall to roll back to his feet.”
Hansel catches the Sheriff of Nottingham charging and powers him down with a Powerslam.
The ring shakes.
Brick Brody: “That was dead even until Hansel put all of the Sheriff of Nottingham’s weight through the mat.”
Julian Ward: “Both men score in the exchange. The Russian Legsweep damaged Hansel, but the Powerslam prevented the Sheriff of Nottingham from sustaining control.”
Both remain down.
Honest Abe begins counting them.
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
Hansel turns onto one knee.
“Four!”
The Sheriff of Nottingham reaches the ropes.
Julian Ward: “The match has become a war of accumulation. Neither man can produce offense without carrying the previous damage into it.”
Minute 22
Hansel rises first.
He catches the Sheriff of Nottingham near the ropes, lifts him, and drives him down with the Spine Crusher.
This time, the Sheriff of Nottingham cannot defend.
Julian Ward: “The Spine Crusher connects. Hansel finally breaks through the defense that stopped him twice.”
Brick Brody: “That could be the opening. The Sheriff of Nottingham’s back has been worked through the Boston Crab, and now it is driven into the mat.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham lies motionless.
Hansel crawls toward him, but the accumulated punishment prevents an immediate cover.
Julian Ward: “Hansel has landed the attack he needed, but he cannot capitalize quickly.”
At ringside, Prince John looks from the Sheriff of Nottingham to Honest Abe.
His fingers tighten around the sceptre.
Brick Brody: “Look at Prince John. He is not watching like a manager anymore. He is measuring distance.”
Minute 23
Hansel pulls the Sheriff of Nottingham upright.
The Sheriff of Nottingham stumbles toward the ropes, barely able to stand.
Hansel moves in to finish the exchange.
Prince John climbs onto the apron.
Honest Abe immediately turns toward him.
Honest Abe: “Get down!”
Prince John raises both hands in false innocence.
While Honest Abe orders him away, the Sheriff of Nottingham grabs Hansel and pulls him toward the ropes.
Hansel breaks free.
He turns toward the center.
Prince John drops from the apron, circles the post, and drives the head of the sceptre into Hansel’s ribs.
The impact folds Hansel against the ropes.
The crowd erupts into boos.
Julian Ward: “Prince John has struck Hansel with the sceptre.”
Brick Brody: “That was not guidance. That was a royal battering ram.”
Hansel tries to remain upright.
The Sheriff of Nottingham pulls him away from the ropes and drives him down onto the mat.
Honest Abe turns back as the Sheriff of Nottingham falls across the chest and hooks the leg.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
Hansel tries to lift a shoulder.
“Two!”
Prince John watches from the floor, clutching the sceptre against his chest.
“Three!”
The bell rings.
The coliseum erupts in anger.
The Sheriff of Nottingham releases the cover and rises slowly.
Hansel remains on the mat, one arm wrapped around his ribs.
Honest Abe signals toward the Sheriff of Nottingham, unaware of the full extent of Prince John’s interference.
Louie Linville: “Here is your winner, the Sheriff of Nottingham!”
Prince John immediately enters the ring.
He raises the Sheriff of Nottingham’s arm with one hand and lifts the sceptre with the other.
Boos rain down from every section of the coliseum.
The Sheriff of Nottingham stands over Hansel, breathing heavily but composed.
There is no celebration in his expression.
Only confirmation.
Prince John points the sceptre toward the stage screen.
The image of the Mythic Crown Championship appears.
The Sheriff of Nottingham looks up at it.
Then he turns toward the hard camera.
He places one boot beside Hansel’s fallen body.
Prince John: “The first stone.”
The Sheriff of Nottingham says nothing.
He continues staring at the image of the championship.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham has defeated Hansel, but the victory belongs as much to the sceptre of Prince John as it does to the man whose hand has been raised. Hansel survived the Execution Order, the Brainbuster, the Sleeper, and repeated Lariats. It was royal interference that finally ended his resistance.”
Brick Brody: “The Sheriff of Nottingham said he would build a road toward King Arthur. Roads are not clean, Julian Ward. They are laid over whatever happens to be underneath. Tonight, that was Hansel.”
Julian Ward: “The record will show a victory for the Sheriff of Nottingham. The images will show something more troubling. He has declared his intention to pursue the Mythic Crown Championship, and tonight he demonstrated that Prince John will help enforce that ambition by any means available.”
RESULT: THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM DEFEATS HANSEL BY PINFALL AT THE 23-MINUTE MARK AFTER PRINCE JOHN RAMS HANSEL WITH HIS SCEPTRE.
The camera returns to the ring inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
The arena remains unsettled after the victory stolen by Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Then the lights change.
Green illumination spreads through the darkness.
The stage screen fills with branches bending beneath moonlight. A bowstring draws tight, followed by the bright sound of a lute cutting through the tension.
The crowd rises.
Allan A Dale steps onto the stage first.
He carries none of his usual easy cheer tonight. His posture is upright, but the memory of last week’s sudden submission loss to Sandman remains close. He looks toward the ring with determined focus, one hand resting briefly against his throat before falling to his side.
A green arrow strikes the stage screen.
Robin Hood emerges beside him.
The reaction becomes louder.
Robin Hood wears his familiar half-smile, but it does not fully disguise the weight he carries. One week ago, Mordred forced him to submit in the center of the ring. Then King Arthur appeared at the top of the ramp and smiled down upon him.
That image has not faded.
Robin Hood pauses beneath the green light and looks across the crowd. He gives a small nod toward the supporters raising banners for Sherwood, then turns toward Allan A Dale.
The two men exchange a few quiet words.
Then they begin walking toward the ring.
Julian Ward: “One week ago, both members of the Merry Band suffered painful defeats. Allan A Dale was silenced by Sandman in only three minutes. Later, Robin Hood was forced to submit to Mordred after enduring sustained damage to the legs and lower back.”
Brick Brody: “And tonight, they get the Universal Tag Team Champions. Somebody looked at two wounded men and decided they had not suffered enough.”
Julian Ward: “This match is not for the championships, but the danger may be no less severe. For Robin Hood and Allan A Dale, this is an opportunity to prove that defeat has not diminished the resistance of Sherwood.”
Brick Brody: “Resistance sounds good on a banner. Let us see how it sounds when Kong and Ogre start pounding on it.”
Robin Hood reaches ringside and slaps several hands along the barricade.
Allan A Dale follows, briefly acknowledging a group of fans singing his name before turning his focus back toward the ring.
Both men slide beneath the bottom rope.
Robin Hood rises first and moves toward the ropes, raising one hand toward the crowd.
Allan A Dale stands beside him, his expression serious but resolute.
The green light disappears.
The music stops.
A low electrical hum moves through the building.
The stage screen flickers with violent white light.
Chains drag across stone.
A heartbeat begins.
Slow.
Heavy.
Unnatural.
Dr. Frankenstein steps onto the stage.
His dark coat hangs stiffly from his shoulders. His expression is severe and impatient, as though the coliseum has interrupted work far more important than the suffering about to occur.
He raises one hand.
The heartbeat quickens.
Two enormous silhouettes appear behind him.
Kong steps into the light first.
The Universal Tag Team Championship rests over one shoulder. His immense frame seems to swallow the entranceway around him. He breathes heavily, his eyes fixed upon the two men waiting inside the ring.
Ogre emerges beside him.
The second championship hangs across his chest. He rolls his shoulders and opens both hands slowly, as though already imagining the bodies he intends to crush.
Together, Kong and Ogre stand behind Dr. Frankenstein.
The gold of the championships gleams against the cold laboratory light.
Julian Ward: “The reigning Universal Tag Team Champions, Kong and Ogre, enter without the titles at stake. Yet their presence remains unchanged. They do not compete as champions seeking approval. They compete as weapons directed by Dr. Frankenstein.”
Brick Brody: “That is why they are champions. They do not care whether the belts are on the line. They see two men in the ring and understand the assignment.”
Dr. Frankenstein leads the team down the ramp.
He speaks sharply over one shoulder.
Kong and Ogre do not visibly respond.
They continue walking.
At ringside, Dr. Frankenstein stops beside the steel steps.
Kong climbs onto the apron and steps over the top rope.
Ogre follows through the ropes beside him.
The ring immediately feels smaller.
Robin Hood and Allan A Dale remain in their corner, neither backing away.
Kong removes his championship and hands it through the ropes to Dr. Frankenstein.
Ogre does the same.
Dr. Frankenstein takes both titles and holds them against his chest with possessive pride.
In the center of the ring, Louie Linville raises the microphone.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, this tag team contest is scheduled for one fall.”
The crowd responds loudly.
Louie Linville: “This is a non-title match. The Universal Tag Team Championships are not at stake.”
A mixed reaction moves through the coliseum.
Louie Linville: “The referee assigned to this contest is Honest Abe.”
Honest Abe steps forward, then looks toward Dr. Frankenstein and gestures for him to remain on the floor.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, the voices of resistance from the green heart of Sherwood, Allan A Dale and Robin Hood!”
The crowd erupts.
Allan A Dale raises one hand.
Robin Hood points toward the supporters in the stands before turning back toward the champions.
Louie Linville: “And their opponents, accompanied to the ring by Dr. Frankenstein. They are the reigning Universal Tag Team Champions, the living instruments of Monster Bash, Kong and Ogre, the Monster Bash Enforcers!”
A harsh, divided reaction rolls through the coliseum.
Kong strikes one fist against his chest.
Ogre stands beside him, motionless.
Honest Abe gives both teams final instructions.
Allan A Dale elects to begin for the Merry Band.
Kong steps forward for the champions.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Kong charges immediately.
He catches Allan A Dale around the body and swings him through the air with the Jungle Swing, the Swinging Side Slam driving him into the canvas.
Julian Ward: “Kong opens with overwhelming force, swinging Allan A Dale through the air before driving him down.”
Brick Brody: “That is how you begin when you are the bigger man. Do not test speed. Remind the smaller man that gravity belongs to you.”
Allan A Dale rolls through the impact and catches Kong leaning forward.
He hooks the head, fights for leverage, and drives Kong down with a Piledriver.
The crowd erupts.
Julian Ward: “A remarkable answer from Allan A Dale. He has driven Kong down with the Piledriver.”
Brick Brody: “That took strength and terrible judgment. Lifting Kong like that could tear the back apart, but it landed.”
Kong rises to one knee almost immediately.
Allan A Dale does not wait to discover how much damage the move caused.
He turns toward his corner and tags Robin Hood.
Julian Ward: “A quick tag from the Merry Band. Allan A Dale landed the stronger attack and leaves before Kong can answer.”
Brick Brody: “That is the right decision. Do not admire a monster after you drop it.”
Minute 2
Robin Hood enters with speed.
He attempts to catch Kong beneath the jaw with Arrow’d End, but Kong barrels forward before the Stunner can fully connect.
Kong drives Robin Hood down and climbs toward the ropes.
He launches himself with a Diving Headbutt.
The full weight crashes across Robin Hood’s upper body.
Julian Ward: “A devastating Diving Headbutt from Kong. Robin Hood attempted Arrow’d End, but he could not complete the attack before Kong overwhelmed him.”
Brick Brody: “That was not a headbutt. That was a boulder falling from the sky.”
Kong covers.
Honest Abe drops into position.
Before the count can begin properly, Robin Hood shifts his hips and reverses the cover.
Robin Hood hooks one leg.
“One!”
Kong powers out.
Julian Ward: “Robin Hood reverses the pin attempt, but Kong escapes at one.”
Brick Brody: “That was clever, but it did nothing except irritate the champion.”
Kong rises quickly.
Robin Hood rolls toward the ropes, clutching his ribs after the Diving Headbutt.
Julian Ward: “The pin reversal prevented immediate defeat, but the damage belongs entirely to Kong in this minute.”
Minute 3
Kong pulls Robin Hood upright and drives a Boot into his midsection.
Robin Hood folds forward.
Julian Ward: “A direct Boot to the midsection, returning immediately to the ribs damaged by the Diving Headbutt.”
Brick Brody: “That is how you build damage. Do not search for something new when the old wound is still available.”
Robin Hood uses the ropes to create movement.
He rebounds and launches himself with a Senton, crashing across Kong’s chest and shoulders.
Julian Ward: “Robin Hood answers with the Senton. He is using movement and body weight to prevent Kong from establishing complete control.”
Brick Brody: “That was a good collision, but Robin Hood felt it too. Hitting Kong is like throwing yourself against a gate.”
Both men move toward their corners.
