"So that's the proposal, Mr. Pryce. What questions do you have?"

I sat in Theo Pryce's office, which was both exactly and not exactly what I had expected his office to look like. Daniel was leaning against the back wall, Devin was seated in the chair next to me, and Wide Dio had decided to stand outside to "try and look tough." Or maybe he was just lonely. It was hard to tell with Wide Dio these days. I explained to Theo about the journey into Egypt, discovering the Wishmonger, and claiming my wish to be "the places I want to be," thus leading to this split into four different Dionysi. I wanted to ensure that these guys had some kind of employment history; I managed to work out some details on my own, but was looking to get something more recent on their CVs.

Theo looked me dead in the eye, not even looking at the other versions of myself, and told me, "So let me see if I understand your story correctly. Dolly gives you a call about a magic lamp in Egypt. You and your War Games team fly all the way out there, with days before the show, without notifying anyone where it is that you were going, were nearly lost in the jungle, somehow miraculously find these ancient ruins where you almost die again, and in the end find this all-powerful genie that split you into four different versions of you. And now, you're in my office asking me to give these two-"

"Three, sir," I interrupted. "Wide Dio is just outside."

"...What, the fat one?"

"We prefer 'husky,'" Devin chimed in. Theo looked over at him with a serious stare, causing Devin to slump into his chair.

"...Sorry. The three of them," Theo corrected. "You want me to give these three performance contracts so they can...what, have it look good on their resume?"

"It is to help build their credibility, sir," I argued. "Daniel, Devin, and Wide Dio just magically came into being. There are no birth records, no social security, no documentation of any kind that they exist. At least, we have yet to find anything. We're just four guys who don't really know how to go around finding potentially lost documents like that. But if they had pending contracts and background checks assigned, then maybe we could luck out on a scrap of proof of existence. I mean, this company has the resources available to get the ball rolling on this, doesn't it?"

Theo tapped the pen he had in his hand, thinking about the proposal. He let out a deep sigh, once again addressing me. "Look, Dinoysus. I like you. I scouted you from The World Series of Wrestling because I see the kind of potential you bring. And since signing with us, I know you haven't asked for much."

"There's a but coming up, isn't there?" Daniel spoke up. "We just want to appear as real as anyone else in the world, man. Why can't you do that?"

"Well for one," Theo conjectured, "This isn't an easy request to ask for. I'm going to need to run this through my back offices to even get things going. For two, I'm still not entirely convinced that what you all have told me is the truth. How do I know you're not just a couple of convincing lookalikes with extensive criminal backgrounds? On top of that, no documentation of any kind?"

I shook my head. "I know how it all sounds, Mr. Pryce," I rebuttled, "But ask Dolly and Corey, maybe Soldier if you can find him; they can confirm what happened in Egypt-"

"This isn't just about Egypt," Theo interrupted. "This is about the four of you and whether or not what you are saying is the truth. Now, if you can prove what you are saying is true, here and now, we can keep this conversation going. If not, then I'll ask you to leave. I've had enough fantasy for one day."

Devin turned to face Daniel, a panicked look in his eyes. Daniel shook his head, unsure of how we could prove such a fantastic story. Then, a thought crossed my mind. There was more to the wish than just having the clones of me. "...I think I may have misspoke earlier. It was not just my brothers that were granted to me. The specifics of my wish were, if I recall, the ability to be anywhere I want to be at one time." I sat up in my seat, pointing a thumb at Devin. "The Wishmonger didn't really tell me how this would work, but I'm pretty sure these guys are supposed to be how I can make it work."

Theo could only blink. "You're...going to do what, exactly?"

"Just pop out for a moment," I said. Then, before anyone could do anything, I focused my thoughts onto Wide Dio and where he was standing outside the office. When my eyes opened...

...I was standing outside Theo's door.

I ended up surprising myself. Panicking, I looked up and down the hall, making sure no one else had seen what had happened. My breathing was light and rapid, a combination of being startled and shocked by the discovery I had made. Not nearly as startling as the shout that came from Theo, though muffled as it was, I highly doubt it would be words that a network would allow to air on television. I opened the door to enter back into Theo's office, now seeing Wide Dio in the chair I had been sitting in. Theo looked between me at the door and Wide Dio in the chair, having fully stood up behind his desk. "Did I...are you...what-"

"Hey, I'm just as surprised as you are," Wide Dio said. "Like your office; you get someone to design it for you?"

"But you-and he-and...what did I just..." Theo was still in shock.

I made my way behind Theo's desk and turned him to face me, both my hands on his shoulders, not hard but firm enough that he would not thrash. "Look, I understand that this entire thing makes absolute zero sense. I can't even begin to explain how any of it works. And if this whole situation makes you uncomfortable enough to terminate my contract here, then so be it." I gestured to the others. "But all I'm looking to do is help these guys make a life for themselves as well. They can't follow me around forever. They want to live out their own dreams and ambitions, just as you and I have."

Theo slowly reached up to my hands, delicately removing them from his shoulders. "I would ask that you do not touch me again like that...although I do appreciate you not slapping me out of...well, whatever it was I just saw."

"It isn't the best idea to slap your employer, sir, even if it may help him get out of shock," I replied.

