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MidReal Story
Kneeling Before The War Goddess
Scenario:Fighters gather for the underground martial arts challenge,Stadium of Pain in the Northern Nevada desert including mysterious Shaolin warrior Dobra storm
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Ethan
He is a former MMA champion trying to regain his title. He is determined, resilient, and proud. Ethan faces a knee injury that nearly ended his career, struggling to recover and rebuild. He trains tirelessly, pushing himself to the limit for a chance to return to the ring. His personal life includes a complicated relationship with his brotherinlaw and best friend, Noah, as well as unresolved feelings for his manager’s daughter, Lily.
Lily
She is the manager’s daughter involved in the fight promotions. She is ambitious, confident, and alluring. Her interactions with Ethan are charged with underlying chemistry and potential conflict given her father's role in the business. Despite her father’s authoritarian approach, she seeks to expand the family business independently. Lily’s presence raises questions about her motivations and possible entanglements with Ethan.
Noah Kade
He is Ethan's best friend and brotherinlaw, sharing a complex relationship with Ethan. He is protective, intense, and conflicted. Noah struggles with his feelings for Ethan's sister, Olivia, which creates tension within their friendship. He provides support for Ethan's training but also challenges him about his decisions. His own life includes being part of an elite military team and dealing with personal losses.
I was never one to give up easily, but after the knee injury and having to undergo surgery, I thought my fighting days were over.
I had worked too damn hard to get to where I was—top of my game and the MMA champion of my weight class.
I wasn’t ready to give it all up.
Not yet.
So I trained even harder than before.
I pushed myself to my limits every single day, testing just how far I could go.
My brother-in-law and best friend, Noah, was with me every step of the way.
He was also the one who challenged me and pushed me to my limits.
It was easy for him since he was part of an elite military team and had no problem keeping up with me or telling it like it is, even if I don’t want to hear it.
"Come on, Ethan. You can do better than that," he growled at me as I hunched over, leaning my arms on my knees, trying to catch my breath.
"I’m giving it my all," I panted, looking up at him with a scowl on my face.
"You sure are, but that isn’t good enough. You need to want it more. Fight for it," he snapped back at me, not looking the least bit sympathetic.
He knew as well as I did that I wasn’t giving it my all.
Not yet.
I still had a lot left in me.
I straightened up from my hunched position and wiped the sweat from my brow.
My shirt clung to my body, soaked through with sweat, and I could feel it dripping down my back.
I was only wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top, but it was still too hot.
I was burning up from the inside out.
"Alright, let’s go again," I told Noah, who gave me a nod before we started another round.
We were in the training room at the gym that Noah and I owned together.
It was one of the best gyms in the city, and it was always busy.
Noah and I had been friends since we were kids, so when he came to me with the idea of opening our own gym, I couldn’t turn him down.
It had been a good decision.
The gym had taken off quickly, and we were able to live comfortably off of it.
I had also been able to train for my fights there, which was a bonus.
We trained for another hour before Noah called it quits for the day.
I was about to do the same when Lily walked into the room.
She looked around nervously as she walked over to us, her clipboard clutched tightly in her hand. "Hey guys," she said softly as she reached us.
"What’s up?"
I asked her as I grabbed my water bottle and took a long drink.
"I just wanted to check on your progress," she replied, her eyes scanning over me as if she could see how far along I was in my training just by looking at me.
"Everything is going well," Noah told her as he grabbed his own water bottle and took a drink.
Lily nodded but didn’t take her eyes off of me.
I could feel them burning into my skin, and I knew that she was checking me out more than checking on my progress.
"Good," she said softly as she looked away from me finally and turned to Noah.
"I’ll let you get back to work then."
She turned to leave but stopped when she realized that she wasn’t sure where she was going. "Lily," Noah said loudly as he cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to him.
She turned around slowly, looking between Noah and me as if she wasn’t sure what to do next. "Yeah?"
She asked him softly as she took a step toward him.
"You can head back now," he told her gently as he took a step toward her as well.
"But before you go," Noah continued, "there's something Ethan needs to know."
Lily hesitated, glancing at me with a mix of concern and determination.
"Ethan, it's about the championship—there's been a change, and you're not going to like it."
Noah pulled Lily off to the side near the weight rack, and I went back to doing my combinations on the heavy bag.
I tried to listen in on what they were talking about, but it was hard to hear them over my labored breathing.
I could see them through the mirrors that lined the walls of the gym, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
It looked like Noah was explaining something to her, and she was listening intently.
