The Gauntlet

A lot of thoughts entered the mind of Erin Blake as she arrived at an isolated area at night for "training." The main thought she had:

"I have to be crazy to do this."

At 24 years of age, Erin Blake was on the rise at Infinity Women's Wrestling; in fact, she was next in line for IWW's World Championship. However, Erin spent several weeks on the receiving end of taunts from a figure known as Empress Nova, who often stated that Erin was getting "too big for her wrestling boots," and questioned if she was ready for the spotlight. Finally, one night prior, Erin received an order from Empress Nova arranging a meeting for "proper training," and it was definitely mandatory.

"Show up, or face my wrath. Choose wisely, dear girl."

Erin had no idea who this Empress Nova was. She never saw her face; Empress Nova was masked in every appearance. All Erin knew was that Empress Nova was unpredictable, and she decided to fight against anything that the Empress had in store for her. Erin followed the directions, but the area only included a path that she walked for five minutes before finding a wrestling ring, much to Erin's bewilderment. Even more bewildering to Erin was seeing a masked figure performing a large flip before landing, feet first, inside the ring.

"Greetings, Erin. I am Siren. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Where's Empress Nova?" asked Erin, only for Siren to give a sinister chuckle in response.

"Oh, come on," mocked Siren, who gave an intimidating pose while showing off her red and black mask and bodysuit. "You expect to face my Empress outright? That's not how this works. You have to go through me first. All you have to do is toss me over the top rope in 10 minutes or less to pass."

Erin sprinted her way to the ring, but Siren was quick on the draw. The two warriors traded blows, traded suplexes, but for Erin, time was not on her side. A bigger hindrance was Siren placing Erin an armbar submission, but she was not going for the tapout, she was trying to milk as much time as possible, while also weakening Erin.

"Time's running out, Erin," laughed Siren. "Maybe you're not cut out for this after all." That statement burned a hole into Erin, as she rose up with just 90 seconds remaining, and delivered a huge barrage of lefts and rights, backing up Siren to the ropes. Afterwards, Erin sent Siren over the top rope with one strong clothesline, narrowly beating the clock.

"You passed," Siren said, "barely. But you're not done yet." Before Erin could respond, she found herself on the receiving end of a full nelson by another masked figure, who appeared from behind Erin.

"If you want to get to my Empress, you'll have to get through me next!" Erin was released, but she turned around and stood face to masked face with the next villainess in her way, whose green and black attire was almost as intimidating as her approach. "I am Emerald, and in order to face Empress Nova, you have to make submit in 15 minutes or less."

Unlike the contest against Siren, this was a more technical affair. Erin attempted to use the same armbar move that Siren used, but Emerald fought her way out of it. Emerald managed to take down Erin and place her in a one-legged Boston Crab, which was following by Erin managing to crawl to the bottom ring rope.

"No ring break, Erin!" shouted Siren from ringside. "Either get out of it or submit!"

"No chance!" taunted Emerald. "She's begging for mercy!" Those four words revved up, as she kicked her way out of the submission, and delivered several clotheslines to Emerald. Erin was feeling energized during the onslaught, but she realized that she was running low on time. She had two minutes to go, and Erin got right to work, placing Emerald in a crossface submission. There was a minute left in this test, but any plans for Emerald to try to hold on for that alotted time were thrown out, as she submitted to Erin.

"How's that?!" exclaimed Erin. "I passed your test. I passed both of your tests! Now take me to Empress Nova!"

Siren and Emerald pointed Erin in the direction of Empress Nova, with the walk leading Erin to a warehouse. After entering, the lights suddenly turned on, revealing a wrestling ring with a steel cage wrapped around it. That wasn't all that Erin would see.

"Erin Blake. Finally we meet face to face."

There she was--the very villainess who had been taunting Erin for several weeks. Empress Nova, donning a black and gold bodysuit, a full face mask, and a cape, appeared to Erin with the same command she had displayed every time she called out to Erin all those times.

