THE LOST TAPES
CARNEVIL
Roll Up! Roll Up! We're heading to Klaus Way's Big Top Circus for a very special Halloween spectacular. All your heroes and villains under one big top and the freaks will be performing for you!
Carnevil
Click.
Static covers the screen as a Play â–º symbol appears in the bottom right-hand corner.
The screen flickers with static—grainy, disjointed footage, as if recovered from some forgotten archive. The faint hum of a calliope plays beneath the distortion, a warped carnival tune that grows louder with every passing second.
Then—
BOOM!
The static bursts away, replaced by the sight of The Grand Big Top.
The tent is enormous, striped in crimson and bone-white, its tattered fabric swaying under the flicker of dozens of flaming torches. Inside, the air is thick with heat, smoke, and anticipation. Thousands of faces crowd the stands—masked, painted, costumed. Their cheers roll like thunder, the sound of a thousand lunatics screaming for blood.
At the center of it all stands Klaus Way.
The Ringmaster.
The mad architect of the evening’s entertainment.
He cuts an impossible figure—tall, lean, draped in a long crimson tailcoat trimmed in gold, a black top hat perched at a rakish angle, his cane spinning lazily in his gloved hand. His smile is wide. His eyes are wild. The crowd roars his name like a hymn.
He drinks it in.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” he booms, his voice echoing through the tent. “Boys and girls, creatures of all shapes and sizes—welcome… to Carnevil!”
The audience erupts.
Klaus spins in a slow circle, arms outstretched, basking in the chaos, the madness, the sheer electricity of the crowd.
“Tonight,” he continues, “for one night only, Old School Wrestling has escaped the cold stone of Olympus' walls and come home—to The Way & Co Circus!”
He paces the ring, his polished boots clicking against the sawdust-covered floor.
“Here under the big top, you won’t find order! You won’t find mercy! You’ll find only spectacle!”
The crowd howls. Drums begin to thunder from somewhere unseen, a rhythmic pounding that shakes the ground beneath their feet.
“Tonight’s performances will not end with handshakes or smiles,” Klaus declares, raising his cane high. “They will end in agony, in triumph, in the brutal and the beautiful! Here, under the painted stripes of the tent, our fighters will battle until one remains standing… or none do at all!”
A spotlight cuts across his face as he tilts his hat downward, grinning beneath the brim.
“So roll up, roll up!” he shouts. “Sit back, my beautiful beasts—and let the madness begin!”
The crowd erupts again, a deafening mixture of applause and laughter. The torches flare higher, and the drums grow louder, faster, building to a fever pitch as the lights flicker.
Klaus raises his arms one final time, eyes gleaming.
“Welcome to Carnevil!”
The tent plunges into darkness—
Cut.
The Truth Comes Out
Just behind the curtain to Klaus's main stage, Gemini and Narcissa respectively sit and stand in opposite corners of their cage.
The Rogue looks over at her foe with a smirk, as if she's won the war already. Narcy's expression, on the other hand, is unreadable due to her looking away from her foe.
"I've destroyed it," the Photog says, unaware of what Narcissa announced a few weeks ago. "Any evidence you might have of my involvement of the Red Light District is gone now."
The former Seeker pushes herself up to her feet and walks over to Hera, whose reaction still can't be determined.
"Any hold you have on the Night has been demolished with that tape. All I have to do now to win his trust back is to prove that I'm a changed person. Your machinations have fallen apart, and you only have yourself to blame."
Just as Gemini finishes taunting the Queen, chuckling can be heard escaping from Narcissa's mouth. Confusion washes over Nature's Delight as her mortal enemy turns to face her, grinning from ear to ear as she does.
"I see my announcement hasn't reached the Circus yet," the former Uprising leader finally says. "I suppose I can use what little time we have before our act starts to tell you why your hissy fit was for naught."
"The tape was a fake. There wasn't any footage of the Red Light District's destruction on it. I just planted it in my locker room to prove to all of Arcadia, Night included, that you were guilty."
Gemini looks dumbfounded by what she was told. Narcy shakes her head and laughs in response to her cellmate's silence before continuing to rub salt in the wound.
"In fact, there never was footage of your involvement to begin with. Me having footage of that at all was all in that paranoid little head of yours."
"Then how did you know that I set the bomb?" Gemini asks.
"Simple," the Queen begins, "I designed for it to happen. Much like I designed for Night to be the one to kill you when you two meet again."
"What is that supposed to-!?" The Rogue's next question is interrupted by the cage being rolled toward the stage entrance. The crowd immediately become rowdy as they're moved from behind the curtain to the stage.
Cut.
The cage containing Narcissa and Gemini is wheeled into the centre of the big top as the voice of Klaus Way sings out.
KLAUS WAY: Our first act tonight is the catfight that we’ve all been longing to see. Roll up! Roll up and witness Gemini and Narcissa Balenciaga for one night only!
The two emerge from the cage and instantly lock horns. Narcissa grabs a fist full of hair and yanks Gemini off balance, throwing her to the sand. Gemini charges back at her...
SAND TO THE EYES!
NARCISSA GRABBED A HANDFUL AND TOSSED IT STRAIGHT AT HER!
UPRISING!
THE BICYCLE KNEE DRILLS GEMINI!
Narcissa grabs a long cane and thrusts it up under Gemini’s neck. She pulls, choking Gemini with the cane with all her might.
Gemini struggles, fading as the air is cut off, before elbowing Narcissa to escape. Narcissa takes off, swinging the cane wildly, hitting nothing but air.
Gemini slides in the sand, scooping up a trio of juggling battens before making her feet again. She tosses a batton at Narcissa and it hits her right between the eyes.
NARCISSA STAGGERS, DROPPING THE CANE!
GEMINI HAS A JUGGLING BATTON IN EACH HAND… AND CLOBBERS NARCISSA ABOUT THE HEAD WITH THEM!
NARCISSA COLLAPSES… AND GEMINI TOSSES BOTH BATTONS AT HER FOR GOOD MEASURE!
Gemini moves away, retrieving an oversized hula hoop. As Narcissa struggles to her feet, Gemini slips the hula hoop over her.
Narcissa moves to strike, but Gemini swings the hoop and knocks her sideways. She catches her balance, but Gemini moves the hoop again and knocks her staggering again.
LEFT AND RIGHT! UP AND DOWN!
GEMINI IS USING THE HOOP TO CONTROL NARCISSA!
SHE MARCHES HER OVER TO A SMALL PADDLING POOL OF WATER!
KERSPLASH! IN GOES NARCISSA!
She flails about, finally finding her feet. Standing, pissed off and drenched, she glares at an amused Gemini.
She slams the hula hoop backwards into Gemini’s face… Then grabs her by the hair and pulls her into the pool alongside her.
Narcissa holds Gemini’s head under the water, watching her squirm and struggle for air. She only escapes by pushing Narcissa out of the pool and both of them tumble to the sandy floor.
Gemini gasps for air as Narcissa climbs to her feet. Narcy moves to take advantage…
BUT HER STILLETTO GETS STUCK IN THE WET SAND!
SHE’S TRAPPED!
GEMINI SEES THE MOMENTARY WEAKNESS AND STRIKES!
SNAPSHOT!
THE CODEBREAKER! NARCISSA’S HIGH HEEL COMES FLYING OFF AND SHE IS SENT FLAT ON HER BACK!
Gemini smirks as she grabs a liontamer’s whip, holding it up in the air.
SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!
All of Matt Ruby’s dreams are coming true as Gemini whips the life out of Narcissa, and he’s not here to see it.
Narcissa crawls across the sand to escape the onslaught, but Gemini follows and continues to tan her hide.
SMACK!
SMACK!
SMACK!
Upside the head, shoulders, rear… any part of Narcissa’s body she leaves unprotected is attacked.
Narcissa manages to create a brief reprieve with another handful of sand tossed into Gemini’s eyes, enough to remove her other Stilletto.
AS GEMINI APPROACHES AGAIN WITH THE WHIP, NARCISSA JAMS THE POINT OF THE HEEL INTO HER SHOULDER!
IT STICKS!
GEMINI DROPS THE WHIP AND FALLS BACKWARDS, NARCISSA’S SHOE STICKING OUT OF HER FLESH!
SHE HOWLS IN AGONY AS NARCISSA BRINGS HERSELF TO HER FEET ONCE MORE!
Narcissa wrenches the shoe free of her shoulder, which oozes blood. She aims the stiletto again, at Gemini’s skull this time, but Gemini rolls out of the way and the shoe finds purchase into the sand.
She pulls Gemini to her feet, digging her fingers into Gem’s eyes.
Another howl of agony as she’s blinded.
THEN COMES THE STO!
BLINDED BY LOVE!
NARCISSA DRILLS GEMINI RIGHT BACK INTO THE SAND!
Narcissa collapses from the pain and exhaustion, the effort of the move taking everything out of her. Slowly, but surely, both claw their way back to their feet.
Gemini grabs at Narcissa to pull herself up, Narcissa grabs at Gemini.
They meet eye to eye and instantly trade heavy handed, exhausted blows.
They’re fighting for survival now, pure and simple.
Gemini gets in a solid shot that rocks Narcissa. It’s the opening she needs.
Pulling her over to a set of steel steps leading to a service ladder, she slams Narcissa’s skull into the steel.
Clang, clang, clang
Narcissa falls backwards onto steel steps. Gemini climbs a few rungs of the ladder, then a few more.
Naricssa stands to her feet, dazed. And Gemini leaps.
NATURE’S SELECTION! OFF THE LADDER ONTO THE STEEL!
NARCISSA COPS IT ALL AND ROLLS OFF ONTO THE GROUND!
BUT GEMINI ISN’T DONE!
SHE PICKS UP NARCISSA’S HEAD BY THE HAIR!
SLAM!
SLAM!
SLAM!
SHE’S SLAMMING HER SKULL FIRST INTO THE DIRT!
OVER AND OVER AND OVER!
