What do we have here?

Doc reaches out and takes the little golden disk that Dolly is handing over to him.

A gift, Dawk!

They sit together atop a grassy knoll between the Angry Forest and the Swamp of Denial. Thaddeus purrs and growls as he sleeps on a tree branch high above their heads. Morning is nearly approaching and the first beam of sunlight is just peeking past the mountain that looms in the far distance. Doc holds it up and it shimmers back at him, displaying proudly Dolly’s smiling reflection.

A gift? It’s not even my birthday.

Don’t be silly.

Dolly blushes and watches Doc study it.

Open it up.

Doc clicks the little button and it flips open to the face of a compass, but it appears to be broken. The arrow does not point north, but almost west towards the mountain.

Your compass? Shouldn’t you hold onto this? You are my guide, after all.

Nah! I know this place like the back of my hand, Dawk. You need it more than I do. Never know, you might get lost sometime and need it!

Doc smiles and places the compass inside his jacket pocket.

Appreciated, my dear.

---

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---

A cold rain started as soon as the party emerged from the cave. Doc, Thaddeus, and Corey all stand on a grassy knoll looking down at a pile of rocks they’ve set up as a memorial for their lost companion.

Those no good bastards… They left us to die!

Honestly, we’re better off without them, Thaddeus. There was nothing they could’ve done anyway.

Bullshit! If I ever--

Enough! The frog is right. The trolls were here for one thing and putting their lives at stake for ours wasn’t part of that deal. Now, let us not let the girl’s sacrifice be in vain….

Doc turns away from the party and walks away as he tightly squeezes his compass inside his pocket. Thaddeus scowls at Doc and marches after him. The rain comes harder as the beast struggles to speak through it.

This is all your fault. You and your fucking mountain.

Doc doesn’t spin around, but the world spins around Doc. Lightning strikes down and destroys a tree nearby as a dark aura surrounds him. Corey leaps and lands beside Thaddeus and the two get ready.

Doc takes a step and takes an arrow to the back of the shoulder from somewhere behind him. He staggers forward and quickly turns around. Thaddeus and Corey are now by his side and they all scan the area for the sniper.

Ya okay, Dawk?

Besides the arrow in my arm, sure!

Another arrow comes and just misses Thaddeus. He hisses and does hop away from it. Another comes and Corey does a backflip around it as if he saw it coming in slow motion and wanted to do a trick. They stand in place in wait for another quick barrage, but it doesn’t come. Instead, through the rain, they can hear echoes of shit-talk followed by a quick squeal or roar. The party looks to one another before a couple familiar faces poke their heads out.

We got ‘em, fuckers!

You?!

YOU!!!

TK and Bob approach them carrying the heads of their victims; pale, undead looking things. Thaddeus can't speak and he's overtaken by rage. He charges the two of them and immediately has to dodge as spiked head that TK sent his way. He growls and hisses as a couple more fly towards him until one cracks him in the head. Corey jumps and kicks Bob in the chest and Thaddeus manages to pounce atop of TK and the four battle it out until Doc sends an energy blast between them scattering them all.

What the fuck, Dawk?!

Thaddeus growls and goes after TK again but the echo of Doc’s voice stopped him.

ENOUGH!!!

What’s your problem?! Fucking pussy!

You no good bastards left us! And now Dolly is gone!!

The witch is dead?

Which old witch?

The wicked witch!

Thaddeus growls and snarls again barely containing his rage.

Too fucking soon, my bad.

Why did you come back?

Our fucking reward, duh!

WHAT REWARD?!

TK pulls a scroll from his pocket and he unrolls it open.

Ahem, fucking-hem!

He pulls a small pair of readers from his chest pocket and reads:

”The company of TK and Bob, of B.O.B., are hereby under fucking contract to escort the fucking client, who will now be referred to as “Dawk”, to the mountain so fucking far away! Upon arrival, Dawk will pay IN MOTHER FUCKING FULL no less than 40, 000 XBUX! IN THE EVENT that they are separated and TK and Bob does not fulfill their ENTIRE fucking side of the bargain they are still entitled to HALF of the fucking XBUX owed.”

TK removes the readers from his face.

So, where there fuck is my XBUX, Dawk?

You signed a contract?!

Doc shrugs.

It seemed like a fair bargain.

Screw these guys, Dawk. You don’t have to pay them anything. They’re crooks and I’m not going another step further with them.

Same here.

Fuck both of you!

TK flips off both Thaddeus and Corey then turns to Doc.

Dawk! We had a fucking deal!

The world around them rumbles and they go quiet and listen.

You guys feel that?

Another one. Then another.

What is it?

Through the rain and fog countless shadowy figures line-up around them. It is not long before a small army of the same creatures that were attacking them before has them surrounded. The creatures, armed with swords, shields, maces, and axes, all snarl and impatiently wait for a signal to charge.

