“One Final Visit: An AW Network Exclusive!”
Sept 3, 2019 11:50:25 GMT -5
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Guillotine (QDT) likes this
Post by Wade Moor on Sept 3, 2019 11:50:25 GMT -5
The scene opens. The Home For Wayward Souls looms eerily, it’s attic windows like eyes peering down on the forecourt. Lightning cracks as thunder rumbles. The dark clouds peel open and rain begins to fall, soft pitter patters of the drops hit the pavement. Quixote Della Torre - dressed in blue jeans and a plain white shirt - walks up to the gate. His black Guillotine mask is gripped in his hand. He kicks the gate open, nearly breaking it from its hinges, and walks up halfway to the house.
QDT: Leviathan!!!
Lightning snaps overhead once more and the rain begins to pick up. The ground shakes and the walls breathe in time with the thunder. Quixote holds the mask out and drops it to the ground, smashes it underneath his boot, and approaches the front door. As he comes closer, the door creaks open. Shadows inhabit the open doorway, small miasmic shifts in the darkness creep out from the threshold. Quixote gulps down his trepidation and walks into the house, which appears to laugh as the door snaps shut behind him.
QDT: Leviathan, show your face coward!!!
Quixote’s voice echoes through the hallways, bouncing in and out of rooms. An echo of laughter responds. Quixote starts to move through the house, his head on a swivel. Boot steps sound upstairs, hammering the floorboards, sending dust down to the floor. Some of it lands on Quixote, who wipes the spot from his face and continues through. He walks down the foyer next to a large bannister staircase, peering up the steps. Nothing moves at the top of the stairs, but Quixote never relents his guard.
Q̡̻ͅų̘̙i̧̪̩͖̭x̼̲͎͜͜o̺̮͔̠̠͕͖͕͟͡t̯̘͔e̵̯̘̬͟ͅ ̡̡̮̰̺̻̹ͅQ̬͉̯̜͖̼̞͔͖u͏̣̦͠i͏̡̜͚̹͡x̴̥̺̘̻̺̙̗͈o̡̯̯̦̕t̴̪͚͇̹e̟̮̼ ͎͈̙̪̙̼̠̤̹Q͙̟͎͉̰̺̫͖̮ù͎̯̩̞̝̠͈i̸͘҉͇̳̙͈̼͈x̸̤͔̩̗̲̺͕̙͡o͜͏͙̩t̨̀͏̮͇͓̯͎̥e̢̻͎̯̺͟͝ ̖͟͞Q̧͉̞̙̩̹̝̞͇ͅu̼̰͈͇̯̭̤̙͖͢͞i̫̕͞x̢̕͏͇̤͓̦̘͕o̢̺̪̠t̡͏̣͚̺̮̦̻̜̻̣ę̶̛͇̯̹̙
The whisper echoes through the house, causing Quixote to shell up. His hands are raised in offensive posture as he moves towards William Moor’s study. He turns the handle of the gilded door and pushes it open, peering through the crack in the door before bursting in. A small fire crackles in the stone fireplace, illuminating the chair behind the desk which turns back and forth, back and forth. Quixote cautiously approaches, his hand outstretched, the hum of the house threatening to burst into a roar at a moments notice. He grips the edge of the chair and twists it violently, taking a step back as he does.
QDT: ...what the fu...
A straw man sits in the chair, dressed in blue jeans and a white shirt, the Guillotine mask pulled down over its head. An inscription is written on the shirt in what appears to be the crimson shade of blood.
t͏̺̲̪̠̹͕̩̮u̡̥͝͞r͜͏̱̩͉͇̘n̶̪͇͎̝̠̬͓͖ ̶͏͖̲͕͜á͙̳̝̖r̷̼͖͕͚͉͎͖ͅo͇̩̳͎͠ų̛͕̯̼̥̘̣͕̝n͏̺̮̥d̨̮̘̻͘ͅ
Quixote slowly cranes his head to the side, peering over his right shoulder, expecting an attack at any moment...but nobody is there. His heart thumps in his chest, catching somewhere in his throat. His anxiety peaks. He turns back around to face the puppet, but it’s gone. He stumbles backwards, not entirely sure what he’s gotten himself into. An ill wind blows through the house, slamming the study door shut, and the fire immediately dies. Quixote’s eyes struggle to adjust to the overwhelming darkness coating TheMad World Home For Wayward Souls. With trembling hands, he fishes his phone out of his right pocket and turns the flashlight on, slowly peering around the room.
