North American Champion Abducted?

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Friday

Post-Mayhem

The warm air that would embrace the texture of my skin, as I stepped through the parking lot doors of the arena. The silent parking lot remained empty and relatively silent, except for the sound of my foot steps that were echoing off the top of the concrete below my feet. In the distance I could see my car, it remained slightly hidden between two vehicles. Suddenly, I could feel a cold chill pour throughout my skin as the feeling of goose bumps began to settle in. I knew that I was now not alone, as I could see two shadowy figures stepping out from behind one of the brick pillars that separated the roof from the ground. I winced, as their identity still remained unknown.

Bill Ryder

'Listen.. I am not in the mood for childish games, if you want an autograph, well, you're out of luck'

He continued to walk, ignoring the presence of the two unknown shadows that remained lurking in the dark.

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Two shadows; like something from a nightmare. Representing two halves of a whole, they become one as a figure exits the shadows, revealing it to be James Champ. He walks towards Bill, responding to his attempt at a joke.

"Don't worry", James said, "I know how to spell your name...F...A...I...L...U..."

A hand reached up from behind Bill and slid a needle into his neck. The North American Champion's eyes closed and he began to collapse but James caught him underneath his arms. The camera pans away, revealing the person behind Bill Ryder to be Roman Quartz. 

"I'm going to teach you something tonight, Bill", Roman announced, "Even if...it...kills you."

The scene fades away.

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For the first time in god knows how long I was able to peel my eye lids away from my pupils. There was a small glimmer of light that hung above my body, but it proved to be more of a annoyance than a guide of vision. I tried to move but couldn't. I slowly tilted my head towards the right where I noticed my right wrist had been tied to a wooden table.

'Is this some kind of sick joke?'

How long was I here? Who would do something like this? these would all be questions I would be forced to ask myself as I laid sprawled across the wooden table, tied up and unable to move. The room I was in was dark, quiet, too quiet.

The sound of foot steps began to inch closer towards the table. I knew deep down that this could very well be the last time I ever take a breath as a living human being.

[Deleted]

Roman stood a good distance from the table where Bill Ryder lay unconscious. He held his son's North American Championship in his hands, studying it with a twinkle in his eye. He heard a commotion and Bill began to grumble and move around on the table. Roman moved towards him with fervor, the heel of his dress shoes making a clip-clop sound as he did. A light above him illuminated his outline a small bit and Ryder squinted to catch a glimpse of his captor.

"Bill...my s-s-son", Roman hissed, "You're probably confused...distraught maybe? Wondering why Father Roman brought you here, to this dump, of all places, the such and the like? I brought you here...because you continue to be a perpetual disappointment, my son. You couldn't even beat David Arnold...and you hold on to this...", Roman drops the NA Championship onto a restrained Bill's stomach, "...Like it's some kind of crutch. It's become bigger than you Bill. This championship will consume you...unless...", Roman trails off

"...unless you start shutting everyone out. Cut them off. You know there is a wolf inside of you, waiting for you to unleash it. You're afraid everyone won't like what they see...but I accept you Bill, my loving son, I accept you...for you." Roman places his finger on Bill's forehead, "I see the big bad wolf inside of you and I accept that it's there. Do you think Rose would accept that? Do you think GiGi will accept it? She would just look at you in fear and disgust...and run in the other direction...but of course, I see it. I accept it...and I want to let it out for a big meal, my son."

Roman removed his hand from Bill's forehead and awaited his response.

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As the figure inches closer, it would appear that my perception of balanced vision would seem to begin to fade out again. In the distance I could hear a man speaking just before there was a weighted object dropped on the pit of my stomach. The blurred shadow continued to stand over me while his voice was beginning to fade by the second, But, before it did, before everything would completely become blank, I would see him, it, whatever he was. This wasn't a man standing beside me.. this was the devil himself, Roman Quartz. I looked up at him staring a hole straight through him. 

'You're the Devil that lives within our souls' 

The words barely came out of my mouth, but they felt wonderful as they did.

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Bill’s comment made Roman chuckle; a deep chuckle, like it came from the shadows themselves.

“No…n-n-n-n-n-no, Bill”, Roman tittered, “I’m the devil that walks among you. I’m not afraid to let out what you all try so deeply to keep inside of yourselves. You all keep the monsters suppressed, while I wear mine on my sleeve…”, Roman pulls a knife out from behind his back and sets it to Bill’s throat, “Right now, you’re just a pawn to the North American Championship…but with my help, I can help you take ownership of it. You let it control you. You let it dominate your every move when you should be the one in control. I’ve seen it, the way it consumes you my son. I have a little propos-s-s…”, Roman bent low and hissed into Bill’s ear, “…sition for you. You go into your next match and fight in Father Roman’s honor, and in return, you will have my pride for you. That my dear, sweet boy…is priceless.”

Roman moved the knife, cutting away Ryder’s restraints and setting him free. Roman backed away from the table. He dropped the knife to the floor and it landed with a clatter.