Raven felt Fiona trying to drop with the DDT and reacted just in time, wrenching free from Fiona before she could hit the mat. Fiona stumbled from the sudden loss of balance, Raven immediately grabbing hold of her left wrist and shoulder. Raven hurled her opponent toward the east side ropes, Fiona hitting the wrapped cables hard enough to make them quiver before they launched her back toward the center of the ring. The instant Fiona came within reach Raven surged forward and wrapped both arms tightly around her waist. Working with the momentum, Raven lifted her opponent up and spun to the side, driving her into the canvas in a spinebuster.

“And a spinebuster off the ropes on Fiona!”

Raven stayed down on one knee beside Fiona for a few seconds, chest heaving. Sweat and blood were mixed across Raven’s face as she tilted her head back and sucked in several deep breaths, steadying herself before the final blow. Slowly, she stood and reached down, grabbing Fiona by both forearms, dragging her up to her feet despite Fiona’s weak resistance. Raven muscled her upward and across her shoulders into a fireman’s carry. Everyone knew exactly what was coming as Raven adjusted her grip and stepped toward the center of the ring. Raven grinned maniacally as she tightened her hold on Fiona’s body, setting her in perfect position for Taken To Hell.

“Oh, this is it, it’s over,” Brent said, “we know what’s coming!”

“She doesn’t belong here! She doesn’t belong here!” Raven yelled twice, much to the approval of nearly all those ringside that heard her.

In one sudden burst of motion, Raven spun Fiona across her shoulder then sprang upward and shifted her grip mid-spin. The moment Raven dropped she snapped Fiona down into the devastating Taken To Hell, converting the spin into a brutal stunner that drove all of Raven’s falling weight, Fiona’s momentum, and pure gravity straight through Fiona’s jaw. Fiona’s head and chest smashed into the mat with a sickening thud, the impact so explosive that her body bounced upward and flipped over onto her back.

“Taken To Hell!” Brent deepened his voice as he grumbled into his headset, the crowd practically blowing the roof off the arena on seeing Raven’s match-winning finisher.

Fiona knew she couldn't make any more mistakes, so when Raven was able to muscle out of her DDT and get her hands on her, she knew it was over. The spinebuster probably would've been enough, but only an iconic finisher would do for Raven, a statement made. This wasn't even about Fiona anymore, not really. She was just the one unlucky enough to be used in a demonstration meant for Elina.

She was already mostly limp across Raven's back before absorbing her Taken To Hell finisher for the first time, the massive stunner leaving her sprawled out on the mat in a spread eagle, face up and eyes closed, not moving at all except for her exhausted breathing. Raven stood tall over her thoroughly defeated opponent, looking significantly stronger than Elina at ringside despite the match leaving her battered and bleeding. All the adoration of the crowd was on the Queen of the Goths right now, who was set to move on to the title match despite being ganged up on in this triple threat.

"And it's just a formality from here," Dan Rich commentated, barely audible over the crowd's cheering. "Raven can join Elina ringside at her leisure, Fiona Chevalier is not getting up after being Taken To Hell."

"She came into the match with the right strategy," Brent chimed in, "but when it came down to it, Elina made the necessary moves to escape. I still think Fiona should've turned on her when she had the chance. Not that it would've mattered, she is not in the same league as Raven Veyn. Not yet, anyway."

Rhonda nodded her agreement. "She'll come back stronger, I'm sure, but it may take her a while to recover from this one. Always tough when you pour your heart into something and then come away with nothing."

She doesn't belong here! She doesn't belong here! The words echoed in Fiona's mind, the mat shaking slightly as Raven left her behind to start climbing the fence. Despite telling herself before the match that she'd already achieved a great result just by being here when so many other women fell short, the words still cut deep. She came up with the right plan, she managed to work together with a rival throughout the match, two-on-one the whole time, and what was the result? She was destroyed, her limbs feeling heavy as lead, proving she literally wasn't half the wrestler Raven was. The whole NMW fanbase watched as Raven climbed to the top of the cage, and Fiona didn't even stir. Maybe she was tough enough for the likes of Tanya Redd, but Raven shattered her tonight.

Her rollercoaster ride of a Rubicon Gauntlet delivered some incredible highs and boosts to her young career, but it was ending with a brutal reminder of how far she still needed to go if she wanted to be a real contender for the women's title belt.

