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It seems like the world freezes in place at times.

As the final days wind down leading up to Snow Job, there’s anticipation in the air and tension so tight you could use it as a G-string. On a guitar, of course. There’s an incredible line-up in place and a non-stop build to one final showdown for the Universal Championship. Could anyone have ever imagined that their final bout, the one for all the marbles, would have so much on the line?

Isn’t it amazing what a little spice can add to a sauce that you just keep stirring and stirring over and over again? For months Chris Page and Thaddeus Duke battled and got nowhere. Some may argue, but it wasn’t until the involvement of the good doctor that really got things going. Thaddeus already had a Tag Team Title match lined up and it was peas and carrots after that. It was simple to set up Thaddeus to shine. While hand-cuffed and bound to the ground, he had no choice but to overcome adversity and climb the ladder to claim the championship. Then, barely a few hours later, he outlasted the rest of us and captured the UNIVERSE! As my stranglehold… As my grip latched on to the lion and kept him safe…. Corey Smith did the rest. Now, my friends, look how he shines. Look how bright he shines. The world seems frozen in place sometimes, doesn’t it?

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Five men with thick animal skins draped over their shoulders walk through the frozen, rolling tundra. They are no strangers to this land or the cold and moved along through the storm with ease. One stops and points into the distance seeing something sticking out of the snow. The others slowly turn their attention and they make their way over to it.

When close enough to see what it was, three of them panicked and the other two were intrigued. A man appears to be frozen in the snow.



The two braver ones shove at it and attempt to move it with no luck while the others stand back in caution. After some convincing in a tongue that was short accompanied with some baseball signs, the frozen man was pulled along via rope through the snow. It actually wasn’t far from a small village with more folk like these men. Dressed and basically living in animal skin. Their tents wrapped around and reached high and were held together with sticks. Several small fires burned within them and many more were scattered about outside like mini campsites. The five men dragging their frozen discovery reach it and are met with several others who assist without question and take it inside the nearest tent.

Inside a fire is already blazing and the temperature is uncontrolled at probably close to 100*F. They place the frozen block within and all leave. Within a few minutes, Doc opens his eyes and looks around at his new surroundings. He sees that half of him is in a dead sweat and the other half is still frozen in ice. He struggles about, hopping up and down, before falling to his side. Managing to scoot his bottom half over and sit it directly into the fire, the ice melts instantaneously. He stands up, wipes the sweat from his brow and fixes his collar. As he exits the tent, he’s met with one of the fellows that had drug him while in his frozen little prison.

Hello, my friend! I like your coat!

The man wears a bear over his shoulders and is one of the bigger fellows Doc has seen around. He grabs Doc by the shoulder and directs him towards another tent.

Actually, I appreciate the gesture… but I really should be going.

Before Doc could say another word, several others were directing him in the direction of the tent. The man on his shoulder urges him further by adding a little shove to his efforts. Doc, seeing no true harm in humoring the savages, makes his way towards another tent.

Doc squeezes past the curtain to enter and inside an ancient-looking man sits cross-legged behind a small, crackling fire. His eyes are closed like he was praying or meditating and he’s humming with each long breath that he takes. The man pays no attention to his guest who just stands and watches on. Finally, Doc’s impatience grows and gets the best of him and he steps forward.

Is there something I can--

The man’s eyes open, but he doesn’t look up. He only motions for Doc to sit down across from him, which he does. The ancient fellow pulls a long pipe from behind him and takes a long hit from it. Doc’s eyes light up as it is passed around the fire to him.

Well! Don’t mind if I do!

Doc takes a rip from the pipe and blows out a smokey dragon that soars around the tent until joining the rest of the smoke and exiting through the top. He passes it back to the man who is not humored by Doc’s tricks. The man then pulls a small cup from his side containing a liquid. He reaches inside a small bag made from a squirrel pelt and pulls a pinch of dust from it and sprinkles it into the drink.

Are we partying?

Doc doesn’t hesitate when the fellow hands the cup over to him and downs it immediately. It takes a moment, but he starts hacking and coughing as the brew burns his throat worse than any gasoline he’s drunk and rips his stomach worse than any knife wound. He topples over groaning and moaning in agony. His vision blurs while staring into the fire and everything slowly goes blank.

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DOC!!

A faint, familiar voice yells out from a far away tin can.

HEY DOC!!!!

The voice grows closer.

DOC!!

Another familiar voice. Doc’s eyes open and he’s lying on a grassy prairie, still in what appears the middle of nowhere, but no snow or cold. Flowers are bloomed and sway in the warm breeze and a few trees provide some comfortable shade to paint an absolutely beautiful landscape. If that’s your thing, anyway.

Humming birds zipped around and bumble bees the size of softballs bumbled about. Parts of the sky looked tye-dye and swirled about with the wind and shined like a version of the Northern Lights.

Doc picks himself up and sees in the distance two boys holding a kite together and it appears to be getting away from them.

Help us, Doc! Be our anchor!