Kong tags Ogre.
Robin Hood tags Allan A Dale.
Julian Ward: “Both teams make the change. Now Allan A Dale faces Ogre.”
Minute 4
Ogre enters and drives Allan A Dale down with a clubbing strike.
He follows with a heavy Kneedrop across the chest.
Julian Ward: “The Kneedrop lands with full weight across Allan A Dale.”
Brick Brody: “That will make breathing difficult, and Allan A Dale already learned last week what happens when the air disappears.”
Allan A Dale fights upright and catches Ogre turning.
He pulls him into the Travelling Troubadour, snapping the larger man down with the Swinging Neckbreaker.
Julian Ward: “The Travelling Troubadour from Allan A Dale. A sharp counter after absorbing the Kneedrop.”
Brick Brody: “Good timing. Ogre had the strength advantage, but Allan A Dale used the turn against him.”
Allan A Dale hooks the leg.
Ogre shifts beneath him and reverses the pin.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
“Two!”
Allan A Dale kicks out.
Julian Ward: “Ogre reverses the cover and nearly steals the fall.”
Brick Brody: “That is twice the Merry Band has gone for a pin and found themselves underneath instead.”
Ogre rises and tags Kong.
Minute 5
Kong enters as Allan A Dale pulls himself toward the center of the ring.
At ringside, Dr. Frankenstein climbs onto the apron and begins shouting toward Honest Abe.
The referee turns.
Dr. Frankenstein points toward Robin Hood, accusing him of entering illegally despite Robin Hood remaining in his corner.
Julian Ward: “Dr. Frankenstein is creating a distraction at ringside.”
Brick Brody: “The doctor does not believe in waiting for the monsters to solve every problem.”
Allan A Dale turns toward the commotion.
Kong moves behind him and pulls him backward into a sudden roll-up.
Honest Abe turns back, but Allan A Dale escapes before the referee can reach position.
Julian Ward: “The distraction created the roll-up opportunity, but Allan A Dale escapes.”
Allan A Dale immediately runs toward the ropes and launches himself with a Diving Crossbody.
The attack catches Kong across the upper chest, but the champion remains partially upright.
Brick Brody: “That Crossbody landed, but Kong barely moved.”
Julian Ward: “Allan A Dale scores with the aerial attack, yet Kong still controls the physical terms of the exchange.”
Kong forces Allan A Dale toward the opposing corner and tags Ogre.
Minute 6
Ogre enters with both hands raised, looking to crush Allan A Dale against the turnbuckles.
Allan A Dale slips beneath the grip.
He catches Ogre around the body and drives through with a Scoop Powerslam.
The ring shakes.
Julian Ward: “A tremendous Scoop Powerslam from Allan A Dale. Ogre absorbs the full impact.”
Brick Brody: “That is impressive. Allan A Dale just picked up one of the Universal Tag Team Champions and put him through the mat.”
Ogre rolls toward his corner, visibly stunned.
He reaches upward.
Kong tags in.
Across the ring, Allan A Dale reaches Robin Hood.
Both fresh men enter.
Julian Ward: “Simultaneous tags. Kong and Robin Hood return to the match.”
Brick Brody: “And both partners are already moving. This is about to lose all order.”
Minute 7
Kong charges Robin Hood before Honest Abe can clear the ring.
Ogre remains inside.
Allan A Dale steps back through the ropes to prevent the double-team.
All four men collide.
Julian Ward: “All four competitors are in the ring, and Honest Abe has lost control of the match.”
Kong clasps both hands and drives a Sledgehammer blow into Robin Hood’s chest.
Ogre does the same to Allan A Dale, crushing him beneath a double-fisted strike.
Brick Brody: “The champions are pounding them down like tent stakes.”
Robin Hood stumbles backward, then catches Kong beneath the jaw with Arrow’d End.
The Stunner snaps Kong’s head backward.
Julian Ward: “Arrow’d End connects on Kong.”
Allan A Dale catches Ogre at the same moment and drives him down with the Travelling Troubadour.
Julian Ward: “And the Travelling Troubadour brings down Ogre.”
Brick Brody: “Every man landed something. That was not teamwork. That was four people reaching for the biggest weapon available.”
Kong falls toward one side of the ring.
Ogre rolls toward the other.
Robin Hood and Allan A Dale remain near the center, both breathing heavily.
Honest Abe orders the illegal men toward their corners.
Julian Ward: “The Merry Band has survived the first eruption of chaos, but the champions absorbed both attacks and remain dangerous.”
Minute 8
Before order can be restored, Kong rises and climbs toward the ropes.
Ogre catches Allan A Dale and throws him forward with a Snapmare.
Robin Hood charges toward Kong.
All four men remain involved.
Kong launches another Diving Headbutt, crashing toward Robin Hood.
The impact drives both men toward the ropes.
Julian Ward: “A second Diving Headbutt from Kong.”
Brick Brody: “That move is becoming a demolition tool.”
Ogre follows the Snapmare by attempting to control Allan A Dale, but Allan A Dale twists through and throws him with a Gutwrench Suplex.
Julian Ward: “Allan A Dale answers Ogre with the Gutwrench Suplex.”
Near the ropes, Robin Hood catches Kong by the waist and forces him onto the apron.
He lifts.
Turns.
And drives Kong down with an Apron Powerbomb.
The crowd erupts as Kong crashes onto the hardest edge of the ring and falls to the floor.
Julian Ward: “An Apron Powerbomb from Robin Hood. Kong has been driven across the edge of the ring.”
Brick Brody: “That may be the most dangerous attack the Merry Band has landed tonight. The apron has no mercy in it.”
Honest Abe finally directs Ogre and Allan A Dale toward their corners, then begins counting Kong.
“One!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
Kong lies beside the ring, one hand pressed against his lower back.
“Four!”
“Five!”
Dr. Frankenstein shouts at Kong to rise.
“Six!”
Kong grabs the middle rope.
“Seven!”
Kong pulls himself onto the apron and steps over the top rope.
Julian Ward: “Kong returns at seven. The Apron Powerbomb caused significant damage, but it did not keep the champion down.”
Brick Brody: “And now Robin Hood has to deal with what happens after you hurt a monster and fail to finish it.”
Minute 9
Robin Hood approaches before Kong can fully regain his balance.
He reaches for another Arrow’d End.
Kong blocks the attempt.
He catches Robin Hood beneath the arms and lifts him high overhead.
Julian Ward: “Kong has Robin Hood above his head.”
Robin Hood tries to shift his weight.
He cannot break free.
Kong throws him down with the Gorilla Press Drop.
Robin Hood crashes onto the canvas.
Brick Brody: “That is a long way to fall, especially with a body already damaged from last week.”
Kong drops across Robin Hood’s chest and hooks the leg.
Allan A Dale attempts to enter.
Ogre steps through the ropes and cuts him off with a crushing forearm.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
Robin Hood turns one shoulder but cannot lift it.
“Two!”
Allan A Dale tries to break past Ogre.
Ogre drives him backward into the corner.
“Three!”
The bell rings.
The crowd erupts into boos and uneasy noise.
Kong releases the cover and slowly rises.
Robin Hood remains flat on the mat.
Louie Linville: “Here are your winners, the Universal Tag Team Champions, Kong and Ogre, the Monster Bash Enforcers!”
Dr. Frankenstein enters the ring carrying both championships.
He hands one title to Kong and the other to Ogre.
Then he points down at Robin Hood.
His voice cannot be heard clearly, but the contempt in his expression requires no translation.
Allan A Dale moves toward Robin Hood, but Ogre stands between them.
For several tense seconds, it appears the champions may continue the assault.
Honest Abe warns Ogre away.
Dr. Frankenstein raises one hand.
Kong and Ogre stop.
Not because of the referee.
Because the doctor has called them back.
Dr. Frankenstein directs the champions toward the ropes.
Kong steps over the top rope.
Ogre follows.
They leave with the championships resting across their shoulders.
Inside the ring, Allan A Dale kneels beside Robin Hood.
He places one hand against his partner’s shoulder and speaks quietly.
Robin Hood opens his eyes, but does not immediately rise.
The camera catches the pain in his expression.
Another defeat.
Another night left beneath someone else’s power.
Julian Ward: “The Monster Bash Enforcers have defeated Robin Hood and Allan A Dale in this non-title contest. The Merry Band fought with speed, resilience, and moments of genuine coordination, but the champions endured every dangerous counter and ended the match through overwhelming power.”
Brick Brody: “That is why Kong and Ogre carry the gold. Robin Hood and Allan A Dale hit them with Piledrivers, Neckbreakers, a Stunner, and an Apron Powerbomb. The monsters kept coming. Then Kong picked Robin Hood up and threw him out of the sky.”
Julian Ward: “For Robin Hood, the consequences continue to gather. One week after submitting to Mordred, he falls beneath the force of Kong. For Allan A Dale, another courageous effort ends in defeat. The Merry Band remains united, but tonight the burden upon that unity has become heavier.”
RESULT: THE MONSTER BASH ENFORCERS DEFEAT ROBIN HOOD AND ALLAN A DALE BY PINFALL AT THE 9-MINUTE MARK AFTER KONG PINS ROBIN HOOD WITH THE GORILLA PRESS DROP.
The broadcast cuts away from ringside.
A harsh fluorescent light flickers to life.
The basement studio comes into focus.
Cinder-block walls.
Exposed pipes.
A single metal desk beneath lighting that offers no warmth and hides no flaw. Stacks of match reports, handwritten notes, and marked-up photographs cover the surface. No banners hang from the walls. No championship graphics glow behind the desk.
There is no pageantry here.
Only evidence.
Dave Kent sits behind the desk wearing his signature black wrestling mask. His sleeves are rolled to the elbows. One hand rests on a folder marked MYTHIC CROWN. The other taps a pen against the metal surface in a slow, irritated rhythm.
He looks directly into the camera.
This is not a friendly interview.
This is not ceremony.
This is The Bunker.
Where the brutal truth lives.
Dave Kent: “There is an old disease in professional wrestling, and every generation acts surprised when it comes crawling back through the locker-room door.”
He opens the folder.
Photographs are spread across the desk.
King Arthur holding the Mythic Crown Championship.
Mordred trapped beneath him.
Frankenstein’s Monster standing across from him.
Robin Hood lying wounded in the ring while King Arthur watches from the ramp.
Dave Kent: “A man wins the championship because he proves he is better than everybody else on one particular night. Then he defends it enough times, survives enough punishment, hears enough people chant his name, and eventually starts believing the belt has stopped measuring him.”
He taps the photograph of King Arthur.
Dave Kent: “Now he believes the belt has crowned him.”
A faint hum rolls through the fluorescent lights.
Dave Kent: “And before anybody starts sharpening a sword and writing me a royal complaint, let us deal with the facts.”
He lifts the first report.
Dave Kent: “King Arthur has survived one of the most physically demanding stretches of any champion in the Mythic Division. He went through Mordred, a challenger who knew his weaknesses, his history, and every emotional fracture beneath that armor. Then came Frankenstein’s Monster, a former champion built like a cathedral dropped down a mountainside. Every defense has forced King Arthur into longer stretches of punishment, slower recoveries, and more reliance on timing rather than raw control.”
He drops the report onto the desk.
Dave Kent: “That is the statistical truth. The man has earned his reign.”
He leans forward.
Dave Kent: “Here is the other truth.”
His voice sharpens.
Dave Kent: “He has started carrying himself like everybody else should be grateful he still allows them inside his kingdom.”
The camera pushes closer.
Dave Kent: “The speeches have changed. The posture has changed. The pauses have changed. He used to speak about defending Camelot. Now he speaks about commanding it. He used to stand beside allies. Now he stands above them at the top of the ramp and smiles while they are lying flat on their backs.”
He holds up the photograph of Robin Hood.
Dave Kent: “And if anyone tells me that smile meant nothing, I have a drawbridge in a swamp I would be delighted to sell them.”
The metal door beside the studio opens.
Blue-and-gold light enters the gray room.
King Arthur steps into The Bunker.
The Mythic Crown Championship rests across his shoulder.
He wears no ceremonial cloak and carries no sword. His armor-inspired gear remains polished, but the setting strips away the majesty usually surrounding him. Beneath the fluorescent light, the championship appears heavier.
More metal than symbol.
King Arthur walks to the chair opposite Dave Kent and remains standing.
Dave Kent looks up at him.
He does not rise.
Dave Kent: “Sit down, Your Majesty. The furniture may be common, but it has survived worse egos.”
