Post by Gabriel Baal on Jun 12, 2021 18:31:26 GMT -5
Six matches and seven different opponents over a two month period. The job was almost complete. For one more week, Gabriel would hold the UGWC Conquest Championship - now adorned with its fifth and final gemstone - before handing it over in exchange for an opportunity at the UGWC World Heavyweight Championship and its holder, Sloane Taylor. He would watch from the sidelines as Tempest and Cervantes fought over the championship that he never lost before walking out in front of the Chicago faithful and declaring his challenge to she who sat atop the mountain.
And so, Gabriel prepared for this moment as only he could. He placed a crystal glass half-filled with an 18-year-old Macallan, some high quality writing paper, and a fountain pen - he would have preferred a quill, but Eden reminded him more than once that this was not the 1900s - atop the board pressed against the arm of his seat, making himself comfortable in preparation for beginning his letter.
“Alright, movie time!” Said Eden as she dropped unceremoniously onto the couch, her hair pulled back from her face in a ponytail and one of his shirts over shorts. She also held a literal bucket of popcorn in her hand.
“Do you mind?” He asked, glancing up.
“Maybe. Why, what are you doing?” She asked, peeking over as she ate some popcorn.
“Writing a letter.” He said.
“You’re so old.” She said with a snarky laugh.
“You write letters.” He said, almost sulkily.
“Yes, but my letters are special. They’re Eden Morgan letters and they have a distinctive purpose.” She answered primly, popping a kernel into her mouth with relish.
“Precisely.” Said Gabriel.
“Oh my god, you’re stealing my gimmick.” She gasped, placing the popcorn to one side. “You’re stealing my gimmick to win the World… Heavyweight… Championship.”
“It’s an homage, love.” Gabriel said as he dusted a small piece of paper from the smooth surface. “I’m honouring you in my work.”
“Mmhmm.” She said through pursed lips. “You know if you win, I’m taking full credit.”
“Will you start tweeting in all capitals, too?” Gabriel asked.
“You wound me.” She said, dramatically pressing her hand against her chest. “Besides, there’s no comparison. For one thing, I enjoy the proper use of punctuation..”
“Of course you do.” Gabriel said. “That being said, I really must get on…”
“But it’s movie night.” Eden complained.
“And I assume you picked something cultured and mind-expanding?” Gabriel asked with wide eyes.
“Pfft.” Said Eden, turning to the TV. “Nope. I chose a superhero movie.”
Gabriel glanced at the screen.
“Four... hours... long…” He said, before pausing to stare. His eyes narrowed “Wait a moment, haven’t we seen this?”
“The original, yes.” Eden said, nonchalantly.
“No, no… We saw the four hour version, because I excused myself to go to the bathroom, but instead left the house for several hours to go to a bookshop and when I came back, it still hadn’t finished.” Gabriel said, before snarling. “And you never noticed…”
“Aaaaaaaannyway.” Said Eden, trying to move the conversation along. “That was the original re-release. This is more up your street.”
“How so?” Gabriel asked.
“It’s black and white.” She said with confidence.
“It’s the same movie, but in black and white?” Gabriel asked.
“I can neither confirm, nor deny, you’ll just have to watch to find out.” Eden said, pressing ‘play’. Gabriel rolled his eyes before sitting back in his seat.
"Dear Sloane…"
The inky black of night had drowned out the dull grey that had come before it, the skies mimicking the mood of the masses. Fear. Anger. Disbelief. Those were the emotions that hung over the people of Coalition City like a cloud. From high above the metropolis, a man holding a cane and wearing a long coat along with a satisfied smile looked over what he had done. He wasn’t the strongest, he wasn’t the fastest, and yet here he stood, watching over a city that begged for someone, anyone to stop him.
Ba’al had risen.
He turned his head slowly and looked over his trophies with a glorified self-satisfaction.
“One more.” He told himself as they disappeared from view. “Just one more.”
Coalition City hadn’t seen this level of dominance from a villain in a long time. He had stood by and watched as the city had lived through an age of apathy, hugs, kisses, and smiles. He’d had enough, enough of lurking in the shadows, enough of playing the formerly fearsome, enough of everyone patting one another on the back and being happy with playing nice. And so he did something about it.
One by one they had come to stop him, and one by one they’d fallen by his hand. The city was full of heroes, some legitimate, and some wannabes, but all heroes nonetheless, even if only in name. They would do the right thing for the right reasons - all terribly dull. Some proclaimed to be different - seekers of vigilante justice - yet their flaws and weaknesses were all the same as those who claimed to be just and proper.
Ba’al watched from the highest window of the tallest building in all of Coalition. Conquest Tower, with its five glittering jewels embedded in its spire stood as a symbol of the city's vast legacy and had been his… I suppose you could call it a lair… for some time now. The height of the building provided a grandiosity and a magnificent vista. It did have its disadvantages, without doubt. It was conspicuous in the extreme for one thing. Before Ba’al had come into possession of the building, it had been the headquarters of the hero known as The Feline. The woman behind the mask, Angelica Vaughn, had been the first to stand in his way. She had failed, spectacularly. And now, what had once been hers belonged to him. It became immediately evident, however, that the owner of the building was less than happy with his habitation, if you could call it that.
And so, Mayor Orson had pointed every hero and vigilante in Ba’al’s direction, and one by one they had fallen. Wave after wave had come to remove him, and wave after wave had failed. Now, there was only one left… The Sky Queen. The best of them all - she had the entire world in her hands and everything to lose. This was the battle he had craved for a long time.
Ba’al emerged from his thoughts, spotting something on the horizon - a pink blur that suddenly slowed and hovered, staring in his direction. He knew immediately who it was as she approached, her skills of flight unmatched by any hero or villain he had ever seen. Graceful, fast, and almost unstoppable. Almost. She arched high into the air as she narrowed her gaze - she could see him. Her wings wrapped around her as she stopped soaring. She hovered for a moment and Ba’al took just a second to realise what was happening as she turned in the air and began to twist like a bullet, cutting through the currents.
And then there was pain, and the sound of two great powers colliding high above the city. At street level, there were screams at the resonance of the explosion without fire.
The Sky Queen had come to fight Ba’al. Coalition City would be saved.
And as the sounds of the explosions died away, all that was left was silence. And then the rain began to fall.
Within minutes the streets around Conquest Tower had been cordoned off as police surrounded the building. From the street it was impossible to know what was going on above, and yet the atmosphere hung upon a knife’s edge between fear and celebration.
“LET ME MAKE ONE THING PERFECTLY CLEAR!” Shouted a short, stockily-built man with a megaphone. “If one of these cretins gets through our cordons, I will flay every last one of you within an inch of your life!”
“You should be a little more gentle with your words, Chief Hitmaker.” Came a second voice. The police chief turned towards the newcomer who approached him with an old-fashioned umbrella raised above his head and a cup of cold brew coffee in his hand.
“Where in god’s name do you get COLD BREW COFFEE at 2am, Mr. Mayor?” Asked Chief Hitmaker.
