Mamba's Dead Wrong Playoff Predictions Vol. 5 : The Nerdiest Edition

[MexicanMamba]

Word count : 4,544


Prologue.



Year after year, century after century, the war has been waged. The greatest warriors the universe has ever known, meeting in one place to do battle. Destroying each other for the crown. To be named ruler of the rest of the most powerful beings known to man. To be Champion. The fight has already been bloody and exhausting to this point. Scattered across the battlefield are the bodies of those that have fallen early. A powerful, black stallion, chained and wounded, breathing its final heavy breaths. A man, once powered by immense heat, turned into nothing more than a fog of black smoke. A bloody, cracked crown rolls away from the stumbling, dying body of a once proud king. A Flock of Hawks show down from the sky.



Fourteen of the strongest remain. Two of those, the leaders of the pack, stand tall on rocky hilltops, staring down at the carnage beneath them. The first, once merely a man, has his skin turn red and black veins pop through all the muscles on his body. Horns sprout from his head and his feet are torn to shreds as hooves form in their place. The second, Diakite, an alien from the planet Cybertron, with ability to turn into machines they have scanned, takes the shape of a blue and yellow muscle car, though that only scratches the surface of what it can do. They’ve earned their place and simply must choose when they want to join the fray. From the valley between them, to the shores of the beach to the west, they watch and wait. Patient and considerate. Knowing that soon the right prey will present itself.



1.



The cowboy, clad in black, turns his toe outward, angling the Spurs on his boot, informing his horse to run. Charging, the cowboy swiftly pulls a revolver from its place at his side and aims at the beast in his path. It stands like a man, but its strangely smooth and featureless green skin makes it apparent that it is not. Protruding from its head are antlers that would put any Buck that a normal hunter has bagged to shame. Antlers also come out of its back and near its wrists and ankles. Perched on the antlers is a black Fox with piercing green eyes. Though the cowboy gains ground quickly, this mutated Buck and his Fox stand strong.



He squeezes the trigger on his revolver causing a shot to crack through the air. The Buck doesn’t shift its weight or move, but the shot is off the mark, only taking a chunk of antler with it. As he takes aim for a second shot, the Fox leaps off and into the air, catching the cowboy off guard and forcing him to alter his aim, which never rests comfortably on the animal before it hits his chest with a painful thud, driving him off of his horse and face first into the dirt. Panicked, the horse continues forward but without real guidance and the Buck takes advantage, slashing the steed with his Arm-antlers, sending it hurling to the side.



Up to one knee, the cowboy and the Fox glare at each other. Slowly, the animal begins to circle around him, baring its bright teeth and showing its blood red gums. It digs its claws into the ground, its tell that it is ready to attack. The cowboys grasps a handful of sand and dirt and throws it into the eyes of the animal, momentarily blinding it and he fires a third shot, this one burrowing itself into the side of the Fox. It howls and whimpers and stumbles, falling to the dirt. Before he can turn his attention to the primary threat, the Buck finds him instead, wrapping a hand around his throat and lifting him completely off the ground before driving him powerfully against a nearby tree. The cowboy moves to bring the revolver up but screams a painful cry as an antler pierces his skin at his shoulder. His arm goes numb, his grip on his weaponry loosens. The tightness around his throat is removed, letting him dangle from the tree only by the impalement of the antler. Gingerly, the pet Fox crawls up the body of the Buck until it is eye level with the Cowboy. The last thing he sees is the glimmer of ivory fangs before they latched onto his throat.



2.



James Wiseman, A man out of time, a solider in the war for America’s revolution, witness to the signing of the declaration of Independence in 1776, and now, due to miracles of science and technology, the super solider serum has given the Sixer the ability to defend the world again. Since his revival, he has gained abilities and weapons that he could never have imagined in his former life. Shields that defy physics, armor that can take gunshots and explosions and not kill the man wearing it. None of those things could really prepare him for what he approached on this beach …



From out of the water walks a man with purple eyes, accenting with what appears to be gold flecks. His long, brown hair is wet, sticking to his shoulders. No armor or weapons like most on the battlefield. He doesn’t really need them. Being born in Atlantis offers him, Prince Delmar, protection and strength not known to most. The water at his side makes him feel powerful, invincible. He’ll know soon if those things are true.



