Post by The Nihilists on Jun 10, 2021 22:21:14 GMT -5
~The scene tonight is what appears to be a performance stage. The arena is empty and dark. A fog permeates the arena like somebody had left a smoke machine on too long. We hear a loud clomping noise as footfalls echo in the empty auditorium. Emergency lighting down the aisles light up with a faint orange glow and dim lights on the front of the stage pop to life with a sizzle. We can just make out the shadowy form of Esmur as he enters stage left.~
~He snaps his fingers as he reaches center stage and the stage lights die. A single spotlight appears in the rafters and we see a glowing form of Esmur atop the rafters. The shadows consume the one on the stage as he fades from view.~
~SNAP! The man in the rafters remains and yet the one on stage reappears as the lights dimly illuminate again.~
~SNAP! Another Esmur appears on the balcony in front of the cheap seats.~
~SNAP! The Esmur in the rafters flares out his cloak and leaps! He falls into the shadow and vanishes. A loud THUD echoes in the seats as the one in the balcony winces in pain and the one on stage holds his hand to his mouth in mock horror … a spotlight illuminates the spot where the other Esmur landed … nothing is there.~
~The Esmur in the balcony faints and falls forward over the edge. He tumbles into the seats with a clatter. Spotlight. Illumination. Emptiness.~
~Flames leap from the stage as Esmur stands there in horror. His cloak set ablaze, his facial hair alight. He grabs his head in agony and thrashes about before going up in smoke, ashes falling to the stage. A spotlight illuminating the ashes on stage. A pair of slow claps is heard. A spotlight lights up the seats in the third row and we see Esmur and Gebin in the seats. They rise and give a standing ovation.~
~Esmur leaps onto the stage in the spotlight again.~
~Esmur tosses his cloak aside with a flourish and kicks the ash into the orchestra pit.~
~SNAP! All the lights go out and a single flame flickers where Esmur once stood, applause echoing through the auditorium~
"They say that life’s a stage and we are all but players. I find this saying oddly … disturbing. Implying that we have no agency. That we have no ability to control our own fates. A poor metaphor for a higher power designing the sets and stage designs. And yet …"
~He snaps his fingers as he reaches center stage and the stage lights die. A single spotlight appears in the rafters and we see a glowing form of Esmur atop the rafters. The shadows consume the one on the stage as he fades from view.~
"And yet it’s amazing what someone can do when they understand how to control the stage. How to exert influence on the actors and stage hands. You can some miraculous things. Like MAJESTY. A special individual no doubt. A person with some incredible talents and a flair for the dramatic. And like … us. Gebin and myself. Incredible individuals with a flair for the dramatic. Similarities I misjudged and overlooked in the lead up to this moment. A mistake I will not make again."
~SNAP! The man in the rafters remains and yet the one on stage reappears as the lights dimly illuminate again.~
"When you stop focusing on the minutia it is amazing what you can do. The bigger picture both opening your eyes, and obscuring them. MAJESTY commands the narrative. The emotion. The foreboding sense of dread and panic in the hearts of humans. An almost fluid nature to manipulate their own self to match the situation and maximize the psychological effects. Brilliance. Majestic."
~SNAP! Another Esmur appears on the balcony in front of the cheap seats.~
"So I need to bring my own brilliance. Play the same type of role. One Gebin and I played so well when we debuted in AWF. How fitting that as our original home dies, our new home gets to welcome back the apex form of the Nihilists. A world champion, tag champions in waiting. In the ring, a shining example of what can be accomplished when you put aside the thoughts of helplessness and lack of agency. And then focus on the here and now. You see through the illusions and fake sensory inputs. You gain a sense … of Clarity."
~SNAP! The Esmur in the rafters flares out his cloak and leaps! He falls into the shadow and vanishes. A loud THUD echoes in the seats as the one in the balcony winces in pain and the one on stage holds his hand to his mouth in mock horror … a spotlight illuminates the spot where the other Esmur landed … nothing is there.~
"What a spectacular show. Majestic!"
~The Esmur in the balcony faints and falls forward over the edge. He tumbles into the seats with a clatter. Spotlight. Illumination. Emptiness.~
"Oh my. Well that looked dreadful. Do you think he will meet his maker and find out he was wrong? Or is he just gone now? Or did he ever exist at all?"
~Flames leap from the stage as Esmur stands there in horror. His cloak set ablaze, his facial hair alight. He grabs his head in agony and thrashes about before going up in smoke, ashes falling to the stage. A spotlight illuminating the ashes on stage. A pair of slow claps is heard. A spotlight lights up the seats in the third row and we see Esmur and Gebin in the seats. They rise and give a standing ovation.~
"Such intrigue certainly puts butts in the seats. Of this there is no doubt. Who more than MAJESTY can entertain with such theatrics? What jaded person wouldn’t find amusement in such antics!?"
~Esmur leaps onto the stage in the spotlight again.~
"Only men who see through the chicanery. Only men who choose to be unmoved by the pageantry. Only men who truly have abandoned the showmanship and frivolity. Men with a nihilistic look at the world. Men … who wish to snuff out the false prophet. Men … who devote themselves to truth and honesty."
~Esmur tosses his cloak aside with a flourish and kicks the ash into the orchestra pit.~
"MAJESTY. The time for playing is over. The time to get serious is now. The artsy crap can only take us so far. We’ve put the butts in the seats already. Now it’s time to make them witness their own mortality. It’s time to set ablaze their preconceived notions. We will put on a show together. But then we will wrestle. And while I am sure I can at least keep up the show. I am unconvinced you can keep up the wrestling."
"Until now you succeeded by living rent-free in the heads of your foes. Played games. Had your fun. But if you wish to topple my friend here? You will need to be serious. You will need to step into our world. And even then …"
"With a heart full of black and a shadow over the proceedings I will methodically pick you apart. Pull back the curtain on your tricks. And show you who the superior WRESTLER is. And then in a pillar of flames you will have one last showperson’s curtain call. And then?"
"Exeunt."
"It all fades to black. And you embrace my superiority. World Champion still … Esmur."
~SNAP! All the lights go out and a single flame flickers where Esmur once stood, applause echoing through the auditorium~