AS76: Theron Daggershield vs. Dr. Zeus

[Ty Burna]

Deadline is Wednesday, March 12th at 11:59 PM CST.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Theron's Merry Band Of Misfits

​

The scene opens to a hallway at the gladiatorial arena in the town of Firemont. Bobo Ogronorf is flipping through a stack of paperwork for the upcoming event. Bobo looks up for a moment and spots Davkas Diamonddeath toward where he is standing.

Bobo: Davkas Diamonddeath! Come here for a second. I was about to go looking for you. This saves me the trouble of finding you.

Davkas walks over to Bobo. He has a red potion bottle in one hand and his tunic is full of blood from his last gladiatorial match.

Davkas: This must be regarding my MATCH.... In a which a victory I surely will SNATCH.... Tell me who my opponent is, BOBO.... It better not be a bard with an OBOE....

Bobo rolls his eyes at the ryming. He is still holding the stack of papers.

Bobo: Wow, you really do rhyme everything that you say, don't you? Anyways.... Your opponent this week.... will be The Warblade, Theron Daggershield!

Davkas suddenly has an evil grin on his face.

Bobo: You'd best prepare yourself though, Davkas. Theron has grown more powerful since the last time you faced him.

Bobo walks off to his office. Davkas has not moved since he found out about his match with Theron. He still has the evil grin on his face. Once Bobo is no longer seen and his footsteps no longer heard, Davkas cracks his fingers and looks in both directions to make sure he is alone in the hallway.

Davkas: It has been far too LONG.... It is now time to right this WRONG.... When we last met Theron had WON.... He will soon see that this has only just BEGUN....!

He laughs maniacally.

[YOUTUBE]CyZoe-r9qb0[/YOUTUBE]​

Scene fades out as Davkas keeps laughing.

====

Scene fades in to a clearing in the forest outside of Firemont. The sun is starting to set although there is still plenty of light. A wolf can be heard howling in the distance, and other than the crackling of the fire not another sound is heard at the campsite of Theron and his Merry Band Of Misfits. Theron is sitting by the fire, attempting to read a chapter from Kirilah's Tome of Mystra. Kayrentia walks over to him, as a Dire Bat follows her and lands on the ground next to her.

Kayrentia: How's the reading going?

Theron is focused on trying to read, and has not yet noticed the Dire Bat.

Theron: Not too bad, so far. This stuff is a little more interesting than I thought it would be.

He looks up from the tome for a second to see who he was talking to, having seen the Dire Bat out of the corner of his eye. Theron begins reading again for half a second and immediately looks back up again, this time at the Bat. Theron raises his left eyebrow.

Theron: Where did that thing come from?

Kayrentia: I found him while picking some berries and fruit to eat. Isn't he cute? I named him Alucard! Can I keep him?

Theron: I guess so. As long as he doesn't attack our allies or any of Keifasar's pets.

Kayrentia: Including the horse skeleton?

Keifasar peeks his head out from his tent, which is 4 feet to the left of where Theron and Kayrentia are.

Keifasar: His NAME is Abduroff, and you are to refer to him as such, not "the horse skeleton".

Kayrentia: Alucard would have found that blue plaid fairy that you got lost trying to find.

Keifasar exits his tent. He walks up to Theron and Kayrentia.

Keifasar: Disrespect any of my pets again and I'll zombify your bat.

Theron stands up.

Theron: That's enough, you two!

Keifasar and Kayrentia glare at each other for a brief moment, before walking off to opposite ends of the campsite. Kayrentia to the right, where she sits down to eat the rest of her berries. Alucard flies after her and lands at her feet. She feeds him an apple. Keifasar walks to the left where Abduroff is grazing. All of the grass and leaves that the horse eats ends up falling out through the holes of his skeletal rib cage.

Keifasar: Are you alright, Abduroff? Did the mean druid hurt your feelings?

