PANDEMONIUM VI

MICHAEL
SOMEWHERE ELSE

Click.

Static covers the screen as a Play ► symbol appears in the bottom right-hand corner.

In the pitch black of darkness, the sound of footsteps can be heard amongst the relatively silent and eerie backdrop.

They edge closer.

Eventually, they stop right outside the door. There’s some jangling of keys before the creaking sound of a cell door opens.

A figure walks in and takes a seat, covered by darkness.

That’s until he leans forward.

It’s the Warden and sat opposite him, is the destroyer known as Mez.

“I’m sorry kid,” he gruffly says, wiping the sweat from his brow. “I really am. I’ve kept you locked up here without release for a long time now, but I did it for your own protection.”

Mez tilts his head, confused.

“My brother has a wicked way with me. He always has.”

The Warden stands up, walking over to Mez and kneeling before him. He places hands on the monster’s knees, looking up into the brass mask.

“Do you remember anything?” He asks, wanting him to.

Mez shakes his head no.

“When you were a child, your father abandoned your mother because she couldn’t give him anymore sons,” The Warden announces softly. “What was written in those letters were true.”

He pauses, lowering his head shamefully.

“I know you’ve read them,” he admits. “I only wish you hadn’t. Your father sped up his timetable once he realized she’d been in touch. Suddenly, he wanted you.”

The Warden takes a moment to check behind him, clearly paranoid.

“You’ve had a tough and unusual life, Michael. That’s your name. That’s who you are. With your father absent, your mother took that out on you. The woman you dream of, she was your sister – you murdered her and that’s when he had you sent to me.”

He looks truly saddened by what he’s done. Only we can’t see the emotion behind the mask of the monster. Who knows what he’s thinking?

“Your father asked me, your Uncle, to prepare you for his sick and twisted-“

Snap.

Mez leaps to his feet as The Warden slumps over his front of him, his neck snapped like a twig.

Before he can react, a voice sinisterly growls.

“Hello, son.”

Cut.

THE TIES THAT BIND
SOMEWHERE ELSE

In an unknown and secretive location, Sigil stands by with the four people he’d recently recruited. They stand in a circle, with The Collector in the middle.

The first is a female, blonde hair – familiar, if not somewhat known.

The second is big framed, extremely muscular and powerful. He has an air of integrity about him.

The third lacks exactly that. He has no integrity, but a mohawk and a gold tooth. He’ll just as easily steal your wallet as he will kick your arse.

And the fourth, he seems very stoic, but quiet. He carries the presence of a man with deep belief – of righteousness, even.

“Tonight, in preparation for what we have to do, I have to ask something extraordinary from each of you.”

They listen intently.

“Your power, your links to Old School Wrestling will allow me clear sight of Viridi. He’ll glow like a beacon in the darkness.”

None of them object.

“But I must admit, this will hurt.”

Sigil walks around, asking for the hand of each member. He draws a knife across their palm, cutting them shallowly across it.

The blood pours into a pot he holds.

Once he’s finished, he places the pot in the middle of the room and places the timepiece within it.

Everything shakes.

It’s like the earth is moving.

A green tether appears from within the bowl, linking to each of those who contributed to it. It drives them to their knees before exploding in a green glow of light.

What’s left behind is a glowing orb, of which only Sigil can see the answer.

“That son of a bitch,” he muses. “We’ve found him.”

Cut.

PERSONAL
RINGSIDE

In the middle of the ring, we find Fable standing. The Tag Team Championship belts are slung over their shoulders, their girth making wearing them improbable. In Banzan’s hand, we find half of a rifle.

Malice’s rifle.

It was last week that Fable were baited into attacking the War Machine. The trap turned around on Thom and his crew though, as Fable decimated their defenses.

“The War Machine wanted a shot at the gold that we hold.” Aesop begins. “But just as the man who wanted too much, they have bitten off more than they can chew.”

Banzan scoffs at the rifle, throwing it to the mat as a challenge before speaking.

“The Cryptkeeper bid us to remember who we were, to cease our stagnation.” The Mountain looks out towards the entrance aisle. “It will be these three fools that learn the folly of scaling a mountain they are not prepared for. They threatened innocents, they attacked us from behind. They’ve made this a very personal affair. Tonight…”

He gestures to the entrance as Aesop finishes.

“… we finish it.”

Darkness.

A search light begins scanning the crowd before settling in the middle of the ring, directly on Fable, as the Champs prepare for a fight.

The sound of metal whirring on rope echoes through the arena as three forms rappel from the ceiling to form a triangle around Fable. They’re clad in black hoods with combat armor head to toe. The point of the triangle pulls off his hood.

Major Thom, as expected.

“You boys just don’t get it.” He begins.

Malice and Bishop unmask behind Fable as the trio begins to get strip down to their fighting gear.

“There wasn’t a damn thing personal about any of this. We’re after your belts, so we did what we had to do to get the shot.”

“By any means necessary.” Malice chimes in.

War Machine circles up around Fable as the lights come on.

It’s going to be three on two for the Tag Team titles, and War Machine are prepared to get the belts…

By any means necessary…

FABLE VS. WAR MACHINE
TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

Somewhat unprecedented, we have a 2 vs 3 Tag Team Championship match! It’s Fable versus the War Machine!

DING! DING! And all THREE members of the War Machine rush Aesop! Forearms, elbows, knees! Aesop is taking an absolute beating! Banzan tries to step in, but the referee cuts him off, trying to establish order! Unfortunately, he forces Banzan to step outside the ring, and then finally gets Malice and Thom to step outside in their respective corners!

CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL BY BISHOP TURNS AESOP INSIDE OUT!

Bishop lifts Aesop up to his feet and whips him violently into the corner! BIG SPLASH BY BISHOP!

He whips him into the opposite corner! ANOTHER BIG SPLASH!

Bishop whips Aesop yet again– NO! Aesop holds on to the turnbuckle, and catches Bishop with an elbow to the jaw! Aesop with a double leg takedown! He mounts Bishop!

LEFT HAND! RIGHT HAND! LEFT HAND! RIGHT HAND!

BUT AESOP IS KICKED IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD BY MALICE!!!

The referee screams for Malice to go back to his corner as Banzan starts to move into the ring. Malice rolls his eyes, steps outside of the ring, and sticks his hand out. Bishop tags him in. Malice steps in the ring. “How do you like that ref you piece of–”

SMACK! AESOP SLAPS THE TASTE OUT OF MALICE’S MOUTH!

SPINEBUSTER BY AESOP!!!

Banzan reaches his hand out, stomping on the mat! Aesop slowly begins to crawl to his corner! Malice does the same! Both men desperately trying to reach their corner!

But Malice gets there first! He tags in Major Thom! Thom steps over the top rope and rushes into the ring just in time to grab Aesop’s ankle and pull him away from Banzan!

Aesop climbs up to one leg, his other held firmly in Thom’s grasp!

ENZIGUIRI!!!

Major Thom drops from the kick to the jaw! Aesop leaps towards his corner!

MAKES THE TAG!!!

Banzan storms into the ring!

But Major Thom meets him halfway!

The two exchange blow after blow after blow with one another! Banzan takes the upper hand! Left hand after left hand after left hand! Thom falls to a knee! Banzan backs up!!!

MAGGA!!! BANZAN MAKES THE COVER!!!

ONE!!!

…

…

TWO!!!

…

…

GOD DAMN IT!!! BISHOP BREAKS UP THE PIN!!!

Bishop STOMPS Banzan over and over as Major Thom climbs to his feet! Malice steps in the ring and distracts the ref! Aesop runs into the ring as well! But Malice PUSHES THE REFEREE IN AESOP’S AWAY!!! AESOP COLLIDES INTO THE REFEREE!!!

Malice slides a hand into his back pocket, withdraws a pair of brass knuckles!

WHACK! AESOP GOES DOWN!

THE LIGHTS GO OUT!

WHAT’S GOING ON!?

THEY’RE BACK BUT… BUT…

AESOP HAS VANISHED! HE’S NO IN SIGHT.

EVEN WAR MACHINE LOOK CONFUSED!

Thom points at Malice! Malice nods and starts climbing to the top rope!

Thom and Bishop both strain to lift the massive Banzan up to his feet!

THEY HOIST HIM ONTO THEIR SHOULDERS!

MALICE IS ON THE TOP ROPE! HE LEAPS!!!

TORNADO FUCKING DDT!!! OH MY FUCKING GOD!!! THOM MAKES THE COVER!!! BISHOP SHAKES THE REFEREE AND DRAGS HIM OVER TO THE PINFALL ATTEMPT!!!

ONE!!

…

…

TWO!!

…

…

THREEEEEEEEEE!!!!

The War Machine have done it, albeit through nefarious means! They are the new tag team champions!!!

A CHANCE
SOMEWHERE ELSE

Last Week.

Smoke, fire. The offices of Telegon are full of a raging blaze that threatens to consume it all! A terrified face comes into the scene, one covered in sweat, fear showing in his expression. Mark Gouldern. The CEO of Telegon is breathing shallowly as the flames slowly close in.

The camera zooms out to reveal that we are merely seeing the reflection of Gouldern as he slams seemingly futilely into glass. He looks out at the street below, then back to the flames, the visage of his demise flickering in the reflection of his glasses. He gulps, running out of breath and energy the longer he spends. He knows what he must do.

But by god, he doesn’t want to do it.

He clicks a button on the gauntlet, and enters HPM. High Performance Mode.

Adrenaline shoots through his body and gets the energy he needs! He slams into the window as hard as he can, firing his telegauntlet out in front of him!

SHATTER

Glass goes every direction as he flies through the window! Shards lacerate his skin and he falls towards the ground! He activates his teleboots as he lands towards the ground, the systems in them softening the blow as he lands and rolls across the ground! He huffs and puffs as he rolls to a stop, the adrenaline in his system no doubt going to leave soon, and with it, his consciousness. He brings the gauntlet to his mouth and gets out just a few words.

“Paramedics. Firemen. Telegon building. Use my GPS.”

And with that, he passes out on the cold hard ground. Having taken the chance that Pickpocket gave him.

Cut.

RELEASE
SOMEWHERE ELSE

Sat behind bars, having been there for roughly a week without bail, Alton Whitlock looks dishevelled. Somehow though, he seems proud of himself – there’s an air of success about him.

That changes when an officer approaches the cell, opening it up.

“Whitlock, you’re free to go.”

Confused, he stands up and shakes his head.

“I don’t think so,” he argues. “I’m in for arson. You must have me confused with one of these fine fellows.”

The cop, disinterested, grabs him by the arm and drags him outside of the cell, closing it behind him. He takes him over to the desk, where he’s quickly given his belongings and ushers out of a side door.

He doesn’t understand what’s happening.

Alton walks down the steps to see a limousine sat waiting. The door pops open and Berkshire Elision Green awaits, waving him on in.

Whitlock grimaces, reluctantly doing as he’s told.

He’s barely taken a seat inside before BEG reaches out, slapping him as hard as he can across the face.

“That’s for burning down my home,” he says, ramming his cane into the chest of Whitlock, pushing him back down to stop him from rising up and fighting back. “And for making me go to all this trouble.”

“Trouble?” Alton asks, holding his face.

“Do you even know how much time and money I’ve spent since last week greasing the right wheels to make sure this all goes away?” Green says with a smug smile.

Alton Whitlock doesn’t know what to do. He’s dumbfounded.

“That’s right, I’ve made this little ‘situation’ as if it never occurred. I’ve had the whole thing expunged from your record. I’ve paid the right people and the right prices to make sure that Alton Whitlock is a free man with absolutely no repercussions for what you did.”

Whitlock tries to lunge forward but is stopped by the cane once more.

“You son of a bitch!” He screams. “You won’t get away with this.”

“That’s where you’re wrong chum,” BEG says with a chuckle. “I will. You see, Imperium has big plans for you. You becoming President isn’t a whim, it’s part of a grand design. You won’t escape your fate.”

“I will die before I end up your puppet in office,” he barks back, angrily.

“We’re going to have to do something about that attitude, aren’t we?” Green admits. “So, let’s make a deal, shall we? At Ring of Dreams, you versus I. I know you want that. But above us in the middle of the ring will be a briefcase containing two legally binding contracts.”

This piques Whitlock’s interest, who sits back somewhat, listening intently.

“The winner gets to choose which one is signed. If I win, I’m going to choose to contractually obligate you to become President of this great nation.”

“And if I win, I’m going to contractually obligate you to leave Old School Wrestling,” The Politician says to Green’s surprise.

“Very well, have it your way,” Berkshire notes, not massively impressed by the idea. “But remember, everything comes at a price. Now get out, will you?”

“What?” Whitlock says, surprised. “But we’re still moving.”

Green angrily flings open the door, grabbing Whitlock by the shoulders and tossing him from within the limousine to the road beneath.

He bounces down the road violently, as Green watches with a smile.

Cut.

GABRIEL DRAKE © VS. KAZAKU
REWIND CHAMPIONSHIP

Tonight, it is Kazaku vs Gabriel Drake! Drake is patiently waiting here but where is Kazaku? A wolf has entered the slaughterhouse! Drake looks pleased! He simply says “It’s about time you show up.” Is it Kazaku!? It is and she lunges at him!

DING! DING! Kazaku is on top of Gabriel Drake and she is swiping at his face! She’s left a nasty cut but he kicks her off! They both get up and in wolf form, she is towering over him! He goes for some quick kicks to the leg! Kick! Kick! Kick! She falls to a knee! He shows off his claws! He smirks and says, “My turn.”

BLOOD DRIVE!

HE IS SLASHING HER FACE WITHOUT REMORSE!

A POOL OF BLOOD IS FORMING BELOW HER FACE!

HE INSTANTLY GRABS HER HEAD!

SPIKE DDT!

HE MAKES THE COVER!

ONE!

. . .

TWO!

. . .

. . .

SHE PUSHES HIM OFF!

He smiles! He’s glad to see there’s plenty of fight left! He rolls to the outside and looks under the ring! He has found a kendo stick! He slides back in the ring! Kazaku intercepts him with a stomp to the spine! He rolls back out to get away, but the wolf is running the ropes!

TOPE CON HILO!

SHE FLIPS OVER THE ROPES ONTO DRAKE!

HE IS STUNNED!

SHE RIPS HIM OFF THE GROUND!

QUICK CHOKESLAM RIGHT ON THE CONCRETE!

SHE THROWS HIM INTO THE RING!

SHE MAKES THE COVER!

ONE!

. . .

TWO!

. . .

. . .

DRAKE GETS THE SHOULDER UP!

She picks up the kendo stick still in the ring! She starts wailing on Drake! She is hitting everywhere! His body is going to be bruised everywhere as we hear each hit! Crack! Crack! Crack! He is rolling in agony! Crack! Crack! Crack!

SNAP!

THE KENDO STICK IS BROKEN IN HALF!

SHE ROARS IN ANGER BUT THEM SMILES!

SHE REALIZES THE STICK HAS BECOME A WOODEN STAKE!

SHE IS ON TOP OF HIM!

SHE STABS HIM IN THE CHEST!

HIS EYES SHUT!

SHE COVERS!

ONE!

. . .

TWO!

. . .

. . .

THR-NO!

HE KICKS OUT!

She roars out of anger and confusion! She gasps as he has her by the throat! He smirks as he says, “What? I should have been dead? You missed. You didn’t hit the heart.” He lifts her up with ease and falls backward!

THE FALL!

HE HITS THE FALLING CHOKESLAM!

SHE WAS NOT READY FOR THAT TRICK BY DRAKE!

HE COVERS!

ONE!

. . .

TWO!

. . .

. . .

THREE!

Gabriel Drake has done it! The vampire has proved who is the better supernatural species!

NO!

KAZAKU’S FOOT IS ON THE ROPE!

THE MATCH GOES ON!

Gabriel Drake is incensed, and he starts stepping on the prone foot! Kazaku is roaring in pain! He grabs the stake out of his chest and starts stabbing her in the leg with it! Blood is pouring out of the leg as he keeps stabbing and stabbing!

HE PULLS HER OFF THE GROUND AND HE TRIES TO LOCK ON THE COBRA CLUTCH!

SHE IS TOO TALL AND THROWS HIM OVER HER SHOULDERS!

SAVATE KICK TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD!

