Post by Astrid Hall on Apr 24, 2017 3:42:04 GMT
The training room echoed with the sounds of Astrid’s fists pounding heavily on the punching bag as the Valkyrie drilled into it late into the night, alone in the center. Her eyes were closed as she pounded on, the rhythm of her strikes sounding almost like war drums in her ears. Battle approached, as well she knew, and it would take more than she had ever been called upon to deliver in order to emerge victorious in this field.
With every strike, she paid careful attention to the movement of the bag underneath her clenched fists, relying in senses other than sight and sound to track it. She knew that she could potentially be facing as many as five other women in the coming battle, and as such would need to be able to rely on more than just her eyes to watch for incoming strikes or other attacks. No matter what she thought of their methods, she knew that each of the other five women had earned their way into the coming match with sweat and strength. She respected the warrior spirit of all of them – albeit some more grudgingly than others – but was not so foolish as to expect them to ignore the opportunity to strike her from behind to gain an advantage. She had learned the hard way what happened when she put too much faith in the honor of everyone who fought in the IWF. Alicia’s face flickered into her mind, perfectly rendered in the darkness of her closed eyes, and she struck with more power than she had used previously. The strike landed firm, but sent a line of pain shooting through her elbow. She gritted her teeth as she turned the pain into fire, and the fire into power as she continued her chain of strikes without hesitation. Astrid wasn’t ashamed to say that she had underestimated the power of Alicia Lukas’ knee strikes, and that she had paid for that dearly with the injury to her elbow. Even now, over a week later, she still felt the effects of the blow that had played a key factor in her losing that match on Sacrifice.
Even still, the pain was no longer debilitating – if anything she was grateful for it. Her ancestors in ancient times would turn pain into the fuel for the unstoppable rage of the berserk, a fury that would give men the strength and determination to fight like the gods of legend. She knew that she would have to draw upon the same pain-fueled anger to emerge victorious from the coming battle – after all, it wasn’t named the Iron Maiden because it was comfortable. There would be pain enough to go around for all six women in that cage. She drove her pained arm again and again into the punching bag, grinding through the pain of the strike until it barely even registered anymore.
“Pushing yourself a little hard tonight, are we?” a familiar voice called out from behind her. “Jesus, Astrid, I haven’t seen you this pissed off before.”
Astrid growled slightly, but did not pause in her relentless assault on the punching bag – carrying on unabated just as her manager would have expected her to. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Emma.”
“Don’t give me that crap, Valk,” Emma snapped back firmly, but not unkindly. “I’ve known you long enough to know when something’s bothering you. Losing to Victoria didn’t get you nearly this steamed.”
Astrid sighed – a sign that she wasn’t exhausting herself nearly enough for a proper workout. Remembering how Alicia had beaten her with superior mobility, she began circling the bag as she continued her chain of strikes, each step forcing her to adjust her lines of attack to keep her fists centered. “When Victoria beat me I still fought like a warrior, showing the full display of my strength. Alica? She made me look a damned fool. You heard how Vasco was talking through the match… and after.”
Emma snorted. “Vasco? Please. Vasco’s a blowhard. Besides, what is it you’re always saying? A warrior only concerns herself with steel, not words?”
Astrid growled again, quickening her blind steps around the punching bag. “When the words ring true, it is wise to take heed,” she retorted. “I took a stand against Alicia Lukas – this woman who calls herself Evil in one of her own bloody nicknames - and got destroyed for the trouble. Don’t you get it, Emma?”
Emma frowned. “Even if I do, humor me. I want to hear you say it.”
