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Prince Adeyemi · (05-12-2023)

“I don’t get it.

I have to fight my way week in and week out, slaughter my pride and pick myself up.

CRUSH MY EGO and recover from defeat.

To grind it out, to prove my worth.

To pay the cost in blood.

Rise back to the top from the ashes of humiliation only to what…

Be plunged back into its murky depths… To lift up others?

To save them from quick obscurity.

To grant THEM redemption like the benevolent King I hope to be.

The benevolent king I hope to be, but cannot find it in me to be.

Redemption is EARNED. Not freely given.

It has a price - a costly one.

The churchgoer sips from a chalice to remind themselves of the price of theirs.

Blood-stained wine for the cost of their soul.

Crushed grapes, pressed and fermented as a reminder of God’s death to REDEEM His people.

Why do you get to stand across from a CHAMPION?

Why do you get to taste gold again?

Dionysus - what price have you paid?”

Continued from… Hunting Redemption V: Simplicity

Isaiah stares at the screen that had just flickered to black. His predator, the man who had been hunting him and his friends for the last few weeks, the man who they’d grown up with and who they’d fought for their lives ALONGSIDE, had just threatened them.

Jeremiah Woods had crossed the line.

He’d just dangled Chaeryoung, Isaiah’s most loved person, his partner and his manager… Like a piece of meat before a shark. Begging Isaiah to chase him down and face him, begging Isaiah to give up on every calculation and ravenously chase after his prey.

Blood pumps aggressively through King’s veins.

His teeth clench painfully.

Fists going white at the knuckles.

”I’ll fuckin’ kill this N*g-”

Ezekiel, the third member of Isaiah’s little self-selected family, gets up from his swivel-chair with such speed that it sends it sprawling to the floor. His eyes are bloodshot with rage as he turns to glare right THROUGH Isaiah. It’s this visible sign of anger that shakes Isaiah from his own, that and the gentle hand of Lazar “The BronxBomber” Stojadinovic, MMA Star and sparring buddy on his shoulder.

”Yeah Zeke, WE will. Together, once and for all.”

Isaiah knew Zeke always had a soft spot for Jeremiah, of the four of them, Zeke had managed to wrap his mind around Jeremiah’s morality-less ambition the best. Whatever was best for the family, was best for Zeke. Whatever was best for Jeremiah, was best for Jeremiah. They were so close in the way they thought - yet to threaten one of Zeke’s family… That was crossing every line.

And there was a price to pay.

Reaching out to place a reassuring hand on Zeke’s shoulder, passing on the comfort Lazar had brought out, Isaiah’s brain begins to tick. The predator began to plan his hunt.

Isaiah’s phone lights up in his pocket, and the custom ringtone Chae had set for herself - Lil’ Simz - Venom begins to echo through the eerily silent room.

“Dionysus, you’ve been around the block haven’t you?

A champion here, a runner up there, I hear you even competed at the World Series… A renowned name that decided to add to the name he already had by coming to the pinnacle of the wrestling game?

Cos you know that’s true right.

You’re at the pinnacle of the business.

That’s why our locker room might feel a little sparse as you walk through it. There are only so many that make it to the pinnacle and get to stay there.

How many have walked through those doors and given up at the first sign of competition? Of loss? Of challenge.

Too many to count.

How many have shown up and realized that even the ROOKIE division, the new-comer’s Television Title division, is too much to handle?

Too many to count.

They make the Television champion defend this belt EVERY SINGLE SHOW. Without fail - as a two-time champion, as a genuine contender since my first day here - that means I’ve scraped, fought, clawed my way to just getting here.

Bulldozing through too many to count.

I know it’s not very high as far as the pinnacle is concerned, March Madness made that painfully clear.

But just hanging here, just holding onto this undervalued title takes every ounce of effort. This is the training ground, the refining fire of the XWF.

If the pinnacle of the pinnacle is peace, the EYE of the storm.

The Television Title is the raging, the ferocious wall of wind that batters and whips surrounding it.
This is where Kings are born. This is where champions are made.

Are you ready to enter it?

You can be certain you won’t be the one to escape through it to the top - but you can be certain you’ll leave scarred and bled out.

You see, none of you are taking this title away from me until I find myself refined enough to take the next step.

