Nathan's Playground

[Kyle]

People are like stained - glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

"I've been taken along a path to the promised land, only to find it still guarded from me."

The scene opens after those words, and viewers are finally given a glimpse into the interior of the Pantheon. Not the literal Pantheon from Roman times, but the one of Nathan's mind, a figment of the man's imagination. Regardless, his imagination was grand. Columns rose to the ceiling in a golden splendor, and statues over thirty feet tall stand in pairs of two facing each other. And then, at the end of the room, stood a statue of Jonny Fly, taller than all the rest.

"Vlad has shown me the true importance of this match. I wanted to come into this match and break Phantasm over my knee. I was naive to think that was the right result for this night. No, I needed to realize that winning was my goal. Phantasm was mine to break any day of the week; War comes only once a year. My priorities were fixed. And now. . . It is time to claim what is rightfully mine."

Nathan steps forward, and suddenly the statues move. They slide across the floor, lining up, single file. And they all take a distinct shape, instead of the beginning, generic look. The first statue staring Nathan down was Johnny Reb.

"I see. . . No matter how close I am to the light, even when I'm within its inner circle, or square I should say, I face opposition. Pantheon will protect its light because it makes them powerful. In the light of day, they do not need the light to sustain themselves. But when in my realm, the realm of darkness of night, the light allows them to survive.

What are you without Pantheon, Johnny Reb? A typical answer would be a legend in WCF. And you are. Multiple time tag champ, former War Winner. But really, where would you be right now without Pantheon? A singles wrestler, something you're not known for. A man who hasn't held a title for a good while. A man who has fallen to Nathan von Liebert. You are all of those things, and frankly, they don't make you anything special. In fact, if I hadn't addressed you, some people might've thought I was describing Adam Young, the local jobber, not a legend such as Johnny Reb.

Honestly, Pantheon is the reason you're still a legitimate contender in the WCF. Without it, you're just like Gravedigger, a man sticking around long past his prime. The stable has been your crutch to continue wrestling with some fan interest. Without Pantheon, you're just another wrestler. But you have Pantheon, so you're still Johnny Reb.

Prepare to become just another wrestler this week, Reb. This isn't the usual six man match where the odds are even. This is War; it is you against the rest of the competitors. You might think Pantheon will stick together, but in all honestly, Phantasm and Purse wanna win this just like everyone else. And if that means taking you out in the process; they're going to do it. So you're by yourself, and you're going to lose because of it.

This is yet another clash in the Civil War between Pantheon and the Church. You're stuck in the middle of the battlefield, Reb, and here comes my cannon."

Nathan wasn't kidding; his mind was his playground, and his playground just produced a cannon for Nathan to play with. Nathan simply places his red hand on the line, and it catches fire. Moments pass, before the cannonball explodes out the end, catching Reb in the torso. Cracks spread throughout the entire statue, and Reb collapses in a big pile of rubble. Nathan climbs the rubble, bring himself face-to-face with the next statue; Corey Black.

"Where would you be without Pantheon, Black? Wrestling in the IWF and bragging about things that we could care less about, I suppose. But really, without Pantheon, you're still a legend in WCF. Five time World Champion. Shoo in for the Hall of Fame. But I've already said it. Without Pantheon, you wouldn't be here. Why bother? I mean you'd actually have to prove your worth to the fans that you're still the Corey Black from the past. And you're not; Oblivion showed us exactly how you are at GEW. But if you join, Pantheon, you're name is placed beside Jonny Fly and Johnny Reb, not compared to. You get by with name value only.

Name value this week gets you nothing, Black, besides an entry into the match. You have to come out here, and pin people until there is no one left. And you can't do it. You've got a one track mind, remember, and all you can think about is fucking Oblivion. You can't do that and win War, so why bother? Stay in your little castle, go wrestle at the next IWF show, and forget about this match."

This time, Nathan's playground puts a giant bow in the hands of Nathan, with a single arrow. Notching the arrow, Nathan pulls back and releases his volley into the stone knee of the Corey Black statue.

"Corey Black was once a contender who could've won War XI, but then he took an arrow to the knee."

The Corey Black statue crumbles after that, and Nathan continues his slow trek forwards, this time halted by his best friend, Jeff Purse.

"Where would you be without Pantheon, Purse? Surely not a legend like your teammates, but a man who has made a big splash in your short time in the company. You've held both the television and United States championship, and you've also held tag gold. In our careers, you've held more belts than I have; I'm sure you've noticed that already, since we're in some competition who is better than the other. Such nonsense, really, since you need Pantheon to make your accomplishments look better.

I mean, take a look at my accomplishments. Was I a church member when I won the One Invitational? How about when I won the Television championship? I don't need some stable to make me look better; my name has become household due to my individual actions, not that of a group. And you know what I didn't need to make my career a success. You.

I saw your little blog post, Purse, and honestly I didn't feel the same about you. Yeah, you've beaten me a few times, but I've beaten you too. I've beaten quite a few people in my career, but that doesn't mean Yukon Jack or Gina Caldwell inspired my career. Jeff, you're merely someone who I've beaten multiple times in multiple companies. And you're someone who I will continue to beat.