Abduroff snorts and continues grazing. Theron sighs, shaked his head and begins reading again. Sheshmish and Kirilah come back from hunting for food. Sheshmish is holding a boar in one hand and a bottle of rum in the other. Kirilah looks tired.

Sheshmish: Yarr, captain. Be it not time to go back to town? Don't ye have a match to prepare for?

Theron: I do and that's precisely why we are out here. The anonymous source that knew a secret about Davkas Diamonddeath is out here somewhere. He or she should show up before nightfall.

Kirilah walks up to Theron to see which verse he is reading.

Kirilah: That's a good verse that you're on right now. It explains how the rivalry between Mystra and Shar began in the first place.

Theron puts the Tome Of Mystra down and groans, showing his frustration.

Kirilah: What's wrong, is it boring? I can explain it to you if you'd like.

Theron: No, it's not that. I'm just feeling conflicted right now. The Tome clearly teaches that followers of Mystra can overcome evil followers of Shar. Marrmell is evil and part of Shar's cult. So, how is he still winning? What if Ella Teague the Charismatic Cleric does not defeat him this week? Byla the Orc would probably next in line, I do not know if she can defeat him either if Ella is not successful.

Kirilah: Don't worry about Marrmell right now. Aren't you facing Davkas Diamonddeath this week? He's more dangerous than we originally thought if he was able to escape captivity of that guy who helped you fight him last time. What was his name again? Elgold Taletreader?

Theron: Yep. Elgold was helpful during my last encounter with Davkas, and then he personally took him into captivity. Obviously Davkas escaped as he has had a match with Marrmell and now will face me. I wouldn't be surprised if he's out there rhyming about how he wants to avenge his loss. It will be difficult not having the crusader Elgold helping me this time around, but I feel confident that I can do it. Especially if we are able to use the tip that the anonymous source is supposedly going to give us.

Some rustling is heard in the bushes. Kirilah looks off in the direction of where the noise came from, with a serious look on her face.

Theron: What is it, Kirilah?

Kirilah: I heard something. It might be your anonymous guy.

Theron walks over to the end of the clearing and unsheaths his Falchion.

Theron: Hey!!!! Show yourself! I know you're out there, whoever you are!

The rustling continues and Theron begins walking closer in the direction of the sound. Kayrentia and Keifasar return from their respective corners of the campsite and stand by Kirilah and Sheshmish.

????: Come here. Find me and I will give you the clue that you came for.

Theron begins to walk in the direction of where the voice can be heard from.

Kayrentia: Theron, are you sure that's a good idea?

Theron turns around to face his allies.

Theron: This is what we came here for. I need the information that this source has on Davkas Diamonddeath.

Kirilah: Wait. I'm coming with you.

Theron: You can all come, Davivel's still in his tent and is able to watch the campsite. Now, let's go before the anonymous source changes his or her mind.

Theron and his Merry Band Of Misfits leave the campsite and enter the woods. Fade to black.

====

Scene fades in to another clearing, smaller than the one the campsite was located it and surrounded by many forms of plant life. Theron and his allies stop walking as they reach a large tree with a shadowy figure behind it. Out from the shadows behind the large tree steps the shadowy figure, revealing himself to be none other than Vire Silverclaw. Mysterious music begins playing in the background, and remains on repeat through the rest of the following scene.

[YOUTUBE]L0d3a75cUXE[/YOUTUBE]​

Vire: So.... You're willingly showing up to find out more about Davkas Diamonddeath, not knowing what awaited you at our encounter?

Theron: Vire Silverclaw....? YOU'RE the anonymous source?

Vire: Yep. You're brave to have shown up. Or naive. It's tough to tell those two apart sometimes.

Theron: Don't let him intimidate you, guys. I'm not afraid of you, Vire. I defeated you by myself. This time you are outnumbered four to one. Now, the secret you had about Davkas. Let's have it.

Kayrentia: Hold on. How can you trust him? Isn't he a thief?

Vire grins and pulls out a knife.