“Scoff.” Said Mayor Orson as he stopped just short of the chief, not allowing his umbrella to offer any protection from the rain. “The fact that you even have to ask that question is telling. Why are you here?”
“Why am I… Why am I here?” Asked the chief, swelling. “I am the Chief of Police and there is an EVENT occurring. Am I not to offer back up to The Sky Queen?!”
“You? How are you going to offer any back up to our city’s champion?” Asked The Mayor. “You have failed to apprehend Ba’al on every occasion. Three times you’ve had him cornered, and three times you have failed to stop him.”
“YOU sent…” The Chief looked around before lowering his voice. “You sent my Assassin to get Ba’al twice, into harm's way with full knowledge that that… That.. banshee was still at large as well!”
“You were given ample opportunity to stamp out THAT particular problem as well. Again, you failed. So now we wait to see what The Sky Queen can do…” Said The Mayor, looking up.
“Excuse me, sirs.” Said a voice to their left. “I thought you should know…”
“Quiet!” Chief Hitmaker said, dismissing the officer that had arrived on the scene. “You send these heroes into danger every time they face Ba’al. And that’s fine. It’s what they do. It’s what they sign up for, but this isn’t about the City… This is about YOU and YOUR own PERSONAL VENDETTA!”
“Watch your tongue, Chief, or I’ll find someone else who can do your job.” Said The Mayor.
“Sirs, this is import…” Said the officer.
“I said QUIET!” Shouted the Chief. “You threaten me? YOU THREATEN ME?!”
“Yes… I do.” Said the Mayor with a smirk.
“Oh for the love of god.” Said the Officer, shaking off what appeared to be a heavy overcoat and a hat. The Chief and The Mayor stared wide-eyed. “I am TRYING to make an entrance!”
Where the “officer” had been, there was now the Black Widow. She smirked, her black crown perched upon her brow with its red symbol etched in the centre. She reached out and pressed her hand against each of their necks while they stood looking dumbfounded, and they both promptly stiffened and fell backwards, into the arms of waiting henchmen.
“There’s my good boys. You can sleep through this particular battle - we don’t need any interruptions.” She said, withdrawing the small needles from their necks as they slipped back into the rings she wore on each hand. “Lock them up somewhere until the fight is over.”
“Impressive.” Came a second voice, as a bearded individual with overactive eyebrows stepped into view. “What now? Do we aid Ba’al?”
“No.” Said The Black Widow. “No, he’s made it clear that this is a fight he wants to take on alone. We stay out of this, Pain Lord.”
“But that’s madness - with our help he could own this city.” Said Pain Lord, looking up to the heavens.
“And yet, we stay out. He’s fine. He knows what he’s doing.” She said with a satisfied smile.
“You know when this is over, it’s not the heroes he’s going to have to worry about. I’ll be coming to take his place.” The Pain Lord said. “Whoever wins, I’ll be next.”
“Oh I’m sure he counts on it.” Said the Widow. “Every man and woman for himself.”
“You too?” Asked the Pain Lord. And The Black Widow merely smiled as she turned her head to the sky.
The Sky Queen had burst through the window like a pink missile and sent a shockwave of pain through his entire body. He had fallen, hard - and there she stood, hands upon her hips, claiming victory. As if it would ever be so easy. On cue, metal shutters closed over each of the windows, and The Sky Queen realised her mistake - inside these walls, her advantage was lessened. No room to fly.
“Hello, Sky Queen.” Ba’al said silkily. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Waiting to be defeated, you mean.” She said defiantly.
“On the contrary, my dear.” He replied. “Waiting to seal your doom.”
She let out a roar and they collided again, though this time the fight was much more equal. She was still faster and more agile than he was, but while she used her wings to her advantage, she couldn’t fly. The Sky Queen dashed into him and once again shoved him back until he was flat against the wall - and then he began to laugh.
A deep, vicious laugh.
“What’s so funny?” She asked. “You like the pain?”
“Mine, no.” He said as he raised his hand. In it, there was a remote control. The Sky Queen reached for it, but too late. He’d pressed the button.
She braced herself for an explosion, electricity. Something. But instead, the wall behind him began to lift revealing a glass casing, and what she saw sent a chill to her core. She backed away, eyes wide, as she stared at the lifeless body of The Feline. Ba’al coughed, and spat blood from his mouth onto the ground. The Sky Queen stumbled as the back of her legs collided with a seat and when she fell back into it, she found herself shackled.
“Do you like it? My collection?” Ba’al asked as he moved from where she’d held him. “The Feline was the first to fall - I took this place from her, you know. Conquest Tower - she was happy here. But she was too…”
He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he merely shook his head and began to walk. As he did, The Sky Queen’s seat turned to follow him.
“No…” She said. “You’re a monster.”
“So it’s been said a thousand times, my dear.” Ba’al added as another wall began to lift and a second body hung behind its glass casing. “Ahhh yes - The Fury. Though, I have to admit, he was a little less intimidating than his name might suggest. So far out of his league that he barely made it up all of the stairs.”
He continued his tour as one by one, other walls began to slide, The Sky Queen giving each its proper respect, choosing not to look ahead but knowing what would come.
“Anarchy.” Said Ba’al with a shake of his head. “As if he truly knew the meaning of the word. His shock and awe approach was more… eye roll and dismiss. Honestly, there wasn’t much of a challenge there. I had to wonder whether Mayor Orson’s heart was really in it.”
The Sky Queen tried to stay strong, tried to make up for the betrayal of her earlier reactions, trying to use what she was seeing to fuel her anger.
“Let us not forget, The Show-Stopper - he was the one who advertised his attack. You know, went on television and told the world that he would be the one to stop me.” Ba’al said with a chuckle. “Honestly, we all know he was just trying to impress my wife, but as ever, she laughed it off with glorious contempt. She smiled as he died - I think that broke his heart more than losing.”
“You won’t get away with this!” The Sky Queen said as Ba’al continued his perimeter walk.
“But of course, not - that’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” Ba’al questioned with a smirk. “Now… Where were we? Ahhhh yes…”
The final three walls slid together, not one at a time. And The Sky Queen’s stomach lurched - along with The Feline, two of the remaining three had been her friends. And the final one had been a good man… A man with a family...
“Yesssssss.” Ba’al hissed. “Yes, they sent the assassin Shinobi alone, and he escaped. I assume that was the Police Chief’s doing - survive at all costs, even if he failed to stop me. But the Mayor didn’t like that… Ohhhh noooo... “
The Sky Queen’s eyes drifted over the Japanese assassin.
“No, he had to do the job properly. And so they sent him back, along with two other so-called heroes. The Century - a man with the strength of a Roman Army! It’s amazing how quickly a man’s strength fades when faced with insurmountable odds.” Ba’al said as the Sky Queen looked over the man she’d known.
“And let us not forget Stormbringer.” Ba’al said as he watched his foe’s eyes. Her face was steely, but he could see her pain. “The foolish boy sent to do a man’s job.”
“He wasn’t a boy!” She shouted. “He was a good man.”
