Post by Seth Evans on Oct 22, 2014 22:11:07 GMT
Last week…
There was no hiding the anger I felt toward the World Champion of Imperial Wrestling Federation. Although I had a full plate that I had to deal with this week; with Alex Jones, Reñee Pleasant and Kyle Mason; there was one person that was also lingering at the back of my mind—Kevin Evel. None of them felt as important to me as getting my hands on GOD. I had turned my back to Andrew Jacobsen, but I felt his piercing eyes locked on me as he inquired more about the history that had happened between GOD and I and what made me loathe him so.
Andrew Jacobsen:
“What did he take?”
The question that he had allow to quickly escape from behind his lips caused me to stop in my tracks. I never turned to face him, but my mind wandered back to when I first met Angel; when I thought of him as a friend. When I thought of him as genuine. If only I hadn’t allowed myself to be blinded by the happiness that he gave my friend and mentor, I may have been able to prevent this exact thing from happening.
Seth Evans:
“Why does it matter?”
I heard his footsteps come closer and I turned my head to glance over my shoulder. My glance caused Andrew Jacobsen to stop and think before he made his next move; knowing that I just had my hand around his throat and was ready to take him out as quickly as if he were GOD, I don’t think he knew what to expect… it approached me as a friend; not wanting to have to fight me off, but should he need to... I was sure that he would be ready for it.
Andrew Jacobsen:
“Because I also know how dangerous Angel is, as a man. I don’t want you charging blindly into a fight that you may not be able to win—that’s what will stop you.”
It was difficult for me to accept that what he was saying was the truth. My focus was on GOD, and the Age of X; however, I didn’t believe that I was charging in blindly, as he put it. The numbers were going to be against me. Again, not something that went in my favor.
Andrew Jacobsen:
“I know about the monster that he is.”
Monster… I’ve dealt with my fair share of them over my career, but have I dealt with one the likes of Angel? Never. I remember admiring his skill in the ring.
Seth Evans:
“You never met the monster.”
I turned to face him and my voice became cold and stern. There are few people that still march down the ramp on every week; even fewer were able to gather the courage to step between those ropes after waging a war with Angel—GOD—the monster that the world knows him to be. Andrew hesitated after seeing the look written all over my face, knowing the concern that I had for my own well-being as well as the well-being of everybody I cared about.
Andrew Jacobsen:
“You’re right.”
Seth Evans:
“You’re damn right I’m right!”
I turned away from Andrew this time and began to walk away but I felt Andrew put his hand on my shoulder and force me to turn around; almost instinctively I raised my own arm to swat his away but he retained his grip to my shoulder.
Andrew Jacobsen:
“I’ve never met that monster… But I have fought my fair share of them, and I’ll be damned before I let my friend get hurt by one of them because I did nothing!”
The reality was that Andrew has been helping me—I may have been training hard, but there’s only so much one man can do. He may have been helping me train, but this was a war that I was waging on my own.
Seth Evans:
“At the end of this war, Andrew, I’m going to have to fight him… Alone…”
Would he be alone, though?
Andrew Jacobsen:
“When that day comes, you’ll be ready. Because I will do everything that I can to make sure you are.”
He patted my shoulder a few times as if to encourage me as my gaze had shifted toward the ground, and my eyes sparked with hate from the thoughts of what I would do should I get the chance to encounter him inside of the ring.
Andrew Jacobsen:
“You can do this; you can do this on your own… But for now: don’t throw away anybody that has your back. But I need you to tell me what he took.”
I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the tale. Not yet. I shook my head which caused him to draw out a deep breath, and I could hear the frustration behind his heavy exhale.
Seth Evans:
“I’ll tell you. Just… not right now. Let’s get back to work.”
Andrew Jacobsen:
“You don’t want to rest?”
Seth Evans:
“I can rest when GOD has no choice but to.”
I hurried toward the ring and grabbed a shinai from the apron before sliding under the ring. I looked over at Andrew who knew he had no way of arguing with me, so spun a shinai of his own in his hand before walking toward the ring.
Immediately Following Sacrifice…
I sat out in the parking lot long after the show had come to a close—still wound up by the adrenaline pumping through my veins following my match with three more people that found themselves in GOD’s crosshairs; there were more than just the four of us who wanted a piece of GOD, but the four of us stood out to him… I couldn’t help but feel out of the four that stood out to him, I might have finally taken the mantle as public enemy number one.What was I doing? Putting all this attention on me so early before I could even get close to GOD—it was too late to turn back now… The only available route to me was to go through Kevin Evel, walk out of October Revolution as the winner of our match, and earn a chance to step into the ring with GOD.
