“I killed her,” [the words spoken by Red River Jack echo throughout the room.] [The chair continues to rock, this time a little faster, a little louder.]
“Come and get it,” [say the words spoken by Jack.] [Suddenly the rocking stops dead.]
“The world isn’t all roses and fluffy bunny rabbits!”
“There’s just death.”
“There’s just me and you, man.”
[The words fill the air but they aren’t spoken, they’re recorded. They’re repetitive and ongoing, refusing to stop like the chair. Over and over again, they get louder and louder, harsher and harsher, darker and darker until suddenly and abruptly, they stop.] [The man gets out of his rocking chair and walks towards the camera. As the light peers in behind him, his milky complexion becomes clear. Complete with a broken set of glasses, the right hand frame cracked beyond repair, is Neville Sheldon.] [His lips are dehydrated, his face still stained with mud. It’s a week later but Neville Sheldon looks no different. His eyes are black, like he hasn’t slept in days and he probably hasn’t.]“You killed her,” [he mutters through rough dry lips.] “You killed the only person in the world who ever truly cared about me.”
“I killed her,” [echo’s throughout the room in Red River Jack’s voice.]
“Tonight, I’m coming back,” [Sheldon says through gritted teeth.] “Just like you wanted.”
[A single tear streams down his face.]“And you can end this.”
[The video is immediately cut to static; with the last thing we see being Neville reaching out to shut off the tape. Sheldon is in action tonight but if this video is anything to go by, he may not be in the best condition to compete.] [With sinister purpose, Hysteria walks down a dark hallway. In the shadows behind him, the rest of the Asylum follows. Their countenance reflects their surroundings as there is not a happy expression among the bunch.] [Save the twisted smile of Smiley, of course.] [The quartet rounds a darkened corner in what appears to be an undocumented area of the Schoolyard before Hysteria stops cold in his steps. The others come to a halt behind him, all except for the Shark, who charges forward, disappearing into a barely covered hole in the wall.]“Thought you said you boarded it off?” [Smiley asks Hysteria, Smiley Jr. being tossed from hand to hand.]
“I did.” [Hysteria responds.] [The trio head into the hole to enter the same room that Hysteria assaulted and imprisoned Ozric Mortimer in last week. Limp forms hang from the ceiling, the stench of death filling the room. A glimmer of light from the hallway reveals The Shark. He looks extremely disappointed.]
“This meat isn’t fresh.” [Shark says towards Hysteria, accusingly.] [Hysteria takes a step past Shark towards the darkest corner of this chamber.]
“This wasn’t the meat I promised.”
[Doubt and Smiley join Shark in following Hysteria to his destination.] [A large door.] [Beyond the Asylum sits the refrigeration unit that Ozric was locked into last week. Hysteria turns to The Shark.]“Your meat is behind that door.”
[Shark rushes forward to open the door, but when he pulls the whole door almost comes off the hinges. The other Asylum members rush forward to grab the door and throw it to the side. What’s inside is too important to give the advantage to Mortimer.] [Yet…] [Ozric is not inside this room.]“Go handle whatever business you have tonight.” [Hysteria quickly says, cutting off any comments from his peers.] “At the end of the night, I will be waiting, and we will end this.”
