NBA Dramatique: Ketchup

A vast failure of the magical energies surrounding them had sent the Sorcerers on a journey. Grand Mage Edd had searched the astral plane for an answer and detected a great upsurge of mystical power far to the south. His acolytes came into contact with a young man who had discovered an enchanted artifact that bestowed fantastic abilities upon him. His very body was a type of magical construct, and his companions seemed to be created whole-cloth from the magical ether. Though it was apparent almost immediately that the young man's artifact was not the cause of their own disconnect with mysticism, the Grand Mage allowed a contest of power to play out. It was an error, for the might of this child in the form of a super man was more than the crippled sorcerers could contain. The Man-child directed his associates in a defensive stand that protected the artifact, their fort, and their rep, while making the magic-users look old-fashioned and out of touch. Antawn was especially embarrassed for himself and his brothers, and harshly criticized their lack of dedication to the craft.

*****

The false-idolatry of Kw-Uhnx-Wa had yet to shake the foundations of the earth. The pretend totemic rites that were meant to glorify the activation of the super-weapon not only were meaningless, but had not achieved any effect at all. The machine had yet to properly operate. The only enemy that had fallen before them had been the Wolf tribe, and that was merely due to the benefit of having the power of flight - not a common commodity in the war. One day prior, the first fight of the war to take place completely in the air had been a thorough trouncing of Kw-Uhnx-Wa by the Sky Fortress, which the young upstarts had foolishly initiated. They were better prepared for the next air war. The Red Death had appeared flying in fast from the east, and engaged the false-feathered fliers upon sight. The Red Death was undermanned, but that was unknown to the youngsters. Both squadrons flew with courage and skill, but the streamlined micro-jet fighters of the Red Death edged the weather manipulators, and flew off from the dogfight as loose feathers floated somberly to the ground.

*****

The Band had made its first blunder of its sneaky and deceitful campaign, and did so by forgetting a simple fact: you can't con a con. Jerry and his Trojan Horse Tour rolled onto 7th Avenue with a spotless record of success. Their fleece job faltered though when "Dazzlin'" D'Antoni (a rather crafty pitchman) and the former hustlers that made up the 7th Second Chance saw some disturbingly familiar behaviors from the road crew. Pick-pockets were trapped. Shadow-lurkers were confronted and beaten. Equipment was inventoried before and after the performance. The musicians played and played well, but when the show was over and they exited stage left, the look on Jerry's face read plain and simple: fail.

*****

Destiny. A word used more often than it should be. A word that conjures a sense of wonder and fulfillment of things deserved. It can also contain great danger. Those that believe destiny has graced them will often fail to put forth the required effort to bring destiny to fruition. Destiny rewards those that chase it, and makes fools of those who await it. The assassin lived for the chase, and was determined to make sure those who fought at his side would not await destiny. He refused to let them rest when there were days between conflicts. He pushed them to be on the proving grounds earlier and earlier and to stay later and later (although no one was ever there before he was, and no one ever left after). He berated them. He belittled them. He directly attacked them and knocked them to the ground. Then he knew to praise their resistance and strength and determination, but never so much that they felt they had redeemed themselves to him. He was a taskmaster, the bad cop to the good cop played by the Master. It was no act though, and he was not teaching for their benefit. He was ruthlessly single-minded and cared for nothing outside of destroying his enemies in pursuit of the Prize. He wasn't making stronger soldiers, he was sharpening weapons. He was making certain that those he used were the most usable. If they all fell in his quest for the Prize, so be it. It would be his.

This is the enemy that the Sky Fortress faced when they sent their landing craft into the courtyard of the Western Banner. The Sky Fortress was an assemblage of dangerous and relentless combatants. They faced the Black Knight. The Sky Fortress had the advanced weaponry provided by the technological corporations of Yao. The Banner had the Black Knight. The Sky Fortress was a rogue's gallery of fighters that had either made their name by fighting with other armies or climbed the ranks from the infancy of the Fortress. The Black Knight was the most dangerous man alive, without question, and already knew what it was like to see the Prize reflecting purple and gold. Had seen that three times as a young killer. He missed it.

Another display of merciless dominance. The defeat of the Sky Fortress sent mouths into motion all across the land, with one word formed over and over: destiny.

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