HE IS ON HIS STOMACH AND SHE JUMPS!

DOUBLE FOOT STOMP ON THE SPINE!

WE HEAR THE BACK POP AND SHE MAKES THE COVER!

ONE!

. . .

TWO!

. . .

. . .

THR-NO!

HE GETS HIS HANDS ON THE ROPE!

She stomps on the arm and roars! She keeps stomping and stomping! That arm might be broken if she doesn’t stop! She drags him by the arm into the center of the ring! She lifts him high by the arm and throws him down! Spiking arm drag! All that weight just got driven on his shoulder!

SHE LOOKS READY TO END IT!

SHE TWISTS HIS ARM BEHIND HIS BACK!

BURESUBUREKA!

SHE LOCKS IN THE KIMURA!

HE LOOKS LIKE HE MIGHT TAP!

HE’S DESPERATE!

HE GRABS THE BACK OF HER HEAD AND PULLS HER CLOSE TO HIS CHEST!

HE BITES DOWN ON HER NECK!

THE FANGS OF DRAKE!

SHE LETS GO AND FALLS HARD NEXT TO HIM!

HE ROLLS HER OVER AND COVERS!

ONE!

. . .

TWO!

. . .

. . .

THREE!

He has truly done it! He had to pull out all the stops but he proves why he is the hunter!

IMPRESSIVE
RINGSIDE

Kazaku is on all fours after that grueling war with Gabriel Drake! He is standing over her with a wicked smile upon his face. He kneels and begins to speak.

“Impressive, but not nearly enough Okami.”

Drake pets her face like a dog then grabs the back of her head and slams her face-first into the mat!

“It’s what I expected though, I surmised that you had not yet developed into the monstrosity you were bound to become. You see, I would not have challenged you if you had. I certainly would not be able to do this.”

He backs up, runs, and punts her in the face! He mounts on top of her, digs his claws into her throat with one hand, and starts punching her in the face with the other!

“No, I would be torn apart right now if I tried this in your final form. My limbs would be torn apart for all to see but no you are still a cub. As a cub, you shouldn’t have to watch this.”

Gabriel Drake pulls his claws out of her throat! Her blood is flowing! He digs his claws into her eyes now and rips them out of the socket! The crowd is screaming as Drake crushes them in his palms!

“Do you hear them screaming Kazaku? It is not about what I did, no, it is about what you have become. They see you for who you really are, and they wish they were the ones who were blind.”

Kazaku is crying under the fur but she leaps at Gabriel Drake who easily dodges out of the way!

“I predicted you were going to try that, but you cannot even see who you are attacking right now. Luckily, you struck the air but that could have been anyone. Today, it could have been the people in the stands. Tomorrow, your friends and down the road, even your family. This world has no use for werewolves, especially blind ones. You are far too dangerous to keep around and tonight will be your final full moon. This is what I truly did not you to see.

Drake pulls out a revolver and loads it with a silver bullet. Kazaku is even more confused as people are screaming and squirming in their seats at the sight of the gun. Drake places the cold steel against her temple. She finally understands and starts shaking her head and begging.

“No…no, no, no, no, no… please don’t.”

“Sorry Okami, this is for the betterment of the world. I hope you understand.”

Kazaku is whining in sheer agony. She hangs her head as she accepts her fate.

Click. Boom!

Kazaku collapses as blood pours out of her skull.

“Rest in peace, Okami, let’s see if the others can do what you could not.”

Gabriel Drake pats her on the back and walks out of the ring.

Cut.

SAME SAME, BUT DIFFERENT
SOMEWHERE ELSE

Flashback

The Morning After Nitro #204

Alton Whitlock sits behind the bars of his holding cell. The same wild look in his eyes we saw when he was arrested remains, but he looks bedraggled and sleep-deprived. He slowly rocks back and forth, as if something inside him has slowly worked itself loose.

A clunk.

The lights go out.

A second clunk as the back-up generator kicks into action and the lights flicker back on. Red Death is standing before him, just inside the locked bars of his cell. Outside, the guard is lying unconscious on the floor. Whitlock’s eyes narrow, but the wild eyes show no sense of fear.

“We’re not so different, you and I.” Red Death retorts through gritted teeth.

“Both of us have lost everything and found our lives spiraling out of control.”

Whitlock stands, crossing the distance between them with surprising speed.

“I am nothing like you.”

Red Death grins.

“You’re right, have it your way. Same same, but different. I know who is responsible for my family’s death. I can look him in the eye, I can find him and I will get him. And alongside that name is a long list of people that I also hold responsible.”

He eyeballs Whitlock.

“And your name is on the list. Your ‘better world’ was nothing but a pile of lies and my family suffered because of it.”

Whitlock hardly seems surprised. Red Death continues.

“You on the other hand, are completely oblivious to who is responsible to your situation. For everything you have lost, you have done to yourself. That is what makes us different. We have both lost, but you are the fool who has shot himself in the foot.”

Whitlock lashes out, swinging at Red Death who leans backwards out of reach. Red Death grabs him by the wrist and slams him up against the bars.

“And come Lambs to the Slaughter, I will make sure you suffer. A small example of how they suffered. Luke Storm will watch as I tear you apart, knowing full well that I’m coming for him.”

He lets Whitlock go and steps back as the lights cut out once more. When they flicker back to normal, Red Death is gone and Whitlock is alone. Even the guard outside the cell is walking around as normal.

Oblivious. As if nothing had happened.

Cut.

ALTON WHITLOCK © VS. RED DEATH
VHS CHAMPIONSHIP

A simple man who tried to do what was right in chains haunted by a murderous vigilante with vengeance in his eyes. Can Whitlock rise above or will he be dragged down into a death most foul?

The bell sounds as the Red Death rushes forward, taking Whitlock by surprise with a hard running knee to the jaw before tossing Whitlock over his head with a hard Belly to Belly Suplex. Whitlock staggers to his feet but manages to duck the second attempt at a flying knee before snapping Death’s neck over his shoulder with a quick neckbreaker. Death barely registers the move, rolling up to his feet right into a high dropkick to the face before Whitlock hoists him up and delivers a stiff spinebuster, rolling through for the cover

ONE

…..

TWO

….KICKOUT!

Death gets to his feet right into a jaw jacking dropkick that sends him back down to the mat before Alton backs up, trying for a running kick to the skull but Death trips him up, dropping him to the mat before trying to lock in a Crossface like manoeuvre that Alton quickly gets to the ropes to break the hold. Both men get to their feet slowly as Death ducks under a wild right, stunning Whitlock with a massive uppercut before pulling him into a double underhook.

RETURN TO…

NO! Alton slips out, wrapping his leg around Death’s quickly

DELIVERING SOME PARTY POLITICS!

Death gets driven into the mat but Alton can’t get the pinfall as Death rolls out of the ring, denying Whitlock the fall. Pushing past his frustration, Alton sizes Death up as he pulls himself up by the guardrail before running forward and leaping high over the ropes

SUICIDE DIVE….INTO THE GUARDRAIL!

Red Death moves at the last second as Whitlock slams head first into the barrier, a thick thud from the impact as he may well be out cold just from that. Death smiles a vicious smile as he pulls the limp Whitlock up to his feet before rolling him into the ring and dropping down for the cover

ONE

….

TWO

…..

…..

WHITLOCK JUST GETS THE SHOULDER UP!

Whitlock is still in this one but he’s in bad shape as Death delivers a stiff kick to the jaw before pushing him away with his foot like an absolute dickhead. Another stiff boot to the jaw leaves Whitlock rocked as Death easily flips him over to his back, pulling his arms back

BEFORE PROCEEDING TO KICK HIS FUCKING FACE IN!

Death delivers boot after boot to the unprotected face of Whitlock, a stiff kick busting open the Candidate’s nose as blood spills across the canvas. A final kick rocks Whitlock’s bell once more as he’s pulled to his feet before pulled into the double underhook once more

RETURN TO ARKHAM!

The Double Underhook DDT spikes Whitlock into the mat but Death doesn’t bother covering, instead pulling Whitlock up to his feet, paintbrushing him with a stiff slap to the jaw before pulling him into a headlock and rushing forward into the corner as he tells the

KILLING JOKE!

Whitlock’s head bounces off the buckles with that bulldog, as blood begins to drip onto the canvas from Whitlock’s wounds but again Death doesn’t cover, that sadistic grin still plastered on the Crimson Scourge as he climbs up to the top turnbuckle, looking to punish Whitlock more

HUNG UP ON THE ROPES!

Whitlock manages to leap onto the bottom rope, crotching Red Death on the top as he falls hard on his groin. Whitlock slowly gets to his feet, delivering a stiff right hook to the jaw before placing Death on his shoulders. Death tries to fight out but a few hard punches to the kidneys stuns him as Whitlock runs out of the corner

SNAP POLITICS! Whitlock delivers a super Joker Driver as he holds Death down for the cover

ONE

…..

TWO

……

……

THRE….DEATH JUST KICKS OUT!

Whitlock pulls Death up to his feet, looking to end him once and for all…

LOW BLOW! Whitlock gets dropped to his knees in pain as Death backs up for a moment, before leaping up

WITH DARKNESS FALLS!

The Curbstomp hits flush as Whitlock crashes to the mat in a bloodied heap, as Death goes to drop down for the cover but stops himself, thinking otherwise. Death gets to his feet, walking over to the corner as he slowly begins to peel the cover off, revealing the steel buckle underneath before he backs up, waiting for Whitlock to slowly get to his feet.

The Candidate slowly rises, his face a crimson mask as Death rushes forward

CLAYMORE…ALTON DODGES, GRABBING DEATH BY THE BACK OF THE MASK AND SLINGING HIM INTO THE EXPOSED TURNBUCKLE!

Death bounces off the steel, spinning around completely dazed as he’s lifted up into the air by Whitlock, who uses every last bit of his strength to deliver an almighty

BETTER WORLD

Whitlock gets all of that Vertebreaker as he collapses onto Red Death

ONE

…..

TWO

….

….

THREE!!!

Alton Whitlock retains his VHS Championship here tonight, taking advantage of Red Death’s never ending rage as he picks up the victory by any means necessary.

BLOOD BATH
RINGSIDE

The Red Death may have came up short here tonight, but he gave a good account of himself.

He gets back to his feet, dusting himself off.

Click.

The lights go out.

They return almost immediately and when they do, The Red Death wasn’t how we left him.

BLOOD BATH.

Covered in blood, he stands dripping wet in the middle of the ring.

And he isn’t alone.

OH MY GOD…

IT CANNOT BE.

It’s the fucking Sharkman!

He runs at Death, tackling him to the ground and wailing on him. He doesn’t look the same as before. He’s wearing a red costume and by God, he’s punching the living shit out of the man who left him for dead.

The fans are going ballistic as Sharkman stands up, forcibly pulling Death to his feet.

“You murdered him,” he growls angrily, slamming him backwards into the corner. “You murdered The Sharkman.”

Death doesn’t understand.

“And I’m what’s left. The Blood Red Shark lives and breathes. All you did was murder the good in me, Billy.”

He tosses him aside, only The Red Death snatches his launcher from his belt, immediately zipping out of view and into the rafters.

Death sits there, looking back at The Blood Red Shark, who looks up.

“You can run, you can hide, but wherever you go, I smell blood.”

There’s an eerie pause before Kirby escapes, leaving The Shark to sit on the blood-soaked canvas with his legs crossed, enjoying the smell of his success.

Cut.

THAT’S NOT FAIR
SOMEWHERE ELSE

Days Ago.

The sound of a man being drug through tall grass.

“Four little monkeys jumping on the bed. One fell off and CLOCKED his head. Mama called the doctor and the doctor said: No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

SeeSaw.

He giggles. “You’re going to love playing in my Toybox, Junky. Everyone does. And once we go there, we’ll get to play together forever.”

He drags Junkrat through a field, the moon shining above them, full, menacing.

SeeSaw takes a moment to stop and breathe in the night air.

A glint in his eye appears, sharp as a razor.

He inhales sharply and looks down at Junkrat.

“I’ll teach you how to play nicely with people,” Junkrat says through grit teeth.

Junkrat opens his eyes just as a grin spreads across his face.

“You like your little songs. Right? What is it, four little gorillas, fucking on a mattress?”

SeeSaw frowns. “You’re being vulgar.”

“Well, let’s do another counting game. How many SeeSaws are there in the world, do you think?”

SeeSaw raises an eyebrow. Then, begins laughing hysterically.

“Silly Junky. I’m unique.”

“Ah, only one of you then?”

“Yep!”

“Interesting. That’s the exact amount of bombs strapped to my body right now.”

SeeSaw looks down at Junkrat, eyes wide.

Junkrat nods, and unzips his pants.

Pulls them down.

There it is.

A bomb. Strapped to his cock.

“Here’s the thing, dipshit. There’s hundreds of me out there. Hundreds. I blow this thing up? There’ll just be another Junkrat to come and replace me. But you? Well, like you said. You’re unique.”

SeeSaw fumes. “You strapped a bomb to your naughty parts just to kill me?”

Junkrat shakes his head. “No. It’s a fail safe. You never know when some clown is gonna sneak up on you, try to grab your dick–”

“I have never tried to gra–”

“TRY TO GRAB YOUR DICK, and you blow yourself up. Then who got raped? Hmm? Not me. That’s the point.”

SeeSaw snarls.

Junkrat stands to his feet. “So here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to leave. I’m going to show up at Pandemonium. And I’m going to walk out of there with a victory over the clown who killed love. And you? You’re going to lose, because you’re a loser. You’ve always been a loser. And you and I will grow old, and die alone. But at the end of your life, you’re going to occasionally feel a tickle in your brain. That’ll be me. A french tickler, taunting you for all eternity.”

“THAT’S NOT FAIR!!!” SeeSaw screams, hyperventilating. “THAT’S NOT FAIR!!! YOU TRICKED ME!!!”

Junkrat blows a kiss at SeeSaw, and lights a cigarette. “Well, life isn’t fair, SeeSaw. You taught me that.”

Junkrat puffs on the cigarette. Exhales a heart-shaped smoke ring. Then he blows a dick-shaped cloud of smoke that pierces the heart. Then he drops the cigarette, and walks away.

“See you at Pandemonium,” Junkrat says.

SeeSaw has never frowned harder in his life. “See you there,” he replies.

SEESAW © VS. JUNKRAT
DOUBLE FEATURE CHAMPIONSHIP

The Double Feature Championship is on the line in what has become a bitter, personal feud for both SeeSaw and Junkrat. Will Junkrat further embarrass Mr. Make Believe? Or will the childish psycho get the last laugh?

DING! DING! SeeSaw charges across the ring, still feeling embarrassed about his last encounter, and dropkicks Junkrat right in his chest! Junkrat stumbles backwards and hits the mat! SeeSaw immediately mounts him and grabs him by the few locks of hair he has left!

SeeSaw slams Junkrat’s head into the mat! Over and over and over!!

Junkrat shoves his thumb into SeeSaw’s eye!

Both men scratch and claw their way to their feet. They lock up, but the much stronger SeeSaw shoves Junkrat into the turnbuckles!

He rears back!

SLAP! RIGHT ACROSS JUNKRAT’S BARE CHEST!

SLAP! AGAIN!

AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAIN!

AGAINAGAINAGAINAGAIN!!!

SNAP ACTION DDT BY SEESAW!!!

HE MAKES THE COVER!!!

ONE!!!

.

.

TWO!!!

.

.

.

NOOOOO!!!! JUNKRAT KICKS OUT!!!

SeeSaw stands to his feet and starts to stomp Junkrat, but the Mayor of Gary rolls out of the ring and drops to the mat outside.

SeeSaw quickly follows.

He rips the steel steps away from the ring and lifts them high over his head.

CRASH!!!

JUNKRAT ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY!!! THE STEPS HIT THE FLOOR!!!

JUNKRAT LEAPS TO HIS FEET!

THE CONCUSSION MINE!!! RIGHT ON THE DAMN STEPS!!! SEESAW’S HEAD IS SPIKED ONTO THEM LIKE A DAMN AMERICAN FOOTBALL!!!

HOLY SHIT!!!

