Post by The Brothers Holland on Feb 28, 2008 6:00:03 GMT -6
(A Double Post-er)
*A small dark room. The floor is covered with sand and the only furniture in place is a couple of wooden benches. Soon there's a loud clang as a door is unbolted and men fed in through it, whipped as they go to make them move. The man are all dressed as romans. Their breastplates a basic leather, their helmets simple iron. Each of them are scarred and battle hardened. Among them are people of pretty much every single race, white, black, latino, even a couple of orientals. But there is one among them who stands out. One man amidst the group who the camera is focussing on. His helm is slightly better made than everyone elses, his armour shows the signs of the battles he has fought. His face remains in the shadows as he looks pensively at the floor.*
"In the days of old, when heroes were real and myths and legends were being made on an almost daily basis.. in those days when men were bloody, their blood filled with war and their wars full of fresh slaves... back in those days when people craved violence and would go as often as possible to see men, full grown and stronger than any of them. More battle hardened than half of their beloved army and ready to die at any time in any place. Back in those days people who wanted to see the best of the best do exactly what they do best, they came to Rome. The capital of the greatest empire of them all. They came to the heart of Rome and it's almost perverse throne of blood and death. They came to the Collusseum and they came in their thousands. The men that entered were all the greatest, to be otherwise would degrade and disrespect the ground they walked on. The ground that Titus, that Commodus, that Celadus and Spartacus all walked upon. The stage where a man was either worshipped or destroyed. There was no other outcome."
*There's another clank and the man who couldn't be seen before looks up, allowing just enough light to shine down on his face to be recognisable. It's Dave Holland. Whether this is some kind of historical piece or whether it's him spending his money on a fun day out, that's all yet to be seen.*
"But the truth is, that times haven't changed all that much. The crowds still come to the arena of blood, they still come to cheer as the violence and falls take place. The only real change is in the laws governing the games. Deaths no longer occur, the crowd no longer have any say, the emperor no longer determines the fate of the loser at the end of the round alone. Health and Safety would have a field day if todays games went anything along those lines. But each and every one of us is a gladiator. We make that ring into the Arena of blood on a weekly basis. But now... now there's a twist on the norm. Surrounded by steel on all sides and joined by men of varying energy levels. It's like walking out onto that sand and facing a pride of lions on at a time for as long as it takes for you to kill them or for them to kill you. Difference with that is that these lions aren't in it together. These lions are out to kill each other too. Some people are talking about how coming in first is an advantage because it gives you a chance of winning when there's only 1 man, or 2 men or 3.. or so on, before having to worry about winning against all 5 of the other men going into this ring."
*The men are shouted at. The sound is muffled but the gist can be made out as they all begin to shuffle out from this room. Their movement is slow but as the camera zooms out all the men slowly fade to nothing.. except one.*
"And there are also those who think it an advantage to come in last. They know as well as I do that this battle isn't going to be over until every man is in there, this thing will go the whole distance. Therefore they think that coming in last means you'll simply have more energy, have taken less of a beating and it'll be a piece of cake right? Wrong. Because every man in there will know that too and that makes the new guy priority number one. Take him down from his healthier level and then worry about the guy you were fighting but a couple of minutes ago. Also you come in last, you're going in cold against 5 guys who are all warmed up, pumped up and in full swing. Each placement has its own opportunities and its own advantages but they are all just as equal as the next. First, last, makes no difference. So all it's going to come down to is who the man standing at the end is. Some men will be broken, some will be out of energy. But whatever the circumstances, there can only be one victor."
*The room is now empty save for Dave Holland, his clothes have changed from the gladiatorial armour to his everyday casual attire, blue jeans, white shirt and brown jacket. He looks about the room absorbing the atmosphere.*
Dave: In these rooms, Gladiators were held before being driven out into the amphitheatre itself. This room has heard the prayers of thousands and answered only the prayers of a few. From so many it's almost depressing to think of the victims of the others that stood beside them. Ally, Enemy, Friend, Foe, Brother... Murderer. The same is true of this new Collusseum. Each of us will need to work with the others of us in order to be victorius. To adapt and ally.. to turn and redress. The environment is turbulent.. the situation, fluid. No two moments are the same. Ordinarily I like to have a plan when going into a match.. even one with steel wrapped about it. I've fought in cells before, more than a few times, that's not what stops me from forming a plan. The fact remains that nothing can be planned. None of us know who enters when. None of us know what situations can occur with so many variables to consider. And so I have to take the aspects of my opponent I was due to face in the ICT recently. Adapt, Improvise, Overcome. I like to have a plan... but only as a part of making the fight just that little bit easier. Each and every one of you know what I can do. But there's a difference between knowing and experiencing. John knows... Ace knows and can't seem to stop dwelling on it... and Joe.. well.. he understands what I can do with Milo but having defeated my brother I'm sure he'll underestimate me. Ricky... also with a victory over Milo may underestimate me but I'd like to think he's smarter than that.. and Jason... well.. I saw from his promo that he cut that he knows what I'm about and understands that he's facing something special.. but like he also said, he's never even stepped into the same ring as me before. No experience... he's in for a surprise.
