Phase Seventy-Five: The Tell-Tale Heart
I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth
Priscilla, Pavor and his dolls, and the tag team champions all stand in the center of the ring. Kelly looked incredibly smug as she cradled her newly won championship, gently caressing and stroking the metal as if it she could lose at any second. Vipress took the lead, stepping ahead of the rest of the group with a grin slowly forming on her face. “Last week’s events were nothing short of total domination. You may be thinking why we did what we did, why did we go after nearly the entirety of PCW last week, and the answer could not be more simple.” She pauses as the crowd starts to boo her heavily. Corvus growls under his breath, glaring at the fans with fire in his eyes as the demon continues with a smirk.
“My, my, my...aren’t you all easily irritated. What? Did you really think after winning these titles that Corvus and I would stop there? Did you all expect us to be satisfied, to turn around, and be trapped within the tag division with nothing else to show for our dominance?” They booed her again and she lips twist into a snarl. “Absolutely not! Corvus and I have slaved away in this company, scratching and clawing to be at the very pinnacle of success and when we got a taste for that? We wanted more, demanded more, so we went out and took it. We formed a faction, a cult, a group—whatever you want to call it—and spread our grip on this company. We didn’t attack the roster out of cowardice or fear, we did it because we want it all. We want every bit of gold, every bit of control, and every bit of attention focused solely on us.”
Kelly slinks her way next to Vipress and raises her own mic to her lips, licking her lips as a devilish smile manifests. “She’s exactly right. All of this was really to create an unstoppable empire. The forces of Hell have finally seeped from the earth below and walk the Earth. It has been a long time coming, prophesied again and again. My own daughter could confirm that for you all. It has been written in the walls, drawn in the skies, etched into the Earth—it was ignited. This roster continued on ignoring the signs, squabbling and trying to tear each other apart...only to realize the true enemy was in the shadows all along...waiting for the day you would all perish.”
Pavor looked as if he wanted to speak and let his gaze following the room. He looked throughout the crowd, then back to his allies. Nox’s expression was as blank as the two figures who stood guard next to him. Then he finally stepped forward and spoke in such a dry and dead tone. One would have thought he was a figurine himself. His words were plain, flat, and absolute—needing no emotion to make this statement any clearer. “The Fourth Circle has risen to claim the Earth as our own. This company is ours to reign down hellfire and brimstone to all that threatens our survival. To each and every man and woman behind those curtains? This is your final sign, the very last warning.”
Pavor allowed Spike to approach the front of the group. Pavor removed his vest and shirt, revealing dozens of markings along his body. They were engraved into his skin. Trails of blood have dried where he was cut into. Spike tighten his muscles and the markings glowed a bright, crimson color. His eyes reddened, as well, almost bloodshot as he stared daggers into the crowd. “He harbours so much power, a deadly force that will end any and all threats to the Fourth Circle,” Vipress states. “Think carefully before you make the first move.”
UIC Pavilion
Heart2Hart vs Dopplegänger (With Pavor Nox)
Natalya starts off for her team against Doll Spike. It looked exactly like the real man, however, its body wasn’t covered in the same markings. In fact, as Natalya chopped the chest, she felt the difference immediately as the hardened material made her hand throb. Doll Spike retaliated with a clothesline that took her down for a pin. She kicks out at one, but Natalya was clearly dazed. Doll Spike had her up by the hair and tosses her into the corner for the tag. Trivet drove a fist into the gut as Doll Spike stepped out, but held onto her hair in the corner.
The referee started the count as Spike raced into the corner for a running knee into the gut. Frankie desperately wants the tag and starts stomping her feet to get the crowd behind Natalya. Spike slings her out of the corner and follows up with a running boot to the face. He proceeds to stomp the chest, attempting to cave it in as Natalya coughs up a bit of blood. Frankie had enough and raced in, jumping on his back to attack. He pulled on his hair and face, forcing him to back off, but he flings her over onto her back. Spike commands the doll to take her, but Frankie grabs the arm and flips him over onto his back before rolling through to land punch after punch into the face.