UNTIL NARCISSA STOPS MOVING!
NARCISSA BALENCIAGA IS OUT COLD!
Battered, bleeding, drenched but victorious. Klaus Way raises the hand of Gemini Before they’re grabbed from behind and dragged back into the waiting cage.
An Inconvenient Truth
A cage sitting in the darkness beneath a single light, a lone bit of 'sunshine' peaking through the abyss to give a spotlight to a cage filled with three men. Mister Sunshine, Captain Arcadia, and Anton Savor. They eye one another, a smoldering hatred stewing among the tinder. Yet, despite it all, Sunshine finds the ability to put on a sickening smile.
"Ironic, we went looking for a zookeeper and found ourselves in a cage." He chuckles, looking to Arcadia who merely shakes his head.
"We found more than that, Charlie," he says with a sneer. "We found Boswick. Dead."
"Then the Zookeeper died to Klaus' freaks," Savor says matter-of-factly. "A shame I couldn't serve him his final meal myself."
"I don't think so," Arcadia shoots back. "He had been dead for at least a week... Execution style. Boswick wasn't bait, he was a loose end for the Zookeeper to tie up."
Sunshine gives a small chuckle, one that draws the eyes of his fellow inmates to him as he brings a hand to his face. Just as Savor goes to question him four masked men walk in from the darkness, cattle prods in hand that buzz with an unholy amount of volts. They surround the cage, Sunshine holding up a hand.
"You're right, my friend. You are! It's why being caged was so ironic... Because when it comes to animals, I'm the one who holds the keys."
"You..." Savor gives Sunshine a glare like a butcher's knife as he speaks. "I knew no one should have ever trusted you."
"Brave to admit that when you're still locked in here with us," Arcadia adds.
Only Sunshine laughs again, snapping his fingers. The men remove their masks to reveal four very familiar faces.
Mister Smile.
Miss Joy.
Mister Cheerful.
Mister Chipper.
"A a good Zookeeper should, I always keep the keys to the cage. Always."
"You son of a-!"
BZZZZZT!
BZZZZZT!
BZZZZZT!
The Sunshine Club cut Arcadia off, shocking both Cap and Savor with their prods, watching them drop to the cage floor spasming and convulsing. Sunshine puts his hands behind his back, drinking in his cellmates screams for a moment before looking to Mister Smile with a cold smirk.
"Roll us in, friend. We have a show to put on, don't we?"
The masks go back on, the prods go away, and the cage is wheeled into the darkness, soon to find a different spotlight.
Four masked men wheel the cage into the center of the arena, allowing the door to swing open and Mister Sunshine stepping out onto the sand and glancing to a still shaking Savor and Arcadia with a wicked grin.
Cap explodes out of the cage only to catch a knee to the jaw that puts him down! Savor is next, trying to rush Sunshine just to get met with a skull rattling headbutt that drops him! Sunshine is in total control as he dances from Savor to Arcadia, nailing either man with brutal strikes as they try to rise!
SNAPKICK TO ARCADIA!
HAYMAKER OT SAVOR!
He reaches down, gripping Arcadia by his feet and looking to the crowd with a wild grin! "Count with me, friends!" He shouts as he begins to swing Captain Arcadia around in a circle!
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NINE!
TEN!
PING!
SUNSHINE JUST SLAMMED ARCADIA SKULL F IRST AGAINST THE CAGE! SUNRISE! SUNSET! HE MIGHT HAVE JUST FUCKING KILLED HIM!
Arcadia lands lifelessly against the steel as Sunshine turns his attention to Anton, dragging the Chef by his hair to where a Test-Your-Strength mallet game has been set up! He places Savor's head on the target and grabs the mallet with malicious intent as he raises it over his head! "I bet I can ring the bell! One! Two! Three!"
SWING!
DING!
SAVOR JUST BARELY ROLLED OUT OF THE WAY! HE'S STILL ALIVE!
Anton scoots away frantically, kicking up dust and dirty as Sunshine chases him down, swinging the mallet over and over unable to find his mark until a wayward swing lands flush with Savor's leg! The Chef lets out a scream of agony as Sunshine raises the hammer over his head one more time with a demonic chuckle!
"ZOOKEEPER! EAT SHIT!"
Sunshine turns just in time to see Captain Arcadia rolling towards him at Mach 9 on a gymnastics wheel!
KA-THUNK!
SUNSHINE JUST GOT RAN OVER BY CAP! THE ZOOKEEPER IS FINALLY DOWN!
Arcadia leaps off of the wheel, giving a nod to Savor as he advances on Cheery Charlie. Sunshine tries to get back to his feet only to catch a furious fist to the side of his face from Anton! A wild left from Arcadia collides with his jaw! Both men lay into Sunshine with flurry of blows, every punch and kick landing flush knocking Charlie back and forth like a ragdoll!
FLAMBE! SAVOR LANDS A BACK ELBOW!
GRASPS OF JUSTICE! REVERSE FRANKENSTEINER BY ARCADIA!
The assault leaves Sunshine motionless on the circus floor, the crowd cheering on the brutality as they beg for even more destruction.
AND ANTON GIVES IT TO THEM! CREME BRULEE! SUPERKICK TO CAPTAIN ARCADIA!
The Captain is on jelly legs and Savor capitalizes by whipping him straight into the pole at the center of the tent where Cap gets a mouthful of splinters for his troubles! Savor doesn't relent, grabbing Arcadia by the back of his head and slamming him into the support pole over and over again until a crimson stain decorates the stained wood! Cap tries to fight back to no avail, his fingers digging into the wood as he fruitlessly tries to push back only to collapse against the beam.
Savor pulls Arcadia back towards himself, lifting him up onto his shoulders as he calls for the end!
THE FINAL COURSE- NO! ARCADIA SLIPS BEHIND AND SHOVES ANTON FORWARDS!
CATCH ME! CROSSBODY BY SUNSHINE COLLIDES WITH SAVOR!
Blood and dirt gets kicked into the air as Sunshine crushes Savor beneath him! But before he can get up Arcadia runs up the side of the support beam and kicks off with a impromptu moonsault that lands perfectly atop both men! He lashes out with unbridled rage, laying into Savor and Sunshine with boot after boot, putting all of his fury behind every last blow!
He peels Sunshine up, whipping him across the tent and right into the audience barricade! He runs him down!
PUNCH OF BROTHERS! SPINNING SUPERMAN PUNCH!
Blood arcs from a busted lip as Sunshine collapses against the barricade! Before Arcadia can inflict further punishment Anton Savor flies towards both men, slamming into them with a massive stinger splash that leaves all three men down in a heap! The crowd cheers them on, begging for brutality as they begin to stir!
"HAMMER!"
"HAMMER!"
"HAMMER!"
The crowd knows what they want and all three men know the only way this can end! Savor is first to his feet but Arcadia and Sunshine are quick to follow as they make a mad dash to the hammer!
THEY LEAP!
ANTON SAVOR GRABS IT FIRST!
He leaps up and tees off!
THUD!
MASSIVE BLOW TO THE HEAD OF ARCDIA!
THUNK!
MALLET MEETS THE MIND OF SUNSHINE!
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
THEY'RE DOWN! BOTH SUNSHINE AND ARCADIA ARE UNCONCIOUS! ANTON SAVOR IS THE LAST MAN STANDING!
Klaus' freaks yank the hammer from Savor's hands, forcibly hauling him and his unconscious cellmates back to their cage.
Grande Reveal
Inside this cage, four men.
Four storms.
One match away from exploding.
Ezekiel Graves and Nero sit low in one corner, cloaked in tense silence. Across from them, El Mariachi Muerte nurses his ribs, while El Dragon Caido lounges like he owns the steel.
Caido rises.
“Well, Lucien,” he says with a sneer. “I suppose it’s time you heard the truth.”
Nero lifts his head.
“Rose. Ned. You want them? They’re closer than you think.” Caido spreads his arms and turns to Ezekiel Graves. “They're in your church.”
Graves doesn’t flinch, but Nero does.
“What?”
Caido grins. “The dear Reverend took them. Held them for leverage. All while preaching that pretty gospel of his.”
Nero turns slowly toward Graves.
“Tell me he’s lying.”
Graves doesn’t look away.
“You took everything from me,” Zeke says flatly. “You stole my sister, drained my coffers, decimated my ministry. My sister is mine to do with what I please. You left her.”
“She’s not your property,” Nero snaps. “She’s my wife. And Ned—he’s my son.”
“Then why’d you abandon them?” Graves growls. “I did what you wouldn’t.”
Tension mounts.
Caido turns to Muerte, smirking.
“Can you believe this holy hypocrisy?”
But Muerte stands.
Voice low. Firm.
“It’s time.”
Caido tilts his head in confusion.
“What?”
Muerte grins.
“I remember back to my childhood, and Vida’s favorite tale. How the man called Draco became something more.”
Caido shakes his head, panic creeping in.
“No,” he says. “Don’t you dare—”
“El Peso del Cráneo,” Muerte declares.
Caido’s shoulders drop and Muerte digs a finger into Caido’s chest.
“Accept it.”
“I have to. You know that.” Caido grits his teeth. “But you’ll regret this.”
The air thickens.
Two battles. Four men. And then—
The cage lurches.
Klaus Way stands in the center of the big top.
“Feast your eyes on tonight’s next act; where fellowship dies, and fury is the only friend!”
He spins toward the cage with a manic flourish. Graves and Nero are currently arguing, while Muerte and Caido are doing likewise.
“In one corner, chained and blessed by the Word made Fist, give it up for the Brothers in Christ! Nero, the Cyberhound! Ezekiel Graves, the Harbinger!”
The crowd hisses, then erupts as Way points at the other duo.
“And in the opposite corner, two men bound by bloodshed and betrayal; El Dragon Caido, the Fallen Legend! And El Mariachi Muerte, who’s already danced with death!”
Klaus laughs and skips backward, arms wide.
“This is your sermon! This is your requiem! Ring the damn bell!”