Q̡̻ͅų̘̙i̧̪̩͖̭x̼̲͎͜͜o̺̮͔̠̠͕͖͕͟͡t̯̘͔e̵̯̘̬͟ͅ ̡̡̮̰̺̻̹ͅQ̬͉̯̜͖̼̞͔͖u͏̣̦͠i͏̡̜͚̹͡x̴̥̺̘̻̺̙̗͈o̡̯̯̦̕t̴̪͚͇̹e̟̮̼ ͎͈̙̪̙̼̠̤̹Q͙̟͎͉̰̺̫͖̮ù͎̯̩̞̝̠͈i̸͘҉͇̳̙͈̼͈x̸̤͔̩̗̲̺͕̙͡o͜͏͙̩t̨̀͏̮͇͓̯͎̥e̢̻͎̯̺͟͝ ̖͟͞Q̧͉̞̙̩̹̝̞͇ͅu̼̰͈͇̯̭̤̙͖͢͞i̫̕͞x̢̕͏͇̤͓̦̘͕o̢̺̪̠t̡͏̣͚̺̮̦̻̜̻̣ę̶̛͇̯̹̙
He comes full circle and sees nothing in the room around him. He turns back towards the desk...and drops his phone in shock. A skeletal face, loose flesh covered in greasepaint hung from the pockets, matted red hair sat upon its head crawling with roaches and worms. The flashlight hits the corner of the desk and skitters across the floor as the creature makes squelching footsteps in approach of Quixote. Its jawbone splinters as its mouth opens in a banshee scream that pierced the veil between reality and The Mad World. Quixote backs up further, his back hits the wall, just as a pair of arms break the plaster and pull him through.
Leviathan: Quixote...
Leviathan wrestles for control of Quixote, who struggles against Leviathans mass. The lights around them flicker and turn on.
Quixote: ...fuck off of me!
Quixote lifts his legs off the ground and plants them into the wall, pushes off, and crashes them both with force into the opposite end of the hallway. Leviathan lets go and they tumble to the floor. Quixote rolls backwards and charges into Leviathan, sending him back through the hole in the wall into the study. Leviathan gets to a knee and snarls, spittle flying from his lips to the floor. Quixote roars and blasts Leviathan in the face with a hard right hand, sending him spinning back into the desk. Quixote is on top of him, but a stiff uppercut from Leviathan cuts off his momentum. He grabs a handful of his hair and yanks his head backwards, slithering in close to the stunned Quixote.
Leviathan: Is this how you want to be forgotten?
Quixote spins out of the hold and knees Leviathan in the gut and pushes him backwards. Leviathan spills onto the desk and Quixote launches on top of the desk in a mounted position on top of Leviathan. He lands a few punches before his fist is caught in an open grip hand. Leviathans hand closes around his and his other reaches towards his throat! Leviathan uses his newfound position to peel Quixote up and off of him. They move from the desk, but Leviathan lifts Quixote up in a suplex position and drops him unceremoniously on top of the desk! Quixote hits with a sick thud and rolls off the side!
QDT: ***cough***
Quixote tries to catch the wind in his stomach, but Leviathan is on top of him again. He grabs him by the shirt and head and tosses him through the study door back into the hallway. Quixote uses the momentum of the roll to pull himself to his feet. He grabs the bannister of the staircase and moves upwards. Leviathan laughs as Quixote stumbles up the creaky wooden steps.
Q̡̻ͅų̘̙i̧̪̩͖̭x̼̲͎͜͜o̺̮͔̠̠͕͖͕͟͡t̯̘͔e̵̯̘̬͟ͅ ̡̡̮̰̺̻̹ͅQ̬͉̯̜͖̼̞͔͖u͏̣̦͠i͏̡̜͚̹͡x̴̥̺̘̻̺̙̗͈o̡̯̯̦̕t̴̪͚͇̹e̟̮̼ ͎͈̙̪̙̼̠̤̹Q͙̟͎͉̰̺̫͖̮ù͎̯̩̞̝̠͈i̸͘҉͇̳̙͈̼͈x̸̤͔̩̗̲̺͕̙͡o͜͏͙̩t̨̀͏̮͇͓̯͎̥e̢̻͎̯̺͟͝ ̖͟͞Q̧͉̞̙̩̹̝̞͇ͅu̼̰͈͇̯̭̤̙͖͢͞i̫̕͞x̢̕͏͇̤͓̦̘͕o̢̺̪̠t̡͏̣͚̺̮̦̻̜̻̣ę̶̛͇̯̹̙
Leviathan: Are you ever going to learn Quixote? You want knowledge? Allow me to impart some final wisdom on you before I kill you. You should never have come here.
Quixote flips Leviathan the middle finger.
QDT: I’m not leaving until I have Tawny and our child safe back with me. You can either hand them over, or I’ll take them.
Leviathan laughs again.
Leviathan: Stupid boy. They don’t want to leave with you. They’re safe here with me. They’re home. It could have been your home too...but every step in our journey has been met with resistance from you. The World is changing Quixote, but you never will.
Quixote turns and descends further down the hallway.
QDT: TAWNY! TAWNY, IT’S ME! ANSWER ME, PLEASE!