I drew in a deep breath and exhaled into a slow sigh as I was recalling the small details of being inside the cell; I reached my hand up to caress the battle mark left behind from my face being pushed against the cold steel… I thought of how, without hesitation, I was able to slide into the ring and capitalize on one of the biggest opportunities that I’ve had in my career and do something that I have never done before: score a pin fall victory over Alex Jones.
While remaining lost in my own mind, itself being torn between what was directly ahead of me—Kevin Evel—and what my overall goal was—GOD, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I felt myself grow pale as this figure sat next to me and the voice verified what I knew my eyes saw but the glimmer of hope was that my eyes were playing a trick on me.
GOD:
“I gave you what you wanted…”
Seth Evans:
“You gave me a chance.”
GOD:
“Do you remember one of the first things you called me when you came crawling back into IWF?”
Many words raced through my mind as I sat here, but I lifted my eyes as if to look into my own mind and to capture the exact ones that he was talking about. He didn’t even move, but suddenly appeared right in my face as he screamed this word into my face:
GOD:
“’COWARD!’”
It seemed as if GOD were pleased with himself for what he did on Sacrifice.
GOD:
“Do I look like a ‘coward’ to you? I gave you a chance to earn what you came here for. A chance to step into the ring with me. All you have to do is go through Kevin Evel to get it… Can. You. Do. That?”
He had a smug look on his face as he stood there, and despite the taunting, I was able to look back at him and speak with confidence.
Seth Evans:
“You gave me what I wanted—and I’m going to make it through Kevin Evel. I’m going to earn my chance to step into the ring with you. You are going to regret the mistake you’ve made by giving me this opportunity…”
GOD took a few steps toward me, and chuckled at the words that I gave to him.
GOD:
“No, child. It is you that is going to regret ever returning to IWF... just to get to me.”
His hand reached out for me, and I felt the physical touch of a hand—the moment the physical contact came to my shoulder, GOD disappeared from in front of me, another hallucination, and I looked to my side where the person startled me… A weak smile instantly crept to my face as my eyes landed on the person I least expected to see: my fiancée, Kiela Rose. Her fingers lingered on my shoulder before coming to my back, and I reached my hand out to pull her closer and rested my head against her shoulder.
Kiela Rose:
“I thought we were going out after your match tonight—to celebrate.”
I chuckled at her final word in that statement.
Seth Evans:
“We didn’t even know if I was going to win.”
I kept my arms around her waist as I turned to face her and looked up at her.
Kiela Rose:
“I knew.”
I could hear the sincerity in her voice as she spoke; as if she truly did know… maybe it was that she had a feeling, or maybe it was that, in her mind, I never lost. It was true that whenever I was with her, I felt like a winner.
Kiela Rose:
“So, are we still going out?”
The answer that I knew I had to give was killing me—I came back to IWF for a purpose, and I was distraught that it was effecting my personal life. But I had to stay focused on my goal since returning to IWF. Without having to give her the answer, I could see the happiness drain from her face which hurt me.
Kiela Rose:
“We haven’t been out in a long time… I was reluctant to let you come back to IWF because of what that bastard did to Tara, but Tara is not your fiancée! I am! I want you to fight for her—but I want you to also be mine.”
It was a difficult road to travel, but I felt like I was doing the right thing… Fighting for someone who could no longer fight for herself because she had to fight to keep her children out of a foster home.
Seth Evans:
“I understand, and I’m going to do whatever I can to make it up to you… I’ve had to throw myself into the midst of things. I’m going to do what I need to do here—but not at your expense.”
The words seemed to get through to her, as we both had the ability to get through to each other in our darkest times. No matter how dark the times ever got between us, and we’ve had our fair share, we always saw the light at the end of the tunnel and managed to keep our relationship strong; this was one of those times.
Kiela Rose:
“I know that you have to do this. But don’t lose me while you do. Let’s have a little ‘us’ time.”
Seth Evans:
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Her hand clung to mine as my free hand reached to my bag and slung it over my shoulder. I walked with her out of the arena but heard that lingering voice in the back of my head… it rang through my head, but I managed to suppress the thought that it planted.