But do you honestly think that the War match will protect you, Purse? You're no target of mine because you're not important, but if you get in my way, we'll relive all of those matches of ours when I dropped you on your head. Then, and only then will we relive the past. You won't pin me. You've beaten me twice in our careers and I've beaten you three times. Don't act stupid and increase me to a four.

But, as I draw to a close, do you honestly think Oblivion is more evil than me? I mean that hurts me like you don't understand, Purse, but it also shows the fans just how stupid you are. I mean come on Jeff, I know you better than anyone else in this company. I know how you think, how you act, how you are. When I was beating you, I wasn't oblivious to your strengths and weaknesses. And in a match like this, for a man like yourself, you're at a huge disadvantage.

War is total Chaos, Purse. No place for OCD. Get in my way, and I'll exploit it for all its worth. Kari ain't in trouble this time, so you can't do anything. But I can."

What weapon did the playground provide for Nathan this time? A simple painting on the wall to the right of the Purse statue. What is on the picture is irrelevant; all that is needed to know is the picture is lopsided. And Purse, being Purse, tries to straighten the picture. His statue leans over, before finally falling, and shattering on the ground.

"Now go suck a dirty, Russian, penis, Purse. Or at least Eric's. He'll be the one kissing Kari from now on, so put your mouth to better use."

Nathan steps over the rubble, coming face to the last man standing between him and Jonny Fly; Polar Phantasm.

"Where would you be without Pantheon, Phantasm? Trick question. You're exactly where you would be. You punting Rocky all those months ago would've still happened. I would've still kidnapped Nightmare. Purse would've still fought the battle for you to get her back. And I would still return to kick your ass. Pantheon has changed nothing in your career other than it made you bigger.

All you are, Phantasm, is Fly's shadow. You may have been the longest reigning People's Champ, but that doesn't compare to Fly's three reigns as World Champion. You, no matter what you think, will ever compare to Fly. As long as you are Pantheon, you'll never reach your full potential. Changing your name didn't make you more mature. You're still the same person, and you're still going to lose.

You can come out and say whatever you want, but everyone knows the truth; your mind is not on War. I've gotten in your head, forced my plague into your body. You're wife bears my disease, and she'll never be rid of it. How can you possibly focus on beating thirty one other people when I'm the only person on your mind. You've made the same mistake I was going to make; you put one person over everyone else. If you want me, you can have me, but you are merely another opponent this week. And while you're checking out early, I'm riding this train to the very end."

No weapons, no props. This time, Nathan's opposition crumbles by words alone. And not just crumbles; Phantasm turns to dust. Stepping forward, Nathan stares up at the Jonny Fly statue.

"Sometimes I feel this size when I see you, Fly, and that's saying something. Losing, in the beginning, was hard for me. It was something I hadn't done very often. I mean, I only lost twice in my entire ACW career. And then when I came to WCF, no one could knock me down. Until you faced me in that Pick your Poison. You had been my choice for Black's opponent, but he had beaten me to the punch. And for the first time in this company, I lost. I've had two other chances at beating you, and I failed those times also. But they were as big because you didn't pin me those times. But a loss is a loss, I guess.

You don't understand my struggles, Fly, because you have been blessed in your wrestling career. Take a look at your recent struggles. You have some mental disabilities, so you get two weeks off from wrestling. You know what I got when people learned I was mentally insane? I got locked up in a white room, my arms harnessed to my chest. I was only six years old, Fly. Six fucking years old. You shot a man, I killed a man. You get medical relieve, I get imprisonment for over a decade and a half. Does that sound right to you?

Why would you care? You're the World Champ; that gives you immunity for other people's struggles. You've abused the power that has come with that belt; most people do. And like everyone else who has let the belt get to their head, they have to be taken down. And I have every intention to take you down. Whether it be at War or at One, I'm going to beat you Fly. But I'm not going to beat you in one swoop. I'm going to win War, you're going to win your match, and I'm going to make you wait for three months. Not without struggles, I might add. I'm going to haunt you, stalk you, and hunt you until I get my shot at the title. Enough is enough; it is time for slavery on the WCF wrestling division to be abolished.

Going into Sunday, you may consider yourself Goliath. But call me David."

A slingshot appears in mid-air, and NvL grabs it. Pulling back, Nathan fires off a single pebble, striking the statue in the head. It wobbles for a moment, before falling forward, crashing into the ground. And there it was; the World Heavyweight Championship. But not the actual belt. Instead it was just the name written above a light switch. But that doesn't bother Nathan one bit. He steps forward, and flicks the switch off.

Darkness consumes the screen, and Nathan speaks out from the darkness.

"So tell me this, WCF. Did I just flick off the only remaining light in my mind, or did I just show you what the WCF will be like once I take out the only light source left in the company? The Pantheon, no matter what Seth believes, is the only light source left in his company. And I plan on sending WCF into complete darkness.

Watch War to see me succeed."

The video ends.