Quixote frantically searches the rooms on the second floor, but all of them are empty, spare a few beds. Quixote listens for the sound of Leviathans foot falls up the stairs, but they never come. Finished searching the rooms, he turns back towards the staircase, knowing he’ll have to pass back by him once more. He slowly creeps towards the stairs, every graceful step still felt like bricks banging against lead. He turns and peers around the staircase, but Leviathan is nowhere to be found. He quickly moves up and around the other side to climb the stairs to the third floor, but a boot to the chest from the darkness sends him sprawling back against the wall.
Leviathan: TAWNY! TAWNY, WHERE ARE YOU?! ANSWER ME BABY SWEETIE!
Leviathan mimics Quixote, scooting in uncomfortably close, laughing devilishly in his face. Quixote sneers and lands a headbutt that sends Leviathan reeling into the bannister! He gets up and hits a hard kick to the kidney, an elbow to the face, and a spin kick that sends Leviathan to the floor in agony! Leviathan slaps the floor in rage and starts to pull himself up. Quixote uses the opportunity to ascend the staircase even further in search of Tawny Layne.
QDT: TAWNY! TAWNY, PLEASE!...
Quixote is kicking open doors, searching every nook and cranny. Lights start to flicker again. He opens a door at the end of the hallway and almost doesn’t believe what he sees. At least fifty people jammed in one room, shoulder to shoulder, all heaving violently. They all turn to look at Quixote as he opens the door, their faces painted as Leviathan masks. They all point at Quixote with their left hands.
QDT: What the fuck is this?
Quixote starts to back away and they all smile big, toothless grins. Quixote walks right into the hulking frame of Leviathan. He throws a sharp right elbow, but it doesn’t connect. When he whips around, Leviathan is gone. He hurriedly turns back towards the zealots hovering in hive mind malice, but they too are gone.
QDT: I’m sick of the games, Moor! You want me to face you like a man? Fuck that! Face me like a man!
...
??: Quixote? Is that you?
Quixote’s ears perk at the sound of her familiar voice. Always so subdued, a pitch betraying her hidden sorrow. Tawny called again from outside the room.
QDT: Tawny?
Lightning illuminates the hallway through a giant window as Quixote walks out and sees Tawny Layne, reaching out for him, silently begging for his help. She falls to her knees, sobbing.
Tawny Layne: Please...I don’t want to be here.
Quixote lurches towards Tawny and drops down to his knees in front of her. He puts his hands on her shoulders, gently cradling her. He pulls her in for a full embrace, rocking back and forth with her.
Tawny Layne: Thank You, Quixote.
Tawny spoke, but her voice was different. Quixote pulled away from her and the macabre skeletal thrall with loose flesh and bug infested hair held on to him. It moved to kiss him, it’s jaw splintering viscously and is it drew him near. Quixote snarls as he tries to pull away! He gets his foot in between the monster and himself, using the new leverage to push hard on its brittle bones. It’s skull hits the hardwood flooring and burst into dust. Quixote scrambles to his feet.
QDT: I fucking told you...
Quixote wipes a fresh cut on his face from the fight and blood smears down his neck on to his chest.
QDT: ...I’m sick of the games. Come out here so I can end you. Man to man.
The doors around Quixote begin to rapidly bang open and slam shut. Quixote spins around in semi circles, in anticipation of an attack. The doors stop shutting as balloons start to float from the doors and the staircase. One by one, until a multitude of balloons are all pouring from each room, clogging the hallway, stopping Quixote in his tracks and barring his swift escape. He tries to push through the balloons, but he moves as if he’s trapped in quicksand. A snake like hiss echoes off the walls as balloons start to sizzle and pop one by one.
Leviathan: Haven’t you figured it out yet, Quixote?
Quixote waits for what feels like hours.
Leviathan: I’m no man.
The balloons all pop and Leviathan is directly in front of Quixote. He rushes Quixote with a series of punches to the ribs, face, whatever Quixote slips up and exposes. Leviathan grabs him around the head to try and gain an advantage...
QDT: ...I’ll end you anyway...
Quixote drops down and grabs Leviathan around the midsection. He bends forward and lifts Leviathan up and over with a massive belly to belly suplex! He tosses him over and Leviathan crashes through the massive window to the roof paneling outside. He rolls towards the edge of the 3rd story rooftop and falls off, crashing through a stone block in the backyard below. Leviathan lays in the rubble, heavy rainfall falling on his body, a barely visible etching next to his right leg that reads “...dreas Cannock” and underneath that is “...2019”. Quixote climbs out and looks over the rooftop at the prone Leviathan as a bolt of lightning strikes overhead, rain pouring vigorously. Leviathan’s eyes stare straight up at him, lifeless.
QDT: Good riddance.
