“SOLVEIG II”
BACKSTAGE
PERCY PRETTYBODY VS. HAPPY
SINGLES MATCH
“RIDDLE ON THE HILL, I”
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Welcome, Mr. Forever, I have been expecting you.”
[Edward Newton.] [Sat in Eli’s very own chair, the Riddler seems amused as Forever walks down the empty aisle, barren pews dwarfing him as he does so.]“I’m so glad you came to meet me. I had thought you would come here before your personal chambers, so I arranged to have your chair brought here. I thought it would lend to a discussion about our upcoming match.”
[Eli ignores Newton, his tilting even more, his grimy stained sunglasses honing in on the World Champion.]“You.” [Eli mutters.] [Newton raises an eyebrow as Eli continues.]
“You’re the real Riddle on the Hill here, aren’t you? No one’s been able to solve you. You’re always one step ahead.”
[Forever slumps down into the first pew, staring up at Newton.]“So go ahead Riddler, say whatever it is you’ve come to say, and lets be done with it. To the bitter end we go.”
[Newton allows a slight frown at Forever’s condition.]“You know, Eli, when I spoke to your brother, he told me you might end up like this after everything.”
[A twitch from Forever at the mention of his brother.]“But I thought more of you. What will your poor mother do when she sees you like this?”
[CRASH!] [ELI LEAPS ONTO NEWTON, KNOCKING THE CHAIR OVER!] [Eli Forever has snapped!] [Cut.]“PIECE BY PIECE”
BACKSTAGE
“These walls have such stories to tell. Stories that were once lost, but don’t you worry.”
[He turns, as if speaking to somebody who is not there. Or are they?]“I can tell their story. As I can tell yours.”
[His hand returns to the wall. He runs it along but soon stops as he reaches an obstruction blocking his path.]“I see you have freed yourself from my trap. Still picking cobwebs out of your hair?”
[Mysterion. He blocks the path of Rain, who seems none too pleased to have his thoughts interrupted. But this frustration soon turns to flat out anger as Mysterion reaches out and snips off a lock of Rain’s hair out of nowhere. He pulls free the cut clump of hair, holding it between his two hands to examine the length before Rain’s face.]“It was getting in the way of your face, I thought I’d help you out.”
[Rain draws a deep breath, trying not to take the bait.]“I don’t remember asking for your assistance. It would be wise not to overstep your mark.”
[Mysterion smiles, now bringing the scissors he had used to bring the piece of hair up to Rain’s neck.]“And it would be wise for you to listen to your own advice. Know your place… Or you may be meeting your ‘people’ sooner than later.”
[Rain swallows. But his eyes flicker slightly as if listening to a voice, unheard by others. His voice stammers slightly with the blades digging into his throat a little.]“Caleb isn’t impressed with you. He says he’s ashamed of what you have become… When you showed so much promise.”
[Mysterion cracks once more at the sound of the name, hurling the scissors in blind rage. They hit a patch of drywall, embedding themselves into the wall.]“I TOLD YOU NOT TO SAY THAT NAME IN MY PRESENCE!”
[He grabs Rain by the throat, squeezing with one hand while waving the strand of Rain’s own hair in the face of the Outcast.]“Your lies end now. You leave my family alone or I will bring you to your knees. Piece by piece. Mark my words… HE is not your business any more.”
[Rain pushes Mysterion away, standing tall and surprisingly stoically given the threats.]“He made himself my business. He found me. The truth will be told…”
[Rain doesn’t have time to finish his sentence. Mysterion grabs Rain by the hair and slams his head into the concrete wall. Pulling free another clump of hair in the process. Rain is out cold, but Mysterion stands over him.]“Piece by piece, you lying bastard. Get the message, or the next piece comes with blood and a pound of flesh.”
[He lets the strands of hair fall through his fingers over Rain, holding onto the original lock of hair he had cut earlier. This he clasps into his fist as he turns dramatically and leaves Rain groaning on the concrete.] [Cut.]CHARLIE PRYCE VS. REDWING
SINGLES MATCH
“HE AWAKENED”
BACKSTAGE
“Where are you, David?!”