Junkrat stands to his feet, fuming. As though all of the emotions he’s barely kept in check have finally exploded like one of his bombs, tears begin streaming down his face in waterfalls. He grabs a steel chair from ring side, and lifts it high above his head!

CRACK!!! RIGHT OVER SEESAW’S SKULL!!!

AGAIN!!! CRACK!!!

CRACK!!! CRACK!!! CRACK!!!

He grabs SeeSaw by the head, blood painting his face much differently, matting his hair together.

“YOU KILLED HIM!” Junkrat screams. “AND YOU DON’T EVEN CARE!!! YOU PIECE OF FUCKING SHIT, YOU DON’T EVEN–“

SEESAW BITES JUNKRAT’S FACE!!!

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!

Junkrat screams out in agony! SeeSaw RIPS his teeth away from Junkrat’s face, opening a wound right in between his nose and his cheek!

SUPERFINE TURBINE BLAST BY SEESAW!!! THE GORE, FOLLOWED BY THE SPINEBUSTER!!! JESUS FUCK!!!

SeeSaw is feeling the energy now. He picks Junkrat up and rolls him into the ring!

Mr. Make Believe climbs to the top turnbuckle!

He flaps his arms, signaling to the booing crowd what is to come!

FLIGHT OF THE ORNITHOPTER!!! NO!!! JUNKRAT LIFTS HIS KNEES UP, KNOCKING THE BREATH RIGHT OUT OF THE DOUBLE FEATURE CHAMPION!!!

Junkrat drags himself up to his feet! He sends a few kicks into SeeSaw’s midsection before climbing to the top rope himself!

He looks up at the ceiling. “This is for you, my love.”

HE LEAPS!

THE RIP TIRE!!! BUT SEESAW MOVES OUT OF THE WAY!!! SEESAW GRABS JUNKRAT UP!

THE TEETER-TOTTER!!! THE REVERSE DVD!!! GOD DAMN!!!

HE MAKES THE COVER!!!

ONE!!!

.

.

.

TWO!!!

.

.

.

THREEEEEEEE!!!!

SeeSaw picks up the big time victory over Junkrat, retaining his title, and defeating the man he perceives to have been bullying him in the process!

TIED TOGETHER
BACKSTAGE

Backstage, Luke Storm is boxing with shadows.

Sigil.

The Red Death.

Edward Newton.

His mind is turning as he throws punches at thin air. But deep down–he’s ready. Eager. Fully prepared to do what he’s been looking forward to for weeks: reduce Sigil to a bloody pulp.

Suddenly–out of nowhere–a portal appears beside him. Instantly aware, Luke stops his warm-ups and pivots away.

And out steps the one called The Collector, Sigil.

His heavy footsteps resound off the locker room walls. Storm’s chest heaves with adrenaline.

“You wanna get started early?” Luke asks.

“I’ll allow you these last few precious moments as champion,” Sigil retorts. “Your time will come soon enough.”

“What do you want?”

“To ensure you know what you are. And how little you mean in the grand scheme of things,” Sigil says. “You may be Newton’s obsession. But to me? You’re merely a means to an end. A brief-but-necessary detour. Your belt will fit nicely in my collection… but you, Luke Storm? You’re nothing.”

Surprisingly–Luke looks amused.

“Good to know,” he chuckles. “Get the fuck out of here.”

“A simple creature like you could never understand the circumstances that impact its pathetic little life. It’s out of necessity that I tied our lives together like this,” The Collector says. His voice is livid. “And it’s out of necessity that your championship shall be mine.”

“You may think I’m the stupidest one in this whole scheme,” Storm responds, “but let me give you a little advice. If you’re going to go tying lives together…”

Luke Storm’s fists go up. Sigil glares at him, caught off guard.

“… you should be careful of the knots you get yourself in.”

Storm lunges forward like a crack of lightning–but Sigil is too fast, deftly taking a step backward.

Luke’s punch finds only thin air.

“Or perhaps the helpless string should learn to respect the one holding the scissors?” Sigil sneers.

Storm smiles.

“Kiss my ass.”

“I’ll see you in the ring, Storm,” Sigil says, cold and calm. A flick of his wrist opens another portal behind him.

“Why wait?” Luke asks–but The Collector is already gone.

Cut.

FIND THE LIGHT
SOMEWHERE ELSE

Bang! Crash!

Jessie Williams can be found in the middle of his father’s cabin, throwing trinkets around the room in a huff. This may have been where it all began for Ash Williams, but for Jessie, it’s another place to hunt for what he needs.

Finally, he steps on a floorboard that creaks, immediately grabbing his attention. It sounds different to the rest of the cabin, as if it’s been purposefully placed.

He reaches down and lifts the floor board, finding a book within.

“The Necronomicon, part two,” he muses, dusting it off. “He always said there was a second book, but I never believed him.”

Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door.

Curious, Jessie puts the book back and heads over, carefully opening it.

Stood before him isn’t what you’d expect.

It’s a friendly looking man with a large smile. He looks happy, kind – nurturing, even. He gives a gentle wave, easing young William’s to his presence.

“Hi son, you don’t know me but I was wondering if I could borrow a moment of your time?” He asks carefully and considerately.

“How’d you know I was here, old man?” Williams gruffly replies.

“I’m not sure,” he muses. “But I somehow knew I should come.”

Jessie lets him inside, begrudgingly, one hand on a hatchet in his belt.

“What’s that?” He asks, looking down at the book once hidden in beneath the floor, in plain view. “It looks special.”

“Never mind that,” Williams dismisses him, kicking the floorboard back in place.

“I don’t know why I’ve been compelled to come here, young man. I don’t even know your name. What I do know is that the book you’ve found is powerful; even a blithering old fool like me can see that.”

Jessie stands opposite him, an eyebrow raised.

“You hadn’t ought to part with it easily,” he continues.

“You came all the way out here, without rhyme or reason, to tell me that I shouldn’t give that book to anyone?” Jessie queries, still dumbfounded. “I don’t understand.”

The old man laughs.

“Neither do I but here I am,” he says with a wry smile and chuckle. “And with that, I must leave. Take care of yourself, won’t you? I’m afraid there’s a darkness coming and I just hope you can find the light before it finds you. I feel connected to you, young man.”

He offers a handshake that Williams takes, leading him to the door.

With it closed and the old man out of sight, Jessie drops to his butt, blocking the door way.

“What the fuck?”

Cut.

MARK GOULDERN VS. PICKPOCKET
SINGLES MATCH

Pickpocket fights the first name on his list of vengeance for Scrimshaw’s death tonight. This is as personal as it gets. What answers does Mark Gouldern have for a man grieving and deadest on revenge?

Mark Gouldern comes charging at Pickpocket, TeleGauntlet charged and ready to crush a skull. The Gauntlet locks on and swings at Pickpocket who dashes to the side to avoid the strike. Leaping onto the ring ropes, he springboards off them… NAILING GOULDERN WITH A SPRINGBOARD CROSS BODY!

Gouldern is hit, rolls through and winds up back on his feet courtesy of his Combat Suit 2.0. Catching Pickpocket unawares, he grabs the Lil’ Scoundrel by the hair and slams him with a SITOUT FACEBUSTER, DRILLING PICKPOCKET FACE FIRST INTO THE MAT!

BUT PICKPOCKET MANAGES TO WRAP HIS LEGS AROUND GOULDERN’S ARM!

HE’S TRYING TO PULL THE GAUNTLET OFF!

HIS QUICK FINGERS TRY AS THEY MIGHT BUT THE GAUNTLET HOLDS FIRM!

AND GOULDERN ENDS THE ATTEMPTED PICKPOCKETING WITH A PUNCH RIGHT TO THE FUCKING NOSE!

Gouldern’s TeleGauntlet then picks Pickpocket up, around the throat and launches him across the ring, clean through the air. Pickpocket smashes into the turnbuckle and crumples to the ground, and Gouldern swoops down on him in a second.

HE’S PUMMELING PICKPOCKET TO A PULP WITH GAUNTLET STRIKES!

PICKPOCKET IS TRYING TO DEFEND HIMSELF BUT THE GAUNTLET KEEPS FINDING A WAY PAST THE DEFENSES!

PICKPOCKET DROOPS, UNCONSCIOUS!

Mark Gouldern takes the time to adjust the TeleGauntlet, straightening it up and checking that there is no damage after the attempted robbery. Then he turns his attention back to Pickpocket…

ONLY, PICKPOCKET IS WAITING!

LOW BLOW FROM PICKPOCKET TO GOULDERN!

HE HIT HIM RIGHT IN THE FAMILY JEWELS!

A QUICK ROLL UP FROM PICKPOCKET AND HE COULD STEAL THE VICTORY!

ONE!

…

…

TWO!

…

…

NO! PICKPOCKET RELEASES THE PINFALL!

HE’S NOT DONE YET!

This time, it is Pickpocket’s turn to take the fight to Gouldern. Reaching inside his top, he readies himself a set of Brass Knuckles, the same as we have seen recently. Gouldern is making his way to his feet but Pickpocket is waiting.

CARRIED AWAY!

THE FACEBUSTER HITS SQUARELY!

AND HE MOUNTS GOULDERN, UNLEASHING A VIOLENT BARRAGE OF SHOTS WITH THE BRASS KNUCKLES!

SHOT AFTER SHOT AFTER SHOT!

UNTIL MARK GOULDERN IS A BLOODIED MESS!

Pickpocket is breathing heavily when he finally finishes. Flopping his back down onto a lifeless Gouldern’s body for another pinfall. There is no sign of life from Mark Gouldern.

ONE!

…

…

…

TWO!

…

…

…

STILL NOTHING FROM GOULDERN!

PICKPOCKET REALLY DID A NUMBER ON HIM!

…

…

THREE!

THAT’S ALL!

NO! GOULDERN MANAGED TO JUST SNEAK A SHOULDER UP!

Pickpocket pulls Gouldern up to his feet and grabs him by the arm…

SNATCH AND GRAB!

NO!

THE TELEGAUNTLET BLOCKS THE PULL!

Gouldern pushes Pickpocket away from him, an open palm strike with the Gauntlet that sends Pickpocket slamming into the turnbuckle. Pickpocket bounces off and staggers back into the center of the ring.

GOULDERN HAS HIM LINED UP!

RUTHLESS INSPIRATION!

NO!

HOLY CRAP!

PICKPOCKET CATCHES GOULDERN BY THE FOIT AND USES THE TELEBOOT’S OWN MOMENTUM TO FLIP HIM UPSIDE DOWN!

GOULDERN DOES A DOUBLE SOMERSAULT IN MID AIR!

He taps a button on his gauntlet as he flies through the air, and it bleeps back at him.

TELARIS RIGHTS HIM AND ALLOWS HIM TO LAND ON HIS FEET!

PICKPOCKET IS STUNNED!

Then Pickpocket charges. Throwing caution to the wind, he unleashes a wild flurry of strikes in Gouldern’s direction, but Gouldern comes out with a strike of his own that meets him head on…

DISRUPTION!

MARK GOULDERN JUST ABOUT EXPLODED PICKPOCKET’S HEAD!

PICKPOCKET COLLAPSES MID-STRIDE AND FALLS INTO A CRUMPLED MESS ON THE CANVAS!

GOULDERN COVERS FOR THE PIN!

ONE!

…

…

TWO!

…

…

THREE!

Mark Gouldern stops Pickpocket dead in his tracks here tonight. Pickpocket fought valiantly for the memory of his fallen friend, but the Technologist had his number here tonight!

KEELHAULED
RINGSIDE

The match is over.

But the animosity, the hatred in Pickpocket’s heart? It remains burning like the embers in Scrimshaw’s pipe. He looks at Mark Gouldern, and he wastes no time after the match.

He is not done.

Gouldern tries to flee, but Pickpocket grabs him! SNATCH AND GRAB! RIPCORD KNEE TO THE JAW!

Gouldern hits the ground, and Pickpocket calls towards the rafters. And from them…

A noose comes down.

And Gouldern, disoriented, is barely able to react as Pickpocket places the noose around his neck, and the rope ascends into the rafters, lifting him off of the ground and up into the air!

There was no drop, only tightening and Gouldern is slowly suffocating before our very eyes! He kicks and flails, but the motions only serve to tighten the noose.

Pickpocket grabs a mic and looks up at Gouldern, scowling, snarling as BJ climbs onto his shoulder.

“Do you feel that, Mark? Do you feel unable to breathe? That’s how Scrimshaw felt when you sent your goons to assault us. And for what? Some information on a flashdrive?”

Pickpocket spits onto the ground, grabbing Scrimshaw’s pipe from his pocket and lighting it. He puffs it before beginning to walk away.

“But I am nicer than Captain ever was. And I won’t stay here and watch you die. Feel free to let your men get you down, Mark. Just know, just know, that you’re only alive because I have mercy. Your men weren’t so lucky, thank whatever gods are left that you are.”

And with that, Pickpocket walks away, disappearing into the crowd as a slew of Telegon employees storm towards the ring, Gouldern hastily cut down, the CEO gasping for air as the scene closes out.

Cut.

THE LAST FABLE
SOMEWHERE ELSE

After their Tag Team Championship losing effort tonight, Banzan is on the hunt for his partner who seemingly disappeared during the end of their match, costing them the titles.

He walks down corridor after corridor, searching.

Finally, he stops dead in his tracks.

Something doesn’t feel right.

The Mountain turns to his left and opens a door, falling backwards at the sight revealed before him.

It’s Aesop.

His Tag Team partner.

Hanging upside down, pale as a ghost.

He gets off his ass and rushes to check on his friend, only there’s so no sign of life. Frantically, he searches for a pulse, finding nothing.

“Help,” he yells. “Help!”

People rush into the room, assisting almost immediately. They manage to cut him down, workers quickly going to work with CPR.

But again, something isn’t right.

The person doing CPR stops.

“He’s dead,” he admits. “I’m sorry but he’s dead. In fact, I think it’s worse than that.”

Banzan is beside himself.

The man pulls a flick knife from his back pocket and despite the protests of The Mountain, cuts along the arm of Aesop, opening him up.

Only there’s no blood.

Not a drop.

“It’s as I thought, Banzan,” the man says solemnly. “He’s been drained dry. There’s no blood. Whoever did this, they exsanguinated him. I’m so sorry.”

The Mountain stumbles backwards, his hands on his face.

He crouches, clearly and visibly upset.

“I know who I must seek,” he says aloud. “I’m sorry that I failed you, brother. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there when you needed me.”

He stands up.

“But I’ll be there now.”

Cut.

LUKE STORM © VS. SIGIL
OSW CHAMPIONSHIP

Paraded around like a puppet on a string, Sigil sees the OSW title as already his but the Real Fucking Deal won’t go down without a war. Can Luke Storm survive his collection or will Sigil have the ultimate prize in his hands?

The bell sounds as Luke Storm rushes forward with a massive right hook that staggers Sigil back before a leaping knee to the jaw puts the Realm Walker down onto one knee. Storm backs up, rushing to the ropes before bouncing off the ropes with a stiff Shining Wizard that drops Sigil to the mat like a shot. Storm rolls through, fury in his eyes as he pulls Sigil to his feet, tossing him across the ring

BEFORE NEARLY TAKING HIS HEAD OFF WITH A HUGE LIGHTNING STRIKE!

The mask absorbed some of the brunt of that Superkick but Sigil still collapses to the mat as that could be it for the Collector if Luke Storm wants to finish it here, but judging from the look on his face, he’s not done by a long shot.

Storm backs up, delivering a running punt to the ribs of Sigil that causes him to recoil in pain as Storm picks him up by the back of the head and throws him out of the ring like a sack of shit. Sigil crashes to the floor, barely slowing down his descent to the hard ground as he stumbles to his feet, blinking away stars with Luke Storm hot on his heels.

Sigil spins around trying for a wild right that Storm easily ducks under, kicking Sigil hard in the ribs before biel throwing him right into the nearby steel stairs, Sigil crashing down onto the steel with a hard thunk as he struggles to pull himself up with the nearby steel turnbuckle. Sigil is dazed and hurting as Storm rushes forward with the fury of a charging rhino.

SIGIL MOVES OUT OF THE WAY as Storm just avoids charging head first into the steel. The moment’s hesitation is Sigil’s cue as he tries to grab Storm by the head and throw him into the steel but Storm manages to reverse, slamming Sigil head first into the metal bar before throwing him back into the ring. Sigil is dazed and damn near beaten, the Realm Walker having been overwhelmed by the sheer fury of the world champion who rolls into the ring, fury in his eyes before he spins Sigil around

DOWNPOUR!