*Dave makes his way out of the room*
Dave: They all are.
*Dave has gone past the camera. The camera turns to face him and finds instead a corridor full of men, again they're all dressed as Gladiators. The far end of the corridor is open and leads out into the Collusseum floor itself. There is a large man stood at the top giving a prep talk to them all.*
"The most battle hardened among them would stand here more than a few times. Sometimes they'd be going out as part of a team, sometimes on their own to fight against another. Regardless there's always death and there's often chaos. But always with one thing in mind. Fight well. The crowd, The Emperor and The Gods are watching. The victory isn't in the surviving, but in the battle well fought. In the smaller arenas, that's not true but we're not at the smaller arenas are we? We're at the biggest, grandest stage of them all. And we're talking about the main event. We're talking about battles so violent, so bloody so very destructive that no one survives, not even the 'victor'. They walk in expecting hell and they travel through it to come out singed, scarred and a very different man on the other side. It was true then... it remains true now. Anyone who has fought in these kinds of structures before will tell you the same and are lying if they don't."
Guard: When you go out there, you will fight... and you will die. If you try to escape, you will be shot. Refuse to fight, and we will not need to. Before you fight you will take the oath. Those who refuse will be removed and crucified. Do you understand?
"Look at them. Look at the once proud and valiant warriors of the conquered races. Reduced to nothing more than playthings. It's pitiful really. Not on them, oh no. They do what they're told because it's the only thing they know. They fought for their people when they were told, they fight for someone elses because they're told. There is still a pride within them, but they do not feel it just now. Right now there is only one thing in their minds. Fear. It's perfectly natural to be afraid. To face your own mortality and be scared to have to leap into the chasm of death and the void that could well be the end of all things. What lies beyond, none but those who have gone before can tell. But those that have gone before and not yet faced their death... they will be the true victors of the event. Fear lies not on their minds. This modern incarnation of the great Collusseum of rome is lucky to have 6 men, all battle hardened and not a single one of them afraid. Not all of them have faced such structures but all know what's to be done within and that, they may have faced before."
Guard: It is time. Go!
*The men begin to stride proudly out into the light. but at the same time they again fade to nothing, once again, except one.*
"Experience is only one of the facets of a man that will help the one who would be Gladiator. With a situation like this it is almost certain that one of the key attributes a man could own would be stamina,.. endurance... toughness. The ability to be hurt but carry on regardless. The energy to run for as many miles as are necessary regardless of time or distance. The will to go on and never to give up. Every man will claim these characteristics but only a few actually posess them. One man certainly has this ability along with the experience.. along with the speed, the skill.. the technical ability and the awareness to keep track on every single person who steps into the arena with him. The intellect to recognise genuine pleas for help and guises of fealty for the turning of the back. The honour to face the strong when it would maybe be more prudent to prey on the weak. The one man who is truly and without doubt backed by the crowd to the end. The people's true champion, their chosen hero... their one and only.. Gladiator?"
*The men are all gone, faded to nothing as Dave is once again the only man left, once more returned to his everyday attire seen before. He leans against the wall to the side, examining the racks that once held the weapons of the ancient Gladiators.*
Dave: It's amazing to think that times really haven't changed all that much. Things were a little simpler back then but only because it was before the time of equality. No man was born equal to another. There was a very definite pecking order and your life was dictated by that self same order. Now the lowest of the low can rise up and be counted among the great. At the same time, though, that pecking order still exists. The emperor is replaced with an employer, a president or a king. The crowd are no longer priveleged but paying customers... and the Gladiators.. are no longer slaves. Prisoners some may well still be but not to the law or to the empire. Prisoners to their desires, wishes or greed only. I count myself among the imprisoned but what my cell or who my jailor is I know not and that's beside the point. The truth is that I am here.. and I am entering the Collusseum. Maybe first, maybe last, it matters not because I'm going to be there and that means you all have something to fear besides the steel. It may be true that I've had a bad few weeks but do you think that's going to knock my resolve? No chance. My resolve is to dig myself out of this rut and I swear by god and sonny Jesus that I will do just that.
*Dave turns away from the rack and faces the opening at the far end of the hall*
Dave: Jason knows why. He recognises my place as one of the top names in this federation. He knows why my name goes down in the history books and why it's crucial to never, ever, give me an inch of ground. I take my chances, I pay my dues and I always win my battles. Last week, against Lance.. that wasn't my battle. The week before against Lance and Jack... that wasn't my battle. And before that against Ace and Awesome... that was not my battle. Smokin' Aces were exactly what Milo and I were looking for. I don't know if any of you understand just how heavy a crown rests upon your brow but under our influence the tag division was dying... under our influence the tag division always dies. That battle was the Tag Division's... and the division won. I'm glad it won, even if it was under less than impressive circumstances, you know what i'm talking about Ace, so let's keep the bulls**t from you to a minimum, yeah? Age of the Revolution... was not my battle. That was their battle. For a cause against a society that rejected them all. For some reason they don't seem to have recognised I had to claw my life back together from the s**tter, if anyone needs to know the full story, I'll tell it, but for now I'd much rather leave my past right there. I earned everything I own and don't consider myself a part of the society they hate, so why should I fight for it? I didn't and was beaten by a man who won his battle. Good for them.. I hope they choke and die this weekend for dragging me into something I really don't give a flying rat's ass about.