Spike grabs her from behind by the head, literally lifting Frankie off her feet before slamming the face into the corner. The referee tries to regain some control as Spike tosses Frankie over the ropes and to the floor. He focuses on Natalya again and she rolls him up for a two count. Spike is up on his feet and Natalya gets the dropkick. Frankie crawls into the apron and Natalya tags her in. They both lift him in the air for a double suplex into a backbreaker drop across the knees. Frankie hooks the leg and he immediately kicks out. Frankie goes up high and looks for the frog splash. She connects, but Spike rolls through and lifts her up vertically before tossing Frankie with a fallaway slam. Pavor looks on in pure delight as Spike tags in the doll again.
It chops the chest as she’s forced to her feet. Frankie backs into a corner and Doll Spike races in for a splash. She rolls out the way and connects with superkick. Doll Spike staggers out of the corner and Frankie gets the shoulder jawbreaker for the pin. It kicks out at two. Frankie yanks the doll up to its feet and whips it into the ropes for a rebounding hurricana, but he holds her up and spins into a sitout powerbomb. One...two—Natalya makes the save.
Spike matches his way into the ring and yanks the blonde up, but she shoves him off, knocking him into the doll. It turned and shoved him back and it wasn’t long before they were nose-to-nose. Pavor immediately climbs the apron, staring daggers at them both as a warning. They back off, but Natalya gets the dropkick to Spike and shoves him back into the doll, allowing Frankie to roll him up. Hart has Spike by the leg, keeping him from breaking the pin as Frankie gets the three-count. They start to celebrate before Pavor attacks them both. He commands the doll and Spike to take care of them. They nodded in agreement and dropped both women with the Strong and Stable neckbreaker to the knee.
Taeler Hendrix vs Priscilla Kelly
Hendrix takes Priscilla down to the mat and strikes the woman with her nails, clawing at the face and neck until Kelly turns them over. She returns her own attacks, equally cutting up the face and neck until they’re separated. They circle the ring, watching each other’s moves with intensity. Priscilla smirks and she flicks her tongue out at Taeler before motioning for her to attack. Taeler charges and Kelly sidesteps her before kicking the back of the leg for a neck twist of sorts. Taeler’s face is planted and Kelly hooks the leg for a one count. Priscilla sits Hendrix up and drives a kick into the back before stomping on the back of the head.
She circles Taeler’s body while she’s down, laughing and mocking the redhead as she grabs the ropes. It was rare seeing Hendrix on the receiving end of mind games and it seems to be working as Hendrix lashes out wildly. She narrowly misses Kelly and eats a knee to the gut. Priscilla blows her a kiss and smiles. “Drop dead, ‘darling’.” The same words Hendrix used against her adversaries and Kelly added salt into those wounds by kneeing the redhead in her face before connecting with a palm thrust to the throat. She hooks the leg again for a two count.
Priscilla took hold of her hair and drags her into the corner on her knees before slamming the face into the turnbuckle. She races in for the double knees, but Hendrix rolls out the way. She connects with a superkick to the back of the head while Kelly is stuck and the succubus slumps over. Taeler connected with a shoulder neckbreaker from the second rope for a close two count. She lets out a shriek of frustration and has Kelly up for a snapmare. Taeler rebounds off the ropes for the big boot, but Priscilla rolls her up. Hendrix kicks out quickly and Kelly follows up with a running knee strike to keep her down. Priscilla rolls out the ring, no longer caring about this match.
She grabs the hair and drags Taeler to the corner from ringside before slamming the face into the ring post. Hendrix slumps down to the floor and Kelly proceeds to find a chair under the ring. She has Taeler’s head between the folds, ready to end it all right then and there, but Indigo comes racing out and tackles Kelly to the mat. The two women scrap on the floor and eventually get to their feet. Kelly misses a clothesline and eats a double chickenwing suplex from her daughter. Indigo grabs the chair and Kelly barely rolls out the way. The lights go out immediately and moments pass before they’re back on. Priscilla was gone and Indigo rolled in the ring, demanding for a mic.
