[Just as Dante Reed is about to turn it over to Mike Dempsey, the arena lights completely cut out. The fans in attendance are at a steady lull, waiting in anticipation for what is about to come. Intermittent strobes of brilliant white light flash at seemingly random locations around the building as soft spine-chilling tones chime and buzz on the PA system.]

 

♫

THERE’S A RECKONING A-COMIN’

AND IT BURNS BEYOND THE GRAVE

LEAD INSIDE MY BELLY

‘CAUSE MY SOUL HAS LOST ITS WAY

 

OH LAZARUS

HOW DID YOUR DEBTS GET PAID

OH LAZARUS

WERE YOU SO AFRAID

♫

 

[As the first verse of “Blood on my Name” by The Brothers Bright comes in, a towering man walks out to the main stage… It’s the new acting owner and promoter Gunnar Graves. A mixed reaction from the crowd begin to amplify as the new bossman unceremoniously walks down the aisle. The unrelenting look across his face shows he’s here for business. Gunnar walks up the steel steps to ensure he doesn’t wrinkle his custom suit and enters the ring. As he enters, the arena lights come back on and the music slowly fades away. In the center of the ring stands a podium covered by a black velvet veil. Gunnar pulls a microphone out from his back pocket and for a moment stares into the crowd as they wait with bated breath.]

 

Gunnar Graves - Dallas, Texas! Welcome to L!GHTS OUT! Now, for those who do not know me, which I’m sure most of you don’t, my name is Gunnar Graves. I am the older brother of Axel’s, and unfortunately there’s been some personal hardships that the Graves family has endured lately. You see, my baby brother has been missing for some time now, with no trace of him whatsoever. We hope and pray that he’s safe, and our search for his return has been persistent. But the Graves family has a business, and as the saying goes, the show must go on. So I have stepped in as acting Owner and Promoter until we see Axel’s return.

 

[The crowd clap and cheer to Gunnar’s seemingly sincere concern for his sibling as he breaks for a moment.]

 

Gunnar Graves - However, while I’m in control, things are going to be a bit different around here. You see, Union Battleground has been on the decline in season two. Low gate numbers and poor locker room morale has put this company in a difficult place. But I assure you, I will turn things around and bring the Battleground back to the prominence it once was!

 

[Gunnar’s declaration is met with cheers from the crowd’s approval.]

 

Gunnar Graves - I will be bring you all the match-ups you’ve been clambering over. We all want to see the best of the best, and starting tonight, that’s exactly what I’ll bring to the table. So tonight, we will be seeing all of our singles championships on the line! But first, I want to bring out our NEW Union Battleground Champion, Emery Layton, and show my debt of gratitude for her incredible cash in at Guerrilla Warfare!

 

♫

"IT DOESN'T HURT ME - YOU WANNA FEEL HOW IT FEELS?

YOU WANNA KNOW? KNOW THAT IT DOESN'T HURT ME?

YOU WANNA HEAR ABOUT THE DEAL I'M MAKING?

♫

 

[As "Running Up That Hill" by The Feud hits the PA system and light explodes to life, the excitement hits the air. The Worst of the Pavees herself- wearing her leather jacket and beanie over her gear and her and Union Battleground Championship around her waist- emerges from behind the curtain, clearly impressed with the amount of people who have turned out. She's nodding her head, holding her arms out as she struts down the ramp and swaying her head to the beat of her entrance theme, her eyes closed. She's lost in the moment, there's nowhere else she'd rather be right now.]

 

[Once she reaches the bottom of the ramp, she unclips her title from around her waist- holding it with one hand as she pulls her beanie off and thrusts it into her pocket with the other, skating up the steel steps and climbing the turnbuckle. As the fans cheer, Em lifts the Union Battleground Championship into the air for all to see. Ooh, she's chuffed to even hold it in her hands. Once the eccentric Irish traveller has spent enough time up there, Emery leaps down from the top rope and into the ring, transitioning from that into probably the most graceful, crisp forward-roll you've ever seen. Once she's in there, she runs to the rope right behind her bouncing off it as she drops to her knees and skids forwards, as all the lights drop except a single spotlight on her and the lights from cell phone cameras as her upper body falls backwards and she holds the Union Battleground Championship up in the air with both arms right up. After a few moments of just simply listening to the cheers, she flips onto her front and crawls into her corner, removing her jacket and dumping the battered old thing to the outside as she sits down, legs flat out with the title now draped over her knees, waiting for Graves to continue.]