Quixote spits a mixture of blood and spit from his mouth towards Leviathans corpse. Another bolt of lightning strikes and the spot where Leviathan had laid was now empty. Quixote cursed under his breath as he started looking for a way down. He spots a storm drain that leads down to the next awning and moves toward it. He wraps his hands around the side as best he can, shimmying down, but his right hand slips in the rain, causing him to nearly fall back. He holds on tight with his left hand, but spins out on the pipe. He looks down as another shot of lightning hits and the army of zealots are below him, now helmed by the two other unfortunate souls that had fallen prey to Leviathan’s power of deceit, Noah and Cameron. They command the zealots to retrieve Quixote and they all start piling up in a morbid pyramid to get to him.
QDT: HOLY SHIT!
The zealots reach the first rooftop and start making their way to the next one, pulling each other up as they go. Quixote starts to climb back up the drain, but the fastening at the top of the pipe snaps under his weight and the pipe lurches back. Quixote holds on as he starts to fall, but the fastening barely holds! Quixote makes a snap decision. The zealots are starting to ascend to the second floor, the first few already peeking their disgusting faces up and over the edge. Their decrepit hands grab the ledge, but QDT plants his feet on the wall and jumps off, bring them all back down to the ground with a massive crossbody! He rolls down the mountain of bodies to the thick, muddy ground below. He pulls himself to his feet as Noah and Cameron descend on him, the rest of the lobotomized zealots are now acting defunct, their purpose served.
QDT: ...you...*breathing heavily*...really don’t want to do this...
Cameron comes first, bringing a hard double axe handle down towards Quixote, but he blocks the shot with his left arm and uppercuts Cameron off her feet. Noah comes next, charging in to take Quixote back to the ground...but a boot to the gut lurches him forward. Quixote wraps his arm around his head and hits the QDT on top of the rubble pile Leviathan had laid prone on before. Noah is instantly knocked unconscious as the bruised as battered Quixote fights to his feet. Lightning cracks and a loud top of thunder sounds overhead as the rain kicks up even harder. The lightning rolls once more and Leviathan appears in front of him, the two staring each other down with intensity unmatched.
QDT: Let Tawny go, Wade...
Quixote drops a desperation card, but Leviathan laughs, his hands moving up towards his mask. He pulls it up, takes the mask off, and lets it fall to the muddy earth beneath.
Leviathan: I think you of all people would have figured it out by now, Quixote. Do you really believe that the man named Wade still exists? That all of this has happened to you because of one simple wrestling match? Wade’s gone now, dead to this world, and I’ve arrived to take his place as the Harbinger of change. He had the power to reinvent this World in his own image all along, but like you, he refused his glorious destiny. You’re weak, just like he was weak. And you’ll die just like he did.
Quixote’s face morphs into a look of anger and confusion.
QDT: What have you done to them?
Leviathan: You’ll find out soon enough.
Leviathan cracks his neck and charges Quixote, who throws a one two directly to his ribs and goes for a swinging lariat! Leviathan catches his arm and tosses him judo style over shoulder, but QDT lands on his feet! He rams two knees into Leviathans dome. Leviathan stumbles back, shaking off the hits, but QDT launches in with a massive dropkick that sends Leviathan barreling through the wooden wall of his workshop outside! The wood splinters and cracks around him as he tries to get back to his feet, but Quixote comes blasting through the hole in the wall and kicks Leviathan in the chest! Leviathan catches his foot and sends him rolling forward! Quixote - his instincts heightened by fear - rolls through the maneuver and gets quickly to his feet. In the corner of his eye, a sharp metal object gleams in the reflection of the lightning outside.
QDT: ...
A sharp metal axe hangs from the wall. Quixote grabs it off its hooks and holds it firmly in his hand. Leviathan spots him holding the axe, a crooked smile curving up the side of his face.
Leviathan: You would kill me, Quixote? You’d only be killing the man...but I’m much more powerful than that now.
Leviathan lays his head flat on the table, that crooked smile running the distance of his face now.
Leviathan: Do it, Quixote. Do it and make me a GOD!
Leviathan starts to laugh maniacally as he urges Quixote to swing the axe and take his head off.
Leviathan: D̡̯̟̯͟͠Ơ̰̻̬̜̼̬ ̛͈͝I͡͏̺T͎̭͙̞͠ ̕҉̧̗̝̖̭͕Q̶͚͈̰̘̝̦̲͠Ú̳̹̜̳̤̬̩͟I̶͙̤̭̦̞̜̻͞X̦̻͇O̷̳T͏̘͙́E͙̕!̦̝̱̪̹̞͉̙
Quixote brings the axe up overhead and drops it down with force unimaginable! The axe hits with a sick thud and Quixote steps back a few feet. He falls to his knees and stares at the scene.
Leviathan: ...figures.
Leviathan pulls his head off the table, the axe stuck in the table just inches away from his face. Leviathan runs his hand along the length of the axe.
Leviathan: You can’t protect them, Quixote. You can’t save them. Just give up and let me take over from here. Tawny needs someone strong to keep her strong. And your child?
Quixote’s eyes and face flash red as Leviathan brings up the baby.
Leviathan: It needs a father willing to do anything for them.
