REST IN PEACE
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“You have a nerve!”
[A voice snaps him back to reality. It’s familiar. He turns around to see Errol Flint, standing behind him with six bodyguards. It was brave of him to make an appearance here today; especially since Jeckel awaits at Ring Of Dreams.]“You did this,” [Flint spews at Lane with a passion and fire unlike anything in him we’ve ever seen. His face is gaunt, white, and full of rage.] “You killed my baby girl!”
[Mike looks as if he’s about to cry.] “I couldn’t save her, Errol. I’m sorry.”“The day she met you, her life was over. You destroy everything you touch, son. You destroy it all.”
[Flint’s attention and eyes turn to Michaela.]“But I won’t let you destroy her too,” [he says pointing at his Granddaughter.] “I’m going to fight you for custody, Michael. I’m going to bring her home with me, where she belongs.”
[Mike’s eyes widen.] “Over my dead body,” [he fumes.] “No-one will ever take my daughter, ever again.” [He goes to walk towards Flint, but the guards close the gap. He looks down at his baby girl, a look of anguish strewn across his tired and weary face.]“My beautiful daughter died because of the circumstances you put her in. Don’t you understand that? You put yourself in danger every single day from maniacs like Smiley who want to rip your life to shreds. I won’t let her be a victim. I just won’t.”
[Errol backs away, turning to take his leave. He won’t be staying. He won’t be mourning his daughter here today; not with Mike Lane.] [The Shadow looks down at the baby cradled in his arms. She doesn’t understand the sacrifices he had to make. She has no idea the sacrifice that Destiny made to save her life.] [Mike places a hand upon the casket, breathing deeply.]“I won’t let her forget you,” [he weeps.] “I promise.”
[Static.] [Click.]ÁNGEL DE LA MUERTE VS. OLIVER ANGST
SINGLES MATCH
COME!
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“What’s that!?” [An onlooker cries as something appears out of the smoky haze before them] [A white horse trots down the vacant Miami road in front of the Tap Room. It’s coat is majestic, pure white like snow on top of a mountain drift. It’s every step is anchored by the muscles rippling up and down its body.] [Atop this horse rides an even more majestic being. Clothed in red and black, he cuts a startling contrast to the beautiful horse that has bore him this far.] [Lux Bellator.]
“Come!” [Lux calls out to the masses.] “Come!”
[As the people rush around Bellator and his horse, they seem to shepherd them into the Tap Room parking area. Bellator has purpose written on his face, and it cannot be said as to why he has arrived in this fashion. As he nears the door to enter the backstage labyrinth that we see each and every week, Lux dismounts the horse, slowly speaking in undecipherable language to the creature. As he finishes, he turns to face the crowd.]“Tonight, you will bear witness to the beginning of what will be the grandest endeavor this Earth has ever seen!”
[Stood atop a small production box, Lux has risen above those assembled.]“Tonight, you will see the groundwork laid for the Lord’s vision to be made whole.”
[Bellator steps down from the box, and places his hand on the door.]“But first,” [He begins.] “the rider must gain his crown.”
[Bellator walks inside the Tap Room as the onlookers all mutter to themselves among the remaining haze.] [The horse is gone.] [What is Lux Bellator talking about?] [Does this have anything to do with that old book?]THERE HAS TO BE A WAY
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“You are determined, aren’t you? You realise that you continue to compete against the wishes of every medical professional that you have met. It simply is not safe Mr Van Chan.”
[An awkward silence befalls the room. Broken only by Bruce himself, shaking his head.]“You all say the same thing, yet none of you listen. The question of competing or not competing has been answered. I am a wrestler. With or without your professional blessings, I will compete. You need to find a way to make that happen..”
[It is Paige that unintentionally interrupts with a loud sob.]“Bruce… I watched you as you collapsed. I- I- I thought I had lost you… And you’re going to keep on scaring me like that, Bruce. I can’t handle that.”
[Bruce places an arm around his wife. He speaks with conviction and confidence.]“There has to be a way for me to wrestle, I know there is. That’s why I’m here.” [He turns towards the doctor once more.] “Doc… You have got to find a way to keep my heart beating. For my family’s sake. I can’t give this up, so help me to keep doing it.”
[The doctor takes a deep breath and lets out a long and heavy sigh. He speaks slowly, almost unsure of what he is saying.]“There is an experimental drug that I can get you.”
[Bruce’s eyes light up at the sentence.]“It is designed to control bloodflow, minimalising the strain on the heart when under extreme conditions or stress. But it is unproven, still in the testing phase. To be honest, it’s not even legal for me to prescribe it to you. It may allow you to put your heart under the stress of competing and keep it from stopping.”
