AS71: Handicap Match - Dr. Zeus vs. Theron Daggershield & Corvus

[Harthan]

Deadline is Tuesday, November 19th at 11:59PM Central time. Extensions by request.

 

[Con T.]

Dr. Zeus lies unconscious on a hospital bed at the Baptist Medical Center, still being treated from the damage he took in his battle with Steven Kurtesy. The room is dark, with no light, save for the green light of the machine rigged to monitor Zeus' vital signs. Beeps intermittently fill the deadly silent room with sound, acknowledging Zeus' faint heart rate. A tube hangs from Dr. Zeus' nose, pumping air into his body, as his chest faintly rises every second or so. Zeus' face is scarred and bruised, partially from a result of the wounds of battle, and partially from the lack of oxygen. Zeus slowly opens his eyes, with very much difficulty, and closes his fist. His eyes, bloodshot as possible, investigate the room, for any signs of life. He looks to his left, and the shadowy figure that had been seated at his side the whole time finally speaks,

"Are you ok?"

Zeus looks at the figure and makes out the vague shape of his facial features. While he can't recognize the face, Dr. Zeus takes note of the gravelly voice. This was Michael, his supposed brother in combat. The lack if blinding light indicated he had not just arrived; he must have waited by Zeus' bedside.

"No thanks to you, who left me alone.
Should have guessed that I'd be on my own."

Michael sits in silence for a second, placing his hands to his face. He looks on, deep in thought, as Zeus' skeptical glance has not moved off of Michael at all.

"We did not wish to leave you alone; you prayed that I would leave you alone." For some time, they sat in uncomfortable silence, Zeus sure to keep an eye on Michael. Zeus pulled himself up to a seated position in his hospital bed, inspecting his surroundings. "You need to be more careful," Michael states in a stern tone, "And you need to always be aware."

Without a moment of hesitation, Zeus' skepticism turns to vile hatred, as he spits out,

"I had that son of a bitch dead to rights.
I was ready to give him his last rites."

"That's not what I mean... You went down to Hell with Alistair alone..."

Again, dead silence. Zeus' machine kept beeping, but neither man spoke a word. Finally, Zeus took a deep breath, and explained;

"He told me I'd see-"

"I'm aware what he told you," Michael snapped back. This anger was rare for him, and it brought Zeus at attention. But it also made Zeus ready to fight. Michael took a deep breath, and regained his composure. "I'm aware of what he promised. But, if this has taught you anything... It's that demons aren't to be trusted. We're in a war for the safety of six billion souls... You need to be more careful."

"I thought we were all on the same team,
On our side in the war that we wage."

This time, Michael took the deep breath. He fumbled with his hands, as he passed on the news. "Alistair has betrayed us... He was always working against us." Zeus swallowed hard at this news, and began to look angry. He looked out to the window, as Michael continued."Sandy, as well. She was in on it. Alistair brought you to Hell, because he knew he could make you weak there. He could tempt you... And you would take it. Staying in Hell makes the human will weak... It softened you for Kurtesy... I'm sorry."

Zeus winced at this; weakness. He was God's weapon, and had been played as Lucifer's toy.

The demons don't intend to keep Hell and Earth separate; they plan to bring Hell on Earth. And unless we can stop them..." Michael's voice trailed off at the sheer horror he was about to say. "They will succeed."

Dr. Zeus sat, looking sullen for quite some time. His heart rate began to rise a little, as the beeps on his heart monitor became more frequent.

"Why didn't you leave me down in the flame?
Lucifer shall rise, and I am to blame."

Michael shot a glance back to Zeus, and looked up to the heavens. He answered, "It's not... Blame that falls on you, Dorian." Michael looks back down to the wounded Zeus, who looks despondent. "It's fate... The righteous man who begins it, is the only man who can finish it."

Dr. Zeus is broken from his somber mood, and sits upright. He looks at Michael in a curious manner, and begins to open his mouth. Before asking, he slumps back into his bed. His heart rate rises even more, as he works up the nerve to ask the question he'd been longing to ask for so long.