“Yes, yes…” Said Ba’al dismissively. “But he could never quite manage to decide on what side of the line he would fall. Not weeks ago he offered me an alliance and then he came and stood side by side with the rest of the fated fallen. Now I know, this wasn’t a team so much as an attempt to overwhelm me with pure numbers. But the greed of man couldn’t help but show through - had they been smart, they would have destroyed me as one and then fought one another to decide who claimed the victory. Instead, it became a battle to be the one who cast the killer blow.”
Ba’al grinned maliciously and held his arms out wide.
“Turned out it was me.” He said. The Sky Queen was silent as her chair turned again, this time she faced a case that was empty. “And this one? It’s for you… Sky Queen.”
“Ha.” She spat. “Never - maybe I’ll hang you up there in your own chamber of horrors, left for the world to see what happens to true evil.”
“Interesting.” Said Ba’al. “Angelica Vaughn… Konrad Raab… Dave Rydell… Travis Pierce… Hide Yamazaki… Andy Cortonovis…”
“How do you know their names?” The Sky Queen asked, her eyes wide.
“I have my ways.” Ba’al said quietly. “The Stormbringer’s true identity evaded my knowledge, but that makes sense - he had nothing to protect. Nothing to lose.”
“You don’t scare me… Ba’al.” She said defiantly.
“Are you sure about that… Sloane Taylor?” He asked. Her eyes widened in horror as she realised he knew her name as well. “I know where they all live, you know? Your mother. Your brother. Your best friend. I know everything about you. I know who you are and I know every facet of your life.”
He grinned as he watched her hands ball into fists as she tried to use her new found motivation to free herself.
“Information is my power. Knowledge. It is a burden and a blessing.” He said. He walked towards her and reached out. She struggled and kicked, but as his fingers slipped beneath the mask she wore, he pulled it away to reveal her true face.
“You’re evil.” She snarled.
“By whose standards? Yours? The ideals set out by the world at large? I am what I am, Ms. Taylor - I don’t hide it. But you lie about who you are every day, and you do it telling yourself that you want to protect those that you love, but in reality you just don’t want to suffer the consequences of your actions. For them or for yourself.” Ba’al said as he pushed a strand of pink hair from her eyes.
“But when you can’t protect them anymore,when all hope is lost... What else can you do?” He asked.
She realised suddenly that they had continued to turn until they faced a screen.
“Do you hope that other heroes come to your aid?” He asked as the screen flickered to life and a video began to play of War Stone and The Raven fighting villains in another city.
“Do you hope that those you love are left safe despite the knowledge of who they are?” He said over footage of her best friend pushing her mother and brother into a car as he stared up at Conquest Tower. He didn’t notice that the car was surrounded until it was too late.
“Do you hope that other powers can prevail?” He asked as the image of the Chief and the Mayor are bundled into the back of a van and locked away.
“When it all looks hopeless, what do you do? Do you do what’s right? Do you do what’s good? Do you do what’s easy?” He asked. “Tell me… Please… What does the hero do?”
He was behind her now, his hands over the back of her seat and resting on her shoulders. And for a fleeting moment. He wasn’t sure that she even knew.
“I fight.” She said, once more. “For everything I believe in and for the people who need me - I fight.”
“Of course you do…” Ba’al said quietly, as he slapped her on the shoulders. “That’s the spirit.”
“So let me go, and let’s fight.” She said, her hands balled into fists.
“All in good time, my dear.” He said as he moved away from her. “All in good time.”
He paused for a second and then turned to face her.
“Do you know how I came by my name?” He asked.
“I don’t care how you came by your stupid name.” She replied as she struggled.
“The rumours about me are that I speak with the Devil’s tongue - that I tell the truths that gods and better men fear to speak. That when stood before me, those who do can see nothing but the reality of who they are. This, it is said, gives me the power to show my enemies what it means to live the lives they have. They call me Ba’al because they believe that I am the right hand of the devil and can show man their darkest deeds in order to entice them onto their hellish path.” He said with a smile. “And so I was named - but the truth is much stranger, and yet much more simple.”
“And what is that?” The Sky Queen offered.
“I am damnation personified. And I will shine the light on everything you think you are and show you the truth. If you survive that, Sky Queen, then... “
“Do you think you can talk your way out of this? Scare me with some old wives’ tales? I’m going to stop you, Ba’al.” She said.
“Oh no. No, no, no, I don’t want to stop you. Good heavens no - this is the fight I’ve been waiting for my entire life. The antithesis of everything I am, standing opposite me. At least… That’s what I’d hoped. Except…” He looked down-hearted. “Except I’m not sure that’s what I’m looking at.”
“What is THAT supposed to mean?” She spat.
“The huddled masses labour under the illusion that good and evil are the opposite ends of a spectrum. But life is never really that simple - never that black and white. The truly good can often do terrible things for the best of reasons… And the truly evil, well… We can do great things for the worst reasons. I, for example, would burn this entire city to the ground to save the woman I love from a single moment of pain. Some of these fallen heroes, on the other hand, well - they’d watch their own mothers get torn apart by wolves so long as it meant the world was safe.” Ba’al said with a sense of self-satisfaction.
“But others would argue that saving one’s love and watching one’s mother get torn apart would be at opposite ends of a spectrum of good and evil. So, as you see, it’s all about perspective.” Ba’al said. “But you? You’re not at either end. You’re not good… You’re not bad… You’re just… Nice.”
“And what exactly is wrong with being nice?” Sky Queen asked with defiance.
“Oh nothing, nothing… It’s the reason that you save cats from trees. You do the easy hero things- you do the bad things to the bad people. And that’s okay, because they’re bad and you’re nice and everything is fine with the world. All in balance.” He said with a smile. “But being nice isn’t enough to be a hero - your wings and your speed, they’re what make you different. Some would even say special. But you don’t have it in you to make the difficult choice when it matters.”
“Yes I do!” She spluttered. “I’m a hero!”
“No. You’re not. You’re just... nice… And the truly good, truly just, and truly heroic can’t just be… Nice. Because to be a hero you have to do terrible things and that is just not within you. If I told you now to walk away or your family and friends would be dropped in the middle of an ocean and left to drown… Would you still stay and fight? If I told you the Mayor and the Police chief would be destroyed in an explosion if you didn’t give up… Would you still try to stop me?” Ba’al asked.
The Sky Queen faltered.
“Precisely.” He said. “To be a true hero you have to be willing to give up everything else and make the hardest choices… But you can’t do that. You’re just… Normal. With a skill or two.” He said with a tilt of his head, watching her shoulders slump with satisfaction.
“So that’s it, then?” She asked, her jaw set, readying herself for the worst. “Walk away or you kill them all?”
“Oh good lord no, that’s far too easy.” Said Ba’al as he burst into laughter.
“Wait… What?!” She asked, her anger rising.
“No, like I told you I wanted to show you who you truly are…” He said with a smile. “To lift a mirror to your face and prove that your skills don’t make up for your lack of will. I wouldn’t give up this fight for anything… My greatest test thus far...”
