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Date Posted: 21:40:37 03/12/03 Wed
Author: "The Sentinel" Gabriel Blade
Subject: Strange Dreams, or Urgent Messages (IM)

(Scene opens with a shot of the inside of the hotel room of “The Sentinel” Gabriel Blade. It is night time and all is dark. The lights are out, the curtains drawn. The only illumination is the faint glow of his alarm clock and the modicum of light coming from the bathroom, it’s light carelessly left on, it’s door carelessly left open, just a crack, but enough for a hint of light to shine through.)

(It’s a good thing the Superfans’ room got upgraded, and split in three for that matter. With them each having their own room, there is no conflict about who gets a bed and who is stuck with a cot, for all can sleep comfortably. Also, the upgrade to a king sized bed comes in particularly handy tonight, as the Sentinel’s rest is anything but peaceful. From one look at his sheets it is clear that he has been tossing and turning to quite a degree, making a mess out of the previously cleanly and ordered affair. As we watch he tosses and turns some more. Fretful, anxious, his rest is almost not even restful.)

(Something’s bothering him. He’s nervous, tense, and maybe even a little bit afraid. Of course, he’s nervous over the upcoming Iron Man pay per view; he’d be a damned fool if he wasn’t. This is the culmination of months of work, months of training to the point of exhaustion every off day; months of fighting till the last breath in the ring. His fought his way, clawed his way tooth and nail to the very top of the mountain, the very peak of achievement; he stands atop the pile. Yet his lead is tenuous to put it best. With just 2 points over the men tied for second and four over the man in fourth, he could be easily overcome. It all comes down to this, the final event, the Iron Man tournament. 16 men, single elimination. If any one of those men is able to take him out of this competition at any stage, he loses not only the gold medal, not only the title of Iron Man, but the Unified Championship. So yes, he’s nervous about the competition, hell, he’s petrified. But there’s something more than that going on here.)

(It’s as if something else was feeding his tension, fueling it, enhancing it artificially. And it’s as if there’s someone else in the room, someone watching him, circling him like a predator circling its prey. Whatever it is, there is a definite presence in the room other than his own, and though he may not be consciously aware of it, he does perceive it, and it makes him all the wearier. It’s a wonder he’s able to sleep at all, but it seems that the same forces acting on him and lying in wait of him also seek to lull him into slumber. So after but a few hours of tossing and turning and false rest, the Sentinel’s eyes close and stay closed. Consciousness visibly seeps out of his body, and the dream world calls him to it…)

Voice- (ever so softly) Mr. Blade… Mr. Blade, I’m waiting for you.

(So soft he’s not even sure he heard it, so light he’s not sure if it’s real. And in these, the first moments of sleep he is not yet sure of whether he wakes or dreams.)

Voice- Mr. Blade, it’s time now, there’s so much work to be done…

(The world swirls around him, the features of the hotel room fading away one by one, flowing into a cloud of swirling color and light. As new features begin to form out of the ether they remain foggy and indistinct. He is in a place that no logical mind would accept as real, but for the unconscious mind, logic is a tool beyond reach. Details slowly begin to emerge. Stone walls seem to form. Dankness permeates the air, the ghostly smell of mildew and decay reaches our noses. We feel low, very low, possibly underground. Things become slowly more clear still, and it seems we are in a basement. A dark and faintly evil seeming basement, but a basement that for some reason we cannot put our finger on seems rather familiar. The voice returns to us now at full volume, and with an apparent corporeal form behind it.)

Voice- Mr. Blade, I said there is much work to do. It’s time for your next lesson.

(Gabe spins around to face the source of the voice and finds himself face to face with a handsome brown haired man. The same man who has crept ever more into the deepest corners of his thoughts this recent weeks. The same man who has haunted his dreams. The same man who served as teacher and torture to him in the dream that now seems so far ago. Gone are the demure teacher clothes he wore before. Now our netherworld instructor seems powerful, in charge, a definite presence, a force to be reckoned with. As such, he wears not the plain brown suit of the past, but instead a suit of pure black, cut to accentuate his build and lend him an air of power, as if the strange glow of his eyes didn’t do that well enough on its own. He stands directly in front of Blade, and with the lightest of touches, barely even a push, he forces Gabe back and down. Gabe falls into a rough wooden seat awaiting him, and as he falls into place, leather straps shoot forth from it and wrap around him, securing his arms, legs, and head, forcing him to sit relatively motionless and to look directly forward. The man before him begins to pace slightly as he continues to speak.)