"I've wanted to ask this... I might as well.
Why are both my wife and son in Hell?"

Michael looks around the room, clearly not ready to answer that question. "I don't know", he quietly replied, with the slightest hint of regret.

"Liar! An angel who tries to deceive.
Do you really believe I'm that naive?"

Dr. Zeus' look of confusion is twisted into bitter anger; the very same anger that gave him the strength to deliver crippling blows to Steven Kurtesy. Zeus began to remember how good it felt to destroy Steven, how warm his blood felt. It gave him goosebumps to think of Steven groaning in agony; it was the very moment he's been dreaming of for months. Every shot brought Zeus closer to God... And it was then that Zeus realized Michael was jealous. Jealous of how close Zeus gotten to the Father; Michael's father, the same one who fought so hard to stave off the Apocalypse.

Zeus reached out to Michael, to try and grasp at his throat. But a shooting pain stopped Zeus; he slunk into his bed, and shot Michael a look that could kill. Michael returned the look, and heavily sighed, before looking to the ground."Dorian... Dorian, you aren't ready to know why. There's no explanation I can give you... No way of telling you what happened, and why your wife is in Hell. But know... We tried to save her. Just like we saved you from Alistair... We were the ones to pull you out."

This infuriated Dr. Zeus, as he threw the tray that lay close to his bed at the wall.

"And why can't you do the same thing again?!
They've committed no wrong, on any man!

Michael had enough, and wasn't out to spare feelings, anymore.

"What Ellie did doomed the entire world to the Apocalypse!"

Complete silence. It had begun to rain outside, and small drips of rain on the window pane echoed throughout the room. Dr. Zeus was absolutely stunned. He didn't move... Moments felt like hours passing, as Zeus struggled to digest this news. Michael looked morose, knowing he crossed a line he shouldn't have. For some time, he struggled to explain; to even begin to tell Dorian how his wife caused the end of the world.

"She did not know," Michael offered. "You must understand, none of what she did was out of hatred. It was out of love... Her love destroyed her. We tried to intervene, but we were too late. The human will is stronger than any act of an angel." Michael tried to offer a soothing look to Dr. Zeus, who continued to look out the window. Zeus could see Michael's reflection in the window, but made no attempt to acknowledge him. "She made her decision. Perhaps the only wrong one in her life. And this is the result."

Dr. Zeus said nothing, but his heart rate continued to rise. His face turned red, and though he was quiet, a seething rage filled the air. Michael attempted to reach Zeus, and began to speak again.
"The only way to stop the end, is to send all of the escaped demons back to Hell. You've done well, so far... You've fought demons and bested them. But the only way to rid a body of the demon that infests it...You must salt and burn the body. Salt can ward away the demon... And fire purifies the body. There's still time... But we're quickly running out of it."Michael pulled a salt canister, and placed a box of matches into Dr. Zeus' hand. "This is the only way."

Dr. Zeus finally looked down at the matches that lay there. He looked to Michael, who had already disappeared. There still seemed a look of sullen shock on Zeus' face, but the matches in his hand glowed as he touched them. He reached into the box, and picked out a match, and lit it. As he lit it, he watched the flame dance, he realized the power he held. Dorian was going to use this power to save the world. But before he did so, he was going to corner Kurtesy, make him beg for his very existence. He would demand to know exactly what Ellie did to trigger the Apocalypse.

Then, he would salt and burn the body, to give the corpse a proper release, and send the vile demon back to Hell. As the light flickered, the heart rate monitor rose a little more, and for the first time in some while, Dr. Zeus smiled.

Chastity hastily walks into the open door to the Good Doctor's office, to find a dim light wafting through the air. She waits for a second, to see if he will give her attention, and clears her throat. The light, though present, is muffled by Zeus' large frame. She timidly begins, "Doctor, I-"

Dr. Zeus turns around to reveal a blowtorch, that he lights on and off, eerily close to his face. The glow of the fire really accentuates the features of Zeus; but what is most prominent are the eyes. What were once clear, blue eyes have now shifted to a greenish hue, complete with veins stretching out along the entire eye. He fixates on the fire, almost seems hypnotized by the dancing embers.

