EXPRO On FX #22

EXODUS PRO WORLD TITLE MATCH
CHRISTUM FUROR (EXODUS Pro World Champion) VS. DARRIN STEARNS

EXPRO on FX #22 returns after the final commercial break, setting the stage for the final and most anticipated bout of the evening. The Hardrock Hotel and Casino is vibrant with electricity and anticipation for what has become a bitter and bloody feud between EXODUS World Champion Christum Furor and (R)evolution Director Darrin Stearns. The backstory had the patrons already on the edge of their seats, and completely bloodthirsty as they were very much eager to witness what was being built up as a slobber knocker. The camera cuts around the arena to display the aforementioned spectators, before cutting to the ring where we see David Zinkus ready to provide the formal introduction.

David Zinkus: The following contest is your Main Event, and is a San Diego Bay Street Fight for the EXODUS World Championship.

Suddenly, “The Quiet Place” by In Flames hits the P.A. system to a loud, resounding, and vociferous chorus of boos. The velvet curtains slowly part, and emerging from behind them is none other than the leader of Gods & Monsters and the most hated figure in the company - Christum Furor. The madman pushes a shopping cart, rolling it a few feet down the aisle as he stands at the apex of the ramp, donned in his usual ring attire. The champion adjusts the EXODUS World title which is wrapped around his waist before slowly posing in his infamous crucifix pose.

Dick Morosi: And here is the EXODUS World Champion, Christum Furor. He promised tonight would be the end of Darrin Stearns, and he seems to have brought the necessary tools to get the job done.

Seth Ericson: Furor has competed in some of the most barbaric matches in EXPro’s brief history. This is legitimately his playground. Of course he was going to bring his favorite toys.

David Zinkus: Introducing first. From Detroit, Michigan, weighing in tonight at two hundred and forty pounds. Ladies and gentleman, he is the EXODUS World Champ-

Before Zinkus can conclude his introduction, he is interrupted by a commotion back up top the ramp. The curtains are thrown in disarray, as the challenger, Darrin Stears bursts onto the scene quickly clubbing the champion in the back of the head, sending him tumbling forward and down the ramp. The shopping cart runs down the aisle, meanwhile a reeling Furor stumbles back to a stand, only to be greeted by a stiff kick to the midsection by his nemesis. Fighting with nothing held back, Stearns lunges forward, and lowers his shoulder - his shoulder blade makes like a dagger and stabs the champion in the solar plexus, sending him to the ground. Having left his foe supine from the Spear, Stearns mounts his target and commences to unload on him with a barrage of stiff piston like fists. Darrin climbs to his feet to a pandemonium of cheers, then leans over to grapple Furor by the head before pulling him back to his feet. With hate in his eyes, Stearns whips Christum hard into the barricade. The nearby audience voices their enthusiasm before backing away in preparation for the brawl spilling into their vicinity. And that in fact does happen, as the Phoenix charges forward with a Clothesline; his extended arm clashes into Christum’s collarbone, the force behind the blow to the champ’s clavicle enough to send both competitors over the security wall.

Dick Morosi: Darrin Stearns is all over Christum Furor right now and the bell hasn’t even rung. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on him, Seth.

Seth Ericson: So much that he jumped him from behind, which I’m willing to overlook for the simple fact that he’s kicking his ass.

The Hardrock security team proceeds to set a perimeter around the two combatants to protect them from the crowd, and vice versa. As Stearns gradually regains a vertical base, Furor slowly slithers his carcass across the floor toward a nearby steel chair, looking to use it to turn things around and shift the brawl into his favor. Darrin notices this out of the corner of his eye, and immediately makes a beeline for the kneeling champion. He lifts his leg into the air, blasting Christum in the cheekbone with a vicious Yakuza Kick that sends him collapsing to his side in a dazed stupor. While his braincase absorbs the impact, Furor watches as Darrin acquaints himself with very piece of furniture he had his heart set out on. Stearns playfully twirls the handle in his right hand, and with his left, taunts the battered World Champion, almost begging and pleading for the bastard to rise just so he could put him back down. Obliviously, Christum accepts the invitation, as he staggers to a vertical base. Skulking behind his prey, Stearns swings the chair across his body with tremendous force; the weapon impinges the spine of the World Champion, eliciting a loud yelp and groan of pain upon impact as the shot sends a crippling shock throughout Furor’s vertebral column.

Seth Ericson: Good Lord Darrin Stearns is fighting like a man possessed, Dick. He doesn’t look like he has any ring rust at all.

Dick Morosi: He doesn’t, granted you don’t need much skill to beat someone to a pulp with a chair.

