Shu

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Kendra stood up, dragging her opponent with her by the left wrist. The other woman suddenly swung her right hand in a knife hand motion down across Kendra’s wrist with a smack causing Kendra to lose her grip.

“A reversal and…”

The shorter woman ducked low and leapt straight into Kendra’s exposed right shin, Kendra crumpling down onto her left knee.

“And a shot to the right leg by Kendra’s challenger!” Dan Rich finished.

The shorter woman turned and made a beeline for the north side ropes, coming off them fast and straight for the still kneeling Kendra. At the last second however, just as her opponent went up off the mat, Kendra spun around and caught her in the air. The crowd went wild for Kendra as her opponent flailed helplessly, eyes wide.

“Kendra now with a midair catch off the Irish whip by her opponent!” Dan Rich exclaimed. With a loud grunt Kendra heaved upward and then slammed her opponent down hard on her back. “Bang!” Dan slapped the announcement table. “And a spinebuster!

“Kendra’s not done!” Rhonda nodded as Kendra sprinted across the ring to the east side, springing off the ropes and charging toward her downed opponent. Kendra leapt high, spreading herself out in the air, and crashed down across her smaller competition sending a jolt through her prone form. Kendra lay flat, unmoving in a simple pin position - the referee dropping for the count again.

“One!… Two!…”

The count was broken again by shoulders coming up off the mat and a short “aw” from across the front row.

“A kick free at two!”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

“For ‘safekeeping’, she said.” Dan Rich chuckled, eyes lingering on Fiona. “Fiona has that kendo stick in her possession now.”

Kendra’s opponent stood upright and then immediately rushed Kendra. Kendra went for a right arm clothesline but her shorter opposition easily ducked under it, then coming around behind Kendra. The woman went for a neckbreaker looking to floor her taller foe. Kendra however sensed the move coming and as her opponent went aerial and reached for Kendra’s neck she was met with only air and crumpled awkwardly down onto her knees.

“A dodged clothesline and a neckbreaker attempt by Kendra’s opponent but to no avail!”

Kendra grabbed the other woman from behind by her right arm and effortlessly flung her across the ring towards the east side ropes in an Irish whip. The cheetah print woman rebounded off the ropes and came back toward Kendra who tried a second clothesline, another dodge - followed by a second rebound off the west side ropes. This time however as Kendra’s opponent came back towards her the redhead dropped low and quickly grabbed her in her arms. Kendra lifted her opposition off the mat and spun halfway around slamming her down flat of her back.

“A belly to belly slam, and looks like a quick cover!”

Kendra lifted her opponents’ right leg, the official dropping for the count.
“One!…” The other woman quickly kicked out and got her shoulder off the mat but was obviously shaken as she slowly sat up.

“And a kick-out at one.”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

“And Fiona doing some ‘backseat refereeing’.” Dan Rich chuckled. “Her and the official both demanding that this other woman part with that kendo stick!”

Kendra saw an opening and suddenly rushed out from the corner. The ambusher flailed the kendo stick wildly but Kendra was ready, ducking under a second swing now and coming around behind her opponent. The cheetah print woman was notably short, shorter than Fiona even, with a slender build. Kendra had quickly gauged her own size and strength advantage and now that she was acutely aware of it wrapped her arms around the smaller woman’s midsection with the intent of a punishing slam. Kendra fell backward hauling her opponent with her, up and over Kendra’s collapsing form, and executing a flawless German suplex. Kendra’s opponent crashed down onto her head and shoulders, the kendo stick slipping from her grasp and skittering across the mat.

“A German suplex by Kendra after ducking under an illegal strike attempt with that kendo stick!”

“If I was Kendra I would have just taken that hit for the DQ win.” Rhonda laughed.

“Come on, Rhonda, where’s the pride in that?” Brent asked.