"My dear, I have a quick question for you.
What is the virtue that makes heroes true?
It's not trenchcoats and dice, of that I'm sure.
Do you know what makes a true hero pure?"

Chastity paused at this; the question was vague, yet the Doctor was looking for a specific answer. As she thought, she eyed the Doctor, as he held the torch closer to his face. "Doctor, I'm not sure-"

"Conviction, my dear, the answer you seek.
It's the one trait that divides the strong and weak.
Corvus quit, and scampered back to the dark.
A hero for the downtrodden? Ha! What a lark!"

Dr. Zeus has stood up now, and is walking towards Chastity. She looks at him uneasily, as he walks toward the wall.

"What does Corvus do when the going gets tough?
Why, he runs for help when things look quite rough."

Dr. Zeus places the blowtorch down on the table, to reach for something hanging on the wall; a sword.

"Who does he run to to save himself from bloodshed?
The megalomaniac in over his head.
A poor soul lost in his own deluded mind,
that salvation is impossible to find.
Even a boy who's life is a game,
can find his soul rotting in flames."

Dr. Zeus picks a pours a small can of gasoline on the sword, and lights the blowtorch. The sword is on fire, as Zeus holds it high above his head. A small glimmer of glee escapes his eye, as he swings the sword.

"See, I don't quit, I don't ask for aide.
I won't seek shelter behind a blade.
I'll face Kurtesy one on one, like a man.
I regroup, and come back with a plan.
Sending Kurtesy away will take measures more dire.
And that's why you see me wielding my fire.
To purify the body, send the demons to Hell.
And free them from their demonic spell!"

At that, Zeus throws the sword at the wall on the other side of the room. Chastity jumps at this, and tries to follow where the sword landed. The sword hits, blade first, right into hanging pictures of Theron Daggershield and Corvus. The photos burn slowly, as the searing fire forces the pictures to crackle and decompose. She looks back to Zeus, who is only visible by the parts of his face he places near the lit blowtorch.

"Heroes finish the job when it's done.
I'm here to finish this; I'm done having fun.
Heroes return when their world is under attack.
But when the hero returns.... The world may not like who has come back."

 

[Dagger Dias]

Theron's Merry Band of Misfits

Also featuring special guest: Elgold Taletreader!

Nothing but trees, bushes, and other large forms of plant-life are seen for miles in each direction. It is very dark, but not due to the time of day. The large plants are blocking most of the sunlight from reaching our heroes as they travel through the dark woods on the outskirts of Waterward. Sheshmish the Orc Swashbuckler had been leading the way and is the first to emerge from the foliage. Theron is next, followed by the rest of his party including Neep the floating skull.

Theron: Wait, we've passed this tree before. I recognize that moss pattern. Are we lost?

The rest of the party stop as their leader does. The orc turns to face Theron.

Theron: We should have reached the town by now. That's the last time I let you lead the way, Sheshmish. You said you've never gotten lost before!

Sheshmish: On sea, captain. This is a forest.

Theron: Our ally is in danger and you're making jokes? This is not the time for that! There is a reason we left so soon after my victory over Leonaros Moonshadow and are not still celebrating the outcome of my match. Kirilah is waiting for us, but how are we going to find Kirilah if we cannot even find the town she's in!?

Kayrentia: Let me try communicating with the nearby creatures. I can ask them for directions.

Kayrentia closes her eyes and begins to meditate, before a voice is heard from above them.

????: That will not be necessary.

The Merry Band of Misfits all look around, trying to find out where the voice came from.

????: Up here!

They look up into a tree in front of them and see a rogue clad in a dark cape with a matching dark mask. Theron is unable to see what the race of the rogue is, due to being covered up by his outfit. The rogue is sitting on a branch toward the top of the tree.

Theron: Who are you?

Elgold: They call me Elgold Taletreader. I look after the outskirts of Waterward, including these woods.

Elgold leaps down in an impressive show of acrobatics, landing on both feet, and stands in front of the party.

Davivel: Impressive.

Elgold: Thank you.

Theron: So.... How do we get to town from here?

