VIP Boardroom

[Strazio Rockwell]

Strazio looked tired. Hell he looked more than tired, he was tired. Even though he had been resorted to pristine condition, his body was stiff and tense. It was strange, he thought, that the people who were once so willing to slaughter each other for the amusement of the masses now stood together with little to no ill will. Karl Jak looked tired, or more accurately bored and why wouldn’t he? The contest was over, there was no more blood to be shed and no more competition. This award ceremony, if it could even be called that, felt more like an afterthought in Karl’s grand plan.

The Defender of Darkshire stepped forward, his scarred body covered by a fresh white cloak and the crest of Darkshire dangled lightly from his neck. He looked at Karl, who seemed incredibly uninterested in the proceedings. Strazio wanted to find some source of anger, but as Karl said he knew what he was signing up for. Against the absurdity of it all and against the brutality of the abyss Strazio did the only thing a sane man could do.

He laughed. There was no rhyme or reason to it. Perhaps it was four days of hell that finally came rushing forth, or perhaps it was the simple realization that this whole thing was nothing more than a game. Karl raised an eyebrow as he watched the prime’s laughing fit subside. Strazio smirked and looked at the promoter.

“Sorry. Just, just remembered a stupid joke is all” he lied.

The trinkets laid out across the table seemed mundane at best and outright useless at worst. These were the wondrous artifacts promised? Strazio scowled with the realization that he might’ve been duped, not that he could do anything about it at this point. The only item that really piqued his interest was a book that was seemingly bound by leather. Across the front was the design of a scowling face. It looked similiar to a warlock’s tome from his universe. Perhaps it was familiarity or just plain curiosity he reached out and picked the book up. Without looking through the pages he slid it into the inner folds of his cloak and nodded.

“I’ll take this one.”

He then turned to address the other competitors, something that seemed slightly out of place in the atmosphere of the room. “Yo, you’re all great warriors. And while I don’t know any of you, nor your intentions I do have a favor to ask. My name is Strazio Rockwell and I intend to slay Dracula and free the Pale Moors from his influence. Please, if you have the courage, find me in the Moors and help me bring light to that damnable place.” With his speech out of the way he stepped past the competitors and allowed the guard to lead him towards the exit.

The guard led him down a hallway and to a larger atrium type room. It was here that he heard a familiar voice shout his name. The Defender of Darkshire’s heart dropped as he watched a mountain of flesh saunter towards him. It was the one and only people’s champion, The Rock.

“You did good out there kid” the wrestler mused, while patting Strazio on the back.

“I...holy shit! Rock! I’m so sorry I didn’t save you!” Strazio exclaimed, almost at a loss for words.

The Rock shook his head “you couldn’t have saved me there, that little jabroni had enough explosives to take down ten Rocks.”

The guard sighed “come on ladies, we haven’t got all day. Pick a teleporter already.”

“Where are you going now?” Strazio asked.

“Coruscant, I heard there were some candy asses that needed some smackdown. Want to tag along? The Rock N’ Rock Connection rides again?”

Strazio looked down at the ground and then back up at his massive companion “sorry, but I’ve got a promise to keep and I need to go to the Endless Dunes. Looks like the Rock N’ Rock Connection is dead big guy.” There was a moment of pregnant silence as the two squared off. The Rock reached into his pocket and pulled out a small rectangle.

“Here take this, I’ve got like a million. Call me if you ever need any help.”

Strazio thanked Rock for the gift and they both turned towards their respective teleporters. The Defender of Darkshire frowned as he stepped into the teleporter and waited for it to power up.

“Hey Rockwell!”

“Yeah?”

“The Rock N’ Rock Connection never dies.”

And with that the world disappeared and was replaced by an endless sea of sand. Strazio smiled softly, while clutching the communicator. He knew that he had gained much more than just an artifact in this competition.