Richard Arcane stood silent, watching the Reverend grovel at his feet, The Creature Wars has obviously changed a lot- and secreted out from hiding those that may want to capitalize on it- Reverend Jones’ offer still echoed in his mind. A pact.
CWE was known for its organization's use of supernatural wrestlers in the ring. However, Mortal competitors were always a part of the fray- legendary battles throughout the years attest to that. The thought of MWE coming back, led by The Reverend, who in the past has shown he gravitates toward using the organizations he builds to push his agenda, which seems to align with the notion of serving GOD. Still, it is always unclear where he gets these messages truly from.... is it from "GOD" or from his own deranged and damaged mind? Richard knew about The Reverend from logs in the CWE archives- and his true name, as well as the secret plans of the NSA organization. Richard Arcane had a lot to consider- especially the challenge of convincing Lilith's father, a key figure in the upcoming conflict, to come out and be defeated. Perhaps understanding MWE's motives could provide the insight Richard needs to succeed.
Richard smiling faintly. Jones had not come to him like a supplicant. That alone made the Reverend dangerous. He had knelt, yes—but only because kneeling meant something to him.
Jones believed the Creature Wars were revelation made flesh.
“The ring is a confessional,” the Reverend had said, voice low, eyes burning beneath the curtain of black hair and ash-gray beard. “When they fight, Richard, the sinners show themselves. Not by what they say—but by what they choose to become when blood is permitted.”
Richard had admired that. Not the faith—but the certainty.
To Jones, CWE was not a promotion.
It was a tribunal. Monsters tearing monsters apart so the world could
see that damnation did not fall from the sky—it volunteered.
And MWE? That was the other half of the scripture.
Mortals fighting mortals. Men and women stepping into violence willingly,
begging to be tested, begging to be broken. Jones wanted their souls weighed
under lights and ratings and applause.
Richard chuckled softly.
Such noble intentions.
Richard, however, had no interest in salvation. Richard wanted to lure Darkspade out of hiding and convince him to summon his daughter... Historically, Darkspade's weakness has been in his self-worth- and it seemed to always be about proving he is the best Creature Wrestler on the planet- however, with all of the attempts- it seems, especially in the present- Darkspade has been unable to achieve the title of the BEST.... it keeps slipping through Darkspade's fingers.
Richard's gaze drifted to the far wall, where a private monitor remained dark. He did not turn it on. He didn’t need to. He could see even without the image.
Darkspade. The Unholy One....
the KEY to fulfilling his job obligations to The Employer and his reward? To CEASE to exist.... the joy of knowing that everything will come to an end, one way or the other.... So ultimately, what is there left to lose?
Still resisting.
Still pretending grief was restraint instead of cowardice.
The daughter remained unsummoned.
That was the true sin.
The Creature Wars were not merely chaos—they were leverage. Fear softened the boundaries between worlds. Faith cracked. Reason bled. And Darkspade, haunted and half-mad with denial, stood at the brink of doing something irreversible.
Richard intended to push.
A unified front—CWE and MWE feeding off the same hysteria—would escalate everything. Ratings would surge. Rituals would deepen. The audience would demand more. And when the crowd demands slaughter loudly enough, even the most stubborn parents answer. Then, the actual prize, THIS union will snuff out Darkspade from hiding- especially when there are two top titles at stake- but the problem remained- even if Darkspade came out from hiding and competed- even titles will NOT break the small amount of light within The Unholy One.... how can a dad kill their own child? WHAT needed here was a reason beyond love... a creation of a logic, albeit true or not, which provokes Darkspade to think irrationally and believe that the only way to SAVE Lilith is to KILL Lilith..... the cogwheels turned within Richard's mind.......
Jones wanted revelation.
Richard wanted provocation.
He wanted Darkspade cornered by inevitability,
convinced that the only way to end Lilith's suffering…
was to unleash something far worse.
Something familial.
Something sacred and profane.
“She will come,” Richard murmured to himself. “Not because she must—but because the world will beg for her- to save them.” The Reverend’s pact would accelerate that begging.
Monsters would fall. Mortals would break.
Sin would parade itself proudly beneath banners and pyrotechnics.
Jones would preach. Richard would promote.
Two men standing on opposite sides of belief, both exploiting the same truth:
Violence is most powerful when it is sanctioned.
Richard finally smiled in earnest.
"Yes."
Let the Reverend have his sinners revealed.
Let the wars rage brighter, louder, crueler.
And when Darkspade finally opens the gate and calls his daughter forth to slaughter—
Richard Arcane would be waiting in the front row, applauding.... and finally.... die.
This is the official conclusion of Chapter 15: ACT 3... There might be additions done before the summer time... we will see! Do look towards the Interfed Forum for continual events entailing Darkspade, the Silver Mirror, and the bizarre delusions of 'baby' Ricky in the coming months.
