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Early December 2018 | Asmodeus Air Base | Berlin, Germany

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Sebastian Duke has had just days to consider what a trial might bring to him and the thousands of men that followed him. He’s had weeks to consider the fact that his days as the legitimate Illuminatus leader were over. He’s had months to reconcile the fact that his side might eventually lose the war, even though they fought until the bitter end. Years to consider the loss of his son, in one manner or another. For all of that, he’s had mere hours to consider the deal before him: go to trial and most assuredly lose, and along with losing the trial, he’d lose his life most likely, and what’s more, those that followed him would lose theirs too, or take the deal- admit guilt and fault for what transpired in northern Iraq, take responsibility for the war that followed, and once and forever, relinquish the reigns of power of the Illuminatus over to his son. No matter the decision, it would forever be final with no hope of turning back time or changing his mind.

The final assault on Paris by Thaddeus’ men took six weeks. They surrounded the Hotel de Matignon and Sebastian’s men fought for their last remaining stronghold for ten days until reinforcements arrived from Berlin. Then and only then, did his forces succumb to the numbers. By then, the vast majority of Sebastian’s men were either dead or were already prisoners of war.

The man in question today, sits shackled and chained like a dangerous animal on a bench in the hallway outside of the conference room that has been turned into makeshift court room. Sitting on either side of him are highly armed and highly trained guards. As any man in his position, he envisions escaping this unjust confinement. He knows any attempt though, would be futile. Not only for him, but to those that followed him. He owes it to them and he knows it, to give them the opportunity to survive.

”Mr. Duke,” Lincoln Tritter, the Illuminatus Intelligence Director, calls out from directly in front of him, finally breaking the trance he seemed to be in as he contemplated todays events. ”The panel will see you now.” Tritter motions with his head to the guards and he leads they and Sebastian Duke into the courtroom after removing the shackles and chains.

The doors open and immediately, he notices his son is in the center chair of the three panelists overseeing this tribunal of sorts. He doesn’t immediately notice Matthew, his chief adviser, is one of the panelists. Once he does, he’s red with anger and the feeling of betrayal has never been stronger.

”Sebastian Duke,” Thaddeus states, as his father is sat down in a chair at a table in front of the panel bench. ”You are char...”

”Before we begin, I’d like to ask a few questions of this panel,” he interrupts.

Thaddeus sighs and rolls his eyes before covering the microphone with his hand and deliberates with Matthew and the third panelist, James Edwards, Thaddeus’ chief adviser. ”One question,” he confirms after a short deliberation.

”What the fuck, is HE doing here?” Sebastian demands, pointing his finger toward Matthew.

”That’s a legitimate question and I can understand why you might have reservations,” he begins. ”The fact is, there was no way to ensure any semblance of fairness without at least one voice from your side of the argument. Further, he’s also, by rights, a founding member of my grandfathers Illuminatus.”

”That’s the most fucked up logic I’ve ever heard,” he thinks aloud. ”Thaddeus, at this moment you and I are enemies, correct?”

Thaddeus stares back without answering.

”He works for me. He’s on my side, therefore he’s YOUR fucking enemy.”

The two Duke’s stare at each other, reaching a bit of an impasse.

”Matthew, how long have you been working for Thaddeus?” he asks of his adviser.

”Excuse me, sir?” Matthew asks, not understanding the question.

”No sane person would make their enemy a judge against that same enemy,” he begins. ”It’s the fox in the hen house, Thaddeus. That tells me one of two things. One, my son is a foolish moron or two, Matthew you’ve been working for him and I’m about to be railroaded.”

Matthew clears his throat. ”Sir,” he begins, trying to choke back his emotion. ”I understand why you might think this is strange, or think that something is working against you. Hell, if I were you I’d think it too.

“However, in 26 years I have never once given you reason to doubt my allegiance.”

Sebastian shakes his head in disgust. He’s shocked and almost hurt at the revelation of Matthew’s perceived betrayal of him. ”I’d say this counts,” he interjects.

Matthew steadies his patience with a sigh before continuing on. ”I’ve been loyal to you, and I’ve been loyal to Father Asmodeus for as long as I have had a memory,” Matthew explains. ”Mr. Duke, besides yourself, I am your best chance at survival. Three guilty votes among this panel results in the likelihood of a death sentence not only for you, but of those that followed you.

“I’m here as the alternative vote, because no one here on this panel wants to see you or anyone else hang for what has happened.”

”I don’t want you dead, father,” Thaddeus interrupts. ”If I did, I would have had you killed in St. Peter’s Square where this all began. The fact of the matter is, our men have suffered enough. They’ve bled enough. They’ve buried too many as it is.”

”Mr. Duke,” Director Tritter interrupts the proceedings from his seat behind Sebastian. His voice is burly, and very much intimidating to your normal man. Nonetheless, he commands respect, so when he speaks, people listen. ”If I may be the voice of reason. Earlier today, on behalf of the Illuminatus Nation, I offered you a deal. One that... I strongly urge you to take.