*Dave strolls out into the amphitheatre. He looks up and holds his hand to his eyes, shielding them from the bright sun.*
Dave: But my battle... my battle is just now coming to a head. I'm being called, I don't know what by but one thing I do know is that I am going to answer the call. I thought the call was coming from the ICT.. but now that's collapsed before it ever started, I guess not. The truth is that I've said before, I want to be there for my son when he's born. I want to be there for his first steps and his first words and his first laugh and his first smile, I want to be there for all of it and be the best dad ever. But in doing so people seem to think I can't be here at the same time. While true, people don't seem to understand what drives me. They don't get that I have to carry on doing what I do until the day my battle.. my final battle, is fought and won. Who that is, what that is, not even I know but I'll tell you right now, this is not it. This is something to do with it but this isn't the end, not by a long shot. So thank you very much Jake but you can keep the retirement threats in that little diary of yours where you keep the rest of your fantasies that'll never come true. I'll decide when I'm done, no one else. For better or worse... I'm gonna be fighting for some time yet, I guarantee it.
*The camera has caught up to Dave and now looks out into the amphitheatre. It struggles due to the sudden change in light intensity. It flares to pure white before regaining it's view. Dave is gone and now the sand is full of men, the Gladiators back and armed in the middle of the Collusseum. They are facing the Emperor's seat and salute as the packed crowd seating erupt in a huge cheer.*
Gladiators: We who are about to die, Salute you.
*The camera switches away to a black and white scene of Dave stood on the stage in front of the screaming fans all cheering and screaming his name. It's all past footage.*
"This man of the people... he's no stranger to the hell they're all about to go through. He's been there so many times with so many opponents. He's done it so often he knows the ways within such a structure of metal and pain. He knows very well that the winning isn't in the pinfall or the submission but in the survival. If you can walk out under your own power you have won."
*The camera returns to the gladiators all facing outwards, their backs to one another. The group has reduced to about 10. They are all starting to be encroached on by some other gladiators or soldiers or something similar.
Once again the camera flashes away to black and white again. First it jumps to Dave and Milo recently facing off against The Alliance of Violence.*
"Many times he has faced fewer men with a true ally. A help and in fact a hindrance for this match. The field is not level, the field is never level for any of the competitors. When one man attempts victory all others are instantly united against him. This is a situation unlike that one so all we can draw from these matches is experience of fighting enclosed."
*The camera switches away again to a setup similar but very different. A cell with barbed wire wrapped about the bars. Dave and Milo are once again present but look physically much younger. in the ring with them are 6 other men, one of which is in fact Spike Kane.*
"Then there was the very first Dave Holland defining moment. 2 men, 3 interferences, 1 cell made from the stuff of madness. From the imagination of one Spike Kane. He fought and he survived in that hellhole. It was such a long time ago but those scars have never healed fully. He likes it that way. When he ever doubts his own abilities he simply looks to his hands, no longer the perfect and precise instruments they once were. Now the cracked and marred hands of the martyr, the sacrifice, the strong willed man who always just refuses to die."
*The camera suddenly falls to darkness.*
"But there has been one match."
*The camera flashes about a cell with several chambers therein, each time returning to darkness.*
"Over a year on and once again the people's hero is chosen to participate in a similar structure of a similar fashion. The competitors gone before..."
*The camera flashes up each of the people Dave faced in this match. Snake, Tara Fenix, Rob Arnold, Congo the Destroyer, Chris Kanyon, Reckless Jack and finally MGK the then world champion.*
"Some would call them in a different league. Some would say they couldn't contend with the entrants of today. This match was always a test, an annual measure of just who was worthy to enter such a field. The same will likely happen to this Collusseum. Every year when the names were announced for the complex it was a test of character on the reaction alone. Their performance would always be judged as one of their best, regardless of the result because stepping over the threshold was a moment that made people realise you were serious about what you do.. you deserve to be contending with the top names in the company and you have every right to contend for the world title."
*The screen turns black from the shot of MGK.*
"Therefore... let battle commence."
*Return to the Collusseum, the gladiators now in full blown combat. Their movements are not alike each other in the slightest. Some move nervously, striking suddenly and with vicious jabs forward, others are more graceful, flowing smoothly as they move from opponent to opponent. The sand slowly begins to turn red with blood as the crowd cheer on louder and louder.