Every once in a while, she would nod or shake her head, and then Noah would continue talking.
I threw another kick at the heavy bag and winced as my knee twinged.
I was getting close to being ready for a fight again, but I still had a little way to go.
I wasn’t going to let that stop me, though.
I was determined to get back in the ring as soon as possible. Lily walked over to me, her tablet in hand.
She swiped through a few screens before she stopped on one and turned it around so I could see it.
It was the tournament brackets for an upcoming fight.
There were several fighters listed, and I recognized most of them from previous fights.
They were all good fighters, but none of them were better than me.
"What’s this?"
I asked her as I grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from my face.
"It’s the new tournament bracket," she replied softly as she took a step closer to me.
"There have been some changes made."
"What kind of changes?"
I asked her as I glanced down at the bracket again.
"The qualification rounds are now international," Noah said from behind me.
I turned around to look at him, surprised by what he had just said. "International?"
I repeated incredulously as I turned back around to look at Lily again. "What does that mean?"
She nodded slowly before answering me.
"It means that there will be fighters from all over the world competing," she explained softly as she took another step closer to me.
"It’s going to be tough."
"I don’t care how tough it is," I told her firmly as I dropped the towel and stepped toward her.
"I’m ready for this."
She looked up at me with concern etched on her face, but before she could say anything else, Noah spoke up again. "Ethan, you need to understand who you’re going up against here," he said firmly as he stepped forward and placed his hand on my shoulder.
"These aren't just any fighters," Noah continued, his voice low and serious.
"They're the best from their countries, and some have been training for this their entire lives."
Lily glanced at Noah, then back at me, her eyes filled with a mix of worry and encouragement. "You need to be ready for anything, Ethan."
I wiped the sweat from my face and studied the brackets again.
I memorized the names of the fighters I would be up against.
I knew most of them, but there were a few that I didn’t recognize.
They must have been new to the scene.
Noah went into the storage room and pulled out some equipment.
He brought out medicine balls, resistance bands, and a balance board for me to work on my knee.
While Lily updated some paperwork at the front desk, Noah outlined my new schedule.
It was brutal.
I would be doing strength training every morning at 5 AM, technique work in the afternoons, and cardio at night.
My diet was going to be strict as well, with no room for error.
My knee throbbed as Noah demonstrated the first rehabilitation exercise he wanted me to do. I gritted my teeth and followed his movements without complaint.
He watched me closely, making sure I was doing it correctly before he moved on to the next exercise.
Each one was more difficult than the last, but I pushed through it without saying a word.
I knew that every rep I did brought me closer to being ready to face these international fighters in the ring.
Lily walked over, her expression softening as she watched me struggle through the exercises.
"You know, Ethan," she said quietly, "there's more at stake here than just the championship."
I paused mid-rep and looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
While doing my final set of knee extensions, I felt my phone vibrate in my gym bag.
I glanced over at it, and Noah noticed me looking.
He picked up the bag and tossed it to me.
I caught it and pulled out my phone.
Olivia’s name was on the screen, and I had a message from her.
I opened it and read the message.
It was short but to the point: "Need to talk. Meet me at home ASAP."
My stomach tightened as I read the message.
Olivia never texted me when she was working at the hospital, so something must be wrong.
I showed Noah the message, and his face darkened.
He immediately started packing up his gear, and Lily stepped between us.
"You can’t leave yet," she said firmly as she looked between us.
"We still have to go over the tournament details."
Noah ignored her as he grabbed his bag and headed for the door.
I stood up and grabbed my own bag before limping after him.
I followed him down the back hallway of the gym, my knee complaining with each step.
He was moving fast, his shoulders tense as he pushed through the emergency exit.
The metal door slammed against the brick wall outside, and I heard Lily calling after us.
Noah didn’t look back as he headed across the parking lot.
The Nevada sun beat down on us, and I could feel sweat dripping down my face.
I caught up to him just as he reached his truck.
I grabbed his arm and spun him around to face me.
"Do you know what’s wrong with Olivia?"
I demanded.
He shook his head but wouldn’t meet my eyes.
Without saying a word, he yanked open the driver's door and climbed inside.
The keys jingled in his trembling hands as he fumbled with the ignition.
"Noah, you have to tell me if you know something," I insisted, my voice rising with urgency.
He finally looked at me, his eyes clouded with a mix of fear and determination. "Ethan, it's not just about the tournament—Olivia's been investigating something dangerous at the hospital."