A low reaction can be heard from the crowd watching inside the coliseum.
King Arthur studies him for a moment.
Then he sits.
He places the Mythic Crown Championship across his lap, one hand resting upon its center plate.
King Arthur: “You requested my presence.”
Dave Kent: “I requested answers. Your presence is the delivery method.”
King Arthur’s expression remains controlled.
Dave Kent: “My guest is the reigning Mythic Crown Champion, King Arthur. The most successful man in this division at present, which is fortunate, because lately he has begun speaking as though success has made him infallible.”
King Arthur: “Success often sounds like arrogance to those who have not carried its burden.”
Dave Kent: “And there it is before I have even asked the first question.”
Dave Kent opens another report.
Dave Kent: “Let us start with the reign itself. You have survived Mordred. You survived Frankenstein’s Monster. The crown remains around your waist while challengers keep gathering beneath you.”
He points the pen toward King Arthur.
Dave Kent: “Who is next?”
King Arthur: “Whoever proves worthy.”
Dave Kent: “That is a king’s answer, which means it sounds impressive and tells me absolutely nothing.”
King Arthur’s eyes narrow slightly.
Dave Kent: “Let us use names.”
He lays several photographs across the desk.
Mordred.
Frankenstein’s Monster.
The Sheriff of Nottingham.
Robin Hood.
Dave Kent: “Mordred defeated Robin Hood last week and faces Takuma Ryujin in tonight’s main event. Frankenstein’s Monster has continued mauling knights as though the entire Round Table owes him money. Earlier tonight, the Sheriff of Nottingham declared that he intends to challenge for your championship, then defeated Hansel with help from Prince John’s sceptre.”
He slides the photographs toward King Arthur.
Dave Kent: “Which one do you see coming?”
King Arthur looks down at the photographs.
King Arthur: “Mordred has already stood before me.”
Dave Kent: “And nearly took the crown.”
King Arthur: “He failed.”
Dave Kent: “Failure has never stopped that man from returning.”
King Arthur: “Then he will fail again.”
Dave Kent studies him.
Dave Kent: “Frankenstein’s Monster?”
King Arthur: “A destructive force.”
Dave Kent: “That is a polite way to describe the man who nearly dismantled your kingdom one knight at a time.”
King Arthur: “Power without direction eventually consumes itself.”
Dave Kent: “Or it consumes the champion before that lesson arrives.”
King Arthur does not respond.
Dave Kent: “What about the Sheriff of Nottingham?”
A faint shift crosses King Arthur’s face.
King Arthur: “The Sheriff of Nottingham confuses enforcement with rule.”
Dave Kent: “He said much the same about you.”
King Arthur: “He speaks beneath the protection of Prince John and calls it authority.”
Dave Kent: “Tonight, he won because Prince John drove a sceptre into Hansel’s ribs.”
King Arthur: “Then tonight he proved he can steal a victory.”
Dave Kent: “Does that disqualify him from challenging you?”
King Arthur: “It disqualifies him from calling himself superior.”
Dave Kent: “That was not the question.”
King Arthur looks directly across the desk.
King Arthur: “The Sheriff of Nottingham may present whatever claim he wishes. A declaration does not create a challenger. Victory does.”
Dave Kent: “He has the victory.”
King Arthur: “He has a result.”
Dave Kent leans back.
Dave Kent: “Now that is interesting.”
He taps the desk twice.
Dave Kent: “When you win under difficult circumstances, you call it survival. When another man does it, you call it a result.”
King Arthur: “Do you compare my reign to the intervention of Prince John?”
Dave Kent: “I compare language, because language reveals where a man has started moving the goalposts.”
King Arthur: “I have never required another man’s weapon to retain this championship.”
Dave Kent: “No. But you have required allies, guidance, opportunity, and circumstance like every champion who has ever lived. There is no shame in that until the champion begins pretending the climb was solitary.”
The room grows quieter.
King Arthur’s hand tightens slightly over the championship.
King Arthur: “I have never denied those who stood beside me.”
Dave Kent: “Let us test that claim.”
He picks up the photograph of Robin Hood.
Dave Kent: “Last week, Robin Hood spoke about you.”
The crowd reaction can be heard faintly through the broadcast feed.
Dave Kent: “He called you his friend. He acknowledged your wars, your exhaustion, and everything this reign has cost. He also warned that a king cannot mistake distance for wisdom.”
King Arthur: “I heard him.”
Dave Kent: “Then he faced Mordred.”
King Arthur: “He did.”
Dave Kent: “He was trapped in the Sharpshooter, forced to submit, and left lying in the ring.”
King Arthur: “That was the result.”
Dave Kent: “And you stood at the top of the ramp.”
A beat passes.
Dave Kent: “Smiling.”
King Arthur: “You attach meaning to a moment you did not understand.”
Dave Kent: “Then explain it.”
King Arthur: “I watched two men who have made themselves problems for Camelot weaken one another.”
The words settle heavily.
Dave Kent: “Two problems.”
King Arthur: “Mordred seeks to destroy the throne.”
Dave Kent: “And Robin Hood?”
King Arthur: “Robin Hood has begun questioning it.”
Dave Kent: “So questioning the king now places a man beside the one trying to destroy the kingdom?”
King Arthur: “Do not simplify what I said.”
Dave Kent: “I did not simplify it. I repeated it without the royal polish.”
The fluorescent light hums louder.
Dave Kent: “You called Robin Hood a problem.”
King Arthur: “I said he has made himself one.”
Dave Kent: “Because he questioned you?”
King Arthur: “Because he chose a public platform to cast doubt upon the crown while Camelot remains surrounded by enemies.”
Dave Kent: “That sounds less like a king defending a kingdom and more like a promoter furious that somebody went off-script.”
King Arthur’s expression hardens.
King Arthur: “Robin Hood has enjoyed the protection of Camelot while presenting himself as resistance to it.”
Dave Kent: “He has resisted corruption.”
King Arthur: “He has decided that every law he dislikes is corruption.”
Dave Kent: “He fights Prince John, the Sheriff of Nottingham, the Broken Crown, and anybody else who treats common people like livestock. That is not exactly a difficult pattern to understand.”
King Arthur: “He is an outlaw.”
Dave Kent: “He was an outlaw when he stood beside you.”
Silence.
Dave Kent: “He was an outlaw when his arrows were pointed at your enemies.”
King Arthur: “Circumstances change.”
Dave Kent: “No, champion. Power changes what circumstances a man is willing to tolerate.”
The reaction from the arena grows.
King Arthur sits straighter.
King Arthur: “You mistake clarity for corruption.”
Dave Kent: “Then let us talk about clarity.”
Dave Kent pulls another page from the folder.
Dave Kent: “Earlier in this reign, you spoke about responsibility. You said the crown represented every knight, every family, and every soul beneath the walls of Camelot.”
He places the page down.
Dave Kent: “Recently, you said Camelot would no longer merely endure.”
King Arthur: “Correct.”
Dave Kent: “It would command.”
King Arthur: “Correct.”
Dave Kent: “Those are not the same philosophies.”
King Arthur: “No.”
The answer comes without hesitation.
Dave Kent stops tapping the pen.
King Arthur: “Endurance is what a kingdom practices when it is under siege.”
His voice remains calm.
King Arthur: “Command is what it practices when the siege has failed.”
Dave Kent: “And who decides the siege has failed?”
King Arthur: “The king.”
Dave Kent: “Who decides what becomes law?”
King Arthur: “The king.”
Dave Kent: “Who decides whether an ally has become a problem?”
King Arthur: “The king.”
Dave Kent leans forward slowly.
Dave Kent: “That crown is starting to sound less like responsibility and more like permission.”
King Arthur: “The crown is authority.”
Dave Kent: “Authority has to answer to something.”
King Arthur: “It answers to the survival of the realm.”
Dave Kent: “That is the phrase every tyrant carves above the dungeon door.”
The crowd reacts sharply.
King Arthur rises halfway from the chair.
Dave Kent does not move.
Dave Kent: “Sit down.”
A long moment passes.
King Arthur’s jaw tightens.
Then he settles back into the chair.
Dave Kent: “You came here because somewhere beneath the armor, you still believe questions should be answered.”
King Arthur: “I came because the crown does not fear accusation.”
Dave Kent: “Good. Then answer the last one.”
He picks up the photograph of the Sheriff of Nottingham, then the photograph of Mordred, and places both beside the image of Robin Hood.
Dave Kent: “Which man threatens your reign most?”
King Arthur looks at the three images.
King Arthur: “The man who mistakes my restraint for weakness.”
Dave Kent: “That could be all three.”
King Arthur: “Then all three should listen.”
He lifts the Mythic Crown Championship from his lap and places it over his shoulder.
King Arthur: “Mordred believes blood gives him a claim.”
He looks toward the first photograph.
King Arthur: “It does not.”
His gaze shifts.
King Arthur: “The Sheriff of Nottingham believes enforcement makes him a king.”
A cold edge enters his voice.
King Arthur: “It makes him a servant with delusions.”
He looks toward the image of Robin Hood.
There is a longer pause.
King Arthur: “And Robin Hood believes friendship gives him the right to correct the throne.”
Dave Kent: “Does it?”
King Arthur: “Friendship gives him the right to speak.”
Dave Kent: “He spoke.”
King Arthur: “Then he must accept that the king may answer.”
Dave Kent: “How?”
King Arthur rises.
The championship gleams beneath the fluorescent light.
King Arthur: “As king.”
Dave Kent: “That is not an answer. That is a warning.”
King Arthur: “Perhaps he will understand it better that way.”
King Arthur turns toward the door.
Dave Kent: “One more thing.”
King Arthur stops.
Dave Kent: “You still have not named your next challenger.”
King Arthur looks back over his shoulder.
King Arthur: “The next challenger is the man who survives long enough to stand before me.”
Dave Kent: “And if that man is Robin Hood?”
A beat passes.
King Arthur: “Then Robin Hood will learn the difference between standing beside a king and standing against one.”
The arena reaction surges.
King Arthur opens the metal door.
Blue-and-gold light spills into the room again.
He leaves without looking back.
The door closes.
The harsh gray returns.
Dave Kent remains behind the desk.
He looks down at the photographs.
Mordred.
The Sheriff of Nottingham.
Robin Hood.
Then he looks toward the camera.
Dave Kent: “There it is.”
He gathers the papers slowly.
Dave Kent: “Not the answer I expected.”
He closes the folder.
Dave Kent: “The answer I feared.”
The fluorescent light flickers above him.
Dave Kent: “King Arthur is still a great champion. The record proves it. The matches prove it. The bodies behind him prove it.”
He places both hands flat upon the desk.
Dave Kent: “But a championship reign has two opponents.”
A pause.
Dave Kent: “The challenger standing across the ring.”
His eyes narrow behind the black mask.
Dave Kent: “And the man the champion becomes while waiting for him.”
The light flickers again.
Dave Kent: “That is the problem with this business. Every champion thinks the belt is a mirror until it starts showing him somebody he no longer recognizes.”
The camera pulls back.
Dave Kent remains alone beneath the unforgiving light.
The desk.
The evidence.
The closed metal door.
The screen fades to black.
The camera returns to ringside inside Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.
The atmosphere has changed.
The sharp fluorescent glare of The Bunker is gone, but the words of King Arthur remain over the building.
Robin Hood will learn the difference between standing beside a king and standing against one.
The crowd continues reacting as the ring announcer steps into position.
At the commentary desk, Julian Ward looks toward the entranceway.
Julian Ward: “It is now time for our main event. Earlier tonight, King Arthur spoke of challengers, enemies, and the authority of the crown. One of the men most determined to tear that crown from him now enters another trial.”
Brick Brody: “And he is facing a man who does not care about Camelot’s family argument. Takuma Ryujin is here to fight. That makes him a very dangerous interruption to Mordred’s plans.”
The arena lights go dark.
A low metallic scrape crawls through the coliseum.
The stage screen shows a cracked iron crown resting upon black ash.
A torch ignites beside it.
Then another.
The broken crown slowly rises from the ash as if lifted by an unseen hand.
Myrrden steps onto the stage.
He is hooded and silent, his staff resting against one shoulder. His face remains hidden beneath shadow, but his attention is fixed upon the ring.
Behind him comes Mordred.
The crowd erupts into boos.
Mordred wears dark armor-inspired gear, the metal edges catching the torchlight in hard silver lines. There is no visible satisfaction in his expression despite last week’s victory over Robin Hood.
Only cold momentum.
Only grievance.
