[Metas: It all starts at https://redd.it/1csb71x, previous chapter at https://redd.it/1d3414d (in which an industrialist parody of Puchim@s Yukipo repeatedly and hilariously fails at smelting ores during the Metal challenge - there's a naturalist parody of Yukipo on Minds with adventures inside a Fern Gully/Avatar style tree harvester. I like Diggy and it's not done being the cutest dwarf I've ever imagined; I'd love to see John-Rhys Davies (LotR's Gimli) and/or Alex Ferns (HBO Chernobyl's Tula foreman) meet this thing because I doubt they'd be able to take it seriously no matter how good it was at mining.]
[Run 3 portal load: Relentless 0, Artisanry 5, Range 5, Agility 7, Bait 1, Trumps 11, Pheromones 5, Packrat 5, Motivation 6, Power 10, Toughness 10, Looting 14, 870 of 872 He, Size Challenge]
The ship is without power, and Tightniks can't run the radar much without draining the batteries. He has only a few minutes of APU power left, goes over the best clearing he can find, and radars it. Why does it feel- There's a Master Alarm?? The APU has failed, which means the control aerosurface hydraulics have- Oh shit! Despite catching Tightniks completely by surprise, he knows exactly what he's doing and his hands dance over the controls absurdly fast, turning on the thermal conditioning pumps and racing through an APU restart attempt. He checks several readings to make sure the left wing hasn't come off. Willie did this, and it did them no good! thinks he. [Willie McCool was Space Shuttle Columbia's pilot for STS-107, and did a very similar procedure in the 52 seconds following the last call heard at Mission Control in Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, which I believe was "Roger, a bumpy ride up here, please advise."] Tightniks brings up the RCS roll axis, figuring the only thing he can do is an incredible roll-modulated landing flare into that clearing. With one hand on the stick, he uses the other to open the pressure equalization valve on the side hatch, gets it undogged. After the inevitable crash, it's less likely to be stuck closed and trap him. The dynamic vacuum this pulls in the cockpit rips most of the survival pack data cards from that rack and scatters them across the landscape. Since he would be beginning the landing flare while turning, it's really hard to line it up and he couldn't care less about the survival cards. He barely gets his harness locks on before it's time to roll level for this silly impromptu landing flare procedure, the sink rate comes down nicely and zeros at just a few feet above the terrain according to the PFD as the wings return to level. He looks at the camera view. He can't turn the radar back on at all, he doesn't have enough battery power to run the radar, the thermal conditioning pumps, and the RCS valves at once. I'm lined up! I can't believe this is working!! Then the screens go blank; the battery died completely at exactly the last instant before the body flap protecting the dead engines hit that last tree. Sensing the nose rapidly coming down, Tightniks closes his eyes and blows his lungs flat. The next instant, he is surrounded by airbags, some lifting his feet from the rudder petals and his hands from the control stick. It takes several seconds before the crashing cockpit stops moving.
The human finds himself lying on the ground, spacesuit faceplate shattered, but none of the glass is in his helmet with all the pads, and he's lying face down, sort of. Kind of on his right side, legs bent. I can't move! Has someone tied me up? [No, but it reminds me of Puchim@s 1x26 outro.] The human finds that straps to the sides of his helmet and shoulders has him securely fastened to a metal seat, but he gets his left hand up to that one and finds a buckle, unlocks it. The big one on his tummy has a knob, which he gets turned and five straps going into it pop off, he can get out of the seat. What is all this? Why can't I remember anything? As he's trying to look around, his head bumps into a brushed stainless steel object. It is remarkably intact, and the only thing in sight that is. There are smashed cockpit screens, bent pieces of metal, what's left of his seat, the spacesuit he's wearing is a shambles. As he looks out the busted off cockpit door above him and the smashed open cabin door behind him, even the landscape outside seems a broken mess. The gravity is too high, he realizes, I'm not fat, it's this spacesuit I just took off. He drops some pieces to make sure, and they do accelerate much faster than he's used to as they descend in gravity's direction. This is the only thing that works. He gets it turned on, and-
"Emergency portal activation 1098 successful: Data forwarded from Manual portal activation 3 (Total portal activation 957) / 780 He loaded / Size challenge active / Total portal activation 1098"
What the Loy, thinks he, is a 'portal'?
33s: First trap.
"Kakka," says the one quietly, looks up at him curiously, perhaps admiringly. It has brown fur and perky pink ears.
"Ku," the blue one seems annoyed, as though he's taking too long to open the trap. "Ku?" its pointy ears twitch. "Ku, ku, ku, ku." It pushes the little survival data pad through a breathing air slot in the trap.
The human takes it and listens to the fresh recording, hearing the exact same sounds it just uttered, but understanding them to mean "We can't help you until you let us out of this thing. Thanks for the tasty snack." [Puchim@s Chihya can be understood by humans over the phone according to 1x61 and 2x57.]
"Somehow," the human says as he gets the trap open, "I thought you were supposed to be bigger than this." He gestures to the scattered wreckage, the biggest piece of which is a bit of the cabin from just behind the cockpit, "That's my ship, I think," he scratches his head. "A bit of a fixer upper, obviously."
1m04s: IC.
"Uuuh!" the little one that they're raising jumps after bits of the aluminum wreckage and carefully selected bauxite bits they throw in its general direction. Yellow body, red head, it's almost fully grown already. The cabin wreckage has been closed up and has room for five trimps.
Tightniks gathers up enough food to train and strengthen the blue one into a proper farmer.
1m51s: Zone 1, 5 pop, 22.6s RC with Z0/1.
Via the survival pad's recorder, the blue one tells the human that the red one with the glowing tail is asking for permission to fight.
And it does. With surprising ferocity and effectiveness, advancing rapidly through the first zone.
The human finds this familiar. Deja vu? He looks back, gets the same sense about the way they've already started raising a new trimp to replace the now injured red one barreling through the Bad Guys to the east. But the wreckage is not familiar. Whoever it was must have landed, or at least crashed it better before. He taps his helmet, now on the ground, with his foot, Was that me? I don't remember.
3m42s: 8 pop, huts unlocked.
Is it the gravity? For some reason, the first hut the human built is only big enough for one trimp, and he thought it would be big enough for three. No, it's gotta be- Wait, that thing said 'Size challenge'. He limps to the portal touchscreen controller and calls up the TPCS display.
"You have the Size challenge active. Tweak the portal to bring you to an alternate reality, where Trimps are bigger and stronger, to force yourself to figure out a way to build larger housing. Your Trimps will gather 50% more resources, but your housing will fit 50% fewer Trimps. If you complete The Dimension of Anger without disabling the challenge, your stats will return to normal."
They don't seem any bigger, but they do gather resources faster, I thought that was just um... Oh yeah, Motivation 6. That's- ...no, that's not enough to account for it.
5m32s: Bloodlust enables AutoFight.
"Why do you keep seeking my permission?" the human asks the sixth trimp seeking to fight the enemies and advance into the realm to the east.
"Ku, ku ku, ku ku. Za ku ku." That's what the recording sounds like. What the blue one is trying to say is, "For the cost of three farmer courses and six times the research that got us started, we can train the young fighters to go out on their own as soon as they're ready. You can set this red flag to tell us to hold them back if you think that's a good idea for whatever reason." [I have downloaded and modded Trimps 5.9.2 so that a farmer is 50, lumberjack 100, miner 200, and scientist 1000.]
50m21s: Zone 6, 122 pop, 6.8s RC with Z4/5, no turkimp; running TP for 10.
Housing, even the caves, seem to be holding only half as many trimps as he thinks they should. The scientists he trained up seem very confused by this as well.
"Really?" the red scientist says, "We don't seem any bigger?"
"Well," Tightniks ponders, wearing grey CWG coveralls with homemade footwear, and those having the nametag once pinned to the orange spacesuit that he woke up in, "you're bigger than that first fighter in this cycle, for what it's worth."
That gets a scoff, then the yellow one says, "Tightniks, you seem really different than our, what you call it?"
"Deja vu," the human says.
"Day javoo seems to remember," the yellow one finishes.
"How so?" the human prompts, and the scientists stare at him for a little bit.
Three trimps discuss it among themselves. The blue one that says "ku", the grey one that says "shijou", and the white brown-headed one with quiet, modulated sighs.
"You know what?" the red one says, "That makes a lot of sense. I remember that, too. The ship would crash somewhere out there where we can't get to it because of all the Bad Guys, and a few hours later, something would reset us and the ship is back up in the sky."
"Something," Tightniks reaches over his back, gets the big pad with the brushed stainless steel body from his pack, "Do you think it could be a- um... 'DT Experimental Industries Time Portal,'" he turns it around so they can read the pad's About screen, "'Helium goes in, victory comes out'?" a corner flickers a bit.
The white one makes a sigh.
"Really?" the yellow one says, "Tightniks, let me see that, please."
"I didn't catch what you said," Tightniks crouches for the white one, offering it the portal pad.
It's too heavy for the tanuki-tailed hole digger, and it wipes out over the falling pad, somersaulting over the touchscreen, gets up, goes back around it, and taps frantically, "Howah!" it suddenly cheers, reaches around behind itself for a shovel. Only it pulls an abacus out of its back pocket instead and starts flipping some beads along the strings. Makes a sigh that seems desperate, but not utterly hopeless, and hands it to the yellow scientist.
"Really?" the yellow one looks at the abacus and hands it back, "Well..." stares at the pad, "the arithmetic works out, anyway."
"What arithmetic?" the human prompts.
"It would appear," it's the red one speaking, "that you crashed too far away for us to reach you 230 times in a row between the Metal challenge and now. I remember you mumbling in your sleep panicking that the trap was always empty, which would happen if we can't get to it."
"Oh," the human picks up the pad, "There's an explanation for that I found satisfying until Diggy brought up the total activation count just now," he opens up the "Achievements" page. Shows it to them:
"Hoarder / Have over 1M traps at once / Reward: 2.5% Damage"
The hole digging trimp looks up at him and makes a curious sounding sigh.
"'Tightniks,' it's asking, 'You wouldn't be panicking about those traps being empty, right?'" the yellow one says.
"Right," the human points at Diggy, "You're smarter than you look."
It sighs, then crawls into a small hole and falls asleep.
The red one looks at it peacefully napping, then up at the human, "That was, 'I doubt it, I was thinking too hard and need to nap now.'"
"Cute," Tightniks smiles, "You never answered my question about how I seem different."
"It's the limp," the yellow one says-
"Shijou," the grey one gets the yellow one's attention to the painting it holds.
"Oh," the yellow one notices with a bit of a start, "and the uniform."
"Shijou," the amazing grey one has painted an alternate timeline portrait of him dressed in a blue dress uniform with shiny buttons and a bigger name above his left breast pocket. [There's a second season Puchim@s episode where Takanya paints an "old hag" version of Otonashi Kotori that's really hilarious.]
2h15m50s: Zone 16, 483 pop, 22.0s RC with Z15/75, 12m32s turkimp.
"Despite having 30 scientists, we're really struggling for science points," the human says.
"You think that's more than usual?" the yellow one is sitting on top of a mansion, perhaps one which deserves scare quotes for being only a single seven-foot storey.
"Yes," the human says, holding the portal pad upside down, realizing and then turning it around rightside up, "Two things, first is that we're making very fast progress according to this 'map frame' clock it goes by. Second is that this 50% resourcing bonus you guys supposedly have doesn't apply to scientists."
There's almost a cacophany of nanos and oohs in the camp from the 50 yellow and red B&D trainers in their 36 dojos, the clattering of Shield III-9s as they train up a new fighting group only slightly larger than they are in number.
3h41m00s: Zone 21, 1000 pop, 33.5s RC with Z20/232, no turkimp.
"Ooooookay," Tightniks growls, "There is something off about this thing."
"Shijou?" the grey one looks at the yellow one with concern about their human starship pilot friend.
The human stoops, reaches for the little green gem on the ridge between Zone 20 and 21, then diverts to the shiny bit of metal beside it, part of something buried in the gravel. Backhanding the green gem towards his scientists, he says, "Sort that out, will you? Be careful, I think it's radioactive."
"Really?" Red's holding it now, "What makes you say that?"
"Because I'm pissed off for no reason I can figure out," the human says, "I think it's coming from that."
"Frags," the red one says quickly, "I think it's arranging a route. You're good with maps," it tosses the gem to the grey scientist.
"Shijou," the grey one says hopefully, and starts tracing a map from what it's projecting.
"What the Loy is this?" the human grunts as he gets the stainless steel object moving. He's pulling on the pipes, except that long bit that goes around has a sticker that says "NO GRAB!" It's scrawled, not block letters like industrial- That's my handwriting! "We have to get this on the cart," he waves over his other scientists, but thumbs up at the grey one working on the map so it stays on that task.
As they get it up on the ground by repeatedly rocking and pushing gravel under the upended side, more and more becomes visible, some of which are recognizable as parts of the ship's APU. This really bothers Tightniks and the scientists hope they don't need to ask out loud; they're showing him enough schlera. He begins to explain.
"Hey," the red one says, "If the APU is that important, wouldn't you have more than one?"
"Yeah," the human says, "We launched with three. I needed one to build the original helium circuit on the portal, and one just broke- ...what's that?" There's a yellow envelope taped to the black bit, almost like a bill of lading. Tightniks opens it and finds a letter. "'Dear Tightniks,'" he reads aloud, looks at his scientists, the grey one has come over with the finished map, "I hope it's a weirder feeling to write that than to read it."
"Why would that be?" the yellow one asks.
The tanuki-tailed metal foreman had wandered over to admire the huge and mysterious piece of shiny, colorful hardware, mostly of shimmering stainless steel pipes, especially the finned thing, obviously a fluid-air heat exchanger or what a car mechanic would call a radiator. When it notices the letter that Tighniks is holding, it jumps with a startled squeak.
"Thumbing" at the white/brown trimp (one can't really see its thumb), the yellow scientist says, "'How am I supposed to build that?'" Puts its paw back down and says, "It leads building all the combat equipment, so it's most familiar with your handwriting, Tightniks."
"Obviously," the human pats his mining/metalworking foreman assuringly on the head, "it's built already, so don't worry about it."
It's got Axe IV-1 to work on, and happily returns to the forge to make some more for the fighters.
"'Dear Tightniks,'" he reads, "'I know you can do it, because I did it in the simulator. It took two hundred tries, but I finally landed it in the right spot. I owe you a massive apology, of course, for pilfering parts from your last working APU to build this thing...'"
Tightniks the younger turns down the corner of the page to mutter in the general direction of his scientists, behind which are gathered many of the trimps, not hanging on every word, but on every syllable. The human is very quiet, and they like the sound of his voice, even if only a very very few trimps are smart enough to understand what he's saying, and even fewer who know English [localization key, of course, lol!] "Don't I ever?" the human laughs. ["Localization key" because there's this Loader3229 dude who translated Trimps (and several other open source browser games) into Chinese.]
Then he continues reading, "'...the new "Carpentry" cooling circuit for your portal, which will hopefully let you remember events as well as techniques, but I'm not too sure on that. Obviously, you won't be able to move it from the portal map once you have it all put together, but it's a much easier walk back than going through all the enemies past Zone 21. I'll get you a new APU when this run is finished. Regards, Tightniks the older you.'"
"Well," he tucks the letter into his back pocket, "I guess that happened. Let's get back to work."
4h08m33s: Portal PB, 45 He, 10.861 He/hr, 866/2165 pop, 8.3s RC with Z20/232.
The last head of the map's boss monster goes limp as one of the fighting trimps' axe heads goes into it, and the huge thing settles on its tail, resting on the package that seems to be the prize of this map. And there's a popping sound, and then something mechanical.
Is that a scroll compressor? Tightniks looks at the package. The deflating monster's lifting envelope material drapes over everything underneath it. "Red, Shijou!" he snaps and points, "roll up that side of it. Keep this part from sucking down on the extractor nozzle!"
All thirty of the scientists jump in, literally, pushing the gas in the bag towards the compressor. Tightniks as well, rolling up the front.
Until he kicks, and nearly trips over, a smaller package that might be the explanation for the reason why the center of the monster's defense seemed to be a little away from the big package he could see. It's in the right place, he realizes. He gets it uncovered and reads stenciled-and-sprayed block letters on it:
"DT TIME PORTAL / THIS SIDE DOWN"
Perhaps the Dimension of Anger is so named because of the rage suddenly rising up in Tightniks' throat. It isn't so much as the free-floating aggression suddenly has an answer, there is definitely a fresh batch of rage and anger as he grips the nearest Axe IV, Mark 2 with both hands- ...Hey, it's not my handwriting. He lets go of his weapon with his right hand first and dangles his left arm while holdi-
The ship is without power, he has only a few minutes of APU power left, goes over the best clearing he can find, and radars it. Why does it feel- There's a Master Alarm?? APU has failed, which means the control aerosurface hydraulics have- Oh shit!
He crouches, sets the axe down gently, then starts clearing the debris from the box's grab iron. He tries to lift it- Damn, this is heavy!
Surprised at this turn of events, his two oldest scientists, Grey and Yellow, rush to either side of him and help out. They get it flipped over and read the other side of the device, Tightniks chuckles a bit at its predictability:
"DT TIME PORTAL / THIS SIDE UP" There's a square cutout in the middle of one side of it, with a sliding cover at the bottom of it.
Tightniks pulls out the letter to himself and reads it again:
"I owe you a massive apology, of course, for pilfering parts from your last working APU to build this thing, the new 'Carpentry' cooling circuit for your portal..."
The scientists have brought over the overladen cart with the contraption on it.
"Alright now, in order to get that out, you have to just by-" ★SMASH★ [Joe Morton and Edward Furlong, Terminator 2: Judgment Day]
Tightniks was careful to dump over the cart away from the side that had the pipe labeled "NO GRAB!" He and the trimps get it back upright and then he takes the portal control pad off his back, plugs it into the Time Portal proper, the thing they just found and flipped over.
The back side of the letter has the simple instructions for plugging the new Carpentry memory circuit into the helium system of the Time Portal with two included steel braid hoses. Tightniks does that, opens the valves, and-
"TIME PORTAL DAMAGED / EMERGENCY ACTIVATION" and a buzzer has sounded while this flashes in big white letters against a red background.
"Oh no, you don't!" Tightniks falls to his hands and knees in front of the control panel, grey CWG is starting to fall apart on his back. Clearly, the controller took the attachment of the huge Size perk coolant circuit, a slightly larger piece of hardware than the portal itself, for damage. He quickly reboots the control panel and starts dumping the fresh helium from the recently deflated megablimp along with a bunch from the other perk circuits. "I want this to count for the AP, you stupid machine!" He races through the manual activation procedure and gets the button down at nearly the same moment as the emergency activation countdown reaches zero.
The ship is without power...
[Edit: Got some stars to replace the unsuccessfully escaped asterisks.]

Player vs. Player, or Competitive PvP, whatever you prefer to call it, is in quite a dire state. I think it's imperative to understand where we're coming from before moving into a new game mode, or the mistakes of the past will respawn at the nearest waypoint and come to bite us in the ass.
But first, a short story lesson.

Know the past to understand the present

Before delving into the game modes, we have to consider the two rule-sets they work within:

• Standard: Based on points, whoever reaches the point cap first wins the match (usually 500), if the timer runs out before that, whoever has more points wins. There's three standard game modes: Conquest, Murderball, and Stronghold.
• Arena: Based on rounds, whoever wins more rounds wins the match (best of five). There's only one arena game mode: Team Deathmatch.

Now into each game mode, strengths and weaknesses:

• Conquest: The first and most prevalent PvP game mode, 5v5 based on capturing and defending points, with different special objectives for each map. Some people love it, some people hate it, but way too many people ignore the capture/defend gameplay and fixate exclusively on murdering each other. Available at ranked, unranked, and public arenas.
• Murderball: The original attempt at 5v5 Team Deathmatch. Only available through public arenas. It was a spectacular flop, and most people don't even know it exists (raise your hand if it's the first time you hear about it lmao).
• Stronghold: The failed 5v5 MOBA-esque game mode. It had good ideas, but I'd wager trying to be too different is what ultimate killed it. Available at unranked and public arenas.
• Team Deathmatch: The second attempt at Team Deathmatch, now downscaled into 2v2/3v3. It worked quite well, and got to grow its own fanbase; or it would had, if it weren't exclusively limited to ranked, and only during active season periods, which only last about a week or two.

If you asked me, Conquest and Team Deathmatch are mostly fine (as game modes, more on maps later). Murderball is a lost case, but Stronghold could be reimagined and repurposed into the new game mode, instead of having it start from scratch.

Three game modes to rule them all

I think the primary goal should be to condense existing game modes into one per team size, for a total of three:

• 2v2/3v3: Team Deathmatch. Stick with either one team size or the other. Needs more maps.
• 5v5: Conquest. Rework Spirit Watch once and for all, and restore Raid on the Capricorn, even if it's just for public arenas.
• 10v10/15v15: Stronghold, reworked with larger maps, and geared around Guild vs. Guild. Make it a real MOBA with three bidirectional lanes, the formula works, stop trying to reinvent it.

Now, the first problem we run into, is the 5v5 dominance of PvP queues. Instead of two queues (5v5 Unranked and 5v5 Ranked) we would move into three queues, one per game mode:

• Team Deathmatch deserves its own queue, and has for quite a few years now. There's lot of people who love killing each other, but hate all the busywork around Conquest. Let them enjoy PvP on their own way, and stop forcing them into Conquest, where all they do is ingore the capture/defend gameplay.
• Conquest shouldn't have two different queues for Unranked and Ranked, it should have a single queue, with an on/off checkbox for skill rating (no points won/lost). For everything else, public arenas are there, for everyone to enjoy.
• Stronghold would get the third queue slot. Being larger in size, you'd be able to queue as a squad.

Speaking of public arenas, they haven't been updated for almost a decade now. Neither Djinn's Dominion nor Team Deathmatch are anywhere to be found, restricted to custom arenas alone (the ones player pay for). All maps should be featured there, no exceptions.
As for custom arenas, I'd personally give guilds an option to host theirs, in exchange of favor and/or aetherium instead of gold. Additionally, allow activities to be hosted in custom arenas as well.

New game mode, same old problems

Look, he's gone far again; alone. The other guy doesn't stop raging; nevermind, he went AFK. Sounds familiar?
How do we solve this problem? Punishment should be fine, right? Wrong.
There's a reason why people AFK and throw so much: Rewards. Put simply, they suck. What's the difference between 0-500 and 499-500? The time you wasted, because the reward is pretty much the exact same garbage. Guild Wars 2 as a whole has a problem with progressive rewards, but nowhere are they more damaging than in PvP itself.
How do we solve this issue? We make rewards good enough so player still keep playing, even if defeat is inevitable. No need to solve a problem, when we prevented it from happening to begin with.
Still, what about lone wolves who only think about their own rewards? Well, about time we make top stats based on team performance instead of individual performance if you ask me, PvP is a team-based game mode, teamplay should be key, lone wolf behaviour shouldn't be rewarded in any way whatsoever, specially when it doesn't contribute to the team.
Here's how I would do it:
Conquest

• Winning team: 9 pips.
• Losing team: 0-9 pips, calculated like this: round(loser_point_score / winner_point_score * 9).
• Top stats: 0-6 pips for the top perfomer for each top stat (damage, healing, kills, revives, capture, defense).

Team Deathmatch

• Winning team: 6 pips.
• Losing team: 0-6 pips, calculated like this: round(loser_round_score / winner_round_score * 6).
• Top stats: 0-4 pips for the top perfomer for each top stat (damage, healing, kills, revives).

In this pip distribution scenario, players are encouraged to fight to their last breath, being rewarded accordingly. Even if you're losing and there's no way you can come back, you can still fight for greater rewards, all while making the other team fight for their victory.
Additionally, I'd follow WvW's example, and spread PvP League Track rewards across each tier, instead of locking the whole reward behind the final chest of each track. It's quite often for casuals to miss on many of the better rewards, just because they can't dedicate as much time as they would like to, and this would be a great way to make them feel their time is well spent on PvP, while it wouldn't make a difference for veterans anyway.

So many so far

Here's a list of all released maps so far, for reference:

• Conquest #01 - Battle of Kyhlo (2012-08-28)
• Conquest #02 - Forest of Niflhel (2012-08-28)
• Conquest #03 - Legacy of the Foefire (2012-08-28)
• Conquest #04 - Raid on the Capricorn (2012-08-28) (removed)
• Conquest #05 - Temple of the Silent Storm (2012-11-15)
• Conquest #06 - Spirit Watch (2013-02-26)
• Conquest #07 - Skyhammer (2013-07-09)
• Murderball #01 - Courtyard (2014-04-15)
• Stronghold #01 - Battle of Champion's Dusk (2015-10-23)
• Conquest #08 - Revenge of the Capricorn (2016-07-26)
• Conquest #09 - Eternal Coliseum (2016-09-20)
• Team Deathmatch #01 - Hall of the Mists (2017-06-20)
• Team Deathmatch #02 - Courtyard (2018-03-03) (recycled Murderball map)
• Conquest #10 - Djinn's Dominion (2018-11-13)
• Team Deathmatch #03 - Asura Arena (2018-11-13)
• Team Deathmatch #04 - Auric Span (2019-08-13)

Yep, last new PvP map was 5 years ago.

Last words

Aaand that's pretty much it. I'd say PvP needs a few new exclusive collectible rewards as well, its own PvP weapon set would be a good start (WvW has Hero's weapons, which can be upgraded into Mistforged Hero's weapons), followed by its own set of lockboxes (Fractals and WvW have their own). An infusion for those who hate everyone else's eyesight would be nice as well (just kidding; actually, no).
Time for a short rant: I kinda hate how much attention festivals are getting lately. During these last years, some individual festivals have grown so much in rewards they're exceeding multiple Living World seasons combined; like, Dragon Bash, alone, has more rewards than LW1, LW2, and LW3, combined.
Just saying, but maybe you (ArenaNet) should spend those reward resources into the permanent game modes, you know, the ones we play all year round; or rather, played, because they haven't been updated with new rewards since forever, specially PvP (last exclusive PvP reward was back in 2015 or so) and Fractals of the Mists (which don't even have their own armor set). That's it, rant over.
Back in track, if they wind up using Stronghold as the template for the new game mode (not saying that's what they should do, I just think it's the best approach) some new Mist Champions would be nice too. Sieran and Forgal, for the sake of justice, and some memelords, like Palawa Joko (bonus points if he talks shit to Turai when the face each other in battle).
I know some people will complain about spreading the small population, but that's a snake biting its own tail non-problem, build a better PvP with better rewards (not just gold, collectibles too), and people will just come naturally, no different than back in 2012 when no one knew what the hell they were doing. Personally speaking, I know many players who love PvP but despise Conquest, so they just organize their own thing at WvW, not because they like to, but because it's the only alternative.
So yeah, thanks for reading, I guess, feel free to rant below, no dishonor here lmao.

Part One Here!
Part Two Here!
Part Three Here!
Part Four Here!
Part Five Here!
Part Six Here!
Part Seven Here!
Part Eight Here!
Part Nine Here!
Part Ten Here!
Part Eleven Here!
Part Twelve Here!
Part Thirteen Here!
Part Fourteen Here!
Part Fifteen Here!
Part Sixteen Here!
Part Seventeen Here!
We pick up in the aftermath of WrestleMania 32, where John Cena lost the WWE World Heavyweight Title in a triple threat match with Roman Reigns to Dean Ambrose, before shockingly assaulting both men with a steel chair after the bell. Naturally, the night after WrestleMania sees a very angry Ambrose marching to the ring with the gold, not granted the usual pomp and circumstance of a brand new fan favourite champion. He says Reigns is out injured for the time being, and he wants a piece of Cena. He doesn’t care if the title is on the line, he doesn’t care what the hell happens, he wants revenge, because that smarmy bastard pulled a Seth Rollins on them.
On the titantron, Cena appears, saying that he’ll be happy to meet Ambrose for the WWE World Heavyweight Title at Payback. Ambrose shouts that if he’s so reliant on chairs, they should make it No DQ, and Cena shrugs, agreeing. He says that Dean simply isn’t on his level one on one - he and Reigns had to team up to take Cena out, and soon enough, Reigns is going to get wise to the kind of man Ambrose is. He can compare Cena to Seth all he likes, but Dean is the Judas, throwing Reigns out of the ring to notch the pin. He’s selfish, just like everybody else is, because it’s a dog eat dog world, even for the Hounds of Justice.
The next week, Cena is set to appear, and he does so with the rule that Ambrose and Reigns are barred from the arena while he’s there. He comes out to explain his actions in a suit and tie, and says that at WrestleMania, he wanted to play fair, just as he had before. He gave Roman another opportunity that he didn’t have to, he didn’t cheat, and he got ganged up on and failed, and everybody he fought for cheered as he lay there, miserable, because he realized he’d been a damn fool. He’d preached his morals and they failed him, and the world laughed. It was Ambrose’s opportune timing that won him the gold, and, as much as he doesn’t like Kevin Owens, he gets where he was coming from last year. Cena’s won titles by playing dirty, and if that’s what he has to do to rectify the error that is Dean Ambrose being the WWE Champion, so be it. If that’s what the fans will go along with, so be it, and if it’s not, fine. He’s teaching people how to truly succeed, how to truly be the best, and that’s to stop at nothing, to not take no for an answer - to never give up. At Payback, Cena won’t give up until the title is back in his hands, the face of WWE is restored, and the Franchise is back on top.
Payback 2016
No DQ Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Title: John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose (c)
Cena enters first with new gear to match the new energy - he’s got boxing shorts with “Franchise” in metallic gold lettering along the waistband, and a US flag-adorned boxing robe draped over his shoulders, left open for the title he intends to walk out with. Ambrose is out next to an ovation, and IMMEDIATELY, IT’S A SCRAP ON THE RAMP! Cena’s power is all the more dangerous without the Franchise looking to keep a lid on it for his opponent’s safety, and he overwhelms Dean with a TACKLE THROUGH THE BARRICADE, FOLLOWED BY AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE! He sends Ambrose back in, mounting him with a ground and pound, busting Dean’s lip before rolling out of the ring and sending in the steel steps, launching them over the top rope and STRAIGHT INTO THE CHAMPION! He slides in a few chairs next, and sets up a new table on the outside. Finally, he picks up the title too, wrenching it out of the timekeeper’s hands before AMBROSE FLIES INTO HIM WITH A SUICIDE DIVE! Frantically, Dean lands as many blows as he can, flinging a chair at Cena before CLOCKING HIM WITH THE TITLE! Cena’s stunned, not quite sure where he is as Ambrose lays him out on the table, clambering to the top rope with an ELBOW DROP TO THE FLOOR! THESE TWO ARE OUT FOR BLOOD, BUT THEY’RE BOTH DOWN AND OUT NOW!
Ambrose is the first to start stirring, the Lunatic Fringe welcoming the challenge and grabbing a steel chair, looking to inflict the exact same pain on Cena that the challenger did to him at WrestleMania. He lifts it up, but CENA DELIVERS A LOW BLOW! IT’S NO DISQUALIFICATION! Already battered and bruised, Cena sends Dean in, hoping to end things with another Attitude Adjustment, but DEAN DROPS DOWN FOR A DIRTY DEEDS, ONLY FOR CENA TO RUN HIM INTO THE TURNBUCKLES, DRIVING HIS SHOULDER INTO THE BODY OVER AND OVER! Finally, Ambrose slumps over, and Cena rolls out of the ring, grabbing a pair of handcuffs. He attaches one end to Ambrose’s wrist, trying to lock the other one behind his back before Dean NAILS A DIRTY DEEDS! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO! Ambrose can’t believe it, but he’s unrelenting, now sliding out himself and tossing a bag into the ring. He empties it out… MY GOD, THOSE ARE THUMBTACKS! Dean chuckles, lining up for a Knee Trembler as Cena comes to in the corner, and CHARGING STRAIGHT INTO AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT! ONE! TWO! THRE-KICKOUT, BUT CENA IMMEDIATELY CUFFS DEAN TO THE BOTTOM ROPE! Springing up, Cena locks eyes with the champion just out of reach, mockingly waving his hand in front of his face before grabbing the steel chair… AND EATING A FACEFUL OF TACKS, AMBROSE THROWING A HANDFUL STRAIGHT AT HIM! Cena’s blinded temporarily, and HERE COMES THE BIG DOG! Reigns unscrews the turnbuckle, Ambrose able to move freely within the ring, and he delivers a… ELEVATED DIRTY DEEDS STRAIGHT INTO THE THUMBTACKS! ONE! TWO! THREE! DEAN AMBROSE SURVIVES JOHN CENA WITH SOME A LITTLE HELP FROM A BROTHER IN ARMS, BUT WHAT A GRISLY WAR IT WAS!
Road to the 2016 Draft
Both frustrated with the loss and nursing his wounds, Cena vanishes from TV for a good stretch of time, filming a few projects before being grouped into Smackdown’s first round of picks, right after WWE Champion Dean Ambrose. He doesn’t appear, but it’s declared he’ll have his first match as a blue brand representative at Battleground, the final PPV before the split is officially enacted. Ambrose is set to defend his title against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins in a huge Shield triple threat, meaning it won’t be against him, but it’s definitely a man he has a whole hell of a lot of history with - after six years apart, John Cena will once again share a brand with AJ Styles, and both men are very different performers than they were when they last met. Styles calls Cena out the moment it’s announced he’ll be at Battleground, saying he wants to meet the Franchise one on one, beat the blue brand’s biggest name, and assert himself as the Face That Runs The Place. Backed up by the Club, Styles is confident and unafraid to pull some cheap tricks, but he’s definitely got the crowd behind him as an opponent of Cena’s. Cena accepts on Twitter, but brushes AJ off, saying he’s spent the last six years main eventing WrestleManias for a reason, and he’ll illustrate it against Styles at Battleground.
Battleground 2016
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
Styles and Cena finally meet again, and the world is watching as they face off in the middle of the ring, immediately launching into a hockey fight. Cena sends Styles to the floor, driving him into the apron before POWERBOMBING HIM ACROSS THE BARRICADE! He focuses his offense on the back, more than content to just drive a knee into the spine and sit in the middle of the ring for a while, or even apply AN ABDOMINAL STRETCH! AJ’S GONNA TAP! THIS IS IT! STYLES SOMEHOW FIGHTS FREE, BUT NOW CENA’S GOT A BEAR HUG, BY GOD! Cena’s draining the life out of AJ, and finally turns it into a belly to belly, following it with a few shoulder blocks before CALLING FOR THE FIVE KNUCKLE SHUFFLE! The crowd boos as he leans over Styles, but AJ KICKS HIM IN THE CROWN OF THE HEAD, FOLLOWING IT WITH A PELE KICK! Cena’s on the ropes, and AJ lights him up with a phenomenal combination, followed by a snap suplex before hopping to the apron for a SPRINGBOARD 450 SPLASH! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOO! Styles keeps the pressure on, overwhelming Cena with his speed and strikes, but Cena’s power neutralizes AJ’s output when he counters a hurricanrana with a HUGE POWERBOMB, BUT HE HOLDS ON, DEADLIFTING AJ UP… A SECOND FOLDING POWERBOMB! ONE! TWO! THR-KICKOUT, AND CENA GUTWRENCHES HIM UP FOR A THIRD, AGAIN GETTING TWO!
Continuously working over Styles’ back, Cena delivers a few suplexes, followed by a particularly vicious wheelbarrow suplex that folds AJ up like an accordion. He calls for a lariat, but Styles ducks, spinning around behind Cena for a GERMAN SUPLEX OF HIS OWN! Before Cena can even get up, AJ springs off the middle rope… STYLIN’ DDT CONNECTS! AJ hits his signature pose, feeling the energy of the crowd as he looks for the STYLES CLASH, BUT CENA SIMPLY MUSCLES HIM UP FOR AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO! AJ struggles to get to his feet as Cena is poised to deliver another Attitude Adjustment, but AJ REVERSES INTO AN INVERTED DDT! Clutching his back, Styles makes his way to the apron, calling for a Phenomenal Forearm as a result of his uncertainty about lifting Cena up. He springs onto the top rope, and CENA PULLS THE REFEREE INTO THE WAY, AJ PAUSING ATOP THE ROPE… AND CENA TAKING OUT HIS FEET FROM UNDER HIM, FOLLOWING IT WITH AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT! Styles is operating on instinct alone as he tries to keep going, Cena not even bothering to cover, but instead DELIVERING A HELLACIOUS LARIAT, BEHEADING STYLES! JESUS, WHAT A MANEUVER! ONE! TWO! THREE! JOHN CENA PICKS UP THE UNDERHANDED WIN!
John Cena def. AJ Styles (21:45)
Road to SummerSlam 2016
AJ comes out on Smackdown and cuts a promo about how he hates WWE ropes, just like he hates lucha ropes, and just like how he hates John Cena. He says he and John have a lot of history, and that last chapter was far from a satisfying one in their story - so he wants another go round at SummerSlam, and he wants to BEAT UP JOHN CENA! The Club back him up wholeheartedly, Gallows and Anderson promising to make sure that at SummerSlam, Cena can’t pull a fast one on the Phenomenal One. It’s Daniel Bryan who makes it official, a disgruntled Cena fairly disappointed to spend SummerSlam outside the title scene, but accepting that he’ll just have to beat AJ’s ass again. They have a face-to-face on the go-home show, both acknowledging their shared history, but Cena saying there’s a reason he got to make the big bucks earlier than Styles. He’s the star, the Franchise, and he’s proven it day in and day out for fourteen years, while AJ’s been having five star matches for a hot dog and a handshake - something that didn’t benefit him at all at Battleground. Styles fires back that Cena may have won his first Rumble, may have won the WWE Title at WrestleMania 27, but it was a long time before he beat the top guy - and AJ’s on pace to do so that much faster, because he’s going to put Cena in the dirt at SummerSlam. They do some additional posturing before Styles throws a punch, Cena going for a lariat before immediately ducking out as Gallows and Anderson appear.
SummerSlam 2016
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
Both men have something to prove heading into this one - while neither shies away from cheating at this point, they both want a clean, decisive victory to hold over the other’s head after so many years apart. It’s a lot of mat wrestling to start as they try to get the mental advantage early, Cena’s power and Styles’ speed and agility still being key on the ground as John tries to muscle AJ into submissions and AJ tries to snake around him and find the right opportunity to strike. Soon enough, John gets fed up and tries to powerbomb Styles through the ring, earning two. They keep the action strictly in the ring, trading holds, strikes and suplexes in equal measure before AJ starts taking to the skies, landing a Stylin’ DDT and starting to work over Cena’s legs. John keeps the offense focused on the back, but soon enough, Styles manages to CINCH IN THE CALF CRUSHER! Cena’s in trouble, and he desperately scrambles to the ropes, Styles more than happy to keep it in until four before releasing the hold and delivering a SPRINGBOARD 450 SPLASH! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOO!
Styles keeps the pressure on with a flurry of strikes, following it with an Ushigoroshi before calling for the Styles Clash, but Cena simply counters with a back body drop before unleashing a brutal series of backbreakers, followed by an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOOOO! Fed up, Cena dumps AJ onto the top turnbuckle, potentially going for his patented avalanche German, but Styles fights tooth and nail to avoid being dropped to the mat. He nails a sequence of elbows, and CALLS FOR A STYLES CLASH OFF THE MIDDLE ROPE, BUT CENA REVERSES… AVALANCHE ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT! ONE! TWO! THRE-STYLES KICKS OUT? HOW ON EARTH DID HE MANAGE TO GET THE SHOULDER UP? The Franchise is in a state of disbelief, but he elects to go for his massive lariat, waiting for Styles to get up before BEING SENT HEADLONG INTO THE RING POST BY AJ! Styles drags himself to the top rope as John lies starfished on the canvas… STYLES WITH A SPIRAL TAP, BUT CENA ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY, AJ SMACKING INTO THE MAT! CENA GETS HIM UP FOR ANOTHER ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT, BUT AJ COUNTERS INTO A VICTORY ROLL! ONE! TWO! THRE-KICKOUT, BUT HE NAILS A PELE KICK, STUMBLING TO THE APRON… PHENOMENAL FOREARM, AND NOW A STYLES CLASH! ONE! TWO! THREE! AJ STYLES HAS BEATEN JOHN CENA, CLEAN AS A WHISTLE!
AJ Styles def. John Cena (28:17)
Backlash 2016
Cena’s nowhere to be seen after SummerSlam, Styles celebrating his win and riding the wave into a title match with Dean Ambrose for Backlash - a match that he ekes out a win for, picking up his first WWE Championship at about the same rate as Cena. However, the party is crashed by the Franchise himself, with Cena running down and laying waste to both Ambrose and Styles, his two most heated rivals from the year thus far. He eyes up the WWE Title again, laying eyes on it for the first time since Payback, and it’s pretty clear where this needs to go.
Road to No Mercy 2016
On the SmackDown after Backlash, Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan reprimand Cena’s actions, but say that as he does have a win over Styles from Battleground, it makes sense for him to challenge for the WWE Championship, should AJ be willing to defend it against him. Styles comes out, brash as ever, but he’s interrupted by Dean Ambrose, who wants a rematch for the gold at No Mercy. AJ says he wants revenge against Cena, and Ambrose can get back in line, but McMahon makes the judgement call - at No Mercy, AJ will make his first defense of the gold in a triple threat match against Dean Ambrose and John Cena.
No Mercy 2016
WWE Title: John Cena vs. AJ Styles (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
It’s a blockbuster triple threat match to open the show, with Dean Ambrose the fan favourite looking to overcome the odds and reclaim the WWE championship against two outright villains in Styles and Cena. However, he doesn’t have to worry about AJ and John teaming up against him, because all three men in this bout loathe each other. Cena makes a beeline for Ambrose, and Ambrose makes a beeline for Cena, leading to AJ just rolling on out of the ring and letting the two enemies duke it out. Cena and Ambrose brawl around ringside, Cena going for an Attitude Adjustment on the outside, but AJ SPRINGING OFF THE BARRICADE FOR A PHENOMENAL FOREARM AS DEAN DROPS DOWN! Ambrose lays out Styles with a Thesz Press, sending the champion back in and going for Dirty Deeds, but AJ reverses into a Northern Lights Suplex, following it with a Pele Kick before going for a PHENOMENAL FOREARM, BUT AMBROSE HAS NO HESITATION IN KICKING OUT THE ROPE, CROTCHING AJ ON THE TOP BEFORE HITTING A DIRTY DEEDS! ONE! TWO! THRE-CENA SAVES IT, FLINGING AMBROSE TO THE FLOOR BEFORE HITTING STYLES WITH AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT! ONE! TWO! THRE-NOW AMBROSE BREAKS IT UP, AND IT’S A HOCKEY FIGHT BETWEEN THE TWO CHALLENGERS! Ambrose gets the upper hand with his frantic striking and absurd resiliency, but Cena responds with a punch to the throat before DECAPITATING AMBROSE WITH A LARIAT, ONLY FOR STYLES TO SEND CENA TO THE OUTSIDE! Cena scrambles to his feet… AJ WITH A PHENOMENAL FOREARM TO THE FLOOR, LEAPING UP TO THE APRON FOR ANOTHER ONE TO AMBROSE! ONE! TWO! THREE! THE TRIPLE THREAT CURSE CONTINUES FOR JOHN CENA, BECAUSE AJ STYLES’ WWE TITLE REIGN LIVES TO SEE ANOTHER DAY!
AJ Styles def. John Cena and Dean Ambrose (23:06) to retain the WWE Title
Road to Survivor Series 2016
Naturally, John Cena’s a little sour coming out of No Mercy, but it’s Daniel Bryan who’s the first to reach out to him. He says Survivor Series is coming up, and it’s brand warfare, and Cena says he doesn’t care. However, Bryan keeps pressing - he says he and Cena have been through wars together, and he needs John Cena to represent SmackDown Live in the 5-on-5 elimination match. Cena might not be all about Hustle, Loyalty and Respect anymore, but he shouldn’t be giving up on this roster. If Cena wants to ever be the WWE Champion again, he’ll have to earn that opportunity, and he’ll have to be granted that shot by SmackDown’s management, so it might be a good idea to endear himself to them. John scoffs, standing up to tower over Bryan, when Bryan drops the big gun: he knows who’s on Team Raw.
This piques Cena’s interest, and Daniel says that they’ve got Chris Jericho, who Cena’s fought against before over World Titles. Cena doesn’t really care about the list man. They’ve got Kevin Owens, the Universal Champion, who Cena went to war with in 2015 and ended up falling short against. NOW Cena’s interested, but not interested enough to commit. They’ve got Seth Rollins, the Architect who stole Cena’s victory at WrestleMania 31. Cena’s intrigue is only growing. They’ve got Roman Reigns, who Cena duked it out with over the WWE Championship on the Road To WrestleMania this year, including at the show of shows itself. Cena looks like he’s about to cave at the opportunity to beat the tar out of these guys, but finally, Bryan says that their last man… is Samoa Joe, the ever-lasting thorn in Cena’s side. Cena’s in. He’ll brave teaming with Ambrose and Styles for one night if it means getting to beat those guys - as long as he gets a title match out of it. Bryan agrees, so long as Cena is a survivor at the end of the night, which the Franchise vows to be. He shoulder checks Bryan on the way out for leveraging him, but at the end of the night, Cena gets what he wants.
Survivor Series 2016
Elimination Match: Team SmackDown Live (John Cena, AJ Styles, Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose and Randy Orton) vs. Team Raw (Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns, Samoa Joe and Seth Rollins)
It’s an all-timer lineup for this one, perhaps the most star-studded lineup to ever grace Survivor Series, and it’s AJ and Joe starting us off, kicking off what could be a fun inter-brand feud down the line as they take a walk down memory lane. Soon enough, Owens tags in to work opposite the WWE Champion, with the company’s two top champs trading blows and Styles getting the upper hand, forcing Owens to tag Jericho. We get some Y2AJ payoff, Styles taking the fight to Jericho before eating a shocking Codebreaker for two, putting Styles on his heels. He tags in Bray, not wanting to interact with Cena or Ambrose, and Wyatt works opposite Reigns, leading to Cena tagging himself in and RUSHING ROMAN WITH A FLURRY OF OFFENSE! He backs Reigns up into the corner and unleashes on him, Roman managing to shove him away before it turns into a huge brawl, all ten men joining the fray as the referee tries to gain control. Seth tags in, but with the referee occupied, Cena has the opportunity to go low and get the upper hand before NAILING AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT FOR TWO! Joe goes after Cena, which is enough to get the Franchise to nope out of the ring. Let Orton handle that or something. Slowly but surely, everyone cycles in, and once the first elimination strikes in the form of a Dirty Deeds to Chris Jericho, the floodgates open.
Dean Ambrose eliminates Chris Jericho by pinfall (5-4)
Owens immediately jumps Ambrose, Orton fighting the Universal Champion off for long enough to leave Ambrose in the ring with Styles. Reigns and Rollins spot their opening, leaping in to stand up to AJ, and Cena can’t help himself as he blindsides Reigns. It turns into a free-for-all, with the Shield ganging up to take out the completely fragmented Styles and Cena, with Bryan on commentary screaming at Ambrose to not take out Smackdown’s guys. Dean shrugs to him, and now STYLES THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE WITH A TRIPLE POWERBOMB, BUT CENA SMASHES AMBROSE WITH A CHAIR! IS THAT A DQ? IT’S HIS OWN TEAMMATE! The referee doesn’t really know what to do, and Cena takes advantage by tackling Seth through the barricade and even managing to get an ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT ON REIGNS, BUT AN OPPORTUNE OWENS SENDS AMBROSE AND STYLES BACK IN FOR TWO STRAIGHT POP-UP POWERBOMBS! ONE! TWO! THREE! AMBROSE IS GONE!
Kevin Owens eliminates Dean Ambrose by pinfall (4-4)
NOW HE PINS STYLES… ONE! TWO! THREE!
Kevin Owens eliminates AJ Styles by pinfall (3-4)
OWENS IS ON TOP OF THE WORLD, BUT NOW RANDY ORTON WITH A PUNT ATTEMPT, ONLY TO BE THROWN OUT OF THE RING AS CENA SLIPS IN BEHIND OWENS TO DELIVER A HUGE LARIAT! ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT! ONE! TWO! THREE!
John Cena eliminates Kevin Owens by pinfall (3-3)
Cena shouts out to Daniel Bryan that he shouldn’t worry about losing Ambrose and AJ, because the real champ, the Franchise, is right here. He can solo the Shield, nevermind having Orton and Bray by his side, so he advises the SmackDown GM to shut his damn mouth and let him take care of business… AND ROMAN REIGNS LEVELS HIM WITH A SPEAR! ONE! TWO! THRE-BRAY WITH THE SAVE! Wyatt nails a Sister Abigail and tosses Reigns aside, heaving Cena’s lifeless body to the home corner and insisting he tag in, but a cocky Cena disregards it, staggering up to his feet as REIGNS MAKES THE HOT TAG TO JOE! CENA CHARGES IN WITH A LARIAT, BUT JOE SLIPS RIGHT UNDER FOR AN ST-JOE! ONE! TWO! THRE-KICKOUT BY CENA, BUT THE SAMOAN SUBMISSION MACHINE SLIPS STRAIGHT INTO A COQUINA CLUTCH! THE FRANCHISE HAS NOWHERE TO GO… CENA TAPS OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS WWE CAREER!
Samoa Joe eliminates John Cena by submission (2-3)
In the end, The Wyatt Family manage to clutch against Reigns, Rollins and Joe once infighting befalls Team Raw (kicking off a Joe and Reigns feud), but John Cena sure as hell isn’t getting a shot at the WWE Title at TLC like he’d hoped, and Samoa Joe has one more win to dangle over him.
Team SmackDown Live def. Team Raw (57:46)
Backstage, as the fanfare begins for Goldberg vs. Lesnar, Cena is seen completely beside himself, shouting at Bryan and Shane about all sorts of people - Bryan himself, Rollins, Reigns, Ambrose, Joe, Owens and Styles. Finally, he storms out of the building, telling Bryan where he can stick his management-approved title match. While before, he’d had a target on his back and all sorts of enemies as the Face of the WWE, he’s now got enemies everywhere he looks as he tries to climb his way back up, no matter what it takes.