[The Asylum departs the darkened room, while Hysteria just stands and stares. For Ozric Mortimer left behind a gift.] [Carved out of ice, a full clone of Hysteria gazes back at the flesh and blood version, the outside air already causing condensation to form.] [A message.] [The Most Interesting Man in Wrestling makes his way into the Schoolyard, shortly thereafter followed by the current Ring King. Nigel Royal sets his crown down by the Timekeeper’s table as Marvolo watches carefully] [The match starts with Marvolo extending a hand to his Oceans One teammate. Nigel eventually accepts the gesture. Both shoot a cagey smirk before both try to pull the other in… Ouch! It looks like they hurt their wrists. The former Tag Champs take a moment to regroup, settling into a Test of Strength that Marvolo quickly wins. He bends Royal into a deep bridge before the Ring King expertly counters, rising and Stomping on his partner’s hands. He grabs a Headlock but nearly feels the Touch of Death! NO! Nigel want the Dungeons of London but Marvolo breaks free!] [Both trade Forearm Smashes before Royal gets an Irish Whip. Marvolo then counters a Hiptoss with one of his own. He kicks Nigel right in the spine! Nigel though fights through the pain, rising and answering with a series of scintillating Knife-Edge Chops! He beats Marvolo into the corner before taking a kick to the kneecap. The Most Interesting Man in Wrestling tries a Brainbuster but Royal slips onto his feet– BACKDROP! Nigel flows through, looking for another only for Marvolo now to backflip out. He then instantly rolls himself into a ball for the Lady in the Lake!] [The King of Submission looks nonplused, staring at his flexible friend before kicking him right in the spine! Well, that didn’t work… Marvolo staggers to his feet, aching. WOOO! Marvolo flops face-first off another Chop! Nigel covers! One… Two… NO! Marvolo kicks out and Nigel immediately tries to slap on the Crossface! Number One however still gets to the ropes, saving himself. Royal backs away briefly before stepping right into a hard Headbutt! PILEDRIVER! Marvolo covers! One… Two… NO! Marvolo then tries to pull Nigel up only to get caught again in the Dungeons of London! HE TAPS! HE TAPS!] [The bell rings and Nigel bursts from the mat in victory! The referee raises his hand, giving him back his crowd as Royal glances back to his partner. Marvolo is trying to recover when Nigel offers him his hand. Oceans One then embrace again as Royal helps his partner back to his feet.] [Headlights glint across the screen before the car is shown rumbling down the road. Within the small red car is Jack Jeckel holding a phone to his ear as he stares ahead at the road before him. A flash of the speedometer shows his racing towards his destination at 75 mph.]“I’m sorry once again. I’ve never been late before and it won’t happen again. Just chill out.”
[The sound of yelling at the other end before Jack clicks the end button to silence it.]“Fucking asshole.”
[He throws the phone into the passenger seat before focusing on the road ahead of him as he takes the turn quick with The Schoolyard in vision. As he comes around the corner, his phone begins to buzz. He diverts his attention for a second to look at the caller ID of Errol Flint before he turns back.] [His tires instantly go flat as he begins skidding along the pavement on nothing but his car’s axles! He tries to keep it steady but with the turn his momentum carries him sideways.] [His car begins to roll side over side until finally coming to a rest! A look inside of the car reveals the bleeding forehead of Jack Jeckel leaned up against the steering wheel without any signs of an airbag deployed. A man in a suit of armor walks alongside the car before reaching in through the busted window and opening the door from inside. He yanks Jack Jeckel out of the car before pushing him into the car where he slides to the ground.] [The Red Emperor crouches down to where he’s eye level with Jack as he holds up a metallic spike.]“Caltrops. They were once used to halt the progression of chariots by impaling the wheels and feet of any being who treaded upon them. Today, they are still used when preventing a speeding chaser from getting away.”
[The Red Emperor grabs Jack by his hair and holds his head up.]“You intervened in The Red Emperor’s plans last week. This was just to ensure no further interference this week.”
[With that, The Red Emperor drops his head and drops the caltrop as his feet.]“This should all be a little familiar to you, vermin.”