Man- Now, Mr. Blade, you did manage to do alright for yourself after our first lesson. It seems you learned enough from it to keep yourself a float, and to not loose too much ground. But it is clear from your behavior since than that you have much left to learn. Therefore, it is time that we resume our lesson. And as I have seen that you are not exactly one to be swayed by subtleties, I thought it best to avoid the classroom motif and travel straight to our more productive environment.

(The man gestures to their surroundings on his last statement. He then walks over to the Sentinel and tightens each of his restraints, making sure that Blade has not the slightest bit of slack with which to operate.)

Man- Now, I do hope I have your attention. As our previous lesson taught us, there are a great number of forces or factors acting on our subject… you, that is. Those forces are far to varied and numerous for us to get into at this time, and we’ll just have to act under the assumption that a review is unnecessary. Does that sound alright to you?

(The man asks his question with a sickeningly sweet smile as Gabe struggles futilely against his bounds.)

Man- Good. Now, you have learned the number of forces acting against you and you have faced them… tolerably well. Not nearly as well as I would have hoped, but well enough to get the job done. However, now is time to consider more than just dealing with those forces. Now is the time to consider how exactly you are dealing with a handful of those forces. In particular the large physical forces that actively fight against you in your quest to obtain the Iron Man title. Now, Mr. Blade, here is an area where I have found you sorely lacking.

(His voice carries with it a severe reprimand as he stands, hands clasped behind his back, talking down to the young warrior, every bit playing the role of teacher. Based on his comfort and demeanor you would never guess just how out of place he seems in this dungeon like lair.)

Man- Now, this is not to say that you haven’t been trying to defeat them, or even that you haven’t been trying to defeat them as strongly as you think you can. But your approach, Mr. Blade, is subpar, and you must learn a thing or two if you are to finish this quest you have started. I’m afraid, Mr. Blade, that you have been coddling your enemies. Yes, it’s true. You fail to realize it, but it is true. And I use the word enemies specifically because that is what they are, they are not competitors, they are not fellow Warriors marching down the same path as you. They are your enemies. They are what stands between you and everything you’ve ever wanted, everything you’ve ever dreamed of. That is how you must think of them if we are to continue.

(Despite himself Gabe begins to feel drawn in by the mesmerizing quality of the man’s speech. Slowly his struggles subside and his attention focuses more on the lesson being offered.)

Man- These men are viscous enemies, Mr. Blade, and in this war it is to be you or them. You treat these beasts to well, you give them too much respect, and you pay them too much tribute. You treat them as equals, you respect every rule, every regulation, and every boundary because you wish, at all costs, to preserve your Honor. But what you fail to realize, Mr. Blade, is that these “men” you face are nothing of the sort. They are monsters. They are creatures beneath you, beneath the respect you have for humanity. They are not to be treated as equals and fought with respect, they are to be crushed, destroyed anyway you can, and shoved out of the way of the goal that drives you.

(Gabe recoils at the idea, but the teacher presses on, placing his arms alongside Gabe’s on the armrest, leaning over and staring directly into his eyes, then speaking in a soft but harsh tone from mere inches away.)

Man- Look at them, Mr. Blade, Look at them! Look at each and every one of them. Look at Paco, you’re first round competition. This beast has been a part of some of the most destructive forces this industry has ever known. This giant monster has been part of organizations whose sole purpose was to crush and maim, to injure and destroy all that inconvenienced them. He has beaten and bruised innocent people; he has crippled men and ruined lives. He would sell out his own mother to defeat you, there is no crime, no sin, and nothing he wouldn’t be willing to do to get what he wants. This is a being not worthy of the respect you show to mankind! This is no man, this is a thing to be punished for its crimes and thrown aside as soon as possible.

(Blade shudders under the verbal assault, but feels the glimmer of truth in what the mysterious man says.)

Man- Look at Dr. Karate. This vile excuse for an individual makes his living off the pain and suffering of others. He lords over unnecessary medication and harmful surgery, he gladly and willingly inflicts injury on others to pad his wallet. And he is afraid to do his own dirty work. Remember, this a man who was looking for contracts, contracts to have his boy take you out in the first round of the tournament, to end your dreams before they even began. This is no man to be respected, this is a wart on humanity that should be burned off.

(A flicker of anger, not at his “teacher,” but at Karate and his wickedness, flashes across Blade’s face. The man sees it, relishes it, revels in it, and seizes onto it. He’s beginning to have an affect. He must keep pushing.)

