Deanna Frost vs. Amelia Nevado

[Wisteria Waltz]

Rise to Greatness…

The biggest match of her entire career…

Main eventing SCW’s grandest show, defending the World Title on the biggest stage possible, the dream come true…

All of these thoughts and more should have been swirling around Amelia’s head, making her feel special about the fact that she was getting to live something very few ever get to do once. Even the shadow of her past haunting her every thought should have seen it as an excuse to gloat about how Amelia was going to be doing something not even her wife had achieved yet, as if trying to prove that she was superior to Luz after all.

Despite being in Detroit, however, Rise to Greatness was the last thing on Amelia’s mind.

The reason why was all around her. She wasn’t surrounded by her wife, her siblings, her closest friends that had formed a found family around her and loved her for who she truly was without any strings attached. Instead, she was just another face in a sea of white clothes, a small piece of the picture of purity that was piling into white vans and SUVs to take them away from the airport. There would be no chance to check into a hotel…at least, not until all was set and done.

Caleb had timed everything perfectly. As soon as his private plane had landed, everyone piled out neatly and efficiently. The self-proclaimed reincarnation of Jesus himself, Amelia, all of the Empire’s elites, and enough masked cultists to form a perimeter like a small army all their own. It wasn’t all of their numbers, Amelia had figured some would be left behind at their hideout in the British countryside, but enough to make it clear Caleb wasn’t taking any chances.

‘Still think you have some magic trick up your sleeve or believe the power of love and friendship will save the day?’ she heard Other Amelia mock her from deep in her thoughts.

Amelia just took a deep breath to try and ground herself, knowing that she needed to be focused and in control if this was going to happen. If she wavered now, there may be no Rise to Greatness for her, no chance to meet Deanna in that ring and prove that she had finally come to her senses, that she was ready to prove she truly was a worthy World Champion the right way.

‘You already have,’ her inner critic commented. ‘You’re the Blythe you were always meant to be, greatness personified. Quit letting Luz drag you back down to her level… it won’t be long before she’s trapped in Caleb’s light as well. Maybe she’ll finally-’

Amelia shook her head, trying to kick Other Amelia out of her thoughts. Even if it was her own voice, stained with arrogance and cruelty, she refused to think of her wife like that again. She’d been a fool this entire year, letting her emotions get the better of her and drive her to such extremes. Luz was strong, and she insisted that Amelia was just as strong as her. The two of them had earned the right to be among SCW’s very best, and not only was she finally going to truly prove it to herself, she was going to free the both of them from the real burden that had been weighing them down for years.

“I agree, this city truly is a wretched place,” Caleb commented from the driver’s seat as he looked over at her sitting beside him, his false concern making her skin crawl. “Rest assured that we won’t have to linger in this cesspool for long. We’ll take care of business, you’ll silence that vile harlot at Rise to Greatness and prove why you are superior now that you are free of that disgusting corruption God frowns upon, and then we shall return to our castle in celebration.”

“What exactly is the business we’re tending to, if I may ask?” Amelia spoke, keeping her voice neutral. She already knew exactly what it was, but Caleb hadn’t told her and she needed to maintain the illusion of loyalty if she was going to do anything. It was already hard enough to restrain herself from throwing hands in disgust at everything that left Caleb’s mouth, from slandering the hard-working city of Detroit to believing her family’s castle was his in any fashion and especially his sickening homophobia towards someone who, despite everything, Amelia still considered one of her best friends and vowed to make amends with her in the ring come Sunday night.

“Right, I was so busy planning for this moment that it must’ve slipped my mind,” Caleb chuckled, though Amelia suspected he was just trying to play it off. “I’ve arranged a little trade with your… former friend.” Amelia fought to bite her tongue at how Caleb ultimately chose to refer to Luz. “She will finally join us and allow me to save her, just as God always intended. She believes that in return, I will be letting you leave us to rejoin that flock of lost and damned souls. I trust that you have an idea of what I’d like you to do instead before returning home…”

Before Amelia could consider playing dumb, Caleb extended his arm behind his seat and one of the elites (Amelia couldn’t see who) handed something to him. When he held it out to her, she had to stifle her gasp. He was handing her a dagger, spelling out his intentions loud and clear. He genuinely intended for Amelia to pretend to rejoin her found family before literally stabbing them in the back, leaving only her and Luz remaining to ‘bathe in his salvation’ or whatever religious bile he’d already been trying to drown her in.

