Chapter 8: Old and New

The gorgeous, stain glass ceilings and windows around the arena were unlike anything Robbie 'The Icewolf', had never seen in a spellbreaking venue. The stain glass had been enchanted to shift colors at the whims of the light mages on staff, just another poignant touch in a culture that took spellbreaking seriously, but understood its colorful roots.

Still, he wished he was fighting in the ring tonight instead of acting as cheerleader for his team. As Colt had effectively disqualified Deadboy and Icewolf from the World Championships, the frosty jock didn't really have much to look forward to in spellbreaking these days. He figured he might as well enjoy the benefits of travel with his other 'bros'.

"Awwww yeah!" Robbie shouted, startling Gio (and the polite fans sitting around them). "Come on, White Tiger--kick his ass, big bro!"

Even though he wasn't a hometown boy, White Tiger had come out to considerable fanfare, wearing a flashy, silver, tiger striped robe and epaulets modelled off the head of the Merlion fountain (from Joseph's hometown of Singapore). White Tiger, gentlemanly and humble (until you got a spotlight on him, that is) struck a heroic pose a fountain of silver pyrotechnics. Face bathed in sparks, he reared his head up and roared, "ARE YOU READY TO SEE A TIGER KILL!! RAAAAAAAOOOOR!"

The audience, including Robbie, lost their shit. 

Tiger's opponent was the slinky, svelt, and mysterious SIlver Samurai, a masked metal-user who was both an enigma and a skilled fighter. Both Tiger and Samurai were excellent high flyers, weaponizing acrobatics and ropework to kick the absolute stuffing out of each other in spectacular fashion. They were equally matched, and the tension in the air was so thick that it felt like the whole stadium might burst from the stress. It didn't help that the enthusiastic, Japanese audience was usually stone quiet (a sign of respect and admiration), reacting only to the timely execution of moves. 

Finally, after much battling, the tired, bloody, and bruised fighters found themselves entangled on the turnbuckle, with Tiger leaning over the Silver Samurai. Verging on passing out, Tiger summoned the last of strength and depleted Samurai's reserves with a tight, front facing choke, sapping his energy just long enough to execute a stunning 'Retribution of the Four Guardian' suplex of the top rope.

"One...two...three!"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

After barely managing to get to his feet, Joseph held up his hands in victory, summoning enough energy to let out a mighty roar. He bowed to all four corners of the room, and then helped the Samurai get to his feet.

Mic in hand, Joseph addressed the room, in both perfect Japanese and then English. "Thank you, kind people of Japan. I will NOT be taking your gear, Silver Samurai." White Tiger bowed deeply to his opponent. "A warrior such as yourself only deserves the utmost respect. And...I look forward to the rematch."

Joseph placed his hand on the silent samurai's shoulder. The warrior returned his opponent's bow, with one of his own, and then a handshake. 

"Only a babyface such as the Tiger could earn applause on someone else's home terf," Gio pointed out to his coworker. 

Icewolf was impressed, and a bit annoyed. "I don't think I could ever do that, bro. They'd boo the shit out of me here." He sulked.

"Hmmm. Perhaps you need to learn to be more respectful to your opponents."

Icewolf snorted. "I mean, a loser in silver pyjamas like that? I don't think I could keep a straight face."

"Oh, Robbie, my wolf--this is heel behavior."

"WHAT! I am not a heel, bro. I am a tough face." Robbie sulked. "Tweener at best. Maybe Daemian rubbed off on me a bit too much. I dunno." He sighed. "I miss the big, bad dude. Even if he did smell like chicken soup and cigarettes sometimes..."

Gio wrinkled his nose, grumbling. "I do not. He is crazy! And as you said, he smell bad."

"Which can be kinda hot in a certain mood," Icewolf added.

Gio mad an 'x' with his large hands. "No! No thanks."

While the spellbreakers chatted to themselves between matches, Colt and Mr. Iron, sitting in the VIP boxes some ways aback from Icewolf and Gio, were just glad to see the good-natured but rambunctious Icewolf being weened off the Aussie dark mage's influence. They were not, however, in Japan solely to make nice with their Japanese equivalent fed, Okami. The matter of the Chalices still took precedence. Which is why they had sought to rendezvous with Salim Netjeer, benefactor for the GSA and one of Aradia's board of directors. He would certainly take the matter with the gravity it deserved. 

"Did someone say beeeeeeers!" the giant, handsome Salim said. He sat down with a tray full of frothy mugs for Colt and John Henry's indulgence. All around him, the Japanese audience stared at his massive frame, making sure to get out of the way. They had never seen a man of such stature before. 

"I wonder if he's a spellbreaker too," a group of fangirls (for White Tiger) whispered to each other.

"Nah, I don't think so. Some foreigners are just big, is all. He is really good looking though, no?"

"I wonder if he's White Tiger's manager."

"No, that's Salim Netjeer! He's a wealthy philanthropist who funds all sorts of spellbreaking things."

"Him? I hear he's a bit of a playboy."

"I hear he's very strange. Into artefacts and stuff. He funded a famous documentary here in Japan about Egypt and then one one the Silk Road."

"Oh yes, I saw that one! It was very good. I wonder if a man that busy ever has time for things like love."

"What, are you going to hit on him, Yuko-chan?"

"No way! White Tiger is my dream hunk."

"I used to like Rai, but now I love his rival, Kengo. Mmm. He's so meaty and sweet. I bet he would be good husband material."

"I hear rumors he's gay though..."

"Oh, so what if he is? He better get a good boyfriend then. Someone who can cook for him to make sure he keeps those muscles big. A nice, thoughtful husband like that. Maybe I can match him up with my cousin..."

"I hear White Tiger may be dating Deadboy Daemian too. Ugh, all the good men are gay, I swear. What's a hot-blooded straight woman to do these days?"

The three veteran spellbreakers and their generous benefactor tuned out the fangirl's noise. Colt's mind, at least, was far away from the spellbreaking match about to take place.

"Buck's in Australia still," he sighed. "Hasn't talked to me in two weeks. Talked to Varla though. She refuses to get involved with us."

"Smart woman," Mr. Iron muttered from the corner of his mouth. "Man, is this what it's gonna be like if I have a son?"

"Or a daughter," Salim added, off-handedly. "Or, you know, an Iggy. Children are a handful, no matter what gender expression. Or so I assume, anyway. That's why I stay a confirmed bachelor. Hey, congrats on the incoming kid, by the way, John"

Mr. Iron narrowed his eyes, studying Salim's serene--but all-knowing--expression. "I don't remember telling too many people. Guess word gets out, huh? Anyways, Colton, Buck will come around. He's a level-headed fella'. And if I may be blunt, he's done a good job of running the GSA." He added, with complete candor, "Even if it's not the way that YOU would run it, cowboy. I mean, look, are your employees happy?"

Colt crossed his arms and sulked. "Yeah, I guess. I just..." He shook his head. Judging from the static teasing out his long hair, Salim and John Henry could tell he was stressed, generating excess electrons. "I'm just worried about the kid is all. And I'm worried about the way this championship is heading, especially with Firebird...you know..."

"Basically being a front for magickal terrorists working on behalf of Russia," Salim said, raising a glass. "Why, as you Yanks say, 'beat around the bush'? We know they're nuts, habibi. Why do you think Aradia is on their case. Besides..." Salim lowered his voice. "I think the US and Europe are going to be making moves on Russia very, very soon. Word I hear from my buds in Egyptian intelligence is...the Tsar isn't in very good health, and his generals aren't as organized as they'd like the rest of the world to think. With their recent stunt against Poland, and all the rumors swirling about the Black Library..."

Colt pointed a firm finger in his friend's direction. "Sir, if the damn CIA comes a-knockin', I swear it'll be the thing that tips my blood pressure over into stroke territory. You were the ones that got us into this fine mess with the Chalices."

Salim smiled, taking it in stride, and putting his enormous arms around Colt and Mr. Iron (two enormous men themselves). "Ok, but look at how much fun we're having because of it!"

"Grrr." Colt said, shifting suddenly. He winced, moving his arm away in pain. "Goddess-damn it..."

"I didn't think I was THAT strong," Salim said, taken aback.

Mr. Iron, however, was more concerned. "Colt, your shoulder."

"Just a minor dislocation," he muttered, turning away and burying his face in his beer. "When is this damn match gonna start anyhow..."

Mr. Iron frowned. Colt was being...very Colt tonight. "Minor dislocation? You've been burning the candle at both ends, cowboy. When's the last time you got a good night's rest?"

"Rest? When? My wayward kid is out there fighting GIANT MONSTERS with one of my best guys--and absolute headaches--and we got magical assassins comi' after us to boot. You think I'm capable of rest? On top of that, I've got tons of matches of my own. I'm booked. Didn't think I'd take part on this world tour to begin with. And, not to swing the pistol in your direction, slick, but if there's anybody who's done enough for us and should sit this out, it's you."

Mr. Iron raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

"You've got a kid on the way, John. I know you're literally made out of metal but..." he trailed off. "I've seen plenty of tough guys whose luck ran out unexpectedly. I don't want you to be one of them. I've been thinking. Once I get through to Buck, maybe you should take over as president for a bit. Or run this thing with me."

Several different throughs ran through Mr. Iron's head. Salim looked on, silently amused. "Gee...Colt...I dunno."