Kendra kipped up but instead of pressing the advantage turned her back towards the center of the ring, letting the opposition rise up to her feet. The referee quickly grabbed the loose kendo stick, tossing it out of the ring and then motioning for Fiona to clear the ring herself.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

Kendra’s music went silent, the overhead fixtures and banner lighting returning to the standard red and white associated with the brand. The company logo, a glaring white skull, appeared on the titantron. The crowd was settling in though there were restless murmurs all around. It was obvious that Fiona and Kendra were waiting for something but what? The seconds ticked by with nothing, just Defiant Dream standing awkwardly in the center of the arena.

“Stage fright?” Brent blurted out at the commentary table.

“No, I don’t-…” Rhonda started to speak only to be cut off by Dan Rich suddenly shouting, “Look out!”

The apron cover on the east side of the ring just in front of the commentary table was suddenly tossed up by a single figure that burst out from under the ring, a long staff clasped in their hands. It was a woman of short stature wearing a full cheetah print bodysuit paired with black ankle height boots, a single long ebony braid draped down her back. The “staff” in her possession was a kendo stick. Without delay the woman rolled under the bottom rope, the crowd immediately riled by what was very clearly an ambush attempt - high pitched screams and roars of approval tore through the air.

“Kendra and Fiona are about to get nailed from behind!” Dan Rich along with Brent and Rhonda leapt up from their chairs.

“Who is that?” Rhonda yelled as the kendo stick was pulled back for a swing.

“Fiona down!” Kendra shouted, the first of the two to realize what was happening. Kendra shouldered Fiona off to the side and ducked low, barely avoiding the swing - the kendo stick slicing through the air with a whiff. Kendra stood back upright, the assailing woman swinging the stick around a second time, Kendra dodging backwards. The bell dinged ringside as an official who had been waiting in the box rushed forward and slid in under the ropes. Kendra backed toward the nearest corner slowly as her “opponent” hesitated, still brandishing the kendo stick.

“W-Well I… I guess we are having a match!” Dan announced.

“What a way to start, Kendra and Fiona almost took a kendo stick to the back!”

“And that hurts like hell, Brent!” Rhonda added.

“And the official now demanding that Kendra’s opponent relinquish the kendo stick.”

The official looked between Kendra and the shorter woman in the cheetah-print and then reached both hands out, waggling his fingers and calling for the latter to “hand over” her weapon.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

The arena lights immediately all turned baby blue and white as Kendra Snipes’ theme began to play, cheers rose up across the arena at the appearance of Fiona’s tag team partner, Kendra Snipes. Kendra emerged slowly from the entryway beneath the titantron, clad in a baby blue sleeveless top and matching tights, her look completed by gleaming white knee-high boots and white fingerless gloves and matching elbow pads giving her a striking ensemble. Kendra’s fiery red hair flowed freely over her shoulders and down her back. A confident smile lit up her face as she raised both arms high pulling in more approval from the nearly nineteen thousand people.

“It’s Kendra Snipes!” Dan Rich shouted. “The Defiant Dream stands united!”

Kendra, still smiling, spread her long arms at her sides for high fives as she began her descent down the reflective black ramp.

“The last we saw of Kendra was that disastrous final NMWW match back last winter.” Rhonda pointed out.

“Yeah,” Brent quickly chimed in, “a tag team match against the Beatifics during which Fiona accidentally drove her own partner into the railing and shelved her with a back injury for weeks. That effectively ended the NMWW run for Fiona and Kendra.”

“Well, they definitely are looking to turn over a new leaf now and it seems that regardless of what happened last year these two are still tight.” Rhonda said.

“The Defiant Dream, as Fiona said it, is alive and well!” Dan Rich proclaimed as Kendra reached the edge of the apron. Kendra turned in place, throwing both arms up in the air for the crowd again and then rolled under the bottom rope and came to a brisk stand next to her partner Fiona. Kendra reached down and grabbed Fiona’s right wrist raising it high as the crowd poured on the adulations even thicker now.

“These two definitely are stirring the masses tonight!” Dan Rich yelled, pulling his microphone in close to his mouth.

“So are we gonna’ have a match or is this just a promo?” Brent asked.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

“Did she just call me out?” Brent asked blinking rapidly as he stared ahead at the ring.