“I bequeath to thee my most treasured memory,” Caleb spoke reverently, not making Amelia’s desire to prematurely expose her true colors any easier. “This very dagger is the one I used to save my brother’s soul from the witch who tainted his heart, the weapon I wielded to send her to the depths of Hell where her wicked soul belongs. Today, I pass it on to you to continue the mission of The Empire, in the name of the greater good and the cleansing of the human race.”

Amelia slowly took the offered dagger, silently nodding in understanding. Truthfully, she wanted to just roll down the window and ditch the dagger altogether as she felt it burning in her hands, but had to hold strong, had to swallow the vomit that threatened to rise from her throat because of all of this.

‘It’ll be used for the greater good, alright,’ she mentally reassured herself. ‘Your arrogant pride will be your downfall Caleb, I swear it.’

‘Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Amelia,’ Other Amelia teased her. ‘Especially not to yourself.’

Amelia exhaled in a manner that Caleb and the Empire elites would consider a method of trying to focus on her task at hand. If there was any moment in her life where she absolutely could not fail, it had to be this one. If she were to fail at Rise to Greatness… it would suck, but at least she could accept the opportunity to start over and earn her way back the right way, proving to herself and others that she could eventually be the World Champion she truly wanted to be, that set that shining example for SCW’s future, all while the belt would be in the hands of someone who was ready to lead the way now.

If she failed here and Caleb was allowed to infect Luz with his warped religious ideology…

“We’re here.”

Caleb held up his hand as a sign that nobody would move as the other vehicles saw Caleb’s followers pour out and move to establish a perimeter, making sure they were positioned in a way that hid how many there truly were but made it clear The Empire had the numbers so the other side didn’t try anything. By getting here first, Caleb ensured that even if the NCA wanted to try the same tactic, they would quickly find themselves on the back foot. Only after everything seemed to be in order and he got a signal that Caleb slowly exited the vehicle, followed by Amelia and every elite as the eight of them moved to position themselves out in the open at what appeared to be an abandoned parking garage, far from prying eyes and the festivities of SCW being in town for Rise to Greatness. Amelia was made to stand beside Caleb in front of the others as she hid the dagger in her belt.

After several minutes trying to quietly fight off the last of the nerves and Other Amelia’s taunting, she saw a familiar set of cars pull up across from them, and she wasn’t surprised when the first person to emerge was the masked face of La Pequeña Luz.

Everyone else exited and followed behind her. Ivy and Gage looked more determined than she’s ever seen them before. Henry looked fearful of being in his uncle’s presence again but did his best to hide it. Edward and Emily immediately cast concerned glances her way. Camila and Valentina were worried but clearly trying to stand strong for their daughter and sister respectively. The Clauson sisters both looked ready to just rush in and start swinging, and Avery, Darius and Evie all had their hands near their hips as if clearly ready to draw their guns if necessary.

Luz, however… even beneath the mask, Amelia could see a darker fire burning in her beloved’s eyes, as if she had accepted what she might have to do to finally end this nightmare. It broke Amelia to see Luz having come to this conclusion, but as her hand ghosted the dagger hidden at her hip, she knew she was in the same boat.

If there was to be any hope for their future, then Caleb White had to fall.

“I commend you for your punctuality.” Caleb sounded sincerely impressed, but Amelia had to fight the urge to roll her eyes in disgust. “Now, I know that the parties of interest here have important business to prepare for, so shall we make this quick and seamless? I’m sure you, Luz, will greatly appreciate the help I can offer you to erase the blight that is the Braddock name from this Earth for good, just as I’ve helped prepare Amelia to erase the plague that is another-”

“Don’t even dare to utter Deanna’s name, you sick monster,” Luz growled, and Amelia was taken aback by the ferocity of her words. Still, she fought to keep her expression neutral.

“Yes, I do recall seeing her at your wedding the night I was justly freed,” Caleb smugly gloated. “A pity that things between her and Selena don’t seem to have worked out… it is to be expected with such abominations of love, I’m afraid, as you and Amelia here have discovered.”