“No one needs to die, Mr. Duke. Not today. However, someone needs to be held accountable for what has transpired. I know it can not be an easy thing for you,” his voice softens as he attempts to manipulate the deposed Illuminatus leader. ”For years, even as your father led the Nation, you were the de facto leader. It was you, that lead the war effort for more than a decade. It was you the men bowed their heads to when you entered a room. It was you they swore to when they took their vows,” he pauses for affect.

”I promise you, sir, no one has forgotten your sacrifices. No one has forgotten the things you’ve done for the cause, sir. Your son, he IS a tremendous leader. I promise you that he is the right man for the job. And he gets that skill set from you and your father, sir. It’s like each generation is better than the last.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow and I know it. Everyone in this room knows it. I need to tell you, sir...” Lincoln pauses and looks toward Thaddeus. The young leader nods his head, knowing where this part of Tritter’s speech is headed, giving his approval.

”Sir,” he states, turning his head back toward Sebastian. ”Thaddeus wasn’t given a choice.”

”Bullshit,” Sebastian finally interrupts. ”We’ve all had choices to make here, Mr. Tritter.”

The Director shakes his head slowly back and forth, signifying that Sebastian Duke is wrong. ”Thaddeus was summoned by the late Senator John McCain. Thaddeus met with him and was informed that if he didn’t act on you, the United States was going to. Sir, they were going to bring the full might of the U.S. Military on all of your heads.

“Please, accept the deal.” Director Tritter finally yields the floor.

Sebastian stands from his chair and walks around the table toward the judges bench. He paces back in forth, with his eyes trained upon his son as he thinks to himself. If Thaddeus is apprehensive about his fathers intimidation tactic, he hasn’t shown it.

”I’ll take the deal,” Sebastian states as he stops pacing and approaches the bench in front of his son. ”On one condition.”

”There can be no conditions, but I’m curious to hear it.”

”The Compound,” he states. ”That property belonged to my father and his father before him. It is mine and I will not give it up.”

”The can not be done, father. The Compound now sits on sovereign land. Like an embassy. The Compound now and forever is property of the Illuminatus Nation. All men of the Nation are welcome there.”

Sebastian steps back from the bench and leans with his backside against the edge of the table. He looks up at the lights, deep in thought about whether or not he truly wants to accept the deal. Doing so means he gives up all rights to leadership. It means he has no say so in any operation, in any decision. It means he’s cast aside like yesterday’s news. Nothing good for him, except life.

”We’ll need that decision, sir,” Matthew instructs of his leader.

”I, Sebastian Duke,” he begins. ”Do hereby relinquish any and all rights to the throne of leadership of the Illuminatus Nation. Thaddeus Leander Duke the Second, my son and rightful heir, is hereby elevated to the throne of leadership of the Illuminatus Nation from this day, until his dying day. I have ultimate confidence in his abilities to lead the Illuminatus Nation effectively and with the grace of a world leader in my stead. From this day forth, my guidance and expertise is at the ready should it ever be needed, wanted, or requested.

“Further, I am regretful of my actions that claimed the lives of more than 400 school age children and their teachers,” he pauses to shove the emotion of that situation into the pit of his stomach before continuing on. ”In a position of leadership, sometimes you are faced with decisions that can and will effect others, directly or indirectly, and I was not equipped to handle that situation with the proper care it required. The blood of those children is on my hands and there is nothing I have done in my life that I regret more than that decision. It’s one I can never take back and one I will carry with me to my grave.

“In closing, I pledge my loyalty to the cause. I pledge my allegiance and my life if need be, to the Illuminatus Nation and its rightful leader, Thaddeus Duke.”

At the conclusion of his speech, the three judge panel retreats away from the live microphones to discuss what they’ve heard and to consider his words.

”Mr. Duke,” Thaddeus begins as he leans forward before pausing. ”Father,” he corrects himself. ”I know that was difficult for you and I respect that. More than you could possibly understand. I know what this ‘family’ means to you and to me and I know it was the hardest thing you have ever done.

“As leader of the Nation, I accept your loyalty and I accept your allegiance. Though I must confess, I do not believe any of it. Your actions through the years paint an entirely different portrait than you just painted here.

“That said, in accordance with this agreement, you are to be remanded to the Compound in Connecticut pending approval from the United Nations. If this is accepted by the United Nations, you’ll be free to go.”

“I will seek their guidance in this matter promptly and I will relay their recommendation upon receipt.”

Sebastian shakes his head in disgust and turns toward the back of the room in order to make his way to the exit. As he nears the half way mark between the table his was leaning against and the doors to the conference room, Thaddeus speaks again.

”Before I forget, father, you can do nothing that may affect the good standing in the world of the Illuminatus Nation without my expressed approval. Is that understood?”

The former leader stops his stride and turns back. ”I wouldn’t dare think of doing anything without your consent, sir,” he says with a sharp tongue before continuing toward the doors. Just as he reaches the door he dead stops and turns back again. ”Two things before I go home,” he begins. ”I meant every damn word I said and two, that was the fourth hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

”What were the other three?”

”Watching you die, killing your mother, and burying my father,” he answers. He stares at his son for another few seconds before finally exiting the courtroom as the scene fades to black.

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’Your King of Darkness’ Said:In before Donnie boys next unfunny gay joke.