“I believe so, Brent!” Dan Rich chuckled, “She gave you a little wink too!”

“Whatever. I still say her win last weekend was partly due to luck and poor effort on the side of Ada.”

“Don’t be so sore, Brent.” Rhonda grinned over at him.

“I’m not sore,” Brent retorted, “I am just saying-…”

“Well,” Dan interrupted, “Fiona had made it clear that she plans on being champion! And frankly I think it is not unrealistic to say that she could be.”

“Yeah, and I can think of a lengthy list of women she is going to need to get by to attain the NMW women’s championship.” Brent said immediately and rather sourly. “I applaud Fiona for her drive and work ethic. But she needs to make sure she is not talking beyond her abilities.”

“I mean I see no reason that Fiona can’t be a solid competitor for the women’s title.” Rhonda shrugged.

“Let’s see what else she has to say.” Dan raised his hand to firmly silence his co-commentators.

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

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The fans were still cheering even after the departure of the last matches’ winner. Magnus Lev had just trounced Quinn Harding in a one-sided contest that left Harding with a broken face and broken pride to go with. Magnus, fists smeared with crimson, had exited the arena slow and deliberate with his arms out and his chin high as Harding was lead away by medical staff.

“Boy, let me tell you,” Dan Rich said from his spot at the commentary table between Brent Christi and Rhonda Pierce, “Magnus Lev made a bloody statement with that win! The medical staff finally got the last of the unfortunate Quinn Harding scraped up off the mat and he is being seen about backstage as we speak.”

“I was expecting it to get brutal,” Brent said at Dan’s left side, “but I admit I did not expect Magnus to just break off the chains like that! I thought the referee was going to have to call the match!”

“Brent,” Dan turned in his chair, “Magnus was over at Crash Syndicate with you and the rest, did he go easy on Quinn tonight?”

“Oh, definitely!” Brent nodded, “I have watched Magnus unload even more punishment than what we saw tonight. Brent took a beating but he got lucky because Magnus could have made it so much worse.”

“That is… a scary thought,” Dan shuddered, “well then, up next we have something special coming our way. Rhonda, would you care to elaborate?”

“Of course,” Rhonda smiled, adjusting her headset, “up next we have a special promotion by Fiona Chevalier who is coming in after her win over Ada Eberhard last week!”

“A special promotion?” Dan questioned to which Rhonda shrugged with a half smile.

“Let’s hope it’s worth the time.” Brent remarked as the crowd started to settle down.

FORGOTTEN REALMS - Gambit of Scoundrels

“You are certainly a glib one.” the hooded man immediately replied to Leon, his tone one of slight amusement. The man leaned in, crossing his arms over the table as he looked Leon straight in the face. Within the shrouded blackness of the hood Iliskra could see a pair of gleaming eyes and the tip of a pallid nose. “I take it since you know my name your god revealed me to you.”

His god? Iliskra impulsively looked sideways at Leon and then back at their captor.

“Mask.” The hooded man raised his right arm and then reached under the table. Iliskra felt the hairs at the top of her neck bristle. The man’s gloved hand came back up slowly, now holding something that shined in the light. With a soft clink of metal he lay it down on the table. Iliskra quickly recognized it as Leon’s mask that he wore.

How could we have been so stupid? Iliskra thought woefully. Something that Leon, she, and the others had taken from Jadarl’s estate - most likely that accursed ring - had been infused with a tracking spell. A spell that lead Jadarl’s lackeys to the Dragon’s Tail where they then set up an ambush.
But where is Ibdur? Surely he did not… betray us. Did he? A dreadful feeling swelled within Iliksra’s gut at the thought. If Ibdur had betrayed she and Leon and joined with Jadarl gods only knew what all the man was aware of by now. Never mind the Ashaba Talons, Breck and the rest of Lord Hastlon’s expedition could have been revealed to Jadarl and by extent Shagarm. But before Iliskra could sink further into despair at these thoughts she and Leon’s “host” said something that immediately brought a surge of relief to the half-elf.

