Beast Games Facebreak S2E4: Heart of Ice

***

Screams surrounded the Grimdethell castle.

Lilith stood over the battlements, with tarot cards, and she shuffled them around until two dropped to the floor. She picked them up.

"The Fool and the Empress." She bit her black lipstick, tasting like devil's food chocolate, and she said, "I understand. We'll see."

She placed down three tarots. "I play the Hanged Man."

The hyena, Harper-Jay, bit Tiercel's arm, and wrenched his arm against his back. Tiercel screamed, and tapped out, but Harper-Jay jerked around and snapped the limb, making the dragon scream. He writhed on the floor as she walked past, Arson in tow.

Three Ghosts walked down the stairs into the entrance chamber. They strolled past the red carpet.

Slash grinned. "Marshmallow. Coconut. Kill them."

Two white wild dogs jumped on Harper-Jay. And the match got underway for the tournament. Harper-Jay sidestepped Marshmallow, before grabbing and slamming Coconut to the floor. Spinebuster.

Arson jumped onto Harper-Jay, before cannonballing over Coconut, glancing over her ribs.

Slash circled the fighting area, as Marshmallow leapt onto Harper-Jay. Harper-Jay twisted around, but Marshmallow flipped over, pushed on Harper-Jay's thighs, then Marshmallow flipped over into a jackknife cover.

Harper-Jay pushed her off. She stood up, and received a kick from Coconut. Harper-Jay's head jerked around, before Marshmallow headlocked her, and swung around into a neckbreaker. As Harper-Jay's head met concrete, her paws shot up to grab her neck.

Arson sent out two clones of him at either Coconut or Marshmallow, but both jumped over the clone, grabbed his shoulders, and gave a backstabber with their feet. The clones dissipated.

Arson sent blows at Marshmallow's face, and Harper-Jay rammed into Coconut, and smashed her through a door. Both sprawled out, and crawled to their feet.

Marshmallow grabbed one of Arson's arms, before using that as a ripcord so she could clothesline him. Arson ducked the attempt, instead flipped her around by her arm, before he locked in an armbar. He grit his teeth and pulled against the elbow. "Break! Break! Break!" He needed to break her arm. He had to break her arm. "I swear just break! Tap out!" Sweat dripped down his fur.

Coconut lurched towards Marshmallow, but Harper-Jay bit her leg, and two simultaneous snaps came.

Harper-Jay and Arson stood victorious, as the woman in a black dress walked down the stairs.

Lilith.

Harper-Jay shouted, "This is all your fault! You're the reason we became demons."

Lilith kept her head up, her eyes simple slits. She advanced.

Harper-Jay said, "Therefore, welcome to your death." Harper-Jay ran forward at Lilith. Lilith raised an arm up, and sent a wave of black magic into Harper-Jay.

Harper-Jay's pupils dilated, and she gasped, before horns sprouted.

Arson stared in horror, before a similar wave entered him. He dropped to the floor, clutching his chest.

They both screamed before becoming their demon forms: Boss Harperooner, and Boss Arsonal.

Lilith gestured Harperooner over, and over Harperooner came. Lilith held up a leather belt, and Harperooner sniffed. Her nostrils dilated.

"Find him."

***

Richard Woods: This match is for one fall. Introducing, already in the ring, the leader of the Magicians, Michelle.

Michelle stood in an oversized top hat.

The megascreen showed lightning crackling into a panther as Reich walked down.

Richard Woods: And his opponent, the panther of lightning, Reich!

Reich was a fox, still he jumped into the ring.

Richard Biggs: These two are competing for some dominancy.

Richard Littles: Yeah, well this is certainly someone to get dominancy against.

Michelle sent several shards of ice at Reich, but Reich jumped over each shard, shattering them.

As he pounced Michelle, she used a wing of frost to slam him away. The ice shattered from her wing as he tumbled over and out of the ring.

Michelle slid on her belly and out of the ring, before falling onto him. He jerked up as she crushed his ribs.

Richard Littles: Remember, no pins out of the ring for a win.

Richard Biggs: And there's that penguin suicide dive.

Michelle threw Reich in the ring, but as she got back in, he got arm hooks on her. As he unleashed electricity, she screamed and fried, before he dropped down.

Michelle tried moving, but she was paralyzed as Reich pinned her.

Richard Short: One, two, three!

