The story has elements of both Dark War storyline and DemonxBunny's Masters of the Multiverse, so all credit goes to both Impact Wrestling and DemonxBunny. I do not own the characters, only the OCs. The story is entirely fictional.
Characters may look and act different than they do in real life. This was done intentionally, and things will change over time in this story, so please be patient.
Rating: M, for violence, coarse language, and mature themes/events that will appear throughout this story. Remember, this is Femslash, so if that's not your thing, you may not like this story.
Pairings: Allie/Rosemary (DemonxBunny), others over time.
Aftermath of the Dark War Chapter 25: Arrival at the Omni Sports Tournament by Jurassicfatt
Rosemary's Pov, Talbott Inn, Main Room, Morning
I walk towards the bathroom. Allie is in front the mirror with her tongue sticking out, staring at her new silver tongue piercing. She notices me and turns in my direction.
"See what I meant when I said you wouldn't believe us?" I say aloud.
"I don't even know what to think. My eyes have completely changed color and I have a tongue piercing that wasn't there before. How? How is this even possible?" Allie asks me. I push a hand through my hair.
"I have no idea, Bunny. Come back into the main room. I want to know what happened in the dream." We walk into the other room, Caretaker still visible in the cloud.
"Are you alright?" he asks.
"Not sure yet. This whole thing," she points to her eyes and face, "came as one heck of a shock".
"Tell us what happened in the dream." I urge her. She starts to speak about the nightmare, leaving out no details. The bullies, Braxton, Certrius and her lookalike, Cherry Bomb. I can tell reliving those moments were not easy, her body stiffening and voice going low when she describes how they attacked/belittled her.
"I'm so sorry you had to deal with all that, Bunny." I tell her. "Wait, so this girl actually attacked Certrius?"
"Yeah. Stabbed him right in the chest. It was really something. Cherry started to talk to me right after, too. She was really mean and insulting, with a lot of attitude. She said I needed her help. She said the Jewel chose me, and that I'm the rightful owner. She said I could learn to use its full power. She offered to help me and said she knew someone who could teach me. When I refused, she slapped me, kicked my head and pinned me down. This green energy started coming off her and onto me. It felt like I was getting shocked by electricity." Allie explains.
"Fucking bitch." I snarl, feeling my heart rate increasing. I feel like snapping someone's neck!
"I felt trapped. I tried to move, but I couldn't do anything." she says to me.
"You gave me a real scare, Bunny. Without the amulet, I don't think I would have known what was going on."
"What do you mean? Did the amulet wake you?" she asks. I nod.
"Yeah. It told me to get up. When I did, you really started to scream. I ran in the bedroom, brought you here and called Caretaker. We tried to contact Cal, but there was no answer. The voice from the amulet spoke to me again, telling me to put the amulet to your lips so it could help you." I still don't know who the voice is, but I'm grateful I listened to him.
"Can you describe the voice? How it sounded?"
"Well, it seems to be male. Low and raspy. Says 'we' and 'us' instead of I." I tell her.
"I heard it!"
"What?" Caretaker and I both ask.
"When Cherry was shocking me, a voice came up, and starting talking to her. She talked back, arguing with it. Then the room went cold. A blue smoke cloud showed up and a new, low, and raspy voice started to speak. It frightened Cherry really bad." Allie tells us. Wait, a blue smoke cloud? Like the ones that threatened the Warlord when she got in my head? It must be the same.
"What happened next?" I ask.
"She was so frightened she let me go and tried to run. This black energy from the cloud started inching towards her. Cherry became covered in green energy, the other voice telling her she was of no use. The raspy blue cloud threatened the voice, calling it a cultist, and then came towards me. He said that while my 'aesthetics have changed, my soul remains.' He told me to return, and that's when I woke up." Caretaker strokes his beard.
"Hmm. I don't like this. This Cherry Bomb, she does not appear to be a sorceress. Someone else must have been behind her entry into your dream. If she is even a real person."