Hell bent on dishing out more punishment with his foreign object, Darrin raises the chair overhead, however in doing so, a small window of opportunity is presented to his foe. Christum exploits the advantage, throwing his leg up to kick The Phoenix in the breadbasket. The chair slips through Stearns’ grasp, crashing to the floor below much to the delight of the defending champion. Having caused his adversary to double over, Christum grapples him by the head before striking him with a blistering European Uppercut that leaves him staggering in place. Afterward, Furor grabs Darrin with both hands, one clutching his hair, and the other seizing the rim of his pants. He then proceeds to launch the challenger over the barricade, sending him plummeting to the ringside floor. Despite Furor gaining the upperhand, the crowd remains at a fever pitch, having their appetite for carnage satisfied so far due to the pre-match skirmish. Having earned the opportunity to rest, Christum takes a moment to recuperate and catch a much needed breather, before unstrapping the EXODUS World Championship from around his waist and heaving it haphazardly toward the timekeeper’s table. With his energy replenished, Christum slowly scales the barricade, perching himself on the security barrier whilst he sneers down at his assailant. Darrin slowly climbs to his feet, his head spinning from side to side as he tries to shake the cobwebs. As he turns around, Furor leaps forward; thinking quickly, Stearns catches him with a Spinebuster, slamming him onto the floor with tremendous authority. Darrin climbs up to a knee, his face in a grimace as he shows signs of fatigue. He wipes a heap of sweat from his forehead, and raises a fist into the air to rally the passionate crowd as they cheer and howl exuberantly.

David Zinkus: This match hasn’t even officially gotten underway, yet these two have already beaten the holy hell out of each other.

Seth Ericson: I’ve never seen something like this in my life. Darrin Stearns is dominating Christum Furor right now, Dick.

Stearns lifts Furor to a vertical base before tossing him into the squared circle. The challenger takes a moment to catch his breath, burying the air in the bottom of his lungs before kneeing up onto the apron. Upon reaching his feet, he attempts to enter the ring. With Darrin halfway through the ropes, the astute and opportunistic champion suddenly springs to his feet, then connects with a Buzzsaw Kick. His boot vigorously and maliciously collides with Stearn’s temple, shifting his brain as he is left leaning over the ropes. The devastating maneuver leaves the vindictive World Champion in the driver’s seat, and proves efficacious in leaving his foe dazed and confused. With Stearns left stupefied, Furor captures him in a Front Facelock before reclining back to pull him forward and spitefully spike his skull into the canvas with a Draping DDT. Following the vicious move, the bell chimes thrice (finally) signaling the official start of the contest, albeit the action has already started off hot. Christum slides out of the ring, marching to the timekeeper’s table to grab a steel chair before reentering the squared circle. Meanwhile, Darrin attempts to regain his bearings, slowly crawling toward the nearby corner. Smelling blood in the water, the World Champion backpedals into the center of the ring, leaning into a three-point stance. With Stearns’ back turned to him, Christum suddenly charges toward the turnbuckle - he leaps into the air, sliding the chair underneath his feet before driving his legs forward to skate the chair into his foe’s head, compressing his cranium between the seat of the chair and the turnbuckle padding. Much of the audience responds with “OOHS!” while the rest of the crowd simply cheers in response to the innovative maneuver - despite who the deliverer of it is.

Seth Ericson: Furor just smashed Darrin’s head like a watermelon. He used his skull like a half-pipe. I suppose he’s a skateboarder is his pastime, along with recruiting beautiful women to be his minions.

Dick Morosi: Darrin has a history of concussions, hell he just suffered one last month at the hands of the champion himself. Furor isn’t just trying to win tonight Seth, he’s trying to cripple and incapacitate Stearns.

Christum Furor watches as Darrin lies lifelessly on the canvas, his eyes almost unblinking as he stares up at the ceiling lights. Stearns is literally motionless, and visibly stunned from the chair assisted Dropkick he was on the receiving end of moment’s ago. Discontented with his work like most artistes, Furor exits the ring and climbs onto the apron before climbing the turnbuckle and ascending to the top with his chair still in hand. Getting ready to fly despite not being an aerial specialist by any stretch of the imagination, Christum holds the chair in his left hand right in front of his knees before leaping off. The Michigander bends his knees in midair whilst holding both ends of the chair, the intended destination of his descent being Darrin’s cranium. Stearns rolls away at the last second though, causing the World Champion to land on the chair with nothing to cushion his fall. Furor immediately bounces off of the steel piece of furniture and writhes on the canvas, clutching his knees in pain. Meanwhile, Stearns slowly gets to his feet.