One gladiator stands motionless in the middle. His eyes are closed but it's Dave Holland again. Everything about him slows down to a crawl as he kneels down to grab a handful of sand. He lets it fall through his fingers for a moment.*
Dave: When it comes down to it, much as I would like my past to remain in the past, it's always there, looking over my shoulder. As much as I hate it it has made me the man I am today and that is something I must be grateful for. Because without my past... how can my future hold anything of worth?
*Time speeds up again as a man is about to throw his sword down on Dave's head. Dave quickly turns and throws that sand in his hand into the gladiator's eyes. This makes him stumble backwards as Dave draws his Gladius and thrusts into the gut, piercing the armour and laying the man low. Dave continues to the next man and engages in an actual sword fight with parrying and dodging. Dave then rolls about his opponent, wraps his left arm about the chest raising the opponent's right arm, and stabbing him in the weak point beneath the arm. The man falls to the ground as Dave looks aside and moves on again. The camera doesn't follow as it instead looks to the right and turns black and white as it moves to match material rather than gladiatorial combat. The sounds of swords and screams of pain and death can be heard throughout though.
Transgression: Punisher is in control of the much larger man (Milo Holland) now and attempts an Irish whip but Milo is a brick wall. Milo in turn pulls the arm of Punisher and sends him over the top rope. Punisher crashes against the cage and rolls to the floor as Milo makes a tag to Dave. Dave has a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face. And he takes to the top rope for a DIAMOND FLIGHT all the way to Punisher on the floor! The camera pauses at the height of the moonsault before cutting away to...
Barbed Cell: Dave, is going toe to toe with Triple D. Spike hangs back regaining some composure. Triple D seems to be dominating Dave, throwing him into wall after wall of the cell. Triple D leans in to Dave's ear, playing mind games as he's pressed against the barbed wire. Dave snaps and forces Triple D back and away before turning and nailing him with a Diamond Kick! The camera pausing on the moment of contact and the beads of blood and sweat flying from the face of Triple D...
Annihilation Complex: Rob Arnold now tries to hit MGK but Reckless Jack intercepts him with a bulldog from behind. MGK takes this chance to lock in a half crab on Robbie. Jack now pounces on Snake and locks in a side headlock. Dave Holland however breaks it up with a Magic Touch to MGK who collapses to the mat. Dave now dives on Jack and hoists both men to their feet. He hits a back drop on Jack which coincidentally also slams Snake to the ground as well. Dave Holland now picks up Jack and whips him hard into the ring post. Tara slowly stands and also gets whipped into the steel steps for her troubles. The camera freezes momentarily on Dave's look of intensity before cutting to...
Annihilation Complex: Kanyon rolls him off the table and drags him to the cell and rakes MGK’s face on the cell wall busting him open. MGK stumbles back holding his head and looks at the blood in his hand. Dave Holland comes out of the cell and scouts the competition. He looks up at the cell and scales the wall about halfway then climbs his way around to where the other three are. As Kanyon attempts to hit MGK with the None Betta Dave whistles. Kanyon looks up as Dave leaps off and lands on both men with the Diamond Flight! The camera freezes on the moment after impact, where all men lie dazed on the ground, Dave Holland's face bearing a smile...
Barbed Cell: Milo is fighting with Triple D having come out to help his brother and taken D away from Dave. Spike is still able to dominate Dave Holland. Spike nails Dave in the gut before setting up and landing the Spike Impailer!. He's then able to lift the all but unconcious Dave Holland and throw him hard into the cell wall... but the wall collapses!! Dave is stranded in the middle of a sea of barbed wire and the man who put him there just laughs as he turns to deal with Milo.
Minutes pass before Dave can even move again but he has to, and he does. He willingly impales his flesh and bone on the barbed wire as he crawls from the fallen cell wall. Once he's clear he stands for a moment, the crowd cheering and chanting all for him. He raises a hand but the blood loss is too much and he falls to the ground. The camera freezes on the smile and the moment before he falls, cutting away to...
Two young men fight in a pit. By young men we're talking no older than maybe 12 or 13. Both are bloody and brutalised. A click is heard as an instruction sends three more boys into the pit in which the fight is happening. There's hardly room to move but one among the group is still able to move around with relative ease. He strikes where he can when he can. He finally leaps to the top of the pit in one bound before leaping back in with a moonsault. He takes them all out in one go. One by one they stand only to be punched in the face and slammed hard into the wall of the pit by the one child.
The child's face is covered in dirt and blood. His eyes show a hate for whathe's done but his expression shows his relief at it being over.*
(((EDIT: I've recently been corrected on the circumstances of the barbed wire cell match, not a 4 way tag match but a 1 v 1 dragon's den. That's the only amendment.)))
Are you not entertained?
For millenia men have fought before you
For centuries it always ended in blood
For decades, the fight has continued without the need for blood
But always you crave more
Always you demand more from those you set your camp behind
From those you hitch your wagon to
From your Hero
Your Champion
Your Gladiator
But now there's just one question
Are You Not Entertained?