Theo gestured a hand back toward the others, directing me around his desk. He took his seat once more, saying, "I still don't think this will go anywhere aside from this one meeting, but...given what I have seen, I think it is worth looking into further. That said, I cannot grant contracts to them at this time." Daniel and Devin started to protest, but Theo held up a hand to silence them. "I know you mean well, but understand the position I am in; if nothing comes from this, an investigation into you lot is bound to follow. And who knows what they will find."

"If I may," I interjected, "You could list me as their primary referral. It may not do anything, but if questions are asked, it would put me under the gun instead of XWF. The last thing I want to do is put you guys at risk. So I'll take it on." I turned to face the other three. "They're my family, after all," I added, giving them a wink.

"In all the years I have been in this business," Theo said after a moment to think, "This goes up there as one of the craziest schemes I have ever thought to try and pull off." Still deep in thought, he began to nod slowly. "Very well. But your contract also hinges on their background checks coming back with anything. If they're in the clear, I'll draft up the contracts myself." Daniel, Devin, and Wide Dio looked at one another in excitement. I was slack-jawed. I was certain I was going to be out the door. "I can keep this under wraps...you know, 'our little secret' and all, but I need to have a project name to put this under."

The name had already been in mind. "Project Scylla," I suggested.

"I'm guessing that's some kind of greek myth thing, right?" Theo asked.

"Yes, but I won't go into detail if you're not interested," I said, halting that part of the conversation in its tracks. "But behind these doors, this group will be known as..." I looked at Daniel, Devin, and Wide Dio in order, all nodding back to me in acceptance of the name I had thought of for a long time.

"...The Many Faces."

---

Tell me, just how overused is the tale of Icarus in our line of business?

That seems to be the telltale greek myth we use all the time, right? Flying too close to the sun, watching the wax melt as we struggle with the inevitability of that fall, completely forgetting that reality doesn't quite work the way the myth tells you. The air gets colder as you continue to climb in elevation, you see, so unless the sun is beating directly down on you as you ascend, I doubt the wax would melt quite as quickly. That being said, the chance of your wings melting does increase exponentially the longer you remain in the air. Then again, that is not the conversation people want to have, now is it? The tale of Icarus is meant to teach us not to imbibe in excessive ambition. And yet, that is what Leap of Faith is intended to be; a high-rish/high-reward match in which all contenders throw caution to the wind and see how far they can soar. All for the chance to compete for the coveted XWF 24/7 Briefcase. A fitting prize for the ambitious few that are even daring to take this challenge.

And the line-up of challengers is...well, I will be the first to admit it; this line-up is quite possibly the greatest challenge I will have faced thus far in my tenure here in XWF. From a bonafide legend in Bobby Bourbon, to bitter rivals in Ned Kaye and Isaiah King, a former teammate in Dolly Waters, and Jenny Myst, who I had the pleasure of losing to to qualify for this particular match. All of them capable competitors, former champions, and not ready to give anyone an inch for their shot at glory, whether they are finding it again or beginning the journey anew. It is quite intimidating to share the ring, not to mention The Eiffel Tower, with these people, all personal feelings aside.

But along with that sense of fear...is the thrill of excitement.

It is a rare opportunity to be placed in a match with some of the best the company has to offer. Especially a match that, as mentioned before, I failed in qualifying for in the first place. So the question becomes this: why is Dionysus in the Leap of Faith to begin with? The answer to that is a simple answer with layers of complexity built on top. In the 6-7 months since being on the roster, I secured a tag team contendership (which ultimately did not pan out), won the Television Title in a hotly contested division, and managed to help my War Games team secure a spot in the finals. And while I have faced a slump since relinquishing the Television Title, the interest in me has yet to drop. On top of that, many of my detractors are still surprised that I am still around, perhaps presuming that I would duck out the minute I lost any momentum. Well, that tells you more about them than me. There are people that want to see me fail because it validates their opinions while burying their own inferiorities. And the further I climb, the more likely those people will be inspired to strive despite their short-comings. I am not just a competitor who looks for his own personal glory to horde all to himself; rather, I am one that wants to share in that victory with the fans. To inspire and give hope, win or lose; that has been one of my core philosophies since I first laced the boots.

Now, you might think "Well Dionysus, the field is packed with talent and I'm not sure you have what it takes to hang with this crowd." I remind you that it was Isaiah King that I dethroned and the likes of Ned Kaye and Dolly Waters whom I have given great bouts to, never giving an inch and forcing them to earn their victories. I am confident in my own skills that, at the bare minimum, I will not embarrass myself. And who knows? Maybe I can even be fortunate to hold that coveted case in the end. This contest will, without a doubt, push me beyond my limits, but when has that ever stopped me?

I welcome the thought of being the underdog or "outclassed" in this bout. I welcome it with open arms. Because should that case touch my hands, it will, without a doubt, send shockwaves throughout the XWF landscape, placing The Lord of The Vine and my Many Faces that much closer to the peak of the mountain. To defy expectation and to stand above the rest in the end; that is the drive that keeps me motivated to excel. I serve as a banner to rally around, to inspire the uninspired, to bring hope to those in despair. So as I apply the wax wings to my own arms, I look toward the horizon, hoping my strength and skill will carry me to a brighter tomorrow. "But what if I fall," you might ask.

But oh honey.

What if I fly.