[The Red Emperor turns to walk away as paramedics zoom into the scene trying to aid Jack Jeckel.] [The hay-filled horror of the corn crop coliseum clashes with the ever-grinning, always chilling, sadistic Smiley.] [The match starts with Scarecrow standing like a straw statue. Smiley’s snarling anxiously, pacing on the opposite end of the ring as a confident sneer curves his opponent’s leathery lips. Suddenly Smiley darts for the Scarecrow, narrowly dodging a Lariat. The Deranged One then dishes out rapid fight rights, nailing a Dropkick, only Scarecrow doesn’t go down. Smiley now with a Forearm Smash, only to get Piefaced into the corner. The Hayman charges and Smiley gets a knee up, before evading another strike. Smiley with a Leaping Enziguri, rebounding off the ropes and cutting Scarecrow in half with Shock Therapy!] [Scarecrow stumbles to the outside, remaining standing. Smiley’s ascends the turnbuckle, before giving Scarecrow Trauma! Scarecrow’s hobbled to a knee and Smiley’s already back in the ring, hitting ropes before sailing back out with a Tope! NO! Scarecrow grabs him out of the air before dropping him mouth-first onto the ring apron! Smiley’s staggered; Scarecrow looks unfazed. The Harvester Big Boots him before peeling him up by the hair, chucking him back into the ring. He tries to enter when Smiley gets a desperate Chop Block. He starts cutting Scarecrow down to size, wrapping around him for the GLASGOW SMILE!] [Smiley fights to lock it in, riding the Hayman’s back. Scarecrow eventually rams him into the corner. He then hits a Headbutt before planting him with a Full Nelson Slam! He covers! One… Two… NO! Smiley kicks out and Scarecrow calls for the end. He yanks Smiley into position, looking to clip this bird’s wings when Smiley counters mid-move into a Swinging DDT! Scarecrow’s stunned, stepping right into the CHELSEA KICK! Smiley covers! One… Two… NO! Scarecrow tosses him off and Smiley quickly scrambles to the top. The Harvester rises and Smiley flies…… NO! BYE-BYE BIRDIE! He covers! One…Two…THREE!] [The Scarecrow then rises back up like a zombie from the grave. He stands over his fallen prey, his arms spread wide. With a smile on his face, he’s almost chuckling.] [We find Marvolo outside the door to Ocean One’s VIP lounge, muttering to himself and looking frustrated and worried all at the same time. He draws a deep breath, not quite knowing how his partner will receive him after their match together. Was he right? Was their Cain and Abel moment really behind them? Summoning up the courage, he turns the handle and steps inside.]“Hey Nigel. Marvolo hopes there are no hard…”
[He stops mid sentence. Nigel Royal is nowhere to be found. The room, however, is not empty. A dozen monk-like figures clad in black robes stand in a semi-circle around the doorway, leaving just enough space for Mavolo to enter the room. One of the men speaks.]“Marvolo’s last album went triple plutonium.”
[The comment is met with a puzzled look. Another figure speaks up.]“Marvolo rescued the Queen’s corgies.”
[The other monks take their turn to speak a line each, each quoting something that Marvolo himself had claimed in the past.]“Marvolo invented the Belgian Waffle…. Marvolo just got back from beating Usain Bolt for the gold in Rio… Marvolo chiselled the ten commandments onto the stone tablets.”
[By the time all of the mysterious robed figures had said their bit, Marvolo’s eyes burn as brightly as his mask.]“I don’t know who you are, but you better watch yourself…”
“Or what?” [A voice from behind the circle of robes breaks through. The circle clears, revealing Lazarus sitting comfortably on one of Ocean One’s couches.] “An ‘Atomic Drop to the Face’? Relax, Marvolo… I merely have a gift for you. Something for you to wear with pride, to remember exactly what you are.”
[Lazarus stands from his seat, smiling.]“Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man.”
[With Marvolo’s attention on Lazarus, one of the robed men is able to place a collar around Marvolo’s neck. A thick, chained collar that is too small to be taken off over Marvolo’s head. The chain is padlocked from behind. Marvolo turns around to face his assailant. On the front of the chain is a large metal sign that hangs down to his chest, with the word ‘LIAR’ written in large letters. Lazarus closes the distance between the two, coming right up close to Marvolo, mask to mask.]“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight. A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will perish.”