Reich jumped up with a grin.

Richard Biggs: Well the little boy won.

Richard Littles: Next up, we have to talk about something special. Apparently, Lazarus and Lilith have come to an agreement about the Artesian Belt.

***

Richard Littles: Now we have the General Manager Lazarus coming down to the ring.

Lazarus carried the Artesian Belt upon his shoulder with a smirk.

Richard Biggs: I don't trust that look on him, like I don't trust hungry eyes on a crocodile.

Lazarus deposited the belt in the middle of the ring. "As you have heard, last week, both Wasting and Berand pinned Citrus Snow in the ring, thus both 'won' the artesian belt. Well we have the official verdict."

He twirled the microphone. "That means both of them are the Artesian Champions, and since they're co-champions, that means if anyone defeats either of them, they're the champion, but since Ahmond is facing both, that means if she wins, she becomes the champion. Just how that works, we agreed. So Berand, THIS IS YOUR KARMA." Lazarus doubled over laughing.

Richard Littles: There are some deeper implications of this.

Richard Biggs: Well, we're going on to our next match now, Swillow versus Leroy, but that's gotta be startling.

Lazarus backed out of the ring backwards, keeping his hands up. He lowered himself down, before Leroy ran over his foot in a gameboy tank.

"AhahaHAHHA." Lazarus grabbed his leg.

Richard Biggs: His voice cracks like a prupubescent firecracker.

Richard Littles: Okay that one was forced and you know that.

"UNTIL THE BITTER END."

Swillow sauntered towards the ring. The audience booed her as she made her entrance, but she simply grinned, all fangs bared.

Richard Woods: This match is for the Beast Games World's Championship. On one side, the challenger, Leroy, the Gamer.

Leroy jumped around, and made punching motions in the air.

Richard Woods: And his opponent, standing at 6 feet tall, she weighs 303 pounds. She is the Beast Games World's Champion. She is the Slaughterhound, Swillow!

The match began.

Swillow rammed into Leroy hard enough to fling them into the turnbuckle. Leroy fell onto all fours, gasping for air.

Richard Biggs: She just almost ruptured their spinal column.

Richard Littles: Swillow's not taking any chances after the happening last week where everyone attacked her.

Leroy rolled out of the ring, but Swillow jumped out, her body blazing. She ran Leroy over, knocking them on the floor.

Swillow turned the corners. Her acceleration almost crashed her into the barricade, but she ran alongside the walls.

Richard Biggs: She's going so fast.

Richard Littles: Leroy's about to get hit by a train, and we're not talking Thomas. This won't be nice.

Leroy sidestepped Swillow. A clang shot through the arena as Swillow rammed through the barricade, and flipped over.

Leroy got back in the ring.

Richard Short: One!

Richard Biggs: As a reminder, you have up until the count of ten to get back in the ring, otherwise you lose the match.

Richard Littles: However the title can only swap hands via pinfall or submission.

The ice where she ran turned to almost pure water, before the rest cracked into floes. Leroy sat on the edge of the ring. Winning by countout meant they'd later get a rematch.

Swillow rose to all fours, and leapt over five feet of water. Leroy's eyes widened, as they backed up. They saw all the water.

Swillow jumped into the ring. "There's no one who can save you now!"

Richard Biggs: She just intentionally created a moat!

Swillow turned around, and attempted a horse buck, but Leroy ducked down, and crawled up a ring post. Swillow went to meet them, but Leroy got the headlock in.

Richard Biggs: Leroy is attempting a superplex from the top rope.

Swillow jumped to help them, flipping both over.

Leroy crashed into their tank, sparks flying, while Swillow splashed into the icy water.

She burst from the water with a maniacal laugh, before biting on their nape, and throwing them back into the ring.

Richard Littles: Leroy is like a ragdoll.

Richard Biggs: She won.

Swillow lifted Leroy into the Hellfire Chokeslam, turning around and smacking them into the ground. Leroy spat up blood, but Swillow repeated the action. And then again.

Leroy convulsed, as Swillow bit on their neck, and sucked the life force out.

Richard Biggs: No one can help Leroy with that moat.

Richard Littles: There's just too thin of ice, and too much.

"When the fire flies

The water falls won't drown the world."

Richard Biggs: Wait a second.