"Certrius? Some sort of ploy, maybe?" I ask. He shakes his head.
"No. I don't think so. Why would he bother to take himself out of the dream, if she was just going to cause the same torment?" Caretaker asserts.
"I don't think she was supposed to. That other voice she was arguing with, he did say that it 'wasn't part of the plan'." Allie states.
"Hmm. Well, we do know 'someone' is behind this. We just don't know who? Or why?" Caretaker remarks.
"What about the voice from the amulet? The one that saved Allie?" I ask him.
"That is another question. Only Cal can help us with that."
"Can we trust it?" Allie asks quickly.
"I'm not sure." I respond. "Even though it has helped us, I still don't know this 'stranger's' intentions."
"Once you meet Cal, you'll need to ask him what he knows. He's got the Book of Zarash with him. If he left last night, he might be halfway to the tournament by now. You might be able to catch up to him." Caretaker tells us.
"What time is it now?" Allie asks.
"Just about 8 am. According to Edwards, the Omni Sports Tournament isn't too far from here." I tell her.
"Oh yes. I meant to tell you, but this morning's events took precedent. I received a message from the Hive academy early this morning. You're not going to like what they said."
"What? What did they say?" I ask.
"According to assassin Gerrod, you were supposed to return to the Outpost outside Kaduran city limits after your Western assignment. He was unhappy with your sudden change in course. Since you would not give him access to your atlas location, he said he was going to file a formal complaint on you." Caretaker states. Of course, it had to be Gerrod. That fucking snake has been trying to undermine me since I joined the Academy.
"What an asshole. What about my report on Certrius? Was it taken to the Assassin's Guild?"
"I'm sorry Rosemary, but no. He said that given the fact there have been no sightings other than your own, you must be falsifying the encounter. He does not want to bother the Guild with rumors and lies. For all intents and purposes, Certrius is dead and will remain as such in the records."
"That's ridiculous! Why would you lie about that? He tried to kill you. How could he say such a thing?" Allie asks, clearly in shock.
"Because Gerrod is a jackass. Always looking for the spotlight and ways to make everyone else look bad. So, what, the attack that happened when I saved Allie-"
"Was done by a sorcerer, just not the one you allege. Those were his words, not mine." Caretaker explains. Bastard!
"What did Professor Park say?" I ask. If there's anyone I still have respect for, it's my former teacher.
"He's defending you, saying you would never lie to the Guild and that they should take this more seriously. Unfortunately, Gerrod has more say and has refused to speak of the matter."
"Damn it Gerrod! Get your head out of your ass and give them the news. The Assassins Guild has the highest authority and runs all of the academies. They need to know he's still alive, warn the others, and look for him before he attacks again!" I argue.
"I realize that. Believe me. No one has greater hatred for Certrius and his followers than my people do. But the headmaster agrees with him, and so the matter has been closed. I'm sorry." Caretaker says to me.
"Yeah, so am I."
"Does that mean we're on our own?" Allie questions.
"Professor Park said he's more than willing to host you and Allie, if need be, at the Hive academy." Caretaker mentions.
"Some good news. I'll have to thank him the next time we speak." I check the clock on the wall: 8 AM. "We better get going. We're due at the tournament by 12." I sling my bag on my shoulder and turn to Allie. Allie goes into the bathroom and gets our toothbrushes.
"We might need these." she says before laughing, her cheerful little giggle bringing a smile to my face. She puts them in the small container I gave her and stuffs them in the bag. She turns towards the cauldron.
"I'm sorry to have woken you again, Caretaker. It's been a pretty hectic 24 hours. Not every day your eyes change color and you get a tongue piercing."
"It seems it always is with you two. Do not worry, my lady. As long as you two are safe, that is all that matters. And do not worry about the change in your appearance." Caretaker explains.