Colt shrugged. "I'm getting old, John." He pointed to his shoulder. "I truly hate to admit it. But...I think it's maybe time I hung up my boots for good. Let the new blood take over. What's the point of training them if we can't make way, eh?"

"Heh. You should try telling your son that sometime."

"...Maybe." Colt looked down at the ring, at the crowd, at Gio and Icewolf sitting in the front row, excitedly chatting about Goddess-knows-what. "India's in two weeks. Spike vs Rage. That heat between them could melt the sun, and not just because of Rage's powers."

Salim grinned. "A spellbreaking title match hasn't been garnered this much anticipation and excitement since...hmm...perhaps your first showdown with Serpent. I don't think out little blonde habibi has fully grasped the magnitude of it yet. Perhaps, it is for the best he does not. It might give him more anxiety."

"Goddess-damn," Colt said, empathically. "Spike's damn good, sure. I love someone who defies my expectations, and that boy's been full of surprises. But against Rage? I just don't know. Things are going in directions I didn't expect. Don't like it. And...I don't like what I'm hearing about him and Buck being involved with each other, neither."

Mr. Iron and Salim exchanged silent, concerned looks.

"Look," Colt said, "I'm gonna use the gentleman's. Be back before the fireworks begin."

Colt left Mr. Iron and Salim together, and it was only then that Iron noticed the subtle tension between him and the large benefactor. Something about him...was bothersome.

"A coin flip," Salim said, suddenly.

"Beg pardon?"

"You're wondering if you get through these next few months alive." Salim was far too casual in his speaking. "I got a hunch about these things, boss. Stay the course and fight Firebird, and you're looking at half-and-half." His expression, normally carefree, suddenly became grave. "I'm serious. I didn't want to have to tell you this either. You've been a phenomenal soldier."

Mr. Iron looked into his beer. No answers there. "You talkin' like it's the first time I saved the world," he said, smirking. 

"These boys don't know what you're capable of doing. You're truly a hero, Iron. Most who've done what you've accomplished would write books and scream it from the mountaintops. I know you said you're doing this to make sure your kid has a safe world in which to grow and thrive, but..." Salim placed his hand on the large man's shoulder. "You have allies. We're here to take the heat off you, boss. And I promise you, if I get my favorable outcome, then the world will be in a lot better place than it is now."

Mr. Iron immediately forced himself to act thankful and understanding, but the truth was, something about Salim's words felt...off to him. "What's your grudge against Firebird, anyway? Why have you really gotten involved in this?"

Salim smiled. The Mona Lisa would have been jealous. "If I told you everything about me, I wouldn't be so interesting, would I? Let's just say, I suspect Grigorivich is a bigger threat than anybody knows. Our last war was started by idiot men, who were, nevertheless, mortal."

"And you sayin' Grigorivich is...what? A demon? A god? Something hinky like that?"

"Oh, I suspect he's all too human. I just fear he's concealed the full extent of his powers. Plus...what's his endgame? The Chalices contain the provenance of the Goddess, right? During the war, the Albans and their secret societies wanted to get their hands on them, and most people thought they were crazy for doing so. Wrote them off. But we've seen what kind of weirdness surrounds these Chalices. Gods. Spirits. Creatures from other worlds. All seem to be drawn to those damn cups."

Iron nodded, taking it all in. "Well, we know they're meant to be used in a sacred ritual in Eden."

To which Salim, ominously, replied, "But have you considered what else they could be used for?"

"...No."

"That's the thing, habibi, nobody has. Except...perhaps, Grigorivich."

---

"Well, well, little cub," the tall, muscular spellbreaker in the dragon scale tights said as he approached his opponent, doubled over in agony. "Such a familiar situation we find ourselves in again." Rai sneered. His phantom dragon coiled around him, eyes glowing blue, ready for the killing strike.

Kuma Kengo, wearing his signature fundoshi, placed his hands on his knees, panting, blood dripping from his nose. He looked down at the bloom of red in his hand. "I...won't lose this time."

"Just like when we were kids," Rai sneered. "Kengo, I admire how far you've come in this sport. I really do. But challenging me again? Now that was a step too far." With a flick of his hand, Rai willed his dragon spirt summon into attack position. "How did I finish you off again last time? Oh yeah. Squeezing the stuffing out of you with my dragon friend, like anaconda to its prey."

As Rai willed his dragon into the attack, fangs bearing, he failed to notice the slight smile that had cut across Kuma's face.

"Blood," Kengo said. "As a medical student, I know spilled blood means danger. But, as a spellbreaker...it is a gift. There are many ways to beckon the spirits, you know, Rai. An offering of oranges or food. The sound of bells." Kengo, confidently cracked his neck and motioned for the dragon to strike. "But bears are drawn to scent of blood. I am no different. And neither is my summon! Come FORTH, Bear King Minoru!"

And like, hurry up pleeeease!

As the long dragon positioned itself to squeeze Kengo to death, a fountain of light erupted from Kengo's back tattoo, and a large, luminous shape sprung forth, claws at the ready.

"GET FUCKED, SCALEY!" the bear king roared, sinking its jaws into the dragon's neck!

"GAAAAAH!" Rai and his summon shrieked at the same time, both experiencing the same searing pain. Particles of light burst from the dragon's wound. For Rai, a geyser of blood. 

The audience, shocked, reacted with cries of fright. Even Colt, normally composed, couldn't believe how far his pupil had come. "Hot damn, boy."

Kengo had to suppress his instincts to rush over and assist Rai. He had soma in him. He would be fine. Even after this next part.

Hopefully...

As Rai sprung up onto his feet, one hand pressed over his wound, he snarled at his childhood friend and current opponent. "You BRAT! I'll KILL--"

"What will you do now?" Kengo said, as he arm dragged Rai into his grasp, and picked him up off his feet.

"I...uh..."

SLAM!

Kengo spiked Rai into the mat, just underneath the turnbuckle. The whole ring shook. It was a very disadvantageous position as well, Rai was soon about to discover.

At the other end of the ring, Minoru tore his claws through the phantom dragon. It shattered into particles of light, sending it back into the unseen. The sun bear spirit looked over. "Attaboy, Ken!"

Kengo stood on the top ropes, looking out into the crowd. He met Colt's smiling eyes. The cowboy nodded. 

Ohgodsohgodsohgods. Kengo gulped. Then, he summoned his resolve. Glowing with blue fire, he struck his fist to his chest. "One thousand spirit shattering...SENTON!"

Rai looked up just in time to see nearly 300+ pounds of Kengo coming down on him. Butt first.

BOOM!

The horrified ref fell to Rai's side. Keno, sitting on his defeated opponent, crossed his arms over his chest.

"Damn! Get a spatula," Mr. Iron said.

Gio couldn't believe it. "He smushed him...with his butt."

Icewolf sighed. "I know, bro. Lucky bastard..."

Twitching and gasping for breath, Rai, barely conscious, looked up at his scowling, giant friend. "Can't...breathe..."

"Hmph" Kengo stared down at him. Polite as he was, he couldn't help but smile. "Say sorry for throwing my Pretty Astral Princess Warrior manga into the river and I'll get up."

"But...we...were...like...six-years -old."

Kengo shifted on his seat. "Huh. Funny. This is a very comfy seat, actually."

"Agh! Okay, I'm sorry!" Tears in his eyes, Rai pleaded, "Kengo, you already pulverised my ribs...don't pulverize my pride too."

"We are even," Kengo said, standing. He graciously allowed the ref to hold up his hand. As Minoru dematerialized back into Kengo's back tattoo, the humbleness returned as well. Kengo blushed, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, gee...I guess I did it, huh?"

"I need...assistance," Rai groaned from the ground, as the medical magi sprung into being.

It was the first time since joining the GSA, that Kengo had honestly felt like a winner. Unexpectedly, he found a microphone in his hands. "Hmm?"

The promoter nodded. "Just a few words!"

"Uhhh...I dunno." Kengo gulped. "Um...okay. Yes, is this on? Yes, it's on. Okay. First, I want to thank my mom, who's in the audience. Hi, mom."

Somewhere in the quiet room, a woman shouted out. "I love you, son!"

Everyone in the audience 'awwwed'.

Except for one rude, haughty voice blaring in from over the speakers. "Ho ho ho! Well done little bear and little dragon. But you've sullied my ring for the last time."

Rai, finally, managed to pull himself off the mat. He looked over at the confused ref, and the even more confused Kengo.

"Ugh, it's that loser, Ken-kun."

"Who is..."

The ringside commentator, a tutu sporting catgirl named Nekole, piped up. "Oh nyaoooo! It's the Wonderful Tsubaki and his Kappa Boys!"

The audience found themselves forced to press their hands to their ears as a blare of motorcycles, and ensuing exhaust, filled the auditorium. Strange, green, imp creatures--a cross between ducks and turtles--burned rubber down the entrance aisle, all of them sporting nifty leather jackets, and their choppers completely souped up with fancy grills, decals, and lights. Some of the creatures carried kendo sticks in their free hands. Others, chains and pipes. There were at least six or seven in total. The ref immediately turn tail and fled.

And, appearing on top of the entrance arch, dressed in a shoulder padded, studded, pink leather jacket, (and with glorious, gold hair that even Iggy Astro might envy) their leader. Pink lipstick. Purple eyeshadow. The swishy villain licked their lips and announced their wicked intent.