Astrid let out a snarl of frustration, her blows hammering down with yet more power. “Since day one in this company, I’ve tried to defy what so many people think of the IWF. Look at the champions of the main roster! Women like Eternity and Paige Garcia. Men like Spike Kane and Cable Arcane. So many of the champions in the Imperial Wrestling Federation are bad people – arrogant, psychotic, dangerous people who show the people watching us time and again that good so frequently fails before darkness. Any maybe that’s true. Maybe in modern times evil does win more often than good, but… but in this world we live in, people need to believe that good can triumph, Emma. I’ve tried to be a hero since the beginning, fighting with honor, protecting the defenseless, and never giving in to darker urges. Never going too far. Never fighting just for the sake of hurting others, never cheating or relying on dishonorable tactics… trying to show the fans of the IWF – the kids in the crowd – that heroes can fight, and win. That’s all I’ve wanted to do in this company and beyond, and the first time I was challenged by self-described Evil in the main roster…”
“You failed,” Emma finished. As the words left her mouth, Astrid let out a roar of anger, losing control and lashing out on the punching bag… not with a strike, but with a spear. The force of the blow unhooked the punching bag from the chain and sent it crashing to the floor, Astrid on top of it.
Astrid breathed heavily, eyes still closed. “Yes. I failed. I failed the Shield Wall. I failed the children looking for a Hero. I failed myself. I failed you. She called you a failed experiment, and I couldn’t even smack her the hell down for it.”
Emma sighed, sitting down on the mat next to her client and friend. “Even the greatest heroes don’t win them all, Astrid. You know those old stories better than anyone I’ve met. There’s no way you think that the hero wins every battle. So Alicia Lukas beat you. Hurt you. Pissed you off. What are you going to do about it?”
Astrid sat up, leaning against the bag. “Atone,” she replied simply. “Show them that the women from the north are made of stronger stuff, and that we do not bend or break in the face of such adversity. That when we are knocked down, we come back stronger than before. And this time I won't just show them my strength... this time they'll see a side of me they haven's seen. This time they'll see my rage, and what that means for those who stand before it. I'll take Alicia down. I'll take them all down… which sucks, given how much I know you’re invested in Shae.”
Emma laughed and nodded. “True enough, but I can be cheering for you both.” Her smile faded after a few moments before turning serious again. “Astrid, you told me once that warriors like you are forged of fire, blood and iron,” she said simply. “The name speaks for itself. You can do this. You can rally, and rise above. This match was practically made for you. Fire, blood and iron. A true Iron Maiden who hits like the hammer of the gods.”
Astrid nodded slowly, a smile playing about her lips. "Hammer of the Gods..." she said before standing abruptly, eyes alight with a new fire as she strode quickly away.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Emma called out with slight dismay.
"I have to talk to the media people about getting some song rights," Astrid replied with ferocious determination. "I have an idea."
"The Iron Maiden.
Gods, just the name of it gives you chills, doesn't it? I still sit back and think how lucky I am, how honored I am, to have come far enough in this company to be in the Iron Maiden so soon after my debut. My third match on the Main Roster, and I'm already in the Iron Maiden. It's a dream come true, and I thank everyone who has helped me get this far.
I've been training hard these last two weeks for this match. This match means more to me than any fight I've enjoyed in my life. This is more than just a chance to prove myself capable of conquering the Maiden, but its a chance to show the world - and the IWF Universe - that I'm capable of standing in the ring with five strong fighters from the Diamonds Division and rising above. Proving firmly that I deserve to be here, paving the way for my brothers and sisters in Developmental, and beating some of the best women that the IWF has to offer.
Women like Charity Crowne, who won the Diamonds in the Rough tournament. A woman who delivers the most gorgeous Diamond Cutter I've ever seen, and who used that strength to best some of the most frightening women in that tournament. I've seen her take down women almost my own size one on one with that move in her match with Maxine, and I've seen her navigate massive battles like the tournament's opening Battle Royale with efficiency and skill. She's a hell of a fighter, and has fought harder than anyone in this coming match to be in the Iron Maiden.
Women like Pandora Freeman. Gods above, I love that wild child! She's so exciting to watch in the ring, and brings an element of unpredictable excitement to every match... hell, every conversation she's a part of. A feel like a lot of people underestimate Pandora because of how off the wall she tends to be, but she has gone far to show her warrior spirit of late. She has earned her place in this fight, and I am thrilled to have a chance to meet her in the ring. She's fun, she's fierce, and she'll make sure that the Iron Maiden is - if nothing else - exciting and explosive.