Quixote gets to his feet lightning fast and pulls the axe out of the table. He cracks Leviathan in the face with the butt end and then swings the blunt side at his head, knocking him down to the floor completely unconscious. He stands over him with the axe, heaving. He lets it clatter to the floor and fall on end. Quixote walks away from Leviathan, but notices the same smile on his unconscious face as he leaves the workshop and ultimately The Home For Wayward Souls.
QDT: Leviathan!!!
Lightning snaps overhead once more and the rain begins to pick up. The ground shakes and the walls breathe in time with the thunder. Quixote holds the mask out and drops it to the ground, smashes it underneath his boot, and approaches the front door. As he comes closer, the door creaks open. Shadows inhabit the open doorway, small miasmic shifts in the darkness creep out from the threshold. Quixote gulps down his trepidation and walks into the house, which appears to laugh as the door snaps shut behind him.
QDT: Leviathan, show your face coward!!!
Quixote’s voice echoes through the hallways, bouncing in and out of rooms. An echo of laughter responds. Quixote starts to move through the house, his head on a swivel. Boot steps sound upstairs, hammering the floorboards, sending dust down to the floor. Some of it lands on Quixote, who wipes the spot from his face and continues through. He walks down the foyer next to a large bannister staircase, peering up the steps. Nothing moves at the top of the stairs, but Quixote never relents his guard.
Q̡̻ͅų̘̙i̧̪̩͖̭x̼̲͎͜͜o̺̮͔̠̠͕͖͕͟͡t̯̘͔e̵̯̘̬͟ͅ ̡̡̮̰̺̻̹ͅQ̬͉̯̜͖̼̞͔͖u͏̣̦͠i͏̡̜͚̹͡x̴̥̺̘̻̺̙̗͈o̡̯̯̦̕t̴̪͚͇̹e̟̮̼ ͎͈̙̪̙̼̠̤̹Q͙̟͎͉̰̺̫͖̮ù͎̯̩̞̝̠͈i̸͘҉͇̳̙͈̼͈x̸̤͔̩̗̲̺͕̙͡o͜͏͙̩t̨̀͏̮͇͓̯͎̥e̢̻͎̯̺͟͝ ̖͟͞Q̧͉̞̙̩̹̝̞͇ͅu̼̰͈͇̯̭̤̙͖͢͞i̫̕͞x̢̕͏͇̤͓̦̘͕o̢̺̪̠t̡͏̣͚̺̮̦̻̜̻̣ę̶̛͇̯̹̙
The whisper echoes through the house, causing Quixote to shell up. His hands are raised in offensive posture as he moves towards William Moor’s study. He turns the handle of the gilded door and pushes it open, peering through the crack in the door before bursting in. A small fire crackles in the stone fireplace, illuminating the chair behind the desk which turns back and forth, back and forth. Quixote cautiously approaches, his hand outstretched, the hum of the house threatening to burst into a roar at a moments notice. He grips the edge of the chair and twists it violently, taking a step back as he does.
QDT: ...what the fu...
A straw man sits in the chair, dressed in blue jeans and a white shirt, the Guillotine mask pulled down over its head. An inscription is written on the shirt in what appears to be the crimson shade of blood.
t͏̺̲̪̠̹͕̩̮u̡̥͝͞r͜͏̱̩͉͇̘n̶̪͇͎̝̠̬͓͖ ̶͏͖̲͕͜á͙̳̝̖r̷̼͖͕͚͉͎͖ͅo͇̩̳͎͠ų̛͕̯̼̥̘̣͕̝n͏̺̮̥d̨̮̘̻͘ͅ
Quixote slowly cranes his head to the side, peering over his right shoulder, expecting an attack at any moment...but nobody is there. His heart thumps in his chest, catching somewhere in his throat. His anxiety peaks. He turns back around to face the puppet, but it’s gone. He stumbles backwards, not entirely sure what he’s gotten himself into. An ill wind blows through the house, slamming the study door shut, and the fire immediately dies. Quixote’s eyes struggle to adjust to the overwhelming darkness coating The
Q̡̻ͅų̘̙i̧̪̩͖̭x̼̲͎͜͜o̺̮͔̠̠͕͖͕͟͡t̯̘͔e̵̯̘̬͟ͅ ̡̡̮̰̺̻̹ͅQ̬͉̯̜͖̼̞͔͖u͏̣̦͠i͏̡̜͚̹͡x̴̥̺̘̻̺̙̗͈o̡̯̯̦̕t̴̪͚͇̹e̟̮̼ ͎͈̙̪̙̼̠̤̹Q͙̟͎͉̰̺̫͖̮ù͎̯̩̞̝̠͈i̸͘҉͇̳̙͈̼͈x̸̤͔̩̗̲̺͕̙͡o͜͏͙̩t̨̀͏̮͇͓̯͎̥e̢̻͎̯̺͟͝ ̖͟͞Q̧͉̞̙̩̹̝̞͇ͅu̼̰͈͇̯̭̤̙͖͢͞i̫̕͞x̢̕͏͇̤͓̦̘͕o̢̺̪̠t̡͏̣͚̺̮̦̻̜̻̣ę̶̛͇̯̹̙
He comes full circle and sees nothing in the room around him. He turns back towards the desk...and drops his phone in shock. A skeletal face, loose flesh covered in greasepaint hung from the pockets, matted red hair sat upon its head crawling with roaches and worms. The flashlight hits the corner of the desk and skitters across the floor as the creature makes squelching footsteps in approach of Quixote. Its jawbone splinters as its mouth opens in a banshee scream that pierced the veil between reality and The Mad World. Quixote backs up further, his back hits the wall, just as a pair of arms break the plaster and pull him through.