Julian Ward: “One week ago, Mordred forced Robin Hood to submit to the Sharpshooter. That victory strengthened the presence of the Broken Crown, but it also produced the deeply unsettling image of King Arthur smiling from the top of the ramp.”
Brick Brody: “Mordred does not need the king’s approval. But I guarantee he noticed that smile. Hatred does not ignore details.”
Myrrden begins walking down the ramp.
Mordred follows several steps behind, his eyes never leaving the ring.
At ringside, Myrrden stops near the corner post and plants the base of his staff against the floor.
Mordred climbs the steel steps and enters through the ropes.
He walks to the center of the ring and looks toward the stage.
The torchlight disappears.
A deep drum sounds.
One beat.
Then another.
The stage screen fills with a black sky divided by a streak of gold. A dragon coils through the darkness, its scales catching flashes of crimson and white light.
A sharp burst of flame rises along the entranceway.
Lady Ayame Ryu steps onto the stage.
She stands tall and composed, dressed in formal dragon-court colors. Her expression is calm, but her attention moves immediately from Mordred to Myrrden.
Then Takuma Ryujin emerges.
The crowd responds with a strong roar.
Takuma Ryujin pauses beneath the image of the dragon. His shoulders are loose, his hands open, his posture controlled. He does not carry the ceremony of a knight or the bitterness of a fallen heir.
He carries the stillness of a warrior waiting for the first strike.
Julian Ward: “Takuma Ryujin enters without loyalty to either side of Camelot’s fracture. He does not seek the throne, and he does not carry the grievance of the Broken Crown. Tonight, he represents a different path entirely.”
Brick Brody: “That may be the worst possible opponent for Mordred. You can manipulate knights. You can provoke outlaws. Takuma Ryujin is here to kick somebody in the ribs and go home.”
Lady Ayame Ryu turns toward Takuma Ryujin and speaks quietly.
He gives one restrained nod.
They begin walking toward the ring together.
At ringside, Lady Ayame Ryu stops across from Myrrden.
Neither looks away.
Takuma Ryujin climbs onto the apron and steps through the ropes.
He moves to the center.
Mordred stands several feet away.
The two men stare at one another beneath the dim light.
In the center of the ring, Louie Linville raises the microphone.
Louie Linville: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your main event of the evening.”
The coliseum erupts.
Louie Linville: “This contest is scheduled for one fall.”
Another loud reaction rolls through the building.
Louie Linville: “The referee assigned to this match is Honest Abe.”
Honest Abe steps between the competitors, then looks toward both managers at ringside.
Louie Linville: “Introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Myrrden. He is the grievance beneath the throne, the heir of the Broken Crown, Mordred!”
The boos grow louder.
Mordred steps forward, his expression unchanged.
Louie Linville: “And his opponent, accompanied to the ring by Lady Ayame Ryu. He walks the ancient path of the dragon, carrying discipline, fury, and unbroken resolve, Takuma Ryujin!”
The crowd cheers strongly.
Takuma Ryujin gives one controlled bow toward the ring, then raises his eyes to Mordred.
Honest Abe delivers final instructions.
Neither man speaks.
Neither offers a hand.
They step backward.
The bell rings.
Minute 1
Mordred attacks before Takuma Ryujin can establish his stance.
He catches the head, turns sharply, and drives Takuma Ryujin down with an Inverted Sitdown Faceslam.
Julian Ward: “Mordred begins with immediate force. The Inverted Sitdown Faceslam drives Takuma Ryujin directly into the canvas.”
Brick Brody: “That is the right opening. Do not let the dragon breathe fire. Put his face into the mat before he gets comfortable.”
Takuma Ryujin attempts to brace during the descent, but the impact lands cleanly.
Mordred remains close, pressing one forearm across the back of the neck as he pulls his opponent upright.
Julian Ward: “There is no feeling-out process from Mordred. He intends to establish control before Takuma Ryujin can impose his striking rhythm.”
Brick Brody: “Control is easier when the other man is still trying to remember which way the ceiling is.”
Minute 2
Mordred attacks the legs.
He twists Takuma Ryujin down, steps through, and locks in the Sharpshooter.
The crowd reacts immediately.
Julian Ward: “The Sharpshooter is applied in the second minute. The same hold that forced Robin Hood to submit last week.”
Brick Brody: “That is a message to the entire division. Mordred found a weapon that works, and he is going to keep sharpening it.”
Takuma Ryujin presses both palms into the canvas.
Mordred sits deeply into the hold, bending the knees and lower back.
Honest Abe kneels near Takuma Ryujin and asks if he submits.
Takuma Ryujin shakes his head.
Julian Ward: “Takuma Ryujin refuses the submission, but he is absorbing severe punishment very early.”
Lady Ayame Ryu calls toward the ring, directing Takuma Ryujin’s attention toward the ropes.
He drags himself forward and reaches the bottom strand.
Honest Abe orders the break.
Mordred releases at four.
Brick Brody: “He survived, but that dragon path just became a limp.”
Minute 3
Mordred reaches down to pull Takuma Ryujin away from the ropes.
Takuma Ryujin explodes upward.
He catches Mordred, lifts him vertically, and drives him down with the Super Spike Piledriver.
The crowd erupts.
Julian Ward: “The Super Spike Piledriver from Takuma Ryujin. A sudden and dangerous answer.”
Brick Brody: “That is how you discourage somebody from grabbing you. Drop him straight on his head.”
Mordred rolls through the impact and forces himself upright.
He swings with a Clothesline.
The arm crashes across Takuma Ryujin’s upper chest and jaw.
Julian Ward: “But Mordred answers with the Clothesline. Takuma Ryujin landed the stronger attack, yet he receives punishment in return.”
Brick Brody: “That is the misery of fighting Mordred. You hurt him, and he makes sure the exchange still costs you.”
Minute 4
Takuma Ryujin moves behind Mordred and locks both arms around the waist.
He lifts him into a Bridging Dragon Suplex.
Mordred lands across his shoulders as Takuma Ryujin holds the bridge briefly.
Julian Ward: “The Bridging Dragon Suplex from Takuma Ryujin. Impressive control after the early damage to his lower back.”
Mordred twists free before a count can begin and rises with another Clothesline.
Takuma Ryujin is driven down again.
Brick Brody: “Same answer from Mordred. Every time Takuma Ryujin turns technique into an advantage, Mordred turns the next second into a collision.”
Julian Ward: “The match remains tightly balanced. Takuma Ryujin is producing the more complex offense. Mordred is answering through direct, punishing impact.”
Both men return to their feet without retreating.
Minute 5
Takuma Ryujin catches Mordred around the waist and lifts from a dead stop.
He throws him backward with a Deadlift German Suplex.
Julian Ward: “Extraordinary strength from Takuma Ryujin. The Deadlift German Suplex launches Mordred across the ring.”
Mordred lands hard but rolls forward.
He catches Takuma Ryujin charging and lifts him into a Sitout Powerbomb.
The ring shakes.
Brick Brody: “And Mordred returns the favor. One man throws the body backward. The other drives it straight down.”
Julian Ward: “Neither man gains clean separation. Every successful attack is being answered before momentum can settle.”
Takuma Ryujin holds the lower back as he rolls toward the ropes.
Mordred remains seated for a moment, breathing heavily after the suplex.
Minute 6
Mordred charges as Takuma Ryujin rises.
A Dropkick strikes Takuma Ryujin squarely in the chest and forces him backward.
Julian Ward: “A direct Dropkick from Mordred. Takuma Ryujin attempted to defend, but the impact broke through.”
Mordred falls across him and hooks the leg.
Takuma Ryujin shifts his hips before Honest Abe can begin the count and reverses the cover.
Honest Abe drops into position.
“One!”
“Two!”
Mordred kicks out.
Brick Brody: “Mordred went for the cover and almost trapped himself underneath.”
Julian Ward: “Excellent awareness from Takuma Ryujin. He turned defense into the first serious near fall of the match.”
Mordred rolls away quickly, his expression tightening.
Takuma Ryujin rises more slowly, still favoring the back damaged by the Sharpshooter and Powerbomb.
Minute 7
Takuma Ryujin bursts forward with a series of Dash Middle Kicks.
The first strikes the ribs.
The second catches the body.
Mordred pushes through the final kick and swings with another Clothesline.
Both men fall.
Julian Ward: “The Dash Middle Kicks from Takuma Ryujin, answered once again by the Clothesline from Mordred.”
Brick Brody: “That was a brutal trade. Takuma Ryujin kicked the air out of him. Mordred took his head off before the air mattered.”
Julian Ward: “Neither man gains the advantage. Their approaches remain different, but the damage is accumulating evenly.”
Lady Ayame Ryu watches closely from one side of the ring.
Across from her, Myrrden remains motionless beside his staff.
Minute 8
Takuma Ryujin reaches his feet first.
He catches Mordred around the waist before the dark prince can raise his guard.
Another Deadlift German Suplex sends Mordred crashing onto his shoulders.
Julian Ward: “A second Deadlift German Suplex. This time, Mordred cannot produce an immediate counter.”
Brick Brody: “That is what Takuma Ryujin needed. One clean attack without paying for it in the same breath.”
Mordred attempts to defend during the lift, but Takuma Ryujin’s grip remains secure.
Takuma Ryujin rises and pulls Mordred away from the ropes.
Julian Ward: “For the first time, Takuma Ryujin has an opportunity to build sustained offense.”
Brick Brody: “Then he better build quickly. Mordred does not stay underneath for long.”
Minute 9
Takuma Ryujin attacks with another series of Dash Middle Kicks.
Mordred absorbs the first strike, catches the second movement, and pulls Takuma Ryujin down with a Swinging Neckbreaker.
Julian Ward: “The kicks connect, but Mordred catches the movement and lands the Swinging Neckbreaker.”
Brick Brody: “That is the danger of rhythm. Once a man sees the pattern, he knows where to intercept it.”
Takuma Ryujin’s head and neck strike the canvas sharply.
Mordred remains close and presses one knee against the shoulder as he pulls his opponent up again.
Julian Ward: “The heavier attack belongs to Mordred. He is beginning to read the Dash Middle Kicks and punish the transition.”
Minute 10
Takuma Ryujin returns to the same kicking sequence.
Again, the strikes land against the ribs.
Again, Mordred catches him during the final step.
A second Swinging Neckbreaker drives Takuma Ryujin down.
Julian Ward: “Another Swinging Neckbreaker. Mordred has now countered the Dash Middle Kicks in consecutive minutes.”
Brick Brody: “That is stubbornness becoming expensive. Takuma Ryujin keeps throwing the same combination, and Mordred keeps collecting his neck.”
Mordred stands over him and looks briefly toward Lady Ayame Ryu.
She gives no visible reaction.
Julian Ward: “The target is becoming clear. The early Faceslam, the Clotheslines, and now repeated Neckbreakers. Mordred is constructing damage around the head and neck.”
Minute 11
Mordred pulls Takuma Ryujin up.
Takuma Ryujin suddenly secures the body and lifts.
He drives Mordred down with another Super Spike Piledriver.
The crowd rises.
Julian Ward: “A second Super Spike Piledriver from Takuma Ryujin. Mordred attempted to defend, but the lift was already secured.”
Brick Brody: “That will interrupt any plan. You cannot keep studying a man while your skull is being driven into the canvas.”
Mordred rolls onto his stomach, both hands near the back of his head.
Takuma Ryujin remains on one knee, breathing heavily.
Julian Ward: “The Piledriver breaks Mordred’s sustained control. Takuma Ryujin has returned to the most damaging weapon in his arsenal.”
Minute 12
Takuma Ryujin reaches for Mordred.
Mordred slips behind him and pulls him down with another Swinging Neckbreaker.
Takuma Ryujin cannot defend.
Julian Ward: “The Swinging Neckbreaker lands again. Mordred returns immediately to the damaged area.”
Brick Brody: “That is good wrestling. Takuma Ryujin may have dropped him on his head, but Mordred remembered the neck.”
Mordred hooks the leg.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
“Two!”
Takuma Ryujin kicks out.
The crowd responds loudly.
Julian Ward: “Takuma Ryujin survives at two.”
Brick Brody: “That was close. Three Neckbreakers, multiple Clotheslines, and the early Faceslam are starting to add up.”
Mordred sits beside his opponent and stares toward Honest Abe.
There is no argument.
Only cold calculation.
Minute 13
At ringside, Myrrden moves.
He slides the staff beneath the bottom rope while Honest Abe checks the positioning of Mordred.