The Codebreaker hits hard as Sigil goes down like a shot, this may well could be the easiest world title defence in OSW history here as Luke Storm hooks the leg

ONE

….

TWO

….

STORM PULLS THE SHOULDER UP!

Storm isn’t done with Sigil, the fury in his eyes almost overwhelming now but this hard sprint is taking it’s toll on Storms endurance, the champion breathing hard as sweat is pouring down his face. He quickly wipes it away before delivering a hard knee to the stomach of Sigil before rushing to the ropes once more, bouncing off with venom

LIGHTING STRI…SIGIL CATCHES IT!

Storm’s shocked as a sadistic grin grows on Sigil’s face, tossing Storm’s foot away before delivering a stiff leaping knee to the right shoulder of Storm, causing him to collapse in a howl of pain. The smile stays on Sigil as he drives knee after knee to the shoulder, focusing his punishment on the barely healed gunshot wound before picking Storm up off the mat, wrapping the bad shoulder behind his back

AND DELIVERING A STIFF BACK SUPLEX RIGHT ON HIS SHOULDER!

Storm is wracked in pain but he refuses to stay down, slowly struggling to his feet as he surprises Sigil with a huge left hook to the jaw before beginning to swing with all his strength. Storm visibly winces on hitting a right hook, the pain visible in his face as he tries for another

THAT SLICES THROUGH THIN AIR! Sigil Cosmic Leapt out of nowhere as Storm looks all around him, trying to stay one step ahead but Sigil is too damn quick as he appears out of nowhere slightly above Storm behind his back, leaping up

FINITE TO THE INJURED SHOULDER! A sickening pop goes through the arena as Sigil roundhouse kicks the shoulder out of the damn socket. Storm’s face is that of pure determination but he’s a one armed man in a cosmic battle and he’s about to get his ass handed to him.

Storm tries to strike Sigil with a hard left but Sigil easily blocks it, delivering a stiff knee to the jaw before brandishing his hands like claws and attacking Storm with a frenzy all over, finshing off FOR THE COLLECTION with a hard throat chop before spinning around

AND MERCIFULLY FINISHING STORM OFF! The hard chop to the back of the throat drops Luke like a shot, but he doesn’t collapse to the mat, only to his knees as clutching his useless arm, Storm looks up at Sigil with fury in his eyes, daring him to finish the job.

Sigil stops for a moment, nodding as he rushes forward with the ultimate blow.

PLANESWALK….DROP TOE HOLD!

Storm faked Sigil out, dropping him face first onto the bottom rope as Sigil gets up, barely able to breath right into

LIGHTING STRIKE! The biggest damn Lighting Strike of Storm’s career hits true as Sigil crashes to the mat, Storm on top of him as the referee counts…

ONE

……

TWO

……

THRE

……

TWO POINT NINE NINE NINE, SIGIL JUST KICKS OUT

Storm sits up, absolutely exhausted as he put everything he had into that shot. Gritting his shoulder hard, he forcibly shoves it back into it’s socket as sweat and pain drip down his face before he silently stalks Sigil, looking to finish him off once and for all as Sigil slowly gets to his feet.

LIGHTING STR….SIGIL DUCKS UNDER, RUSHING TO THE ROPES AS HE BOUNCES OFF

PLANESWALKER!!!!!

Storm goes flying into the corner, blood dripping down his face as that massive dropkick may be the end for the Real Freakin’ Deal here. Sigil pulls Storm out of the corner, hooking both legs for the pinfall as the referee counts

ONE

……

TWO

……

……

……

THRE

……

…..

KICKOUT!

STORM KICKS OUT!

Sigil sits up, almost beside himself as he truly thought that would be it but he quickly refocuses himself, pulling the limp Storm up to his feet as he grabs him from behind in a waistlock before blinking away.

Sigil appears high in the air but he no longer has Storm around the waist, instead Storm has Sigil gripped around the back of his head as he pounds down with heavy rights and lefts. Sigil blinks away again, this time higher in the air as Storm still pounds away in a fury. Sigil keeps trying to blink away in an effort to disorientate Storm but he’s relentless, the pair going higher and higher into the air.

The pair blink onto a rickety beam above the Slaughterhouse, a stiff headbutt rocking Sigil who counters with another INFINITE Roundhouse Kick to the bad shoulder as Storm screams in pain. Another Roundhouse to the side of the head damn near knocks Storm out cold as Sigil lifts him up onto his shoulders, Storm’s head tucked into his shoulder as he pulls both of the champion’s legs down and jumps.

Sigil holds Storm tight as the pair fall to the canvas, Sigil using the velocity to spin around in the air as he screams at the top of his lung

REALM

KINNNNIKKKUUUU

BUSSSTAAAAAARRRR!

SIGIL HITS IT, hitting the mat tailbone first as every bit of his strength crushes Luke Storm who spurts a viscious glob of blood from his mouth before collapsing to the canvas. Sigil barely has enough strength to fall back into the cover as the referee counts

ONE

.,….

……

TWO

…..

…..

…..

THREE….?

THREE!!! SIGIL WINS! NEW CHAMPION!

Sigil does it here tonight, putting everything he had into putting down the Stormborn as he had to pull a trick from another universe to beat him but he finally has his prize as the Realm Walker is the new OSW World Heavyweight Champion

SIGIL © VS. MARK GOULDERN
OSW CHAMPIONSHIP

This.

Is.

It.

SEVEN MONTHS IN THE MAKING!

Mark Gouldern—sans Combat 2.0 suit—is officially CASHING-IN his InVasion briefcase, which he won LAST OCTOBER!

The referee attempts to pry the OSW Championship out of Sigil’s hands, but the newly-minted—and battered—Champion clutches it to his heart.

The centrepiece to his Collection; his newest yet, unquestionably, most-prized possession… and Gouldern wishes to take it away from him!?

His fear subsides, quickly replaced by fiery wrath.

He won’t give it up without a fight. He must pay for his disrespect!

Sigil thrusts the gold into the official’s arms. Zebra-stripes holds it aloft, then passes it to ringside staff before calling for the bell!

DING, DING, DING!

The Collector must be exhausted, but he still tears across the ring—

PLANESWALKER!?

FUCKING PLANESWALKER!

SIGIL BUSTS OUT THE TURBO-CHARGED DROPKICK RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE!

GOULDERN DIVES OUT OF HARM’S WAY!

He didn’t need Telaris on that one!

Mark scrambles to his feet. Sigil, however, is already pursuing him. Gouldern cops a scorching kick to the hamstring, which hobbles him. He paws the air at Sigil, but the striker reflexively blocks it. Mark tries to create seperation, but finds himself backed into the corner. Sigil advances…

MERCIFUL!

THE DEADLY KNOCK-OUT CHOP – BUT GOULDERN SHOOTS BETWEEN HIS LEGS!

SIGIL CRACKS HIS HAND OFF THE TOP TURNBUCKLE!

It may be padded, but the sheer tension of the ring ropes means that Sigil may have just broken his hand!

He holds it and throws his head back, audibly sucking air through his mask.

GOULDERN ROLLS HIM UP FROM BEHIND!

ONE!

…

…

TWO!

…

…

KICKOUT!

SIGIL BARELY HAD HIS WITS ABOUT HIM THERE!

Gouldern keeps his composure as he prods his specs higher up the bridge of his nose.

Cradling his hand, Sigil races back to a vertical stance—

RUTHLESS INSPIRATION!

MARK TAKES HIS FACE OFF WITH A NON-TELEBOOT-ASSISTED DROPKICK!

ONE!

…

…

TWO!

…

…

CAN HE DO IT!?

…

…

TWO-POINT-EIGHT!

MARK GOULDERN CAME THIS CLOSE TO BEING CROWNED OSW CHAMPION!

Sigil slowly claws his way onto all fours, still reeling.

Mark Gouldern is without his bleeding-edge mechanical suit, yet he’s standing toe-to-toe with the fiercest striker in the Slaughterhouse. He is living proof that, sometimes, brains beat brawn!

Sigil gets to one knee…

PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE!

GOULDERN IS GOING FOR THE ELEVATED DDT – TELEGAUNTLET BE DAMNED!

WAIT—

THUD!

SIGIL GORES HIM INTO THE CORNER!

The wind is driven out of Gouldern’s sails as Sigil rams his shoulder into his gut, plowing him into the turnbuckles!

Mark slumps forwards over Sigil’s back, coughing and gasping for air.

Sigil straightens up—shoving Gouldern off—and shakes the cobwebs loose. In the blink of an eye, he launches a TORRENT of CLAW-like STRIKES—with only one hand—each targeting a major weakness with surgical precision!

ONE-HANDED FOR THE COLLECTION!

Sigil doles out a generous helping of hurt to Mark, who stumbles forwards – blinded and spluttering, bruised and bloodied.

HE SCOOPS HIM UP INTO THE BACKBREAKER…

CRACK!

HE NEARLY BREAKS HIS SPINE IN HALF!

THE PUNISHMENT DOESN’T END THERE, THOUGH!

IN FACT, IT’S A LONG ROAD AHEAD FOR GOULDERN!

Sigil pulverises Mark with brutal, teeth-breaking elbows, again and again and again!

Only when his face already resembles mincemeat, does Sigil deliver the decisive, orbital-bone-shattering blow!

ONE!

…

…

TWO!

…

…

OSW TITLE ON THE LINE!

…

…

THR—SHOULDER UP!

MARK GOULDERN STAYS IN THIS!

The tech-mogul is showing real hunger and grit tonight. Thus far, however, it’s trumped by the sheer desperation with which every Champion competes – and that now extends to Sigil!

The reigning Champion doesn’t let up. Gouldern must not be given an inch. Sigil looks down at him… Then drops to the mat beside him!

ON WOUNDED LEGS!

ON WOUNDED LEGS!

SIGIL LOCKS IN THE CALF-CRUSHER!

Mark groans in exquisite agony, his hand reaching out for the ropes – but he’s in the middle of the ring.

Sigil lies back and ramps up the torque.

HE’S GOT HIM RIGHT WHERE HE WANTS HIM!

For every second that Gouldern remains in this hold, refusing to tap, he risks injury.

He may not be able to execute another Ruthless Inspiration – TeleBoot or no TeleBoot!

Is he witnessing his InVasion contract go up in flames before his eyes!?

His hand wavers, halfway between heaven and hell!

WILL HE TAP OUT!?

Mark digs his fingernails into the dirty mat and puuuulls with all his might, trying to drag the pair of them towards the ropes!

The Collector thrashes violently, wanting to disable Gouldern by any means necessary before he reaches that tape-covered salvation!

SO CLOSE… YET SO FAR!

Gouldern haaauuuls them closer and closer…

HIS FINGERTIPS GRAZE THE ROPE!

THE REFEREE DOESN’T COUNT IT!

OH, COME ON!

HE WRAPS HIS HAND AROUND IT!

ROPE BREAK!

ROPE BREAK!

…

FLASH!

POOF!

WHAT THE FUCK!?

COSMIC LEAP!

SIGIL JUST TELEPORTED THEM RIGHT BACK INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FUCKING RING – CALF-CRUSHER STILL LOCKED IN!

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME!

For the first time, Mark’s mask slips. The man who is always calm and collected, in control, with the big picture firmly in mind, is desperate… helpless. He’s waited for so long! This is HIS moment – but Sigil isn’t going to let him steal HIS moment! Something has GOT to give!

The referee is imploring with Telegon’s CEO to throw in the towel, but the tech-visionary grabs a fistful of his black-and-white striped shirt! The official tries to break his grip, to no avail.

“What do ya say, Gouldern, huh!?”

…

“Do ya give up!?”

Gouldern pulls him in closer.

“NOOOOOO!”

Hearing this, Sigil ROARS from behind his mask and BREAKS the hold himself!

Grabbing hold of Mark’s balding head with his one good hand, he CRACKS him with a BREEZE-block of a HEADBUTT! He doesn’t stop at one, though. His skull COLLIDES with Gouldern’s again and again, sickening thuds accompanying each blow! Sigil’s metallic mask, however, appears to take the brunt of the force for its owner.

The referee physically intervenes between the two men, before this turns into a crime-scene!

Both men clamber to their knees – but that’s as far as Gouldern can get. Any attempt to place weight on his leg results in his knee buckling under him. He can forget about Ruthless Inspiration…

Standing tall, Sigil takes a moment to size Mark up. Mockingly placing him in his crosshairs, he runs up—

FINITE!

LEAPING ROUNDHOUSE KICK TO THE JAW!

GOULDERN SLUMPS TO THE MAT!

HE IS OUT LIKE A LIGHT!

Sigil, though, ain’t finished. He needs to be sure. He needs to know.

He heaves 200-pounds of dead-weight off the canvas and props him up in the corner, SLAPPING him in the face to bring him round!

Backing up into the corner, he takes aim once more…

PLAAANESWAAAALKEEERRR!

SIGIL SENDS HIM INTO THE STRATOSPHERE WITH THAT ONE!

GOOD NIGHT, GOULDERN!

ONE!

…

…

…

TWO!

…

…

…

THREE!

NO!

SHOULDER UP!

MARK GOULDERN REFUSES TO DIE!

SIGIL CANNOT BELIEVE IT!

WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO DO!?

Running his hands over his head, he nods to himself.

He walks over to Gouldern’s prone body and once again peels him up off the mat. Mark can’t even stand on his stricken limb. Sigil turns him round and stops him from face-planting the canvas. He wraps his arms around his waist.

Oh, no…

Sigil’s got him in the waistlock!

He’s looking for the Cosmic Leap-enhanced German suplex – THE JOURNEY’S END!

If he hits this, it is OVER—

MARK GOULDERN REACHES DOWN AND SQUUEEEZES SIGIL’S BROKEN HAND!

SIGIL RELEASES HIS GRIP AND SINKS TO HIS KNEES, OVERCOME WITH PAIN!

THE HERALD OF THE FUTURE, WITH NO TELEGAUNTLET, IS OVERPOWERING THE CHAMPION!

Sigil shakes his head as he looks up at Gouldern in disbelief.

Fat lip, black eyes, split brow – Mark peers over the top of his darkened spectacles and looks Sigil in the eye.

He has crippled his leg, kicked his skull more times than a football, yet here he STANDS—

THE DIS-FUCKING-RUPTION!

MARK GOULDERN CLOCKS SIGIL WITH THE SUPERMAN PUNCH!

HE HIT HIM RIGHT IN THE TEMPLE!

SIGIL STANDS UP ON JELLY-LEGS AND STUMBLES BACK INTO THE ROPES, PUNCHDRUNK!

HE STAGGERS BACK INTO MARK—

FLASH!

POOF!

COSMIC LEAP—

PLAAAANESWAAAALLLLLKEEERR!

SIGIL DECAPITATES MARK GOULDERN!

ONE!

WILL IT BE ENOUGH!?

…

…

…

TWO!

WILL HE RETAIN!?

…

…

…

…

…

THREEEEE!!!

SIGIL RETAINS HIS NEWLY-WON CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST THE INVADING MARK GOULDERN!

Sigil has weathered not one, but TWO storms tonight!

REVENANT
RINGSIDE

Mark Gouldern is absolutely exhausted.

He invaded here tonight and it was absolutely unforgettable.

He gets back to his feet and stumbles into the corner.

Lights out.

The entire arena is abruptly and suddenly thrust into complete and utter darkness.

Static.

When the lights come back on, something extraordinary is stood behind Mark Gouldern.

He’s completely metal – unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.

He’s fucking terrifying.

Mark slowly turns around, gulping at the sight of this mechanical monster before him.

“You?” He almost whispers, in shock. “How are you activated and sentient?”

The Robotic Monster reaches out with his metal arm, grasping Gouldern by the throat. The power of which brings him immediately to his knees. He’s unable to breathe, unable to move.

“My name is Revenant,” the monster growls robotically. His voice is absolutely terrifying. It’s deep and dark.

He slams Gouldern down onto the mat with such force that he rolls across the ring.

With every fierce foot step, Mark scrambles. He’s scared for his life and so he should be.

