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"Isn't it funny that day by day nothing changes, but when we look back everything is different."

- Unknown

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It has been a long, strenuous journey to the mountain for good ol’ Doc. He’s faced challenges. He's faced horrors. He’s faced death. He’s even picked up a few friends.

Dolly was the first to join Doc and create the fellowship. She found him unconscious just outside the Angry Forest and insisted Doc needed a guide to make his way to the mountain. While skeptical, Doc knew nothing of the lay of the land and had nothing to lose bringing the little girl along. Perhaps he would find her guidance useful in his journey.

Passing through the Angry Forest they met Thaddeus. A creature that resembled that of a lion, but stands upright and acts an awful lot like a younger human. It’s been led on a bit that he’s royalty from a far off land and finding him in the forest was no coincidence. Doc was attacked and nearly killed by a "pissed off tree" as he had a little physical spat with the prideful beast, but was only knocked out cold for a short period of time. Thaddeus, very leery of the doctor and concerned for the well-being of the girl, joined the party.

As they made their way through the Swamp of Denial they found Corey. He was a beast like Thaddeus, only an amphibious like creature. Simply put, a frog. His place in the swamp was unclear, but Doc could read Dolly a bit and knew something was off. Corey had a silent way about him and didn’t really crack when Dolly would interrogate him. Much like the other beast.

Corey joined the company, too, more for the trip than anything else. Perhaps he wanted a reason out of the swamp as much as the rest of them. They didn’t make it out without a fight, though, the party was attacked by a tentacle monster from the swamp and pulled Doc under where he was taken from the party and it nearly drowned him.

He later washed up on a beach and made a deal with a couple of trolls named TK and Bob. They sailed with Doc across the Bargaining Sea and shipwrecked on the other side after some treacherous weather. Doc’s original party ambushed the trolls thinking he was Docnapped, but after that was cleared up they all came to terms and continued on for the Canyon of Fear.

Throughout all of this Doc has been having vague dreams and visions that have become more clear the closer he gets to the mountain. What is Doc’s journey really all about? What is waiting for him at the peak of the mountain? Is it only glory that he seeks? Or is there more to this than what’s been led on? Our story picks up in the Canyon of Fear where stranger things are happening.

It is a very dark place. The high walls allow just enough light to not make the trek through a blind one, but a few torches would’ve been nice. The look on TK’s face when Dolly told him to calm down was priceless, but the darkness barely did it justice.

Calm down? Calm the fuck down?! How can I?! Look, Goddammit! Look! Gone!!

TK pulls out his pockets and reveals the inside of his satchel to show there is no trace of his XBUX. Bob is pulling at the horn like appendages sticking out of his skull, panicking just the same over missing rations.

Guys! You know this isn’t right! Use your fucking heads!

Corey and Thaddeus have been silent, but the effects of this place seemed to take hold of Corey early on. His paranoia grew more and more as they went on, continuously looking behind the group as if someone was trailing them. Whatever it is that haunts him has his attention at the moment. Thaddeus, too, loses himself in a vision of his kingdom in ruin. Everything his grandfather spent a lifetime building was gone. His heart sank from his chest and his eyes watered at the sight. Doc stands in awe watching his fellowship go completely insane.

Dolly frantically looks around as weeps and cries echo through the cavern. She holds her head like the disorder was hurting her and the moment she shows distress Doc is at her aid. He reaches to her shoulder but before he makes contact she screams and sends him flying back! He hits hard against the wall and crashes to the ground. The power of her scream made the walls shake and even a few falling rocks, one which smacked Doc right on the top of his head.

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Doc wakes up in his office as if he was picking right back up after his last dream. The window he faces is no longer frosted over and the cold chill to the air is gone. He spins around in his chair and the beautiful shadow that sat across from him before is gone, but the glowing pink orb remains. He looks around to assure that he is alone before hesitantly reaching for it. The second he makes contact with it he is taken over by sights of fire, grotesque images of people in excruciating pain, and cries and whimpers that alternate from screams and whispers. He finds himself within the flames now, but is unaffected by the burn as he walks through.

A loud heart beat overtakes the cries. Doc continues onward. The flames die down and he finds himself for the first time standing in the ever so precious void. The air is nothing; not cold, nor warm. Not moving. He felt breathless. The emptiness of the place or lack of a place brought him a strange sense of comfort, but deep in the pit of his stomach he loathed. A white door appeared in front of him and he was drawn to it as it slowly creaked open all on its own.

He steps through into a dark room with a little deflated human in a bed and two faceless people standing above her. One was sobbing while the other stood motionless. The heart beat grew softer and slower as time went by, pulsating the room.