Swillow released the grip, only to see a fox wolf behind her. Mosor kicked Swillow in the jaw. Swillow's head jerked back. She stumbled, before Vanos kicked her in the head. Then Kyofi lifted her up, and slammed her to the ground.

Richard Biggs: The entire Ice Cream Pack.

Richard Littles: They just took out our World's Champion right now. They were under the ring the entire time.

Richard Biggs: Next is our next Heart of Ice Match.

Richard Littles: Will this be as deadly as the first?

***

Richard Woods: This is your co main event of the evening. Introducing, the water dragon, Tarax!

Tarax sprouted from the water underneath the ice. He gave a grin and shouted. "Woo!"

Richard Woods: And his opponent, the Karma Maker, introducing Cyras!

Cyras rushed down to the ring, before making the leap over the water. She jumped into the ring, before turning around and mooning Tarax. Tarax growled.

Richard Woods: This is a Heart of Ice Match. During this match, the only way to win is to put your opponent under the ice.

Richard Biggs: We will be refreezing the water between bouts. Well, trying to.

Cyras said, "You don't have the killer instinct anyway."

Tarax frowned, and narrowed his eyes, before he snapped his jaws at her.

She slipped beneath him and down onto the icy arena before.

Tarax jumped over the ropes, before flying down onto the ground. She sent a fireball at him, but he spat water out to diminish the flames.

Tarax turned around, and whipped her across the head with his tail. She dropped down, with a groan.

He walked over, but she uppercutted him. Tarax's eyes popped, and he tried to find himself again. Cyras jumped up, and blew a fireball into his face.

As the flames burned him, Tarax stepped back. He took deep breaths.

Cyras rushed him again, but he picked her up and powerslammed her to the ground. Light enough so he wouldn't go through with her. She gasped.

Richard Biggs: Now that's what we're talking about. Slammed her into the ground.

Richard Littles: All that weight of dragon upon her.

Tarax stood up, before picking her up.

Cyras squeaked. "No!"

Tarax's face softened for a second, allowing her to blast him with a fireball again. He screeched as he backed up.

Richard Biggs: He just showed mercy.

Richard Littles: This is Heart of Ice, not Heart of Mercy.

Richard Biggs: No wonder he's a losing. He's trying to be a good person, but he has no killer instinct.

Cyras laughed. She gained eight fiery tails and jumped.

She slammed down on him, and the explosion rented the arena. Ice melted, or even evaporated straight into steam.

Tarax went down beneath the water, losing the match.

Richard Biggs: And there you go. You have to be merciless.

Richard Littles: Absolutely.

***

Richard Littles: Now time for our main event of the evening. Berand and Wasting will be taking on Ahmond, and someone that Lazarus has personally hand picked. Who will that person be? We'll find out right now.

Ahmond walked out to the ring. She slid over the ice, before bonking her head on the ring.

Richard Biggs: If she got paid for brain cell, she'd be the first person paying her boss minimum wage.

"London's Bridge" played.

Richard Littles: And speaking of small brain cells.

The ice cream truck drove out, with Berand at the wheel, a root beer float on his dashboard. He roared, as Wasting popped open the top of the truck, and threw out bars of ice cream into the crowd.

Reich jumped up, and bit one, before landing in his chair awkwardly. Tarax quickly scooped him up as the chair fell over.

Richard Biggs: The intelligence in this building is so staggering, this could've been the national assembly of high school gym teachers. At least Tarax was there, because this ice is thin.

Richard Littles: Seems hazardous now.

As both entered the ring, they waited for Lazarus' chosen replacement.

Lazarus gave Berand the cutter, slamming him to the ground, face first. Lazarus flipped over onto his knees, and punched the air. "You got knocked the - out."

Richard Biggs: Good thing we have these censors.

Richard Littles: I thought we were pg-13. We can't say -?

Richard Biggs: No we -ing can't -ing say - you little mother-er.

Richard Littles: Okay, back to the forking match, with these motherfalcons, in the motherfolking stadium.

Wasting locked up with Lazarus, his paws on Lazarus' hands. Already, Lazarus was the smaller man, but he turned around, and got a waist lock on Wasting.

Wasting dropped down to lower his center of gravity, but Lazarus wrapped his arms around Wasting in a full nelson hold, before suplexing him. Wasting landed on the back of his neck, and fell to his side. He winced, bared his fangs, and tried standing.