“And that’s it.” Brent Christi’s tone was flat and matter-of-fact as Raven Veyn crawled over the top bar. Even after the brutal match, Raven refused to show weakness, maintaining her composure and not stopping for a second as she exited the cage. Fans chanted her name louder with every step as she descended. At this point victory was just a formality. Fiona was down and out and Raven had already made it over the top side. Now all that remained was reaching the floor below. Raven released her grip and dropped hard onto the thinly padded ringside floor, her knees buckling and forcing her to a crouched position as the bell rang and the crowd exploded. After a few seconds Raven Veyn lifted her head toward the amassed thousands with her signature smirk, soaking in the deafening reaction as though the entire building belonged to her alone. And most would say it did, in a manner.

“Raven Veyn has escaped the steel cage along with Elina Zamora!” Dan Rich yelled at the top of his lungs. “Raven Veyn and Elina Zamora have made it to the end of this long tunnel together, and next week they will face off one to determine the first No Mercy Women’s Champion!”

“Oh, look at this…” Rhonda nodded

As Raven stood slowly and steadied herself, eyes fixed on the roaring crowd, Elina Zamora emerged from around the northwest corner - her movements deliberate and measured. Raven caught sight of Elina in her peripheral vision and spun around. Fans of both women pointed and shouted, many hoping to see a ringside brawl break out as a prelude to next week. Elina’s chest heaved as adrenaline surged through her body, her muscles coiled like springs ready to explode. Raven’s gaze was icy and unflinching, daring Elina to try it. With every passing second the tension grew thick enough to cut with a knife.

“Oh boy,” Dan said. “Are we about to see some… after-match action between these two?”

“No,” Brent immediately replied. “Just look at them.”

Raven Veyn and Elina Zamora stood frozen in place, their sweaty, blood-streaked faces displayed across the arena screens. Raven smirking at Elina while Elina’s expression remained stoic and unreadable. There was an unspoken understanding between them. Beneath the urge to tear each other apart right now both women knew this was neither the time nor the place. After a few more seconds of eye contact with her old rival, Elina Zamora turned and slowly walked away - rounding the nearby ring post and heading toward the stage ramp. Many expected Raven to try and blindside the luchadora but she did not, the former champion staying where she was, still sneering away as her eyes followed Elina all the way up to the arena entrance.

“They’ll settle this next week in Las Vegas,” Brent said. “At Caesar’s Palace.”

“And Fiona Chevalier,” Rhonda added, “did everything she could tonight, but it just wasn’t enough.”

“I’ll give credit where it’s due,” Brent admitted as he watched Raven Veyn slowly make for the exit next. “Fiona stepped into a steel cage with two former champions tonight, and she held her own. I won’t deny that. But she’s still got a ways to go.”

“There’s no doubt Fiona gave it everything she had,” Dan said with a nod, “but tonight, Raven and Elina were the ones who split the pie. Next week we’ll see which one takes the cake.”

Brent snorted at Dan’s analogy.

“But Fiona doesn’t need to leave here discouraged,” Rhonda said. “This was a learning experience for her — another notch in her belt — and that’s how she needs to see it when she walks out of this building tonight.”

“Making it to the final three in a championship tournament is an accomplishment in itself, especially for someone as young as Fiona,” Dan nodded in agreement. “She needs to pick herself up, wipe away the sweat and blood, and apply the hard lessons she learned in this match.”

“Well, it’s been a hell of a match,” Brent shrugged, “and now we have our two female competitors for next week. And up next…”

“Oh, yes, Brent, the night is not yet over! Up next after a few messages from our sponsors we have the men's triple threat cage match, featuring “The Astro Kid” Jay Wyatt, “the Mojave Scorpion” Uberto Cafrune, and the beast of Croatia, Mihailo Vasić. Folks we hope you are enjoying the show at home because we are having some fun here in Chicago! I’m Dan Rich and with me as always is Rhonda Pierce and Brent Christi. Don’t go away because we’ll be right back!”

Fiona and Kendra sat side by side on the couch in Fiona’s apartment, neither saying anything as the highlights of the Las Vegas Show at Caesar’s Palace rolled across the television screen. The event had ended not even a half hour ago, the roaring crowd and flashing arena lights seemingly on a whole other world far from the quiet stillness of the apartment. The two women watched in silence, their attention fixed on every replay and camera angle. They already knew how the night had ended but seeing it unfold again made the outcome feel even more real somehow. The excitement of the crowd contrasted sharply with the somber mood hanging over the room.