Why did you bring me here….?

"What do you want……."

Doc feels something weighing down his jacket pocket.

I’m….. ….

"What…………."

A second chance…

The room around Doc begins to flutter and his surroundings are like static. The people beside the bed turn wavy; Doc and the bed are all that remain normal. Doc feels the cold grip of the darkness on his shoulders and wrap around his neck.

"For who……."

Doc pulls the glowing pink orb from his pocket and looks at the bed.

You know for who….

He reaches out and holds the orb close to the body on the bed. The heart beat thumps like a bass drum…












The orb glows even brighter and begins to pulse like a heartbeat. It starts off slow and gets stronger and stronger glowing brighter and brighter.

"Spread the fire devillll …. Spread the fire devilllll ....."

The room grows dark and Doc stands once again in the void with nothing but the orb and the feeling of the darkness around his neck. Visions of fire and pain return to his mind like when he first held the orb and it sends him to his knees. The darkness surrounds him and strangles him before entering his face through his nostrils and mouth like a smoke. He chokes and gags as he’s completely overtaken by it. He rises to his feet feeling different…. Completely new. A force inside him that comforted him like the void did, but despised just the same.

"Claim your Angel…"

Another door appears ahead of Doc and slowly opens into a bright light.

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Dust clouds the air as all but Corey surrounds Dolly as she rises from her knees. She breathes heavily and looks through her long, scraggly hair at them all. Doc is still on the ground several feet away still trying to find his bearings; Dolly passes by everyone and approaches Doc.

Are you hurt, Dawk?

Doc picks himself up with a grunt and smile.

Not at all, my dear.

Doc says as he brushes himself off.

You’re quite special, you know.

Dolly blushes and shys away from Doc.

Corey?

Corey stands motionless looking further into the cavern. The suns in the sky have appeared to shift a bit and sunset could be upon them as the light has become dimmer and dimmer during this little fiasco. Thaddeus approaches him and stops midway with his head perked up.

Thad---

Shhh!!

Thaddeus hisses back. Dolly freezes and tries to listen in too. The two trolls look at each other and consider the exit, but before they can several booms can be heard followed by a cave-in blocking the way they came.

Oh, FUCK!! FUCK!!

A not so distant roar echoes through the cavern and more booms shake the walls.

Oh, what the fuck is that….?

Doc looks at Dolly surprised over her concern.

Corey..

We have to go.

The party looks at one another as something blasts through a wall near them and gives chase.



NOW!

They all take off further into the cavern into an enclosed cave and their only possible option. The space they have is that of a small corridor so in a straight line Corey, Thad, Dolly, Doc, TK, and Bob run for what they believe their lives from whatever just dropped in on them.

You fucking witch! What the fuck did you do?!

TK shouts through panting breaths.

Just shut up and run!

The corridor opens up and Corey holds out his arms stopping everyone behind him as he’s reached a ledge with no way to cross.

Great! Now what?!

TK looks at the bottomless pit that lies before them.

Hey Bob… Ten thousand XBUX says the frog could make the jump.

You’re on!

REALLY, YOU GUYS?

Why not block the beast’s path with your… um.. Screaming technique?

Dolly blushes again.

It’s not that easy, Dawk!

Do you think you could?

Thaddeus whispers to Corey which is met with a glare back to which Thaddeus innocently shrugs to.

Here fuckers!

TK produces a rope tied to a grappling hook. He twirls it around nearly striking Doc in the head and whips it up into the air where it latches hold of a rock above them. He takes a running start and just before he jumps Bob grabs a hold of him and the two swing across the abyss together. Mid-swing the hook comes loose and breaks from the rock above, but the two still land hard, but safely, on the other side.

Awe FUCK, that hurt…!!!

Bob moans as he rolls off of TK. They both stand up and see the last little bit of rope zipping off the ledge after the hook fell.

Grab the rope, morons!

It’s too late and the only tool the party had to get everyone across was gone. TK and Bob look at each other and without saying a word high-tail forward.

You no good bastards!!

The roaring beast from behind them approaches now and their time is running out. Dolly grabs her head again but then holds her hands out in front of her.

Dolly??

She says nothing and reaches up in the air and pulls down. When she does part of the ceiling comes down and several rocks and debris fall down into the abyss. A beam of moonlight shoots down and the light begins to form a bridge across.

Go!!

A pink aura surrounds Dolly as it seems to strain her a lot to create this for the party.

No…

We’re not leaving you!

RUN YOU ASSHOLES!!!

The beast lets out a distant roar and is definitely getting close. Thad and Corey both hesitantly cross, but Doc stays behind. He turns to her and she opens one eye to look at him.