Man- And let’s not forget the lapdog of this black hearted “doctor.” Uesugi, the Japanese Torpedo, another force of evil acting against you. Uesugi is a puppet, a tool of Dr. Karate, a marionette with no strings. The good doctor speaks and Uesugi acts. This mindless thing does not deserve a second of your consideration. This soulless abomination is to be swatted away, brushed aside however possible and promptly forgotten about.

(Yes, he can tell. Blade is feeling his words. He doesn’t want to admit to them, he doesn’t believe the world is like his teacher is presenting it. But the foundation is there. All he has to do is build upon it.)

Man- And what other (sarcastically) “Honorable men” fight to screw you out of what is yours in this tournament? The Native? This slovenly oaf has the intellect of a cockroach and civilization of a cannibal. This insignificant bug should not stand in your way, but if he does, dispose of him and be done with it. Show no mercy, show no consideration. Remember the others that stand against you, crush he who is directly in front of you, and prepare for the rest.

(Gabe struggles again, physically against his bounds and mentally against the message being conveyed to him. But his dream world captor is confidence the message will hold, with time.)

Man- And let’s look at the rest. Who amongst these men is deserving of the respect you give them? Who amongst them has any Honor? Craig Lassiter? I think not.

Gabe- (weakly) Craig is my friend…

Man- You’re friend? Is he, really? And how exactly is that? How exactly did he earn that title? Do the two of you “hang out?” Does he stop by and take you out for tea? I don’t think so. He is not your friend, and he never was your friend. What you think of as friendship is an echo of the false friendship he once had with the man who originated your name. Yes, the original Sentinel and Lassiter were “friends” once upon a time, but what came of it? Lassiter betrayed him, just like everyone else who ever called him friend. Craig Lassiter doesn’t care about you; he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. He’s a tired old man grabbing his last chance for power and glory. He wants to feel like a champion again, and he wants to take back control of this federation, and he’ll do anything to do it. He’d betray you just as quickly as he betrayed the first Sentinel if it would get him where he wanted to go. Remember that. And remember that this is a man who held you down to promote his golden boy when he held the reigns of power. Forget any “friendship” you may think you have with this man should he stand against you, and strike him down with the swiftest of blows.

(The teacher stares directly into Blade’s eyes, boring his point into the mind of the subject he wishes to educate. The normally strong willed and stubborn Blade averts his eyes under the unwavering gaze of this being who would be his mentor.)

Man- And let us think for a minute on Lassiter’s opponent, the one and only Curtis Slamm. It should require no convincing on my part for you to destroy this villain. You need only remember the crimes of his past. Remember his attacks on the first Sentinel; remember his physical theft of that Sentinel’s world title. Remember his crimes against you, remember that were it not for him, you would have won the first Iron Man. Remember, and allow your righteous anger to grow, to fuel you so that you may destroy he who stands against you.

(The questionable teacher skips over the Threat for now, not excluding him, but replacing him, prioritizing so his message will have the greatest impact on its receiver.)

Man- And let us now look to the other bracket in this tournament of tournaments. Only one of these evil souls will stand against you, but it could be any one of them, and you must prepare your mind, body, and heart to decimate whosoever it should be. First there is Stu Price. The self proclaimed number one Brit, and a man you know to be without Honor. He participated in the 3 on 2 theft of the tag team titles from around your waist; he stood by some of your greatest enemies. He sought to defeat you one on one in the ring to increase his glory at the expense of your own. Should this man do the impossible and rise to face you in the greatest of battles, remember his wrongs and punish him for them.

(The man pause, assessing his progress. It’s not a sure thing yet, the boy could still go either way. But progress enough has been made, and he has many cards left to play.)

Man- And what of Kurt Tremere, the Unified Champion? The man who represents all of the UWS. The man who represents you. Does he deserve that Honor? Think about him, Mr. Blade, think about him long and hard and tell me that he deserves that title at all. You and I both know he doesn’t, and we both know he allowed the OWF title to slip away while hanging desperately onto the Unified title because he is scared that he doesn’t have what it takes to keep either of them. He clings to that belt like a shipwrecked man clings to a life preserver, and to reinforce his own belief and stroke his own ego, he strikes out at you and all others who would hold that prestigious prize, telling you that you are not worthy, that you are not on the level that he is, that you are nothing to him. He’s wrong, isn’t he, Mr. Blade? Well, when the time comes, you show him how wrong he is.