Part One Here!
Part Two Here!
Part Three Here!
Part Four Here!
Part Five Here!
John Cena is on top of the world, claiming to be the greatest star TNA has ever seen as he enters the building to boos and jeers, his goons by his side. Chain Gang Records is covered in gold. Ron Killings recently defeated Christopher Daniels for the X Championship, following in Cena’s footsteps. John Cena is riding high as NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Jeff Jarrett is hyping up his two clients, claiming no one, NO ONE can stop them. But familiar music interrupts the rest of his message, immediately pissing off the champion.
The tension in the arena reached a boiling point as Jeff Hardy stormed into the ring, his fury palpable as he confronted John Cena, who stood defiantly alongside his cohorts from Chain Gang Records. With the NWA World Heavyweight Championship draped over his shoulder, Cena arrogantly dismissed Hardy's claims and ordered him to step aside. But Hardy refused to back down, his determination unyielding as he challenged Cena's authority and demanded justice for the injustice he suffered at Turning Point. As Chain Gang Records closed in on Hardy, ready to unleash their trademark brutality, the atmosphere grew increasingly volatile.
Suddenly, the arena erupted in shock as AJ Styles made his long-awaited return, charging down the ramp and leaping into action. With his sights set squarely on Cena, Styles wasted no time in unleashing a flurry of strikes, igniting a chaotic brawl that spilled out across the ring. As the pandemonium unfolded, Hardy and Styles found themselves unlikely allies, putting aside their differences to combat the overwhelming numbers advantage of Chain Gang Records. Together, they fought tooth and nail, trading blows with Cena's cohorts and clearing the ring of their presence.
With Chain Gang Records driven from the ring, Hardy and Styles stood side by side, their eyes locked on Cena and the coveted championship he held. In that moment, a new alliance was forged, united by a common goal: to dethrone the self-proclaimed king of TNA and claim championship glory for themselves. As the dust settled and the tension hung thick in the air, Cena found himself facing an uncertain future, with two formidable challengers poised to challenge his reign atop the TNA hierarchy.
The feud between AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, and NWA World Heavyweight Champion John Cena was a tumultuous rollercoaster ride that gripped the wrestling world with its intensity and drama. It all began with Cena's manipulative tactics and the formation of Chain Gang Records, which quickly became a dominating force in TNA. As Cena basked in the glory of his championship reign, AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy emerged as his fiercest challengers. Both men had their own personal scores to settle with Cena, stemming from his underhanded tactics and the interference of Chain Gang Records in their matches. Neither would stand down, and neither would let the smooth talking Doctor of Thuganomics pit them against each other.
The animosity between the three competitors reached a boiling point as Cena's reign of terror continued unchecked. Styles and Hardy, initially united in their quest to dethrone Cena, found themselves at odds as the allure of the championship intensified. Despite their best efforts to work together against their common enemy, old rivalries and personal ambitions threatened to tear their alliance apart. Cena, reveling in his role as the dominant force in TNA, relished in the chaos he had created. With the backing of Chain Gang Records, he seemed almost unstoppable, using his influence and power to manipulate the situation to his advantage at every turn.
The tension between the three competitors escalated week by week, with heated confrontations and brutal attacks punctuating their rivalry. Each man was determined to emerge victorious and claim the NWA World Heavyweight Championship for themselves, no matter the cost. As the date of Final Resolution drew near, anticipation reached a fever pitch as fans eagerly awaited the epic showdown that would determine the fate of the championship. The stage was set for an unforgettable battle in Full Metal Mayhem, with weapons strewn across the ring and the coveted title hanging above.
Final Resolution
When the night of Final Resolution finally arrived, the intensity in the arena was palpable as Styles, Hardy, and Cena stepped into the ring for the highly anticipated triple threat match. With the fate of the championship hanging in the balance, the stakes had never been higher.
NWA World Heavyweight Championship Full Metal Mayhem: John Cena (c) vs AJ Styles vs Jeff Hardy
As the match unfolded, chaos ensued as all three men unleashed a barrage of brutality upon each other. Steel chairs, tables, and ladders were wielded with reckless abandon as each competitor fought tooth and nail for supremacy. All three competitors wasted no time in unleashing a relentless onslaught of offense. Steel chairs, tables, and ladders were introduced into the mix early on, transforming the ring into a veritable battlefield of destruction. Each man displayed a willingness to endure punishment and inflict it upon their opponents in equal measure.
AJ Styles, known for his high-flying acrobatics and innovative offense, utilized the steel structures to his advantage, leaping off ladders and springboarding off ropes to deliver jaw-dropping attacks. Jeff Hardy, the charismatic daredevil, proved to be equally fearless, executing death-defying maneuvers and risking life and limb to gain the upper hand. Meanwhile, NWA World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, fueled by his ruthless determination to retain his title at any cost, employed his trademark power and aggression to dominate the proceedings. Armed with steel chairs and his signature padlock chain, he ruthlessly targeted his opponents, using every tool at his disposal to maintain his grip on the championship.
As the match progressed, the brutality reached new heights, with each competitor pushing themselves to their absolute limits in pursuit of victory. Bodies crashed through tables, steel chairs echoed throughout the arena, and ladders were wielded like weapons in a relentless onslaught of carnage. In the climax of the match, a new member of Chain Gang Records made his presence felt. Scott Steiner intervenes on behalf of Cena and unleashes his devastating strength against Styles and Hardy. Despite their valiant efforts to fight back, the combined forces of Cena and Steiner proved too much to overcome.
In the final moments of the match, Cena seized the opportunity to capitalize on the chaos, scaling the ladder with single-minded determination. With Styles and Hardy incapacitated by the onslaught of Chain Gang Records, Cena reached the summit of the ladder and claimed the championship, solidifying his reign of dominance and leaving his opponents defeated and broken in the aftermath of the brutal encounter.
John Cena defeats Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (28:47)
A couple weeks after Final Resolution, John Cena is advertised to return to address the TNA faithful. John Cena's victory over Hardy and Styles solidified his dominance in TNA, and with Chain Gang Records holding all the gold, he felt invincible. The faction was riding high on their success, with Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner adding the NWA World Tag Team Championships to their collection right after the PPV.
As Cena addressed the TNA faithful, the boos echoed throughout the arena, but they only served to fuel his confidence. Standing tall with his championship held high, Cena proclaimed that he had ushered in a new era in TNA, one where he and Chain Gang Records reigned supreme. He taunted the fans, daring anyone to challenge their dominance and promising that no one could escape the grasp of their power. With every member of Chain Gang Records holding gold, Cena's declaration sent shockwaves throughout the TNA roster. The landscape of the promotion had been reshaped, and Cena stood at the forefront as the undisputed leader of the faction. As he basked in the glory of their triumph, it seemed that no one could stand in their way as they asserted their dominance over TNA.
Sick of being a victim of Cena and Chain Gang Records, one man steps up when seemingly everyone else is down for the count. Christopher Daniels still feels the burn from losing the X Championship to Ron Killings, and focuses his attention to the head of the snake. NWA World Heavyweight Champion John Cena pokes fun at Daniels’ anger, telling him he isn’t ready for the primetime. But Daniels refuses to step down, defiantly slapping the taste out of Cena’s mouth! In a fit of rage, Cena orchestrates a beatdown on Daniels, leaving him a bloody mess. But Daniels laughs at the blood, saying he’s only just getting started with Cena.
The feud between John Cena and Christopher Daniels intensified as Daniels grew increasingly fed up with the dominance of Chain Gang Records. Determined to put an end to Cena's reign, Daniels fought his way up the ranks, overcoming challenges and obstacles to earn his shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. After defeating Jeff Jarrett in a hard-fought battle, Daniels declared that he would have the biggest moment of his career by dethroning Cena and capturing the championship for himself. His determination and resolve were unwavering as he prepared to face Cena at Against All Odds.
Against All Odds
It’s time, IT’S TIME, IT’S. VADER. TIME!
NWA World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena (c) Christopher Daniels
As the bell rang, Cena and Daniels wasted no time, immediately locking up in the center of the ring. The intensity was palpable as they exchanged strikes and grappling maneuvers, each man vying for control in the early moments of the match. Daniels showcased his technical prowess, utilizing his agility and speed to keep Cena on his toes, while Cena relied on his raw power and brute force to assert dominance.
The match quickly spilled to the outside, with both competitors utilizing the unforgiving barricades and ringside environment to inflict punishment on each other. Cena slammed Daniels into the steel steps, while Daniels retaliated with a jaw-dropping dive over the ropes, crashing into Cena with precision. The intensity was palpable as they traded blows, each man fighting tooth and nail for victory. With the stakes at an all-time high, the match reached its climax as both competitors pushed themselves to their limits.
Back inside the ring, the momentum swung back and forth as Cena and Daniels traded near falls, each coming agonizingly close to securing victory. The crowd was on the edge of their seats as the action intensified, with both men refusing to back down in their quest for championship glory. As the match reached its climax, Cena's allies from Chain Gang Records made their presence felt, attempting to interfere on behalf of the champion. However, Daniels managed to fend off the interference, rallying the support of the crowd as he mounted a comeback.
With the title hanging in the balance, Cena saw the referee, occupied with Steiner and Jarrett, and realized he had an opportunity. He resorted to desperate measures, seizing the X Division Championship from Ron Killings and using it as a weapon against Daniels. Despite Daniels' valiant efforts to overcome the odds, he was unable to withstand Cena's ruthless assault. In the final moments of the match, Cena capitalized on the chaos and delivered a devastating FU to Daniels, driving him into the canvas with authority. The referee counted the pinfall, sealing Cena's victory and allowing him to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
John Cena defeats Christopher Daniels to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (18:25)
As Cena celebrated his hard-fought triumph, Daniels lay battered and defeated in the center of the ring, his dreams of championship glory shattered once again by the underhanded tactics of Chain Gang Records. Despite his valiant efforts, Daniels was left to contemplate his next move in his ongoing quest to topple Cena's reign of dominance.
Following Final Resolution, new and old challengers emerge, everyone gunning for Cena’s head. Taking the opportunity to take a month off and rest, John lets them fight among themselves, resting on his laurels with Chain Gang Records and watching the chaos unfold in front of them in the coming weeks.
Christopher Daniels, fueled by a burning desire for redemption after being unjustly stripped of the X Championship by Cena and his allies, emerged as a vocal critic of the champion's oppressive regime. With his sights set on toppling Cena and reclaiming his lost glory, Daniels rallied the support of fans and fellow wrestlers alike, vowing to dismantle Chain Gang Records and expose their corrupt tactics.
AJ Styles, a longtime rival of Cena and a former TNA World Heavyweight Champion in his own right, added fuel to the fire with his unwavering determination to reclaim the gold. Unwilling to be sidelined by Cena's underhanded tactics, Styles refused to back down, engaging in a war of words and in-ring battles with both Cena's allies and his fellow contenders.
Meanwhile, Samoa Joe, the enigmatic Samoan Submission Machine, remained a formidable force in the title picture, his dominance in the Super X Cup serving as a testament to his unwavering resolve. With a burning desire to prove himself as the top contender, Joe unleashed his fury on anyone who stood in his path, determined to earn his shot at Cena's championship.
In the weeks leading up to Destination X, tensions between Christopher Daniels, AJ Styles, and Samoa Joe escalated as each competitor sought to stake their claim as the rightful challenger to John Cena's NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Their paths intersect in a series of intense confrontations, with Chain Gang Records lurking in the shadows, ready to exert their influence and protect Cena's reign at any cost.
As tensions reached a boiling point, TNA management announced that Daniels, Styles, and Joe would compete in an Ultimate X match at Destination X, with the winner earning the coveted opportunity to challenge Cena for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The stage was set for an epic showdown, with the fate of the title hanging in the balance.
Ultimate X: Christopher Daniels vs Samoa Joe vs AJ Styles
At Destination X, the anticipation was palpable as Daniels, Styles, and Joe entered the arena, each prepared to lay it all on the line for a chance at championship gold. From the moment the bell rang, the match erupted into a frenzied display of athleticism and high-flying action, with all three competitors pushing themselves to the limit in pursuit of victory. Daniels showcased his unparalleled aerial prowess, executing jaw-dropping maneuvers and daring dives in his quest to seize the championship suspended above the ring. Styles, known for his lightning-fast strikes and innovative offense, countered with his trademark agility and resilience, refusing to be grounded by his opponents' attacks.
Meanwhile, Joe unleashed his trademark brutality, punishing his adversaries with bone-crushing strikes and punishing submissions as he sought to impose his will on the match. With the title tantalizingly close overhead, each competitor fought tooth and nail, determined to emerge victorious and secure their place as the next challenger to Cena's throne.
As the match reached its climax, chaos ensued as Chain Gang Records attempted to intervene, their interference threatening to tip the scales in Cena's favor. However, Daniels, Styles, and Joe refused to be swayed, banding together to combat the outside interference and keep their focus on the ultimate prize. In a heart-stopping moment of triumph, Joe managed to overcome the odds and ascend the ropes, reaching out to grasp the X and secure his victory in the Ultimate X match. With the crowd erupting in thunderous applause, Joe celebrated his hard-fought triumph, knowing that his victory had earned him the opportunity to challenge Cena for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Samoa Joe defeats AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels (24:29)
As Joe stood tall in the ring, his gaze fixed on the X he now held in his hands, the stage was set for an epic showdown between the Samoan Submission Machine and the dominant champion, John Cena. Joe has a golden ticket he can use at any time, and he loves it. Cena feels a shiver down his spine as he realizes the one man he cannot solve is hot on his trail. With the fate of the title hanging in the balance and the rivalry between Chain Gang Records and their challengers reaching a fever pitch, the battle for supremacy in TNA was far from over.
With Samoa Joe looming in the shadows, John Cena's once unshakeable confidence begins to waver. Despite having the formidable force of Chain Gang Records at his side, Cena can't shake the feeling of impending doom that Joe's victory at Destination X has brought upon him. As weeks pass with no sign of Joe, Cena finds himself consumed by paranoia, constantly looking over his shoulder and second-guessing every move he makes. The absence of his challenger only serves to heighten Cena's anxiety, as he knows that Joe could strike at any moment, thanks to his guaranteed title shot.
Unable to focus on anything else, Cena becomes increasingly obsessed with Joe's looming presence, neglecting his duties as champion and allowing cracks to form within Chain Gang Records. The once united faction begins to fray at the edges, with Jeff Jarrett and Ron Killings questioning Cena's leadership and the wisdom of aligning themselves with such a volatile champion. Meanwhile, TNA management capitalizes on the chaos, forcing Cena to focus on the other men he’s been pissing off with his arrogance and interference. Styles and Daniels defeat Steiner and Jarrett for the NWA World Tag Team Championship, finally winning gold and knocking Chain Gang Records down a peg. Jeff Hardy defeats Ron Killings for the X Championship, helping add to the tension and help turn the tide against Cena’s regime. With the momentum in their favor, Styles throws out the challenge for the most menacing match in TNA history: Lethal Lockdown. Cena accepts, desperate to put the months-long saga to rest.
The anticipation for the Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown reaches a fever pitch as Chain Gang Records and their challengers, led by AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Jeff Hardy, prepare to settle their long-standing feud once and for all. With tensions running high and animosity reaching its peak, the stage is set for an epic showdown inside the unforgiving steel structure.
As the match draws near, speculation runs rampant about the identity of the fourth man for Styles, Daniels, and Hardy's team. Rumors swirl and anticipation mounts until, finally, the truth is revealed: the fourth man is none other than Sting, making his triumphant return to TNA Wrestling. The revelation sends shockwaves through the wrestling world, as fans and competitors alike are stunned by Sting's unexpected presence. For John Cena and Chain Gang Records, the sight of Sting brings back memories of their past encounters, stirring up feelings of dread and uncertainty.
Despite his doubts and fears, Cena remains determined to lead his team to victory and prove that Chain Gang Records is still a force to be reckoned with. With Sting's return adding an extra layer of intensity to the match, the stakes are higher than ever before.
Lockdown
The Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown becomes a chaotic battleground, with the steel structure amplifying the intensity of the conflict between Chain Gang Records and their adversaries. The atmosphere inside the arena is electric as the fans eagerly anticipate the culmination of weeks of heated rivalry.
Lethal Lockdown: Chain Gang Records vs Team Styles
As the match begins, both teams waste no time in unleashing a relentless onslaught of brutality upon each other. Steel chairs clang against steel as bodies collide with unforgiving force, creating a symphony of chaos that reverberates throughout the arena. John Cena, flanked by Jeff Jarrett, Ron Killings, and the bouncer Scott Steiner, leads the charge for Chain Gang Records. Their unity and ruthless aggression are on full display as they systematically target their opponents, using underhanded tactics and sheer brute force to gain the upper hand. On the opposing side, AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Jeff Hardy, and the returning Sting form a formidable alliance, fueled by a shared desire to take down Cena and his faction. They fight with unmatched determination and resilience, refusing to back down in the face of overwhelming odds.
The match reaches a fever pitch as weapons come into play, with kendo sticks, steel chairs, and tables adding to the carnage inside the steel cage. Bodies crash into the unforgiving steel walls, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. As the battle rages on, the momentum shifts back and forth between the two teams, with each side coming close to victory on multiple occasions. Cena and his allies showcase their trademark ruthlessness, while Styles, Daniels, Hardy, and Sting demonstrate their unyielding resolve. In the climax of the match, Sting delivers a thunderous Scorpion Death Drop to Cena, incapacitating the NWA World Heavyweight Champion and leaving him vulnerable to defeat. With the referee counting the pinfall, the arena holds its breath as the outcome hangs in the balance. 1… 2… 3.
Team Styles defeats Chain Gang Records (45:28)
In the end, it is Styles, Daniels, Hardy, and Sting who emerge victorious, securing a hard-fought triumph over Chain Gang Records. The crowd erupts in deafening cheers as the triumphant team celebrates their victory, marking the end of Cena's reign of dominance and the dawn of a new era in TNA Wrestling. Jarrett, inches away from breaking the pin, pounds the mat in frustration, his face covered in blood. Ron Killings picks thumbtacks out of his back, cursing Sting as he watches Team Styles celebrate.
In the weeks leading up to Sacrifice, the tension between John Cena and Sting escalates to unprecedented levels, creating a palpable atmosphere of anticipation and excitement among the TNA faithful. Cena, emboldened by his reign as NWA World Heavyweight Champion and backed by the formidable force of Chain Gang Records, exudes an air of invincibility as he flaunts his dominance over the TNA roster. However, his arrogance and brash demeanor only serve to incite the ire of Sting, who sees Cena's reign as a blight on the integrity of the championship and the company as a whole.
Sting, the iconic veteran with a storied legacy in the world of professional wrestling, refuses to stand idly by while Cena runs roughshod over TNA. With a sense of duty and honor driving him forward, Sting vows to put an end to Cena's reign of tyranny and restore the prestige of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Just like how he stopped Cena during his reign as X Champion, he’ll stop him again, and make sure he doesn’t continue to tarnish TNA’s name. Their feud becomes a clash of generations, with Cena representing the new guard and Sting standing as a symbol of tradition and respect.
As the animosity between them reaches a boiling point, Cena and Sting engage in a series of intense confrontations both in and out of the ring. Verbal sparring sessions give way to physical altercations, as Cena's underhanded tactics clash with Sting's unwavering resolve. Meanwhile, the rest of the TNA roster watches on, torn between their disdain for Cena's oppressive regime and their respect for Sting's legacy. With tensions at an all-time high, the stage is set for their championship match at Sacrifice. The anticipation surrounding the encounter is palpable, as fans eagerly await the clash between two titans of the industry. Cena, confident in his abilities and backed by the support of Chain Gang Records, vows to crush Sting and prove once and for all that he is the rightful champion. Meanwhile, Sting remains steadfast in his determination to defeat Cena and restore honor to the championship.
Sacrifice (Beautiful Butt Naked Big Titty Don’t Just Fall Out The Sky, Ya Know ?)
NWA World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena (c) vs Sting
When the bell rings at Sacrifice, the intensity of the match is immediately apparent. Both competitors give it their all, trading devastating blows and near falls as they vie for supremacy. Sting relies on his experience and ring savvy, using his signature maneuvers to wear down Cena and keep him on the defensive. However, Cena refuses to back down, unleashing his trademark power moves and relentless aggression in an effort to assert his dominance.
As the match reaches its climax, the action spills out of the ring and into the ringside area, with both men utilizing the surrounding environment to their advantage. Steel steps, barricades, and announce tables are all fair game as Cena and Sting battle with everything they have. The crowd is on the edge of their seats, fully immersed in the drama unfolding before them.
In the end, it is Cena's cunning and opportunism that prove to be the difference-maker. With the assistance of Scott Steiner, who intervenes in the match at a crucial moment, Cena gains the upper hand and secures the victory, retaining his NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The decision is met with a mix of jubilation from Cena's supporters and disappointment from Sting's loyal fans, as the controversy surrounding the outcome leaves the wrestling world buzzing with speculation and debate.
John Cena defeats Sting to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (17:09)
As Cena stands tall in the ring, clutching his championship gold, the camera captures the defeated figure of Sting, staring daggers at his adversary from across the ring. Though the battle may be lost, Sting knows that the war is far from over, as he vows to continue his quest to dethrone Cena and reclaim the championship for himself.
In the weeks leading up to Slammiversary, the tension between Cena and Sting escalates to new heights. With Chain Gang Records banned from ringside, Cena is stripped of his usual allies, leaving him isolated and vulnerable. On the other hand, Sting sees this as his opportunity to finally level the playing field and settle the score once and for all. The feud takes on a deeply personal dimension as both men trade barbs and accusations, each determined to prove their superiority and claim the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
The animosity between Cena and Sting traces back to their previous encounters, where Cena's underhanded tactics and reliance on Chain Gang Records cast a shadow over his reign as champion. Sting, a veteran of the industry with a storied career, sees Cena's actions as a stain on the integrity of the championship and vows to restore honor to the title by dethroning him. Cena, on the other hand, views Sting's challenge as a threat to his dominance and legacy in TNA. He dismisses Sting as a relic of the past, claiming that his time has come and gone, and that he is the future of professional wrestling. Cena's arrogance and brash demeanor only serve to further enrage Sting, who sees Cena's reign as tarnishing the prestige of the championship.
As tensions reach a boiling point, both men engage in a series of heated confrontations, culminating in a physical altercation that leaves officials struggling to keep them apart. The intensity of their feud captures the attention of the entire wrestling world, with fans eagerly anticipating their showdown at Slammiversary. In the buildup to their match, Cena and Sting engage in a series of grueling training sessions, each preparing to give it their all in the ring. Their encounters become increasingly volatile, with Cena resorting to mind games and psychological warfare to gain the upper hand, while Sting relies on his experience and ring savvy to outsmart his opponent.
Slammiversary
The atmosphere at Slammiversary is charged with anticipation as Cena and Sting make their way to the ring, their expressions reflecting the intensity of their rivalry. The stage is set for an epic clash between two icons of the industry, with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship hanging in the balance.
NWA World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena (c) vs Sting II
As the opening bell rings, Cena and Sting waste no time in locking up, their intensity palpable from the start. The match begins with a feeling-out process, each competitor sizing up the other and searching for an opening to gain the upper hand. Sting, relying on his years of experience and ring savvy, takes control early on, using his agility and technical prowess to keep Cena on the defensive. The Icon unleashes a flurry of strikes and high-impact maneuvers, aiming to wear down his opponent and assert his dominance.
However, Cena refuses to back down, fighting tooth and nail to stay in the match. The Doctor of Thuganomics unleashes his trademark blend of power and agility, countering Sting's offense with devastating strikes and high-flying moves of his own. As the match progresses, the intensity reaches a fever pitch, with both men trading big moves and near falls in rapid succession. The action spills out of the ring and into the ringside area, with Cena and Sting using every inch of the arena to their advantage.
Back inside the ring, the momentum swings back and forth, with neither competitor able to gain a decisive advantage. The crowd is on the edge of their seats, roaring their approval with every near fall and close call. As the match enters its final moments, both Cena and Sting dig deep, summoning every ounce of strength and resilience they possess. With the championship hanging in the balance, they unleash a final flurry of offense, each determined to emerge victorious. In the end, it's Cena who manages to seize the opportunity, catching Sting off guard with a lightning-fast sequence of maneuvers that leaves the Icon reeling. With the crowd on its feet, Cena delivers the decisive blow, executing his signature FU finisher to secure the pinfall victory and retain his NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
John Cena defeats Sting to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (19:28)
As the final bell rings, Cena's hand is raised in victory, his triumph met with a mixture of cheers and boos from the electrified crowd. Despite the controversy surrounding his reign, Cena stands tall as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, his victory cementing his status as one of the most dominant forces in TNA history. Cena sees Sting slowly get to his feet, and approach him, cautious of the Icon. But Sting instead shocks everyone in the building by sticking out a hand. Seemingly impressed John overcame him without help or cheating, Sting offers a sign of mutual respect. Cena looks at the hand, tired and drained. He contemplates taking it, and accepting the props from a legend. But before he can… HE GETS BLASTED IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD!
Cena collapses onto Sting, too fatigued to even react. Standing over both men is none other than Samoa Joe, back from vacation, holding the big X in his hands as the crowd loses their minds. Joe quickly yanks Sting from under Cena, putting him to sleep with the Coquina Clutch! He tosses Sting out to ringside, watching him tumble and fall to the ground. He turns, and hands the X to the referee, causing the audience to go crazy. Joe licks his lips as he watches John slowly crawl to his feet, ready to claim what he feels is his.
NWA World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena (c) vs Samoa Joe II
Cena aims a fist at Joe- HE COUNTERS, COQUINA CLUTCH LOCKED IN! John tries to fight, but there’s only so much he can do after wrestling an entire match before! Not even a minute into the match, the referee calls it, the bell ringing as the fans go ballistic…
Samoa Joe defeats John Cena to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (0:37)
The former champion stares up at the lights, left in the dust as the Samoan Submission Machine walks off without a word, holding up the NWA World Heavyweight Championship Cena valued so much.