"Oh ho ho hooo. Yes, 'tis I--the gorgeous, Wonderful Tsubaki, here to steal the show!"

Kengo did a double take. "He looks...like one of the villains from 'CoCo's Strange Saga'!"

The gaudy heel did a pose, half crossing their arms in some kind of strange, pseudo-vogue move. "Kappa Boys. Attack!"

The sun-glass sporting, pompadour-styled, green creature in the front nodded to his men. "'Dawright, boss. Guys, ya heard the boss! Let's kick their asses!"

In the crowd, Icewolf looked at Gio. "Uh...if we're in Japan, why do the Kappas have New York accents like Spike?"

Gio shrugged. "Must just be Gloria's translation magick."

Brandishing their weapons, the bancho kappas stormed the ring, circling and corralling Rai and Kengo. Though they were half the size of the two athletes, they were quick, and they had the numbers. Kengo clenched his teeth, pressing his back to Rai, staring down the strange water creatures. 

Tsubaki pressed the side of their hand to their face, a dainty gesture reminiscent of an effete aristocrat. "HO HO HO! Outnumbered are we? Well, too bad. I saw the perfect opportunity to take two peasants like you off the chessboard, and my cute self just had to take it."

"He's like Iggy Astro but worse..." Kengo grumbled. It was far too soon to summon Minoru. It would fizzle both their energy out. Likely, Tsubaki knew this and had waited for the right moment to attack. "Rai, I need backup here."

But the dragon summoner was out of power too. "Well, maybe I could have helped us if YOU HADN'T SAT ON ME." 

Kengo laughed nervously. "Er...sorry about that." I cannot believe I just won a victory and now I am going to be beaten to death by a bunch of delinquent yokai.

The creatures with the concave protrusions on their heads drew closer, brandishing their weaponry. "We're gonna make yous guyz wish youz neveh been born?"

Why do they talk like Spike? Kengo shook his head, trying to focus. "Hmm. Well, if you want to wrestle, then you should do the right thing and bow to us first!" Yes, that's right! In all the manga I've read, you defeat kappas by making them bow to you, pouring out the water in their heads and robbing them of their strength! Well, it's either that or carve your name into a cucumber and throw it at them...

The leather jacket-wearing leader of the bunch spat on the canvas. "We're bad guys. We don't bow."

"Gah!" Kengo flinched. "This isn't good, Rai. If they beat us up they might..." Kengo swallowed.

"MIGHT WHAT?" The dragon summoner screamed. He was panicking. "DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING--I HAVE ANXIETY!"

"They...they...they'll SUCK THE SOULS OUT OF OUR BUTTS!"

"WHAT!? WHAT!??"

The kappa sneered, licking his lips. "And you got a big, tasty rump there, big boy."

In the audience, Icwolf cocked an eyebrow. "Is it just me, or is this getting weird?"

Gio tapped the side of his head. "Uh...I read in a folktale book that they do, in fact, do that. It is lore accurate."

But before any butt-beating (or eating) could begin in earnest, the lights in the arena suddenly turned a hazy, rosy hue. A high-spirited rock jam blasted over the loudspeakers. Kengo, looking up towards the lighting rig (same as everyone else) felt something soft and fragrant rub against his cheek. 

When he pulled his hand back... "A rose petal?" the perplexed sumo hunk said. "What? It's raining petals? El Amante?"

"What is this nonsense?" Tsubaki, from his vantage point on top of the arch, snarled. He looked up into the shower of petals, now joined by an additional, gentle snowfall.

Out in the audience, Gio looked at the pile of rose petals in his lap. "I...know this magick. This is..."

"Did you miss me, fellas?"

The spotlight illuminated the entrance arch, specifically two strong, feminine silhouettes standing side by side. The kappa in the ring paused their advance, turning their green heads towards the sight of the two intimidating beauties.

The woman in the red, rose-themed gear flexed her muscles for the crowd. Her companion, a cold, beauty in a white kimono and icy-blue wrestling attire, conjured up a fan of ice and cooled herself off. 

"Reina Rosa!" Kengo blurted out. 

Icewolf stood up to get a better look. "Woooah! And who's the frosty, ice babe?"

Nekole was happy to answer the question. "What is going on, audience!? Nyaaa!? It's Reina Rosa and Yuki, the White Gale! A totally powerful tag team that's as deadly as they are pretty!"

Tsubaki growled. "Interference!? DURING MY MOMENT?"

The two lady spellbreakers stormed the ring. The kappa met the assault head on, raising their weapons to lay the smackdown. Rosa was quick to disarm them with her whip-like rose vines, tossing the foreign objects to the floor and lashing the creatures across the face just to prove a point. 

The leader charged at Yuki, who remained still, motionless, and unbothered. She placed her fingers to her lips and blew an icy fog, cutting off the kappa's line of sight. Incapacitated, she turned to her tag partner.

"Miss, I will take to the left. You, to the right."

Rosa nodded, pony-tail bobbing up behind her. "Got it, Yukes."

"My name is not 'Yukes'," she replied in a soulless monotone.

The two ladies jumped into action, dishing out round house kicks and elbow drops. Kengo and Rai jumped in to the help them, now that the playing field have been levelled. 

Icewolf was beside himself with excitement. "Ice...users are so...cool."

Gio, however, was trained on the muscular woman in red kicking kappa butt. "Rosa...she looks." He swallowed, feeling a heat come on. "So strong."

Kengo picked up a scrawny, green creature and tossed it over his shoulder, forcing its water to splash out (effectively knocking it out). "Rosa, I missed you!"

The fighter in red smiled, just as she crushed a kappa's head between her thighs in a standing head-scissor. "Missed you too, big guy. Looks like you could use some support."

"You've...turned face."

"Turning and serving it, bear!" Shew blew him a kiss. Then, the woman stood and conjured up another thorny wall, throwing it into two kappas charging at her with baseball bats. "Eat thorns, you cucumber-munching freaks!"

The grunts were down, leaving the largest pair of brutes to take on the four spellbreakers.

Yuki nodded to her tag partner. "Miss, are you ready?"

"Hell yeah!" Rosa said, flipping up onto the top rope. "Combo attack!"

Yuki summoned an icy wind, propelling her to the opposite tope. She crushed her fan in her hand, diamond-dust orbiting around her arm. "Soul of snow, unto my command."

Kengo and Rai knew they better stand back.

"Rose raid blizzard assault!"

A gale-force wind churned up rose petals, turning them into a perfect spiral around Rosa's body. On the other side of the ring, the snow formed a similar pattern for Yuki. The two queens of the ring jumped into the air, crossing over each other and combining elements, turning their magically-enhanced physiques into missiles of pure energy. 

BOOOOM!

The ring exploded into pink and blue light, scattering shards of ice and shredded roses. Nothing but a pile of two crushed kappa remained, joining their compatriots--strewn across the canvas--in similar twitching, steaming husks. They did it!

The bell rang.

"Thanks, ladies!" Kengo, ever-chipper, said.

Rai crossed his arms. "Hmph. We had it under control." He looked over at Yuki, pushing back her severely cut bob, platinum white, behind her ears. The cold, emotionless woman looked over at the svelt, spirit summoner.

And the spirit summoner found his eyes transformed into a pair of giant hearts. "WOOAAAH! Hello my gorgeous ice goddess."

Yuki blinked. "You should check your head for signs of injury, Sir Rai. You are acting erratically." The ice user nodded to her tag partner. "Miss. What of Tsubaki?"

The dandy devil jumped off the entrance arch, landing with perfect poise in front of the aisle. He threw out his hand, his gold bangles, bracelets, and jewellery melting and reforming themselves into a giant javelin. "How DARE you make a mockery of my assault. CHEATERS! This insult will not go unp--"

"Hey guys," White Tiger said, blotting his face with a towel as he came up behind Tsubaki. He seemed...unaware of what had gone on in his absence. "I was just signing some autographs for the children's hospital, did I miss anything--"

The audience, and Tsubaki, stared blankly at the hero hunk.

"Huh?" Tiger's eyes went from the hundreds of thousand-yard stares, up to the ring. "WOAH, Rosa! You look great, sis!"

"PAY ATTENTION!" The Wonderful Tsubaki screamed, pointing his weapon in the nonplussed champ's handsome face. "GRRR. Your little friends here are TOAST!"

White Tiger smirked. "Oh, I get it. You're supposed a big, theatrical villain huh?"

Kengo nodded and cupped his hands to his mouth. "He's THE WORST!"

The audience heartily agreed. 

Tiger dropped the towel and cracked his neck. "I got ya. Well, Mr. Tsubaki. Any last words?"

The prettyboy heel snarled. "I'M GONNA SKIN YOU AND TURN YOU INTO A PANTSSUIT!"

He barely got the sentence out, however, before Tiger grabbed him by the throat and lifted him straight off the ground. Tsubaki's eyes bulged out of his skull. 

"What...is...this power?"

"Tiger Power," the champ sneered. "Like I said. Any last words?"

"B...b..." Tsubani's eyes began to water with the realization that his fighting career was about to be over in a very painful way. "BALENCIAGAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"

On that note, Tiger leapt into the air and slammed The Wonderful Tsubaki into the metal grating with the force of a tractor trailer. The sheer impact, and the heel's body, broke through the floor, leaving behind only a black hole...with Tsubaki's fate left uncertain.

