Chapter 1
A Star Is Born.
It was a Tuesday afternoon in a suburban area of St Louis, Missouri. In a private hospital of St Louis County, my mother was heavily pregnant and her delivery would be rather soon. As she lay in her bed, she prayed to the God above that the delivery would go smoothly. She prayed to her God that her son or daughter would arrive on this planet safely and she would given them everything that she had in her. For so long she had craved some company. Her Husband, the mayor of St Louis County, was very distant at this point. It seemed like forever since she had felt what it truly was like to be held by her husband and the deep-seeded wish that the birth of their child would bring them closer than ever played on her mind as she lay crying in her hospital bed.
Mary Constantine was not a violent woman. She had tried to be in the past. She had thought that if she could dictate her will unto others, like here husband William could, then she would be a powerful woman indeed. She married her high school sweetheart and big things were set to happen for this new power couple. Born into affluent areas of town, they had the best education and privileges that money could buy. Mary had often been told that with her riches came a thirst for power. She would inevitably insist on people doing things for her and she would settle into the rich life one would expect from someone with her monetary power. But, under the façade, Mary was not like that. She had seen what power did to men and vowed to refrain from ordering people around. She would be noble. She would be a visionary. She would crave peace, pledge love and she would be loved in return.
William Constantine, the father of the soon to be born child, was a much more stern man. Not only had arrived in this world with the riches of his family behind him, he took advantage of them all. Power-hungry and ambitious, people always knew that he was going places. His ambition had drove him to office and upon reaching it, William finally felt as though the faith he had shown in the people of the County had been rewarded. He could sway people with his words and his emotions were always bottled up. A reserved man at times but words were never far from his sharp tongue.
Mary had her child at 7:53 AM, in St Louis County Maternity Hospital. William Constantine was not there for the birth and this would become a habit for the Mayor as his only son was growing up. Lying in bed with her new child resting upon her lap, she bestowed him with the name of John Constantine. Promising to give him the best of both upbringings, John would be a powerful man that would pledge love to the world. He would have it all and he would use that power to make the lives of others more tolerable.
Chapter 2
A Meteoric Rise!
There is not one man on the planet who wouldn't have killed another to haver the life of John Constantine. From a very early age, he was reared with the intention of being the most eligible bachelor that life on this planet had ever seen. The pairing of William and Mary Constantine grew strained but they would each impart some wisdom onto their son, in an attempt to create the future for him. Mary would teach John about the wonders of life and how people were the blood that flowed through it. Meeting new people was exhilarating for her and she would rear John to be a man of the people. His studies were hard but rewarding. She taught him so much in those early school years. She taught him how to be kind, to be loving and to have faith.
His father however, was much more strict with his son. You see, his father knew that the world his wife lived in was not the true world of the day. He had been elected to office by the people and working with them every day had taken it's toll on William. It had left him as a jaded, shell of a man. What the people wanted was never crystal clear. From the very moment that William Constantine sat in his mayoral office, he could tell that people's emotion and feelings were fickle and they could turn on you in a moment. William taught John the importance of building walls around your character. It would shield him from the dangers of the outside world and would protect him from the dangerous words of other. This personality trait was something that would shape the future of John and it would seem that the will of his father won the day.
Quite astonishingly, both Mary and William were good parents. If the measure of a parent is taken in how they prepare their child for the outside world, then there was no better teacher than the Constantine family. They had been on the highest of highs and plumbed the depths of depression. With a worldly knowledge of the world behind them, they gave John every opportunity to be successful.... But it would come with a price. John would be distant from others and the pledges that his mother had taken to herself to preach love and integrity would be lost on her son.
Enrolling him in one of the finest academies in the US, John was set for super-stardom. From an early age, John was a bright student. Not only was he studious and dedicated to his grades, he would take great pleasure in competing against the other children. You see, the competition of class had become an enthralling feature of John Constantine's life. He thought of it as being the best and as has his parents had taught him from a very early age, being the best was important. Competition was healthy and proving yourself to be the best was remarkable. Competition meant a lot to John and he realised that only one person may call themselves the best that the school had to offer. Not only this but he realised that the only way of making things happen was to complete the job yourself. His time at Moorecroft Academy shaped John, much like his parents influence already had.
Chapter 3
The Light Emerges.
