Post by 𝓓𝓾𝓴𝓮 𝓚𝓸𝓼𝓵𝓸𝓯𝓯 on Sept 30, 2019 20:49:27 GMT -5
"Duke! What's wrong with you! Wake up!" his eyes felt like bricks as he tried to force them open, giving Alexis Grace short glimpses of his bloodshot eyes and dilated pupils. "Wake up! The Island's on fire!" Any hint of tiredness died away as he leaped out of bed, then, as if he was possessed, ran out on to the balcony jumping clean off of it.
Sin Island could be seen burning a dark red flame, almost as if God himself had released his fury down onto the village. The previously pitch-black night was illuminated, clear as day, by the massive fireball that scorched throughout every crack and alleyway on the dying Island. A gust of hot air burned the hairs off of Duke's arm as he tried to block his face from the cinders. The most ominous thing about the flames was that, even with all the heat, they sent shivers down Duke's spine.
A scream echoed from a nearby alley; a young boy, no older than fifteen leaped from the alley, covered in flames. Before Duke had a chance to even analyze the situation, a beast, twice the size of a bear, almost identical to the demon from earlier, covered in flames, jumped out and ripped the boy in half with his enormous claws. Duke's eyes pulsed, then, his soul ignited. His once calm expression incinerated like a piece of paper in an oven. His teeth flashed and shined and his devilish smile spread across his entire face. In an instant, another demon was born.
Duke's fist collided with the monster's face, smashing him into the ground at a speed that seemed to break the sound barrier. Still, in mid-air, he twisted and rammed his foot down onto the beast's head, crushing his skull like an infant's. After landing, Duke took a deep breath, then, let out his own beastly roar. Satisfied with his kill, he turned his back on the monster and took no more than a few steps before he was stopped yet again.
The flames that danced on the building around Duke and the beast lashed out, seemingly of their own independent will; they lurched at the downed monster and took shape. They raged for a moment on the beast, then froze on its shoulders, the demon wasn't done just yet.
The monster swung his gargantuan arm at Duke's back, carrying with it enough force to tear down a castle. Duke, even with his heightened reflexes and speed, couldn't even flinch fast enough in comparison with the monster's speed. The split second before the demon connected with Duke's body, a small green ball of flame tore through the monster's flesh and bone, severing its arm from its body.
"What are you doing; Alexis?" Duke looked towards the top of one of the burning buildings; Alexis Grace smiled and spun her Shillelagh in her hand before making her descent down towards Duke.
"Is that how you thank your savior? Your wife?" Alexis Grace laughed and landed behind him. The two stood back to back and watched with bated breath as the flames on the buildings danced, then took the form of their own. The two Pyro's stood, smiling, as countless demons took shape and the form of his opponent Esmur, from the fire that surrounded them.
Alexis Grace only watched in amazement from the entrance of the burning inn as Duke tore through the monster's, smiling and laughing like a demon himself. The two's fire encircled each other, turning the white to green, and the green to white in, what looked like, some ancient black ritual the closer Duke got to Alexis Grace.
Alexis Grace, unable to steady her viciously shaking legs, collapsed to the ground, in awe and fear. Never in her life, did Alexis Grace think she would understand her long-dead grandfather's riddle, except for now; she trembled in what started out as fear, and turned into excitement as she remembered his words; "Steady your trembling, pick up your Shillelagh; never has anyone bested the beast without becoming a beast themselves." His words echoed again and again throughout her mind and she felt nearly obligated to laugh and to cry.
Fire everywhere, hand in hand with death; a reality that no one wants to wake up to, nor one that anyone wants come to pass. Duke hammered his fists over and over into the innumerable demons that rose and danced from the fire around him. The moon, as full and bright as a blood-red sun all but disappeared from sight as the smoke from Hell rose into the heavens. Ten, no twenty, fifty; how many were there; these demons. Unfortunately for them, demons have no power in the presence of a devil.
"That was fun." Duke bent backward and cracked his back. "How many you kill?" He yelled back at Alexis Grace. as he shouted what he killed. "Seventy-four." Duke cracked his blood and ash coated knuckles as he waited for her to reply.
"None; you win this round." Alexis Grace gritted her teeth and cracked her neck, then held up a single finger. "Next time there'll be only one." She tucked her Shillelagh into her robe before disappearing in a bright flash of emerald green fire.