"Not so 'Wonderful' any more," Tiger said, flexing his muscles.

Behind Colt, Tiger's three fans promptly gasped and passed out, near synchronized, into Salim, Colt, and Mr. Iron's open arms. Colt laughed. "Yeah...champs like us tend to have that affect on our fans."

---

It was a hell of a way to end the night. Kengo had never seen so many fans and adoring audience members gather around him, asking him for photos and autographs. Though unsure of how to nail poses, or what to say in gratitude, the bashful fighter expressed his gratitude. He had to hold back tears the whole time.

Finally. This is what it's like to be a hero. I wish Spike could see this.

Even sour-faced Rai had to crack a smile, taking a photo for Kengo and his mother, who had come down from the Temple to see them perform.

But it was Rosa, unexpectedly, who felt most on top of the world. While all the other boys were cavorting backstage or indulging fans, she had grabbed Gio and taken him out the back, away from the fanfare. They walked the halls of the arenas, travelling past the gorgeous stained glass windows on display. Rosa felt like she was back in Mexico, walking through one of the old, opulent churches.

"Nobody messes with the GSA," she said, with great enthusiasm, still hyped from the fight. "Okami crew are our friends."

Gio agreed. "Brava, Rosa! Oh, and you dropped this back there."

He handed her a bouquet of tiger lilies. 

Rosa looked down at the flowers in her hands, flattered, but confused. "But...these aren't mine. They're my favorite though. I know, really betrays the rose angle, huh? But I love tiger lilies because--"

"They are one of the flowers you can't grow with your magic," Gio said, on her behalf. He winked. "I remember you telling me. That's why you think they're special."

Rosa looked down at the beautiful blooms, and then, blushing, looked up at Gio. "Gio..."

"Er...they will probably wilt soon."

"I know," she said. She cleared her throat and recomposed herself. "I'm a plant magi too, remember. I know how it works." She strode ahead, not sure if she was just caught up in the moment, or if she was starting to catch feelings.

"You look...bigger, somehow, Gio, than the last time I saw you."

"You got prettier and stronger. Hmm. Red really is your color. Even on your face."

Don't look at me when I'm blushing like this. "Well, it's just...nice to run into old friends. How long are you in town for?"

"A week. And then, we're going to India to fight Firebird. Spike is--"

"Going up against Rage," Rosa said, wincing. "I know. He's good but...he's moving way too fast. Colt is pushing him and pushing him, and not that Spike hasn't earned his stars, but...I don't think he knows what kind of man Rage is. He's dangerous. Psychotic."

"Spike will crush him," Gio said, pounding his hand into his fist. The noise echoed throughout the corridor. "He has come far in just a year. But this is not about Spike. I came here to celebrate you."

Rosa bit her lip. Why was fighting always easier than...this? "Okay, so...if you're here for a week. Do you want to, like..." she trailed off, nervously mumbling to herself in Spanish. "Diosa mia, como le pido una cita..."

"You could just ask, Rosita. You know me. I prefer when people just tell me the obvious thing..."

The fighter in red felt her body grow warm and tingly all over. "You...understood that?"

"Italian and Spanish are similar languages," he said, smiling. 

Kill me now. "Er...right. Well. Okay then! I'm calling you out, Titan! You. Me. And Tokyo's botanical gardens. What do you say?"

The giant, muscle man leaned over and took her hand, kissing it. "I say, you are on, Reina Rosa."

Just as Rosa thought she might melt into the floor, quite the opposite element sprung up on her--the cold. A gust of wind announced the presence of her tag partner, Yuki. Honestly, the woman appeared and vanished like some kind of ghost.

"Miss," she said. Her eyes briefly travelled to Gio.

Rosa sighed. "Yeah, sorry. What's going on?"

The woman in white bowed. "Mr. Colt and White Tiger have asked me to help you in your efforts." She paused "I know where to locate the Divine Wellspring of Knowledge."

Rosa and Gio gasped in approximate synchronization. "You do?" Gio said. "You need to tell White Tiger. He has been looking. Where is it, Miss Yuki?"

The woman looked askance. "Ah, yes. There just...a problem. How do you two feel about...ghosts?"

To Be Continued

Legendary Spirits of Japan

The scrolls of the spirit summoners hold tales of Japan's most dangerous, supernatural foes. As part of 'Kuma' Kengo Oyama's teachings, he was well versed in these legends, shared below...

Tamamo No Mae

Shape-shifters and supernatural tricksters are found in almost every ancient culture on Earth, and the folklore of Japan hosts several varieties--the Tanuki (racoon dogs) and the kitsune (foxes). Kitsune can be benevolent or malicious depending on their whims, and can transform into humans. Truly powerful kitsune are said to be over 900 years old, with each 100 years bestowing them a new tail. Therefore, the nine-tailed kitsune are revered as godly among the shapeshifters. 

Perhaps the most infamous of all kitsune, is the cunning and beautiful Tamamo No Mae. Like many spirits of renown, her origins lay outside Japan, and it may be more accurate to call Tamamo No Mae a huli jing, the Chinese equivalent of a kitsune. Her notoriety was first documented by court scholars in 1044 BC, during the last days of China's Shang dynasty, whe she possessed Emperor Zhou's head concubine, Daji. She beguiled the Emperor and influenced his cruelty, which fomented a rebellion that brought the dynasty to ruin. Though the Empire was lost, she was thwarted by a fellow concubine (and possible female lover) of Daji, who tricked her into drinking a potion brewed by alchemists. 

Tamamo-No-Mae was exorcised, but her spirit remained. She next appeared some 500 years later, in India, where she once again took over the consort of a king and inspired him to slaughter thousands of his own men in a mass-beheading. Priests--supposedly of the Fire Temple--were able to exorcise her once more, whereupon she crossed the seas and arrived at the court of Japanese Emperor Toba, around the year 1119 AD. 

It is here she took on the name Tamamo-No-Mae (her true name lost to the ages). Attracted by her beauty and wisdom, the Emperor fell in love with her and made her his head consort. She caused him to fall ill, though no other calamities were attributed to her. The celebrated exorcist and spirit summoner, Abe no Yasuchika, was called in to examine the Emperor's sudden illness, and discovered Tamamo-No-Mae's secret upon seeing her nine-tailed silhouette cast on a paper screen. Though he banished her, it wasn't until the mages Kazusa-no-suke and Miura-no-suke sealed her in the Sessho-seki ('killing stone'), in the mountains of Nasu, that her reign of terror finally came to an end.

Shuten Doji

The fearsome 'King of Oni', ogre-like demons able to take various forms and guises and exert control over their elements. Llike humans, it is believed that they can express glyphs. Shuten Doji lived atop Mr. Oe, near Kyoto, the historic capital of Japan before Edo/Tokyo. His presence was well-known and the the mountain avoided. Supposedly, treaties between him and a previous Emperor had been made in the past.

However, around the rule of Empror Icihjio (in the year 994) those treaties were broken. A slew of disappearances, mostly of young women, plagued the capital. The ancestor of Abe no Yasuchika, Abe no Seimei, divined that Shuten Doji was to blame. The Emperor summoned the warrior, Minamoto Raiko and his band of demon slayers to infiltrate Mt. Oe's 'Iron Fortress', the lair of Shuten Doji.

Minamoto and his men encountered many challenges and trials on the way to the mountain, but eventually rescued a slave to the oni who reported to the slayers that the captives were forced to work as servants for the ogre king, and killed and devoured at will. The heroes disguised themselves as priests (for Shuten Doji was a follower of the old gods) and convinced the ogre king to hold a banquet. They plied the ogre king with sake (a favorite of oni) infused with an elixir given to them by Abe no Seimei, as dictated to him by the gods. They were able to cut off Shuten Doji's head while he slept in a drunken stupor, though the head itself was re-animated and attacked the party. The heroes were able to free the captives, and the sword that fell the ogre king was imbued with his blood, turning it into the legendary blade Dōjigiri Yasutsuna. In some telling of the tell, Shuten Doji commands four oni subordinates, who are all dealt with in their own way.

Lightning Drinker and Thunder Caller

Obscure in most annals of lore, save for the customs of the spirit summoners, is the tale of the Lightning Drinker, an oni warrior. This oni, whose true name was stolen and hidden by the exorcists who sealed him, was thought to be a possible subordinate of Shoten Doji.

Illustration by @owariya_ranko

In the last years of the Heian era, a pair of oni, Lightning Drinker and Thunder Caller, plagued the capital with an endless barrage of storms. All warriors who attempted to subdue the oni were dispatched by their brutality. A cunning sumo wrestler instead challenged the oni to a fight, with the winner being allowed unlimited access to the imperial sake reserves. The two oni accepted the challenge, eager to prove their might. The sumo, however, was also a spirit summoner, who called upon the thunder god Take Mikazuchi (also the progenitor of sumo wrestling) to lend him power. He was able to best the two oni in combat. The Thunder Caller was unimpressed. The Lightning Drinker, however, fell in love with the sumo for his might and good looks. In turn, the sumo loved him back in secret. Despite the human's victory, he granted Lightning Drinker the gift of the sake reserves, much to the Emperor's dismay.

