In the days leading up to March Madness 2021, then Hart Champion R.L. Edgar had made up his mind that he was finished with professional wrestling. In breaking sentiment with his colleagues in the XWF, Edgar didn't find the daily serving of drama to be a particularly appetizing entrée. He was too grown for all that mess. In spite of being betrayed by Ned Kaye, Edgar had achieved success and saw his everyman underdog story come to fruition. His prize? A life of security and happiness with his fiancee' Marie and their five children on the French Riviera… a dream that superseded every fiber of his ego. But little did he know, his feelings were soon going to change. Where Edgar thought his allegiances were then, and for-always with his blood and his blood only... -- believing that friendship was a waste of time -- ...the Universe had plans to teach him otherwise.

Friday, March 26th 2021

I choked through a heavy gasp. An unmistakable zincy taste of blood draining through my mouth and into my throat. My body bond and sitting, I was mustering everything I could to shout out in fury at her disgusting use of the word “son”. But the beating I took had been too much, and not only could I not speak, but I also couldn’t see either. The splintery feeling of crusted tape digging into blisters around my eyes stung.

There’s something rather crazed and sadistic about being tortured while blindfolded. The not knowing what’s coming. It grips you to the point you become lost in the dark. Adrift through the suffering.

“Did you really think you were just going to run away from your momma, boy?” Misty crowed. The stupid bitch. I don’t know how she got me, but she did, and here I was, beaten and drugged and on my final few heartbeats.

I thought about Marie and the children. My body lifted and shook for them. I wanted them now more than ever. I choked inward again, trying my damndest to puke. I couldn’t do anything of the sort. Stifled. Trapped and abused by this psychotic freak of a mother. “You think I’s just dyin’ to see your face after thirty-two years?” I felt a sliver of steel metal slide down by my ear. It pressed and began snipping through the tape.

“You’re even more of a mistake than your idiot brother.” She finished cutting down the side of my face and tore away the tape from around my head without regard. I howled out as the glue ripped from the broken skin. My eyes opened and immediately shut as the light inflicted an abuse of its own. “Then-”, I finally managed to pull from my vocal cords, as water rushed my sensitive eyes while trying to open them, “-why,-” breathing heavily,”-why are you FUCKING with me!?” I finally catch a glimpse of the woman. Slimy and cruel as her frame clears in my focus.

A wood-paneled office lined with bookcases slowly materialized in my sight. The room was dark aside from a lone lamp sitting in a corner by a tall window. I could notice that night had fallen. I was tied and seated to an old wooden chair in the center of the room, sat across from a vintage-looking desk. Misty Waters walked away and sat on top of the desk laughing.“Because your sacrifice is gonna’ bring her back.” The words weren’t mixing, my head was still dizzy and devoid of blood. I could see her strutting back towards me, a heavy and aged tome in her hands. It’s decorated with a devilish-looking symbol on the cover. “...” I finally piece together what Misty had said, panting and dying. “Who? Bring who back?”

“She’s the only reason you’re of any importance- Reginald-Lewis” she spat my name with a viscous sarcasm, “What a stupid name. Just like your stupid father.” “Fuck you!” I cracked back, gummy, blood-filled saliva catching my lips and hitting my chin as I tried spitting at her. “Your sister Fannie? Her idiot husband, Todd? They knew all along what was going to happen to you, boy. They fed you to me. See… you left Nazareth for too long. You never got to know why ‘Momma Misty’ runs the show.”

Her words dug into me as I swayed in the chair, becoming dizzier and thinking harder and harder on Marie and the children. Dying without seeing them again was all but a certainty. The dream. Our lives together. The only thing I strived to live for. I would only be with them as ashes in a can. Misty slammed the heavy book down on my lap and pulled a pistol from the back of her jeans, pressing the steel into my cheek. “...and don’t worry about Marie and them grandbabies, honey. I’ll make their deaths easy.” I ripped, and pulled, and yanked, and tugged at my arms bond to the seat of the chair with rope while screaming in Misty’s face. “I’LL KILL YOU! - YOU STUPID BITCH!”

Her lips puffed and puckered spitting with laugher. Her body gleefully gyrated as she cackled out, pulling the gun away and placing it against her own head for a moment. “I seriously doubt it!” She began to rave with laughter again. “Oh R.L. ...I only wish I could make you suffer like your daddy must have while that cancer ate his ass up.” She leans back down towards me, placing the gun against my head, “But a simple bullet to her Uncle Edgar’s head orta’ be enough to get my granddaughter in a hissy-fit… and that’s all I need” She cocks back the hammer, “Onward Young Vagabond”.

The door bursts open as a giant, horrible-looking man in a suit squeezes through the frame behind me, “Misty we got a problem outside!” “I’m a little busy here, Hank!” The man’s distress is painted in horror as he speaks. “Some lunatic in a mask is on the property! He just bent a got’damn wrench over Mark’s head!” Misty immediately pulled away from me, her face mangled in disgust. “Wait right here” she said with a sarcastic tone, twisting her eyes at me as she followed Hank out into the hallway.

There was a sudden rumble! A burst! The books flew from the shelves. The floor shook and rocked. My chair was blown from the floor and I landed on my neck. My ears were ringing from an explosion. Resigned to death, I just opened my eyes hoping to see them... Marie, and the kids, I wanted their images to comfort me in those final moments. But from the broken window came another.

“Reginald-Lewis Edgar! Today the common man’s fanfare plays odes for you!”

It was Demos! It was hope!

-to be continued-

I called your betrayal for what it was, Ned. Cowardly. I knew you didn't have the gumption to square up with me on even footing. I'll admit, for a moment it had me shook. I wanted to trust you. I wanted to believe in the spirit of good that you harnessed and embodied. But you've pissed that all away now haven't you? Right on top of your snowy slope, and now your Avalance comes tumbling down tomorrow night, Ned. I'm going to give you the ass beating of a lifetime.

To hell with the Hart Title. You want it so bad that you're willing to show the world your lack of fortitude? Sticking a knife in the people who tried helping you for that little slice of glory? Anything to get yourself over, right? Anything to make you look different from the inept weakling you've always been. Fuck it. Keep it. The ass-kicking I serve you tomorrow is one out of principle. Everyone knows how this would really go down if I really wanted that belt back. But I have greater things on my horizons, Ned.

Greater loyalties to uphold. A greater good to serve. True bonds of sacrifice to fight for... things cowards like you know nothing about. Go on, bask in the glow of your sell-out. Shine polished with shit only grabs attention for moments. The things R.L. Edgar is going to do will echo out through the ages. Because I'm built for this. I answer the call of the downtrodden. Of the neglected. Of the hopeless. Because those are the people who fight for me, the people who fight with me. People like Demos.

Do you remember when we tagged together? When you sneered at him? The man with the heart to lead our team to victory? You treated him like crap even when you were pretending to be good. Well, that man has more heart and righteousness in his pinky than in all of Avalance, and you never were good Ned. Nothing but a snake in the grass. Selfish and sick, floundering away, desperate, willing to do anything to be seen. And you used me to get there didn't you?

Well, don't worry. I'm going to show the whole world what you're all about once again. You're a scared little bitch, Ned. And you know exactly what will happen if I actually get my hands on you. There's no cheating this time. This is a fight. The last act in this story of a common man's redemption.

After this fight, you become an afterthought again. Left to wallow and moan while no one is listening. Your nefarious acts melt away. The greater lesson lies just beneath this minor mess you've made, and before I go on to greater things, I'm going to teach them to you.

Former:
1x Hart Champion
1x Federweight Champion
April 2021 RP Of The Month Still Waters Run Deep