 

Gunnar Graves - Emery, as you’ve stated, you have been here since day one when my brother resurrected Union. You have been a major key in the early successes of this promotion. You took the Trench War Championship and elevated it to heights no one expected, and quite possibly no one will ever reach. You went all across the world defending that title. But then, my brother essentially took a hit out on you with Rogan MacLean! Somewhere along the lines, he lost faith in you. But look what you've done this season. After narrow and heartbreaking defeats in the semifinals of the Union Battleground Championship Tournament and the Battalion Championships Tournament, you got over that hump and win the Crown of the King Cobra Championship Tournament! From there, you stalked in the shadows, called yourself the ticking time bomb and a land mine, and struck like the venomous Cobra at the most opportunistic time and captured the Union Battleground Championship! But that title is stained and tainted at the hands of Salvation. So I wanted to officially crown you with a new title that will carry on and represent this new era of the Battleground.

 

[Gunnar pulls back the veil and reveal the new Union Battleground Championship. The crowd approves with chants and cheers. Emery’s eyes are alight as she surrenders the old Union Battleground Championship and picks up the new one. Without a hand-print on it of any kind, it’s brand new and basically untouched. She’s the first, and can’t contain her excitement as she slings it over her shoulder.]

 

Emery Layton - I ain’t gonna lie man, this has been a hard year. A real hard year. About a month ago, if you’d have asked me what my plans for Coup De Grace were, I wouldn’t be able to say nothing. But lemme tell ya...I have waited since Day One...to do THIS...

 

[Emery holds the Union Battleground Championship above her head, to many cheers.]

 

Emery Layton - Listen, man, I ain’t under no...what’s the word, pretensions? Pretenses? That’s the one! I ain’t under no pretenses about how I won this. I jumped in at the right place at the right time. But it’s like I said time and time again, I been here from the moment Union Battleground came along and I seen it all, dudes. I seen conceited millionaires tryna make this place their own, I seen Saints and sinners, Zombies and monsters, men in masks and men that could fly. I stood in the trenches and I fought them all off. For over a year, whenever something happened, I been there. I fought. I fought in the Trenches for 404 days. I walked these streets and they called me the King Cobra and through it all, I never changed. I never lost hope, cos when I came here, the first thing I ever really wanted was the Union Battleground Championship. All I wanted was to make this matter in the best way I could. I’m that same girl who told Hunter Grand to shove his money up his arse on that first show. People, I’m the Worst of the Pavees. I’m the Best in the Battleground. I’m Emery fucking Layton and I’m the Union Battleground Champion and I think after a year and a half of fighting off everyone who stepped up whenever I drew the line in the sand, being in the right place and right time never felt so right.

 

[As Emery pauses, fired up, she raises the title up in the air once again. Stopping to think for a few moments.]

 

Emery Layton - So here’s the deal now- we starting over right here. Yeah, I’m defending this title tonight against Nemesis. But as everyone here should know, this dirty, no-good pavee right here knows a thing or two about defending titles against people who think she’s beneath them. But it ain’t stopping there, man. Cos I’m gonna defend this title tonight. And when I beat Nemesis, coming out here looking like someone just dumped a bucket of paint over him and he just stuck with it, I’m gonna defend it in the main event NEXT week. And when I’m gonna defend it in the main event the week after that. I’m gonna defend this every single week AND I’mma keep defending it until Coup De Grace, anytime and anywhere. This title STAYS with Emery Layton, ladies and gents, and if you wanna try your luck...come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough!

 

♫

YOU FUCKING BLEED NOW!

♫

 

 

[“Everyone Bleeds Now” By Hatebreed hits as Dick Devereaux storms out from the back. His wounds still showing as he is heavily bandaged and limping towards the ring. He looks tired, beaten, and broken. Physically, mentally, and emotionally Devereaux is broken. He gets into the ring slowly and comes face to face with Emery as he grabs a microphone.]

