PAST
Bloody and covered with bruises, Gorjon rose to his feet in the center of the wrestling ring. His opponent, a Dagon with a wooly beard flings himself into a set of energy ropes that rebound him in Gorjon's direction. The muscles in his legs grow six times their size, as he aimed his Mega Dropkick. The Ksush sidesteps at the very last instant, grabbing his opponent by the neck with one metallic arm, the other grips the Dagon's tights, lifting him above his head. His third arm, also covered in silver metal, digs into the Dagon's back as his body was bent the opposite direction over it. A ref-tek painted black and white floats over to ask the pained face a silent question. The Dagon shakes his head, prompting Gorjon to hammer his fist up repeatedly. A silent scream and the Dagon taps the victor's arm. Clearly ecstatic, Gorjon dumps his opponent to the canvas, then falls to his knees, flexing his now normal arms, head down, tears streaming. The ref-tek hovers to him with a gold belt studded with precious stones. He stood back up, belt in hand and jumps around the ring in celebration.
Narrator 2
This is the moment that started an era. Gorjon defeats Dagon Pride to capture the Galactic Wrestling Association's Universal Championship for the first and only time; for this man has never lost a championship bout in over twenty years.
Holoclips of Gorjon doing a variety of different wrestling moves to numerous opponents. The scene switches to him interacting with fans around the ring. A montage of matches, promos, and public greetings, all starring Gorjon.
Narrator 2
From humble beginnings, this man wrestled his way into the hearts of the masses and those of the locker room. This is the fascinating story of how a simple entertainer's son, became the biggest name in the sport. This is the story of Glorious Gorjon.
An image of Gorjon flexing with bold, steel lettering superimposed over him reading: "It's In My Blood": Becoming Glorious Gorjon. Fade to black. Fade in to a holoview of a child Ksush playing with a toy wrestler, smiling at a Yuni with black and yellow polkadot designs over his skin who came into view. He picks up the child and they hug before turning to the holoview with two thumbs up.
Narrator 2
At a young age, Gorjon idolized Mickle 'the Fickle' Mclojin, the galaxy famous wrestler who went on to win Coalition Carnage 95 and was known for his run as GWA champion and philanthropic work. It was when the GWA came to Ksush for an event that the impressionable youth met his idol, receiving a signed toy that he still keeps on a mantle in his home.
A scene switch to later in Gorjon's life as the teenage Ksush practices drills in a four sided ring.
Narrator 2
Wanting to follow in the Fickle's footsteps, a young Gorjon dropped out of school and joined the GWA training program to become a pro wrestler. He even tried to follow the Fickle's training regimen.
The scene again switches to teen Gorjon sticking his hand into a container of flames. He retrieves it, screaming, grabbing at his wrist, and starts running around the gym.
Narrator 2
But he lacked the Yuni's natural rock hard skin. He quickly discovered that if he was going to join the GWA, he needed to learn about Soul Style. For those who are unaware, the Galactic Wrestling Association allows its athletes to employ the Body subcategory of the Soul Style power set. This means only techniques that utilize elements found within an individual's body may be used. Example being Dagon Pride, whose trademark was adding muscle mass to his leg muscles.
Gorjon, now years beyond his teens, is on his knees in a dark room in a meditative state. His eyes snap open with determination.
Narrator 2
Gorjon conquered the fears associated with bonding to a soul coal to learn his first Soul Style ability. A small portion of Ksush physiology is composed of feldspar, a mineral generally found in granite. He used this as his gimmick during his first debut.
A masked Gorjon runs down the aisle towards a ring with a Yuni wrestler waiting. Gorjon's arms turn to stone before they lock up, trying to gain an advantage. Gorjon is pushed back then curls over into a boulder and rolls towards and right over his opponent. The crowd, unfortunately, looked bored.
Narrator 2
He was able to turn his skin to stone, imitating his hero; this extended to in-ring moves as well, like the Rolling Rock. The fans and even a few of his peers only saw him as a second rate Fickle. Failing to capture a fan base, he changed tactics. So he took a year off, returning under a new moniker: Glorious Gorjon and took the wrestling world by storm.
Subsequent shots reveal Gorjon in scarlet gear with two red horns on his face. He carried a wine glass with thick red liquid which he sips delicately on his way to the squared circle. Another montage of in-ring action.
Narrator 2
Flamboyant, cocky, a carousel of fun with a scary edge. These were the first impressions expressed by many. His hardcore style earned him much support from the younger fans of combat sports.
A Tilris with snakes for arms falls on his back, unconscious, his arms returning to normal. Gorjon puts one crimson clad boot on his chest as the ref-tek counted to three.