GOD:
“You’re going to hurt her…”
Present Day…
We’re back at it—Andrew Jacobsen and I are back inside of the training facility, and I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins as our spar was more intense this week than it almost has ever been. He was ruthless; he was relentless; he was the spitting image of Angel in fighting form, just as he knew he would have to be to have me ready to step into the ring with him! It was something that I could look forward to seeing as I was getting two things that I was craving this week at October Revolution: I was going to be able to step into the ring with Kevin Evel and get revenge for the assault that he chose to initiate a few weeks ago; after I go through Evel, I would have a chance to step into the ring with GOD.
I almost had no chance of getting any offense in, constantly having to defend myself from an oncoming strike that Andrew would try to land on me. The world knew GOD over as being a brutal striker, and his legendary reign as an X-Division or Cruiserweight wrestler showed the world just how fast he could be; calculated with his attacks… he did not waste any attacks. Neither would Andrew Jacobsen from this point forward until the day came that Seth did step into the ring with GOD.
Andrew Jacobsen finally landed a spinning kick into my sternum which caused me to be winded; this caused Andrew to smile as I keeled over and tried to get my oxygen back. Both of us were breathing heavily, and I felt his hand pat my shoulder a few times.
Every week since I’ve come back to IWF, for everybody that I’ve fought that hasn’t had any allegiance either for, or against The Age of X—I have been warning the people that the day is coming that they’re going to have to choose a side. Warren Kidd, Jakob O’Connor, Todd Warren; I’ve warned everyone that they would have to choose a side… I even went on to warn Alex Jones, Kyle Mason, and Reñee Pleasant that they were going to have to make a decision and to drop their fight with the rest of the roster and focus with me on our common enemy! On our actual—only enemy.
None of them listened.
All of them were too busy trying to paint themselves as the one that could defeat The Age of X, and dethrone GOD on their own… It’s like they chose to blind themselves to the fact that The Age of X does not fight alone. They are one unit; where one is, so is the rest. Where GOD is, so is the rest.
That same message was meant for you, Kevin Evel. I told the roster that they would have to choose a side, and while there are many people who stand as a neutral under the guise that they don’t have to be on the bad side of anybody, there are more people standing with or against GOD. The problem with the people that do stand against GOD is that they are fighting a war on all sides; Alex Jones didn’t want me as an ally… Kyle Mason didn’t want me as his ally… Reñee Pleasant didn’t want me as his ally… I was the only man that was able to march down to that ring and accept the fact that the only way we get rid of The Age of X from this company is if we put our differences aside and fight as one unit—like The Age of X does.
But the world never knew you as a member of The Age of X, Kevin; so what are you? You can’t be a soldier like Mason St. Croix because Mason St. Croix doesn’t try to hide his identity. A pirate? That might explain your goofy eye patch. A spy? Please, enlighten me, Kevin; what are you to The Age of X? You have found yourself as a member among their ranks and so long as you are among their ranks, you will have a target on your back and I will bring you down.
I stood upright and tried to laugh off the kick the Andrew connected with. He patted my shoulder a few more times.
Andrew Jacobsen:
“Are you alright?”
The thought of letting myself get injured in a training session amused me as I returned a pat on Andrew Jacobsen’s shoulder to try to signify that I’m okay.
Seth Evans:
“I’m great, Andrew. Good work with the training…”
Andrew Jacobsen:
“I didn’t want to hurt you. It takes a lot out of me just trying to channel what Angel would do in the ring.”
Afraid to hurt me… There was one major difference that this training had from what would be reality after I get through Kevin Evel. Andrew Jacobsen didn’t want to hurt me; GOD wouldn’t give a damn. I watched Andrew wander to one corner of the ring where he kneels down to pick up a water bottle; while he does that to get himself rehydrated, I go to my own corner and grab the top two ropes before leaping up and doing a handstand at the corner… I bring myself down and push myself back up several times leaving a speechless expression on Andrew Jacobsen’s face…
Andrew Jacobsen:
“How the hell are you able to train as hard as we have been, and still have the energy to do that?”
While continuing to lower myself down and extend my arms back out to raise myself up, I give Andrew a short reply.
Seth Evans:
“You have to force yourself…”
I swing my legs back toward the ring and land back on my feet as I stand upright again and take a deep breath before turning to Andrew Jacobsen again.
Seth Evans:
“No matter how much you’ve done… or how much it hurts… you have to always tell yourself that you can do one more. You can do one more—until you can’t.”
I watched Andrew smirk and nod his head, accepting the answer that I gave him. While satisfied with the answer, he seemed to have one more question bugging him, and even seemed hesitant to ask it. He leans against the corner with his elbows propped on the top rope before taking a second drink from his water and does finally bring himself to ask the next question.