For millenia men have fought before you
For centuries it always ended in blood
For decades, the fight has continued without the need for blood
But always you crave more
Always you demand more from those you set your camp behind
From those you hitch your wagon to
From your Hero
Your Champion
Your Gladiator
But now there's just one question
Are You Not Entertained?
*A small dark room. The floor is covered with sand and the only furniture in place is a couple of wooden benches. Soon there's a loud clang as a door is unbolted and men fed in through it, whipped as they go to make them move. The man are all dressed as romans. Their breastplates a basic leather, their helmets simple iron. Each of them are scarred and battle hardened. Among them are people of pretty much every single race, white, black, latino, even a couple of orientals. But there is one among them who stands out. One man amidst the group who the camera is focussing on. His helm is slightly better made than everyone elses, his armour shows the signs of the battles he has fought. His face remains in the shadows as he looks pensively at the floor.*
"In the days of old, when heroes were real and myths and legends were being made on an almost daily basis.. in those days when men were bloody, their blood filled with war and their wars full of fresh slaves... back in those days when people craved violence and would go as often as possible to see men, full grown and stronger than any of them. More battle hardened than half of their beloved army and ready to die at any time in any place. Back in those days people who wanted to see the best of the best do exactly what they do best, they came to Rome. The capital of the greatest empire of them all. They came to the heart of Rome and it's almost perverse throne of blood and death. They came to the Collusseum and they came in their thousands. The men that entered were all the greatest, to be otherwise would degrade and disrespect the ground they walked on. The ground that Titus, that Commodus, that Celadus and Spartacus all walked upon. The stage where a man was either worshipped or destroyed. There was no other outcome."
*There's another clank and the man who couldn't be seen before looks up, allowing just enough light to shine down on his face to be recognisable. It's Dave Holland. Whether this is some kind of historical piece or whether it's him spending his money on a fun day out, that's all yet to be seen.*
"But the truth is, that times haven't changed all that much. The crowds still come to the arena of blood, they still come to cheer as the violence and falls take place. The only real change is in the laws governing the games. Deaths no longer occur, the crowd no longer have any say, the emperor no longer determines the fate of the loser at the end of the round alone. Health and Safety would have a field day if todays games went anything along those lines. But each and every one of us is a gladiator. We make that ring into the Arena of blood on a weekly basis. But now... now there's a twist on the norm. Surrounded by steel on all sides and joined by men of varying energy levels. It's like walking out onto that sand and facing a pride of lions on at a time for as long as it takes for you to kill them or for them to kill you. Difference with that is that these lions aren't in it together. These lions are out to kill each other too. Some people are talking about how coming in first is an advantage because it gives you a chance of winning when there's only 1 man, or 2 men or 3.. or so on, before having to worry about winning against all 5 of the other men going into this ring."
*The men are shouted at. The sound is muffled but the gist can be made out as they all begin to shuffle out from this room. Their movement is slow but as the camera zooms out all the men slowly fade to nothing.. except one.*
"And there are also those who think it an advantage to come in last. They know as well as I do that this battle isn't going to be over until every man is in there, this thing will go the whole distance. Therefore they think that coming in last means you'll simply have more energy, have taken less of a beating and it'll be a piece of cake right? Wrong. Because every man in there will know that too and that makes the new guy priority number one. Take him down from his healthier level and then worry about the guy you were fighting but a couple of minutes ago. Also you come in last, you're going in cold against 5 guys who are all warmed up, pumped up and in full swing. Each placement has its own opportunities and its own advantages but they are all just as equal as the next. First, last, makes no difference. So all it's going to come down to is who the man standing at the end is. Some men will be broken, some will be out of energy. But whatever the circumstances, there can only be one victor."
*The room is now empty save for Dave Holland, his clothes have changed from the gladiatorial armour to his everyday casual attire, blue jeans, white shirt and brown jacket. He looks about the room absorbing the atmosphere.*
Dave: In these rooms, Gladiators were held before being driven out into the amphitheatre itself. This room has heard the prayers of thousands and answered only the prayers of a few. From so many it's almost depressing to think of the victims of the others that stood beside them. Ally, Enemy, Friend, Foe, Brother... Murderer. The same is true of this new Collusseum. Each of us will need to work with the others of us in order to be victorius. To adapt and ally.. to turn and redress. The environment is turbulent.. the situation, fluid. No two moments are the same. Ordinarily I like to have a plan when going into a match.. even one with steel wrapped about it. I've fought in cells before, more than a few times, that's not what stops me from forming a plan. The fact remains that nothing can be planned. None of us know who enters when. None of us know what situations can occur with so many variables to consider. And so I have to take the aspects of my opponent I was due to face in the ICT recently. Adapt, Improvise, Overcome. I like to have a plan... but only as a part of making the fight just that little bit easier. Each and every one of you know what I can do. But there's a difference between knowing and experiencing. John knows... Ace knows and can't seem to stop dwelling on it... and Joe.. well.. he understands what I can do with Milo but having defeated my brother I'm sure he'll underestimate me. Ricky... also with a victory over Milo may underestimate me but I'd like to think he's smarter than that.. and Jason... well.. I saw from his promo that he cut that he knows what I'm about and understands that he's facing something special.. but like he also said, he's never even stepped into the same ring as me before. No experience... he's in for a surprise.