Vire: I prefer assassin, but yes, I run a thief guild.... and let's not forget my dominance of the Chaos Division in the World Gladiatorial Combat Federation.

Keifasar: I'm with Kayrentia on this, oddly enough. Never trust a rogue. I knew I should have brought my Book of Vile Darkness.

Theron: Guys, come on. Let's hear him out before we get skeptical. Vire, if this information will help me defeat Davkas then I want to know what it is.

Vire: What makes you think that you are capable of undertaking a victory against him? What about your band of misfits, they wouldn't last long against him. Don't you care about your friends? Why place them in such danger? Bringing them here to meet with me might even be worse.

Theron: They will be fine. We are a team! Besides, I will be facing Davkas in gladiatorial combat at the next event. They are not allowed to compete due to not being official gladiators in the federation. I never turn down the opportunity to learn more about an opponent. A tiny bit of research on an enemy weakness could save one's life someday.

Vire: I suggest you turn around, Theron. Walk away from this. You cannot defeat Davkas. Don't you know? He's part of that crazy Shar cult. They even tried to recruit me a while back. That same day you came into my office before our last match some minotaur from the cult tried to make me something called a shrine leader. Davkas is one of these already.

Theron: Wait, what!? Davkas Diamonddeath is a leader in the cult of Shar?

Kirilah: If we ever run into him outside of Theron's gladiatorial match I will make no hesitation to smite him in the name of my deity.

Vire: Oh, I see you brought THAT one again. You, church girl, if anyone should turn away, it's you. Anyways, Theron.... Follow my advice and show your band of misfits how much you care about them by leading them as far away from Davkas Diamonddeath and his chapter of the New Church of Shar as possible. Or don't, and face your inevitable death in Davkas' shrine located at the top of the Blixt Tower on the isle west of here.

Theron: Why are you telling us this, though? In what way is this going to benefit you? You're the type who would have to be in this for some form of personal gain.

Vire: This is a lost cause. Don't make your misfits carry their leader's corpse back home to the crying of family and friends.

Keifasar: They wouldn't have to carry his corpse back. I would bring him back as an undead, think of how powerful a zombie Warblade could be!

Keifasar makes an obnoxious smile and gives two thumbs up to everyone. Kirilah walks over to him, infuriated at the thought of Theron being undead.

Kirilah: Mystra forbid, if that EVER happens, I will kill you right where you stand, and you better pray that it ends quickly. How DARE you talk about our leader like that!?

Theron steps in between them.

Theron: Kirilah, chill out. That would never happen. Mystra wouldn't allow it. And Keifasar? Shut UP!!!!

Vire laughs to himself.

Vire: Look, kids.... The point is, you do not have to do this. Instead go home and live normal happy lives free of the danger this battle will bring.

Theron: No. I'm in. I want to defeat Davkas all the more if he's involved with Shar's cult. However, I cannot quite say that I trust you.

Vire: Finally some intelligence shows itself. Of course you shouldn't trust me. Trust is so fragile and the sad truth is you don't trust me because you know what I am capable of. I could steal every valuable item you have on you right now if I wanted to.

Theron: I want to trust you though. I am uncertain as to why, but I wish I could. I cannot due to how dangerous you have been in the Chaos Division and more recently in your attempt to become the World Gladiatorial Combat Federation Heavyweight Champion.

Vire: Your naivety would allow you to trust me even if we had never met before. That day you walked into my guild office, you wanted to trust me then too. Stop putting your faith into the good of the world. Dishonesty is part of the world, deep down we are all evil, not good.

Kirilah: But that's not true. Mystra teaches that-

Vire: Yeah, no. I don't want to hear that. I don't do the whole praying thing. Theron, don't you lie? When you tell all your fans that you will overcome evil, like when you face Marrmell for the Regional Championship, that was a lie. When you claim you will destroy the Shar cult, you are lying!

Theron: The very thought that my belief in good overcoming evil could be a lie, is the true lie. I believe it with every fiber of my being that good ALWAYS triumphs over evil.