Seth Ericson: The World Champion just attempted to end Darrin’s life with that chair, Dick. However he missed, and his knees landed right on the chair. Now he knows what it feels like to be Andreas Lasiewicz.

Dick Morosi: You better hope that The Morning Star didn’t hear that.

Stearns leans over to see the shopping cart, the holy grail of violence that the champion provided for tonight and advances toward it. The Phoenix drops down when he reaches the ring ropes and slithers his upper body under them to reach into the ringside cart and pull out a lighttube. The crowd approves of the potential for upcoming violence, and Stearns pleases them by reaching his hand in to pull out another. Sliding back into the ring and putting the tubes on the ground, Darrin gets up and pulls the glass weapons with him. Furor slowly pulls himself up on the ring cables as Stearns approaches him. Christum gets to his feet and turns around to be greeted by a lighttube that smashes down on him from his foe’s left hand, sending him falling back onto the ropes in a rush of surprise and sudden pain. Stearns grips the lighttube in his right hand tightly, while his left grabs his opponent’s left wrist, then he leans back to pull Furor up and whip him across the ring. Christum bounces off the far ropes as Stearns readies the tube for a home run swing, but the World Champ ducks causing his opponent to whiff. Furor emerges on the other side of Darrin, then grabs his wrists. The madman then resorts to drastic measures to gain control, as he pushes the lighttube against Stearn’s forehead before headbutting him to smash the glass between their respective faces. Stearns flinches as a new cut opens up on both men’s foreheads whilst Furor clutches Darrin’s hand tightly. Christum pulls him down to the ground, quickly pulling the broken tube out of his foe’s grasp before sitting down to apply a scissored armbar.

Seth Ericson: Christum is well versed in the hardcore arts, so much that he’s incorporated some technical moves into his gameplan tonight. He intends to teach this old dog some new tricks before he takes him out back Old Yeller style.

Dick Morosi: The World Champion is one sick and twisted individual. Lord knows what he has brewing in that psychotic mind of his.

Christum holds the arm in place with his legs, then reaches to his side and grabs the broken lighttube at it’s unbroken end. He then proceeds to turn the weapon upside-down before driving the jagged edge into the bottom of Darrin’s forearm, only to twist it to increase the damage being dished out. Stearns screams in pain as two simultaneous maneuvers appear to be debilitating and torturing his arm. After a few prolonged seconds of glass grinding into soft flesh, Furor releases the tube and gets up with his foe’s arm still in hand, then places the glass across Darrin’s chest before stomping it. Christum releases the arm now as Darrin writhes in pain, the World Champion looking to inflict more pain instead of going for the win. It’s clearly not about victory - it’s about putting Darrin out of his misery. Darrin rolls toward the chair that was nearly used to decapitate him minutes ago, and grabs it while Furor slides out of the ring to rummage around in the shopping cart for some more toys to carry out his devilish ambitions. Darrin plants the head of the chair into the canvas as a support to get to his feet, shaking off the pain in his arms and sternum.

Christum Furor finally reveals his new weapon for the night, a box cutter that one would use for well, cutting cardboard boxes. The crowd pops for the mayhem that the sharp blade heralds as it’s demented bearer slides back into the ring. Christum holds the cutter in his left hand, while his right is balled up into a fist for quick jabs. Stearns slowly approaches with his chair ready to throw or swing, Furor in striking stance with the box cutter on his front hand. The veteran steps forward with his chair, lowered enough to where the top of his chest is exposed and vulnerable. This influences the champion into throwing a jab with his left, but Darrin quickly lifts the chair to parry the blow. Christum’s hand recoils from the impact of meeting the chair, whilst Stearns lifts the chair overhead and, CRACK! The steel instrument slams onto Furor’s scalp sending him down to the mat beside the ropes.

Dick Morosi: What a chairshot! Darrin Stearns just avoided getting carved like a turkey with that box cutter.

Darrin takes a sigh of relief, thinking he has KOed the World Champion. Pitching the chair to the side, he leans down to get a hold of Christum’s legs before pulling him from the ropes. Afterward he drops down for the lateral press as referee Brian Lowery makes the count.

“ONE!”

Seth Ericson: Furor is on dream stream. The New Age is done for.

”TWO!”

