07-20-2019, 08:14 PM
“Do you understand the sting of betrayal? To have the best of intentions be rejected by one who would rather sink back into the comfortable? Even when that comfort is bred in mediocrity, sometimes there is comfort in what is familiar.
That is the betrayal of Konrad Raab… a man who would rather be liked by people who would always sit above him, contentedly wallowing in second-class status, than do what it took to reach the top. See I… I have been there myself. I have climbed the mountain. I have taken the World Championship. I have taken a spot in this company’s hall of fame. I did not, however, do so by toadying up to the upper card. I did not become Champion because it was statistically “my turn”. I became Champion because I had deemed it so. I am in the Hall of Fame because my accomplishments could not be denied.
When your time comes and goes, Herr Raab… will you be able to say the same?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Helena Evans awoke to the sound of footsteps approaching her quarters. Although Chad Evans’ stepsister had been bound and committed to the Order belonging to Damian Angel, she had recently fallen out of favour. No one knew for sure why - no one, that is, except the Devil Himself - but speculation ran rampant that she had tried to instigate a coup against him. For those who were in Damian’s inner circle, such a betrayal would often have led to an outright execution, and yet Helena remained alive. While there had been other reasons as to why this might have been, all signs pointed to the growing child in her womb as to why. Now seven months along, Helena had her uses. So she stumbled awake, sitting up in place and sliding back towards the pillow.
Damian stepped into her line of sight. He was clad in black - utterly ungodly in the recent summer heat - his arms held behind his back and his expression nothing short of cold. He looked to her, his nose held upward.
Damian: “On your feet.”
She sighs, holding her enlarged midriff.
Helena: “Damian, I’m exhausted… I’ve been run ragged here… please…”
Damian: “Your. Feet.”
She struggles up, bringing her legs around to one side of the bed and pushing herself up. Damian steps into the room, walking around her as he surveys Helena.
Damian: “You are healthy?”
Helena: “Physically, I’m well… but you locked me…”
Damian shoots a hand up, cutting her protests off as he finishes his surveillance. He crouches down in front of her, speaking to the child growing in her womb.
Damian: “I am sorry, little one, that you need to be brought into such a cold and hostile world, where betrayal is something one does to cater a whim. There are those who do not know the value of loyalty, and those need to be punished when they act against you.”
Helena: “Stop it!”
She pulls back, shielding her womb from Damian’s words as he rises to his feet. He steps closer, looking at her through squinted eyes.
Damian: “What? Giving my child a glimmer of the future?”
Helena: “If this is to be your heir, you can’t make him cold and distant! You can’t make him into you!”
Damian grins. At the heart of the issue, he knew that would be the point of contention. Still, his approach only brings more concern to Helena, and she steps back, falling onto the bed.
Damian: “Would that be such a problem? I am powerful. I command loyalty and respect.”
Helena: “You deal in fear.”
Damian: “Same thing.”
Helena: “No it isn’t! Respect means people won’t betray you out of loyalty… Fear…”
Damian smirks.
Damian: “Accomplishes the same thing. It does not matter though… your coup attempt failed. You wanted to topple me and you failed.”
Helena: “I wanted only to serve you as equals…”
Damian: “I HAVE NO EQUALS.”
He raises a hand, and Helena flinches. Seeing his hand held above his head, Damian smirks.
Damian: “This is my order. I do not require assistance. I am more than capable of keeping people in line myself. I have people performing specific functions for that reason. I do not need someone to shadow me. You are lucky that you carry my progeny. Had that not been the case, we would not be having this conversation right now, do you understand?”
Helena looks at Damian, feeling that his words are true. It cuts to her soul. She nods her head meekly. Damian nods in response.
Damian: “Good. Your job is to remain healthy… keep my child healthy… and when that has come to pass, we can talk about an appropriate punishment for your disloyalty.”
Helena: “Please, don’t…”
Damian doesn’t listen to her pleas. Instead, he turns and leaves the room completely, closing it behind her. She sits with her head buried in her hands, tears forming in her eyes as Damian’s footsteps get farther and farther away…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Do you know why you wear the mask, Herr Raab?
It varies for others. Some see it as an escape from their current condition. They find power when they wear another face. For others, it is a respect to tradition that came before them. But you specifically… why do you wear the mask? Do you know? Perhaps I should enlighten you. See, you wear the mask in hopes of embodying what it represents, be it the Iceman or Black Ice. You wear the mask because, in your eyes, those beings are stronger than you.
You hope that by embodying them, you can find absolution in what must be done… that people will not look at you with disdain or fear for what you do while in the mask. It is an avatar for you… a means to plead innocence. But I know better, Herr Raab. The months you have spent under my hold have taught me everything I need to know about the Iceman… about Black Ice. You hold The Iceman as your general persona, set to come out on a day to day basis. Black Ice is your “inner violent side”, meant to be a destructive force against all who oppose you. There is simply one problem…
I have already bested Black Ice.
Think back, Herr Raab… think to April 15, 2018. SCW Unflawed. For participating in a victory over my monsters, you earned the “right” to face me. You thought you had the answer - bring out Black Ice and face me. You thought that you could out-violence me and what happened?
You failed.
You took your greatest weapon, aimed square at my chest and it was not good enough. You lost. You failed. So what makes you think Rise to Greatness… in front of the largest crowd in the world… is going to be any different?
It will not.
So allow me some advice: Leave the masks at home. They will be of no help to you. Embodying another identity to best me will not be good enough. You will not be good enough. What I had been doing was giving you the freedom needed to be more than you can be. By betraying me and attacking me you proved that you are not strong enough to contain that which you need.
So I have unlocked another facet of Konrad Raab… one that even you will deny exists. And for that you need no mask. It will not protect you. For you had made a deal with the Devil and now is time to collect.