“Then let... me... go…” She said angrily.
“Of course, my dear…” He said, before walking towards her and slipping the mask back over her face. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “And don’t you worry - when I add you to my collection, I will keep all of your secrets… No-one will ever know how weak you truly are. They will honour you as the fallen hero that they imagine you to be, not the fraud that we both know.”
“I’ll show you weak...” She snarled.
“No need...” He said as he backed away. “I’ve already seen it. And so have you, which is why I will beat you every… Single… Time.”
He stepped back and bowed low.
“Please allow me to introduce myself, so that we are on an equal footing.” He said. “My name is Gabriel.”
“Hi Gabriel.” The Sky Queen said, sarcastically, as her bonds slipped away. She stood up and rubbed her wrists where the restraints had been. “Now shut up and fight me.”
“With pleasure, my dear.” He said as he began to cackle.
And from the streets below, the sounds of war broke through the sound of the falling rain. And an entire city held its breath.
Gabriel stretched and lifted his glass to his lips, but it was empty. He glanced up at the screen and saw that the credits were rolling.
“Oh… My… God… That was amazing.” Eden said, the bowl of popcorn empty by her side.
“What?” Gabriel asked.
“... Were you writing during the entire thing?” She asked.
“... Maybe.” He said, looking a little guilty.
“It’s okay.” She said, waving it off. “I don’t mind watching it again.”
“What? No, that’s not necessary.” He said quickly.
“Oh, it is.” She said, smirking. “But this time you’re going to come and sit down next to me. No phones, no distractions.”
He groaned before taking a deep breath.
“Fine.” He said, a smile crossing his lips. Eden looked so excited. He placed the pages of his letter on the table to his side and walked over to the couch where he sat down next to her.
“Just… Watch, okay?” She said. “Just… Try..”
“I’ve already agreed, haven’t it?” Gabriel said, rolling his eyes.
“Okay. Good. Great.” She said pointing the control at the TV and pressing play. “I’m going to teach you all about superheroes and supervillains.”
“Sounds like exactly what I need..” He said with a smirk and settled in for the rest of the evening.
And so, Gabriel prepared for this moment as only he could. He placed a crystal glass half-filled with an 18-year-old Macallan, some high quality writing paper, and a fountain pen - he would have preferred a quill, but Eden reminded him more than once that this was not the 1900s - atop the board pressed against the arm of his seat, making himself comfortable in preparation for beginning his letter.
“Alright, movie time!” Said Eden as she dropped unceremoniously onto the couch, her hair pulled back from her face in a ponytail and one of his shirts over shorts. She also held a literal bucket of popcorn in her hand.
“Do you mind?” He asked, glancing up.
“Maybe. Why, what are you doing?” She asked, peeking over as she ate some popcorn.
“Writing a letter.” He said.
“You’re so old.” She said with a snarky laugh.
“You write letters.” He said, almost sulkily.
“Yes, but my letters are special. They’re Eden Morgan letters and they have a distinctive purpose.” She answered primly, popping a kernel into her mouth with relish.
“Precisely.” Said Gabriel.
“Oh my god, you’re stealing my gimmick.” She gasped, placing the popcorn to one side. “You’re stealing my gimmick to win the World… Heavyweight… Championship.”
“It’s an homage, love.” Gabriel said as he dusted a small piece of paper from the smooth surface. “I’m honouring you in my work.”
“Mmhmm.” She said through pursed lips. “You know if you win, I’m taking full credit.”
“Will you start tweeting in all capitals, too?” Gabriel asked.
“You wound me.” She said, dramatically pressing her hand against her chest. “Besides, there’s no comparison. For one thing, I enjoy the proper use of punctuation..”
“Of course you do.” Gabriel said. “That being said, I really must get on…”
“But it’s movie night.” Eden complained.
“And I assume you picked something cultured and mind-expanding?” Gabriel asked with wide eyes.
“Pfft.” Said Eden, turning to the TV. “Nope. I chose a superhero movie.”
Gabriel glanced at the screen.
“Four... hours... long…” He said, before pausing to stare. His eyes narrowed “Wait a moment, haven’t we seen this?”
“The original, yes.” Eden said, nonchalantly.
“No, no… We saw the four hour version, because I excused myself to go to the bathroom, but instead left the house for several hours to go to a bookshop and when I came back, it still hadn’t finished.” Gabriel said, before snarling. “And you never noticed…”
“Aaaaaaaannyway.” Said Eden, trying to move the conversation along. “That was the original re-release. This is more up your street.”
“How so?” Gabriel asked.
“It’s black and white.” She said with confidence.
“It’s the same movie, but in black and white?” Gabriel asked.
“I can neither confirm, nor deny, you’ll just have to watch to find out.” Eden said, pressing ‘play’. Gabriel rolled his eyes before sitting back in his seat.
"Dear Sloane…"
The inky black of night had drowned out the dull grey that had come before it, the skies mimicking the mood of the masses. Fear. Anger. Disbelief. Those were the emotions that hung over the people of Coalition City like a cloud. From high above the metropolis, a man holding a cane and wearing a long coat along with a satisfied smile looked over what he had done. He wasn’t the strongest, he wasn’t the fastest, and yet here he stood, watching over a city that begged for someone, anyone to stop him.
Ba’al had risen.
He turned his head slowly and looked over his trophies with a glorified self-satisfaction.
“One more.” He told himself as they disappeared from view. “Just one more.”
Coalition City hadn’t seen this level of dominance from a villain in a long time. He had stood by and watched as the city had lived through an age of apathy, hugs, kisses, and smiles. He’d had enough, enough of lurking in the shadows, enough of playing the formerly fearsome, enough of everyone patting one another on the back and being happy with playing nice. And so he did something about it.
One by one they had come to stop him, and one by one they’d fallen by his hand. The city was full of heroes, some legitimate, and some wannabes, but all heroes nonetheless, even if only in name. They would do the right thing for the right reasons - all terribly dull. Some proclaimed to be different - seekers of vigilante justice - yet their flaws and weaknesses were all the same as those who claimed to be just and proper.
Ba’al watched from the highest window of the tallest building in all of Coalition. Conquest Tower, with its five glittering jewels embedded in its spire stood as a symbol of the city's vast legacy and had been his… I suppose you could call it a lair… for some time now. The height of the building provided a grandiosity and a magnificent vista. It did have its disadvantages, without doubt. It was conspicuous in the extreme for one thing. Before Ba’al had come into possession of the building, it had been the headquarters of the hero known as The Feline. The woman behind the mask, Angelica Vaughn, had been the first to stand in his way. She had failed, spectacularly. And now, what had once been hers belonged to him. It became immediately evident, however, that the owner of the building was less than happy with his habitation, if you could call it that.
And so, Mayor Orson had pointed every hero and vigilante in Ba’al’s direction, and one by one they had fallen. Wave after wave had come to remove him, and wave after wave had failed. Now, there was only one left… The Sky Queen. The best of them all - she had the entire world in her hands and everything to lose. This was the battle he had craved for a long time.