"You still look great to me." I blurt out loud, without thinking. Why in the world did I just say that? I feel embarrassment wash over me as heat rushes to my face. Allie's cheeks turn a bright pink, her eyes darting away from mine to the ground before looking back at Caretaker.
"Er, Thanks for being so understanding. The both of you. I look forward to seeing you after we've met with Cal, Caretaker." she tells Caretaker.
"I too look forward to our next meeting. Be safe Allie. That goes double for you, Rosemary. Take care girls." Caretaker responds, before waving and ending the call. I open the door to our room and let Allie leave first. We make our way downstairs and I give the key back to the desk clerk. We go outside, I strap my bag to the side of my motorcycle as Allie and I put on our helmets and get on. Revving the engine, I quickly pull out of the Talbott Inn and drive to the Northeast. We need to get a handle on this. Figure out what's going on with the Jewel and my amulet. Hopefully this tournament won't be too hard to spot, and Cal's already there waiting for our arrival.
Allie's Pov, Northeastern territory, Close to Midday
As if things couldn't get any stranger. First, I had one of the worst nightmares of my life, filled with pain and humiliation. Then, I wake up and see that my body has been 'altered', in ways I can't understand. What is up with that? I'm still wondering just how in the world this could have happened? To change my physical appearance through a dream? I hope Cal will be able to fill in these gaps. I wouldn't say it's a bad change. I mean, Rosemary says I still look great. I couldn't help but blush when she said that. I hope she didn't noti- *Sigh*, I'm doing it again. Why oh why do I keep doing this? Allie, get a grip.
The funny part is that I don't think this change is only physical. Ever since I woke from my nightmare, I've had a craving for coffee like I've never experienced before. Don't get me wrong, I love the drink, but my body literally ACHES for it. Is this a side effect of what Cherry did to me? If it is, I don't know what to think about it.
You know, even though it might sound crazy… I can't help but think about Cherry's words. Did the Jewel really choose me? And if so, why? And who is this other person Cherry said could teach me how to use it? I know Certrius wants me so he can use the Jade Jewel for his own gain. But what does this other person want? How come they sent Cherry instead of contacting me themselves? Why did the amulet voice threaten them? Should I trust the amulet? The other voice? Neither? My head is just going around in circles, so maybe I should stop. Rosemary slowly brings the bike to a stop.
"Looks like we're in the right place." she states. I peer over her shoulder, and stare at the sight. In front of us is a large road barrier with two armor covered warriors. The barrier itself is made of orange stone, about 10 ft. tall, and goes on for miles in both directions. Right in front of the barrier, on the left side, sits a sign with the words "Omni Sports Tournament LXII". The first warrior is a beige colored demon with red eyes and horns. He holds a bronze tipped spear in his hand. The second one is a human with green eyes, blond hair and a goatee, a sword on his belt and atlas in his hands. As we come closer to the portion of the barrier directly in front of us, it becomes translucent. In the distance I can see a large red Colosseum, surrounded by tents of all shapes and sizes. It looks like a few people and demons are walking around, but it's way too far to clearly make them out. Rosemary slowly drives up to the checkpoint, as the demon speaks in an unknown guttural tone. Rosemary converses back, before the human comes towards me. He speaks in the same language to me. I blink, not understanding a word of it. Is there a Rosetta Stone or translator app on Rosemary's atlas that I could use? He looks at his atlas, then speaks again.
"What is your business here?" he asks in English, his eyes stern and his voice exuding authority.
"I'm here as the 'assassin-on-guard'. She's my companion." Rosemary easily answers.
"I didn't ask you." he says gruffly, turning to me again. I swallow.
"It's true. I'm accompanying her on the assignment." He eyes me up for a second.
"State your names and residence for the record."
"Rosemary. Kaduran."
"Allie… Kaduran." I say, mimicking Rosemary. I thought it would be much easier to say I was from Kaduran, rather than to try and explain I'm a human from another dimension who was brought here, without my consent, by a notorious Warlord demon. He puts the information into his atlas before nodding.