Let me help you! I can fight!

A fireball lights up in Doc’s hand and he takes a step back into the path.

I said, GO!!

Dolly grabs Doc by his collar with one hand and throws him back. He rolls backwards and lands on the bridge of moonlight and panics a bit when he looks straight down into the abyss. He races to his feet and looks back to her.

HURRY!! YOU HAVE TO FINISH YOUR JOURNEY, DAWK!!! YOU HAVE TO!!!

The beast appears behind Dolly and stops to let out another roar to announce it’s arrival. Things turn to slow motion when she turns around to face it and the bridge slowly begins to fade away. Doc races across the abyss to the other side where the other two are waiting for him, looking past him with wide eyes at the horror that has been in pursuit of them. Doc feels the bridge vanish below him and he makes one last effort to jump! He leaps short of the ledge but is caught by Thaddeus’s strong claw. Both Thaddeus and Corey pull Doc up and look back to see Dolly facing off with the monster.

You shall not pass, mother fucker.

A flame lights up in each of Dolly’s hands, but a strong wind blows them out and she stands in a deep gaze at the beast.

Dolly!!! What are you doing?!

She stares at it and a tear trickles down her cheek.

Daddy?

Corey, Thaddeus, and Doc watch the monster roar again and lunge at Dolly! It latches ahold of her and leaps off of the cliff disappearing into the abyss!

DOOOOLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thaddeus falls to his knees as he screams after her. Corey grabs his lion-friend by the shoulder and kneels down next to him while a sickening feeling fills-up in Doc. A thousand thoughts flood into his mind and a familiar feeling of darkness and lonesome takes him over. For a short few seconds, everything is gone and Doc once again finds himself in the void.

DOLLY HAS LEFT THE PARTY

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Liam Roberts… Diesel… Marf… Calypso… Shawn Wylde… Kris Von Bonn… Hanari Carnes… Savannah Knightley… Terry Borden… BWP… Ned Kaye… Noah Jackson.

Do those names mean ANYthing?

Nothing? You’re half-right.

Those are those who were eliminated by the seven that stand before me. That list there of “Who’s?!” and “What’s?!” is some of what stood between your glorious Elite 8 and March Madness. Let me ask, Fuzz; do you feel strong looking back at the path you’ve taken to the mountain? Of all people, I suppose I give you the most credit. At least you fought against some of the best heart. What about you Atara? Are you fatigued from your strenuous bouts against Savannah Knightly and Terry Borden? Osira? What about you, Betsy?

You all should look back and almost be ashamed of yourselves. Granted, it is randomly drawn, but what a sick feeling you all must have coming into this knowing how easy it must have been. Can you walk into March Madness, the Elite 8, truly believing in yourselves staring at my name next to yours, knowing that if you DO succeed as far as the finals I will be waiting. While you all were meeting XWF's least talented I had to deal with some delusional weirdo AND Demos in the first two rounds! And they were dealt with. You’ve all seen the movies. You’ve seen the clips. You’ve done your precious history on the good doctor. I mean, it’s not hard to find. My name echoes through the halls of this FINE federation. You’ve heard the stories and just like any ignorant fool you choose to stand in the face of danger.

I'd say welcome back Mister Warstein, but I don't know if I'd be wasting my breath. You'll be back to sulking and rethinking your life in about a week, right? After I win, I mean. That's your thing, right? Appear out of the blue for the big show and the very second something veers from your expectations.... Out. Even though my name and face wasn't on every show poster, the Doc still had one good eye on what was cracking in the XWF. You did the dirty deed and then after only a couple few months you had the deed done back to you. Isn't that a just a bugger? Time to sulk. Hey it's High Stakes time! Better cover up this time so when I fail I save my reputation. Did we witness failure?

Time to sulk again.

Did I hear something about you failing at something else, too? Some Ring Warrior thing at some place else that doesn't matter? My good sir, you must be really reaching for some redemption now, huh? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but, this mountain ain't going to be any different. You can tell that to the rest of Legacy. You all live a LIE to begin with.... Don't get confused here, too. This land is my land. My name is Doctor Louis D'Ville and from this day forward you will know and respect it. It slipped so easily from your tongues before but once this is all said and done it will have a sting to it. A burn. A haunting after-taste that you'll forever recognize and never forget again.

And that, of course, doesn't just go for Warstein and all of those women he bosses around. It goes for all of those in the Elite 8. Least importantly, my first opponent of the evening, Kieran Overton.

So, eight becomes four and four becomes two and two becomes three. In the end, we all know who this belongs to. __.