Ba’al emerged from his thoughts, spotting something on the horizon - a pink blur that suddenly slowed and hovered, staring in his direction. He knew immediately who it was as she approached, her skills of flight unmatched by any hero or villain he had ever seen. Graceful, fast, and almost unstoppable. Almost. She arched high into the air as she narrowed her gaze - she could see him. Her wings wrapped around her as she stopped soaring. She hovered for a moment and Ba’al took just a second to realise what was happening as she turned in the air and began to twist like a bullet, cutting through the currents.
And then there was pain, and the sound of two great powers colliding high above the city. At street level, there were screams at the resonance of the explosion without fire.
The Sky Queen had come to fight Ba’al. Coalition City would be saved.
And as the sounds of the explosions died away, all that was left was silence. And then the rain began to fall.
| Dear Sloane, First things first, I want you to know that I have looked forward to this for a long, long time. It’s no coincidence that I targeted you when I first arrived. I had heard the rumours - Sloane Taylor is truly good. That’s what they said, one of the few remaining shining beacons of light in a dark and greying world. I wanted to poke at that, to test it, see just how good you really were. And honestly, you passed the test. Sure you feigned an injury to beat Sebastian, but that was childsplay… And when I supplanted both you and Donovan in the Global Challenge, I expected retribution - and it came. From him. But not from you. No, you skulked off with your tail between your legs and your ‘oh woe is me’ attitude and pouted in a corner safe from the dangerous Chimera. Of course, you did your best impression of revenge. Your attempts to mock my moniker with various ‘misspeaks’. It was amusing at best, childish at worst. Ineffective in its execution. I only bring it up now because it does cast light upon one small detail that I find intriguing about you. You play the mindless idiot better than almost anyone - you act as though you have no idea what is going on and how you find yourself in the position you are. But the real truth is that Sloane Taylor is not the air-brained bubble head that she likes everyone to think she is. She’s smart enough to know that this vision of her that people have is an advantage because they underestimate her at their peril. Not her skills… But her ability to think on her feet. But I see you Sloane Taylor. I know what everyone thinks - or at least, what they say they think. Centurion was the only one bold enough to actually come out and speak it aloud - Gabriel Baal cannot beat Sloane Taylor. That’s the belief, but why? Because at Outlast you managed to survive? Congratulations - that is a feat that few have achieved, but in reality it should be expected. Last year, Hide Yamazaki won the Main Event because he had no need to qualify. You had a true champion’s advantage, and still you managed to survive me by the merest of margins. But this time, it’s just you and I. No qualifiers, no one else to muddy the waters. The Sky Queen and The Chimera. Because that is who I am, no matter what childish games you play. The strong and ferocious lion, the stubborn and chaotic goat, the cunning and devious serpent. And you are the winged horse that has been sent to destroy me. For the good of all. The story goes that Bellerophon was sent to destroy The Chimera, and in that story, the hero and slayer of monsters was successful. But what many don’t know is that he wasn’t alone - he had Pegasus by his side. I have to wonder - to beat me, do you need a Pegasus? Hide perhaps, or Sebastian? Or Dave Rydell? I know you claim to want to keep this match between us - but how can you control outside sources? Well, I suppose that depends on whether you really want to. |
Within minutes the streets around Conquest Tower had been cordoned off as police surrounded the building. From the street it was impossible to know what was going on above, and yet the atmosphere hung upon a knife’s edge between fear and celebration.
“LET ME MAKE ONE THING PERFECTLY CLEAR!” Shouted a short, stockily-built man with a megaphone. “If one of these cretins gets through our cordons, I will flay every last one of you within an inch of your life!”
“You should be a little more gentle with your words, Chief Hitmaker.” Came a second voice. The police chief turned towards the newcomer who approached him with an old-fashioned umbrella raised above his head and a cup of cold brew coffee in his hand.
“Where in god’s name do you get COLD BREW COFFEE at 2am, Mr. Mayor?” Asked Chief Hitmaker.
“Scoff.” Said Mayor Orson as he stopped just short of the chief, not allowing his umbrella to offer any protection from the rain. “The fact that you even have to ask that question is telling. Why are you here?”
“Why am I… Why am I here?” Asked the chief, swelling. “I am the Chief of Police and there is an EVENT occurring. Am I not to offer back up to The Sky Queen?!”
“You? How are you going to offer any back up to our city’s champion?” Asked The Mayor. “You have failed to apprehend Ba’al on every occasion. Three times you’ve had him cornered, and three times you have failed to stop him.”
“YOU sent…” The Chief looked around before lowering his voice. “You sent my Assassin to get Ba’al twice, into harm's way with full knowledge that that… That.. banshee was still at large as well!”
“You were given ample opportunity to stamp out THAT particular problem as well. Again, you failed. So now we wait to see what The Sky Queen can do…” Said The Mayor, looking up.
“Excuse me, sirs.” Said a voice to their left. “I thought you should know…”
“Quiet!” Chief Hitmaker said, dismissing the officer that had arrived on the scene. “You send these heroes into danger every time they face Ba’al. And that’s fine. It’s what they do. It’s what they sign up for, but this isn’t about the City… This is about YOU and YOUR own PERSONAL VENDETTA!”
“Watch your tongue, Chief, or I’ll find someone else who can do your job.” Said The Mayor.
“Sirs, this is import…” Said the officer.
“I said QUIET!” Shouted the Chief. “You threaten me? YOU THREATEN ME?!”
“Yes… I do.” Said the Mayor with a smirk.
“Oh for the love of god.” Said the Officer, shaking off what appeared to be a heavy overcoat and a hat. The Chief and The Mayor stared wide-eyed. “I am TRYING to make an entrance!”
Where the “officer” had been, there was now the Black Widow. She smirked, her black crown perched upon her brow with its red symbol etched in the centre. She reached out and pressed her hand against each of their necks while they stood looking dumbfounded, and they both promptly stiffened and fell backwards, into the arms of waiting henchmen.
“There’s my good boys. You can sleep through this particular battle - we don’t need any interruptions.” She said, withdrawing the small needles from their necks as they slipped back into the rings she wore on each hand. “Lock them up somewhere until the fight is over.”
“Impressive.” Came a second voice, as a bearded individual with overactive eyebrows stepped into view. “What now? Do we aid Ba’al?”
“No.” Said The Black Widow. “No, he’s made it clear that this is a fight he wants to take on alone. We stay out of this, Pain Lord.”
“But that’s madness - with our help he could own this city.” Said Pain Lord, looking up to the heavens.
“And yet, we stay out. He’s fine. He knows what he’s doing.” She said with a satisfied smile.
“You know when this is over, it’s not the heroes he’s going to have to worry about. I’ll be coming to take his place.” The Pain Lord said. “Whoever wins, I’ll be next.”
“Oh I’m sure he counts on it.” Said the Widow. “Every man and woman for himself.”