"Excuse me, but do you know if the sorcerer Cal from Kaduran has arrived?" Rosemary asks him. The human soldier looks through his atlas. He shakes his head.
"Not yet. If you'd like, we can have a guard come to your sleeping quarters once he's arrived?" he offers. Rosemary nods. He punches in a few things on the atlas, before turning to the other soldier.
"They're clear." he says. The demon soldier turns around and presses a few stones in a particular pattern. The orange stone wall directly in front of us disappears, and Rosemary drives past the checkpoint. I hear the stone blocks return once we pass it.
Inching closer and closer to the Colosseum, the tents and tournament attendees come into focus. The tents come in a range of sizes: the smallest ones look like they could house around two people, while the largest could easily accommodate at least thirty, resembling ones you'd see at carnivals/circuses. People and demons are everywhere, from all walks of life. They walk around, alone or in groups, going from tent to tent so they can buy merchandise, food, and drink. Some vendors sell t-shirts with faces of athletes and competitors. Others buy jugs of alcohol and what looks like limbs on a stick. Quickly turning to avoid having to look at that, I also see a bunch of different animals being used for transport. Small Vrandoffs with tent-like structures on their backs. Giant saddled lions and bears. Dinosaur-like creatures with horns and frills. I even saw a man riding a huge cyclops, the creature roaring to warn others of his large impending footsteps. Rosemary parks the motorcycle near a large yellow tent with the sign 'Workers' on it. We disembark and take our helmets off, before walking into the tent.
Inside, loads of soldiers are polishing shields, staffs, bolas, and other weapons left in huge piles on the floor. Some soldiers and other male workers move large benches outside, while women prepare jugs of water, as well as towels and bandages. At the front of this mob of labourers is an average-sized man, clean-shaven and bald, wearing purple robes that go down to his ankles. He stands next to a larger green demon soldier with a spiked breastplate and leg guards. They seem to be directing the entire operation. Rosemary and I walk up to them.
"Who are you two?" the purple-robe man asks.
"I'm assassin Rosemary from the Hive academy. This is my companion." she responds, motioning to me.
"Hi, I'm Allie." I say, waving.
"Ah, the assassin! This is great news." the man states with glee. "See sergeant? She arrived on time. I am Advisor Mervin, associate director of the Omni Sports Tournament under Warlord Vivian the 16th. I will be presiding over this historic 62nd edition of the event and have spared no expense to provide the best entertainment for our venue." Wait, did he say Warlord?
"Calm down Mervin! No one wants to hear you speak about yourself again." The sergeant remarks, earning a glare from the associate director. "I am Sergeant Keeril. I handle security at this event. Are you aware of your duties, assassin?"
"Yes. Your men will handle the crowds and drunks. I get involved only if asked, or in the event any Warlords decide to come uninvited." Rosemary recites.
"Correct, assassin." Mervin speaks again. "We've provided a tent for you. It should be sufficient enough for you and your companion. Accommodations can be made if needed. Food will be provided between 7-7:30 AM, 12:30-2 PM, and 6:30-9 PM. All official tournament kitchens will be closed from 8 AM-12 PM and 2:30-5:30 PM, as the sports will be taking place during said times. Should you require additional sustenance, there are plenty of vendors around to service your needs. Here are your tickets." He hands us two small engraved stones with the letters OST LXII.
"Okay. What about the other soldiers I'll be working alongside?" Rosemary questions.
"They are already settled in, along with healers, trainers, and dark magic recording personnel." Keeril mentions. "Assassin, please keep in mind that we do not have the authority to control what happens between competitors. Only if it directly affects security or the games are we to intervene. Some of them will try to rile the others up, and cause conflict-"
"It is the spirit of competition!" Mervin proclaims, rudely interrupting Keeril before continuing. "All challenges made between competitors must be followed through. Any competitor who refuses will be banished from the games for this event and for the next 3 tournaments. On the day of each individual event, all rules and details will be provided. All competitors are to be accounted for before the morning section and after the last section of daily activities. You, assassin, will survey the Colosseum during both sets of activities. You will also survey the grounds before 10 PM, when all competitors will be at rest in their tents."
