In a world similar to our own, a portion of humanity is able to manifest one of 22 glyphs, conduits of power able to alter the physical world as well as those that possess these enchantments. After a Great War, in which Earth has reached a level of modernization (thanks in part due to the fusion of technology and magick) the nations of the world attempt to maintain and uneasy truce in face of a power vacuum that as resulted from the collapse of the Alban Empire (a conglomerate of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scandinavia, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and several other countries).
With the rise of televised entertainment and broadcast media, the sport known as Spellbreaking remains highly popular. A fusion of contemporary pro wrestling, mixed martial arts, and magick, spellbreakers hail from a legacy of ancient guilds (specially, a class of fighters) but vaudeville and sideshow spectacles have transformed this way of gladiatorial combat into something more modern.
Rise of a Champion Arc
Samuel "Spike" Waterford, a wayward but warm-hearted twenty-two-year old from Brooklyn, is kicked out of the navy for 'misconduct' (namely, being a pinup model for a sleezy magazine). A chance encounter with a wily spellbreaking promoter and former showgirl, Varla Montez, puts him on the path towards becoming a global contender. He is trained by a veteran spellbreaker, family man, and all-around good guy, Mr. Iron, descended from the legendary American folk hero, John Henry. The two men forge a wholesome relationship as coach and student.
contentious. He learns that the two main federations vying for global dominance are the Global Spellbreaking Alliance (GSA), which features diverse talent from around the world, and the cunning Firebird Pro Spellbreaking federation, who focus on employing only those with 'legendary blood'. Backstage, Spike meets Firebird's latest recruit, a tough, Irish lad, descended from Celtic heroes, named Cian Enbarr. Though Spike is eager to make friends, Cian is standoffish and insecure, though good natured.
Cian is supremely defeated by "The Killer Quarterback". Spike manages to use both brawn and his abilities to secure a victory. After being congratulated by Varla and Mr. Iron, he is introduced to his childhood hero, former champion, and president of the GSA, the bombastic and jovial Colt "The Bolt" Tamberly, who offers him a spot on the GSA roster.
The Global Spellbreaking Alliance Arc
Spike flies down to Texas (a separate nation from both the USA and Mexico) where he is shown around campus by Rosa, a lady spellbreaker and cousin to one of their rising stars. Spike becomes acquainted with several rookie spellbreakers, including an Earth-manipulating kushti wrestler, Sanjay, and a laid-back, water-controlling luchador named Dragon Azul (Blue Dragon). He is introduced to his roommate, the strong, shy, and gentle sumo wrestler, Kuma Kengo, whose beautiful back tattoo doubles as his spirit summon, the Bear King Minoru.
Spike also meets Colt's son, the artistic, sarcastic, and strong-willed Buck, who is tasked with most of the GSA's operations and media. Born without a glyph, Buck often expresses insecurity at the expectations of being Colt's son and laments not ever being able to become a spellbreaker. Buck is also in a complicated relationship with Rosa.
After several missteps, including inadvertently hurting Kengo's feelings, Spike slowly gets a handle on his spellbreaking training. At a fundraising gala, he is introduced to several of the school's benefactors, including the giant and eccentric Salim Netjeer, 'The Million Dollar Manager', who helps Spike come out of his shell. Salim introduces Spike to the cold, beautiful, Recida Di Sangro. Spike also meets Joseph Haw, a suave, gentlemanly spellbreaker with the power over wind and water. Spike has a run in with Vahni Rage, Firebird's champion, and immediately sparks a rivalry. During the celebration, a chandelier falls on the International Spellbreaking Committee's treasurer, leading to suspicions of sabotage.
After the fight, the spellbreakers rush back stage to rescue an attacked security guard, who intervened in a potential assassination attempt on White Tiger. Colt suspects Firebird's involvement. The security guard mentions being helped by a mysterious, tall figure in a Gold Mask.
Meanwhile, Firebird's president, the creepy yet charismatic Semyon Grigorivich, pursues his sinister agenda. In addition to his role as Firebird's president, Semyon is also head of a Russian dark ops division called The Black Library, which has access to arcane and dangerous texts. He uses this ancient knowledge to raise the sunken, magickal city of Kitezh from the depths, to further an as-of-yet-unknown goal. He calls for a meeting of a 'Gray Triad' between himself, the man in the gold mask who officially goes by 'The Jackal', and the beautiful Recida Di Sangro, representing the alchemists. They learn that the Tsar Nicholas the Third has actually been dead for years, and his invalid wife, Empress Alexandra, has been acting in his stead. She conspires with Semyon to locate the seven Divine Chalices, un order to unlock "The power of the Goddess". It seems the 'world tour' between the GSA and Firebird is nothing but a front for Semyon to acquire these mysterious artefacts. In addition to this, Semyon forces his spellbreakers to inject 'rubedo', an elixir contacted by the alchemists that gives them enhanced power at the expense of their humanity.