Leviathan: Quixote...
Leviathan wrestles for control of Quixote, who struggles against Leviathans mass. The lights around them flicker and turn on.
Quixote: ...fuck off of me!
Quixote lifts his legs off the ground and plants them into the wall, pushes off, and crashes them both with force into the opposite end of the hallway. Leviathan lets go and they tumble to the floor. Quixote rolls backwards and charges into Leviathan, sending him back through the hole in the wall into the study. Leviathan gets to a knee and snarls, spittle flying from his lips to the floor. Quixote roars and blasts Leviathan in the face with a hard right hand, sending him spinning back into the desk. Quixote is on top of him, but a stiff uppercut from Leviathan cuts off his momentum. He grabs a handful of his hair and yanks his head backwards, slithering in close to the stunned Quixote.
Leviathan: Is this how you want to be forgotten?
Quixote spins out of the hold and knees Leviathan in the gut and pushes him backwards. Leviathan spills onto the desk and Quixote launches on top of the desk in a mounted position on top of Leviathan. He lands a few punches before his fist is caught in an open grip hand. Leviathans hand closes around his and his other reaches towards his throat! Leviathan uses his newfound position to peel Quixote up and off of him. They move from the desk, but Leviathan lifts Quixote up in a suplex position and drops him unceremoniously on top of the desk! Quixote hits with a sick thud and rolls off the side!
QDT: ***cough***
Quixote tries to catch the wind in his stomach, but Leviathan is on top of him again. He grabs him by the shirt and head and tosses him through the study door back into the hallway. Quixote uses the momentum of the roll to pull himself to his feet. He grabs the bannister of the staircase and moves upwards. Leviathan laughs as Quixote stumbles up the creaky wooden steps.
Q̡̻ͅų̘̙i̧̪̩͖̭x̼̲͎͜͜o̺̮͔̠̠͕͖͕͟͡t̯̘͔e̵̯̘̬͟ͅ ̡̡̮̰̺̻̹ͅQ̬͉̯̜͖̼̞͔͖u͏̣̦͠i͏̡̜͚̹͡x̴̥̺̘̻̺̙̗͈o̡̯̯̦̕t̴̪͚͇̹e̟̮̼ ͎͈̙̪̙̼̠̤̹Q͙̟͎͉̰̺̫͖̮ù͎̯̩̞̝̠͈i̸͘҉͇̳̙͈̼͈x̸̤͔̩̗̲̺͕̙͡o͜͏͙̩t̨̀͏̮͇͓̯͎̥e̢̻͎̯̺͟͝ ̖͟͞Q̧͉̞̙̩̹̝̞͇ͅu̼̰͈͇̯̭̤̙͖͢͞i̫̕͞x̢̕͏͇̤͓̦̘͕o̢̺̪̠t̡͏̣͚̺̮̦̻̜̻̣ę̶̛͇̯̹̙
Leviathan: Are you ever going to learn Quixote? You want knowledge? Allow me to impart some final wisdom on you before I kill you. You should never have come here.
Quixote flips Leviathan the middle finger.
QDT: I’m not leaving until I have Tawny and our child safe back with me. You can either hand them over, or I’ll take them.
Leviathan laughs again.
Leviathan: Stupid boy. They don’t want to leave with you. They’re safe here with me. They’re home. It could have been your home too...but every step in our journey has been met with resistance from you. The World is changing Quixote, but you never will.
Quixote turns and descends further down the hallway.
QDT: TAWNY! TAWNY, IT’S ME! ANSWER ME, PLEASE!
Quixote frantically searches the rooms on the second floor, but all of them are empty, spare a few beds. Quixote listens for the sound of Leviathans foot falls up the stairs, but they never come. Finished searching the rooms, he turns back towards the staircase, knowing he’ll have to pass back by him once more. He slowly creeps towards the stairs, every graceful step still felt like bricks banging against lead. He turns and peers around the staircase, but Leviathan is nowhere to be found. He quickly moves up and around the other side to climb the stairs to the third floor, but a boot to the chest from the darkness sends him sprawling back against the wall.
