Lethal Lottery II: Blade vs. Karnage (No. 20 Match)

[Phoenix]

Chuck Myles had the vision, Vance Bateman got the competitors. In what has been promised to their feud ender, Blade and Criminal Karnage face off for the sought after No. 20 entry in the Lethal Lottery Match. Only one of these men will have two matches in one night, who will emerge victorious and earn the best chance for the Main Event Title Shot at Kingdom Come?

Deadline is Monday 16th November 23:59 EST

 

[Blade]

Blade is sitting on a chair in the dark, holding a torch in his hand. The torch is the only shred of light in the room as he points it towards himself.

Blade: "The willing, destiny guides them. The unwilling, destiny drags them.” Seneca, 45 AD.
I’m in here alone. I’m doing this because I don’t want to talk to Becky or Stacey or the fans. I’m talking to you, Karnage. I want you to listen to me.

He slowly takes a cigarette out of the packet, and lights it up. The smoke is illuminated by the torch, showing each light wisp that floats away.

Blade: It started 3 months ago, when you came to be backstage and told me I had a great match with Celeste. Do you remember, Karnage? You told me that if Baller tried to interfere again, you’d have my back. You told me.... You told me that I reminded you of... Of you.

Blade laughs softly to himself before taking a drag of cigarette and flicking the ash that had been slowly building on the tip.

Blade: To you, it was becoming a mentor to a young up and coming kid who had all the potential in the world. To me, it was getting guidance from one of the best as my destiny all fell into place. But like most people, you have two sides to you. I didn’t realise how fragile your good side was and I didn’t know how evil your bad side was. You let Baller break you... And you just turned on me.

Blade runs a hand through his hair and gets up out of his chair. He picks up his pack of cigarettes and lights another one up before slowly walking around the room, torch still in hand. He softly touches the grey back wall with his hand before turning around and leaning his back against it.

Blade: “Every man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him.” Henry Miller, 1964
How ironic is it that I was the one who made you human... Yet I’m the one who first felt your wrath as a monster.

Blade shakes his head, as he smokes his way through the second cigarette.

Blade: For the last couple of weeks I’ve been sort of... Sarcastic and snide. I mean, even more so than usual. Becky even told me she wouldn’t interview me again until I cut it out. But I’m not doing it to psyche you out, Karnage. And I’m not doing it to entertain the fans. I’m doing this for me.

Blade’s face contorts into a look of disappointment and shame. He throws the cigarette butt across the pitch black room.

Blade: I’ve been slipping the last few weeks and I’ve been over compensating. First, Cougar got to me. Dammit, I shouldn’t have let him roll me up like he did.... I’m supposed to be mentally stronger than all the guys around here. And then, I cost us the match. The biggest match of both our careers, and I cost us the victory. So I think that perhaps... You’ve finally gotten to me Karnage. Not that you care, of course.

Blade smirks and shakes his head, and lights up yet another cigarette.

Blade: But I’ve got something... Something to help me. I know that destroying these thoughts in my mind will help me destroy you in the ring. Everything that’s getting to me is psychological. My head needs to know that you can be stopped, that you can be beaten.

Blade slowly walks over the to the room’s light switch. He hesitates for a moment and then flicks the switch. The room finally lights up, revealing an effigy of Karnage hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room. Blade walks over to it, staring at it in an almost hypnotised manner.

Blade: “Wherever the fates lead us let us follow.” Virgil, 42 BC.
I may seem one of the most normal people around here sometimes... But other times I can be just as deranged as you, Karnage. You think you have anger built up inside? Just wait till you see what I’m going to unleash at Lethal Lottery.

Blade looks at his lit cigarette and slowly lifts it up and presses against the bottom of the effigy. Smoke starts to come from the effigy and suddenly it bursts into flames. Blade looks at it, smiling momentarily before sweeping out of the dressing room, past a member of the camera crew who is setting up a camera backstage. The crew member smells the smoke and looks around, searching for the source. She cautiously walks over to Blade’s room and peeks inside before stepping back in horror and screaming.

Crew member: FIRE! SOMEBODY, COME QUICKLY, I NEED SOME HELP HERE!

End of scene.

 

[Dave]

Sunday 8th of November 2009

It has been 24 hours since Blade fell short of the task in the biggest match of his career. 24 hours of pain, of hurt, of frustration and more so than that, 24 hours of doubt in his abilities. However, I too learned something in that match. That Blade’s desire to beat me at my own game at Lethal Lottery will be unsurpassed. His want for a victory over the entity that has haunted his stay in WZCW is huge and I know for a fact that he will be on top form when the cheers of the crowd meet his ears as he stands behind the curtain that separates him from the arena. It happened at All Or Nothing too. Blade was spurred on by the fans that have followed him through thick and thin and I know better than most how loyal they can be. For the longest time, Blade and I could not be separated. During the weaker time of my stay here, I took on a young rookie, who could have made the spotlight his own. He had everything that he needed to go on and achieve everything that he desired. I saw it in him. I saw it the very first time I looked him in the eye and I knew at that point that he was going to go far. Now though, the fire that once burned in his eyes has been extinguished and I know why. It’s because of me. You see, I over the last few weeks, I have gotten inside the head of my opponent. I have toyed with him and his abilities have suffered. I have done what I do best and broken another spirit.