[With Marvolo fuming and clutching at his new seemingly permanent necklace, Lazarus and his robed men exit the VIP lounge.] [It’s the Light Warrior vs. the Red Emperor. It’s the former All-Star Champ vs. the current U.S. Champ. Who wins? Only fate decides!] [The match starts with both diving into a grapple. The Emperor tries a Wrist Lock but Lux counters, grabbing a Headlock before getting tossed off. The Emperor drops down and gets caught in a Gedo Clutch. Kickout! both rise; Lux is School Boyed. Another kickout! The Emperor grounds him before Bellator gets a Waist Lock. That’s countered and the Emperor get Snapmared! Lux avoids a charge, catching the Emperor’s arm off a Clothesline. He wants the Disciple Maker but the Emperor Jacknifes him over. Bellator bridges out, wanting a Backslide and eating a right! The Emperor dares him to fight!] [Lux’s stunned; the two circle around. The Emperor lifts a knee, scoring with a Suplex. He takes him into the corner, dusting off a European Uppercut. He tries an Irish Whip but Bellator holds his own, countering with a Back Body Toss. He hits a Standing Moonsault; the Senton misses. The Emperor tries a DDT but almost gets countered into a Neckbreaker– Sling Blade to Lux! He covers! One… Two… NO! The Emperor pulls him up… GOOBYE FRIEND? NO! Bellator looks for God’s Light, settling instead for a Small Package! One… Two… NO! Lux whirls into the Arm of God!] [Bellator’s got the U.S. Champ caught, but the Emperor still manages to scramble to the floor. Lux bolts into the ropes… SPRINGBOARD SUMMERSAULT PLANCHA! The Light Warrior flattens his foe, chucking him back into the ring and covering! One… Two… NO! Bellator looks to the heavens for guidance before trying for the Catholic Cross! Lux hoists the Emperor up but he squirms free. Bellator turns into another European Uppercut, takes a DDT and just barely counters the Emperor’s Strike! After a quick kick, Lux pops off the middle turnbuckle drilling him with the DISCIPLE MAKER! He covers! One… Two… KICK OUT!! Bellator signals for it, grabbing the arm of The Emperor and inside cradle! ONE… TWO… KICK OUT! Both men spring away and get back to their feet, Bellator this time with a cradle of his own.. both men’s shoulders are down… ONE…. TWO…. THREE!! WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT?] [Both men spring away and raise their arms in victory, only the referee isn’t quite sure who won. He talks to the time keeper and comes back, saying this one is a draw. Neither man can quite believe this hard fought battle ended that way as they walk off in difference directions, clearly pissed off. What a match.] [Lux recuperates in the corner following that hard-hitting encounter with the Red Emperor, who has since left the ringside area. The crowd show their support for the spiritual luchador as he nods at them appreciatively, the referee holding the ropes open for him…]“Oh, this works all for you and me, it’s all our being
We’ll burn this city down!”
“Who will be your pretty, little enemy?
When I’m gone your world will prove empty”
“I remember when you were worth something,” [Mike Lane hisses, kicking him with the toe end of his boot, ashamed.] “I remember when Neville Sheldon lauded over the world of wrestling; but now look at him. He’s a dog.”
[Red River Jack retrieves a microphone, watching as Mike taunts Sheldon to the fans disgust.]“It’s funny, ain’t it man? Just like my brother Michael here, sometimes you need the right light to be able to see. He woke up. After years of being the victim, he realized what this world wanted from him and he wasn’t willing to pay the price, man. You see, these people who celebrate you, they’re liars, man. They’re liars. Did you think you were gonna ride off into the sunset and that these people would save you from yourself?”
[Manson leans over Sheldon and grabs him by a tuft of hair, forcing him to listen to Red.]“Well they didn’t. After all those years of effort for them, who came to your aid? Who saved your mother when I terrified her to death?” [Jack spits venomously. Neville tries to struggle, tries to get at him, but fails.] “No-one did, Sheldon. These people thought you were their superman. They thought you were their hero. Well, look at your hero now, man; I said look at him!”
[He waves his microphone around in the air, his right arm spread at the direction of Neville Sheldon, demanding that people take in this moment.]“Do you know why I killed her, Sheldon? I mean fuck, man, I didn’t set out to but do you know why? It’s because I wanted to show you and all these people that Neville Sheldon is not the hero they think he is. You’re a fraud, man. You’re a falsehood and at Ring King, I proved to each and every single one of these sheep that the good guys don’t go out on top. I’m going to keep proving it to you, man. If you want your mother’s locket back, you’re going to do what you do best and keep fighting. Every week, you’re going to fight. Every week, man. They’ve seen you come back from the depths of hell before, haven’t they? They’ve seen Neville Sheldon rise like the phoenix but now, tonight, in this very ring in front of me; the death of Neville Sheldon.”