Elgold: You won't be able to. It is far too dangerous. Few have had the misfortune of ending up out here, all have perished at the hands of Davkas Diamonddeath.

Theron: Davkas Diamonddeath....?

Elgold pulls out a paper and shows it to the party. It has a picture of Davkas on it.

Spoiler

Theron: So.... People have not made it out of these woods because of THIS guy....? He doesn't look that intimidating. Is that blood on his tunic or is it just some strange red design?

Elgold: Blood. He is a charismatic dwarven potion maker who lost his mind several years ago. Now he makes poison instead of potions. I have studied him from a distance, he speaks in rhymes to trick adventurers into drinking his poison which kills them.

Theron: I'm not scared of some rhyming potion maker. I've faced a number of gladiators from the World Gladiatorial Combat Federation. My Merry Band of Misfits are all capable of holding their own on the battlefield as well. We'll defeat this Davkas Diamonddeath if you show us where he is.

Elgold: It's not that simple. Davkas has a high resistance to magic. Your druid and necromancer would have no effect on him.

Neep: Neep!!!!

Neep, seemingly terrified of the thought of a magic resistant foe, flies circles around the party and then hovers behind Keifasar with an expression of anxiety on his face.

Keifasar: Hey! Stop scaring Neep!

Elgold: I merely spoke the truth. Davkas took an amulet of antimagic from a wizard once and has used it for his own advantage ever since. Your cleric would not be of much use either.

Davivel: That just leaves Theron and Sheshmish who can fight him. I'll stay here with the two casters and we'll set up camp for the night.

Sheshmish: Aye. When do we leave, captain?

Theron: You're not coming. You would just get me lost again. I'd have better luck by myself of finding Davkas.

Elgold: Are you planning on fighting him or just trying to get through the woods?

Theron: He's been poisoning people.... I'd want to defeat him so he never does it again.

Elgold: Then you're going to need my help. No normal warrior could do this alone. The two of us together should be able to defeat him.

Theron: Let's leave immediately then. Show me the way to his lair.

Elgold runs off into the foliage without even saying a word. Theron shrugs to his allies and runs after the rogue as the Merry Band of Misfits wave goodbye to their leader for now.

A few minutes pass without anyone speaking. Davivel is setting up everyone's tents. He enters his own tent upon finishing setting up everyone else's. Sheshmish is keeping watch for monsters. Kayrentia is playing with Neep, who is being neglected by Keifasar. Keifasar is sitting in the clearing pouting.

Keifasar: WHY are we HERE?

Davivel comes out from his tent, having heard Keifasar's remark.

Davivel: Because Theron said so, and he is the leader.

Keifasar: So what if this Davkas guy has an antimagic amulet? All I have to do is cast Darkness on him and-

Davivel: Theron said to remain here.

Keifasar: I'm tired of always having to do what THERON says. Did anyone ask ME how I would defeat Davkas? No! I had a fabulous plan we could have used, but NO, our self proclaimed fearless leader had to run off with that caped rogue without us.

Davivel: Come on, let's you and me go get some firewood. You can tell me about this crazy idea of yours on the way.

Keifasar walks out into the woods, Sheshmish pulls Davivel aside as the cleric walked past him.

Sheshmish: Ye can't be serious about letting him disregard the captain's orders?

Davivel: No. I am going to humor him by listening to whatever idiotic idea he had. Knowing how long his plan explanations can get, by the time he's done telling me we will have gathered firewood for the night. Keep an eye on our druid. Kayrentia is not safe alone. We should be back before Theron is.

Davivel heads into the woods leaving Sheshmish with Kayrentia alone at the camp site. Scene fades out to black.

[YOUTUBE]At-lMwW8kEY[/YOUTUBE]​

The potion shop theme from "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" begins playing in the background and continues playing as the scene fades back in. A small hut is seen in the middle of the woods. It is run down, full of holes and cobwebs. Pink smoke is coming out of the chimney. Theron and Elgold emerge from the foliage to the right of the hut.

Theron: Is this it? I feel like we have been running around out in the wilderness for hours.