"Uh-huh, yeah. Got it. Where do I go if I need to clear my head?" Rosemary asks, clearly irritated by Mervin's rehearsed speech.
"We have a flesh center, where you can cleave through tanned Warlord demon hides for hours. There's also an old observatory with a beautiful sea of natural trees and flowers just North of the Colosseum, should you need it. Vivian the 16th has ensured the venue is completely appropriate for all competitor's needs, both tranquil and malicious." Mervin states with excitement. Wow, this guy acts like a pushy salesman! Rosemary rolls her eyes, causing me to snicker.
"What is the security of our accommodations?" she asks.
"Magical seals surround each and every tent. Should you invite a guest, it will ask if you permit that person to enter. No one gets in or out without your approval. My soldiers also patrol in shifts. We take the safety of our clientele and personnel very seriously." Sergeant Keeril explains.
"Can we see it?" I ask.
"Of course. Follow me." Mervin states, motioning for us to follow him. We walk out of the tent and down one of the roadways, going more into the 'Worker tents' area. Mervin brings us to an averaged sized tent structure. The tent is black and red with purple outlines near the opening. The material looks much thicker upon closer analysis. "These tents are made of Sturvian seed, a rare distilled tree bark from the East. It is strong enough to survive the heaviest of attacks, no matter the weapon used." Rosemary pulls a knife from her boot and slashes it. The tent doesn't budge, the knife literally bouncing back the few times she strikes it. She nods in approval as Mervin pulls away the tent's opening.
Inside, the floor is covered in a black fluffy carpeting. Small but discrete holes have been made on the sides of the tent. Putting my hand to them, I feel cool air coming through. In the middle of the room is a large black bed with white pillows and a few lamps. A high countertop-style table sits to the left, a bean bag chair and a small brown coffee table to the right. On the table is a map of the area and a pamphlet publicizing the tournament. There's a bit of room under the countertop, which Mervin says is for luggage. Way at the back is a separate section of the tent, with a finer screen. We peek inside and see the bathroom, which has a toilet, sink, towels, and bathtub.
"I do hope these lodgings are to your liking." Mervin tells us.
"They are fine, thank you." Rosemary responds.
"Good. It is 11:14 AM. Please make sure you are present in the Colosseum by 11:45. Good day, assassin." Mervin declares, before bowing and leaving. Rosemary takes a look around.
"What a snob. So, what do you think, Bunny?" she asks.
"It is pretty nice here." I tell her. It is really lovely; some would say romantic.
"Yeah, seems pretty good. We're short on time, though. I better go get our bags back on the bike." she tells me, before making her way back to the tent's entrance. My eyes automatically stare at her ass as she leaves.
Stop it! What is the matter with me? Shouldn't I be more worried about, oh, I don't know, the fact I just had another horrible, pain-filled nightmare!
You said it yourself. This tent is so romantic! Discrete and safe, with a bed just large enough to cuddle up nice and close to Rosemary. She still looks really worried. Maybe you should 'ease her tension'? the teasing voice in my head remarks. No! Why did I- Sh-shut up! God, my coffee craving is getting worse by the second. I hope one of the vendors sells them here.
Author's Note: As promised, another chapter for Aftermath. So, Allie, Rosemary, and Caretaker discuss the dream, only to discover they both head the amulet voice. Rosemary reassuring Allie she still looks beautiful. Heading towards the Omni Sports Tournament, which is not only super large and popular, but run by a Warlord? They find out from Mervin and Keeril what Rosemary will be doing. I wonder how the opening ceremony will go? Stay tuned, more updates on the way! If you enjoyed, feel free to leave a review. It is always appreciated.