Women like Lizzy Dalmon, a woman who - much like Charity Crowne - might not look like a warrior, but who is just as much a warrior as any in this battle. While I doubt that Lizzy and I will ever see the world in the same way, that does not mean that I do not respect what she brings to the match. She will be a force to be reckoned with, and is not someone that any would be well-advised to underestimate.
Women like my Shield Sister Shae O'Hara. I've had the honor of being able to watch Shae recover from her injury as my manager helped her through the process. We may not have had as much time to speak as I wish we did, but we have been training under the guidance of the same woman as we prepared for this match. That alone would be enough for me to respect and honor her as a sister in arms, but seeing her in the ring lately reinforces it yet further. She is a true warrior much like I am, a fighter to the core and a woman of highest honor. It will bring me pride to stand in the ring with her, and win or lose it will bring me joy to join her for a drink after.
And then, at last, there's women like Alicia Lukas. What can I say about Alicia Lukas...?"
Astrid sobers slightly, speaking seriously and unsmiling. "The last time you saw me, I got beat. I got beat clean, and I got beat hard. I'll admit that I underestimated just how much Alicia Lukas would bring against me two weeks ago. She got the better of me, and I can't help but respect her for the fight she brought to bear."
She smiles slowly. "The Gods have given me another chance at her in the Iron Maiden. I'm excited to go a second round with the Evil Cupcake, now that I know first-hand just what it is that she can do to in the ring."
The smile explodes into a confident, joyful grin. "And I'm ready for her. I'm ready for all of them.
Battle is in my blood. My ancestors rained terror and war upon Europe in no small part because the southerners weren't prepared for the strength and ferocity that the Vikings carried with them. The elements were harsh on those warriors from the North, and the task of sailing across the open ocean in the longboats of old demanded the heights of strength, stamina and courage. The result was an army of warriors forged of Fire, Blood and Iron... harder and stronger than anything their enemies hat ever known.
Their blood flows in my veins, their strength guides my hands. That's why winning this match is so important to me - not just because of the chance to fight such great women. Not just because of the chance to even the score with Alicia Lukas. It's important to me because, when it comes down to it..."
She leans close to the camera. "I already AM an Iron Maiden. And at Motor City Mayhem, I'm going to prove it to everyone once and for all."
With every strike, she paid careful attention to the movement of the bag underneath her clenched fists, relying in senses other than sight and sound to track it. She knew that she could potentially be facing as many as five other women in the coming battle, and as such would need to be able to rely on more than just her eyes to watch for incoming strikes or other attacks. No matter what she thought of their methods, she knew that each of the other five women had earned their way into the coming match with sweat and strength. She respected the warrior spirit of all of them – albeit some more grudgingly than others – but was not so foolish as to expect them to ignore the opportunity to strike her from behind to gain an advantage. She had learned the hard way what happened when she put too much faith in the honor of everyone who fought in the IWF. Alicia’s face flickered into her mind, perfectly rendered in the darkness of her closed eyes, and she struck with more power than she had used previously. The strike landed firm, but sent a line of pain shooting through her elbow. She gritted her teeth as she turned the pain into fire, and the fire into power as she continued her chain of strikes without hesitation. Astrid wasn’t ashamed to say that she had underestimated the power of Alicia Lukas’ knee strikes, and that she had paid for that dearly with the injury to her elbow. Even now, over a week later, she still felt the effects of the blow that had played a key factor in her losing that match on Sacrifice.
Even still, the pain was no longer debilitating – if anything she was grateful for it. Her ancestors in ancient times would turn pain into the fuel for the unstoppable rage of the berserk, a fury that would give men the strength and determination to fight like the gods of legend. She knew that she would have to draw upon the same pain-fueled anger to emerge victorious from the coming battle – after all, it wasn’t named the Iron Maiden because it was comfortable. There would be pain enough to go around for all six women in that cage. She drove her pained arm again and again into the punching bag, grinding through the pain of the strike until it barely even registered anymore.
“Pushing yourself a little hard tonight, are we?” a familiar voice called out from behind her. “Jesus, Astrid, I haven’t seen you this pissed off before.”
