Ascension 90: Theron Daggershield vs Ramparte

[ABMorales787]

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Following the events of Ascension 89, it seems Theron is waging war against Cerberus. And his first target is one half of the Tag Team Champions in Ramparte. Will Ramparte be able to fight off the Warblade in singles action?


Deadline: Monday March 16, extensions on request

 

[Spidey Revivey]

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The camera accelerated through the dense woods and into a small clearing. A cloaked figure knelt between a thicket of brambles and thorns. Their face is concealed by a red hood and the camera stopped abruptly. As if sensing the camcorder's presence, the veiled entity turned its head. Within the confines of the cloak was a book partially seen.

I am lost...like a babe in the woods.​

Godfrey Ramparte pulled back the crimson garb to reveal his bewildered face. He slowly examines his surroundings as if he were studying them for the first time. Unsatisfied, he closed his eyes, took a breath, and turned back to the viewing audience.

Our quarrel isn't with you. My fight is not yours. Why interfere with matters you could not possibly contend with? Why make yourself a target, Theron Daggershield?​

A breeze caressed the red attire as if spirits answered him. Bemused, he pulled out the book he had safely tucked away.

We're not so different, you and I. The realm of fantasy is ours and ours alone. No one else can appreciate it the way we do. In another life we could have been brothers. Hand in hand reshaping reality. But no...you'd rather wear a knight's helmet and charge into certain death. Lunacy. You're just as mad as WZCW says I am, do you realize that? What? Do you think you're not?​

The camera glimpses at the title of the book. It is Grimm's Fairy Tales.

You are. Why else would you attack Cerberus, the strongest entity you've ever witnessed? Has all of this talk of magic and dice finally brought you down into my level? Because when I look at you, all I see is a madman. The only difference between you and me is that you haven't accepted who you are yet. ​

The Catalyst laughed hollowly. A grin plastered his perfect face and his eyes peered longingly into nothingness. He picked himself up, dropping the piece of literature onto the ground. From the brambles he removed his cane. Playing with it, he eyed the camera again.

We are all just stories in the end, Warblade. If you wish to end yours so early, then I welcome your challenge. Face me. Take on the mad dog of Cerberus. I haven't forgotten that it was you who gave me my first loss in this company. The man you see before you has changed since then. It is what I do. Cerberus is an apex mongrel of destruction thanks to my cunning.

And soon...Eve will realize that and fall for me. It is her destiny.​

Ramparte shook his head as if clearing his mind. Theron Daggershield need not know about his attraction to The Fabulous One.

Nevermind. We are both things fairy tales are made of. These woods have harbored many a classic one, like The Little Red Riding Hood. When I stepped away from Ascension 89, I thought I was the titular character herself. Someone who was distracted by the wolf, you, from the paradise that is Grandmother's House, Eve Taylor...Cerberus... But as I speak to you now, I've reached an epiphany. You are this "Riding Hood"...​

The Catalyst rips away the scarlet fabric from his shoulders, revealing his signature white suit. Somberly, the cloth wrapped itself around thorns.

...who naively steps into the wolf's den. My playground. And you can't get out. There is no escape from the mad dog of Cerberus. The Big Bad Wolf stands on two legs, and has a serpent tongue.​

To emphasize this, he licks his lips and yanks apart his cane. A hidden blade glimmers in the twilight sun. He raises it to the level of his eyes. Without provocation, he starts to taste the sword. Teases it. And like lightning striking he stabs the copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales repeatedly. Ramparte continues to hack and slash at the 1st Edition copy until he is out of breath. Exhausted, his feet buckle beneath him and he kneels back down into the brambles and thorns.

I'm going...to tear...the sun from the sky and the very...heavens will pour down on us!!! We will...burn together. You and I.

And in that moment...that very moment you will know what I know.​

Panting, the aristocrat combed his blonde hair from his eyes. A nervous tick formed on his lips. It was if he was keeping himself from smirking.

Life isn't a fairy tale. There are no imaginary friends to motivate you forward. No weapon to kill the dragon and no magic to stop the sorceress. I'm going to shatter every belief you hold dear. You will listen to my Heresy. It begs to be heard.​

Another breeze blew the torn pages away from sight. He stared at them all with a vacant expression. The blade is sheathed and the cane guided the mad dog of Cerberus out of the woods. Two words were softly spoken to the trees.

Hail Catalyst.


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[Dagger Dias]

Theron's Merry Band Of Misfits

Scene opens to a view of a table in a large room surrounded by bookshelves all lined from top to bottom with books. A male figure is seen resting his legs up on the table. This person, whose face we still cannot see due to the camera angle, reclines in one of the chairs at the table. To the left of the person are two books. They are a novelization of the legendary bard Homeros' song "A Series Of Disastrous Events" and the book "Virgil's Hellfire" which has a three headed dog on the cover. There is a half-empty bag of Gummy Wyrms to the right of the male figure, who grabs a handful and sets them on the table next to the bag. A tense song begins playing. It repeats through the following scene.

[YOUTUBE]6lnJIHBAJ6k[/YOUTUBE]​

Camera zooms out to reveal it was Theron Daggershield sitting at the table. He finishes eating the Gummy Wyrms, having saved the blueberry flavored blue ones and strawberry flavored red ones for last. He reads from The Tome Of Mystra as the song plays. Two of Theron's allies walk into the room. It is Sheshmish the Orc Swashbuckler and Kayrentia the Druid. Sheshmish has a bottle of rum in his left hand. Kayrentia takes down the hood of her green robes revealing her brown hair.

