Tournament - Dracula vs. Macbeth (Gargoyles)

[Twogunkid]

“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!”

 

“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor!”

 

“All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!”

 

Macbeth lurched awake again. Those words the weird sisters had spoken to him had been his curse. He had been all those things once. It seemed so near and yet so long ago. He had agreed to the cursed pact with Demona and now that cursed gargoyle seemed to have escaped him once more. His dreams had been filled with the thoughts of Demona, but it felt like another dark presence has been clouding his thoughts as of late.

 

Centuries of work and careful planning had brought him wealth. A few well named bastard heirs who had merely been himself had ensured he kept it. It was about time he arranged another such incident to occur. He had claimed his own wealth in 1870. In 1897, he should give the appearance of getting on in years and giving his wealth to a suitably aged previously unknown son.

 

“Unlike Harker to break an appointment.” An opportunity perhaps, he could just take his wealth and sail to the new world. All signs pointed that the damnable gargoyle had fled to New York. Macbeth looked over his appointment book. His shipment from Hapsburg lands was due back aboard the Demeter. “All the time in the world and everyone’s late.” he mused.

 

“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Hunter of Monsters!”

 

“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Preserver of London!”

 

“All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Slayer of Abominations!”

 

Macbeth’s blood ran cold. He knew this greeting all too well. He heard as a lowly Thane. He heard it as a King. He heard it in his sleep. He heard while awake. Those words were burned into his mind, but they were different

 

“Do you mean… I finally will have peace? Demona will die?” For the first time in almost 700 years, he felt a twinge of hope. The three weird sisters were there; he had not seen them since his pact with Demona. They ruined his life, but always seemed to speak the truth. “Tell me!”

 

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” The tall white haired sister spoke.

 

“What’s fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air.” The blonde sister added. 

 

“Clove of garlic, wooden steak. Are the means by which an immortal life to take.” The dark haired one added. 

“You speak in riddles!” Macbeth shouted.

 

“”Thou shalt see us again when the hurlyburly's done.”

 

“In thunder lightning or in rain”

 

“When the battle’s lost and won.”

 

“And that will be ere long after the setting of the sun.”

 

In a blinding flash of light the three sisters were gone as quickly as they had appeared. Still, they hadn’t left him without any tools. They had told him once and for all a way to end Demona’s scourge on the world. They had told him when. Tonight. Soon after sunset. He moved like a man possessed. He walked through the streets of London towards Westminster Abbey. There were trees there older than both he and Demona. If he were to kill Demona, he was going to do it properly. He cut through the thick London fog blackened with coal smoke. He ignored the fumes and pollution. He was a man possessed. He strode with the single minded intent of retrieving holy wood for a stake. He was all the more surprised when he bumped into a well dressed Transylvanian who held his ground. Macbeth found himself on the ground and the stranger unphased. 

 

“My apologies friend, I was taking in the sweet London air.” He offered Macbeth a hand up. Macbeth took it warily. Few people on this Earth were stronger than him. “My name is Dracula. Count Dracula. I can see that you are a man of status and…” he took a deep breath, but it didn’t seem to be the London air he was smelling, “fine blood. A royal line perhaps?”

 

“You are a perceptive man Count, but there is no King here. Queen Victoria reigns.” Macbeth felt uneasy about this gentleman. He knew entirely too much. He was certainly strong even for a man as youthful as the Count. He looked for scrawnier than his might would lead one to expect. The Count did not yet release Macbeth’s hand.

 

“Perhaps you will come to dine with me tonight? I have a place purchased here in London, but I have not had the opportunity to entertain. Of course, you will enter freely and of your own will. I would never impose on a man such as yourself.” 

 

Macbeth silently cursed the social niceties of being a respectable businessman. An invitation from a visiting noble could not be idly ignored. “I’d be delighted,” he lied, “around what time should I arrive?”

 

“After dusk and please don’t keep me waiting.” The words after Dusk told Macbeth all he needed to know. Demona would be there. The Count had no way of knowing it, but Macbeth planned to end things once and for all tonight.

 

Thanking the visitor he had encountered, Macbeth hurried to Westminster Abbey to cut his wooden stakes and purchased garlic from a grocer. He wasn’t sure how these would help him slay Demona, but he had no reason not to believe the Weird Sisters. Sliding the garlic and wooden stakes into the lining of his jacket, he dressed to the nines and began to walk to the address the Count had given him. This couldn’t be right. The home was dilapidated. The windows were barred, the home covered with dust, this was the address of the Count? He must have made an error Macbeth thought to himself. He turned to see if there was anyone on the street he could ask, but despite what would still be a somewhat busy time on London streets, there was no one. He was about to turn when the last light of the setting sun descended in the West and the door in front of him opened on it’s own.

 

Not trusting this for a moment, Macbeth thought about the Webley pistol and Bowie knife he had brought in addition to the garlic and stakes, Demona would not take him quietly. “Count?” He entered the darkened building, his hand reaching for the pearl handled firearm. He thought he saw a flicker of movement out of the side of his eye. He turned, but there was nothing. Whatever was here, flitted about like a big cat. It was testing him, testing his senses, awareness, reaction time.

 

“Macbeth?” The seven century old Scot nearly jumped out of his skin. “How nice of you to join me, dinner will be served and then perhaps something to drink.” Whatever was darting about panther-like, seemed to be staying away for now. Macbeth prepared himself for anything and prepared to dine, and the Count did likewise.

 

 

[Callisto]

Learn More About
Dracula
Read more about Dracula at Wikipedia
Official Site: Estate Of Bram Stoker Links: Wikipedia: Dracula CBUB: Buffy versus Dracula The Marvel Universe Appendix: Dracula

Macbeth (Gargoyles)
Read more about Macbeth (Gargoyles) at Wikipedia
Official Site: Disney Links: Wikipedia GargWiki Gargoyles FAQ: Station Eight

[Twogunkid]

It messed up my formatting, but here is my final entry.

[JohnnyChany]

Macbeth is my favorite Gargoyles character and I always enjoyed when the Weird Sisters showed up, so this setup is right down my alley. Dracula is a good opponent for Macbeth and Dracula wouldn't have to kill him, to win, which he wouldn't be able to do anyway because of Macbeth's mystic bond to Demona, I think it would be a mighty struggle for Macbeth, but I think he can win.

[Pizza Guy]

Macbeth takes this. He has more than enough experience fighting nocturnal creatures with supernatural abilities and strengths. Besides Dracula appears to be underestimating MacBeth based on the writing and that will prove a costly mistake.

[DSkillz]

Very good entry, Twogunkid. You certainly have a good feel for both Dracula and Macbeth, and this really does feel like an episode of Gargoyles.  

As for the match, Macbeth definitely seems to have an edge in this confrontation, not the least of which is because the Weird Sisters helped him prep for it. Also, as mentioned, Macbeth's been likely dealing with all kinds of forces, supernatural and otherwise, for centuries. Dracula also won't be able to kill Macbeth, even on the off chance he managed to drain the old king's blood. In fact, if Dracula survives this encounter, he'd very likely consider Macbeth a worthy opponent. 

And huh, it appears that there's a couple of Gargoyles-themed entries in this round. I'll need to check out Johnny's soon. It's also reminding me that I have an arc to get back to ...  

[Callisto]

Match Final Results

Member Ratings:
5.00 - Pizza Guy
4.80 - Boratz
4.80 - DSkillz

FPA Calculation:
3 Total Votes cast
14.60 Total Combined Score
14.60 / 3 = 4.87 Final Rating on the match

MATCH SCORE
Dracula: 0
Macbeth (Gargoyles): 6