Battle Royale at Hatchet in Hand Championships

I sometimes like to think of axe throwing tournaments as medieval battle royals. Here is how I picture it in my mind's eye or whatever...

From out of the darkness they came, freshly minted warriors. New to the game with raw talent, trying to climb their way towards local glory at the Hatchet in Hand Winter League Championships. It started with 16 throwers but this was a harsh winter as there was a villain among them. This highly trained assassin took no prisoners. Alex, the TaskMaster, was a phenom from another kingdom that sent shockwaves of fear into the hearts of every competitor. Would anyone be able to stop him?

The first five weeks of battle narrowed down the list of competitors to only 13 based on their record. The bottom four players had to fight it out in a merciless mosh pit for their right to continue. When the dust settled a shining knight named Chad had emerged victorious. His survival from the pit made everyone take notice. He became known as the Knight of Diamonds and stood as a hope against the darkness.

The TaskMaster had taken many victims and despite a few close calls his record stood firm. Only Buckley the towering Beserker had won a battle against him. Worse yet, TaskMaster had an assistant named Iris, a dark elf who held the mantle of Moon Knight. She blazed her trail with unflinching accuracy. The pair seemed unstoppable. The future looked bleak but the local warriors were ready to battle on, determined to protect their kingdom.

At the start of the proceedings King Faris declared that one person would be allowed a second chance to return to the tournament. That honor was won by Matt the Monk. Matt accepted this as a sign from his God that he personally must defeat the assassin. Matt threw everything he had at TaskMaster, taking every risk imaginable but it was still too little. The assassin had won again.

Meanwhile Chad, the Knight of Diamonds, was in a vicious back and forth against Buckley the Beserker. The steady hand Chad had shown in the mosh pit was no match for the strength and reach of the Beserker. Buckley took a decisive victory. He tried to follow that win with another battle against the kingdom's one and only Paladin - Andrew the Valiant. 

Andrew had made his presence known with many battles during the season but none so meaningful as this. He stood firm, like a rock wall against the Beserker taking all his best shots. The Paladin had survived the onslaught. Andrew's mighty armor and perseverance seized the day.

The biggest shock of the event came from a stoic Rogue known only as Tim. A silent figure cloaked in black, he rivaled Iris, the dark elf, shot for shot. The battle went into overtime as their precise blows were perfectly matched. Tim capitalized in the final seconds defeating the mysterious Moon Knight. Again the crowd witnessed another who might rise as their kingdom's savior.

Tim stepped up immediately by facing the TaskMaster himself. The stoic figure took him directly into overtime and showed his grit. The assassin from another land was having none of it. He suddenly demonstrated a shadow throw so accurate that it forced a gasp from the crowd. Again and again his shadow throw sunk in, taking the wind from his opponent's breath. Alex's reign of terror continued.

The final battle had been defined. Only two men were left standing - the Paladin, Andrew the Valiant and the sinister TaskMaster. The arena had grown hot, the air dense with anticipation. The two warriors threw down hard, the crowd falling silent. They were right to be afraid. Andrew put so much pressure on Alex that he began to sweat but the TaskMaster knew no mercy. His shadow throws were unrelenting and soon provided him with a shut out victory.

The crowd was so entranced by the drama of the match that when the assassin won they cheered him none the less. It was a worthy final showdown. The medieval times were part of the dark ages so it was not uncommon for the villain to win. King Faris awarded Alex the Colossus prize. While wearing the sacred helmet of the kingdom, the TaskMaster promised in a menacing tone, "I will be back next season." 

What the TaskMaster did not know was that the warriors of this proud kingdom vowed to be ready for him...next time. Then they all went out to Harper's Lane Brewery to party! It was a great league! We had so much fun, thank you to everyone! See you in the spring!