“You too?” Asked the Pain Lord. And The Black Widow merely smiled as she turned her head to the sky.
| The irony isn’t lost upon me, by the way, that it was you and Donovan with whom I toyed when I made my return, especially given what waits for the one of us who walks away from this contest victorious. Knowing Donovan Hastings as I do, it wouldn’t surprise me to find him rubbing his hands together at the prospect of watching the two of us destroy one another when it is he who is to swoop in and pick up the pieces. It’s expected. And knowing Donovan as I do, his attempts to make you a “better champion” are little more than a smoke screen for wanting to take away the title that you hold. But that is what the two of us have in common, Sloane - enemies who want to take what we have. For you it’s Donovan… For me it’s Orson. In your case, Hastings has done everything he can to try and break you, even going so far as to cost the company that employs us everything at Incursion. For me, it’s the man in power throwing every available weapon in his arsenal to stop me getting what I’m destined to regain. For Donovan it’s your championship. For Orson it’s just revenge. And so we prepare for our contest with the hopes that those outside influences don’t come to be a factor. Donovan was involved in my last World Heavyweight Championship victory and I have plans to ensure that doesn’t happen again. I was pleased to see you warn your friend to keep his distance from our contest. As it should be - Sloane Anäis Taylor Vs Gabriel Baal, one on one, no interruptions. It’s as it should be, and I’m pleased, but it’s a mistake on your point. Now, you’re likely left with making a choice to do what you think is the right thing in exchange for what everyone else would believe to be the greater good. No-one wants to see Gabriel Baal as the UGWC World Heavyweight Champion. Not this Gabriel Baal. Not the Gabriel Baal who has beaten every name of note in the lead up to this contest. Two Grand Slam winners… Two former World Champions… And a mutual friend of ours, who has the entire world in the palm of his hand. I won’t take away from you your achievements Ms. Taylor, especially considering your path to the UGWC World Champion. Though, I will point out that on your journey you failed to defeat Centurion… And one of your victories in the Global Challenge was Matt Knox who tucked his tail between his legs and ran away as soon as he realised he wasn’t good enough even for you, nevermind my wife… But still. Defeating Donovan and Hide was… impressive enough. And even if Randy Boolzian wasn’t exactly a challenge for you, you could only beat those who have been placed in front of you. I know that feeling well… Save for Outlast, I haven’t been pinned or made to submit since Horizons. That is not a boast that you can make… You have impressed me, Sloane - even if your good girl routine is a touch monotonous at times. You have impressed me, which isn’t easy to do, however I won’t deny that the prospect of facing someone like you is tainted by the truth that you will never give your everything to defeat me - you’ll always do what you can, but not what you have to if it means turning your back on your so-called morals. But it’s all an illusion, Sloane - I know it, and you know it. It’s the illusion that makes you special, not the truth. Morgan. Hastings. Wallace. Lacklan. Somers. Roberts. King. Scott. All names that will be remembered as synonymous with the UGWC World Heavyweight Championship because they were willing to do whatever it took to keep it. You’re not even willing to do what you want to do… That thing, deep down, that burns every time you think of me as your challenger. That dark, tainted nightmare that twists you up inside… Because you want it, but you can’t bring yourself to do it… Even if it means keeping everything you’ve ever worked for. All to preserve the illusion. |
The Sky Queen had burst through the window like a pink missile and sent a shockwave of pain through his entire body. He had fallen, hard - and there she stood, hands upon her hips, claiming victory. As if it would ever be so easy. On cue, metal shutters closed over each of the windows, and The Sky Queen realised her mistake - inside these walls, her advantage was lessened. No room to fly.
“Hello, Sky Queen.” Ba’al said silkily. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Waiting to be defeated, you mean.” She said defiantly.
“On the contrary, my dear.” He replied. “Waiting to seal your doom.”
She let out a roar and they collided again, though this time the fight was much more equal. She was still faster and more agile than he was, but while she used her wings to her advantage, she couldn’t fly. The Sky Queen dashed into him and once again shoved him back until he was flat against the wall - and then he began to laugh.
A deep, vicious laugh.
“What’s so funny?” She asked. “You like the pain?”
“Mine, no.” He said as he raised his hand. In it, there was a remote control. The Sky Queen reached for it, but too late. He’d pressed the button.
She braced herself for an explosion, electricity. Something. But instead, the wall behind him began to lift revealing a glass casing, and what she saw sent a chill to her core. She backed away, eyes wide, as she stared at the lifeless body of The Feline. Ba’al coughed, and spat blood from his mouth onto the ground. The Sky Queen stumbled as the back of her legs collided with a seat and when she fell back into it, she found herself shackled.
“Do you like it? My collection?” Ba’al asked as he moved from where she’d held him. “The Feline was the first to fall - I took this place from her, you know. Conquest Tower - she was happy here. But she was too…”
He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he merely shook his head and began to walk. As he did, The Sky Queen’s seat turned to follow him.
“No…” She said. “You’re a monster.”
“So it’s been said a thousand times, my dear.” Ba’al added as another wall began to lift and a second body hung behind its glass casing. “Ahhh yes - The Fury. Though, I have to admit, he was a little less intimidating than his name might suggest. So far out of his league that he barely made it up all of the stairs.”
He continued his tour as one by one, other walls began to slide, The Sky Queen giving each its proper respect, choosing not to look ahead but knowing what would come.
“Anarchy.” Said Ba’al with a shake of his head. “As if he truly knew the meaning of the word. His shock and awe approach was more… eye roll and dismiss. Honestly, there wasn’t much of a challenge there. I had to wonder whether Mayor Orson’s heart was really in it.”
The Sky Queen tried to stay strong, tried to make up for the betrayal of her earlier reactions, trying to use what she was seeing to fuel her anger.
“Let us not forget, The Show-Stopper - he was the one who advertised his attack. You know, went on television and told the world that he would be the one to stop me.” Ba’al said with a chuckle. “Honestly, we all know he was just trying to impress my wife, but as ever, she laughed it off with glorious contempt. She smiled as he died - I think that broke his heart more than losing.”
“You won’t get away with this!” The Sky Queen said as Ba’al continued his perimeter walk.
“But of course, not - that’s why you’re here, isn’t it?” Ba’al questioned with a smirk. “Now… Where were we? Ahhhh yes…”
The final three walls slid together, not one at a time. And The Sky Queen’s stomach lurched - along with The Feline, two of the remaining three had been her friends. And the final one had been a good man… A man with a family...
“Yesssssss.” Ba’al hissed. “Yes, they sent the assassin Shinobi alone, and he escaped. I assume that was the Police Chief’s doing - survive at all costs, even if he failed to stop me. But the Mayor didn’t like that… Ohhhh noooo... “
The Sky Queen’s eyes drifted over the Japanese assassin.
“No, he had to do the job properly. And so they sent him back, along with two other so-called heroes. The Century - a man with the strength of a Roman Army! It’s amazing how quickly a man’s strength fades when faced with insurmountable odds.” Ba’al said as the Sky Queen looked over the man she’d known.
