Post by kaster on Oct 1, 2024 4:21:27 GMT
It was a dark and stormy night…
He sat in the dark room, wondering where all the time had gone. Another year was passing by, another page of the calendar turning. The window to the outside world provided a bleak view of the thunderstorm, occasional bouts of lightning illuminating the dark skies above. His hand reached for a lightswitch, blindly grabbing at the wall until he could feel the fixture. Once he got a hold of the switch, he flicked it on and let the light shine into the room. It was quite the luxury suite, courtesy of Roberto Verona. It was, however, as lifeless and empty as could be. The chair he sat in faced towards the window. His eyes could not leave the sight of the storm. Mexico City was usually bright and vibrant, but now it seemed murky and enveloped by shadows.
As he looked around the room, he caught his reflection in a mirror off to the bedside. His eyebrows furrowed as he inspected himself. The mirror did not capture his true reflection, but rather a different image. It was like he was looking through another window, right at himself. He leaned in for a closer look.
His face was caked in dry blood. He was breathing heavily, his chest expanding and contracting with each intake of oxygen. His hair was much longer than he ever had it, normally cutting it once it reached down to the bottom of his neck. The hair, some of it gummed up with blood, reached down to his shoulders. The blood traveled down to his chest, mingling with the hairs across the pecs.
He was smiling.
He suddenly pulled out a cigarette and popped the end into his lips. Then, he produced a lighter and began to light the cigarette, a wispy plume of smoke emerging as it caught flame. He took a drag, looking down and then turning around to blow the smoke behind him. He faced him and smirked. He grabbed the cigarette out of his mouth and reached out, as if he were offering it up.
His eyes did not leave the gaze of his “reflection”. He did not know what to make of the man he saw in the mirror. He tilted his head, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Was this an omen? A sign? A warning from the Future? He did not know.
As soon as he looked away, it was just his natural reflection left. He could still smell the smoke, as if it had invaded the room. Like he was right there.
He stood up and decided he would take a cold shower. Even if that wasn’t his actual reflection, he felt like the blood was on him.
As the cold drops of water ran down his face, he cackled like a madman.
“What is old is new again.”
“How long has it been? Months? It feels like yesterday. I was blinded by the need to create a legacy by myself. I spat in the face of the vision, the destiny that I was supposed to achieve.”
“What is your destiny? Mediocrity?”
“Yes, it seems that you come out worse for wear every time we meet. Granted, I will give you one night in one match. But even then, the circumstances of your victory are… contentious. It was right then that I started my downward spiral.”
“But I have to thank you.”
“You gave me the chance to go down the road of my destiny. If I did not lose that championship, I would not have gone on to win the Joker in the Pack. And the rest of my plight with it would not have happened. You are the unintentional catalyst for where I am right now. I am with Roberto Verona because of you.”
“And now, I will be able to give my personal thanks. By mauling you in that ring. Nick Danger, you have little time to realize what your destiny is. It is not upholding the legacy of those who came before you. It is not taking championships for your own. It is not being a hero to those around you. Your destiny is to fall by my hands. No matter how hard you fight, no matter how many times the people cheer and chant your name, no matter what happens, you will be left lying on the canvas. I will make sure of that.”
“And while you are busy attempting to fight… Nate Harris? You can have your frivolous fantasies about winning the Gladiators championship. Do you consider yourself a gladiator because you fight for the amusement and entertainment of the people? I consider myself to be above that. I fight for the vision. I fight for Roberto Verona. I fight for my destiny. You may be a gladiator, but I am a legionary.”
“And in due time, I will fulfill the destiny that has been set upon me. If you try to be an obstacle, I will welcome you to my world of violence with open arms. You had the bold, brash boy who once believed he was the Future of this company… and now, you will get an entirely different beast. Someone who is not afraid to hurt you, not for his own gain, but for the good of the Legion. I will break you until you cry for mercy and that won’t be enough to stop me. There is no time limit, there are no sudden death falls, only pure, unadulterated violence. I will revel in it. You will fail because of it. We have fought each other many, many times. You probably believe that you know me move for move. You do not. Do not be so short-sighted and foolish, Danger. We may have wrestled before, but you have never witnessed Caleb Cannin as you see him right now.”
“If only you could see the vision that lies ahead, Nick, maybe things could be different for you. But you choose to stay defiant in the face of obstacles you cannot overcome. To some, that may be admirable. To me, that is idiotic. In front of you is an obstacle that not only you will not overcome, but you will not be able to even touch. I will drag you through hell and leave you there, all while smiling and laughing.”
“It is up to you whether you crawl out from that hell or not.”
“I look forward to our encounter on Odyssey regardless.”
"See the vision."
"See the vision."
Well howdy there pardner.