Revenant reaches down to grab him, only Gouldern uses his gauntlet to power a shockwave that blasts him backwards.

“Wait, please,” he begs. “I created you. I gifted you life when your body refused it. Please, see the merit in that.”

“Meddling,” Revenant growls. “That’s what you do, Gouldern; you meddle.”

“You’re alive, aren’t you? That must be worth something?”

Revenant pauses.

“One month,” he angrily barks back at him. “And then I come calling for your soul. That’s no sign of mercy, but I know you’ll run. I’ll like it if you run.”

He turns to walk away, but Gouldern stammers in reply.

“X!” He announces to a shocked world. “Don’t do this.”

Revenant looks back over his shoulder.

“X is dead. You sacrificed him; don’t you remember?”

“You can call yourself Revenant, you can enact your vengeance upon me, but we both know that I saved your mind before it rotted like the rest of you. I put it in this machine to save you.”

Revenant scoffs.

“I’m the nightmare,” he retorts. “That’s what you saved. You still think this is business. It’s not.”

Gulp.

Cut.

SMITTEN
RECORDED EARLIER

Recorded Earlier.

Earlier tonight, Malice sat in a fancy restaurant opposite his very beautiful and well-dressed date, Winona.

From the outside looking in, he’s clearly smitten.

This isn’t their first date and it’s unlikely to be their last.

However, its abruptly interrupted by a phone call that reluctantly, Malice knows he has to answer.

“Yeah?” He asks, waiting to hear what they have to say. “Got it. Make it brief though, yeah?”

He hangs up, sighing.

“Sorry hon, I have to take a quick meeting with some associates outside. It won’t take a minute, okay? Business is business, you know what it’s like?”

She smiles.

“Of course, hurry back, won’t you?”

He excuses himself rather politely, wiping his face with a napkin and heading outside. He walks around the corner to find a van waiting; inside it, Major Thom and Bishop await.

“Well,” Thom says as Malice approaches. “I see you’re keeping yourself occupied.”

Malice makes a face as smugly say piss off.

“You’re looking smitten,” Bishop says with a smile of his own. “How much does she know?”

“She thinks I’m an importer and exporter of foreign artefacts and goods,” Malice says with a shrug of the shoulder. “It’s the best I could do on short notice.”

“Can I give you some advice?” Thom asks, to which Malice nods with a shrug. “Don’t get too close. If you fall in love with her, everything changes. Your entire world changes.”

The gruff and tough Malice scoffs.

“Love?” He bellows with a belly laugh. “I-I’m not in love.”

There’s an unconvincing pause.

“I’d better get back, she’s waiting,” he says hurriedly. “I’ll see you in the ring tonight, boys. It’s Pandemonium!”

“Yeah, we’ll see you tonight,” Bishop says.

Malice heads back into the restaurant leaving his compatriots in their van.

“Do you think he’s okay?” Bishop asks Thom, who grabs a cigar off the dash and lights it up.

“I don’t know. If he falls for her, his mind won’t be on the mission. They’ve had four dates now and their relationship is moving quickly; far more quickly than usual.”

Thom takes a puff.

“We’ll keep him balanced,” he says confidently. “He’s our brother. It’s on us to remind him of his priorities should the time come. That’s what brothers do.”

Cut.

INTRODUCTION
RINGSIDE

Oh boy!

It’s time for Lambs to the Slaughter and we’re ready and waiting for the very first entrant. Whoever it is will have to go through nineteen other people if he or she wants to headline Ring of Dreams!

The fans are on their feet.

The atmosphere has been ramped up as much as it possibly can.

The countdown begins.

Five…

Four…

Three…

Two….

One…

Buzz!

#1 – EDWARD NEWTON
Well fuck me sideways.

Entrant #1 is Edward Fucking Newton.

The former World Champion makes his way to the ring looking more focused than we’ve ever seen him.

He’s about to begin a journey rarely taken and it all begins tonight.

But who’s his opponent?

Who’s #2?

#2 – GABRIEL DRAKE
It’s Gabriel Drake!

The Vampire makes his way to the ring slowly, only he’s suddenly and abruptly attacked from behind.

What the fuck?

It’s Banzan!

The Mountain steamrolls over Drake, knocking him to the floor with a clubbing forearm from behind. The Vampire doesn’t know what’s hit him as Banzan stomps away, eventually dropping to his knees to deliver right hands.

Edward stands in the middle of the ring for a moment, watching on with sly delight.

It’s clear that The Mountain thinks Gabriel Drake is responsible for the death of his partner, Aesop.

Banzan picks him up and drops him chest first across the barricade before backing up as Drake stumbles away.

MAGGA!

RUNNING KNEE STRIKE TO THE FACE!

Fucking hell! Banzan has just taken Drake out of the fight, at least for now.

He isn’t done though. He lifts him up, dragging him to the ring where Edward eagerly awaits.

The Mountain slides him in, watching as Newton happily covers…

ONE….

TWO…

BANZAN BREAKS UP THE NEAR FALL!

He stomps away at the back of Newton’s head, delivering shot after shot until The Riddler backs off. Banzan wants Drake all to himself but he’s not even supposed to be in this match.

BUZZ!

Who’s next?

#3 – BANZAN
It’s Banzan! Banzan is the third entry! That makes a whole lot of fucking sense.

The Mountain pulls Drake back up, only The Vampire isn’t ready to be dispatched just yet.

BLOOD TO THE EYES!

BLOOD MIST TO THE EYES OF BANZAN!

HE STUMBLES BACKWARDS!

Newton scoops him right up and…

THE ENIGMA THEOREM!

DEATH… VALLEY… DRIVER!

The Riddler could cover but Drake runs at him with a Clothesline almost as soon as he gets back up, damn near taking his head off.

Gabriel is pissed and who can blame him? He didn’t expect this match to start this way.

He rolls to the outside and grabs a steel chair, heading back into the ring. Remember folks, everything and anything is legal during Lambs to the Slaughter.

The Vampire batters up, swinging for the fences as Newton gets back to his feet.

CHAIR SHOT TO THE RIDDLER!

Banzan is next, although he’s sluggish to get back up.

CHAIR SHOT TO BANZAN!

HE GOES DOWN BUT DRAKE ISN’T FINISHED!

ANOTHER!

ANOTHER!

ANOTHER!

With the chair bent to all hell, Gabe tosses it aside, stumbling back into the ropes for recovery – only there’s no recovering tonight,

BUZZ!

#4 – MAJOR THOM
Here comes trouble!

Major Thom storms down the entrance ramp, sliding into the ring. He charges at Drake with a Clothesline, taking him down to the canvas.

Quickly, he turns to find Edward Newton, scooping him up.

F5!!

THE CODE RED!

NO!

The Riddler drops down, spinning him around.

NEVERMIND!

NO!

THOM PUSHES OUT!

Both men run towards one another, Newton going low with a Basement Dropkick to the knees. Drake meanwhile is back to his feet, running forward with an explosive knee to the face of Thom that drops him.

Banzan is by now back to his feet. He’s groggy, but just seeing Drake perks him right up.

He runs towards Gabriel, slamming him into the corner. Right hands follow, knees shortly thereafter – until Edward spins him around and plants him with a Headbutt.

Only that stumbles him, not Banzan.

The Mountain growls, lunging forward with a second Headbutt that drops him.

He turns to face Drake, but The Vampire by now having lifted himself onto the top turnbuckle. He knees forward twice, pushing Banzan back.

THEN HE LEAPS, STOOD ON THE MIDDLE TURNBUCKLE

CROSSBODY TO BANZAN!

BUZZ!

HERE COMES ENTRY NUMBER FIVE!

#5 – THE CRYPTKEEPER
The Cryptkeeper is coming at number five!

As he makes his way to the ring, Major Thom has tossed Edward Newton violently over the top rope to the outside. Drake attempts a Spear, but Thom moves, sidestepping.

ROLL UP!

ONE…

TWO….

THREE!

NO! HE KICKS OUT!

The Cryptkeeper enters the ring, nailing the Major with a giant Big Boot. He quickly turns his attention to Banzan, scooping him up and connecting with a Fallaway Slam.

He looks towards the outside, realizing that Newton is getting back to his feet.

TOPE SUICIDA!!

THE CRYPTKEEPER JUST RAN AND FLEW THROUGH THE MIDDLE FUCKING ROPE, SLAMMING EDWARD NEWTON INTO THE BARRICADE!

JESUS CHRIST!

No-one can believe it!

He goes under the ring, pulling out multiple tables.

What’s he planning?

Crypt lays two across the ring apron, attached to the barricade and then looks for Newton.

The Riddler however is back to his feet.

LOW BLOW!

Edward slams his head off the table, bouncing him backwards.

Back inside the ring and Banzan sizes up Thom..

KINSASHA!

MAGGGGGAAAA!!

NO!

MAJOR THOM ROLLS AWAY!

HE SCOOPS BANZAN UP!

F5!

CODE RED! CODE RED!

BANZAN IS ABOUT TO RECEIVE HIS MARCHING ORDERS.

BUZZ!

#6 – SEESAW
It’s SeeSaw!

And boy does he look deranged.

He slowly and casually makes his way to the ring, watching as Thom covers Banzan.

ONE….

TWO….

THREE!

NO!

BANZAN KICKS OUT!

That was so nearly our first elimination. SeeSaw slides into the ring just as Thom gets back to his feet, pulling him close into a Side Walk Slam.

He quickly gets back up to find Edward Newton back in the ring.

Newton ducks under a Clothesline attempt.

NECKBREAKER!

The Riddler drops him, swivelling quickly to see that The Cryptkeeper is hot on his trail. He lunges with a Boot that Edward takes straight to the face, planting him on the canvas.

Gabriel Drake meanwhile rolls Cryptkeeper up from behind.

ONE…

TWO…

KICK OUT!

Not quite!

Both men spring away from the cover and get back to their feet, Gabriel storming straight into The Cryptkeeper’s furious European Uppercut.

THE CURSE OF THE CRYPTKEEPER!

He stumbles backwards, toppling out of the ring.

The Storyteller catches SeeSaw getting back to his feet but isn’t quick enough. Mr. Make Believe has the bent steel chair and rams it into his midsection.

WHACK!

A SHOT TO THE HEAD FOR GOOD MEASURE!

Buzz!

#7 – ALTON WHITLOCK
Here comes Number 7!

Number 7 was the position in which Nicholas Mammon won only two years ago.

It belongs this year to Alton Whitlock!

Whitlock makes his way to the ring, immediately happening upon SeeSaw who lays Cryptkeeper out with a steel chair. He tries to take the weapon but Mr. Make Believe tosses him over the top rope with it.

Alton gets back to his feet, reaching under the ropes and grabbing SeeSaw by the legs, pulling him outside for a fight.

They trade right hands.

Lefts.

Rights.

SeeSaw with a Headbutt!

Whitlock with a boot to the mid-section.

Finally, Alton takes the lead. He bounces Mr. Make Believes head off the ring apron, dragging it across the apron itself until they reach the ring post.

He pulls him back and RUNS HIM HEAD FIRST INTO THE STEEL POST ITSELF!

Meanwhile, Gabriel Drake and Banzan are back at it, fighting in the corner, each struggling to get control.

Edward Newton is taking a breather on the outside, carefully placed so that no-one can see him.

And The Cryptkeeper is being risen to his feet by Major Thom.

He has plans for the big man.

Buzz.

#8 – THE REAPER
Here comes The Reaper!

Back in the ring, Thom, who had Cryptkeeper back to his feet has been dispatched into the corner by his foe. The Almighty Tale Master is laying into him with right hands as Reaper enters the ring from behind.

He immediately turns Crypt around, delivering a furious uppercut that stumbles him.

By now, all eight competitors are in the middle of the ring, slugging it out amongst each other.

Reaper drops Keeper with a big DDT.

Edward Newton fells SeeSaw with a Snap Suplex.

Banzan and Gabriel Drake continue to brawl, punching the living shit out of one another.

And Major Thom has his eyes now set on Whitlock, delivering knees to the mid-section.

We’re cooking with fire in Lambs to the Slaughter!

The Riddler meanwhile decides we’ve not yet reached the level of violence he requires and heads to the outside, grabbing a couple of ladders from under the ring. He tosses one inside and places the other between the barricade and the apron, much like the tables on the other side.

Whilst this is happening, The Reaper on the opposite of the ring is pulling tables and chairs out to suit. He starts blocking the entrance ramp with a table tower that The Hardy Boy’s would be proud of.

Before you know it, we’ve a three-table high, two table wide tower.

And a ladder walkway between the ring and the apron.

BUZZ!

#9 – BISHOP
Oh shit, business is about to pick up.

Here comes the partner of Major Thom, one third of the Tag Team Champions!

He quickly enters the ring, joining The Major in a Double Clothesline on Alton Whitlock. The two men quickly move on to SeeSaw, delivering clubbing blows across his back as he tries to get to his feet.

Newton is by now back in the ring. He stalks Banzan who is furiously mounting a downed Drake.

As the Mountain gets back up, he turns around and KICK TO THE GUT!

NEVERMIND!

KILL IT WITH FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN!

NO!

Banzan blocks it.

OVERHEAD SUPLEX!

He quickly gets back to his feet, only to meet WAR MACHINE!

THOM GORILLA PRESSES HIM UP INTO THE AIR!

HE DROPS HIM!

RIGHT INTO AN UPPERCUT BY BISHOP!

Alton Whitlock realizes the double team is on and slides to the outside, grabbing one of the steel chairs.

He heads back in, a score to settle with the team that dispatched him violently at BEG’s behest a few weeks ago.

CHAIRSHOT TO THE SKULL OF MAJOR THOM!

CHAIRSHOT TO THE BACK OF BISHOP!

ANOTHER!

ANOTHER!

THE CRYPTKEEPER COMES INTO VIEW…

CHAIRSHOT TO THAT SON OF A BITCH AS WEL!

BUZZ!

#10 – THE PLAGUE RAT
It’s time for the Plague Rat.

And he hasn’t come alone.

He’s brought a trolly full of friends to the party.

He wheels it around the table tower and pulls out a barbed wire baseball bat, smiling to himself as he does.

Bravely or stupidly, Alton Whitlock slides out of the ring just in time to be confronted by it.

Rat swings at him but The Politician is quick to duck, backing away with some haste.

Instead of giving chase, Rat slides into the ring just as Banzan stands up in front of him. He slams the bat into his back, ripping at flesh.

Banzan naturally hits the deck in agony, holding his now blood streaked back.

That just seems to turn The Plague Rat on, who swings the bat wildly at Edward Newton, clocking him upside the head and sending him tumbling to the outside.

Next on the chopping block is The Reaper.

Only the shot crashes off his bulletproof vest.

The second?

He catches, hands in the barbed wire like a fucking badass.

Reaper literally grabs the bat by the barbed wire end and rips it away from him.

Plague angrily storms him, viciously delivering right and left hands. He starts swinging, kicking, throwing everything at the man who stole his weapon.

BUZZ!

#11- JOHNNY MAMALUKE
With the half way point now behind us, we’ve ten entrants left and here comes newcomer Johnny Mamaluke!

We’ve not even had an elimination yet.

The ring is becoming mighty full as Johnny rushes to the ring with a metal pipe in hand. He’s looking to do some damage.

PIPE TO REAPER.

PIPE TO PLAGUE RAT.

PIPE SHOT TO THE LEGS OF ALTON WHITLOCK!

JESUS CHRIST, HE’S GOING HAM ON EVERYONE!

It takes Major Thom and Bishop to stop him, both men working together to distract and disarm.

In beautiful fashion, Bishop plays the distraction.

And from behind, Thom twists his arm, taking the pipe and tossing it aside.

Johnny tries kicking low and connects, sending Thom to his knees in agony.

Bishop though is fast to react.

RUNNING BULLDOG TO MAMALUKE!

Major Thom isn’t happy, not after that low blow.

He gets back to his feet and drags Mamaluke back to his. He nods to Bishop and they both move over to the opposite side of the ring, position themselves next to the ladder that balances between the ropes and the apron.

Thom scoops Mamaluke up onto his shoulders.

CODE RED!

F-5

FROM THE INSIDE OF THE RING TO THE FUCKING LADDER ON THE OUTSIDE!