The end of the staff strikes Takuma Ryujin across the ribs.
Takuma Ryujin folds to one side.
Julian Ward: “Myrrden has struck Takuma Ryujin with the staff.”
Brick Brody: “That was not subtle, but Honest Abe was looking in the wrong direction.”
Lady Ayame Ryu moves around the ring toward Myrrden.
He withdraws the staff and returns to stillness before she reaches him.
Julian Ward: “The interference lands cleanly. Takuma Ryujin could not defend, and Mordred has been given another opening.”
Mordred presses a boot into the injured ribs as Honest Abe turns back.
Lady Ayame Ryu points toward Myrrden, but the referee did not see the strike.
Brick Brody: “You can accuse the shadow all night. If the official did not see it, the bruise still counts.”
Minute 14
Mordred tries to capitalize.
Takuma Ryujin catches him and drives him down with a third Super Spike Piledriver.
The crowd erupts.
Julian Ward: “Another Super Spike Piledriver. Takuma Ryujin fights through the staff shot and produces a tremendous counter.”
Mordred rolls forward after the landing, catches Takuma Ryujin around the waist, and lifts him into another Sitout Powerbomb.
Brick Brody: “And once again, Mordred refuses to let him own the exchange.”
The Sitout Powerbomb drives Takuma Ryujin into the mat.
Both men remain down.
Julian Ward: “Piledriver and Powerbomb. Head, neck, spine, and ribs. The main event has become a contest of who can absorb the greater ruin.”
Minute 15
Takuma Ryujin rises behind Mordred and launches him with another Deadlift German Suplex.
Julian Ward: “The Deadlift German Suplex connects again. Takuma Ryujin’s strength remains extraordinary despite the damage.”
Mordred rolls through and explodes forward with a Spear.
The impact folds Takuma Ryujin in half.
Brick Brody: “That Spear went straight through the ribs Myrrden struck with the staff.”
Julian Ward: “The Spear is the stronger blow in the exchange. Mordred has recognized the compromised midsection and attacked it with full force.”
Takuma Ryujin rolls toward the corner, struggling to breathe.
Mordred kneels several feet away, gathering himself after the suplex.
Minute 16
Myrrden walks closer to the apron.
He calls toward Takuma Ryujin.
The words are low, but the contempt is unmistakable.
Takuma Ryujin turns his head.
For the first time, visible anger breaks through his controlled expression.
Julian Ward: “Myrrden is antagonizing Takuma Ryujin, attempting to draw his attention away from Mordred.”
Brick Brody: “And it worked. The disciplined warrior just looked toward the wrong enemy.”
Mordred catches Takuma Ryujin from behind and pulls him into a sudden cover.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
Takuma Ryujin kicks out.
Julian Ward: “An early escape, but the distraction allowed Mordred another uncontested attack.”
Brick Brody: “That cover did not end the match, but it proved Myrrden can pull the strings.”
Lady Ayame Ryu steps closer to Myrrden, positioning herself between the staff and the ring.
The hooded figure says nothing.
Minute 17
Takuma Ryujin catches Mordred advancing and launches him with a Northern Lights Suplex.
Mordred lands across his shoulders and neck.
Julian Ward: “The Northern Lights Suplex from Takuma Ryujin. Mordred absorbs the full landing.”
Brick Brody: “Good response. Stop looking at the wizard and throw the man in front of you.”
Takuma Ryujin maintains the waist grip briefly, then rolls to one knee.
Mordred lies near the center of the ring, his breathing heavier now.
Julian Ward: “That was a clean moment of control for Takuma Ryujin. He has endured interference, repeated attacks to the neck, and the Spear, yet remains capable of changing the match with one throw.”
Minute 18
Takuma Ryujin lowers his stance.
He grips Mordred’s wrists and pulls him toward the center.
The crowd rises as he prepares the Kamigoye.
Julian Ward: “Takuma Ryujin is looking for the Kamigoye.”
He drives the knee forward.
Mordred twists aside and reverses the attempt.
Brick Brody: “Mordred saw it coming.”
Mordred reaches for another Swinging Neckbreaker.
Takuma Ryujin catches the arm, turns through, and neutralizes the move before the rotation can be completed.
The two men separate.
Julian Ward: “The Kamigoye is reversed. The Neckbreaker is neutralized. Both men have now read the other’s intended finish to the exchange.”
Brick Brody: “That was a minute of danger without impact. Each man knew exactly how bad the next second could become.”
They stare across the ring, both visibly fatigued.
Minute 19
Mordred closes behind Takuma Ryujin and lifts him into a Vertical Suplex.
He holds him upright for a brief moment, then brings him down hard.
Julian Ward: “A controlled Vertical Suplex from Mordred. Takuma Ryujin attempted to defend but could not stop the lift.”
Brick Brody: “After eighteen minutes of heavy offense, a basic Suplex can feel like falling from a tower.”
Mordred rolls toward the legs, threatening another Sharpshooter.
Takuma Ryujin kicks him away before the hold can be secured.
Julian Ward: “The Suplex scores, but Takuma Ryujin recognizes the transition toward the Sharpshooter and prevents it.”
Lady Ayame Ryu strikes the apron once, urging Takuma Ryujin back to his feet.
Minute 20
Both men rise cautiously.
Neither commits.
Mordred watches the legs.
Takuma Ryujin protects the neck.
For several seconds, the ring becomes still.
Julian Ward: “A defensive pause. The accumulated damage has made every movement deliberate.”
Brick Brody: “This is where exhaustion begins making decisions for you.”
Takuma Ryujin catches Mordred’s ankle and attempts to twist him down into an Ankle Lock.
Mordred rolls forward before the hold can settle.
He rises beneath Takuma Ryujin, catches the head, and drives him down with a Lifting Inverted DDT.
Julian Ward: “The Ankle Lock fails, and Mordred answers with the Lifting Inverted DDT.”
Brick Brody: “That is another brutal landing on the neck. Takuma Ryujin reached for the leg and gave Mordred the head.”
Mordred covers.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
Takuma Ryujin kicks out.
Julian Ward: “Takuma Ryujin escapes at one, but the force of that DDT remains.”
Mordred rises immediately, anger beginning to replace calculation.
Minute 21
Takuma Ryujin catches Mordred charging and launches him with another Deadlift German Suplex.
Julian Ward: “Another Deadlift German Suplex. Takuma Ryujin continues to find strength from somewhere beneath the damage.”
At ringside, Myrrden calls toward him again.
The hooded figure drags the staff slowly across the ring apron, producing a harsh scraping sound.
Takuma Ryujin turns toward the noise.
Brick Brody: “There is Myrrden again, digging at the discipline.”
Mordred rolls toward the ropes and regains his footing while Takuma Ryujin’s attention is divided.
Julian Ward: “The Suplex lands, but Myrrden’s antagonism prevents Takuma Ryujin from following immediately.”
Lady Ayame Ryu steps between Myrrden and the ring once more.
Her expression is no longer calm.
Minute 22
Mordred attacks during the delayed recovery.
He charges and lands another Dropkick directly into Takuma Ryujin’s chest.
Takuma Ryujin absorbs the full impact and falls backward.
Julian Ward: “The Dropkick lands clean. Takuma Ryujin could not defend after the distraction.”
Mordred covers.
Honest Abe counts.
“One!”
“Two!”
Takuma Ryujin kicks out.
The crowd erupts.
Brick Brody: “That was close. Mordred has thrown nearly every piece of offense he owns at him.”
Julian Ward: “Another near fall for Mordred, but Takuma Ryujin refuses to surrender the match.”
Mordred kneels over his opponent.
His restraint finally cracks.
He strikes the mat once and pulls Takuma Ryujin upright by the head.
Minute 23
Both men hesitate near the center of the ring.
Their guards rise slowly.
Neither wants to offer the final mistake.
Julian Ward: “The damage has equalized the match once again. Both men are waiting for the other to commit.”
Takuma Ryujin drops suddenly and catches Mordred’s ankle.
He twists, falls backward, and locks in the Ankle Lock.
Julian Ward: “The Ankle Lock is secured this time.”
Brick Brody: “Now Mordred is trapped. All those Spears, Clotheslines, and Powerbombs mean less when one foot cannot support the body.”
Mordred reaches toward the ropes.
They are several feet away.
Takuma Ryujin twists the ankle and pulls him toward the center.
Honest Abe asks if Mordred submits.
Mordred refuses.
He claws forward, dragging himself and Takuma Ryujin toward the ropes.
Julian Ward: “Mordred will not submit. The hold is deep, but his hand continues moving toward the bottom rope.”
Myrrden raises the staff.
Lady Ayame Ryu steps directly into his path.
The two stand face-to-face.
Inside the ring, Mordred reaches the rope.
Honest Abe calls for the break.
Takuma Ryujin releases at four.
Minute 24
Mordred uses the ropes to pull himself upright.
The damaged ankle nearly gives beneath him.
Takuma Ryujin moves forward.
He catches Mordred around the waist, powers him upward, and drives him down with the Golden Star Powerbomb.
The ring shakes violently.
The crowd erupts.
Julian Ward: “The Golden Star Powerbomb. Mordred has been driven into the center of the ring.”
Brick Brody: “That may be it.”
Takuma Ryujin turns toward the cover.
At ringside, Myrrden moves around Lady Ayame Ryu and climbs onto the apron.
Honest Abe steps toward him.
Myrrden reaches through the ropes and shoves Honest Abe from the side.
The referee stumbles into the turnbuckles.
The crowd erupts into furious boos.
Julian Ward: “Myrrden has shoved Honest Abe.”
Brick Brody: “He is trying to stop the count.”
Lady Ayame Ryu grabs the base of the staff and pulls Myrrden off the apron.
He lands on the floor but retains his grip on the weapon.
Honest Abe turns toward the ropes, but Myrrden has already withdrawn behind the corner.
The referee cannot identify who made contact.
Julian Ward: “Myrrden escapes before Honest Abe can confirm what happened. The match continues.”
Takuma Ryujin does not waste time arguing.
He falls across Mordred and hooks both legs.
Honest Abe drops to the mat.
“One!”
Myrrden tries to reach the apron again.
Lady Ayame Ryu steps directly in front of him.
“Two!”
Mordred attempts to lift one shoulder.
The damaged ankle and the impact of the Powerbomb leave him unable to turn.
“Three!”
The bell rings.
The coliseum erupts.
Takuma Ryujin releases the cover and rolls onto his back, exhausted.
Honest Abe signals toward him.
Louie Linville: “Here is your winner, Takuma Ryujin!”
Lady Ayame Ryu enters the ring immediately.
She kneels beside Takuma Ryujin and places one hand against his shoulder.
At ringside, Myrrden stands frozen.
His grip tightens around the staff.
Inside the ring, Mordred rolls toward the ropes and looks outward at him.
There is no gratitude in his expression.
Only fury.
Takuma Ryujin pushes himself to one knee.
Lady Ayame Ryu helps him stand, but he removes her hand gently once his balance returns.
He wants to stand under his own strength.
Honest Abe raises his arm.
The crowd responds with another roar.
Across the ring, Mordred pulls himself into a seated position against the bottom turnbuckle.
He stares toward Takuma Ryujin.
The hatred in his eyes is no longer directed only toward Camelot.
Takuma Ryujin looks back.
No celebration.
No mockery.
Only acknowledgment that the battle has ended and the grievance has not.
Julian Ward: “Takuma Ryujin has defeated Mordred after twenty-four punishing minutes. He survived the Sharpshooter, repeated attacks to the head and neck, the Spear, the interference of Myrrden, and multiple near falls before securing the Golden Star Powerbomb.”
Brick Brody: “That was not a victory built on one lucky opening. Takuma Ryujin kept dropping Mordred on his head, kept throwing him across the ring, and finally found the one Powerbomb Mordred could not escape.”
Julian Ward: “Myrrden attempted to stop the final count by shoving Honest Abe, but Lady Ayame Ryu prevented him from interfering again. Tonight, the dragon’s path has crossed the Broken Crown, and Mordred’s momentum after defeating Robin Hood has been halted.”
Brick Brody: “Halted, not ended. Look at Mordred. That man does not treat defeat like a lesson. He treats it like another reason to hate.”
Julian Ward: “Perhaps. But the record tonight belongs to Takuma Ryujin. He entered Camelot’s war without allegiance to either throne or rebellion, and he leaves having defeated one of its most dangerous heirs.”
