Hugh de Morville sat in the church he had built and talked with God. It had now been three years that he’d spent on the island, years he’d had time to reflect. Two of the men he came with had left and returned home to homeland, their side had won the battle. It would be a risk to leave, but sometimes de Morville wondered if it was an even bigger risk to stay. The guilt had come and de Morville had finally gotten through it, there wasn’t a day gone past where he didn’t think of that one life he’d taken

It’s been years of penance

De Morville had felt the need to try and get God back on his side, he needed to feel like there was a higher power that still cared about him. Sometimes he even wondered if God existed, but he felt like that might be an amplification of problems. Why doubt God when you were trying to get him back on your side?

Now I even feel guilty about not feeling guilty

As time past feelings were muted. Much of the public had genuinely accepted his murder of the Archbishop as a great thing. Most generally concluded that it was a good thing for the country because the church and state were in a semi-state of peace with the new arch-bishop. The murder had served it’s purpose well and actually brought about more peace than could be seen otherwise.

But de Morville couldn’t help but think that everything that followed came at the price of one man. One man who believed so strongly in His calling that He was willing to die for it. How could this be seen as a victory?

The candles flickered as de Morville conducted his own personal confession. It seemed odd to do spiritual practices in a place built with his own hands. There was a sort of crazy irony in constructing a sacred place with your own physical hands. He wondered the deeper meaning behind that given his situation. What he had done in murdering Becket had some kind of sacred significance. God had seemingly blessed this, but it had to be done with his own two sinful hands. Even the King who gave the order distanced himself from the whole thing claiming de Morville and his conspirators had acted on their own volition.

De Morville took a deep breath and lit another candle. He stared at the fire, and wondered what his life might have been like had he not murdered someone
What man can know the thoughts of God? What an awful question. I know it’s in the Bible, but it gives you too much credit. What God can control the actions of man? That’s what I’d like to know. Where does the divine end and humanity take over?

I’m in control now
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Neville sat in a church on the Isle of Wight and held his head in his hands. He wasn’t sure he believed in God, but tonight he felt the urge to pray

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Neville opened his eyes and expected God to be doing something. Neville had used this trip to the Isle of Wight for self-searching, and when he examined his own soul, it terrified him with what he found. He felt dark. Like God had deserted him. Not the kind of darkness that meant he would be dabbling with demons and worshipping the devil. The kind of darkness that comes when there’s no light. The thoughts of God trailed way to thoughts of emptiness. God couldn’t exist.

And if Neville was left to his own vices…

He shuddered with that thought. If there was anything the XWF was learning about the champion Neville Sinclair, it was that he would do whatever he could to retain and keep doing what he felt he needed to do.

This felt like a new Neville, one that people wouldn’t like very much. And it started this week with Chris Valerius. Neville moved away from the center of the church. Confession time was over. There was no need to repent from his sins now, he would revel in them.

Chris, I just saw the promo you filmed! Welcome to the party! It was nice to actually be acknowledged and have the callouts I made responded to! Even better, you actually told us some things about yourself. Now we know a little bit about Chris Valerius. Now we know that he’s more than a few key words

There’s so much to teach you and so little time, so here’s a few quick lesson to take home after you lose this match.

Lesson #1 – Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

You really seem to get in a huff about being called out for lying to the company. All I did was point out that you define yourself one way and act in a completely different way. This is common knowledge to anyone who can use google. So yes, I’m quick to jump on that. Because what else did I know about you? All you showed us in promo after promo was you conversing with other people.

You ask me a question: What exactly is there to be gained in attacking the raw essence of a person? The answer Chris, is everything. Who you are matters in this federation and if you want to be a champion, you need to realize that everything is fair game. I want to get you off your game, I want you to attack. You missed a minefield of opportunity by not attacking me where it could really hurt. The smart champion is one who picks apart everything the other person can give them. When you don’t give them anything, they look for any opportunity they can.

Neville looks for Scotch anywhere he can find it. When he realizes he hasn’t brought any, he opens a cabinet and pulls out the communion wine, saving a cup for himself.

Lesson #2 – Don’t get so Emotional

So this is where we’re at, I’ve obviously triggered a nerve in you Chris. I’m glad. I don’t regret it for a second. I needed to see this emotion come out in you because it’s shown me who you really are. Someone who gets flustered when he’s attacked. Do you really think you can make it in a federation like this when you get so upset with someone calling you out for a clear discrepancy. It’s not the sociopathic nature of you I wanted to attack, it’s that you changed your nature so quickly when it was attacked. You talked with a doctor and completely changed everything we knew about you. That’s worth attacking.

And something else worth attacking, is the fact that you then got so upset and felt the need to justify everything. Do you think a champion needs to justify things? No, he looks for whatever advantage he can get, makes no excuses, and gets the job done. This is why I’m the Television Title holder and you’ll be forgotten quickly.
But I can see that you’re mad at me. So you can trust that I’ll use that against you as well tomorrow night. Emotion doesn’t really have a place this in. Be less emotional and you’ll find yourself more effective.

Neville tosses the glass aside and decides to drink from the bottle. Two chugs later and we can see the lights in his eyes start to go out. Neville wasn’t even drinking for fun anymore, this was for what’s inside.

These are two quick lessons courtesy of me Chris, I hope that you’ll learn things and I hope that you’ll be a better person because of it. Remember, do everything on purpose and you can do whatever you want.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Educating the XWF since 06/08/17