[Bruce smiles; the doctor does not.]“But… there have known to be side effects. It will not be a pleasant experience. Nausea, sweats, light headedness. There are said to be more severe side effects, but even that is at this stage unknown. Bruce, I must stress that this drug is not my recommendation, but it may be the only way to keep you alive if you continue to compete.”
[Bruce takes his wife’s hand, squeezing it tightly as he nods at the doctor, who passes him a small bottle of pills.]“You did not get these from me. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
JOHNNY EVIL VS. JOHN SHEPPARD
SINGLES MATCH
VALHALLA
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Feeling… uncertain, Viktor?”
[North begins to rise, a hand moving to his chest, stopping him where he is.]“Don’t be so rash, you may only injure yourself more.”
[North grabs hold of Doubt’s hand, glaring up at the emotion.]“Fuck. You.”
[Doubt sighs, shaking its head in what looks like disappointment as he stares down at North.]“I spoke to you for a month, Viktor. I told you that you must face what’s inside. But you refused to listen. And now? It is as though you’ll never get into Valhalla. You neither came out victorious nor did you die in battle. All you have now are shattered ribs and nothing to show for it.”
[North tries to stand again, but Doubt’s hand stays firmly pressed on the Skull Splitter’s chest, making the Viking wince in pain.]“I will be fighting again, bastard.”
[He spits the words from his mouth, angry and seemingly unable to breathe.]“You won’t, North. That was your chance, and you failed. You must give up, North. Any efforts to right your wrongs will only end in a meagre death. I know you have a match tonight, I implore you not to go to it. You’ll only hurt yourself.”
[North growls, batting Doubt’s hand away before forcing himself up and walking towards the door.]“I’m no coward like you. It’ll take more than this to stop me from being who I am. Stay out of my way, or I promise you that you won’t survive our next encounter.”
[North limps through the doorway, Doubt merely shaking his head as he watches him leave.]CAEL GABLE VS. THE VOODOO KNIGHT
SINGLES MATCH
EVIL INTENTIONS
BACKSTAGE
“You know who I am already.” [Evil says to the crowd.] “If you don’t, google me.”
[Johnny raises an eye brow as Gable seems to stir beneath his feet. He delivers a kick to roll over the Olympian.]“And you, Cael Gable.” [Evil sneers.] “One of the best amateurs ever. The key word there is amateur. This is professional wrestling, and it’s time for you to get an education on what that means.”
[Gable isn’t all there, but he still seems conscious enough to glare upwards. Evil only smiles broadly at him.]“Remember this face, Cael. Remember the Mouthpiece of Mayhem. Because this is the face that’s going to be looking down on you for as long as you are in here in OSW.”
[Another kick to Gable, rolling him out of the way. No one takes the spotlight from Johnny Evil.]“As for all of you, consider yourself graced with the presence of Johnny Evil. And the next time someone tries to take my spotlight, they’re going to find themselves in the same situation as Mister Gold Medal here.”
[He drops his microphone directly onto Gable’s fallen body with a thud before turning and walking backstage.] [What a arrogant man!]DENIED ENTRY
BACKSTAGE
“I told you not to come out here, North. You aren’t fit to fight, you aren’t fit to enter Valhalla. Throwing your career away for a single match is foolish. You won’t even survive to see the end of it.”
[North glares a hole through Doubt, huffing angrily as he advances on him.]“I told you to stay out of my way, Demon. Now I’m going to send you to Hel!”
[He rushes towards Doubt, ignoring his limp as he tries to attack. Doubt stands where he is, watching North come at him. He sidesteps, stopping Viktor in his tracks with a simple elbow, shoving it into the ribs of North. Viktor gasps, stumbling forward and falling against the apron. Doubt watches on, arms crossed.]“You’re making it worse for yourself, I’ve tried to make you realize this but you refuse to listen. I won’t kill you, North. I won’t even lay a finger on you from this point forward. But if you wish to throw your life away to try and appease your Gods, then let it be known.”
[He leans in.]“I denied you entry to your afterlife. Valhalla will never beckon a man who has lost his ability to fight, and you will never see the gates of the promise land. Fight if you must, it is futile either way.”
[Doubt the turns his back on North, walking away slowly, leaving just as the bell rings for the match.]CODY GREER VS. VIKTOR NORTH VS. MAKENA JAKANDE
TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
CONQUER, PART ONE
BACKSTAGE
“Behold!” [A voice calls from behind Neville.] “A false prophet!”
[Sheldon turns to come face to face with Lux Bellator, whose eyes burn with righteous fury.]“Excuse me?” [Sheldon responds, ready for a fight.]
“How long have people followed you, blasphemer?” [Lux says, uncomfortably close to Sheldon.] “How long have you served as a graven image for them to worship?”