RESULT: TAKUMA RYUJIN DEFEATS MORDRED BY PINFALL AT THE 24-MINUTE MARK WITH THE GOLDEN STAR POWERBOMB.
The camera returns to ringside.
The main event has ended, but the aftermath remains.
Inside the ring, Takuma Ryujin stands beside Lady Ayame Ryu, his breathing heavy after the twenty-four-minute battle. One hand presses against his ribs where Myrrden’s staff struck him. His other arm has been raised by Honest Abe.
Across the floor, Mordred sits against the barricade.
The defeat has not quieted him.
It has sharpened him.
Myrrden stands at his side with the staff held vertically against the stone floor. Neither man looks toward the entranceway. Their attention remains fixed upon Takuma Ryujin.
The camera holds on the distance between them.
No attack follows.
No reconciliation is offered.
The conflict has simply found another reason to continue.
The stage screen changes.
The image of the dragon fades into the cracked iron crown.
Then both disappear.
The arena lighting settles into deep blue and gold, but there is little comfort in it. The night has left victories, questions, declarations, and one object that still has no explanation.
At the commentary desk, Julian Ward sits composed, though the weight of the evening is present in his expression.
Beside him, Brick Brody watches Mordred and Myrrden retreat into the shadows.
Julian Ward: “Tonight, Dark Fable began with the defense of fellowship and ended with the interruption of vengeance. Takuma Ryujin has defeated Mordred, surviving the Sharpshooter, repeated attacks to the neck, the interference of Myrrden, and a contest that demanded nearly every measure of his endurance.”
Brick Brody: “That was not a lucky victory. Takuma Ryujin dropped Mordred on his head, threw him across the ring, trapped the ankle, and finished him with the Golden Star Powerbomb. Myrrden tried to shove the referee out of the equation, and even that did not save the Broken Crown.”
A replay appears on the stage screen.
Takuma Ryujin drives Mordred down with the Golden Star Powerbomb.
Myrrden shoves Honest Abe.
Lady Ayame Ryu pulls Myrrden from the apron.
The count reaches three.
Julian Ward: “Mordred entered tonight with momentum after forcing Robin Hood to submit one week ago. That momentum has now been halted by a warrior who carries no allegiance to the throne, the forest, or the Broken Crown.”
Brick Brody: “Halted does not mean finished. Look at Mordred. He does not process defeat like a normal man. He stores it. Feeds it. Sharpens it. Tonight, Takuma Ryujin did not end a grudge. He earned one.”
The replay fades.
The screen changes to the opening contest.
Sir Lancelot lands the Superkick upon Dread Knight Two.
Sir Galahad intercepts Dread Knight One.
Sir Gawain stops Sir Agravaine from breaking the final count.
Julian Ward: “The evening opened with the Round Table standing together against Sir Agravaine and the Dread Knights. Sir Lancelot entered the match still carrying the damage inflicted by Frankenstein’s Monster, yet remained in the battle for twenty-seven minutes before securing victory with the Superkick.”
Brick Brody: “He should have tagged out a dozen times. He did not, and that is either heroic or idiotic depending on who wins. Tonight, it was heroic. Sir Galahad and Sir Gawain kept the other two knights from breaking the count, and the Round Table escaped with the victory.”
Julian Ward: “Escaped may be the appropriate word. Sir Agravaine’s resentment remains. Myrrden’s influence remains. The Round Table won the battle, but the fracture inside Camelot has not closed.”
Brick Brody: “Cracks do not close because three men raise their hands. They wait for more weight.”
The image changes again.
Raigen traps Enrai in the Demon Sleeper.
Taro Okami drives repeated knee strikes into him.
Raigen and Taro Okami combine to send Kaen to the floor.
The count reaches ten.
Julian Ward: “Raigen and Taro Okami competed together for the first time against Kaminari Hono. They entered without the years of shared experience possessed by Kaen and Enrai, but they followed the strategy described earlier tonight. They interrupted the rhythm, isolated the opposition, and prevented Kaen from returning to the ring before the count of ten.”
Brick Brody: “They were not the smoother team. Kaminari Hono had the cleaner combinations and the better instincts. But Raigen and Taro Okami were tough enough to survive the ugly parts, and by the end, they were beginning to understand where the other man would be.”
Julian Ward: “A partnership may have begun tonight.”
The replay freezes on Raigen and Taro Okami standing together after the match.
Then the image darkens.
The camera cuts to footage from the dressing room.
Hana Nakamura watches the two men leave.
She notices something beside Taro Okami’s equipment bag.
She bends down and lifts a plain black wrestling mask.
Julian Ward: “But before the match, another question emerged.”
Brick Brody: “That mask.”
Julian Ward: “After Raigen and Taro Okami left the dressing room, Hana Nakamura discovered a black wrestling mask beside Taro Okami’s bag.”
The image tightens on the mask in Hana Nakamura’s hands.
Julian Ward: “Last week, Enrai concealed himself beneath a mask before attacking Raigen. Tonight, another mask appeared in proximity to the man who stopped that assault.”
Brick Brody: “Maybe it belongs to Taro Okami. Maybe somebody planted it. Maybe there is another piece of this story nobody has shown us yet. But masks do not fall out of bags by accident in this division.”
Julian Ward: “There is presently no explanation. Until one is provided, the victory shared by Raigen and Taro Okami will carry a shadow of uncertainty.”
The screen fades from black to blue and gold.
Lady Guinevere drives Athena down with the Alabama Slam.
Honest Abe counts three.
Merlin and Zeus watch from opposite sides of the ring.
Julian Ward: “Lady Guinevere also represented Camelot tonight against Athena. It was a contest between two courts, two traditions of power, and two women unwilling to surrender authority.”
Brick Brody: “Athena nearly had her. Wisdom’s Wrath, the Backbreaker, the Huntress Spear, the Sleeper Slam—she put together a brutal run. But Lady Guinevere kept returning to the Alabama Slam until she found the opening that mattered.”
Julian Ward: “Athena neutralized the move once. Lady Guinevere adjusted and completed it when the match reached its decisive moment. Tonight, the queen did not merely stand beside the throne. She defended the strength associated with it.”
Brick Brody: “And next week, Athena does not get an easier assignment. She gets Rapunzel.”
The screen changes.
The crest of Nottingham appears.
Prince John drives his sceptre into Hansel’s ribs.
The Sheriff of Nottingham covers.
The count reaches three.
The image of the Mythic Crown Championship then appears above the victorious Sheriff of Nottingham.
Julian Ward: “The Sheriff of Nottingham declared his intention to challenge King Arthur for the Mythic Crown Championship. He promised that his road toward the throne would begin by demolishing Hansel.”
Brick Brody: “He got the victory, but demolition is generous. Hansel fought him for twenty-three minutes, hurt the leg, trapped him in the Boston Crab, and nearly broke the whole royal plan apart.”
Julian Ward: “It was the sceptre of Prince John that decided the contest. The record will show a victory for the Sheriff of Nottingham. The images will show the method.”
Brick Brody: “The method matters less to the man holding the record. The Sheriff of Nottingham wants King Arthur’s attention, and cheating is still a very effective way to get noticed.”
Julian Ward: “He called tonight the first stone upon his road to the crown. Whether King Arthur accepts that claim remains uncertain.”
The image of the Sheriff of Nottingham fades.
The screen fills with harsh white light.
Kong and Ogre stand over Robin Hood and Allan A Dale with the Universal Tag Team Championship titles across their shoulders.
Julian Ward: “The Monster Bash Enforcers continued their dominance in a non-title match against Robin Hood and Allan A Dale. The Merry Band produced moments of resistance, including an Apron Powerbomb that sent Kong crashing to the floor.”
Brick Brody: “They hit the champions with almost everything. Piledrivers, Neckbreakers, the Stunner, Suplexes. Then Kong came back into the ring, lifted Robin Hood over his head, and threw him down like the match had been an inconvenience.”
Julian Ward: “For Robin Hood, this is a second consecutive defeat. One week ago, he submitted to Mordred. Tonight, he was pinned by Kong.”
The replay shows Allan A Dale kneeling beside Robin Hood after the match.
Julian Ward: “The Merry Band remains united, but unity does not remove the burden now gathering around it.”
Brick Brody: “This is where rebellion gets tested. Everybody loves the outlaw when the arrows are flying and the crowd is singing. Let us see who still stands with him when the losses begin stacking.”
The screen goes dark.
A fluorescent light flickers across it.
The gray walls of The Bunker appear.
Dave Kent sits across from King Arthur.
The Mythic Crown Championship rests across the king’s lap.
Julian Ward: “And perhaps the most consequential words of the evening came not from the ring, but from The Bunker.”
The replay shows Dave Kent questioning King Arthur.
King Arthur calls Mordred and Robin Hood problems for Camelot.
He says Robin Hood must accept that the king may answer.
Then comes the final warning.
Robin Hood will learn the difference between standing beside a king and standing against one.
The replay freezes on King Arthur leaving the studio with the championship over his shoulder.
Brick Brody: “That was the king without the trumpet, the banners, or the comfortable questions. Dave Kent pressed him, and King Arthur finally said what has been sitting behind that smile.”
Julian Ward: “King Arthur remains a proven champion. His victories cannot be dismissed. But his language has changed. His view of loyalty has changed. Tonight, he described an old ally’s questions as a threat to the throne.”
Brick Brody: “A king cannot afford friendly criticism when enemies are at every gate.”
Julian Ward: “A king who cannot tolerate friendly criticism may eventually discover that every gate has become an enemy.”
Brick Brody: “And there is the argument. King Arthur believes command will preserve Camelot. Others may soon believe command is what threatens it.”
The replay ends.
The camera returns to the commentary desk.
Behind Julian Ward and Brick Brody, the stage screen begins displaying the card for next week.
The crowd reacts as the first name appears.
JOHN HENRY — IN ACTION
The sound of a hammer striking steel echoes through the coliseum.
Julian Ward: “Next week, the trials continue. John Henry will return to action.”
Brick Brody: “John Henry has already heard Sandman question whether strength and promise are enough to survive this roster. Every match from this point forward is an answer, whether John Henry likes the question or not.”
The screen changes.
Falling sand covers an image of darkness.
SANDMAN — IN ACTION
Julian Ward: “Sandman will also compete next week.”
Brick Brody: “That is bad news for whoever draws the assignment. Sandman has defeated John Henry twice and silenced Allan A Dale in three minutes. He does not waste time, and he does not leave much hope behind.”
The image shifts to golden strands crossing a marble shield.
RAPUNZEL VS ATHENA
The crowd gives a strong reaction.
Julian Ward: “After falling to Lady Guinevere tonight, Athena returns next week against Rapunzel.”
Brick Brody: “That is a dangerous rebound match. Rapunzel has strength, resilience, and no fear of fighting through a bad position. Athena will arrive angry, and disciplined people become frightening when anger finally gets permission.”
Julian Ward: “Rapunzel recently defeated Yurei Rinn despite the presence of Lord Kurogami. Next week, she faces a warrior who nearly overcame the queen of Camelot tonight.”
The screen darkens.
Large silhouettes emerge within storm-white light.
Across from them stand two figures beneath a moonlit forest.
MONSTERS OF MYTH VS THE FAIREST HUNTERS
SNOW WHITE AND GRETEL
The crowd reaction rises with interest.
Julian Ward: “The Monsters of Myth will face a newly formed team. Snow White and Gretel will unite for the first time as the Fairest Hunters.”
Brick Brody: “New teams always sound wonderful until the bell rings. The Monsters of Myth already understand destruction. Snow White and Gretel will have to learn teamwork while trying not to get flattened.”
Julian Ward: “Both women have survived darkness in different forms. Next week, survival becomes partnership against one of the most physically imposing teams in the division.”
The screen fills with red-and-gold flame.
The Eternal Flame Championship appears.
ETERNAL FLAME CHAMPIONSHIP
RAIGEN VS MASA TANENAGA
The crowd erupts.
Julian Ward: “The Eternal Flame Championship will be defended. Raigen faces Masa Tanenaga.”
Brick Brody: “And unlike tonight, Raigen will not have Taro Okami beside him inside the match. Masa Tanenaga gets the champion alone, and after everything surrounding Kaminari Hono, that may be the opportunity he needs.”
Julian Ward: “Raigen has endured championship trials, ambushes, and the continuing shadow of Lord Kurogami. Next week, a new challenger steps into the fire. The question surrounding the black mask may also follow the champion toward that defense.”
The flames vanish.
A golden thunderbolt strikes the screen.
Then the crest of Camelot appears.