[RRJ throws the microphone down and slides into an attack on Neville, pounding away at him with right and left hands as the fans boo wildly. They hate this, watching as Jack steps away so that Mike Lane of all people can take a turn.] [Suddenly, down the steps like a bat out of hell run Oceans One!] [The crowd are electric as King Royal and Marvolo slide into the ring and start clearing house. Manson goes over the top rope first, followed quickly by Hate and before you know it, Red River Jack and Mike Lane are left with Nigel Royal and Marvolo!] [The Awakening quickly bail to the outside, leaving Oceans One fuming in the middle of the ring. Nigel goes to check on Neville as Marvolo backs off Jack and Lane. If they didn’t come in for the save here tonight, Lord knows what may been left of poor Neville Sheldon.] [Darkness colides as the Awakening meets the Asylum here tonight. Can the Emotion prove he’s more then just Knock Knock or will Jack make him wake up from his dreams?] [The bell rings as Jack rushes forward, trying for a running knee as Doubt ducks under, spinning Jack around before planting him to the mat with a lightning fast STO. Jack gets up stunned as he walks right into a massive roundhouse that sends Jack down to one knee. The Emotion wastes no time, rushing to the ropes, bouncing off as he leaps off Jack’s knee, END OF WISDOM! Doubt turns away from Jack, clapping his hand together, CAUSE OF DOUBT….MISSES! Red rolls out of the ring, trying to get some distance between himself and the Emotion as Doubt rolls out himself, walking right into a big European Uppercut] [Jack delivers a wind crushing knee before lifting Doubt up into a Flatliner, slamming him over his knee before spinning him around and delivering another Flatliner, BONE BREAKER ON THE RING APRON! Doubt falls to the outside in pain as Red pulls him up by his mask, throwing him into the ring. Doubt slowly gets to his feet, turning right into a running kick to the midsection that sends him down to one knee. Red pulls Doubt up to his feet, grabbing him in a backdrop position before running Doubt into the turnbuckles groin first. Doubt yells out in pain as Jack pulls him back, CLUBBING FOREARM…MISSES! Doubt just slips out as he reaches back, nailing Red in the temple with a hard elbow that staggers Jack back] [Doubt climbs up to the top rope, leaping off with a Moonsault but Red catches him. As Doubt tries to spin around into the Tornado DDT, Jack tosses him away and as Doubt gets to his feet, SPARTAN KICK! Doubt bounces off the ropes right into a Thrust kick to the side of the head that drops the Emotion like a stone. Red calls for the end, pulling Doubt up to his feet, grabbing his hand as he kicks him in the gut, spinning him around, SEEING RED! Doubt gets planted as the referee counts, ONE…TWO…THREE!!!] [Red River Jack gets to his feet, a confident smile on his face as he sparks up a cigarette, taking a deep drag as he walks away, celebrating another victory] [Still suffering the after effects of last week’s crash and performance, Brent Kersh is in no great shape. He’s sat on the doctors table, his laceration from last week stitched and two black eyes that whilst combined with the lack of sleep, make him look almost zombie like.] [The Doctor is almost too afraid to approach him. She stands opposite, close to the door for an easy escape.]“Mr. Kersh, I’m afraid you’re in some serious trouble,” [she says looking over the notes in her hand.] “I’ve spoken with your therapist in great detail tonight and with the police.”
“The police?” [He enquires, surprised.] “Why would you need to consult with them?”
[She clears her throat, finding the courage.]“Because your accident last week caused serious damage to both the street and your vehicle. Had someone else been involved, you may have killed them. The officers and paramedics say that when you were brought in, you were mumbling something about ‘The Scarecrow’? I spoke with your Doctor and it would appear this is a recurring theme.”
[Brent refuses to say a word.]“The hallucinations, lack of sleep and paranoia are all symptoms of the PTSD you’re suffering from. I’ve agreed with your therapist that the best course of action is a psychiatric hold.”
[Suddenly, the lights go off.] [There’s a flash, a bright flash, that illuminates a shadow on the door; it’s him, it’s The Scarecrow. Kersh panics and stands up, only the door flies open with such ferocity that even he’s taken back. The Scarecrow enters and Brent swings, hitting him with everything he has; but it isn’t enough. He’s tackled to the ground.] [Kersh is hoisted up into the air and dragged out of the room by The Scarecrow.] [Except, it isn’t him.] [He’s hallucinating again.] [On the floor is the man he struck, unconscious and bleeding. The Doctor cowers in the corner and two large orderlies are dragging him out of the door and into the hall. Brent Kersh thinks he’s being attacked by The Scarecrow. He thinks he’s about to be harvested, but he isn’t.]“Let go of me!” [he bellows whilst being dragged away.] “I won’t say goodbye, I won’t!”