“Can we get this over with?” Amelia found herself snapping. She hoped that it came off in a way that implied she was growing impatient with this taking so long so she could do what she needed to do to resume preparing for her main event moment. Luz subtly locked eyes with her, and Amelia hoped she could see the truth hidden in her outburst, the confirmation that no matter what Caleb said or did, she wasn’t as ‘saved’ as he claimed.

Speaking up did end up fully drawing all other eyes to her, though, and the moment they all saw her wrist, uncovered, their expressions ranged from horrified to disgusted. The elegant sword and shield, each with a spread set of angel’s wings, scarred into her wrist was on full display, and all of them were beginning to realize just how far Caleb had started to go to have a sense of absolute control over everybody in his grasp.

“What… have you done to her?” Henry demanded, his voice trembling with barely-restrained rage as his fists clenched tightly. Despite wearing every scar his uncle had ever inflicted on him as a means of ‘purifying his soul,’ not even he had The Empire’s sigil branded into his skin. Both Ivy and Lily placed a hand on his shoulders to try and calm him.

“What I felt I had to do in order to avoid any more… complications,” Caleb spoke with a tone that sounded almost insulted at the implication that branding those that followed him was wrong, especially as he narrowed a glare towards the NCA agents. “I couldn’t afford any more attempts to infiltrate and corrupt my holy cause that would escape the watchful eye of God. So those truly devoted to our divine mission prove themselves by being marked as proof of their loyalty and devotion, just like my elites… and just like Amelia here.”

“You sick son of a-” Evie nearly lost it as she began to pull out her gun, but that immediately drew clicking sounds from every Empire cultist surrounding the area, a show of force meant to warn her against what she was about to do. Darius grabbed her shoulder, as if anticipating this issue, but it was clear he was just as disturbed by this revelation as everybody else.

“I notice you don’t have one,” Marilyn jabbed, clearly looking to instigate. “What’s the matter, bozo? Not loyal to your own preaching?”

“My loyalty to God is unquestioned,” Caleb frowned, but maintained a level head in the face of the antics of someone he’d been haunting for just as long as he’d loomed over Amelia and Luz’s families. “He has guided my hand in judging and cleansing every filthy, unworthy soul I have met throughout my life, from my own brother to the witch who led him astray.” He grinned at Marilyn’s furious reaction before turning that grin to Henry before his eyes ultimately landed on Luz and her family. “And that includes the man who donned a mask and proclaimed himself an angelic spirit when your people are the most corruptive influence this world has ever suffered from.”

It took a herculean effort on the part of Amelia’s willpower to not just grab the dagger and start swinging at Caleb right here and now, feeling so disgusted with his blatant racism framed as some sort of divine commandment that she even briefly considered turning the dagger on herself for having to even pretend like she suddenly agreed with any of it thanks to him. Luz was obviously struggling just as much, having to hold her mother back as Camila unleashed a harsh torrent of Spanish that would’ve made a sailor blush if they could understand even half of what she was saying.

“As much as I’ve enjoyed this conversation,” Caleb continued, brushing all of this off as if he was above it all, “it’s not why we’re gathered here today. Luz… shall we make our exchange so that I can begin making amends for your father’s existential failures and prove that even you are truly worthy of a place in Heaven if you try?”

“Let’s do this,” Luz spat before he could continue rambling, not hiding her disgust but making it clear she wanted to just get this over with. Amelia’s heart twisted in her chest that even after this sickening spiel, Luz was still willing to let herself end up in Caleb’s clutches if it meant she wasn’t anymore, even though she knew the truth now. Even still, Amelia fought to maintain an emotionless expression as she followed Caleb to meet Luz halfway, their found family staying back lest they risk Caleb’s goons opening fire while the elites looked like they were watching a miracle happening in real time. As both sides stopped before one another, Amelia and Luz locked eyes, as if trying to have a silent conversation and figure out if they were on the same page here and figure out their next move while they had these precious few seconds.

As it turned out, Luz seemed to be a step ahead, courtesy of a very important detail Amelia had let slip weeks ago.

Before the two could exchange places, the moment was interrupted by Caleb’s phone ringing. To say he looked irritated would be an understatement, but he tried to play it off all the same.

