"I know you, Griffin.

"I’ve seen your kind everywhere I’ve been. You started your life in the void with a situation so unfortunate that many would cease to function with the crippling pressures. No father, no mother, you had only yourself to rely on from an early age. But rather than sulk in your own pity, you rose above your station and began to develop abilities valuable to the world and to your own progression.

"You gained the ability to read into people’s weaknesses.

"You learned of your talented abilities in reading machines in the same vein that you do people.

"Your time in the void taught you lessons that you may have never acquired had you been born into prosperity. Your power comes from within and it’s been honed with careful time and attention used in the need for survival.

"It was this ability that secured your future. You could read anyone and knew exactly how they functioned. It’s an invaluable skill that many will face their entire lives without being able to access in the slightest.

"But the issue with power is that it comes at a cost.

"While you could have turned this ability into something honest for a good cause, you allowed the pressures of the world to weigh down upon you. You could have been the next hero guiding your world towards a new, fruitful future. But you chose the easy path. You chose the path already paved by those who came before you. The path of least resistance and quickest return.

"You aren’t a normal man, Griffin.

"But you made the mistake of millions before you.

"You chose stagnation over progression.

"With all of your gifts, you elected to take a backseat and let someone else take the reigns. You went to the life of crime knowing that you could score big in a short amount of time. Rather than work hard and earn your wages and respect, you usurped it from whoever stumbled across your path.

"As a result, you found yourself right back in the void that you tried to rise above. It’s in that cell that you truly made your gravest error. A hand was extended into that darkness, and you leapt at the opportunity allowing it to remove you from that dark place.

"Once more, you proved that you aren’t a normal man.

"You’re a tool.

"Before The Order’s very eyes, you transformed from a potential leader of the world into the very instrument you used to work on those vehicles with your father.

"Life offered you change with the potential for greatness yet you settled with familiar and continued your stagnation. You elected to become a cog in a machine rather than becoming your own creation. With such possibilities, you settled.

"Your stagnation lead down the path to crime and debauchery, and it’s for that reason that you won’t progress. Your evil must be stopped.

"Your evil must be eradicated.

"The Calvary has been summoned here, and there’s nothing going to stop me from completing my mission, MY destiny.

"You can rest assured knowing that you aren’t my mission. Your vile stench is nothing more than a small stepping stone.

"At Warfare, you will learn that the reason you can’t win isn’t because I stand as opposition. It isn’t because you’re past your time. It isn’t because you’re a punching bag for the entire roster. The only reason you’re not a success is the very reason you haven’t been able to step out of the void.

"You’re afraid of hardwork.

"At Wednesday Night Warfare, you will learn what happens when you step into the ring with someone who actually knows what they’re doing. You will stand opposite someone who gives everything their all. You will stand… but only as long as I allow you to.

"Justice is coming, Griffin.

"And it’s going to put you back in the void where you belong.

"Buried six feet under in your own apathy.


Before...

Wind whips harshly through the night on this unfamiliar world as a pair of figures are shown hiding behind a bush. They seem young in age as they peer over the bush. Ahead of them is a pair of men in heavy armor walking in front of a large, fortified door. The two kids pull themselves back down. One is pale with dark hair and a stockier physique while the other is leaner with lighter features and hair. His ears also come up to a point.

"This is ridiculous, Vic" says the dark haired boy. "There’s no way that we can safely enter into that door without killing them."

“Don’t worry, Kal. I have faith in us. With our abilities, there’s nothing that they can do to stop us. As I can see it, the only way we’re going to kill them is if we’re careless. Now, shall we do ‘Stop Punching Yourself?’”

A grin spreads across the face of Kal.

The armored guards continue their pacing with their long, multiple-pronged weapons at their side. As they pace, Kal stomps to their attention with no pretense of being stealthy.

“This is a restricted area. You are in violation of Krunten Law just by standing on these sacred grounds. State your name!”

"My name is Kal. I guess I took a wrong turn at Crenpar! I thought this was a bathroom." Kal laughs as the guards do not share his enjoyment with the situation.

“On your knees! You are under arrest under Krunten Law.”