Sheshmish: Captain! So this is where ye been, arrrr!

Kayrentia: We have been looking for you. The others are back at the Inn. What are you doing in here in this library? Why are you not preparing for your match?

Theron hears his friend's question, but his focus is still on The Tome Of Mystra. He keeps reading through the verses as Kayrentia walks up to him. Sheshmish is looking around at the large shelves lining the walls of the room, each filled with books.

Kayrentia: Theron, what is going on? You never read. Wait, is that.... Are you reading from The Tome Of Mystra without Kirilah forcing you to? She would be proud of you. How is this preparation for your match with Graven Darksbane on Elevation 90 this week though?

Theron: It's mental preparation. I needed some inspiration. This verse right here, for instance. It talks about a Summoner from an ancient rebellion who saved the life of her companion, a Favored Soul of Mystra, when the two of them got attacked in their tents by imperial assassins. This same Summoner then converted to Mystra after praying with the Favored Soul healer who she had saved afterwards. There is a whole chapter devoted to the Summoner and the Crusades she led in Mystra's honor.

Shesmish: Be there any books on rum in here, captain?

Theron: I dunno. Feel free to look, there may be one here somewhere. Most of it's classic literature, the type of stuff my opponent Graven "The Archivist" Darksbane would love.

Sheshmish looks through the shelves, leaving them unorganized as he moves from one shelf to another.

Kayrentia: Then why are you not reading one of those classics to your left instead of Mystra's Word?

Theron looks up at her and places the Tome Of Mystra down on the table.

Theron: I told you already. It's for mental preparation. Ella Teague has something that does not belong to her. The Global Championship. This week, I face one of her teammates from The Garmr Dogs.

Kayrentia: I have never seen you open that Tome without Kirilah's involvement, whether it be mental preparation or not. You are acting a little different, Theron. Are you afraid?

Theron: Of course not! I have defeated Graven before. In one of his very first matches ever, I might add. Tremor 30. Remember that night?

Kayrentia: He was a rookie back then. Now he is one half of the current World Gladiatorial Tag Team Champions and part of a very powerful team, The Garmr Dogs. This makes Graven very dangerous.

Theron gets up out of his chair and has a more serious look on his face.

Theron: No, Kayrentia. That may have been a long time ago, but The Garmr Dogs do not scare me. Graven's not dangerous. You know who IS dangerous?

Kayrentia: Who?

Theron's facial expression changes to an angry one.

Theron: Who holds multiple recent victories over former Expert F Champion "La Charisma"? Who has been victorious in one on one matches against former World Gladiatorial Heavyweight Champions like Beardacus and Daniel "The Main Event" Jaguar?

Theron takes out his Falchion and speaks up loudly before Kayrentia has a chance to say anything.

Theron: ME!!!! I am the one who holds the advantage here. Graven is the one who should be afraid walking into this match.

Kayrentia: What about his two teammates?

Theron: I don't care if he brings out his friends Frank Physique or Ella Teague. Heck, bring them both out! I'm NOT afraid of The Garmr Dogs trying to outnumber me and I'm certainly not afraid of Graven Darksbane if he's by himself without his friends there to help him. Graven's mind games, dark magic, and quotes from various works of literature will not work on me. Let me tell you this though, Kayrentia.... You too if you're even listening, Sheshmish.... Resurrection may have been The Garmr Dogs' night, but things are NOT going to go quite as well for them at the upcoming Treasure Hunt event. On Elevation 90, I send a message to Ella Teague by defeating her teammate, Graven Darksbane.

Sheshmish is still looking through the shelves. Kayrentia walks over to him and taps him on the shoulder. She snaps her fingers. He turns around, nods his head at her, and stops going through the shelves. Kayrentia looks back over at Theron, who has his back to her, holding up his Falchion in one hand and is now holding the copy of the book "Virgil's Hellfire" in the other. The three headed dog on its cover can be seen. Kayrentia and Sheshmish make their way over to the door.

Kayrentia: We should get going. I will let the others know you are here. When are you returning to the Inn?

Theron: Not until after my match. I need some time alone. Kirilah will know what I mean.

Kayrentia: Understood.

The two misfits leave. Theron is alone in the room. A few seconds pass as he is still looking at the three headed dog on the cover of "Virgil's Hellfire". Then Theron speaks.

Theron: Ella Teague.... you declared war on Mystra the moment that you, an unworthy fallen Cleric, took the Global Championship. Someone must save the World Gladiatorial Combat Federation from the darkness you and your Garmr Dogs are trying to usher in. As for Graven Darksbane, you better hope you can roll a 20 on your Fortitude Save, because you will become the first victim of this conflict when I attack you with a Critical Hit!

He angrily throws the "Virgil's Hellfire" book against the wall. It hits the wall with such an intense impact that it knocks over a bookshelf that was leaning up against the wall. Theron watches on as dozens of books fall to the ground and the shelf breaks upon hitting the floor.

Theron: As those ancient works of writing fell to the ground just now, so too shall the most intelligent member of The Garmr Dogs fall tonight when he steps into the ring with The Warblade Of Mystra.

He sheathes his Falchion and begins walking toward the exit. Theron walks past the pile of books and pieces of the broken shelf on the floor, stopping and looking at it. The song stops playing.

Theron: THIS CRUSADE HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN!!!!

He walks offscreen. Fade to black.