“And let us not forget Stormbringer.” Ba’al said as he watched his foe’s eyes. Her face was steely, but he could see her pain. “The foolish boy sent to do a man’s job.”
“He wasn’t a boy!” She shouted. “He was a good man.”
“Yes, yes…” Said Ba’al dismissively. “But he could never quite manage to decide on what side of the line he would fall. Not weeks ago he offered me an alliance and then he came and stood side by side with the rest of the fated fallen. Now I know, this wasn’t a team so much as an attempt to overwhelm me with pure numbers. But the greed of man couldn’t help but show through - had they been smart, they would have destroyed me as one and then fought one another to decide who claimed the victory. Instead, it became a battle to be the one who cast the killer blow.”
Ba’al grinned maliciously and held his arms out wide.
“Turned out it was me.” He said. The Sky Queen was silent as her chair turned again, this time she faced a case that was empty. “And this one? It’s for you… Sky Queen.”
“Ha.” She spat. “Never - maybe I’ll hang you up there in your own chamber of horrors, left for the world to see what happens to true evil.”
“Interesting.” Said Ba’al. “Angelica Vaughn… Konrad Raab… Dave Rydell… Travis Pierce… Hide Yamazaki… Andy Cortonovis…”
“How do you know their names?” The Sky Queen asked, her eyes wide.
“I have my ways.” Ba’al said quietly. “The Stormbringer’s true identity evaded my knowledge, but that makes sense - he had nothing to protect. Nothing to lose.”
“You don’t scare me… Ba’al.” She said defiantly.
“Are you sure about that… Sloane Taylor?” He asked. Her eyes widened in horror as she realised he knew her name as well. “I know where they all live, you know? Your mother. Your brother. Your best friend. I know everything about you. I know who you are and I know every facet of your life.”
He grinned as he watched her hands ball into fists as she tried to use her new found motivation to free herself.
“Information is my power. Knowledge. It is a burden and a blessing.” He said. He walked towards her and reached out. She struggled and kicked, but as his fingers slipped beneath the mask she wore, he pulled it away to reveal her true face.
“You’re evil.” She snarled.
“By whose standards? Yours? The ideals set out by the world at large? I am what I am, Ms. Taylor - I don’t hide it. But you lie about who you are every day, and you do it telling yourself that you want to protect those that you love, but in reality you just don’t want to suffer the consequences of your actions. For them or for yourself.” Ba’al said as he pushed a strand of pink hair from her eyes.
“But when you can’t protect them anymore,when all hope is lost... What else can you do?” He asked.
She realised suddenly that they had continued to turn until they faced a screen.
“Do you hope that other heroes come to your aid?” He asked as the screen flickered to life and a video began to play of War Stone and The Raven fighting villains in another city.
“Do you hope that those you love are left safe despite the knowledge of who they are?” He said over footage of her best friend pushing her mother and brother into a car as he stared up at Conquest Tower. He didn’t notice that the car was surrounded until it was too late.
“Do you hope that other powers can prevail?” He asked as the image of the Chief and the Mayor are bundled into the back of a van and locked away.
“When it all looks hopeless, what do you do? Do you do what’s right? Do you do what’s good? Do you do what’s easy?” He asked. “Tell me… Please… What does the hero do?”
He was behind her now, his hands over the back of her seat and resting on her shoulders. And for a fleeting moment. He wasn’t sure that she even knew.
| The illusion is incredibly useful to you. It creates a doubtful imbalance in the minds of those you face. Hide Yamazaki - the Deathwish, the man who, it is so claimed, will murder opponents without so much as a second thought, but when faced with the Sky Queen suddenly felt as though he was about to crush a kitten with his bare hands. Dave Rydell and Sebastian both ran to your aid when Donovan was about to cost you everything at Outlast. The illusion breeds loyalty, but that loyalty is built upon a lie. You used that illusion to weaken Hide Yamazaki. The same way you used that illusion to weaken Tempest. The same way you used that illusion to weaken every opponent that always stops short of tearing you limb from limb because… It’s just Sloane… She’s just so lovely. Some have seen it - Duncan Ryder. Donovan. And, of course, me. I want you to know that I have stepped behind the illusion and seen the truth. You use your honour as a shield to protect you from the fact that you don’t have the same fight as the rest of us. People like Donovan and I, we will scratch and claw and break the rules to get what we want. But people like you? They rely on the idea that those who look upon them will fall for the act. I don’t dispute that you’re nice, Sloane - but that doesn’t make you good. Nice is a lie that bad people tell themselves to feel better about who they are - it’s acting as if you’re good for the sake of appearance. Because in truth, you’re weak. Incapable. Jarringly inadequate for the path upon which you’re walking. A glimmer that intoxicates those too idiotic to see past it. But the danger you face this Monday is the danger brought upon by someone who can look past mere appearance and see the heart of what you are. I see how, every night before you go to sleep, you stare at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself how the hell you managed to become what you are. The woman who spent the second half of last year between injury and losing to Duncan Ryder of all people. And then you feel it, that imposter syndrome - it starts as a small voice in the back of your mind until its screaming into your dreams. You don’t belong. They’re going to find out. And when they realise that you’re not who they think? You’re going to lose everything. There will be nothing left. Nothing but the frightened little girl trying to prove to her mother that she’s worth something. Nothing but the flailing older sister that wants to teach her brother he can be anything that he sets his mind on being. Nothing but the terrified child still trying to gain approval from her father that will never come. Nothing but the false promises of a future sold upon the idea that you could be what you thought your father always wanted you to be. But what if you were wrong? What if this wasn’t the life that he wanted for you? What if you misunderstood all those hours spent as a family watching wrestling and dreaming of your future? What if he had survived long enough to tell you to make something of your life - stop dreaming of a future you don’t deserve and doesn’t belong to you. Stop trying to be something you’re not, Sloane. You don’t belong. You never have and you never will. The luck you’re riding will run out and when it does, you’re going to get hurt. Like it did last year, when you almost lost everything. When you sat at home, feeling worthless and empty because you’d gambled everything on this career and Duncan Ryder, of all people, had almost taken it away from you. You won’t always have it so easy, you know that. You won’t always be faced with the Matt Knox and the Randy Boolzians of this world. Your opponents won’t always be as naive as Hide. You won’t always have the advantage of being fresh when you face better opponents. Eventually, you’ll face someone who sees past the visage, someone who is more than capable. Eventually, all the lies you’ve told yourself will crash down around you and you’ll be left with absolutely nothing. And then you think of Monday… Your opponent… What if it’s him? What if he is the end? Anyone but him, please… Anyone but him. Except, maybe Hastings… Because that’s what’s next. And suddenly, you’re faced by the prospect of two opponents that don’t care how nice you are - they just want what you have. And they’re willing to do whatever it takes to prove it. Are you angry Sloane? Are you hurt? You should be. Because you know as well as I do, that despite these words being written by my hand? They’re the words that play out in your every waking thought, hidden behind fantasies of hedgehogs and the pink paradise you’ve created to insulate you from the realities of the world. From the reality of you. The Imposter… Sloane Taylor. |
“I fight.” She said, once more. “For everything I believe in and for the people who need me - I fight.”
