Post by [ devin copeland ] on Jul 16, 2023 12:42:41 GMT -5
• • • [ ♤ ] WELCOME TO HORRORWOOD [ ♤ ] • • •
A soldier marches on to their fate. A God stands on the other end of the battlefield.
In ancient mythology, they would like you to believe that a mortal man could have that chance at standing on equal footing to the gods. That hard work, perseverance, and determination can immortalize and etch their names amongst the greater beings. Heroes such as Heracles, Odysseus, and Achilles, being held in as much regard as Zeus, Athena, and Artemis. While their supposed deeds are great, who are they really to stand on equal grounds?
An ideal world would suggest such a thing. To give humanity the hope it needs to move on with their lives without living in a constant state of fear. Yet, they continued. Because no matter how great their heralded chosen were, they would never be able to truly be in the same conversation. No matter how much faith they put into humankind as a whole, it was as simple as an ant to a boot - they didn't stand a chance. And without bravado, they knew it.
The same goes for Nakita. Such a pitiful waste of existence, hoping to stand in the same light as the Epitome of Divinity. Much like mythology states, she tried once, and lost. Just like a human to a God. And while it pains me to have to do it to her again, the stakes have been raised exponentially. All this hard work I've been putting in since my return back to WWH is cultivating to this very moment. A shot at becoming number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. The whole reason for my existence in this company right now.
All that stands in my way... is an ant.
Just mere days after receiving the news of my number one contender match, I find myself prepping myself to step onto the mental battlefield. I gotta get in her head even more than I already am. A tripod camera stands upright in front of a plain, beige looking background, with a giant spotlight shining down onto it, illuminating its plainness even further. The small, red light is lit on the side, indicating that it is currently recording. Standing off to the side of the camera's view, I take in a large breath quietly, as to not capture the noise in the recording, and step into frame. But it was no regular walk. My walk and posture is very stiff.
As I come into view, it becomes apparent what the theme of this is. Instead of my regular, punk rock Slash grunge look I typically sport, I'm donned in a full war themed getup, made to look like a military general. A black jacket with fake but astonishingly realistic adornments, a flashy red sash across my chest, black pants in the same style as the jacket, black boots all the way to my knees, and to bring the entire outfit together, a military general's cap. At a first glance, a casual would believe the entire outfit to be legitimate, but those who know their actual military history could tell that it wasn't real. It just had to look legitimate.
The entire vibe I was giving off was a general. Just step one in my plan to get inside of Nakita's head. As I military walk in to frame, I continue on until perfectly centered before coming to a complete halt, feet together, and hard turning towards the camera. Again, I'm really putting on the act to seem as realistic as possible. My face shows zero emotions all the way down to the fine wrinkles.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"At ease, ladies and gentlemen."
With that, I raise a hand up to salute to the camera. The hand placements are not quite military standard, but I tried my best.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"My name is Sergeant Devin Copeland, and I am here because I am declaring war on the WWH locker room. Or rather, declaring war on a certain former marine personel bolstering in our ranks. A one Nakita Miles. Little miss sunshine herself."
I keep my face directly at the camera, but I shift my arms behind my back and begin pacing back and forth, trying my best to keep my face in a single, still position.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"Now why would I choose to be declaring such a state of violence against one of our brethren? It's nothing personal. It really isn't. It's just a bad luck of the draw on her part. It could have been any of you sorry son's of bitches. Jonna Austin. Gothica Skylight. Caleb Foster. Any idiotic member of the Shinigami Foundation. But the powers at be chose that at Mankind Divided, Nakita Niles would be the chosen bastard to stand in my way."
I pause briefly, mostly for dramatic effect, before continuing on.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"As everyone knows, from day one since this company's resurgence, I have had one goal and one goal only, and that has been capturing that World Heavyweight Championship that is so dearly coveted by everyone in that locker room. And the grind towards the top has been slow but sure. What once was a man who stood before you merely seen as a lackey for Jason Krow has slowly morphed into a real threat of an asshole for whoever stands on the other side of that squared circle against me. I have become a staple, a lifeline if you will, of this company, and day in and day out, I have proven why I should not be a man to be trifled with."
The scene quickly cuts to a few snippets of some of my highlights since my return in a black and white tone, contrasted a bit to better emphasize my path before cutting back to me.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"I have taken on any and all who stand before me with an iron fist. Not all wars are won in a single battle, however. I've seen and felt loss. I've envisioned and tasted victory. I've even been forced to a standstill. But at the end of the day..."
