The video feed cuts with a picture of a rotting and broken down jail cell. The bars are covered with rust and some have been broken away at sharp points. The soft sound of chain links clinking together are suddenly heard as the door to the cell slowly opens. The camera moves in as ghastly cries of terror shriek out and shatter the ominous environment. The sound of chain links clashing against each other grow louder, the jail cell suddenly seems to grow in length, a never ending hall as the camera continues moving forward. A bright flame comes forth from a corner of the cell, illuminating the chamber, revealing the WZCW World Heavyweight Champion sitting in a corner, cuffs of metal adorning his wrists and legs. Thick heavy chains attach themselves to the cuffs. Ty, in almost a trance, pulls on the chains in a rhythmic motion before his head rises up, his eyes glowing red and an angered look upon his face.
Ty: Ever since I became World Heavyweight Champion, all I have heard is others using my name to make them seem important. I see them claim they are worthy of my title, that my devices and my methods are foolish and nothing but illusions. I watch as the likes of Barbosa run up and down proclaiming that I have never defeated him. I watch in the shadows as Showtime talks himself up as a slayer of monsters, Kravinoff joining in Barbosa's charade, Constantine constantly saying I am avoiding him, simply put I have grown tired of these idiots using my name to further themselves when none of them have ever gained even a slight foothold against the sheer power I possess. They believe themselves capable of putting me down, yet one by one they have walked up, and they have lost.
Ty slowly extends his hands and places it against the moist stone floor and slowly pushes himself up to a sitting position. He rests his arm across his knee as his head lowers once more. A sadistic laugh emits from, soft in tone at first then growing to a hysterical tone and heightened pitch. He moves his other arm forward and his hand into a beckoning motion.
All of them. Every single opponent claims they have me figured out. I have spoken the same words since claiming the ultimate prize, that I am the greatest warrior in WZCW, and my opponents soft. I deliver upon them all the future the Ouija only my eyes may look upon, and as it is they continue to scoff at my soothsaying, believing that they may alter the future. The very future that has become a mere plaything to me. A puppeteer that controls every action, the very situation I create with merely my words. And yet these fools! They mock me, merely angering the very beast that looks to claim their head. They speak my name, believing that I will appear and lay down for them as if I am one to be summoned. Truth be told, I have grown sick of this.
Ty stands suddenly and thrusts his arm forward violently, breaking the bonded steel from the wall, chain links flying forward into the flame in front of him. His body begins breathing heavily as somehow a wind picks up inside the cell and blows Ty's hair backwards. He grits his teeth as his voice deepens for the first time in quite awhile.
You wish to speak of me when you are a safe range away, believing that I would not be listening. I am omnipresent do you not understand? For every pathetic insult flung in my direction, the very shadows record your ramblings, and fuel my inner rage. Barbosa, you lost at Lethal Lottery. You have no claim to my World Title. If you want this, you will have to earn it. Same goes for you Kravinoff, you have earned nothing! Only three men have earned an opportunity, Showtime for the pity Chuck Myles took upon him for his mental state, and Austin Reynolds for being able to at least compete with me. This of course leads me to the false king Big Dave, but that is a matter for after Redemption. You see, I watch these bumbling idiots believe they are the most strategic minds in WZCW, yet you cannot see that I merely wait for you to gain the fortitude to confront me face to face. I warn you both now, if you so much as utter my name again, I will break you both. I will deliver unto you both the fiery assault the realm of darkness has planned for you both. Your mental states will be fractured more than they are now, and no psychologist will be able to put together the pieces once more, just like they failed at doing to me, and how these foolish doctors treat Showtime with kids gloves. I will deal with you two at the appropriate time, you are nothing more than maggots circling one another with my boot hovering over you, as I relish in you believing yourselves superior to me.
The flame grows in intensity as it begins spreading inside the cell. Ty pulls the remaining chain tight as he leans closer to the camera. He raises his head once more as he continues speaking.
It is interesting to think that only two men have ever listened. They have heeded my call and have succeeded due to my wisdom. And that is your opponent at Redemption Baez. My "apprentice" if you will Gordito has more than enough tools at his disposal to discard you into the trash you belong with Baez, and it is the one match aside from my victory over Showtime and Reynolds that I look forward to. I watched quietly as you grew desperate, realizing that Gordito surpassed you as the better warrior. He earned his World Title shot while you were stuck pissing around with the lepers and despondent at the bottom of the ladder. You watched as a man who had looked up you, surpassed you far faster than you could have imagined. The shame grew inside of you, growing until petty jealousy overcame the pride and joy you had for your friend. It is that emotional weakness that makes you nothing more than a leech that the hardened warrior will walk across and smear across the ground.
