> Take Me Down [Lord's Main Event III]

[Lord Blake]

Lord Blake steps into the ring. Not a wrestling ring, mind you. A large red ring is spraypainted on the dirt in the center of a gladiator pit. Halogen spotlights cut through the dark night, illuminating the figure of a warrior clad in gold - helmet, chest plate and gladiator sword all shimmering in the light. Even the shield he carries is gold and resembles the RSW Supreme Championship writ large. A chorus of cheers from the arena's spectators rises up as he walks to the middle of the ring.

Our view swings around the warrior and zooms until we are seeing through his eyes as we take in his surroundings. Above the audience is a platinum balcony of seating, a second spotlight remaining there. It contains the rulers of this pit. A man fumes at the sight of the warrior knowing that the odds are against him and impatient for the warrior’s demise. Beside him is his wife, golden as a trophy, filing her nails and paying him no mind. The most even-keeled is the ruler’s right-hand man with the salt-and-pepper hair who patiently watches the proceedings, fine with however the night ends.

Along the edge of the pit are fourteen arches blocked by thick iron bars. Behind these bars are fourteen different challengers. Some sweet and innocent, patiently waiting for their turn; most foaming at the mouth, unable to contain themselves for their chance to rip into him. One of these cage doors will eventually open and unleash his next opponent. But there is another challenge to face first.

The ground shakes.

Thick chains raise the gate to a fifteenth door, this passageway larger than the others combined. It is from here that shockwaves emanate, visibly creating ripples in the dirt. A large form emerges from the darkness, towering over everything, it’s head nearly sticking out of the pit itself. As it comes into the light, massive legs lumber forward supporting a body of mottled, rotting flesh. One arm is thicker than the other on this deformed beast and moss hangs down from its shoulders as if it had been dormant for a while, waiting for this opportunity. Finally, the massive head comes to light. Black and white facepaint is chipped away showing the blotched skin beneath. The massive underbite protrudes the jaw out too far. The head lets a massive roar out into the night. A second, higher pitched roar responds. The beast turns its head to the left, revealing a second head with a shock of raven-black hair falling over the face and one eye bubbling out of its socket and staring directly at us.

The warrior Lord Blake is confronted by the monster Mondarcher.

We raise the shield, ready to face the onslaught. Sure enough a large, deformed arm sweeps down, slow but strong. It’s too large for to avoid and it sends us tumbling into the wall of the pit. It's ages before we can return to our feet but we rise to see the two heads bickering with one another. We try sneaking up while they argue in grunts and growls, but they notice us and begin stomping, trying to crush us under foot. They can clear the pit in three large strides, but we are swifter than their attempt at a coordinated attack.

Frustrated, the heads of Mondarcher again snap and growl at one another to the point that they forget about their common enemy. Grunts turn into smacks and punches as one arm swings up and hits the head on the opposite side of its shoulder.

The warrior is content to watch his enemy(s?) destroy themselves, but without warning three figures jump into the pit from the spectator’s bleachers. Two mercenaries, one bearded and one with fire in her hair, start for the warrior and a third tattooed ogre isn't far behind.

Again, the warrior raises sword and shield, ready to fight but before we can make a move, the Mondarcher crashes down on them, crushing all three underneath it's bloated body.

“And this is an actual game you're going to release for this thing?”

Lord Blake takes the PlayStation VR headset off and puts the joysticks down. He smooths out his hair in the window’s reflection and looks skeptically across the board room at the Sony representatives who return his gaze with eager anticipation.

“Well, no. It's just something we threw together so you could fee-”

“Because it's all wrong. First of all, my abs show way more in real life than in that game. And B) Mondae and Archer could never be around each other long enough to be fused into such a hideous monster. Although you did get the uncooked-bread color of Mondae's skin spot-on.”

“No, this is just… we thought it would be cool to, y'know, make something for you personally to test on the new VR system before we -”

Lord considers his position on the game but ultimately shakes his head and interrupts the game developer.

“No, I just can't endorse this as RSW Supreme Champion. The game mechanics are awful. I will say that it represents the match well though. Mondarcher won't be able to stand each other for more than two seconds in this match. Literally their only problem with each other is they think the other is standing in their way of the Champion. More than anything they want to eliminate the other so one can be alone with me. And you know I have the intelligence to exploit that fact.”

“I mean, it's just a video game, it's not supposed to be a metaphor for any -”

“I do like how Mondarcher weren't able to use their stupid technical or submission abilities in the game. Just like at Scream Fest, the game match was no holds barred meaning those things are largely irrelevant. Instead of trying to take me down, they just bring one another down. I'm sure if I put that helmet back on right now the gladiator would be killing Mondarcher with strikes.”

The game dev coughs. This guy just doesn't get it

“Well, no. You're not playing it right now, so -”

Lord mimes swinging a sword down on Mondarcher's face.

“Just hammering on their dumb ugly faces with the sword. That's basically the only thing that matters in this match.”

“See, now if you were holding the controller you might be -”

“Endurance and stamina, they’ll be tapped resources before they know it because they will stop at nothing to get to me. Neither of them will quit before they get their shot at me and that's all I need to take advantage to win this.

“My ScreamFest main event is a game I've already won and there’s nothing that can stop me from doing it again. If anything, they've made it easier on me. Mondae wants me to get on her level, but frankly I think that would be too much of a step down.”

All too willing to shut Lord up, the PlayStation developers slide the helmet back on Lord's head.

“Now how can I move this big oaf to make sure the Blackwood's are dead?”