Vire: Then why aren't you the Regional Champion right now? That's right. Marrmell beat you. Always question everything. Perhaps you and your misfits are smarter than I thought. You take your leader's lies and accept them as truth, that you will be protected by his sword or by this deity that you fight in the name of. Yet you all remain standing united as a team.... because you believe anything he tells you, that it comes from a good place.

Theron: Alright, that's enough! It's one thing to insult our intelligence, religious beliefs, or what we fight for, but do NOT call me a liar. I believe in honor, truth, and fighting to overcome all evil in the world. I am being 100% honest when I state my firm belief that good always wins in the battle against evil. Evil might gain the advantage a couple of times along the way, Marrmell's retention was an example of such an obstacle. One day I will get another shot, and for all my fans' sake, I will become a champion that they can put their faith in! I will rid the world of all evil, that includes destroying every single chapter of the Shar cult. Davkas Diamonddeath is evil. I am good. He will be defeated for that reason alone.

Vire: Well, I hate to cut this party short, but I have said what I needed to say. You can take my words and do as you wish. Call them lies or believe them to be true. If you are serious about taking this fight to Davkas' tower, meet me at the ship dock in Firemont the morning after your match. All will be explained onboard the boat.

Sheshmish: Yarr! Ye cannot say no to a trip onboard a boat, captain! I bet there be treasure to be found!

Vire leaves and the music stops playing. Theron and his allies stand silently watching. Kirilah takes a couple of steps forward, while Vire can still be seen in the distance several feet away.

Theron: Kirilah, what are you doing?

Kirilah: Checking to see if we really can trust him.... Detect Evil!

Kirilah uses her "Detect Evil" ability on Vire. He is far enough away that he cannot hear her, but that the ability is still effective on him without him noticing.

Kirilah: Theron....

Theron: Did you detect anything?

Kirilah turns to face the others. Her mouth is open and she has a puzzled look on her face.

Theron: Tell me.

Kirilah: Vire Silverclaw is giving off noticeably less evil energy than he was when we last met him.

Theron: We need to go. Let's worry about trusting him or not after my match. I need to go defeat Davkas! Then we'll follow Vire to the location of the cult shrine.

Kirilah, Keifasar, Shesmish, and Kayrentia all begin walking back to the campsite. They walk offscreen. Theron starts to walk after them, then turns around and looks off into the distance in the direction that Vire left in.

Theron: Vire.... I do not trust you. I can't. However, there may be hope for you yet. We all have good in us deep down. I'll just have to show you the light.

He leaves to follow his allies. Fade to black.

 

[Con T.]

"I just don't know if it's a good idea is all, Dorian."

Ellie stood with her arms folded in the middle of the brand new nursery, the one Dorian had just renovated himself. The room was initially used as a room for all of Dorian's files and cases; it used to be littered with the notes and reports of thousands of patients. Thousands of people, all who came to Dorian for help, in their time of need. Some could be helped... Others were already past the point of no return. But Dorian once lovingly kept every file and paper attached to every patient he had ever come across. He did so out of devotion... And though he never told anyone else, he often left certain cases opened. In the middle of the night, sometimes unable to sleep, Dorian would stumble over to his study, and stare at the files of too far gone patients, and search for an answer. Something, anything, that could crack the code, and save the already lost patient.

Now, in a showing of love for his wife, he agreed to create a new nursery for their incoming child. He spent countless hours, moving all of his files out of the room, all of his information. Dorian decided that some of the files could go... But he would always keep the files of lost patients in his den. He would feel uncomfortable without them... He would not feel like Dorian Geigel.