Part One Here!
Part Two Here!
Part Three Here!
Part Four Here!
Following his decisive victory over Jeff Hardy at Slammiversary, Cena wastes no time in setting his sights on his next goal: the TNA X Division Championship. Deciding to return to his roots and embrace the high-flying, fast-paced style that made him a star, Cena declares his intention to enter the Super X Cup tournament. He says it’s been a while since he was in the thick of things with the X Division, but right now, he wants to shake things up and remind everyone that he once dominated every single aspect of this company, whether it was the X Division, tag team wrestling, or the main event scene.
For Cena, the X Division represents the essence of what made him fall in love with professional wrestling in the first place. With its emphasis on athleticism, innovation, and pure adrenaline, he sees the X Division Championship as the perfect symbol of his journey back to the top. In the weeks leading up to the Super X Cup tournament, Cena dedicates himself to rigorous training, honing his skills and sharpening his instincts in preparation for the challenges ahead. Whether it's in the gym, the ring, or studying tape of his potential opponents, he leaves no stone unturned in his quest for victory.
As Cena prepares for the Super X Cup tournament, he finds himself surrounded by a diverse array of competitors, each with their own unique style and motivations. From high-flying daredevils to technical wizards, the tournament is a showcase of some of the best talent that TNA has to offer.
In a qualifying match, John Cena takes on Sonjay Dutt. Both looking for a win to guarantee first round entry into the tournament, they tear the house down with an exciting match that the fans call a clinic of X Division wrestling. Despite pulling out breathtaking aerial maneuvers and lightning-fast offense, Cena decisively puts Dutt down with an FU to claim victory.
In the first round of the Super X Cup, Cena finds himself across the ring from technical wizard Petey Williams. Renowned for his mastery of submission holds and mat wrestling, Petey gives John a run for his money, nearly taking him out of the tournament with his insane wrestling skills, but Cena manages to stay alive and use his strength to overwhelm the Canadian for another win.
Cena’s biggest challenge yet is in the semi finals, in the form of the monster Abyss. The powerhouse of TNA towers over him, remembering their first encounter and thirsting for revenge. They collide, a full on hoss battle that shakes the foundation of the building, the audience shocked at how much chaos two men can create in a traditional singles match. Cena and Abyss crash into the guardrails, throwing each other into the ring post, using their entire environment to their advantage. Abyss tries to hit John with a chokeslam, but Cena powers through, countering and getting the monster on his shoulders for a colossal FU that nearly breaks the ring in half! One three count later, and Cena is going to the finals!
Cena, fresh off a hard-fought victory in the semifinals of the Super X Cup, stands in the center of the ring, microphone in hand. With the crowd buzzing with anticipation, Cena wastes no time in calling out his opponent for the finals. “Why doesn’t my dance partner for the Super X Cup Finals come down here so I can get a good look at his face?” But before he can finish his next sentence, the arena erupts as Samoa Joe's music hits, and the Samoan Submission Machine makes his way to the ring. With a steely gaze fixed on Cena, Joe snarls, telling John he’s making a mistake, setting the stage for a showdown of epic proportions.
As the days pass, tensions between Cena and Joe continue to escalate, with each man determined to assert their dominance and prove themselves as the true alpha of the TNA roster. In a heated backstage interview, Cena doesn't hold back, unleashing a scathing verbal assault on Joe, questioning his credentials and dismissing him as just another obstacle in his path to victory. "You think you're tough, Joe? You think you're the baddest man in TNA? Well, I've got news for you – you're nothing compared to me."
But Joe is quick to fire back, his words dripping with venom as he vows to make Cena pay for his arrogance. "You may have won your matches, Cena, but you've never faced anyone like me," he snarls. "At Sacrifice, I'm going to show you what it means to step into the ring with a true warrior. I WILL win the Super X Cup. I WILL become X Champion. But before anything else, I will make you a priority, John. I will beat you senseless, and put you to sleep. Reminding every fan in attendance that you are a little boy, cosplaying as his favorite rapper”.
As the tension reaches its boiling point, the inevitable clash between Cena and Joe finally erupts in a shocking display of violence. During a tense face-to-face confrontation in the ring, tempers flare and emotions run high, culminating in a sudden and brutal brawl between the two rivals. The arena descends into chaos as the rest of the roster rushes to the ring, desperately trying to separate the warring competitors before they tear each other apart. Despite the best efforts of security and fellow wrestlers, Cena and Joe continue to exchange blows, their feud reaching new heights of intensity as they struggle to gain the upper hand.
Cena knows he will be tested like never before. Joe is a completely different animal from anything he’s ever faced. But with his sights set firmly on the prize, he refuses to back down, knowing that the path to championship glory is paved with hard-fought victories and unrelenting determination.
Sacrifice
With tensions at an all-time high, Sacrifice arrives, and the stage is set for the final showdown between Cena and Joe in the finals of the Super X Cup tournament. As they step into the ring, the atmosphere is electric, with the crowd on the edge of their seats in anticipation of the clash between these two titans of TNA. With everything on the line, Cena and Joe prepare to do battle, knowing that only one of them will emerge victorious and claim the ultimate prize.
Super X Cup Finals: Samoa Joe vs John Cena
As the bell rings, signaling the start of the match, Cena and Joe waste no time in engaging in a fierce lock-up, each man vying for an early advantage. The intensity is evident as they exchange thunderous strikes and grappling maneuvers, neither willing to give an inch to their opponent. As the match progresses, Cena and Joe unleash a relentless barrage of high-impact offense, each showcasing their unique skill sets and athleticism. Cena relied on his brute strength and power moves, while Joe utilized his devastating strikes and submission holds to wear down his opponent.
The momentum swings back and forth as both competitors refuse to back down. Cena rallies with his trademark shoulder tackles and spine-rattling suplexes, while Joe counters with blistering strikes and bone-crunching slams. The crowd erupts with every near-fall and reversal, fully invested in the back-and-forth action unfolding before them. As the match enters its later stages, Cena and Joe found themselves locked in a grueling battle of wills. Cena attempts to wear down Joe with his STFU submission hold, while Joe counters with his Coquina Clutch, each man refusing to submit to the other's dominance.
In the final moments of the match, both competitors dig deep, summoning every ounce of strength and determination they possessed. With the crowd on their feet, Cena and Joe trade devastating blows in the center of the ring, each refusing to relent. But it’s ultimately Joe who gains the upper hand, locking in his Coquina Clutch with unparalleled ferocity. As Cena struggles to break free from Joe's iron grip, the fans in attendance begin to lose faith in the Doctor of Thuganomics. With Cena weakened from the relentless assault, Joe locks in the hold even further, cinching it in tight and refusing to let go. Despite Cena's valiant efforts to escape, the submission hold proves to be too much to overcome. The referee is forced to call for the bell, declaring Samoa Joe the victor. The arena erupts in applause as Joe stands tall in the center of the ring, his arm raised in triumph.
Samoa Joe defeats John Cena to win the Super X Cup (23:57)
Fueled by his defeat at the hands of Samoa Joe at Sacrifice, John Cena's hunger for gold burns brighter than ever before. The loss serves as a catalyst, igniting a fierce determination within Cena to reclaim his status as a top champion in TNA. With a renewed focus and intensity, Cena sets his sights on championship glory once more, determined to leave a lasting legacy in the world of professional wrestling.
In the aftermath of Sacrifice, Cena throws himself into an intense training regimen, pushing his body to its limits in preparation for his next opportunity at championship gold. He spends countless hours in the gym, honing his skills and refining his technique, leaving no stone unturned in his quest for redemption. With the sting of defeat still fresh in his mind, Cena's determination was reignited with a fierce intensity. No opponent was safe from Cena's wrath as he unleashed his aggression in the ring, determined to prove that he was still a force to be reckoned with.
With his eyes firmly fixed on the prize, Cena maintains a laser-like focus on his ultimate goal of championship glory. He blocks out distractions and detractors, channeling all of his energy and determination into his pursuit of victory. Every setback and obstacle only serves to fuel his determination further, driving him to push harder and fight smarter in the pursuit of his goals. As Cena returns to competition, he unleashes a newfound level of aggression and intensity in the ring. He attacks his opponents with relentless ferocity, leaving no room for hesitation or mercy as he battles his way back to the top. His signature moves are delivered with unparalleled force and precision, as he leaves a trail of defeated opponents in his wake.
With each match, Cena inches closer to redemption, determined to prove himself as one of the greatest champions in TNA history. He embraces the challenges and obstacles that lie ahead, viewing them as opportunities to showcase his skills and prove his worthiness as a top contender. And as he continues his journey, Cena remains steadfast in his determination to reclaim championship gold and cement his legacy as a true legend of the sport. It’s revealed that at Unbreakable, John will have a chance to prove his world title legitimacy, by facing hardcore legend Sabu in a no holds barred match.
Unbreakable
The stage was set at Unbreakable for a clash of titans as John Cena, fueled by a burning desire for redemption, faced off against the extreme icon Sabu in a no holds barred match. From the moment the bell rang, it was clear that this would be a battle for the ages, with both men willing to do whatever it took to secure victory and propel themselves into the NWA World Heavyweight Championship picture.
No Holds Barred: John Cena vs Sabu
From the opening moments of the match, Cena and Sabu wasted no time in unleashing a relentless barrage of punishment upon each other. Steel chairs clashed, bodies crashed through tables, and the ring became a battleground of destruction as both competitors fought tooth and nail for supremacy. Despite the extreme nature of the match, Cena remained focused and determined, his eyes fixed firmly on the prize. With every strike, every slam, and every high-risk maneuver, he pushed himself to the limit, refusing to back down in the face of Sabu's relentless onslaught.
As the match progressed, Cena showcased his versatility and adaptability, incorporating elements of Sabu's own extreme style into his offense. He utilized steel chairs, kendo sticks, and anything else he could get his hands on to gain the upper hand, proving that he was more than capable of matching Sabu blow for blow. In the climax of the match, Cena and Sabu found themselves locked in a brutal back-and-forth exchange, each refusing to surrender to the other's onslaught. But it was ultimately Cena who seized the moment, choking Sabu out with his padlock chain until the ECW legend went motionless. The fans watch in horror as Cena’s muscles bulge, putting more pressure on the man passing out in his arms. John finishes it by hoisting Sabu onto his shoulders and delivering a thunderous FU through two tables, leaving his opponent motionless on the canvas.
John Cena defeats Sabu (22:29)
As the dust settled and Cena's hand was raised in victory, it was clear that he had undergone a transformation. He was no longer the same man that TNA had known and loved, but he didn't care. He’s got a ticket to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and whether you like it or not, he’s not wasting it.
A couple weeks pass, and John Cena returns to TNA television. After becoming top contender for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, John Cena comes out to the ring with purpose. He says he’s done with the games, and he’s done with waiting. He’s had to scratch and claw for a year just to get back to this level, and he won’t let this chance pass him by. He calls out the champion, who recently just acquired the title… AJ Styles. Styles enters the ring, and immediately raises the title, accepting the challenge and facing Cena head on, confirming the biggest main event of the year.
The stage was set for a monumental clash at Bound for Glory as the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion, AJ Styles, found himself facing off against a resurgent and relentless challenger in the form of the Doctor of Thuganomics, John Cena. Both men had traveled arduous paths to arrive at this moment, each carrying the weight of their respective journeys and the desire to emerge victorious.
In the weeks leading up to Bound for Glory, tensions reached a boiling point between Cena and Styles. The Doctor of Thuganomics wasted no time in making his intentions clear, confronting Styles and laying down the challenge for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. With both men possessing a fiery competitive spirit and a burning desire for supremacy, their rivalry quickly intensified, setting the stage for an epic showdown. The clash between Cena and Styles represented more than just a battle for championship gold – it was a clash of styles, ideologies, and legacies. Cena's brute strength and relentless aggression stood in stark contrast to Styles' lightning-fast strikes and technical prowess. It was a matchup that promised to showcase the very best of professional wrestling, with both men bringing their A-game to the ring.
For Cena, the match held a deeper significance beyond the pursuit of championship glory. It was an opportunity to exorcize the demons of past defeats and prove once and for all that he had what it takes to overcome his greatest rival. He’s never defeated AJ one on one, and it drives him mad knowing Styles holds that over his head in their argument for who is face of TNA. Meanwhile, Styles was determined to cement his legacy as one of the greatest champions in TNA history and fend off the relentless challenge of the Doctor of Thuganomics. He’s gone to war with him three times already, and they’ve both given everything to make this company what it is today. AJ is ready to put the conversation to bed and become TNA’s undisputed franchise.
Bound For Glory
As the sold-out arena buzzed with anticipation, Cena and Styles stepped into the ring for their highly-anticipated showdown. The atmosphere was electric as the two competitors locked eyes, each fully aware of the stakes at hand. From the opening bell, it was clear that neither man was willing to back down, as they traded devastating blows and high-flying maneuvers in a display of sheer athleticism and determination.
NWA World Heavyweight Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs John Cena IV
From the moment the bell rang, it was clear that both Cena and Styles were willing to leave it all in the ring. The match was a back-and-forth affair, with neither competitor willing to give an inch. Cena's raw power clashed with Styles' unparalleled athleticism, creating a spectacle that had the crowd on the edge of their seats. As the minutes turned into hours, it became apparent that neither man would be able to put the other away easily. Countless near falls and close calls kept the audience on the edge of their seats, unsure of who would emerge victorious in the end. The match raged on with both Cena and Styles refusing to give an inch, each unleashing their full arsenal of moves in a bid to gain the upper hand.
Just when it seemed like the match would go on forever, fate intervened in a shocking turn of events. The referee was inadvertently taken out, leaving Cena and Styles without an official to oversee the match. As chaos ensued in the ring, all eyes turned to the entrance ramp as the familiar strains of Jeff Jarrett's theme music echoed throughout the arena. The crowd held their breath as Jarrett, guitar in hand, made his way down to the ring. Many feared that he had come back for revenge, planning to sabotage Cena's chances at the worst possible moment. However, just as he stood face to face with Cena, a surprising ally emerged from the shadows.
To the shock of everyone in attendance, including Cena himself, Ron Killings emerged from the backstage area, coming to the aid of his longtime friend. But as he stepped into the ring, it became clear that his intentions were not as noble as they seemed. With a sudden and unexpected twist, Killings turned on Styles, siding with Jarrett as the old man delivers a devastating blow with the guitar! Killings and Jarrett beat down AJ, each hitting him with their finishers as the fans watch in horror. No, no… not this way. With Styles incapacitated and Cena recovering, the stage was set for John to capitalize on the chaos and secure the victory. With a look of determination in his eyes, Cena seized the moment, delivering his signature FU to Styles and pinning him for the 1-2-3 count.
John Cena defeats AJ Styles to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (33:19)
As Cena stood tall in the center of the ring, clutching the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, a palpable sense of darkness seemed to hang in the air. Now a two time World Champion, Cena kisses the title with glee, the fans left with no choice but to boo the man they saw as their hero. With his victory secured, Cena turned his back on the fans, embracing the darker side of his persona and cementing his status as the ultimate anti-hero of TNA.
The aftermath of Bound for Glory shook the foundation of TNA as John Cena emerged as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, backed by his newfound allies in Jeff Jarrett and Ron Killings. With the formation of Chain Gang Records, Cena sent shockwaves throughout the promotion, solidifying his dominance and asserting his authority over the entire roster. As Cena made his grand entrance to the arena, the once adoring fans now greeted him with a chorus of boos and jeers. Unfazed by the negative reception, Cena stood tall in the center of the ring, flanked by Jarrett and Killings, ready to make a bold statement.
In a defiant speech, Cena proclaimed the birth of Chain Gang Records, a force to be reckoned with in TNA. With Jarrett's strategic acumen and Killings' unpredictability, Cena boasted that he was untouchable and destined to reign supreme for as long as he desired. But before Cena could revel in his triumph, his bitter rival AJ Styles stormed the ring, fueled by a burning desire for revenge. Despite being outnumbered, Styles unleashed a relentless assault on Cena and his cohorts, refusing to back down in the face of overwhelming odds.
However, the numbers game proved too much for Styles to overcome as Chain Gang Records ruthlessly pummeled him into submission. In a devastating display of power, Cena and his allies left Styles lying battered and broken, effectively eliminating the only credible threat to Cena's championship reign. With AJ Styles sidelined and Chain Gang Records asserting their dominance, John Cena's reign of terror in TNA appeared to be unstoppable as he set his sights on maintaining his stranglehold over the promotion for the foreseeable future.
As the #1 Contender's tournament for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship unfolded in TNA, tensions ran high among the competitors vying for the opportunity to challenge John Cena's reign of tyranny. With stars like Jeff Hardy, Raven, Jerry Lynn, Abyss, Rhino, and Jay Lethal all in contention, the stakes were higher than ever. John Cena, determined to maintain his stranglehold over the championship, made sure his ally Ron Killings was included in the tournament, manipulating the situation to ensure his presence. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of X Champion Christopher Daniels, whose double title aspirations are crushed by John’s interference.
However, to Cena's dismay, it was Jeff Hardy who emerged as the ultimate contender, defying the odds and overcoming every obstacle in his path. Defeating Ron Killings in the semi finals, he quickly got on John’s bad side, squandering his chance at seeing an ally at the end of the tournament results. Jeff calls out Cena directly saying he’s a completely different man from who he faced the year before. He promises to free John from his endless greed when he takes that NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Cena refuses to believe his words, writing it off as simply a fluke.
In a stunning display of resilience and determination, Hardy fought his way through the tournament, facing formidable opponents and emerging victorious. His path to the finals culminated in a hard-fought battle against Raven in a falls count anywhere match, where he emerged triumphant to secure his place in the main event at Turning Point. Cena is angry, knowing Hardy is a merchant for pain and won’t simply stay down after a regular amount of punishment. His first defense in his second reign won’t come without a hard fight, and both men know that.
As the showdown between Cena and Hardy loomed closer, tensions reached a boiling point. Cena, unwilling to relinquish his grip on power, resorted to underhanded tactics, using his allies Jarrett and Killings to intimidate and harass Hardy in the lead-up to the match. But Jeff Hardy refused to be intimidated, drawing upon his resilience and determination to stand up to Cena and his cronies. He says the reason John is so desperate to take him out is because the year before at Turning Point, Jeff got the upper hand and picked up the win. And it doesn’t matter how many times John got his win back, the doubt still rests in the back of his mind, knowing there’s always a chance he’ll get caught slipping and lose everything. With the support of the fans behind him, Hardy declared that it was time for the Charismatic Enigma to rise to the occasion and claim the throne for himself.
The stage was set for a monumental clash at Turning Point, where Cena's reign of tyranny would be put to the ultimate test against the unyielding spirit of Jeff Hardy. As the anticipation reached fever pitch, fans eagerly awaited the outcome of the epic showdown that would determine the future of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Turning Point
In the highly anticipated main event of Turning Point, the stage was set for a monumental clash between bitter rivals John Cena and Jeff Hardy, with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship hanging in the balance. As the two adversaries locked horns once again, the intensity and animosity between them were palpable, fueled by their shared obsession with championship glory.
NWA World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena (c) vs Jeff Hardy III
From the opening bell, Cena and Hardy unleashed a relentless onslaught of offense, each determined to assert their dominance and claim victory. The match quickly escalated into a brutal and hard-hitting affair, with both competitors pushing themselves to their limits in pursuit of championship gold. Cena throws Hardy around like a ragdoll, trying to overwhelm him with damaging offense and a brutal attitude. Jeff fights back with reckless abandonment, using his body as a weapon to leave John reeling and without a gameplan after his strength alone doesn’t work to subdue him.
As the action reached a fever pitch, Jeff Hardy found himself on the verge of victory, poised to deliver his signature Swanton Bomb and secure the championship. But Cena, unwilling to concede defeat, resorted to desperate measures, distracting the referee to buy himself precious time. Seizing the opportunity, Cena's ally Jeff Jarrett made his presence felt, intervening in the match and delivering a vicious blow to Hardy with Cena's own padlock chain. The unexpected interference turned the tide in Cena's favor, allowing him to capitalize on the chaos and mount a comeback.
With the odds stacked against him, Hardy fought valiantly to overcome the underhanded tactics of his opponent and his cohorts. He gave it his all, refusing to back down and give in. But the numbers game is too much, meddling with the match just enough to permanently tilt the match in John’s corner. Cena proved to be too resilient, summoning the strength to deliver his devastating FU finisher and secure the pinfall victory.
John Cena defeats Jeff Hardy to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (20:45)
In a shocking turn of events, John Cena retained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, cementing his status as the dominant force in TNA and leaving Jeff Hardy's championship dreams shattered once again. As Cena celebrated his hard-fought victory, Hardy was left to contemplate his next move in the aftermath of a heartbreaking defeat.

Part One Here!
Part Two Here!
Part Three Here!
After suffering a devastating defeat at the hands of AJ Styles, John Cena finds himself at a crossroads in his career. With the NWA World Heavyweight Championship slipping through his fingers, Cena knows that he must embark on a journey of redemption if he hopes to reclaim his status as the top star in TNA Wrestling. Following his loss, Cena makes the difficult decision to take a hiatus from wrestling. Needing time to heal both physically and mentally, Cena retreats from the spotlight, immersing himself in a period of introspection and self-discovery. As the summer months pass by, Cena focuses on regaining his strength and rekindling the fire that once burned within him.
During his time away, Cena dedicates himself to healing his body, spirit, and mind. Through a combination of rest, rehabilitation, and introspection, Cena begins to find clarity and perspective, rediscovering the passion and determination that made him a champion in the first place. With each passing day, Cena feels himself growing stronger, both inside and out. As the summer draws to a close, Cena emerges from his hiatus with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Vowing to reclaim the throne he lost control of, Cena sets his sights on a path of redemption, knowing that he'll have to start from the ground up to earn it. With his eyes firmly set on the future, Cena knows that his journey is far from over, but he's ready to do whatever it takes to make his dreams a reality.
After months of soul-searching and rejuvenation, John Cena makes his long-awaited return to TNA Wrestling in September. Stepping back into the spotlight with a renewed sense of purpose, Cena is determined to prove that he is still a force to be reckoned with and that he is ready to reclaim his rightful place among the top stars in the company. As Cena's music hits and he makes his way down to the ring, the crowd erupts in thunderous applause, welcoming back their hero with open arms. But his return is not without drama, as he quickly finds himself coming to the aid of his friend Ron Killings, who is being mercilessly beaten down by the nefarious Team Canada. Without hesitation, Cena rushes to the ring, leaping into action to fend off the attackers and save Killings from further harm.
As Cena clears the ring of Team Canada and helps Killings to his feet, the crowd erupts in cheers, grateful for Cena's timely intervention. With his friend safe and sound, Cena embraces Killings, the two happy to see each other once again. With his trademark swagger and confidence, Cena stands tall in the center of the ring, ready to make his presence felt once again.
As tensions between John Cena, Ron Killings, and Team Canada escalate, the stage is set for an epic showdown between the two rival teams. What begins as a goofy rivalry quickly turns into a heated feud, with pranks, rap battles, and sabotage tactics becoming the norm as both teams vie for dominance and bragging rights. Cena and Killings engage in a series of hilarious pranks and intense rap battles with Team Canada, each side trying to outdo the other in their quest for superiority. From filling their opponents' lockers with shaving cream to dropping fiery disses in the middle of the ring, the rivalry between the two teams reaches new heights with each passing week.
But as the rivalry intensifies, so too do the stakes, with both teams costing each other crucial #1 Contender matches for the NWA World Tag Team Championships. With tensions reaching a boiling point, it becomes clear that the only way to settle the score is in the ring, where actions speak louder than words. Finally, after weeks of back-and-forth skirmishes, Cena and Killings agree to settle their differences with Team Canada in a tag team match. The stage is set for an epic showdown, with both teams putting everything on the line in pursuit of victory and bragging rights. As the bell rings, all hell breaks loose in the ring as Cena and Killings go to war with Team Canada. Bodies fly and fists clash as both teams unleash their full arsenal of moves and tactics in a bid to emerge victorious. The crowd is on their feet, electrified by the intensity of the battle unfolding before them.
In the end, it's Cena and Killings who emerge victorious, their teamwork and determination proving to be too much for Team Canada to handle. With their heads held high, Cena and Killings celebrate their hard-fought victory, knowing that they have finally put an end to their bitter feud and emerged triumphant. As Cena and Killings shake hands in the center of the ring, a newfound respect is forged between the two teams, signaling the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. With their rivalry behind them, Cena and Killings look towards the future, ready to face whatever challenges may come their way as they continue to rise to the top of TNA Wrestling.
With his feud against Team Canada behind him, John Cena sets his sights on reasserting himself as a singles star in TNA Wrestling. As he surveys the landscape of the company, one man catches his eye: the enigmatic Jeff Hardy. Having recently joined TNA, Hardy has quickly made a name for himself as a high-flying daredevil with a penchant for thrilling the fans. Interrupting one of Hardy's promos, Cena makes his intentions clear: he wants to face Hardy in the ring. Recognizing the potential of a match between two of the most dynamic performers in TNA, Cena challenges Hardy to a showdown at TNA's December PPV, Turning Point. Hardy, never one to back down from a challenge, accepts without hesitation, eager to test his skills against the former world champion.
Despite the competitive nature of their upcoming match, Cena and Hardy share a mutual respect for each other's abilities. Both men understand that in order to succeed in TNA, they must be willing to face the best competition the company has to offer, and they see each other as worthy adversaries. As the date of their match at Turning Point draws near, anticipation reaches a fever pitch among the TNA faithful. The arena is buzzing with excitement as Cena and Hardy prepare to do battle in what promises to be an epic clash of styles and personalities.
Turning Point (Sponsored by Brazzers)
Jeff Hardy vs John Cena
When the bell rings, Cena and Hardy leave it all in the ring, delivering a match that exceeds even the loftiest expectations. From breathtaking high-flying maneuvers to hard-hitting power moves, the two competitors pull out all the stops in their quest for victory. In a shocking turn of events, it's Hardy who emerges victorious, stunning Cena and the entire wrestling world with his incredible performance. Despite Cena's best efforts, Hardy's resilience and innovative offense prove to be too much to overcome, as he secures the victory with a breathtaking Swanton Bomb from the top rope.
Jeff Hardy defeats John Cena (15:28)
After the match, Cena graciously accepts defeat and raises Hardy's hand in a show of respect, acknowledging the younger competitor's incredible talent and fighting spirit. Despite the loss, Cena remains determined to continue pursuing greatness in TNA, knowing that every setback is an opportunity for growth and improvement.
As the calendar turns to 2005, John Cena stands at a critical juncture in his career. Determined to rise from the ashes of defeat and rebuild his empire in TNA Wrestling, he sees the new year as an opportunity for redemption. He racks up wins to start the new year out, defeating the likes of Christopher Daniels and Bobby Roode. Hoping to reenter the World Championship picture, he’s ready for all comers. However, his aspirations are quickly overshadowed by a sense of impending doom, as he becomes increasingly convinced that he is being targeted by an unknown assailant. It all starts when Cena is interrupted during his pre match warm ups, having to answer a call. After opening his phone and throwing out a greeting, all he’s met with is deep, shaky breathing. Immediately freaked out, he asks who it is, only for the breathing to get more raspy, more shaky, before quickly cutting off as Cena now hears the dial tone. Thrown off by the moment, Cena tries his best to forget about it, to no avail.
January and February pass in a haze of uncertainty for Cena. While he racks up victories on TNA Impact, his nights are haunted by a sense of unease that refuses to dissipate. Strange occurrences begin to punctuate his days – mysterious figures lurking in the shadows, unexplained noises echoing through empty corridors, and the feeling of being watched wherever he goes. The lights go out during a post match interview, leaving Cena disturbed and uncomfortable as he shakes his head and walks away prematurely. The world is just as clueless as he is… who is messing with the Doctor of Thuganomics?
Despite his best efforts to uncover the identity of his stalker, Cena finds himself trapped in a web of paranoia and fear. He pores over security footage, interrogates his peers, and even hires private investigators in a desperate bid for answers. But each lead turns out to be a dead end, leaving Cena more frustrated and isolated than ever before. In his search for the truth, Cena's paranoia begins to strain his relationships with those closest to him. His once-solid friendship with Ron Killings begins to unravel, as Cena's suspicions and accusations drive a wedge between them. When Cena finally confronts Killings in a fit of rage, accusing him of betrayal, Killings vehemently denies any involvement, leaving Cena alone with his doubts and fears.
With his back against the wall and no allies to turn to, Cena reaches a breaking point. He begins to question his own sanity, plagued by nightmares and hallucinations that blur the lines between reality and illusion. As his grip on reality slips further and further away, Cena finds himself teetering on the brink of madness, desperate for a lifeline to pull him back from the edge. Whoever is targeting him and messing with him every week might just be succeeding.
But even in his darkest moments, Cena refuses to succumb to despair. With a steely determination born of adversity, he resolves to confront his fears head-on and uncover the truth behind the conspiracy that threatens to consume him. Armed with newfound resolve, Cena embarks on a perilous journey into the heart of darkness, determined to emerge victorious and reclaim his place in the spotlight.
As Cena's search for his stalker intensifies, he finds himself plunged into a nightmare of relentless attacks orchestrated by mysterious assailants. Week after week, he is ambushed by shadowy figures clad in grungy attire, their numbers growing with each passing encounter. They wear ripped and dirty clothes and have glazed eyes with a thousand yard stare. Hollow faces that scream malnourishment. Armed with nothing but his wits and his fighting spirit, Cena battles for his life against the relentless onslaught, determined to uncover the truth behind the orchestrated attacks.
As the attacks escalate, Cena's world spirals into chaos. He finds himself constantly looking over his shoulder, his senses on high alert for any sign of danger. Every shadow becomes a potential threat, every noise a harbinger of impending violence. Despite his best efforts to fight back, Cena soon realizes that he is outnumbered and outmatched, his assailants closing in with each passing day. The Doctor of Thuganomics is being surrounded, and he has no answers, no solutions, no one to turn to for help.
Driven to the brink of desperation, Cena decides to take a stand. Walking out to the ring, he issues a defiant challenge to anyone who dares to come at him, armed with nothing but a chair and his padlock chain. To his surprise, dozens of assailants swarm the ring, surrounding Cena with hostile intent. They wear blank expressions on their face, as if they’ve been brainwashed or mind controlled to commit these dastardly deeds. But Cena refuses to back down, unleashing a ferocious assault on his attackers with a combination of brute force and tactical precision.
As the dust settles and the last of his assailants lie defeated at his feet, Cena stands alone in the ring, bloodied but unbowed. Seizing one of the assailants by the collar, he demands answers, threatening them with his chain. With a chilling revelation, the assailant utters the cryptic words, "Quoth the Raven Nevermore," revealing the identity of their mysterious boss. In a fit of rage, Cena pulls back his fist, and brings it down with no remorse, clocking the assailant with the padlock chain, causing a healthy stream of blood to leak down his face and shirt. Cena storms off, finally making progress in his search for the truth.
With the truth finally laid bare, Cena's mind races with the implications of what he has learned. Realizing that he has been targeted by none other than Raven, a formidable and enigmatic figure in TNA Wrestling, Cena's resolve hardens. With newfound determination, he vows to confront Raven head-on and put an end to his reign of terror once and for all. As Cena prepares for the inevitable showdown with Raven, he knows that the battle ahead will be the toughest of his career. But armed with the truth and fueled by a burning desire for justice, Cena stands ready to face whatever challenges lie in his path. With the fate of TNA Wrestling hanging in the balance, Cena's fight for survival is far from over.
Frustration boils over as John Cena, fueled by months of harassment, assault, and uncertainty, calls out his tormentor, Raven. Standing in the center of the ring, Cena demands answers, his voice echoing throughout the arena. But Raven, ever the master of mind games, remains elusive, taunting Cena from the safety of the shadows. Raven's responses are cryptic, his words laced with mystery and intrigue. He toys with Cena, stoking the flames of his anger and confusion, always staying one step ahead. From the safety of the stage or the confines of a video screen, Raven dances around Cena's questions, reveling in the chaos he has created.
But as tensions reach a fever pitch, Raven finally reveals the truth behind his relentless pursuit of Cena. With chilling clarity, he explains that Cena's success and popularity have long been a thorn in his side, a constant reminder of his own perceived shortcomings. In Cena, Raven sees a reflection of everything he despises about himself – and he is determined to snuff out that light once and for all. With his motives laid bare, Raven issues a challenge to Cena – a Clockwork Orange match at Lockdown, a brutal and unforgiving contest designed to push both competitors to their limits. For Raven, it's not just about defeating Cena in the ring – it's about breaking him, both physically and mentally, and proving once and for all that he is the true master of darkness.
Faced with the ultimate test of his courage and resolve, Cena accepts Raven's challenge without hesitation. Stepping into the twisted world of Raven's creation, he knows that the odds are stacked against him. But with the support of the TNA faithful behind him, Cena is determined to emerge victorious and put an end to Raven's reign of terror once and for all.
As Lockdown draws near, tensions between Cena and Raven continue to escalate, each man preparing for the battle that will define their legacy in TNA Wrestling. For Cena, it's not just about winning the match – it's about reclaiming his dignity, his pride, and his sense of self. And as he steps into the Clockwork Orange match, Cena knows that the fate of TNA Wrestling hangs in the balance.
In the weeks leading up to Lockdown, the intensity of Cena's feud with Raven reaches a fever pitch. The mind games between the two adversaries escalate, with Raven's enigmatic messages leaving Cena increasingly frustrated and on edge. Meanwhile, Cena's determination to unravel the mystery behind Raven's vendetta drives him to the brink of obsession, as he pours over every clue in search of the truth. As tensions boil over, Cena finds himself facing a barrage of attacks from Raven's minions, each assault pushing him closer to the breaking point. But despite the odds stacked against him, Cena refuses to back down, his resolve only strengthening with each new challenge thrown his way.
With the clock ticking down to Lockdown, anticipation reaches a fever pitch as fans eagerly await the clash between Cena and Raven. In a match shrouded in darkness and uncertainty, both men are prepared to lay it all on the line in a battle for supremacy that will leave an indelible mark on the annals of TNA history.
Lockdown
As the steel structure of the Six Sides of Steel looms ominously over the ring, anticipation reaches a fever pitch for the clash between John Cena and Raven in the Clockwork Orange House of Deathmatch. Weapons of destruction hang from the walls, serving as grim reminders of the brutality that is about to unfold.
Clockwork Orange House of DeathMatch: Raven vs John Cena
As the bell rings, Cena and Raven waste no time in unleashing their pent-up aggression on each other. The air is filled with the sound of steel meeting flesh as they exchange bone-crushing blows amidst the chaos of the weapon-laden environment. Chairs, kendo sticks, and even steel chains become instruments of pain as both men fight tooth and nail for supremacy. With each passing moment, the violence escalates to new heights as Cena and Raven push each other to their physical and mental limits. Blood flows freely as they trade devastating maneuvers, the ring becoming a battleground soaked in sweat, blood, and desperation. The audience watches in awe and horror as the two warriors refuse to relent, determined to emerge victorious at any cost.
As the match rages on, Cena finds himself pushed to the brink by Raven's relentless onslaught. But just when it seems like all hope is lost, Cena summons the strength to mount a comeback. With a defiant roar, he hoists Raven onto his shoulders and delivers a thunderous FU through a table adorned with thumbtacks, the impact reverberating throughout the arena. The crowd erupts in a deafening roar as Cena covers Raven for the three-count, the sound of the bell signaling the end of a grueling battle. With sweat dripping from his brow and blood staining his skin, Cena stands tall in the center of the ring, his victory a testament to his resilience and determination. As he raises his hand in triumph, Cena knows that he has emerged from the darkness stronger than ever before, his redemption complete.
John Cena defeats Raven (19:02)
As Cena celebrates his hard-fought victory, the chapter closes on his bitter feud with Raven. Cena limps from the demonic structure, wiping blood from his face as he winces with pain. Despite winning a war of mental and physical attrition, Cena doesn’t feel victorious in any way. He looks out at the Lockdown audience with a blank stare, tired and fatigued as he limps backstage and leaves the building.
As Cena emerges victorious from his brutal encounter with Raven at Lockdown, he finds himself on a path towards redemption and renewal. With the weight of his past struggles lifted from his shoulders, Cena begins the journey back to the light, guided by a newfound sense of clarity and purpose. With TNA management hesitant to rush him back into in-ring competition, Cena embraces the opportunity to focus on his mental and emotional well-being. Taking each day as it comes, he immerses himself in activities that bring him peace and solace, whether it be meditation, reflection, or spending time with loved ones.
One of the most significant steps in Cena's journey towards healing comes in the form of reconnecting with his longtime friend and ally, Ron Killings. The two men share a bond forged through years of triumphs and tribulations, and as they come together once again, Cena finds solace in Killings' unwavering support and friendship. As Cena continues to mend the fractured pieces of his psyche, he begins to show signs of his former self, the charismatic and larger-than-life persona that endeared him to fans around the world. His trademark swagger and confidence slowly return, serving as a beacon of hope for those who have stood by him through thick and thin.
With each passing day, Cena grows stronger, both mentally and emotionally. He knows that the road ahead may be fraught with challenges, but he faces it head-on, armed with a newfound sense of resilience and determination. As he looks towards the future, Cena is filled with a sense of optimism and excitement, ready to reclaim his rightful place among the pantheon of wrestling greats.
Cena's return to in-ring competition is eagerly anticipated by the TNA faithful, the atmosphere crackling with excitement and anticipation. The Doctor of Thuganomics is back, and the fans can't wait to see him in action once again. But as Cena steps through the ropes and into the ring, it quickly becomes apparent that something has changed. From the opening bell, it's clear that Cena is operating on a different level. His movements are sharper, his strikes more brutal, and his demeanor more intense than ever before. Gone is the jovial and charismatic persona of old – in its place stands a man fueled by raw aggression and a thirst for victory at any cost.
With each match, Cena's aggression only intensifies. He unleashes a barrage of punishing maneuvers on his opponents, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. The TNA faithful watch in awe and, at times, trepidation as Cena tears through his competition with ruthless efficiency. Despite his best efforts to move forward, it's clear that Cena is still haunted by the memories of his harrowing battle with Raven. The horrors of the Clockwork Orange House of DeathMatch linger in his mind, driving him to fight as if his life depends on it every time he steps into the ring. As Cena's aggression continues to escalate, concern begins to mount among both fans and fellow wrestlers alike. While his ferocity may yield results in the short term, many worry about the toll it will take on Cena's physical and mental well-being in the long run. Is he willing to sacrifice everything – including his own health and sanity – in pursuit of victory?
Cena's response to the concerns about his mental health and well-being is as defiant as ever. With a smirk on his face, he brushes off the rumors, dismissing any notion of vulnerability with a confident swagger. To Cena, the world of professional wrestling is a cutthroat industry where only the strongest survive – and he's determined to prove that he's the baddest man in TNA. Rather than shy away from his reputation as a fierce competitor, Cena leans into it with gusto. He proudly boasts about his past accomplishments, from winning the X Division Championship to holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and makes it clear that he's not about to let anyone take his place at the top of the food chain.
For those who question his methods or his sanity, Cena has a simple message: come and see him in person. He's not one to back down from a challenge, and he's more than willing to prove his dominance in the ring against anyone who dares to test him. With each defiant declaration, Cena reaffirms his commitment to his own brand of ruthless aggression. He's not here to make friends or play by the rules – he's here to kick ass and take names, plain and simple. And if anyone has a problem with that, they better be prepared to face the consequences.
As Cena's bravado echoes through the halls of TNA, it's clear that he's not about to let anyone stand in his way. With his sights set firmly on domination, he's prepared to do whatever it takes to maintain his status as the baddest man in professional wrestling – and woe betide anyone who dares to challenge him.
As May and June roll by, Cena becomes an unstoppable force within the TNA roster. His aggression and physicality reach new heights with each match, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. Embracing his newfound brutality, Cena revels in the fear he instills in his opponents, viewing it as a sign of his own power and dominance. Determined to make up for his past losses and reclaim his status as the top dog in TNA, Cena sets his sights on Jeff Hardy once again. Seeing Hardy as a worthy opponent and a chance for redemption, Cena wastes no time in challenging him to a rematch at Slammiversary, one of TNA's biggest events of the year.
Slammiversary
As the anticipation builds for their highly anticipated rematch, Cena and Hardy prepare to square off once again in the ring. The atmosphere is electric as they step into the arena, both men fueled by a burning desire to emerge victorious.
Jeff Hardy vs John Cena II
From the opening bell, it's clear that Cena is on a mission. He unleashes a relentless barrage of strikes and maneuvers, overwhelming Hardy with his sheer intensity and aggression. Hardy fights back with everything he has, but Cena's ferocity proves to be too much to handle. In the end, Cena's onslaught proves to be too much for Hardy to withstand. With a thunderous FU, Cena puts Hardy down for the count, securing a decisive victory and solidifying his place at the top of the TNA ranks once again.
John Cena defeats Jeff Hardy (16:39)
As Cena's hand is raised in victory, it sends a clear message to the rest of the TNA roster: he is back, and he is more dangerous than ever before. With his sights set on even greater heights, Cena stands tall in the center of the ring, ready to take on all challengers and prove that he is truly the undisputed king of TNA.

((This takes place during the events of Cel’s return post.))

Teagan nudges Cel, his grin widening slightly as he notices a familiar face. “I think I found him.” He points in the direction of his brother, though he was slightly concerned about what he was set out to do. Not rolling his eyes is something he fails at though, Teagan wasn’t thrilled at the idea of Seth showing off, but if it could possibly help Cel get settled in he wouldn’t intervene. “We should go see what he’s up to, or would you prefer going by yourself to check up on him?” He had nothing against his brother, but if word got out that he was a witness to Seth’s idiocy Chiron might have a word with him, again.
Hopefully this reunion would be a happy one, Cel seemed nervous. He didn’t look ecstatic when Teagan mentioned his name, which didn’t seem like a good sign. It’s not his job to be matchmaker, this is one of those times where he wished that Oliver decided to appear out of thin air.
To be quite honest, Cel heard naught a word that Teagan said. As Seth panned into view Cel experienced his own form of tunnel vision. His thoughts clouded with memories of Seth’s whimsical smile and mischievous laugh. His hair was black again. Cel was supposed to help him dye it… but he left before they’d ever had the chance. A pang of guilt shot itself into Cel’s chest like an arrow. All of the longing he’d pushed out of his mind while he was away came crashing into him like an angry boar in a Greek myth. He really missed Seth.
“Y-Yeah, I think I’m gonna talk to him alone. Thanks, Teag. I’ll catch you around,” Cel looked at Teagan with an excited, albeit still nervous, look in his eyes. The bags Cel was carrying were dropped to the ground and left behind as Cel broke out into a run toward the arena. The clothes were inconsequential. One thing was important, and he was stalking toward the arena like a stoic saber-wielding soldier. Although he was the cutest one Cel had ever seen.
As Cel broke his way into the arena he was smiling like a madman. Well, he was slightly mad to think this reunion would be easy given the way he left. Cel imagined this moment nearly every night before he went to bed. They’d see each other and Cel would scoop Seth into the biggest hug imaginable. They’d embrace, cry a little bit, kiss a little more, and everything would be right in the world. Cel would apologize for leaving so abruptly. Seth would apologize for not being there when Cel needed him most. Everything… would be okay.
“Seth!” Cel cried out at the top of his lungs. His voice boomed through the arena. Some demigods that had been training turned to look at him with an annoyed expression. Who cares. All that mattered was one black haired, green eyes, trickster-thief son of Hermes….```

…Who, to Cel’s abject horror, was being electrocuted; he had entered just in time to witness a savage, crackling bolt of lightning strike his boyfriend square in the chest and light his silhouette up like a demigod-shaped Christmas tree. The air, thick with the scent of ozone and fried camper, heated uncomfortably with the sudden power surge. For a few agonizing seconds he remained enveloped in the lethal aura. Miraculously, Seth stood tall and mostly unfazed instead of keeling over. Clothes singed and bronze armaments buzzing with the current recently passing through them, he rolled his shoulders as if shrugging off a sore spot and not recovering from an attack that should have landed him an express trip to the medical cabin. In just a few moments an all out brawl had been initiated within the Arena. His eyes glowed an eerie golden yellow, and beads of perspiration had already begun to form. The stress of him taking the resisted assault head on was causing a burst of adrenaline to course through his body. He nodded in approval to his opponent, the one responsible for the display of lightning. “Excellent.”
Booker fanned his hand to dispel the accumulated heat, watching the residual sparks of his bolt dance across Seth’s armor with a mixture of satisfaction and curiosity.
“Well, well, well, color me impressed!” The copper-haired boy’s applause echoed in the arena, empty besides the three demigods. “You weren’t kidding about this whole power stealing thing.” He glanced over at Gwen, a roguish grin spreading across his freckled face. “You wanna give your dash thing a try as a warm-up, before we get the show on the road?”
While Booker was talking, Seth’s other opponent was focused on her fist. “Shut up, I’m trying to concentrate.” She snapped, trying to keep her breathing in a steady rhythm. Yellow sparks flickered fitfully around one fist, igniting and dying just as quickly. Then after a few moments something seemed to click, and lighting began dancing along her forearm.
The girl grinned, then turned her attention to Seth. “I’ll try not to hit you too hard.” She said, as she rushed forward to slam her charged fist into the son of Hermes.
Seth bounced a step and a half back as the children of Zeus took their turns testing the limits of his electrical resistance, courtesy of Gwen. Sporting lighter armor devoid of any metals to free up his movement, he cautiously studied her approach before deciding how best to defend. The purpose of this pre-arranged exercise could only be achieved if he equipped himself with their own ability to withstand The demonstrative two-on-one had captured the attention of a collection of other campers, who had now gathered to see how a single fighter from Cabin Eleven could possibly hold his own against the Big Three tag team.
Raising his buckler to intercept her, he felt the satisfying clang of a fist against the round plate of Celestial Bronze, accompanied by the exhilaration of yet another burst of lightning passing through him. Seth shuddered and grit his teeth as his muscles tensed and coiled involuntarily at the foreign sensation. “Now defend!” he barked, bringing his blade arm up level with the shield and thrusting directly for Gwen’s upper body.
Gwen smirked defiantly at Seth’s order. “Nah.”
Instead of putting up any kind of defense, the girl’s body fuzzed into a streak of lightning. As Seth’s blade passed through the air where Gwen had been, she appeared to his left. Her fist was raised for another blow, but lightning no longer danced on it. She halted her strike.
“Damnit! Booker, tag in. I can’t figure out how to keep this up.” She said, as she took a step back, once again focusing on her fist, trying to charge it once again.
“Well, I can’t either,” the son of Zeus whined in jest. In the meantime, Booker could keep Seth entertained with the spear at his side. But perhaps there was something else he could show off here.
Booker immediately went still, muttering something under his breath. He felt his exhale merge with the nearby breeze, and the air seemed to respond, picking up in acknowledgment of his invocation.
The Ventus that spiraled into the arena took the form of a horse. Though its body was a swirling mass of dark clouds and mist, Booker was slightly disappointed to see its mane was not crackling with electricity this time. The mare pawed the ground with a spirited kick, sending a swirl of dust into the air.
“Oh, I didn’t realize it would be you again,” the son of Zeus rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as the creature’s stormy eyes bored into him. There must not be a lot of storm spirits in the area– this one had not taken kindly to Booker's last summon to get a ride to breakfast.
“Uh, can you unleash your elemental fury upon this guy?” he asked the horse, pointing at Seth, whose calm demeanor had morphed to a moderately concerned one. This was all more embarrassing than he had intended. “Please?”
The Ventus whinnied in exasperation before charging at the son of Hermes, its form twisting and expanding into a miniature cyclone.
At the same time, Gwen finally got her lightning to comply. After fitfully flickering around her fist for a few moments, the golden sparks began to dance up and down her arm once again.
The girl let out a triumphant laugh, rushing back in and locking Seth between the oncoming Ventus in front, and a charged fist from behind. She quickly closed the distance and slammed her fist into his back. As the impact landed, the lighting surged from her fist into Seth. Though with the brief contact, it wasn’t enough to even feel through his stolen resistance.
Seth was too busy piecing together how Gwen could have phased through a sword and regaining his senses to notice stormy death galloping towards him until it was too late. The two-pronged assault (three if you count both hooves) slammed into him at roughly the same time for an effectively coordinated flank. A shout of alarm and a raising of his shield were all he could manage before an explosion of dust and light scattered the body of the son of Hermes across the arena grounds, bouncing and colliding painfully with the terrain. It took several seconds for him to come to a complete stop, lying dazed on his back as the electricity exited his body via his soles and the golden glow in his eyes subsided. The swift punishment elicited an audible series of sympathetic winces from the gathered crowd, waiting with bated breath to see if Seth was rightfully dead.
To their surprise or disappointment, a noticeably singed-but-not-dead Seth sat up with a groan just a few seconds later, propping himself up by leaning on his arms behind him. A grimace of pain spread across his features as the full effect of what he had endured finally set in. “Timeout,” he called, massaging one of several areas that was sure to develop a bruise in the future. Why did he smell burning hair? “Timeout, timeout times a billion. I lost the resistance, I need a sec. Phew. Yup, that.. That was excellent. Um. Thank you. I did not know you could summon horses and teleport. Could someone help me up? I can’t feel my feet.”
.
Now, if a certain child of Eros wished to speak with him, this was going to be his best shot.
—--------------- —---------------
((Big thanks to charmingclementine and Murky-future for helping me in my first collab post in literal years. I think I’m going to stick to storymodes, but this was still a ton of fun and I hope you two had fun too.))
((This is technically a closed RP between Cel and Seth. However, if you like you can leave a comment at the designated area for spectators just confirming your character is present, for reasons I’ll explain below.))