[One of the bodies begins to crawl away with blood smeared across his face. Hate looks down at him and almost cooes at him before pulling a blade and driving it into the top of his hand.] [The man screams as Hate snickers at him.]“I know your thirst for blood is unquenchable, David. If you wanted this nothingness of life to be ended so quickly, why didn’t you just ask?”
[A woman looks up at Hate with tears in her eyes as she’s stumbled before him. Hate reaches down and strokes her cheek softly, revealing that his hand has glass taped to the top of his wrapped hand.]“I would’ve done it for you, David. I would’ve shown you how little this life is worth. All you had to do was ASK!”
[Hate grabs a handful of the girl’s hair and lifts her to her feet. She squirms, fighting for her life before Hate brings his hand up to his own face.] [HATE SLICES HIS OWN FOREHEAD!] [He headbutts the woman as his blood is now spilling onto her face just as much as down his own. Two more headbutts before he releases her body as she slumps to the floor.]“This is what you wanted, isn’t it David?! You wanted blood! Come to me, David! COME TO ME! And I will end it all.”
[Hate looks down at the woman before kicking her aside.]“Just for you, David.”
[Hate begins just moving the bodies around with glee as he looks at what his pure hatred has wrought.] [But the camera pans out as a pair of eyes are shown peering through a nearby open door.] [Two voices are head, speaking in unison.]“He will want to hear this.”
[The door slowly closes as the two voices speak once more.]“He will want blood.”
[Cut.]SPERO VS. THE GREAT BANDITO
SINGLES MATCH
“ALL ALONE”
THE TEMPLAR TEMPLE
“Brothers? Are you there?”
[Only silence answers him. Concerned, he continues forward. As he gets closer, the hallway does not brighten with the torchlight that lit the entrance before. It sits in darkness. As he steps forward, his foot splashes into a puddle of something. He reaches for a torch, calling out again.]“Brothers, sisters, where are you? Brother Marcus? Sister Maria?”
[Lighting the torch, what greets him isn’t the warm scene of Templars walking back and forth.] [Instead, he is greeted with carnage.] [Lying around in piles of bodies and pools of blood are the Templars that could not escape. Sliced, bashed, drained of life.} [Knightwatch chokes a gasp back, realizing he had stood in the blood of those that he had once trusted and cared for. He looks for the answer, seeing it in front of him.] [Carved into the door of the Temple is a crown, in the shape of Arthur’s. Painted below it is a simple message, one striking into the soul of Knightwatch.] [ALL ALONE] [Pain is replaced with fury, as he cries out the room around him with a scream of rage.]“ARTHUR!!!”
MYSTERION VS. SHADOW
SINGLES MATCH
“THE COMING STORM”
BACKSTAGE
“What do you want?”
[Jamal is the first to speak up.]“Boss man wanted us to deliver a message. Says he’s been gearing up for one more fight with you, wants to settle things at Red Snow.”
[Solman just scoffs at this, shaking his head.]“And he didn’t have the guts to tell this to me himself?”
“Look man, he wants to kill you…but he wants to save that moment for Red Snow. He knows the history of that event, especially inside the walls of this place…and he wants to stain the walls of the Tap Room red with your blood.”
[Heath is taken aback by the thought of a businessman like Nate wanting to straight up murder him.]“That seems rather unlike your boss, doesn’t it? What would make him seek bloody murder as a resolution?”
[Bruce is the one to speak up now, just a twinge of fear in his voice.]“Power will do that to you, man. The boss has been acting more and more irrational lately, and I think…”
[Jamal interrupts, pushing Bruce aside as he looks at Solman.]“We’ve got our orders, man. You need to get ready for the storm that’s coming, because the boss is gonna go all out on you come Red Snow. He’s gonna give you everything he’s got, and he won’t relent till he sees you breathe your last breath. He’ll help ya solve your little immortality problem, ya dig?”
[Before Heath can respond, Jamal motions to Bruce and the two men walk off…leaving the Eternal Witness to wonder if his fate is truly sealed.] [Cut.]“GRAND LARCENY”
BACKSTAGE
“What the hell?”