The cages open—AND IT’S CHAOS FROM THE FIRST STEP!
NERO LEAPS OUT OF HIS CAGE AND LAUNCHES AT GRAVES, HIS OWN PARTNER, WITH A FLYING KNEE TO THE JAW!
The watchers gasp as Graves stumbles back into a circus pole. On the other side, there’s no teamwork either.
El Mariachi Muerte is throwing fists with Caido, but the veteran Luchador goes nuclear—
DANCE WITH DRAGONS!
MATT RUBY: This is like watching four lit fuses race toward the same bomb.
Caido stares down at the man he once saved the life of, fists trembling with rage.
Across the pit, Graves shoves Nero back and bellows, rage flashing in his eyes.
“I saved them!”
Nero doesn’t answer with words—
FIREWALL! THE SUPERKICK SENDS GRAVES TUMBLING OVER A CRACKED WOODEN SEESAW. NERO STALKS HIM, BUT—
BOOM! GRAVES TIPS THE SEESAW—LAUNCHING NERO BACKWARD INTO A WALL OF BARBED JUGGLING PINS! THEY PIERCE INTO HIS BACK LIKE THORNS IN A BROKEN CODE.
Elsewhere, Caido pulls Muerte to his feet, but Muerte slaps him across the face.
“You took everything.” Muerte roars. “I’m going to take it back!”
He knees Caido in the ribs, throwing him onto a highwire platform lying on the ground. He climbs the old circus ladder, cracks echo with each step, and leaps—
FLIGHT OF THE FALLEN—NO! CAIDO ROLLS AWAY!
MUERTE CRASHES THROUGH THE PLATFORM AND ROLLS LIMP. CAIDO DRAGS HIM UP, WHISPERING SOMETHING IN HIS EAR—
WINGBREAKER! THE BRUTAL SPINNING SLAM FLATTENS MUERTE. HE DOESN’T MOVE.
Caido stumbles to his knees, breathing hard.
On the other side, Graves drags Nero from the pins, hoists him up—
PURGATORY PLUNGE! THE BRUTAL POWERBOMB LANDS SPINE-FIRST INTO A SHATTERED MIRROR BASE.
Graves stands tall. Then kneels, wrapping his hand around Nero’s throat.
“Forgive me, Brother.”
THE FINAL JUDGMENT! ALL THE WAY UP AND ALL THE WAY FUCKING DOWN! THE MASSIVE CHOKESLAM DRILLS NERO’S BODY INTO A PILE OF CIRCUS WEIGHTS. NERO DOESN’T STIR.
They approach one another slowly, with the silent crowd on edge.
First swing: Caido.
Second: Graves.
They brawl in the center, a carousel of fists and fury. Caido uses his reach, throwing rapid combos. Graves absorbs them and launches back with lariats and knees.
CAIDO GRABS A MASSIVE SLEDGEHAMMER PROP AND SWINGS—
BUT GRAVES DUCKS—
SPEAR!
Graves mounts, raining down hammerfists. But Caido won’t die. He kicks up, tossing Graves off, and catches his breath.
Caido grabs a burning ring from the edge of the arena, tosses it like a discus—
GRAVES BATS IT ASIDE WITH HIS BARE HAND, FLAMES LICKING HIS FINGERS.
BUT THAT ALLOWED CAIDO TO RUSH IN—
SPINEBUSTER ON A BROKER CALLIOPE! THE KEYS SHRIEK A TWISTED CHORD AS IT COLLAPSES.
He hauls Graves up, going up on the Reverend’s shoulders—
CHASE THE DRAGON! NO! GRAVES BLOCKS IT MID-LIFT AND TURNS IT INTO—
PURGATORY PLUNGE! GRAVES DOESN’T STOP MOVING, KICKING CAIDO OVER—
THE CONFESSION!
HE LOCKS IN THE MODIFIED CAMEL CLUTCH, WHISPERING PSALMS INTO CAIDO’S EAR.
Caido reaches out for help, but there is none. Then he reaches into the ground itself.
SAND TO THE EYES OF GRAVES!
Caido spins him around—
MEXICAN DESTROYER!? NO! GRAVES COUNTERS… TWISTS—
FINAL FUCKING JUDGMENT!
Caido goes limp.
Klaus Way saunters into the fray, clapping with a sick smile. He grabs Graves' hand and lifts it high.
“Your winners… and STILL the OSW Tag Team Champions. EZEKIEL GRAVES! AND NERO!”
Graves stands tall, drenched in sweat and sand, the last man conscious in the chaos as the henchmen drag the broken bodies of Nero, Muerte, and Caido back toward the cage.
Ghosts
Destructo sits with his head in his hands, back leaning against the corner of the cage wall.
He's breathing heavily, hyperventilating. Broken. Nox watches him, bemused.
“You're weak” He spits at the Kid, “Pathetic. It's a wonder you've stuck around this long. But no more, I'm done playing games.”
Destructo lifts his head, bit it's not the face of Nox he sees. It's the face of his mother. A shimmering visage.
“M..mom?” He squints, her figure seeming to waver in the dump light. “D…dad?” Besides her, Maxwell stands. Both of his parents look somewhat apologetic.
Destructo doesn't meet their image with love, but with anger and resentment. He pushes himself to his feet.
“You left me. You both did.” He chokes the words out. “You left me to deal with all of this alone. To discover your past, your lies and mistakes… I'm so angry.”
He looks straight at his mother.
“Why did you...?! Everything I am is a lie because of you!” She doesn't react to the words. Destructo turns to the man who raised him as a father.
“You were supposed to help me work this out!”
He reaches out to grab the figure by the shoulder but his hands move right through him and Destructo tumbles to the floor of the cage.
His mother kneels beside him.
“Use your anger son. But it's not me you need to be angry with. Not really.”
He'd almost forgotten there was one more figure in the cage until his mother mentions him.
“It's Nox who deserves your hurt and pain. He’s the poison that has infected so much of Arcadia.”
Maxwell steps to her side.
“You have the chance now to be the hero I've always seen in you. Kill him, for Arcadia.”
The pair fade away, leaving Destructo staring directly at the one to blame. Nox laughs.
“Clutching at air and talking to ghosts? You are losing the plot. No matter, it won't be long now before you join them.”
Destructo is on his hands and knees before Nox, but to Nox's surprise, he laughs.
The laughter fills his entire body as he stands.
“You are always a step ahead. But this is the one time I get you on an even playing field. No outside help, no escape route, no gasses to incapacitate me.”
He draws near to Nox. There's no more tears, no fear. Only resolve.
“I'm going to kill you Nox.” Destructo states very simply. “For Arcadia, sure, but I'll enjoy every last second.”
*Clunk*
The sound of a door lock being released and Klaus Way’s voice filling the big top. The cage begins to move.
Now, they fight.
Cut.
Klaus' henchmen roll out Nox and Destructo's cage into the middle of the tent for the next match but Destructo doesn't even wait for them to unlock it!
DESTRUCTO LAYS INTO NOX WITH A FLURRY OF BLOWS! THE CAGE DOOR IS UNLOCKED AND BOTH MEN SPILL OUT INTO THE DIRT!
Rights and lefts collide with Nox's skull, every last one dripping with hatred and disdain! The Chemist can barely even begin to fight back as Destructo forces him up to his feet just to slam him face first off of the cage! Nox lands on the ground and Destructo places his head between the bars and the cage door! The crowd roars as his intentions are made clear!
HE SWINGS THE DOOR SHUT ONTO NOX'S HEAD!
AGAIN!
AGAIN!
AGAIN!
AGAIN!
AGAIN!
AGAIN!
IT'S PURE FUCKING CARNAGE!
One last powerful slam leaves Nox motionless on the ground as Destructo drags him by his leg towards the trapeze ladder! He forces Nox back to his feet and goes to slam him head first into the ladder only for Nox to stop him short! He grabs Destructo and knocks him back with a brutal headbutt! Destructo stumbles back but Nox grabs an arm!
GET OVER HERE! SHORT ARM CLOTHESLINE TURNS DESTRUCTO INSIDE OUT!
Nox peels Destructo off of the ground and immediately sends him into the ladder with a massive exploder suplex that leaves The Anti-Hero in a heap! The Chemist makes distance, looking for something to inflict damage with as Destructo wills himself back to his feet! He immediately rushes towards Nox who's found the plate spinner's equipment!
AND HE FLINGS A PLATE THAT CATCHES DESTRUCTO RIGHT IN THE MOUTH!
Destructo is dazed for a moment before getting clocked with another plate, then another! Nox frisbee tosses them with impressive accuracy as each explodes into shards against Destructo's skin! He collapses to a knee and Nox runs forwards with a teeth rattling big boot to the face that plants Destructo in the dirt!
The Kamikaze is dazed and Nox refuses to let up as he stands over Destructo with the plate spinner's pole!
AND HE LOCKS IN THE OXYGEN DEPRIVATION CHAMBER! STEINER RECLINER WITH THE POLE AROUND DESTRUCTO'S NECK!
The crowd roars with excitement as Nox leans back, pulling that stick against Destructo's throat! There's no tapping, no submission, only cruelty! Destructo grabs hold of the pole, pulling back with all of his might as Nox tries to put an end to him right here right now!
SNAP!
DESTRUCTO JUST SNAPPED THE POLE IN TWO! NOX TRIPS ONTO HIS BACK!
He rolls through-
AND GETS UP IN TIME TO SEE NO EVIL! SHINING WIZARD BY DESTRUCTO!
The Anti-Hero looks around for new ways to inflict pain onto Nox before grabbing hold of a pair of stilts! He climbs on top of them with surprising ease and marches towards Nox with ill-intent! The Chemist rises to his feet only to see Destructo towering above him! The Kamikaze Kid lashes out, kicking at Nox with the metal stilts!
PING!
PING!
PING!
PING!
PING!