At Ascension, everything I needed to know about Blade was confirmed to me. Everything that was once good about this man is gone and the darkness that has enveloped my soul since I met him has washed over him too. I see it now, I see the hate and the hurt and the agony building inside him. I looked him in the eye at Ascension and I saw it. I saw the pain that I had caused him and I knew that Lethal Lottery is going to be the biggest test of my career. You see, when I decided to turn on someone who is as mentally strong as Blade, I miscalculated the effect that I would have on him. Sure, he has not been on the best of streaks but I know for a fact that when Lethal Lottery eventually rolls around that I will be dealing with an animal that I have never seen before. I will be dealing with someone who is unstable. Someone who will do anything to get what he wants and more so than that, someone who will have no idea about how mentally damaged he truly is.

Some would say that I have created a monster and I that I have no idea how hungry Blade will be going into the match. I would have agree with that point but I have something that Blade does not and that will be the key to exposing his mental fragility and taking my place in the Lethal Lottery match. That factor is experience. By that, I don’t mean how long I have been in WZCW or how many men I have gone through to reach this moment in my career. This moment that will make or break the future of my WZCW tenure. No! My experience is much different from many around here and when trying to evaluate where I am going to go in the future, I must go back and look at where I have been. Over the last few weeks, I have talked at length in my journal entries about how important history is and how the journey is signposted for you. All of these factors are connected by a tie that is as strong as lead and as unbreakable as a bond between two men who once respected each other in the way that myself and Blade do. You see, whether Blade likes it or not, we are bound by many ties. When people look at our histories, they will the other man laden throughout.

Whether I like it or not, I recognise that what lies in front of me is the biggest test of my life. A man who has everything to gain and nothing to lose is a dangerous man and I expect no mercy from my opponent when our destiny meets for the final time at Lethal Lottery. However, there is an experience in my past that will outline for me where I am going. You see, I know what I can do. I know what I am capable of and I know that Blade is aware of it. He will be ready and I have to make sure that I will be. That is why I am writing this entry as I sit in the waiting area of Glasgow Airport, waiting for a connecting flight to Tibet to do something that must be done. I must see him!

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In a war-torn country that forces war and peace to co-exist, the man that Karnage seeks lies within, in his element. He is always watching and may hold the key to unleashing the animal that lies dormant within him.

As the scene become clear, the outline of Karnage is seen walking through a dusty marketplace. The marketplace is filled with monks and civilians that are staring at the foreign man with keen interest and caution. People are continuing on with their business as Karnage walks amongst them, towering above and watching every movement. As he walks past a stall, Karnage takes a couple of things from his pocket. Looking down at them , he reads intently. He finishes reading and then scans the area once more before putting the documents back inside his pocket. He continues his walk and eventually reaches a dark corner, occupied by two downtrodden men. An even darker arch-way lies between the two men and Karnage inspects it as a red-robed monk makes his way up it. As he approaches Karnage he begins to speak.

Monk: Traveller, you have done well to reach this point and what you seek is within your grasp. Are you certain that, which you seek, is the correct option.

Karnage looks at the man intently and then gives a slow nod. The monk smiles widely.

Monk: Then travel onwards, he has been waiting on you for a long time, Mr Christly.

Karnage mouth drops for a second and then regains his composure. He looks as though he is about to talk but the Monk already knows what he will ask. He turns on the spot and points high into the mountains that hang over the village skyline. A stone structure can just be made out in the dusty distance. Karnage looks at the monk again and then continues towards it.

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As we see Karnage once more, he is almost at his destination. Climbing up a gravel path, the structure is almost upon him. Karnage looks on and with a renewed sense of motivation, he runs towards it. As he enters the large, stone structure all light disappears and he is enveloped in darkness. For a moment there is only silence and nothing else. Suddenly a small light flicks on and the neck of Karnage is covered by the hand of an unknown stranger. He is pushed up against the wall of the structure and is showing no fear when looking at his attacker, who is hidden from view by the darkness still.

???: Why do you come?

Karnage: I need your help.

???: My help! I knew this day would come. You see, you are just like me. You are an animal. You are a beast that cannot be tamed and you need help to realise the hurt that I can see lies in you. For you see, I am the difference and soon Blade will know it.

Karnage lets out a wry smile and the hand drops from his throat. After a moment, a booming light illuminates the scene to show Karnage and his attacker. He is none other than Sanna.

Sanna: you have it within you. I see it. You have the same deranged and psychotic streak that boils under your skin that I do and you want to know how to unleash it. I can help you do that.

Karnage: I want him to hurt! I want him to feel the pain of a thousand worlds collide upon him and I want him to know the agony that I face each and every day. I want him to know that I am the superior athlete and I want you to help me do that.

Sanna: I can help you but you will have to be ready. For what I do in here is not for the feint of heart. What I do in here is unleash a demon that cannot be stopped and I can promise you that you will never be the same after it. You were my first real enemy in WZCW and I knew when I faced you that you and I are akin. You and I have what it takes to deliver pain unto our enemies and I am going to hel you realise that. When we are done, Blade will not think of crossing you because what I am going to do to you is take you to the each of consciousness and the ragged edge of sanity. Blade does not care what you have to offer at Lethal Lottery because you have everything to lose. Trust me, when I am done with you, you will not fear anything anymore and the beast that lingers inside you will be out forever. Are you ready?

Karnage gives a nod and another smile in the corner of his mouth appears

Sanna: Then let’s begin!

The scene fades to black.