"Concern yourself more with accepting responsibility than with assigning blame. Let the possibilities inspire you more than the obstacles discourage you."

― Ralph Marston



The inspirational tale of a hero and his demons.

A dead silence has spread through the town. The gray sky makes the scenery a dull color, with nothing truly sticking out to the naked eye. The dullness makes it hard to tell what time of day it could be, dusk or dawn. The waves of steady rain on the paved streets make the town humid and creates a hazy layer of fog across the ground. A colorless street light swings back and forth from the single cable that supports it as he hangs across the intersection.

A few abandonded vehicles remain parked on the sides of the street, as if the small town has never missed a beat. As if, the dark shadow that has crept over it never existed. As if, everything was alright.

A figure appears standing in solitude in the middle of the intersection. His appearance is not like the rest of his surroundings. His white suit nearly shimmers as the drops of rain bounce around him like an invisible umbrella was above him shielding him from the precipitation. His figure shakes and flickers as if he was projected from an old film projector. His arms spread open to his sides, he looks to the sky as even darker clouds roll in. The Doctor has arrived in Hope, Arkansas.



The Doctor reaches into his inside pocket and pulls a large cigar from it. Upon lighting it, he blows a large puff of smoke into the air that rises to the sky and merges with the dark cloud that hovers above the town.


"I find wonderous sights in a place such as this, when it is engulfed in a shadow from terrifying unspeakables. I find glorious sights in a place such as this, when hearts are broken from horrifying unthinkables. I find marvelous sights in a place such as this, when history and secrets are passed down as mere fables. I stand in a place where hope and love have become displaced and a man struck down by evil is broken and in pieces."

"As you all may know, I am quite a large fan of travel. Since my arrival in the XWF, I have traveled many miles to the patients whom seek care. I feel like a broken record these days as I continuously reintroduce myself and repeatedly go on about my statement. Those of you who are new or those who remain lost or confused to this day; my name is Doctor Louis D'Ville."

"A few short days ago, I visited what some would call a 'monster'. This 'monster' has made his name known in this fine organization time and time again. As a winner. As a champion. The captain of a group of five men heading to war, united for the first time, as Team Victory Forever. My short meeting with our leader went exactly as I anticipated. Fighting his own battles, Morbid Angel approached me as he would've anyone else. With his rage. An unstoppable force of rage. However, this has not steered our sights from our true target. The five that will meet us on the roof top of the Joe Louis Arena remain in grave danger."

"I believe you've mistakenly placed your focus in the wrong places this week, Mister Pryce, as have your fellow teammates. In fact, those you have focused on you claim to be just 'pawns' in this battle. Thinking I will just sit back and watch as these 'pawns' rush into battle, waiting for my moment to strike. Foolish. It seems my own reputation still fails to convince the ignorant ones of the dangers they face when I'm present. I am not to be taken lightly. I have watched and listened all week as my words are not heeded, but ignored by you all. Mister Pryce acknowledges me as the only threat in the beginning, but for the nonce, seems to have forgotten all about me. If I desired a history lesson Mister Pryce, I'm more than capable of doing my own research. Exploiting the gaps and holes in that my captain has failed to mention in his career in the XWF will do you no good here. It seems your making a faint attempt to damage my captain's extensive ego. What would be the point of that, my friend? Do you believe it will give you a slight upperhand if you continue to point out where he has failed? Remember, the true threat does not stand near seven feet tall towering over you. The true threat stands before you, face to face. The confidence you once had coming into this event has slowly diminished into nothing. Disagree with me as much as you want, but know you're coming into this and your fate is already sealed."

"Your partners in the match seem to be blind of the true threat, as well. Gein and Monolith continue to heckle Venomous. By all means, no offense to my partner, but why target the obvious weak link on Team Victory Forever? The only member of our team who has yet to even step into a ring. Even Maverick deserves a bit of recognition just because of his creative lies and motor-mouth."

"Everyone I encounter for the first time in the XWF seems to always question one thing. My medical credentials. My friends, my credentials in the medical field should be the least of your worries. Especially at this point. We're two days from perhaps the greatest, most dangerous challenge that most of you will ever be involved in. Monolith, I can understand if you may have a bit of trouble keeping up at times. I'm glad you've had enough gull to do the talking for yourself this time around. As Mister Rapaport has done all of the thinking and speaking for you to that point, is he going to fight this battle for you as well? I highly doubt it. Then why carry the extra baggage with you everywhere? Are you so insecure with your words that you have a man of business express your feelings for you? I understand that you've finally broken your silence, but for what? Because Venomous had a few words to say regarding you? Venomous?!"