Delmar wills the tide and brings a surge of water in front of him. Wiseman looks, amazed and briefly unsure before lowering his head and running full force towards the aquatic barricade. He brings his star-spangled shield up to his head and slices through the powerful surge of water like a hot knife through butter, ramming his shield into Delmar causing the wave to collapse, with Delmar along with it. Delmar gets to his feet immediately but is met by a fist to his face. Wiseman swings his shield but timely head movement saves Delmar from the collision. They trade strikes, some missed, blocked and others connecting. Wiseman swings his fist and its trapped by Delmar, turned and twisted then snapped. Wiseman counters by attacking with the shield next, but this is telegraphed and Delmar grabs ahold and headbutts once, twice three times breaking and bloodying his face. The shield is striped from his arm and Delmar turns, bringing his full power into a wind up and blasts Wiseman with it. The impact is so vicious that Wiseman is sent through the air and deep into the murky waters. Prince Delmar looks out for a moment before closing his eyes to concentrate … to reach out.



His purple and gold eyes open just in time to see a massive Great White Shark breach the water below Wiseman. The waters explode into a mass of blood, teeth and water. Delmar smirks as he tosses the shield into the water after its owner, allowing it to sink into the depths along with him.



3.



A battle that would be right at home next to Excalibur and King Arthur is fought once more. The Brooklyn Knight, Sir Hector, with his glistening black armor and trusted sword, Shuo’s Fang, charge uphill, ready to face off with the mystical Wizard, Quentin. The Wizard’s blue and white robe and silver hood with white stars flows in the wind. His eyes glow white as he summons his powers, sending a beam of bright light at the oncoming challenger. Sir Hector lifts Fang and deflects the blast. Quentin claps his hands together in front of him causing the ground beneath them to quake which caused Hector to briefly lose his balance, giving the Wizard time to conjure another blast which connects with Hector’s leg, flipping him fully over and landing flat on his back.



Quentin levitates, floating into the air to rain another blast down upon the Knight who smartly rolls out of the way and rises to one knee. Another blast falls from the heavens but Hector dives forward and sommersaults to safety, swiftly pulling a dagger and throwing it at the Wizard. The blade plunges into his side forcing him from his position above. The Wizard rips the blade from his body and tosses it to the ground. Sir Hector closes the remaining distance with an attempted overhead killshot with Fang but Quentin sidesteps the strike and the blade hits the ground with the thud. Hector lands a backhand shot, the armor clanging against the Wizard’s head.



Quentin’s vision is blurry and his balance is questionable when Sir Hector shoulder tackles him to the ground and following it up with a hard kick to the side, where the wound from his blade already caused damage. The blow causes Quentin to roll downhill a few feet from the Knight, who closes the distance again and swipes with his sword which Quentin avoids. Two quick blasts hit Sir Hector, drawing him back. He roars back, slashing the Wizard across his chest drawing blood and a painful screech.



Sir Hector lifts the Fang of Shou high above his head, ready to end the fight and move on. The Wizards has other plans, conjuring up his own weapon, a red bladed sword, which hits Fang with such force that Fang breaks into two pieces in Hector’s hands. Baffled, the Brooklyn Knight is in no position to follow-up and simply watches as the magical red blade is driven into his chest. With a step back and quick wave of his hand, the Wizard causes the blade to explode into a ball of light, extinguishing Sir Hector’s.



4.



Jordan Johnson, or The Pelican, as he is known in his Air Force unit, soars through the sky in his specialized flight suit. Made of the world’s strongest metal, it is capable of taking on tremendous damage. The wings work much as a bird’s does but its steel “feathers” can be used a projectile or pulled as close quarters weapons. His most powerful weapons, two spherical grenades called “The Stolen Sun” due to their ability to disintegrate everything they come into contact with, are to be used sparingly.



He barrel rolls as a Rocket hurls at him at incredible speeds and explodes behind him. On the ground is another soldier, Sergeant Houston, firing from a rocket launcher. Sergeant Houston reloads and Johnson dive attacks, heading straight for Houston’s head when another rocket is perfectly aimed and slams into his body causing him to lose control of one of his wings and begin to spiral towards the ground. Still, he uses his good wing to try to stabilize the best that he can before hovering in front of Houston and brings his wing in front of him and fires off six of his blades.



The Sergeant evades four of them with some effort, mildly annoying the Pelican.



But not the Fifth or Sixth, which rip into him and back out the other side, destroying everything inside of the Sergeant that could possibly keep him living and breathing.



That fight is over, but without use of flight, Jordan Johnson begins to crash land into a wooded area.



5.