You are the whetstone sharpening MY blade.

But you’ll get something out of this, I can guarantee that.

You’ll see what quality looks like, you’ll see the price you must pay for glory.

You’ll remember the blood you must spill to even stay relevant here.

Count your blessings that you get to do that with me. With someone who has the honor to give you a real fight and not one whose only concerned about holding ON to this belt.

I will fight with all my might because it’s best for me. I will dance with you for as long as YOU want because every second in the ring is better for me.

It EARNS me MY redemption.

Every sharpening session honing my blade’s edge to conquer the greatest beasts.

Every fight a feather on this arrow heading to the very top.

You will get the best damn fight of your career on Saturday because it’s the best thing for MY growth.

And I’d advise that you think of it the same. Think of the growth potential.

While you might be the veteran, I’m the standard you must aim for.

I’m the one who can reach down into the muck of obscurity and pull you out before you drown in the muck of those who fight for paychecks and relevancy.

Fight me, and you just might get a little closer to your own redemption and glory.”

Reaching into his pocket, Isaiah quickly answers Chae’s facetime call, her beautifully soft face shows up on his screen. She seems to be in the backseat of a car.

”Where are you, Jeremiah ju-”

”I just got signed!!!”

The both of them vomit out their words simultaneously, Isaiah’s tense concern contrasting heavily with Chae’s infectious excitement.

”Did you just say Jeremiah?

”What were you thinking?!”

They speak over each other again, Isaiah had gotten the update about her signing for the XWF but the fact that she’d done it without consulting him still stung. What more, she was telling Jeremiah exactly where to find her.

”Y-yes, he reached out and threatened us… He threatened to hurt you.”

”I-I t-thought you’d be excited?!”

Isaiah brings two fingers to rub the bridge of his nose, leaning his weight on one leg as he does so. Ezekiel has cooled off somewhat and is speaking to Lazar about getting some protection. Breathing in deeply, Isaiah tries to calm himself - he didn’t need to be arguing with Chae now.

”You first.”

”Oh thank you my benevolent king”

Her voice stung with sarcasm but she continued nonetheless.

”You’re speaking to the next biggest thing to happen to the XWF, but don’t worry I won’t taint your legacy, I’m trying to get sorted into Anarchy.”

”But why?”

”To… To help you?”

That’s not the answer he was expecting, and a series of emotions flittered on his face. Confusion, thoughtfulness, annoyance.

”Why do you think I need help? You and Zeke do plenty in preparing m-”

”You’ve been a wreck, since you first lost that belt… You’ve been different.”

”Heh, she means me. Remember? The annoying voice of your DEAD abusive coach ringing through your head?”

He hadn’t heard coach’s voice in awhile…

”Clearly the pressure of being our… “King” was taking its toll. You don’t have to carry OUR burden hun, we’re grown, ass-kicking adults on our own. WE can get the Court established too, and since Zeke is still recovering, I thought I’d get the process started. Now you can just focus on yourself.”

She bulldozed through his thoughts, not letting Isaiah’s insecurities cloud why Chae was doing what she was doing.

”Oh. T-that’s actually quiet… Nice but the XWF is no cakewalk Chae.”

His voice is softer now, concerned, his expression somewhat matching but tinged with annoyance.

”Do you think I don’t know that? That I can’t handle the chaos of the XWF? Take the right here.

Chae gives her cabdriver some directions and Isaiah knows better than to take the bait.

”Of course not. Like you said, grown ass-kicker.”

”And if you don’t truly believe that, I’ll prove it to you. Maybe I’ll be the one to take that belt off you.”
She ends that last sentence with her angelic laugh, before quietly returning to the conversation.

”And what was that about Jeremiah?”

Isaiah snaps into seriousness, the foul taste coming back to his mouth.

”He hacked our feeds, he knows about the guys on the street, he knows we’re waiting for him, he has EMPIRE working for him now. The weirdest think about all of this is he wants us to JOIN him again. He’s been trying to kill us to convince us to work with him?”

”He’s never been the… Sharpest tool in the box.

”Well, Jeremiah seems to think you’ll be able to convince us. He’s coming for you Chae, you need to get back here quick so we can keep an eye on each other.”