Lightning Drinker taught the unnamed summoner the art of magick and combat, and the two fell in love. Angered by his companion's betrayal, and for fraternizing with a human, Thunder Caller attacked the city and was destroyed by the magickal interventions of Abe no Tadeyuki, a descendent of Abe no Seimei. The Emperor, upon discovering the tryst between oni and mortal, ordered Lightning Drinker destroyed and had the summoner banished. It is believed, in some accounts, that the unnamed sumo ended up marrying the daughter of Abe no Tadeyuki, and siring the line of spirit summoners who dwell in the mountains of Wakayama prefecture (including clans Ikari and Oyama).

Abe no Tadeyuki was, of course, tasked with dispatching Lightning Drinker as well. Yet, perhaps due to his own ancestor falling in love with a kitsune, the exorcist took pity on the oni and sealed him--with wind magick--in the Sea of Trees, appointing him guardian of the divine wellspring hidden at the base of Mt. Fuji.

Tadeyuki and his descendants would go on to found some of the spirit summoner conclaves in the misty hills of Wakayama, after the Emperor declared spirit summoners an 'untouchable' caste. It was later discovered that the Emperor at the time may have been influenced by supernatural creatures looking to use human politics to their favor.  

The Great War

Many factors, failings, and decisions led to the arrival of the Great War... 

Hierarchical shift from glyph bearers belonging to an esteemed social class, to a diffusion of magic among the classes (and the ensuing revolts across Europe therein) was a major contributor--though perhaps for all the right reasons. Indeed, though there were many belligerents at the outset, some say that the Great War ultimately came down to two sides: those who believed that only magi should rule society, and those who agreed that magick was not the sole privilege of a ruling class.

The 'Chamber of the Alban Lion', and the Silver Imperators, with King Raidel Cordwynn III center.

The Alban Empire originated with Terra Anglus (now known as England) and spread out across Europe, annexing the kingdoms of France and Spain. Upon acquiring Prussia and the provinces governed by the Central Church, the ambitions of the Albans escalated into total domination. Political instability and coups in Eastern Europe led to the assassination of one of Alban's Silver Imperators, a close confidant of his Majesty Raidel Cordwynne III. Enraged, and seeing the Empire's debts accruing, the Empire declared false pretences as casus belli for invading Austria and Poland. The Central Church, ruling from both Eden and Greece, were divided on which side to align.

A storm magi attacks a Panzervolk Anti-Mage Tank

Though the beginnings of the war saw different factions vying for control, eventually two sides emerged: The Free Alliance and the Imperials. Japan, which had already begun its colonial enterprises in Asia, saw its imperial family likewise divided in two, when a coup led by the Empress overthrew her detested brother, tossing the country into civil war and effectively dividing Japan between Free Alliance and Imperial. 

The Future Empress of Japan and her usurped brother, former Emperor.

Italy, a main theatre of war, saw great devastation (including the Mass Petrification at Val D'Ortia), as the Greek Central Church sided with the Imperials, and the Eden Church sided with the Free Alliance. Russia, eventually, turned on their Imperial allies and sided with the Free Alliance as well, when the Tsar's advisor was assassinated. The Russian royal family decided, wisely, to align with the Free Alliance (seizing upon the opportunity to expand their own power over Europe).

Remnants of the petrification tragedy at Vale D'Orcia that took Spike's parents.

Eventually, magical engineering created weapons of mass destruction, turned against the Imperials and bringing the war to a close. A truce was made and a reconstruction effort mandated for a Europe which saw many of Alban's colonies returned to their sovereign, autonomous statuses. The win was well timed, as Alban's secretive black ops efforts had begun uncovering ancient artefacts of enchantment, with plans to unleash them on their rivals. 

Treaties signed across the nations.

It was for this reason, and to prevent magical misuse, that the organization known as Aradia was formed...

Lobby of Aradia Headquarters

Brazilian Beatdown! Jace vs Iggy and Apollo Champion

 Jace adjusted their sunglasses and took a long, hard sip from their capahirna. “Ah, life is good, Igs.”

“Do not call me ‘Igs’”.” Next to them, lounging in a pink caftan and a neon green thong, Iggy Astro stretched their long, muscular arms towards the bright, Rio sky. “But you got that right, puto.” Still, too much relaxation tended to dull the mind…and the senses. 

And today, Iggy was in the mood for mischief.

They had invited Jace on their ‘bad boys weekend’ retreat in Brazil. El Amante, Iggy’s lover, was currently indisposed in Mexico City, doing various local shows (Iggy had slyly suggested it to keep the lovable luchador away from the world championships, which had grown considerably dangerous as of late). As Iggy was no longer fighting full time, they had decided to escape down to familiar pastures. But of course, they needed a chew toy to bring along.

And Jace was as chewy a toy as they came. Kindred spirits in a way, Jace was a similar themed cosmic heel with a mean streak. But where as Iggy was a sadist to the core, Jace (who did get off to other people’s pain as well) was a secret masochist. And a piggy one at that. Iggy had been waiting for the right time to spring their trap on him.

Today was as good as any.

Jace looked over and took in the site of Iggy extra large bulge. Looked like they were smuggling a banana in their banana hammock. 

Without removing their sunglasses, or looking over, Iggy sniffed, “Can I help you?”

“Need me to oil you up?” Jace had already applied a generous sheen to their buff, alabaster body.

Iggy rolled their eyes. “Someone is horny.” But, perhaps it was time for indulgence. A little afternoon snack. “Have you been a good boy?”

“Nope!”

“Heh. Good.” Iggy reached over to their companion and occasional sparring body and slid their hand down their trunks. “Feels like you’ve been bad. Hard already? Show some restraint.”

Jace let out a soft moan. “Please, like you aren’t?”

“Oh, I’m just thick where it counts.” Iggy tugged the hem of their thong down, giving a sneak peek of their base. The skimpy bit of fabric could barely hold it back. “Trust me, when I get hard, this thing basically snaps off. I’d say it’s embarrassing but…” They removed their sunglasses and flashed Jace their cunning eyes and devious smile, “When I whip it out, someone’s getting punished. Or pleasured. Or both.”

Jace snickered as he got up. “Both. I like both.”

Iggy motioned for Jace to come forward. Iggy took his prize, and pulled in Jace for a passionate kiss.

“Fuck,” Jace moaned. “How are you so hot?”

“Mmm. A good diet,” Iggy answered, before tonguing Jace’s mouth. 

Jace straddled him, rocking back and forth. “Should we do this now?”

Iggy thought about it, then shoved Jace off. “Nah. I got my friend coming over later.”

“Oooh! Tell me more about this friend,” Jace said, tugging themselves. 

“Oh, you’ll love him. His big, muscular, and has a huge cock. Even bigger than mine, if you can believe it.” Iggy leaned forward. “And he likes bad boys.”

“I’m bad boys!” Jace said, drooling. But his desires turned to simpler cravings. He scratched his abs, lazily, looking around the balcony. “ Hey Iggy, where are your cigs?”

Iggy groaned, and not in the sexy way. “Viki and I made a New Years resolution to quit. I realized getting lung cancer would be a terribly boring way to die. A little green mistress now and then is fine though.”

Jace bit his lips. “Oooh, a little toke and fuck. Sounds hot.”

“Oh you. My grinder is somewhere on the counter. If you find it it’s yours.” 

“Thanks.”

“And don’t tell me I don’t do you any favors, basic boy.” Iggy stood up and stretched. “Iggy Astro is a heel, but a generous one.”

“Yeah…yeah…” Feeling cheeky, Jacey slid down the back of his moon print speedo and showed Iggy his own full moon. “I got your payment right here.”

Igyg smirked. “Be very careful what you wish for.”

As Jace went indoors to smoke Iggy’s weed, the buff, pink haired stud heard the sound of a car door shutting. Smiling wickedly, they leaned over the balcony and looked down at the giant, beautiful, bodybuilder stepping out from the taxi (and leaving a generous tip). He looked like a Romance novel cover came to life…and proceeded to go on a serious juicing cycle. He was also dressed to the nines, and beautiful.

“Olá,” the deep-voiced spellbreaker said. “How’s my penthouse treating you? You have spilled anything on my upholstered couch…or my bodybuilding trophies…have you?”

“No, but there’s a few things I’d like to spill once you get up here, Apollo Champion. “Iggy blew him a kiss–a quite literal construct of light–that floated down and landed on the buff man’s cheek. “Thanks for lending us the place for the weekend. Now, strip off your clothes and join us in the hot tub will you?”

The pretty man scratched his pretty hair. “Uh…us? You brought a friend? Well, I guess I said you could bring a plus one, didn’t I…”

“A little treat for us,” Iggy said. They could feel the devil horns starting to form. “He’s young, dumb, and about to be full of our cum.”

“My favorite! I’m coming right up.”

“Heheh. Perfect…”

Inside what Jace had already referred to as Iggy’s ‘porn star penthouse’, the punkish spellbreaker snooped around the kitchen. Whoever owned the place, they had good taste. They also had a glass case full of shiny trophies. Bodybuilding, wrestling, and spellbreaking, it looked like. They also had a plethora of black and white portraits on the wall–artistic close ups of quite possibly the biggest, bulgiest muscles Jace had ever seen.

“Shit, I’d like to see the model.” Jace’s cocked twitched at the prospect. Then, their eyes landed on the coffee table. Next to some male model mags was a shiny, attractive, golden thong.

