- The RhyDin Post's black and gold logo flashes with an epic, orchestrated introduction theme. The logo spirals off the screen, and displays a brand new, renovated high-tech news studio with several flat screen television sets, projected RhyDin Post Sports hologram images, and in-action moving images of famous dueling legends projected on a few walls. At the bottom of a modern, massive, glass-covered black granite and mahogany desk are scrolling digital scores from the latest matches in the Outback, Arena, Twilight Isle and Annex. Two men sit behind the desk. To the left (Peter Pham) is in his early thirties, of Asian ethnicity, has gelled black hair, and is in a navy suit. To the right (Chris Reed) is of Caucasian ethnicity with dark brown hair, is in his late thirties, has a vertical scar running down one side of his face, and the gray suit he is wearing fits snugly to his now muscular frame. Both men, equipped with headsets, smile at the camera. -

Peter: How's it going, RhyDin" I'm Peter Pham, sports columnist.

Chris: And I am SO FREAKIN" PUMPED.

Peter: Thanks for tuning in today' Today we're pleased to' - Trails off as Chris has suddenly crawled onto the desk and has begun doing pushups. " Uh' Chris"

Chris: THIRTY-FIVE. THIRTY-SIX" ONE-HANDED! - Proceeds to perform one-handed pushups. "

Peter: I'm trying to do a show here.

Chris: Show" Yeah, I'll show you something, Pete. LOOK HOW PUMPED I AM. - Stands up on the desk and flexes in several different positions. " HURRRRGGGGHHHAAA! PUMPED!

Peter: I don't suppose there's any chance-

Chris: - Interrupting. " I"M GONNA DO SPRINTS! - Literally leaps off the desk and races off set. "

Peter: Yes" Alright, then. I guess I'll just, uh' announcements" Announcements! Xanth Van Bokkelen vied with Shadow for the Celestial Tower on the 18th, and"

Chris: LOOK AT THESE GLUTES! - Sprinting across the screen. -

Peter: " And won in 2 out of 2. Well reigned, Shadow, and congratulations, Xanth, on your new Tower. Best of luck with those restraining ordinances. In the Outback, the Pathfinder tournament date has been announced. So any willing victims " er" participants please make your way to the corkboards and sign up.

Chris: WAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!! - Sprinting past Peter again, this time from behind and now missing a shirt. "

Peter: Myria Graziano and Vincent Smith met on Monday for the rights to ShadoWeaver, and Smith came out triumphant in 2 out of 3. Well tried, Myria, and good defense, Vincent. Aaaaand there's very little going on in Swords aside from the match we're covering for this segment, so people should go ahead and challenge ASAP. Tonight, we'll be covering the Dockside Challenge, which began as an intercession by Overlady Teagan Rielea.

Chris: - Dragged, flailing, back to the desk by two technicians, and blessedly clothed once more. " YOU WANNA GO"! C"MON, LET"S STEP OUTSIDE. I"LL TAKE BOTH OF YOU.

Peter: Nice of you to join us again.

Chris: Feel the burn, Pete. FEEL THE BURN.

Peter: Exactly how much caffeine did you ingest before the show"

Chris: No caffeine. Just a fully loaded, muscle enhancing protein shake.

Peter: " And did this shake perchance contain any steroids"

Chris: YOU WANNA GO"!

- Roll footage Round 1. LC/HC 1 All. "

Morgan: Moves in and strikes high, unable to get the main gauche in position to block the cut.

Rielea: Aims her spike for a leg, even if it means getting hit.

Peter: And we start out this match with a bang. Or a clash, as it were.

Chris: YOU SUCK, PETE. THAT COMMENT SUCKED.

Peter: Note the exaggerated, hyper-aggressive response. That's the "roids talking. But the first round is certainly a sign of either's drive. They both begin the match by wounding the other, even at their own expense.

Chris: They're winners, Pete. They have the win mentality. Like me.

Peter: Your steroid haze may be onto something, there. Morgan is eager to take the crown back, and Rielea is eager to prove her wrong.

Chris: It feels hot in here. Do you feel hot'

- End footage Round 1. Roll footage, Round 2. SL/FaDU 2-1 Rielea. "

Rielea: Swings the spike straight down.

Morgan: Well that serves her right for second-guessing herself, recovers after getting struck and slides back.

Chris: BAM! That's a winner right there, if I ever saw one.

Peter: You can't call a match just based on the second round.

Chris: It's the mindset, Pete. Rielea's ready to take this one. She's pulling out all the stops, if only to prove to any Warlords out there that one does not lightly with one of her loyal Barons.

Peter: Chris, you can't say on public television!

Chris: Don't you tell me what to do. I'll say if I want to!

Peter: "Well, .

- End footage Round 2. Roll footage, Round 3. FSS/LC 2 All. "

Morgan: The blade lashes out to catch Teagan before she gets out of reach.

Rielea: Her own poor balance didn't help her much anyway and she went face first into the sand.

Peter: "Winner" though she may be, based on this round Rielea appears to be losing her cool. That dodge had the potential to be something genius, but the fact that she was barely watching her own footing doesn't help her case at all.