Furor lifts a shoulder up, then throws a forearm into Darrin’s temple to get him off his chest. The next thing Stearns knowns, Christum is holding his leg and is placing the boxcutter across the Phoenix’s kneecap. Christum then steps to the side of his opponent while still holding the leg and the cutter in place before putting his calf on the back of the cutter so it fits in the enclave of the handle. Christum pulls up with the boxcutter, the blade digging in to create a brutal knee bar that cuts instead of breaking bone. Darrin howls in agony as the sharp metal burrows into the skin of his knee, blood beginning to appear around the area being stabbed. After a few seconds, Christum lets go of the leg and allows it and the boxcutter to fall to the mat. Darrin rolls away from Furor, howling in severe agony, clutching his knee whilst the World Champion grins.

Seth Ericson: Look at that twisted look in his eyes. The word insane may be too light of a term to describe this man. He just tried to dig his way through Darrin’s knee.

Dick Morosi: He’s not a human being, Seth. He’s just not…he’s a sick, twisted individual… a monster.

Furor walks to the ropes, chucking the boxcutter back into the cart because it had served it’s purpose. Christum has something much more nefarious in mind, though. The champion grabs his foe’s left ankle since his right leg is currently in no shape to kick him in defense, and drags Stearns out of the ring, taking care to let him land on his two feet. Unfortunately for the World Champion, as soon as his feet hit the ground Darrin hits Christum with a desperation right hand right to his bloodied face. The collision of fist and countenance is audible as Furor staggers back. Furor retains his footing as Darrin reaches to his side to grab a bat wrapped in barbedwire from the cart before swinging it overhead. The wire and wooden weapon slams into Christum’s left shoulder, dropping the champ to his knees as his shoulder is ripped by the wire. Darrin then puts his hands on both ends of the bat and holds it around waist level, then backs up a few paces. The veteran and retired wrestler of over a decade runs into his younger opponent bat-first, driving the barbs into Christum’s visage causing the champion to collapse the rest of the way onto the floor. Stearns throws the bat back into the cart and then proceeds to grab Furor by the arms, dragging the incapacitated World Champion toward the steel ring steps. The crowd watches in silent anticipation as they await what Stearns has planned, Furor now being sat up with his back against the side of the stairs. His knee now feeling more mobile, Darrin grabs the handle of the shopping cart then backs it up to align it with his target before charging forward. He rams the front of the cart into Christum’s face, sandwiching his head between steel and more steel as the crowd cheers loudly.

Dick Morosi: Cleanup on Aisle 3, Dick! Who knew Darrin was such an angry shopper? Haha.

Seth Ericson: Christum’s head was just smashed by that cart. Darrin Stearns has taken the fight and given it back tenfold.

Furor sits slumped up against the ring steps, the expression on his face difficult to discern due to the crimson mask he’s wearing as Stearns backs the cart up slightly, as a “This is Awesome!” chant builds up. The Phoenix leans forward on the cart, looking inside at what still lies within it that hasn’t been used to annihilate his foe. A particular weapon peaks his interest - a thumbtack chair, and more importantly the one Furor used to assault him with a month ago. Darrin grabs Furor by the hair and pulls him to his feet before lifting his dead weight onto the apron and rolling him under the bottom rope and back into the ring. With the thumbtack chair in hand, Stears first slides the weapon into the ring before reentering himself. The exhaustion can be seen setting in as Darrin slowly gets to his feet, panting heavily due to both the fatigue and excitement created by the prospect of defeating his foe, stopping the New Age and ending the war ravaging his best friend’s company. The fallen monster slowly but barely begins to stir, showing signs of life as his once lifeless frame begins to convulse. Stearns leans down to pull Christum up to a kneeling position. At this point, the desperation begins to set in for Furor, who seemed to be on the cusp of defeat. As a means to survive Stearns’ onslaught, the sociopath drives his forearm between Darrin’s legs, testing his testicular fortitude as the low blow, a normally illegal maneuver but obviously irreprensible in such circumstances, leaves Stearns wincing in pain.

Dick Morosi: And a low blow from the champion stops Darrin in his tracks.

Christum releases a sigh of relief and twisted satisfaction while his adversary collapses into the ring ropes. Climbing back to a vertical base, Furor leans over and grabs the thumbtack chair by it’s handle, playfully twirling it in his fingertips with a deep rooted, and overtly psychotic fascination. The leader of Gods & Monsters stalks his adversary like a predator ready to pounce on it’s wounded prey. As Darrin begins to pull himself up using the ropes as leverage, Furor cocks the chair over his shoulder, while Stearns hisses through his teeth and winces in preparation.

*CRACK*

The steel instrument descends from it’s apex over Christum and slices through the electricity in the air to careen across the side and top of Darrin’s crown with a resounding and reverberating ruckus. The patrons gasp and groan, sympathizing for the victim on the receiving end of the most adept and deadly chair-swinger in the business. The Michigander glares at his opponent who remains standing, almost in defiance albeit gingerly as his knees begin to buckle from the pressure of holding up his deadweight. The World Champion scoffs slightly at the image of Stearns’ fighting spirit before raising the chair up again.