The current footage focused on the opening event of the evening, the championship clash between Raven Veyn and Elina Zamora. It had been a grueling battle from beginning to end, with neither competitor willing to give an inch. Elina had fought with determination and resilience, refusing to stay down despite the punishment she absorbed throughout the match. The luchadora pulled every trick old and new from her bag to try and seize victory, but Raven's infamous aggression and veteran mindset swung the momentum in her favor. The replay showed the pivotal moment when Raven trapped Elina in a hammerlock before stunning her with a DDT. Even through the television screen, Fiona and Kendra could see the exact instant the match slipped irreversibly from Elina’s grasp.

The highlights then moved to the final sequence, the moment everyone would be talking about for weeks to come. Raven stood over her exhausted opponent, her expression cold and unwavering as the crowd rose to its feet in anticipation. With ruthless precision Raven hauled Elina up, dragged her to a nearby corner, and performed an avalanche Taken To Hell finisher off the turnbuckle - practically driving Elina through the canvas. The audience erupted as Raven hooked her opponent’s right leg and the referee counted the pinfall. One. Two. Three. The bell rang and with it came the realization that the tournament was over. Raven Veyn’s promise of dominating under the new brand had been fulfilled in the most emphatic way possible.

As the celebration replayed on the screen, Fiona and Kendra watched quietly while Raven marched around the ring with the NMW Women’s Championship raised high above her head. The grinning silver skull on the front of the belt reflected the dark lights above as she basked in the deafening reaction from the crowd. After completing a full circle around the ring, Raven climbed onto the southeast turnbuckle and lifted the championship even higher with both hands, presenting it to every corner of the arena as her theme blared and purple and black lighting enveloped everything. It was a powerful image, one that perfectly captured the story of her rise. She had pummeled her way through every obstacle placed before her, survived the chaos and brutality of the Rubicon Gauntlet, and emerged victorious at the end of it all. Now she stood alone at the top as the first-ever Women's Champion of the No Mercy Wrestling brand, exactly as she had vowed she would from the very beginning.

In the days leading up to the Las Vegas show, the place where the championship belts would be handed out for the first time, Fiona told herself she was looking forward to having a Friday night to recover. Finally knocked out of the tournament, Fiona sorely needed the time to rest physically, but as she watched Elina and Raven battle it out, she knew she'd trade the pajamas she had on for shiny ring attire in a heartbeat. Her quick ascent into NMW meant she'd never had a chance to fight in a real title match, not even at the independent level. The closest she'd come was battling Shin Choon-hee for NMWW's rookie of the year roughly twelve months ago. Feeling the hype of the crowd through the TV, she had to imagine that what she'd experienced wasn't anything close.

Of course, it probably would've ended up with her absorbing another Taken To Hell, like Elina did. Raven was a cut above every other woman on the roster, and this tournament proved it. The belt practically looked like it was made for her, the No Mercy grinning skull right at home with the rest of the Goth Queen's getup. Her celebration was emphatic, authoritative. There was no shock, no disbelief, no catharsis of anxiety lifting off her shoulders.

Raven had the look of a woman who knew she was going to win when the tournament started. I told you so, was the closest way Fiona could come to translating her expression.

She'd been a storm of emotions since losing the steel cage match a week ago. On the one hand, every NMW fan knew her name now, she wasn't just some promising youngster with potential anymore, she was seen as a rising star on the women's side of the roster. Management wasn't going to run her into the ground with matches, but the fans were going to want to see her in the ring regularly. Opportunities to keep building her reputation were well on their way.

On the other hand... losing to Raven the way she did injected her with a dose of doubt. She told herself that Raven did that to pretty much every woman she entered the ring with, but even so, she felt like she didn't stand a chance against her once it was a one-on-one. If she ever wanted a title, she was going to have to take her on, or someone similar, without any help. That was a mountain she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to climb. For now, she could only keep fighting and defeating the matches put in front of her, but that got her thinking about her path through the tournament. A first round battle marred by interference (a match she was struggling in at the time), and a narrow victory against Tanya Redd, who was strong on paper but never seemed to live up to her own hype. The sooner I can get back in the ring, the better. Need a good, clean win to prove that being top three in this tournament wasn't a fluke.

Then there was the men's side of things. Though she wasn't involved in any of the alliances and rivalries brewing there yet, Fiona found herself heavily invested in the hero versus villain, David versus Goliath story that had emerged from their tournament...