I stop once more and straighten my body, still putting on the military charade, and stand at attention to the camera.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"...I am undeniable."
Once more, more highlights flash across the screen in a similar visual style.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"The powers that be have decided that I can no longer be ignored. That my thirst to be a world champion needs to at least be given a chance to be satiated. And God be damned if I'm not thirsty."
Another screen cut, but this time, it's the exact same scene that was originally there, but the screen effect has added in a black gradient around the film with some stringy, almost Venom-esque tentacle shapes around the black border, and I am standing there in my usual getup. However, I have what looks to be blood spilling out from each corner of my mouth and my head is cocked to the side, a demented look and feel about my entire stance as the screen shakes and a small jumpscare noise plays over the video. This only lasts mere seconds before returning back to current me.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"And once again, it's up to Nakita Niles to be my dance partner. Tell me, Nakita. How does it feel that, once more, you will be steamrolled by me? Oh sure, I know that you have to be feeling excited for the opportunity itself. A win here secures you back into the world title scene. But, you're facing a God in a human's body, set on a mission of destruction to get what he wants. Does it make you nervous?"
Once more, I continue to pace myself back and forth.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"By the time the song is over, and the dancing has dissipated, I will once again stand over your body with my hand raised high, declared the winner. Maybe by then, you'll start to regret your life choices. Wishing for a time back when you were military police. Or maybe you'll want to go back even further than that, and hope to go back to your childhood. Or was that time of your life... a little too much for you?"
Another flash comes across the screen, showing a similar scene to the last one. Except this time, it feels a little different. It shifts back and forth between two different scenes. One scene shows what looks to be me constantly drowning myself in a bottle of alcohol, while the other one shows a fastened image of me chain smoking on cigarettes. The scene again shifts back to normal.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"You didn't live the best of childhoods, did you? You and Margaret didn't deserve what George did to you. It wasn't all bad though. Everyone just has a bad day. His just involved a fateful fall off of a ladder. And yet, you eventually chose wrestling as a passion project. Why is that? Is it to prove a point? We take ladder bumps enough times. Are you trying to make George see that you're not the weak minded child that you use to be? I'd say you've done enough of that."
I had to think my words carefully here. The last time I spoke of Nakita's history, I had gotten some of my information crossed in a couple of places.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"Second ever woman to win the ECWF World Championship. Trios Champion. Successful defense of the world title in the Wartime Rumble. Rookie of the Year, Female of the Year, Match of the Year - the list seems to almost be endless. But yet, your time got cut short by... how did you want to put it?"
I briefly pause to pull out a letter from my back pocket. The letter itself was very old fashioned looking, down to being sealed by a wax print. Taking my time to get it open, I finally pull the piece of paper out to be able to read it aloud. All the while I'm doing this, the screen flashed every couple of seconds with more highlights, except this time it was of moments from Nakita's ECWF career.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"...ah yes. Unjustifiably released due to a 'selfish prick of a man who cared about nothing more than himself'. Sounds like a certain other mogul I know from my history, but I digress. Ever since then, you've been trying to chase that high again. You found sanctuary in a couple other places, but it wasn't the same to you. And now you've found yourself in the doorsteps of WWH and so far, your career has been... lackluster, should I say?"
More highlights flash through the screen, with emphasis on highlights of the struggles that Nakita has suffered since coming to WWH.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"What you believe to be true and what is a reality are two separate things here, Nakita. You thought you were a big fish in a small pond, swimming to find a broader place to find home. In actuality, you were a minnow in a pond who now finds herself in an ocean. The talent here have proven that to be factual thus far. I mean, it took you until right before our rematch coming up to even pick up your first victory. Yet, you've been given another golden opportunity at the world title. That's quite the luck you've got going on. Makes me wonder what has really been going on behind the scenes to put you in a spot like this."
I'm not particularly proud of this particular moment, but the shot flashes back to my last video I had shot when facing her where I performed the ahegao face psyching her out.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"Surely it can't be that. No, it has to be that partnership that you have going with your trainer, Chris Mathews. A man who, believe it or not, I know quite extensively. It helps to have friends in high places. What better one to have than the current International Champion, am I right? But what's really happening there? Is it a case of the student trying to surpass the teacher and hoping that works out for you? Because if that's the case, you're failing miserably. And if I were Chris, I'd be quite disappointed in my pupil. And trust me when I say I know quite a few things about having disappointing pupils I've kicked to the curb in my years."
