This world is scattered with broken halos. There are no more angels, just the remnants of their supposed holiness. We have torn their wings away and stripped them of their dignity. What remains is the scars burned forever into this earth. Distant and forgotten, the heavens themselves shun the light itself. Some believe themselves to be the righteous ones, and yet they hide the twisted hearts of demons, praying that they will never be exposed. Light and Darkness. Good and Evil. The balance has never been the goal, it has been the destruction of it. Good becomes evil, the dark becomes the light. This world has become stricken with disease. Greed overruns the virtuous. Those that believe themselves as saviors, are truly the ones leading the mindless to their individual destruction. Your hero stands against the beckoning of Chaos, yet how soon will his true colors show? Do you accept the inevitable fate of despondency, either through the well known bringer of ruination, or do you hold onto the last vestige of hope that your hero has thrown away the evils inside himself, believing he has been purified by the hearts of the people?
Two armies arrive to the battlefield. The final battle in this war has come. Who shall die, and who shall rise to the terrible fate of power?
The scene opens to the inside of a smaller bar, a site familiar for some, unknown to many others. The lights are dimmed low, as the moon casts it's shadow through the windows. An old face tends to the bar, quietly wiping the glasses down one at a time. As he stands up and wipes his brow, he tosses the towel over his shoulder as he looks around. Closing time had come once again for him. Busy nights were welcome for his pocket, but quiet nights allowed for quiet reflection, perhaps on his previous adventures, perhaps on a potential future. He walks towards the door, turning the deadbolt lock with a satisfying click. The lights flicker for a brief moment, though he doesn't seem to notice my entrance as I take a seat at the bar. The bartender turns and upon sight of me, he does not startle, in fact he smirks as he walks back around the bar. He reaches down and grabs a glass, filling it with my preferred drink. He slides it across to me, and I take a long drink. The whiskey sets my throat on fire, and I can't help but enjoy the sensation. I look across and nod my head to my old protege and old nemesis, Gordito. They called him The Dirty One, one of the few masters of Mayhem alongside the likes of Alex Bowen, Steamboat Ricky, and myself.
Gordito: Been awhile Ty. How you been?
Ty: It truly has Gordito. I have been well as one can be participating in the madness of WZCW.
Gordito chuckled as he pours my glass full again before returning to his closing duties. I idly take a sip and cross my legs, resting my elbow on the bar as I let the past week cross my mind. Chris KO was defeated, the hatchet buried in the most literal sense possible. The chapter on the Apostles of Chaos has ended, though I cannot help but feel it should have been set alight alongside with me in the first place. Regardless, my focus could now return to the World Heavyweight Championship. I did not appreciate the distraction, but it was a necessary evil. Who knows what Christopher would have done had I left him unchecked. It was necessary to remove him from the picture. Dorian would be sufficient to hold back the Armada, but an unexpected third party may ruin what has come together.
Gordito: So you're still hellbent on causing all sorts of havoc there? I see that you and Tastic got a date together for the title soon. Speaking of which, where the hell did he come from? He was a Mayhem mainstay for so long.
Ty: Indeed we do. I cannot help but respect what he has accomplished. There are very few of us that have held the Mayhem, Eurasian, and World championships. It just so happens I share that distinction with him now. I guess he decided to take his career seriously for a change instead of being a joke.
Gordito: Man you go from saying you respecting someone to calling them a joke. I never did get that about you Ty. You can sing the praises of someone, then break them down until all that is left is their own id.
Ty: Build them up to break them down Gordito. You were the perfect example of that. You walked in inexperienced but ready to give it your all against me. Had I not broken you, you would have never picked up the pieces and molded something even greater. This is different however. Matthew is not a rookie in over his head. He has been in just as many wars as I have, and has walked out victorious before. He knows the game just as well as I do. In fact he called many of my moves before I made them against his friend Michael.
Gordito: To be fair Ty, I think we all saw that coming the moment Mikey eliminated you at the Lottery. I just didn't think you'd align yourself with those scumbags Constantine and Holmes.
Ty: You know very well Gordito I will do what is necessary to get back what is mine. I may not have found their company the most endearing, but they are efficient in their ways. I found a use for that, and I exploited it. Would you not say it has been effective? Showtime is no longer around, Mikey is a shell of his former self, and Tastic has even drifted away from him as well.
