Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2023 17:54:10 GMT -5
His Teachings
10/25/23
A camera comes up on Damien who is standing behind a large leather bound book. He adjusts his coat and begins to speak, his focus solely on his teachings.“Today my beloved viewers, those who seek to find me in the dark. Those who question my.. existence. Those who seek to belittle me. Hear my words and know that your assumptions are the first steps leading you to your downfall.”
He raises his gaze back to the camera, before looking down once more and reading from the large leather bound book.
“The Abyss of Ignorance: Fear thrives in the abyss of ignorance. Knowledge is the torch that dispels the shadows, leaving fear to wither in the wake of enlightenment.”
He took a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand.
“I do not fear what could happen in this battle with Donnie Harris, nor do I fear the man who will stand across the ring from me. He is just that, a man, nothing more, nothing less. He is nothing to fear. Do I fear loss? No, for I have loved, lost, and gained again, over and over. The only thing that I fear is the fact that he’ll get there and choke on his own words.”
He looks down at the book again, smirking as he reads the next passage.
“The Sovereignty of Will: Fear is a slave to the sovereign will. When one asserts dominion over their desires and actions, fear becomes a mere specter, unable to manipulate the course of existence.”
He took a moment to pause, considering everything that had happened since he came to Outcast Championship Wrestling. Chaos’s attack, the seeming disappearance of Chaos, to them leaving Jenny to face him all alone in a steel cage, to his capturing the very title she had stolen from him.
“You see, when I arrived here in Outcast Championship Wrestling, you weren’t here yet, and while you may have given Britlyn a reason to rank you so highly, during our dance Donnie, Britlyn will see that she chose wrong. To rank you so highly, bringing your ego to new heights where you believe everyone is beneath you, that everyone fears you. They may, however I do not.”
A beat, he takes a deep breath, resting his hands on the corners of the book, reading out the next passage.
“The Mirror of Self-Awareness: Fear distorts the reflection in the mirror of self-awareness. Confront the true self, acknowledging strengths and weaknesses, and fear loses its power over the illusion it creates.”
He looks up into the camera, finding the words to say to cut to the very core of Donnie Harris.
“You see, we all know you have cast this illusion of who you want us to think you are. For you see, while I may not have been at Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I was viewing it from here. You see, while you were getting truly decimated by Braddock, who is a monster in his own right. I was preparing myself mentally and physically to face you. While at any other moment, I might have said that you had this match in the bag, against me, that is not the outcome you’ll see. Tell me Donnie, have you taken a deep look into who you are? Do you know where your power lies?”
He shook his head and went back to the leather bound book in front of him.
“The Dance of Shadows: Fear dances in the shadows of unexplored realms. Embrace the darkness, for within it lies the revelation of self and the liberation from fear's constraining influence.”
Well if that didn’t hit the nail on the head.
“You see Donnie, I know who and what I am. I know what I can do out there. It will take a lot more than your pretty little words, to get into my head. You see, I am much more like a venomous snake than you would believe. Where you see the second best Calaway, she herself could tell you that I am a violent man with a disregard for your safety. We aren’t one is better than the other, we are two halves of the same coin. And she is like me, we fear nothing.”
His eyes went back to the book in front of him, reading once more.
“The Phoenix's Rebirth: Fear is consumed by the flames of transformation. In the fiery crucible, let the old self burn, and rise anew from the ashes, free from the shackles of fear.”
Damien smirked, now he had a serious question for Donnie Harris, something very few people could ever give an honest answer to.
“Donnie Harris, are you willing to be bathed in the anointed fires? Are you ready to be born new, free of all that holds you back. I look at you before Outcast Championship Wrestling welcomed you into the fold and I look at you now, and I see someone who can talk a big game, but when he gets there, in those precious moments, he seems to be struck with something that prevents you from proceeding towards victory.”
Damien returns to the book, reciting two more verses.
“The Symphony of Desires: Fear is the discord in the symphony of desires. Harmonize aspirations with actions, and fear's dissonance fades away, leaving behind the melody of self-empowerment. The Serpent's Wisdom: Fear coils around the roots of potential. Embrace the wisdom of the serpent, shedding the skin of limitations, and watch fear slither away, powerless against your growth.”
A breath and then he speaks again, each verse coming from him as if he has memorized them.
“You need to embrace a side of you that I do not believe you are ready to embrace. You see, had you embraced it, you very well could have been the OCW World Champion. Yet, you did not capture that victory. So now you have your sights set far too high.”
His gaze no longer returns to the book, no, now it stays directly on the camera.
