"Zolothach" Tabitha Osborne hurts. She is lying on the bed at a local hotel with pajamas on while she is heavily bandaged still from her battle with Vespertine. 

Tabitha Osborne - I lied to her. I lied to Vespertine. I am not immortal, but it sounded good to be on an even keel with her.

She has changed her bandaging several times over the past few days at the hotel while she searched through an ancient book that was brought to her by Door Dash, of all people, from a local occult shop. She paid a pretty penny for the book as it was a one of a kind spellbook translated from a translation from a translation. It's currently in latin, but she is fluent in the language since a good number of spellbooks that she has come across were in this language. 

She flips through the pages, frowning as she reads a number of different spells. Nothing like what she needs though. 

Tabitha Osborne - You would think that ancient sorcerers would have use of healing spells, but no. Mostly how to curse and destroy others. 

She closes the book with a sigh, setting it to the side table by the bed. 

Tabitha Osborne - I wonder if the AI in google search knows of a healing spell?

She gets out her smartphone and searches Google for a healing spell, but no dice. It tells her that Cure Wounds is a first level Cleric spell for Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition. Not a serious help at all. 

Tabitha Osborne: I guess I need to heal the old fashioned way. Sucks. 

She groans as she lies back on the bed again.

Tabitha Osborne - Vespertine, we had a fierce battle and I managed to win. I guess Cthulhu was on my side more than the Dark Buddha was on yours. At least I get time off for being injured, right?

Just then her phone pings to let her know that she has a text message. She picks the phone up and looks at it, opening the text message and reading it. She drops the phone with a sigh.

Tabitha Osborne - Oh great. I have a match. Possibly several matches as it's a Gauntlet match with four other people in it. So, up to four matches and I feel like shit. Let me see at least who I'm facing in the ring. 

She picks the phone back up and rereads the text message. 

Tabitha Osborne - Sadie Graves, Karlie Nash, Alex Nelson, and Miguel Lanza Jr. Quite the list of opponents and I have no idea what the order of people is going to be. 

Tabitha stretches, wincing as the bandages around her midsection pull tight. 

Tabitha Osborne - I guess I can go live on this and see what happens. 

She turns her phone to FaceTwatter and goes live, turning the camera on herself. 

Tabitha Osborne - So, it has happened. I'm injured six ways to Tuesday and the CWF expects me to wrestle anyway. I guess they might think that I'm immortal just like Vespertine or Valora Salinas. Well, I am not. I'm just going to flat out say it on the public record. I bleed. I hurt. And Vespertine did quite the number on me even though I won the match. I guess I have a Gauntlet match coming up at the Vanguard: Civil Unrest event and there are four opponents lined up to face me to get a shot at the Valor championship. Should we go down the list of opponents? I mean I could. Eh, I'm bored, so why not?

She flips through the CWF website before she lands on a roster pic of Sadie Graves.

Tabitha Osborne - Sadie Graves. Don't think I have not seen you in action. I watched you take apart Dylan Erickson. Then, I saw Karlie Nash take you apart. I've also seen Dylan defeat Karlie. Like rock, paper, scissors. Dylan defeats Karlie who defeats Sadie who defeats Dylan. Full circle. I wonder how I fit into all of that? I mean, I feel like I have the capacity to defeat all three in the ring. Just maybe not all at once, you know? Sadie, so, you became a hardcore star. I know hardcore. I live and breathe hardcore. You think that you can take me? I think I can take you and quicker than Karlie Nash could. I just step into that ring and out hardcore you to get through to the next opponent. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Ok, probably not easy as all that, but you get my meaning. I will bring you down and move on to the next match.

She flips through the screens until she sees Karlie Nash. 

Tabitha Osborne - Karlie Nash. I see that one of the Eternal Grove has entered this match. I have dealt with Vespertine and came out on the other side. I don't think we are friends, but I may not try to end her career the next tie that we face each other in the ring...or out of it. You, on the other hand, are the enforcer of the Eternal Grove. Yes, I know that your record hasn't been the greatest, but when you are presented as the enforcer of a group and are the person to beat...everyone is going to want to try to win against you. I know that I'm going to be able to get into the ring and take you down just like I would take down Sadie Graves. That there is an idea that I might not be able to defeat each and every member of the Eternal Grove is a bad one. I can defeat them all. 

Tabitha winces as she remembers being defeated by Viktor Kriegson.

Tabitha Osborne - Well, most of the Eternal Grove. 

She goes back to her phone and flips through the screens until she comes to Alex Nelson. 

Tabitha Osborne - Little Alex Nelson. You're barely old enough to be in the ring last I knew. You've been on a string of defeats against tough opponents. I am here to tell you that I am sorry. Your string of defeats is going to continue when I get ahold of you. Though, listen, when I was young, I had my ass handed to me on a number of occasions and it didn't seem like I was ever going to amount to anything. Then? I won the Spark championship at Fireside Wrestling. Things can turn around in a matter of seconds in this profession. You just gotta take your lumps until you get figured out what you need to do. I hope that you can get a win or two in this Gauntlet. Really, I do. It would make for less work for me to do when I get into the ring with you. 

She flips through her phone until she gets to the final person in the Gauntlet. Miguel Lanza Jr. She smirks as she looks down at the phone.

Tabitha Osborne - Miguel Lanza Jr. Now this is the person I am most interested in facing in this Gauntlet. You are allies with Akame McClancy, who has been a one time rival and friend both. You're both in the Upstarts that is. Not that you need me to tell you that. Now, the connection between us doesn't mean that I'm going to go any easier on you. Oh no. That means I may be the toughest on you as I fully expect a heck of a challenge from you. I fully expect to be brought to my full power in this match. I expect to have to bring out every one of my tricks and techniques to be able to win the match against you. I will do so honestly and expect the same from you. Our match will be the best of the four matches that will be involved in this Gauntlet! 

Tabitha turns off the FaceTwatter feed and lies back on the bed. It really is time to take the bandages off and take a shower to cleanse the wounds before applying new bandages. She breathes in deep and lets it out. Memories of the rigged shower come flooding back to her as they do each time she plans on taking a shower. Remembering the black water that came out of the showerhead to cover her makes her shudder. She lost control and stabbed someone.

Tabitha Osborne - Maybe...maybe a bath instead. That way I can look at the water before getting in to make sure that it's clear.

Tabitha begins to undress as we fade to black.