Ty begins laughing once more as he throws his head back, the flame slowly reaching out towards him. The chain remains pulled forward as he lifts his arm up high.
You were the proclaimed greatest Mayhem Champion, yet I see no worthy material in you. I see a man who hides behind a mask, hoping that no one will see the fear and cowardice that truly washes across your face. A cheap chair shot here, a sneak attack there, to make the people and your opponents believe you are conniving, when it is clear you do so only because you don't know how to stand in front of a man face to face and defeat him. I have stood toe to toe with the greatest this company has to offer. I have defeated the upstarts, the deranged, the violent, the egomaniacs, and the truly lethal. I have delivered not one, but two iconic moments in Kingdom Come history, throwing Vengeance or Lars Reidar, whatever he may have been at the time, off a chamber and showing such a man is not invincible in a match you failed to even register in at the very show I continued my dominance over Showtime and the rest of WZCW.
Ty lowers his hand down in front of his face and he stares at the lines of his palm as his hair flies back and forth while the flame continues making it's slow move to incinerate the room.
You must wonder why the World Title is not with me. You do not deserve to even glance at my championship Baez. I watched as you brought pride and respect to the Mayhem Championship, but now I see it as nothing more than fraudulent tidings. For that, I will show you the Chaos bred inside the King of Darkness. However Baez, normally I would proclaim how devastated you will be after our match, I have decided to merely defeat you and move on. Do not become relieved, I will make you suffer, however I know how much Gordito wants to end you himself. I will show him just what needs to be done as I send you spiraling out of control and crashing to the ground, your mask nothing more than a thin veil that you hope to hide you from the destiny that has been laid out in front of you. Gordito will decimate you, and I will be the catalyst to that destruction.
Ty laughs once more as the fire consumes everything around Ty. His laugh grows to a low chuckle before his mouth closes. He stares forward as his eyes stop glowing red for a moment.
They all surround me, mere dogs that have been broken, believing they one day may take on their master and end him. Puppets, who curse the name of the manipulator that controls their strings and forces them to dance for the delight of the audience, they believe they may climb up their cursed strings and cut off the hand that creates the shame they feel. They have done all they can, aspiring to reach my level as they hide in the shadows of the path I walk past. Even the few brave who stand in front of me believe me trapped with no where to go but surrender, they will understand one day they are nothing more than steps as I continue along my path, to greatness. Nothing may ensnare me as I sit upon my throne...
The fire suddenly turns in and overcomes Ty just after the chain snaps off. The fire rages for a few moments before it spirals away, a dark wooden chair suddenly amidst the fire and Ty sitting atop it, his appearance impeccable and the WZCW World Heavyweight Title draped across his shoulder.
As the King of Darkness.
Thus it is written.
The video fades to black slowly before coming back up to Austin Reynolds training in a gym late at night. A cloaked lithe figure walks into the building but Reynolds doesn't notice the hooded person walking directly towards him. He sets his weights down and suddenly turns as the figure places a hand upon his shoulder.
Serafina: A message for you Mr. Reynolds.
Serafina hands Austin a piece of paper and steps back as Reynolds watches warily. He opens the folded paper and begins reading.
Austin: Ty has invited me to watch his match ringside?
It is the least he could do for your help last week. The Ouija spoke of your assistance, thus why my master did nothing as Showtime stood behind him.
So he did know ahead of time....
He knows all Mr. Reynolds, and it is with that type of knowledge you must be able to overcome at Redemption if you wish to claim my master's prize. He shall see you at Meltdown Austin, please prepare for your meeting with the World Heavyweight Champion.
The lights flash momentarily and Serafina disappears from view. Reynolds looks down at the piece of paper, contemplating as the video goes black.
The people's hero, the anti hero, and the once hero. These three will clash in a match to prove what hero is worthy of the people's adulation. Will the fallen hero claim the title with his villainy? Will the people's hero take that final step towards the glory the people have wished upon him? Or will the anti hero, who wishes for no praise from the people, continue his work at bringing pride to the title he holds? Redemption, who shall claim that very essence? Only the Ouija knows, and it has written it.
So it shall come to pass.
The feed cuts out.