Astrid growled slightly, but did not pause in her relentless assault on the punching bag – carrying on unabated just as her manager would have expected her to. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Emma.”
“Don’t give me that crap, Valk,” Emma snapped back firmly, but not unkindly. “I’ve known you long enough to know when something’s bothering you. Losing to Victoria didn’t get you nearly this steamed.”
Astrid sighed – a sign that she wasn’t exhausting herself nearly enough for a proper workout. Remembering how Alicia had beaten her with superior mobility, she began circling the bag as she continued her chain of strikes, each step forcing her to adjust her lines of attack to keep her fists centered. “When Victoria beat me I still fought like a warrior, showing the full display of my strength. Alica? She made me look a damned fool. You heard how Vasco was talking through the match… and after.”
Emma snorted. “Vasco? Please. Vasco’s a blowhard. Besides, what is it you’re always saying? A warrior only concerns herself with steel, not words?”
Astrid growled again, quickening her blind steps around the punching bag. “When the words ring true, it is wise to take heed,” she retorted. “I took a stand against Alicia Lukas – this woman who calls herself Evil in one of her own bloody nicknames - and got destroyed for the trouble. Don’t you get it, Emma?”
Emma frowned. “Even if I do, humor me. I want to hear you say it.”
Astrid let out a snarl of frustration, her blows hammering down with yet more power. “Since day one in this company, I’ve tried to defy what so many people think of the IWF. Look at the champions of the main roster! Women like Eternity and Paige Garcia. Men like Spike Kane and Cable Arcane. So many of the champions in the Imperial Wrestling Federation are bad people – arrogant, psychotic, dangerous people who show the people watching us time and again that good so frequently fails before darkness. Any maybe that’s true. Maybe in modern times evil does win more often than good, but… but in this world we live in, people need to believe that good can triumph, Emma. I’ve tried to be a hero since the beginning, fighting with honor, protecting the defenseless, and never giving in to darker urges. Never going too far. Never fighting just for the sake of hurting others, never cheating or relying on dishonorable tactics… trying to show the fans of the IWF – the kids in the crowd – that heroes can fight, and win. That’s all I’ve wanted to do in this company and beyond, and the first time I was challenged by self-described Evil in the main roster…”
“You failed,” Emma finished. As the words left her mouth, Astrid let out a roar of anger, losing control and lashing out on the punching bag… not with a strike, but with a spear. The force of the blow unhooked the punching bag from the chain and sent it crashing to the floor, Astrid on top of it.
Astrid breathed heavily, eyes still closed. “Yes. I failed. I failed the Shield Wall. I failed the children looking for a Hero. I failed myself. I failed you. She called you a failed experiment, and I couldn’t even smack her the hell down for it.”
Emma sighed, sitting down on the mat next to her client and friend. “Even the greatest heroes don’t win them all, Astrid. You know those old stories better than anyone I’ve met. There’s no way you think that the hero wins every battle. So Alicia Lukas beat you. Hurt you. Pissed you off. What are you going to do about it?”
Astrid sat up, leaning against the bag. “Atone,” she replied simply. “Show them that the women from the north are made of stronger stuff, and that we do not bend or break in the face of such adversity. That when we are knocked down, we come back stronger than before. And this time I won't just show them my strength... this time they'll see a side of me they haven's seen. This time they'll see my rage, and what that means for those who stand before it. I'll take Alicia down. I'll take them all down… which sucks, given how much I know you’re invested in Shae.”
Emma laughed and nodded. “True enough, but I can be cheering for you both.” Her smile faded after a few moments before turning serious again. “Astrid, you told me once that warriors like you are forged of fire, blood and iron,” she said simply. “The name speaks for itself. You can do this. You can rally, and rise above. This match was practically made for you. Fire, blood and iron. A true Iron Maiden who hits like the hammer of the gods.”
Astrid nodded slowly, a smile playing about her lips. "Hammer of the Gods..." she said before standing abruptly, eyes alight with a new fire as she strode quickly away.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Emma called out with slight dismay.