*Dave makes his way out of the room*
Dave: They all are.
*Dave has gone past the camera. The camera turns to face him and finds instead a corridor full of men, again they're all dressed as Gladiators. The far end of the corridor is open and leads out into the Collusseum floor itself. There is a large man stood at the top giving a prep talk to them all.*
"The most battle hardened among them would stand here more than a few times. Sometimes they'd be going out as part of a team, sometimes on their own to fight against another. Regardless there's always death and there's often chaos. But always with one thing in mind. Fight well. The crowd, The Emperor and The Gods are watching. The victory isn't in the surviving, but in the battle well fought. In the smaller arenas, that's not true but we're not at the smaller arenas are we? We're at the biggest, grandest stage of them all. And we're talking about the main event. We're talking about battles so violent, so bloody so very destructive that no one survives, not even the 'victor'. They walk in expecting hell and they travel through it to come out singed, scarred and a very different man on the other side. It was true then... it remains true now. Anyone who has fought in these kinds of structures before will tell you the same and are lying if they don't."
Guard: When you go out there, you will fight... and you will die. If you try to escape, you will be shot. Refuse to fight, and we will not need to. Before you fight you will take the oath. Those who refuse will be removed and crucified. Do you understand?
"Look at them. Look at the once proud and valiant warriors of the conquered races. Reduced to nothing more than playthings. It's pitiful really. Not on them, oh no. They do what they're told because it's the only thing they know. They fought for their people when they were told, they fight for someone elses because they're told. There is still a pride within them, but they do not feel it just now. Right now there is only one thing in their minds. Fear. It's perfectly natural to be afraid. To face your own mortality and be scared to have to leap into the chasm of death and the void that could well be the end of all things. What lies beyond, none but those who have gone before can tell. But those that have gone before and not yet faced their death... they will be the true victors of the event. Fear lies not on their minds. This modern incarnation of the great Collusseum of rome is lucky to have 6 men, all battle hardened and not a single one of them afraid. Not all of them have faced such structures but all know what's to be done within and that, they may have faced before."
Guard: It is time. Go!
*The men begin to stride proudly out into the light. but at the same time they again fade to nothing, once again, except one.*
"Experience is only one of the facets of a man that will help the one who would be Gladiator. With a situation like this it is almost certain that one of the key attributes a man could own would be stamina,.. endurance... toughness. The ability to be hurt but carry on regardless. The energy to run for as many miles as are necessary regardless of time or distance. The will to go on and never to give up. Every man will claim these characteristics but only a few actually posess them. One man certainly has this ability along with the experience.. along with the speed, the skill.. the technical ability and the awareness to keep track on every single person who steps into the arena with him. The intellect to recognise genuine pleas for help and guises of fealty for the turning of the back. The honour to face the strong when it would maybe be more prudent to prey on the weak. The one man who is truly and without doubt backed by the crowd to the end. The people's true champion, their chosen hero... their one and only.. Gladiator?"
*The men are all gone, faded to nothing as Dave is once again the only man left, once more returned to his everyday attire seen before. He leans against the wall to the side, examining the racks that once held the weapons of the ancient Gladiators.*
Dave: It's amazing to think that times really haven't changed all that much. Things were a little simpler back then but only because it was before the time of equality. No man was born equal to another. There was a very definite pecking order and your life was dictated by that self same order. Now the lowest of the low can rise up and be counted among the great. At the same time, though, that pecking order still exists. The emperor is replaced with an employer, a president or a king. The crowd are no longer priveleged but paying customers... and the Gladiators.. are no longer slaves. Prisoners some may well still be but not to the law or to the empire. Prisoners to their desires, wishes or greed only. I count myself among the imprisoned but what my cell or who my jailor is I know not and that's beside the point. The truth is that I am here.. and I am entering the Collusseum. Maybe first, maybe last, it matters not because I'm going to be there and that means you all have something to fear besides the steel. It may be true that I've had a bad few weeks but do you think that's going to knock my resolve? No chance. My resolve is to dig myself out of this rut and I swear by god and sonny Jesus that I will do just that.