World Tour Arc: Mexico and Bolivia
Under Iggy's mentorship, Spike continues to train for the big world tour. Rosa is invited to join a Japanese federation called Okami, leading to an amicable but tense breakup between her and Buck. Supporting his friends is the powerful, Italian spellbreaker and "Earth Titan", Gio DiToro, who offers his support to the younger rookies.
Back in New York City, Lily and Salim recruit Mr. Iron to their cause. Salim, who is rumored to have dealings in covert intelligence, learns of Russia's attempts to acquire the Divine Chalices for purposes unknown. Salim and Lily are both involved with the non-profit, international oversight body, Aradia, whose goal is to prevent another 'Great War' by regulating dangerous, magickal artefacts. Mr. Iron reluctantly agrees to assist them, though is unaware that his wife Sandra is pregnant. Not wanting to hold him back, and knowing he wouldn't assist the GSA if he knew, she deliberately withholds this information from him.
The first leg of the the world tour is Mexico City, where the celebrated spellbreaker, Calavera Escarlata, welcomes the GSA in a reception. Calavera is also the grandfather of Rosa and her cousin, the masked 'Warrior of Love' who goes by Victor, better known by his ring-name El Amante Intóxico.
During the already awkward gathering, Spike meets Robbie Whitewolf, AKA "Icewolf" one of the two 'Prodigal Nightmares' who were banished from the GSA for causing problems. Though the hit it off, Buck and Rosa warn Spike of the Canadian, ice-controlling jock's scheming ways. The sinister Los Venoms, a heel stable lead by Colt's former rival, Serpent, interrupts the meeting and causes a fight. During the battle, Spike learns that El Amante was once a member of Los Venoms, and that they may have killed his father. Behind the scenes, Los Venoms is in league with Firebird to hunt down one of the Divine Chalices, rumored to be hidden somewhere in Mexico. Serpent has employed the animalistic, prehistoric Tirano Rex to help them, as well as his right-hand man, the 'Dark Bat' Camazotz Jr., the son of the man who may have killed El Amante's father.
Icewolf defeats T. Rex in their match and is invited back to the GSA. As the gang moves on to the Yucatan Peninsula, El Amante and some of the other spellbreakers take a detour to his hometown, near the ancient site of Chichen Itza. It is here that the Divine Chalice of Will is located. Spike, Cian, Buck, and Iggy sneak out at night to tail Mr. Iron, El Amante, and Rosa, who journey into the Pyramid of Kukulcan in Chichen Itza. After completing a test of courage that sees Victor unmaking himself to Iggy and revealing his true name, he procures the Chalice of Will. However, Camazotz Jr. attacks and takes Buck hostage, leading to a standoff. Though the spellbreakers escape with the chalice, a sneak-attack from Camazotz Jr. leaves Iggy critically wounded and El Amante turned evil via the powers of one of the Black Library's dark tomes, the Obsidian Tablet.
A week passes. The GSA moves on to Bolivia. Iggy is cleared to transfer hospitals. Colt and Mr. Iron disclose the true objective of their world tour, which is to retrieve the Divine Chalices on behalf of Aradia before Firebird acquires them. The GSA roster agrees to stand together and carry out the mission, with the priority of getting El Amante/Victor back.
Colt confronts Serpent in a last man standing match on the Uyuni Salt Flats. Serpent attempts to bewitch Colt into harming Buck, but for reasons yet-unknown, Buck resists and is able to snap his father out of hypnosis. Colt defeats Serpent, thereby securing the Divince Chalice of Will and learning Victor's current whereabouts. The GSA learns that Victor will be fighting in the town of Copacabana, near the Isla Del Sol, which houses the corresponding Divine Wellspring of Will.
With the recovering Iggy's mentorship, Spike is able to harness his power over energy to 'transfer' Iggy's affection and love for Victor to him during their match. The dark enchantment is broken. The gang heads to the Isla Del Sol to fill the Chalice with sacred water from its corresponding spring. Meanwhile, Serpent kills Camazotz Jr. when he tries to double-cross Los Venoms for Firebird. An unlikely ally, Dr. Tiago Reyes (the civilian form of Tirano Rex) offers his archaeological assistance to the GSA crew in exchange for a future spot on their roster. At Rosa's departure for Japan, Colt announces that his coming out of retirement full-time means his son, Buck, will be the GSA's acting president. Buck and Spike suspect it is to ground Buck and keep him safe from Firebird's reach.
World Tour Arc: Ireland, England, and Italy
Vahni Rage has suspicions Semyon is withholding information from him when he inquires about Rage's family's temple vault, rumored to contain one of the Divine Chalices. Rage stops taking rubedo, the serum that gives Firebird's spellbreakers extra powers at the expense of their humanity.