MAMALUKE’S FACE BOUNCES OFF THE STEEL, WHIPLASHING BACK!

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!

BUZZ

#12 – MEFISTO
SUDDENLY, SMOKE POURS INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE RING.

PEOPLE ARE COUGHING.

CHOKING.

AND WHEN IT DISIPATES, THERE HE IS!

MEFISTO!

He smiles, stood behind Bishop who can stumbles backwards due to the smoke.

HE FUCKING LEVITATES!

WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS GUY?

SLEEPER HOLD WITH BODY SCISSORS!

HE’S LEVITATED AT LEAST A FOOT OFF THE GROUND, DRAGGING BISHOP WITH HIM!

WHAT THE FUCK!!

HE CALLS THAT THE TORTURE CHAMBER!

The Illusionist has Bishop where he wants him and by God, he’s going to tap out. He’s fading away fast.

BUT HERE COMES THOM!

HE LEAPS THROUGH THE AIR!

SPEAR!

SPEAR TO BISHOP!

SPEAR TO MEFISTO!

HE MAY HAVE JUST SAVED HIS PARTNER FROM TAPPING OUT!

The crowd are going wild as The Major gets back to his feet, checking on his friend.

ONLY HE’S ROLLED UP FROM BEHIND!

DRAKE WITH THE SNEAKY PIN!

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

KICK OUT!

BARELY!

THE MAJOR KICKS OUT!

Drake moves away from that, noticing that The Cryptkeeper is back to his feet.

FEAST OR FAMINE!

COBRA CLUTCH INTO THE BACKBREAKER!

HE NAILED IT!

HE’S ABOUT TO COVER WHEN SEESAW ARRIVES!

DDT TO DRAKE! DDT TO DRAKE!

BUZZ

#13 – BLOOD RED SHARK
Oh no.

This isn’t good.

The Blood Red Shark is on his way to the ring as entrant number thirteen and you have to think that he smells blood here tonight.

He slides in, ducking under a big Clothesline by Whitlock.

BUT RUNS STRAIGHT INTO EDWARD NEWTON WITH A SPEAR, DRIVING HIM TO THE CANVAS.

He pops back up, turning his attention to Mefisto.

DROPKICK!

The Plague Rat is next but The Blood Shark doesn’t even blind, kicking him low to drop him to his knees.

HE RUNS INTO THE ROPES.

CURBSTOMP!

CURBSTOMP!

HE CALLS THAT SEEING RED!

HE COVERS PLAGUE RAT…

ONE….

TWO…

THREE!

THE PLAGUE RAT HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

We’ve finally seen our first elimination of the 2020 Lambs to the Slaughter match!

Meanwhile, Johnny Mamaluke has a busted face on the outside, bleeding profusely after being sent head first into that ladder below.

Elsewhere, The Cryptkeeper finds himself by that very ladder with The Reaper.

BUZZ!

#14 – BRENT KERSH
OH DADDY!

It’s THE ENFORCER!

He stands at the top of the entrance, looking out over the cheering fans with a smile. Welcome home to Pandemonium and Lambs to the Slaughter, Brent Kersh.

It’s been a long time.

As he makes his way to the ring, SeeSaw approaches, being walloped with a right hand.

Edward Newton is next, being OVERHEAD DROPPED ON THE WOODEN FLOOR!

The fans have exploded with excitement!

Kersh enters the ring and ducks a Clothesline Cryptkeeper, lifting him up and down with a Backdrop.

STEEL CHAIR FROM BEHIND!

JOHNNY MAMALUKE WITH A STEEL CHAIR TO THE BACK OF BRENT KERSH!

The fans roar with boos as the FBI tosses the chair down and throws his arms into the air. That son of a bitch backs up…

RUNNING….

CURB STOMP!

NO!

KERSH MOVED OUT OF THE WAY!

HE GETS BACK TO HIS FEET…

SHOULDER BREAKER…. TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER!

SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT!

The Enforcer is about to cover when he’s suddenly BOOTED clean in the head by Major Thom.

Meanwhile, The Reaper is back into the ring with Edward Newton.

THE SHOTGUN BLAST!

LEAPING SUPERMAN PUNCH!

NO!

NEWTON SIDE STEPS.

KICK TO THE GUT..

NEVERMORE!

IMPLANT DDT!

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!

EDWARD COVERS….

ONE….

TWO….

THREE!

THE REAPER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

And there’s the Buzzer!

BUZZ!

#15 – THE JUDGE
Right on cue, here comes The Judge!

As The Judge makes his way to the ring, The Reaper is making his way to the back.

Both men stop and stand, staring at each other.

THEN IT EXPLODES.

Both men dive into right and left hands, brawling on the entrance ramp.

The Judge slams Reaper backwards into the barricade, taking control with right hands. He punches him as hard as he can, finally dragging him way and into a knee.

As they brawl, Johnny Mamaluke finds himself with SeeSaw in the middle of the ring.

HE SCOOPS HIM UP

THE TEETER TOTTER!

REVERSE DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!

MAKE BELIEVE COVERS…

ONE….

TWO….

THREE!

JOHNNY MAMALUKE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Things are beginning to whittle down now as we fast approach 20 entrants.

Remember, we haven’t seen the likes of LUKE STORM, MARK GOULDERN or BEG yet.

WILL THEY MAKE IT IN?

As SeeSaw gets back to his feet in the ring, he’s attacked with clubbing forearms by The Cryptkeeper. There’s absolutely no respite in this match.

None at all.

Mefisto has Banzan hung up in a Tree of Woe in the corner, delivering kicks to his mid-section.

The Illusionist turns around to see Alton Whitlock!

Whitlock scoops him up.

THE BETTER WORLD!

VERTEBREAKER TO MEFISTO!

ALTON COVERS…

ONE…

TWO….

THREE!

MEFISO HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

BUZZ!

#16 – THE RED DEATH
The Red Death is up next and the minute his music hits, The Blood Red Shark turns his attention to the entrance ramp.

You had better believe he wants a piece of Kirby.

But he doesn’t appear.

He’s no-where to be seen.

Meanwhile, The Judge has taken Reaper backstage for a further beating!

STATIC

PITCH BLACK.

What the fuck is going on?

When the lights come back on, THE RED DEATH IS STOOD UPON THE TABLE MOUNTAIN!

HOW THE FUCK DID HE GET UP THERE?

Shark is furious! He slides to the outside and grabs a ladder from ringside, immediately propping it up next to the table tower as Death crouches on top of it, watching intently.

THE BLOOD RED SHARK CLIMBS TO THE TOP OF THE LADDER, BUT AS HE STANDS THERE, FINELY BALANCED…

RED DEATH LEAPS!

BULLDOG!

BULLDOG DOWN THROUGH THE FUCKING TABLES

BULLDOG FROM THE FUCKING LADDER DOWN TO FUCKING HELL ITSELF!

HOLY SHIT!

THERE’S CARNAGE AT RINGSIDE!

THE RED DEATH AND THE BLOOD RED SHARK LAY BROKEN IN HALF, SURROIUNDED BY BROKEN FUCKING TABLE!

HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!

The fans are going fucking wild inside as the brawls continue in the middle of the ring.

BUZZ.

#17 – MALICE
THE WAR MACHINE ARE COMPLETE!

We’re 17 out of 20 and here comes Malice to join his War Machine compatriots.

He sidesteps the drama at ringside, looking back at the carnage with the smile as he enter the ring to join his comrades.

There are only three spots left.

Who’s coming into Lambs to the Slaughter?

The War Machine immediately go to work.

They pick up The Cryptkeeper.

TRIPLE POWERBOMB ONTO THE LADDER SITUATED BETWEEN THE RING APRON AND THE BARRICADE!

IT SNAPS IN FUCKING HALF!

THE VERY SAME LADDER THAT BUSTED OPEN MAMALUKE HAS JUST TAKEN THE FULL FORCE OF THE CRYPTKEEPER STRAIGHT THROUGH IT!

HOLY SHIT!

They turn their attention to Brent Kersh, only Kersh isn’t alone.

Stood beside him is EDWARD NEWTON.

War Machine rush into battle, but SeeSaw comes from behind!

ROLL UP ON BISHOP!

ONE…

MALICE GETS TOSSED OVER THE TOP ROPE BY NEWTON

TWO…

MAJOR THOM IS DROPPED WITH A CLOTHESLINE BY KERSH

THREE!

BISHOP HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Their alliance in this match was short lived!

BUZZ!

#18 – LUKE STORM
The former World Champion is number #18.

Tonight, has been a rough night for Luke Storm, you can bet your bottom dollar on that. He looks absolutely furious as he storms to the ring.

He’s about to walk past Death when he stops and changes his mind.

He pulls the Caped Crusader from the rubble of his battle with Shark and tosses him into the ring.

Kirby is unconscious.

He’s done.

Storm locks in an STF!

BUT THERE’S NO WAY DEATH IS TAPPING

HE’S OUT OF IT!

HE’S DONE.

THE REFEREE SENDS HIM HOME AND ELIMINATES HIM!

THE RED DEATH HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Luke gets back up, almost growling with rage.

MALICE RUNS AT HIM!

SUPERKICK!

LIGHTNING STRIKE!

LIGHTNING STRIKE TO MALICE!

STORM COVERS…

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

MALICE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Luke Storm is a fucking man possessed!

He gets back to his feet, meeting the eyes of Edward Newton.

THE RAGE BURNS.

Luke runs across the ring, tackling him to the floor. He delivers numerous right hands, dragging him back to his feet shortly thereafter.

CODEBEAKER!

DOWNPOUR TO NEWTON! DOWNPOUR TO NEWTON!

IS LUKE STORM GONNA DO THE UNTHINKABLE!?

HE COVERS…

ONE….

TWO….

THREE!

BUZZ.

#19 – JESSIE WILLIAMS
KICK OUT!

EDWARD NEWTON KICKS OUT!

Just as Jessie Williams makes his way to the ring!

There are 12 competitors in the ring as we approach the final entries.

Williams carefully makes his way to the ring, watching as The Blood Red Shark groggily gets back to his feet. He quickly grabs him from behind, tossing him into the ring.

Shark stumbles back to his feet, walking into Thom who scoops him up.

CODE RED!

F-5 TO THE BLOOD RED SHARK!

Thom covers…

ONE….

TWO….

THREE!

THE BLOOD RED SHARK HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Jessie smiles, but that’s short-lived.

THE LIGHTS SUDDENLY GO OUT.

WHEN THEY COME BACK ON, SOMEONE IS STOOD BEHIND JESSIE.

WHO THE FUCK IS THAT?

HE’S HOLDING A PAIR OF PLIARS.

OH NO…

SURELY NOT…

IT’S THE FUCKING SANDMAN!!

Williams slowly turns around to see his WORST NIGHTMARE STOOD BEHIND HIM.

“I did what you said,” he begs.

The Sandman shakes his head.

“I told you to deliver me the book,” Sandman retorts angrily, tilting his head. “You failed.”

PLIARS TO THE FUCKING SKULL!

IT WAS THE SANDMAN DEMANDING THE NECROMONICON FROM JESSIE WILLIAMS!?

IT WAS HE WHO LED HIM TO DESTROY HELSTROM!?

Sandman pulls Williams close and whispers.

“Can I tell you a secret?” He growls.

BUZZ!

#20 – MARK GOULDERN
As the buzzer sounds for Mark Gouldern, we remain focused on The Sandman, who holds a groggy Jessie Williams by the throat.

“I killed your Uncle,” he hisses. Jessie’s eyes open wide. “Your precious Uncle Matty? I KILLED HIM.”

Williams suddenly snaps.

He lunges forward with a Headbutt, forcing his release and stumbling The Monster.

The fans roar as he runs at him, full speed.

END OF DAYS!

THE DEEP SLEEP!

THE SANDMAN DROPS HIM ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP!

HE LAUGHS SINISTERLY, LOOKING BACK AT THE ACHING BODY OF JESSIE WILLIAMS!

Meanwhile, Mark Gouldern carefully passes the carnage to make his way to the ring. He’s the final entry of this brutal Pandemonium Match.

The Sandman gets back to his feet, looking towards those inside the ring.

He’s not an entry.

But I don’t think that’ll stop him.

Like a tank, he trundles towards the ring.

Major Thom is the first to meet him, being tossed aside by his throat, into the wreckage of tables left behind by DEATH and the BLOOD SHARK.

He pulls himself onto the ring apron, entering the ring.

BIG BOOT TO GABRIEL DRAKE!

HEADBUTT TO SEESAW

THUMBS TO THE EYES OF ALTON WHITLOCK!

THE FOURTY WINKS!

HE SQUEEZES UNTIL BANZAN ATTACKS FROM BEHIND!

SANDMAN RELEASES THE HOLD AND TURNS AROUND.

KINSASHA!

MAGGA!

THE RUNNING KNEE!

IT DOESN’T EVEN FUCKING PHASE HIM!

CHOKESLAM! CHOKESLAM TO BANZAN BY SANDMAN!

The Sandman stands tall in the middle of the ring.

Then the lights go out.

When they return… he’s gone.

BUZZ

But someone else now stands on the entrance ramp. Who the fuck is this?

LIMEHOUSE
As the fans look on in shock, so do those conscious in the ring.

A man stands at the entrance doors, a microphone in his hands. We’ve never seen him before. He’s clearly six feet tall, African American and has an air of confidence about him.

“My name is Limehouse,” he growls with a southern tone. “And I’m a longstandin’ friend of The Butcher.”

The fans aren’t sure how to react.

Nor is anyone else.

“And this here match, it ain’t nearly over, not by a long shot.”

He smiles a toothy grin.

“See, whilst The Butcher be out of action, recouperatin’ as it were, someone have to step up and run this business,” he says with a shrug. “And that’s what I’m gonna do.”

The fans cheer.

“So boys, get yourselves ready. There’s another five, count em’, five little lambs to come out from behind this magical curtain.”

He steps back.

“Now ya’ll have a good night, ya hear?”

#21 – MEZ
IT’S MEZ!

WHAT THE FUCK IS MEZ DOING HERE?!

The inmate isn’t bound. He walks to the ring as free as a bird, but he appears focused.

He walks into the squared circle and chooses his target!

SEESAW!

He grabs him by the throat, lifting him high into the air and..

HE TOSSES HIM THROUGH THE TABLES BETWEEN THE BARRICADE AND THE APRON!

HOLY FUCK!

SEESAW JUST GOT RAGDOLLED THROUGH THOSE FUCKING TABLES!

Mez though isn’t done.

He slides to the outside and pulls SeeSaw from the wreckage, slamming him into the ring apron.

“You had it all,” he screams. “EVERYTHING I NEVER HAD!”

Slap.

“You don’t know what it was like, do you? You have no idea, brother.”

BROTHER!?

DID MEZ JUST CALL SEESAW BROTHER!?

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON…

He grabs him in a Headlock and drags him into the centre of the ring.

“You’ve been a naughty boy, Andy!” Mez says, squeezing the headlock tighter as SeeSaw struggles. “So, Daddy wants a word.”

He holds him there.

Suddenly, a figure appears on the entrance ramp.

He wears a white hat that covers his face as he slowly meanders to the ring.

His white suit is pristine in condition, but we can’t see his face.

Carefully we flick back to Mez, who changes his position to hold SeeSaw in a Full Nelson.

As the man stands opposite them and their eyes meet, SeeSaw looks shocked.

“Daddy?” He asks.

The man lifts his head, revealing his face with a big grin.

“The Doctor will see you now, son.”

IT’S…

OH MY FUCKING GOD…

IT’S…

NO!

NO WAY.

IT’S DOCTOR D’VILLE!

DOCTOR D’VILLE IS THE FATHER OF BOTH THESE MEN!? THE LETTERS WERE ABOUT DOC D’VILLE? OH MY GOD.

THIS WHOLE THING…

D’Ville planned everything. He sent Mez to his brother The Warden to be trained and he abandoned him too.

Meanwhile, he raised SeeSaw to become the monster we see today.

This is absolutely unbelievable.

Mez pulls SeeSaw up into the air, SLAMMING HIM DOWN HARD WITH A FULL NELSON SLAM!

D’Ville moves in, crouching above his son.

“Say hello to your half-brother,” he snarls. “You’ll be seeing him again real soon.”