“You asked about your dwarven companion. He is… confined elsewhere. He was captured as you were and brought here. Actually he was the first to awaken. I… tried reasoning with him but I could not get a word in over all his bellowing and death threats. Something about ‘feeling all the wrath of Tempus’. It was clear there was no talking with him so I had him locked in a cage as I do with all wild animals.”

“Where is he?” Iliskra demanded.

Jadarl turned his head, acknowledging the half-blood woman for the first time.
“Here. Within this structure. That is all you will know regarding him. For now.”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

“Yes,” Gordon huffed, dabbing his glistening forehead with a soggy white handkerchief, “geez… this California summer heat!”

Kendra smiled, impulsively fanning at herself at the mention of the temperature. Even with the air conditioning units all at full blast the parking and backstage areas were hot and stuffy and Kendra doubted that the heart of the arena would be any cooler what with nearly twenty thousand people packed together under a massive light show. Gordon made a broad swipe across his face with his handkerchief and then stuffed it into his left pants pocket as he looked between Fiona and Kendra. “Well, I take it you are ready for your debut, Kendra.”

“Yes, sir, I am.” Kendra nodded, grinning ear to ear.

“Great!” Gordon gave her a thumbs up and then asked Fiona, “And I take it Fiona you took full advantage of the last few days to study over the script we provided you?”

Before Fiona could respond Gordon held up both hands and added with a smirk, “Just so you know your employment with us does not demand a word-for-word memorization when it comes to these things. So long as you have the overall gist feel free to wander a bit with your phrasing and add anything that you think might be a nice touch. Just don’t be too out of line…”

“Fiona’s got this!” Kendra chirped giving her partner a smack on the arm.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Gordon blurted out, “Uhm, Fiona… you’ll be ringside for Kendra after her introduction and for the duration of the match. Not at the tables.”

💀 NO MERCY WRESTLING LEGENDS 💀

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INTUIT DOME
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

---

Six days later…

The ball was rolling now after the opening show in New York. Every match that night had been received favorably by the crowd. Isabella Cadiz and Raven Veyn, former NMWW and CSW champions respectively, were in a heated deadlock after their match had been declared a no contest. Isabella Cadiz was known for her pride and Raven Veyn her unforgiving nature and bad temper and everyone knew that neither woman would settle for a draw. They would be at each others’ throats now without a doubt.

And then there was Silas Dane’s beatdown on the young Jason Caillet and Dane’s sneering attitude seemingly aimed at the fans themselves as he declared that he would be the first No Mercy Wrestling men’s champion “like it or not”. This of course was seen as a direct challenge to the up-and-coming Jay Wyatt who had been personally recruited by Mark Trenton from another independent promotion. Jay Wyatt had been a two year reigning champion with his last “employer” and had made it clear that he planned to not only claim the honor of champion again but surpass the length of his previous reign. Winning the first ever No Mercy Wrestling main event against the Polish heavyweight Piotr Kapek had made for a very convincing debut statement by the Astro Kid.

Diana Deguara, lead producer of No Mercy Wrestling and the daughter of GM Antonio Deguara, had announced back in New York that the winner of the main event would face a “mystery opponent” in Los Angeles. Needless to say the internet was abuzz over the next few days about who this opponent of Jay Wyatt’s might be. Claims spanned from the obvious Silas Dane to various other male talents on the NMW roster. Some fans even tossed the idea around that NMW had signed a new wrestler that would take the ring on July eleventh - the date of the LA show.

Among the mid card matches in New York, Fiona Chevalier’s victory over Ada Eberhard had gained particular attention. Many had expected Ada, an experienced young wrestler with high ambitions and an unrelenting fighting style, to run circles around - and run over - Fiona. Fiona had instead held her own and managed to defeat The Neon Diva starting her NMW career on solid footing. The fans were quite animated by this turn of expectation. Gordon McKinney put out a post the day before the LA show that the fans “would definitely be seeing more of Fiona Chevalier without delay” leading to a general assumption that Fiona was on the card for the night. The hype was very real as Friday night came and the Intuit Dome was packed to capacity for the second No Mercy Wrestling performance.