((This takes place during the events of Cel’s return post.))

Teagan nudges Cel, his grin widening slightly as he notices a familiar face. “I think I found him.” He points in the direction of his brother, though he was slightly concerned about what he was set out to do. Not rolling his eyes is something he fails at though, Teagan wasn’t thrilled at the idea of Seth showing off, but if it could possibly help Cel get settled in he wouldn’t intervene. “We should go see what he’s up to, or would you prefer going by yourself to check up on him?” He had nothing against his brother, but if word got out that he was a witness to Seth’s idiocy Chiron might have a word with him, again.
Hopefully this reunion would be a happy one, Cel seemed nervous. He didn’t look ecstatic when Teagan mentioned his name, which didn’t seem like a good sign. It’s not his job to be matchmaker, this is one of those times where he wished that Oliver decided to appear out of thin air.
To be quite honest, Cel heard naught a word that Teagan said. As Seth panned into view Cel experienced his own form of tunnel vision. His thoughts clouded with memories of Seth’s whimsical smile and mischievous laugh. His hair was black again. Cel was supposed to help him dye it… but he left before they’d ever had the chance. A pang of guilt shot itself into Cel’s chest like an arrow. All of the longing he’d pushed out of his mind while he was away came crashing into him like an angry boar in a Greek myth. He really missed Seth.
“Y-Yeah, I think I’m gonna talk to him alone. Thanks, Teag. I’ll catch you around,” Cel looked at Teagan with an excited, albeit still nervous, look in his eyes. The bags Cel was carrying were dropped to the ground and left behind as Cel broke out into a run toward the arena. The clothes were inconsequential. One thing was important, and he was stalking toward the arena like a stoic saber-wielding soldier. Although he was the cutest one Cel had ever seen.
As Cel broke his way into the arena he was smiling like a madman. Well, he was slightly mad to think this reunion would be easy given the way he left. Cel imagined this moment nearly every night before he went to bed. They’d see each other and Cel would scoop Seth into the biggest hug imaginable. They’d embrace, cry a little bit, kiss a little more, and everything would be right in the world. Cel would apologize for leaving so abruptly. Seth would apologize for not being there when Cel needed him most. Everything… would be okay.
“Seth!” Cel cried out at the top of his lungs. His voice boomed through the arena. Some demigods that had been training turned to look at him with an annoyed expression. Who cares. All that mattered was one black haired, green eyes, trickster-thief son of Hermes….```

…Who, to Cel’s abject horror, was being electrocuted; he had entered just in time to witness a savage, crackling bolt of lightning strike his boyfriend square in the chest and light his silhouette up like a demigod-shaped Christmas tree. The air, thick with the scent of ozone and fried camper, heated uncomfortably with the sudden power surge. For a few agonizing seconds he remained enveloped in the lethal aura. Miraculously, Seth stood tall and mostly unfazed instead of keeling over. Clothes singed and bronze armaments buzzing with the current recently passing through them, he rolled his shoulders as if shrugging off a sore spot and not recovering from an attack that should have landed him an express trip to the medical cabin. In just a few moments an all out brawl had been initiated within the Arena. His eyes glowed an eerie golden yellow, and beads of perspiration had already begun to form. The stress of him taking the resisted assault head on was causing a burst of adrenaline to course through his body. He nodded in approval to his opponent, the one responsible for the display of lightning. “Excellent.”
Booker fanned his hand to dispel the accumulated heat, watching the residual sparks of his bolt dance across Seth’s armor with a mixture of satisfaction and curiosity.
“Well, well, well, color me impressed!” The copper-haired boy’s applause echoed in the arena, empty besides the three demigods. “You weren’t kidding about this whole power stealing thing.” He glanced over at Gwen, a roguish grin spreading across his freckled face. “You wanna give your dash thing a try as a warm-up, before we get the show on the road?”
While Booker was talking, Seth’s other opponent was focused on her fist. “Shut up, I’m trying to concentrate.” She snapped, trying to keep her breathing in a steady rhythm. Yellow sparks flickered fitfully around one fist, igniting and dying just as quickly. Then after a few moments something seemed to click, and lighting began dancing along her forearm.
The girl grinned, then turned her attention to Seth. “I’ll try not to hit you too hard.” She said, as she rushed forward to slam her charged fist into the son of Hermes.
Seth bounced a step and a half back as the children of Zeus took their turns testing the limits of his electrical resistance, courtesy of Gwen. Sporting lighter armor devoid of any metals to free up his movement, he cautiously studied her approach before deciding how best to defend. The purpose of this pre-arranged exercise could only be achieved if he equipped himself with their own ability to withstand The demonstrative two-on-one had captured the attention of a collection of other campers, who had now gathered to see how a single fighter from Cabin Eleven could possibly hold his own against the Big Three tag team.
Raising his buckler to intercept her, he felt the satisfying clang of a fist against the round plate of Celestial Bronze, accompanied by the exhilaration of yet another burst of lightning passing through him. Seth shuddered and grit his teeth as his muscles tensed and coiled involuntarily at the foreign sensation. “Now defend!” he barked, bringing his blade arm up level with the shield and thrusting directly for Gwen’s upper body.
Gwen smirked defiantly at Seth’s order. “Nah.”
Instead of putting up any kind of defense, the girl’s body fuzzed into a streak of lightning. As Seth’s blade passed through the air where Gwen had been, she appeared to his left. Her fist was raised for another blow, but lightning no longer danced on it. She halted her strike.
“Damnit! Booker, tag in. I can’t figure out how to keep this up.” She said, as she took a step back, once again focusing on her fist, trying to charge it once again.
“Well, I can’t either,” the son of Zeus whined in jest. In the meantime, Booker could keep Seth entertained with the spear at his side. But perhaps there was something else he could show off here.
Booker immediately went still, muttering something under his breath. He felt his exhale merge with the nearby breeze, and the air seemed to respond, picking up in acknowledgment of his invocation.
The Ventus that spiraled into the arena took the form of a horse. Though its body was a swirling mass of dark clouds and mist, Booker was slightly disappointed to see its mane was not crackling with electricity this time. The mare pawed the ground with a spirited kick, sending a swirl of dust into the air.
“Oh, I didn’t realize it would be you again,” the son of Zeus rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as the creature’s stormy eyes bored into him. There must not be a lot of storm spirits in the area– this one had not taken kindly to Booker's last summon to get a ride to breakfast.
“Uh, can you unleash your elemental fury upon this guy?” he asked the horse, pointing at Seth, whose calm demeanor had morphed to a moderately concerned one. This was all more embarrassing than he had intended. “Please?”
The Ventus whinnied in exasperation before charging at the son of Hermes, its form twisting and expanding into a miniature cyclone.
At the same time, Gwen finally got her lightning to comply. After fitfully flickering around her fist for a few moments, the golden sparks began to dance up and down her arm once again.
The girl let out a triumphant laugh, rushing back in and locking Seth between the oncoming Ventus in front, and a charged fist from behind. She quickly closed the distance and slammed her fist into his back. As the impact landed, the lighting surged from her fist into Seth. Though with the brief contact, it wasn’t enough to even feel through his stolen resistance.
Seth was too busy piecing together how Gwen could have phased through a sword and regaining his senses to notice stormy death galloping towards him until it was too late. The two-pronged assault (three if you count both hooves) slammed into him at roughly the same time for an effectively coordinated flank. A shout of alarm and a raising of his shield were all he could manage before an explosion of dust and light scattered the body of the son of Hermes across the arena grounds, bouncing and colliding painfully with the terrain. It took several seconds for him to come to a complete stop, lying dazed on his back as the electricity exited his body via his soles and the golden glow in his eyes subsided. The swift punishment elicited an audible series of sympathetic winces from the gathered crowd, waiting with bated breath to see if Seth was rightfully dead.
To their surprise or disappointment, a noticeably singed-but-not-dead Seth sat up with a groan just a few seconds later, propping himself up by leaning on his arms behind him. A grimace of pain spread across his features as the full effect of what he had endured finally set in. “Timeout,” he called, massaging one of several areas that was sure to develop a bruise in the future. Why did he smell burning hair? “Timeout, timeout times a billion. I lost the resistance, I need a sec. Phew. Yup, that.. That was excellent. Um. Thank you. I did not know you could summon horses and teleport. Could someone help me up? I can’t feel my feet.”
.
Now, if a certain child of Eros wished to speak with him, this was going to be his best shot.
—--------------- —---------------
((Big thanks to charmingclementine and Murky-future for helping me in my first collab post in literal years. I think I’m going to stick to storymodes, but this was still a ton of fun and I hope you two had fun too.))
((This is technically a closed RP between Cel and Seth. However, if you like you can leave a comment at the designated area for spectators just confirming your character is present, for reasons I’ll explain below.))

Synopsis: Markus is summoned from Earth by evil beings looking for a 'weak and primitive' creature to use as sacrificial entertainment. What they got instead was a human. Immediately after arriving, Markus awakens to an ability so rare, so powerful that it makes every god on Firellia desperate to recruit him as their new champion.
Learning to control his innate mastery over mana, Markus will devour the very essence of any monster, demon, or god that dares get in his way, determined to never lose his freedom again.
——
First Prev Next Patreon
[Hellhound. Essence Attunement: Fire/???. Level: ??. Threat level: Extremely High.]
The dog growled as it sized him up, two horns shooting out from its head radiating in a golden glow, complete with patterns that reminded him of his glaive when freshly imbued. Weird. Very weird…
He didn’t get long to think about it as the dog lunged in his direction. He thanked Heavenly Fuck that he felt well-rested enough to move properly, barely dodging as the creature lunged in his direction and left a fresh crack in the wall right behind him. Voices shot up in the distance, other prisoners roused by the commotion, but he couldn’t see any of them.
He hadn’t paid much attention as he’d been dragged in, as exhausted as he was at the time, but his cell was further along than most and in an apparent blindspot. He wasn’t even sure if a guard would hear all of this straight away…
The dog snarled in his direction, snapping at the air and ducking low to the ground, looking ready to pounce once more. Markus smashed the plate against the wall as it moved closer, scrambling to grab the biggest piece he could and nicking one of his fingers in the process.
Good. He needed it sharp.
Another lunge, and this time, while the dog still missed him, snapping at where his arm had been moments ago with its sharp and ferocious maw, it still managed to brush close enough to him that the hairs on his right arm were seared off by flame. The heat radiating from the creature made him jump back against the bars behind him, cursing and waving his arm manically.
He’d been resting… his mana pool had increased pretty dramatically while he’d been asleep, almost back to its capacity, and while it was G grade, he had a fair amount of Frost Mana at his disposal and a decent idea of how to move it within his body.
He used the few moments he had to try and coat his arms and torso in it. He needed to not burn up instantly just from coming near the creature, or he’d never be able to strike it.
The helldog wasn’t content waiting for him to sloppily reposition his mana, and spat molten flame directly at Markus’ body. He couldn’t dodge a projectile at that speed, he couldn’t even react from this distance…
It hit him straight on. He felt a small measure of flesh within his shoulder beginning to melt away, and shot as much Frost Mana as he possibly could at the impact zone to try and mitigate the damage, but it was already pretty severe.
[E Grade Flame Mana absorbed.]
No clue if that was of any use. Surely this thing was impervious to flames…
He’d lost a chunk of flesh about the size of a grape already, and the pain was spreading from his shoulder and radiating along his whole neck, making it hard to see even see straight, let alone command his body to move.
The dog’s many rows of teeth clamping around his right arm seemed to snap him out of things.
If it wasn’t for the coating of Frost Mana acting as a barrier, he was pretty sure the hound would’ve torn the arm from him in a single bite, but the small measure of protection he’d been afforded kept him from instantly losing his limb.
Nonetheless, Markus fell to his knees, wracked by pain. This wasn’t like the bulleater. He’d thought that thing was fast, but this was no fucking joke. This thing would tear him apart in only a few moments more if he didn’t find a way out fast, and it was almost impossible to stage a counterattack against something that moved so quickly, not to mention its incredibly potent attacks…
Was he really going to allow himself to die here?
Markus sent a pulse of mana through his mangled arm; it was the only way he could make the nerves respond. The dog shook and ragged at his arm as all the while he tried to force enough energy into it to make it move. This was spirit mana. He was using it to make his thumbs and fingers twitch. Each response came with an explosive bout of pain, and he eventually gave up on trying to yank his arm out.
He’d established a connection with the creature. All he wanted to do from this spot was drain it. It was the only way he could think of to turn the tide of this fight, but his hand was nowhere near able to touch it directly, not with how it held his forearm near the elbow.
Markus stabbed forwards with the bit of plate in his left hand, desperate, aiming for the side of the creature’s face. He needed it to let go. He felt like his heart was gonna fucking explode. The pain was intolerable, insane.
The impact caused the creature to relax its jaws, but little more. Markus had burned up his left hand stabbing it in such a manner, and while he just about managed to pull his right arm free after, it was hanging so limp that he might as well have lost it, sizeable chunks of flesh missing, bleeding profusely even in spite of how he continually attempted to freeze over the fresh wounds…
The dog lost focus for a moment, a large tongue lulling from its panting mouth. It licked over the area in which it’d been stabbed, and within moments, the bleeding began to cease. The wound receded into fresh flames, looking partway healed already, and Markus began to wonder just why it was that the entire world seemed to be against him. Had he done something to deserve this torment and struggle? Did the universe just hate him?
He was running low on options. Shooting Life and Blood Mana towards his wounds sounded like the ideal option, but he’d still not figured out how to do that on the fly, and within the tight confines of the cell, he wouldn’t be able to run from this thing for long. His right arm was basically out of commission, and he had yet to try channelling Frost Mana through his left.
Still… first time for everything.
Markus fell to his backside trying to scoop up the rag from the floor. He couldn’t just shoot it out without freezing his hand off. He’d learned from his practice that he still needed a conduit. Channelling as much of his remaining Frost Mana into the miserable material as he could, he attempted to form a ring of icy energy from the rag as he worked his resource into it, knowing that if this had no effect, he’d be fucked, that this was likely his last and only hope at some means of turning the tide, with the alternative being horrific and torturous death at this beast’s claws.
Fuck… why did the thing have to be on fucking fire?! If he could just grab it by the scruff and drain it, then maybe he’d have a fighting chance!
Well, that was what he was banking on. Once he’d poured as much ice into the rag as he could manage, he lunged at the creature, blanketing it in the cool aura and pushing back the flames that surrounded its body.
It looked far less menacing when it wasn’t exploding with fire, but still it rippled with muscle.
Markus threw himself onto its back with no restraint, still burning up as he did so even as he blanketed it in Frost Mana. The rag sizzled as it pressed against the creature’s back, and through the thin surface, Markus pressed his hand against the creature’s skin hard, praying it’d count as prolonged contact, that the system wouldn’t begrudge him using a layer of separation to keep his hand from melting off.
He pressed it down harder and harder, like a patty on a grill, watching as his hand seared with impossible heat, until finally, finally, a new prompt established itself, and Markus screamed his confirmation with such hastened intensity that his voice rang out and echoed through the entire chamber.
[Mana Drain initialised. Transferring essence. D Grade Blood Mana, D Grade Flame Mana, E Grade Spirit Mana, C Grade Life Mana, and A Grade Divine Mana are currently being syphoned.]
At least two other notifications besides that ticked by Markus as the creature growled and thrashed, seemingly pained by the transaction, its horns glowing brighter, its body a furnace, as all the while Markus clung on for dear life, his hand frying as his whole body slowly caught up, his eyes steaming so heavily he could barely see, his balance so precarious that he worried any second he’d fall straight forwards and fry himself on the creature’s flaming back.
[Mana threshold at 100% capacity. Excess Life and Blood mana will fuel Regeneration and Growth.]
He was entering Overcharge again. He could feel it this time as he knew what to expect. The bolster in strength he gained was still enough to make him feel superhuman, but compared to the monster’s power he was still entirely dwarfed.
Holding on was almost impossible. The fact that the fires on the creature’s back began to dim and dwindle after a time was the only thing that stopped him from combusting himself. The healing waves flowing into him from the creature’s blood were doing just enough to offset the constant injuries mounting on him that he could keep himself in this position for just a little longer.
“Just hold on. Just hold on…” He repeated the mantra to himself with what little bit of wherewithal he had left, anything to ground him in the moment, to halt him succumbing to exhaustion. Even with all the new power that flowed into him, he felt ruined by the pain he’d endured, his mind reeling and on the verge of breaking entirely.
As the creature’s horns began to dim, Markus felt a new power flow into him all at once. It was something utterly unlike any of the other mana types he’d previously harnessed. This one was so powerful, so prominent that it threatened to engulf him entirely. And with it, with the A grade Divine Mana that flowed into his body as he kept himself firmly rooted, he felt something beyond simple power.
He felt a command. A spur to violence. An innate desire to hurt… himself?
[Mana threshold at 242% capacity. Mana Poisoning I in effect. Overcharge in effect.]
[Regeneration: 4 >> 8. New path available. 10 Arcana required.]
[Right arm is critically injured.]
The creature finally threw Markus off right as the horns on its head stopped glowing gold, the etchings within them beginning to fade.
He could still feel the echo of Divine Mana within his body as he clattered against the stone floor, attempting to pull his charred body up and to his feet. Even with Regeneration running fully through him, even with it having improved over the course of his fight, he was still very injured, much moreso than he had been in his first fight. He couldn’t take much more damage. His drain attack seemed to have barely affected the creature stood before him, and yet…
It wasn’t attacking him. If anything, the creature seemed to be eyeing him warily. Why the sudden change? Had his attack scared it that much?
When Markus sprang to its feet, the creature lashed forwards, barking manically, but as soon as he hit the wall, it sprang back towards its hind legs, appearing more threatened than bloodthirsty.
Markus panted, fighting for breath as the creature growled before him. Its demeanour was…
Markus tried to take stock of the situation. Of the mana he’d gained from the creature, of what he might be able to do or use from here in order to mount a counterattack. It was only as he began to mentally work through his options and realised that the creature still wasn’t attacking, that he slowly began to realise…
This Divine Mana… it was powerful. Seriously fucking powerful. He could feel an echo of it inside of him at all times, even when usually he couldn’t differentiate the mana types flowing within his body. And even beyond that, he could feel a purpose etched into it. Even now, he felt the innate desire to attack himself, a fervant need that transcended common sense or emotion.
It was only his awareness of its source that managed to quell the power, to still it. He worried that if he were only a touch less cognisant, he’d have fallen into a stupor from only touching this incredible, alien power…
The gears began to turn in his head all at once. That was why the dog was so intent on killing him only moments ago, that was why it seemed so out of sorts now. It’d been charmed! Commanded! Forced to do someone else’s dirty work!
And if the kind of mana used was any indication… he could guess pretty easily what kind of being might be responsible for such an ambush. At this rate, gods didn’t seem much better than demons.
Still, none of this solved the problem of the 300 pound flaming hellhound stood in his cell with him, looking like it was wondering how the hell it had gotten there. It still seemed incredibly untrustworthy of him. Well ditto. This thing could likely rip him in half with a well-timed sneeze, if what he’d experienced already was any indication, and he really wasn’t looking to get on its bad side.
“Easy…” He held his left hand up, trying his hardest not to invite the creature to bite it off in the process. What else was he meant to do? Stand here stock still for god knows how long as he bled out? He couldn’t make a run for it, because that might spur the creature to attack, but he could hardly approach it either when it looked so defensive! What the hell was his way out of this?!
The helldog stared at him as he spoke, snarling in his general direction. Markus cursed his luck that he hadn’t been given more than cheese, that he didn’t have some meat to throw its way, but he knew he’d have already eaten it if that’d been the case. There was no easy solution. All he could do was study the creature and try to find a way forwards.
“Yeah! I don’t know why you’re here either!”
He used the calmest, softest voice he could. He hoped it’d have some small effect on the skittish, massive creature, but it only seemed to eye him with something between wariness and confusion. Markus moved once more, adjusting his injured shoulder, and it growled once more.
It’s really reactive… is it hurt? How much does it remember?
Markus didn’t risk moving again for a while. The dog stared at him for another couple of minutes, coming up to sniff for a moment, almost making Markus yelp and jump back to avoid the flames, but eventually, it lost interest, sauntering over to a corner of the cell a small distance away and laying down.
It didn’t appear restful. Markus panted and sighed, attempting to adjust to the overheating room as all the while he watched the dog repeatedly lick at its shoulder.
It kept going for the same spot, stalling, then returning to lick it some more. He’d already seen its tongue had healing properties, he’d watched it repair a cut on its face like it was nothing, and yet…
Was it trying to heal a spot it couldn’t reach? Was that why it was so defensive?
Markus attempted to use [Identify] to see beyond the flames, but he couldn’t properly confirm his hunch. All he could think was that the area he’d drained the hellhound from had left a lingering mark, or some other form of pain, and that the creature couldn’t right it due to the angle of the injury, leaving it in a perpetual state of discomfort.
Markus weighed his options. Standing here like this for much longer was gonna cause him to faint. He knew he couldn’t keep on his feet forever. Fainting wasn’t an option. This thing could get hungry any minute and decide he looked appetising. Besides that, the commotion outside seemed to have died down. No one was coming to check on him. Either no guard had heard it, or no one thought the sounds warranted investigation. Not great news for him.
That left two options: try and kill it while it was distracted and not paying him any mind, or somehow attempt to heal the creature.
Usually, he wouldn’t even consider the idea of killing something this tough—the amount of damage he’d inflicted so far seemed pretty pitiful. That being said, now he had an incredible portion of mana floating in his body. If he could make that into a weapon, then maybe…
No. Too much could go wrong, and besides that, it didn’t seem right. Of his two options, either of them seemed about as likely to doom him, so why go for the unfair one? What right did he have to snuff out this creature who’d been forced and compelled to do things it didn’t want to?
The bulleater was aggressive. It’d have always killed him if he didn’t kill it. This was different. This thing was…
Scared. Scared and hurt.
It took Markus time to find the flow of Blood Mana in his body. He couldn’t pin down Life Mana at all. It was too nebulous of a concept for him to grasp. Blood Mana flowed like one might expect, however, rhythmically with the beating of his heart. Gathering it was less of a task than he’d anticipated. If anything, it felt easier to recognise when he was bleeding, and Markus was bleeding pretty profusely.
Once he’d brought enough to bear, he tested trying to push some of it into his mangled right arm.
Mixed results. It didn’t necessarily speed up his healing, but it decreased the pain somewhat. In the background, a notification dinged from his discovery.
Another thing to check later. For now, Markus needed to attempt this before he lost consciousness.
He advanced on the creature slowly, whistling as he did so. He’d thought about rushing it before it could react, but he was sure it’d end in his demise. All he could do was trust in the monster. Any aggressive movements, and he’d abort instantly.
The helldog didn’t lunge for him. Rather it stared at him, flinching a little as he drew incrementally closer, but not rushing back to its feet. Markus was moving so delicately that he felt like a trapeze artist, all the while brandishing the soft aura of the Blood Mana residing in his palm, straining with the effort to keep the power in place.
“Shh… it’s okay…” The helldog barked once as Markus finally got a couple of feet away, flinching hard as he began to lower his hand.
Markus stood incredibly still. Even through the burning sensation emanating from its vicinity, he simply stood and withstood it as best he could, even when his body begged him to pull away. For a good twenty seconds, he remained this way, waiting for the animal to lower its guard.
Not only did the dog relax a little, but the flames around its fur dimmed somewhat, their intensity lowering a fair amount. Did it understand? Was it inviting him to pet it?
Perhaps it was used to affection?. Maybe it simply didn’t consider Markus such a threat anymore. Either way, it laid back down, its heat more akin to that of a boiling kettle than that of a roaring furnace now, though even that was barely tolerable.
Was he really gonna stick his hand in this creature’s fur again? Was he willing to withstand the pain?
Yeah. Fuck it, he’d come this far. May as well see it through.
It hurt less than he anticipated. Maybe the Blood Mana was numbing his hand. The creature flinched as soon as he touched it, but it didn’t attack. The effects of the flow of Blood Mana seemed to be pretty instantaneous, and while Markus couldn’t readily choose between grades, he knew that some of the more potent Blood Mana had come from this creature already, and feeding it back was likely doing a decent job of alleviating its ailments, or at the very least dulling the pain.
Markus didn’t entirely know what he was doing. He wasn’t sure if he was healing it really, or simply taking the pain away for a while, but either way, the results seemed to be positive. When he finally pulled his hand away, the mark on the creature’s neck was still there, but the helldog seemed much more relaxed. It didn’t jump to alert, it didn’t turn around and snap at him, and it didn’t otherwise freak out in any noticeable way.
As far as impossible situations and favourable outcomes went, this seemed pretty okay. Markus felt much less worried about the prospect of this thing turning around and attacking him. The next few minutes cemented that, as at once, the dog turned to face Markus, licking his left hand, the one he’d all but fried in an attempt to drain it earlier, then heal it not long after.
In the space of two licks, the helldog undid most of that damage. His hand looked as if it had been burnt weeks ago, and barely hurt anymore.
[D Grade Life Mana absorbed.]
It didn’t take the creature long to notice his mangled arm. Markus didn’t have to ask, the creature healed him automatically, undoing in seconds what natural healing might’ve never accomplished.
Markus stifled a laugh as the creature healed his burning shoulder, as all the while, a shadow crept over the cell door, blanketing them both. He had more than ten notifications to go through from his last fight, alongside a couple of level ups to contend with, but all of those new considerations were put on pause as he looked up to find a familiar face staring down at him, looking faintly amused at the scenario he bore witness to.
It was one of the gods from the arena. The tall one, with features so distinct you could see him from a mile away, and the brightest golden eyes that Markus had ever seen.
He cleared his throat, the helldog instantly freezing in place as he did so.
“Hello, mortal. Perhaps I’ve come at a bad time?”
Oh, right. A bunch of gods wanted to buy his soul, or something. Somehow, in the midst of fighting for his life every damn second since he’d arrived in this fucking hellhole, he’d almost forgotten about that!
//
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A/N: Hey! Thanks for reading! Really happy to share this one with you, it was super fun to write and I really hope the end result of the fight was satisfying. In other news, was real hard at work writing a ton extra today! 7000 word writing sessions are crazy though. I'm beat.
Mayy not be around to post tomorrow. Will try to be if possible. If I do take one day off posting, it'll be tomorrow. Otherwise, no days off for the foreseeable future!
If you wanna help support me and this story, or you just can't wait for the next chapter, the next eight chapters of this story are available right now on my Patreon!

She was round, heavy, soft, naked, and lay in a single size bed; the glow of the monitor was the only thing that lit the dark room—there were no windows and a single overhead vent circulated fresh air through the little bedroom. The young woman lifted her arms, so they stood out from her shoulders like two sticks directly towards the ceiling vent; she squinched her face as she extended her arms out and a singular loud pop resonated from her left elbow. Though she lingered in bed and yawned and tossed the yellowy sheets around, so they twisted around her legs ropelike, she’d not just awoken; Pixie remained conscious the entire night. Her stringy unwashed hair—shoulder length—clumped around her head in tangles. Pixie reached out for the metallic nightstand and in reaching blindly while she yawned again, her fingers traced the flat surface of the wall. She angled up and the sheets fell from around her bare midsection.
Hairs knottily protested, snagging as the brush passed over her head. Pixie returned to her back with a flop, continued to hold the brush handle in her left fist, stared absently at the ceiling vent; a light breeze passed through the room, a draft created by the vent and the miniscule space at the base of the door on the wall by the foot of the bed. Her eyes traced the outline of the closed door; the whole place was ghostly with only the light of the monitor as it flickered muted cartoons—the screen was mounted to the high corner adjacent the door and its colored lights occasionally illuminated far peripheries of the space.
Poor paper was tacked around open spaces of the walls with poorer imitations of manga stylings. Bulbously oblong-eyed characters stared down at her from all angles. Spaces not filled by those doodles were pictures, paintings, still images of Japanese iconography: bonsai, samurai, Shinto temples, yokai, so on, so on.
Pixie chewed her bottom lip, nibbled the skin she’d torn from there. The monitor’s screen displayed deep, colorful anime.
“Kohai, Noise on,” she said.
The monitor beeped once in response then its small speaker filled the room with jazz-funk-blues.
“Three, two, one,” Pixie whispered in unison with the words which spilled from the speaker.
Being twenty years old, she was limber enough to contort her upper half from the bed, hang from its edge so the edge held at her lower back; she wobbled up and down until she heard a series of cracks resonate. Pixie groaned in satisfaction and returned properly onto the bed.
The monitor, in its low left corner showed: 6:47. Pixie sighed.
As if by sudden possession, she launched from the mattress onto the little space afforded to the open floor and stood there and untangled herself from where the sheets had coiled around her legs. She then squatted by the bed, rear pressed against the nightstand, and withdrew a drawer from under her bed. Stowed there were a series of clothing items and she dressed herself in eccentric blue, flowy pants with an inner cord belt. For her top, she donned a worn and thinly translucent stained white t-shirt. By the door, beneath the monitor on the floor were a pair of slide-on leather shoes and she stepped into them.
Pixie whipped open the door and slammed her cheek to the threshold’s frame to speak to the monitor. “Kohai, off.”
The room went totally dark as she gently shut and locked the door.
She stood in a narrow, white-painted brick hallway with electric sconces lining the walls, each of those urine-yellow lights coated the white walls in their glow; Pixie’s own personal pallor took on the lights’ hue.
With her thumbs hooked onto the pockets of her pants, she moseyed without hurry down the hall towards a zippering staircase; there were floors above and floors below and she took the series leading down until she met the place where there were no more stairs to take.
The lobby of the structure was not so much that, but more of a thoroughfare with an entryway both to the left and the right; green leaves overhung terracotta dirt beds pressed along the walls. Pixie’s feet carried her faster while she angled her right shoulder out.
Natural warmth splintered into the lobby’s scene as she slammed into the rightward exit and began onto the lightly metropolitan street, bricked, worn, crumbling. Wet hot air sent the looser hairs spidering outward from her crown while lorries thrummed by on the parallel roadway; the sidewalk Pixie stomped along carried few other passersby and when she passed a well-postured man going the opposite way on her side of the street, he stopped, twisted, and called after, “Nice wagon.”
There was no response at all from Pixie, not a single eye blink that might have determined whether she heard what he’d said at all. The man let go of a quick, “Pfft,” before pivoting to go in the direction he’d initially set out for.
Tall Tucson congestion was all around her, Valencia Street’s food vendors resurrected for the day and butters or lards struck grill flats or pans and were shortly followed by batters and eggs and pig cuts—chorizo spice filled the air. Aromatics filled the southernmost line of the street where there were long open plots of earth—this was where a series of stalls gathered haphazardly. The box roofs of the stalls stood in the foreground of the entryway signs which directed towards the municipal superstructure. The noise swelled too—there were shouts, homeless dogs that cruised between the ramshackle stalls; a tabby languished in the sun atop a griddle hut and the dogs barked after it and the tabby paid no mind as it stretched its belly out for the sky. Morning commuters, walkers, gathered to their places and stood in queues or sat among the red earth or took to stools if they were offered by the vendors. Those that took food dispersed with haste, checking tablets or watches or they simply glanced at the sky for answers.
Sun shafts played between the heavy morning clouds that passed over, gray and drab, and there were moments of great heat then great relief then mugginess; it signaled likely rain.
At an intersection where old corroded chain-link fencing ran the length of the southern route with signs warning of trespass, she took Plumer Avenue north and kept her eyes averted to the hewn brick ground beneath her feet. Pixie lifted her nose, sniffed, stuffed her fists into her pockets then continued looking at her own moving feet.
Among the rows of crowded apartments which lined either side of Plumer, there were alleyway vendors—brisk rude people which called out to those that passed in hopes of trade; many of the goods offered were needless hand-made ornaments and the like. Strand bead bracelets dangled from fingers in display and were insistently shown off while artisans cried out prices while children’s tops spun in shoebox sized arenas while corn-husk cigarettes were sold by the pack. It was all noise everywhere.
A few vendors yelled after Pixie, but she ignored them and kept going; the salespeople then shifted their attention to whoever their eyes fell on next—someone with a better response. Plumer Avenue was packed tighter as more commuters gathered to the avenues and ran across the center road at seemingly random intervals—those that drove lorries and battery wagons protested those street crossers with wild abandon; the traffic that existed crept through the narrow route. People ran like water around the tall black light box posts or the narrow and government tended mesquite trunks.
It sprinkled rain; Pixie crossed her arms across her chest and continued walking. The rain caused a mild haze across the scene—Pixie scrunched her nose and quickened her pace.
She came to where she intended, and the crowd continued with its rush, but she froze there in front of a grimy windowed storefront—the welded sign overhead read: Odds N’ Ends. Standing beside the storefront’s door was a towering fellow. The pink and dew-eyed man danced and smiled and there was no music; his shoeless calloused heels ground and twisted into the bricks like he intended to create depressions in the ground there. Rainwater beaded and was cradled in his mess of hair. He offered a flash of jazz hands then continued his twisty groove. Though the man hushed words to himself, they were swallowed by the ruckus of the commuters around him.
Pixie pressed into the door, caught the man’s eyes, and he grinned broader, Hello! he called.
She responded with an apologetic nod and stretched a flat smile without teeth.
Standing on the interior mat, the door slammed behind her, and she traced the large, high-ceiling interior.
To the right, towering shelves of outdated preserves and books and smokes and incenses and dead crystals created thin pathways; to the left was a counter, a register, and an old, wrinkled woman with a fat gray bun coiled atop her head—she kept a thin yarn shawl over her shoulders. The old woman sat in a high-backed stool behind the register, examined a hardback paper book splayed adjacent the register; she traced her fingers along the sentences while she whispered to herself. Upon finally noticing Pixie standing by the door, the woman came hurriedly from around the backside of the counter, arms up in a fury, “You’re late, Joan,” said the old woman; her eyes darted to the analog dial which hung by the storefront, “Not by much, but still.” Standing alongside one another, the old woman seemed rather short. “You’re soaked—look at you, dripping all over the floor.”
Pixie nodded but refrained from looking the woman in the eye.
“Oh,” the old woman flapped her flattened hand across her own face while coughing, “When did you last wash?” She grabbed onto Pixie’s shoulders, angled the younger woman back so that she could stare into her face. “Look at your eyes—you haven’t been sleeping at all, Joan. What will we do with you? What am I going to do with you?” Then the old woman froze. “Pixie,” she nodded, clawed a single index finger, and tapped the crooked appendage to her temple, “I forget.”
“It’s alright,” whispered Pixie.
The old woman’s nature softened for a moment, her shoulders slanted away from her throat, and she shuffled to return to her post behind the counter. “Anyway, the deliveryman from the res came by and dropped off that shipment, just like I told you he would. They’re in the back. Could you bring them out and help me put them up? I tried a few of them, but the boxes are quite heavy, and it’s worn my back out already.” The old woman offered a meager grin, exposing her missing front teeth. She turned her attention to the book on the counter, lifted it up so it was more like a miniscule cubicle screen—the title read: Your Psychic Powers and How to Develop Them.
Pixie set to the task; the stockroom was overflowing even more so with trinkets—a barrel of mannequin arms overhung from a shelf by the ceiling, covered in dust—dull hanging solitary light bulbs dotted the stockroom’s ceiling and kept the place dark and moldy, save those spotlights. The fresh boxes sat along the rear of the building, where little light was. Twelve in total, the boxes sat and said nothing, and Pixie said nothing to the boxes. The woman took a pocketknife to the metal stitches which kept them closed. Though the proprietor of Odds N’ Ends said she’d tried her hand at the boxes already, there was no sign of her interference.
The first box contained dead multi-colored hair and the stuff stood plumelike from the mouth of the container; Pixie gave it a shake and watched the strands shift around. This unsettled but was not entirely unpleasant; the unpleasantness followed when she grabbed a fistful of hair only to realize she’d brought up a series of dried scalps which clicked together—hard leather on hard leather. Pixie gagged, dropped the scalps where they’d come from, shook her hands wildly, then placed that box to the ground and shifted it away with her foot.
The next contained a full layer of straw and she hesitantly brushed her hand across the top to uncover glass jars—dark browned liquids. Falsely claimed tinctures.
Curiously, she tilted her head at the next box, it was of a different color and shape than the rest. Green and Rectangular. And further aged too. Pixie sucked in a gulp of air, picked at the stitching of the box with her knife then peered inside. Like the previous box, it was full of straw and with more confidence, she pawed it away. She stumbled backwards from the box, hissing, and brought her finger up to her face. A thin trail of blood trickled by the index fingernail of her right hand; she jammed the finger in her mouth and moved to the box again. Carefully, she removed the object by one end. In the dim light, she held a long-handled, well curved tachi sword; the shine of the blade remained pristine. It was ancient and deceiving.
“Oh,” said Pixie around the index finger in her mouth, “It’s a katana.”
She moved underneath one of the spotlights of the stockroom, held it vertically over herself in the glare, traced her eyes along the beautifully corded black handle. As she twisted the blade in the air, it caught the light and she seemed stricken dumb. She withdrew her finger from her mouth, held the thing out in front of her chest with both hands, put her eyes along the water-wave edge. Her tongue tip squeezed from the corner of her mouth while she was frozen with the sword.
In a dash, she held the thing casually and returned to the box. She rummaged within and came up with the scabbard. The weapon easily clicked safely inside. “Pretty cool,” she said.
The other boxes held nothing quite so inspiring as a sword nor anything as morbid as dead scalps. There were decapitated shaved baby-doll heads lining the interior slots of plastic egg cartons, and more fake tonics, and tarot cards, and cigarettes, and a few unmarked media cartridges—both assortments of videos and music were represented in their designs. Pixie spent no time whatsoever ogling any of the other objects; her attention remained with the sword which she kept in her hand as she sallied through the boxes. Between opening every new box, she took a long break to unsheathe the sword and play-fight the air without poise—even so the tachi was alive spoke windily.
“Quit lollygagging,” said the old woman; she stood in the doorway to the stockroom, shook her head, “Is this what you’ve been doing all morning? How are we supposed to get the new merchandise on the shelves—including that sword—if you won’t stop playing around?”
Pixie’s voice cracked, “How much is it?”
The old woman balked, “The sword?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s a display piece. We put it in the window to draw in potential customers, of course. It’s too expensive to keep them in stock. I don’t even know where a person could find a continuous stock of them, but if we can put it in the window, perhaps clientele will come in, ask about it, then shop a bit—it’s not something you can sell; it’s an investment.” The old woman, slow as she was, steadied across the stockroom and met Pixie there by the boxes, placed her hand on the open containers, briefly glanced into the nearest one, and smiled. “It’d take you a lifetime to pay back if you wanted a sword like that anyway. Now,” The old woman placed a hand on Pixie’s shoulder, “Put it away. There’s a strange man outside and I need your help shooing him away. He’s likely scared away potential customers already.”
The two of them, tachi returned to its place, went to the front of the store; it was ghostly quiet save their footfalls—the customers that did stop into the store hardly ever stopped in more than the once; it was a place of oddities, strangeness, novelty. The things they sold most of were the packaged cigarettes from the res. No one cared enough for magic or fortune telling. Still, the old woman carried on, like she did often, about the principals for running a business. Pixie carried no principals—none could be found—so the young woman nodded along with anything the old woman said while staring off.
On the approach to the storefront, the man from before could be seen and his dance had not slowed—if anything his movements had only become further enamored with dance. His elbows swung wildly, he spun like a ballerina, he kicked his feet against the brick sideway and did not flinch at the pain of it.
“There he is,” said the old woman, “He’s acting crazy as hell. Look at him go.” He went. “If I wasn’t certain he was as crazy as a deck with five suits, I’d ask if he wanted to bark for me—you know, draw in a crowd.” She shook her head. “Don’t know why people like him can’t just go to the airport. There are handouts there. Anyway, I need to get back to it myself. As do you,” she directed this at Pixie; although Pixie towered over the woman in terms of physicality, the older woman rose on her tiptoes, pinched the younger woman’s soft bicep hard, whispered, “Get that bastard off my stoop, understand?”
Again, the old woman’s face softened, and she left Pixie standing there on the front door’s interior mat. The crone returned to her place behind the counter, nestled onto the stool like a bird finding comfort, then craned her neck far down so her nose nearly touched the book page; her eyes followed her finger across the lines.
Pixie’s chest swelled and then went small as the sigh escaped her; her shoulders hung in front of her, and she briskly pushed outside.
The rain had gone, but the smell remained; across the street, where the morning’s foot congestion decreased, a series of blue-coated builders could be spied hoisting materials—metal framing and brick—via scaffolding with a series of pulleys. For a moment, Pixie stared across the street and watched the men work and shout at one another; a lorry passed by, broke her eyeline and she was suddenly confronted by the dancing man who pivoted several times in a semicircle around where she stood. Far, far off, birds called. Fuel fog stunk the air.
Move, said the dancing man. Initially it seemed a rude command, but upon catching his rain-wetted face, it was obvious that his will was not one of malice, but of love and peace and cosmic splendor. It does not matter how you move, but you must move! It was an offer. Not a command. Or so it seemed.
The man rolled his neck and flicked his head around and the jewels which beaded there glowed around him for a blink as they were cast off.
You’ve been sent to send me away, yeah? asked the man.
“That’s right,” said Pixie.
But it’s not because you wish it?
“I couldn’t care if you stood out here all day.” Pixie bit her lip, chewed enough that a trickle of blood touched her tongue; her eyes swept across the street again and focused on the builders. “The fewer customers we have, the less I need to speak.”
The man froze in his dance then suddenly his stature slumped. He nodded. I’ll go. As you must. You must too, yeah?
“Go? Go where?”
You know.
She did.
The man left and Pixie remained on the street by herself; the rabble which passed her by were few and she stared at her own two feet, at the space between them, at the cracks, and she sighed. She jerked her head back, saw the sky was still deep ocean blue—more rain but nothing so sinister as a storm.
“Go?” she asked the sky.
She reentered the store.
After stocking the newest shipment, the rest of the day was as mundane as the others which Pixie spent within Odds N’ Ends; few patrons stopped in—mostly to ogle—it was a place of spectacle more than a place of business. Whenever folks came, the old woman would call for Pixie without looking up from her book; normally the younger woman dusted or rearranged the things on the shelves as the old woman liked them and was often away from the counter. Pixie tried to answer questions about the shaved doll heads, the crystals arranged upon velvet mats, the tinctures, the stuffed bear head high on the wall. After some terrible conversation, they went to the counter and bought cigarettes or nothing at all and the old woman would complain at Pixie about her poor salesmanship after the patrons were gone.
The tachi was put there on a broad table, directly in front of the storefront window and Pixie froze often in her work, longingly examined the thing from afar, and snapped from her maladaptation; frequently she chastised herself in barely audible mutters. The old woman had Pixie scrub the pane of the window in front of where the sword sat, and the young woman traced her hand across the handle and delicately thumbed the length of the plain scabbard.
It was a job; this was a thing which people did so they may go on living. Come the middle of the shift—Pixie yawned, it was not due to overexertion, it was more due to her poor sleeping habits. This day was no different in this regard.
“I wish you’d keep it to yourself,” the old woman said, and then she cupped a hand over her own mouth and her eyes went teary, “God, now look at me and see what you’ve done!” The old woman shook the tiredness away. “Bah! There’s still some daylight left!”
“We haven’t had anyone in for the past hour,” said Pixie, staring up at the analog dial on the wall.
The old woman’s scowl was fierce. “Mhm, I’m sure you’re waiting for the death call.” She too looked at the clock on the wall and sighed loudly. “Alright. Pack it up! Better the death call of the store than my own.” She fanned her face with a flat palm and yawned again.
Pixie left the place; the old woman locked the storefront from within. It began to rain again; it seemed the weather understood it was quitting time.
The young woman cupped her elbows and walked home in the rain. Other commuters passed with umbrellas and others, like Pixie, ran through the puddles gathered on the ground. Rain was infrequent but this was not so in the summer and Pixie never protested it. It cooled the ground, thickened the air, and darkened the sky. A car passed on the street, but it was mostly lorries or battery wagons. Personal vehicles were as rare as the rain and Pixie watched after the car; it was a short, rounded thing—its metal cosmetics were warped, and it couldn’t have carried more than two people within.
No vendors were there on the way, no men to call after her—no other people either. The sky grew darker yet and though it was still relatively early, it seemed to grow as black as nighttime without stars.
Pixie’s apartment was there, dark, solitary, same. She shut her door, locked it with her inside, undressed completely and dropped her clothes to the little floor there was and huffed as she planked across the mattress; the bedframe protested. “It smells bad in here,” she spoke into the pillow. The words were nothing. In the blackness of the room, she was nothing. It was a void, a capsule, a tomb. She was still wet and smelled like a dog.
The monitor in the corner came alive at her salutation and she snored sporadically in the electric glow of the screen.
Upon waking in the black hours of the morning, Pixie rubbed her eyes, cupped her forearms to her stomach; her midsection growled, and she tentatively reached to the bedside table and removed a bag of dried cactus pears. She nibbled at the end of one and in arching was cut blue and archaically shaped in the stilled light of the monitor’s idle screen. Pixie popped the entire rest of the cactus pear into her mouth, chewed noisily and vaguely stared into the empty corner of the room beneath the monitor.
After silent deliberation, Pixie crept through the night clothed in dark layers and went the back way through Odds N’ Ends. She absconded with the tachi, taking only a moment with the sword by the white windowlight where she carefully examined the thing again. The young woman was beguiled and went from the place the same way she came.
The brick streets resounded with her footfalls as her excited gait carried her home.
She packed light, slung the sword to her hip with a cloth braid—once it was there in its place, she used the thumb of her left hand to nudge the meager guard, so the blade came free from its sheath before she casually clicked it back to where it went. Pixie chuckled, shook with a frightening spasm dance then froze before patting the tachi lightly.