Great. Just fucking great.

TK pulls a pair of daggers which were sheathed in his belt and inspects the blades. Bob cracks his knuckles and picks up a well-sized boulder one-handed and gives his troll pirate associate a nudge.

We’ve never once turned down a fight and this one looks like it could be fun!

TK nods while Corey and Thaddeus share a glance and prepare themselves, as well. Doc’s fists burst into flames and he grins as his entire party forms one force against their new common enemy.

No friends of any of yours’, I suppose?

Fawk no.

Negative.

No way.

Never.

Interesting.

While it may seem like none of us have a real place here sometimes… These are the ones that truly don’t. They serve no purpose but to destroy what we love and what we stand for. No desires for riches like these two. No journey like you, Dawk. No reason to be except for...

Thad points to the trolls who both shrug in agreement.

Destruction and discord….

Yeah, we might be no good bastards, but at least we have business behind our bullshit.

Surrender!!!

A voice overcomes the grunts and growls coming from the army.

Surrender yourselves or face an unimaginable death!

Doc takes a step forward and clears his throat.

Pardon me! Hello, there!

Doc waves as one towering being amongst the rest steps forward, as well.

We merely seek passage to the mountain, my friends! No need to be up in arms over it. We wish you no harm.

The monstrous soldier laughs.

Fool! Passage is not granted. YOU will never claim the treasure you seek, stranger. Final warning, surrender yourselves or DIE!

I’m pretty sure that our two options are actually one.

I say we take our chances!

It would appear there’s no way out of this.

Bob and TK laugh with one another as Bob tosses the boulder up and catches it.

Oh, there’s a way.



Bob wastes no time and uses the boulder as a bowling ball to shatter a group of soldiers into a thousand pieces. TK slashes and stabs flawlessly taking them down one-by-one. Thaddeus mows through with his razor-sharp claws and works in unison with Corey who hops and dodges around attacks and literally ripping the heads off of the undead soldiers.

After watching most of his army be completely mangled by the party, the behemoth steps forward and draws a two-handed claymore from his back that towers over even Bob! He swings the blade broadly, taking out a wave of its own men in the process to clear a path to the party!

YOU WILL NEVER REACH THE MOUNTAIN!! YOU WILL PERISH BEFORE ME!!!

TK parries the first attack with his daggers, but gets blown back as the goliath soldier's powerful blows come in quick succession. Bob throws off a couple of soldiers form his back and stomps them out. He charges across the field and tangles with the monster! The two struggle back and forth, but Bob is overtaken and thrown to his back! The monster draws back its sword, but Corey and Thaddeus both jump on its back as Doc rushes in and lands a solid uppercut on its chin! It stumbles back, but immediately comes back with a backhand slap sending Doc flying into a tree! It then roars and peels both of its attackers of its back!

Doc hears a voice in his head but can't identify it, but it tells him to reach in his pocket for the compass. He closes his eyes and grips it tightly and like an uncontrollable sneeze an energy burst blasts out of Doc leaving a red aura around every soldier in the field but the big guy. They all stand confused for a moment before turning to their leader and attacking. The party segregates themselves from the attack and watches as the beast is taken down by its own army.

---

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---

I really have no business here, do I? I have nothing to prove. No redemption to claim. No evil super-villain club to support. No fan clubs or sponsors to satisfy. I’m actually here because of people like Betsy, Warstein, and Fury that DO. When you consider the options, do I seem so undeserving? I’m a champion, I’m renowned already as a KING throughout this fine federation, and my place has already been solidified in the XWF’s Hall of Legends. So, why, Doc? Why do you insist on always raining on everyone’s parade?

It’s quite simple.

Take Betsy, for example. This little creature has certainly come into her own in the last couple of months, has she not? A little secret here, the girl has earned my eternal respect by taking part in snuffing out the sniveling wretch that once occupied her place in the Shooting Star’s division. A million and one kudos to her and a job well-down, indeed!

BUT!

I will say to Betsy Granger the same that I said to Little Miss Myst just a week ago! Stick to your guns, my dear. This mountain top is no place for the impossible traveler. If she wishes to keep what credibility she has for herself then she should keep her focus within her reach. Which, you know, I supposed she has. She’s kept her focus on that Shooting Star Title that she is defending the same night. She’s kept her focus on the Themis’s, Warstein, the GCWF… Other things that do not matter. She has kept within her reach. She brags to the other girls how she runs the one division that’s more exclusive than the cursed Tag Team division. Trust me, I know a thing or two about that. She’s focused on everything within her reach, but nothing that matters. She has a ton going on for her right now and to march through this tournament and be crowned QUEEN would take her career… Perhaps her place in Legacy…. To heights she’s never known. Rooms on floors that Raven and Warstein never told her about.