The Mythic Crown Championship rises between them.
MAIN EVENT — NON-TITLE MATCH
KING ARTHUR VS ARES
The coliseum explodes with noise.
Julian Ward: “And in next week’s main event, the reigning Mythic Crown Champion, King Arthur, faces Ares in a non-title match.”
Brick Brody: “That is exactly the kind of match the king needs after tonight’s interview. No politics. No speeches. No outlaw questioning the throne. Just the god of war standing across from him.”
Julian Ward: “The championship will not be at stake, but the consequences may reach far beyond a title defense. King Arthur spoke tonight of commanding Camelot. Ares represents conflict without allegiance, war without obedience, and violence that recognizes no throne.”
Brick Brody: “If King Arthur wants the entire division to remember who commands, then beating Ares would make the point. But if the king loses, every man he dismissed tonight will see blood beneath the crown.”
The stage screen settles on the final image.
King Arthur on one side.
Ares on the other.
The Mythic Crown Championship suspended between them, though it will not officially be defended.
The camera slowly pulls back from the desk.
The crowd continues roaring beneath the blue-and-gold light.
Julian Ward: “Tonight, the Round Table survived division. Lady Guinevere defended the strength of Camelot. The Sheriff of Nottingham declared his march toward the throne. The Monster Bash Enforcers buried another act of resistance. Raigen and Taro Okami found victory together while a black mask raised questions behind them. Takuma Ryujin halted Mordred. And King Arthur revealed that the crown may now view questions as opposition.”
Brick Brody: “That is what power does, Julian Ward. It gives everybody a clearer view of who they really are. The king thinks he is becoming stronger. The outlaws think he is becoming dangerous. The challengers just see a target wearing gold.”
Julian Ward: “Next week, the Eternal Flame will be defended, a new alliance will enter its first hunt, and the Mythic Crown Champion will stand across from the god of war.”
The camera continues rising above the ring.
At the top of the entranceway, the graphic of King Arthur and Ares fades.
For a moment, only the crest of Camelot remains.
Then a plain black wrestling mask appears over it.
The crowd reaction changes.
Confusion spreads through the building.
The mask remains for only a second.
Then the screen flickers.
The crest returns.
A thin crack of black shadow cuts across the crown at its center.
Julian Ward: “For Brick Brody, I am Julian Ward. Good night from Scrooge’s Camelot Coliseum.”
Brick Brody: “Keep your friends close, your enemies closer, and your masks where nobody can find them.”
The torches along the entranceway extinguish one by one.
The final flame dies.
The screen goes black.
Airing after Dark fable 025 on July 17, 2026
PART 1: THE DATE OF SUCCESSION
The Monastery of the Circle of the False Light
Passage of the Final Reflection
There were deeper places within the monastery than its oldest maps acknowledged.
Places that belonged not to the living Circle, but to those who had ruled it before.
The narrow passage leading to the Chamber of Last Reflection descended beneath the monastery in a long spiral of black stone. No torches burned along its walls. Thin veins of pale mineral light ran through the rock instead, glowing faintly beneath carved names worn smooth by centuries of passing hands.
Lucien Vantrell walked alone.
His footsteps were measured.
His black coat moved silently behind him, its silver embroidery nearly invisible in the gloom. He carried no ceremonial staff. No guards followed him. No adviser had been permitted to accompany him.
This was not yet a procession.
It was a question.
At the end of the passage stood the stone door of the Chamber of Last Reflection.
The vertical seam remained sealed.
The ancient script surrounding it glowed with a low, greenish light, each symbol appearing and fading in a rhythm too slow to be called breathing.
Before the door sat the High Prefect.
He occupied a low stone seat as though he had not moved since Lucien’s previous visit. His layered ash-grey robes pooled around his narrow frame. Both hands rested upon the pale bone staff standing between his knees.
His head was bowed.
His eyes were closed.
Lucien stopped several steps away.
For a moment, neither man spoke.
The cold in the passage gathered between them.
Lucien finally broke the silence.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
High Prefect.
The old man opened his eyes.
They were pale and nearly colorless.
HIGH PREFECT:
Lucien Vantrell.
Lucien’s gaze moved toward the sealed door.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
The seventh day has passed.
HIGH PREFECT:
It has.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Then I would see my father.
The High Prefect rose.
The movement was slow but carried no weakness. He placed himself directly before the seam of the door, his staff crossing slightly in front of him.
Not a weapon.
A boundary.
HIGH PREFECT:
No.
Lucien’s expression did not change.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
You deny the heir of the Grand Manipulator entry?
HIGH PREFECT:
I deny the living entry until the chamber has completed its work.
Lucien looked past him toward the ancient script.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
You told me to return before the final hour.
HIGH PREFECT:
And you returned.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Yet the door remains closed.
HIGH PREFECT:
Because remembrance has ended.
A pause.
HIGH PREFECT:
Judgment has not.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed.
The High Prefect showed no concern.
Within these halls, titles carried less weight than rites. Authority belonged not to whoever commanded the Circle outside, but to whoever understood what waited beneath it.
Lucien stepped closer.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Is there a complication?
HIGH PREFECT:
There is a process.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
That was not my question.
HIGH PREFECT:
It is the only answer the chamber permits me to give.
The silence tightened.
Lucien had inherited many of his father’s gifts.
Patience was among them.
Unfortunately, so was the ability to recognize when patience was being used against him.
His gaze remained fixed on the High Prefect.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
The Circle cannot remain without a Grand Manipulator indefinitely.
HIGH PREFECT:
It will not.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
There are already voices questioning the succession.
HIGH PREFECT:
There are always voices.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
This time, some of them possess ambition.
The High Prefect tilted his head faintly.
HIGH PREFECT:
Ambition is not unusual within the Circle.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
No. But open ambition is generally a symptom of disease.
The High Prefect’s expression remained unreadable.
Lucien glanced once more toward the door.
There was no sound beyond it.
No movement.
Nothing to suggest that the body of Ardan Vantrell rested only a short distance away.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
When can the Succession Rites be performed?
The High Prefect studied him for several seconds.
When he answered, his voice carried the finality of a date carved into stone.
HIGH PREFECT:
August third.
Lucien went still.
HIGH PREFECT:
Call the Circle together.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
All of them?
HIGH PREFECT:
Every master entitled to witness the transfer. Every keeper of an oath. Every officer whose loyalty binds one branch of the Circle to another.
His fingers tightened slightly around the bone staff.
HIGH PREFECT:
Call those who support you.
A pause.
HIGH PREFECT:
Call those who do not.
Lucien understood the warning beneath the instruction.
The Succession Rites would not be conducted in a private chamber before trusted allies.
They would occur before the entire gathered power of the Circle.
Every loyalty would be visible.
Every doubt would be given a face.
Every rival would be invited to stand close enough to the throne to imagine possessing it.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
And on August third?
HIGH PREFECT:
The doors will open.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
The rite will proceed?
HIGH PREFECT:
Everything will be ready.
Lucien searched the old man’s face.
There was something in the wording.
Not hesitation.
Not deception.
Something more disciplined than either.
A secret protected not by fear, but by duty.
Lucien knew better than to press against an oath older than his bloodline.
For now.
He inclined his head.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Then the Circle will assemble on August third.
The High Prefect said nothing.
Lucien turned to leave, but stopped after only one step.
He looked back toward the sealed chamber.
The mask of the Pale Inheritor remained firmly in place, yet his voice carried something quieter beneath it.
Something belonging not to a successor.
To a son.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
You have my thanks, High Prefect.
The old man’s face did not soften.
HIGH PREFECT:
Do not thank me until the rite is complete.
Lucien held his gaze for another moment.
Then he departed.
His footsteps receded through the descending corridor, each one swallowed by the darkness until the passage became silent again.
The High Prefect waited.
He did not move until even the memory of Lucien’s presence had faded.
Then he turned toward the door.
The tip of his bone staff touched the stone.
Once.
The ancient script ignited.
Green light passed through the carved symbols in a rapid sequence, running from the floor to the high arch like flame climbing dry parchment.
The vertical seam opened without sound.
Cold air rolled into the passage.
The High Prefect stepped inside.
The door sealed behind him.
The Chamber of Last Reflection
The chamber remained vast beyond reason.
Its ceiling disappeared into complete darkness. Thousands of columns of ancient script climbed the walls, naming generations of dead servants, failed heirs, broken masters, and rulers whose decisions had outlived their bodies.
The narrow bridge of black marble stretched across the bottomless chasm.
No attendants remained.
No chains moved.
No chanting voices accompanied the High Prefect as he crossed.
Only the measured click of his staff against the stone.
At the far side of the chamber, beyond the suspended platform and the ring of iron posts, lay the smaller passage carved into the mountain wall.
The passage of alcoves.
Most were sealed.
Black curtains hung across them, motionless despite the cold current drifting through the chamber.
The High Prefect approached the final alcove.
He stopped before it.
For several moments, he listened.
Nothing came from behind the curtain.
He reached out and drew the fabric aside.
Ardan Vantrell stood within the narrow recess.
His body rested almost upright against the dark, green-veined stone. Black burial cloth covered him from the chest downward. His face remained exposed.
Pale.
Severe.
Perfectly still.
Death had taken warmth from him, but it had not made him appear weak.
Even in the alcove, even dressed for burial, Ardan looked as though he were enduring a meeting whose conclusion had disappointed him.
The High Prefect placed his staff against the wall.
From beneath his ash-grey robes, he withdrew the silver chain.
The oval green gem hung from it.
Dark at first.
Almost black.
The High Prefect held it between his fingers and studied Ardan’s face.
HIGH PREFECT:
The date has been given.
Ardan offered no response.
HIGH PREFECT:
The Circle will gather.
Still nothing.
The High Prefect raised the chain.
With deliberate care, he passed it over Ardan’s head and lowered it around his neck.
The green gem came to rest against the center of Ardan’s chest.
For one heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then the gem ignited.
Brilliant green light flooded the alcove.
The veins running through the stone blazed in answer. Light spread outward across the recess, branching through the walls like roots beneath black earth. The script throughout the greater chamber awakened one column at a time.
The chasm gave a low, distant sound.
Not an echo.
An acknowledgment.
The burial cloth tightened across Ardan’s chest as though touched by an unseen wind.
The High Prefect did not step back.
The green gem pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
A third time.
Ardan’s eyes snapped open.
The movement was sudden and absolute.
His pale eyes stared directly ahead.
But there was nothing within them.
No recognition.
No anger.
No intelligence.
No spark of the terrible mind that had once made kingdoms, corporations, secret orders, and monsters hesitate before speaking his name.
Only open eyes.
Empty and waiting.
The High Prefect studied them carefully.
He raised one hand and passed it before Ardan’s face.
The eyes did not follow.
He touched two fingers lightly against Ardan’s throat.
No pulse answered him.
The gem continued to shine.
The old man’s expression remained unchanged.
HIGH PREFECT:
Not yet.
He stepped back.
Ardan’s empty eyes remained open.
The High Prefect drew the black curtain across the alcove, concealing the body once more.
The green radiance continued to bleed faintly through the fabric.
He returned to the low stone seat beside the ancient bookcase.
The dark green tome waited where he had left it.
The High Prefect lowered himself onto the seat, placed the heavy book across his lap, and opened it to a page marked by a strip of black cloth.
The symbols written there did not resemble any language spoken by the living.
He began to chant.
The words emerged low and measured, formed from sounds that seemed too old for a human mouth. They rolled through the chamber, crossed the black bridge, and descended into the chasm below.
The script upon the walls flickered in answer.
The green light behind the curtain pulsed with every seventh phrase.
The High Prefect did not look toward it again.
He simply continued.
Chanting.
Listening.
Waiting.
Behind the black curtain, Ardan Vantrell’s eyes remained open.
And empty.
PART 2: THE FOURTH SEAT
The Monastery of the Circle of the False Light
Lucien Vantrell’s Private Meeting Sanctuary
The climb from the Chamber of Last Reflection returned Lucien Vantrell to the inhabited levels of the monastery.
Slowly.
The old stairway wound upward through stone too ancient to remember tools. With each level, the air became warmer. The oppressive silence of the burial chambers gave way to distant bells, muted footsteps, and the low murmur of monks carrying messages through the monastery.
Lucien heard none of it.
August third.
The date followed him up every stair.
The Succession Rites would take place before the entire gathered Circle. Supporters, doubters, opportunists, and whichever fool had convinced himself that Ardan Vantrell’s death had created an opening.
Lucien’s expression remained composed.