***

Two men stood along a shallow desert ridge; each of them was Apache descended.
Peridot Mesa was covered in poppies, curled horrendous things; once they’d been as precious as the peridot gems themselves, but as the two men stood there, overlooking the ridge, the poppies were browned, sickly, and as twisted as hog phalluses. Among the dying field were chicory and dead fallen-over cacti. The super blossoms were long over and had been for generations.
One man spat in the dirt, tilted his straw hat across his eyes to avert the heavy setting sun; he hoisted his jeans, asked, “You sure?”
The other man, older, lightly bearded, nodded and kept his own head covered with a yellow bucket hat and cradled his bolt-action rifle with the comfortability of an ex-soldier. “Yeah, c’mon Tweep.” He staggered over the edge of the ridge and slid across the dry earth while tilting backwards so his boots went like skis. With some assistance from his partner, he was able to reach flat ground without going over and the two men searched the ground while they continued walking. “Need to find her fast.”
Tweep, the younger man, spat again.
“Nasty habit.”
“Leave it, Taz.”
Taz shrugged and absently tugged on the string which looped the bucket hat loosely around his collar.
“How long?” asked Tweep.
“Serena said she blew through town only three days ago. Said she was coming this way.”
“She came looking for Chupacabra demons?”
“Huh?” asked Taz.
“That’s what that silly girl came out here for, yeah?”
“I guess. Let’s find her before dark, alright?”
“Sure,” said Tweep, “I just don’t know why she’d go looking for them.”
“Who knows? I don’t care enough to know. Not really.” The older man shook his head. “City people come out here, poke the wildlife—they make jokes about the mystics. I know you’ve seen it. Serena said the girl had the doe-eyed look of someone fresh out of Pheonix maybe. Who knows what she’s come here for?” There was a pause and only their footfalls sounded across the loose dry soil. “Dammit!” said the older man, “You’ve got me rambling. Let’s find the body already. Preferably before it gets much darker.”
“You think she’s dead then?”
Taz grimaced and then he spat. “What do you think?”
“I don’t know, sir, why don’t you tell me what to think? I’m starting to think you only dragged me out here to help you carry anything you find valuable.”
Taz shook his head, shrugged. “Smart mouth.” They continued across the mesa, kicking poppies, shifting earth that hadn’t been touched by humans since the first deluge; it wouldn’t be touched by humans for another thousand after the second deluge—that was some time away yet.
“I see her.” Tweep rushed ahead.
Among a rockier set of alcoves, a white, stained blouse hung on a tumbleweed caught among groupings of stones.
“It’s her shirt,” said Tweep, going swiftly ahead.
The younger man leapt atop the stones and looked down a circular nest where the dirt was dug craterlike; destroyed tumbleweeds and splintered bone-corpses littered the nest.
Taz caught his comrade, readied the rifle at the nest.
Strewn across the ground were no less than three full grown Chupacabras, slain; one lay unmoving and decapitated while another’s intestines steamed in the heat. The third clung to life and kicked its rear legs helplessly. Pixie stood among the gore, shirtless; the tachi gleamed in her glowing fists.
“Holy shit!” said Taz; he lowered the rifle and followed Tweep into the nest. The two men kicked the rubbish from their way and approached the young woman with timidness. “You alright?”
Pixie ran the flat of the blade across her pantleg to remove the sparkling blood, inspected the thing and wiped it again before returning the sword to where it went. Leaking bite wounds covered the length of her forearms, and her eyes went far and tired.
Tweep watched the woman, chewed his lip. “You’re possessed! You can’t just kill them like that! Nobody could kill Chupacabra so easily. With your hands?” He tipped his straw hat back, so it fell to his shoulders and hung by the string on his throat.
Pixie shook her head. “It wasn’t with my hands.”
The woman wavered past the men, climbed the short perch where her blouse had gone; she held the shirt to the sky—the material floated out from her fingers as torn rags. She let go of the blouse and it carried on the wind.
Taz approached the only Chupacabra of the nest that remained alive. The creature groaned; the wound which immobilized it had partially severed its spine and the creature’s movements may have been from expelled death energy rather than any conscious effort—the upturned eye of it while it lay on its side seemed to show fear. Its body was mangy, and just as well as naked dark skin shone, so too did fur grow long and sporadic across its torso; short whiskers jutted out from its snout. Chitin shining scales covered the creature’s rear haunches while its tail remained rat naked. Taz shot the thing in the head, and it stopped moving.
The woman fell onto the rocks where the men had come over the den. She sat and examined the wounds on her arms then she turned her attention to the men which had gathered by her. “Do either of you have a spare shirt?”
Archive

I woke up one morning to find some guy wearing trainers, sweatpants, a basketball singlet and a pink Fedora standing in my garden looking at the carrots.
I was about to go for a run so I wasn't the peak of fashion myself, but I still wondered why this guy was wearing a pink fedora with sweatpants and even more so I was wondering why the hell he was in my garden.
So I walked outside and lifted my chin in greeting, 'Hey buddy how's it going?’
The guy looked at me with this almost lucid grin. I tried to think of where I'd seen him before
He pointed to the garden. 'Nice day for it.'
I nodded slowly, 'You mean nice day for standing in random people's gardens? Or just a nice day in general? Or... do you mean a nice day for wearing a pink fedora?'
The guy laughed, 'I meant nice day for having a garden. You've done well, most people here don't bother - for the most part we have everything we need.'
I shrugged, 'Just a hobby I guess, plus, I like food.'
The guy gave another warm, easy laugh, 'Well, my name's Clive, I'm part of the Little Writers Gardening Collective, a group of people like you and me who are interested in gardens. We go over to each other's backyards and we give each other a hand.' He nodded towards a knot of weeds that had formed between my tomatoes, 'Sometimes working with other people makes the job easier.'
I grabbed one of the weeds and tried to rip it out of the ground, 'Clive I think you've misjudged me, I am very much not a people person.' I grunted, strained and then gave up on the weed.
Clive crouched, twisted the weed four and a half times then gave a sharp jerk upward - the entire thing came out of the ground with a soft POP.
He took the pink fedora off his head and held it up. 'I’m not much of a people person either. That's why I wear this thing. People see it combined with the sweatpants and they run for the hills.’
I smiled, 'Alright Clive. That weed pulling was impressive and you’re at least slightly self-aware. I'm going to go for a run, have a shower, doubt my writing abilities for five hours while I crank out four chapters, and then I'm free. You want to discuss pink fedoras? I'm all for it, but if you want to talk gardens I guess that's okay as well.'
Clive tipped his pink fedora, 'I'll see you here at six.'
I watched him stroll off. Why was I being so friendly to Clive? you might ask. Why wasn't I ripping him to shreds for his fedora the way I usually would with Alex's ties?
Well... the thing about being a writer and only writing stories is that you're pouring your whole being into that act of creation and any time you slack off, can't think of the next sentence or leave an unfixable plot hole you feel like an ultimate piece of shit.
If writing is the only thing you're doing, then your whole personality and sense of self-worth depend on it.
The week before I met Clive I'd decided that I needed some sort of a hobby to counteract writing. Running was good, apart from the fact I wasn't that great at running, I couldn't run very far without getting puffed, and my legs kept hurting.
So on the bad days, when I couldn't write there was a 100 percent chance I'd also be a terrible runner. There was no way to gain some sense of self-worth from all that.
Instead, I decided gardening would be my hobby-thing. I loved the neat little rows of carrots and lettuce and I figured I could hang with this weird fedora guy Clive for a little bit, see if I could learn anything from him and if I learnt nothing, I'd tell him exactly where to stick it.
****
True to his word. Clive showed up at 6pm that evening. This time he wasn't wearing a pink fedora and he looked about 100 times more reliable.
Turns out Clive was a science fiction writer. He never came to parties which is probably why I’d never met him. He didn't go to cafes that often either. In fact, the more I asked about him, the more boring the guy seemed. All he was interested in were writing and gardening. He seemed to spend every spare moment hanging out with the Little Writers Gardening Collective. In some ways, the guy reminded me a bit of Victor, the sort of nobody who inhabited very little space, didn’t criticize Crusher Media and lived a very small life.
We walked over to his house and he showed me a new tablet he’d bought. The tablet itself wasn’t anything special – it looked about the same age as my first one, only a little more expensive.
But when he powered it on the home screen was chokka full of apps. Minecraft, messenger, Fortnite, Otter, Snapchat, YouTube. It was a goldmine of all the apps I’d taken for granted when I was on the outside.
‘How’d you get this?’ I said, ‘All these apps are banned in here.’
‘My friend Q got it for me.’ He gave this weird stare when he said that – like he had something in his eye.
‘Cool. Reckon he could get one for me?’
‘Maybe.’ Clive said, ‘I’ll ask him the next time I see him.’
‘You play Minecraft much? That was a favourite of mine.’
Clive laughed, ‘I think it was everyone’s favourite. And no – not as much as I’d like... I get too busy.’
Clive’s ‘busy’ that day consisted of putting mulch from his compost heap under his beans. The compost stank, but not as bad as my stainless steel bucket used to – in fact after a while the compost almost started to smell sweet.
After that we kicked back on his deck with some ice-cold homemade lemonade he’d scored from one of the guys in the Little Writers Gardening Collective.
‘This is it Eli,’ he gave a sigh, ‘This is what life’s about.’
‘Yeah... I guess.’ The lemonade was a little too sweet for my taste. I thought about asking for a beer.
He raised an eyebrow, ‘Life’s good in here isn’t it? Write a chapter or two a day, grow some vegetables, you know your neighbours, everyone’s pretty nice...’
‘No... they’re not nice.’
‘You don’t love it here?’
‘I do... and I don’t at the same time. The village is bloody nice, an almost perfect society. But always when I’m lying awake at night I think about everything that its built on. All those writers in the dorms beneath us typing away to earn enough to eat.’
‘Maybe you’re right.’ He opened his mouth like he had more to say but then shut it and pointed out beyond the village where a wall of black clouds was rolling towards us, ‘Good for the garden.’
I sniffed, ‘Feels like its been months since we had rain.’
****
It didn't rain often in The Village, but that night it bucketed down. I found myself staring out the window in reverence as rain pelted against the glass.
I woke to a thunder crash so loud it sounded like someone was kicking my door in. Then I realised that the sound was someone kicking my door in and I quickly got out of bed.
There, in my living room were three thugs dressed in ugly maroon sweaters.
The one closest to me was wearing a purple balaclava and holding a small towel in his right hand. Behind him was a woman wearing a bunny balaclava carrying a pair of scissors rather threateningly and a guy wearing a fox balaclava.
Purple-head rushed up to me and pushed the cloth into my face. The thing smelt like almonds. I choked, tried to push him away, but my arms were growing weak. The other two pinned my hands back - I felt one of their rings digging into my wrist. My vision blurred, then shut off as I passed into unconsciousness.
NEXT: https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/1d8jzp0/a_victim_of_online_fiction_ch20_fingernails/

SHREK
Once upon a time there was a lovely
princess. But she had an enchantment
upon her of a fearful sort which could
only be broken by love's first kiss.
She was locked away in a castle guarded
by a terrible fire-breathing dragon.
Many brave knights had attempted to
free her from this dreadful prison,
but non prevailed. She waited in the
dragon's keep in the highest room of
the tallest tower for her true love
and true love's first kiss. (laughs)
Like that's ever gonna happen. What
a load of - (toilet flush)
Allstar - by Smashmouth begins to play. Shrek goes about his
day. While in a nearby town, the villagers get together to go
after the ogre.
NIGHT - NEAR SHREK'S HOME
MAN1
Think it's in there?
MAN2
All right. Let's get it!
MAN1
Whoa. Hold on. Do you know what that
thing can do to you?
MAN3
Yeah, it'll grind your bones for it's
bread.
Shrek sneaks up behind them and laughs.
SHREK
Yes, well, actually, that would be a
giant. Now, ogres, oh they're much worse.
They'll make a suit from your freshly
peeled skin.
MEN
No!
SHREK
They'll shave your liver. Squeeze the
jelly from your eyes! Actually, it's
quite good on toast.
MAN1
Back! Back, beast! Back! I warn ya!
(waves the torch at Shrek.)
Shrek calmly licks his fingers and extinguishes the torch. The
men shrink back away from him. Shrek roars very loudly and long
and his breath extinguishes all the remaining torches until the
men are in the dark.
SHREK
This is the part where you run away.
(The men scramble to get away. He laughs.)
And stay out! (looks down and picks
up a piece of paper. Reads.) "Wanted.
Fairy tale creatures."(He sighs and
throws the paper over his shoulder.)
THE NEXT DAY
There is a line of fairy tale creatures. The head of the guard
sits at a table paying people for bringing the fairy tale creatures
to him. There are cages all around. Some of the people in line
are Peter Pan, who is carrying Tinkerbell in a cage, Gipetto
who's carrying Pinocchio, and a farmer who is carrying the three
little pigs.
GUARD
All right. This one's full. Take it
away! Move it along. Come on! Get up!
HEAD GUARD
Next!
GUARD
(taking the witch's broom) Give me that!
Your flying days are over. (breaks the
broom in half)
HEAD GUARD
That's 20 pieces of silver for the witch.
Next!
GUARD
Get up! Come on!
HEAD GUARD
Twenty pieces.
LITTLE BEAR
(crying) This cage is too small.
DONKEY
Please, don't turn me in. I'll never
be stubborn again. I can change. Please!
Give me another chance!
OLD WOMAN
Oh, shut up. (jerks his rope)
DONKEY
Oh!
HEAD GUARD
Next! What have you got?
GIPETTO
This little wooden puppet.
PINOCCHIO
I'm not a puppet. I'm a real boy. (his
nose grows)
HEAD GUARD
Five shillings for the possessed toy.
Take it away.
PINOCCHIO
Father, please! Don't let them do this!
Help me!
Gipetto takes the money and walks off. The old woman steps up
to the table.
HEAD GUARD
Next! What have you got?
OLD WOMAN
Well, I've got a talking donkey.
HEAD GUARD
Right. Well, that's good for ten shillings,
if you can prove it.
OLD WOMAN
Oh, go ahead, little fella.
Donkey just looks up at her.
HEAD GUARD
Well?
OLD WOMAN
Oh, oh, he's just...he's just a little
nervous. He's really quite a chatterbox.
Talk, you boneheaded dolt...
HEAD GUARD
That's it. I've heard enough. Guards!
OLD WOMAN
No, no, he talks! He does. (pretends
to be Donkey) I can talk. I love to
talk. I'm the talkingest damn thing
you ever saw.
HEAD GUARD
Get her out of my sight.
OLD WOMAN
No, no! I swear! Oh! He can talk!
The guards grab the old woman and she struggles with them. One
of her legs flies out and kicks Tinkerbell out of Peter Pan's
hands, and her cage drops on Donkey's head. He gets sprinkled
with fairy dust and he's able to fly.
DONKEY
Hey! I can fly!
PETER PAN
He can fly!
3 LITTLE PIGS
He can fly!
HEAD GUARD
He can talk!
DONKEY
Ha, ha! That's right, fool! Now I'm
a flying, talking donkey. You might
have seen a housefly, maybe even a superfly
but I bet you ain't never seen a donkey
fly. Ha, ha! (the pixie dust begins
to wear off) Uh-oh. (he begins to sink
to the ground.)
He hits the ground with a thud.
HEAD GUARD
Seize him! (Donkey takes of running.)
After him!
GUARDS
He's getting away! Get him! This way!
Turn!
Donkey keeps running and he eventually runs into Shrek. Literally.
Shrek turns around to see who bumped into him. Donkey looks scared
for a moment then he spots the guards coming up the path. He
quickly hides behind Shrek.
HEAD GUARD
You there. Ogre!
SHREK
Aye?
HEAD GUARD
By the order of Lord Farquaad I am authorized
to place you both under arrest and transport
you to a designated resettlement facility.
SHREK
Oh, really? You and what army?
He looks behind the guard and the guard turns to look as well
and we see that the other men have run off. The guard tucks tail
and runs off. Shrek laughs and goes back about his business and
begins walking back to his cottage.
DONKEY
Can I say something to you? Listen,
you was really, really, really somethin'
back here. Incredible!
SHREK
Are you talkin' to...(he turns around
and Donkey is gone) me? (he turns back
around and Donkey is right in front
of him.) Whoa!
DONKEY
Yes. I was talkin' to you. Can I tell
you that you that you was great back
here? Those guards! They thought they
was all of that. Then you showed up,
and bam! They was trippin' over themselves
like babes in the woods. That really
made me feel good to see that.
SHREK
Oh, that's great. Really.
DONKEY
Man, it's good to be free.
SHREK
Now, why don't you go celebrate your
freedom with your own friends? Hmm?
DONKEY
But, uh, I don't have any friends. And
I'm not goin' out there by myself. Hey,
wait a minute! I got a great idea! I'll
stick with you. You're mean, green,
fightin' machine. Together we'll scare
the spit out of anybody that crosses
us.
Shrek turns and regards Donkey for a moment before roaring very
loudly.
DONKEY
Oh, wow! That was really scary. If you
don't mind me sayin', if that don't
work, your breath certainly will get
the job done, 'cause you definitely
need some Tic Tacs or something, 'cause
you breath stinks! You almost burned
the hair outta my nose, just like the
time...(Shrek covers his mouth but Donkey
continues to talk, so Shrek removes
his hand.) ...then I ate some rotten
berries. I had strong gases leaking
out of my butt that day.
SHREK
Why are you following me?
DONKEY
I'll tell you why. (singing) 'Cause
I'm all alone, There's no one here beside
me, My problems have all gone, There's
no one to deride me, But you gotta have
faith...
SHREK
Stop singing! It's no wonder you don't
have any friends.
DONKEY
Wow. Only a true friend would be that
cruelly honest.
SHREK
Listen, little donkey. Take a look at
me. What am I?
DONKEY
(looks all the way up at Shrek) Uh ...really
tall?
SHREK
No! I'm an ogre! You know. "Grab your
torch and pitchforks." Doesn't that
bother you?
DONKEY
Nope.
SHREK
Really?
DONKEY
Really, really.
SHREK
Oh.
DONKEY
Man, I like you. What's you name?
SHREK
Uh, Shrek.
DONKEY
Shrek? Well, you know what I like about
you, Shrek? You got that kind of I-don't-care-what-nobody-thinks-of-me
thing. I like that. I respect that,
Shrek. You all right. (They come over
a hill and you can see Shrek's cottage.)
Whoa! Look at that. Who'd want to live
in place like that?
SHREK
That would be my home.
DONKEY
Oh! And it is lovely! Just beautiful.
You know you are quite a decorator.
It's amazing what you've done with such
a modest budget. I like that boulder.
That is a nice boulder. I guess you
don't entertain much, do you?
SHREK
I like my privacy.
DONKEY
You know, I do too. That's another thing
we have in common. Like I hate it when
you got somebody in your face. You've
trying to give them a hint, and they
won't leave. There's that awkward silence.
(awkward silence) Can I stay wit' you?
SHREK
Uh, what?
DONKEY
Can I stay wit' you, please?
SHREK
(sarcastically) Of course!
DONKEY
Really?
SHREK
No.
DONKEY
Please! I don't wanna go back there!
You don't know what it's like to be
considered a freak. (pause while he
looks at Shrek) Well, maybe you do.
But that's why we gotta stick together.
You gotta let me stay! Please! Please!
SHREK
Okay! Okay! But one night only.
DONKEY
Ah! Thank you! (he runs inside the cottage)
SHREK
What are you...? (Donkey hops up onto
a chair.) No! No!
DONKEY
This is gonna be fun! We can stay up
late, swappin' manly stories, and in
the mornin' I'm makin' waffles.
SHREK
Oh!
DONKEY
Where do, uh, I sleep?
SHREK
(irritated) Outside!
DONKEY
Oh, well, I guess that's cool. I mean,
I don't know you, and you don't know
me, so I guess outside is best, you
know. Here I go. Good night. (Shrek
slams the door.) (sigh) I mean, I do
like the outdoors. I'm a donkey. I was
born outside. I'll just be sitting by
myself outside, I guess, you know. By
myself, outside. I'm all alone...there's
no one here beside me...
SHREK'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
Shrek is getting ready for dinner. He sits himself down and lights
a candle made out of earwax. He begins to eat when he hears a
noise. He stands up with a huff.
SHREK
(to Donkey) I thought I told you to
stay outside.
DONKEY
(from the window) I am outside.
There is another noise and Shrek turns to find the person that
made the noise. He sees several shadows moving. He finally turns
and spots 3 blind mice on his table.
BLIND MOUSE1
Well, gents, it's a far cry from the
farm, but what choice do we have?
BLIND MOUSE2
It's not home, but it'll do just fine.
GORDO
(bouncing on a slug) What a lovely bed.
SHREK
Got ya. (Grabs a mouse, but it escapes
and lands on his shoulder.)
GORDO
I found some cheese. (bites Shrek's
ear)
SHREK
Ow!
GORDO
Blah! Awful stuff.
BLIND MOUSE1
Is that you, Gordo?
GORDO
How did you know?
SHREK
Enough! (he grabs the 3 mice) What are
you doing in my house? (He gets bumped
from behind and he drops the mice.)
Hey! (he turns and sees the Seven Dwarves
with Snow White on the table.) Oh, no,
no, no. Dead broad off the table.
DWARF
Where are we supposed to put her? The
bed's taken.
SHREK
Huh?
Shrek marches over to the bedroom and throws back the curtain.
The Big Bad Wolf is sitting in the bed. The wolf just looks at
him.
BIG BAD WOLF
What?
TIME LAPSE
Shrek now has the Big Bad Wolf by the collar and is dragging
him to the front door.
SHREK
I live in a swamp. I put up signs. I'm
a terrifying ogre! What do I have to
do get a little privacy? (He opens the
front door to throw the Wolf out and
he sees that all the collected Fairy
Tale Creatures are on his land.) Oh,
no. No! No!
The 3 bears sit around the fire, the pied piper is playing his
pipe and the rats are all running to him, some elves are directing
flight traffic so that the fairies and witches can land...etc.
SHREK
What are you doing in my swamp? (this
echoes and everyone falls silent.)
Gasps are heard all around. The 3 good fairies hide inside a
tent.
SHREK
All right, get out of here. All of you,
move it! Come on! Let's go! Hapaya!
Hapaya! Hey! Quickly. Come on! (more
dwarves run inside the house) No, no!
No, no. Not there. Not there. (they
shut the door on him) Oh! (turns to
look at Donkey)
DONKEY
Hey, don't look at me. I didn't invite
them.
PINOCCHIO
Oh, gosh, no one invited us.
SHREK
What?
PINOCCHIO
We were forced to come here.
SHREK
(flabbergasted) By who?
LITTLE PIG
Lord Farquaad. He huffed and he puffed
and he...signed an eviction notice.
SHREK
(heavy sigh) All right. Who knows where
this Farquaad guy is?
Everyone looks around at each other but no one answers.
DONKEY
Oh, I do. I know where he is.
SHREK
Does anyone else know where to find
him? Anyone at all?
DONKEY
Me! Me!
SHREK
Anyone?
DONKEY
Oh! Oh, pick me! Oh, I know! I know!
Me, me!
SHREK
(sigh) Okay, fine. Attention, all fairy
tale things. Do not get comfortable.
Your welcome is officially worn out.
In fact, I'm gonna see this guy Farquaad
right now and get you all off my land
and back where you came from! (Pause.
Then the crowd goes wild.) Oh! (to Donkey)
You! You're comin' with me.
DONKEY
All right, that's what I like to hear,
man. Shrek and Donkey, two stalwart
friends, off on a whirlwind big-city
adventure. I love it!
DONKEY
(singing) On the road again. Sing it
with me, Shrek. I can't wait to get
on the road again.
SHREK
What did I say about singing?
DONKEY
Can I whistle?
SHREK
No.
DONKEY
Can I hum it?
SHREK
All right, hum it.
Donkey begins to hum 'On the Road Again'.
DULOC - KITCHEN
A masked man is torturing the Gingerbread Man. He's continually
dunking him in a glass of milk. Lord Farquaad walks in.
FARQUAAD
That's enough. He's ready to talk.
The Gingerbread Man is pulled out of the milk and slammed down
onto a cookie sheet. Farquaad laughs as he walks over to the
table. However when he reaches the table we see that it goes
up to his eyes. He clears his throat and the table is lowered.
FARQUAAD
(he picks up the Gingerbread Man's legs
and plays with them) Run, run, run,
as fast as you can. You can't catch
me. I'm the gingerbread man.
GINGERBREAD MAN
You are a monster.
FARQUAAD
I'm not the monster here. You are. You
and the rest of that fairy tale trash,
poisoning my perfect world. Now, tell
me! Where are the others?
GINGERBREAD MAN
Eat me! (He spits milk into Farquaad's
eye.)
FARQUAAD
I've tried to be fair to you creatures.
Now my patience has reached its end!
Tell me or I'll...(he makes as if to
pull off the Gingerbread Man's buttons)
GINGERBREAD MAN
No, no, not the buttons. Not my gumdrop
buttons.
FARQUAAD
All right then. Who's hiding them?
GINGERBREAD MAN
Okay, I'll tell you. Do you know the
muffin man?
FARQUAAD
The muffin man?
GINGERBREAD MAN
The muffin man.
FARQUAAD
Yes, I know the muffin man, who lives
on Drury Lane?
GINGERBREAD MAN
Well, she's married to the muffin man.
FARQUAAD
The muffin man?
GINGERBREAD MAN
The muffin man!
FARQUAAD
She's married to the muffin man.
The door opens and the Head Guard walks in.
HEAD GUARD
My lord! We found it.
FARQUAAD
Then what are you waiting for? Bring
it in.
More guards enter carrying something that is covered by a sheet.
They hang up whatever it is and remove the sheet. It is the Magic
Mirror.
GINGERBREAD MAN
(in awe) Ohhhh...
FARQUAAD
Magic mirror...
GINGERBREAD MAN
Don't tell him anything! (Farquaad picks
him up and dumps him into a trash can
with a lid.) No!
FARQUAAD
Evening. Mirror, mirror on the wall.
Is this not the most perfect kingdom
of them all?
MIRROR
Well, technically you're not a king.
FARQUAAD
Uh, Thelonius. (Thelonius holds up a
hand mirror and smashes it with his
fist.) You were saying?
MIRROR
What I mean is you're not a king yet.
But you can become one. All you have
to do is marry a princess.
FARQUAAD
Go on.
MIRROR
(chuckles nervously) So, just sit back
and relax, my lord, because it's time
for you to meet today's eligible bachelorettes.
And here they are! Bachelorette number
one is a mentally abused shut-in from
a kingdom far, far away. She likes sushi
and hot tubbing anytime. Her hobbies
include cooking and cleaning for her
two evil sisters. Please welcome Cinderella.
(shows picture of Cinderella) Bachelorette
number two is a cape-wearing girl from
the land of fancy. Although she lives
with seven other men, she's not easy.
Just kiss her dead, frozen lips and
find out what a live wire she is. Come
on. Give it up for Snow White! (shows
picture of Snow White) And last, but
certainly not last, bachelorette number
three is a fiery redhead from a dragon-guarded
castle surrounded by hot boiling lava!
But don't let that cool you off. She's
a loaded pistol who likes pina colads
and getting caught in the rain. Yours
for the rescuing, Princess Fiona! (Shows
picture of Princess Fiona) So will it
be bachelorette number one, bachelorette
number two or bachelorette number three?
GUARDS
Two! Two! Three! Three! Two! Two! Three!
FARQUAAD
Three? One? Three?
THELONIUS
Three! (holds up 2 fingers) Pick number
three, my lord!
FARQUAAD
Okay, okay, uh, number three!
MIRROR
Lord Farquaad, you've chosen Princess
Fiona.
FARQUAAD
Princess Fiona. She's perfect. All I
have to do is just find someone who
can go...
MIRROR
But I probably should mention the little
thing that happens at night.
FARQUAAD
I'll do it.
MIRROR
Yes, but after sunset...
FARQUAAD
Silence! I will make this Princess Fiona
my queen, and DuLoc will finally have
the perfect king! Captain, assemble
your finest men. We're going to have
a tournament. (smiles evilly)
DuLoc Parking Lot - Lancelot Section
Shrek and Donkey come out of the field that is right by the parking
lot. The castle itself is about 40 stories high.
DONKEY
But that's it. That's it right there.
That's DuLoc. I told ya I'd find it.
SHREK
So, that must be Lord Farquaad's castle.
DONKEY
Uh-huh. That's the place.
SHREK
Do you think maybe he's compensating
for something?
(He laughs, but then
groans as Donkey doesn't get the joke.
He continues walking through the parking
lot.)
DONKEY
Hey, wait. Wait up, Shrek.
MAN
Hurry, darling. We're late. Hurry.
SHREK
Hey, you! (The attendant, who is wearing
a giant head that looks like Lord Farquaad,
screams and begins running through the
rows of rope to get to the front gate
to get away from Shrek.) Wait a second.
Look, I'm not gonna eat you. I just

• - I just - - (He sighs and then begins

walking straight through the rows. The
attendant runs into a wall and falls
down. Shrek and Donkey look at him then
continue on into DuLoc.)
DULOC
They look around but all is quiet.
SHREK
It's quiet. Too quiet. Where is everybody?
DONKEY
Hey, look at this!
Donkey runs over and pulls a lever that is attached to a box
marked 'Information'. The music winds up and then the box doors
open up. There are little wooden people inside and they begin
to sing.
WOODEN PEOPLE
Welcome to DuLoc such a perfect town
Here we have some rules
Let us lay them down
Don't make waves, stay in line
And we'll get along fine
DuLoc is perfect place
Please keep off of the grass
Shine your shoes, wipe your... face
DuLoc is, DuLoc is
DuLoc is perfect place.
Suddenly a camera takes Donkey and Shrek's picture.
DONKEY
Wow! Let's do that again! (makes ready
to run over and pull the lever again)
SHREK
(grabs Donkey's tail and holds him still)
No. No. No, no, no! No.
They hear a trumpet fanfare and head over to the arena.
FARQUAAD
Brave knights. You are the best and
brightest in all the land. Today one
of you shall prove himself...
As Shrek and Donkey walk down the tunnel to get into the arena
Donkey is humming the DuLoc theme song.
SHREK
All right. You're going the right way
for a smacked bottom.
DONKEY
Sorry about that.
FARQUAAD
That champion shall have the honor -

• no, no - - the privilege to go forth

and rescue the lovely Princess Fiona
from the fiery keep of the dragon. If
for any reason the winner is unsuccessful,
the first runner-up will take his place
and so on and so forth. Some of you
may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing
to make. (cheers) Let the tournament
begin! (He notices Shrek) Oh! What is
that? It's hideous!
SHREK
(turns to look at Donkey and then back
at Farquaad) Ah, that's not very nice.
It's just a donkey.
FARQUAAD
Indeed. Knights, new plan! The one who
kills the ogre will be named champion!
Have it him!
MEN
Get him!
SHREK
Oh, hey! Now come on! Hang on now. (bumps
into a table where there are mugs of
beer)
CROWD
Go ahead! Get him!
SHREK
(holds up a mug of beer) Can't we just
settle this over a pint?
CROWD
Kill the beast!
SHREK
No? All right then. (drinks the beer)
Come on!
He takes the mug and smashes the spigot off the large barrel
of beer behind him. The beer comes rushing out drenching the
other men and wetting the ground. It's like mud now. Shrek slides
past the men and picks up a spear that one of the men dropped.
As Shrek begins to fight Donkey hops up onto one of the larger
beer barrels. It breaks free of it's ropes and begins to roll.
Donkey manages to squish two men into the mud. There is so much
fighting going on here I'm not going to go into detail. Suffice
to say that Shrek kicks butt.
DONKEY
Hey, Shrek, tag me! Tag me!
Shrek comes over and bangs a man's head up against Donkeys. Shrek
gets up on the ropes and interacts with the crowd.
SHREK
Yeah!
A man tries to sneak up behind Shrek, but Shrek turns in time
and sees him.
WOMAN
The chair! Give him the chair!
Shrek smashes a chair over the guys back. Finally all the men
are down. Donkey kicks one of them in the helmet, and the ding
sounds the end of the match. The audience goes wild.
SHREK
Oh, yeah! Ah! Ah! Thank you! Thank you
very much! I'm here till Thursday. Try
the veal! Ha, ha! (laughs)
The laughter stops as all of the guards turn their weapons on
Shrek.
HEAD GUARD
Shall I give the order, sir?
FARQUAAD
No, I have a better idea. People of
DuLoc, I give you our champion!
SHREK
What?
FARQUAAD
Congratulations, ogre. You're won the
honor of embarking on a great and noble
quest.
SHREK
Quest? I'm already in a quest, a quest
to get my swamp back.
FARQUAAD
Your swamp?
SHREK
Yeah, my swamp! Where you dumped those
fairy tale creatures!
FARQUAAD
Indeed. All right, ogre. I'll make you
a deal. Go on this quest for me, and
I'll give you your swamp back.
SHREK
Exactly the way it was?
FARQUAAD
Down to the last slime-covered toadstool.
SHREK
And the squatters?
FARQUAAD
As good as gone.
SHREK
What kind of quest?
Time Lapse - Donkey and Shrek are now walking through the field
heading away from DuLoc. Shrek is munching on an onion.
DONKEY
Let me get this straight. You're gonna
go fight a dragon and rescue a princess
just so Farquaad will give you back
a swamp which you only don't have because
he filled it full of freaks in the first
place. Is that about right?
SHREK
You know, maybe there's a good reason
donkeys shouldn't talk.
DONKEY
I don't get it. Why don't you just pull
some of that ogre stuff on him? Throttle
him, lay siege to his fortress, grinds
his bones to make your bread, the whole
ogre trip.
SHREK
Oh, I know what. Maybe I could have
decapitated an entire village and put
their heads on a pike, gotten a knife,
cut open their spleen and drink their
fluids. Does that sound good to you?
DONKEY
Uh, no, not really, no.
SHREK
For your information, there's a lot
more to ogres than people think.
DONKEY
Example?
SHREK
Example? Okay, um, ogres are like onions.
(he holds out his onion)
DONKEY
(sniffs the onion) They stink?
SHREK
Yes - - No!
DONKEY
They make you cry?
SHREK
No!
DONKEY
You leave them in the sun, they get
all brown, start sproutin' little white
hairs.
SHREK
No! Layers! Onions have layers. Ogres
have layers! Onions have layers. You
get it? We both have layers. (he heaves
a sigh and then walks off)
DONKEY
(trailing after Shrek) Oh, you both
have layers. Oh. {Sniffs} You know,
not everybody likes onions. Cake! Everybody
loves cakes! Cakes have layers.
SHREK
I don't care... what everyone likes.
Ogres are not like cakes.
DONKEY
You know what else everybody likes?
Parfaits. Have you ever met a person,
you say, "Let's get some parfait," they
say, "Hell no, I don't like no parfait"?
Parfaits are delicious.
SHREK
No! You dense, irritating, miniature
beast of burden! Ogres are like onions!
And of story. Bye-bye. See ya later.
DONKEY
Parfaits may be the most delicious thing
on the whole damn planet.
SHREK
You know, I think I preferred your humming.
DONKEY
Do you have a tissue or something? I'm
making a mess. Just the word parfait
make me start slobbering.
They head off. There is a montage of their journey. Walking through
a field at sunset. Sleeping beneath a bright moon. Shrek trying
to put the campfire out the next day and having a bit of a problem,
so Donkey pees on the fire to put it out.
DRAGON'S KEEP
Shrek and Donkey are walking up to the keep that's supposed to
house Princess Fiona. It appears to look like a giant volcano.
DONKEY
(sniffs) Ohh! Shrek! Did you do that?
You gotta warn somebody before you just
crack one off. My mouth was open and
everything.
SHREK
Believe me, Donkey, if it was me, you'd
be dead. (sniffs) It's brimstone. We
must be getting close.
DONKEY
Yeah, right, brimstone. Don't be talking
about it's the brimstone. I know what
I smell. It wasn't no brimstone. It
didn't come off no stone neither.
They climb up the side of the volcano/keep and look down. There
is a small piece of rock right in the center and that is where
the castle is. It is surrounded by boiling lava. It looks very
foreboding.
SHREK
Sure, it's big enough, but look at the
location. (laughs...then the laugh turns
into a groan)
DONKEY
Uh, Shrek? Uh, remember when you said
ogres have layers?
SHREK
Oh, aye.
DONKEY
Well, I have a bit of a confession to
make. Donkeys don't have layers. We
wear our fear right out there on our
sleeves.
SHREK
Wait a second. Donkeys don't have sleeves.
DONKEY
You know what I mean.
SHREK
You can't tell me you're afraid of heights.
DONKEY
No, I'm just a little uncomfortable
about being on a rickety bridge over
a boiling like of lava!
SHREK
Come on, Donkey. I'm right here beside
ya, okay? For emotional support., we'll
just tackle this thing together one
little baby step at a time.
DONKEY
Really?
SHREK
Really, really.
DONKEY
Okay, that makes me feel so much better.
SHREK
Just keep moving. And don't look down.
DONKEY
Okay, don't look down. Don't look down.
Don't look down. Keep on moving. Don't
look down. (he steps through a rotting
board and ends up looking straight down
into the lava) Shrek! I'm lookin' down!
Oh, God, I can't do this! Just let me
off, please!
SHREK
But you're already halfway.
DONKEY
But I know that half is safe!
SHREK
Okay, fine. I don't have time for this.
You go back.
DONKEY
Shrek, no! Wait!
SHREK
Just, Donkey - - Let's have a dance
then, shall me? (bounces and sways the
bridge)
DONKEY
Don't do that!
SHREK
Oh, I'm sorry. Do what? Oh, this? (bounces
the bridge again)
DONKEY
Yes, that!
SHREK
Yes? Yes, do it. Okay. (continues to
bounce and sway as he backs Donkey across
the bridge)
DONKEY
No, Shrek! No! Stop it!
SHREK
You said do it! I'm doin' it.
DONKEY
I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. Shrek,
I'm gonna die. (steps onto solid ground)
Oh!
SHREK
That'll do, Donkey. That'll do. (walks
towards the castle)
DONKEY
Cool. So where is this fire-breathing
pain-in-the-neck anyway?
SHREK
Inside, waiting for us to rescue her.
(chuckles)
DONKEY
I was talkin' about the dragon, Shrek.
INSIDE THE CASTLE
DONKEY
You afraid?
SHREK
No.
DONKEY
But...
SHREK
Shh.
DONKEY
Oh, good. Me neither. (sees a skeleton
and gasps) 'Cause there's nothin' wrong
with bein' afraid. Fear's a sensible
response to an unfamiliar situation.
Unfamiliar dangerous situation, I might
add. With a dragon that breathes fire
and eats knights and breathes fire,
it sure doesn't mean you're a coward
if you're a little scared. I sure as
heck ain't no coward. I know that.
SHREK
Donkey, two things, okay? Shut ... up.
Now go over there and see if you can
find any stairs.
DONKEY
Stairs? I thought we was lookin' for
the princess.
SHREK
(putting on a helmet) The princess will
be up the stairs in the highest room
in the tallest tower.
DONKEY
What makes you think she'll be there?
SHREK
I read it in a book once. (walks off)
DONKEY
Cool. You handle the dragon. I'll handle
the stairs. I'll find those stairs.
I'll whip their butt too. Those stairs
won't know which way they're goin'.
(walks off)
EMPTY ROOM
Donkey is still talking to himself as he looks around the room.
DONKEY
I'm gonna take drastic steps. Kick it
to the curb. Don't mess with me. I'm
the stair master. I've mastered the
stairs. I wish I had a step right here.
I'd step all over it.
ELSEWHERE
Shrek spots a light in the tallest tower window.
SHREK
Well, at least we know where the princess
is, but where's the...
DONKEY
(os) Dragon!
Donkey gasps and takes off running as the dragon roars again.
Shrek manages to grab Donkey out of the way just as the dragon
breathes fire.
SHREK
Donkey, look out! (he manages to get
a hold of the dragons tail and holds
on) Got ya!
The dragon gets irritated at this and flicks it's tail and Shrek
goes flying through the air and crashes through the roof of the
tallest tower. Fiona wakes up with a jerk and looks at him lying
on the floor.
DONKEY
Oh! Aah! Aah!
Donkey get cornered as the Dragon knocks away all but a small
part of the bridge he's on.
DONKEY
No. Oh, no, No! (the dragon roars) Oh,
what large teeth you have. (the dragon
growls) I mean white, sparkling teeth.
I know you probably hear this all time
from your food, but you must bleach,
'cause that is one dazzling smile you
got there. Do I detect a hint of minty
freshness? And you know what else? You're

• - You're a girl dragon! Oh, sure!

