Love Me To The End

Chapter 14: Showdown

The stage was set for an epic Masquerade. Didi was set to be crushed in her Swansong deathplay at midnight, but before that would be the showdown between Axiala and Aunt Betsy. Uncle Morbid thought our response video was perfect and wanted to show it at the Masquerade to build up the contest. Between them, Debs, Maise and Uncle Morbid agreed a final game worthy of their rivalry.

The chosen game went by the name of Hotspot, and was played using a 15×15 grid with letter and number co-ordinates. Both contestants were to be locked in black metal cages, rigged to burst into fake flame when the game was lost.

A secret square was set as the "hotspot". Each round both players would choose one square each, it would then be revealed whether the guesses were hot (within one square of the hotspot), warm (within two) or cold (nowhere near). The object was to be the first to find the hotspot, which would enable you to set fire to your opponent's cage, burning them to death.

We tested the fire cages on Friday afternoon. The flame effects were very realistic and spectacular, when they had fully engulfed the cage hiding the victim from sight, a trapdoor would open dropping them into a pit filled with sponge rubber. As the trapdoor closed up again it flipped over, leaving a pile of ash and charred bones at the bottom of the cage. Both Chris and I took turns in the cages, experiencing the effect from both the victim and spectator's point of view.

Since Angel Lexie had been made mortal and killed in the response video, I was kept off of angel duty for the night, taking on stagehand duties instead. The stagehand uniforms had masks that covered the whole head, so my short blond hair wouldn't give me away. It also meant I would be a part of Didi's Swansong, just as Chris had been there for my debut as Sofia.

Maise looked even more incredible as Axiala come Saturday, preparing as she was for the possible death of the avatar. In the more masculine stagehand uniform and full head mask I still looked like her henchman, but we'd now graduated from West-era Batman villains to Frank Miller-era.

We split up once we arrived at the Masquerade – I was working after all, and what with Chris off being Didi I was without either of my usual companions. So I got on with my duties while I waited for their events to come around.

Uncle Morbid made a huge deal out of Axiala vs. Betsy when the time came.

"It has come to our attention that at a previous Masquerade there was an infraction against our house rules," he began. "Having reviewed the evidence I upheld the complaint, which has been dealt with in the best way we know how. I now present to you a video rebuttal made by the complainants, which I should warn you is rather graphic. Though if that's a problem for you, I'm afraid you have joined the wrong club."

The video played on the big screen of Axiala quartering me bloodily with the jigsaw. I managed to remain impassive watching in my role of anonymous stagehand, but I was delighted at how well the whole thing came off.

"So there we have it," said Uncle Morbid at the end. "An angel made mortal and bloodily killed over a feud between two of the most diabolical avatars we've had here in some time. The time has come for these two avatars to finally face each other, and one will burn."

Both Betsy and Axiala got full entrances. Betsy came out to She's the Devil in Disguise by Elvis Presley, Axiala to Ultraviolence's Psycho Drama. I helped lock both of them in their respective cages, both remaining impassive and in character throughout. Maise and Debs were decidedly absent, Betsy and Axiala were ready for war.

The hotspot square was randomly selected, noted down and set aside. Round one was ready to begin.

Betsy opened with a guess of C7, Axiala M13.

"Both players are cold," announced Uncle Morbid. I placed markers on both squares, recording the game's progress.

The order of guesses alternated each round, but the results wouldn't be known until both had played. This time Axiala chose E11, Betsy responded with L4. Both turned out to be cold once again. In round three, Betsy guessed J8 and Axiala H13.

"Axalia is warm with H13," announced Uncle Morbid. The hunt was afoot.

Axalia and Betsy guessed J15 and J13 respectively.

"Besty is warm with J13."

Betsy continued by guessing I11, Axiala I10.

"Axiala is hot with I10," said Uncle Morbid.

"But not as hot as Betsy, who has found the hotspot on I11."

Betsy had won, so now just had to give the word to consign Axiala to the flames and continue her unbeaten run. But first she had something to say.

"Finally a worthy opponent", she said. "That angel of yours was a good sport, even though she ended up taking my quartering I think she earned it. I also can't imagine a better climax for the career of Betsy than the week we have just had. Axiala, you have lost the game and must burn. But I want to burn too."

She turned to the host to give the command.

"Uncle Morbid, please burn us both together."

There was nothing in the rules against this and the logic was hard to argue with. Betsy had already run out of serious opponents, Maise had had to create an avatar specifically to give her a nemesis. Debs still had a high level pin to trade in for a future deathplay, now she could end on a high and start again with a new avatar, or create one just for that swansong.

As the flames rose around them, Axiala and Betsy looked across at each other, the cartoonish villainy of both avatars burning away by the second. Before the fire fully consumed them, despite both being still in costume and masks they had fully reverted to Maise and Debs, two long time friends at the end of a game well played. The flames intensified, hiding both from from view, before burning out and leaving two little piles of charred bones at the bottom of the cages.

I headed backstage, helped Debs and Maise out of the sponge pit and went with them both to Limbo.

"Well, that went rather well, I thought," said Debs. "Thank-you both for making it such fun – sorry Betsy went full bitch on you, it's just the way she ended up. That's why she had to burn."

"Well, I wish you'd told me," said Maise. "I could have kept Axiala going if I'd known you were checking out anyway."

"If it's any comfort, Betsy would never have thrown the game for you," said Debs, "and we both know it's a game of chance anyway once you get down to the last couple of squares."

She gave Maise a warm smile.

"It was wonderful burning with you," she said. "And who knows, maybe Axiala has a vengeful sister waiting in the wings."

Probably with winged monkeys, I thought.

"So what next?" I asked Debs. "Still got your eye on that quartering?"

"It will be hard to top what you two did with that," she replied. "But something with sawblades, definitely. Maybe you can think of something to do to me."

I told her I'd talk to the crew about it. This was my chance to thank her for the dresses, also I knew that whatever we set up for her I'd likely end up testing first.

Maise looked at the clock.

"You'd better head off," she told me. "You have to go and crush Didi."

"Wish us luck," I said. "Too bad you two can't be there to see it."

"Never mind," said Maise. "We'll be watching from up here, and we're there in spirit."

I pulled my mask back on and set off to Hangar 4.

It was time for Chris to meet Winky.