[As the camera pans away from the screaming pleas of Brent Kersh, who’s being dragged out of the arena and towards the exit, The Scarecrow appears in the shadows, lingering close by. He smiles, stepping backwards into the darkness so that he cannot be seen as the segment comes to a close.] [We have another Champion vs. Champion match tonight as the newly crowned All-Star Champion faces off against the World Champion Shadow. Can the Shadow King endure or will Hysteria run rampant once more?] [The bell sounds as both men circle around one another, trying to find an opening against the other. The Shadow is the first man to rush forward, taking Hysteria by surprise with a hard elbow to the side of the head that staggers the smaller man. The Shadow takes advantage, hitting a lightning fast Snap Suplex, holding on as he lifts Hysteria up, switching behind for a huge Release German Suplex, dropping Hysteria right on his head! Shadow backs off, waiting patiently for Hysteria to get to his feet as he rushes forward, LIFE IN THE FAST LANE…MISSES as Hysteria grabs the Shadow from behind, lifting him up as he delivers a Stun Gun across the ropes] [Shadow gets to his feet, holding his throat in pain as he’s met by a vicious discus elbow right to the throat but Hysteria doesn’t let the Shadow fall to the mat, instead wrapping him up onto the back, before spinning him around and dropping him to the mat with an Osaka Street Cutter! The Shadow is dazed as Hysteria wraps him up into a cradle, ONE..TWO…Shadow gets his shoulder up] [The Shadow slowly gets to his feet as Hysteria climbs up to the top rope, almost begging the Shadow to his feet, as he leaps off, FALL OF MAN…HEAD KICK! Hysteria is dazed and out on his feet as the Shadow bounces off the ropes, LIFE IN THE FAST LANE! Hysteria gets drilled there but The Shadow isn’t done, motioning for Hysteria to get to his feet and as the groggy Mastermind does, SHADOW KICK! Hysteria is done as The Shadow hooks the leg, ONE…TWO…THREE!!!] [The Shadow endures tonight as he holds his world title high above the beaten body of Hysteria, celebrating his victory to heavy boos from the crowd] [As Shadow gets back to his feet in the middle of the ring, a trumpet sounds. The noise is quickly followed by the sounds of feet stomping as countless amounts of men begin running down all sets of stairs to surround the ring. They’re all dressed like guards and form an impenetrable wall around the ring.] [A voice then commands them.]“Attention!” [screams the voice, forcing them all to stand straight immediately. Nigel Royal steps out from the tunnel and stands atop the stairs.] “Did you think I was going to let you do what you did to me without a reply?” [Royal asks calmly.] “Now I think you have something that belongs to me and I want it back.”
[Shadow prepares himself for a fight, ready to take on Royal. Only it isn’t he who strikes first. In behind comes two guards, capturing him from the back and wrapping up his arms. He struggles against them as the men around the ring fill the spaces the two guards left.]“You can’t contain me, Royal!” [Lane screams at him off microphone.] [Nigel slowly walks down the steps, unravelling his wrist tape as he walks. The guards move to the side, allowing him entry to the ring before closing up ranks once again. He walks over to Shadow, getting in his face.]
“Contain you? Dear boy, I only want back what is mine,” [he says reaching for the crown.] “And revenge for everything you’ve done.”
[Click.] [The lights suddenly turn off.] [Royal scrambles around the ring, yelling to his guards out loud.]“Where is that rap scallion?” [He bellows.] “Don’t you dare let go of him!”
[The lights return and The Shadow is gone. The guards look from side to side for him, as does Royal, only he and his crown have escaped. Suddenly, our attentions turn to the tunnel, where The Shadow stands, his arms spread, holding the microphone Nigel once had.]“I told you that you cannot contain me, didn’t I?” [Shadow hisses down the microphone with his arms now brought back in.] “For I am the shadow, I am your King and you are but a mere mortal.”