They say that the night is always darkest before the dawn. On a cold Monday morning, just as the sun was rising to signal a new day, a grim tale found it's way into a room that contained 13 boys. His principal had a take of woe to tell and John Constantine was the intended recipient. Leaning over him, he whispered in order to wake the boy up. Stirring from his sleep, John arose to find that something terrible had happened. His mother had passed away suddenly in the night. It was his father's wish that John be taken from school and brought back to their residence. It was the last time that John Constantine ever studied at Moorecroft Academy and from then on, he would be home-schooled. His father, an ex University Professor would take him under his tutelage. However, as one would expect, this had a damaging effect on his social life. He had not known anything of love and that would not change any time soon.
The values that his mother taught him whilst he was young soon disappeared as his father shaped his future with his lessons and his words. The distance that his father had kept from him mother at some points of their relationship became more and more noticeable in the life of John too. His father would teach him his lessons for the day and would leave him to fend for himself. He had grown into a bitter man that resented his life. His true love was gone and his son was like putty in his hand.
On a rainy day in St Louis, a solitary and lonely John Constantine walked. Alone except for his thoughts, John walked towards the old bridge where his mother had died. Her car had veered off of the road and had struck a tree. Constantine had come here often and the emotion of the venue seemed to give him strength on every occasion. He would place on hand on the tree that had taken the life of his mother and hope that a brighter day would emerge. His father was cold and the hired help of the house knew better than to get involved. As he stroked the tall oak tree that still bore the markings of the accident, John had an epiphany. The lessons of his mother needn't be forgotten. He would use them to his advantage. The teachings of his mother had all but disappeared now but the weakness of her feelings were a key to unravelling the human mind. Taking a quiet note of this, Constantine realised how simple it might be to bend the thoughts of anyone whom he might need to.
His studies continued and after obtaining a scholarship to Yale, Constantine knew that his future was bright. It was there that Constantine studied Politics and Sociology. It could be that this choice was intended to impress his father, who had become less than a father-figure to him in the years from his Mother's death. Constantine was as good as alone but he would never stop searching for the adulation of his father. It was a deep-seeded thought that resided in his personality. Constantine wanted to emulate his father. Perhaps it was that he was trying to right the wrongs of his father's political career. The death of Mary Constantine had taken it's toll on everyone and none more so than William Constantine. He had given up everything including his career for John and a bitter resentment seemed to have taken hold of him. Perhaps John was trying to live the life of his father without the failing of family.
It was at Yale, in his final year, that he met a woman by the name of Mia. As he travelled from a coffee shop that he would write in, Mia appeared to him as if it were a dream. He longed for company but knew that any attempts at securing it would take away his concentration for his studies and he needed to be successful more than anything. As he walked along the dark street, high building flanked him. Perhaps it was the longing for some company that stopped John from completing his journey home that night, or perhaps it was something much more mystic. As he walked home alone, his route was seemingly diverted. Instead of continuing along the road that he normally tread, John decided to take a detour. As he passed by the buildings that looked so different in the harsh light of day, a cloaked figure huddled herself against a wall. Stopping only for a moment, Constantine turned up his nose and continued on. The smell of poverty made him wretch and it was all over her. There was something more to this tale however. Felling compelled to stop, Constantine felt a dash of humanity embrace his cold personality. He helped her to her feet and stared into her eyes. A verbal assault may have been on the cards but no one, including John, will ever know why he took her in.
Perhaps it was the influence of Mary Constantine had meant that John seen something in Mia's eyes. He helped her to his apartment and together, they went through what had happened. Her tale was one of woe. Whilst John had all of the privileges that one might expect for someone of his wealth, Mia had nothing. She explained that she was on the brink of death on a daily basis. She had no money and no comfort. She had thought of ending it all as she struggled to make ends meet.
Politics called out to John. Not only had he studied it for 5 years at Yale but his father had left the memory of politics in every single on of his teachings. He had groomed John for success since a very young age and it was no time to make that possibility come to fruition. However, there was one thing that his father, William, did not expect and that was he relationships that he had forged with others. At Yale, John was not the most popular of people. Not only had he been distant from everyone that had ever attempted to reach out to them, he found himself to be above it all. The weakness and sordid acts that would be boasted about every weekend made John sick. This weakness was to be studied though. Although John would never consider himself to be one to indulge in the frivolities of the student life, he knew that by understanding the minds of the weak-willed, he could control and manipulate them.