Every kick lands with brutal precision as Nox gets knocked onto his back! Destructo looms overhead, raising one stilt and bringing it down on Nox with a ferocious stomp! He lays into Nox with blow after blow, stomping away at Nox like a bug beneath his heel! Nox tries to fight back but Destructo brings the stilt down right onto his face!
HE'S TRYING TO CRUSH NOX'S SKULL! HE WON'T LET UP!
LEGSWEEP! DESPERATION LEGSWEEP BY NOX SENDS DESTRUCTO THE GROUND!
Nox scrambles to his feet, trying to get some semblance of control back as Destructo refuses to stay down! The Anti-Hero gets back to his feet only for Nox to leap on him like a cornered animal! He pulls Destructo back!
SCHRODINGER'S SPINE! BACKBREAKER!
ANOTHER!
ANOTHER!
ANOTHER!
ANOTHER!
ANOTHER- KICK TO THE SKULL BY DESTRUCTO!
The Anti-Hero pushes Nox away and nails him with a punch to the throat that leaves his coughing and sputtering before Destructo drags right into the audience barricade!
BROKEN SCALES! URANAGE INTO THE BARRICADE BY DESTRUCTO!
Nox collapses against the wall, barely able to move as Destructo walks away to find one more way to inflict pain! Nox finally looks up as the crowd cheers, seeing that Destructo has rolled a canon into the center of the ring! He points it directly at Nox before climbing inside! The crowd loses their minds as he lights the fuse!
FIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
BOOM!
OUR! LAST! BREATH! CANNONBALL 630 SENTON!
NOX GETS SANDWHICHED BETWEEN DESTRUCTO AND THE BARRICADE! THE HUMAN KAMIKAZE LANDS BACK FIRST AGAINST NOX WITH A DISGUSTING THUD!
There's silence for a moment before Destructo slowly pulls himself to his feet! Nox is unconscious! He can't continue!
Destructo begins stomping away at Nox, kicking and screaming as he tries to kill him! The Henchmen drag him away kicking and screaming to the cage followed by Nox! He's won, but he won't be satisfied while Nox still breathes!
You're Trapped In Here With Me
The crowd’s bloodlust above echoes through the iron rafters like the roar of a beast. The flicker of dim, swinging bulbs casts long shadows across the subterranean corridors of the circus. Down here, beneath the laughter and the lights, there is only silence and the stench of rust and rot.
Inside one of the cages, Tombstone sits on the floor, his hulking frame lit by the faint orange glow of a nearby torch. Opposite him, Jasper Redgrave lounges lazily against the bars, blood still dried along his jaw from the earlier scuffle, his grin sharp as a knife.
For a long moment, neither man speaks. The air between them is heavy, tense, humming with violence unspent.
Then Tombstone breaks the silence.
“You know,” he says, his gravelly voice cutting through the stillness, “I could leave this place any time I want.”
Jasper’s head tilts. His voice drips with mock amusement.
“Then why don’t you, Ferryman? Don’t tell me you’ve grown fond of the accommodations.”
Tombstone’s stare doesn’t waver.
“Because I’m not done with you.”
Redgrave chuckles, low and cold, his laughter echoing against the steel.
“Going to kill me, are you? Or is this just your way of saying you missed me?”
Tombstone leans forward, chains creaking as his massive arms tighten.
“I’m going to beat the unholy hell out of you, Jasper Redgrave. For what you’ve done. For what you are.”
Redgrave wipes a spot of dried blood from his lip, smirking.
“You’ll have to be more specific, old friend. I’ve done a lot of awful things. It’s sort of my art form.”
Tombstone ignores the jab. His voice grows lower.
“But mostly… because I want to know something.”
That makes Redgrave pause, his smirk faltering for a fraction of a second.
“Oh?”
“I’m searching for someone,” Tombstone continues. “Someone ancient. Someone who doesn’t belong up here.”
He locks eyes with Jasper, the weight of eternity behind them.
“I’m looking for Hades.”
For a brief moment, even the air seems to stop moving. Then Jasper laughs—wild, loud, unrestrained laughter that echoes through the cage-lined halls.
“You think I’m Hades?” he cackles. “Oh, that’s rich. Truly.”
Tombstone doesn’t smile.
“You knew how to trap me,” he says quietly. “You knew the sigils. You knew how to bind the dead.”
Redgrave leans forward, the flicker of the torchlight catching the madness in his eyes.
“Oh, I know a lot of things, Ferryman,” he whispers. “But whether that makes me a god, a devil, or just a very clever monster…”
He shrugs.
“…I suppose that’s for you to find out.”
The sound of heavy boots echoes down the corridor. The iron door creaks open.
Klaus Way’s goons—black masks, blood-red gloves—march in, keys rattling. One of them slams a baton against the bars.
“Showtime.”
The locks click open.
Jasper stands, brushing dust from his bloodstained shirt, and flashes Tombstone a grin.
“Well then,” he says, stretching his arms, “shall we dance, my dear Ferryman?”
Tombstone rises slowly, chains falling away as if they were made of paper. His stare burns with quiet fury.
“Oh, we’ll dance,” he rumbles. “But you won’t like the tune.”
The goons shove open the gate, and the two step out, side by side, into the darkness beyond.
Cut.
KLAUS WAY: Roll up! Roll Up! Ladies and Gentlemen, cover the eyes of any children or those of weak constitution. Yes, folk, I only bring you the best of the best of OSW! For the next event taking the Center Stage in the next cage, we have the Killer King Jasper Redgrave going toe to toe with the King of Destination, Tombstone!
With a flourish, Way signals for the combatants to be released from their confines as we hear their shackles falling to the ground. Tombstone looks stunned for a split second, realization setting in, nothing is holding him here, no symbols, no runes, no spells, the only thing keeping him tethered to this Big Top is a burning rage.
This realization comes quickly, though, as Tombstone catches The Killer King under the jaw with Fingertip Upper-Cut, followed by another, then another, another, another, over and over again to the point we lose count as THE FERRYMAN KNOCKS… REPEATEDLY! As Redgrave drops to a knee, stunned from the countless jarring blows.
The King of Destination looks to stay on the advantage when... SH-SH-SHA! A could of sand plumes in the face of The Already Dead, thrown by Jasper Redgrave, blinding the big man!
*THUMP!*
The sickening sound of a Strongman’s Wooden Mallet connects with the guts of The Ferryman, doubling The Already Dead over as Redgrave rises, bringing the Mallet down...
*KER-FUCKING-RAK!*
Tombstone holds his arm up, snapping the Mallet at the handle, shocking The Killer King. Big Boot by The Already Dead takes The Artist off his feet. Tombstone looks at his feet, and a sly smirk crosses his face as he picks up a fucking braided bull whip!
*CRACK!*
*CRACK!*
*CRACK!*
Multiple lashes to the chest of the Killer King as wounds open on the chest from the lashing, but instead of exhaustion, Tombstone is greeted by the manic cackling laughter of the Killer King! As Redgrave sits up his mouth open in a perverted grin. Tombstone goes to swing the whip once more, but this time Redgrave gets his arm up and the whip wraps around the forearm to The Artist!
The Artist quickly gets to his feet, using the whip to pull The Already Dead in... Superkick sending Tombstone staggering back and bouncing off the Trapeze Artist’s rope ladder, causing the big man to spring back into a Fucking Spinning Back Elbow which catches The Already Dead in the throat, THE PERFECT COLLAGE OF VIOLENCE!
Redgrave wipes the blood from the wounds across his chest, flicking the remains onto his foe. The Artist grabs a handful of The Already Dead’s hair dragging him over to the Trapeze Ladder throwing Tombstone’s head between the rungs and stands on his back choking out the Already Dead as the fan’s gasp in horror as Tombstone’s face begins to change colour, first a bright red, soon a deep purple as saliva drips from the mouth of the Already Dead.
Tombstone consciousness begins to fade as he manages to twist the rope ladder, knocking Redgrave off balance and sending him clattering to the dirt and sand below. Tombstone’s colour slowly returns to his face as he begins the Already Dead begins to stalk the prone Redgrave. But Tombstones irises aren’t visible, just the whites of his eyes... AND THEY’RE FUCKING GLOWING! After nearly choking Tombstone into the nether, the monster Ferryman is back. As Redgrave backs away in desperation, scooting along the ground for the first time, seeing the power of Tombstone face-to-face, the anger, the callousness...
*Tink.*
Redgrave’s hand brushes against something, and his sinister smile returns...
*THWIP!*
The crowd gasps in audible horror AS A FUCKING THROWING KNIFE FROM THE GODDAMNED DAREDEVIL ACT BURIES ITSELF INTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ALREADY DEAD...
WHO PAUSES MOMENTARILY AND REMOVES THE KNIFE AS IF IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A MISQUITO AND THE CROWD GOES BANANA AS TOMBSTONE CONTINUES HIS MARCH SEEMINGLY UNAFFECTED!
Tombstone reaches for Redgrave, who, almost in a panic, begins to pull himself up the rope ladder to stay out of the grasp of the Ferryman, but Jasper slips and falls into a waiting Bossman Slam – REDGRAVE TRIED – BUT YOU JUST CAN’T RUN FROM THE FERRYMAN!
Tombstone stands monster still churning within him as he grabs The Killer King and drags him to his feet, scooping him up, Tombstone – ELYSIUM FIELDS - NO! Jasper slips out the back and starts to scurry back up the Trapeze Ladder to a landing about ten feet up! Tombstone scowls and follows the Artist as the crowd now reverts to a horrified silence!
As Tombstone begins to reach the top of the ladder, Jasper begins to rain down kicks from above, but the ever-persistent Ferryman continues to bully his way up until both men are standing face-to-face at the top of the Trapeze platform.
Both men begin exchanging rights and lefts. Both men are T-t-t-t-t-teetering on the edge, sweat flying off each of them as they can barely keep their footing on the small platform. The crowd Ooos and Ahs as they look at the inevitability, one of these will fall when... GOOZLE! Tombstone’s arm extends, wrapping around the throat of The Killer King before lifting Redgrave into the air, jumping off the platform with Redgrave in tow as he switches to a Uranage on the way down -
ON!
