Post by Ulf Hednir on Jun 21, 2017 20:09:06 GMT
“He should early rise, who another’s property or life desires to have.
Seldom a sluggish wolf gets prey, or a sleeping man victory.”
-The Havamal
My. Goal. Early on in my career, jeg ha allerede set myself for de highest goal that any man in my line of work could possibly ask for: a shot at de Imperial Championship. How vil jeg accomplish such a task? Jeg want to be in Heir to the Throne; jeg want management to see the benefit of putting someone such as myself in this tournament, and villig to fight any opponent they put in front of me.
How-- am jeg going to convince Simon de Montfort og Roberto Verona that jeg am the right person to be entered into this Heir to the Throne tournament? How -- am jeg going to accomplish my goal?
Vel, one thing that jeg have to do is something that jeg learned a long time ago-- something that Dre Cutler chose to counsel me with… despite me not asking for such counsel… but it is one thing that jeg should not be ashamed to be reminded of, as it is something that we all have to constantly be reminded of! Everyone det er chasing a dream-- everyone det has set a goal:
Fokus.
The camera zoomed in on the pale eyes of Ulf Hednir as he opened his eyes; his eyelashes have become frosted at the tips-- his facial texture a bit more pale, the color seemingly drained from him, but there was a certain determination was present just in his eyes-- a certain fire held in his eyes, that allowed the viewers to see that he was planning on going forward with his goal to become the youngest Imperial Champion. The camera zoomed out revealing Ulf to be standing in an empty walk-in freezer, shirtless; he was wearing black and white basketball shorts and sneakers with black socks on reaching just above his ankle. Ulf walked over to one of the walls and pressed his hands against the cold metal; his voice crept through the cold air.
“All of us embark on our own journey-- all of us walk our own path. For some of us, it just takes us longer; while for others… they conquer the highest mountain at a very young age.”
I took my hands from the wall and walked back toward the center of the freezer; my breathing was steady-- slowed as jeg felt the cold air enter my lungs. It was something more familiar to me, especially during the vinter months-- something jeg was unable to capture the same feeling of during the scorching summers.
“Such a young age…”
I chuckled as jeg thought of my own age; twenty-one. The opportunity was there for me to become the youngest champion in IWF history-- jeg drew in a sharp breath, and continued.
“Many people have questioned the younger generations-- jeg ha heard about some of the things that people accuse my generation of doing: being lazy. That… is a trait that jeg am not familiar with because it is not something that jeg ha been raised with! Min far always told me that if there is anything jeg want in life, then jeg had best be ready to bust my ass and prove to everybody that jeg not only deserve it; but jeg also også have earned it.
There will be no doubt in the mind of the IWF that jeg vil ha earned my chance to fight in the Heir to the Throne tournament; there will be no doubt in the mind of anyone in IWF or any of the fans watching from the stands, that jeg vil ha earned the Imperial Championship!
The key to proving these two things when they happen is to… be focused… jeg ha to remain focused on my goal, and jeg ha to remain focused on hvat vil get me there. Jeg ha defeated Mr. Happy in my debut-- det was something that jeg feel was the right step. Jeg defeated The Lost Boys with Dre Cutler as my partner-- det was something that jeg feel was the right step. But now… hvat about the loss that jeg had?”
Jeg hesitated a moment, recalling that night quite well. Jeg remember the war that Dre Cutler and meg selv had gone through just for him to get his arm raised… no matter how determined jeg was, no matter how much jeg tried; he was simply the better man that night.
“Was that a step in the right direction?”
Although jeg struggled to say it at first, it came with ease now.
“Ja. Det was a step in the right direction, because jeg understand-- jeg know-- that jeg am not going to go through the IWF and be undefeated. A fact that is already too late! But was that going to be my only loss? Nei. But the reason that it was still a step in the right direction, a step in the direction of being entered into Heir to the Throne and earning myself a chance to face the Imperial Champion, is because jeg went out to that ring and jeg laid everything jeg had on the line! Jeg put my entire body on the line-- to try and walk out with that victory.
No man can say that jeg did not. No man can say that Dre Cutler beat a rookie-- they can only say that Dre Cutler beat a man! Du ser, jeg am new-- jeg am fresh blood… Jeg am exactly what the IWF is looking for to create the greatest future possible not only for the IWF, but for the industry as a whole! But I am going out there with the people lucky enough to have signed a contract with IWF which already makes them part of the elite few. There is not one man under contract that jeg vil ikke be honored to step into the ring with.”
Although the room was freezing, jeg felt my own body warming up-- as if my own adrenaline were warming me; my own determination, and ambition was warming me. Fokus. Jeg must focus on my next opponent-- the man jeg would be facing at my first pay-per-view event, Bloody Assizes. Jeg stepped closer to the camera.
“Zasshu; jeg er beæret. Jeg… am… honored… to share the ring with you on søndag. Why? Because du ha the courage of Tyr-- du used every strength you had to your advantage against a much larger opponent! You showed no fear in standing toe-to-toe with someone like Kole Kaos, and you fought with all your hjerte (heart) until there was nothing left for you to give-- it is something jeg know you vil bring to the ring with you this Sunday, when it is our turn to compete.
But you must know how important this match is to me-- for jeg am trying to make a name for myself; jeg am trying to let the entire world see hvat jeg am capable of.”
Ulf raised his voice, determination booming through his powerful voice.
“But the world has seen some of hvat jeg am capable of, and some of hvat jeg am willing to do-- one thing that jeg am not willing to do is walk away from this! Når jeg faller; Jeg vil stå opp. When jeg fall-- jeg vil get up. The world has seen it! The world understands it! It is not time for them to see it happen again, it is time for them to see that jeg can be a dominating force in IWF! I can be the future!
While jeg am confident that du er going to bring me one helvete of a fight-- it is a challenge that jeg await, and that jeg will conquer… because jeg must. This is not just a simple match. This is not just Zasshu versus Ulf Hednir; this is the path that people vil see jeg walked when jeg do get announced and entered into the Heir to the Throne. This is not a mere match. This brings me one step closer to my goal… and the way that jeg was taught, the only way to accomplish your goal is to take it one. Step. At. A. Time. This-- this is my next step. Zasshu, du er my next step.
Bring everything you can to our meeting, Zasshu! Because jeg vil bring everything jeg can-- but jeg vil not be defeated this Sunday. And jeg vil be victorious. And the world vil know that jeg did this-- that jeg accomplished this-- on my own.
Skål!”
Ulf steps forward and presses hard on the door until it is forced open-- he slams the door shut behind him, and then with a flicker of the light, it goes out.
Well howdy there pardner.