Chris: Strength is lacking behind that defense. Seriously, how much does she bench"

Peter: What does that have to do with anything"

Chris: It has everything to do with everything. " I bet I could outbench her.

- End footage Round 3. Roll footage, Round 4. FLP/TH 3-2 Rielea. "

Rielea: Retreats a few steps while deflecting the attack.

Morgan: Moves in to strike and finds herself blocked.

Peter: And yet, here we see Rielea right back into the swing of things. It almost makes me wonder if that last flub was intentional on her part. Let's see that playback again. - Playback resumes. " Watch her face here" If I didn't know any better, Rielea completely anticipated that attack. She looks confident. C*cky, even.

Chris: Don't go discounting Morgan. She's been around the block more than once, and has proven she is not to be "ed with.

Peter: For the last time, Chris, you can't say that.

Chris: You wanna do something about it' Come at me, brah. - End footage Round 4. Roll footage, Round 5. LC/FCP 3 All. "

Morgan: Sweeps the main gauche around and down to block the spike.

Peter: I have to admire Morgan's poise here. If she is the least bit flustered, she doesn't let on. And you can definitely recognize the tender application of strategy at this point. Careful, Morgan. Your classical training is showing. That's a textbook Parry Eight if I ever saw one.

Chris: Parry Seven. Where did you learn fencing, the" non' fencing place" Damn, I had something for this.

Peter: Then stop doing pushups and enlighten us, oh anabolic one.

Chris: Gotta stay toned, Pete. We can't all be pansies who do yoga.

Peter: Yoga is actually very practical for all-around bodily strengthening.

Chris: A Parry Seven is a parry on the low line, to the inside. A Parry Eight is to the outside. But yes, she has excellent form " no chicken-winging over here.

Peter: Chicken-winging"

Chris: Mark of a swordsman. The elbow is perfectly in line with the shoulder. Keeps the aim precise and minimizes the target. I wouldn't want to be Rielea right here. Morgan is quick on her feet, compact, and skinny. Must be a challenge to hit.

Peter: Well we can't all be beefed out on steroids, Chris.

Chris: IT"S AN HERBAL ENHANCEMENT, PETE.

- End footage Round 5. Roll footage, Round 6. TH/FSS 4-3 Morgan. "

Morgan: Slides out of the way and retaliates when an opportunity presents itself, not too hard because she doesn't want Overlord puke on her clothes.

Peter: Oh, brilliant. That strategy I mentioned earlier is blatantly apparent here. Morgan's caught on to Rielea's technique, and with her consistent use of defense is trying to lure Rielea in an exploit an opening. She seems to function better in close proximity to her opponent- HEY! PUT ME DOWN!

Chris: Thirty nine" Forty' Forty one!

Peter: STOP TRYING TO BENCH PRESS ME! " - Thud. " Sheesh, what?s your problem!

Chris: Just proving a point. I got a dozen problems, but my guns aren't one. Check out these biceps!

Peter: I don't want to see your pharmaceutical enhancements.

Chris: The guns were always there, Pete. I'm au naturel.

Peter: Uh-huh. Can cross your legs a little easier, can you?

Chris: What was that"

Peter: Nothing.

- End footage Round 6. Roll footage, Round 7. FCP/LC 4 All. "

Morgan: Tries to get in a strike and finds the score tied again, well no one could say she wasn't giving the few people here a good show.

Rielea: Has a habit of making things interesting lately.

- SUDDEN DEATH scrolls across the lower half of the screen. "

Chris: Quick, but not quick enough. She should come run suicides with me.

Peter: That was a valiant attempt on Morgan's part, but defense seems to be in Rielea's favor. I'd say Rielea plans to end that way, even in spite of Morgan's attempts at change of engagement.

Chris: Morgan's got a plan. YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT" C"MON, LET"S GO. RIGHT NOW.

Peter: To a drug testing facility, I hope.

- End footage Round 7. Roll footage, Round 8 and 9. FDU/FSS 4 All; FCP/LC 5-4 Rielea. "

Morgan: Goes for the cut again and finds the parry waiting. A slight nod. "Well that one was better than our last." A small smile as she slid back and bowed.

Peter: And just as I predicted, Rielea ends a well-timed parry. To be honest, this match was pretty tame compared to matches they've had in the past.

- Camera returns to the studio, where Chris is doing lunges beside the desk. "

Peter: We'll be keeping tabs on these two and gathering more footage in the near future. I'm more than a little bit interested to see if this experience will tailor Morgan's technique at all, or if this was just experimental on her part. Congratulations on the successful intercession, Teagan, and we hope you challenge again very, very soon Ellisa. Chris" Do you have anything you'd like to add"

Chris: Yeah! Sign up for the Pathfinder tournament! If you aren't PUMPED like me, then you've gone soft. - Technician arrives with a mud-colored smoothie. " Finally! - He guzzles it in ten seconds, then smashes the glass against the side of his head and it shatters. " WAAAAAGH! TUNE IN NEXT TIME!

Peter: " Right. I'm Peter Pham' And he's" - Looking over at Chris. " Got serious problems. From all of us at the Post, you stay sporty!

Chris: HRRRRRRRGGGGHHH! - Tears his shirt open. "

- End tape. -