*Dave turns away from the rack and faces the opening at the far end of the hall*
Dave: Jason knows why. He recognises my place as one of the top names in this federation. He knows why my name goes down in the history books and why it's crucial to never, ever, give me an inch of ground. I take my chances, I pay my dues and I always win my battles. Last week, against Lance.. that wasn't my battle. The week before against Lance and Jack... that wasn't my battle. And before that against Ace and Awesome... that was not my battle. Smokin' Aces were exactly what Milo and I were looking for. I don't know if any of you understand just how heavy a crown rests upon your brow but under our influence the tag division was dying... under our influence the tag division always dies. That battle was the Tag Division's... and the division won. I'm glad it won, even if it was under less than impressive circumstances, you know what i'm talking about Ace, so let's keep the bulls**t from you to a minimum, yeah? Age of the Revolution... was not my battle. That was their battle. For a cause against a society that rejected them all. For some reason they don't seem to have recognised I had to claw my life back together from the s**tter, if anyone needs to know the full story, I'll tell it, but for now I'd much rather leave my past right there. I earned everything I own and don't consider myself a part of the society they hate, so why should I fight for it? I didn't and was beaten by a man who won his battle. Good for them.. I hope they choke and die this weekend for dragging me into something I really don't give a flying rat's ass about.
*Dave strolls out into the amphitheatre. He looks up and holds his hand to his eyes, shielding them from the bright sun.*
Dave: But my battle... my battle is just now coming to a head. I'm being called, I don't know what by but one thing I do know is that I am going to answer the call. I thought the call was coming from the ICT.. but now that's collapsed before it ever started, I guess not. The truth is that I've said before, I want to be there for my son when he's born. I want to be there for his first steps and his first words and his first laugh and his first smile, I want to be there for all of it and be the best dad ever. But in doing so people seem to think I can't be here at the same time. While true, people don't seem to understand what drives me. They don't get that I have to carry on doing what I do until the day my battle.. my final battle, is fought and won. Who that is, what that is, not even I know but I'll tell you right now, this is not it. This is something to do with it but this isn't the end, not by a long shot. So thank you very much Jake but you can keep the retirement threats in that little diary of yours where you keep the rest of your fantasies that'll never come true. I'll decide when I'm done, no one else. For better or worse... I'm gonna be fighting for some time yet, I guarantee it.
*The camera has caught up to Dave and now looks out into the amphitheatre. It struggles due to the sudden change in light intensity. It flares to pure white before regaining it's view. Dave is gone and now the sand is full of men, the Gladiators back and armed in the middle of the Collusseum. They are facing the Emperor's seat and salute as the packed crowd seating erupt in a huge cheer.*
Gladiators: We who are about to die, Salute you.
*The camera switches away to a black and white scene of Dave stood on the stage in front of the screaming fans all cheering and screaming his name. It's all past footage.*
"This man of the people... he's no stranger to the hell they're all about to go through. He's been there so many times with so many opponents. He's done it so often he knows the ways within such a structure of metal and pain. He knows very well that the winning isn't in the pinfall or the submission but in the survival. If you can walk out under your own power you have won."
*The camera returns to the gladiators all facing outwards, their backs to one another. The group has reduced to about 10. They are all starting to be encroached on by some other gladiators or soldiers or something similar.
Once again the camera flashes away to black and white again. First it jumps to Dave and Milo recently facing off against The Alliance of Violence.*
"Many times he has faced fewer men with a true ally. A help and in fact a hindrance for this match. The field is not level, the field is never level for any of the competitors. When one man attempts victory all others are instantly united against him. This is a situation unlike that one so all we can draw from these matches is experience of fighting enclosed."
*The camera switches away again to a setup similar but very different. A cell with barbed wire wrapped about the bars. Dave and Milo are once again present but look physically much younger. in the ring with them are 6 other men, one of which is in fact Spike Kane.*
"Then there was the very first Dave Holland defining moment. 2 men, 3 interferences, 1 cell made from the stuff of madness. From the imagination of one Spike Kane. He fought and he survived in that hellhole. It was such a long time ago but those scars have never healed fully. He likes it that way. When he ever doubts his own abilities he simply looks to his hands, no longer the perfect and precise instruments they once were. Now the cracked and marred hands of the martyr, the sacrifice, the strong willed man who always just refuses to die."
*The camera suddenly falls to darkness.*
"But there has been one match."
*The camera flashes about a cell with several chambers therein, each time returning to darkness.*
"Over a year on and once again the people's hero is chosen to participate in a similar structure of a similar fashion. The competitors gone before..."
*The camera flashes up each of the people Dave faced in this match. Snake, Tara Fenix, Rob Arnold, Congo the Destroyer, Chris Kanyon, Reckless Jack and finally MGK the then world champion.*
"Some would call them in a different league. Some would say they couldn't contend with the entrants of today. This match was always a test, an annual measure of just who was worthy to enter such a field. The same will likely happen to this Collusseum. Every year when the names were announced for the complex it was a test of character on the reaction alone. Their performance would always be judged as one of their best, regardless of the result because stepping over the threshold was a moment that made people realise you were serious about what you do.. you deserve to be contending with the top names in the company and you have every right to contend for the world title."
*The screen turns black from the shot of MGK.*
"Therefore... let battle commence."