"So you've passed my tests, I see," said Empress Nova. "Impressive. But you still have one more trial to go." Erin watched with great intensity as Empress Nova made her way inside the steel cage.

"My soldiers, Siren and Emerald, were gracious enough to give you time limits," said Empress Nova. "However, I will not do the same. You want to prove yourself? Defeat me in this cage. Pinfall, submission, or escape." Once Empress Nova entered, Erin made a beeline for the cage.

"Bring it on!" Erin exclaimed.

Once Erin closed the cage, Empress Nova went on the attack, with Siren and Emerald outside the cage watching closely, delivering some taunts to Erin. Erin fought back against Empress Nova, only for the sinister villainess to take down Erin by her hair.

"You need to do better than that, dear heart!" cackled Empress Nova. Those last two words--"dear heart"--they sounded familiar. However, Erin put that out of her mind and focused on the task at hand. Erin delivered a German suplex to the Empress, and also delivered a standing moonsault before making the first pin attempt, only for the Empress to kick out at two. Erin made first attempt to escape by climbing the cage, only for Empress Nova to grab Erin and deliver an Electric Chair move to her opponent.

"You're out of tricks, Erin!" taunted Empress Nova.

"Oh no, I'm not!" exclaimed Erin. "I still have one to go!" Erin scaled the cage again, but before Empress Nova could get to her, Erin flipped over her opponent, and then hit the Empress with her finisher, the Ultimate Bulldog. With the Empress down flat on her face, Erin made the climb on the cage, and this time, she was over the cage, slowly climbing down, and landing on her feet. Erin had done it. She survived Siren's over the top rope challenge, she made Emerald submit, and finally, she escaped a steel cage against the villainous Empress Nova.

The cage was raised, and Erin found herself standing tall in relief, which changed once Siren and Emerald moved closer to Erin, who re-entered the ring and was face to face, again, with Empress Nova. Erin expected an attack--a three-on-one assault. Instead, Empress Nova extended her hand to Erin.

"Congratulations, dear heart," said Empress Nova. "You passed our test."

"That's the second time you called me that," said Erin. "Only one person calls me that." At that moment, Empress Nova removed her mask, and the face that Erin saw was the one she expected, but the surprise was there regardless.

"Mom?!"

As Erin would see, Empress Nova was none other than Cassandra Blake, Erin's mother and a legend in women's wrestling. Dubbed the "Psycho Queen," Cassandra made a career out of being one of the most fiendish heels in women's wrestling.

"Surprised?" Cassandra said with a mischievous smirk.

"You were behind all of this?" asked Erin.

"Well, I can't take all of the credit," Cassandra said before she motioned for Siren and Emerald to remove their masks, revealing two more familiar faces: Erin's older sisters, twins Serene and Simone Blake, known as the villainous Demon Dolls.

"Why all of this?" asked Erin.

"To get you ready," said Cassandra.

"And to torture you," Serene teased, while Simone laughed.

"As I was saying," Cassandra said after giving a stern look at her older daughters, "your sisters and I are so proud of you. You have come so far and only at 24. However, we had to make sure you could be ready for anything and everything."

"You could have just trained me," Erin said with a bit of a smile.

"That's our babyface little sister," laughed Simone.

"We're heels, sis," said Serene, who entered the ring with Simone. "We prefer more of a wicked touch. But we do it because we love you." Erin couldn't help but smile as she stood surrounded by her mother and sisters.

"You guys are wild!" exclaimed Erin. "I guess I did need this after all. I'm definitely ready to take that title!" Cassandra walked towards her youngest daughter, feeling so much pride in the strong wrestler that is standing before her.

"Erin, I knew you'd be able to pass our test," said Cassandra. "You have that drive and ability, and you did inherit my cunning. I'm so glad you're using it for good; someone has to be the babyface in our family." All four Blake women participated in a group hug, and for Erin, this was a memorable night. What started as a grueling test of endurance ended up becoming a surprising, yet warm family moment. Erin was now ready for anything and everything, and she knows that while she'll have many people cheering for her, that bunch definitely includes the three special people who are the closest to her.