”I was just on my way over, just had some fitness tests to get sorted out so they could make sure I was fit to fight. I’ll see you and Zeke in a bit, and we can figure out what to do about Jeremiah than. Not much we CAN do until we know where he is - have you heard from Officer Derrick or your uncle, Doc yet?”

Officer Derrick was Jeremiah’s estranged father, and a man on the NYPD was determined to keep his son from falling deeper into crime. Doc was Isaiah’s uncle, a war veteran and combat medic that used to act as a doctor of sorts when Isaiah and his friends got hurt on the streets. Doc had gone missing, an ambush laid out for Isaiah in his apartment and Derrick had revealed something particularly interesting to Isaiah.

”Officer Woods said Jeremiah HASN’T been released. He’s still up there in Rikers. But… Somehow he’s been pulling strings like this out here, somehow he’s controlling Empire and chasing after us. Either that or the records are screwed.”

Chae’s eyes widen.

”He spoke to you just now… From prison?

”At least that’s what the records say… I don’t really know how any of that is possible either. Which is makes all of this even harder to plan against and harder to fix and harder to keep everyone s-”

As Isaiah’s voice grows more tense, Chae cuts him off before he can spiral.

”We’ll sort this out Iz, we always do. We’ve fought our way to where we are, we’ve earned freedom from this prick, and we’ll hold onto it dearly - got it? WE will do it, together.”

”Just get here.”

”The next right here, thanks… Uhm you missed that turn. It’s fine you can just stop me here. Sir? Excuse me?”

Isaiah narrows his eyes, head tilting ever so slightly to the right.

”Hey, where’re ya going?! Are you listening to me?

”Sorry about that Miss, your fares paid for and destination decided.”

”Chae… what’s going on.”

”Iz, I don’t know what’s going on, it’s probably some dumb thing Jeremiah’s planned. The doors are locked, and this creep is driving towards Upper Manhattan, sending you my location. HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO GET AWAY WITH THIS?”

”The boss expects you to come after her, Mr King.”

The cab driver’s voice is young and refined, clearly educated at some pretentious school. And this pretentious prick was holding his girlfriend hostage.

There would be blood to pay.

“Dolly Waters, Jay Omega, Noah Jackson - You.

Quite the little run of competitors, but while they get elevated with each fight… You feel like a downgrade.
Truly, no offense Dion.

But are not my challengers supposed to be getting better? Am I not proving to be a champion worth fighting, a champion worth making a star out of?

Do the bookers want to sell tickets off my name or give YOU a chance at some popularity?

Are they trying to help YOU make a name for yourself while you do everything in your power to disappear?

Hiding your name, hiding your community service, running from promotions that you used to dominate… What’ve you done to make a name for yourself here?

Can you genuinely say you want to be something here - that you want to conquer the XWF like I can?

Are you content with arriving at the pinnacle business?

Are you comfortable being tournament fodder and a match-filler?

You lack vision, and like the many I’ve fought before you, you lack ambition.

You shy from it.

I’ve started sounding like a recorder on repeat because of it. Because everyone they put in my path can’t look past their next match. They can’t look past the meager fans they have now, they certainly can’t look past PAST glories.

Few in this business actually want to grow. Actually want to be better.

They either think they’re the best, or that their best is behind them.

This is the pinnacle business, not a retirement home.

We don’t need the likes of Corey Smith, Doc and Alias coming back to juice things up.

We don’t need all these wrestlers who’ve made a name for themselves in lesser companies to only dilute our talent pool and give up when they realise they aren’t good enough.

What happened to the dominant Peter Vaughn? What’s happened to Charlie Nickles?

If you don’t wake up and fight to stay here - you’ll disappear too.

If you don’t bleed and pay the price for redemption - you’ll be forgotten too.

I’ll happily help you bleed Dionysus, a red so deep your wineries would be jealous.

You haven't earned your place to stand across from me - how dare they put someone on a losing streak before me?

But it's fine.

If they won't train you, I will.

I will put you through the ringer.

I will help you shed blood.

When I crush you in a classic First-blood match, you’ll realise that mediocrity has NO place in my kingdom.

You’ll realize that in this business redemption is hunted, not given.”

Black.

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