Dorian's work had paid off; the room looked absolutely perfect, for a baby. Toys of every shade of the rainbow smiled cheerfully at an expecting crib; the crib itself was a very rich, painted by Dorian in a glossy eggshell. It stood in the middle of the room, much like the newborn soon would be in the middle of Dorian and Ellie's wife. Dorian slavishly labored over his newborn's room... But now, the time had come to decide how to decorate the walls. Currently, the walls were a barren white, but they would soon be painted with many different kinds of bright, happy colors. But Dorian has posed a modest request for his wife, now very much visibly pregnant, and visibly agitated. Dorian had asked if they could paint pictures of great heroes on the walls of the baby's room. When the idea of glorifying violent warriors of justice was brought to Ellie's attention, she scoffed, before dismissing the idea. But Dorian was going to stand his ground.

"And I don't think it will be nearly as harmful for Ethan as you believe," Dorian countered. The two seemed at an impasse. "I don't see what's the big deal, Ellie... And I don't see how this will be so bad for our son, either."

Ellie sighed, and rolled her eyes. She shot a determined glare at Dorian, and explained her position again. "Dorian, you know how I feel about Ethan growing up with violence around him... I just don't want him to glamorize violence. And the characters you're asking to plaster on his walls, the very things he'll see when he wakes up every morning, regularly carry swords and fight to the death. I get that they're your heroes, Dorian... But I just don't think they should be Ethan's."

Ellie knew she had gone too far. Dorian had that look in his eyes... The kind that revealed a hurt, that he'd never openly discuss. Ellie was no saint; she knew had hurt Dorian many times before. Every time, it would draw this look in his eyes; he would become quiet for some time, and Ellie would feel awful. Dorian always knew that Ellie would feel guilty... Which is why he would stay so quiet. He loved her so much, that he could never think of hurting her more. They stood in silence, before Ellie walked over, and hugged her husband. They made eye contact... Dorian's eyes always softened when they locked eyes. He relaxed, and Ellie softly spoke.

"I didn't mean to invalidate your heroes, Dorian," she explained. "But you have to understand... I don't want Ethan to grow up and idolize fighting. I don't want him to believe heroes only solve their problems by fighting..."

It was quiet for some time. Dorian sighed, and looked down. He looked back up to his wife.

"Frodo didn't just solve his problems by fighting..."

"I know, Dorian, but you want to put the whole Fellowship on Ethan's walls. Gimli, Aragorn, Legolas... You want to introduce them all to Ethan so soon, and that scares me."

"May I ask why?"

"It scares me... Because I don't want Ethan going through life, thinking that you have to be some warrior to be a hero. I know I'm being over-protective... But I want our son to know that he can be a hero, without being some sword yielding mythical creature. Holding a sword, using magic, none of that makes you a hero... And you know that, Dorian, but I don't want my son growing up to believe that."

Dorian sighed, and thought this over. There was so much he and his wife were in perfect harmony over... This was a couple that knew what the other thought, and when. But Dorian could never impart his love of Lord of the Rings on his lovely bride. Try as he might, she could never get wrapped up in the whimsy behind the fantasy. When Ellie finally agreed to see The Fellowship of the Ring, out of love for her husband, she tried as hard as she could to get absorbed in the world. Try as she might, she never could. After the movie, she feigned an interest, but Dorian saw right through his wife. She finally admitted, with a tinge of shame, that she just didn't find herself growing into Dorian's passion.

"It isn't just warriors with swords... The hobbits have to rely on their knowledge. They don't need swords... Frodo rarely fights..." This argument was given with a slight hint of resentment, as though Ellie had type casted something Dorian deeply loved. "So... What do you want to do with the walls?"

Ellie smirked a little, and answered as quickly as possible. "Dr. Seuss."

Dorian chuckled to himself, and shook his head a little. "You'll excuse me a little if I find it a little hollow for you to criticize my heroes for being fictional, while you adore a man who wrapped himself in whimsical fantasy."

Ellie shook her head... Dorian may have seemed like he was joking, but she knew well that there was a hint of sincerity in his joke. "Dr. Seuss never had to rely on The Grinch killing the Who's down in Whoville, to make him a great character."

Dorian held up a finger. "Oh, come now, dear. I'm sure I could do the same rhyming schtick that he did."

