The Dragon of the Underground

[True Grave]

"Now remember, kid, this ain't like anything you've ever done before. I want you to keep your eyes open at all times, understand?"
Roger Adlon, manager of the reigning UFC World Heavyweight Champion and current Karate Masters Tournament Champion, Thomas Price, was excitedly explaining to his new charge what it would be like fighting in the underground circuit. His new charge was Tom's son, Brandon, and the boy was a gifted martial artist. He knew that mastery of the fighting arts ran in the Price family, dating back to Brandon's great-grandfather, who was a champion bare-knuckles boxer. Stopping for a red light, Roger turned and awaited the young man's response.

Brandon looked over at his manager, a smile warming his brown eyes as he nodded his head.
"Yeah, I understand, Roger. I won't take my eyes off the competition. Where is the arena, anyway?"
He looked back out and noticed that they were in a rather affluent section of Manhattan. Surely an illegal underground fighting circuit wouldn't be here amongst the glitz and the glamor?"
"We're almost there, Brandon," replied his manager as he made a right turn.

After driving a little while longer, Roger stopped the car. Brandon looked around and noticed that they were in front of nondescript building. Puzzled, he stepped out of the car along with his manager and looked around. A bit of frost was in the air, it being so close to evening, so he had to rub his bare arms for warmth. His manager looked up and nodded.
"This is the place."

Roger turned to Brandon.
"I hope you're ready, cause it's the real deal from now on."
Brandon nodded, rubbing his arms as a light cold breeze ruffled his brown hair. When they entered the building, they noticed that it was unfurnished and drab, save for an oak reception desk. There was a man in his early twenties working the desk, and he looked up as someone entered.
"May I help you?" He asked in a guarded tone.

Roger stepped forward and leaned over the desk as if they were conspiring.
"I'm here for the underground fighting league," he whispered.
The man relaxed and nodded.
"Very well, if you'll come right this way, I'll take down your information."
The man got up and began walking, and Roger motioned for Brandon to follow them. The trio walked down hallway after hallway until finally coming to a door labeled 'fire exit'.

The man pushed open the door and Brandon and Roger followed him down the staircase. Obviously, the fire exit was a cover for something else. They continued to walk down the spiral staircase until they found a solid metal door. The guy working the desk walked up and knocked on the door in a complicated, rhythmic manner. The door opened and they followed him in. Brandon heard the slam of the door behind him, but he was more concerned with what was in front of him.

The nondescript building was the perfect cover for the beautiful room that was before him. The walls were ornate with gold, the carpet was spotless, and there were fancy antiques all around from several places of origin. They continued to walk until they left the room, and the man took his place at another desk.
"Now, then, I need the information of the registering fighter."
Brandon stepped forward and gave all of the necessary information. The man opened a drawer behind him when they were finished and produced a folder.

He then placed the info in, put the folder in the drawer, then shut and locked it.
"All right, Mr. Price, you are a registered fighter. Your first match will be tonight. Head out of this room and take a left to find the changing room. I assume you have appropriate clothing for fighting?"
Brandon nodded, and the man dismissed them.

Brandon, accompanied by Roger, headed down the hall until they found the locker room. Roger would wait at the door while Brandon changed into his chosen outfit. Brandon removed his shoes, socks, jeans and shirt before placing them inside an available locker in the same bag he had taken his chosen fighting outfit. Since he didn't want to be constricted during the fight, he had chosen a single pair of black shorts. His manager was excited about the fight, but he was holding it in so as not to break Brandon's concentration. After putting them on, Brandon smiled as he began to do his warmups.

Ten minutes later, Brandon had finished his warm-ups. His body felt warm and he was slightly sweater. He sat down and closed his eyes, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth. This allowed him to enter a light stage of meditation, so that his mind would be as warmed up as his body. This was the underground, where no rules existed to protect the fighters. He could very well die tonight if he was not careful. Nevertheless, this was Brandon's first fight in the underground, and he was going to make it unforgettable.

 

[azure]

Isis was sitting in the stand that was surrounding the ring. In the back ground she could hearing all the yelling, betting, and cheering around her as everyone waits for the fight to start.Isis's parents decide to take a second honeymoon since they would be gone for two weeks. They don't want her by herself for she agreed to stay with her cousin for the two weeks. Her cousin and herself were great friends. They got along doing everything. The only thing was her cousin was into the underground fighting work she would rather stay at home and be a boo warm. But her cousin did convince her to come out to see at least one underground fight stating that you cannot hate if you haven't seen it.

Hating that her cousin was right Isis agreed to go to the fight. Her cousin told her aunt and uncle that they were going to go out to a small party with some friends and they got into the car and drove to where the underground fight was to be. Isis looked around thinking that there is no way this abandoning quiet, looking building could held underground fight. Upon entering it. She was in awe at all the structures and the cleanness and the luxury the room had. She followed her cousin to were their seat was having to maneuver over people to get where their seats were.