Back at the GSA, Buck has embraced his role as president with stellar feedback from his employees. However, the sinister tag team, The Infernals, has used this as an opportunity to try and take over the GSA along with Icewolf. Though Spike and company put that to rest, Deadboy Daemian--declaring Spike his unwitting 'boyfriend'--vows revenge against his federation and its champion, White Tiger. Buck announces that Spike will fight Cian in Ireland.
In Ireland, Cian reunites with his younger brother, a recovering addict, and promises him to win the match. Joseph/White Tiger expresses guilt that he wasn't present to save El Amante or Iggy from Firebird, with the implication he might step back from the tour (much to Colt's concern). Cian and Spike have a stellar confrontation that ends in a draw, allowing them to finally reconcile and begin to treat each other more as friends than rivals. Backstage, Rage and Spike trade threats and flirtations in equal measure, culminating with Rage giving Spike a clue as to the whereabouts of the Divine Chalice of Compassion in Glastonbury, England.
Spike and Joseph arrive in Glastonbury, the Gateway to Avalon and rumored burial place of legendary King Arthur. Joseph warns Spike not to interfere in locating the next Chalice. 'Colt' appears and tells Joseph to let Spike and Cian do ground research. Suspicious, Joseph relents. 'Colt' turns out to be Cian in disguise. He is now working closely with Spike. After their hostess, the kindly witch Sara, tells them that Chalice lay with the Fae in the Otherworld, Spike and Cian take a walk to try and find a way to access the other realm. They end up running into Slayer St. George, Firebird's 'face' champion, in a ruined abbey. He uses the Dee Cyphers, one of the Black Library's 'forbidden tomes' to open a portal to the Otherworld of the Fae. Cian and Spike are able to enter a different portal at the top of Glastonbury Tor, in the hopes of stopping Slayer before he takes the Chalice.
In the Otherworld of the Faewild, Spike and Cian encounter the Lord of the Dead, Anywyn, who promises them the Chalice if they will entertain him in a fight. Slayer challenges the Guardian to a battle, raising the stakes. Cian must contend with a shadowy doppleganger, a manifestation of his Blood Frenzy ability, which he thwarts by accepting his true self, which he had previously denied. Slayer is defeated and trapped in the Otherworld, while Cian and Spike escape with the Chalice of Compassion. Caught up in the moment of their victory, they kiss, just as White Tiger confronts them for going off without Colt or his permission.
Two weeks later, the world tour has moved on to Paris. When Robbie finds out about Cian kissing Spike, he goes berserk, freezing the City of Lights and confronting Spike, Cian, and White Tiger atop the Eiffel Tower--with Deadboy goading them on. Vahni Rage appears on the scene to thaw Icewolf's magick and offer his alliance to him and Deadboy. The bumbling heels accept, using Dr. Reyes' stolen research to seek the Chalice of Voice in the Paris catacombs. Before they can reach it, however, a regretful Icewolf calls their partnership quits. An agent of the mysterious Alchemists intercepts the Chalice before Deadboy can get his devious hands on it. Yet, in uttering a spell used to raise the dead against them, the Alchemist inadvertently gives Deadboy the dark magick he seeks to overtake the GSA, once and for all.
Without his father, Colt, to help him, interim president of the GSA Buck confronts Deadboy himself. Deadboy is impressed by his bravery and offers him co-rulership of the GSA, but Buck refuses, instead calling upon the new GSA's 'HR Manager', El Amante, to fight him in an arena of his choosing: a local cemetery. Though Deadboy tries to use dark magick to raise the dead against El Amante, the 'Warrior of Love' turns the dead against him, ending his reign of terror for good.
Meanwhile, the 'Gray Triad' between Firebird, the Alchemists, and the mysterious Gold Mask/Jackal is on shaky ground as the schemers start to distrust each other. Vahni Rage, already suspicious of events unfolding around him (and inspired by Deadboy's ambition) decides he will take over Firebird in due course. The next leg of the tournament is set for Italy, home turf of the dangerous and shadowy Alchemists.
In Rome, Gio defeats Spike in friendly combat. Gio introduces Spike to a young fan and aspiring photographer, Lucio, as well as his ex girlfriend and fellow spellbreaker, the femme fatale, Belladonna. At a dysfunctional family dinner with Gio's family, Belladonna gives Spike and Gio the schematics to the Pallazo Di Sangro, where the Alchemist liaison, Recida, will be hosting a ball in order to further her political schemes.