"I have to talk to the media people about getting some song rights," Astrid replied with ferocious determination. "I have an idea."
"The Iron Maiden.
Gods, just the name of it gives you chills, doesn't it? I still sit back and think how lucky I am, how honored I am, to have come far enough in this company to be in the Iron Maiden so soon after my debut. My third match on the Main Roster, and I'm already in the Iron Maiden. It's a dream come true, and I thank everyone who has helped me get this far.
I've been training hard these last two weeks for this match. This match means more to me than any fight I've enjoyed in my life. This is more than just a chance to prove myself capable of conquering the Maiden, but its a chance to show the world - and the IWF Universe - that I'm capable of standing in the ring with five strong fighters from the Diamonds Division and rising above. Proving firmly that I deserve to be here, paving the way for my brothers and sisters in Developmental, and beating some of the best women that the IWF has to offer.
Women like Charity Crowne, who won the Diamonds in the Rough tournament. A woman who delivers the most gorgeous Diamond Cutter I've ever seen, and who used that strength to best some of the most frightening women in that tournament. I've seen her take down women almost my own size one on one with that move in her match with Maxine, and I've seen her navigate massive battles like the tournament's opening Battle Royale with efficiency and skill. She's a hell of a fighter, and has fought harder than anyone in this coming match to be in the Iron Maiden.
Women like Pandora Freeman. Gods above, I love that wild child! She's so exciting to watch in the ring, and brings an element of unpredictable excitement to every match... hell, every conversation she's a part of. A feel like a lot of people underestimate Pandora because of how off the wall she tends to be, but she has gone far to show her warrior spirit of late. She has earned her place in this fight, and I am thrilled to have a chance to meet her in the ring. She's fun, she's fierce, and she'll make sure that the Iron Maiden is - if nothing else - exciting and explosive.
Women like Lizzy Dalmon, a woman who - much like Charity Crowne - might not look like a warrior, but who is just as much a warrior as any in this battle. While I doubt that Lizzy and I will ever see the world in the same way, that does not mean that I do not respect what she brings to the match. She will be a force to be reckoned with, and is not someone that any would be well-advised to underestimate.
Women like my Shield Sister Shae O'Hara. I've had the honor of being able to watch Shae recover from her injury as my manager helped her through the process. We may not have had as much time to speak as I wish we did, but we have been training under the guidance of the same woman as we prepared for this match. That alone would be enough for me to respect and honor her as a sister in arms, but seeing her in the ring lately reinforces it yet further. She is a true warrior much like I am, a fighter to the core and a woman of highest honor. It will bring me pride to stand in the ring with her, and win or lose it will bring me joy to join her for a drink after.
And then, at last, there's women like Alicia Lukas. What can I say about Alicia Lukas...?"
Astrid sobers slightly, speaking seriously and unsmiling. "The last time you saw me, I got beat. I got beat clean, and I got beat hard. I'll admit that I underestimated just how much Alicia Lukas would bring against me two weeks ago. She got the better of me, and I can't help but respect her for the fight she brought to bear."
She smiles slowly. "The Gods have given me another chance at her in the Iron Maiden. I'm excited to go a second round with the Evil Cupcake, now that I know first-hand just what it is that she can do to in the ring."
The smile explodes into a confident, joyful grin. "And I'm ready for her. I'm ready for all of them.
Battle is in my blood. My ancestors rained terror and war upon Europe in no small part because the southerners weren't prepared for the strength and ferocity that the Vikings carried with them. The elements were harsh on those warriors from the North, and the task of sailing across the open ocean in the longboats of old demanded the heights of strength, stamina and courage. The result was an army of warriors forged of Fire, Blood and Iron... harder and stronger than anything their enemies hat ever known.
Their blood flows in my veins, their strength guides my hands. That's why winning this match is so important to me - not just because of the chance to fight such great women. Not just because of the chance to even the score with Alicia Lukas. It's important to me because, when it comes down to it..."
She leans close to the camera. "I already AM an Iron Maiden. And at Motor City Mayhem, I'm going to prove it to everyone once and for all."
Well howdy there pardner.