Gordito: I can't argue with the results. But just remember, you were at your very best when you didn't play the mind games and focused on fighting all comers. Care to remember Kingdom Come IV with me Ty? Yeah you won control of the company, but your ultimate goal was thwarted and the title never came back around your waist. You play the part of a proud warrior better than the scheming madman.
Perhaps Gordito was right. His perspective had always been a keen one to gain insight on. He had been the only ally I had relied on without ever needing to stab in the back. An honorable man who had gone to war with me many times over, either against me, or alongside me. Regardless....I was in too deep already with The Elite. Now was not the time to withdraw on existing alliances. It would not be wise to swim in shark infested waters alone. As I pondered these thoughts I downed the rest of my whiskey and slid the glass across. Gordito dutifully filled it once more as he filled himself a glass as well now.
Ty: Perhaps you are right, but you must understand my perspective Gordito. The World Title was ripped away from me because of the numbers game. It's clear things have changed since we fought for it. I had no one to watch my back, even after fighting off The Elite, The Pale Riders struck. I fought off a combined seven people, just to try and hold onto my title. There is a limit, even for the Harbinger of Chaos, and I could no longer fend off the savages wanting to shred me to pieces for their own personal glory.
Gordito: If you can't beat them, join them. Isn't that right Ty?
Ty: Perhaps, but we both know what will happen the moment I take the title of Tastic. Constantine will be my opponent. Elite vs. Elite. Who makes the first move? The knives will be out and ready to dig deep into the spine of each man. I grow weary of such games Gordito.
Gordito could only smirk as he stood up straight and downed his drink before setting it back down. He looked up at me, his eyes burning right through me, the unspoken words were very evident, yet I could not help but let my eyes flash red for a moment. Was the true warrior in me even there anymore? Had I relied too much on others? I attempted to find myself once more, yet only to run back to my old tricks the moment I failed just once. I lowered my head for a moment, staring at the ice in my glass. Matthew was forced to create his own army after coming face to face with my own. He would soon learn what happens if your motives twist violently, that army becomes your personal weapon. He claims it was created to fight back against the Elite's numbers. I joined the Elite to protect myself against such problems, and become the predator instead of the prey. The Armada would soon find itself in the same consequences, the villain instead of the hero. It was inevitable for Tastic.
Gordito: I'm not gonna tell you what you need to do Ty. I know what I'd do in your situation, and I know what you've told me in the past. You taught me so much in my own fight with Tastic. Do you recall your words to me that night at Meltdown 52?
I tilted my head slightly, the memories hazy of nearly four years ago.
Gordito: "There is no such thing as a friend in our field of expertise. Baez has simply taken advantage of your good nature, and now he wants your spot Gordito. Do NOT let him take it without putting up a fight. You have deserved and earned every opportunity you have received. Regardless of his reasoning, when you are in there with him, let no emotions control your actions. He is the enemy, and he must be destroyed if you want to progress down your path." Ty, Tastic's gonna be living those same words when he gets in that ring with you. He has all the inspiration in the world to beat you. The World Title, taking down the Elite, and defeating you. You gotta take those words to heart as well, not like you don't already, but just remember your associates will always go through you if it means making their careers to greater heights. Constantine and that new kid you got, they'll do the same thing to you that KO did. They are all your enemies Ty. They stand in the way of your path, destroy them, and becomes that proud warrior I once knew!
I let the words sink in for several moments before downing the rest of my whiskey and standing up. Setting the glass down I look towards Gordito as I shrug my coat on. He was right, but it was not as simple as declaring war on everyone around me. I had to take care of Tastic first, and then the rest will come. Holding my hand out I nod my head to my old friend. He returns the gesture and a smirk forms on my face.
Ty: You know Gordito, there's always a spot for you back in WZCW.
Gordito: Oh I know, I'm just waiting for when you get too big of a head again so I can come down and deflate your ego.
A chuckle between friends was shared as the lights flickered off for a moment. I disappeared into the moonlit night but I could hear the final words of my compatriot.
Gordito: Good luck man.
Several days past after my visit to the Sludge Pit. Serafina and Dorian had head down to Mexico, I'm assuming to find whatever information they could on El Califa. I had avoided talking to John as well, though the communication between us had been minimal at best since Kingdom Come. We were allies in name only, very little had been done to help each other's favor. I sat in my obsidian throne, battle was drawing near, and the adrenaline began to rush inside me.