Leviathan: TAWNY! TAWNY, WHERE ARE YOU?! ANSWER ME BABY SWEETIE!
Leviathan mimics Quixote, scooting in uncomfortably close, laughing devilishly in his face. Quixote sneers and lands a headbutt that sends Leviathan reeling into the bannister! He gets up and hits a hard kick to the kidney, an elbow to the face, and a spin kick that sends Leviathan to the floor in agony! Leviathan slaps the floor in rage and starts to pull himself up. Quixote uses the opportunity to ascend the staircase even further in search of Tawny Layne.
QDT: TAWNY! TAWNY, PLEASE!...
Quixote is kicking open doors, searching every nook and cranny. Lights start to flicker again. He opens a door at the end of the hallway and almost doesn’t believe what he sees. At least fifty people jammed in one room, shoulder to shoulder, all heaving violently. They all turn to look at Quixote as he opens the door, their faces painted as Leviathan masks. They all point at Quixote with their left hands.
QDT: What the fuck is this?
Quixote starts to back away and they all smile big, toothless grins. Quixote walks right into the hulking frame of Leviathan. He throws a sharp right elbow, but it doesn’t connect. When he whips around, Leviathan is gone. He hurriedly turns back towards the zealots hovering in hive mind malice, but they too are gone.
QDT: I’m sick of the games, Moor! You want me to face you like a man? Fuck that! Face me like a man!
...
??: Quixote? Is that you?
Quixote’s ears perk at the sound of her familiar voice. Always so subdued, a pitch betraying her hidden sorrow. Tawny called again from outside the room.
QDT: Tawny?
Lightning illuminates the hallway through a giant window as Quixote walks out and sees Tawny Layne, reaching out for him, silently begging for his help. She falls to her knees, sobbing.
Tawny Layne: Please...I don’t want to be here.
Quixote lurches towards Tawny and drops down to his knees in front of her. He puts his hands on her shoulders, gently cradling her. He pulls her in for a full embrace, rocking back and forth with her.
Tawny Layne: Thank You, Quixote.
Tawny spoke, but her voice was different. Quixote pulled away from her and the macabre skeletal thrall with loose flesh and bug infested hair held on to him. It moved to kiss him, it’s jaw splintering viscously and is it drew him near. Quixote snarls as he tries to pull away! He gets his foot in between the monster and himself, using the new leverage to push hard on its brittle bones. It’s skull hits the hardwood flooring and burst into dust. Quixote scrambles to his feet.
QDT: I fucking told you...
Quixote wipes a fresh cut on his face from the fight and blood smears down his neck on to his chest.
QDT: ...I’m sick of the games. Come out here so I can end you. Man to man.
The doors around Quixote begin to rapidly bang open and slam shut. Quixote spins around in semi circles, in anticipation of an attack. The doors stop shutting as balloons start to float from the doors and the staircase. One by one, until a multitude of balloons are all pouring from each room, clogging the hallway, stopping Quixote in his tracks and barring his swift escape. He tries to push through the balloons, but he moves as if he’s trapped in quicksand. A snake like hiss echoes off the walls as balloons start to sizzle and pop one by one.
Leviathan: Haven’t you figured it out yet, Quixote?
Quixote waits for what feels like hours.
Leviathan: I’m no man.
The balloons all pop and Leviathan is directly in front of Quixote. He rushes Quixote with a series of punches to the ribs, face, whatever Quixote slips up and exposes. Leviathan grabs him around the head to try and gain an advantage...
QDT: ...I’ll end you anyway...
Quixote drops down and grabs Leviathan around the midsection. He bends forward and lifts Leviathan up and over with a massive belly to belly suplex! He tosses him over and Leviathan crashes through the massive window to the roof paneling outside. He rolls towards the edge of the 3rd story rooftop and falls off, crashing through a stone block in the backyard below. Leviathan lays in the rubble, heavy rainfall falling on his body, a barely visible etching next to his right leg that reads “...dreas Cannock” and underneath that is “...2019”. Quixote climbs out and looks over the rooftop at the prone Leviathan as a bolt of lightning strikes overhead, rain pouring vigorously. Leviathan’s eyes stare straight up at him, lifeless.
QDT: Good riddance.
Quixote spits a mixture of blood and spit from his mouth towards Leviathans corpse. Another bolt of lightning strikes and the spot where Leviathan had laid was now empty. Quixote cursed under his breath as he started looking for a way down. He spots a storm drain that leads down to the next awning and moves toward it. He wraps his hands around the side as best he can, shimmying down, but his right hand slips in the rain, causing him to nearly fall back. He holds on tight with his left hand, but spins out on the pipe. He looks down as another shot of lightning hits and the army of zealots are below him, now helmed by the two other unfortunate souls that had fallen prey to Leviathan’s power of deceit, Noah and Cameron. They command the zealots to retrieve Quixote and they all start piling up in a morbid pyramid to get to him.