[Neville opens his mouth to respond, but Lux is not done yet.]“Your wickedness is a symptom of the blind foolishness that courses through this broken Earth. I have come to conquer the bonds of deceit that led to your rise. For your power is more wicked than that of the open deceivers. You lead men without leading. You inspire men with just your word and action. They come to worship you, each and every night. It’s time to end your reign of wickedness.”
[Bellator tries to go on, but Neville holds up a hand.]“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lux.” [Neville begins.] “I’ve never seen anyone worship me. Trust me, I’d be more weirded out by it than you would. I’m not the one that walks around with an army behind me, after all”
[Bellator sneers at the young man before him before taking a step back. The sneer forms into a smile slowly.]“For you say I have prospered.” [Lux quotes.] [KICK TO THE GUT!]
“And I need nothing.”
[Lux slams Neville’s head into the locker, his glasses coming off.]“Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor…”
[Lux bends over and picks up the glasses, studying them.]“…blind and naked.”
[SNAP!] [Lux broke Neville’s glasses in two, ripping off one of the long pieces like a wishbone.]“This will do nicely, blind one.” [Lux comments as Neville begins to stir.] [Bellator walks off as Sheldon rises up, slowly picking up the pieces of his glasses.]
“What was that all about?”
[Indeed Neville.] [What was that all about?]MUERTE VS. SHERIFF LAW
SINGLES MATCH
RESPECT
BACKSTAGE
“Welcome back to the land of the living, Brent Kersh.”
[The Enforcer looks up to see Cody Greer standing in the doorway, a smirk on his face.]“How’s it feel to be rid of the monsters haunting you?”
[Kersh nods with a smile, a rare occurrence after all that’s happened to him these past several months.]“It feels amazing. I can put all that to rest, and focus on my career without my life being invaded.”
[He stands up, feeling assured after the events of Pandemonium. Greer responds to this with a nod of his own.]“Glad to hear it, Kersh. You’re a man I can respect, and it’s good to have you away from the monsters and ready to fight amongst men. Just one question, though…do you regret it?”
[This draws a look of confusion from Kersh, as The Enforcer tilts his head.]“Regret what?”
“Do you regret walking away from those monsters without putting them out of their misery?”
[Kersh’s confusion turns into frustration.]“I didn’t walk away without knowing the nightmares were over. Scarecrow, Mother…they’re just ghosts of the past, spirits that haunt someone else’s dreams.”
[Greer merely shrugs his shoulders at this.]“To each his own, Kersh. Like I said, you’re a man I can respect…but if it was me, I’d have handled things differently. Just a thought, man. Good luck tonight.”
[Greer pats Kersh on the shoulder with another smirk before walking off, leaving an angry Kersh to contemplate Greer’s words before he battles Bruce Van Chan!] [Cut.]DEATH WILL FIND YOU
BACKSTAGE
“Hola, Chief Voodoo. I hope this day finds you well.”
[Voodoo considers the woman standing before him. She is a fine sight to say the least, but he doesn’t to care.]“Stand aside, woman, before Voodoo take your soul as sacrifice to his god.”
[Esperanza smiles seductively, and puts a single finger on his lips. She pushes her body against his and slithers around him, speaking as she goes.]“Oh, my dear Voodoo. Speak not of things that you do not understand. You have no power over the souls of the damned. That is reserved for the Angel of Death!”
[She’s made her way back to his front, and stares deeply into his eyes.]“Voodoo understand death. He understand it much. Voodoo walked through fires of hell and come back to rule through vengeance. He fear not death.”
[And then Ángel de la Muerte steps onto the scene. He is intimidating to most, but Voodoo shows no fear. The two men step face to face, nearing blows. Then Esperanza slides in between the two.]“You will learn to fear Death, Chief Voodoo, or you will be consumed by it!”
[With that she stands on her tip-toes and gently licks Voodoo’s lips before slipping away. Ángel de la Muerte stands there a moment longer before saying…]“La muerte te encontrará!”
[He steps away, leaving Voodoo to consider the encounter.]BRUCE VAN CHAN VS. BRENT KERSH
SINGLES MATCH
TROUBLE WITH THE LAW
BACKSTAGE
“Easy there savage,” [Law scoffs at Jakande.] “An American is comin’ through!”
[Makena’s eyes squint as she glares at Law in distrust and anger.]“Ya know” [“The Law” reasons.] “In this country we have regulation and law to keep your type of people in line! You need to remember that,” [Sheriff says as he pokes a finger into the shoulder of Jakande.] “And remember that no one is above the Law. I am the Law. I am Sheriff Law! So when I walk past, you get outta my way.”