A small, calm river flows beside them with a wide u-shaped wooden bridge to cross to the other side. Fish jump out from the water, do a flip, the flop back in. Doc looks closer now and sees it is Corey Smith and Thaddeus Duke holding the wayward soaring kite at bay.

What are you waiting for?! We’re losing it!

A rush of adrenaline shoots through Doc as he sprints to the aid of the two boys. He reaches them just in time and grabs the string pulling the kite back within their grasp!

Yes!

Alright!!

Ha!!

The three celebrate together and watch together their flying scrap of paper shaped like a diamond fly high in the sky. The kite pulls hard again and lifts the three of them up. Corey and Thad can’t hold on and let go falling to the ground. Doc manages to hold on tight before a lighting bolt comes crashing down and strikes the kite! The electrical current can be seen zipping down the line and Doc can’t let go in time and gets zapped like a cartoon character. He falls to the ground, burnt to a crisp with smoke pouring off the top of his head. The two boys look on for a moment and, with no remorse, chuckle themselves into a frenzy while also still on the ground. Doc looks at the two boys laughing and feels nothing but a warm, loving feeling pour over his heart and can’t hold in his laughter either.

That was TOO funny!

Yeah! Doc was all like ZZZZZBBBBBBBBTTTTTTTTTT!!!

Thad tries his best impression of Doc getting lifted in three feet in the air and lighting up like an x-ray.

Too awesome. You’re so funny, Doc!

Doc reaches over and tosses around Thad’s hair before making his way over to the river to throw some water on his face. He looks down and before he reaches for some he notices his reflection.

Something seems off about himself… But cannot put his finger on it at the moment. Reaching down he pulls water from one face and splashes it on another. Wiping his eyes and gaining his vision back he hears a yell for help in the distance.

Do you hear that?

It sounds like someone’s in trouble!

We should help!

The two take off on foot away from Doc and head towards a hilltop and Doc follows close behind. When they reach the top, they see in the distance several figures in dark cloaks lasso’ing a follow up by his neck and then up a tree.

He dangles and doesn’t really put up a fight, he’s also oddly enough missing his left hand. Did these people take it?

There!

Oh, man! Is that Alias?!

Who?!

What are we gonna do, Doc?!

Doc looks at the two of them then down at the apparent lynching going on. Before he can say a word or come up with a plan, Corey and Thaddeus are gone and Doc is left alone on the hill. He sees the man dangling by the rope and takes a deep breath. Slowly, he creeps down the hill and hides behind a bush and gets close enough to hear the man hanging there singing. The hoods still stand around as if there’s some type of ritual going on until Doc inadvertently sneezes from the polin flying in the air. The sneeze surprised him as much as the ones he was spying on and he didn’t even realize he blew his cover until they were on top of him. A couple are carrying spears or knives and point them at Doc’s throat.

Why… Hello there, my friends! Beautiful day, am I right?

One motions him to head towards the tree where the singing hanging man is still up there singing away.

Now, you fine fellows here seem to be having a fine time. I was actually just on my way through. Have you actually seen two young boys around? I’ve appeared to have lll---

The man stops singing and looks down at Doc.

Before Doc can say another word he has a rope thrown around his neck and his hands bound behind his back. He looks to what appears to be the leader and tries imaging his neck snapping… but nothing comes of it. He looks at another and imagines him on fire, but nothing again. A cold shiver shoots up Doc’s spine as he’s quickly lifted into the air by his neck. The pressure is tight around his neck and his eyes begin pushing out of his skull. Blood fills his ears but can still hear the singing of the man next to him. Everything begins to fade to black before the pressure is released and Doc falls flat onto the ground. His short-time hanging companion falls on top of him and rolls off as Doc looks up and sees two monstrosities ripping the black hooded folks to bloody pieces.

Once the massacre is over, a bloodied up lion with wings and a dragon about the same size approach the two as they remove the ropes from their necks.

It’s me, Doc!

The lion says.

And me!

Says the dragon. Doc stands speechless and looks back and forth at who appear to be Thaddeus and Corey.

What’s up, Alias?

Hi!

He turns to Doc.

Hey, thanks for coming to hang out!

He sticks two fingers in his mouth and blows. A whistle chimes melodically through the air and a furious stomp can be heard in the distance.

Now what?

Something lets out a roar and leaps loudly from the distance leading in the tree next to them.

What is THAT?!

Uhh… A minotaur?

Thaddeus is correct. Bull head, huge human body…. It leaps from the tree to the ground beside them all. It grabs Alias around the waist and throws him up on his shoulders like a child and begins walking away.

Bye!!

Doc watches whatever the heck that was.

You boys have some interesting traits that you’ve failed to share…

What do you mean? Like doing whatever it takes to do good?

Doc laughs.

Not at all.

Like always having each other’s back and always helping those in need?

No! What’s wrong with you two?

Hey, Doc… We love you. We always will.

The warmth from Doc’s heart just melted it and he turns away. The words rolled from his tongue so easily.

I love you, too.

