No longer steering...
Lost all control...
The pressure burst...
I drop the wheel...
Heading for the worst...

The two minstrels sauntered back and forth inside the cramped room. Demos stood tall with his back against the concrete wall as the minstrels taunted and teased him endlessly.

You did this, this you
You got issues
One day, all the sudden it
All became too much, wasn’t it?

I TRIED MY BEST TO DEFEND WHAT WE HAD WON! I FOUGHT UNTIL THE FINAL SECOND!

The clowns danced around the masked man as he screamed his retort. The masked man's gaze shifted between the two minstrels uneasily.

Heading for the worst
For the worst
Heading for the worst
For the worst
Heading for the worst

No, no, we can't be.........

A catastrophic demise
A catastrophic demise
A catastrophic demise

NOOOOOO! I'LL STOP IT!

Unmeasurable regrets, Headed for the worst
Unmeasurable regrets, Headed for the worst
Unmeasurable regrets, Headed for the worst

Demos sank back against the concrete wall. His back slid down the wall until he was seated on the floor with his legs outstretched. Demos tucked his head into his hands as the minstrels continued to prance around the empty room with malicious glee. Demos sank his claws into the exposed flesh of his face as he screamed.

NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Demos brought his nails down his face until obstructed by the leather mask. A multitude of cuts began to leak blood down the man's face as he withdrew his hands. He brought his hands down to the concrete floor. The soft drip of blood from Demos's nails begins to paint the concrete floor with red polka dots.

No longer steering...
Lost all control...
The pressure burst...
I drop the wheel...
Heading for the worst...

The two minstrels playfully pointed at Demos as the man brought his gaze up to meet their accusations.

You did this, this you
You got issues
One day, all the sudden it
All became too much, wasn’t it?

No, no, no, it never became too much....

The clowns stopped in their tracks as grins stretched across each of their faces at the same time. They seemed to speak in unison as Demos looked between the two of them intermittently.

The world will fall! The world will fall! And it's all your fault! All your fault!

The two clowns snickered at Demos as the former champion's eyebrows furrowed. Demos scowled as the two clowns switched places while giggling like a pair of hyenas.

Television belongs to the Left Hand! All your fault, all your fault! All the kids watch the Marf show, all your fault! All your fault!

You couldn't win the tag belts! Couldn't win the tag belts! The Brotherhood reigns!

Evil runs the world! Evil runs the world!

NOOOO!

Demos screamed from his seated position against the concrete wall, but it did absolutely no good as the two clowns brought their hands up to their mouths as if attempting to conceal their manic laughter.

Do you want to be strong again? Do you want to win? Win? Win?

Of course!

DRINK THEIR BLOOD! DRINK THEIR BLOOD!

Demos leans back against the wall as he brings his legs in closer to his midsection. He places his hands on his knees hesitantly as he stares questioningly at the two specters.

DRINK THEIR BLOOD! DRINK THEIR BLOOD!

Who's blood?

THE CHILDREN'S!

The two clowns appeared directly in front of Demos, literally seated directly in front of him. Each clown is holding a kitchen knife by the blade. A small stream of blue blood flows from their hands to their pants. Both clowns offer the daggers forward to Demos.

Their blood will make you strong. Their blood will help you grow. Their blood will make you a champion.

Demos was shocked into silence. His mouth was slightly agape as he stared directly at the two knife handles being offered to him.

Tyler and Emily are Charlie's seed. If you take their sustenance for your own you will grow stronger than you could ever imagine! Your body will be replenished, your wounds will be healed!

What? No! Never!

Take the blades, Demos! Make their flesh your feast!

Demos shot up to a standing position. The two clowns followed half a second behind, daggers still buried into the palms of their hands. More and more blue blood seems to be flowing out of their hands every second.

They are nothing to you! They are not your children! They are not your seed! They have the hearts of evil, they were born in hate! Slaughter them, slaughter them! You will become a champion once again when you bathe in their blood!

We know that's all you want in this world, Demos. To be a champion of the people, your legacy unquestionable and your commitment beyond reproach. This is the way! This is the shining path! Take your first steps with us, Demos!

The two clown pressed the handles of the daggers into the chest of the Demos softly. Demos very slowly brought has hands up to the knives. The clowns leaked blue blood all over the masked man's shirt and arms as he took control of the daggers. The two clowns withdrew their hands and took a few paces back. The clowns held their bleeding hands up high to show their innocence. The laceration marks looked nasty. The two clowns looked to Demos before looking to each other. The two clowns took turns licking each other's bloodied hands. Demos gagged in horror as their tongues slid up through the open flesh and underneath the skin itself. Demos looked down at the daggers as the two clowns carried on their licking routine.

There is no easy path back up the mountain. There are no shortcuts, no secrete passageways. The climb back to the top of the mountain is now what is always has been and always will be: a slow, arduous crawl atop the rubbly remains of hard fought foes. There are no tricks or schemes that can catapult you to the peak! It is always a long journey.

Much of what you say is true. The world has fallen into the clutches of evildoers. I have failed in my mission. I thought I was in complete control of the situation, I thought that the Left Hand and the Brotherhood were kept in check and soon to fall. My arrogance cost me everything. Now, the world sits beneath a setting sun that may never return. The last embers of freedom and hope are being smothered beneath the boots of hatred and ignorance. As night comes the good men are nowhere to be found. As the darkness sets in our villages find themselves unguarded. Good men like Ned Kaye have abandoned their posts, supposedly neutral arbiters like Theo Pryce have thrown in fully with the forces of discontent. The people living underneath the mountain call out for a hero. Their parched pleas and desperate calls rang through my ears and fell upon my shoulders.

I let them down.

Demos looked back up to the two clowns who were still dragging their tongues through the freshly inflicted wounds. Demos grinned as he threw the two daggers, one directly after the other, at the ghastly minstrels. The daggers struck the two clowns in the heart one after the other. The two clowns screeched as they fell to their ground. By the time their bodies hit the cold concrete floor their forms had changed entirely. Two large snakes slithered on the ground helplessly as blue blood drained uncontrollably from their chests.

I will never let them down again.

The Demos will bring gold back to the people. The Demos will fight the good fight as it should be fought. I will prove my glory with each and every team I eliminate. One after the other the self-satisfying snakes and treacherous fae will shrivel beneath my shining glory.

All the snakes in the grass shall be cut, weeded out, disregarded!

The Demos sees the shining path before him.

The two snakes had completely stilled by the time Demos started to walk towards the far wall. As Demos stepped over the dead snakes the concrete wall suddenly turned into a blinding white light. Demos smiled as he walked towards the brightness.

The Demos will do what must be done! I will find the last of the good men, and together, we will ward off the darkness and bring the people to the glory of the light!"

Demos stepped into the overpowering brightness as the scene cut straight to black.