Elgold: That's his hut.

Theron: Well? Where is he?

Elgold: Shhhh....

Davkas can be heard laughing maniacally from in the hut and loudly shouting a rhyme.

Davkas: All it takes is one little TASTE.... It will make you die in HASTE.... The time is near for my next victim's DEATH.... My poison will surely make them take their last BREATH....

[YOUTUBE]CyZoe-r9qb0[/YOUTUBE]​

Theron: Wow.... I don't know whether to be impressed or creeped out by those rhymes.

Elgold: Ignore them.

Theron: Alright, so are we breaking down the door or waiting for him to come outside? Maybe we should wait for him to come out so we can flank him in a surprise attack from both sides!

Elgold: Good idea, but we must be patient. I'll sneak over to the bushes to the left of the hut, you stay here. He'll come out eventually and start one of his rhymes, hoping to lure in a traveler to feed a poisoned potion to.

Theron: Alright. I'd assume while he's reciting his rhyme he would be less focused on us. That's when we flank him from both sides. I'll give a signal when I'm ready to attack and then we go after him.

Elgold sneaks with effortless stealth over to the other side of the hut and hides in the bushes. About 24 minutes pass before the door opens and Davkas Diamonddeath emerges from his hut. He walks out and takes 9 steps before looking out into the trees. The music stops playing. Davkas looks in each direction, but does not see either of his opponents lurking in the bushes.

Davkas: Is there anyone out there who wishes to try my fine POTION.... A drink that will change your life yet requires no DEVOTION.... Come now, don't be SHY.... Show yourself if you are NEARBY....

Theron: NOW!

Theron makes a valiant leap from out of the bushes to the right of Davkas, his Falchion radiates as his eyes and hair glow red. He is ready to initiate combat with a critical hit. Elgold jumps out from the bushes to the left of Davkas, wielding his Bastard Sword.

Davkas can be seen in the middle of the screen with a look of concern on his face, at the very last second he notices both of the warriors. Theron and Elgold are coming in from their respective sides of the screen in slow motion, and the screen freeze frames once they are both within an inch of landing a simultaneous attack on the poison maker.

Fade to black.

 

[Beastmode 24]

Cologne,Germany. 11 NOV 2013

----------------------------------------

I sort of figured this might happen.
After a pretty stellar debut in WZCW, I've fallen into a slump. After my run-in with Zeus, I've faltered as of late, this time letting Fallout take a win from me. As I sit in the trainer's room with an ice pack on my neck, I can't help but feel the smallest hint of something I haven't felt in a long time...

Disappointment​

Paris,France. 18 Nov 2013

There are moments in life that change you forever. Moments that shape you as a person for the rest of your life, good or bad. As I check into the Arc de Triomphe Etoile in downtown Paris, I'm greeted by a representative of WZCW management. After receiving the standard "don't fuck up or you're fired" speech that pretty much everyone gets, I receive a packet that has the standard information for an overseas tour: Tourist information, a number for the WZCW international liaison, and your match for the show. I pull out the match card and see in big letters something that makes me smile a little for the first time in over a week.

Ascension 71
Handicap Match: DR. ZEUS V. CORVUS/THERON DAGGERSHIELD

After finding my room and settling in, I sit at the desk and fire up my laptop, ready to check emails and tie up loose ends. Project Venom has started slowly, but hopefully it's impact will be felt soon enough. I can't keep from thinking back to my upcoming match, though. While I respect Theron Daggershield, I didn't ask for a partner. Zeus might've gotten the upper hand the last time we met, but rest assured that I'm more focused now than I ever have been. It is nice to know that I'll have someone watching my back this week, and Daggershield seems to be a genuinely good person, which is something that is few and far between these days. Zeus will be no doubt still obsessing about Kurtesy's return so we can capitalize on his lack of focus and pick up a win.

After Zeus this week, I have to ask myself, what direction can I take in WZCW? I came here to deliver justice, to punish the people who prey on the innocent, and I haven't accomplished any of that so far. I need to refocus, I need to find a target. And I think I have the first target in mind.

Spoiler

Ramparte.

​