*CRACK*

Christum beans Darrin once more with the chair, the second time being the charm as Stearns collapses to the canvas; the camera on the hardside of the ring focuses in on the freshly inflicted wounds on the peak of the Phoenix’s head, the blood beginning to cascade from the tack filled holes on the side of his head, parting over the crest of his ear. Slamming the chair into the canvas, Furor slowly drags Stearns to his feet, bending him over before apply a standing gutwrench.

Seth Ericson: Oh not this. He softened Stearns up with those chairshots, and now he’s about to drop the hammer, Dick.

Christum proceeds to hoist Stearns onto his shoulders. In spite of the fact that he just participated in a human version of whack-a-mole, Darrin somehow wriggles free. He charges for the ropes, then bounces off with a Spinning Backfist, using his hand as a weapon which clashes into Furor’s temple, knocking him off his feet and sending him down in one fluid motion. Both men lie on the canvas, Furor on his back, seemingly out cold, while Stearns lies on his chest. The crowd is on it’s feet, having exploded in response to one of the most recognizable finishing maneuvers in EXODUS Pro, and wrestling history. Despite every aching bone in his body, Stearns attempts to lift himself up off the canvas - but to no avail, he’s just in too much agony. Still, the cheers and chirps of the crowd remind him that if he could just crawl over and make the pin that he will become the EXODUS World Champion and destroy Gods & Monsters for good. Smearing the blood on his face in a futile attempt to discard his crimson mask, Darrin begins to crawl. Finally, he reaches his destination, draping a shoulder over Furor’s chest for the pinfall.

Dick Morosi: ZERO HOUR! Darrin Stearns is going to do it, Seth!

“ONE!”

“TWO!”

“THR- NO!”

There seemed to be nothing that would stop Stearns from getting the victory - that is except for Naoki Arishima. The sword of the New Age had run down to ringside just in time to pull Darrin off of his savior, dragging him out of the ring to stop the count.

Seth Ericson: There he is again, that menace from (R)evolution Wrestling. He’s Furor’s right hand man, and he just saved the champion’s skin.

Arishima quickly drives his shoulder into Darrin’s gut then drives him back first into the apron. Naoki grabs Stearns by the arm and pulls him off the apron before whipping him toward the steel post - the challenger crashes head first into the unforgiving structure, then staggers back into the BFK2H, nearly taking his head right off his shoulders as he is laid out on the floor. Naoki drags Darrin to a stand and tosses him back inside the ring before climbing in after him. The audience boos vehemently as Arishima stands tall, while the rest of Gods & Monsters slowly makes their way out to ringside to join in on the festivities.

Dick Morosi: Sally Talfourd, Savannah Taylor, and even Lady Magdalena! G&M is about to put Darrin Stearns on the shelf, for good.

Seth Ericson: What’d you think was going to happen, Dick? He had his cohorts sitting in the batter’s box just in case things got out of hand.

The three aforementioned disciples of Christum Furor join Naoki inside of the ring, and the four surround Stearns whilst Furor begins to stir, lying in the corner. With the best seat in the house, the World Champion watches as his pack of wolves begins to pick Darrin apart, commencing to lay the boots to him. Stearns is in no physical condition to defend himself, and he is helpless as boot after boot crashes down onto his battered body. G&M appears to be on the precipice of stomping Stearns into oblivion - that is until the cavalry arrives! The crowd ignites as the Sekigun in the form of Fiona and Jonathan Collins, Christian Kane and Chris Strike charge to ringside led by the “God of Thunder” himself. The four horsemen of EXODUS so to speak immediately descend on the ring, taking the fight right to Gods & Monsters as all hell begins to break loose.

Dick Morosi: The EXODUS Sekigun has arrived, Seth. They’ve come to the aid of Darrin Stearns and they’re once again proving to Gods & Monsters that EXODUS will not go quietly into the night.

Seth Ericson: Lady Magdalena wants no parts of Chris Strike. They’re doing more than evening the odds they’re turning back the tide.