 

Dick Devereaux - I worked my ass off, week after week, defending this Battleground from the evil that is Salvation. No help, no friends, no back up. All I had was me. I protected this place from Nemesis and Salvation taking over completely. Where were you Emery? If you care about this place so much, where the fuck were you? Everywhere except here! You went off to fight everywhere claiming this place as your home when you would’ve let it burn to the ground with Salvation holding the torch! You are a liar and a thief Emery. And I won’t stand here and let you feed your lies anymore. You stole what was mine Emery. Months of hard work put into walking away with the Union Battleground Championship. I want my fucking rematch. Because we both know who will walk out with the belt. You might be the Best in the Battleground, but I’m the fuckin’ Butcher!

 

♫

YEAH! I PENETRATE THE DEMONS

THEIR TEARDROPS BURN AWAY MY EYES

I LOVE THE PAPER-THIN CRY OF THE LOCUST

IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY TO DIE

♫

 

[As “El Phantasmo and The Chicken Run Blast-O-Rama” (Wine, Women & Song Mix) by White Zombie begins blaring through the arena, from the back emerges the former Union Battleground Champion Nemesis alongside former Union Battleground Battalion Champion Viduus as their managers Preacher and the Speaker accompany them. The boos pour in from the Union Battleground fans while the four men make their way to ringside. Eventually they make their way into the ring and almost immediately, Nemesis walks towards the new man in charge Gunnar Graves as Salvation’s theme continues playing. They stand nose to nose which is broken by Nemesis looking down at the old Union Battleground Championship, still stained in Dick Devereaux’s blood as it rests in Gunnar’s right hand. Out of nowhere, Nemesis snatches it from his hand, taking it back into his possession as he walks back towards Viduus, Preacher, and The Speaker who stand directly across from both Emery Layton and Dick Devereaux as Gunnar Graves still looks on, kind of stunned that Nemesis just took the old belt back. Nemesis raises the Title high in the air as Preacher retrieves a microphone.]

 

Preacher - Prepare yourselves! For the second coming of Salvation’s reign is upon us tonight as our Lord shall smite the unworthy who claims stake to our throne!

 

[The volume in the boos increases as Preacher now hands the microphone over to Nemesis who first raises the old Union Battleground Championship high in the air.]

 

Nemesis - Try your hardest to bury the past but you can not change the foundation upon which Union Battleground was built and like the stain on this gold plate, our imprint on the Battleground will be forever lasting.

 

[Nemesis turns his attention now towards Dick Devereaux, walking up him now, face to face with Viduus, Preacher and Speaker flanking directly behind him.]

 

Nemesis - You were finally able to overcome me after so many failed attempts only to what? Embarrass yourself even further by losing to her? Now the whole world has to witness the once prideful ‘Butcher’ come out here and whine like a school girl about how a girl stole something from you. You never cease to amaze me Richard. Always finding new ways to re-define the word “pathetic”. The next time you and I meet, if ever, I won’t leave anything for anyone in the back to come out and even have the opportunity to pick apart.

 

[Nemesis’ words have Devereaux seething but Nemesis cockily smirks and turns his attention towards Emery Layton, walking over to her with his entourage of Viduus, Peacher and the Speaker following.]

 

Nemesis - And you. You have the audacity to call yourself the Best of the Battleground when all you have are victories over peasants to brag about as accomplishments? Oh, I forgot, you beat poor Richard over there too but he had to have one foot in the grave for you to stand a chance. I see you’re still making all of these grand plans as to what you’re going to do after tonight and how you’re going to vigorously defend that Title every chance you get. Well, Ms. Layton, I hate to be the bearer of bad news...actually, I quite enjoy it but I digress because tonight, not only will I take that shiny new piece of gold Gunnar Graves just handed to you to unify with this old one but I will make sure that your boy toy AJ Morales is feeding you apple sauce and changing your bed pan as you’re lied up in the hospital.

 

[Layton tightens her grip on the Union Battleground Championship and begins mouthing off to Nemesis as he continues on.]

 

Nemesis - Tonight I will kill all optimism and hope that either one of you have of walking into Coup de Grâce as Union Battleground Champion, for it will be I that squares off against the Guerilla Warfare winner as Champion!

 

♫

AM I BRAVE ENOUGH? AM I STRONG ENOUGH?