Jace’s eyes lit up. “Oooh what have we here?” Jace’s eyes went between the thong and the grand, standing mirror positioned in the corner (whoever owned this place must have thought highly of themself, Jace thought). He looked around, corner to corner, for signs anybody might be watching. Fortunately, Iggy was too much of a hedonist to move when the sun was positioned just well enough to give them a golden tan, so Jace knew he could seize the moment.

Snickering like a naughty school boy, Jace stripped down his black speedo, getting a good look at this plump ass in the mirror. “Leg day been treating this badboy good,” he said, giving himself a tender smack. For good measure, he gave his long cock a few good strokes. “Man, everybody wants to get fucked by Moonshot Jace. A god like me deserves something nice, skimpy, and golden like this number here.”

Carefully, Jace slipped on the thong. It was…a bit roomy in the pouch. He growled. We can’t all be horses, I guess. But the skimpy number looked good on him. His ass ate up the strap. 

“Golden boy central,” Jace said, striking a few bodybuilder poses for the mirror, pumping out his pecs and flaring his lats. “Fuck yeah! Look at that stud. I’m turning myself on!”

Then, a deep voice. “Hey..is that mine?”

Flinching, Jace looked up into the reflection, at the massive, unreal beast that had just appeared in the entrance doorway. He hadn’t even heard the dude come in! Jace was startled, not only by the hunk’s appearance, but also his size…and girth! He was a bodybuilder, that much was for sure. He was almost a mutant. His long, blonde hair dangled down his pectoral, which were so full and big that his luscious locks actually hung off the edges of his round chest like they were shelves. Abs sculpted. Legs the size of actual trees. And then, lower.

“Holy….FUCK.”

Now Jace realized who the thong currently wrapped around his junk belonged to. Horse? More like an elephant. The giant man wasn’t packing heat, he was carrying a whole battalion. Not even erect, his penis was an almost obscene–priapal mass at least a foot long and several centimeters of girth across. Thank goodness he was so big, Jace thought, or else the man might topple over with that anchor.

Confused, the giant bodybuilder–nothing to say of his model-like looks–stared dumbly at Jace, scratching his head. “Hey waitaminute…that IS my thong!”  

Squinting, Jace bit his lip. “Oh shit.”

The giant man growled softly, giving Jace a dark sneer. He walked over, his arms spread out like he was carrying two boulders tucked beneath his pits. Jace could almost feel the floor move with each of his footfalls. “And you’re posing in front of MY mirror too?” The man said, moving abruptly to the left and crossing his arms over his massive chest. As he moved, his cock slammed into Jace’s pouch–indirectly illustrating the size difference between them.

Pretending to walk in on a scene that they hadn’t planned, Iggy sauntered gingerly through the balcony doorway, butt ass naked (and their own impressive member swaying pendulously beneath their knees). “Oh, Jacey, what a naughty, naughty house guest.”

Jace, the color draining from his already pale, swimmer’s build, looked to his so-called friend, and glared. “Did you plan this?

“Why, whatever would you mean?” Iggy said, playing dumb. “Not my fault you’re into putting on other people’s property. Property I just happened to know you couldn’t resist, naughty kitten.”

Smiling, Apollo cracked his knuckles. “I was gonna call you out for being a rude, puny kid. But you might have just made my afternoon a whole lot more interesting.”

Iggy gave trembling Jace a Cheshire cat grin.  “Jace, this is my friend…Apollo Champion. He’s a solid gold heavy weight in the spellbreaking league. A professional bodybuilder. And sometimes pornstar. I think he won…what was the category…’hole wrecker of the year’? And it looks like you’re wearing his favorite posing thong in front of his precious mirror.”

Jace bent backwards, putting his hands up in defense. “Er…I can explain, Mr. Apollo, sir.”

“Blasphemer,” Apollo roared. And it was then Jace matched hisbuild to all the studly portraits on the wall. “How dare you flex your puny muscles in front of my mirror.” He stepped forward, pressing his massive cock against Jace’s torso. Jace felt it suddenly get harder, no doubt with Apollo picturing the punishment he was about to give him. To add insult, the giant beast of a man leaked a fresh stream of sticky fluid down his abs, already marking the punk for a beatdown.

 “I’m gonna have to crush you now, kid.”

“Wh…wait! I think there’s a misunderstanding.”

The giant man wrapped his giant hand around Jace’s neck and promptly shoved his forearm under his chin, the other around his neck, putting him into a smothering, oily guillotine. The pressure was instantaneous. Jace squeaked, and then went limp in the giant’s arms in seconds.

“Damn, Apollo.” Iggy whistled. “He already passed out.”

Apollo laughed to himself, bouncing his giant pecs in the mirror, watching the oil splash off them and onto Jace’s trembling, already unconscious body. “That’s right! No fight. Instant KO. Apollo Champion style!” Apollo planted his barefoot on Jace’s back, and began to go through a series of poses, in the mirror, his chest like two oiled up boulders, and his biceps glistening with his bodybuilder oil. “Fuck yeah,” he said, watching himself get harder. Again, his massive member dripped precum onto Jace’s back in a humiliating fashion, showcasing this massive, roided god’s virility.

And as if to bring the statement home…

Apollo rolled the drooling Jace over with his foot. “Cocky boy,” he laughed, bending over and scooping Jace up over his shoulder like as a sack of flour. He slapped his ass, leaving a big red print.

“Agh!” Jace’s eyes snapped open. “H…hey! Let me down!”

“Oh, I’ll let you down,” the giant man, once again slapping Jace’s posterior (for posterity). “Come with me, boy. Your transgression deserves a bigger punishment. Taking you to my fun room.”

“Nooo! I don’t want to see the fun room!”

Iggy gladly opened the door at the end of the hallway, indulging in the sight of Jace kicking his muscular legs in the air helplessly. “This is where the fun happens,” Iggy winked. “Apollo’s private mat room.”

Blue mats in a room decorated with marble walls, lined with gold trim. The arena of a god.

“This’ll wake ya up!” Apollo said, bringing Jace’s back down across his knee. 

“GAH!” Jace cried out, rolling off. “My back!”

“Hahahaha!” Apollo laughed, with Iggy’s arm around their neck. “Now, let’s do some more wrestling. What do you say we oil him up with our special concoction?”

Iggy held Jace’s arms down while Apollo squirted a pleasantly scented fluid into his hands and began rubbing Jace’s lithe torso, top to bottom. Whatever the fluid, it felt warm, and filled Jace with a tranquil sense of arousal. “Ohhhh fuck,” he said, his skin tingling. Despite himself, his erection returned in full force.

“Can’t wrestle without some good ol’ Eros Juice,” Apollo laughed. “This oil is an af…afrr…”

“Aphrodisiac,” Iggy said, letting his captive go, and generously applying some of the oil on himself. “I bathe in the stuff. That’s why I’m always horny.”

Jace had enough of this. He slipped out of Apollo’s grasp. “You want to play, big boys?” He said, grinning. He stroked himself off in front of Apollo, who seemed generally impressed at the kid’s stamina. “I like it rough, but I dish it back even rougher.”

“Fuck yeah!” Apollo said, bouncing his pecs, and flexing. “That’s what I like to hear, boy!”

Suddenly, Jace began to glow. “The sun ain’t no substitute for the moon, but all that tanning did me some wonders.” He charged forward. 

Apollo was ready. He grabbed Jace around the waist, but the young spellbreaker was faster–and slippery–sliding out of the golden god’s grasp. He jumped up and delivered a spinning roundhouse kick to his face, sending Apollo back into Iggy.

“Agh!” the pink-haired rockstar cried out, as 300+ pounds of prized meat fell on top of him. Thankfully, the lubricant made the giant slide right off him, otherwise Iggy would have been trapped under his bulk.

“That’s fuckin’ right!” Jace side, throwing Apollo Champion a mockery of his own pose. “How do you like Moonshot now? I think once I KO you losers, I’ll take your prized thong collection for myself!” He turned around and showed off his bare ass, flexing it. “Kiss. THIS.”

“Grrr!” Apollo jumped up, on the offensive, and tried to get a hold of Jace again. “I’m gonna pound your pretty face in!”

“Only thing that’s gonna be pounded is that big, muscle butt of yours,” Jace said, sliding gracefully between Apollo’s legs (and not getting caught between them). He pivoted around on his heels and jumped onto the big man’s broad back, clamping his arms around his beefy throat.

“You brat!” Apollo growled, trying to get Jace off of him. “Ugh, you’re clingy.”

“I tell him that all the time,” Iggy said out of the corner of his mouth. This match is getting interesting!

Jace flexed his biceps, putting Apollo in a rear-naked (literally) choke, clamping down down on his carrited artery. “Don’t care how big you are,” he sniffed. “You’re going down, muscle man.”

Apollo shook his back, but Jace held on to the colossus for dear life. “Get…off me!” he wheezed, face reddening. Jace’s tight grip took hold, blocking blood-flow to Apollo’s brain.

“Shhh,” Jace said, kissing Apollo’s meaty neck, and humping his back, spreading precum across his oiled delts. “Go to sleep, stud. Go down. Good boy. Good muscle pig.”

“Garr…” Like a tree falling in slow motion, Apollo fell to his knees on the slick mat, sliding forward and intentionally giving Jace a tighter grip. He struggled with all his might to throw him off, but the guy wouldn’t budge.