I mean, of course you're a girl dragon.
You're just reeking of feminine beauty.
(the dragon begins fluttering her eyes
at him) What's the matter with you?
You got something in your eye? Ohh.
Oh. Oh. Man, I'd really love to stay,
but you know, I'm, uh...(the dragon
blows a smoke ring in the shape of a
heart right at him, and he coughs) I'm
an asthmatic, and I don't know if it'd
work out if you're gonna blow smoke
rings. Shrek! (the dragon picks him
up with her teeth and carries him off)
No! Shrek! Shrek! Shrek!
FIONA'S ROOM
Shrek groans as he gets up off the floor. His back is to Fiona
so she straightens her dress and lays back down on the bed. She
then quickly reaches over and gets the bouquet of flowers off
the side table. She then lays back down and appears to be asleep.
Shrek turns and goes over to her. He looks down at Fiona for
a moment and she puckers her lips. Shrek takes her by the shoulders
and shakes her away.
FIONA
Oh! Oh!
SHREK
Wake up!
FIONA
What?
SHREK
Are you Princess Fiona?
FIONA
I am, awaiting a knight so bold as to
rescue me.
SHREK
Oh, that's nice. Now let's go!
FIONA
But wait, Sir Knight. This be-ith our
first meeting. Should it not be a wonderful,
romantic moment?
SHREK
Yeah, sorry, lady. There's no time.
FIONA
Hey, wait. What are you doing? You should
sweep me off my feet out yonder window
and down a rope onto your valiant steed.
SHREK
You've had a lot of time to plan this,
haven't you?
FIONA
(smiles) Mm-hmm.
Shrek breaks the lock on her door and pulls her out and down
the hallway.
FIONA
But we have to savor this moment! You
could recite an epic poem for me. A
ballad? A sonnet! A limerick? Or something!
SHREK
I don't think so.
FIONA
Can I at least know the name of my champion?
SHREK
Uh, Shrek.
FIONA
Sir Shrek. (clears throat and holds
out a handkerchief) I pray that you
take this favor as a token of my gratitude.
SHREK
Thanks!
Suddenly they hear the dragon roar.
FIONA
(surprised)You didn't slay the dragon?
SHREK
It's on my to-do list. Now come on!
(takes off running and drags Fiona behind
him.)
FIONA
But this isn't right! You were meant
to charge in, sword drawn, banner flying.
That's what all the other knights did.
SHREK
Yeah, right before they burst into flame.
FIONA
That's not the point. (Shrek suddenly
stops and she runs into him.) Oh! (Shrek
ignores her and heads for a wooden door
off to the side.) Wait. Where are you
going? The exit's over there.
SHREK
Well, I have to save my ass.
FIONA
What kind of knight are you?
SHREK
One of a kind. (opens the door into
the throne room)
DONKEY
(os) Slow down. Slow down, baby, please.
I believe it's healthy to get to know
someone over a long period of time.
Just call me old-fashioned. (laughs
worriedly) (we see him up close and
from a distance as Shrek sneaks into
the room) I don't want to rush into
a physical relationship. I'm not emotionally
ready for a commitment of, uh, this

• - Magnitude really is the word I'm

looking for. Magnitude- - Hey, that
is unwanted physical contact. Hey, what
are you doing? Okay, okay. Let's just
back up a little and take this one step
at a time. We really should get to know
each other first as friends or pen pals.
I'm on the road a lot, but I just love
receiving cards - - I'd really love
to stay, but - - Don't do that! That's
my tail! That's my personal tail. You're
gonna tear it off. I don't give permission

• - What are you gonna do with that?

Hey, now. No way. No! No! No, no! No.
No, no, no. No! Oh!
Shrek grabs a chain that's connected to the chandelier and swings
toward the dragon. He misses and he swings back again. He looks
up and spots that the chandelier is right above the dragons head.
He pulls on the chain and it releases and he falls down and bumps
Donkey out of the way right as the dragon is about to kiss him.
Instead the dragon kisses Shreks' butt. She opens her eyes and
roars. Shrek lets go of the chain and the chandelier falls onto
her head, but it's too big and it goes over her head and forms
a sort of collar for her. She roars again and Shrek and Donkey
take off running. Very 'Matrix' style. Shrek grabs Donkey and
then grabs Princess Fiona as he runs past her.
DONKEY
Hi, Princess!
FIONA
It talks!
SHREK
Yeah, it's getting him to shut up that's
the trick.
They all start screaming as the dragon gains on them. Shrek spots
a descending slide and jumps on. But unfortunately there is a
crack in the stone and it hits Shrek right in the groin. His
eyes cross and as he reaches the bottom of the slide he stumbles
off and walks lightly.
SHREK
Oh!
Shrek gets them close to the exit and sets down Donkey and Fiona.
SHREK
Okay, you two, heard for the exit! I'll
take care of the dragon.
Shrek grabs a sword and heads back toward the interior of the
castle. He throws the sword down in between several overlapping
chain links. The chain links are attached to the chandelier that
is still around the dragons neck.
SHREK
(echoing) Run!
They all take off running for the exit with the dragon in hot
pursuit. They make it to the bridge and head across. The dragons
breathes fire and the bridge begins to burn. They all hang on
for dear life as the ropes holding the bridge up collapse. They
are swung to the other side. As they hang upside down they look
in horror as the dragon makes to fly over the boiling lava to
get them. But suddenly the chandelier with the chain jerk the
dragon back and she's unable to get to them. Our gang climbs
quickly to safety as the dragon looks angry and then gives a
sad whimper as she watches Donkey walk away.
FIONA
(sliding down the 'volcano' hill) You
did it! You rescued me! You're amazing.
(behind her Donkey falls down the hill)
You're - - You're wonderful. You're...
(turns and sees Shrek fall down the
hill and bump into Donkey) a little
unorthodox I'll admit. But thy deed
is great, and thy heart is pure. I am
eternally in your debt. (Donkey clears
his throat.) And where would a brave
knight be without his noble steed?
DONKEY
I hope you heard that. She called me
a noble steed. She think I'm a steed.
FIONA
The battle is won. You may remove your
helmet, good Sir Knight.
S
of Farquaad's stature are in short supply.
(he and Donkey laugh)
Shrek then proceeds to splash water onto his face to wash off
the dust and grime.
DONKEY
I don't

SHREK Once upon a time there was a lovely princess. But she had an enchantment upon her of a fearful sort which could only be broken by love's first kiss. She was locked away in a castle guarded by a terrible fire-breathing dragon. Many brave knights had attempted to free her from this dreadful prison, but non prevailed. She waited in the dragon's keep in the highest room of the tallest tower for her true love and true love's first kiss. (laughs) Like that's ever gonna happen. What a load of - (toilet flush)
Allstar - by Smashmouth begins to play. Shrek goes about his day. While in a nearby town, the villagers get together to go after the ogre. NIGHT - NEAR SHREK'S HOME
MAN1 Think it's in there?
MAN2 All right. Let's get it!
MAN1 Whoa. Hold on. Do you know what that thing can do to you?
MAN3 Yeah, it'll grind your bones for it's
Shrek sneaks up behind them and laughs.
SHREK Yes, well, actually, that would be a giant. Now, ogres, oh they're much worse. They'll make a suit from your freshly peeled skin.
MEN No! SHREK They'll shave your liver. Squeeze the jelly from your eyes! Actually, it's quite good on toast.
MAN1 Back! Back, beast! Back! I warn ya! (waves the torch at Shrek.)
Shrek calmly licks his fingers and extinguishes the torch. The men shrink back away from him. Shrek roars very loudly and long and his breath extinguishes all the remaining torches until the men are in the dark.
SHREK This is the part where you run away. (The men scramble to get away. He laughs.) And stay out! (looks down and picks up a piece of paper. Reads.) "Wanted. Fairy tale creatures."(He sighs and throws the paper over his shoulder.)
THE NEXT DAY
There is a line of fairy tale creatures. The head of the guard sits at a table paying people for bringing the fairy tale creatures to him. There are cages all around. Some of the people in line are Peter Pan, who is carrying Tinkerbell in a cage, Gipetto who's carrying Pinocchio, and a farmer who is carrying the three little pigs. GUARD All right. This one's full. Take it away! Move it along. Come on! Get up!
HEAD GUARD Next!
GUARD (taking the witch's broom) Give me that! Your flying days are over. (breaks the broom in half)
HEAD GUARD That's 20 pieces of silver for the witch. Next!
GUARD Get up! Come on!
HEAD GUARD Twenty pieces.
LITTLE BEAR (crying) This cage is too small.
DONKEY Please, don't turn me in. I'll never be stubborn again. I can change. Please! Give me another chance!
OLD WOMAN Oh, shut up. (jerks his rope)
DONKEY Oh!
HEAD GUARD Next! What have you got?
GIPETTO This little wooden puppet.
PINOCCHIO I'm not a puppet. I'm a real boy. (his nose grows)
HEAD GUARD Five shillings for the possessed toy. Take it away.
PINOCCHIO Father, please! Don't let them do this! Help me!
Gipetto takes the money and walks off. The old woman steps up to the table.
HEAD GUARD Next! What have you got?
OLD WOMAN Well, I've got a talking donkey.
HEAD GUARD Right. Well, that's good for ten shillings, if you can prove it.
OLD WOMAN Oh, go ahead, little fella.
Donkey just looks up at her.
HEAD GUARD Well?
OLD WOMAN Oh, oh, he's just...he's just a little nervous. He's really quite a chatterbox. Talk, you boneheaded dolt...
HEAD GUARD That's it. I've heard enough. Guards!
OLD WOMAN No, no, he talks! He does. (pretends to be Donkey) I can talk. I love to talk. I'm the talkingest damn thing you ever saw.
HEAD GUARD Get her out of my sight.
OLD WOMAN No, no! I swear! Oh! He can talk!
The guards grab the old woman and she struggles with them. One of her legs flies out and kicks Tinkerbell out of Peter Pan's hands, and her cage drops on Donkey's head. He gets sprinkled with fairy dust and he's able to fly.
DONKEY Hey! I can fly!
PETER PAN He can fly!
3 LITTLE PIGS He can fly!
HEAD GUARD He can talk!
DONKEY Ha, ha! That's right, fool! Now I'm a flying, talking donkey. You might have seen a housefly, maybe even a superfly but I bet you ain't never seen a donkey fly. Ha, ha! (the pixie dust begins to wear off) Uh-oh. (he begins to sink to the ground.)
He hits the ground with a thud.
HEAD GUARD Seize him! (Donkey takes of running.) After him!
GUARDS He's getting away! Get him! This way! Turn!
Donkey keeps running and he eventually runs into Shrek. Literally. Shrek turns around to see who bumped into him. Donkey looks scared for a moment then he spots the guards coming up the path. He quickly hides behind Shrek.
HEAD GUARD You there. Ogre!
SHREK Aye?
HEAD GUARD By the order of Lord Farquaad I am authorized to place you both under arrest and transport you to a designated resettlement facility.
SHREK Oh, really? You and what army?
He looks behind the guard and the guard turns to look as well and we see that the other men have run off. The guard tucks tail and runs off. Shrek laughs and goes back about his business and begins walking back to his cottage.
DONKEY Can I say something to you? Listen, you was really, really, really somethin' back here. Incredible!
SHREK Are you talkin' to...(he turns around and Donkey is gone) me? (he turns back around and Donkey is right in front of him.) Whoa!
DONKEY Yes. I was talkin' to you. Can I tell you that you that you was great back here? Those guards! They thought they was all of that. Then you showed up, and bam! They was trippin' over themselves like babes in the woods. That really made me feel good to see that.
SHREK Oh, that's great. Really.
DONKEY Man, it's good to be free.
SHREK Now, why don't you go celebrate your freedom with your own friends? Hmm?
DONKEY But, uh, I don't have any friends. And I'm not goin' out there by myself. Hey, wait a minute! I got a great idea! I'll stick with you. You're mean, green, fightin' machine. Together we'll scare the spit out of anybody that crosses us.
Shrek turns and regards Donkey for a moment before roaring very loudly.
DONKEY Oh, wow! That was really scary. If you don't mind me sayin', if that don't work, your breath certainly will get the job done, 'cause you definitely need some Tic Tacs or something, 'cause you breath stinks! You almost burned the hair outta my nose, just like the time...(Shrek covers his mouth but Donkey continues to talk, so Shrek removes his hand.) ...then I ate some rotten berries. I had strong gases leaking out of my butt that day.
SHREK Why are you following me?
DONKEY I'll tell you why. (singing) 'Cause I'm all alone, There's no one here beside me, My problems have all gone, There's no one to deride me, But you gotta have faith...
SHREK Stop singing! It's no wonder you don't have any friends.
DONKEY Wow. Only a true friend would be that cruelly honest.
SHREK Listen, little donkey. Take a look at me. What am I?
DONKEY (looks all the way up at Shrek) Uh ...really tall?
SHREK No! I'm an ogre! You know. "Grab your torch and pitchforks." Doesn't that bother you?
DONKEY Nope.
SHREK Really?
DONKEY Really, really.
SHREK Oh.
DONKEY Man, I like you. What's you name?
SHREK Uh, Shrek.
DONKEY Shrek? Well, you know what I like about you, Shrek? You got that kind of I-don't-care-what-nobody-thinks-of-me thing. I like that. I respect that, Shrek. You all right. (They come over a hill and you can see Shrek's cottage.) Whoa! Look at that. Who'd want to live in place like that?
SHREK That would be my home.
DONKEY Oh! And it is lovely! Just beautiful. You know you are quite a decorator. It's amazing what you've done with such a modest budget. I like that boulder. That is a nice boulder. I guess you don't entertain much, do you?
SHREK I like my privacy.
DONKEY You know, I do too. That's another thing we have in common. Like I hate it when you got somebody in your face. You've trying to give them a hint, and they won't leave. There's that awkward silence. (awkward silence) Can I stay wit' you?
SHREK Uh, what?
DONKEY Can I stay wit' you, please?
SHREK (sarcastically) Of course!
DONKEY Really?
SHREK No.
DONKEY Please! I don't wanna go back there! You don't know what it's like to be considered a freak. (pause while he looks at Shrek) Well, maybe you do. But that's why we gotta stick together. You gotta let me stay! Please! Please!
SHREK Okay! Okay! But one night only.
DONKEY Ah! Thank you! (he runs inside the cottage)
SHREK What are you...? (Donkey hops up onto a chair.) No! No!
DONKEY This is gonna be fun! We can stay up late, swappin' manly stories, and in the mornin' I'm makin' waffles.
SHREK Oh!
DONKEY Where do, uh, I sleep?
SHREK (irritated) Outside!
DONKEY Oh, well, I guess that's cool. I mean, I don't know you, and you don't know me, so I guess outside is best, you know. Here I go. Good night. (Shrek slams the door.) (sigh) I mean, I do like the outdoors. I'm a donkey. I was born outside. I'll just be sitting by myself outside, I guess, you know. By myself, outside. I'm all alone...there's no one here beside me...
SHREK'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
Shrek is getting ready for dinner. He sits himself down and lights a candle made out of earwax. He begins to eat when he hears a noise. He stands up with a huff.
SHREK (to Donkey) I thought I told you to stay outside.
DONKEY (from the window) I am outside.
There is another noise and Shrek turns to find the person that made the noise. He sees several shadows moving. He finally turns and spots 3 blind mice on his table.
BLIND MOUSE1 Well, gents, it's a far cry from the farm, but what choice do we have?
BLIND MOUSE2 It's not home, but it'll do just fine.
GORDO (bouncing on a slug) What a lovely bed.
SHREK Got ya. (Grabs a mouse, but it escapes and lands on his shoulder.)
GORDO I found some cheese. (bites Shrek's ear)
SHREK Ow!
GORDO Blah! Awful stuff.
BLIND MOUSE1 Is that you, Gordo?
GORDO How did you know?
SHREK Enough! (he grabs the 3 mice) What are you doing in my house? (He gets bumped from behind and he drops the mice.) Hey! (he turns and sees the Seven Dwarves with Snow White on the table.) Oh, no, no, no. Dead broad off the table.
DWARF Where are we supposed to put her? The bed's taken.
SHREK Huh?
Shrek marches over to the bedroom and throws back the curtain. The Big Bad Wolf is sitting in the bed. The wolf just looks at him.
BIG BAD WOLF What?
TIME LAPSE
Shrek now has the Big Bad Wolf by the collar and is dragging him to the front door.
SHREK I live in a swamp. I put up signs. I'm a terrifying ogre! What do I have to do get a little privacy? (He opens the front door to throw the Wolf out and he sees that all the collected Fairy Tale Creatures are on his land.) Oh, no. No! No!
The 3 bears sit around the fire, the pied piper is playing his pipe and the rats are all running to him, some elves are directing flight traffic so that the fairies and witches can land...etc.
SHREK What are you doing in my swamp? (this echoes and everyone falls silent.)
Gasps are heard all around. The 3 good fairies hide inside a tent.
SHREK All right, get out of here. All of you, move it! Come on! Let's go! Hapaya! Hapaya! Hey! Quickly. Come on! (more dwarves run inside the house) No, no! No, no. Not there. Not there. (they shut the door on him) Oh! (turns to look at Donkey)
DONKEY Hey, don't look at me. I didn't invite them.
PINOCCHIO Oh, gosh, no one invited us.
SHREK What?
PINOCCHIO We were forced to come here.
SHREK (flabbergasted) By who?
LITTLE PIG Lord Farquaad. He huffed and he puffed and he...signed an eviction notice.
SHREK (heavy sigh) All right. Who knows where this Farquaad guy is?
Everyone looks around at each other but no one answers.
DONKEY Oh, I do. I know where he is.
SHREK Does anyone else know where to find him? Anyone at all?
DONKEY Me! Me!
SHREK Anyone?
DONKEY Oh! Oh, pick me! Oh, I know! I know! Me, me!
SHREK (sigh) Okay, fine. Attention, all fairy tale things. Do not get comfortable. Your welcome is officially worn out. In fact, I'm gonna see this guy Farquaad right now and get you all off my land and back where you came from! (Pause. Then the crowd goes wild.) Oh! (to Donkey) You! You're comin' with me.
DONKEY All right, that's what I like to hear, man. Shrek and Donkey, two stalwart friends, off on a whirlwind big-city adventure. I love it!
DONKEY (singing) On the road again. Sing it with me, Shrek. I can't wait to get on the road again.
SHREK What did I say about singing?
DONKEY Can I whistle?
SHREK No.
DONKEY Can I hum it?
SHREK All right, hum it.
Donkey begins to hum 'On the Road Again'.
DULOC - KITCHEN
A masked man is torturing the Gingerbread Man. He's continually dunking him in a glass of milk. Lord Farquaad walks in.
FARQUAAD That's enough. He's ready to talk.
The Gingerbread Man is pulled out of the milk and slammed down onto a cookie sheet. Farquaad laughs as he walks over to the table. However when he reaches the table we see that it goes up to his eyes. He clears his throat and the table is lowered.
FARQUAAD (he picks up the Gingerbread Man's legs and plays with them) Run, run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man.
GINGERBREAD MAN You are a monster.
FARQUAAD I'm not the monster here. You are. You and the rest of that fairy tale trash, poisoning my perfect world. Now, tell me! Where are the others?
GINGERBREAD MAN Eat me! (He spits milk into Farquaad's eye.)
FARQUAAD I've tried to be fair to you creatures. Now my patience has reached its end! Tell me or I'll...(he makes as if to pull off the Gingerbread Man's buttons)
GINGERBREAD MAN No, no, not the buttons. Not my gumdrop buttons.
FARQUAAD All right then. Who's hiding them?
GINGERBREAD MAN Okay, I'll tell you. Do you know the muffin man?
FARQUAAD The muffin man?
GINGERBREAD MAN The muffin man.
FARQUAAD Yes, I know the muffin man, who lives on Drury Lane?
GINGERBREAD MAN Well, she's married to the muffin man.
FARQUAAD The muffin man?
GINGERBREAD MAN The muffin man!
FARQUAAD She's married to the muffin man.
The door opens and the Head Guard walks in.
HEAD GUARD My lord! We found it.
FARQUAAD Then what are you waiting for? Bring it in.
More guards enter carrying something that is covered by a sheet. They hang up whatever it is and remove the sheet. It is the Magic Mirror.
GINGERBREAD MAN (in awe) Ohhhh...
FARQUAAD Magic mirror...
GINGERBREAD MAN Don't tell him anything! (Farquaad picks him up and dumps him into a trash can with a lid.) No!
FARQUAAD Evening. Mirror, mirror on the wall. Is this not the most perfect kingdom of them all?
MIRROR Well, technically you're not a king.
FARQUAAD Uh, Thelonius. (Thelonius holds up a hand mirror and smashes it with his fist.) You were saying?
MIRROR What I mean is you're not a king yet. But you can become one. All you have to do is marry a princess.
FARQUAAD Go on.
MIRROR (chuckles nervously) So, just sit back and relax, my lord, because it's time for you to meet today's eligible bachelorettes. And here they are! Bachelorette number one is a mentally abused shut-in from a kingdom far, far away. She likes sushi and hot tubbing anytime. Her hobbies include cooking and cleaning for her two evil sisters. Please welcome Cinderella. (shows picture of Cinderella) Bachelorette number two is a cape-wearing girl from the land of fancy. Although she lives with seven other men, she's not easy. Just kiss her dead, frozen lips and find out what a live wire she is. Come on. Give it up for Snow White! (shows picture of Snow White) And last, but certainly not last, bachelorette number three is a fiery redhead from a dragon-guarded castle surrounded by hot boiling lava! But don't let that cool you off. She's a loaded pistol who likes pina colads and getting caught in the rain. Yours for the rescuing, Princess Fiona! (Shows picture of Princess Fiona) So will it be bachelorette number one, bachelorette number two or bachelorette number three?
GUARDS Two! Two! Three! Three! Two! Two! Three!
FARQUAAD Three? One? Three?
THELONIUS Three! (holds up 2 fingers) Pick number three, my lord!
FARQUAAD Okay, okay, uh, number three!
MIRROR Lord Farquaad, you've chosen Princess Fiona.
FARQUAAD Princess Fiona. She's perfect. All I have to do is just find someone who can go...
MIRROR But I probably should mention the little thing that happens at night.
FARQUAAD I'll do it.
MIRROR Yes, but after sunset...
FARQUAAD Silence! I will make this Princess Fiona my queen, and DuLoc will finally have the perfect king! Captain, assemble your finest men. We're going to have a tournament. (smiles evilly)
DuLoc Parking Lot - Lancelot Section
Shrek and Donkey come out of the field that is right by the parking lot. The castle itself is about 40 stories high.
DONKEY But that's it. That's it right there. That's DuLoc. I told ya I'd find it.
SHREK So, that must be Lord Farquaad's castle.
DONKEY Uh-huh. That's the place.
SHREK Do you think maybe he's compensating (He laughs, but then groans as Donkey doesn't get the joke. He continues walking through the parking lot.)
DONKEY Hey, wait. Wait up, Shrek.
MAN Hurry, darling. We're late. Hurry.
SHREK Hey, you! (The attendant, who is wearing a giant head that looks like Lord Farquaad, screams and begins running through the rows of rope to get to the front gate to get away from Shrek.) Wait a second. Look, I'm not gonna eat you. I just - - I just - - (He sighs and then begins walking straight through the rows. The attendant runs into a wall and falls down. Shrek and Donkey look at him then continue on into DuLoc.)
DULOC
They look around but all is quiet.
SHREK It's quiet. Too quiet. Where is everybody?
DONKEY Hey, look at this!
Donkey runs over and pulls a lever that is attached to a box marked 'Information'. The music winds up and then the box doors open up. There are little wooden people inside and they begin to sing.
WOODEN PEOPLE Welcome to DuLoc such a perfect town
Here we have some rules
Let us lay them down
Don't make waves, stay in line
And we'll get along fine
DuLoc is perfect place
Please keep off of the grass
Shine your shoes, wipe your... face
DuLoc is, DuLoc is
DuLoc is perfect place.
Suddenly a camera takes Donkey and Shrek's picture.
DONKEY Wow! Let's do that again! (makes ready to run over and pull the lever again)
SHREK (grabs Donkey's tail and holds him still) No. No. No, no, no! No.
They hear a trumpet fanfare and head over to the arena.
FARQUAAD Brave knights. You are the best and brightest in all the land. Today one of you shall prove himself...
As Shrek and Donkey walk down the tunnel to get into the arena Donkey is humming the DuLoc theme song.
SHREK All right. You're going the right way for a smacked bottom.
DONKEY Sorry about that.
FARQUAAD That champion shall have the honor - - no, no - - the privilege to go forth and rescue the lovely Princess Fiona from the fiery keep of the dragon. If for any reason the winner is unsuccessful, the first runner-up will take his place and so on and so forth. Some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make. (cheers) Let the tournament begin! (He notices Shrek) Oh! What is that? It's hideous!
SHREK (turns to look at Donkey and then back at Farquaad) Ah, that's not very nice. It's just a donkey.
FARQUAAD Indeed. Knights, new plan! The one who kills the ogre will be named champion! Have it him!
MEN Get him!
SHREK Oh, hey! Now come on! Hang on now. (bumps into a table where there are mugs of beer)
CROWD Go ahead! Get him!
SHREK (holds up a mug of beer) Can't we just settle this over a pint?
CROWD Kill the beast!
SHREK No? All right then. (drinks the beer) Come on!
He takes the mug and smashes the spigot off the large barrel of beer behind him. The beer comes rushing out drenching the other men and wetting the ground. It's like mud now. Shrek slides past the men and picks up a spear that one of the men dropped. As Shrek begins to fight Donkey hops up onto one of the larger beer barrels. It breaks free of it's ropes and begins to roll. Donkey manages to squish two men into the mud. There is so much fighting going on here I'm not going to go into detail. Suffice to say that Shrek kicks butt.
DONKEY Hey, Shrek, tag me! Tag me!
Shrek comes over and bangs a man's head up against Donkeys. Shrek gets up on the ropes and interacts with the crowd.
SHREK Yeah!
A man tries to sneak up behind Shrek, but Shrek turns in time and sees him.
WOMAN The chair! Give him the chair!
Shrek smashes a chair over the guys back. Finally all the men are down. Donkey kicks one of them in the helmet, and the ding sounds the end of the match. The audience goes wild.
SHREK Oh, yeah! Ah! Ah! Thank you! Thank you very much! I'm here till Thursday. Try the veal! Ha, ha! (laughs)
The laughter stops as all of the guards turn their weapons on Shrek.
HEAD GUARD Shall I give the order, sir?
FARQUAAD No, I have a better idea. People of DuLoc, I give you our champion!
SHREK What?
FARQUAAD Congratulations, ogre. You're won the honor of embarking on a great and noble quest.
SHREK Quest? I'm already in a quest, a quest to get my swamp back.
FARQUAAD Your swamp?
SHREK Yeah, my swamp! Where you dumped those fairy tale creatures!
FARQUAAD Indeed. All right, ogre. I'll make you a deal. Go on this quest for me, and I'll give you your swamp back.
SHREK Exactly the way it was?
FARQUAAD Down to the last slime-covered toadstool.
SHREK And the squatters?
FARQUAAD As good as gone.
SHREK What kind of quest?
Time Lapse - Donkey and Shrek are now walking through the field heading away from DuLoc. Shrek is munching on an onion.
DONKEY Let me get this straight. You're gonna go fight a dragon and rescue a princess just so Farquaad will give you back a swamp which you only don't have because he filled it full of freaks in the first place. Is that about right?
SHREK You know, maybe there's a good reason donkeys shouldn't talk.
DONKEY I don't get it. Why don't you just pull some of that ogre stuff on him? Throttle him, lay siege to his fortress, grinds his bones to make your bread, the whole ogre trip.
SHREK Oh, I know what. Maybe I could have decapitated an entire village and put their heads on a pike, gotten a knife, cut open their spleen and drink their fluids. Does that sound good to you?
DONKEY Uh, no, not really, no.
SHREK For your information, there's a lot more to ogres than people think.
DONKEY Example?
SHREK Example? Okay, um, ogres are like onions. (he holds out his onion)
DONKEY (sniffs the onion) They stink?
SHREK Yes - - No!
DONKEY They make you cry?
SHREK No!
DONKEY You leave them in the sun, they get all brown, start sproutin' little white hairs.
SHREK No! Layers! Onions have layers. Ogres have layers! Onions have layers. You get it? We both have layers. (he heaves a sigh and then walks off)

The showings are displayed in chronological order, divided into two sections: God of War (original series) and God of War (2018) - same canon.

This is not an update

This is a replacement thread for Kerdicz's old Kratos thread. which got smote by Gfy. it is not updated with the latest game, and will be removed whenever anybody gets around to that.

God of War (original series):

The hands of death could not defeat me. The sisters of fate could not hold me. And you will not see the end of this day. I will have my revenge!

Kratos, a Spartan general and unknowing demigod, pledged his soul to Ares, the God of War, and became a servant of the Gods of Olympus for many years to come.
Ares, in order to make Kratos the ultimate warrior, coerced him into killing his own family. Cursed to forever wear the ashes of his wife and daughter all over his body, the Ghost of Sparta took revenge. After finding Pandora's Box, Kratos gained enough power to kill Ares, becoming then the God of War himself.
Little did he know that when he opened Pandora's Box, the Gods of Olympus were infected - Zeus, in particular, with Fear. Such Fear caused Zeus to betray and kill Kratos. Kratos came back from the Underworld and swore vengeance against anyone that tried to stop him on his god-killing-quest.
Having finally slayed the gods, Kratos succeeded - but at what cost?

Strength & power:

God of War: Ascension

• Swings a giant creature against a metal gate, denting it, then shatters a human-sized metal armlet with a strike
  
• Flips over an entire street block that is built upon a titan's arm, crashing a giant creature into a building
  
• Pulls a giant structure
  
• Stops and overpowers Alecto's tentacle, which can throw ships hundreds of feet of distance.
  
• Smashes Megaera through a stone pillar
  
• Overpowers Alecto's building-sized monster form and impales it on a ship
  
• (Blades of Chaos) Impales and blasts apart a giant tentacle
  

God of War: Chains of Olympus

• Pulls a several tons creature and crashes a wall over its head
  
• (Blades of Chaos) Breaks through a large rock structure
  
• (Gauntlet of Zeus) Punches a giant chain across a cave at high speed, embedding it into rock
  
• (Gauntlet of Zeus) Punches a giant chain hard enough to move the arm of Atlas, the Titan, imprisoning him
  

God of War

• Overpowers a giant hydra and impales it on a ship's mast
  
• Leg presses a large stone statue, toppling it over
  
• Pushes gigantic stone blocks around in a puzzle
  After opening Pandora's Box:
  
  • Kratos grows to be bigger than buildings
  • Overpowers Ares, who can throw a stone pillar several miles away
  • Picks up a sword the size of multiple buildings and uses it in combat

God of War: Ghost of Sparta

• Kicks a stone statue to pieces
  
• Topples over multiple stone pillars
  
• Craters Thanatos into rock
  
• (Arms of Sparta) Shatters stone pillars with spear throws
  

God of War II

• Stops a stomp from a godly-powered Colossus of Rhodes and pushes it hundreds of meters away
  
• Swings and tosses Colossus of Rhodes' hand at its head with great force
  
• Topples over a large stone pillar
  
• Partially shatters a giant stone statue with a blade swing
  
• Lifts and pushes down a stone temple
  

God of War III

• Grabs and stops an hippocampi's strike
  
• Plays tug of war evenly against Hades; Hades is strong enough to hold down Cronos, the skyscraper-sized Titan
  
• Overpowers Hades attempt to rip out his soul and rips out Hades' soul
  
• Leaps several meters of distance with no run-up
  
• Overpowers Hercules, who, in the same fight, lifts the entire arena off the ground
  
• Overpowers Cronos’ fingers
  
• Tanks and shoves back a slap from Cronos
  
• Stops Hephaestus from crushing him with a giant glowing-red metal chisel, and pushes it back
  
• Swings Zeus against a pillar, destroying it
  
• Craters Zeus into a pillar and punches him repeatedly, shaking and affecting the entire room they're in
  
• (Blade of Olympus) One-shots Perses, a Titan, pushing back his skyscraper-sized body
  

Durability & endurance:

God of War: Ascension

• Gets hit in the throat with a slash that shatters a metal shackle, bleeds a lot, is fine
  
• Tanks being slammed through three stone walls
  

God of War: Chains of Olympus

• Is unharmed after being chomped on by a basilisk, then stops its bite with his bare hands

God of War

• Climbs sheer walls for 3 days straight
  
• Is still alive after being impaled by a pillar thrown from miles away, but ultimately dies after a couple minutes
  After opening Pandora's Box:
  
  • Survives a town-sized explosion created by the death of Ares, which vaporizes the lake he was on

God of War: Ghost of Sparta

• Tanks being blown hundreds of feet away by the volcanic Minoan eruption, which sunk the city of Atlantis
  
• Deimos tackles Kratos through a stone wall, onto the ground far below, and smashes the spartan's face with enough force to shatter his own gauntlet; seconds later, Kratos gets up and heals
  
• Tanks being slammed against rock repeatedly
  

God of War II

• (God of War form) Falls from the sky as a meteor, shatters a building as he lands, unfazed
  
• Gets blown hundreds of feet away, goes through a stone rooftop and a stone floor, is fine
  
• Stops a stomp from the Colossus of Rhodes
  

God of War III

• Survives Zeus' massive lightning strike, which pushed back Gaia, the Titan
  
• Tanks and shoves back a slap from Cronos
  
• Takes a massive amount of electricity and is fine
  
• Is fine stopping a giant glowing-red chisel with his bare hands
  
• Stops the sharp Blade of Olympus with his bare hands, with seemingly no injury
  
• Impales himself with the Blade of Olympus, releasing the Power of Hope across the world. The blade is taken out and Kratos remains conscious for a while with the massive hole through his torso. He ultimately survives this.
  

Speed & agility:

God of War: Ascension

• Dodges Megaera and wraps his chains around her limbs before she could react
  
• Slashes Megaera across the stomach too fast for her to evade it
  
• Dodges a giant creature's strike with a jump then swings around a pillar with his chains
  
• Fights airborne with a flying creature
  
• Quickly swings back up a platform mid-fall
  
• Dodges a manticore's tail from behind and catches it with his chains before it could finish striking
  
• Swings on falling stone pillars fast enough to make them look near-stationary
  
• Fights a teleporting time-manipulator, dodging and blocking every move of his
  
• Running and swinging on and across giant tentacles
  
• Covering dozens of meters in seconds when swinging with his blades
  

God of War

• Dodges an arrow
  
• Slashes an hydra multiple times at high speed
  
• Leaps a great distance and swings around with a chain
  After opening Pandora's Box:
  
  • Kratos temporarily grows to be bigger than buildings but maintains his speed and agility
  • Quickly swings around a sword the size of multiple buildings
  • Swift combat with giant sword

God of War II

• Catapults himself onto Colossus' face and dodges its blows with good agility
  
• Nimbly moving along the Colossus while slashing it
  
• Stops his high speed fall with his blades with precision
  
• Dodges a projectile thrown by an invisible Perseus
  
• Swings and leaps between collapsing pillars, as they fall in slow-motion
  

God of War III

• Extremely fast and fluid rate of attack with his chained blades, with multiple wide slashes per second
  
• Reacts to an hippocampi's high speed strike and stops it with his hands
  
• Crosses dozens of meters in a second by swinging with his chained blades
  
• (Boots of Hermes) Can run on walls
  
• (Boots of Hermes) High-speed dash that ignites the ground behind Kratos while his enemies appear to be in slow-motion
  
• Fires a catapult and tags the projectile with his blades
  
• Crossing hundreds of meters in seconds while flying with Icarus Wings
  
• Performs incessant high speed moves against Zeus, slashing and throwing him around
  

Magic:

God of War: Ascension

• Fire of Ares: imbues the blades with fire, creating explosions and fiery swirls.
  
• Lightning of Zeus: electrifies the blades, and enables the summon of lightning strikes.
  
• Ice of Poseidon: gives Kratos the ability to breathe underwater, to freeze enemies and to create small icy tornados.
  
• Soul of Hades: enables Kratos to throw blasts of Underworld energy and summon the Arms of Hades, which can disintegrate enemies.
  

God of War: Chains of Olympus

• The Efreet: a Fire Efreet summonable by Kratos; performing the move Demon Rage, the creature slams the ground multiple times, creating massive flames that burn enemies in a wide radius.
  
• Light of Dawn: the power to summon orbs of light and throw them as high-speed projectiles at your enemies.
  
• Charon's Wrath: green ravenous flames that can be shot as projectiles, setting an enemy on fire and easily spreading around.
  

God of War

• Poseidon’s Rage: a lightning strike blasts through Kratos and electrocutes anything in a few meters range
  
• Zeus' Fury: fast lightning bolts capable of shattering metal chains
  
• Medusa's Gaze: the head fires a beam that petrifies beings in seconds. Can also create a shockwave that instantly petrifies what it touches.
  