TO FOLLOW THE DESIRE THAT BURNS FROM WITHIN

TO PUSH AWAY MY FEAR, TO STAND WHERE I'M AFRAID

I AM THROUGH WITH THIS, 'CAUSE I AM MORE THAN THIS

♫

 

[“I Am The Fire” by Halestorm punctuates Nemesis’ declaration and the crowd goes into a frenzy! Alyssa Daniels steps out onto the stage, microphone in hand. She raises it to her lips as she walks, her theme fading due to the cue.]

 

Alyssa Daniels - You. All three of you.

 

[She continues her patient walk toward the ring. The look on her face is one of equal parts frustration and disgust.]

 

Alyssa Daniels - This is exactly what Gunnar Graves is talking about. The Battleground has been on the decline and it’s thanks in large part to all three of you. The three of you have two things in common. One, you are the only people who have held the Union Battleground Championship over a two year span. And two, you’re all part-timers. Show up here and there for a match, maybe defend a title once every so often.

 

[Upon reaching the ring, Alyssa rolls in and hops to her feet, eyeing the new champion and the two former champions to make sure they aren’t going to immediately attack. Once satisfied that none are reacting, she continues.]

 

Alyssa Daniels - I mean, Emery defended the Trench War Championship against Anton Chase a few dozen times while Nemesis, since last season’s Coup de Grâce, had one successful title defense before dropping it. How many times can we see Nemesis and Dick Devereaux put ‘em on the table to measure before we give someone else an opportunity to earn a championship match? Or are championship opportunities earned by leaving for a month or two until we’re told we have a title match? It’s been quite the puzzle trying to figure that out but no amount of comfort in the familiar can get in the way of the annual Guerrilla Warfare match. And sure, I bet I’ll hear a lot of ‘you don’t belong here’ talk from all three of you for various reasons. Maybe it’s because I’m ‘new.’ Maybe it’s because I’ve yet to hold any championships here. Likely, it’s due to insecurity. But the bottom line is that the fans have spoken. This same-old, same-old just ain’t gonna work anymore. They’re tuning out because the three of you, the stalwart elites of the Battleground, are static and stagnant. Dick can yammer on all he wants about his championship but if these fans leave, there won’t be a championship. Nemesis can spew his Salvation rhetoric for the next decade but if there’s no Battleground, there won’t be a path to follow. And little Miss She-King can toot her own horn all she wants but if the Battleground leaves, they’re taking the instruments with them. But see, here’s the really funny part: while the three of you bicker over who is truly the best among you, only one person in this ring right now is guaranteed to be headlining Coup de Grâce. And you’re looking at her!

 

[With that, Alyssa spikes the live microphone down onto the mat, causing a loud thud to resound throughout the arena. She readies herself for a fight in anticipation of at least one of the three taking offense to her words. But it is Gunnar who takes the stand.]

 

Gunnar Graves - You know, Alyssa, you’re right. No one in this ring has earned the right to main event our season finale, except you and whoever holds the Union Battleground Championship. Emery Layton wants to defend this championship every chance she can, Dick Devereaux wants his rematch, and Nemesis here has a match tonight with Layton that will now be for the Union Battleground Championship. So in order to sort out this traffic jam and put all doubts to rest, how about at Coup de Grâce, we have a fatal fourway match? Emery Layton, Nemesis, Dick Devereaux, and Alyssa Daniels; whoever stands tall at the end of Coup de Grâce shall be the undisputed Union Battleground Champion!

 

[The fans in attendance burst into cheers from Gunnar’s proposal while all four competitors stare each other down with a fierce yet satisfying countenance. Gunnar then directs his attention to Alyssa.]

 

Gunnar Graves - What do you say, Miss Daniels? Are you up for the challenge?

 

[Alyssa can hardly contain her emotion as she rips the microphone from Gunnar’s hands.]

 

Alyssa Daniels - You’re asking me if I’m willing to stand toe-to-toe with three of the longest tenured and most successful competitors that’s stepped foot in the Battleground, all for the Union Battleground Championship? I would love nothing more than to prove myself while taking down the past and ringing in the future!

 

[The crowd grows to a clamor as Daniels accepts the challenge. Her music hits the PA as she stares off Emery only for a moment before directing her attention to Devereaux, her opponent for tonight. Slowly she exits the ring as Emery, Nemesis, and Devereaux continue to occupy the ring with an ever growing tension.]