"I apologize when I say this, but I did not and I cannot imagine anyone off the top of my head who would've actually followed your career, either. So, thank you for the short story. I doubt any previous feuds you've had here in the XWF matter now. I've had a similar argument with someone prior to all of this regarding where the true talent lies in the organization. It's now and not then. Just because you belonged to this fine organization once before, doesn't mean your prepared for what's coming. I'm like nothing you've ever faced before, my friend. I'm no mere mortal you can just squash like an insect."

"While we're all talking about Venomous then. I must say, I'm quite glad a certain transaction did not pull through prior to the card being released. Our captain began stirring the pot nearly immediately by attempting to trade of Venomous to Team Pryce for Gein. I on the other hand, disagreed with this immediately. Gein, you would not fit in with Team Victory Forever. How your very hopes were raised and then lost in just a matter of days was certainly fun to watch. Considering me as just a 'minion' behind the monster is another mistake to go along with everything else here. Mocking 'Victory Forever' just shows that your feelings are still hurt to this day that you didn't get a chance to dance along side D'Ville. The status that you and Venomous have here are nearly the same to me. I may have overlooked it, but I didn't see your name across any card up to this point. So you're just a nobody as well. With everything to proove. All that you have proven is that you were ready to jump ship immediately after you seen the offer my captain made yours. What's also humorous about all of this? You talk as if it was YOUR decision to be traded. It was not, my friend. The transaction was between Morbid Angel and Theo Pryce, and those to alone. I could have been traded if Morbid Angel desired a partner in my place. Would I have been disappointed? Unlikely. It did not matter to the Doctor which team he was drafted in from the start. Why would I when the winner depended on which team I was on? Which also explains a bit why your were so desperate to come aboard. Sorry for the disappointment, my dearest friend, perhaps next War Games you'll have a bit more of a reputation and it will be a little clearer to the captains where you truly belong."

As the rain continues to pound to the ground, the Doctor has slowly made his way up the street. He stops in front of a light blue house. A tire swing hangs from a single tree in the front yard that has a white picket fence in line around the perimeter. The Doctor takes a puff from his cigar and begins to slowly walk down the sidewalk. He walks up three steps onto the porch, approaches the door, and give it three knocks. The door, already half open, slowly creaks open the rest of the way.


The Doctor enters the room to see upturned furniture, a caved in table, and holes in the walls. LH enters the room with his beard grown out to past his normal length. His hair is long and greasy. LH is wearing a wife beater and athletic shorts. His eyes are wide with rage whenever he sees Doc. He charges up to Doc and gets within a foot of him.

LH Harrison-
What do you want, Doctor? Are you here to mock me? Are you here to play mind games with me? Because I'm not in the mood for more home invaders. Don't you freaking know what happened last time an XWF guy came into my house? My wife was murdered. My kids were kidnapped and you just want to waltz in here with no recompense? You're about two seconds from being thrown out of here on your face.

The Doctor raises his hands in peace and his stare bores into the eyes of LH.


Hello, my friend! I meant no harm upon entering your household. I merely wished to convene with my teammates before our big rendezvous with Team Pryce. Now I decided to come down to... Hope, Arkansas is it? To speak with you and see if you were ready for this PPV match.

LH Harrison-
Ready? Me? I'm always ready. Always. In fact, I'm tired of waiting. I'm ready to get back in that ring especially since... Jessica. I... I don't know what to do with myself now that she's gone...


Oh? Would you like to discuss this any further? I am a doctor, you know. My doors are always open, Mister Harrison...

LH looks to the floor and strokes his beard slowly. He looks back up into the dark eyes of the doctor and nods.

LH Harrison-
I'd like that Doc. I... I really need someone to talk to. Viktor... my dad... I just can't confront them. I can't discuss all of this with them. They wouldn't understand... but you... Doc. I feel like you would understand my pain. I feel as though you would be able to help me out.

The Doctor flashes a smile with the ends of his mouth curling up most vilely. LH sets up the overturned couch and allows the doctor have a seat in the armchair beside it. The doctor pulls out a notepad from inside his white suit pocket and takes off his bowler hat and sets it on the now-righted coffee table. The doctor motions for LH to begin his explanation.