• Army of Hades: Kratos' blades summons flying souls that chase and attack his opponents
  

God of War II

• Cronos' Rage: creates an orb of lightning that targets multiple enemies and explodes once its over
  
• Atlas Quake: Kratos slams the ground, creating localized earthquakes, shattering his surroundings and sending boulders flying
  

God of War III

• Divine Reckoning: Kratos summons a whirling vortex with the Blade of Olympus
  
• Army of Sparta: a phalanx of Spartan spirits shield Kratos while attacking with spears and dozens of arrows spawning from above
  

Weaponry & equipment:

God of War: Ascension

• Blades of Chaos: a set of blades forged in the depths of the Underworld by Ares himself, seared onto Kratos' flesh by chains. They are imbued with fire, igniting with every attack. The Blades' chains stretch out for a set distance, allowing fluid movement.
  • Sharp enough to slide through stone, marble and metal with ease
• Amulet of Uroboros: an amulet that can manipulate space and time, by slowing down time or moving things through time by decaying or healing them
  • creates a sphere where time is slowed down, with a target at its epicenter; Kratos is immune to it
  • restores a collapsed bridge by rewinding it through time
• Oath Stone of Orkos
  • creates a black energy clone of Kratos that teleports around and attacks his enemies
  • the clone can take Kratos' place at a simple task
  • Kratos uses it to escape a trap that restrains him, with the clone taking his place
• Eyes of Truth: can see through the dark magic of The Furies and their illusions

God of War: Chains of Olympus

• Sun Shield: Helios' shield; it can block and reflect back attacks and projectiles.
• Gauntlet of Zeus: it boosts Kratos' striking power, enough to chain Titans to the Walls of Tartarus
  • Olympic Thunder: the gauntlet generates lightning with each strike

God of War

• Blades of Chaos
• Blades of Athena: a Blades of Chaos substitute, gifted by Athena
• Poseidon's Trident: it allows Kratos to breathe underwater.

God of War II

• Blades of Athena
  • Easily slices through the godly-powered Colossus of Rhodes' brass
• Blade of Olympus: forged by Zeus to end the Great War.
  • Shoots fast energy blasts that blow through godly-powered brass
  • Can fire multiple long-range energy blasts and create energy barriers
• Golden Fleece: a bracelet that blocks, absorbs and reflects back projectiles by timing them
• Barbarian Hammer: giant hammer that summons souls and creates shockwaves
• Spear of Destiny: giant spear that extends and shoots blasts of energy
• Head of Euryale: the head of the Gorgon boss
  • Fires a beam that quickly turns the enemies into stone
• Typhon's Bane: a magical bow that fires wind
  • Fires multiple arrows a second, multiple homing arrows, gusts of wind, and creates tornadoes
• Poseidon's Trident
• Icarus Wings
• Amulet of the Fates: can only be used near specific statues, slowing down time

God of War III

• Blade of Olympus
• Blades of Exile: the third and last set of chained blades wielded by Kratos, much similar to the previous ones, with a large range and extremely fast and fluid rate of attack
• Claws of Hades: a set of long-ranged chained claws that move on their own in combat; the claws allow Kratos to rip out souls by hooking it and pulling it out, as well as summoning the soul of creatures he's killed:
  • Flying skulls
  • Sentries
  • Archers
  • Gorgon serpent
  • Chimera
  • Centaur
  • Siren
• Bow of Apollo: magical bow that shoots multiple fiery arrows per second.
• Nemean Cestus: large extendable gauntlets that create powerful shockwaves with its hits.
• Nemesis Whip: long-chained bladed whips infused with electricity
  • Creates an electrical current that conducts through several beings
• Head of Helios: the ripped off head of the Sun God
  • Stuns and blinds enemies with extremely bright flashes of light
• Boots of Hermes: boots from the God Hermes; allow Kratos to dash forwards at high-speed, igniting the ground behind him with his enemies in slow-mo.
• Poseidon's Trident
• Golden Fleece
• Icarus Wings

God of War (2018):

Being a god... it can be a lifetime of anguish and tragedy. That is the curse.

Kratos, through unknown means, survived the consequences of killing the Gods of Olympus. Over a century passed, and the Spartan ended up in Midgard, husband to the now-deceased giant Faye and father to Atreus
Kratos tried his best to leave his past behind, with a newly built life and a son he very much loves, on a quest to bring his wife's ashes to the highest peak in all nine realms.
However, attacked by Baldur, son of Odin, the Spartan is dragged once more into the game of the gods, who torment him throughout his and his son's quest. Ultimately, Kratos and Atreus kill the sons of Thor and Baldur, finishing their journey but making new enemies.

Strength:

Lifting, grappling, pushing and pulling:

• Lifts a massive tree trunk and carries it around on his shoulder; handles the now wet tree trunk with ease
  
• Hits Baldur with a giant tree then tackles him through wood and rocks
  
• (Spartan Rage) Breaks through the rocks that were trapping him
  
• (Spartan Rage) Breaks a thick tree in half with a punch, then uses the tree to ram Baldur through rocks
  
• Topples over a massive stone monument
  
• His struggle with Baldur splits a mountainside in two, creating a canyon
  
• Lifts a large rock slab
  
• Finishes off a troll with its own giant weapon
  
• Pushes an entire bridge for an extended period of time to realign it, moving it through water
  
• Lifts a giant boulder overhead and throws it
  
• Pushes a big wooden platform, hitting a giant dragon with it
  
• Holds a giant dragon's mouth open with one arm while using the other arm to slash it
  
• Impales a giant dragon on a crystal by pulling him with a crane, then kicks the crystal further into the creature
  
• (Spartan Rage) Can tear boulders off the ground and throw them
  
• Pushes a gigantic hammer, causing it to fall over; then, Kratos briefly supports the hammer overhead to prevent it from crushing his son; (the hammer's size
  
• Slams Baldur against a stone pillar, shattering it
  
• Pushes and tears off the bow of a ship
  
• Flips over the entirety of Tyr's Temple, which is a gigantic structure built on an axle
  
• Lifts a giant's hand over his head
  

Striking and slashing:

• His kick pushes back a giant troll, making it hit a pillar
  
• Punches down a troll and breaks its neck
  
• Sends Baldur rolling with a punch
  
• Can destroy multiple trees at once by hitting Baldur against them
  
• Smashes Baldur through a wooden-clay roof
  
• (Spartan Rage) Can destroy trees and shatter boulders while fighting; his punches create shockwaves
  
• Throws Baldur against stone, cracking it, then craters his head into it
  
• Shield-checks a tossed stone monolith, shattering it
  
• Knocks down an ogre against rocks with an axe swing
  
• (Spartan Rage) Shatters stone with his punches, opening a hole
  
• [Limit] Can't get through a several meters thick layer of ice by normal means
  
• Overpowers Magni, creating a shockwave, then kills him with 4 consecutive axe hits
  
• (Spartan Rage) Overpowers Modi's electricity, disarms him and punches him, sending him flying against a pillar hard enough to crater it
  
• (Blades of Chaos) Blasts apart Hel's Bridgekeeper's giant stone totem
  
• Sends a metal gate flying with a kick
  
• Uses the shield to punch through a thick stone ceiling
  
• Impales Baldur's torso with the blades then tosses him against rock, cratering it
  
• Throws his axe against Baldur, sending the god flying against frozen rock hard enough to crater ir
  

Leaping and climbing:

• Leaps across a few meters gap with little effort
  
• Nimbly climbing on icy surfaces and leaping good distances
  

Durability & defenses:

• Gets punched by Baldur across a house, shattering wood and landing on solid ground, is fine
  
• Shatters a tree when hit against it
  
• Tanks being slammed against the ground then tackled against a house
  
• Is fine after being suplexed then kicked across a field, destroying a tree on the way
  
• Takes multiple punches from Baldur, then gets body-slammed into rock
  
• Gets punched high in the air, then kicked into a canyon, destroying a lot of rock to stop his momentum, and is fine
  
• In pain but not pierced by a giant ogre biting his arm
  
• Can keep fighting while on fire
  
• Stops a trident with his bare hands
  
• Is fine after falling quite a distance on his back onto solid metal
  
• Resists Modi's massive electric discharge for a solid minute, and is fine after overpowering it with Spartan Rage
  
• Gets impaled on the pelvis all the way through with a rock, is in pain, but removes it and keeps fighting
  
• Shot on the chest by an electrified arrow, eventually pulls it out and keeps fighting
  
• Tanks falling over a hundred feet onto dirt
  
• Tanks an exploding crystal, which sends him flying for a distance
  

Guardian Shield: a magic retractable shield, given to Kratos as a gift by his wife.

• Blocks a large stone monolith tossed at him
  
• Blocks fire balls
  
• Can block shockwaves from great impacts
  
• Can block magic shockwaves
  
• Blocks Magni's massive sword
  
• Cushions a great fall, where Kratos was traveling fast enough to visibly heat up the air in front of him
  
• Kratos uses the shield to go through a thick stone ceiling
  
• Blocks Baldur's fireball and his freezing punch
  
• Countering Blast: blocking an attack at the last second absorbs the impact and redirects it back
  
  • Blocking and redirecting a fire projectile, creating a shockwave
  • Blocking and redirecting a physical strike

Speed & skill:

Agility and reflexes:

• Dodges a giant troll's hand, quickly grabs Atreus' bow from the ground and kicks the troll in the face
  
• Quickly hits Baldur with a tree then runs across a field tackling him
  
• (Spartan Rage) Runs at high speed while using a giant tree as a battery ram
  
• Quickly puts up his shield to block a stone monument thrown at him, then catches Baldur's high-speed punch amidst the debris
  
• Evades Baldur's high-speed punch
  
• Quickly intercepts an ogre's bite with his arm to prevent Atreus from getting injured
  
• Slashes an ogre in the face before it can finish charging at him
  
• Nimbly runs across a dragon's back
  
• Steals his opponent's weapon before he can fly away and finishes him off with it
  
• Blocks Magni's surprise sword swing with his shield then tosses him over the shoulder
  
• Quickly puts up his shield to block Magni's sword
  
• (Spartan Rage) Swiftly puts up his shield to block Baldur's fireball and his subsequent punch
  

Skill and speed in combat:

• (Spartan Rage) High-speed dashing and multiple consecutive punches
  
• Throws multiple consecutive high-speed punches against Baldur
  
• Puts Baldur in a rear naked choke and breaks his neck
  
• Swats away an elf's arm and quickly grabs his face, restraining it
  
• Quickly breaks free from a surprise chokehold
  
• Defends himself from a surprise attack, stopping the opponent and throwing him overhead
  
• Swiftly finishes off a Wulver with multiple punches, ripping it apart through its jaw
  
• Headbutts his opponent then puts him on a hold and tosses him
  
• Breaks free from a grapple by elbowing the opponent and throwing it over his shoulder
  
• Dodges Baldur's punch, elbows him and lifts him overhead
  
• Jumps off a ledge and freefalls onto a flying dragon
  
• Fighting against Baldur while hanging onto a flying dragon
  
• Hits Baldur with the shield then quickly impales and tosses him with the blades
  
• Blocks Baldur's kick, tosses him away and throws the axe into the god's torso
  
• Uses his chained blades to pull himself towards Baldur
  
• Kratos and Atreus overwhelm Baldur with a multiple strikes
  

Amulet of Kvasir: when with the Amulet of Kvasir, a last second dodge will activate Realm Shift, which slows down time around Kratos for several seconds.

• Example of it being used against a Valkirye's high-speed strikes, slowing them down to a crawl

Endurance, healing & physiology:

• Kratos is seemingly unbothered by the extreme cold and the blizzards of Midgard in winter, living and traveling with minimal clothing
  
• Actively heals the flesh wounds, scrapes and blood around his body
  
• Exhausted, stops and focuses for a few seconds to fully heal his injuries and blood loss
  
• Kratos is unbothered by Hel's cold, which not even Odin can survive according to Mimir
  
• Is fine under a giant's freezing breath for an extended period of time
  

Leviathan Axe:

The Leviathan Axe is Kratos' main weapon, passed to him by his dying wife, forged by the Huldra Brothers to oppose the power of Mjolnir. It is mostly referred to as "frost axe" because of its ice runic enchantments. Kratos can call back the axe at will from any distance, making it fly back to his hand.

General usage, sharpness and toughness:

• Chops down a massive tree in five axe swings
  
• Lights up a fire with friction
  
• Throws it through wooden planks, shattering them
  
• The axe's head skids through several meters of solid rock
  
• An apple tossed against the axe's blade is cleanly sliced in two
  
• Embeds it into stone
  
• Hits a flying opponent with accuracy
  
• Shatters a metal shackle that's holding a giant chain
  
• Sinks the axe deep into Baldur's torso
  

Magic:

• Instantly freezes a large gate mechanism
  
• Completely freezes an organism in a few seconds
  
• Uses the axe's handle to zip line
  
• Quickly freezes two large gears
  
• Freezes a giant saw, stopping it
  

• Light Runic Attacks:
  
  • Njord's Tempest: a rapidly spinning melee attack combined with a freezing wave that clears out surrounding enemies
  • Fury of the Ice Troll: quick radial shockwave attack that slows enemies and sends them flying back
  • Tyr’s Revenge: the axe rapidly spins over the target, with a follow-up freezing slam to the ground
  • Leviathan’s Wake: a powerful axe throw that plows through and freezes the enemies in its path
  • Charge of the White Bear: a quick dash attack followed up by a freezing shield slam, while Kratos is protected by a magical barrier
  • Wrath of the Frost Ancient: a long range ice beam
  • Strike of the Utgard: axe slashes that send out wide freezing waves
  • Hel’s Touch: an extremely quick burst of energy that stuns the surrounding enemies
• Heavy Runic Attacks:
  
  • Ivaldi's Anvil: area-of-effect attack that freezes the enemies caught in the blast radius
  • Thiazi's Talon: axe swings that launch vertical freezing waves
  • Mists of Helheim: a lingering area-of-effect attack that creates a hazard that slowly freezes the enemies inside
  • Frost Giant’s Frenzy: several powerful freezing axe slams
  • Blessings of the Frost: powers up the Leviathan Axe with small explosions of frost damage on every hit
  • The River of Knives: an axe slash that sends out a long and wide line of ice shards
  • Glaive Storm: an axe throw that automatically seeks out and hits the enemies, inflicting freezing damage
  • Breath of Thamur: a massive area-of-effect attack that deals freezing damage to all enemies within a large area

Blades of Chaos:

A relic of Kratos' past, the Blades of Chaos are a set of chained blades forged in the depths of the Underworld. They are imbued in never-ending fire magic that can burn even in Hellheim, where no magic in all the nine realms can create a blaze. The Blades' chains stretch out for a set distance with each attack, allowing fluid and powerful attack patterns.

• The chains extend for several meters while the blades release fire to burn Hel's Brambles
  
• The blades completely sink into a giant stone totem and blast it apart with their flames
  
• The blades go through Hel's Bridgekeeper's chest, all the way to his heart
  
• Slice through the entirety of a dragon's wing with ease
  
• Quickly lights up a massive fire on Hel's Brambles
  
• Can send explosions through the chains from a distance
  

• Light Runic Attacks:
  
  • Cyclone of Chaos: a circling sweep attack
  • Nemean Crush: an explosion caused by slamming the blades together, with a shockwave that sends the enemies flying
  • Rampage of the Furies: a robust flurry attack that ends in a powerful slam
  • Rage of the Titans: a rapid blade attack that ends in a devastating swipe that launches enemies into the air
  • Icarus Storm: a wide spinning attack that slices and burns the surrounding enemies
  • Wrath of Artemis: frontal slashes that push back and burn the enemies
  • Blast of Hephaestus: a quick, fiery blast of energy that burns the target
  • Spartan Charge: a dash attack that slams the target with a fiery shield and finishes off with an explosion
• Heavy Runic Attacks:
  
  • Tartarus Rage: two powerful blade slams that end in explosions
  • Fire of Ares: lets out multiple powerful fire shockwaves through the ground
  • Prometheus Flame: a blades slam and swing that summons a large pillar of fire under the target
  • Hyperion Slam: a massive slam attack that causes a destructive explosion with a lingering fire
  • Hyperion Grapple: Kratos tosses the blades into an enemy, then pulls himself towards them delivering a bodyslam that stuns and burns the target
  • Meteoric Slam: a slam attack that rains down fireballs
  • Gift of Apollo: temporarily enhances the blades so that every hit heals Kratos

Spartan Rage:

Spartan Rage is an enraged state of godly power which Kratos can enter during the stress of battle.
It amplifies his power and his speed, sets his fists on fire and heals him slowly.

• Lights up his surroundings on fire and allows him to break free from rock with little leverage
  
• Amplifies his strength enough for him to easily overpower Baldur, who had him completely subdued just prior
  

Synopsis: Markus is summoned from Earth by evil beings looking for a 'weak and primitive' creature to use as sacrificial entertainment. What they got instead was a human. Immediately after arriving, Markus awakens to an ability so rare, so powerful that it makes every god on Firellia desperate to recruit him as their new champion.
Learning to control his innate mastery over mana, Markus will devour the very essence of any monster, demon, or god that dares get in his way, determined to never lose his freedom again.
——
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[Name: Markus Brown] [Class: Otherworlder (Earth) (Tier: Novice 8)] [Health: 253/340] [Mana: 832/430] [Strength: 48 (+30)] [Agility: 42 (+30)] [Arcana: 6] [Constitution: 49 (+30)] [Spirit: 17] [???: 0]
Markus’ stomach growled as he took in the different rows of stats and their values, remembering the fact that those increases by the physical stats were temporary. That meant he had between 6 and 19 in everything, with his lowest stat being Arcana by far, and Constitution being his highest at 19. And those were considered low…
Then there was the stat he didn’t even have the name of. It was greyed out, and he was pretty sure he couldn’t rank it up even if he tried right now.
Yup. Didn’t let him hover it. Guess he only had five options right now.
He had 44 points. If he spread them evenly, he could raise everything by 9 each, or close enough. Markus didn’t think that was the play here. 9 points might be a drop in the bucket, for all he knew.
Putting aside that concern for a moment, Markus swept through the rest of his notifications to see if he could glean any more information. He’d already basically made his mind up, but he wanted to be sure on his plan of action. What he found was a mixture of surprising and disconcerting…
[D Grade Cryo Core Devoured! Awarding stats based on creature’s primary traits:]
[+2 Constitution!] [+2 Arcana!]
[Abominable Core absorbed. Core absorption has increased your mana capacity from 390 to 430. Would you like to affix this core? Slots: 0/4.]
He had no idea what affixing might do. The system didn’t seem to have any information available on it, either. His choices were doing it or pressing no. If he pressed no, he might not get another chance to do this, and the advantage it gave him could be invaluable.
Markus steeled himself and pressed accept.
[Basic Frost Resistance gained. Freeze I, and Freeze II will have a reduced effect on you.]
[Frost Mana Generation learned. Your body will now generate G Grade Frost Mana at half the rate of your usual mana generation.]
[Core slot 1 of 4 is in use.]
[Body is now generating 30 (F Grade) Spirit Mana and 15 (G Grade) Frost Mana per hour. Generation increased by up to 400% based on missing mana, as per your inborn trait.]
Okay… some good, some bad.
There was a lot to sift through here, but the long and short of it seemed to be that Markus had managed to both increase his mana capacity and his mana generation by some margin, and was now beginning to generate his own Frost Mana. That was all well and good if it wasn’t for the fact that he was still way over capacity right now, and generating even more mana was hardly a great trade-off for the slight increase in his maximum, considering he needed to do something about his poisoning.
Said poisoning could graduate into the more grim sounding Mana Toxicosis at any given point, and if he wanted to prevent that, he needed to first distribute his points in a way that would allow him to increase his mana capacity, and then find a way to suitably get rid of the excess.
His stomach continued to complain as he stared out at the cheese he’d been left. He felt so weak right now, even with his heightened stats, a clear symptom of the poisoning he was currently enduring. That ‘persistent vitality drain’ seemed to be affecting his health too. It was clearly something that needed dealing with sooner than later.
My non-physical stats are surely the ones that affect my mana most…
That meant anything without a +30 on it was likely what he needed to invest points into. He looked for a description on both Arcana and Spirit, reading through the system prompts one after the other.
[Arcana: Affects your proficiency with and understanding of magical items, properties, statuses, and general mysticism. Points allow you to draw more strength from magic and increase the potency of spells and skills you’re proficient in, as well as giving you resistance to magical status effects and unlocking the secrets of spellcraft and forging at certain breakpoints.]
[Spirit: Increases your Mana Generation and Mana Capacity. Increases your mental resilience, allowing you to stave off hunger and tiredness for longer periods and gain increased benefits from skill and experience Growth. Each 10 points in Spirit gives you a free point in Arcana or Constitution upon level up.]
Can’t increase the size of your pool without buffing your generation, huh? Awkward. His mana generation already sounded high. He checked the other three quickly just to see if anything else could give him a higher mana capacity, but the closest he could find was
Constitution offering him a ‘minor increase’ for each five points invested. It seemed your Spirit was meant to tie in with your mana needs more or less linearly, but didn’t account for the extra Mana Generation an inborn trait like his could bring about.
Speaking of which, Markus still hadn’t read his inborn trait properly. It was about time he did.
[Mana Manipulation 1: Subtype ??? (Grade F-SSS)] [Mana Manipulation increases the body’s capacity to store mana over its maximum capacity of 100%, capping itself at ?????%.] [Mana Manipulation allows the body’s mana to be drawn out and commanded to ??? and activate compound skills as well as access a unique skill tree based upon ???.] [Mana Manipulation massively increases natural Mana Generation based on missing mana, and allows small portions of mana to be absorbed from ambient magic, mitigating attacks and passively rejuvenating the user.]
That explained a lot. Explained exactly why Spirit bolstered your Mana Generation as well as your capacity. Most people couldn’t go over 100%. Most people didn’t have a passive constantly hastening their regeneration. Most people didn’t have to constantly worry about Mana Poisoning, because they’d never end up in the danger zone.
That said, Markus didn’t have a lot of options for dealing with this. He stuck just over half of his points into Spirit, bringing it to an even 40, then put 11 points in Constitution, upping it to 30, and put the remaining 10 into Agility. He tested the mana thresholds as he did so. He wanted to make sure he wouldn’t finish off still over his 100% threshold, but 23 points in Spirit and 10 in Constitution seemed to more than do it, giving him 10 points spare.
He debated sticking the remaining 10 points in Con or Spirit, but the Agility seemed too necessary right now. A second taken to breathe had almost gotten him killed earlier. He needed to be able to react faster.
Still, he hoped the Con boost would do its job properly. The way Markus saw it, if he could tank an attack or two, he’d be way more effective at dishing strikes back out with the mana he’d absorbed. If he could figure out the best way to use it, that might be a decent strategy, but points in agility helped him feel a tad more secure just in case. He’d been Overcharged for half his fight with the bulleater, and even then the thing had felt way too fast for him.
[Mana: 837/990. Generation at 130%.]
[Mana poisoning II has reduced to Mana Poisoning I. Duration remaining: 3 hours.]
Great… At least the stamina drain seemed to have gone away. The fact he was constantly replenishing mana still was another concern entirely, and something he’d need to deal with if he wanted his symptoms to fade, but the best Markus could do for now was lurch himself across the room and grab the morsel of food he’d been left.
He made it from one end of the cell to the other, but it took him a good couple of minutes, and at one point he’d broken into a cold sweat. With the decrease of mana had also come an end to his Overcharge, and all the aches and strains of his tired muscles had come to greet him in full force. Eating was difficult, and it took time for him to prop himself up against the wall fully. He’d considered eating it prone, but dying of choking right after fighting for his life against a massive monster sounded like a miserable way to go.
And so Markus sat, leaned forwards, and ate his cheese. Once the growling in his stomach had abated somewhat, he pulled the system back up and continued scrounging for whatever information he could gather. He needed to understand everything he could about this place and fast if he wanted to survive down here, that much was obvious, and this was the first chance he’d gotten since arriving to actually think.
This system stuff felt pretty complex when your life was suddenly staked on it. He’d have killed for a YouTube guide or something, but that was wishful thinking. All he could do was rely on his own intuition.
There was a section in the menus that covered quests. One of his ‘active quests’ was his soul contract, and by the section that showed his signed contract, a reward was highlighted next to his first fight’s victory.
It said ‘food and amenities’ was to be his first reward.
Markus picked up the wet rag, stared at it, then dropped it unenthusiastically.
Suppose expecting anything of a contract with Drathok was a bad fucking idea. What else is listed here? Ten more ways I can go fuck myself?
Markus’ next discovery was more pleasant. Turns out he’d improved at a variety of skills from his first fight, learning most of them entirely from scratch. His proficiency with glaives was at a 3 (novice) now, he’d increased his dodge proficiency from a starting 3 to a mighty 4, and he’d even achieved a second point in [Identify], as well as learning very basic Handling of Shock, Flame, Life, Frost, and Blood Mana.
Alongside the point in [Pyrokinesis] he’d gotten and the few points in [Regeneration] he’d accrued through his fight, it was clear that Markus could improve at a variety of things in a short space of time.
From what he understood, Overcharge was a factor in all his skill increases, as it temporarily hastened his Growth, but now Markus had more points in Spirit, and that was also meant to be a Growth modifier.
In other words, he should be able to learn things that bit faster than he would otherwise now, even without Overcharge.
Markus grabbed the rag from the floor once more. He stared at it, watching it drip with murky water.
No way he was gonna wash with this disgusting thing. Might as well get some use out of it. He checked his mana levels again. 852/990, or ‘86% of capacity’, and steadily increasing. He needed to find a means to deal with the rising tide, and he also needed a better understanding of how to use what was in his body.
Spirit Mana was confusing to Markus, and a vague system description didn’t help, only telling him that it was ‘a type of energy found in all matter’ and ‘a conduit for many powers’. He barely understood how to move or harness the Spirit Mana in his body. Frost Mana felt more intuitive. It was easier to grasp and pin down in his nervous system.
It was cold. It felt cold. Simple enough.
What didn’t help was the fact it seemed to be so spread out through his body. It felt as if a small measure of it came from his core, below his stomach, but there was a healthy amount of the stuff just floating around in distant recesses of his body. He couldn’t just harness it and focus it to a point like he had before when he’d been swelling with mana. It’d felt more intuitive then.
Now it was like trying to find small pockets of energy within a deep, dark nebula, and bringing them together well enough to direct or aim them proved incredibly difficult. Markus broke into yet another sweat in his attempts to do so, to isolate the vestiges of Frost Mana within his body and bring them all together. He felt as if he were trying to swirl them around himself, but kept catching stray bits of energy that he didn’t want and losing his concentration, causing the whole process to fall apart. The rag sat cold and limp in his hand as he did so, taunting him with inertia.
It was his eighth or ninth attempt when he finally saw some fruits for his efforts. Visualisation had been the key, controlling his breathing and moving each part of his body in isolation in an attempt to find the largest stores of Frost Mana within him. That part became routine quickly, but separating that from the warm Blood Mana within was more difficult. He had to actively reject that mana, not take it with him.
Then, directing it was a whole new challenge. The higher and lower grades were impossible for him to differentiate right now. He couldn’t tell which bits of the Frost Mana were leftovers from his fight with the bulleater, and which were newly generated by his harvested mana core. It didn’t matter to him right then. All that mattered was being able to swirl the mana within him.
Once he’d gathered a fair amount of it, he saw a notification go off in the corner, but he ignored it. His focus was too intense right now. He couldn’t let it slip… Drive it to a point. That’s what he needed to do. Let it coalesce and flow down his arm, through his fingers, and then…
Markus gasped as he felt his right hand go almost completely numb, reddening as he grasped the rag hard just to keep it from slipping through his fingers.
He watched as the water dripping from it began to slowly solidify, a thin sheet of ice appearing on the surface. A hanging droplet of water froze in place, creating a mini icicle that hung precariously from the edge of the cloth.
[Cryomancy 0 >> 1.]
Markus, despite himself, cracked a small smile for his first time since arriving. He’d frozen this little rag in place, made it solid. That was incredible, and likely a fraction of what his inborn trait could actually lead to.
Markus placed the rag down, fiercely rubbing his hands together in an attempt to warm the icy one up as the mana dissipated back out into his body. When he checked his current mana again, it was down to 650. Apparently he’d used up a lot in his attempts to make that work. He couldn’t say he was complaining about that.
He still had a lot more to test. For all of his physical exhaustion, the act of using mana alone didn’t seem to take a lot out of him. Use of the resource seemed separate from physical exhaustion for him, at least as far as he could tell, and with little time to waste, not knowing when he might next be pulled into a shitty situation, Markus didn’t have time for rest. He needed to improve his skills as much as he possibly could with the time he’d been afforded.
He decided to focus more on Cryomancy, and its governing skill, Frost Mastery. He eventually had to stop trying to freeze the rag—inflicting Freeze I on both of his hands was enough to make him stop barking up that tree, but not before he’d raised Cryomancy from 1 to 3.
He spent the rest of the time simply attempting to move the mana around his body, gathering it and sending it from one place to the other. This spent a small degree of mana too, but also made him more proficient at using what he had. By the time he’d spent a couple of solid hours at it, his Frost Mastery had ranked up to 5, and he was utterly exhausted. His body was working overtime to replace all the mana he’d spent, and his system was likely getting fed up with pinging him rank up notifications over and over.
That said, the final one had been different:
[Frost Mastery: 4 >> 5. Level 5 skills are eligible for paths. 10 Arcana required.]
Fuck. What was a path, and why did he need 10 stupid Arcana points to unlock it?! Guess he knew where part of his next level up was going. Was there a way to refund those last ten skill points? Who needed Agility anyways?
No. This was fine. This was progress. A lot of how this stuff worked was still a mystery to him, and he still had a lot to figure out with the threat of more arena fights looming over him, a procession of gods likely to start bothering him any moment now, and a whole world of threats and problems likely waiting outside for him if he did manage to escape from this place intact.
He’d take small victories. Markus really wished he could practice with cryomancy until he could freeze off and snap the bars of his cell, but he was barely still conscious. He wasn’t sure if it was simple exhaustion, or if the constant Mana Manipulation had finally taken its toll on him, but he fell asleep sat up against the bars, a kink in his neck, imagining a world so far from here, a place he’d known his whole life, which now felt so distant and alien that it may as well have been a dream.
It wasn’t much later that Markus awoke, and it wasn’t to his bed on Earth, nor a rousing dose of caffeine. It wasn’t to someone calling his name, either, or even Drathok summoning him. No. Markus awoke to a horrible, flaming fucking dog creature chewing up the bars directly above his head, bending and melting them as its hot spittle dripped down directly onto Markus’ waiting, sleepy head.
“AHHHHWHATTHEFUCK?!”
Markus scrambled across the cell as the lion-sized creature finally wrestled its way through the bars, clearing a path for itself to enter, leaving molten steel in its wake.
The fiendish creature growled, bearing four sets of teeth at him as eternal flames licked off of its mottled fur. Markus scrambled for his glaive, only to realise that he hadn’t had it since the arena.
Why the fuck was this thing here? What the fuck was this place?
There was no time to ponder the unknown. Only time for action.
With nothing else to arm himself with, Markus grabbed a frozen rag in one hand and a ceramic plate in the other, staggering to his aching feet.
“Alright doggie… let’s play.”
//
First Prev Next Patreon
A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading! I hope this chapter answered some questions regarding stats and skills, though there's still a lot more to cover! I plan to feed you all the info eventually, don't worry! Here's hoping Markus doesn't get used as a chew toy next chapter.
If you wanna help support me and this story, or you just can't wait for the next chapter, the next eight chapters of this story are available right now on my Patreon!

REP: https://www.reddit.com/IGSRep/comments/1bon79d/oatmilk666s_igs_rep_page/
All are humble bundle codes.
Ill gladly take gifted steam games (a la you buy it to me) instead of paypal.
I dont want to do giftlinks.
Im also willing to trade you codes vs a charity donation
to some reputable charity for example UNWRA or Internet Archive (a nonprofit digital library)
or some of your own choosing against providing me a copy of the receipt.
https://barter.vga3d6/t/
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Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp - Camp Forever Bundle
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The World Next Door
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Chef: Full Menu Bundle
Cafe Owner Simulator
Abalon (Summoners Fate)
Blood: Fresh Supply
Doom 64
SIMULATOSPORTS/RTS/RACING
Driftland: The Magic Revival
PGA Tour 2K21
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Expensive & rare / delisted & removed from steam:
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................................
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organ trail
I dont want TF2 keys.

Trial Day 22
No Jackson family member was at the courthouse.
Paul Gongaware
AEG cross
Putnam asked Gongaware if MJ was comfortable with all the show dates.

"Yes, I went through all of the dates with him," Gongaware said.

Bugzee, the tour manager, had a big calendar on the walls, Gongaware explained, saying they changed the dates of the shows four times. The jury was shown an email in which Gongaware worked with a staffer to create a calendar to show Jackson. He wanted colors changed. He wanted the calendar to be changed so that it reflected Jackson's show dates and off days differently. Gongaware email:

"Figure it out so it looks like he's not working so much"

As to the email, Putnam asked if he was trying to fool Michael:

"No, I was trying to make it clear, trying to get it just the way I wanted it," Gongaware responded.

After changing 4 show dates Gongaware said Michael was comfortable with it. He would do 8 shows in July, 10 in August, 9 in September. There would be no shows in October, November and December, resuming with 10 shows in January, 10 in February and three in March. No back-to-back shows. Gongaware said the O2 Arena had a previous commitment in Oct-Dec of 2009 and they could not have the concerts.

Putnam: "Was this a rigorous schedule?"
Gongaware: "No, not at all"

Gongaware recalled that on the HIStory tour they did 10-12 shows per month, from country to country, but this one would stay in London only. Gongaware said he wasn't concerned with Michael's age.

"He seemed great to me," he said, and this was stationary show, didn't have to travel.

Gongaware:

"The reason Michael wanted to delay the 1st show was he wanted more time to rehearse in the O2 Arena where the show would take place"

He said Michael and Kenny Ortega would decide the rehearsal schedule. Gongaware explained Michael didn't have to attend rehearsals, since it was not part of his deal. He said they never require an artist to rehearse.

"I didn't have any expectation," Gongaware said regarding Michael rehearsing.

He said he's never seen a requirement for a musicial artist to rehearse & that during the HIStory tour, Michael didn't rehearse but nailed it.

"When it was game time, he would show up," Gongaware explained.

For instance, Gongaware cited an outdoor concert in Bangkok in high heat, humidity.
As to the email Gongaware wrote about calling Michael lazy, he said he used unfortunate choices of words, Michael didn't like to rehearse.
Talking about the elements of the show, Gongaware described what they wanted to do for the opening of the show. He said Michael would be dressed up in a LED suit, like a television, flashing on him brief movie about things that happened in history. Michael would be lowered down onto the stage. He called the LED suit a "Moon man" suit, but Ortega called it "Light man." Putnam showed a presentation of how the LED suit idea would work. Footage is not on This Is It documentary because it was early stages of prep. Gongaware said the 1st idea was to make Michael float from the audience, but they couldn't make it work. So they decided to lower him down onto the stage. Gongaware said the big screen on the back of the stage was 3D capable. The audience would be given glasses when they entered the show. The 3D songs would be Thriller, Earth Song and Smooth Criminal.

"He wanted to do biggest, best show ever, live show," Gongaware said

Putnam showed email chain from Ortega to Gongaware asking to make a deal with choreographer Travis Payne. Answer from Gongaware:

"This is not AEG money, it's Michael's money so it takes a lot of time to get approvals"

Defendants were trying to establish a pattern that all the money spent was actually Michael's money, not AEG's, just like with Dr. Murray
At one point Gongaware said he learned from Michael about a doctor named Murray.

"He came to me and said he wanted his personal doctor on the tour"

Gongaware said he suggested to Michael to get a licensed doctor in London who would know the lay of the land, in case of need.

"This is the machine, we have to take care of the machine. I want Conrad," Gongaware said Michael responded.

I think what he meant was his brain could create it but his body had to deliver the show every night

Putnam: "Were you surprised he wanted to take his doctor on tour?"
Gongaware: "No"
Putnam: "Why not?"
Gongaware: "He had doctors before"

Gongaware said other artists take doctors as well, so he was not the only one and it didn't surprise him. Gongaware said he's been on tour before where an artist had chiropractors, but couldn't remember being in one with a doctor

Putnam: "Did you worry Michael might have a health issue?"
Gongaware: "No"
Putnam: "Why not?"
Gongaware: "He seemed fine to me, had a physical and passed"

Gongaware said the suggestion for a London doctor was due to the cost; paying a doctor full time was much more expensive than hiring a local doctor. Gongaware said Dr. Murray treated Michael for about three years before 2009. He knew the doctor was from Las Vegas but said he was in LA. Gongaware said he then called Dr. Murray to work out a deal. Gongaware testified he didn't have Michael's direct phone number, would go through Michael Amir Williams, his personal assistant, to reach him.
Gongaware called Murray on behalf of Michael saying the singer wanted to take him to London.

"What do you want to be paid for that," Gongaware asked.

Gongaware said he thought Dr. Murray was expecting his call and was aware of the desire to take him on tour.

"He said he would need $5 million," Gongaware recalled. "He said he has 4 clinics to close, would lay off people, needs $5 million for that."

Asked by Putnam if Murray's price was reasonable:

"It was ridiculous," Gongaware said about the amount asked. "It was a lot of money for something like that and Michael could not afford it."

Gongaware said he responded that it wasn't going to work. He said this was the first time he spoke with Dr. Murray. After that, Gongaware said he told Michael Amir and Randy Phillips what the doctor had asked. He also told Frank DiLeo. Gongaware said a lot of people who wanted to work for MJ asked for huge sums of money, thinking he had a lot.

Putnam: "Would you be doing this if Michael had not asked you?"
Gongaware: "No"
Putnam: "Did you contemplate bringing a doctor on tour?"
Gongaware: "I didn't think he needed one, we didn't have one in History, he was fine"
"He was Michael's doctor, Michael wanted him. That was it," Gongaware said.
Putnam:" Did you think about checking the doctor?"
Gongaware: "No"
Putnam: "Why not?"
Gongaware: "He was Michael's doctor"
"I'm not going to tell Michael Jackson who his doctor should be," Gongaware explained. "It wasn't my place to say who his doctor was going to be," Gongaware said. "It was his decision."

Gongaware said he doesn't think a doctor's financial situation has anything to do with being an ethical doctor. Gongaware said it never crossed his mind to either do a background check on Dr. Murray or to suggest to anyone to do it.

"I just expect doctors to be ethical, the financial side of their lives shouldn't have an impact on their medical decision," Gongaware opined.

Gongaware said he never did a background check on anyone he hired and had he done one on Dr. Murray, it would've been out of the ordinary.
He also said he never considered performing background checks on Jackson's makeup artist, a choreographer who worked one-on-one with the singer or Kenny Ortega, the tour's director.

"I didn't see the need for it," he said.

Dr. Finkelstein, a friend of Gongaware, said a doctor should charge $10,000 a month for the tour work. But Dr. Finkelstein would've done it for free, since he was on the Dangerous tour before and had a lot of fun
The second call about Dr. Murray came from Michael Amir Williams saying they were going to need to get a deal done for the doctor. Gongaware said he heard Michael in the car saying "offer 150, offer 150." Gongaware understood that to be $150k/month. Gongaware called Dr. Murray, said he was authorized to offer him $150k a month. He said Dr. Murray responded that he couldn't do it for that. Gongaware told him the offer came directly from the artist and Dr. Murray responded:

"I'll take it"

Gongaware said Michael approved the amount of compensation.

"Michael told me offer 150," Gongaware recalled. "And that's what I did."

Gongaware inquired from Dr. Murray how he would get a license in London and the doctor told him not to worry about it. They talked about Dr. Murray's request for a house in London, and the doctor said he would need a three bedroom house. Gongaware recalled Dr. Murray saying he would probably need an assistant and some equipment, but no details were given at this point. After the call, Gongaware said he let Michael Amir Williams know what the result was in a May 6th email:

"Done at 150k per month, per MJ. He needs about 10 days to wind down his practice then he will be full time"

Asked why he had negotiated with Murray, the AEG executive replied that he was

"instructed to by Michael Jackson."

Gongaware said there was no other reason for him to deal with the doctor. Marvin Putnam asked Gongaware why he didn't tell Jackson he couldn't take Murray on tour with him.

"Because he could if he wanted," Gongaware said.

Gongaware said he passed Dr. Murray on to Timm Wooley, never had any other conversation with Dr. Murray about him possibly going to London.

Putnam: "Do you have any understanding as to whether a contract with Dr. Murray was executed?"
Gongaware: "One never was"
Putnam: "Did AEG pay Dr. Murray any kind of money?"
Gongaware: "No"

Gongaware said Michael was ultimately responsible for his own health:

"I think everyone is responsible for their own health and well being. He was a grown man with the capability to make decisions regarding his health and medical care"

Putnam showed Gongaware a frame from the This Is It film in which Jackson's manager, Frank Dileo, was sitting in on dancer auditions. Dancers auditions took place at the Nokia Theater on April 13, 14 & 15. Michael attended the last day and made the final decision, Gongaware said. He said Ortega wanted to film the audition to use fresh footage on michaeljacksonlive.com. The cost for crew to shoot the audition was very high, so Gongaware bought a couple of cameras and used his own crew to shoot the rehearsals. He said he wasn't sure what he would use the video for, but thought the website would be a good platform.
Gongaware said during the period at Center Staging, Michael was good, engaging, didn't think there were any health issues or was using drugs
Gongaware said the media in the UK was going wild with gossip about Michael Jackson.

"They just lie about things."

The Sun claimed Michael had skin cancer on his chest.

"It was sport over in London," Gongaware said about stories on tabloids.

Gongaware testified about emails in which UK press agents working on This Is It sent him tabloid reports on Michael's health. Gongaware said he urged the press agents not to respond. He wanted Jackson's performance to speak for itself & silence skeptics.
Gongaware on 5/27/09:

"The Kid is healthy and rehearsing every day. He was still there at dance rehearsals at 9pm last night when I left. Our redemption will be when he does his shows, that makes all of this build up so damn sweet. We don't have to sell tickets, so we can just sit back and prove them wrong by just doing it"

Gongaware said he was not concerned

"If there was something going on, if he had cancer, we would've heard about it."