The Doc heads out, leaving Mez behind with an awful smile.

BUZZ!

#22 – JUNKRAT
After that astonishing and simply unbelievable reveal, Junkrat is the 21st entry in this year’s 25th birth Lambs to the Slaughter.

He makes his way to the ring, immediately brawling with Mez.

Junkrat gets the upper hand, nailing a big DDT to the Monster.

As Mez languishes on the floor, Junk grabs a nearby steel chair.

WHACK!

WHACK!

WHACK!

WHACK!

SHOT AFTER SHOT, HE ABSOLUTELY BRUTALIZES POOR MEZ IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RING.

He covers…

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

MEZ HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

“MY BROTHER!” Shouts an infuriated SeeSaw, who witnesses the final count of three.

He quickly grabs Junkrat as he gets back to his feet.

HEADBUTT.

HEADBUTT!

TEETER TOTTER!

REVERSE DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!

SEESAW IS PISSED!

HE SCOOPS JUNKRAT UP A SECOND TIME…

ANOTHER TEETER TOTTER!

JESUS CHRIST!

HE COVERS…

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

JUNKRAT HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

BUZZ!

#23 – REVENANT
Oh boy.

This is not good.

Earlier tonight we were introduced to Revenant when Mark Gouldern barely escaped with his life.

Now he’s in Lambs to the Slaughter!

Revenant makes his way to the ring slowly, methodically, surveying the talent on display.

Mark Gouldern decides to meet him with a steel chair.

WHACK!

ONLY REVENANT ISN’T PHASED.

Mark gulps.

ANOTHER!

Nothing.

He taps on his gauntlet, but Revenant grabs him by the throat.

CHOKESLAM! CHOKESLAM TO GOULDERN ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP!

And what’s this?

REAPER IS DRAGGING JUDGE’S CARCASS OUT FROM BEHIND THE CURTAIN. HE TOSSES HIM ONTO THE RAMPWAY, LAID OUT!

Revenant spots this and retrieves Judge, dragging him down the rest of the rampway towards the ring. He tosses him inside and follows.

What’s he going to do?

He pulls him back to his feet…

EXECUTION!

CUBBING FOREARM BLOW TO THE SKULL!

REVENANT GOES TO COVER BUT GOULDERN PULLS HIM FROM THE RING!

NEWTON, EVER THE OPPORTUNIST, PINS INSTEAD…

ONE…

TWO….

THREE!

THE JUDGE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Wait a second, what’s this?

FOUR HOODED PEOPLE HAVE JUST ENTERED THE RING.

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?

THE CRYPTKEEPER BY NOW STANDS ALONE IN THE MIDDLE, SURROUNDED BY THEM.

BUZZ!

#24 – SANDY ROGERS
Sandy Rogers is the next in, but no-one is quite paying attention to that.

Four people surround The Cryptkeeper in the middle of the ring.

And here comes Sigil.

The World Champion is making his way to the ring.

Wait a minute…

No? It can’t be.

Sigil slides into the ring and stands between those four people and The Cryptkeeper.

“Viridi,” he beckons. “At last we officially meet.”

The Cryptkeeper smiles.

NO WAY.

THE CRYPTKEEPER IS VIRIDI!?

HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

“The only way you could locate me is with immense power, character,” Cryptkeeper suggests, looking at the four people who surround him. “That means you broke the rules.”

Sigil laughs.

“I didn’t break them, I bent them,” he replies, nodding to his crew.

The first removes their hood. It’s the dirty blonde female.

“Meet Michaela Lane, the daughter of Mike Lane,” Sigil announces.

The second removes their hood, revealing black hair and a goatee.

“Meet Tank Kersh, brother of Trevor and Danielle,” he barks.

The third removes their hood, revealing white face paint and a mohawk.

“Meet Jay Jeckel, the son of Jake Jeckel!” He offers proudly.

The fourth then removes theirs – revealing a golden mask.

“And last but not least, Sanctus Bellator, son of Lux Bellator,” Sigil says.

Suddenly, they storm him.

Cryptkeeper tries to fight them off, slamming Sanctus down with a Clothesline.

EUROPEAN UPPERCUT TO JAKE JECKEL!

BIG BOOT TO MICHAELA LANE!

THE CRYPTKEEPER IS GOING TO TOWN!

He comes face to face with Tank.

BUT BRENT KERSH FROM BEHIND WITH THE ROLL UP…

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

THE CRYPTKEEPER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Brent spring away from the cover, looking at Tank awkwardly.

He quickly escapes to the outside.

Meanwhile, The Cryptkeeper gets back to his feet.

“Meet Legacy,” Sigil shouts from outside the ring, surrounded by his crew. “With them by my side, I will sever your connection to the crystal.”

The Cryptkeeper vanishes.

BUZZ!

#25 – BEG
Here’s the final entry in Lambs to the Slaughter!

BERKSHIRE ELISON GREEN!

We have 13 competitors left in this match. That’s over half as the final entry makes his way to the ring.

Sandy Rogers has waited for the brawl inside the ring to subside before entering. He’s gone straight for Jessie Williams, checking to make sure that he’s okay.

“I thought I warned you earlier, son,” he says.

THAT’S WHO VISITED JESSIE IN THE WOODS?

He helps Williams back to his feet but both men are CLOBBERED BY REVENANT AND A DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE!

The Monster Machine turns around…

THE DISRUPTION!

SUPERMAN PUNCH BY GOULDERN!

REVENANT STUMBLES!

MAGGA!

KINSASHA BY BANZAN!

STRAIGHT INTO THE NEVERMIND!

IMPLANT DDT!

GOULDERN PUSHES NEWTON ASIDE AND COVERS…

ONE…

TWO….

THREE!

REVENANT HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

BY GOD, IT TOOK AN ARMY OF POWERFUL STRIKES TO DO IT.

Newton isn’t best pleased that Gouldern tossed him aside and pulls him to his feet, nailing him with a kick to the gut.

NEVERMIND!

NO!

GOULDERN BLOCKS IT, PUSHING OUT!

THE DISRUPTION!

NO!

NEWTON FALLS TO THE FLOOR TO AVOID IT!

ALTON WHITLOCK ROLLS UP GOULDERN

LUKE STORM ROLLS UP EDWARD NEWTON.

IN UNISON.

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

NO!!

KICK OUT! DOUBLE KICK OUT!

THAT WAS FUCKING CLOSE!

Everyone springs away from their respective pinfall attempts, Alton getting back to his feet to be scooped up by DRAKE!

FEAST OR FAMINE!

COBRA CLUTCH INTO A BACKBREAKER!

HE COVERS…

ONE….

TWO….

THREE!

ALTON WHITLOCK HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Drake barely gets back to his feet before SeeSaw pounces.

THE TEETER TOTTER!

NO! DRAKE WRIGGLES FREE, PUSHING SEESAW INTO AN ONRUSHING BANZAN!

MAGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAA!!

THEY INADVERTANTLY WORKED TOGETHER! YOU JUST KNOW THAT MAGGA WAS MEANT FOR GABREL DRAKE!

Whilst Drake and Banzan immediately look to square off once more, it’s Mark Gouldern with the cover on SeeSaw.

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

SEESAW HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

With that elimination, we’re down to 10.

Sandy Rodgers is back to his feet, somewhat groggily as Luke Storm bounces his head off the corner turnbuckle violently.

Williams quickly pulls Storm away from his friend and into a Snap Suplex.

Major Thom meanwhile is brawling with Brent Kersh across the ring.

Kersh right hands the Major into Mark Gouldern, who leaps into the air.

DISRUPTOR!

SUPERMAN PUNCH!

NO!

THE MAJOR DUCKS IT!

HE HITS THE ROPES AND COMES BACK

SPEAR TO GOULDERN!

BEAUTIFUL WORK!

Thom gets back to his feet, only there’s JESSIE WILLIAMS!

BOOYAH!

LEAPING SUPERMAN PUNCH!!

Jessie covers…

ONE…

TWO….

THREE!

MAJOR THOM HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Sandy Rodgers meanwhile doesn’t see Luke Storm coming again.

LIGHTNING STRIKE!

SUPERKICK!

Rogers hits the deck with a thud.

The former World Champion quickly covers…

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

SANDY ROGERS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

These eliminations are coming thick and fast.

Banzan has Gabriel Drake on the top rope in the corner and looks to be joining him. He’s planning a Superplex from the top rope, only Edward Newton is quick to join in.

SUPERPLEX POWERBOMB!

DRAKE AND BANZAN THUNDER TO THE CANVAS!

HERE COMES BEG TO CAPITOLISE!

WAIT A MINUTE… WHERE DID THAT LITTLE RAT COME FROM?

BEG SLIDES INTO THE RING, LOCKING THE MOUNTAIN IN THE CROSSFACE!

THE CRIPPLER CROSSFACE!

FINANCIAL CRISIS TO BANZAN!

WILL HE TAP OUT!?

NO, DRAKE KICKS BEG IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD!

Green has spent this entire time hiding but there’s no hiding now. He gets back to his feet and…

THE LORD’S SHADOW!

THE CAPE WIPE SENDS GREEN TO THE CANVAS!

HE’s GONNA COVER…

NO, GOULDERN TOSSES DRAKE AWAY!

GREEN QUICKLY GETS BACK TO HIS FEET, ONLY TO FIND MARK GOULDERN.

THE DISRUPTER TO HIS OWN IMPERIUM TEAM MATE!

OH MY GOD!

GOULDERN COVERS…

ONE….

TWO….

THREE!

BERKSHIRE ELLISON GREEN HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

There’s 7 left in the ring including THREE former World Champions.

Luke Storm meanwhile comes from behind Drake as he turns around.

LIGHTNING STRIKE!

NO!

DRAKE SIDESTEPS.

BANZAN FROM BEHIND WITH A BACKDROP TO THE ACTOR!

Storm slowly gets back up, groggy.

EDWARD NEWTON ROLLS UP STORM…

HE HOLDS ONTO THE ROPES…

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

LUKE STORM HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

EDWARD NEWTON ELIMINATES LUKE STORM!

This is quite unbelievable.

We’ve got five left and one of these men will be heading to Ring of Dreams for a World Championship Match with Sigil!

Jesse Williams leaps into action.

BOOYAH TO GOULDERN! HE NAILED IT!

He turns around to see Brent Kersh.

BOOYAH TO BRENT KERSH!

JESSIE WILLIAMS IS MAKING A FUCKING STAND

WAIT…

KICK TO THE GUT!

NEVERMIND!

THAT BASTARD NEWTON…

ONE…

TWO…

THREE!

JESSIE WILLIAMS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

MEANWHILE, A CLOTHESLINE BY DRAKE PUTS BANZAN ON THE CANVAS!

DRAKE PULLS BANZAN TO HIS FEET…

THE FALL!

CHOKESLAM TO HELL!

GABE COVERS…

ONE….

TWO….

THREE!

BANZAN HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

Banzan has been in this match since entry three! What a performance by The Mountain!

AW MAN, HE WAS SO CLOSE.

That leaves us with the final four!

EDWARD NEWTON

GABRIEL DRAKE

BRENT KERSH

MARK GOULDERN

One of these four men will be going to Ring of Dreams to face Sigil for the World Championship.

Everyone now stands in the ring, taking a corner each.

Brent Kersh stands defiantly in his, The Enforcer coming back for his first match in nearly a year to battle in the final four of Lambs to the Slaughter. He joined this match at entry number 14.

Mark Gouldern is understandably exhausted. He fought tonight in a winning effort against Pickpocket, came up so very short against Sigil and now finds himself in the final four. Whatever happens to Mark Gouldern, he has established himself as a key player in Old School Wrestling – but can he define it with a win here? That’s the question. He entered this match at number 21.

Edward Newton is likewise exhausted. He stands in his corner, slumped against the turnbuckles. He joined this match at number 1 and has been fighting ever since.

Finally, Gabriel Drake – despite being brutally attacked upon his entrance by Banzan, remains in the fight. He stands, exhausted, in his corner breathing heavily. He entered this match at number 2.

That’s the low down as we head into the biggest final four of their careers.

There are no alliances.

No loved lost.

No friendships.

Edward Newton storms out of the corner towards Brent Kersh, attacking The Enforcer where he stands.

Mark Gouldern meanwhile charges as Gabriel Drake with the same idea.

Kersh though blocks the right hand, fighting back immediately. He spins Newton into the corner and starts laying into him with shoulder barges. Brent is by far the fresher man and it shows.

He pulls Edward out and into a Snap Mare, dropping him hard.

Mark Gouldern meanwhile tosses Drake to the outside, planning to battle where neither of them can be eliminated.

The Herald of The Future goes under the ring, grabbing a ladder and a table. He sets them both up at ringside whilst Drake finds a moment to recover.

Back inside the ring and Brent Kersh drives a knee into the back of the Riddler as he sits on the canvas. He pulls him back to his feet and into a Powerslam.

The cover…

ONE….

TWO….

KICK OUT!

Kersh smiles. He knew that wasn’t going to be enough but The Riddler is exhausted. Any effort is effort well wasted.

Outside, Mark Gouldern has Gabriel Drake on a table and is pummelling away at him. He’s pissed. He’s going to the top of that ladder and there’s not a lot that can stop him.

He climbs up.

And up.

Fifteen feet high in the air.

What the fuck is he going to do here? This is hardly his area.

GABRIEL DRAKE ROLLS OFF THE TABLE.

That was anticlimactic

But wait, he’s CLIMBING THE LADDER!

GOULDERN STEADIES HIMSELF!

GABRIEL DRAKE IS TRUNDLING TO THE TOP OF THAT FUCKING LADDER.

RIGHT HANDS!

LEFT HANDS!

BOTH OF THEM ARE TRADING SHOTS.

GOULDERN WITH A POWERFUL RIGHT THAT ALMOST KNOCKS THE VAMPIRE OFF!

HE COMES BACK WITH A GIANT RIGHT OF HIS OWN!

GOULDERN WAIVERS!

HOLD ON SECOND, HERE COMES EDWARD NEWTON!

HE’S LAID OUT KERSH!

THE RIDDLER STANDS ON THE MIDDLE ROPE AND PUSHES THE LADDER FROM INSIDE THE RING!

OH MY GOD!

OH MY GOD!

BOTH MEN GO TUMBLING INTO THE CROWD!

THEY FALL FIFTEEN FEET INTO THE AUDIENCE!

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!

People ran for cover as quickly as they could but some people didn’t make it.

Mark Gouldern and Gabriel Drake lay amongst a scene of carnage, with bodies strewn around all over the place.

Newton grins in the ring, only Kersh is in from behind!

ROLL UP!

ONE…

…..

TWO…..

….

THREE!!

NO!!

KICK OUT BY THE RIDDLER!

That was fucking close!

They both spring away from the cover and it’s Newton who ducks a Clothesline attempt, connecting with a NECKBREAKER!

He rolls to the outside, surveying the carnage before entering the crowd over the barricade.

Newton grabs Drake and pulls him to his feet, tossing him back first into the barrier.

Next, he grabs Gouldern…

JAWBREAKER!

OUT OF NO-WHERE! GOULDERN WITH A JAWBREAKER!

HOW THE FUCK DID HE MANAGE THAT?

Both Newton and Gouldern are down momentarily, though it doesn’t take Edward long to get back to his feet, holding his jaw.

He grabs Mark again, this time driving a knee into his mid-section to keep him pliant. He tosses him over the barrier towards the ring, following up with Drake to do the same thing.

All four are back ringside now and Brent Kersh slides under the bottom rope to surprise The Riddler with a Baseball Slide that knocks him backwards and into the barricade himself.

He pops out and grabs Newton, running him head first into the steel ring post.

Kersh pulls Drake to his feet and slides him into the ring, following.

As Gabriel enters, he staggers back to his feet.

KERSH STORMS FORWARD WITH A CLOTHESLINE.

DRAKE DUCKS

THE LORDS SHADOW!

CAPE WHIP TO KERSH!

THAT CUT HIS FACE!

BRENT STUMBLES FORWARD

THE CHOKESLAM!

THE FALL!

NO!

BRENT CHOPS FREE THE ARM!

THE ENFORCER SCOOPS HIM UP!

SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT!

SHOULDERBREAKER TOMBSTONE!