“I didn’t come out here to rescue Taeler but to make it clear to my bastard mother and the rest of her friends that they started a war that they will not be able to end. You should’ve steered clear and left me out of this, but I see now that I will always be involved. I will always be included in all that Hell unleashed. I am destined for this very moment...and I will make sure every last one of the Fourth Circle will perish by my hand.”
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Madmen know nothing
Black found a room empty of all life and light. He took great care in filling it with candles all around before sitting in the very center. The Future Phoenix Championship rests around his waist as the man finds himself drifting away. Black took in deep breaths, finding comfort in the solitude. However, his neck craned to one side as a very subtle sound was heard. It wasn’t picked up by the camera, but he knew he wasn’t alone. Some of candles suddenly lost their light and Aleister sat in a half-lit room. Shadows danced across the wall, almost mocking him in a way as his peace was disturbed. Black raised a brow in irritation, but also in curiosity. “Show yourself or I will force you out of hiding.”
Moments passed before Vipress walked out of the shadows. Corvus remained in the corner, wildly staring at Aleister with a snarl. Clearly, he did not trust the man all too well, but Vipress presses a finger to her lips to calm him down. Corvus looked away at the wall, lightly pounding his head against the stoned surface. Vipress took her seat in front of Black, mimicking his position before smiling. The tag team title was around her waist and she tapped a nail against the metal surface with a sly smile. Black said nothing and watched as the demon sat up straighter and stuck out her hand. “You’re welcome.” He stared at her hand, then back to her before a smile breaks out onto his lips. Aleister’s chuckle echoed throughout the room. It was low, sinister, yet merry in a way that made Vipress suddenly become hypervigilant.
“You have a lot of nerve, Vipress. I never once asked for your assistance. You meddled in my business in the hopes that I would fall in line with the rest of your soldiers. You came looking for a :man: to be obedient, but I’m not the man you seek. I am...beyond that. I am a creature, a monstrosity, that walks among the Earth with only the desire to shed blood, to cake my hands in it, and relish in its properties.” Black looks down at his hand for a moment until it clenches into a fist. He shoots a glare at the demon and she noticeably flinches. “You robbed me of that satisfaction and for that? You should hope that I don’t seek vengeance.” He looks to Corvus, who was inching closer as he sensed a threat in Aleister.
“Leave me be before I change my mind.” Vipress looked him deeply within his eyes for a sign of weakness or falter, but Black would not budge. She slowly stood to her feet and turned on her heels. Before she left, she kicked dirt back to snuff out another candle before leaving him alone in near-complete darkness. Black’s eyes were somewhat visible in the dimly lit room and they seem to radiate an intensity unlike any he’s ever shown before. His temple seems to throb as a vein formed underneath and his fist clenched even tighter in frustration. In moments, however, he breathed deeply and found peace again. He sat in the dim light, seeking peace in his solitude once more.
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Austin Aries vs Zack Sabre Jr vs Mitchell Knight
Zack has Knight in the wristlock and whips him into Aries for a dropkick. Austin follows up with a pendulum elbow and Knight rolls out the ring. Zack quickly tries to roll Austin up and gets the one count. Aries rolls through and gets to his feet for the enzuigiri. Sabre is staggering and Austin follows up with a frankensteiner into the pin for a two count. He forced Zack up and whips him into the ropes. He gets the clothesline and springboards from the corner with a crossbody to Sabre for the two count. They both stand and Aries tries for a superkick, but Zack grabs the leg and connects with a dragon whip.
Knight is back in and springboards from the apron with a tornado DDT to Zack. He follows up with a standing moonsault for the pin, but Zack kicks out. He has Zack for the neckbreaker, but Austin tries to interfere. Knight kicks the gut and hooks the head to drop them both with a DDT and neckbreaker. He hooks Austin’s leg for a two count then moves to Zack for a one count. Mitchell has Aries up and whips him into the ropes, but Aries counters with a pin as he hooks the arm and leg and rolls over onto the chest and abdomen for a two count. He transitions into an armbar, but Zack interferes with a senton to Aries.
Zack tries to toss Aries out but is whipped into the ropes. He leaps over onto the apron and connects with the shoulder block before getting the sunset flip pin. Mitchell quickly cuts in with a superkick to take out Sabre and lift Aries into a brainbuster. He quickly follows up with the Opal Miner to put Austin away and earn two points.