The GSA take their positions and launch the assault on the Palazzo Di Sangro. While Recida rubs shoulders with the elite, she is approached by a handsome man, Conrad, who infatuates her. While the team breaks into the vaults, Belladonna betrays them and throws the whole plan into jeopardy. Recida uses a dark tome from the Black Library to hold her guests hostage, but she is thwarted by 'Conrad', who turns out to be El Amante out of mask. Recida nearly kills Mr. Iron, if not for the Gold Masked Jackal's intervention. The GSA flees with the Chalice, and in retaliation, Recida kills Belladonna for failure. Vahni Rage makes sure to 'remove the alchemists from the chess board' by burning down her palace.
Dipping the Chalice of Power in its wellspring at Crater Lake, Grigorivich confides in Redback that neither Rage nor Jackal can be trusted, and appoints Redback as his new right-hand man.
Back in the comfort of the GSA, Buck announces his plans for the spellbreaking academy and world tour to Spike, who has grown closer to him. Varla, Spike's old manager, and her daughter, make a surprise visit. Buck has brought on Varla to help him run the GSA, much to Colt's annoyance. Colt and Buck get into an open fight, and Varla intervenes, accidentally revealing the truth of Laura's parentage: she is Colt's daughter, making her and Buck half-siblings.
World Tour Arc: Asia and Australia
The gang celebrates Yuletide, however tensions remain between Buck and his father. White Tiger goes to Sydney to try and convince Deadboy to rejoin the GSA and help them find the next Chalice in Hong Kong. In Kowloon Walled City, Deadboy and Tiger bury the hatchet and decide to give dating a go, all the while securing the Chalice of Wisdom from the sinister Redback.
While White Tiger goes off to Japan in search of the Divine Wellspring of Wisdom, Deadboy whisks Brax and Spike off to Australia for the next leg of the World Tour, and ostensibly to locate the Chalice of Vitality. A wrong turn lands them in the middle of the outback, where Deadboy's adopted family tries to welcome their erstwhile family member back into the fold...and provide the GSA some clues about the next Chalice.
Meanwhile, in Papua New Guinea, an off-the-leash Buck takes Gio and Kengo into the jungle in search of Dr. Joanna Martin, who is of some unknown importance to Buck. The good doctor turns out to be none other than Buck's biological mother and Colt's first wife. She and Buck reconcile their past together.
In Sydney, the irreverent and macabre spellbreaking league, sXs, happily teams up with the GSA to put on a show in the city of dark magick. As Cian and Spike unwind back in their hotel and discuss their boundaries, Redback unleashes an eldritch monster upon the city in attempt to acquire the Chalice of Vitality. Spike, Cian, Deadboy, and even Buck, team up to take care of the demon, while the mysterious Jackal is discovered working against Firebird's interests. The day is saved, and an unexpected kiss between Buck and Spike leads to them into what could be the early stages of courtship.
Meanwhile, Rage--sensing that Firebird is using him for their own ends--begins to plot his own agenda, and issues a challenge to Spike to come face him in India. The other spellbreakers head to Japan in order to locate the corresponding wellspring for the Chalice of Wisdom, and bump into Rosa in the process. The gang discovers that the wellspring they seek is hidden within the haunted Sea of Trees at the base of Mt. Fuji.
Rage calls out Spike and challenges him to a match, at last. Semyon takes the opportunity to try and acquire the Chalice of Spirit, hidden with Rage's family's ancestral temple. Buck and Colt have a falling out, both over his potential relations with Spike and his desire to put himself in harm's way. Defying him both, Spike and Buck journey to India together, where Spike has his match with Vahni Rage.
However, Semyon has sabotaged Spike's protective elixir that spellbreakers imbibe before every match, leaving him vulnerable to Rage's assault. To make matters worse, the ref turns out to be an Alchemist assassin, under cover. As Rage attempts to land the killing blow, Buck interferes--his glyph awakening at last--and goes berserk, leaving Rage vulnerable for Spike to land a finisher and clinch the victory. This conquest is short lived, however. In the hospital, Spike rescues Rage from the alchemical assassin, earning his trust and respect at last. Buck remains in critical care. For putting his son in danger, an overwhelmed Colt releases Spike from contract, despite protest from the other spellbreakers. Dejected, Spike returns to New York.
Meanwhile, Lily Suarez's suspects Salim Netjeer is not who he says he is. The 'Million Dollar Manager' himself is assassinated by Russian forces, under Semyon and the Tsarina's guidance...however, he mysteriously resurrects himself and slaughters the soldiers with an unusual power, before vowing revenge on those sent to kill him.
Final Arc: The Lost Champion
Spike returns to Brooklyn and takes a job as a pizza waiter while staying at Varla's apartment. Sandra Iron, John Henry's pregnant wife, keeps a eye on Spike. Meanwhile, Salim kills the Tsarina of Russia during a coup. He journeys to New York City and reveals him as the World Champion, King Anubis, who commands the power to bend time.
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