Now let’s scoop up Legacy as a whole.

Is Osira in the club? I guess it doesn’t really matter, does it? This will address all those that think they, “Do Matter”. I understand that they’ve all built something together. It’s certainly glorious to witness greatness in numbers especially when the skill is at such a level as theirs. It’s amazing, it truly is. But, is a juicy prize all it takes to send a rift through such a super-group? I’ve spent the last week watching each member of Legacy rip each other a new one and try to steal the spotlight from the other. Half of the rest of this tournament consists of these idiots and they can’t put their egos aside to come up with a common goal. How many of you are planning to win this thing? Oh, let me guess, you’re willing to put family aside and hate on each other for two weeks and beat each other within an inch of your life for the common goal of getting yourselves to the top? I suppose that’s admiral of you all to do such a thing but when you’re walking into a losing battle anyway, dare I say, a suicide mission, why bother even risking destroying the already great relationship you all have?

Take a look at Legacy’s Best Couple. Warstein has to build a hologram of himself because he doesn’t have the balls to talk down to his girlfriend for this match. Did anyone tell him he doesn’t HAVE to do that? If I was poor Atara I would think a little less of a man that actually builds a machine, based on an algorithm of my own self, to do me some dirties. Does this guy have an identity crisis? I spoke before about his blame game and the pity parties he keeps throwing for himself…. But have I spoken too soon? Am I in the wrong here? Between the whole Witness Protection Program he had going on and “leaving Fuzz in the past”, if the guy needs someone to remind him he’s still an asshole I’ll be happy to let him know. I’m sure Atara will, too. The poor girl. I’m not sure what the two are spatting over. Warstein’s priorities are pretty clear at this point and little blue box or not that guy is going for the ULTIMATE prize. Sorry Miss Atty. The two of them are ruining a perfectly good toxic relationship over something they have no control over. What they DO have control over is going back to whatever dreamland they’re all relevant in and living, laughing, and loving away with their holograms and legacies.

This is not the same dinner party they’re all used to sitting in on. No one here, at least in my section, is going to bow down or step aside as they walk through. It’s as if they’re used to some kind of special treatment. And let's be honest, not a single one of them deserve that. Let's be honest again, the only reason they're all here like this is because Demos isn't. And the only reason Demos is NOT here is because I took care of that way back in Round One. He'll back back though. He'll be back and whichever one of those self-entitled non-team players manage to escape the other's grasp and meet us there you better be ready for him. If we know anything about Demos, its that he loves multiple chances.

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---

After the battle, the party ventured past the battlefield and once the fog of war cleared the mountain stood before them. In a few short hours they were standing just before the path leading up the mountain. Doc began up the path and noticed the rest of the party stuck behind him.

Not coming?

They all stand in a line and in silence.

We can’t go with you, Dawk.

The rest of this is YOUR journey to have.

Doc approaches Thaddeus and places a hand on his shoulder. Thaddeus grabs Doc’s hand and rips it from his shoulder. He narrows his eyes and then peels a patch from his armor representing his kingdom and slaps it into Doc’s hand.

Take this. It’s a symbol of pride, courage, and strength, Dawk. I hope it helps.

Doc places the patch in his chest pocket and moves down the line to Corey.

Find whatever it is you’re looking for, stranger. And I hope it was all worth it.

Doc gives an apologetic bow. Corey hesitantly removes an eagle’s talon strung around his neck and throws it around Doc’s.

A symbol of wisdom, Dawk. Speed and agility… All that good stuff.

Hey, I could use all the help I can get, right?

Corey frowns at Doc’s snide comment. He moves onto Bob who is just taking a bite of a chicken leg. Doc gives him a nod. TK pokes his head in.

So, yeah, looks like mission fucking accomplished, right?

Doc smiles and looks over to TK as he pulls a large sack with a big green “X” on it out of nowhere and hands it over.

Oh, shit!

TK grabs the bag, drops it on the ground, and immediately opens it up. Bob looks down at the chicken he’s taken a couple bites from and hands it over to Doc.

For your journey, Dawk. This will give you endurance to keep going. Your journey is far from over, Dawk. It will be important to stay well-nourished!.

That’s the most I’ve heard you say in succession this entire trip. Thank you BOTH for your services! I assure you, once my journey comes to an end--

Yeah, yeah! I fucking hate good-byes! Here!

TK unclips his lucky panda’s foot from his belt loop and hands it over.

This should give you luck, Dawk. Now, fuck you and fuck these guys. We’re out.

You guys truly are a couple of no good bastards.

We know.

Doc turns from the party and begins up the Path of Acceptance which is the final steps to the mountain where he will finally begin his true journey. His journey to the top of the mountain.

DOC HAS LEFT THE PARTY.