Indeed, the Sekigun has G&M reeling. Fiona and Arishima. Collins and Talfourd. Kane and Taylor. Strike and Magdalena. The heroes have stormed into the Hardrock Hotel and Casino and they’re giving Gods & Monsters all they can handle. Shinigami! Zero Hour! SSK! Narakumi! G&M is laid out all over the ring to a chorus of loud and resounding cheers. The Sekigun stands united, and seems to have gained the upperhand and stopped the G&M menace once and for all…

Until “The New Cult King” by Mushroomhead starts, the crowd starting to stir as The Perfect Evil and his conglomerate emerge. Audrey Lloris and The Dreamcatcher, Norihiro Akashi flank Daisuke Iwakuma, as the faction known as HATE quickly begin their march down to ringside. Iwakuma and Akashi slowly and cautiously climb onto the apron as their theme music quickly ends. On the outside looking in, the two men stare into the ring at the EXODUS Sekigun, the four heroes now looking over their shoulders and back again to survey the landscape. Gods & Monsters having regrouped, stands on one side, while HATE slowly enters the squared circle on the other.

Dick Morosi: What in God’s name is going on here, Seth? HATE has come out to ringside, and they along with Gods & Monsters have the Sekigun surrounded.

Seth Ericson: I have no idea. This entire arena is shocked. This is bad, Dick.

Realizing just how perilous their predicament is, the Sekigun opts to go down swinging as they charge at both factions that oppose them. The four of them fight valiantly, trying their hardest to draw back the tide but their efforts are quickly negated by the numbers game. HATE and G&M have the four Sekigun members cornered and commence to beat them down to the mat. Fists. Boots. The crowd looks on in horror and disdain as the degenerates they’ve come to abhor lay out their heroes.

Dick Morosi: HATE and Gods & Monsters are working… together to take out the EXODUS Sekigun, Seth. I never thought I’d see the day.

Seth Ericson: They have a common threat, Dick and it’s clear- wait a second… what’s Audrey Lloris holding?

The aforementioned harlot holds a small bag in the air, then hands it to her lord, The Perfect Evil. Iwakuma digs into the bag, then removes a pair of handcuffs, holding it for everyone in the arena to see before passing out the contents to the rest of the jackals in the ring. The two factions begin to handcuff the four members of the Sekigun to the ropes, preventing them from fighting back any further. With the four heroes helpless to defend themselves, HATE and G&M continue to work them over, stomping mudholes into them until their fires are respectively extinguished. There’s a few foot chokes thrown in for good measure, but for all intents and purposes the Sekigun seems to be thoroughly beaten down. Having recovered now from his battle scars, the EXODUS World Champion joins the mob of villains that have laid waste to his enemies.

Dick Morosi: They’ve cuffed them to the ropes, Seth. Jon, Fiona, Kane and Strike… they’re all defenseless. This is sick… this is barbaric… somebody has to stop this madness!

Furor and Iwakuma now stand face to face, with the latter grinning devilishly at his former disciple. Christum stares daggers at Daisuke, then looks around to gaze at everyone standing in the ring, everyone who has come to join him in burying the EXODUS Sekigun. The bloodied brawler’s face now lights up with a malevolent yet satisfied twinkle in his eye, realizing that once again he was proven right. The Sekigun was put down, and Darrin Stears was about to be laid to rest, and nobody was going to stop that…. except for two men - one with the mental aptitude and cunning necessary to reach the end of the tunnel despite seemingly insurmountable odds, and one with the heart and determination to carry out his mission of saving EXODUS.

All eyes turn to the entryway, the masses of humanity have their attention captivated by the sudden riff to "Brains" as it blasts through the speakers. Chuck Matthews and Zack Lifer storm onto the stage, carrying steel chairs in their hands.

Dick Morosi: ....I can't say I was thinking of THIS man, but...here comes the "Smartest Man in Wrestling!" And he’s come with backup!

Seth Ericson: I never thought I'd say it...but thank God Chuck Matthews is here! He and Lifer have come to tip the balance.

Chuck and Lifer rush the ring with reckless abandon, a determined look on their faces as they charg ringside. The crowd slowly begins to cheer them on, until the roar is almost deafening by the time Lifer reaches the apron. The Archangel slides into the ring, chair tight in his hand, Matthews not far behind. Furor measures up The New Iron Saint, his eyes darting to HATE and his G&M cohorts, both of whom immediately encircle him. The Chicago mastermind pauses, his adrenaline rush subsiding as he begins to look around the ring, immediately coming to the realization that his act of heroism may have been ill-advised as he stares at seven deadly sinners led by the fearsome EXODUS World Champion who has several bones to pick with him. While he scans the situation, Lifer remains coiled and ready to strike.

Seth Ericson: For the Smartest Man in Wrestling, this may have been a really stupid move. Even he knows that they’re out matched. Two men against seven?

Dick Morosi: Maybe he's got a trick up his sleeve? I don’t know.