“Oh nice,” Jace said, repositioning himself, and sprawling. He thrust his cock between Apollo’s giant, hard cheeks. “My cock is right by your ass, Champ. Bet you like it there?” He humped him, getting harder. “Oh fuck, wouldn’t it be hot if I blew my load all over your crack while I got the KO? Big muscle stud like you falling to me. I think that’s what the crowd wants.”

Iggy admittedly didn’t hate this reversal, watching it with a smile on his lips and their hand on their girth, stroking. “Fuck, I knew that booking this trip was a great idea.”

“Nnnggg…” Apollo’s eyes rolled back into their head. 

“That’s right. Snooze-land, big boy,” Jacae said, kissing Apollo’s cheek.

Suddenly, he found himself ripped off the beefy bodybuilder–and before he could react, Jace found a knee in his gut. 

“GAH!”

Wind knocked out of him, the pretty punk doubled over in pain. As he clutched his sore stomach, he looked up into the eyes of his beautiful betrayer–Iggy Astro.

“Whoops,” Iggy said, plucking Jace up by the hair. “How did that happen?”

“B-basatrd,” Jace wheezed. He head butted Iggy in the chest, knocking him back onto the mat. He lunged forward then, jumping on top of the well-oiled heel–while Apollo slowly came alive next to him.

“Little bitch!” Iggy roared, Jace already on top of him. “Oh, you want to roll around, bad boy?”

“Fuck yeah,” Jace said, interlocking his limbs with iggy, bodies grinding against each other ad muscular appendages inetrlocking. “Let’s get wrenched up.”

Quickly, Jace and Iggy became living, breathing art, intertwined bodies in the grip of lust and violence, struggling for dominance, either fighter trying to tie the other up in themselves. Jace grabbed Iggy by the neck, yanking them backwards to face them. Iggy reacted by locking their lips–Jace, by grabbing them by the waist and rutting them through their giant thighs with their cock, pushing his shaft against Iggy’s.

“Are we fighting or fucking,” Iggy said with a glare.

“Both.”

They returned to madly tounging each other. Iggy threw their ass back, going harder, bringing Jace to the brink. “Fuck, Iggy.”

“I do this to Viki all the time,” Iggy said, cocky. “Not even he can resist this.”

But while Jace was distracted by Iggy’s movements, the devious badboy reached behind Jace’s neck and grabbed down hard–and before Jace could fight back, Iggy completed the loop.

“Sitting snapmare,” Iggy called out. “A new one.”

“GURK!” Jace struggled. “You don’t have the leverage. You aren’t that strong.”

Iggy immediately grabbed down tighter. “Am I? You silly little boy.”

WHAM!

True to their word, Iggy mustered the strength to throw Jace clear across the mats. He landed painfully on his head, seeing stars.

Behind Iggy, Apollo sat up, collecting his senses. “Ugh…that little bitch.”

“I’m dealing with it,” Iggy spat. “Forgot he absorbs light and converts to strength. Like a more annoying Sailorboy…if that were possible.” Iggy didn’t waste this moment. Like a lion with a beautiful mane stalking its prey, Iggy crawled forward, on all fours, their wet hair clinging to their oiled body. “On my turf, we play by MY rules. And I’m the barbarian babe in this jungle, bicha.”

Jace groaned, gripping their neck and head. Who knew vacation could be this exhausting…and painful. “Dirty trick. Should have thought about it myself.”

“But you didn’t,” Iggy said, jumping on top of their prey and pinning them down. “Let’s take care of that cheap power of yours, basic boytoy. You forget who the Ruler of the Cosmos is here. Time to remind you.”

Iggy’s eyes flashed sparkling, neon, pink–stars quite literally in their eyes. They leaned forward and locked their lips around Jace’s mouth. The boy struggled as Iggy probed their throat with his tongue, and used his magick to quite literally suck the light out of him. Jace immediately felt weak, head spinning, and muscles growing weaker. 

To make matters even more embarrassing, their erect and throbbing dick promptly went limp. Iggy had truly rendered them powerless.

With a rush, Iggy tossed back their pink mane, stardust glitter falling from their buoyant locks. “Fuck yeah!” they said, muscles pumped larger. A spray of precum shot out of their massive cock and hit Jace right in the face–an extra insult! “Thanks for that energy boost, bitch. Now, time for you to face the music!”

Iggy grabbed Jace by the legs and swung them around. The prettyboy punk went sailing, right into Apollo’s massive chest. The blow nearly knocked him out.

“Time for payback!” Apollo growled. “Come here you!”

“Aw crap!” A dazed Jace squeaked, finding his head thrust into Apollo’s meaty, gargantuan thighs, all throbbing veins and knotted muscles. 

“Hehehe. Feels good with your puny body between my giant legs like that,” Apollo said, squeezing his quads down on his prey. He began to gyrate and thrust, like an oversized stripper, posing with his arms behind his head and his little buddy at the mercy of his legs. Then, Apollo reached down and pulled Jace up onto his shoulders.

“How’s the air up there, little buddy?” Apollo laughed. “Time for a powerbomb!”

“N--n-no, wait!”

Apollo brought Jace down onto the mat with all his might. The room shook. So did the inside of Jqace’s poor skull!

“Eeeeesh.” Iggy cringed. “Don’t…actually kill him. I know some lawyers, but they aren’t that good.”

“Aw, come on, Astro, he can take it!” Apollo looked down at the twitching mess laying at his feet. “Right, little bro?”

“Ghhhhh.” was Jace’s reply, as his body spasmed uncontrollably.

Iggy saw the opportunity for pain and took it. He jumped up into the air and delivered a smashing elbow drop, right across Jace’s prone chest.

“OOF!”

Iggy threw back his hair. “I love the classics! What else,” he said. “Eye rakes?”

He reached over and clawed his nails across Jace’s eyes. “FUCK!” the boy shouted. “Aw, fuck, Iggy!”

“Oh, sorry! Here, show me. Let Iggy take a look.” As Iggy cooed sweetly, he manifested stardust light particles into his palms.

Timidly, Jace let Iggy take a look at his sore, red eyes.

“Thanks!” Iggy said, just as he blew blinding light dust into his opponent’s eyeballs.

“AAAAAGH!” Jace screamed, clutching his eyes and falling back. “I’m…I’m fucking blind! I can’t see!”

“Stop whining–it’s temporary,” Iggy said, eye rolling and staring down at his fingernails, wondering if it was about time for a manicure. “You think I, your best friend in the whole world, would cause you permanent damage?” He then wrapped his legs around Jace’s arm and pulled back, shoving his feet into his ribs.

“GAAAAH! IGGY!”

“That’s my name!” Iggy said, tugging on Jace’s arms and pushing with his feet. “You give?”

“Gah, yes, I give!”

“I’ll let you go if you say who has the better body!” He looked over at Apollo and blew him a kiss.

Apollo glared back.

“Uh! UH!” Jace knew this was another one of Iggy’s tricks, but he had no way to thwart it, and he was in deep pain. “Y…you! You, Iggy! Now, please let me go!”

Iggy did as told. “Of course! What do you think, Apollo? He said that I had the better body.” Iggy flexed their biceps.

“HOW DARE YOU!” Apollo said, grabbing Jace up and putting him a torture rack. He stretched him out.

“FUCK!” Jace crieed out. “My spine! Okay, OKAY! I was just kidding! You have the better body, Apollo, sir!”

“Better!” Apollo huffed, letting Jace’s busted body fall back to the mat.

Jace landed on his back. His spine seared. “Ugghhhh…”

“Liar!” Iggy said, smiling maliciously. “You’ll pay for that.” Iggy grabbed Jace by the arms and pulled back, planting his knee in the crook of his back, stretching him out.

“Gaaaah!!!!!” Jace screamed. “Iggy, you fuck!”

“That’s no way to address one of the two gods kicking your ass,” Iggy said, sweetly. “How does it feel? Does it hurt, little jobber!”

“I’m not your fucking jobber!” Jace spat back. But even he didn’t believe it. This was brutal!

“Yes, you are!” Iggy said. “And that’s gonna be your name by the time this match is through.”

Iggy swung his legs over Jace’s neck and pulled in tightly–the fly catching the spider in its web. Iggy’s quads grabbed Jace’s neck, clamping down and cutting off oxygen and blood. But that wasn’t all Iggy had in store for him either. With the lubrication from the oil, Iggy managed to turn Jace over, burying his face in his balls and cock–humiliation on top of punishment!

“How does it feel?” Iggy asked, watching Jace squirm as his legs crushed his neck and his cock smothered his face. “And how does it smell? Hahaha!”

“HHHhhnnn,” was all Jace could get out. He couldn’t go out like this, could he? Face-deep in Iggy’s nuts and cock. They were so big that they were actually suffocating his mouth and nose. 

“Aw yeah keep squirming like that,” Iggy said, smiling with satisfaction. “Fuck yeah, that feels good. Here, have a little token of my appreciation.”

Jace tried to move his neck and give him some leverage, but it only managed to free a stream of precum from Iggy’s engorged cock. Waterboarded by precum! This was a new low for Jace!

“Hahah! Look at that,” Apollo said, flexing for Iggy. “Here, have some more inspiration, Iggy.”

“Oh, fuck yeah.” Iggy said. “Drowning by my own juices. What a way for a pathetic jobber to go out.”