Separated by millions of years of evolution and now, suddenly, thrown back into the mix together, we could not possibly know what to expect … until now. A pack of three Raptors, of the dinosaur variety, cautiously stalks the grassy area between two tall hills with a wooded area in the distance. Though they have no real predators in this age, something is triggering their instincts to tread lightly.



Three Raptors are incredibly dangerous, but the pack of Wolves that have been tracking their every move since the moment that they reached the battlefield, knows they have the upper hand. Though perhaps the predatory dinosaurs have a strength and speed advantage in a one-on-one setting, the Wolves have numbers and experience in this world, in this time, and in this terrain.



Without realizing what they had done, the Raptors find themselves in a kill zone with the Wolves closing in all around them. It is not until they are close enough to see the Wolves’ eyes shimmer that they even realize that the danger is close. The leader of the Wolf pack pounces first, completely clearing the tall grass and wrapping his teeth around the throat of the weakest of the dinosaurs. Two wolves each go after the other two.



The lead Wolf quickly dispatches his caught-by-surprise prey when his fangs puncture vital veins in his neck and tears them open ruthlessly. He turns his gaze to his partners and watches helplessly as a Raptor completely rips the top of one of his wolves' heads and discards it nonchalantly before turning and whipping another with its tail. The Wolf sprints and leaps, digging teeth into the scaly skin and tasting the blood. Feeling hungry. The two wolves maul it together, feasting.



Only one Raptor remains. It put up a fight. It severely wounded one of the wolves that initially attacked it but was unable to finish it off. Knowing it is outnumbered, it tries to flee, but its cornered. It growls and roars and snarls, showing teeth and saliva that drips to the dirt. The Wolves are unafraid and close in. Teeth bared and hunger growing. In one final act of defiance, the Raptor lashes out, clawing the Alpha Dog’s face but it is bum-rushed and taken down. Chewed and clawed and eaten. A worthy meal.



Once dealt with the wolves’ attention is pulled to nearby woods, where they see something crash down into the trees.



They follow in pursuit.



6.



Scary Terry. Captain. Pirate. He stands alone on his Clipper ship, staring over murky waters from the bow. The black sails above him whip as they are smacked with the increasing wind. Inch by inch he gets closer to the shore, closer to battle. Terry checks his arsenal one last time. Loaded blunderbuss, sharpened knife and cutlass, both made of a rare metal, said by some to be indestructible. Looking over his weaponry almost made him oblivious to the fact that the wind roared further to life and the sun had been blotted out by ominous, black clouds. Terry’s focus is pulled when a bolt of lightning strikes the waters to his right sending out a soul shaking CRACK. A flash of light which the pirate initially mistakes for more lightning, this time hitting the ship behind him, near the base of the crow’s nest. Wood splinters and flies through the air. Terry turns to see that it was not lightning, but the one that called upon it.



A descendant of the Thunder God, Thor, Zaire’s powers might pale in comparison to his ancestor, but he is strong and determined. Being so young, his powers are still developing and his grasp of how to control them is still tightening. He looks into the eyes of the man (a mere man!) standing before him and he recognizes the warrior spirit. A smirk forms on Zaire’s face, sensing a legitimate challenge. To thank him for such a challenge, he summons a lightning bolt from the clouds and sends it tearing through the ship.



The strike misses Terry, but the splinters of wood stick into his face. He feels the blood trickling from the small wounds. Like a freight train, a bolt of lightning hits Terry causing him to fly back into a wooden pillar holding up one of the sails. The pillar easily snaps and comes crashing down, covering Zaire with the sail, disorienting and blinding him. The demigod struggles under the rubble, fighting to stand and regain his advantage. Finally, he tears a sail and frees himself, only to be slashed at the thigh with Terry’s Cutlass, taking Zaire down to a knee and Terry follows this with an elbow to the face, causing blood to spurt from Zaire’s nose. Instinctively, Zaire grabs Terry with both hands but searing pain drives through his body as the pirate uses his blade to slice his arms off at the elbow. Terry stands and pulls his blunderbuss from his side and aims it at the demigod’s head.



The ship quakes. Zaire’s eyes go white. Electrical surges begin to release from his body. Terry, realizing trouble is brewing, re-holsters his sidearm and sprints for the rear of the ship. Just as he reaches the edge, he hears one last scream from Zaire. Terry dives into the water just as Zaire and the ship explode in a blast of lightning.



The water is cold but briefly invigorating. Terry swims towards the shore.



7.



