"The Man of Lawlessness..." [Act V, Scene I]

Scene I of I – “The Man Of Lawlessness…”

It’s nothing but absolute blackness that fills our vision; with the still sound of the night being the only thing we can hear. We then here a sudden surge of electricity in the air, followed by the flickering on of a street light, to a dim, orange, yellowish setting. Underneath the light we see that we are in the middle of a street, but due to the time of night and how pitch black it is outside, we see nothing outside of the area lit up by the street light, which is hitting the ground and lighting up Union Battleground superstar Nemesis who stands there in the glory of his usual markings, showing the inner evil that occupies his body, with a black leather jacket over top and yet again, in his simple black jeans and all black leather work boots.

Nemesis begins to walk, and as soon as he steps outside of the circle of light that the street light provides, the light bursts as he walks under another street light that pops on the same way as the last, to a low, dimmed, orange, yellowish setting. This sequence, similar to when we entered the mine last time we caught up with Nemesis, continues on as he walks along the street, with a new light coming on after the last one he passes through bursts.

“What is a God? Well, mortals believe it to be a superhuman being or spirit that is worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes…a deity if you will”, Nemesis continues walking as a light bursts behind him loudly and a new one lights him up

“So by that definition, how would a bag of flesh and bones, like you Anton, have the grounds to proclaim the status of a deity? Let alone a deity in the wrestling ring? It’s not only ludicrous, it’s downright laughable Anton…you are not a God, you are nothing more than a soon-to-be victimized humanoid…I assure you Anton, what was done to your manager was but only a mere sample-sized example of what Salvation and I are truly capable of, but fret not Anton, for you shall find out sooner, rather than later what the power of Salvation can accomplish”, Nemesis continues walking on, as if he knows exactly what destination lies ahead of him while the lights continue bursting behind him and lighting up his way forward

“But by that same definition Anton, let me ask you this; am I not a God? I have found followers and believers that will go the ends of the universe by my will for the cause. In my four appearances in a Union Battleground, I have shown my power through victory and an unblemished battle record, while you? Your success here has been based on some kind of petty feud over a fake championship with a weak and frail female that you’ve barely been able to overcome most of the time…how utterly pathetic. That is not the work of a God, no, that is the sad reality of a broken man who is barely making it in life, let alone in the business of wrestling”,Nemesis sarcastically laughs to himself as we hear his heavy footsteps hitting the concrete and the buzzing of a new street light coming on as he walks under it

“Fear not though Anton, for Salvation and I have come to set your soul free from the useless vessel of tissue, muscle and flesh that it currently resides in. Your ego…your arrogance shall be wiped from existence, after our meeting at L!GHTS OUT, believe me when I say that Union Battleground will be cleansed from the excrement that currently contaminates most of this roster, it began with the man they called a ‘legend’ in Drew Stevenson and will continue on with a man who considers himself a ‘God’ in you, Anton Chase…’The Harbinger of Revelations” is coming…you can not run…you can not hide…you can only fall”, Nemesis continues on as we suddenly hear the shattering of glass coming from in front of us out of the pitch black

As the street light bursts behind Nemesis, the one of front of him once again lights up to a low, dimmed, orange, yellowish setting revealing a man sitting on the curb, chugging a bottle in a paper bag with a second broken bottle of cheap, Fleischmann's whiskey laying at his feet, which is obviously what we heard before the street light exposed him to our vision. The man is looking straight ahead as Nemesis stops to his side, hovering over him. The man is in black dress pants, black shoes, has a black clerical shirt with a white tab collar and a black dress jacket overtop, obviously this man is a priest and having a really rough day.

“What troubles you my child?”, Nemesis asks as he hovers over the priest who hasn’t even looked up at Nemesis yet

The priest takes a swig, wipes his mouth and looks up confused at first, as that would normally be a question he asks someone himself but as he sees the entity standing before him, Nemesis, he takes a look at the bottle in his hand and then back up, as if he is in disbelief and is blaming the vision of Nemesis standing before him on the alcohol.

“Do not look towards the liquor, for it does not have the answer as to why I stand before you…now, I ask again, what is bothering you my child?”, Nemesis asks in a soft tone we’ve never heard him speak in before

“The…whole thing…it wasn’t worth it. I gave up the love of my life to take on an oath of celibacy to become closer to God and for what? All of my fellow clergymen not only fornicate with women behind closed doors but they also commit sins which I wish not to ever speak of…”, The priest says as he follows his words up with another swig of whiskey

“My child, the reason your fellow men have gone amiss is not only due to basic human needs and functions but mainly because like pigs led to slaughter before bacon can be placed on your plate…you have all been led astray…down the wrong path…told lies which you all are programmed to believe are the end-all, be-all truths…you have all been shown a way…not THE way…”, Nemesis speaks once again now with the utter confidence and boom back in his voice that we are so accustomed to

“Who are you?”, The priest asks as he lowers his bottle astounded by the aura of Nemesis

“I come from a time before your religious texts…from a place that man arrogantly thinks they have comprehension of…I was there when the truths were created and have watched as the lies have weaved their way through them until they are fully masked by what He wants you to find acceptable…let me ask you this my child; without knowledge of one’s true self and capabilities, how will man as a species ever truly evolve and finally find the peace man has sought out for so long now?”, Nemesis queries the half-in-the-bag priest

“I-I…don’t know…”, The priest responds baffled by Nemesis questioning

“Well my child, I know your potential, not only do I possess the knowledge to help you unlock it but I can also elevate you to levels your mind never thought were possible...that He does not want you to attain…”, Nemesis says convincingly with a dark underlying tone to his voice

“So…what exactly are you offering me?”, The priest asks intrigued by what Nemesis has said

“Salvation…”, Nemesis says with a sinister grin on his face as he outstretches his right hand to the priest

The priest looks at Nemesis' hand with a little bit of suspicion at first and then proceeds to place the whiskey down on the ground. The priest reaches out, grabs Nemesis’ hand who helps the priest back to his feet. The priest dusts his legs off quickly and then Nemesis and him begin walking side by side. As they exit the area covered by the streetlight it bursts but unlike before another street light doesn’t come off as we lose sight of Nemesis and the priest in the blackness of the night.