YOUR!
WAY!
TOMBSTONE HAS JUST...
KILLED...
IT...
WITH...
FIRE!
THE CROWD LETS OUT A COLLECTIVE HORRIFIED GASP AS BOTH MEN MAKE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, KICKING UP A PLUME OF SAND! AS TOMBSTONE MANAGES TO STAGGER BACK TO HIS FEET.
Klaus Way quickly rushes up and raises the hand of The King of Destination, not wanting to miss his mark.
KLAUS WAY: Ladies and gentlemen, he has done it, in the face of the sinister Killer King and Arcadia’s most notorious alleged Serial Killer, your victor is Tombstone!
Tombstone can barely stand as the crowd erupts, as the masked men appear once more to take him back into containment.
The Weight of a Whisper
The big top is chaos. Blood stains the sawdust floor, sweat gleams under the flickering carnival lights, and the crowd above chants in delirious rhythm—half cheering, half baying for another death.
Jasper Redgrave stands barely upright in the center of it all, his chest heaving, his face smeared crimson. Across from him, Tombstone lies motionless—or so it seems.
Klaus Way raises his cane from ringside, bellowing over the noise. “Ladies and gentlemen, your victor… the Artist of Agony, Jasper Redgrave!”
The crowd erupts in raucous approval, the noise shaking the tent’s rafters. Redgrave, bleeding but smiling, bows deeply like a stage actor at curtain call. Two of Way’s masked goons climb into the ring to escort him back to the cages.
But then—
Tombstone moves.
A flicker. A twitch.
And then, like a corpse reanimated by rage itself, he surges to his feet and tackles Redgrave to the ground, the impact cracking the boards beneath them. The goons rush in, but Klaus Way’s hand shoots up, his grin wide, his eyes alight with showman’s madness.
“No,” he says softly, delighted. “Let them go.”
The crowd screams its approval as Tombstone mounts Redgrave, fists flying like hammers. Every blow sends a spray of blood across the sawdust. Redgrave’s face becomes a blur of red and ruin. He coughs, sputters, and still—he laughs.
“You can’t kill what’s already damned,” Jasper wheezes through a broken smile.
Tombstone doesn’t respond. His breathing is ragged, his fury volcanic. He rises to his feet, towering over the fallen artist. His boot connects with Jasper’s ribs—once, twice, three times—until Redgrave curls into himself in pain.
Tombstone’s gaze darts around. He spots something—a heavy metal dumbbell, left from one of the earlier circus acts. He stoops, wraps his massive hands around it, and lifts it high above his head.
The crowd gasps.
“You forget,” Tombstone growls, his voice like rolling thunder, “you’re not immortal, Jasper.”
He stands over him, the weight trembling in his grip.
“Let’s see what happens when the body dies before the soul’s ready.”
Jasper’s eyes widens in panic. He raises a blood-slick hand.
“Wait!” he gasps. “Wait—please!”
Tombstone hesitates, the dumbbell still poised to strike.
Redgrave’s voice lowers to a rasp, desperate but deliberate. “There’s something you need to know.”
Tombstone narrows his eyes, suspicion warring with curiosity.
“Speak.”
“Not… like this,” Jasper chokes, coughing up blood. “Come closer.”
For a tense moment, Tombstone considers crushing his skull anyway. Then, with a grunt, he lets the dumbbell fall from his hands. It hits the ground beside them with a thud that shakes the ring.
Tombstone leans in, one massive hand clutching Jasper’s neck, pulling him close until their faces are inches apart.
Redgrave’s lips curl into that familiar, sick grin. His voice drops to a whisper—so soft the crowd cannot hear.
Whatever he says makes Tombstone freeze. His eyes flicker wide—shock, recognition, then something darker.
Jasper, blood running from his mouth, chuckles weakly. “Now you understand,” he murmurs.
Tombstone lets him go. He stands in stunned silence, staring down at the bleeding monster who’s still smiling through broken teeth.
Klaus Way applauds from ringside, delighted by the brutality and the drama.
“Magnificent!” he crows. “Now that is entertainment!”
But Tombstone doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak.
He just stares at Jasper Redgrave… and for the first time in a very long time—
The Ferryman looks shocked.
Flutter.
Cut.
Extreme Measures
Inside the cage of Cade and Ares, the world is still.
Jackson sits slumped in one corner, arms draped over bent knees, head lowered. Blood stains his knuckles. His breathing is steady, but there’s something hollow in his silence.
Ares sits opposite him, back against the steel, staring. Watching. A predator caged with a man who refuses to break.
The silence stretches like wire between them.
Then Jackson lifts his head. Meets Ares’ eyes.
“I would’ve let them choose,” he says, voice low. “I would’ve honored the sacrifice they made for me. If they wanted death, they deserved the dignity of it.”
Ares doesn’t blink. His glare sharpens.
“Then you chose wrong.”
Jackson’s jaw clenches.
“They weren’t yours to sacrifice,” Perseus says.
“They were yours,” Ares snaps. “And you would leave their fate in the air. So I acted.”
Cade stares, realization sinking in.
“You sent them to labor camps.”
“They’ll serve Arcadia now,” Ares says. “They’ll matter. That’s what leadership is. You don’t ask for permission. You don’t wait for fate. You choose. With conviction. With blood. And you own it.”
He leans forward, voice hardening.
“You’re not ready. You still think there's a clean way to rule. So I’m done waiting. I’m done watching you flinch at the crown. When we get out of this Circus, you’re not going to like what comes next.”
Jackson pushes himself to his feet, resting one hand against the bars as the cage begins to move.
“Looks like we’re headed to the big top,” he mutters. “So if you’ve got something to teach me, Ares…”
He turns to face him, eyes blazing.
“Then stop preaching. And try.”
Cut.
The lights go out for a moment before two spotlights appear, shining down bright upon the competitors. Cade shields his eyes as Ares just ignores the light, never taking his gaze off Jackson. A loud tapping is heard before the voice of Klaus Way flows through the air. Over the top, flamboyant and every word filled with sadistic glee.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls. For your considerations, the next performance is for the very future of Arcadia itself. Will Jackson Cade be able to forge his own path or will the God of War drag him kicking and screaming through the graveyard of his daddy's making?"
The spotlights go away, the lights flashing back on suddenly as Cade blinks for a moment, Ares snarling
BEFORE RUSHING FORWARD AND NEARLY TAKING HIS HEAD OFF WITH A MAMMOTH LARIAT!
Cade staggers back up right into a furious headbutt by Ares who begins to pummel Cade with heavy lefts and rights that rock the would be ruler. Ares spins around, looking for a Discus that Cade manages to duck under before delivering a flurry of his own that seem to barely affect the God of War.
A big knee rocks Ares just enough for Jackson to roll back, leaping up high
HOSTILE DO...
ARES SLAPS THAT SHIT AWAY LIKE IT'S NOTHING!
Cade rolls head over heels backwards from the sheer force, stumbling into a nearby post but he can't even turn around before a mammoth hand grips his skull from behind.
AND SLAMS IT FORWARD INTO THE WOODEN POST!
Blood begins to pool down the forehead of Cade, Perseus reeling as his skull meets the thick wood twice...three times...four times. Ares just slamming it over and over into the post as it begins to slightly crack from the sheer force. Cade tries fighting back with heavy elbows to the sternum but Ares just tightens the grip before tossing Cade clean through the air.
Jackson comes crashing down hard on the sand, the crowd roaring in approval as Ares slowly stalks forward. Perseus scrambling as he looks for something..anything to use against the God of War as he stumbles upon something.
And throws a juggling ball at Ares that just bounces off him.
Cade throws a second and then a third as Ares just scowls, marching forward as he grips Cade by the neck
'Have some dignity boy. Take this lesson like a man"
Cade responds by spitting in Ares face.
Ares turns away, wiping it from his face with a deep breath
BEFORE A MAMMOTH HEADBUTT NEARLY CRACKS CADE'S SKULL
And then he's lifted up high in the air
AND NEARLY POWERBOMBED THROUGH THE SAND
Cade screams in agony, Ares just looking down at him with disdain before backing up as he waits for Zeus junior to get to his feet.
ABSOLUTE WARFARE! CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL NEARLY DECAPITATES CADE!
But Ares had the wrist clutched as he doesn't let Cade fall, SHORT ARM CLOTHESLINE
A SECOND!
Ares pulls him back up before trying for another but Cade ducks
INCENDIARY ROUND...BARELY MOVES ARES!
Jackson rolls back, rushing forward
RIGHT INTO A SPARTAN KICK THAT SENDS CADE FLYING THROUGH THE AIR RIGHT THROUGH A NEARBY PILE OF HAY!
Cade is planted deep into the Hay, Ares slowly walking forward before reaching inside and pulling Cade out
HANDFUL OF STRAW TO THE FACE BLINDS ARES!
Jackson rolls back
HOSTILE DOWN! HOSTILE DOWN! Superkick nails hard, dropping Ares for the first time.
But the God of War doesn't stay down for long.
Jackson looks towards the cracked post, one of many holding some aloft.
A ladder reaching up high towards a simple scaffold board reaching across the cage.
Cade looks around, seeing Ares allready rising and shrugs his shoulders before beginning to climb.
Cade barely gets half way before Ares is on his feet and quick to follow, Ares nearly grabbing Cade and pulling him down but a stiff boot to the jaw stuns him, allowing Cade to scramble up top
And climb onto the board.
Ares gets up there quickly after, staring at Jackson as Cade looks down,
Ten...maybe fifteen feet of a hard drop down onto simple sand.
Cade hesitates for a moment as Ares charges at him
INCENDIARY ROUND!
Ares rushes right into the Bullhammer, stunning him for a moment as Cade lifts him high up into the air
MASTER KEY BRAINBUSSTTTAAA!