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The Smokeshow
The screen was overtaken by overwhelming smoke, familiar music fading in as the logo for Scarlett Bordeaux's logo for "The Smokeshow" appeared upon the screen. It zoomed in for a moment or so, before it and the smoke moved back towards the edges of the screen. The setting was a fancy looking nightclub, entirely empty. That all changed when from seemingly out of nowhere the bodacious figure of the blonde appeared. She was adorned in a tight lavender coloured dress that hugged her curves, showcasing all of her best assets.
"Well hello there, fives! I know it's been quite some time since you've been gifted with an episode of The Smokeshow. I've been a little busy, you know, kicking ass and taking names and racking up point after point after point. Now I know what you're thinking, 'Scarlett, wasn't this supposed to be you getting interviewed by Hayley?' That is what the oh so lovely higher-ups scheduled but I think we all know that I do what I want, when I went to do it. So, I went ahead and cancelled that because I don't need a five in my personal space, asking questions and suffocating me with her twelve dollar drug store perfume."
Scarlett giggled at her own observation, chewing on her nail slightly as she'd made a habit of doing. Flicking her blondish-PSL inspired hair over her shoulder, she moved to take a seat in one of the more comfortable looking chairs. One toned leg slipping over the other as she leaned against the back of the chair still wearing a smirk upon her pinkish glossed lips.
"Anyways, back to the reason for this little episode, me! As anyone that follows PCW knows, I've been dominating and racking up points here, there, really everywhere. Sure, Saltine and her master Bitchvilsse got the W but let me remind you that they didn't pin me. Further proving that Allysin's involvement was unnecessary, to say the least. I will enjoy her beating the hell out of them though, so, I suppose it was still a gift in disguise." Scarlett would shrug, a nonchalant expression on her face. "However, now that those pathetic excuses for a distraction are out of my finely combed hair, I can refocus on my goal. Tyler Breeze. It seems you've had a change of heart since I last found myself pummeling you. You've gotten a little adjustment in your mentality and you've gone out and purchased some lackeys! Veeeeeerry impressive—NOT! I've said from the beginning that you weren't cut out for this and now it's nice to see you realized it too!"
A slightly wicked version of a cackle left her lips as she fixated her gaze upon the lens of the camera. "I've been gunning for you ever since that little fluke you pulled on me months back, I've had you sweating and shaking with the mere mention of your name because you know that I'm the only man, woman, child, wildebeest—whatever that can beat you. Well, Tyler baby, I've got the points in my pretty little back pocket and I'm coming for that title that's defined you for such a long time. I'm gonna break you and I'm gonna shine that baby up real nice. I'm gonna watch you suffer, watch you break, and I'm gonna enjoy every single second of it. See you oh-so soon, sweet thing."
Scarlett brought her hand to those glossy lips, pressing her palm against them before blowing a kiss to the camera. Soon enough, smoke began to fill the screen and Bordeaux vanished into thin air. The music returned, her logo flashed before the feed cut back to the arena for what was to follow.
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Allysin Kay vs Salina De La Renta (With Ivelisse Veléz)
Kay easily took control using her strength to overpower Salina. She drops the woman with a scoop slam and proceeds to kick the back before rebounding off the ropes with a big boot. Allysin follows up by stepping on the chest and walking over Salina while holding her pinky up to Ivelisse. She drags Salina to her feet and the woman slaps her before dropping Kay for a DDT for the one count. Salina desperately gets AK to her knees and goes for the knee strike. Allysin bends back over her knees and Salina covers her for a two count.
She drags Allysin to her feet and tries to whip her into the corner. Kay counters whip her instead, but eats a kick to the face as she races in. Salina looks for a corner crossbody, but Allysin catches her and quickly puts her on the shoulders to drop the face into the corner. Salina staggers backwards and Allysin puts the arm between the legs and bends Salina just enough to lift her into a powerslam. Allysin covers her for a two count. She yanks Salina up by the hair just as Ivelisse gets on the apron. Kay tosses Salina head first into Velez to knock her down before connecting with a straight-jacket suplex into a bridged pin.