[Prettybody turns around.]“Sorry lad.”
[Charlie Pryce.] [Prettybody eyes Charlie, who holds up his hands as a sign of non-aggression. Charlie dusts Prettybody off and fixes his jacket.]“My fault, mate. My fault. Of course, you’re fairly rotund and hard to get around. But I should’ve watched where I was going.”
[Prettybody tries to object, but before he does so, Pryce shoves Prettybody.] [Percy stumbles back and falls over The Great Bandito, who was perched behind his legs on all fours. Percy hits his head on the pavement hard. The Great Bandito leaps to his feet.]“Jump in!” [The Great Bandito shouts, a set of keys to a 2 million dollar car in his hand. He unlocks the vehicle and jumps in the passenger side while Charlie Pryce slides across the hood and jumps in the passenger seat.] [They drive off as Percy reaches his feet,] “You’re both going to pay for this! I will have every cop in this city after you!”
[The Great Bandito speeds down the road, laughing with Charlie.]“What an easy mark! We made a great team,” [says Charlie.]
“We did. I don’t normally work with others, but this was a score I had to have.”
“I believe you. There’s all kinds of partners who can’t be trusted. Too many double-crossers.”
[The Great Bandito nods sagely,] “You’re right.”“Unfortunately,” [Charlie says.] “This time is no different.”
[Before The Great Bandito can respond, he hears that fateful sound.] [Click.] [And the barrel of a pistol is placed against Bandito’s temple.]“Cheer up love,” Charlie says. “It’s only business.”
[Cut.]ZANDER ZANE VS. RAIN
SINGLES MATCH
“LOVE STRUCK”
BACKSTAGE
“The subject, Brent Kersh, is trying to contact his family. With the threat of a murderous Jon Davenport, the subject sent his relations away to an undisclosed location. Even he cannot contact them.”
[Kersh stares down at the phone, unable to reach anyone.]“This strange thing called love seems to turn the human mind into a long tapestry, woven by love struck hands. The stronger the love grows, the more it is tested. And each test stretches the fabric of the tapestry. While it always returns to its original shape, it is nonetheless weakened by each test.”
[The Enforcer reaches into his bag and draws out a picture of his family. His fingers run across it while he bows his head.]“The deceased Jon Davenport seems to have tested that same stress point to the point of collapse. The only way to return the tapestry to its original shape is to cure it with love. But the focus of Brent Kersh’s love is out of reach. It is beyond his sight and touch.”
[Brent zips up the duffel bag he brought with him before standing to his feet.]“The subject has become sick and damaged. No further observations are necessary. Next contact with the subject will be to present not only my findings…”
[Kersh slowly walks out of the locker room.]“…but the cure.”
[Cut.]TROY SOLVEIG VS. LUTHER CREED
SINGLES MATCH
“DAMAGED”
BACKSTAGE
“You know I didn’t do that to you, Spero! I saved innocents when Novan ran rampant, I helped you take down Vanguard as best I could! I would never turn on you, you guys are my family.”
[The words echo off the walls of the Tap Room, the camera panning over a floor, slowly panning up to reveal Gameboy and Spero. The Hopeful one has his ring out, Gameboy restricted by cuffs and chains created by Spero’s ring. The hero looks at his friend. We cannot see his face, but we can feel the uncertainty. He sighs, walking Gameboy down the hallway.]“I wish I could believe you, Gameboy. And I know I can’t even remember my attacker. But Redwing thinks it’s you, he’s trustworthy. But you willingly allowed yourself to be monitored. I don’t want it to be true, but maybe we have to be smart about this.”
[Gameboy lets his head down, walking compliantly by Spero’s side.]“I understand.”
“Good. I’m handing you off to Berengar, he’ll be watching you until his match at which point Redwing will take over.”
[The duo head down the hall in silence, the tension palpable… until the sound of banging and swearing is heard through the air.]“Damn it. Damn It! DAMN IT!”