Lifer stares nose to nose with the EXODUS World Champion, knuckles white around the leg of the chair. Christum steps forward from the pack, his hands balled into fists, his eyes narrowed with antipathy as he appears right on the precipice of leading the charge of the massacre of The New Iron Saint. Hearts are racing, and tempers are flaring as the other six mobbers flank Furor on either side, almost ready to jump out of their skin at a moment’s notice. Matthews looks at all seven of them, his arms shaking as a million thoughts begin to race through his brilliant mind - a mind that is now contemplating how he’ll survive this encounter. Matthews cocks the chair back as far as he can, seemingly having made his mind up that if he’s to go down with the rest of the Sekigun that he’ll be taking somebody with him…

*CRACK*

Zack Lifer drops to the canvas like a sack of potatoes from a vicious chairshot to the back of the head!

Seth Ericson: What the hell?

Dick Morosi: Wait a damn minute… that slime!

The chair descends to Chuck’s as the Smartest Man in Wrestling looks down at the unconscious Archangel, then his gaze turns to the crowd. Finally, he smirks, and suddenly offers his hand, which Furor clasps in a handshake. Instantly, the cheers of the arena turn to resounding boos and jeers as the two men nod in approval and acceptance of one another. Savannah Taylor hands Chuck a microphone. Matthews nods his thanks to her, and surveys the carnage around him. Slowly, Chuck paces the ring, stopping in front of each member of the handcuffed Sekigun.

Chuck Matthews: A little brutal for my taste...but very effective.

He lingers a moment longer in front of Jon Collins. Chuck crouches down, getting on eye level with the man, and making a point to look him full in the face as the Saint of Violence grits his teeth in rage and frustration.

Chuck Matthews: Yeah....very effective...

Chuck gets to his feet, nodding his approval at Furor and the men and women who surround him. Chuck sets up his chair in the ring, just next to the beaten body of Darrin Stearns. Matthews takes his perch on the back of the chair, his feet planted on the seat itself. He looks down at Darrin, sneering at him with the most condescending expression imaginable on his face.

Chuck Matthews: You couldn’t leave well-enough alone, could you? You had to be the hero. Had to stick your nose where it didn’t belong. I’m sorry it had to come to this...but I suppose you knew this was coming.

The crowd boos vehemently and feverishly, somehow, even louder than before. Chuck scratches his chin, seemingly oblivious to the jeers of the crowd. He rests his elbow on his knees, tapping the microphone thoughtfully against his lips. Finally, when the crowd begins to simmer down, he speaks.

Chuck Matthews: Does the accused have a chance to speak?

He’s immediately answered by a fresh wave of boos from the crowd. Chuck smiles, and lets them get it all out before he continues.

Chuck Matthews: Let me tell you all a story. Let me tell you a story about a man from Detroit...a man who worked hard at his job. Who was very GOOD at his job. A man who would become champion. A man who would become a WORLD champion. A man who would do it TWICE. A man who would become one of the most feared and hated men in his business, and...for what, exactly? Because somebody...somebody whose name I will not give...decided that he wasn't 'the guy.' Because one man decided that this immensely talented star from Michigan wasn't...wasn't WORTHY of respect. Does that sound like anyone we know?

Chuck looks at Furor who listens intently to what the Chicagoan has to say.

Chuck Matthews: Does this ring any bells for you?

He snaps his attention to Collins, across the ring.

Chuck Matthews: How about you, JON? Any comments, JON? Anything you'd like to say?

He waits for a response he knows won't come. Jon merely chomps at the bit while Chuck smiles.

Chuck Matthews: No? Nothing to declare? Then please, let me continue.

The Smartest Man in Wrestling clears his throat before carrying on.

Chuck Matthews: Now, let me tell you a story about a young man from Chicago...a man who, too, worked hard at his job. A man who was revered not for his talents, but for his ability to learn. To understand. A man who impressed others not with his strength of body, but his strength of mind. A man who meant no harm. A man who only wished to help. But, of course...there stood that one obstacle. There stood Nero at the gates of Rome...who decided this this poor chap from Chicago MUST be up to no good. That he MUST be plotting something malicious. Like I was some GAUL at the gates, looking for a way to take what was never his. And for what? Because someone got a nasty feeling? Because some jealous, overprotective rat didn't like me talking to his stupid wife? Eh, Mr. Stearns? Does this ring any bells to you?

Chuck sneers at Darrin, still lying on the mat.

Chuck Matthews: Well...if it's any consolation to you, you were right. I WAS up to something! I guess you knew it all along, didn't you? Ain't that a kick in the head?

Chuck frowns.

Chuck Matthews: Ooh...that was a bad choice of words, wasn’t it?