Andrew Jacobsen:
“When do you find your limit?”
I snickered but didn’t answer his question.
Seth Evans:
“I need you to do me a favor… Unless you manage to knock me out; don’t let up.”
Andrew Jacobsen:
“I can’t—“
Seth Evans:
“You need to. GOD would.”
Andrew Jacobsen:
I’m not GOD…”
Seth Evans:
“You need to be.”
The words seemed to sting Andrew as he took a big gulp, knowing full well what I wanted; if it meant that he hurt me, he had to… until one of us can’t bring ourselves to move. He nodded his head to me, and I nodded back to him as the scene went out.
Mistakes were made, Kevin, and you chose the wrong team to fight for. You chose the wrong side to fight for when you blindsided me on Sacrifice over one week ago! Keep in mind that the keyword to remember there is “blind.” Ever since that day, we’ve had security ready to jump in at a moment’s notice; even if our eyes so much as crossed each other, security was ready to sprint into action to prevent us from fighting because of what you did…
I see a lot of you in GOD, Kevin. I see that ruthless behavior that he is known for. I even notice your size: while you aren’t as small as Angel, you’re a lot smaller than almost anybody else you step into the ring with—that means that you had to be more than ruthless, you had to be more than fast—which is something that you don’t appear to be—you had to be calculated with every attack that you had.
You have turned a lot of heads in Imperial Wrestling Federation since you made your debut, to the point that every article I read online about your future in IWF is said to be nothing less than a bright one! I can’t help but think that maybe people view your future as being that bright because you remind them of one of the greatest wrestlers to step foot into the ring.
Maybe that’s why people recognize the greatness that you possess.
Maybe that’s why you gravitated toward GOD and desired to help him. And desire to impress him.
The reason that I see this, Kevin; the reason that I know you are trying to impress GOD is because you are a man that is here for himself—nobody else but yourself! That’s why you don’t care about the history that people have had, the legacies that they have left behind… Spike Kane, a hall of famer to the IWF, could look you right in the eye and you would spit on everything that he has done for IWF! Ignore the illustrious career that he has had for over a decade; just what he has done here… you would spit on his legacy.
But there’s something that you should know…
Despite the fact that I was one of the first men to jump aboard the IWF ship, I have done little to nothing. I don’t try to hide this fact; I don’t try to hide the fact that I have been a letdown since I first signed my name on the contract. I went through a de-habilitating injury after doing nothing! Part of me questioned whether I would ever return because my career has been plagued with injury, after injury, after injury.
When I was eliminated from the competition for over a year—almost two years on the shelf, I was nobody. Nobody in IWF would remember my name; they would remember me as the waste of air and space.
It was when GOD—Angel—pissed me off the way that he has that I was able to come back to IWF and make a bigger name for myself! It was upon my return that I have been ascending and have finally gotten GOD to pay attention to what I was saying, and see me as the single biggest threat to his reign of terror.
If you don’t believe that I belong here, Kevin… if you don’t believe that I deserve to be able to march down to that ring along with someone like you, or anybody else that’s signed their name to a contract then I ask you to do something about it! When we step into that ring at October Revolution: stop my momentum! Stop me from getting through you and getting GOD in the ring! That’s all I want you to try to do, Evel…
STOP ME.
I have no clouded mind. My mind is just focused; I am determined… I know the obstacles that are directly ahead of me. I knew who was standing in front of me on week one, week two, etcetera: just as I know that it is you that I am standing against this week. It is you that will be stuck to me, unable to escape; unable to run… the only thing that you’re going to be able to do is pray to GOD that I will be merciful! But you do you want to know the truth of how GOD will answer you?
He will tell you that you failed.
He will tell you that you don’t deserve mercy.
He will finish the job that I start because you decided to put your path in my way…
Do you want to know where I differ from GOD? Because when GOD tells you all that, and decides to condemn you for your failure; I’m going to be there—standing between you and GOD. Taking the fight that I’m going to earn this Sunday straight to him!
You may be a “necessary evil,” Kevin Evel—but you’re not the prime evil. That’s why I can defeat you, Kevin; that is why I know that I can pass you! Because I am preparing for the final fight against Diablo... while you are merely Duriel. It's the simple way of the game: Diablo was the prime evil, Duriel was the lesser; nobody played the game to fight Duriel... Duriel was never anything more than collateral. Just like what you are to me, Evel.
Collateral.
Well howdy there pardner.