Kal slowly takes a knee with his hands in front of him.

"Then by all means, arrest me."

The daring grin upon Kal’s face pisses the guards off as one quickly pulls out a pair of cuffs. But he suddenly punches his partner before slapping the cuffs on himself and his partner. He stiffens for a moment before looking at his partner in confusion. His partner is pissed as he punches him back.

“Why the fuck did you just punch me?!”

“I… I didn’t mean to. Something was forcing me to do it.”

“Forcing?”

The guards suddenly stop and both pull out their weapons and aim them at Kal.

“Are you doing this, child?”

Kal just laughs before rising back to his feet.

"No, but you should really stop hitting yourself."

BAM! BAM!

Both men turn their weapons on each other and blast themselves. They fall to their knees with green liquid pouring from the wounds. Kal looks down at the two men before shaking his head. He grabs the throats of both men before lifting them up off the ground.

"Thank you for your hospitality, but we’ll be going now."

With one small movement, he sends the two guards flying through the forest. The sound of their bodies crashing into trees is the only confirmation that their momentum stopped. Kal gives a faint smile before motioning for his friend to join him. Vic steps out of the shadows as if being formed by them. His features are slightly changed with his irises changing to a dark purple, his hair becoming rigid without being moved by the air, and his nails have extended to grotesque length.

"You’re quite the spectacle, Vic."

“Shut up, Kal. Not all of our gifts manifest in such subtle ways.” Vic quickly drops the form reverting back to his friendly image. “Now, let’s see what is inside of that security vault before someone…” Vic’s eyes point towards the direction of the two bodies Kal threw, “…fails to report in.”

"Let’s get it."

Kal walks over to the doors and begins to try and pry them open with his own hands. His fingers dig into the metal pulling with all of his strength as his muscles strain against the sheer strength of metal resisting.

Suddenly, the doors begin to open as Kal steps back in a bit of confusion. He looks over to see Vic returned to his eerie visage with one of the dispatched guards (dragging the other by their cuffed hands) standing in front of him in a slumped state with his Krunten Security badge leaned up against a scanner. Vic releases his hold of his puppet who slumps to the ground before folding his arms with his gnarly fingernails tapping on his forearm.

"I loosened it up…"

Vic dismisses him with a scoff before they turn their attention towards the opening as it’s a tunnel that curves below. Both share a glance before beginning their trek into the dimly lit tunnel. Minutes pass as they continue to make their way into the recesses of the world. Finally, the tunnel opens back up to reveal a huge cavern beneath the ground.

It’s this image that makes them both stop and gasp. Before them is a huge expanse of a city with mines that seem to dive even further out of view with people in shackles and collars being ushered into and out of the dark corners of the cavern. They’re hard at work digging, picking, and sifting through the rock. But something isn’t right.

“Kal… it’s…”

"It’s enslavement."

The hands of Kal quickly clench as his entire body tenses in fury at the sight. His body rises off the ground as his eyes begin to glow a dangerous dark yellow. But then he stops. His whole body falls to the ground in a slumped state as his eyes change from fury to betrayal as he slowly turns to face his friend who has resumed his shifted form.

Vic’s hands are outstretched as he speaks through gritted teeth, obviously fighting against the strength of Kal.

“Kal… please… think this through… if you go charging down there… you won’t change anything.”

"I won’t change anything?" he says through a muffled tone as if the restraints are stopping his very vocal chords. "Are we not trained to help the oppressed? Vic, those aren’t just people. Those are OUR PEOPLE. In chains! Doing the bidding for… OUR PEOPLE."

“Kal, we… need to report this. Nothing we do now… will help!”

Kal’s eyes close as he resigns to this as he calms himself.

"We do it your way this time, Vic. Only if you’ll make me a promise. We will come back for these people, our people."

“Of course, Kal.”

The two share a nod as Vic releases the hold before falling to his knees. Kal gives one look towards the mines before helping his friend to his feet and pulling one of his arms over his own shoulders.

"You know I could have broken out at any moment, right?"

“Will you ever shut the fuck up?”

The two make their way back up the tunnel with a look of determination in Kal’s eyes.

To Be Continued...