LH Harrison-
You see, Doc. It all started whenever I was drafted to Team Victory Forever. I thought that would be an awesome way to branch out and show I'm a team player, right? I thought it would be interesting to see how the talents of myself would mesh with those of Maverick, Venomous, yourself, and... yeah. Team Pryce wasn't even going to know what was going to hit him. Well... actually I still don't think he's going to know what hits him. TEAM VICTORY FOREVER, Doc! Heh...


Victory Forever, my friend. Now why don't you tell us some more about the captain since you seem to have issues with him.

LH Harrison-
Morbid? Morbid Angel? He murdered my family. He entered my house, knocked me unconscious, and murdered my wife in her own home. He killed my daughter and threw the decapitated head to me. He is using my other daughter just to keep me at bay. Now I... I don't know what to do. I traveled all the way to Moscow to get the skull of Adolf Hitler, but whenever I touched it... it fell apart. It crumbled to pieces. But Morbid Angel is a son of a... ugh. He's dead to me. On War Games, he's lucky he's on my team. It he were on the opposing team, I would destroy him. I would roll him into a little ball and throw his butt off the side of the building and watch his ugly face splatter on the concrete below. But I feel hollow, Doc. My family is gone... I can't necessarily trust my friends... and my captain is the reason my family is gone. I have such a large void in my life... I'm not sure what to do now.

The Doctor sighs a bit and relaxes more into the couch. He folds his hands across his lap and never loses eye contact with LH.


Mister Harrison, my dear friend. Pain and agony are something that I'm very, very familiar with. They're also a way of life for our captain, as well. I visited Morbid Angel a few days ago and our meeting went exactly as I had planned it would. He's a violent, raging lunatic with nothing but hurting someone on his mind at all times. Perhaps you presented yourself as an easy target for him. His murderous ways cannot be sustained.

[font=Courier][color=#A9A9A9]The Doctor reaches into his pocket and pulls a cigar from it.


You care if I smoke, friend?

LH raises his hand as if to deny the Doctor's request, but the waves it off.

LH Harrison-
"Go ahead..."

The Doctor lights the cigar with a match and puffs a large cloud of smoke into the clean air which fills LH Harrison's home. The Doctor prepares for another banal speech for one of his patients...


"You see, Mister Harrison, our captain has a strange way of preparing his members for glory. Perhaps he felt the family life was holding you back. Perhaps he felt that it made you weak. He went about his own 'special' way to see that you're mind was free of anything that could possibly prevent you from being a ruthless animal for War Games."

LH Harrison-
"By KILLING my family?! Doc--"


"Now, my friend. I'm not sure if you were aware of the state of mind of our captain, but it's not very stable. Being drafted under his wing, surely you did not think that you were safe from his possible wrong doings?"

LH Harrison-
"We're teammates, Doc! What kind of man does this to his own TEAMMATES?!


"One that claims 'Victory Forever', my friend. There are no ties between us here. Only the name. Only 'Victory Forever'! Morbid Angel's ways of inspiring is a bit different from yours, is it not? It has definitely lifted a fire in you. I can see it in your eyes. Now is not the time for vengeance, my friend. You will have you chance well after War Games is over. We have a fight on our hands, Mister Harrison. A fight that will be perhaps that turning point you've been looking for in your career. All of those big losses you've suffered, all of the bad luck, all of the heart ache... It's time to use them in your favor. It's time to reach inside and take the demons that are haunting you, make amends with them, and make everyone suffer just as you have. It is time for you to take the weight and the pressure that you've placed upon yourself as a hero and turn it into madness. Lose the heart, my dear Mister Harrison. It's time for you to shut off the lights and let that darkness inside of you consume you. You--"

The Doctor peers over to the television displaying static sitting in the corner across the room as it begins to flicker a bit of signal...

Two men are standing in a small room with a single bench press in the center. A single light hanging from the ceiling hovers over the two men. The one man is completely recognizable for he is the former XWF Universal Champion, Morbid Angel! The man next to him seems a bit familiar, as well, but looks a bit different. The two men are talking back and forth, as the volume on the television increases on it's own, their deep voices can be heard clearly...


Morbid Angel- "FUCK YOU CARROT-!! I AM MORBIDGOD!!! I CAN BENCH MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE FUCKING WORLD!! JUST BECAUSE YOU STARTED USING STERIODS DOESN'T MEAN SHIT!! I'M STILL THE STRONGEST, MOST POWERFUL, MOST FEARED MOTHER FUCKER ON THE PLANET!!"