I say it here… it comes out there.

Thanks Mr. Blackwater, for confirming my suspicions. I said you were a windbag and what I meant by that is that you fill your air time with nonsensical bullshit that relates to pretty much nothing of any real consequence indicating to me and everyone watching that one, you are in way over your head here and two, you talk just to hear your own voice. That equates to you being your own biggest fan and I think anyone paying attention probably feels the same way. Proof of all that is in your opening statements exemplifying your own immaturity while projecting your own closeted homosexuality onto me by way of circle jerks and anal beads.

Your fantasies are disturbing, to say the least.

You bring up Nate Idenhaus like he means something to me or anyone else. You bring up the Black Circle like its relevant to today’s XWF. You bring up Griffin McAllister as if he was ever relevant without me by his side. Spoiler alert, he wasn’t then and he isn’t now.

You’re your own man. That’s great. That’s the way it should be but the fact that you have to state that, shows that maybe you’re just living on his legacy. Trust me on this, I’m a bit of an expert.

You say you won a title in your second match and that’s great, but no one cares. You say you’ve beaten some of the best but I regretfully inform you, there aren’t any greats on this roster. Except yours truly of course. But unlike your father, who can claim hard fought victories over me, sometimes needing a little help from the outside, you can not and you will not claim this victory. You are going to find out just why I am a fucking legend in this company and a giant of the industry as a whole.

Wanting to face me is one thing, jumping on my jock like you did spouting off nonsense like you did that literally no one but you gives a shit about, is what I’m talking about. I didn’t care who you were or who seeded you before you introduced yourself and I still don’t. I won’t on Wednesday at bell time and I won’t on Thursday when I receive my victory check. Kid, maybe I’ll do you a little favor. Maybe I’ll give you my autograph and you can sell it on eBay to help compensate for that minimal check you’re gonna get for losing to me on Warfare.

You’re “just not that into” me. You say it, yet everything you do and everything you say points to the contrary. Like talking about my citation of being a former North Korean Champion. You literally say that ONLY to mention that Azrael walked out of that match victorious. Stop being Azrael Erebus’s mouthpiece and focus on you and I, Blackwater. You say or at least alluded to me not really accomplishing anything else, but I assure you, being a 2 time Trios Champion, a tag team champion, a United States champion, a Universal Champion, an Xtreme Champion, a former 24/7 briefcase holder, the first ever XWF Intercontinental Champion, earning the victory at World War X, which was a gigantic night long war between two colliding halves of the company in the days of the all time greats. If that’s nothing, then what does it say about your albeit short run thus far in the company that I carried on my back for years?

You can deny it or crack your lame ass unfunny jokes all you want. Since you’ve proven yourself a fantastic Sebastian Duke historian, you know its true. I am a defining force in the history of the Xtreme Wrestling Federation and my status as a legend and one of the top performers ever speaks to that. You can say it out loud or you can shut up about it, it doesn’t really matter. Facts are facts and nothing you say can change them. I’m proud of my history in this company. I was proud to carry this company on my back and its obvious that someone needs to do it again. I will gladly carry that torch all over again. That’s why I’m here, Blackwater. That’s why I returned. The current crop of XWF stars are B players put in position to be the A players and they’re not. The fans know it, the powers that be know it and that is exactly why I’m put in the position I’m in right now. Against you with the winner facing the Universal Champion. You facing me, makes YOU better. I gain nothing by facing you but a shot at the title which by the way, I will win.

’Donnie The Cunt’ Said:Why does everything have to play out like we're all characters in some science fiction, fantasy based television drama? Or players in a fictional, role playing game, on the internet? Come to think of it, there's a lot of folks in the XWF that seem to do that. Yourself included. Along with all your pals, that were once metaphorical, puzzle pieces, in the Black Circle. Weird. What am I talking about? Even my own existence, seems to have taken on strange twists and circumstances. Bizarre coincidences and peculiar turns of events, that usually wind up happening at the same instant that an XWF camera imp, decides to turn on his camera and record. It's almost like the two things are connected.

I don’t normally like to replay quotes from someone else and give a portion of my air time to those I’m going to beat, but here we are. In this case I needed to in order to demonstrate what I meant since you’re too stupid to understand. This portion of your speech of nothingness gives the suggestion that everything we do in the XWF is not on the up and up. Surely you can see it yourself. Whether or not you will admit it to yourself is a moot point. Perception is reality and to the ill informed masses out there, this is 100% the worst statement one could make. It’s stupid. It’s nonsensical. So, obviously that’s something you’re good at. Talking shit just to talk.

You bounced the wind bag comment back to me but let me explain the difference. If you want to talk for what seems like hours, so be it. But make it about me and you, or you and whatever opponent you’re going up against. No one cares about your stupid infant and the massive shits it takes. No one cares where you’re talking to the camera at our what the fucking temperature is or that your fucking coffee is freezing over.

Consider that advise for free.

It’s all real.

100%.

Everything you see on XWF television or on the network is.

Know what else is real?

The fact that on Warfare, which is, was and will forever be my playground, you will become another victim in an exceedingly long list of those that lose to the King of Darkness.