Narrator 2
And he came with a new Soul Style: Blood.
A thin tube extends from beneath the wine glass Gorjon now held. As if alive, the tube slithers to the knocked out Tilris and jams its open end into his arm. Dark red blood fills the glass, which he drinks obnoxiously with his third hand. The Tilris gains consciousness as Gorjon's new snake arms wrap around him, lifting him to eye level.
Gorjon
Take pride that now at least a part of you is glorious. The rest, ugh, needs a makeover.
Narrator 2
Ingesting blood bestowed him with the abilities of the supplier. In a rarely seen interview from around the time of his second outing, Gorjon goes into greater detail about how this works.
A shirtless Gorjon sat on the ring's edge, toweling his shaggy head of dark hair.
Gorjon
I drink a glass full to creep people out. It only takes a little bit and I can copy any ability the blood owner has. I come up with my own ways to use them, but they are mine for good. The whole thing disgusted me at first; I mean, who would ever want to drink blood of all things? I had to force myself to down the stuff; weirdly it all taste the same, except Yuni blood which is just water. How does that work? Anyhow, the technique saved my life during training.
Interviewer 2
In what way?
Gorjon
Uh...we won't talk about my training regimen. It's top secret.
A montage of Gorjon pinning multiple opponents for a three count, celebrating each win with a drink of his blood wine.
Narrator 2
And that secret training has led to an unprecedented twenty year reign as GWA's top champion.
The next scene is Gorjon lying bloody and beaten in the snow.
Narrator 2
Unfortunately, this win streak cannot translate into his Coalition Carnage appearances. His first outing in the 97th competition ended in humiliation, with zero wins.
Next, he is seen buried upside down to his waist in the dirt, tree trunk legs running on air.
Narrator 2
The 98th was slightly better. He got one victory. His best outing by far was the 99th, where he made the Finals. He enters the 100th with something to prove. Will he come up short again or will the 'Glorious One' cement his legacy, not just as GWA Universal champion, but the Supernova 100.
PRESENT
With a cry of determination, Gorjon lifts the shelled body of Crimson by the waist, over his head, bending his heavily muscular back to deliver a powerful suplex. Clamouring to his feet, the Ksush turned a gaze up at Roxy phasing through the invisible geodome.
Gorjon
And once again, the Glorious One is victorious. You may count now, Goddess Boss.
Roxy
Why thank you, Superstar Gorjon, but that won't be necessary at this time.
Turning from her, he sees Crimson, shovel at work on the soft ground beneath where he was dropped.
Gorjon
Not again! Do you even know how to entertain an audience?
Crimson
Ground here not mined.
Gorjon turns back to Roxy, flashing his most charming smile.
Gorjon
I'm sorry, sensual songbird, could you give us a moment. I think I know how to get'em going.
She winks out of existence and Gorjon goes to the digging Winsker, who was already two feet deep, in a conspiratorial whisper.
Gorjon
Hey, pal. I'll make you a deal. I'll leave you to dig all you want, if you give me just a tiny bit of your blood.
Crimson
Huh?
Gorjon
That's all you want to do, right? Dig into the ground?
Crimson
Mine the ground, yes.
Gorjon
And you don't want me to keep attacking you, interrupting such important work?
Crimson
No.
Gorjon
Good. I just need some of your blood, then I will get off your shell.
Crimson
You not on shell.
Gorjon
It's an expression, kinda.
Crimson
Okay.
Gorjon
So, I can have some?
Crimson
Okay.
Gorjon
Fantastic! Look this way. Okay, now hold still.
Gorjon draws back a fist and hits Crimson hard in his blank eyed, chubby cheeked face. Crimson stares at him in puzzlement, unhurt.
Gorjon
Wow, you're tougher then any Winsker I've ever-
Crimson's return blow sent Gorjon flying down the metal corridor, hitting the wall at the end of the corridor that formed a T-junction. He staggered to his feet at Roxy's five count, holding his face as blood streamed between his four fingered hand. Crimson nods, turns back to digging. Gorjon wiped his face as best he could before approaching the Winsker.
Gorjon
Excuse me, sorry to interrupt again.
Crimson
Have blood now. Leave alone.
Gorjon
I know where there is an untapped mine, never touched by mortals.
This caught the Winsker's attention, leaping from his hole with a quickness.
Crimson
Where?
Gorjon
I will tell you, but first, I need a favor.
Crimson raises his shovel.
Crimson
More blood?
Gorjon
No, no! If you instead let me body slam you and you lay on the ground for the count of twenty, I will tell you where it is.
Crimson
Count to twenty?
Gorjon
Yes.