[As they walk closer the yelling grows louder. The voice of Berengar breaking the silence completely. Spero takes off, Gameboy running alongside him, both men arrive at a room on the far side of the Tap Room, inside holding a jail cell no doubt meant for Gameboy. But behind the bars… was Berengar. The Void Knight is bruised up ever so slightly from what seems to have been a blow to the face. He is all but foaming at the mouth as he slams his hands into the cell door, angrily trying to force it open.]“Berengar! Calm down! Let me help you!”
[Berengar stops for a moment as Spero looks for the key, losing focus, his constructs falling from Gameboy. But the accused Vindicator does not run.]“How did this happen?”
“How did this happen? I was attacked by some coward! He battered me with a blow to the head and sent me into this cage. As soon as I stood to see who had done it he was fucking gone! Now stop questioning and find that key!”
[Gameboy stands awkwardly in the room, Spero, looking around to no avail.]“The culprit may have taken it with him, Berengar. We could brute force the cell door off. But that may take time for me to do. Redwing made sure it could hold Gameboy should he try to… escape.”
[Berengar’s eyes are practically glowing red as he slams into the door once more, rearing back.]“I don’t have time! I have a match! GOD DAMN IT!”
[SLAM!] [With a mighty blow from Berengar the cell door breaks open, the Void Knight stepping out, angrily eying the room.]“Spero, keep eyes on Gameboy. I’m going to look for this bastard.”
[Before either Vindicator can stop him, he’s gone, angrily marching down the hallway.]ISAAC DANVERS VS. REDMOND QUINN
SINGLES MATCH
“RIDDLE ON THE HILL, II”
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Eli…”
[SMACK!] [Newton falls back as Forever is unrelenting in his assault on the World Champion. He mounts him to lay in a few more strikes before standing up and looking down off the hill.]“You took everything from me,” [Forever mutters.] “Now it’s my turn.”
[With a harsh kick, Forever sends Newton rolling down part of the hill. Edward tries to follow through to get away, but Eli leaps down on top of him, elbowing Newton in the soft parts of his body. Newton tries to push off, but his feet dip into water.] [The River.] [Forever backs away as Newton comes to a knee at the edge of the flowing water. With a grin, the Heir Eternal charges his nemesis.] [SPLASH! BOTH MEN GO FLYING INTO THE FREEZING WATER!] [Eli breaks surface first, grabbing Newton up by the collar and laying in a punch. He dunks Newton under the water again before pulling him up to yell in his face.]“You think you’re so clever!? I’m going to do what I did to the last man who took everything from me!”
[With a knee to Newton’s face, Eli holds him under the water. He uses all of his leverage, holding the struggling Riddler under the water.] [Newton squirms, his hands reaching upward.] [Until he struggles no longer.] [The deranged Eli Forever releases the body of Edward Newton, and slowly walks out of the water, never looking back as he heads back up the Hill.] [The body of Edward Newton floats to the surface, and slowly bobs down the flowing body of water.] [Until a hand reaches down to pull him out.] [Cut.]BERENGAR VS. GAMEBOY
VHS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
“GRAVE CONSEQUENCES”
SOMEWHERE ELSE
“Something doesn’t feel right.”
[Edgar frowns.] “It never does, old chum. Your brother decided to take on the law and unfortunately, in this fire first ask questions later society, it ended terribly.” [Happy sighs.]“Why would he do that? He knew that he had to go back. He escaped when he shouldn’t have to see me and I told him to go back.”
“Why suddenly the interest?” [Nevermore questions.] “What’s happened to make you so curious, dear Prince?”
[Happy looks out into the distance, seeing Nana stood just outside the cemetery. He quickly looks back at Edgar, who hasn’t spotted her.]“Nothing,” [he rebuffs.] “I’m just grieving.”
[Edgar walks over and wraps an arm around him, pulling him close. There’s a brief silence for a moment, before The Poet carefully ushers him away and towards the exit.] [As he walks away, Edgar turns back to face Mammon with an awkward shake of the head.] [This is clearly going to be a problem.] [Cut.]“CRACKED”
BACKSTAGE
“You came back for more? You fool.”