“Of course you do…” Ba’al said quietly, as he slapped her on the shoulders. “That’s the spirit.”
“So let me go, and let’s fight.” She said, her hands balled into fists.
“All in good time, my dear.” He said as he moved away from her. “All in good time.”
He paused for a second and then turned to face her.
“Do you know how I came by my name?” He asked.
“I don’t care how you came by your stupid name.” She replied as she struggled.
“The rumours about me are that I speak with the Devil’s tongue - that I tell the truths that gods and better men fear to speak. That when stood before me, those who do can see nothing but the reality of who they are. This, it is said, gives me the power to show my enemies what it means to live the lives they have. They call me Ba’al because they believe that I am the right hand of the devil and can show man their darkest deeds in order to entice them onto their hellish path.” He said with a smile. “And so I was named - but the truth is much stranger, and yet much more simple.”
“And what is that?” The Sky Queen offered.
“I am damnation personified. And I will shine the light on everything you think you are and show you the truth. If you survive that, Sky Queen, then... “
“Do you think you can talk your way out of this? Scare me with some old wives’ tales? I’m going to stop you, Ba’al.” She said.
“Oh no. No, no, no, I don’t want to stop you. Good heavens no - this is the fight I’ve been waiting for my entire life. The antithesis of everything I am, standing opposite me. At least… That’s what I’d hoped. Except…” He looked down-hearted. “Except I’m not sure that’s what I’m looking at.”
“What is THAT supposed to mean?” She spat.
“The huddled masses labour under the illusion that good and evil are the opposite ends of a spectrum. But life is never really that simple - never that black and white. The truly good can often do terrible things for the best of reasons… And the truly evil, well… We can do great things for the worst reasons. I, for example, would burn this entire city to the ground to save the woman I love from a single moment of pain. Some of these fallen heroes, on the other hand, well - they’d watch their own mothers get torn apart by wolves so long as it meant the world was safe.” Ba’al said with a sense of self-satisfaction.
“But others would argue that saving one’s love and watching one’s mother get torn apart would be at opposite ends of a spectrum of good and evil. So, as you see, it’s all about perspective.” Ba’al said. “But you? You’re not at either end. You’re not good… You’re not bad… You’re just… Nice.”
“And what exactly is wrong with being nice?” Sky Queen asked with defiance.
“Oh nothing, nothing… It’s the reason that you save cats from trees. You do the easy hero things- you do the bad things to the bad people. And that’s okay, because they’re bad and you’re nice and everything is fine with the world. All in balance.” He said with a smile. “But being nice isn’t enough to be a hero - your wings and your speed, they’re what make you different. Some would even say special. But you don’t have it in you to make the difficult choice when it matters.”
“Yes I do!” She spluttered. “I’m a hero!”
“No. You’re not. You’re just... nice… And the truly good, truly just, and truly heroic can’t just be… Nice. Because to be a hero you have to do terrible things and that is just not within you. If I told you now to walk away or your family and friends would be dropped in the middle of an ocean and left to drown… Would you still stay and fight? If I told you the Mayor and the Police chief would be destroyed in an explosion if you didn’t give up… Would you still try to stop me?” Ba’al asked.
The Sky Queen faltered.
“Precisely.” He said. “To be a true hero you have to be willing to give up everything else and make the hardest choices… But you can’t do that. You’re just… Normal. With a skill or two.” He said with a tilt of his head, watching her shoulders slump with satisfaction.
“So that’s it, then?” She asked, her jaw set, readying herself for the worst. “Walk away or you kill them all?”
“Oh good lord no, that’s far too easy.” Said Ba’al as he burst into laughter.
“Wait… What?!” She asked, her anger rising.
“No, like I told you I wanted to show you who you truly are…” He said with a smile. “To lift a mirror to your face and prove that your skills don’t make up for your lack of will. I wouldn’t give up this fight for anything… My greatest test thus far...”
“Then let... me... go…” She said angrily.
“Of course, my dear…” He said, before walking towards her and slipping the mask back over her face. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “And don’t you worry - when I add you to my collection, I will keep all of your secrets… No-one will ever know how weak you truly are. They will honour you as the fallen hero that they imagine you to be, not the fraud that we both know.”
“I’ll show you weak...” She snarled.
“No need...” He said as he backed away. “I’ve already seen it. And so have you, which is why I will beat you every… Single… Time.”
He stepped back and bowed low.
“Please allow me to introduce myself, so that we are on an equal footing.” He said. “My name is Gabriel.”
“Hi Gabriel.” The Sky Queen said, sarcastically, as her bonds slipped away. She stood up and rubbed her wrists where the restraints had been. “Now shut up and fight me.”
“With pleasure, my dear.” He said as he began to cackle.
And from the streets below, the sounds of war broke through the sound of the falling rain. And an entire city held its breath.
| I know you’ll push it all down… You have to. What choice do you have? This coming Monday, you have to pretend like you know you have any path but defeat, because you need to maintain the illusion that you belong and that you’re everything that everyone thinks you are. When you stand across from me, know that I see through it all, and that I see your fear. But I will give you one last courtesy - I will allow the facade to remain, because I know that there will come a moment where you have to choose to be the woman you are or the woman they think you can be. And when that time comes, I’ll step in. I’ll take that difficult choice away - I will defeat you before you even have to choose. I won’t force you to show your true face to the world, and in return, I require only one thing as payment. The UGWC World Heavyweight Championship. And so, until then, I urge you to relax and get some rest. Try not to listen to that little voice in the back of your mind. Don’t let it eat away at you, because if you do, you’re beaten before you even begin. Besides, it’s much more fun for me to show you myself when we face one another. Until then, enjoy your time as our Champion… While you can. I’ll see you Monday, Sky Queen… Yours in anticipation… Gabriel |
Gabriel stretched and lifted his glass to his lips, but it was empty. He glanced up at the screen and saw that the credits were rolling.
“Oh… My… God… That was amazing.” Eden said, the bowl of popcorn empty by her side.
“What?” Gabriel asked.
“... Were you writing during the entire thing?” She asked.
“... Maybe.” He said, looking a little guilty.
“It’s okay.” She said, waving it off. “I don’t mind watching it again.”
“What? No, that’s not necessary.” He said quickly.
“Oh, it is.” She said, smirking. “But this time you’re going to come and sit down next to me. No phones, no distractions.”
He groaned before taking a deep breath.
“Fine.” He said, a smile crossing his lips. Eden looked so excited. He placed the pages of his letter on the table to his side and walked over to the couch where he sat down next to her.
“Just… Watch, okay?” She said. “Just… Try..”
“I’ve already agreed, haven’t it?” Gabriel said, rolling his eyes.
“Okay. Good. Great.” She said pointing the control at the TV and pressing play. “I’m going to teach you all about superheroes and supervillains.”
“Sounds like exactly what I need..” He said with a smirk and settled in for the rest of the evening.