Once seated Isis was still trying to get a hold of her surroundings and everything. This was also new to her. When they started to announce the fighters. Isis turned her eyes to stare at the ring.

 

[True Grave]

Brandon ended his meditation when Roger tapped him on the shoulder.
"It's time to go out there, Brandon."
He nodded and stood up, leaving the locker room with Roger. They followed a long hallway to a large arena that was a ways down from the seats. It was very comparable to a gladiator ring in Ancient Rome. Over the arena was a golden throne, where the ruler of this underground sat to watch.

His name was Anton Skorzeny, a man with ties to Russian organized crime. He had done many terrible things, but had recently taken a break from murder and mayhem to start up this lucrative pit fighting scene. His criminal associates from all over the world gathered here to bet money on the fighters, sometimes in the millions of dollars or other respective currency. The middle-aged man with the beady eyes watched as one of his new fighters, Brandon Price, entered the arena. The crowd began cheering and Brandon's face appeared on the jumbo tron in the stands so that all could see him clearly. The statistics from his file began appearing on it, which showed his name, height, weight, fighting style, and fighting record, which was all zeroes for right now because he was a new fighter.

Anton took hold of the microphone, holding it up to him.
"Brandon Price, welcome to my underground fighting circuit. Your file indicates that you are a promising young fighter, but I must see for myself."
He made a jerking motion with his head, and seven men appeared from the other entrance. Roger's face looked shocked, and he told Brandon to stay there as he headed up the stairs to the throne. When he reached Skorzeny, he was upset with him.

"Skorzeny, what is this? The agreement was for one-on-one, not seven-on-one!"
Anton covered the microphone with his hand so that no one in the crowd could hear the conversation.
"Mr. Adlon, you are new here, so I will cut you a break for approaching me without permission. Down here, all fighters go through an initiation before being allowed to compete as members of the circuit. If your fighter does not last against these seven men, then he does not belong down here, anyway."

Brandon looked around as the seven men surrounded him. They were clearly thugs, probably ex-cons, sporting scars and sneers. He knew that he would have to strike first if he was going to avoid being overwhelmed. Brandon spun and lashed out with a spinning roundhouse kick that caught one in the jaw and knocked him to the ground. As one approached, Brandon pushed him back with a front snap kick and threw an elbow strike behind him to one approaching. However, one was able to get close enough to punch him in the jaw.

Brandon recovered from the strike in time to block a follow-up punch before pushing him back. One grabbed him from behind in a full nelson as another approached to punch him in the stomach. Brandon leaned back and kicked one in the face with both feet before kicking the guy holding him in the groin. After he had loosened this guy up, he slammed his own arms down on his opponent to break the hold, elbowed him in the face, then turned and punched him in the face to knock him down. Brandon placed one leg behind the other and jumped off of it to do a jumping side kick that knocked one down. That was three down and four to go.

The four charged him at the same time, putting Brandon on the offensive. He ducked a punch and returned it in his opponent's stomach, but the second guy kicked him in the face. He recoiled and took a shot in the stomach from another guy. As a punch came for his face, he grabbed the arm and headbutted the guy in the face. He put a snap kick in another guy's groin, then elbowed one in the face. He cocked back his arm and punched one in the face as hard as he could, sending him flying back. Brandon had taken down all but one.

He charged the last guy and jumped, spinning in the air. He then extended his leg and hit the guy in the face with a textbook perfect jumping back kick, knocking him down and out. Mr. Skorzeny clapped his hands as the crowd cheered.
"You are indeed the fighter your file says you are. Please wait while your opponent makes his way to the ring."
Brandon took some deep breaths to relax as he waited for his opponent to arrive.

 

[azure]

When the fighter walks and she couldn't take her eyes off of him. He was well fit in very handsome and someone around her age. Watching him now. She wonder why would guys like him want to put their life indeed your for something so illegal and not go for the real thing. When a man in a booth starts to talk she turns to him. Then looks to her cousin trying to ask her cousin who was he, but her cousin shushed her and told her she was trying to listen. She frowns. I when the guy said he had to prove himself wondering how he would do that, but turning back to the ring she sees a more fighters had into the ring and it wasn't going to be just one-on-one. Gasping she turns to her cousin "that's not fair. How can he fight them on. They should be a one-on-one fight". Her cousin, calls back to her. "It's rare that they have fair fights here"

At the sound of the bell Isis turns her eyes back to the ring watching in horror as he starts to fight the guys. She watches his every move seen him take one guy after another. She never seen anybody fight like this only in movies never in real life. Every time he took out a guy she found herself cheering for him. When he takes up the last cry. She was shouting and clapping just like the rest of the crowd.

She turned back to the guy who was running the underground fight ring hearing that he would be fighting another guy now. She was stunned that he was still have to fight his opponent after defining the other guys. Her eyes turned back to him, watching him seen how he would react to this.