ARES CRASHES INTO THE WOOD AND ROLLS OVER
FALLING DOWN THE FIFTEEN FEET DOWN ONTO THE SAND!
Ares isn't out but the fall winded him, dazed as he looks up at Cade who flips him off
BEFORE DIVING OFF
SCREAMING FUCKING EAGLE BITCH!
DIVING ELBOW DROP FROM THE TOP OF THE SCAFFOLD!
The crowd are on their feet, loving every minute of this carnage as both men slowly get up. Cade holding his elbow in pain as Ares holds his chest. Both men fuming as they rush forward
But Ares is just that little bit faster
He stuns Cade with a hard slap to the jaw before bringing him in close
BELLY TO BELLY!
A SECOND!
Ares pulls Cade up again, lifting him up high
SPINE....DDT!
Cade spikes Ares into the Sand out of nowhere, before rolling back onto his feet
Ares slowly staggers up right into
HOSTILE FUCKING DOWN!
Ares is still on his feet, Cade kicking him low before double underhooking
THE RIGHT THING! PEDIGREE INTO THE SAND
Ares is still somehow concious, Cade fuming as he backs up, knowing exactly what he has to do.
What Ares wants him to do and kill the God of War with Fire.
Jackson backs himself up as far as the cage will allow, slowly watching Ares stumble up to his knees before sprinting forward
50 CALIBRE! RUNNING PUNT NEARLY BREAKS ARES JAW!
AND IT KNOCKS HIM THE FUCK OUT!
Jackson Cade has his hand raised by Klaus Way, Perseus looking at the Ringmaster with absolute disdain before a bunch of henchmen rush into the cage. A few escorting Cade and a few picking up the unconcious God of War as the pair are thrown back into their cell.
Birthright
Jackson Cade stands over Ares, bruised, battered, victorious.
“This wasn’t about power,” Cade says, his voice gravel but steady. “It never was. You think leadership is about breaking people down. About owning them. But it’s not. It’s about standing for something; so they have something worth standing behind.”
He steps back, turning toward the open cage door. Victory in his posture. Righteousness in his breath.
A slow clap cuts through the moment.
From beyond the curtain steps Klaus Way, grinning like a butcher in greasepaint.
“Well done, darling,” he croons. “Truly moving. Thought we’d get another act, maybe a tragic encore, but... oh well.”
Cade steps outside the cage, warily watching Klaus.
Behind him, Ares rises and walks to the edge, calm despite the damage.
“You beat me,” Ares says. “But that changes nothing.”
Cade turns, jaw set.
“You’re still not ready,” Ares continues. “You can’t claim your birthright while you’re still dragging the dead weight of who you used to be.”
Cade scowls. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Ares tilts his head.
“You’ll never wear the crown, Jackson. Not until you kill the anchor that’s been choking you since Olympus opened its gates. That’s your final test. Fail, and you die. Succeed, and claim your birthright.”
Something moves behind Cade.
CLANG.
A metal ringmaster’s bell slams into the back of his skull. Cade drops like a sack of shit.
Jasper Redgrave looms over him, face lit with malice.
“Time for Little Eagle to leave the nest,” the Artist sneers, grabbing Cade and dragging him toward the curtain.
Klaus chuckles, tipping his hat.
“Pity. I was hoping for that encore.”
The cage door slams shut behind Ares.
Who smiles.
Cut.
The Night
The air inside the big top is thick with smoke and sweat. The crowd, still ravenous after the earlier chaos, chants with bloodthirsty rhythm. Spotlights twist and shimmer across the dirt as Klaus Way, dressed in his crimson tailcoat and top hat, commands the floor like a demonic showman.
At his signal, a small procession of masked goons march forward, dragging Doom between them—bound at the wrists, his armor dented and scuffed, the glow of his mechanical mask flickering faintly. They throw him down in the center of the ring like an offering to the gods.
Klaus spreads his arms wide, his grin sharp and gleaming beneath the stage lights.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” he bellows, his voice booming through the speakers. “Behold! The walking tank, the iron legend—the great Doom!”
The audience roars.
Klaus circles Doom like a lion tamer, tapping his cane against the man’s shoulder. “Of course,” he says mockingly, “every good show needs two acts. And it seems our second performer couldn’t be captured in time. What a shame.”
He turns toward his entourage, feigning disappointment. “The Night has vanished into the shadows. How poetic.”
Just as he says it—
The floodlights above flicker violently.
A murmur ripples through the crowd.
Then—a figure drops from the rafters, black cloak streaming behind him. The Night lands with a crash in the center of the ring, between Doom and the goons. The crowd gasps in awe.
Without hesitation, Night launches forward, fists and boots striking like thunder, taking down two masked men in an instant. Another swings at him, but he ducks low, sweeps the legs, and sends the man tumbling into the turnbuckle.
The crowd goes wild—until the rest of the goons surge in, swarming him.
Night fights valiantly, but the numbers are too great. They pile onto him like wolves, dragging him down beneath a tide of fists and boots.
Klaus claps slowly, mockingly. “Well, well, well,” he muses. “The prodigal King returns. How good of you to join us, my boy.” He gestures toward the pile of bodies beating Night down. “Of course, you’ve now made things so much worse for yourself.”
The goons pull Night up by his arms, blood already streaking his mask. He spits at the ground, still glaring at Klaus.
Klaus laughs. “You’ve just put your precious title match in jeopardy, my dear King of Bones.”
He turns toward Doom, who’s watching silently from his knees, his metallic breathing heavy, echoing under the big top’s canopy.
Klaus steps closer, lowering his cane until its tip presses against Doom’s chin. “And you…” he says softly, almost disappointed. “You’re supposed to be a changed man now, aren’t you? A hero reborn. A savior of Arcadia.” He tilts his head, eyes narrowing. “Yet here you sit—watching. Not helping.”
The crowd begins to boo, sensing the tension, the mockery.
Klaus smirks, lifting the cane away. “Tell me, Doom—when did the monster in the metal become just another spectator?”
Doom’s head lifts slightly, the glow in his mask flaring for a moment.
Klaus chuckles, stepping back.
“Ah… there he is. I knew I’d find the fire somewhere.”
He raises his arms theatrically to the crowd.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it seems our next act has become a double feature! Two heroes, one fate! Let the spectacle begin!”
As the goons drag Night and Doom to opposite corners, the lights dim to blood red.
Klaus Way, grinning ear to ear, steps into the spotlight at the center of his chaos.
The showman bows.
“Welcome… to Carnevil.”
Inside the cage as The Night slowly enters, he eyes down an almost unfamiliar Doom.
Stripped off nearly all his armor and gear, practically naked aside from short tights, boots and his unbreakable, immovable mask.
No protection.
No weapons.
No tools or tricks.
Just his pure ability that will put to the absolute test.
Once again the lights dim as spotlights shine upon champion and challenger alike as the sadistic, flamboyant voice echoes throughout the Big Top once more.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we come to our Semi-Main Event of the evening. It is time for the OSW World Championship to be put on the line as the reigning and defending champion puts up the fifteen pounds of gold against the latest warrior that would be King. Will the Night get one step closer to his Vengeance or will he be forced to kneel before DOOOOMMMM?"
A loud triple clap is heard, signifying the start of the contest as both competitors rush at one another. Doom stumbling over his feet slightly as he's not used to ordinary boots, allowing The Night to leap forward, grabbing Doom's head
AND SPIKING HIM INTO THE SAND WITH A LEAPING DDT!
Doom staggers up into a flurry of lefts and rights, the smaller but stronger challenger overpowering the usual dominant champion who's still struggling out of his element.
A hard right rocks Doom before he's dropped down to his knees by an enziguri before The Night rolls backwards, sizing up a groggy Doom before rushing forward
DOOM DUCKS UNDERNEATH THE NIGHT CAP! The Night going flying overhead, allowing Doom to get a slight breather as he stumbles to his feet. Doom shakes the cobwebs off, staring down the King of Bones who just stops himself slamming headfirst into the cage. The Night turns as Doom rushes at him.
SPLITTER...THE NIGHT HOLDS OFF THE SPEAR!
Without the power of his fancy gadgets, Doom finds himself overpowered by his challenger here. The Scientist tries to force through but a stiff elbow to the spine stuns Doom, allowing The Night to throw him back down hard to the sand floor.
Doom crawls away, holding his exposed back in pain as he tries to look for something to gain the upperhand but the only thing in sight is a large, polka dotted trunk.
At the back of a small multi colored car.
The Night catches up to Doom, trying to lift him up to his feet but gets a face full of Sand that blinds and staggers him back. Doom quickly opens up the trunk, rummaging through it as he tosses out multiple odd objects.
A few clown noses go through the air, as does a green tricycle and a large bag stuffed to the brim like some twisted gift sack. Doom continues looking through, before pulling out a small glass seltzer bottle.
Which he proceeds to throw at The Night.
The Enigma manages to catch the bottle though, rushing forward
AND SMASHING IT OVER DOOM'S SKULL!
Glass and sticky seltzer go everywhere as though the steel mask manages to protect him from the worst, Doom is still rattled by the blow. He's not out though, stunned on his feet before a big Shotgun Dropkick sends him crashing down, tumbling head over heels right into the large bag, which slightly opens from impact.
The Night slowly stalks forward, looking to finish off Doom as he leaps into the air, Doom reaches into the bag and grabs something.
AS HE SLAMS A JUGGLING PIN INTO THE NIGHT'S RIGHT LEG
The Night crashes down onto the sand, screaming in pain. Doom just scowls before bringing the pin down over and over onto the bad leg as screams echo out through the cage, much to the delight of the sadistic crowd.
Doom tosses the cracked pin to the side before rummaging inside the bag once more and pulling out what seems to be very thin ropes.
But as he keeps pulling, we see it's not ropes.
But Handkerchiefs. One after the other, all different colours in loop after loop.