But his pace quickened.
He emerged into the Corridor of Silent Petitioners, where statues of former Circle masters stood within narrow recesses. Some had been remembered with dignity.
Others had been carved without faces.
At the end of the corridor waited a black wooden door marked by a single silver vertical line.
Lucien placed two fingers against the line.
It divided.
The door opened.
His private meeting sanctuary was smaller than the formal council chambers and far more secure.
There were no windows.
The circular room had been constructed within the monastery’s central tower, surrounded on every side by several feet of stone, iron mesh, and ward-script. A low fire burned in a sunken hearth at the center. Four high-backed chairs formed a loose semicircle around it.
Every sound spoken within the sanctuary remained there unless Lucien permitted otherwise.
Erasmus Voinești was already seated.
Comfortably.
The Whisperer occupied one of the chairs nearest the fire, one leg resting over the other, his long pale hands folded neatly in his lap. He wore a severe black coat cut almost like clerical clothing, though no recognized faith would have claimed him. His silver-blond hair was brushed back from his narrow face.
He looked entirely at ease.
That was almost certainly deliberate.
Gregory stood behind the chair opposite him.
He wore dark robes beneath a tailored coat, his posture controlled but alert. One hand rested near the fastening of his sleeve, where Lucien knew a protective sigil and a narrow blade were concealed.
Gregory inclined his head as Lucien entered.
Erasmus did not rise.
Lucien closed the door.
The silver line reformed across it.
Several locks engaged within the walls.
Only then did Erasmus smile.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
The lower chambers have released you.
Lucien removed his gloves one finger at a time.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Temporarily.
He crossed toward the vacant chair but did not immediately sit.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Thank you for accepting my invitation, Erasmus.
The Whisperer’s pale eyes moved briefly toward the sealed door.
Then to Gregory.
Then back to Lucien.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
I wondered whether there was a choice.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
There is always a choice.
Erasmus’s smile deepened slightly.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
That is a comforting philosophy, Pale Inheritor.
Lucien lowered himself into the chair across from him.
Gregory remained standing.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
You still insist upon calling me that.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
It is what you are.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
For the moment.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
All titles are temporary. Even those men convince themselves have entered their blood.
Lucien studied him across the fire.
The flames leaned slightly toward Erasmus, then corrected themselves.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
My father respected you.
That changed the room.
Not visibly.
Erasmus’s posture remained relaxed. His expression retained its soft, thoughtful calm.
But his eyes became more attentive.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Your father respected very few people.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
He respected fewer than he claimed.
A faint smile touched Erasmus’s lips.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
That sounds more like Ardan.
Lucien folded his gloves and placed them on the arm of his chair.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
He admired your mind. Your discipline. Your ability to combine ritual, psychology, technology, and suggestion without reducing one to the servant of another.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
High praise from a dead man.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
It was praise he offered while alive.
The Whisperer’s smile disappeared.
Only for a moment.
Lucien continued.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Project Whisper failed.
Erasmus’s head tilted slightly.
Gregory watched him closely.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Project Whisper was interrupted.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
The distinction matters to you.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Precision should matter to everyone.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Then let us be precise. Professor Wink and Glimmer Byte discovered the hidden signal. The transmission was compromised. The project was exposed before it could reach maturity.
The fire cracked between them.
Erasmus’s voice remained gentle.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Every great design requires revision.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
My father agreed.
That caught him.
Erasmus’s fingers separated slightly before folding again.
Lucien leaned back.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Ardan never confused a failed deployment with a failed mind. He continued to hold you in high regard. He considered your work vital to the Circle’s future.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
And did he tell you this?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
My father told me many things.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
That was not an answer.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
It was the answer you require.
A long silence followed.
Erasmus looked into the fire.
For the first time since Lucien entered, he appeared to be genuinely considering the direction of the conversation rather than merely enjoying it.
Lucien allowed the silence to work.
Then he spoke.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
The Inner Council requires a fourth member.
Erasmus turned his eyes back to him.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
So the rumors are accurate.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Some of them.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
I had heard the seat would pass to Master Cassian Vorholt.
Lucien said nothing.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Or Brother Malrec Voss.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Both names have been considered.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Cassian protects the Circle’s ledgers. Malrec commands its external correspondence. Either would be a conventional selection.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Convention is rarely useful during succession.
Erasmus uncrossed his leg.
The movement was subtle, but Gregory noticed.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
What are you proposing, Pale Inheritor?
Lucien met his gaze.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
A seat on the Inner Council.
The Whisperer stared at him.
No clever response came immediately.
That alone made the offer worthwhile.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Your laboratories would remain under your control. Your research would receive direct protection from the Circle’s political and financial arms. You would have a voice in policy, expansion, security, and doctrine.
Erasmus’s pale eyes narrowed slightly.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
You are offering me authority.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
I am offering you recognition equal to your ability.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Your father preferred to keep me below the formal councils.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
My father preferred to keep everyone where he could use them best.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
And you believe my best use is now beside you?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
I believe the Circle requires minds capable of understanding the century it intends to control.
A faint trace of amusement returned to Erasmus’s expression.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
A generous assessment.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
A practical one.
Erasmus glanced toward Gregory.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
And does Gregory approve of this elevation?
Gregory answered before Lucien could.
GREGORY:
My approval was not requested.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
How reassuringly honest.
GREGORY:
You should enjoy it while it is available.
Erasmus smiled.
Lucien allowed the exchange to settle before continuing.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
There is another reason Cassian and Malrec have not yet been chosen.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
I assumed there would be.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Whispers have begun to circulate.
The word was deliberately chosen.
Erasmus noticed.
Of course he did.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Whispers are often more truthful than declarations.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
These claim Malrec has been influenced by outside forces.
The Whisperer’s expression did not change.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Influenced in what fashion?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Persuaded to support a challenger to my succession.
A quiet beat.
Erasmus leaned back.
His surprise was convincing.
Perhaps too convincing.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
A challenger?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Yes.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
How ambitious.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
How foolish.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
You dismiss the possibility quickly.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
I dismiss the person. Not the disruption.
Erasmus rested one finger against the arm of his chair.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Do you know who it is?
Lucien watched him through the rising heat of the fire.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Not yet.
That was a lie.
Perhaps.
Gregory’s face offered nothing.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
But I know what he believes. He thinks grief has weakened the Vantrell line. He thinks my father’s death has created uncertainty. He thinks the Lower Council can be separated from me through promises of autonomy, relevance, and outside support.
Erasmus’s voice softened.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Those are persuasive promises.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
To small men.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Small men still vote.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Thirteen of them do.
Lucien leaned forward slightly.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Of the Lower Council of Thirteen, seven support me without reservation.
Erasmus raised a brow.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Seven.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
At least.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
A majority.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
A beginning.
The firelight sharpened the planes of Lucien’s face.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Two more understand that stability serves them better than experimentation. Another has never voted against the Inner Council in his life. By the time the Succession Rites begin, I expect the number to be considerably higher.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Then why concern yourself with a fool?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Because fools rarely act alone.
That landed.
Erasmus’s eyes remained calm, but something colder moved behind them.
Lucien continued.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Someone has encouraged him. Someone has offered resources. Someone has convinced members of the Lower Council that opposing me will not carry consequences.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
And will it?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Of course.
The answer came without hesitation.
Erasmus looked down briefly at his hands.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
When will these rites occur?
Lucien did not answer immediately.
The Whisperer looked up.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
August third.
Erasmus absorbed the date.
His face offered no alarm, but Lucien saw the calculation begin.
Messages to send.
Promises to confirm.
Votes to secure.
Strategies to accelerate.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Soon.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Soon enough.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Will the full Circle be summoned?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Every master entitled to witness succession. Every keeper of an oath. Every officer representing a branch of the Circle.
Lucien’s eyes remained fixed on him.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Every supporter.
A pause.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Every challenger.
The fire lowered suddenly.
For several seconds, the room seemed to exist only around the two men facing one another.
The Pale Inheritor.
The Whisperer.
One offering power.
The other already reaching for more.
Erasmus finally stood.
He smoothed the front of his dark coat.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Your offer is unexpected.
Lucien remained seated.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Unexpected does not mean unwelcome.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
No. But authority should never be accepted merely because it has been placed within reach.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Spoken like a man who has spent his life placing things within the reach of others.
A faint smile crossed Erasmus’s face.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
I will require time to consider it.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Twenty-four hours.
Erasmus’s smile faded slightly.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
So little?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
A man of your intelligence should require less.
Erasmus studied him.
Then inclined his head.
Not a bow.
An acknowledgment between dangerous men.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Very well, Pale Inheritor. You will have my answer within twenty-four hours.
Lucien rose.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
I look forward to hearing it.
Erasmus turned toward the door.
The silver line divided without Lucien touching it.
Before stepping through, Erasmus paused.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Your father once told me that inheritance is merely the first illusion of ownership.
Lucien’s expression did not move.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
My father said many things to encourage useful men to believe they were dangerous.
Erasmus looked back.
For one brief moment, the gentleness left his eyes.
Then it returned.
ERASMUS VOINEȘTI:
Twenty-four hours.
He departed.
The door closed.
The silver line reformed.
Lucien did not move until the sanctuary’s outer wards confirmed that Erasmus had passed beyond the corridor.
A low chime sounded within the wall.
Gregory stepped away from the chair.
GREGORY:
That was reckless.
Lucien looked toward the closed door.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
No.
He returned to his chair.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
It was generous.
GREGORY:
You offered an Inner Council seat to the man most likely organizing opposition to you.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Yes.
Gregory stared at him.
GREGORY:
Then you do suspect him.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
I suspect everyone.
GREGORY:
Erasmus is not everyone.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
No. He is far more predictable.
Gregory crossed toward the hearth.
GREGORY:
Predictable is not the word I would use.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
He believes minds are systems. He believes every desire can be identified, isolated, and redirected. That makes him incapable of resisting a test designed around his own importance.
Lucien retrieved his gloves but did not put them on.
GREGORY:
You think he will accept?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
He cannot accept immediately. That would suggest eagerness. He cannot refuse immediately. That would reveal commitment elsewhere.
GREGORY:
So he asks for time.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
And uses that time to consult whoever believes they have purchased his loyalty.
Gregory considered that.
GREGORY:
The Envoy.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Perhaps.
GREGORY:
You believe Prince Samir is involved?
Lucien’s gaze moved toward the fire.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Outside money. Legal pressure. Access to institutions beyond the Circle. Promises that succession can be influenced without open war.
He looked back at Gregory.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
That sounds like Samir’s handwriting even when no letter exists.
Gregory’s jaw tightened.
GREGORY:
What do you want done?
Lucien answered immediately.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Erasmus is not to be followed directly. He would notice before the first turn in the corridor.
GREGORY:
Then how do we watch him?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
We do not watch Erasmus.
A pause.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
We watch everyone he contacts.
Gregory nodded slowly.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Alert Gunthar. Quietly. Have him place trusted observers near the Lower Council residences. Cassian is not to be approached yet. Malrec is to believe we remain uncertain of him.
GREGORY:
And Elyra?
Lucien considered the question.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Tell her only that the rites are August third. Nothing about Erasmus.
GREGORY:
You do not trust her?
Lucien’s eyes cooled.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
I trust her enough not to burden her with a secret she does not need.
Gregory accepted that.
Then he glanced toward the sealed door.
GREGORY:
Was the number true?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Which number?
GREGORY:
Seven members of the Lower Council.
Lucien began pulling on his gloves.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Seven are secure.
GREGORY:
And the others?
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Three can be persuaded. Two will follow whichever side appears strongest.
GREGORY:
And the thirteenth?
Lucien looked at him.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
The thirteenth has already lied to me.
Gregory’s face hardened.
GREGORY:
Malrec?
Lucien did not answer.
That was answer enough.
The fire sank lower within the hearth.
GREGORY:
What happens if Erasmus accepts the seat?
Lucien fastened the final glove.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Then he must stand before the gathered Circle and swear himself to my Inner Council.
GREGORY:
And if he refuses?
Lucien walked toward the door.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
Then we will know he expects to inherit something larger.
The silver line divided.
Lucien paused at the threshold.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
He believes he has twenty-four hours to choose.
Gregory looked toward him.
Lucien’s voice became quiet.
LUCIEN VANTRELL:
In truth, he has twenty-four hours to reveal who has already chosen him.
Lucien stepped into the corridor.
Behind him, the fire in the private sanctuary extinguished itself.
And elsewhere within the monastery, the first whispers began to move.
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