Salina kicks out again. Kay looks to follow up, but Ivelisse rushes in and attacks Allysin from behind to throw out the match. She looks for the Desert Eagle, but Kay grabs the legs and gets the head between her own legs before dropping down on the face. Velez and Salina were left lying in the ring as Allysin exits with a pinky raised high and smirk on her face.
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It is the beating of his hideous heart!
Breeze stands in the center of the ring looking more pissed off than usual. No fur jackets, no selfie stick, no obnoxious shades—he was all business tonight. As he lifted the mic to his lips, Tyler’s brows furrowed in concentration. He carefully picked his next words. “The past eight months have been the rise of Tyler Breeze. From being a nobody, a new signee with nothing to showcase why he was the next big thing, to being the longest-reigning champion in PCW history—that is an incredible feat that only an exceptional talent can accomplish. I’ve been the only consistent player in this entire company, putting on show-stealing performances each and every week.”
He raised a brow as they tried to boo him, but he went on with his speech. He had to get this off his chest. “And when I wasn’t in this ring? I still showed up, I still put in work. Even for that month in which Kross had me injured, I still showed up and defended my championship without a second thought. You can say plenty about Tyler Breeze, but you can never say he isn’t a workhorse. You can’t say he’s afraid of a fight because I’ve met every challenge head-on. I back down from nothing and no one.”
“So can someone explain to me why the ‘Fourth Circle’ feel they are going to be any different? They attacked myself and Natalya, costing me my opportunity to humiliate her in front of everyone. They stole that from me and for what? To go on and on about how they want all the gold and glory? They must think that if they beat me up enough, I’ll just forfeit my belt...but they got another thing coming. I went through three stages of Hell to retain this title and I’ll go through a fourth to retain again. There isn’t any amount of hocus pocus crap coming out of their mouths that’s going to frighten me.”
Tyler looked to the stage and smiled. “I know you’re listening, so let me be sure you hear this: if you want what’s mine so badly? If you want to finish what you started last week? Do it. Walk on out here and face me.” And he got his wish. In moments, Kelly makes her way down the ramp with a barbed wire bat in hand. She slinks her way to the ring with a grin on her face while Vipress and Corvus push through the crowd with a chain and kendo stick. Pavor flanked Tyler at ringside suddenly, his soldiers climbing the apron. Breeze was on his own, but wasted no time knocking down Spike and the doll. Priscilla raced in and struck the back with the bat.
Breeze drops to his knees, but evades the second swing. He quickly spears her down, throwing punches, but Vipress uses the chain to choke him and hold him back. Corvus attacks the abdomen with the kendo stick. They were beating down on the champion, leaving cuts and bruises, as he sailed out in pain. Not once did he submit, though, kicking at Corvus the best that he can to knock the kendo stick away. Priscilla scraped the barbed bat onto the abdomen before striking Tyler in the face.
His cheek and eye was cut and streaks of blood feel down his face. Vipress tightened her grip and the champion gasped for air. They intended to kill him where he stood. The crowd starts to go wild suddenly as someone in a black jacket comes racing down the ramp with a sledgehammer. He easily takes out Corvus and Kelly. Vipress rolls out of the ring as Pavor remains on the outside, analyzing the situation.
Breeze was left choking on air as the figure stood guard in front of him. Natalya, Indigo, Frankie, and Taeler march their way to the ring, making sure the Fourth Circle kept their distance. Pavor calculated the odds of winning as Vipress looked ready to step back in. He held her back and whispered something in her ear. She remained put, but demanded a mic. She points to the hooded figure with rage-filled eyes. “You! Reveal yourself to me. Now!” The figure wastes no time pulling back the hood and the crowd cheers loudly for José Martinez. Breeze looks on in shock as José helps him up to his feet. Vipress narrows her eyes before laughing. “If you think your help will stop us? You could not be more wrong. With each passing week, we grow stronger, and we will eventually overtake this little group of avengers.”
“For now...” she says with a smirk, “we left our mark and sent our message.” She looks to Tyler’s face with a smile. “And you will all suffer worse consequences.”