Finally Doom tired of trying to get to the end, just rips it off before wrapping it tight around his hands. The Night tries to stand but a stiff boot to the jaw drops him back down to the sand before Doom bends down, wrapping one end of the handkerchiefs around his bad leg
BEFORE PULLING BACK WITH THE OTHER IN A MODIFIED HALF CRAB!
The Night screams out in pain, Doom using the silk for leverage to bend the limb even further back. The Night tries to fight back but a pair of elbows right to the joint take all the fight out of the King of Bones.
Doom doesn't let up, pulling the knee back even further, wrapping it around the back of his head in a Stretch Muffler. The Night screaming out in pain as he begins pounding and tapping out on the sand.
But that does nothing here.
As Doom quickly stops him by pulling back even harder all the while
He begins to stomp the Night's fucking head in.
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
The final one sends The Night face first into the sand with a hard slam as the silk snaps from the sheer force. The challenger is dazed but not out as he's still stirring face down.
Doom pulls The Night up, rocking him with a series of hard rights and lefts that do some significant damage to the dazed Night before backing up
AND SCRAMBLING HIS BRAINS WITH A BRUTAL RUNNING KNEE!
The Night is still concious though, still refusing to stay down. And as Doom goes to lift him up once more,
The Night slips out of his hands and spits in his face.
Doom turns, wiping the spit from his mask with utter disdain before reaching down
and he might not have his gauntlets but Doom is still about to choke a bitch
AS HE INTRODUCES THE NIGHT TO THE HANDS OF DOOM!
Doom lifts The Night off the ground with both hands trying to choke him inot unconciousness. The Night struggling but he doesn't have the strength or leverage to escape as he looks to be slowly fading away, his hands scraping the ground as he struggles.
His eyes begin to fade, Doom chokes him even harder.
AS THE NIGHT THROWS A HANDFUL OF GLITTER INTO DOOM'S EYES!
The usual protective lenses aren't there to stop foreign objects as Doom's grip loosens from the shock and pain in his blurred sight. The Night swinging upwards and catching Doom with a hard kick to the jaw that gets him free.
The Enigma staggering backwards, holding his throat in pain and limping severly but he rushes at Doom as much as he can
BUT HE RUNS INTO A KICK TO THE BAD LEG! The Night drops down to one knee in agony as Doom backs up
BEFORE DELIVERING A SHINING WIZARD TO THE FACE OF THE CHALLENGER!
Doom doesn't stop to see if the Night's unconcious, knowing that it'll take more as he pulls him up before double underhooking both arms
AND SPIKING HIM DOWN WITH A DOUBLE ARM DDT!
Doom taking a page out of the book of his family here but the Night refuses to stay down. Blood impacting onto the sand from the DDT but he's allready still struggling to his feet.
He knows what this opportunity is and Doom may well have to kill him to finish him off here.
Doom sighs, walking back over as he goes to pick the Night up but he's suddenly rocked by a hard uppercut as The Night tries to leap up with a Cutter
Doom dodges, holding The Night on his shoulders as he swings downwards
DOOM
IS
ETERNAL!
OMEGGGGAAA DRIVVVEERRR!
The Night gets spiked into the sand, that has to be it there as Doom turns, satisifed that The Night is done but as he tries to walk over and signal to Klaus that it's over, a voice echoes out from behind him.
"It's not the dawn asshole, The Night isn't over yet."
Doom looks over, shaking his head as The Night tries to struggle to his feet in vain, but can barely stand from the pain wracking his body before collapsing onto his stomach. Doom just nods before walking over to the bag and grabbing out not just one more Juggling Pin
But Two as he looks to crack open the Night's skull.
Doom slowly stalks forward, swinging both pins in the air as The Night tries to even sit up. Doom looks down, both heavy pins raised high, ready to slam down
AS THE NIGHT SUDDENLY REARS UP AND BLOCKS HIM WITH HIS BAT!
Night somehow snuck in his trusty bat and with a single swing swipes the two pins away from Doom's hands. Doom tries to strike back but a hard shot to the sternum sends him crashing back first into the sand.
Doom staggers up but another hard shot doubles him over before he's lifted up from behind before flipped down onto his face
WITH GOODNIGHT VIENNA! SOMERSAULT SIDEWALK SLAM FACEBUSTER!
The impact on the knee is bad though, the Night staggering back into the clown car. Breathing hard, his eyes move towards the trunk and something that's still inside.
As The Night pulls out a wooden ladder.
Stepping gingerly, he sets it up, the top just slightly higher then the roof of the car. He slowly climbs up onto the roof and waits for Doom to slowly stagger to his feet. Gritting teeth, he leaps up to the top of the ladder, diving off
NIGHT....PENDING DOOM! DOOM CATCHES THE NIGHT IN MID-LEAP, DRIVING HIM DOWN INTO THE SAND WITH THE DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!
Doom has this in the bag, the world champion backing up for the killing shot.
He might not be able to supercharge it or enhance it in any way but a jar is a jar.
And Doom knows exactly how to break them.
Doom screams out loud, rushing at The Night who is on his knees
The Punt Kick hits flush as he BREAKS THE FUCKING JAR!
AND KNOCKS THE NIGHT OUT COLD!
DOOM IS STILL YOUR OSW WORLD CHAMPION
Doom drops to his knees, breathing hard as Klaus Way slowly enters, pulling the champ to his feet and raising his hand in victory before the circus goons rush into the cage, grabbing both Doom and the unconcious Night and dragging them back into their cells.
Boundaries, II
"Ladies and Gentleman! Miscreants and Degenerates! Roll up! Roll up! Your main event is about to commence!"
Klaus Way waltzes into the center of his circus, commanding the crowd as though they were an extension of himself, playing them like a fiddle. He turns, motioning towards the opening of his tent. "Presenting my newest freak, you know him, you hate him... HAROOOOOOOOLD ATTANO! THE GHOST OF ARCADIA!"
A chorus of boos fill the circus as Harold is wheeled through the tent flaps by none other than Michaela. She pushes the cage to the center of the arena obediently, standing beside the cage, eyes glued to the floor as Klaus walks up to her and Harold, the smile plastered on his face dripping with malice.
"How do you feel, Harold? Knowing that you've finally lost it all? That all you'll ever be is a failure?" A chuckle escapes his mouth that is soon cut short by the sound of Michaela's voice.
"Klaus, can we talk-"
"In front of the crowd, Michaela?" His smile disappears in an instant, replaced by a blood curdling frown. "What did we talk about? About boundaries?"
"I just-"
SMACK!
KLAUS WAY JUST BACKHANDED MICHAELA! THE CROWD ROARS WITH A DISGUSTING APPROVAL AT THE ABUSE!
"How about I make an example of you for dear old dad, then? Maybe I can remind you what happens when you cross-"
Click.
SLAM!
ATTANO JUST KICKED THE CELL DOOR INTO KLAUS' NOSE MAKING IT EXPLODE WITH BLOOD!
The Ringmaster is knocked right onto his ass, hand shooting to his face, eyes wide as he spots a key in the cage's door.
"Get your God damned hands off of my daughter." Attano steps out of his cell, looking to Michaela with a nod. "Thanks for the key. Now go. Please."
No time for words, no time to talk. Michaela nods her head, making her escape as Attano closes in on Klaus.
"You want a main event? You've got one."
The main event is set to begin, and it seems like Klaus' horror story just got haunted by a ghost out of his control.
Klaus staggers back, blood dripping down his nose from the cage door as Attano watches him with fury in his eyes. The goons look ready to rush the cage but Way stops them with an open palm, reaching upwards as a microphone slowly descends from the ceiling.
The Ringmaster breaths heavily, slowly calming himself down before that shit eating sadistic grin etches onto his face. The lights dim and the spotlights shine once more.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the moment we've all been waiting for. Your Main Event of the Evening for the most prestigious championship in Olympus, nigh Arcadia. As your Ringmaster General defends his NXT Level Championship against this violent evil piece of subhuman trash. Those in the first few rows better wear some protection because you're going to get wet as I make that ungrateful bitch an orphan."
Klaus scowls before rushing forward as he tries to nail Attano with the microphone. Harold ducks underneath, before rocking Klaus with heavy lefts and rights. A hard headbutt causes him to let go of the microphone, Attano grabbing it in mid-air as he raises it high
AND SLAMS IT DOWN INTO KLAUS'S BUSTED NOSE!
Way staggers back, bleeding profusely from what well could be a broken nose now, fury in his eyes as he rushes forward, taking Attano by surprise with a big spear like tackle before raining down lefts and rights. Attano easily reverses, mounting Way and pounding down hammer fists and elbows with ease.
Because Way might be a jack of all styles but when it comes to beatdowns, Nobody does it better then Harold Attano.
Attano rains down lefts and rights, Way trying to cover himself up before a big headbutt rocks him. Attano lifting up the Ringmaster by the back of the head as he rushes forward, trying to send him into the cage but Way manages to grab the cage with his hands.
Slipping out of Attano's grasp as he leaps up and over his head
AND DROPS ATTANO INTO THE SAND WITH A POISON RANA!
Way stumbles back, wiping the blood from his face as he smirks. Running up and delivering a hard kick to the ribs of a kneeling Nobody, he nails a second and a third before lifting him up off his feet. Attano is double underhooked before Way begins to lift up knee after knee to the dome, a final leaping one rocking Nobody. Harold is out on his feet as he's spun around
SNAP GERMAN! DRIVING ATTANO ON THE BACK OF HIS HEAD TO THE THIN LAYER OF SAND OVER CONCRETE!
The crowd cheer and chant their Ringmaster's name, Way smiling ear to ear for his beloved audience. He spins around, bowing to each side but as he turns right around
He turns into a huge shotgun dropkick that sends him ass over head. Way stumbles to his feet as Attano leaps up, looking for a Headshot
WAY JUST AVOIDS IT!
BACKHAND DAZES ATTANO
Way lifts him up onto his shoulders
AND DELIVERS THE CIRQUE DOULEUR!
STORMMMBBBREAKKKKER ONTO THE UNFORGIVING SAND!