Ty: Tastic. It has truly been a great run for you as the World Heavyweight Championship. I have applauded your efforts, first in winning the Lethal Lottery, an extremely difficult feat that I know all too well, and defeating that thief The Beard at Kingdom Come. He was no true champion, his victory over me tainted, and his failure to against you all but proved that he was not worthy of my time. But you Matthew......you have proven yourself to me. Many have spoken of you not deserving your spot, that you are a fluke champion. I disagree with them all Matthew! For once I see a fighting champion, something I have not seen in so long.
I stood up slowly from my throne, slowly walking down the steps as I stared straightforward, the red horizon enshrouding me as black clouds loomed overhead. I felt like myself for once, the lone warrior preparing for a fight. I clasped my hands behind my back as I walked, crossing past the entrance to my temple, the Chaos Symbol hanging prominently behind the altar.
Ty: But you should know by now that even though I see greatness in you, I will be the one to end your reign as champion. You have raised an Armada to fight against me, believing the will of the people to be stronger than my own Chaos. They shall find soon enough that your beliefs are misplaced, and that the King of Darkness shall reclaim his crown once more! It has been a long journey back to this moment for me Matthew, and I will not let you prevent it's return to it's true master. The fate of WZCW rests in my hands, and the Ouija has cast your demise by my hands into the woven fabric of time.
I raised my hand, and the Chaos symbol was set on fire. I watched from the distance, a smirk forming on my face as I reached into my pocket and withdrew a cigarette. With a snap of a finger the ember was lit, and soon the familiar barrier of smoke formed in front of me. I sat down on the crumbling stone steps, the decaying ruins of the Temple had become more and more apparent. But it could not be my own choice to rebuild it, for it is those that flock to the message of Chaos that must bring forth it's former glory. I could only be the messenger that lead them to it.
Ty: The Punishment of Angels, The Destruction of The Demonic. The holy war is the Macrocosm for what is about to come Tastic. The lies of the people, their willingness to fall to chasm of darkness set in front of them. Are you prepared to be the pied piper that leads them to their fate? They fall willingly on the swords, all in your name. It is a heavy burden, and yet it is one you have yet to truly grasp. What if you were to lose to me? Will they follow you so blindly after that? Your Armada shall become destitute and your words nothing but empty promises. They all know what becomes of the words I speak. They become the truth that all other lies break in front of. The cold winds of despair will flow through WZCW, as the plague they hoped would never return shall take control once more.
My voice had deepened. The Harbinger had taken full control once more. I am no longer human. I am but a faint voice in this sea of madness once more. And now the true destructive power of Chaos shall become the reaper of hope, I can no longer hold him back. The tides have changed, and the puppet master now cuts the strings that bind us all. I am not human. I am not human. I have become Chaos Incarnate......forgive me. I am not human.
Ty: The melody of your finality shall forever ring in your ears Tastic, as I break you as I broke your friend. Look at what has become of him! He walks around unsure of what he is anymore. No longer does he have that blind confidence. And my associate Constantine shall hammer in the final nail, and the career of Stormrage shall be no more. How does it feel to stand idly by as your friend falls deeper into the pit I have created for him? Will you save him, knowing I stand behind ready to slide the blade across your throat? Once more after Revolution they shall know that I am the only one worthy of holding the World Heavyweight Championship! And it shall be your failure to stop me that shall forever be remembered. Your broken body covered in your blood shall be the final vestige of your Armada, and your people shall all bow before their new master! Their minds shall become nothing more than an empty vessel for Chaos to control, the will of the people shattered by the sheer power of the Harbinger!
The Harbinger stood, tossing the cigarette aside as his eyes glowed a deep red. A sinister laughter echoed throughout his domain, the stone temple trembling as he throws his head back, the laughter growing deeper with every moment. He turns towards the fiery Chaos symbol, raising his hand slowly as it comes forth from it's resting place. It lands behind him as he falls back into it, his arms spread out across it.
Ty: Fear the Crucifixion by Chaos' hand Tastic. For at Revolution, The King of Darkness shall take his rightful place as the WZCW World Heavyweight Champion! Thus it is written.
The flames suddenly spread out all over the domain, leaving only Ty against the Chaos Symbol as the only image left.
Ty: So it shall come to pass.
The scene suddenly cuts to black. But yet....there is still a voice that can be heard.
Ty: I am not human........I am not human..........Please forgive me.....I cannot stop it.........
Suddenly an image of Ty pops up, his face completely bloody and his hair mangled as his eyes are wide, his voice garbled and almost inhuman.
Ty: HELP...FORGIVE...ME.
The scene cuts to static.