“The Labyrinth of Doubt: Fear constructs the labyrinth of doubt. Navigate its winding paths with the thread of courage, and fear's illusions crumble beneath the strength of self-belief. The Eclipse of Limitations: Fear is the eclipse that obscures the radiance of potential. Stand firm as the moon of your aspirations passes, and witness fear dissipate with the dawning light of realization.”
He took a deep breath and smiled, as his hand reached out to move over the flames of the candles at his side.
“It seems to me as if something deep inside of you is holding you back. You need to find it. You need to destroy whatever it is that blocks the power to believe in yourself. You will never be able to capture what it is that you seek to claim for yourself here. This will never be yours.”
He lifts his Rebellion title up onto his shoulder and leans forward, taking a moment to relish the moment he is in.
“The Crown of Self-Mastery: Fear bows before the crown of self-mastery. Wear it with pride, for in ruling one's own dominion, fear becomes but a phantom of the past, a relic of conquered limitations.”
He knew well what he was capable of doing. He wondered if Donnie could do the same. Much like those who had come before, Donnie was facing a man, without fear. Who relished the fight and the pain it brought.
“Donnie, you're navigating a graveyard, spewing words as if each one holds the weight of a tombstone. It's fitting, considering the battleground we're destined for. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre may have left its marks on you, we can see that, but I'm standing tall amidst the echoes of the departed. Unscathed by what occurred there. For rather than taking part in a vanity project, I chose to prepare for you in ways that you could not prepare for me.”
He smiled for a moment, but that soon turned back into a cold stare once more.
“You dissect my moves, Donnie, critique my kicks like a scholar scrutinizing ancient manuscripts. Laid to Rest might seem quaint to you, but in the ring, it carries the weight of consequence. It's not just a kick; it's a declaration of finality. You speak of Brooke and my sister, Alexandra, as if they're tokens on a game board. Allies, rivals, they all converge in the dance of the rebellion. You tout your encounters with BRADDOCK, the World Champion, the one who holds your number. But in our realm, Donnie, numbers can be deceiving. This is not about mathematics; it's about the alchemy of violence, the transmutation of pain into triumph. BRADDOCK may be your puzzle, but I am a different enigma altogether. While you are busy climbing the ranks, trying with fang and claw to dethrone him, I sit on a throne of my own.”
His hand rests on his title, knowing that Donnie, simply grasped at straws. Trying to use anything he could to get under his skin. But nothing he had tried worked to do so. Damien was laser focused.
“You claim this is a bullshit gimmick match, a mockery of warfare. Yet, in this battleground, I find clarity. It's not just about the Rebellion title; it's about proving worth, showcasing the artistry of chaos. You speak of weaponry and advantage, as if this is a chess game. But here, in the abyss, strategy crumbles, and instinct prevails. The question here Donnie is this; do you have what it takes?”
Instinct was something people rarely used in warfare. It was something Damien had been using for years. He could see the cracks in peoples armor. Their weaknesses though they would claim to have none. Everyone has a weakness, some just hide them better.
“You flaunt your time in the fighting game, the shots at BRADDOCK, the almost dance with SYNN. Congratulations, Donnie, on your benevolent management and the earned shots. But remember, it's not about shots given; it's about shots landed. In this ring, you won't just face me; you'll face the culmination of a legacy, the essence of the Calaway bloodline.”
He gives a fake clap, as if he’s truly proud of what Donnie has said. He loved how much Donnie spoke about his sister. Donnie Harris’s focus was so scattered that there was no possible way he could be fully focused on one or another of the opponents he desired.
“You ponder an after-match drink, a camaraderie born from the chaos we unleash. Outside these ropes, I might clink glasses with you, but within, we're bound by the covenant of combat. My own sister when your time comes, shall the storm unleash and the chaos unfurl upon your soul. But when the bell tolls on us, when the canvas cradles the fallen, it's not a sister you'll face, it's a reckoning. No matter who of us you face, you’ll be met with violence and rage. Putting her in your sights, might be a foolish step, for she holds far more rage within her than I do at any given time.”
Damien pauses for a moment, his eyes fixed on the camera before him.
“You paint me as run-of-the-mill, a champion whose check will bounce higher than skyscrapers. The fall from grace you prophesy, Donnie, is but a chapter in the saga. The truth is etched in the echoes of this graveyard, in the shadows cast by tombstones. I am not just a competitor; I am the embodiment of inevitability. Dead set, you say? So am I, Donnie, in the pursuit of true justice, in the unraveling of chaos. Brace yourself, for the echoes you hear are not just from the past; they are the footsteps of your impending reckoning. The graveyard is our canvas, and in its solemnity, the rebellion shall find its voice.”
One last smile and he snaps his fingers, darkness falls around him.