Chapter 4
A Brave New World
Politics beckoned for the young mind of John Constantine. Not only because he had studied it but because he knew he could influence the masses. In his stately home, John and Mia devised a plan of attack for the upcoming Senate battle. They noticed the weak minded slobs of the state could look to him as a beacon of hope. The plans, named A Brave New World, would be the building blocks of the John's run at the Senate office. They outlined ways in which they could improve healthcare, wealth inequalities and created new social programs that could tackle some of the deficits in society.
However, he was not a liked man. The memory that William Constantine had left on the state in his older years would not long be forgotten. The mistakes that William had made were compounded by the mentality of John. Realising that to be successful, you had to maintain a public persona, John attempted to fit in with the crowd. However, he had never been and never would be a normal person. He spoke the truth that many Americans did not want to hear. Perhaps if he had been more open to the public, he would have been more socially accepted,. Alas, he kept himself to himself. His public appearances were short and to the point. His ruthless words may have found some supporters but the people of his home state were nor warming to his ideas.
From all directions, John found himself under increasing scrutiny. The pressure that politics had on him made him angry. His anger was magnified by the ignorance of the people he was trying to help. They would spit on him at personal appearances but John knew where the country was headed. Later on, he would put his failings in politics down to the fact that the people were not ready for a visionary such as himself to lead the nation but it was their loss. He would curse them continuously and look down upon them for being so blind as to not elect him to office.
Politics was not a game of truth! John Constantine had learned that lesson the hard way and the people were so resistant to it that he had no choice but to bow out. He had no real connection with his audience and no one missed him when he was gone. The work that he and Mia had put into delivering the stone cold truth that America needed to hear fell on deaf ears and made this made John Constantine a bitter and ruthless man. No longer would he allow the lessons that he would preach to be tossed away like a piece of garbage. No! In his next venture, people would listen to him! They had to! Constantine didn't need sympathy from the voters... He didn't need anything from them! He had seen the face of the public and remarked on how unappealing it was.
Chapter 5
A New Start
WZCW! WrestleZone Championship Wrestling... There was only one route for John Constantine after the world that he had built for himself came crumbling down. As he sat alone in his study, a wonderful opening caught his eye. He would be lying if he said he was looking for a new investment for his time this soon after the demolition in the polls.
As the melodic tones of Sebastian Copeland welcomed the audience to the Lethal Lottery of 2009, Constantine put down his glass and set everything else aside for a few hours. He had worked hard over the last few months, perhaps needlessly and he was going to afford himself this luxury. As he watched the event, he saw the greatest assets that this company had to offer before his eyes. From Karnage to Blade. From Everest to Lars Reidar... From William Teach to Titus, these men poured everything they had into one event and it was glorious.
As Lethal Lottery 2 roared to a wonderful conclusion, Titus stood high on the ropes. He had given it everything and this hero was going to enjoy this moment. It had been a long time in the making and he was now heading to Kingdom Come. The hero of the people was heading to the biggest stage in professional wrestling and the excitement on his face was overwhelming. Constantine imagined that, at that point, many people would turn off their sets, content in the knowledge that their favourite superstar was going to Kingdom Come. However, he did not turn off the TV. In fact, as the show came to a close, Constantine stared blankly at the TV. For hours, he sat there and pondered a question. Could he make in it in the professional wrestling industry? Sure, he and his schoolmates had witnessed a few shows back in the day but could he realistically pull it off?
After that moment of seeing Titus hold his hands high into the air at the 2009 Lethal Lottery, Constantine knew what he had to do. The press hounded him for his affairs during the Senate run but Constantine didn't care. He had a new focus and he would see it through to the end. With the support of his most trusted companion, he set about crafting a physique that would command the respect of the people who lined the halls of WZCW. It was a hard road but as Titus captured the WZCW Heavyweight Championship at Kingdom Come, Constantine plotted his entry. After a few meetings with Vance Bateman and Chuck Myles, the building blocks were in place. All he needed was a time and place to make his début and the greatest story in the history of WZCW would begin to take shape.
Chapter 6
Curtain Up!
Apocalypse 2010 was when it all began. Constantine had received a call from the management of WZCW that he was invited to the event a couple of days previous to the PPV actually occurring. As they ended the call, Management urged him to make an impact on the company, perhaps they didn't realise how much of an impact that Constantine would have.