Crimson
Okay.
Gorjon approaches warily. When it was clear Crimson wouldn't attack, he scoops the shelled mole for a body slam, jumps up, makes contact with the geodome fifteen feet above, and rockets to the ground, right on top of Crimson with an ear shattering boom. Gorjon gets up, dusting himself off.
Gorjon
Don't forget, twenty.
At the count of three, Crimson was up as well.
Crimson
Don't know how. Count to three, like GWA.
Before Gorjon could respond, a loud stomping sound could be heard around the corner where Gorjon had hit the wall.
Roxy
Uh oh. Our special guest has been alerted to the Superstars presence.
Gorjon
What special guest?
Roxy
Last year, a Winsker crew discovered during an excavation the lair of a once thought extinct animal from Winsker's prehistoric age. Instead of leaving it be or using it for scientific study, the Coalition had a fantastic idea and built a maze around it for this new geodome. Ladies and gentlemen of the Papuru Galaxy, making its grand reappearance at the Zantanium Maze, feast your eyes on... the armomus!
What lumbered around the corner was a four legged beast of high girth, a shell on its back adding to its mass. Its mouth made up nearly half its size and its entire body pulsed a rainbow of colors. Each foot fall shook the dull brown earth and the metal maze corridor. It's four eyes shone from red to gold to purple in rapid succession. It continued its slow progress toward the Superstars.
Gorjon
This is a beast before recorded history, eh? Living all this time underground? Is it carnivorous?
Roxy
Omnivores if I had to guess. Capturing it comes with a secret prize.
It never took its eyes off of Crimson, who had returned to digging with his grimy shovel.
Gorjon
It doesn't look so tough. That prize is as good as won.
He stood in the armomus path, two arms on hips, overhead arm out front palm out for it to halt. Never slowing in its already slow progress toward Crimson, its wide, oval snout pushes him back.
Gorjon
No one shoves aside a pro wrestler like he's some average joe.
His haymaker produced nothing, not even a twitch of the eye. The colors playing over its shell and leathery skin reflect off the silver walls, reminding Gorjon of the lights that play across the surface of his home world. The creature stomps past Gorjon and stops behind an oblivious Crimson. Without warning, the armomus produced a huge tongue which played across the Winsker's shell. Crimson turns a pupil-less eye to it and gently pushes it back.
Crimson
Nice animal.
The huge mouth honks a long, mournful sound just as Gorjon plants both feet encased in steel into its own shelled hide with a missile dropkick.
Gorjon
Universal champions are not to be ignored.
Two of the beast's eyes regard him for less then two seconds before going back to its previous task of cleaning Crimson's shell with its tongue. Crimson had continued digging, tossing a shovel full of dirt right on Gorjon's head.
Gorjon
That does it.
Arms morphing into snakes, they elongate under and over the beast. Gorjon heaves with every ounce of strength his Soul Style grants him, sweat streaming from every pore. The armomus didn't bulge. When its wet, yellow tongue was in view, he quickens to grasp it with three hands.
Gorjon
How bout a little spice?
First making sure his skin was coated in silver metal, Gorjon brought forth heat hot enough to smolder. The beast howled, flinging the wrestler away with a massive whip of its head. It stomped about, head wagging, body morphing colors before settling on violet. The color pulsed from the armomus in waves so vibrant and bright it changed the dark grey zantanium, the very air itself, in mimicry. As the armomus howled, its cries bounced off the corridor, then was mixed with the cries, snarls, and ungodly commotion of an environment full of monsters.
Gorjon
It can't be...
Where they were was an impossibility. A dark sky with specks of white condensing into streams leading into an black hole of astronomical proportions took up half of space, a darker star dominated the other, flames of black and red casting a dull glow down on the scene of horror millions of miles from it. Gorjon, the armomus, and Crimson who was even more confused then usual, were standing in the midst of warring, oily black monstrosities composed of combinations of teeth, claws, tentacles, fangs, eyes, and tongues thrice the size of the prehistoric beast that seemingly brought them here. A blob of oil with one red eye slithers toward Gorjon, who instinctively releases a stream of flames to ward it back.
Gorjon
We're on the Dark World!? How?! Roxy get us out!
The normally annoyingly present master of ceremonies was absent as more monsters took their notice. One reached a tentacle for Crimson who was slack jawed until it wrapped around his body. His shovel might as well have been a sharp sword the way it cleaved apart the groper. The armomus stomped in place in fear and agitation, glowing from purple to gold to silver. As Crimson was freeing himself, a four legged monster with inverted limbs, horns, and wriggly things for a mouth leapt for the armomus, only to receive Gorjon's flame.