(The man sees it, that slight twitch in his subject, that telltale sign of the effect he is having. He knows all the right things to say, all the right buttons to push. If he keeps things on track, the boy will be his by the end of the night.)

Man- And what of the current OWF Champion, what of Edmund Paine? This joke of a man sullies your great profession and brings shame to all those who participate in it. His voice detracts from all that you are, his voice must be silenced. And lest we forget that it is because of this man that you have not already won the Iron Man competition. Think of the teamwork event. Did he fight in that ring at all? Did he do anything to help you, anything he should have done as a partner? No, he let you go it alone, and when he did finally climb into the ring, he blasted you across the back of the head with his championship belt. Because of his incompetence and his treachery as a partner your lead is as small as it is. Were it not for him, you would have 6 more points, your top two competitors would have 6 less, and the gold medal and title of Iron Man would be secured. The only thing on the line would be the unified title, and you would have that much less on your shoulders. Think of what he has done. Think of all that he has cost you. And do to him what you want to do, do to him what deserves to be done. Rip him apart. Tear out his heart and throw it out with the rest of the trash. Punish him just enough to weaken your justified anger, and save the rest of that for whoever else would challenge you.

(There it is again, that spark of anger in the UWS superstar. Whatever he feels, he feels intensely. The teacher will use that, and a grain of the truth to force the Sentinel exactly where he wants him to go.)

Man- And think now of Tumbler. This upstart is one of the men to hold the tag team titles that by all rights should be yours. This childlike fool is a walking punch line, to see him with a title that you once held is a smack in the face to your Honor. This man is without morals, without dignity, and without intelligence, and yet he still stands as one of the men who could steal your gold medal, one of the men who could take everything away from you. Don’t stand for it any longer. Put him in his place, and don’t look back.

(The teacher grows anxious as his student grows more agitated. He is close to his goal; he can feel it now. And he hasn’t pulled out the big guns yet. This will be easy, all he has to do is keep going.)

Man- And Tumblers opponent, the demented Sin? This is a man who seeks to sully your name with his crimes. This is a brute who doesn’t respect the innocent and who tortures and maims any he sees fit. This is a man who acts as Judge, jury, and executioner the land where you are already Judge. Don’t let him take what is yours away from you. Instead, learn the one lesson you can from him. Show no restraint, have no qualms about what you must, just do it as he would, and do it to him. Do it to anyone of the evil creatures who would destroy you.

(He skips over Michael Burke not to reorganize targets but for prudence sake. He intends on leaving Burke out all together. Sure, there are angles he could pursue, he could point to Burke as the weak link of their team, he could accuse him of never really being there for Blade. But despite the brief time they have known each other, a deep friendship has formed, and to attempt to break that bound would likely do more harm to his cause than good.)

Man- And what of Brian Thorn? The being whose arrogance overshadows that which is possible for any man. The creature who disrespects all others, worshipping only upon himself. The fiend who sought to buy victory away from you in a most soulless manner. The man who still stands just beneath you, poise to easily knock you off of your current perch. Just remember all he has said to and about you, just remember all he has done to try to make you fall. Just remember his crimes every time you feel the pain in your knee come again. He could take it all away from you with one victory. If you don’t do everything in your power to stop him, it will be your own fault when he does. He doesn’t respect the rules of this competition, so there is no need for you to respect them in regard to him. If he should make it with you to the finals then you do whatever it takes to end him. And know that he would do the same to you.

(Now he’s really putting the pressure on. The first of his big guns has been fired. He has two left. If he can force his words into young Blades head and keep them there, the world will be his.)

Man- And then, of course, we have the neglected Shane Brandon. Look at yourself, I see the way you look when I speak his name. Time and other enemies may have lessened your hatred for him, but it still burns within you, and rightfully so. This bastard stole victory away from you in the inaugural Iron Man competition. This man took it from you, and very nearly broke you as he did. He tried to destroy you then, and he’ll try again now. The only way you can survive is to destroy him first. He’s already run from you twice before. If you let him run again, you’ll never gain retribution. And if you don’t face him with nothing but vengeance in your heart, you will fall to him again. Think of all he has taken from you and all the pain he has caused you already, and know what you must do when you face him.

(His lesson is almost over now, one more gun, one more bullet. If this shot strikes true, his mission will be complete.)