QDT: HOLY SHIT!
The zealots reach the first rooftop and start making their way to the next one, pulling each other up as they go. Quixote starts to climb back up the drain, but the fastening at the top of the pipe snaps under his weight and the pipe lurches back. Quixote holds on as he starts to fall, but the fastening barely holds! Quixote makes a snap decision. The zealots are starting to ascend to the second floor, the first few already peeking their disgusting faces up and over the edge. Their decrepit hands grab the ledge, but QDT plants his feet on the wall and jumps off, bring them all back down to the ground with a massive crossbody! He rolls down the mountain of bodies to the thick, muddy ground below. He pulls himself to his feet as Noah and Cameron descend on him, the rest of the lobotomized zealots are now acting defunct, their purpose served.
QDT: ...you...*breathing heavily*...really don’t want to do this...
Cameron comes first, bringing a hard double axe handle down towards Quixote, but he blocks the shot with his left arm and uppercuts Cameron off her feet. Noah comes next, charging in to take Quixote back to the ground...but a boot to the gut lurches him forward. Quixote wraps his arm around his head and hits the QDT on top of the rubble pile Leviathan had laid prone on before. Noah is instantly knocked unconscious as the bruised as battered Quixote fights to his feet. Lightning cracks and a loud top of thunder sounds overhead as the rain kicks up even harder. The lightning rolls once more and Leviathan appears in front of him, the two staring each other down with intensity unmatched.
QDT: Let Tawny go, Wade...
Quixote drops a desperation card, but Leviathan laughs, his hands moving up towards his mask. He pulls it up, takes the mask off, and lets it fall to the muddy earth beneath.
Leviathan: I think you of all people would have figured it out by now, Quixote. Do you really believe that the man named Wade still exists? That all of this has happened to you because of one simple wrestling match? Wade’s gone now, dead to this world, and I’ve arrived to take his place as the Harbinger of change. He had the power to reinvent this World in his own image all along, but like you, he refused his glorious destiny. You’re weak, just like he was weak. And you’ll die just like he did.
Quixote’s face morphs into a look of anger and confusion.
QDT: What have you done to them?
Leviathan: You’ll find out soon enough.
Leviathan cracks his neck and charges Quixote, who throws a one two directly to his ribs and goes for a swinging lariat! Leviathan catches his arm and tosses him judo style over shoulder, but QDT lands on his feet! He rams two knees into Leviathans dome. Leviathan stumbles back, shaking off the hits, but QDT launches in with a massive dropkick that sends Leviathan barreling through the wooden wall of his workshop outside! The wood splinters and cracks around him as he tries to get back to his feet, but Quixote comes blasting through the hole in the wall and kicks Leviathan in the chest! Leviathan catches his foot and sends him rolling forward! Quixote - his instincts heightened by fear - rolls through the maneuver and gets quickly to his feet. In the corner of his eye, a sharp metal object gleams in the reflection of the lightning outside.
QDT: ...
A sharp metal axe hangs from the wall. Quixote grabs it off its hooks and holds it firmly in his hand. Leviathan spots him holding the axe, a crooked smile curving up the side of his face.
Leviathan: You would kill me, Quixote? You’d only be killing the man...but I’m much more powerful than that now.
Leviathan lays his head flat on the table, that crooked smile running the distance of his face now.
Leviathan: Do it, Quixote. Do it and make me a GOD!
Leviathan starts to laugh maniacally as he urges Quixote to swing the axe and take his head off.
Leviathan: D̡̯̟̯͟͠Ơ̰̻̬̜̼̬ ̛͈͝I͡͏̺T͎̭͙̞͠ ̕҉̧̗̝̖̭͕Q̶͚͈̰̘̝̦̲͠Ú̳̹̜̳̤̬̩͟I̶͙̤̭̦̞̜̻͞X̦̻͇O̷̳T͏̘͙́E͙̕!̦̝̱̪̹̞͉̙
Quixote brings the axe up overhead and drops it down with force unimaginable! The axe hits with a sick thud and Quixote steps back a few feet. He falls to his knees and stares at the scene.
Leviathan: ...figures.
Leviathan pulls his head off the table, the axe stuck in the table just inches away from his face. Leviathan runs his hand along the length of the axe.
Leviathan: You can’t protect them, Quixote. You can’t save them. Just give up and let me take over from here. Tawny needs someone strong to keep her strong. And your child?
Quixote’s eyes and face flash red as Leviathan brings up the baby.
Leviathan: It needs a father willing to do anything for them.
Quixote gets to his feet lightning fast and pulls the axe out of the table. He cracks Leviathan in the face with the butt end and then swings the blunt side at his head, knocking him down to the floor completely unconscious. He stands over him with the axe, heaving. He lets it clatter to the floor and fall on end. Quixote walks away from Leviathan, but notices the same smile on his unconscious face as he leaves the workshop and ultimately The Home For Wayward Souls.