"Alexis, Alexis!" Duke cupped his hands around his mouth and called out. His voice fell flat in the wastes. Buildings, now burnt ruins and ashes towered around him; the fire that previously coated the atmosphere was all but long dead. The only building that was even remotely recognizable was the inn where Duke used to frequent.
Thunderous claps of thunder can be heard throughout for miles as the ship gets rocked back and forth as if it was nothing more than a piece of driftwood in the mighty rapids. Duke is tossed from his bunk getting abruptly awakened from what appeared to be another intense nightmare. The sweat can be seen rolling down his face and chest as he sits there on the floor looking around as if he expected someone to be there next to him. The only other sounds that can be heard is a single man's voice barely coming from up top on deck.
It doesn't take Duke long before he gets wiped down and heads up top where he can get some of the cool breezes from the storm they are currently sailing through. As the rain pours down striking Duke and the ship like needles with every drop you can see the darkness moving in as the waves grow even larger, wilder and more uncontrollable with every passing second. The ship's captain continues to fight against the storm and the currents as he tries to make it to the shores of Scotland.
Duke seems to be a bit off as he looks around as if he is looking for a ghost. While he looks around he begins to shake his head trying to get the thoughts of whatever or whoever he was thinking of out of his head. He makes his way up to the captain's area as he gets pelted with rain.
The Captain
Mr. Kosloff, what can I do for you, sir?
"The Russian Nightmare" Duke Kosloff
Captain how much longer, well how much further until we hit the shore of Scotland?
The Captain
About another, days trip sir, the storm has set us off course a bit but we will make it there on time as you requested.
Duke walks around looking out into the blackened ocean watching the waves crashing as the ship gets tossed around.
"The Russian Nightmare" Duke Kosloff
We better, I don't have long before I need to be inside that ring, I will be facing a man who wants what every man wants gold, riches and wealth but he's going to get nothing more than pain, chaos, and nightmares. You see captain as I have learned these past few months I don't need anyone, I don't need anything but I take what I want when I want. You may be thinking or asking yourself why?
The captain shrugs his shoulders as he continues to try and steer the ship.
"The Russian Nightmare" Duke Kosloff
That's simple captain because I can, because I want to and because no one can stop me!
The Captain
If you say so, sir.
"The Russian Nightmare" Duke Kosloff
What my opponent Esmur doesn't realize is that those from your past always come back to haunt you, those that you believe are non-existent, a non-threat are those who will cause you the most nightmares. Captain, I was banished from the big-time wrestling companies I was made out to be a one-hit-wonder or for a better term a second rate fighter. You see, I am pretty sure my opponent Esmur isn't even worried about me or even thought about me since we both have been gone from recent action as of late. He's most likely training doing his own returning routine as we speak.
"The Russian Nightmare" Duke Kosloff
But I have something to prove, I have a newfound outlook on life and I need a place to release my demons, to expel my nightmares upon. I still have my own nightmares I deal with my own ghost and my own personal demons that will one day lead me to more than this world can handle but at End of Days when Cosmic Collision happens Esmur will know exactly what FEEL THE BURN means as he "Believes In The Nightmare"!!!
Duke turns around and heads back down below deck as the storm begins to hit even harder, Duke isn't down there long before returning up top. The ship by now is getting tossed around all over the place almost getting overturned as they try to make it through the storm. Winds have reached well over a hundred miles an hour, rain is relentless thunder and lightning crashing all around as funnels have begun to form all around. Duke climbs up to the highest point of the ship and as he stands there he holds his chiseled arms out wide as he begins to yell out into the storm.
"The Russian Nightmare" Duke Kosloff
Esmur a former masked tag team hero, I laugh I honestly did expect our journey together to end so suddenly, but I know you have no chance against such a foe such as myself. I just hope that Esmur you know that fact as well... You will do well to remember that a nightmare is coming and while you were off doing whatever it was you were doing I was claiming a kingdom, I was claiming a throne of bones and a World championship. I am now the sole survivor of a world that has gone to the realm of nightmares and soon you will be the newest member of the lost souls that will fall to me and the next one to "BELIEVE IN THE NIGHTMARES"!!!
Duke lowers his arms as he stands there with a look of confidence and fire in his eyes as he stares out into the storm...