Klaus Way is absolutely dominating Harold Attano here, Way constantly having counters for Attano's offense and the Ringmaster is loving every minute of it as he goes to pull Nobody up to his feet.
THE COMMON MAN! THE COMMON MAN!
ARMBAR OUT OF NOWHERE GETS LOCKED ON WAY!
Klaus screams out in pain, Attano pulling back with all his might trying to dislocate if not break Klaus's arm. Way grits his teeth, lifting Attano up dangling
BEFORE DELIVERING A MODIFIED POWERBOMB ONTO THE SAND
Way staggers away, holding his arm as it may well have done the trick.
As it looks like Way's arm has been dislocated from the socket.
Attano looks up, smirking at the pain Klaus is in who looks at Attano with anger for a second before smiling
And easily popping his arm back into place like the double jointed freak that he is.
Attano scowls, trying to get to his feet but he's rocked by a big boot to the jaw and is lifted up to his feet from behind
Klaus swinging him around before snapping him over his knee with a powerslam like backbreaker.
WHIP CRACK! Attano goes down screaming in pain from the sheer agony as Klaus bows to the audience still cheering his every move.
Another hard kick to the jaw keeps Attano on the mat as Way walks off to a special set up corner. Very close to the trapeze wire set up high is a large metal ring and a wooden stool with a few items placed upon it.
Klaus's Ringmaster Coat, his Top Hat and a rather deadly looking leather whip.
Klaus picks up the Coat, sliding it on as he does the top hat. Circling around as he is about to begin his final act, spinning around with whip in hand. He watches Attano slowly rising to his feet as he stalks forward, whip raised high
KRACK....IT MISSES AS ATTANO DODGES
SCORPION KICK! Way is stunned by the jolt to the jaw, dropping the whip before Harold rolls backwards and leaps up
SUPERKICK
VENEMOUS HEADSHOT CONNECTS FLUSH!
Attano barely lets Way hit the sand though, lifting him up by the throat in a fury as he pulls him up to look him eye to eye.
KICK TO THE DICK!
Way takes advantage of Attano's anger once again, dropping Attano to his knees with an opportunistic low blow. Way stumbles backwards, shaking the cobwebs off for a moment before picking up the fallen whip, clutching it in one hand
And slashing it down upon Attano's back.
Harold screams out in pain as Way begins to deliver vicious lashes, twice, thrice, four times.
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Attano's back a bloodied and cut mess, screaming in agony as Way has that sadistic vile grin plastered upon his face the entire time.
One final lash silences the screams. Attano breathing heavily and concious but barely fighting as Way pulls him up, placing the limp Nobody onto the stool before walking over and grabbing the fallen microphone.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a very special attraction here for you tonight. Arcadias Ghost is about to go up in flames as he dares to venture through the INFERNAL WHEEL!"
Klaus clicks his fingers as the metal ring suddenly bursts into flames. The lights go out once more, only the flames illuminating the cage as Way pulls Attano up from the stool.
POCKET SAND! Attano throws a handful of sand into Way's face, blinding the Ringmaster before he scrambles away into the darkness.
Klaus wipes his eyes, gaining his vision once more as he begins looking around for Attano, seeing where he could have gone before he turns his back on the Infernal Wheel for but a moment.
DIDN"T SEE THAT COMING BITCH! ATTANO LEAPS THROUGH THE FLAMES DELIVERING THE HIDDEN BLADE ELBOW OUT OF NOWHERE!
Klaus gets rocked as the lights come back on. Way tries to stumble away on his hands and knees but Attano picks up the fallen whip
AND FLICKS IT FORWARD WRAPPING IT AROUND WAY'S THROAT!
Klaus struggles to breath, clutching at his throat as Attano pulls him backwards, turning him around to look him dead in the eyes.
ANOTHER KICK TO THE DICK!
ATTANO TANKS IT!
Nobody is more furious then Harold Attano right now as he wraps the whip tighter around Way's throat. Klaus flailing about trying to break the strangehold.
BEFORE HE MANAGES TO DRIVE HIS THUMB INTO ATTANO'S EYE!
Harold staggers back in pain, dropping the whip and loosening the grip on Way's throat who begins to run the hell away from Nobody. Way spots the trapeze ladder and scrambles his way up to the top, trying to get some distance from the murderous intentions of Harold Attano.
Once Nobody can see again, he looks up at Klaus high above the ring and quickly follows up the other side. Way stares at Attano, both men high up in the air as they look at the Trapeze wires.
Fury in both men's eyes as they each grab a wire
And swing themselves forward.
Attano can barely get his balance but Way is used to these heights as he swings back and forth, taking jab pot shots at Nobody, trying to knock him off to the net below.
A hard elbow rocks Attano, Nobody dangling from his wire as Way swings forward for the knockout blow
ATTANO LEAPS FORWARD
ONE
SHOT
ONE
KILL
DIAMOND CUTTER SENDS BOTH MEN CRASHING DOWN TWENTY...TWENTY FIVE FEET!
They both land hard, the flimsy net being the only thing stopping a double knockout but they're both tired and hurting as they slowly rise to their feet.
Fury in their eyes.
Middle Fingers Raised High.
As they both rush forward with a primal scream.
Attano ducks underneath a Way clothesline, rocking him with another Venomous Scorpion Kick before leaping up high
ONE SHOT ONE...NO!
Way avoids the Diamond Cutter this time, spinning around as Attano staggers up
SPINNING BACKHAND ROCKS ATTANO!
Way lifts him up into the air
BIG TOP DROP! SHEER DROP BRAINBUSSSSTTTTAAAAA!
Attano may well be done there but Klaus isn't done with him as he looks over at Michaela, tears in her eyes. He pulls up Attano's limp body, holding his head in his hands as he forces Attano's hand to wave goodbye before lifting him up onto his shoulders and slowly lowering him down
FREAK YOU! BIG BANG THEORY KILLS ATTANO WITH FUCKING FIRE!
HAROLD ATTANO IS OUT COLD
AND KLAUS WAY IS STILL YOUR NXT LEVEL CHAMPION
Ejection
The tent is a riot of chaos and light. The crowd is still on its feet, screaming, jeering, hungry for more blood. In the center ring, Harold Attano stands battered and defiant, sweat and dust streaking his face. Across from him, Klaus Way straightens his crimson jacket and smooths his hair back, the ever-present smirk carved across his face like a wound.
Way lifts a gloved hand, snapping his fingers.
From the shadows, his masked goons surge into the scene, swarming Attano. They seize him by the arms, forcing him down to his knees. The audience howls its approval, fists pounding against the stands.
Klaus circles him like a predator, cane tapping rhythmically against the sawdust floor.
“Playing with fire, Mr. Attano,” he says with a sneer. “You’ve been whispering in my girl's ear. Twisting her mind. Manipulating her. Making her think she’s something she’s not.”
Attano glares up at him through bloodshot eyes.
“Michaela’s not your hostage anymore, Klaus,” he growls. “You lost her the moment she saw what kind of monster you really are.”
Klaus’ eyes flash with fury. He snaps his fingers again, and from offstage, two more goons drag Michaela Way into the ring, her hands bound, her eyes wide with terror. Klaus grabs her roughly by the arm and yanks her forward, forcing her to face Harold.
“You see, my sweet?” Klaus hisses. “Your hero thinks he’s saved you. Tell him he’s wrong. Tell him who you belong to.” He jerks her arm tighter, eliciting a pained gasp. “Tell him, Michaela! Tell him you belong to me!”
Harold thrashes against his captors, his voice cracking with rage. “Let her go!”
Michaela looks between them—her father’s desperation rife. Her lip trembles. She opens her mouth—
And the world explodes into chaos.
A hiss fills the air—sharp, sudden, burning. Thick tear gas floods the tent, rolling across the floor and swallowing everything in white. The crowd screams in confusion, clutching at their faces. The goons cough and collapse. Harold and Michaela are lost in the haze, struggling for air.
Through the choking smoke, boots thunder.
The sound is steady, disciplined, military.
And then—
When the smoke clears, everyone is down.
Fans. Goons. Harold. Michaela. Klaus Way sprawled unconscious, his cane lying a few feet from his hand.
Standing tall in the center of the devastation, breathing steady and unflinching amidst the ruin, is Zeus.
The Baron. The God of Arcadia.
He surveys the wreckage, his golden eyes glinting through the fog. Around him, his soldiers—the elite guard of the House of Sovereigns—fan out, checking pulses, pulling fallen bodies aside.
Zeus kneels beside Harold Attano, placing a strong hand on his shoulder. With surprising gentleness, he helps him to his feet.
“Harold,” Zeus says, his voice low, grave. “Things are becoming unglued.”
Attano wipes blood and dust from his face, still coughing from the gas. “You think?”
Zeus doesn’t smile. His tone is solemn, almost prophetic.
“The balance is slipping. The order is failing. Arcadia trembles… and I fear the end is nigh.”
He straightens, looking across the wreckage to where Klaus Way lies sprawled.
“Ares!” Zeus barks.
From the far side of the tent, Ares emerges from the haze, his face streaked with soot, eyes sharp and vigilant. He’s flanked by two soldiers—one dragging a limp goon by the collar.
“Grab Way,” Zeus orders. “Bring him. Where's the boy?”
Ares nods, no hesitation. "Way let Redgrave take him," he says as he strides across the ruined circus, seizes Klaus Way by the lapels, and hoists him over his shoulder like discarded trash.
As the soldiers begin to fall back, leading the way out of the tent, Zeus turns once more to survey the devastation—the shattered ring, the unconscious audience, the scattered chaos of what was once entertainment.
The flickering carnival lights sputter and fade.
Zeus’ expression hardens.
“Let’s remind Arcadia,” he murmurs, almost to himself, “who truly rules this circus.”
The camera pulls back—past the smoke, past the chaos, past the dying embers of the once-great tent—
As Zeus and Ares march through the ruin, dragging Klaus Way into the unknown.
Cut.