[The fans boo, Royal walking towards the corner and climbing the turnbuckles, looking at Shadow.]“You’ll never take my crown and you’ll never take my title. You’re made of blood, flesh and bone. I’m made of darkness and light. I’m the shadow and I will endure your attempted reign and reclaim my kingdom of men.”
[He tosses the microphone down and spreads his arms once more, the lights going off again. When they return, Lane is gone, leaving Nigel Royal fuming at how close he once again was to retrieving his crown.] [Tommy Hawk is in the locker room putting on his gear in anticipation of his main event fight against his icy foe, Ozric Mortimer, when he hears a rap at the door. Exerting caution, Hawk raises his tomahawk behind his back as he slowly opens the door.]“Yes?” [He asks to the outside world. He takes a small step outwards before the lights begin to flicker. He readies his weapon above his head before noticing a cloaked man at the end of the hall. A reddish/brown cloak showing only a white mask for a face.]
“Last week, I told you that it was fear I felt hiding within. You prepare yourself for a battle yet where is your opposition? Where is this Wendigo? Toying with your emotions so it would seem.”
[Doubt begins to walk off when the tomahawk flies through the air and splinters the wall in front of his path. Doubt stops, examines the weapon before dislodging it. He turns to The Spirit Walker as their eyes and eyeholes meet.]“It’s a nice toy. Allow me to take it for the time being. Let’s see how you handle the fear, the uncertainty, without your prized possession to combat it.”
[Doubt moves out of vision as Tommy Hawk rounds the corner to see… no one. But once again, the speakers crackle before coming to life.]“How do you combat an emotion that can tear you apart without even laying a finger on you?”
[With that, the lights shut off with only the sound of static playing across the intercom.] [It’s main event time as Ozric Mortimer stands in the ring as Tommy Hawk walks down the rampway. His head seems to be on a swivel as he turns left and right. He climbs into the ring, but his attention seems divided.] [The bell sounds as these two behemoths lock up. Ozric locks the wrist of Hawk but as he goes to turn around his back, Hawk nails him in the face with an elbow strike! Ozric staggers but never releases his hold of the wrist as he continues to torque it behind his back. Ozric whips him around before nailing him across the forehead with a forearm strike! The Creator whips Hawk into the ropes before catching him with a full-body splash that takes both men to the floor! Mortimer gets to his feet as he drags Hawk up by his hair.] [Hawk wraps around the waist of Ozric and forces him back into the corner with a spear! He takes a step back before rushing him with another spear. Hawk grabs the arm of Ozric and whips him into the ropes before hitting him with a running shoulderblock! The clown is down but he quickly rolls back to his feet. Hawk nails him with a discus forearm which staggers The Nightmare! Tommy Hawk wraps his arms around the waist of Ozric and tries to hoist him up for a German suplex, but Ozric Mortimer won’t allow it!] [Ozric reaches around with an elbow strike to which Hawk just responds by a headbutt to the back of Mortimer’s head! Hawk quickly snatches Ozric up for the German suplex, depositing Ozric right on his neck. The Spirit Walker gets to his feet as the crowd is on their feet. Tommy Hawk begins to set-up for his big finish when… THE LIGHTS GO OUT! They turn back on to show Doubt standing on the apron holding Hawk’s tomahawk! The Spirit Walker is incensed as he rushes at the emotion but Ozric nails him with a dropkick! Doubt twirls the tomahawk once or twice before the lights flip back off. Once they come back on, Doubt is gone.] [Ozric Mortimer stands with a smile as he yanks Hawk back up to his feet. The Nightmare grasps Hawk by the temple before smashing into his with a vicious headbutt! He rears his head back and begins bludgeoning him with shot after shot after shot as a cut opens above the eye of Tommy Hawk. MIRROR, MIRROR! The blood spills across the paint of Ozric as it runs down his face. He touches the blood as a twisted smile spreads across his face. He yanks The Spirit Walker up to his feet as the groggy Hawk is barely able to stand. The Nightmare rushes him and clotheslines both men over the top rope and to the outside!] [Mortimer gets to his feet first and begins yelling at the people in the crowd to make a path. As Hawk gets to his feet, The Nightmare grabs him by the