“My apologies,” he insisted before answering the call. “This had better be important, because I’m in the middle of-” He trailed off as whatever news was being broken to him destroyed his composed control entirely. “What do you mean our base has been discovered? That’s impossible! The NCA should have no… knowledge… of…”

As Caleb’s stunned gaze slowly turned towards Amelia, she knew Luz had given her an opening, and she had to capitalize. Without any wasted movement, she revealed the dagger Caleb had given her earlier and attempted to rip open his throat with it. Caleb, however, dropped his phone and caught her wrist, twisting it to try and force his dagger from her hands. He tried to move his other hand to reclaim it, but it had to move to seize Luz’s wrist as she revealed a dagger of her own, aiming for his heart.

“You two… truly are beyond salvation…” Caleb grunted as he tried to use his legendary wrestling prowess to disarm them, but Amelia and Luz were not going to be stopped. He still knew exactly how to end this stalemate as he yelled to his minions, “Kill them all and let God sort them out!”

Unfortunately for Caleb, his order never came to pass. The moment the cultists prepared to fire, they found themselves being fired on in return as several small drones, each armed with small turrets revealed themselves from well-hidden locations and began either mowing them down or driving them back. The elites prepared to move in and back Caleb up, but Amelia and Luz’s loved ones didn’t hesitate to rush past the three of them and start a fight of their own, having the superior numbers to keep Caleb’s supposed best out altogether.

This didn’t deter Caleb, however, as he surprised his two biggest thorns by rolling back and expertly throwing them into one another. It didn’t disarm either of them, but that didn’t stop Caleb from revealing another dagger on his person as he tried to stab down between Luz’s eyes, only for Amelia to block the strike with the weapon he had given her.

“I had such high hopes for you… both of you…” Caleb growled in disappointment, still trying to rip away at Amelia’s self-worth and Luz’s kind nature even now. “All I wanted was to save you both from damnation… to make things right…”

“For yourself!” Luz spat. “All you’ve ever cared about was false redemption because you can’t stand the idea of going to Hell where you belong!”

“My soul has always belonged in Heaven,” Caleb sternly continued. “I have always been better than every other wretched soul corrupting this world, God himself has decreed it. That is why I know you will not strike me down… you aren’t strong enough to stain your souls-”

“Enough!” Amelia yelled as she managed to grab Caleb’s wrist and roll underneath his blade, kicking his leg out from under him and giving Luz an opening to kick his dagger out of his hands. “Luz and I have had to live our lives with your shadow looming over us, making us fear you. Just like my parents, you’re done trying to dictate our lives for your selfish gains!”

“You’ve tried to break us for years, all because you couldn’t cope with the truth that everything you’ve done locked you out of Heaven a long time ago!” Luz added.

“You don’t understand!” Caleb tried to plead. “We’re better than all of them! We don’t belong in the fiery pit! I don’t belong-”

As Caleb ranted, he tried to lunge for Luz once more, but Amelia wasn’t going to let him win… not this time. She felt it before she saw it… the blade piercing Caleb’s back, tearing straight though whatever was left of his twisted heart. She felt her blade make contact with Luz’s, realizing that her wife had mirrored the attack from the front as Caleb gasped between them, blood oozing from his mouth.

“If we’re hellbound, then so be it…” Luz fiercely declared.

“...as long as we go down together,” Amelia finished with just as much ferocity.

Caleb had nothing more to say… he tried, but the blood rising from his throat refused to allow words to form. They both let go and stepped aside, collapsing against one another as the man who had tormented them for most of their lives fell to the ground, his death as undignified as he deserved.

Somewhere in the midst of it all, they felt their loved ones surrounding them, checking on them, questioning Amelia specifically about what she’d pulled, but she couldn’t answer. All she had the strength for was looking into Luz’s eyes, the realization dawning on them of what they’d done. Even still, though, they took solace in the fact that it was necessary.

Their souls may have been stained, but they were finally free.

Without its self-righteous leader, The Empire would crumble, especially once the brainwashing was broken and the truth of Caleb’s intentions finally sank in.

Rise to Greatness would truly be the first night of a truly brighter future for the couple.

And it would see the real Amelia finally rise again.