Another package of some older names from WWH's last appears, most of them the general audience would have never known since they never amounted to much in the business. Most of them have moved on from professional wrestling as a whole, much like I had for a few years.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"Hell, if I wasn't so fixated on winning the world title, I'd personally go and kick him straight out of the company myself and take that International Championship off of him. After all, my one and only International Championship run ended in injury; I never truly lost the strap. But, that's of no matter to me. I'm not interested in that right now. Rest assured, Chris. Your title is safe right now. Well, presumably, assuming you don't drop the ball and lose it at Mankind Divided. I'm getting way off subject though."
As I was talking over these various subjects, my posture and facial features had softened a little, so I snapped myself back into character and continued on with my military pace.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"This all has been a long winded way of getting to my real point here. This is war right now, with a shot at becoming world champion on the line. And you're standing in the firing range of a man who has become a must-see WWH personality at this point. You've already stood against the heel of this giant once, and failed. And don't go crying on about how that last match ended, either."
Another camera cut to highlights from our last match, showing that, even though it was a closely contested match, I had picked up the ultimate victory while using a pair of brass knuckles. After showing that portion of the match, though, it cuts again to the creepier scene of me, but with the knuckles on my hand, raised upwards to my chest, with me just staring down at them menacingly.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"This is a cutthroat business. It's not all rainbows and sunshines. You can go ahead and go on your tangents about you 'wake up, work, win' - terribly catchphrase for you by the way. How you're gonna 'break the cycle' or 'right the wrong' that I have done to you. Avenge your victory. But at the end of the day, you're a crowd pleaser. And that in itself holds you back. Because while you play by the rules..."
The scene goes back to me with the knuckles on my fist, but it swiftly shifts back and forth to the same scene, but with me slowly reaching into my back pocket and pulling out a railroad spike to look at this time. When the spike comes into frame, the cut stays on that screen, showing me having a very stylized set of graphical red devil horns on my head with a vague but noticeable afterglow around them. I turn to look at the camera, and instead of cutting back to me in the military outfit, it keeps in this scene, and I begin to speak, my voice horrifically distorted.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"...I'll go to much more drastic measures."
A quick cut of me screaming later and I suddenly lunge at the camera's view, spike in hand, and jab it right into the lense of the camera, effectively cutting the feed and ending the recording in that moment.
Back in reality, where I am still standing in front of the camera in my military outfit, I hit end on the recording and walk away from the scene. Off to the side, my gorgeous wife Jeanna stood there, having watched everything that had just transpired, a proud smile on her face. She held her arms wife open for an embrace, to which I answered with my own smile and grabbed hold of her. With it being such a big moment, I flew her out for the week to be able to be in attendance for the show and drug her along with me, just to get a taste of what this life was like. After a few moments of the hug, I pulled my head back and reached up to plant a finger in the collar of what I was wearing.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"Damn, this thing is itchy and hot."
She simply laughed before pulling herself back.
[ ♡ ] JEANNA COPELAND •• WIFE OF DEVIN [ ♡ ]
"I've got you fresh clothes in the locker room to change out of. Quite the interesting process in all of this I have to admit."
I nodded in agreement. Being a wrestler sometimes is almost like being an actor. Or what I would assume it would be like. Never been apart of anything like that before.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"Yeah. It's quite the experience."
[ ♡ ] JEANNA COPELAND •• WIFE OF DEVIN [ ♡ ]
"So. Do you think you're gonna win? I know you've been looking forward to this moment for quite some time now."
I simply scoffed and began walking past her towards the locker room, to which she followed.
[ ♤ ] DEVIN COPELAND •• EPITOME OF DIVINITY [ ♤ ]
"I have to have this. Lord knows when my next shot will be. Then again, no offense to anyone else, but I don't know who deserves this more than I do right now. I have to have this, but I'm ready to take the challenge on."
She reached upward towards my face and planted a kiss on my cheek before grabbing at my hand and continuing to walk with me. I hope she's ready for a well deserved fancy night on the town. It's early, but it's time to celebrate.
Word Count: 2,946