head and throws him into the chairs as he hits them hard and falls down between. It’s a living nightmare as Ozric begins throwing seats left and right to get to Hawk. As he lifts him up, Hawk strikes him with an uppercut before Hawk lunges on top of him and begins laying into him with vicious rights and lefts! Hawk holds his head as the crimson mask seems to be having its toll on him.] [The referee’s count is up to seven but Hawk rolls into the ring before rolling back out to break the count. He goes to lift up Ozric who slips his finger right into the eye of Hawk who flinches backwards. Mortimer wraps his head before hitting a snap DDT onto the hard floor! The Nightmare gets back to his feet as he wanders over to the announcer table and begins clearing things off. He turns around and Hawk lunges forward with a huge lunging punch. Hawk slams Ozric’s head onto the table before sliding into the ring, hitting the ropes, and… GOING NATIVE!] [Ozric slides over the table and into the feet of the fans behind the table as Hawk gives a scream out to the crow’s delight. He yanks Ozric up to his feet and… THE RED ARROW ONTO THE TABLE! The Nightmare is showing some pain as Hawk lifts him to his feet and rolls him into the ring to beat the referee’s count of eight. Tommy Hawk is still groggy due to the blood loss as he slowly rolls into the ring. Both men stagger to their feet with blood caked on their faces. Mortimer throws a big right hand, but Hawk comes back with one of his own.] [The two lumbering giants exchange rights and lefts but Ozric seems to get the better before kicking Hawk right in the abdomen. He grabs him in a headlock before hitting the middle rope and… POCKETFUL OF POSEY! It finished off his foe last week, but he hooks the legs and… One…Two…KICKOUT! Ozric is enraged as he lifts up Hawk to his feet but The Spirit Walker hits a palm strike although it doesn’t seem to have the same effect as his normal finish. Tommy Hawk hits the corner and begins setting up for… THE SC- THE LIGHTS FLICKER! A HOWL! The lights resume and Doubt is standing on the apron once again! Hawk’s attention is separated for just long enough as Ozric rushes him with a flying knee strike! Hawk is able to dodge it, screams out and… THE SCALP! Ozric hits the ground as Tommy Hawk hooks both legs while glaring at Doubt. One…Two…THREE!] [The referee raises Tommy Hawk’s hand but he’s quick to get out of the ring and begin his pursuit of Doubt into the crowd as Doubt pulls some people into Hawk’s way. Ozric holds his head as he slowly begins to get up.] [The match may be over, but Ozric Mortimer has another challenge on his hands.] [The Asylum has arrived.] [Hysteria stands at the top of the stairs, slowly making his way down. The Shark has already made his way to ring side, and Ozric’s famed bat is now out of his grasp, being delivered to Hysteria. No matter how imposing Ozric Mortimer is, he still takes stock of the men surrounding him on each corner of the ring. Smiley and Doubt both seem very energized to get their licks in, but they all wait for Hysteria to arrive.] [Yet Ozric is unperturbed.]“Lessons aren’t taught freely, Hysteria. Your attempts to freeze this body were short sighted, yet completely in your character. It would have been wiser to wrap the noose around my neck as you did your puppets. I claim no ownership over you, just the events of your creation. I feel as though you misunderstood.”
[Hysteria nods that its just about time to attack, but Ozric remains stoic. And mocking.]“You also have misconstrued my methods. You see, ice preserves. It keeps meat fresh through the cold winter. Fire, on the other hand, will melt that ice, destroying everything that you worked hard to preserve.”
[Hysteria has had enough, but before the Asylum can strike, they are all taken off their feet.] [By rushing water?] [Water pours out from under the ring, tripping up the Asylum, and flooding the ringside area.]“Unless the temperature is right, Ice is only a temporary measure. The waterfalls that come from the melted ice are the harbingers of your doom. First comes the ice, then comes the water, then comes the hard flame. Where there’s smoke, there may be fire.”
[As if on cue, smoke begins to rise out of the ring posts. The ringside area is practically flooded, with the Asylum nowhere to be seen. The fans have ran up the stairs to safety while Ozric Mortimer just grins in the center of the ring. Under the dark lighting of the Schoolyard, the water almost appears black, with the wisps of smoke providing a little bit of contrast.] [Black and White.]