THAT HAS TO BE IT, SURELY!?

HE COVERS…

ONE….

…..

TWO….

…..

THREE!!

GABRIEL DRAKE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

The Lord of Darkness finishes fourth in this years Lambs to the Slaughter! What a performance by Gabriel Drake.

Brent Kersh gets back to his feet, checking the wound on his face with a grimace.

He’s really not happy about that.

Though there’s hardly time to complain because here comes Edward Newton!

Newton storms in with a Clothesline that drops The Enforcer hard.

He starts stomping away at him.

Only here comes Mark Gouldern.

What kind of stuff is this tech guru made of? How the fuck is he still standing?

ELEVATED DDT TO EDWARD NEWTON!

PLANNED OBSOLECENCE!

Gouldern rolls to the outside and pulls Newton with him. Whatever he had planned for Drake, Edward is taking his place.

He places him on the table and pummels away at him, deciding this time to grab the ladder and place it across his chest.

What the fuck he is planning?

Mark slides back into the ring and grabs Brent Kersh, lifting him up.

He drags him to the corner, placing him on the top turnbuckle.

OH NO…

THIS ISN’T A GOOD IDEA….

HE FOLLOWS…

OH MAN.

BRENT KERSH AND MARK GOULDERN ARE NOW STOOD ON THE TOP ROPE, FACING NEWTON AND HIS LADDER/TABLE COMBINATION BELOW.

PLEASE DON’T DO THIS…

SUPPPPEEEERRRRRRPLEXXXXXX TO FUCKING HELL!

TO…

FUCKING…

HELL!

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!

BRENT KERSH AND MARK GOULDERN SLAM THROUGH THE LADDER, TABLE AND EDWARD NEWTON, ALL THREE CRASHING TO THE FLOOR IN A VIOLENT HEAP.

THE SCREAMS FROM ALL THREE WERE DEAFENING.

“HOLY SHIT”

“HOLY SHIT”

“HOLY SHIT”

YOU DAMN RIGHT.

MARK GOULDERN MAY HAVE JUST KILLED HIMSELF, EDWARD NEWTON AND BRENT KERSH!

The referee rushes to check on them.

No-one is moving.

Not even a muscle.

It takes minutes before Mark Gouldern begins to stir from the wreckage. He’s bleeding from a wound on the back of his head, likely from impact upon landing.

To say he has a concussion is probably an understatement.

He stumbles to the apron and rests there for a moment, looking at the carnage he’d just created.

What now?

Mark reaches under the ring and grabs a steel chair, sliding it into the ring. He then tries to grapple Brent Kersh from within the wreckage. I think he’s going to try and put Kersh away.

He slides him into the ring and follows.

Gouldern looks out of it. How the hell he’s still standing is beyond me.

The Tech Guru grabs the steel chair and demands that Brent Kersh get back to his feet.

The Enforcer looks up, his back shredded and bleeding from the ladder.

And he isn’t giving up.

HE NEVER GIVES UP.

HE’S BRENT FUCKING KERSH, GOD DAMNIT.

AND THE BASTARD RISES!

THE OLD FUCKING BASTARD RISES.

HE’S AN OLD SCHOOL WRESTLING LEGEND, MARK GOULDERN.

A LEGEND.

STEEL CHAIR TO THE FUCKING SKULL!!

NO!

KERSH DUCKS UNDER IT!

HE SCOOPS GOULDERN UP, THE CHAIR NOW BENEATH THEM.

GO ON…

GO ON KERSH…

DO IT.

SOUTHER DISCOMFORT ON THE STEEL FUCKING CHAIR!

SHOULDER BREAKER TOMBSTOMB PILEDRIVER ON THE STEEL CHAIR.

MARK GOULDERN HAS TO BE UNCONCIOUS. HE HAS TO BE OUT OF IT.

COVER…

ONE…..

…..

IS BRENT KERSH A FINALIST IN THIS YEARS LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER!?

……

TWO……

……

THREE!!

KICK.

THE.

FUCK.

OUT!

MARK GOULDERN KICKED OUT.

HOW ON THIS FUCKING EARTH DID MARK GOULDERN KICK OUT?

Brent Kersh cannot believe it.

He looks absolutely stunned.

The Enforcer knows what he has to do. He gets back to his feet and pulls Gouldern with him. Everything is sluggish and slow. These two men have been through absolute hell in these final stages.

HE SCOOPS HIM UP.

EDWARD NEWTON FROM BEHIND!

HOW IS THE RIDDLER STILL ALIVE!?

STEEL CHAIR TO THE BACK OF KERSH!

ANOTHER!

BRENT KERSH TOPPLES TO THE CANVAS!

The Riddler tosses the chair down and reaches down, pulling Kersh to his feet.

NEVERMIND ON THE STEEL CHAIR!

NO!

THE ENFORCER REVERSES HIS FORTUNE!

HE SCOOPS NEWTON UP…

SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT TO EDWARD NEWTON ON THE STEEL CHAIR!

OH MY FUCKING GOD!

SURELY THIS IS IT….

SURELY BRENT KERSH IS GOING TO RING OF DREAMS.

HE LOOKS BEHIND HIM.

THE DISRUPTION

MARK GOULDERN HAS SOMEHOW LEAPED OUT OF NO-WHERE, NAILING THE KNEELING KERSH WITH A FUCKING SUPERMAN PUNCH!

OH MY GOD!

HE COVERS….

ONE…..

…..

IS MARK GOULDERN A FINALIST IN THIS YEARS LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER!?

……

TWO……

……

THREE!!

KICK.

THE.

FUCK.

OUT!

Now Mark Gouldern can’t believe it! How in the actual fuck has Brent Kersh just kicked out? None of these men are willing to give it up.

After everything they’ve been through.

All three are down.

All three are resting on the canvas.

Who’s going to stir first? Who’s going to get back to their feet and potentially win this damn thing?

ALL THREE BEGIN TO RISE.

WOW.

JUST WOW.

NEWTON LOOKS AT GOULDERN.

GOULDERN LOOKS AT NEWTON.

BRENT KERSH CAN BARELY STAND.

EDWARD GRABS KERSH, PULLING HIM UP ONTO HIS SHOULDERS.

THE ENIGMA THEOREM!

DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!

AND AT THE SAME TIME, MARK GOULERN LEAPS..

THE DISRUPTION TO NEWTON!

HOLY FUCK!

WHAT A SEQUENCE!

NEWTON IS SPARK OUT ON THE CANVAS. HE’S OUT.

KERSH IS OUT.

GOULDERN COVERS KERSH….

ONE…..

…..

……

TWO……

……

THREE!!

BRENT KERSH HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!

The Enforcer does the unthinkable and finishes THIRD in Lambs to the Slaughter. What a performance.

We all hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Brent Kersh.

Old School Wrestling needs Brent Kersh.

BUT WAIT, MARK SHIFTS STRAIGHT INTO THE COVER OF NEWTON…

ONE…..

…..

……

TWO……

……

THREE!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

EDWARD NEWTON KICKS OUT! THAT SON OF A BITCH KICKS OUT!

WE’RE DOWN TO THE FINAL TWO.

EDWARD NEWTON VERSUS MARK GOULDERN.

AND MARK HAS THE ADVANTAGE.

He’s seen the footage. He’s watched the tapes. If you want to put Edward Newton down, you need to do something special.

He waves to the back.

A group of men come storming down the ring with a large metal box on wheels. They avoid the debris at ringside and Mark Gouldern goes out to meet them.

Is this what I think it is?

He opens the box.

THE ULTIMATE COMBAT SUIT… BETA TEST. IT’S A BRAND NEW MODEL!

OH FUCK.

EDWARD NEWTON IS FUCKED.

ROYALLY FUCKED.

Mark climbs into the suit, connecting it.

BUT HERE’S EDWARD NEWTON.

STEEL CHAIR TO ONE ASSISTANT.

STEEL TO CHAIR TO ANOTHER.

NEWTON IS BLASTING GOULDERN’S ASSISTANTS WITH CHAIRS.

HE PANICKS, TRYING TO CONNECT THE SUIT AS QUICKLY AS HE CAN BUT EDWARD NEWTON ISN’T HAVING IT.

HE PULLS MARK OUT OF THE SUIT AND SLAMS HIM HEAD FIRST INTO THE STEEL ARM.

EDWARD CLIMBS INTO THE SUIT HIMSELF.

MARK LOOKS UP.

“Your biometrics don’t match,” he yells, pressing a button on his gauntlet.

ELECTRIC SHOCK!

NEWTON GETS AN ELECTRIC SHOCK!

OH MY FUCKING GOD!

HE FALLS OUT OF THE SUIT, SHAKING AND JOLTING ON THE FLOOR.

Gouldern grins waiting for the shocks to stop before pulling Edward back to his feet and tossing him into the ring.

This is surely going to be it.

He doesn’t cover, he waits for Edward to get back to his feet.

Finally, Newton uses the ropes to pull himself back up.

He turns around.

THE DISRUPTION!

SUPPPEERRRRRRRRRRRRMAAAANNNNNNNN PUNCCCHHH!!

EDWARD HAS A STEEL CHAIR IN HIS HAND! EDWARD HAS A STEEL CHAIR!

GOULDERN SLAMS HIS FIST THROUGH THE CHAIR, BLASTING IT AWAY FROM THE RIDDLER!

Edward turns him around.

KICK TO THE GUT.

NEVERMIND DDT!

NEVERMIND!

IMPLANT DDT!

NO!! SUDDENLY, BOTH MEN LEVIATATE OFF THE GROUND!

THE TELEBOOTS HAVE BEEN UPGRADED!

The Riddler lets go, falling back to the ground.

Gouldern quickly comes back too.

They run and meet in the middle of the ring, this time angrily locking up.

They twist and turn, each looking for leverage.

Mark takes control, pulling Edward into a Side Headlock. He wrenches on it, but The Riddler sends him off into the ropes.

This is finally turning into a bit of a wrestling match.

Gouldern comes back with a shoulder block, taking down Newton. He keeps going as Newton sluggishly gets back to his feet.

TELEBOOT TO THE FACE!

OOF!

THAT’LL DO IT!

The Tech Guru is looking to finish this one off just as soon as Newton gets back to his feet.

Newton though rolls to the outside, looking to recover.

That doesn’t please Mark who runs and slides out, only Newton side steps the Baseball Slide and connects with a Headbutt. He quickly rolls back into the ring like a game of cat and mouse, watching as Gouldern follows.

DOUBLE AXE HANDLE ACROSS THE BACK.

That’ll slow him down.

Now it’s Newton who has him where he wants him.

He waits for Gouldern to get back to his feet and runs.

CLOTHESLINE!

NO, HE DUCKS!

THE DISRUPTION!

NO!!!! HE HIT THE REFEREE! EDWARD DUCKED AND HE HIT THE FUCKING REFEREE!

OH MY GOD!

THE REFEREE JUST HAD HIS NOSE PLASTERED OVER HIS FACE!

Edward turns in shock, turning back around..

THE DISRUPTION!

HE HIT IT! HE FINALLY HIT IT!

COVER…

ONE….

…..

…….

TWO…..

…..

…….

THREE…

…..

…….

FOUR….

…..

…….

FIVE…

THERE’S NO REFEREE!

Mark angrily gets back to his feet, shaking the referee. If he wants to win this thing, he needs to wake this son of a bitch up.

But he’s having no luck.

He turns back around to Newton.

LIGHTNING STRIKE!

SUPERKICK!

WHAT?

WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE…

THAT’S LUKE STORM.

WHAT THE FUCK IS LUKE STORM DOING HERE!?

MARK GOULDERN STUMBLES.

THE DOWNPOUR!

CODEBREAKER TO MARK GOULDERN!

WHAT THE FUCK LUKE!?

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?

HE SHAKES NEWTON, WHO CAREFULLY AND WOOZILY REALIZES WHAT’S GOING ON AND SCOOTS AWAY!

LUKE POINTS TO GOULDERN!

“Finish it,” he barks.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!

THE RIDDLER OBLIGES!

HE PULLS A LIMP GOULDERN TO HIS FEET

NEVERMIND!

THE IMPACT DDT!

KILL IT WITH FIRE!

THERE’S NO KICKING OUT!

EDWARD COVERS….

LUKE PULLS THE REFEREE OVER….

ONE….

…..

…….

TWO…..

…..

…….

THREE!!

IT’S OVER! IT’S OVER! OH MY GOD, EDWARD NEWTON BEATS MARK GOULDERN TO WIN LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER AND HE DOES IT WITH AN ASSIST FROM HIS ARCHENEMY LUKE STORM!

WHAT THE FUCK HAS LUKE STORM DONE!?

RING OF DREAMS
RINGSIDE

Oh the boos.

The chorus of boos is deafening.

The crowd are angry; it isn’t that they have any love for Mark Gouldern but Luke Storm has betrayed them here tonight. They don’t know why and they’re sharing their displeasure.

Edward Newton gets back to his feet, unable to believe his luck.

With a wry smile, he looks towards Luke Storm who stands there, somewhere between focused and angry.

Storm isn’t going to make us wait for an explanation.

“I didn’t do it because I like you,” he gruffly announces. “I didn’t do it because you deserve it.”

He shakes his head.

“I did it because Sigil is the OSW Champion.”

The fans don’t understand; Newton doesn’t even understand.

“You’re going to Ring of Dreams to face Sigil for the OSW Championship. If anyone can walk away from that match with the title, it’s Edward Newton.”

He pauses for a moment.

“And at Ring of Dreams, it’s time you and I settled up, Eddie.”

Newton raises an eyebrow.

“You don’t get it, do you? You’re going to face Sigil and beat him for the title; that’s what you do, you see, you win Championships. Then you’re going to face me and defend it, because I’m entitled to a rematch and there won’t be a damn thing sweeter than kicking your ass to take back what rightfully belongs to me.”

The fans roar as he closes in, looking The Riddler square in his eyes.

Newton grins.

“I really wanted to win Pandemonium and face you for the title at Ring of Dreams, Luke. I had this vision of something epic. But you couldn’t hold up your end of that vision, could you? You fell at the last hurdle.”

Luke backs away, laughing him off.

“If you think I’m going to refuse, you’re mistaken,” Newton says with defiance. “I wanted nothing more than to take that title from around your waist; to punish you that way. If that isn’t to be, I’ll take as much pleasure as I can in stopping you from getting it back.”

The Riddler backs away with a smirk, knowing that he holds all the cards.

At Ring of Dreams, Sigil will defend his OSW Championship against Edward Newton.

And later that night, if Edward Newton is successful, he will defend that title against Luke Storm.

However, you’d better believe Sigil is going to have something to say about that.

Whatever the reason for their feud, two things are guaranteed.

Edward Newton versus Sigil for the OSW Championship.

And Edward Newton versus Luke Storm.

Cut.

BEGINNING ONCE AGAIN
An Asylum.

Stood outside in the middle of the night, Doctor D’Ville is looking at the Asylum once ran by his brother; the very brother he murdered in cold blood tonight.

Despite that, he’s smiling.

Just then, from behind walks The Blood Red Shark. He joins D’Ville by his side, folding his arms.

“I don’t believe I’ve had a chance to thank you,” he says to Doc, who nods. “How did you do it?”

D’Ville chuckles slightly.

“You were severely damaged, my friend. I could stitch you back together, but it took more than that. I had to give you a very special tonic.”

The Blood Red Shark nods.

“Allow me to give you some advice, if I may?” Doc asks to a knowing nod. “Don’t take off the mask. You won’t recognise what remains beneath.”

That clearly frustrates and angers Shark, who’s entire body goes tense.

“Don’t worry, you’ll take your vengeance,” D’Ville reminds him.

Shark looks towards a covered piece of signage, tilting his head.

“Are we beginning once again?” He asks, his eyes focused on it.

D’Ville grins, nodding.

“We will be,” he remarks, “But I’m dedicating this Asylum to my son; the future of Old School Wrestling. The heir to my throne.”

He pulls off the tarp, revealing the new asylum name.

‘The Emporium’.

“By the end of Ring of Dreams, my son SeeSaw will have joined us in our endeavour and The Emporium will begin to take shape.”

He laughs emphatically.

“In the meantime, come one, come all. The Doctor will see you now.”

Cut.