Man- And now, of course, we come to the last enemy on our list. The last villain who shall face you. The other man to stand just beneath you on the Iron Man mountain, and the greatest threat to you. Lee F’n’ Todd. You have said yourself all the reasons you have for hating this man, and destroying him. Do I need to repeat them? Perhaps I should just remind you of a few crucial points. He holds the championship of the division in which you rightfully belong. He holds the tag team titles he stole from you. He mocks you with every action he takes and every word he speaks. Despite all that you have done, he refuses to show you the respect you deserve. He hurts his friends, he hurts his family, he hurts you. He’s a monster, Mr. Blade, and he’s a murderer. He killed she who he loved so much, though he himself is not aware of it, and though when you awake, you won’t be either. But you will remember, if not the knowledge, the feelings it evokes. And you will think in the deepest corners of your mind, if he can do that to someone he loves, what would he do to you? Punish him for his crimes and save yourself from his evil. Do whatever you have to do to survive. And claim the titles that are rightfully yours. Now, what have you learned today?

(As he speaks these last words, a spectre of Lee Todd’s face appears over his own, and both faces smile and evil taunting smile. Blade lets out a blood curdling scream and fights against his bounds, snapping them all. He lunges forward, tackling the man before him to the ground and showering him with blows. Bruises and blood form on the phantom face of Lee Todd, but the teacher’s face remains untouched and smiling beneath. His fists stop pounding the ghostly image and wrap around the neck, attempting to crush out all air, to strangle out all life as murderous rage burns in his eyes.)

Man- Good, good, I do believe you’ve learned your lesson.

Voice- STOP

(The voice, strong and unflinching, bellows forth like a burst of light. And indeed, a burst of light does accompany it. Blade and the teacher both look up to the source of the light, and see a giant silhouette emerging from it. Their mouths both drop in surprise, and Gabe’s hands slide off his teacher’s throat as he stares in awe up at the form of the original Sentinel. The Sentinel walks over to him and extends his hand, helping Gabe to his feet as the former teacher looks on in disgust.)

Sentinel- Gabe, you have to stop. You have to see what he’s doing. He’s manipulating you. Twisting you, turning you away from where you belong, turning you to the dark and away from the light. You can’t let him do that to you, for if he does, that will be a greater fall than losing any title, losing any competition. You are strong, Gabe, and pure. You are a worthy successor, and I am proud that you carry my name. But you are human, and you have weakness. He seeks to exploit that weakness for his own purposes, and to turn you into the very thing we both despise. Don’t make this tournament about inflicting pain, don’t make it about quenching anger. Fight, and fight with everything you have. But do not compromise your principles, for to do so would be to forfeit your Honor. There are men who have wrong you in this competition, and for that they will receive their Just punishment. There are men who have faltered or fallen, and when their time comes they will be Judged. But remember what this tournament is really all about. Remember your own words, not his. The is about Noble competition, this is about 16 Warriors fighting for their Honor, testing themselves against each other not only to see who is best, but to see to it that each is the best he can be, and that all grow. If that purpose is Honored, than you will have accomplished a Great thing whether you win or lose. Remember that, don’t let evil cloud your mind and poison your heart. Face this battle as the Warrior I know you to be, and remember, no matter what I am proud of you. The Greatest challenge you have ever faced is at hand, but I have faith in you, and in the good in you. Judgement Day is Coming, Gabe, know that you are Prepare To Be Judged.

(The teacher snarls in disgust and slinks away as the Sentinel casts a disdainful glance upon him. He’s lost tonight, the boy will not be his, not now, not with the man who means the world to him standing against his teachings. Best to run away now and hope that your message is better received another day.)

(Gabe stares in wonderment and awe at his greatest Hero as the Sentinel nods warmly to him and backs slowly away, back into the light from whence he came. Gabe is filled with Pride, and strength, at his words and his presence. He will do everything in his power to live up to the Legacy of the name Sentinel, and to win this tournament, but win it fairly, with Honor and Justice. The memories of the events of this dream begin to fade already as the dream world itself fades around him, but the heart of it will stay with him.)

(And as the dream world recedes from view, replaced with a vast swirling nothingness, we are left to contemplate whether the mysterious and evil teacher and the Noble Warrior were in fact visitors into the world of Blade’s dreams coming to him to share their message or whether they were facets of his own mind. And regardless of which is the case, we are left to wonder what is to come. Good has triumphed over evil for now, but be he intruder or part of Blade’s own soul, the teacher may well be back, and the next time, the first Sentinel, memory or reality, may not be able to stop him. Perhaps young Blade will stand strong and hold on to his beliefs through victory or failure. Or perhaps the dark seeds that were planted in him will flourish and grow. Only time will tell.)

(Fade To Black.)

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