[With that, “The Corrupt” moves to nonchalantly push his way past Makena but she is having none of it.] [A back hand chop from “The African Assault” knocks Law backwards before ENZUIGURI!] [Sheriff Law takes the full force of the kick to the side of the head and is knocked from his feet, leaving Makena standing above him in silent ready.] [“The Law” cups the side of his face with his hand and looks up at Jakande in calm disgust – his glasses tossed off to the side.]“We can play it that way foreigner?” [Law threatens.] “You shoot the Sheriff. The Sheriff shoots back!”
[Sheriff Law remains still, his intent clear but a quick glance of his eyes down to Colossus obviously curbs his plans. Instead, “The Corrupt” continues to doctor his cheek as a confident yet cautious Makena backs away.] [Cut.]SMILEY VS. LUX BELLATOR
SINGLES MATCH
SAND
BACKSTAGE
“What the…?”
[Painted in red letters across the back wall of his locker are the words ‘Death Awaits’. Inside the locker itself, a large hourglass stands on the top shelf. Without warning, the sand in the hourglass slowly begins to fall. Grain by grain. Bruce gulps, popping the cap open on the pill bottle and downing two of the mysterious pills.] [Bruce places the pill bottle inside the locker. No sooner had he put the bottle away, the lights cut to blackout. A voice rings out from the darkness.]“Every beat your heart makes takes you one step closer to me. Like the sand in the hourglass, your time is running out. Your life, slipping through your fingers as I watch… And wait.”
[The lights return, revealing Muerte standing directly behind BVC. Bruce does not see him, but he knows that he is there. Without warning, the hourglass shatters and sand spills out all over Bruce. More and more sand continues to flow from the broken hourglass, far more than the capacity of the glass itself. Soon, the locker room and Bruce Van Chan are covered in sand. Muerte simply stands back and watches, biding his time. His voice echoing out is the last thing Bruce hears before the sand covers him completely.]“Death awaits.”
EDWARD NEWTON VS. THE SHARKMAN
SINGLES MATCH
CONQUER, PART TWO
RINGSIDE
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
[Those words herald Lux grabbing Sharkman and throwing him into the nearest ring post. The masked man is dazed, but turns to try and fight before Lux grabs him and punches him in the throat. Shark goes down as Lux kneels over him, rage filling his voice.]“God brings justice to all, false fool!” [Bellator rages, grabbing at Shark’s mask.] “Both the righteous and the wicked!”
[Bellator is bashing Sharkman’s head into the ground, seemingly with some goal in mind, but the masked man is left unable to fight.] [BELLATOR IS TAKEN DOWN WITH A CLOTHESLINE!] [The religious crusader hits the ground with a thud as none other that Neville Sheldon has entered the scene!] [The Underdog rushes over to check on Sharkman as Lux Bellator slowly backs away from the fight. A smile is on the warrior’s face as he slowly retreats up the aisle. Smoke has begun to fill the entrance way as he slowly is consumed by it. The loud call of his white horse beckons Lux to walk into the light on the other end of the smoke.] [He has what he came for.] [Meanwhile, Neville helps a shaken Sharkman to his feet. But when he rises, Sharkman notices that his mask has been damaged. Several of the menacing teeth on the front of it have been ripped forcefully from the mask during the attack.] [First Neville’s glasses and now Sharkman’s teeth?] [What is Lux Bellator doing?]MIKE LANE VS. NEVILLE SHELDON
SINGLES MATCH
IT ALL BURNS
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“I hate everything about you, Lane,” [The maniacal Smiley says with a sinister tone.] “I hate your life. I hate your morals. I hate your luck. People like you are handed everything on a silver platter, born with a silver spoon shoved deep, deep, down your throat. At Pandemonium, I pulled that spoon out, didn’t I? I watched you bleed because of it.”
[The flames start rising higher now, forcing Smiley backwards.]“And now I know what you want. You want revenge, isn’t that right? That’s nice,” [he simmers, before flying into a rage.] “But I’m not finished getting what I want yet! I told you that I wanted the OSW World Championship and all you had to do was hand it over. It should have been simple. It should have been easy. However, you always have to have your cake and eat it, don’t you?”
[He snarls, looking at the fire.]“Well, not this time. This time, your disobedience cost Destiny her life and I won’t be stopping there. I’m going to burn everything you are to the ground, Lane. I’m going to destroy you and I won’t stop until I have. When I’m finished you, you’ll have nothing left.”
[Smiley fishhooks his mouth and turns his smile into a frown.]“Not even a smile.”
[Cut.]DOUBT VS. ETHAN EARHART
SHOWCASE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
WHAT AM I?
RINGSIDE
“I am not lost, but I can be found. What am I?”
[We switch back to the enraged face of Earhart.] [This can only mean one thing.] [Cut.]