The chaos backstage following Ascension was only amplified by the three men whose presence parts the sea of humanity. Derek Jacobs looks extremely wobbly as he wears the after effects of a brutal chair shot. Mason Westhoff is helping his brother along and The Grand Mystique walks slightly ahead, Jacobs has his right hand on the right shoulder of his leader.
Brother Jacobs, your sacrifice has made The New Church that much stronger. You must use this to fuel your beliefs and your ambitions.
Indeed, this will drive us through our semi-final match next week.
I dont feel so good.
Suddenly Johnny Klamor appears and blocks their path. His obstruction brings a harsh glare from Grand Mystique which unsettles the normally unflappable Klamor.
Err, excellent work out there fellas. I cant stand that bunch of idiots.
Grand Mystique tips his head as if to bring some sarcasm raining down on Klamor but instead Mason Westhoff responds angrily.
Get out of our path you ignorant peon! Does it look like we needed your praise?
The trio move forward past Klamor who is taken aback by the dismissal. As they approach their dressing room, we see Becky Serra follow them away and she uses the calm to approach them.
Gentlemen! Id like to speak with you about your actions.
Her intentions go unanswered so she moves in front of them to obstruct them like Klamor did.
You brawled with Saxton and Saboteur all over the arena and Mikey Stormrage has destroyed one of your brethren with a steel chair. The three of them have promised vengeance against The New Church.
Those reprobates are right about one thing; this war has only just begun. Derek growls with a fierce resolve but in his eyes, its clear that he is queasy. He struggles by himself into the darkness of their locker room. Mason heads in after him until Becky asks another question.
Dont you feel anything for what you have done for the superstars you have injured?
The superstars we have laid down have been the sacrifices to get us to this point. We are destined to be in the match for the Tag Team Championships and we will win.
Mason heads inside. Beckys eyes track him into the darkness. GM goes to follow him until Becky moves into his path.
What is the quest for vengeance really about? Why have you made victims out of Strikeforce?
You think this is a personal mission? Oh Becky, you are as stupid as the muscleheads who you desperately try to stay composed around. This isnt personal, war isnt personal. Strikeforce are weak and by any logic they were the first target. Strikeforce are not longer a factor and they will not stand in the way of the destiny of The New Church anymore. Mikey Stormrage can cry vengeance all he likes but he and his friend are victims of our destiny, casualties of war.
But I dont expect anyone but my brothers to understand.
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The mark has been made. The fire has been started and soon WZCW will be branded with the image of The New Church.
A giant shadow steps through a smouldering scene of rubble and dust. Glowing embers fume with smoke casting a dark smoggy haze. The shadow can barely be made out in the gloom. His tone is spookily calm.
My brothers faced up to their enemies and together, we broke through them. Come All or Nothing, The New Church will fight for the Tag Team Championships because as I expected, Saboteur and Saxton have arrogantly underestimated my brothers. But beyond that, we have confirmed that Strikeforce are broken in half. The heart of Mikey Stormrage has been crushed and what remains is the hollow soul of an abandoned champion.
The looming figure kneels down and grabs a piece of the scorched wreckage which crumbles in his giant hand. The debris crumbles to a dust that falls through his fingers.
Mikey can bemoan the loss of his partner but what James Howard has left behind is a shell of a man. He is trying to be a hero but the only act of courage we will see from him is when he is left barely breathing to see what is left of Strikeforce is going to be slowly and painfully crushed by my fist.
All heroes are guilty of masking their flaws; its a defect in their nature. Some use comedy, some behind a fickle badge of honour. The thing about most heroes is that they are all frauds. In a company full of wannabe idols and would-be champions, Titus is master and chief.
The dark colossus treads through the smog. We see The Grand Mystique is some detail for the first time. The whites of his eye are highlighted by the darkness of his mask; the mask itself reveals clean white teeth behind an evil smile. His size is marked out against the background.
Its all too easy to say that Titus should be put out to pasture and wheeled out on ceremony. His appeal increases with every passing day as those around him evolve. Titus has forgotten what it is like to be a hero. He needs re-educating what true heroism means. There is no valour to bumming around a backwater city with a mask on. Titus unmasked Red Mask so that he could be applauded for his own self-gratification. This self-serving behaviour is already a great sin for which he has never been punished. That is he is still able to seek reward for such false philanthropy is laudable testament to how easy it is to fleece the sheep that are his followers.
The Grand Mystique continues to use the same calm tone. His evil words and cruel belie the manner with which he speaks. He approaches two large structures which are charred black and have not yet fallen apart. He pulls them up and we see what looks like the coffins that were burnt by The New Church in the Bridge to Salvation Church in Texarkana. He picks these charred remnants up and throws them to the side where they smash under the weight of their impact.
The unwashed masses believe Titus is a legend whose achievements place him in that bracket. But they are blind to his act and gullible for his words. Hes been around so long that he even believes his own spiel. But his greatest sin isnt his pride or arrogance. It is how slothly he prowls around his palace of stature. His reputation has crafted a protective layer and he lounges behind it, picking and choosing his moments to emerge. That those actions only serve to increase his status is baffling to those who see through this mirage.
The Grand Mystique is the evolution, destined to wipe out the indigenous leech of legend. The New Church is the cure, the phoenix that will rise from the ashes after WZCW is burnt to our image. There is no better place to start than with the man who represents the sinners of WZCW more than anyone.