Carroid-Top leans over the bench pointing his index finger into the chest of Morbid Angel.

Carroid-Top- "YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE DEALING WITH, BRO! YOU THINK YOU CAN OUT BENCH ME, TRY IT OLD MAN!!"

Morbid Angel- "YOU ! I WILL!! THEN WHEN I WIN, I'M GOING TO KILL YOUR ASS!!!"

Morbid Angel slaps Carroid-Top's finger away from his chest and sits down on the bench. 325 pounds sits on each end of the bar and the giant lays down. He places each hand on the bar then lifts it off the rack.

Morbid Angel begins pumping the iron up and down from his chest.

Carroid-Top- "COME ON PUSSY!! How many are you gonna do?! Huh?! You better just give up now!! Pussy!!"

Carroid-Top continues to rant and taunt Morbid Angel as he continues to lift the weights up and down, up and down. Morbid Angel manages 25 repititions before finally resting the bar back on the rack.

Morbid Angel- "BEAT THAT CARROT-!! TWENTY-FIVE REPS!! SIX HUNDERED AND FIFTY POUNDS! YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES, BITCH?!"

Carroid-Top- "Wait and see you giant pile of vagina. Watch and learn!!"

Carroid-Top lays on the bench begins pumping the iron at the same pace as Morbid Angel was. As he lifts the weights, Morbid Angel continues the favor and shouts obscenities in Carroid-Top's ear.

Morbid Angel- "YOU GOT NOTHING, MOTHER FUCKER!! NOTHING!! NOTHING!!! NOOOTHIIING!!!!"

The orange-haired juicer doesn't miss a single beat as he continues his repititions pass 15, 16, and 17...

Morbid Angel- "GIVE UP YOU FUCKING PUSSY!!! JUST GIVE UP!!!"

20, 21, 22...

Carroid-Top lifts the weights 23 times then stops halfway.

Morbid Angel- "AHA!! HAHAHA!! YOU GIVE UP PUSSY?! YOU GIVE UP?!"

Carroid-Top smiles at the giant juicer standing over him.

Carroid-Top- "NOT IN YOUR LIFE!! HAHAHA!!"

Carroid-Top busts out rep 23, 24, and on his way up for 25 Morbid Angel grabs the bar.

Morbid Angel- "GUESS AGAIN... CARROT-BITCH!!! NOT IN YOUR LIFE!!!"

Morbid Angel presses down on the bar as Carroid-Top struggles to keep it elevated. His arms suddenly give out and Morbid presses the bar against Carroid-Top's throat!! His legs kick up and down trying to free himself from the giant's grasp, but to no succession! As Carroid-Top's face begins to turn blue, Morbid lifts the bar up and places it back on the rack. Carroid-Top falls to his knees on the floor and gasps for air.

Carroid-Top- "YOU CRAZY CHEATING MOTHER FUCKER!! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! I HAD IT!! I HAD YOU BEA---"

Carroid-Top is unable to finish his sentence because the boot from Morbid Angel's right foot smashed into his face. The impact picked him up off the ground and sent him flying backwards through the air eventually landing on his back a few feet back. Carroid-Top grabs his face in agony as he continues to swear and nearly plead for his life through bloody spurts and gasps. Morbid Angel says nothing. He pulls a 90 pound weight off of each side of bar and throws them like frisbies at the orange-haird juicer.

Just as Carroid-Top lifts his head up, one of the weights hits him across the face, smashing it and fracturing the entire side of his face. As he's thrown once again from the impact, the other weight hits him in the back of the head crushing the back of his skull.

As Carroid-Top falls face forward to the ground, Morbid Angel walks over to him and turns him over. The little life left in Carroid-Top's eyes looks up to Morbid Angel as he chokes on a throat full of blood. Morbid lifts his foot into the air.

Morbid Angel- "I TOLD YOU I'D WIN MOTHER FUCKER!!! I ALWAYS WIN!! ALWAYS!! VICTORY FOREVER!!!!!!"

Morbid Angel's foot stomps down on Carroid-Top's face several times as the television screen flickers back to static. LH and the Doctor look over at each other. LH stands up and walks over to the television and shuts it off.

LH Harrison-
"You know, Doc..."

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**The above banner created by Azrael Erebus.
*Song "No Time to Cry" covered by Cradle of Filth via YouTube.