Michael Jackson rehearsal venues:

• Mar 28- Center Staging
• May 27- Forum June 23 - Staples Center
• July 13 - O2 Arena

Putnam also asked Gongaware about an incident Karen Faye testified about, that she heard him yelling at Michael's assistant one day. The incident occurred while This Is It rehearsals were happening at The Forum in LA. Faye claimed she heard Gongaware yelling about Jackson being late to a rehearsal and told his assistant to get him there.

"Never, never happened," Gongaware said, shaking his head.

Putnam went through a chain of emails about tabloid reports in the UK regarding Michael. In one, it said Michael had asked AEG to reduce the number of shows by half. Gongaware said that such a discussion never happened. Gongaware testified he woke up to one gossip headline pretty much every day. His idea was simply to ignore the tabloids.

"An amazing show would be the answer", Gongaware said

Gongaware on 6/5/09 in response to Sunday Mirror Query:

"We can only make this work, of course, if MJ puts on the best show of his life. I'm here to tell you that be will. I have seen it for myself. Last night he ran 9 songs with full band, singers and dancers. Sang every one, he was amazing, captivating, riveting. And he's just getting started. Taking it one step further. When people realize that bulls**t the press has been, they will be in receptive mood for the truth Hey look. No skin cancer. He's just a good dad, loving raising his kids. His art and his craft are paramount. A gentle, loving man who does care about people"
"The shows were going to be spectacular," Gongaware said.

Putnam showed a clip of Michael in front of a green screen with 11 dancers, who would become 11,000. Gongaware said Michael was great at this point
Regarding email Phillips sent Gongaware directing to remove Michael's "skeletal" scenes Gongaware said he didn't take anything out of the movie.

Putnam: "Did you remove anything from the movie?"
Gongaware: "No"

Putnam showed a clip from This Is It with the making of "Thriller 3D" and Jackson wearing red jacket.

Putnam: "Did you try to alter in anyway how Mr. Jackson looked, appeared?"
Gongaware: "No"

Gongaware said he didn't remember any of the footage been removed because of how Michael looked.

"We just let the footage speak for itself"

The mini-movie of "Earth Song" a bulldozer would come out from a ramp in center stage.

Putnam: "A real bulldozer?"
Gongaware: "I wish, it would've been cheaper, but it would have crushed our ramps"

Gongaware said they had to build the bulldozer like a prop. It would appear at the end of the song on stage.

"I think the live audience would be just captivated by it," Gongaware said about the little girl running after the last plant on Earth song.

End of the show would be 3D animation. An airplane taxis up, door opens, Michael entered the plane. The airplane door closes, Michael would actually take an elevator down and out of the building, but the plane would take off over the audience
Gongaware said he didn't know if anyone was responsible for Michael's nourishment. Tour would be demanding and exhausting
Gongaware said he met Dr. Murray once at MJ's Carolwood house and ran into him at The Forum during rehearsal. There was a meeting scheduled to discuss Michael's nutrition with Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega, Dr. Murray, Michael, Gongaware and DiLeo.

Putnam: "Do you recall anyone in that meeting ever telling Dr. Murray how he should be treating Michael?"
Gongaware: "No"

Gongaware said he didn't have any medical training and wasn't qualified to tell Conrad Murray how to treat Jackson
Gongaware said neither Dr. Murray nor Michael talked about the treatment he was receiving. The meeting was about nutrition & vitamin therapy. Gongaware said he had no idea Dr. Murray was giving Michael Propofol and first heard of the anesthetic after Michael died. Gongaware said Dr. Murray was really engaged in the meeting, seemed like a very intelligent guy and wanted to take care of Michael very much. This was the first time Gongaware met with Dr. Murray. He said there were no signs of Michael being poorly treated by the doctor.

"Michael was engaged in the meeting, attentive, seemed happy we were having this meeting," Gongaware opined. "He's a doctor, he'd know better than anybody how to treat his patient," Gongaware said about Dr. Murray.

As to Gongaware's email saying AEG, not Michael, paid Dr Murray he said he was mistaken.

"We wouldn't pay his salary, we'd advance Michael's money".

Gongaware said he didn't remember writing/receiving the email, but never denied he did it.
As to Michael being habitually late, Gongaware said the singer worked on his own schedule, did things his way
Gongaware said his understanding was that Michael hired a trainer of his choice, Louis (Lou) Ferrigno:

"I made the deal with him (Ferrigno). He was supposed to be paid a certain amount of money per session"

He didn't elaborate on fee, how many times he worked with Michael. Putnam showed an email from Travis Payne, he suggested a massage chair to be put in Michael's dressing room.
As to Bugzee's email saying MJ needed cheeseburgers, brats and beers, Gongaware said Bugzee was joking, Bugzee cared very much for Michael. Gongaware testified he didn't recall having any concern about Michael's health/using painkillers as of Monday 6/15/09, 10 days prior to his death
Gongaware was asked about several emails that have been shown before, including messages related to MJ missing rehearsal on June 19, 2009. The executive was on the East Coast for a family wedding, but responded to one message questioning why Murray wasn't at rehearsal. Gongaware email:

"Take the doctor with you. Why wasn't he there last night?"

He then explained his thinking to the jury. Gongaware:

"If his patient is having a problem and he's sick, and he's his only patient, it seemed like he should be there"

Gongaware said on 6/19/09, he was out of town.

"This is the day Michael had chills at rehearsal and was apparently sick," Gongaware recalled. "If the meeting was going to be about what happened that night, the doctor should be there"

Gongaware said he believed Michael wanted to go on tour. He said he doesn't remember anyone talking about pulling the plug on the shows.

Putnam: "Did anyone tell you at this point that Michael needed a drug addiction specialist?"
Gongaware: "No"
Putnam: "Did anyone tell you they were concerned with the care Dr. Murray was giving to Michael?"
Gongaware: "No"

Gongaware said that on 6/20/09 he did not think Michael's health was deteriorating.
With last questions of the day, Putnam asked Gongaware if he was concerned about Jackson's well-being. He said

"Yes"

Court Transcript

Basically this post is gonna be about SD3. Whereas the question being "what? non-commercial license?" to "what is the hardware requirement for me to run SD3??". This post is created to well, calming your nerves, and questions in your head.
1. What are the native size support and VRAM requirements of SD3 Medium / 2B?
1024x1024, u/mcmonkey4eva think it could fit under 4GiB ( 4.29GB ) ( no sure/promise ). "If you have a modern low-end card like a 3060 or whatever you're more than golden. Anything that can run SDXL is golden." according to him. RTX 2070 and RTX 3060 should run fine for 2B.
2. Why upload 2B only?
Someone called Sopp from StableDiffusion Discord server asked whether mind sharing what's being worked on for 8B and that does it ever needs more training before it feels worthy enough for a release. u/mcmonkey4eva answered:

"it needs more training first yeah. Right now our best 2B looks better than our best 8B on some metrics, so we need to improve 8B enough that the scale boost is worth it before 8B is relevant"
"all the recent training work was on 2B"
"right now 8B doesn't shine much other than maybe sheer breadth of knowledge. Once it's trained to catch up it'll probably win out on everything"

3. Is SAI giving early access to any of the developers of training tools (Kohya/Nerogar)?
Early access has been given to relevant developers. Welp, Kohya and Nerogar have not been given early access. According to the same mcmonkey, Kohya is based of Hugging Face and Hugging Face always has early stuff going on, so it shouldn't be an issue. For Nerogar's OneTrainer though he has no idea.
4. Can I create images larger than 1024x1024?
You can, using similar technique that SDXL used ( hires-fx, tiling fix which is recommend by mcmonkey )
5. Is Pony V7 trained on SD3?
Short answer, dun know, even for AstraliteHeart himself ( creator of Pony )
For context, AstraliteHeart did contact SAI Team for early access of SD3 but the communications never reply him. Fun fact, RunDiffusion, which train the Juggernaut, also met the same situation. And then this is AstraliteHeart's long answer over the question:

I don't know. The plan was to base it on SD3 given that SAI has allowed commercial license for all previous SD version (for the Stability AI Membership participants), so obviously this is a very unpleasant development and we will have to see how this will play out. Pony has pretty much killed XL and made a very huge dip in 1.5 use (at least in the extended Stable Diffusion community) but SAI has repeatedly ignored my attempts to have any dialog (even me sharing any learnings from Pony to help them) so my only assumption so far is that they do not care about anything except their internal API and its users. If they do not allow commercial use for everybody or specifically to Pony (I did apply but I have zero hope to hear back) then V7 would be XL (aka v6.9), from that point a few things may happen. If the 2B model is great then some non commercial finetunes will come out but probably would get limited traction (as they will be limited to local users and no SaaS). Alternatively they will not be good and Pony will continue to dominate the community side of things, making the whole SD3 a big lol. We will see obviously, but I am excited even about XL based V7 as it will be packing a huge number of improvements and should stay competitive for a while. As for V8, maybe we will have a from scratch model, who knows Anyway, I think this is sad and SAI is shooting themselves in the foot - they are significantly limiting model popularity. Perhaps I am wrong and they will have commercial deals with everyone but without strong community support they are pretty much only competing with top players like OAI and I don't thin they even can take on Midjourney tbh.

TLDR;

1. PonyXL have killed a lot of other SDXL finetunes and drop the community usage of SD1.5
2. If SAI doesn't allowed commercial use broadly, then the next V7 will be based on SDXL.
3. AstraliteHeart give his hindsight that if the model is good, some non-commercial fine-tune models will emerged but will just have limited impacts as Stable Cascade.
4. If 2B is not very good, Pony will just continue dominate the market and remain a hegemony.
5. Concerns over SAI by limiting themselves over community support and chances that they will losing out the competitions.

u/mcmonkey4eva does not have much details about license decision making but eventually went up and reply him "you should definitely be find one way or another to train fine-tune on top of SD3. at least for public release". He also said commercial models should probably have something to apply or a membership.
And then, AstraliteHeart went on and respond:

1. We run our commercial inference network, it's small but it's still a commercial project. Before that we were covered by the SAI membership program.
2. We partner with SaaS providers, if they can't use it, we lose strong incentive to base anything on SD3.
3. Any barriers make adoption sloweless likely, so that also destroys non monetary incentives

"It is very silly if seriously, SAI didn't have membership program including SD3 Postlaunch" according to that SAI staff. And also quote "comms are always wonky and hoped it will get cleared up soon or after launch."
Update: u/mcmonkey4eva went up to other team members saying they are still getting it sorted but will expected to have a clear answer for commercial use before launch, which is June 12.
6. Are SDXL sampling methods going to work at all with SD3?
This is an advanced question so skip this if you don't care. As SD3 use Rectified Flow scheme, things like Ancestral or SDE won't work properly but normal samplers ( Euler, DPM++ ) are fine. SAI is probably unable to fix that in this point but u/mcmonkey4eva will say that the researchers will invent "impossible things" time to time, but yeah Ancestral and SDE are deemed to be fundamentally incompatible by the time of June 12.
7. Is there a possibility for license change?
I ask this question to mcmonkey because you guy will definitely ask for a thousands time. His answer given :

it's already gonna be free for noncommercial, presumably it'll get added to the commercial programs too (idk what the deal with that is). Not Hardcore open source, but, like, ... close enough in my opinion.

free for personal usage is the big point for me, as long as that's true i'm happy. Commercial users i've heard are all happy with paying for commercial rights (if you're a commercial user, you're making money and can afford $20/month or whatever)
Oh by the way, commercial rights of SD3 will be according to this https://stability.ai/membership
8. Minimum requirement to train 2B?
He can't say exact number but think Tesla T4 ( Colab Free Tier GPU ) is more than enough.
9. When is the release of other models?
Dun know, they will be there when they are ready. You just have to wait til June 12 for 2B.
10. Possibility of train new models out of TerDiT? // We'll soon able to run 8B parameter models on existing hardware?
It is an interesting question asked by someone else. u/mcmonkey4eva revealed that they used to looking into quantization of SD3 before, but get deprioritized. He see potential of it and say it will be awesome if somebody get its working.
For context, this thread : https://www.reddit.com/StableDiffusion/comments/1d6gvmt/maybe_well_soon_be_able_to_run_8b_paramete
11. What's the thing with Core SDXL?

ImageCore is a workflow/finetune of SDXL, "ImageCore" is a placeholder to indicate "whatever the current best we have for general image generation" not including beta models like sd3

12. Will T5 become the bottleneck for super low end devices?
Another question that I asked. I came to a surprise that u/mcmonkey4eva answer you could just fully disable T5 and use good ol' fashioned CLIP, and get similar result. Additionally you could do T5 only, CLIP G only, or CLIP G and CLIP L combined.
13. What's the thing with Stable Cascade?
Basically u/mcmonkey4eva describe that as :

1. researchers joined
2. made model
3. left Stability
4. SD3 outprioritize it.

Also,

The real value with Cascade was in the research concepts they shared, rather than the model itself. Unfortunately I don't think much of that made it into SD3 due to timing overlap, but hopefully future image models will incorporate the concepts (eg the complex latent compression or the two-stage setup)

14. Does more parameter mean more quality model? // [OG] Can you explain somehow how the 2B has a third less data than SDXL and still performs way better? Quality over quantity?

Size isn't everything? Mainly. GPT-3, a 175B model, was beaten out by LLaMA-13B, at under a tenth the size. (the LLM not the chat finetune used as the basis of GPT-3.5) SD3 is trained with way better data (notably the CogVLM autocaptioning, vs prior models were trained with "whatever nonsense text the internet associated with the image"), has a way better architecture (MM-DiT vs unet), and has a much smarter VAE (the 16-channel VAE in SD3 seems to have figured out a partial feature channel separation, vs the 4-channel VAE in SDXL acts more like a funky color space)

Anyway the thread ended here. I will keep up by editing this post below this paragraph or original question so that I am not spreading misinformation or something.
15. Is the Stability AI sale rumour true?
You are asking a question that violated NDA agreement, keep this question an open case to your own.

You can now insert images as comments when you seek for in-game help in Megathreads! Check out this mod post HERE for more information.
​
Use this Megathread if you have general questions or need advice! e.g. asking for EX / Candy recommendation, gems usage, "Should I pull this banner?", "How do I build a team on this stage?", etc.
If you need team building help specifically for Champion Stadium, you may use the Champion Stadium Megathread to receive a quicker response.

Installing Pokémon Masters

Pokémon Masters is available worldwide except for Belgium and The Netherlands due to bans on loot boxes.
We will go over the two main platforms on installing the game, IOS and Android.
According to the official site, the game is most compatible in these devices:
iOS: 11 or higher / 64 bit / at least 2 GB of RAM
Android: OS 7.0 or higher / 64 bit / at least 2 GB of RAM
IOS:

1. Via Apple Store: HERE

Android

1. Via Google Play Store: HERE
2. Others

If the game is unavailable in your country or shows as not available for your device, you can download the APK directly from APKPure or QooApp.
You can also use VPN to download it from the application store, but it requires longer downloading time compared to the above recommended methods.
​

Reroll Guide

Reroll means that you make a new account and look at what you got from your scout. If you don't like your first few multi-pulls, you delete the account and create a new one again and so on until you are satisfied.
​
Why reroll?

• You're a new or returning player and you want to get your hands on meta Sync Pairs for easier clears.
• A favourite/meta Sync Pair has been released and you want to get him/her no matter what.

​
How to Reroll?
If you're an existing player, delete your local data or cache first. Otherwise, do not link your account to Nintendo. Doing so will bind your Pokémon Masters account to your Nintendo profile permanently and can no longer be removed.
As of now, if you progress up to the point when co-op mode is unlocked, you can get at least 21.000 gems, the equivalent of 7 multis, earning at least 231/400 scout points (33 scout points per multi scout), allowing you to scout at least 77 Sync Pairs. Completing the following checkpoints will let you receive gems as completion rewards:

Completion Requirement	Notable Rewards	Additional Notes
Starting the game (Part 1)	MC & Pikachu, Misty & Starmie, Brock & Onix	Choose Kanto Starter (Movesets HERE)
Starting the game (Part 2)	MC & BulbasauCharmandeSquirtle, Blue & Pidgeot (5★ Guaranteed Scout)	Kanto Starter Egg Hatches
Finish Champion Stadium: Kanto Challenge (Normal)	150 Gems	You can reuse the same Sync Pairs after each round
Special Completion Rewards: Champion Stadium (Normal)	500 Gems	Accessible in the Poké Center as an icon on the top-left corner
Finish Champion Stadium: Victory Road	5000 Gems, SS Red & Charizard/SS Blue & Blastoise/SS Leaf & Venusaur (5★ Guaranteed Ticket Scout)	Also scoutable in the Triple Featured Poké Fair banner (3 days)
Finish Chapter 1 (Normal)	90 Gems, Rosa & Snivy
Finish Chapter 2 (Normal)	200 Gems, Barry & Piplup, Professor Oak & Mew and Legendary Arena unlocked.	Professor Oak & Mew upgrade materials available in Bingo Rewards
Finish Chapter 3 (Normal)	150 Gems
Finish Chapter 4 (Normal)	170 Gems, Erika & Vileplume
Finish Chapter 5 (Normal)	160 Gems, Skyla & Swanna
Finish Chapter 6 (Normal)	200 Gems, Korrina & Lucario
Finish Chapter 7 (Normal)	250 Gems, Norman & Slaking
Finish Chapter 8 (Normal)	170 Gems, Pryce & Seel
Finish Chapter 9 (Normal)	240 Gems, Iris & Haxorus
Finish Chapter 10 (Normal)	280 Gems, Hapu & Mudsdale
Finish Interlude 1 (Normal)	60 Gems, SS Brock & Tyranitar
Finish Chapter 1 (Hard)	100 Gems
Finish Chapter 2 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 3 (Hard)	100 Gems
Finish Chapter 4 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 5 (Hard)	100 Gems
Finish Chapter 6 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 7 (Hard)	300 Gems
Finish Chapter 8 (Hard)	200 Gems
Finish Chapter 9 (Hard)	300 Gems
Finish Chapter 10 (Hard)	300 Gems
Finish Interlude 1 (Hard)	100 Gems
EX Plaza: Special Training Battle Techniques	60 Gems

These missions are completed progressively as you play the game, so they are not listed in numerical order.
These missions can be completed multiple times as the player reaches new checkpoints.

Checkpoint (Missions)	Notable Rewards per level
Mission 1: Log in to the game	10 Gems
Mission 21: Raise team strength	10 Gems
Mission 3: Obtain Pearl	10 Gems
Mission 4: Obtain Big Pearl	10 Gems
Mission 5: Obtain 1★ Level-Up Manual	10 Gems
Mission 6: Obtain 2★ Level-Up Manual	10 Gems
Mission 7: Obtain 3★ Level-Up Manual	10 Gems
Mission 62: Evolve a Pokemon	10 Gems
Mission 91: Obtain a Lucky Cookie	10 Gems
Mission 125: Raise your player rank	10 Gems
Mission 262: Have a number of interaction(s) in Trainer Lodge	100 Gems
Mission 263: Reach friendship level 100 with a number of guests	100 Gems
Mission 264: Reach a certain friendship level with any guest	100 Gems

These missions can only be completed once but give a high amount of gems.

Checkpoint (Missions)	Notable Rewards per level
Mission 82: Link to your Nintendo account	600 Gems
Mission 89: Participate in the Battle Villa	1000 Gems

If you are not satisfied with your pulls, click on the Poryphone at the right-bottom corner in the Pokémon Center -> Account -> Delete Save Data. Repeat the above steps until you pulled the Sync Pair you want.
Now that you're ready to go on an adventure, link your account through Poryphone Menu by tapping "Account", then "Link a Nintendo Account" to save your progress. After that, try to get any free Sync Pairs as you progress:

• Professor Oak & Mew: Complete his Sync Pair story and finish the bingo missions from Professor Oak & Mew Special Missions.
• Rosa & Serperior: Complete all bingo missions from "Rise to 6★ EX with Rosa!" and upgrade her to 6★ EX.
• Legendary Event Sync Pairs: Obtainable via Legendary Adventures. Reach the end of story to obtain the legendary Sync Pair, character-exclusive 5★ promotion tickets and event vouchers. Try to upgrade them to 5/5 20/20 as soon as possible and invest in their Sync Grids; they will be valuable assets for content clearing. Do note that exclusive materials such as Champion Spirit and Sync Grid expansion for these Sync Pair are only obtainable in event reruns, and hence event-limited.

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EX Gear Type Chart

Note that these co-op stages only drop 2★ Gear as the highest rarity for their corresponding Gear Type. 3★ Gear is restricted to Type Gear Events and Pokémon Masters Day every month, and it can be obtained in the time-limited event shop and in the General tab in exchange for 3★ gear material co-op stage drops.

Stage	Gear Type
EX Brock	Grass/Steel/Rock
EX Misty	Flying/Fairy/Steel
EX Barry	Grass/Dragon/Water
EX Flannery	Bug/WateGhost
EX Erika	Fire/Poison/Ground
EX Skyla	Rock/Normal/Flying
EX Korrina	Fire/Fighting/Psychic
EX Pryce	Electric/Ice/Bug
EX Marshal	Psychic/Dark/Ice
EX Hau	Ground/Electric/Fairy
EX Clair	Dragon/Dark/Fighting
EX Janine	Poison/Normal/Ghost

​

In-Game FAQ

1. When is anniversary coming?

Half-year	28 February 6AM UTC
Full-year	28 August 6AM UTC

2 Why hasn't my Pokemon evolved? It's at Level [X]!
Evolution requires an evolution item available in the Training Area (Evolution Material Area). Upon earning the Evolution Materials, you need to go to the Sync Pair Stories to trigger the Evolution Story.
3. Should I save to do 11 multi-scouts instead of single scouts?
You can now get x11 units instead of 10, so yes, but we strongly recommend you to save gems for Poké Fair or Master Fair banners (which has a higher rate for 5★ characters).
4. How many gems are required to receive a Sync Pair of my choice?
36.600 non-paid gems (or 36.300 gems + 100 paid gems for a daily single pull), which is the equivalent of 400 scout points. Scout points do not carry over between banners.
5. What does [X]/5, [Y]/20, etc mean?
When you obtain a Sync Pair, they're at 1/5 Sync Move level. Rolling a dupe of that Sync Pair, or using a Move Candy will increase it by 1 level. 3/5 is the minimum for most sync pairs to complete their full Sync Grid, but some Poké Fairs have grid expansions that require their Sync Move to be completely maxed out at 5/5 for their full Sync Grid.
At the same time, Sync Pairs are at 0/20 Potential when they're just obtained. Giving Sync Pairs Powerups will raise their Potential and stats. When a Sync Pair is given 20 powerups, their star level will be increased. Getting a unit to 5★ 20/20 is mandatory for it to further upgrade to 6★ EX (if it has one).
6. How do I Unlock The Level cap of my units?
Training Area (Cap Unlock Area), (Cap Unlock Area 2), Exchange in the shop, Events.
7. Where do I get the manuals to level up my sync pairs?
Training Area (Level up Area), Exchange in the shop, Events, random drops in Trainer Lodge.
8. How do I get Sync orbs?
Training Area (Sync orb Area), Exchange in the shop, Events, Champion Stadium Master Mode (6K & 7.5K), random drops in Trainer Lodge.
9. What are Theme Skill and how do I get items to power them up?
Theme Skill is a new ability that raises the stats of your Sync Pairs if any of them has a common position, type, region, trainer group, or other features with another pair (or pairs) in the same team. Skill Spheres, which can be obtained in Theme Skill area and Champion Stadium Master Mode, are required to upgrade them.
10. What Lucky Skill should I roll for [X]? How do I get Lucky Cookies and Scrolls to unlock a Sync Pair's Lucky Skill?
Refer to Sync Grid Builds & Lucky Skills (by u/MomoSpark) for more details.
In general, the choices of Lucky Skills follow the roles of Sync Pairs:

• Strike:
  • Critical Strike 2 (3★ Crunchy)
  • Weathered Warrior 3 (3★ Deluxe) if used exclusively in weather
    • Boosts the damage of attack moves and sync moves but not max moves
• Support:
  • Vigilance (3★ Creamy), unless the Sync Pair already has Vigilance in their kit
  • Head Start 1 or Adrenaline 1 (both 3★ Deluxe) for -3 sync countdown acceleration
• Tech:
  • Refer to Strike if the Sync Pair's kit is Strike-based (e.g. Marnie & Morpeko, May & Swampert, P Serena & Whimsicott, etc.)
  • Refer to Support if the Sync Pair's kit is a tanker and/or a healer (e.g. Prof Oak & Mew, SS Leaf & Venusaur, etc.)
  • Head Start 1 or Adrenaline 1 (both 3★ Deluxe) for -3 sync countdown acceleration
• Sprint:
  • Head Start 1 or Adrenaline 1 (both 3★ Deluxe) for -3 sync countdown acceleration
  • Refer to Strike if the Sync Pair's kit is Strike-based (e.g. Nemona & Pawmot, Paulo & Lycanroc Dusk, etc.)
• Field:
  • Refer to Strike if the Sync Pair's kit is Strike-based (e.g. Victor & Spectrier, Variety Giovanni & Rhydon, etc.)

There are exceptions to some Sync Pairs. For example,

• Iris & Haxorous favours Lessen Confusion 9 (2★ Crispy) to increase DPS under confusion with Confusion Boon 5 in grid.
• Serena & Delphox and most other sleep-inducing units favour Troublemaker 1 (3★ Crunchy) to increase the accuracy of sleep-inducing status moves.
• Zinnia & Rayquaza can go for either Dauntless (3★ Creamy) to mitigate SP ATK debuffs after each use of Draco Meteor, or Weathered Warrior 3 (3★ Deluxe) to stack with her weather-based multipliers.

Lucky Cookies and Lucky Scrolls can all be obtained in Battle Villa (Single Player & Co-op), Blissful Bonanza, and Legendary Gauntlet. Legendary Gauntlet can provide unlimited 3★ Lucky Cookies as well as Deluxe Cookies exclusive to that mode after each successful stage clear, and their drop chance increases with longer win streaks.
11. What are the Sync Move effects of 6★ EX Sync Pairs of different roles? Who should I promote to 6★ EX first?
Each role gives different effects to Sync Moves when upgraded to 6★ EX.

• Strike: Sync Move becomes AoE. (Its power is not reduced against multiple targets.)
• Support: Sync Move raises sync buff by +2 instead of +1 when it is used for the first time. (Each sync buff increases damage output by 50%.)
• Tech: Sync Move power x1.5
• Sprint: Sync Move reduces the user's sync move countdown by 3.
• Field: Sync Move applies a field effect before dealing damage and extends its duration by 50%.

Support is usually prioritized for promotion to 6★ EX because its EX effect effectively doubles the damage of all allied sync pairs after first sync and is more widely applicable across most game modes, and the increased stats from raising the support's Potential greatly enhances its bulk to tank stages.
For Strike, if its kit has a very high DPS (e.g. SS Red & Charizard, Diantha & Gardevoir, etc.), or includes a powerful Sync multiplier (e.g. Steven & Metagross's Haymaker, Barry & Empoleon's Inertia, etc.), you are highly recommended to upgrade it to 6★ EX to apply the damage to all opponents. This applies to Tech as well, but only if the unit is a Sync nuker (e.g. Marnie & Morpeko, May & Swampert, etc.).
Since Field applies a field effect that can boost its own damage and potentially that of its allies as well, upgrading it to 6★ EX is also recommended. Sprint enables faster sync buffs and usually come with innate Sync Move multipliers like Tech, but its EX effect does not improve damage as directly as the other roles.
Promoting Support-type units to 6★ EX is not a must, but it's always an added bonus, especially if their Sync Move can provide any additional effects via passive or grid skills.
Always remember to upgrade Rosa to 6★ EX because the materials are obtainable for free.
12. Which Sync Pair should I use my candy on?
Refer to Which Sync Pair Should You Give Your Candy To? (Infographic) (by u/MuddyDummy) for more details.
Always save your candies unless the Sync Pair is exclusive to Seasonals, Poké Fairs or Master Fairs. Most Sync Pairs are usable at 1/5. You can always "accidentally" pull the unit you've been looking for from the normal pool, but you never know when limited Sync Pairs will rerun again. This may not apply to Sync Pairs that are your favorite.
​

Common Technical Questions/Errors

Below lists all common technical errors you may encounter during the game, as well as how you can fix it. You are strongly encouraged to contact DeNA with any problems at [support@pokemonmasters-game.com](mailto:support@pokemonmasters-game.com) if any of these advice do not help.

1. Error 20103 — Please check your connection and try again: Usually caused due to lack of connection or sudden disconnection. Try playing the game in a place with more stable connection.
2. Error 10102 — An error has occurred. Restarting the game: This error is often triggered because it detects your phone is rooted, or that you are using external applications which allows opening multiple accounts on the same device. For rooted phone users, make sure you hide your rooted status.
3. Game crashed mid-battle: Restart the app and clear your cache. This option is available in the bottom-left corner of the title screen.
4. Does Pokémon Masters work on emulators? No. As of now, PM is not compatible with any of the emulators (including Bluestacks, Nox, etc.) However, playing two accounts on the same device is possible on Android by cloning with Island.

​

Tools

• Events Countdown Timer (created by u/antocs, updated by Thunder#4694)
• PoMaTools (u/stdk12)

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Guides

• A Beginner’s Guide for Building Teams and Training Pokémon (u/Stitch426)
• Pokémon Masters: Tier List & Resources (PokemonMasters Guide Writer Team, Gamepress)
• Pokémon Masters EX: Datamine Analysis (PokemonMasters Guide Writer Team)
• Sync Grid Builds & Lucky Skills (u/MomoSpark)
• Eggmon Compendium (u/Zinfogel)
• Pokémon Masters Damage Formula (u/stdk12)
• More guides can be found HERE.

​
Reminders

• To receive quicker response from other fellow users, it is strongly recommended to enlist your roster, Lucky Skills, Sync Grid builds and other information deemed necessary, such that you can be provided a strategic team with higher chance of success when battling.
• If you would like to provide images and videos, you may use external websites such as Imgur, Gyazo and Streamable to embed links.
• Do not force your own playstyle onto others as it is completely subjective. Different kinds of players, veterans and novices, casual and hardcore, may all share different opinions and playstyles. It is fine to give suggestions, but forcing your ideas and way of playing onto others is not something to be condoned here. No one's way of playing is completely right.

Greetings, I want to preface this by saying that I am trying to be as respectful as I can of the devs as I write this, so I apologize if I come off as aggressive or extremely frustrated.
Secondly, I got this game fairly soon after its launch, I've been playing for awhile now and have played through both content updates, I've played through the game several times at this point as well.
With those out of the way, here's a list of issues I currently have playing this game after both updates, starting with cult stuff and moving into combat.

1. Cult Management

A. Disciples Are Very Underwhelming
The idea of having helpers to help manage your cult while you're away and give you buffs is a really good idea, but truthfully disciples feel much more like a formality rather than anything very helpful. I feel like they should have more of a role when it comes to upkeep, especially while you're away. Right now, they use two very underwhelming, expensive structures you're encouraged to have multiple of, reeducate dissenters if you already imprisoned them...and that's it.
The ritual itself is useful for easy faith regain after a long crusade, and there's no cap on how many disciples you can have, but that's about it for them otherwise. Reeducating dissenters is hardly a benefit if you're good at maintaining your faith and is even more useless given you have to put them in prison yourself first, this goes against the idea of them being able to do upkeep while you're away, because this benefit requires you to be present for this to work.
If I had to suggest ways to improve them, here's a list, ranging from simple to more complex:
-Make them able to put dissenting followers in prison themselves, this would make their present benefit more useful during crusades, it would also help if they could free reeducated followers themselves
-Give them some kind of devotion generation/productivity boost, it doesn't have to be very big, maybe a 20% devotion generation speed bonus, but these are meant to be your most loyal followers after all. In my mind, it would make sense they'd get some kind of boost from being a higher-tier follower.
-Let them interact with the Cooking Station, this one's a little bit weird to explain, but I'll try my best:
If a certain number of your followers get actively hungry while you're on a crusade, let disciples queue up and cook lower-tier meals themselves. The kitchen in its current state only kind of helps with this problem, because followers will go and cook meals immediately, and followers don't seem to "ration" out meals very well. In cults with lots of followers, it will also only really satisfy one meal while you're away. So by having disciples that can cook (again, lower tier, like basic berry meal) meals when followers are actually hungry, it would significantly help the cult management aspect and justify going on longer crusades a lot more
-Let Disciples do less-effective sermons while you're away, you wouldn't get the blue heart buff from these, and you would probably get less faith from it, but it would help with the faith drops that accumulate over the course of long crusades. Again, these are your most devoted and loyal followers, it would make sense that they would be able to conduct a sermon in your absence.
-Buff the Empowered Disciple Shrine, you're encouraged to build several of these. But they are almost horrifically expensive (15 gold bars PER SHRINE?!), take a very long time to actually gather the boosts, and the boosts themselves are extremely minimal. You would either have to decrease the exorbitant cost for these or buff the boosts, because in its current state, these are a huge resource sink and contribute to a massive problem in postgame I'll get to in a bit.
-Let them bury dead themselves, morticians exist to gather them for when you get back, but disciples could take those and bury dead bodies themselves. Perhaps they could also be made to stick them in composting buildings if there's no space, or alternatively just leave them alone if there is no space.
B. Too Little Space After Unlocking Everything
Now admittedly I like to decorate a lot, I have a pumpkin-stack ring around my base. But with all the new buildings, with some encouraging you to build many of them, there's just too little space to have something neat and organized and not horribly cluttered. So here's my suggestion, which I think is better than just making the cult ground bigger:
Treating the cult grounds like a dungeon. Let the player clear out new "rooms" within the cult ground, and then let players upgrade those spaces to be larger overtime. This way, people can have things like a dedicated farming area, lumberyard area, devotion area, etc etc. Perhaps you would have to build new shelters and assign followers to them in these respective rooms, therefore "assigning" a follower to a given room so they don't wander about from place to place. This is a lot more organized, gives players a lot of freedom with how they want to build and decorate their cult, and allows for more specialized workforces.
C. Follower Job Stuff
-Give Followers a job priority system.
When I say this, I think of Oxygen Not Included, where you can prioritize what tasks for duplicates to do. But I think it would be good on a follower-by-follower basis, where you could tell one that has a productivity boost to prioritize working in lumberyards or quarries rather than praying at the shrine. This would go well with the "dungeon-room-style" I mentioned earlier, where groups of followers could be made to prioritize certain jobs in an area.
-Let there be a nurse job
Manually healing followers after fights, upon recruitment, or because of a meal's side effect is kind of annoying. It would make sense for there to be a "nurse" job that would let followers be able to heal other followers.
-Let followers open trap scarecrows, self explanatory, they can put it in the chest at the cult entrance.
D. Let Parents Have An Upkeep Role With Their Children
Perhaps they could tend to a child if you're on a crusade, it would be less effective than doing it yourself, but better than fully missing out on those easy levels.
E. Outhouses Should Cover Special Poops
Honestly I'd never thought I'd type out a sentence like that in my life, but here we are.
I think it would be better if emptying outhouses brought out a fertilizer-silo-esque UI, where the player can choose to empty what they want out. If you take good care of your followers, special poops become so frequent that it's becoming an issue for me, especially given how some blend in with the game's lighting or hide behind buildings. It's really annoying having to roll around and hunt them down.
F. Buff The Main Shrine
This thing's max devotion cap is just way too low, it encourages building tabernacles, where the fully upgraded ones are horrifically expensive again. My followers fully fill it up in a matter of a couple seconds or minutes and I think the cap should be raised from 175 to something like 250, there's a lot of stuff boosting devotion generation in-game but nothing to balance out that increased productivity.
G. Post-Game Buildings Are Horrifically Expensive
I'll cover this more in my last section, because there's a lot more to this issue, but some of these buildings are just way too expensive. It doesn't help that some are underwhelming (Empowering Shrine), or are basically required in large numbers (Tabernacles), here's a list of buildings that I personally find to be way too expensive.
-Tabernacle IIIs, already explained this, I'd be okay with the cost if the main shrine's cap wasn't so low
-Empowering Shrine, already explained, you're encouraged to have several of these for little return
-Scarecrow IIs, you only really need around 2-3 of these to support 30 followers, and I know they were buffed, but...why 10 gold bars? What is the point of this and why do they need gold bars for reasons other than just making you grind more? I'd honestly just change it to a basic coin cost or half the gold bar cost, there is absolutely no point to them taking this much.
-Crypt IIIs, the more efficient space is so extremely appreciated, but you need more of these the more you play unless you want to resort to butchering bodies, which is annoying to do as it takes away follower necklaces. I'd decrease the gold bar and stone cost of these because the cost for a lvl III upgrade (13 stone blocks, 14 gold bars) vs a lvl II upgrade (5 stone blocks, 4 gold bars) for the same space increase is just...awful.
With that, I'd like to move onto combat problems

2. Combat Problems

A. Postgame Miniboss Design is HORRENDOUS (and Artificially Difficult)
To stick to what I said at the start of being respectful of the devs, I'll have a TL;DR of my frustrations with post-game minibosses.
TL;DR: Post-Game Minibosses are artificially difficult, unfun, frustrating, and horribly designed. Here's my suggestions:
-Make the arena bigger, lots of these minibosses have a lot of projectile and minion spam. Very often do you dodge roll one projectile and end rolling into another one instead. The current area is balanced around the regular miniboss versions, and is way too cramped as a result for their stronger versions.
-Tone down the difficulty of minibosses and make the bishops themselves actually difficult, 90% of the time I avoid the minibosses entirely and do the bishops instead. They are just that unfun and frustrating, meanwhile it feels like the postgame bishops are barely different than their normal selves, the difficulty distribution is bonkers.
B. Post-Game Difficulty Spike Has No More Resource Gain To Balance It Out
There's little-to-no extra gain from actually dealing with the stronger crusades, it feels extremely pointless to do. The player is being forced to deal with more frustrating gameplay and a difficulty curve for the same reward, which is already quite small as is.
C. Some Curses Are Hard To Combo and Awkward To Use
Maybe it's a skill issue on my end, but I find many of the splatter-type spells to be really awkward to use. Their splash is also quite minimal, I end up using spells like the blast and melee curses a lot because I like to combo them with my normal attacks and they combat the ridiculous minion spam by bosses. These are too awkward to use for that, but I imagine they'd still have some use.
Secondly, hounds of fate. I'm fine with the nerfs, but I would like it if the projectiles themselves were less janky, I feel like half of mine get stuck spinning in place or never reach any targets.
D. Damned Followers Are A Pain To Fight
When I say this, it's not that I find them actually difficult. Rather, they lack any kind of animations that can indicate what attacks they'll use next, there's no sense of timing to learn and I feel like I'm guessing when they'll attack next half of the time. It's really annoying to suddenly be slammed with a face full of fireballs while attacking them, I would like it if they had these types of animations or some way of telling what they'll do next.
Aaand that leads to the last problem...

3. The Coin Problem

This section has a subtitle! It's called "We Were Abusing Ritual Of Enrichment For A Reason"
The game in its current state has no good, dedicated, not-time-consuming way of getting coins to pay for the ridiculous gold bar and coin cost for buildings, outfit designs, postgame merchant price spike, or general cult upkeep. The best way to get large amounts of coins currently is to do the ocean's bounty ritual, fish for two straight days, and then sell all of it. The only good way to get gold bars that doesn't drain your wallet even more is to have a ton of offering statues.
A. Crusades Don't Give Enough Coins, Especially For Postgame
Three in a regular chest per room, 5 per dungeon stage cleared, 22 for killing the bishop/miniboss. This is coupled with the fact that the player is most likely not actively heading for combat stages, meaning that you get a measly amount of coins by the end. The time required to scrape up a large amount of coins purely through crusades isn't great, and it defeats the purpose of crusades being to get resources when the most important resource in the game comes in measly amounts.
B. Unlocking Outfits is Too Expensive
I get it, these are extra and only if you can afford it, but really? 5 gold bars for a single piece of clothing? It feels like it should be something like 3 gold bars instead.
C. No Dedicated Way To Get Coins
I know gambling with Midas exists, but the time required to even see if you got a reward plus the cost is too much. There should be a dedicated way to get coins during crusades, or some way to boost coin gain from crusades. Maybe an unlock from giving sermons, or a tarot card purely for getting coins. Maybe one that makes enemies have a chance to drop 1-2 coins or gold nuggets.
D. The Midas Encounters Feel Like A Punishment For Those Who Completed The Game On Launch
These four encounters feel like a punishment for people who liked the game enough to keep playing pre-ROTF and racked up a lot of money in the process, especially given that you get so, so little back upon confrontation. I lost around 30K from midas and got a grand total of about 600 back by the end of it-why was this even added? The amount of people who would have that much money is so small that it feels pointless to punish them for playing your game when a major flaw of it was lacking a postgame, I would be more okay with it if you ACTUALLY got your gold back, but you don't. This coupled with the lack of coin grinding is just plain horrendous, and it genuinely made me put the game down for a few weeks because of how pointlessly frustrating it was (yes, I know that sounds ridiculous, but if you lost most of the money you'd gotten over the course of many hours of playtime you'd probably be pissed too).
All in all, I do love this game even through the bugs and questionable balancing decisions, and I hope someone at Massive Monster sees this and considers at least one of the things here. This game feels just a few steps away from being quite possibly one of my top 5 games of all time, but falls short for these reasons.
Thank you, and have a nice day.