The moment that Sir Hector fell from his magic, Quentin the Wizard had little time to breath, let alone to think, when he heard a roar behind him. Not an animalistic one, but that of an engine. From his spot high above the battlefield, the blue and yellow muscle car races down, no longer Pacing himself. The Wizard is side-swiped be the vehicle and violently hits the deck. The vehicle drives past a way before doing a quick U-turn and propelling forward, coming directly for Quentin. Conjuring up magic as quickly as he can, Quentin builds a force-field and when the car crashes into it, it goes airborne and due to the damage taken, it transforms into its humanoid form. Towering over the Wizard, it prepares for battle though some of its systems are now off-line due to the collision. No laser blasters, but it pulls two steel bo staffs from interior compartments.



Unable to hold the force-field from the crash, Quentin lets it fall. He stands and folds his arms across his chest and his robe, almost seeming to be alive, fully engulfs him and he vanishes. Diakite turns frantically, searching for a sign of where his magical adversary is. Bang! A quick strike to his chest. Crack! A blast to his leg. Bam-Bam-Bam! Three swift blows to the stomach. Frustrated, Diakite extends his arms, with bo staffs in hand, and his hands begin to rotate fully at the wrist, making his weapons look like propellers. He swings them back and forth until a sickening thud is heard as they connect with Quentin’s head, forcing him from his state of invisibility. Diakite leaps into the air and lands on top of Quentin, driving his staffs into his chest, breaking and shattering bones.



All of the them.



8.



Delmar’s skin is pierced with an antler that was sent flying at him. He digs it out of his shoulder and tosses it to the side. The Buck rushes forward and swings a heavy fist but Delmar closes the distance even further and puts himself right up against the creature, and delivers powerful blows to the body, where the thing’s ribs might be if it actually has any. Delmar maneuvers behind the beast and wraps his arms around its waist and lifts, suplexing it.



When Delmar stands he is attacked by the Fox. He falls but has the wherewithal to brings his arms up to keep the animal at a distance from his face. Unfortunately, the Fox’s fang sink into his forearm and begin to tear away at the flesh. He takes his free hand and grabs the animal by the back of its fur, near its head and barrel rolls, switching positions with the canine. He begins to rain down punches. Over and over and over, smashing the Fox’s head until he hears the crack of its skull and it stops moving.



He hears a gutteral screech from behind. The Buck isn’t happy at watching its pet fall. It charges again but once more Delmar closes the distance quicker and launches himself into a flying kick that drives the creature back after hitting it in the chest. Without missing a beat, Delmar takes his turn as rushing forward and leaps into the air, twisting/flipping over the Buck’s head while also grabbing its antlers and pulling him down to the ground on his back just as Delmar’s feet do the same. With a powerful tug, Delmar rips the antlers off the beast’s head and stabs it with them. Repeatedly, until it, like its pet Fox, has no more fight left.



9.



Coughing up water, Scary Terry reaches the shore. Tired and worn from the swim, he tries to rest. He gets two deep breaths in before a massive hand wraps around his throat and picks him off of the sand and into the air in one movement, with the ease of someone lifting a doll up. Terry looks at the thing literally holding his life in his hands. Red skin, the black veins, the horns. Something out a horrible tale that he had heard at sea. But there is no time to consider such things and he takes his own hand and pulls his small knife from his side and drives into the eye of this Bull of a creature and it groans and releases its grip. Terry falls to the sand and pulls his pistol and aims it at the head of the Bull. He pulls the trigger.



Nothing.



The water. Without too much panic, Terry drops the gun and pulls his Cutlass sword, swinging it at the distracted creature but it uses its strength advantage to grab his wrist before being able to follow through and twists, snapping his wrist like a twig. A boulder of a fist crushes Terry’s face and though initially painful, things go dark quickly. Which is a good thing for him because no one should have to feel the amount of pain that he would have before they leave this world forever.



10.



Jordan presses a button on his chest that releases his wings and lets them fall off of his body. No use in being weighed down by them now that one is completely useless. He does make sure to pull loose a few of the blades on the wings, just in case they are needed. He looks around at the trees, trying to decide on his next course of action. A rustling sound makes him turn. He doesn’t see anything, though he gets the uneasy feeling that he isn’t alone. He takes a step back but keeps his eyes fixed on the darkness behind the trees. More rustling to his right and then his left, his gaze trying to find the threat.



Two white lights emerge from the dark. Then two more. And another two. Finally, another set. Not lights. Eyes. Glowing. Staring directly at him. A wolf howls and the others growl. When they get closer, Jordan begins to make out their shape, noticing that one is significantly larger than the rest. His eyes lock onto the leader of the pack. There is an understanding between them. Man and nature. However, it is not one that makes Jordan feel good about what comes next.



