I sit in my office, contemplating my next move in the ultimate chess match between good and evil. The Catholic Church and the Brotherhood of the Illuminatus. A centuries old war that has yet to cease-fire.

The question is: Which side is good? Which one evil?

Most definitely it is cloaked in shades of gray. If you're a Catholic then you're most assuredly going to look and me and my Brotherhood as a threat. One that must be stopped. Silenced.

If you're a sympathizer of my Brotherhood then you might look at Jonathan and even Jacob for what they are. Fringe nut jobs trying to carry on a ruthless and barbaric war started long ago by an evil Pope of the Church.

See, we co-existed for more then a century. Well aware of what our secrets were, the Church allowed us to exist peacefully. Until Pope Clement V. That rat bastard sought us out all over the world. Had the vast majority of us burned at the stake.

What he didn't know, is that our followers had already reached the New World. North America, in other words. Christopher Columbus my ass.

As a result, he had completely eradicated the Illuminatus. Or so he thought. the secrets he thought long buried, are still alive today. Protected to the death by my Brotherhood.

Asmodeus, in all his ancient wisdom, allowed it to slip out one time in conversation with a young Cardinal. Joseph Ratzinger. That man would eventually rise all the way to the top of his Church and to the Papacy. Of course, you know how that turned out. I put an end to it.

As is the norm, my train of thought is interrupted. Asmodeus bursts into my office and sits across from me.


ASMODEUS: "Have you reached a decision?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "A decision for what?"

ASMODEUS: "Warfare. Have you chosen your next contender?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Does it matter? Whoever it is, is sure to fail, so I'm not sure it matters."

ASMODEUS: "What about that Steve Davids fellow?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "He's just begging me to shut his mouth. I might go ahead and do that for him tomorrow night."

ASMODEUS: "And KnightMask?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "He certainly is a special kind of stupid, isn't he?"

ASMODEUS: "Indeed, Sebastian. A true warrior though. A great competitor."

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Well, be that as it may, he needs to remember one thing. It's not Sebastian Duke he's facing tomorrow night. It's Steve Davids.

"My stuff loaded into the Suburban yet?"

ASMODEUS: "I'm not sure. Shall I check?"

SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Absolutely."


Asmodeus walks out of the room. I stand up and walk over to a locked cherry wood cabinet while retrieving the key from my pocket. I unlock the glass door and pull out my United States title.

I look down at it and I see my own reflection in the gleaming gold. I smile for an instant and place the title over my shoulder.


SEBASTIAN DUKE: "You have to be careful, boys. Objects like this can be very seductive. Like a forbidden fruit. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They were warned not to eat the poisonous apples. They couldn't resist though. This holds that exact same kind of power. KnightMask you've already been intoxicated by her stare. She caught your attention, did she?

"You have to be mindful of that. Keep your eyes on the prize, as they say. Of course in this sense its completely figurative. See, if you'd literally keep your eye on my title, then Davids will beat you. Then you're back to the back of the line.

"KnightMask, focus on Steve Davids. Don't worry about Sebastian Duke or my title. You go out there and you do what you do best....

"I'm not sure exactly what that is, but you get the point.

"Steve Davids. The man sees gold in his future. Unfortunately for him, he's the only one that sees it there.

"One thing you both need to be mindful of is that slimy little snake in the grass, Wallace Witasick. See, I was once his "chosen one" also. He handpicked me to destroy Mark Flynn and that is exactly what I did.

"Now that I'm champion, he wants to make absolutely certain that I lose this title that should have belonged to me since January 31. A fair warning to you both. If by some out of this world chance either of you would be able to take my title, just know one thing...

"You're next.

"Never turn your back on Witasick for one damn second because as soon as you are champion and as soon as you do turn your back, he'll be waiting to stick a knife in it.

"Trust me."


I exit my office and head toward the front doors. I'm headed to Warfare.