Waking Up with Strange Bedfellows

As Sky begins to calm himself from the nightmare he looks around and realizes he has no idea where he is. As quickly as the panic of the nightmare has faded, the panic of being lost overtakes him. Sky jumps from the bed and looks around the room, it is quite basic, a clock, a dresser, a nightstand with a lamp, and a single window.

The room is quite dark, but light begins to shine through the curtained window. Sky looks around trying to search his mind for this place but cannot find it in his memory banks. Sky then rushes for the door and grabs the handle, only to discover it is locked. He begins pulling on the nob and banging on the door.

IS ANYONE OUT THERE!?!

HELP!?!

WHERE AM I!?!

"Please remain calm Mr.Edwards," a voice says from the corner. Sky turns to the corner but there is no one there. That is when he notices a security camera and small intercom in the top corner. Sky moves closer starring at the camera

Where am I?

“In the dark.” A mysterious and deep voice begins, “As you have always been meant to be. You, Mr. Edwards, do not know me… but, I have been bestowed with the great, but unfortunate honor of catching you up to speed with just exactly what your… counterpart… has initiated without your consent.”


Predator. You seem to be aware of his… control of you. It would seem that you are the last to know and to make sure you understand the gravity of the situation, it’s imperative that you come to terms with the severity of your position and the ill-advised decision to resist it… hypothetically, of course. I trust that you will take my words in with great sincerity as you wouldn’t want to bring any harm to anyone else in the unexpected event that you fail to fall in line… and raise your left hand along with your better half.

“Oh, no. He said you might resist in this fashion. Baphomet would not be pleased to hear you aren’t playing along, but, nevertheless, we came prepared for this possibility. It’s become very clear that we will have to institute what Predator himself had suggested we do if this circumstance were to come to fruition. Perhaps we can pay a visit to the Banks Preparatory School and see how that alters your decision.”

The color rushes from Sky’s face and he staggers backward slowly and sits on the edge of the bed. His head sinks and he looks at the ground.

Ok, I’ll go along.

With his head still down Sky raises his left hand towards the camera.

“Very good… Fear is a strong motivator, but I assure you, this descent to the dark will benefit you greatly. With Baphomet at the helm, you will reach your true potential and become the greatest version of yourself, greater than you could ever have imagined… on behalf of the dark, let me introduce you to your fellow Left Hander and your tag team partner. This… is Arthan Ardelean.

The door buzzes causing Sky to raise his head. The door begins to open, which causes Sky to stand. A sinister-looking figure fills the doorway, still hidden in the shadows of the early hours. He begins to speak, his voice sending chills through the spine.

Crossing his arms, Arthan looks at Sky and they both stare at each other.

“Welcome to the fold”. Arthan looks around at his surroundings. “So this is where you’re staying”? (He scoffs). “This is better than where I stayed. So we’re going to be a team”?

Sky stands from the bed and looks Arthan in the eye.

You and The Predator may be a team, but you and I are acquaintances at best.

Arthan looks at Sky and gives a sly smirk.

Just ensure that you hold up your end of the arrangement, or the contingency plan put in place by your better half will be enacted.

Sky grits his teeth and his jaw flexes. He clenches his fist and takes a step closer to Arthan and the two men stare at each other in the eyes as the tension builds through the silence.

Never threaten me again.

Oh Sky, it isn’t a threat. It is a promise.

Arthan gives an evil smile before turning slowly and walking out of the door. Sky watches as Arthan disappears into the darkness of the hall. Sky stands in the doorway, looking down the hall, and then cautiously over his shoulder to the camera in the corner. Suddenly the intercom crackles on once more and the voice states, “you are free to go, just don’t forget our arrangement”.

Sky takes a deep breath and steps through the doorway into the darkness.

Hours pass and those hours slip into days. Not much has changed except for the scenery.

Sky runs his hand over the face-plate of the Strong Style championship, his fingers run the edge of the Spartan helmet, and then he notices the name plaque on the belt. "The Predator". Just the sight of this makes the championship feel a bit tarnished. Sky shakes his head, wondering how he let Predator get into this situation.