He turns around to face them and they’re gone again. He throws his arms up in confusion and frustration as a stiff wind starts to blow and a dark cloud looms over head. Thunder rumbles and lighting flashes… The clouds grow and grow as a strange figure forms in the sky… The wind blows Doc down and holds him there as the shape in the sky becomes more and more distinct. It roars and shoots down at him!!

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AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Doc shrieks from inside the tent where he had last remembered being before waking up in the prairie. He looks around and sees the old man who apparently invited him in staring at him through the flames.

Moments Later.

Doc walks away from an absolute inferno behind him. He trudges in the snow like he did before only weighed down by some heavy animal skins to keep him thawed out this time. He lights up a cigar with a flame in his hand and exhales a large plume of smoke out into the starlight.



We’re down to hours away, folks. Just hours away until my legacy carries on for another day. Hours until I prove that I am everything I say that I am. It doesn’t matter, it’s never mattered who stands with him in the corner… I will always get the job done.

We’ve all been playing with our own demons this week haven’t we? I seem to bring those types of actions out in folks, don’t I? When I enter the fray, everyone must always check their own humanities. Look within themselves and question nearly everything. It’s always been a pleasure of being the rite of passage around here. To be the greatest challenge someone has ever encountered… It’s truly an honor. It’s more of an honor to maul and snuff out any hopes or dreams those that take on the challenge have. To watch them put every ounce of effort into besting me and taking me down just to fail miserably is a thrill. It’s a pastime that will never grow old.

If you can’t tell, I have a knack for reading people. I can see through each and everyone of you. I see through Robbie Bourbon, every layer. I see through his partner, TK. I see through the Left Hand’s fodder. Robbie Bourbon is the same as he’s ever been and that’s a bunch of hot air. The guy comes out all the time and talks the talk but when it comes to walking at all he just gets knocked on his butt. As much as the Left Hand has been talked about not belonging here, I gotta say, I kind of put you both in the same versus category to lose. Lose bad, too.

How do I know this? Well, the writing is already on the wall, my friends. While Robbie Bourbon may not be frightened of what is to come, he knows what to expect though. Even though we haven’t faced one-on-one, face-to-face, or head-to-head, which he seems to be extremely hung up about… He knows I’m the big bad wolf around here and knows that he just picked up a spare wolf's skin while I wasn’t looking. Sticking feathers in your butt doesn’t make you a chicken. You can call yourself whatever you want, sir, but you have to live up to it, too, or no one will take you seriously. Look at the other side. The Left Hand comes in all slow and weird-like, tries their best at getting everyone’s attention, just to always lose? Getting the last word is great and all but making an impression around here takes a little bit more than attacking someone in numbers. Anyone, and I mean, anyone can take a beating. Walking away from the beating is the important part.

I’ve seen Mister Bourbon in some battles and I’m willing to vouch that this won’t be the end of him. Even when I bring you so close to within an inch of your life, I’m sure you’ll be back for more. The guy is a living, breathing, extremely obese crash dummy and I respect him for that.

Respect is earned, though, am I right? I have to be honest, Mister Bourbon, your shadow back there is having a hard time getting any love from these parts. I can see through you and I can certainly see through this mess of hair, f-bombs, and fear. I’m sure you fellows were planning on tagging up from a while back. It explains why three or four months later we’re here talking about it now. All after the current champions, the ones no one could beat…. GOT BEAT. Your timing is impeccable! However, I think you two might have stood a better chance beating the guy TK mopped the floor with for the Television Title and the guy that ran for the door as soon as a familiar darkness loomed back overhead. You might have been able to walk into THAT fight with the slight feeling of hope to walk out as champs…. To think that now is just silly, Rob. I think Mister TK gets it though. The guy trembled with every f-bomb and I could feel the doubt every single time he backed up anything you said. You gentlemen may get tired of hearing about my past, but I’m only trying to warn you before you become part of it. I only try to remind you, because some people easily forget that what I want… I get. These titles? Talk as much about the boy as you want. He’s not here, but it doesn’t matter. Corey Smith and I have what we have, but we’re both smart enough and strong enough to fight with our differences. This team, this Continuum, is as strong a team as ever and Snow Job is only the beginning. The Left Hand can grow and throw more fodder our way. BOB can swap out members too and try, try again.

You’ll all be taken just as serious as you are now. Sorry to disappoint. Sorry to disappoint you Mister Marf. Sorry to disappoint you Lycana. You do not have my attention and you haven’t since you submitted and started claiming others’ Left Hands. Look around you and just be happy with what you have. You have your Baphomet and your Pale Horse. You have your brothers and sisters or comrades or legions… What you cannot have is what belongs to me. I’m not saying this won’t be a fun occasion, though. Marf alone just seems excited to be here and looking forward to getting his head caved in. Lycana wants me to dive right in, too. See? See how fun this can be if we just accept things for the way they are?

In a few hours, the journey continues, my friends. The tale of the under-favored team of two elites. The under-dogs made up of the blood of champions. The team of two rivals that share a goal, but from two completely different perspectives. In just a few hours the world will see a relapse in time from just a few years ago… That’s right. Let’s talk about yesterday. Let’s talk about when I couldn’t be stopped…. Now, let’s look ahead.

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