Lazarus responded with a roundhouse kick to the side of Wasting's jaw. He downed Wasting long enough to mount him and threw repeated right hands into Wasting.

Richard Biggs: Working on the head of the big blue wolf.

Berand ran over, but Lazarus jumped up, and gave a knee strike to Berand's snout. Blood rushed down the bear's face.

Lazarus pointed to Ahmond. "Get them out the ring."

Ahmond nodded, and nudged Wasting over the ring. His body slumped onto the ice. She turned around to lower herself, but Wasting sprung forward.

Ahmond gasped as he forced her arms around the ring ropes in an awkward way. Now she was stuck between bottom rope and ring apron.

Richard Littles: Wasting is a master grappler, and he knows how to keep someone held for extended periods of time.

Wasting said, "Know your place."

He smacked her bottom. She kicked and screamed, as he left a red print.

Lazarus threw Berand over the ring ropes, but Berand grabbed the bottom rope to break his fall.

The bear staggered, but Lazarus threw a couple of jabs at him, before going for an uppercut. The bear stood on unsteady legs, so Lazarus kicked him in the balls.

Berand hunched over and groaned.

Richard Biggs: Low blow.

Richard Littles: Low blows are legal for this match up.

Wasting ran at Lazarus, but Lazarus ran at him. Lazarus came with the flying knee, while Wasting came with a clothesline.

Lazarus' knee bored into Wasting's shoulder, almost tearing muscle from bone, while the clothesline almost made one kneecap into two.

Both collapsed onto the ice, writhing.

Berand sniffed the air, and stood on two legs, before throwing his arms up into a roar. Ahmond released herself from the bottom rope.

She charged Berand, but Berand scooped her up into the fireman's carry.

The red and black coywolf slapped his back as he walked over to the barricade.

Richard Biggs: Little Red Riding Wolf being taken to the barricade.

Richard Littles: He's probably intending something harsh.

Berand placed a hand on her bottom and jaw, before aiming her like a spear. He spun around, and discus threw her into the audience, and since Tarax liked souvenirs, he scooped her up and placed her on the ground.

"There you go."

Richard Biggs: We have a professional baseball player in the room.

Richard Littles: Maybe he's a wide receiver.

Richard Biggs: He's not wide, just fat.

Berand closed his fist, and told Lazarus, "Come on!"

Lazarus got to his knees, and Berand went for the fist.

Lazarus' head ducked under the fist, as he grabbed Berand's throat. With Berand's arm already over his shoulder, Lazarus used the position for the chokeslam.

Berand wrapped his lower legs around Lazarus' other arm before he could complete.

Richard Biggs: Did he just?

Richard Littles: Berand in the crucifix with Lazarus.

Lazarus didn't fall back, and instead somersaulted with Berand on him.

The ice didn't break, but Lazarus shot up.

Richard Littles: Rolling senton.

Wasting lunged for Lazarus, but Lazarus gave him the second flying knee strike to the face. Wasting felt the immense pain as his nerves fired off in warning signs. "Ow..." He groaned.

The two were downed.

Lazarus approached Berand, only to receive a fireball to the back.

Lazarus shrieked, and turned back, only to see Cyras.

Ahmond jumped onto Lazarus' head.

Richard Biggs: His partner is attacking him.

Richard Littles: This must be a misunderstanding.

Lazarus backed up, and opened the back of the ice cream truck.

"No. No. No no no..."

A spear tackle knocked Lazarus through the ice.

Lazarus shot above the water, gasping as his body chilled. A pink haired aetherman rose up, and got him into a headlock.

Richard Biggs: OH MY GOD, JAC IS BACK!

Richard Littles: HE'S BACK!

Lazarus attempted to gain purchase on the ice, but his struggling soon ceased as his face turned purple. He went down under the water with JAC as the match ended.

Next Week:

Berand versus Harper-Jay for the Artesian Championship, under orders of Lilith, and Lilith has a plan.

Lazarus makes an announcement.

The Shatter Society.

Tag Team Tournament continues.

I would just like to dedicate this chapter to BethanyClark. And to Reich and Harper-Jay, her characters. Thank you for all your help on Beast Games. Note, this isn't because of Valentine's Day, but, uh, coincidence actually.

Thank all my cowriters for Beast Games for this Valentine's Day.