Apollo reached over and slapped Jace in the ass again. “Ain’t that the truth! Nighty, night, boytoy.”

Thank goodness, Jace’s conscious mind could be spared this utter and complete humiliation. He passed out, drooling, as Iggy’s genitals covered his face like a pillow.

“Do the thing!” Iggy asked Apollo.

Obligingly, the giant bodybuilder got down and grabbed Jace’s limp hand. “One,” he said, letting it drop. “Two! And…WHOOPS!”

Cruel dick that he was, Apollo held his hand in the air. “Look at that! Kid’s still awake!”

“Silly me!” Iggy said, facetisiouly. He shifted positions and slapped Jace’s face with his wet meat. “Wakey wakey, Jacey-Jace! Looks like you have more in you then I thought!”

“Nngggg…” Blue in the face, and covered in Iggy’s juices, Jace’s eyes rolled in his head as he tried to make sense of this fresh world of pain. “Worst nightmare ever.”

“A waking nightmare!” Iggy said, pulling Jace by the hair. “Here. You were forced to worship my cock. Why not worship his?”

Iggy thrust Jace’s head right into Apollo’s sweaty, oil covered, elephant cock. “Bet he could beat you to KO with it!” Iggy said.

Apollo laughed, slapping Jace in the face, side-to-side, with his giant member. “Nah, I got something better in store for you!”

“Nooo. No more!”

Once again, Jace found himself tucked in tightly between Apollo’s meaty quads. He struggled, but barely, the fight completely drained out of him. 

Apollo reached over and spanked Jace’s red, raw ass a few times. Iggy joined in. “We were just getting started,” he laughed. “Don’t worry. We’ll put you to bed again. I think I saw Colt the Bolt do this to ya!”

With that, Apollo inverted Jace into the air, forcing his face back into his nuts.

“How them taste?” Apollo laughed.

“Mmmmfff!”

“Get ready for dreamland, boy!” Apollo said. He jumped in the air.

Jace braced himself for concussion. Nothing happened.

“Ha! False alarm!” Apollo said. Then, he jumped up, nearly hitting his head on the ceiling, and drove Jace’s cranium into the mats.

BOOM!

Jace’s body sprung up, involuntarily, before falling limp to the mat, twitching. “Gaahhhhh…” he said, in his forced slumber, foaming at the mouth.

“I think we broke him!” Iggy laughed, planting his nuts on his face. He made a slit motion across his neck. “That jobber is done. But…you should have the honors, Apollo. I’ll count out!”

Apollo flexed, doing a most muscular pose that caused all of the oil to spray off his body like a fountain–a fantastic spectacle of muscle and might. He made a thumbs down in front of Jace’s twitching body. “Your face will make a throne for a god.”

Iggy watched in arousal as his massive friend planted his giant, thick muscle butt on top of Jace’s poor, pretty face, burying his head inside the valley of his massive cheeks. Apollo scooted back and forth, adjusting himself, and flexing his biceps in the mirror. He watched, dumb and gleeful, as his giant member swelled to even larger proportions. Iggy couldn’t imagine a more humiliating setup for the arrogant spellbreaker!

Spike would be envious, Iggy thought. He counted out. “One! Two! Three! Hey, don’t suffocate him, Champ!”

“Hehehe. I think he likes it.” Apollo stuck out his tongue and winked at his reflection in the mirror. “I know I do. Comfy seat. Hehehe. Now, give me back my thong.” Apollo stripped off his property easily, revealing Jace’s flaccid, limp dick. The big man played with it like a little toy. “Hehe. It’s so puny compared to mine.” 

Suddenly, Jace came to, in Apollo’s ass. He struggled, groaning and kicking his feet and arms. “MmmmmMMMMMMMM!!!”

“Oops,” Apollo said, sitting up.

Jace gasped for breath, coming to. “Ughhhh….”

Apollo turend around and straddled Jace, crushing his chest. “Hey kid. Get a look at this and worship it!”

“Ugh….what. Oh wow. Muscles.”

Jace’s cock sprung to life, going hard the moment Jace touched his palms on Apollo’s sweaty, shining chest. He played with his hair and massaged his big nips, turning the giant man on harder.

“You like this?” Apollo said, getting up. He reached down and scooped Jace’s ankle dragging him across the oile-soaked mat by his back. “Get up! Let’s see what fight you got!”

Growing, Jace tgo to his feet and started to kick and punch Apollo, uselessly. The big man laughed at each blow, bouncing his pecs to prove a point. “That's all you got, kid? Here. Have my signature. The Golden Squeeze!” 

“Noo-NOO!!!”

The giant man roared, picking up Jace in a tight, oily embrace, crushing his spine and ribs. Jace squealed and kicked, weakly trying to pull himself away. To make matters worse, Apollo activated his powers, transforming his body into solid gold, basically trapping and crushing Jace with the power of a metal-wrought statue.

Jace’s eyes rolled into the back of his head. “Okay…I…give.”

Apollo reverted back to normal. “You’re going out again, little one.” But Jace coudln’t even hear him. He’s slipped back into unconsciousness, drooling on himself.

“Unnng…”

Apollo draped him down gently across the floor, and turned to Iggy.

“Iggy. Let’s wake him up in a fun way.”

“Oh I thought you’d never ask.” Iggy rubbed his palms together, and straightened out his pulsating hard-on. “Mouth, or ass? It’s your house, after all.”

“But you’re my guest!”

“I’m packing too, but….”  Iggy knelt in front of Jace’s pretty face and pried his lips open. “I want to make him gag. It’ll muffle his screams once you get inside him.” Iggy did just that.

Jace’s eyes snapped wide awake. “Mmmm!!!” But his shock turned into pleasure, and made tame, he immediately went to servicing his muscular friend. “Mmmm. Mmmm…”

“That’s a good jobber,” Iggy said, smiling, head tilted back in ecstasy. “Damn, I knew I brought you along for a reason. Heard you like taking huge cocks too. Well, we got a challenge for ya.”

Jace’s eyes went ride with frightened realization…before they narrowed into mischievous determination.

“Let’s dig in!” Apollo said, grabbing a sizable toy from the shelf and lubing it up. “Here, little buddy. You’ll need to open up a little. Wow, you took that like a champ!”

Iggy continued to facefuck Jace, while Apollo thrusted his twelve-inch, ribbed toy into Jace’s hole, sliding it back and forth. “Oh, Jace has a hungry hole,” Apollo laughed, taking the toy out and admiring his work.

“Ung. Ung!” Jace grunted, eyes in the back of his head, as Apollo expanded his insides. “Fuck. Oh fuck.”

Apollo smiled, satisfied at his work. He withdrew the lube covered toy and looked down at Jace’s widened hole, thumbing the ring.  “Well, let’s see if you can take the champ.”

Suddenly, it hit Jace. There was no WAY all of that could fit inside him. He suddenly worried for his health!

Somehow, Apollo made it work. He put his giant round head against Jace’s hole, and then nature and physics did the rest. Jace’s ass struggled at first, to grip all of it, but Apollo managed to shove his giant mass of meat into poor Jace’s backside.

Jace’s immediate reaction was softened by Iggy gagging his mouth. “Mmmm….MMMFFFFMMF!!! MMMMMFFFF!!!!”

“You can tap out whenever you want.” Apollo said, going into bull mode and rutting Jace raw and deep. “I promise.”

Something inside Jace’s brain snapped, and his eyes rolled back with a release of pain and pleasure. It was like a drug. He let go and let Apollo expand his insides. First hole. Second.

“Nah,” Iggy said, already close. “Look at those eyes rolling back. I might make him walk funny for weeks, but right now it’s pure bliss.”

“Welcome to Brazil, Jacey.” Apollo said. He smiled. “He’s so tight. Well, won’t be after this. Maybe not ever again. But…ohhhh fuck.”

Jace may have gone to Rio, but right now he was on another planet, letting two of the biggest studs in spellbreaking use him like a toy.

Iggy groaned. “Let’s fill him up!” He said. “FUCK!” 

A trickle of cum slid outside Jace’s mouth as Iggy unloaded. But that was nothing compared to Apollo, who roared out like a lion in heat. He unplugged himself from Jace with a wet sucking noise, and a river of white fluid followed. Apollo had turned Jace’s raw, red hole into a faucet tap.

“Didn’t need my weed to get stoned, huh?” Iggy said, leaning back and appraising his work. He played with the tranced-out Jace’s long hair.  “Look at that. Muscle drunk and cum drunk.”

“He’s on a whole other planet now.” Sweating, heaving, bulging Apollo said, hoisting the limp twunk up. He grabbed him by the waist and went to pumping, using his still erect, giant cock as extra sensation on Jace’s own stiff erection.

It didn’t take much. Pounded to perfection, Jace’s beaten and expanded prostate contracted and forced out a torrent of cum from Apollo’s milking. “NNNNGGGGG!”

After releasing himself all over the floor, Jace’s mind couldn’t take any more sensation, and slipped back into blissful sleep. Unconscious, a mischievous smile formed on Jace’s mouth. He would remember this for a while! (His hole certainly would for the next week or so).

“Err…sorry about your mats,” Iggy said, standing up and scratching his head.

“That’s okay.” Apollo took it in stride, and hoisted Jace over his shoulder like he was nothing. “Let’s take him to bed.” He slapped the poor twink’s raw ass. “The night ain’t over yet!”

The End