[Troy FLINGS HIMSELF AROUND WITH A MIGHTY HAYMAKER!] [The blow careens across the face of Redwing! The Vindicator is thrown off of his feet, nearly sent sprawling. He rubs his face, glaring up at Troy.]“What are you doing!? I was hot on his trail, I had the assailant! As soon as I heard the attack I made my way over as fast as I could!”
[Troy looks down at Redwing in a daze, collapsing to a knee, barely propping himself up after the night he’s been through.]“I am sorry, Redwing. I thought they were coming back to finish the job. I was attacked from behind, I couldn’t even react before he beat me into near unconciousness.”
[Redwing’s expression loses a bit of the edge as he stands up, offering a hand to Troy who reluctantly accepts it, Redwing shouldering him.]“Where is Gameboy, were you not supposed to be keeping watch?”
“Plans changed, he was allowed to walk free. Berengar was attacked earlier tonight while Spero had Gameboy in his care.”
[Troy shakes his head.]“Things aren’t making sense, Redwing. We must gather the others, there is much to discuss.”
[As Redwing helps his ally out of the room we slowly fade to black, a feeling of uncertainty in the air.]DAVID MANSON VS. KING ARTHUR
SINGLES MATCH
“JOIN THE PARTY”
RINGSIDE
“What’s up” [Zanes smirks.] “if any of you don’t know… I’m Zander fucking Zane!”
[The crowd pops, some trying to repeat the words in unison with The Rock God. Meanwhile, Karrde and Nightstick look around in confusion.]“I apologize for the slight interruption” [Zane sympathizes.] “Actually… I don’t! Because I needed your undivided attention!”
[Zane’s mannerism becomes a bit more serious.]“I’m talking to you Mr. Karrde! Now I understand you’ve been looking for something for the past several weeks. Something you seemed to have lost.”
[The indirect mention of the Invasion Briefcase gets the attention of The Gambler.]“Well man… instead of disrespecting THE Zander Zane and his fans, maybe you should have paid a little more attention. And if you had you would have noticed that The Rock God has more than one reason people like to hang out with him!”
[With that, Zane holds up…] [THE INVASION BRIEFCASE!!] [What the hell?!? Zander Zane has the case?!?] [Wild Karrde is beside himself in the ring. He wants to leave, but he knows he has to stay.]“That’s right Mr. Magician” [Zane chuckles.] “Maybe now you’ll be more willing to join the party?”
[Zane gives off a deep laugh as the screen cuts to black, leaving Wild Karrde irate only seconds before his match with Nightstick is set to begin.]NIGHTSTICK VS. WILD KARRDE
DOUBLE FEATURE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
“HOME INVASION”
LATER…
“Don’t you fucking touch her!”
[He screams as two of the men pull him back to his feet and begin laying into him.] [The beating continues as his wife is slapped to the ground with a backhand, hitting her head on the glass coffee table as she falls to the floor.] [Nightstick looks back as fists reign down on his face, crunching against his eyes, nose and mouth, spurting blood as the brutal hands connect.] [Finally, he hits the floor.] [He starts crawling towards his wife, only a knee is driven into his back, forcing him to lay there prone.] [One of the men grabs his wife and rips at her trousers, pulling them off.]“DON’T!” [Nightstick screams.] [He stops, looking back at him. The man releases the unconscious wife and pulls Nightstick back to his knees. He looks him over, tilting his head.]
“This time, I’m gonna stop,” [the man says calmly.] “But if I have to come back here again, there won’t be any stopping us, you understand? We’ll run a train on your wife as you watch, pig.”
[Nightstick gulps.]“Redmond Quinn and Luther Creed, they send their regards. The Revolution want you to know that if you fuck with them, have them arrested, or look in their direction ever again, they’ll fucking end everything you love.”
[The cop lowers his head, kneeling, his enemies towering above him.]“You won’t get another warning,” [he sneers.] “And your wife? She won’t get another chance to keep her dignity. Back off, pig.”
[Before Nightstick can respond, he’s clobbered upside the head with some kind of pipe, knocking him unconscious. The men survey the carnage and back away, leaving both he and his wife out cold on the floor of their home.] [Cut.]