Atari and Epic own all
Chapter 12: The Downward Spiral
I sat at home the remainder of that season, somehow I was able to cover my tracks enough to keep the officials from knowing I was even on the settlement planet at the time of the massacre. Liandri appointed Ophelia responsible for the entire thing, how she even survived is a mystery to me to this day. I hated sitting at home that season, watching what I could have been a part of. An old soldier named Arkon made his return to the tournament after retiring several years before, sadly he died before the end of the season, one of those nutbar Nitemare members took him out. Malcolm dominated the season with Brock and Lauren watching his back, and actually managed to overthrow Gorge as the champ that season, he re-aggravated his leg injury that was originally given to him by yours truly, but he pulled out a win. The world was shocked that Xan never resurfaced, and he was soon forgotten. Thunder Crash spiraled down the standings without the leadership of Malcolm as the Iron Guard also slipped down the ranks without their strongest links. An upstart team that called themselves Supernova took the world by surprise coming literally out of nowhere and finishing the season in second place overall, only because they could have been first if they had another week or two. I recognized several faces in Supernova as former Phalanx, it was nice to see at least some were still sticking together.
I had to spend the off-season in extensive therapy and counseling in order to be allowed back into the tournament, and eventually they consented to my return. My first match back was scary going in, I had been on the shelf for more than half a year… I would have been worried about being killed if I didn't so much wish it would happen. I was pitted in a death match against several other opponents. There was a pair of Nitemares, a Skaarj, a handful of Gorge's boys and a soldier who used to fight under me in the Dark Phalanx. I forget his name, Keith I think it was… it didn't matter anymore, he now went under the name Torch and was a higher up in Supernova. The siren sounded and we all went into our frenzies. The Skaarj immediately hunted me down and wanted my blood. He swung at me with those retractable steel claws they donned, sadly for him my flak cannon had a better reach. I didn't even bat an eye as his torso exploded with hot shrapnel, I was home. Torch and I formed a temporary alliance and took down the others effectively. The Nitemares were pushovers, clearly they were nowhere near as tough as they tried to look. As Torch killed one of them he actually took the freak's top hat and wore it for the rest of the match, very entertaining. Gorge's warriors were a little tougher, I wished at that point that they hadn't banned the rippers, but we did manage to take them down. It was then down to Torch and myself, I should have done the honourable thing and let him get distance then restart, but instead I shot him as soon as the last Juggernaut fell. I didn't kill Torch, maybe I'm sentimental, I just wounded him in his leg, he would only be out a month or two. That season was… oh who cares, after all those years all the seasons seemed the same. Yeah over the years I had my chance to be champion, I was in a few of the matches that could have crowned me, but I was always just that little bit off. Maybe it's best that a cynical, jaded son of a bitch like me was never champion, I doubt it could have saved me. I kept telling myself every year that maybe if I could be champion, that would be enough and I could finally walk away from this damn sport… I guess we'll never know. Nineteen years… nineteen God forsaken years. What have I done with my life? What do I have to show for it? If I retired or died tomorrow I doubt I would be remembered, I would become just another forgotten has been… or a never was. I was young, I loved, I had dreams, all of those are gone now. All I look forward to now is seeing the next body that falls at my feet. Eventually I did find Ophelia, and I killed her. Brock also died a few seasons ago at my hand. These were my allies, maybe even possibly friends, and I don't care, I kill them all the same. The Hellions I've all but destroyed myself, simply because I hate them and I don't even know why. The Necris, I've all but ended them, simply because I hate them for what happened in an assault game years ago. Juggernaut, I kill them whenever I get the chance, simply because I hate them for what they did to Bjorn. The Skaarj, I hate them because of Arielle. When Xan returned and brough his his Corrupt, I hated them simply because I hate Xan. The Thunder Crash, I hate them because I hate Malcolm… I hate Malcolm because I'm jealous of Malcolm… The Nitemare I hate simply because I don't understand them… why do I fight? I fight because I hate. I hate because I have no other emotions left but hate. What will I do when I run out of bodies to kill and teams to hate? What will I do when I can no longer focus my hate on sanctioned murder? Will my hate for myself finally overcome me? No matter, a man like me never will know Heaven, and I certainly have already grown accustomed to Hell.
Abrupt ending, yes. Was intended to be that way to show the final steps of Jordan's hopelessness and how he has become a man who simply doesn't care anymore. I know this story was really quite negative and I'm sure I will get some less than happy reviews, but I hope you liked it anyways.