Rise to Greatness will be your end. You brought this on yourself, Herr Raab.”
That is the betrayal of Konrad Raab… a man who would rather be liked by people who would always sit above him, contentedly wallowing in second-class status, than do what it took to reach the top. See I… I have been there myself. I have climbed the mountain. I have taken the World Championship. I have taken a spot in this company’s hall of fame. I did not, however, do so by toadying up to the upper card. I did not become Champion because it was statistically “my turn”. I became Champion because I had deemed it so. I am in the Hall of Fame because my accomplishments could not be denied.
When your time comes and goes, Herr Raab… will you be able to say the same?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Helena Evans awoke to the sound of footsteps approaching her quarters. Although Chad Evans’ stepsister had been bound and committed to the Order belonging to Damian Angel, she had recently fallen out of favour. No one knew for sure why - no one, that is, except the Devil Himself - but speculation ran rampant that she had tried to instigate a coup against him. For those who were in Damian’s inner circle, such a betrayal would often have led to an outright execution, and yet Helena remained alive. While there had been other reasons as to why this might have been, all signs pointed to the growing child in her womb as to why. Now seven months along, Helena had her uses. So she stumbled awake, sitting up in place and sliding back towards the pillow.
Damian stepped into her line of sight. He was clad in black - utterly ungodly in the recent summer heat - his arms held behind his back and his expression nothing short of cold. He looked to her, his nose held upward.
Damian: “On your feet.”
She sighs, holding her enlarged midriff.
Helena: “Damian, I’m exhausted… I’ve been run ragged here… please…”
Damian: “Your. Feet.”
She struggles up, bringing her legs around to one side of the bed and pushing herself up. Damian steps into the room, walking around her as he surveys Helena.
Damian: “You are healthy?”
Helena: “Physically, I’m well… but you locked me…”
Damian shoots a hand up, cutting her protests off as he finishes his surveillance. He crouches down in front of her, speaking to the child growing in her womb.
Damian: “I am sorry, little one, that you need to be brought into such a cold and hostile world, where betrayal is something one does to cater a whim. There are those who do not know the value of loyalty, and those need to be punished when they act against you.”
Helena: “Stop it!”
She pulls back, shielding her womb from Damian’s words as he rises to his feet. He steps closer, looking at her through squinted eyes.
Damian: “What? Giving my child a glimmer of the future?”
Helena: “If this is to be your heir, you can’t make him cold and distant! You can’t make him into you!”
Damian grins. At the heart of the issue, he knew that would be the point of contention. Still, his approach only brings more concern to Helena, and she steps back, falling onto the bed.
Damian: “Would that be such a problem? I am powerful. I command loyalty and respect.”
Helena: “You deal in fear.”
Damian: “Same thing.”
Helena: “No it isn’t! Respect means people won’t betray you out of loyalty… Fear…”
Damian smirks.
Damian: “Accomplishes the same thing. It does not matter though… your coup attempt failed. You wanted to topple me and you failed.”
Helena: “I wanted only to serve you as equals…”
Damian: “I HAVE NO EQUALS.”
He raises a hand, and Helena flinches. Seeing his hand held above his head, Damian smirks.
Damian: “This is my order. I do not require assistance. I am more than capable of keeping people in line myself. I have people performing specific functions for that reason. I do not need someone to shadow me. You are lucky that you carry my progeny. Had that not been the case, we would not be having this conversation right now, do you understand?”
Helena looks at Damian, feeling that his words are true. It cuts to her soul. She nods her head meekly. Damian nods in response.
Damian: “Good. Your job is to remain healthy… keep my child healthy… and when that has come to pass, we can talk about an appropriate punishment for your disloyalty.”
Helena: “Please, don’t…”
Damian doesn’t listen to her pleas. Instead, he turns and leaves the room completely, closing it behind her. She sits with her head buried in her hands, tears forming in her eyes as Damian’s footsteps get farther and farther away…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Do you know why you wear the mask, Herr Raab?
It varies for others. Some see it as an escape from their current condition. They find power when they wear another face. For others, it is a respect to tradition that came before them. But you specifically… why do you wear the mask? Do you know? Perhaps I should enlighten you. See, you wear the mask in hopes of embodying what it represents, be it the Iceman or Black Ice. You wear the mask because, in your eyes, those beings are stronger than you.
You hope that by embodying them, you can find absolution in what must be done… that people will not look at you with disdain or fear for what you do while in the mask. It is an avatar for you… a means to plead innocence. But I know better, Herr Raab. The months you have spent under my hold have taught me everything I need to know about the Iceman… about Black Ice. You hold The Iceman as your general persona, set to come out on a day to day basis. Black Ice is your “inner violent side”, meant to be a destructive force against all who oppose you. There is simply one problem…
I have already bested Black Ice.
Think back, Herr Raab… think to April 15, 2018. SCW Unflawed. For participating in a victory over my monsters, you earned the “right” to face me. You thought you had the answer - bring out Black Ice and face me. You thought that you could out-violence me and what happened?
You failed.
You took your greatest weapon, aimed square at my chest and it was not good enough. You lost. You failed. So what makes you think Rise to Greatness… in front of the largest crowd in the world… is going to be any different?
It will not.
So allow me some advice: Leave the masks at home. They will be of no help to you. Embodying another identity to best me will not be good enough. You will not be good enough. What I had been doing was giving you the freedom needed to be more than you can be. By betraying me and attacking me you proved that you are not strong enough to contain that which you need.
So I have unlocked another facet of Konrad Raab… one that even you will deny exists. And for that you need no mask. It will not protect you. For you had made a deal with the Devil and now is time to collect.
Rise to Greatness will be your end. You brought this on yourself, Herr Raab.”