*Return to the Collusseum, the gladiators now in full blown combat. Their movements are not alike each other in the slightest. Some move nervously, striking suddenly and with vicious jabs forward, others are more graceful, flowing smoothly as they move from opponent to opponent. The sand slowly begins to turn red with blood as the crowd cheer on louder and louder.
One gladiator stands motionless in the middle. His eyes are closed but it's Dave Holland again. Everything about him slows down to a crawl as he kneels down to grab a handful of sand. He lets it fall through his fingers for a moment.*
Dave: When it comes down to it, much as I would like my past to remain in the past, it's always there, looking over my shoulder. As much as I hate it it has made me the man I am today and that is something I must be grateful for. Because without my past... how can my future hold anything of worth?
*Time speeds up again as a man is about to throw his sword down on Dave's head. Dave quickly turns and throws that sand in his hand into the gladiator's eyes. This makes him stumble backwards as Dave draws his Gladius and thrusts into the gut, piercing the armour and laying the man low. Dave continues to the next man and engages in an actual sword fight with parrying and dodging. Dave then rolls about his opponent, wraps his left arm about the chest raising the opponent's right arm, and stabbing him in the weak point beneath the arm. The man falls to the ground as Dave looks aside and moves on again. The camera doesn't follow as it instead looks to the right and turns black and white as it moves to match material rather than gladiatorial combat. The sounds of swords and screams of pain and death can be heard throughout though.
Transgression: Punisher is in control of the much larger man (Milo Holland) now and attempts an Irish whip but Milo is a brick wall. Milo in turn pulls the arm of Punisher and sends him over the top rope. Punisher crashes against the cage and rolls to the floor as Milo makes a tag to Dave. Dave has a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face. And he takes to the top rope for a DIAMOND FLIGHT all the way to Punisher on the floor! The camera pauses at the height of the moonsault before cutting away to...
Barbed Cell: Dave, is going toe to toe with Triple D. Spike hangs back regaining some composure. Triple D seems to be dominating Dave, throwing him into wall after wall of the cell. Triple D leans in to Dave's ear, playing mind games as he's pressed against the barbed wire. Dave snaps and forces Triple D back and away before turning and nailing him with a Diamond Kick! The camera pausing on the moment of contact and the beads of blood and sweat flying from the face of Triple D...
Annihilation Complex: Rob Arnold now tries to hit MGK but Reckless Jack intercepts him with a bulldog from behind. MGK takes this chance to lock in a half crab on Robbie. Jack now pounces on Snake and locks in a side headlock. Dave Holland however breaks it up with a Magic Touch to MGK who collapses to the mat. Dave now dives on Jack and hoists both men to their feet. He hits a back drop on Jack which coincidentally also slams Snake to the ground as well. Dave Holland now picks up Jack and whips him hard into the ring post. Tara slowly stands and also gets whipped into the steel steps for her troubles. The camera freezes momentarily on Dave's look of intensity before cutting to...
Annihilation Complex: Kanyon rolls him off the table and drags him to the cell and rakes MGK’s face on the cell wall busting him open. MGK stumbles back holding his head and looks at the blood in his hand. Dave Holland comes out of the cell and scouts the competition. He looks up at the cell and scales the wall about halfway then climbs his way around to where the other three are. As Kanyon attempts to hit MGK with the None Betta Dave whistles. Kanyon looks up as Dave leaps off and lands on both men with the Diamond Flight! The camera freezes on the moment after impact, where all men lie dazed on the ground, Dave Holland's face bearing a smile...
Barbed Cell: Milo is fighting with Triple D having come out to help his brother and taken D away from Dave. Spike is still able to dominate Dave Holland. Spike nails Dave in the gut before setting up and landing the Spike Impailer!. He's then able to lift the all but unconcious Dave Holland and throw him hard into the cell wall... but the wall collapses!! Dave is stranded in the middle of a sea of barbed wire and the man who put him there just laughs as he turns to deal with Milo.
Minutes pass before Dave can even move again but he has to, and he does. He willingly impales his flesh and bone on the barbed wire as he crawls from the fallen cell wall. Once he's clear he stands for a moment, the crowd cheering and chanting all for him. He raises a hand but the blood loss is too much and he falls to the ground. The camera freezes on the smile and the moment before he falls, cutting away to...
Two young men fight in a pit. By young men we're talking no older than maybe 12 or 13. Both are bloody and brutalised. A click is heard as an instruction sends three more boys into the pit in which the fight is happening. There's hardly room to move but one among the group is still able to move around with relative ease. He strikes where he can when he can. He finally leaps to the top of the pit in one bound before leaping back in with a moonsault. He takes them all out in one go. One by one they stand only to be punched in the face and slammed hard into the wall of the pit by the one child.
The child's face is covered in dirt and blood. His eyes show a hate for whathe's done but his expression shows his relief at it being over.*
(((EDIT: I've recently been corrected on the circumstances of the barbed wire cell match, not a 4 way tag match but a 1 v 1 dragon's den. That's the only amendment.)))