A man by the name of Doug Crashin stood in the ring as he preached about how he would be the man to lead WZCW into the new age. Constantine watched form the back as Doug Crashin flew through rant after rant aimed at the WZCW Universe but it was ranting for the sake of ranting. Constantine remarked to someone who was walking by that it was like a pet that would defecate inside of the house, just to get some attention from the owners. Perhaps Constantine was correct in that assumption but he had heard enough. These people didn't need someone talking at them... They needed someone who would talk to them.
As he headed through the black curtain to meet the WZCW audience for the first time, Constantine recalled the feeling he had when he had heard that his mother had passed away. He knew that he needed to make an impact on the fans and he realised that they needed a hero. With all of the departures in WZCW, the fans were looking for a new hero. They needed and craved someone who would lead them into battle. Who better for that task than a man who has been facing an uphill battle against his own psyche for years? As he lay into Doug Crashin, the fans begun to boo. Constantine then recalled the feeling he had when the voters had so dismally turned on him. The feeling that had crippled him before was now so prevalent in his gut. The people had once again rejected him and they would pay for it.
Perhaps it was the wrong time to go after the weak-minded people of the audience but they had to learn that Constantine meant business. His first match was against the Elite X Champion Austin Reynolds. To be rewarded with such a match after just couple of moments in the WZCW spotlight told Constantine that he had accomplished the goal of making an impact on his first appearance. Perhaps Reynolds was not ready for the impending doom that awaited him but Constantine was like a caged animal. When he was released into the ring, he set out with another mission to accomplish. He would take out Austin Reynolds and become the face of the company that he had grown to love. His profound love for Titus and his journey drove him to his goals over and over again. Nothing would stand in his way... Or so he thought.
Chapter 7
Trouble In Paradise
Nothing, as they say, ever goes the way it is planned. The same is true of the plans of John Constantine. He had made a whirlwind entrance into WZCW, this much was assured. However, as All Or Nothing approached. Constantine felt that some plot was moving against him. His sources within the company had assured him that he would be competing in the EurAsian Championship match and that he would be the man with the most momentum entering the match. Constantine knew that the match would take its toll on him and all of the competitors but he was confident that he could and would be the man who would be leaving All Or Nothing with the WZCW EurAsian Champion.
His career in WZCW had been successful thus far but he had yet to obtain any sort of gold. He had beaten Doug Crashin and Everest at Unscripted but people were not sure if he what it takes to go to the next level. It was all down to All Or Nothing to prove that Constantine belonged in this business.
The night before though, a chance meeting would prove to the biggest milestones of John Constantine's WZCW career. At a fund-raiser for soldiers that were serving oversees, the stars that shone brightly in WZCW, both past and present, walked the red carpet. Constantine made his way into the venue and scanned the large hall. There, standing before him was Titus. The man whom he had entered the company to emulate was standing mere feet away. If Constantine had ever found himself lost for words, it was now. He stood with one of his hands on his glass of champagne and the other in his pocket. He was unsure if his mouth was open ins hock or not but he didn't care. One would assume that this was as close to a hero as Constantine was ever likely to get and there he was. So unassuming but so full of presence, he was unflappable. With every fibre of his being, Constantine wanted to approach him but he couldn't move. The anticipation and shock of the encounter had left him shell-shocked.
Summoning enough courage to begin walking towards the man who had basically pushed him into the company, Constantine felt the very unnatural feeling of dread as the moisture in his mouth began to disappear. As he reached the man who had shaped his career, Titus turned to him. The Lethal Lottery winner of 2009 was now in his face. He was sharing the same environment with someone who he wanted to be like. He wanted to be an icon for the people but in a very different way. Titus looked him in the eye for a moment and then threw his glass of champagne in his face. Constantine's actions had finally caught up with him. The man who had been such a big aspect of Constantine's rise to glory was disappointed in him.
The following night, a shock in professional wrestling would befall Constantine. The 5 men who had taken the brunt of his attacks over his tenure would hatch a plan. They would eliminate him from the match that would have signalled his rise to the very top of the company... If he had won it. Eliminated first and a failure in the eyes of his hero, Constantine slipped into a deep depression that would take it's toll on his competition. He lacked the lustre and fight within himself to make any match competitive. He was a broken man. Not even his union with Showtime David Cougar could rescue him from this slump in form. The thought of that night with Titus still haunted him heading into the Lethal Lottery and there was nothing he could do about it.
Chapter 8
Winning the Lethal Lottery and headlining Kingdom Come
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