He turns and runs. The wolves follow in pursuit. His chest burns and aches from the effort. Sprinting for the tree line so that he can at least fully see his attackers in full. He can feel them getting closer with his step. Probably not accurate but he swears that he can even smell their breath. Hear their stomachs rumbling, preparing for the meal to come. The light is getting closer. He hears a snap of jaws and teeth directly behind him as one wolf dove forward to take a bite but missed. Reaching into his pocket, Jordan reluctantly pulls out his secret weapon … “The Stolen Sun”.



He presses a button on the sphere to activate it.



The wolves are on his back, ready to jump and sink their teeth in.



He leaps for the light as he reaches the tree line and turns, tossing the sphere back towards the wolves. It hits the pack leader directly causing a fire blast to burn the animals, the trees and blasts Jordan himself far out of the trees, searing half of his face in the process.



11.



Diakite is slammed in the chest with a super human shoulder tackle, sending him sprawling to the ground. Delmar stands in front of him, unafraid of his mechanic weaponry, size or strength. Diakite gets back up and readies his bo staffs. Delmar jumps at the robot in disguise and superman punches him in the face. Diakite swings a staff and misses, but spins and connects with the second. He attempts another strike but Delmar latches onto the staff and uses his momentum and swing off of it at an awkward angle and pull it from Diakite’s grasp and into his own.



They come together with clanging steel as they attack and defend using the alien weapons. Delmar begins to get the upper hand. He is nearly as powerful but much quicker and is landing 3 or 4 strikes for every one that Diakite can. Then suddenly a voice speaks to Diakite … “systems online”. He activates his hand cannon. Delmar notices it glowing in preparation for a shot and moves backwards. The blasts come in three round bursts. The explosions bringing dirt and sand into the air.



Duck, dip, dive, dodge.



Diakite misses and misses before Delmar takes the staff in his hands and launches it towards the machine. Diakite tries to fire off one more shot at Delmar but the staff lodges itself perfectly into the barrel of his cannons and the blast is sent inward, causing critical damage to him as he crumples to the dirt, black ooze dripping from his wounds.



12.



The Raging Bull gallups towards his fallen enemy, the Pelican, Jordan Johnson. He sees his burnt face, his wings missing, and knows the battle can be won quickly. Jordan can feel each step of the Bull beneath him as it makes the ground quiver. With no other choice, he reaches for his last Stolen Sun. He activates it just as the Bull reaches him but is not able to release the activation button because of the Bull’s hand wrapping over his own and keeping the sphere tight in his grip. Jordan watches helplessly as the sphere and his hand are driven into his own chest. He looks down at the sphere as if it is some twisted pace maker.



Jordan is smashed with a fist and he crumbles to the ground. In one final act of defiance he pulls his hand from his chest, letting the sphere fully activate.



The Bull flees, attempting to get out of the blast zone. Though he does, the heat from the explosion is felt all through his body.



13. THE FINALS



The final two.



The Bull vs. Delmar from Atlantis.



They’re bloody and broken and yet more alive than they have ever been. They have taken their losses and fought through the best that the world, or the universe has to offer. It is a battle worth the price of admission and worthy of crowning a true champion of the battlefield.



In the end however, the sheer brute force of the Bull could not be stopped.



Once he finishes the fight and Delmar’s body lay motionless at his feet, the beast looks up into the sky. Finally taking a moment to bask in his victory, embracing his glory.



Being a Champion.

[greepleairport]

You weren’t kidding when you said you were taking a different approach. Well done sir! Delmar of Atlantis finds the ending quite suspect to say the least haha


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[false9]

+10

[IamQuailman]

At least the Alpha portion of this article aligns with that title... #NORESPECT

[MexicanMamba]

At least the Alpha portion of this article aligns with that title... #NORESPECT

I'm usually good for one side only ha. I think I've got the winner right 4/5 of these but the other one is a mess.

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[IamQuailman]

At least the Alpha portion of this article aligns with that title... #NORESPECT

I'm usually good for one side only ha. I think I've got the winner right 4/5 of these but the other one is a mess.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Haha all good man, im just busting your balls

[MexicanMamba]

At least the Alpha portion of this article aligns with that title... #NORESPECT

I'm usually good for one side only ha. I think I've got the winner right 4/5 of these but the other one is a mess.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Haha all good man, im just busting your balls

Plus, you didn't let me outbid you for Fox. Was my only form of retribution.

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