Ellie smirked, and let out a playful, You wouldn't last a day rhyming like him."

Dorian's voice boomed throughout the room, as he began to speak.

I know for a fact I could keep up this rhyme!
Yes, I could do it all of the time!"

Ellie did her best to hide a laugh, before wrapping her arms around Dorian's waist, and trying to tackle him down to the ground. "Cram it, Doc!" Dorian hugged his wife, but also dragged her down, as they playfully fell to the ground. Dorian made sure to protect his pregnant wife, but also tickled her, as she howled in laughter. "Ok, I quit, you win!"

The two lay together, on the floor of the nursery, in absolute bliss. They enjoyed the silence of one another's company, before Dorian spoke up. "You know... After all this, I never asked what you feel makes a hero."

She smiled, and lovingly looked at her husband. "Heroes don't live by the sword... They live by the purity in their heart. They live to save the world... but they refuse to destroy a life to do so."

Dorian stared at his wife for some time, in peaceful happiness.

Chastity walks up to the Doctor's Office, having recently spoken to Zeus' new client. After being so close to a breakthrough, Zeus wanted to make sure The Beard understood his ultimate purpose. While there will be struggles along the way, Zeus was fully aware Beard would soon serve his God given purpose. To make sure he stayed the coulrse, Zeus kept Chastity close to Beard, prepping him for the battle to come. She opened the door to Zeus' dimly lit office, and the Good Doctor spoke before she even fully entered the room.

"Does The War Horse know his mission at hand?
Does he know how we will carry out our plan?"

"Yes, Doctor... He is prepared." Chastity replied with a little hesitation to her voice, as Zeus sat back in his chair, with a determined look in his face. He carried a broad sword in hand, one which appeared very heavy. He held it patiently in his hand, picking it up to admire the shimmer of the sword. "Sir, I must confess... I'm not sure why you've sent The Beard after Vega. Surely, he will win against the thief... But you seem far more focused on this... Warblade. Why would you and Beard not team together to pick off the little crusader."

Zeus smiled a rueful smile, as he played with his sword. He stood up, but still had his back turned to Chastity. He walked towards a wall, which had a Theron Daggershield poster tacked on.

"This shall be my personal crusade.
I'll see to it that The Warblade meets the end of my blade.
He thinks himself a hero, living in a dream,
though his soul's too far gone to redeem.
Lost in a fantasy world, never to be retrieved,
Which allows no remorse for the fools he's deceived.

Zeus now held the sword in both hands, and started to swipe at the air... Small strokes of the sword, yet threatening enough to frighten Chastity. With every swing, his eyes darted towards the Theron poster. Each swing had more passion than the next, until finally, he placed the blade of the sword right at Theron's neck.

"You're no hero; you're merely a fraud.
And so I've been charged to bring you before God.
Your hero will fall, and his blood will be shed.
Before God gives the command, that it's off with his head!"

Zeus slices the sword right in the neck of the poster, with a scream. The poster is torn in half, with Theron's head chopped off from his neck. The flimsy piece of paper wafts to the ground. Zeus looks down at Theron's head, which now almost looks on pleadingly to Zeus. Chastity looks on in horror... As Zeus looks down at his wrist. Zeus takes the blade of the sword, and gently eases it onto his wrist. Chastity winces, as she watches Zeus slice through the skin, to allow a trickle of blood to leave his arm. Zeus allows for the blood to fall on Theron's head, as a pained smile forms on his face.

"Theron, you've chosen your fate, and it's God you've defied.
You denounced the Lord, in the name of your pride.
You gave yourself to a false idol, and a game,
And in doing so, cursed upon His good name.
Say your last prayers, and say your goodbyes.
Ascension, you learn; heroes were made to die.

Zeus raises the sword once more, and plunges a finishing blow, right into the head of Theron Daggershield. Footsteps can be heard, as Dr. Zeus leaves his office. He walks away from the limited source of light, and disappears into pure darkness.