Sky looks up from the championship and across the empty Utonai Lake. Sky had come out on this lake in a small, rented boat for some time alone. For even now when he was alone in his hotel room or the rental car he felt as of the Left Hand was watching and/or listening. But, would he ever really be alone again?

He was now in the public eye, and even more interrupting in the eye of Baphomet. He sighed as he looked down at the championship and for a split second thought about tossing it overboard into the lake and disappearing into nothingness. But this was a fleeting thought, he would never run from a fight, and he'd never back down from one either. He had to focus; Indie Rebellion is now on his horizon as well as a new quest for gold.

To say I've been on the right path since coming to Alpha would be a falsity. Have I been on a successful path, yeah, but on the right path, no. I have lost control of my inner demon and he has pulled me down into a dark hole. I may be undefeated and the Strong Style champion, but I am not happy with myself. I expect better from myself.

Now I find myself entwined with a man and a group who personify darkness as if the Predator needed any help there. The man I find myself proverbially shackled with, Arthen Ardelean, I don't even know if I can trust. I will tell you all what you can trust though. You can trust I am going to bring my absolute best against the Indie Rebellion, and you can trust that I will keep it all between the lines and on the up and up.

I don't know much about you two, I haven't seen you in action since I have come to Alpha, I just hope that wherever you have been, and whatever you have been doing, that you were preparing for battle. Because you two haven't been consumed by this sport then I am going to consume you both. I have dedicated myself to this sport, I have no other interest and nothing else to focus on, it may sound a bit psycho, but admittedly I am a bit psycho.

Some may call it crazy, but I call it the mindset of a champion. All I want to give is all I have, and all I expect in return is success. I came to Alpha to perform on the biggest stages in the biggest cities and shine under the brightest lights. Thus far I have not been a disappointment or been disappointed. I don't plan on stopping either. And along the path to success, I plan on breaking up the monopoly that Warrens and Jackson have here in Alpha. Busting that monopoly up means that I must comply with the Left Hand and Arthan, and it means we must defeat you Indie Rebellion.

Sky looks up from the championship belt, and in his eyes, there is something different. It isn't the Predator; it is a fire of determination.

I seem to have the odds stacked against me, in an uphill battle, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. A partner I don’t want and can’t trust, facing a team I know nothing about for an opportunity to face a two manpower trip who have an ironclad grip on Alpha Wrestling. If it isn’t as hard as possible, don’t sign me up. That way when I achieve my goal, when I get to the top, I can look back at my path and know I did something great and did it the right way.

I will climb that mountain, and I will follow the straight and narrow path to get there. It may not be the easiest path, but I have never preferred to take the easy path. I prefer to blaze my own trail and take the unbeaten path…

Unbeaten path…

My path has been one of perfection thus far, and while I am sure I will not retire as an undefeated champion, I do plan on gaining the championship while undefeated. I know that means storming through Indie Rebellion and then conquering what has been unconquerable in American Jackson and Damon Warrens. Well, just as on the day when I hang them up I won’t be undefeated, I can promise you that American Jackson and Damon Warrens will not be undefeated. Because myself and Arthen are going to beat them, just like we will beat Indie Rebellion, and just like I have beaten everyone else I have stepped into the Alpha ring with.

Sky feels as if someone is behind him and turns to look over his shoulder and see Arthen. Sky spins around but Arthen fades, “was it just a vision, am I losing it?” Sky thinks to himself. Sky then looks at this boat, and the small rowboat has morphed into a Viking Lang skip, adorned with fine hand-crafted wood. The sky begins to darken as clouds cover the stars and the sound of thunder rolls in the distance.

Sky shakes his head and closes his eyes tightly. “No, no, no,” he says to himself and even gives himself a bit of a palm strike to the forehead. When Sky opens his eyes again the world is back to normal. He breathes a sigh of relief.

The Left Hand has warned Alpha that they are coming, The Predator has warned Alpha that they are coming. But for me, I am telling Indie Rebellion, America Jackson, and Damon Warrens I am coming for the throne, and I’ll beat anyone who steps in front of my path. And that is just one more thing you can all believe in.

Sky looks down at his Strong Style championship once more as the scene fades out.