Gorjon
We won't survive without the spirit guides! Take us back, you stupid animal!
The armomus wailed, a rainbow among midnight. The bigger monsters were too busy eating and killing each other to notice them but many more of the smaller, yet bigger then the visitors, creatures were starting to notice all the pretty colors. Crimson had taken up a defensive position around the armomus; somehow realizing it was their only way home, Gorjon thought. He also believed they would be dead in the next few seconds unless something was done. He needed time to bring forth the thing he hoped would buy them even more time. A quick dome of flame over himself and he concentrates on the one he wanted. A few seconds later, an aged female Pian stood next to his shrunken, two armed body; where once he would have towered over her, now they were eye to eye.
Woman
I thought I made myself perfectly clear.
She grabbed him by the throat with a tough, strong hand. The fire dome drops and she lets him go.
Woman
Holy- thought I was done with this place! You trying to tame me?!
Gorjon
No! We were brought here by that beast, not a soul coal! I need time to get it to send us back before it or me get eaten! I wouldn't call you if it wasn't desperate! Please, Frenzy!
Frenzy
Should let the monsters get you. It would free me.
A half snake, half crab with a humanoid face stuck in a permanent scream had a claw nearly around her. A second later, the monster was in multiple pieces and the old woman known as Frenzy was running around the three of them in frantic randomness. She was suddenly standing next to Gorjon, one of the crab claws held like a weapon and covered in a dark, thick substance, before he could take a step from where he originally summoned her.
Frenzy
Don't just stand there, ya bloody fool! Get that beastie going!
She was gone again before Gorjon rushed to the armomus which contributed to the calamity with ground shaking stomps of terror. Crimson stood in front of it, shovel ready to dig for blood from the next aggressor. Gorjon reached for it and had to dodge a swipe from Crimson.
Crimson
Leave friend alone!
Gorjon
I'm trying to get us back!
Crimson
Who you?
Gorjon
What? We have no time for this!
He turned and with the side of his fist bonks the animal on the head.
Gorjon
Take us back!
In response, the wide snout of the armomus swats at Gorjon, knocking him into the air. His arc sent him nearly into the jaws of a ten eyed monster, but an elderly hand was firm on his trunks and he was back next to the Winsker denizens. The old Pian woman was breathing raggedly, covered in black goo. A quick spin sent it spraying around her.
Frenzy
Not as spry as I used to be. Not much more I can do against these beasties at my age. Besides, without the Spirit Guides, your dead and I'm free. So long, jackhole.
Her body melted into a dark red goo of its own before flowing back into Gorjon, who returns to his original size, third arm in its normal position. Some of the twenty or so foot monsters took notice of them now as several of the smaller horrors rush to devour the new morsels. The armomus wailed in panic and Gorjon hops on its back as if going for a ride, screaming louder then his mount. A low laugh issued from Crimson then, a deep chuckle that added to the horror around them.
Crimson
What a surprise. Fear not, lowly one. I will send you back. This is not a place for the faint of heart. At least, without your precious Spirit Guides.
As a wave of death washed over where they stood, Gorjon's continued screams bounce off the metal walls surrounding them. He only just begins to process what happened, when the sweetly excited voice of Roxy pipes up.
Roxy
In an uncanny development, the two Superstars disappeared in a flash of light, only to return a second later! And the armomus is terrified, running away, out of sight deeper in the maze.
Crimson looks at the retreating rainbow of the armomus, hand reaching out pitifully.
Crimson
Come back, friend.
Gorjon
Are you really a Winsker? What the hell was all that earlier?
Gorjon was standing a few feet from the shell back being, ready to ward off a sudden attack from his unpredictable opponent. Crimson looked back with the typical dull expression, shovel in hand, ready to resume what it was created for.
Gorjon
Never mind. If you tell the floating hologram lady that you give up I will tell you about that untapped mine.
Without anymore prompting Crimson does as asked. Roxy's disapproving look was all the communication needed of this anticlimactic outcome, yet she loudly and boldly declares Gorjon the winner. He is flexing for the viewscopes when Crimson taps him on the shoulder.
Crimson
Where mine?
Gorjon
Your what?
Crimson
Mine. Where mine?
Gorjon
Oh, there's no mine. That was a trick.
Crimson
You lie?
Gorjon
It's called acting.
Gorjon activates his Aura Cloak in time to stop Crimson's shovel thrust to his neck. Sparks flew as more strikes hit upon the nigh invisible barrier. Crimson readies a much stronger thrust just as the cloak winked out.
Gorjon
Get me out of-
The shovel dug its way into a steel wall. Crimson pulls it free before he too disappeared.
End chapter