He sneers at Darrin, then looks out at the crowd.

Chuck Matthews: I came here to bring this company to the next level. To build EXODUS bigger, better than it's ever been. But...unfortunately, in order to do that, we had to destroy its foundation. We had to get rid of....you, actually, Jon. You, the man who hinders this company's progress. You, the man who punishes anybody who doesn't share your views. You, the man who has held back men like Christum Furor. Like Johnny Cannon. Like Zack Lifer. Like Justin Brooks. The list just keeps getting longer and longer. Do you know what I'VE been doing all that time?

Matthews looks at Jon now, his tone of voice sounding like a man who is comfortable with what he has done. A very satisfied one.

Chuck Matthews: I've been funding the efforts of Gods & Monsters. I've been prodding HATE, preparing them for one final attack. I have helped to ensure that Christum Furor won the EXODUS World Championship. Hell, with my funding, he did it TWICE. And, with my backing, he did something that he was never before able to accomplish: He beat your wife, Jon. And HATE! Let's not forget them! As if they needed any more reason to take you out? They were an atom bomb, unstable as ever, and just waiting for some lunatic to come along and push the button. Would you like to guess who that was?

Matthews taps his head with a huge grin, then shrugs his shoulders.

Chuck Matthews: I want you to look at what has transpired here tonight: I've broken you, Jon. Without so much as laying a finger on you, I've broken you. I've orchestrated a war, absorbed all your attention, all your energy, and when you were looking left, I hit you from the right. HATE? G&M? All of those niggling little setbacks that never seem to let up? Who do you think was the mastermind behind it all? You see...A tired mind is a mind that makes mistakes, Jon, and for the better part of the last six months, all I've done is tire you out. No breaks. No pauses. No room to breathe. And when you were finally finished, when you were finally too exhausted to continue, too beaten down to get back up again...I came in to deal my finishing blow.

Chuck hops down from the chair, stepping over Darrin's body.

Chuck Matthews: You know that feeling, Jon? That nagging sensation in the back of your mind? That stroke of bad luck that just wouldn't go away? That nasty tendency for things to suddenly go wrong just as they seemed to be tilting in your favor? That incessant feeling that there was someone behind you for months, poking you in the back with a stick?

Chuck crouches down once again, grabbing Jon's chin and forcing him to look him in the face.

Chuck Matthews: I'm that stick.

Chuck stands, slowly retreating to his position behind the chair. The crowd boos vehemently as Matthews finishes his speech. HATE and G&M applaud, and celebrate as they survey the landscape, regarding the carcasses they have left lifeless - save for one. Darrin Stearns lies at the feet of the EXODUS World Champion, garnering a frustrated shaking of the head from Furor. Christum motions to Arishima who grabs Darrin around the head before pulling him up to his feet, only to subdue him with his huge tree trunk like arms to keep him from doing anything - not that he could. Stearns looks like a man on his last legs, only able to stand due to Naoki holding him up, yet his persistence peaks the interest of the Michigander who takes the mic from his economic benefactor, wiping the blood from his visage as he looks at Stearns in complete befuddlement.

Christum Furor: Why… Why… Why Darrin?

The EXODUS World Champion appears to be visibly confused, unable to fathom what is driving Darrin to keep going even when his body has been broken, even when his friends have been beaten, even when he stands outmanned and outgunned.

Christum Furor: Why, after everything that has happened here tonight… after everything you’ve been put through… why do you continue to resist the inevitable?

Darrin’s knees buckle, his body trembling in pain as his head hangs low, finding it impossible to even lift it up due to his condition.

Christum Furor: Why would you fight a battle that isn’t yours… why would you fight for a lost cause… to fall on the sword of a man that would not reciprocate the gesture… for a man that would leave you for dead if it benefited him? He dragged you into a conflict you were not prepared for, and got your wife taken away from you because he refused to confront his own inner demons. TIFFANI IS GONE! Yet here you are, still standing by this sorry excuse of a human being. Despite my infinite wisdom I still do not understand why you continue to give everything to a man who has left you with NOTHING!

Christum shakes his head, the bewilderment written on his face becoming stronger with each passing second.

Christum Furor: Why Darrin… why would you fight… for Jonathan Collins… when you know… that you’ll only die?

Stearns pants, and coughs, blood running down his face, dripping off his lips as he finally musters the strength to look into the eyes of the man questioning him. With tired, weary, and beaten eyes, Darrin stares at Furor, and slowly offers his answer.

Darrin Stearns: Because… he’s… my friend.

The madman is speechless. The expression on his face undergoes a metamorphosis, changing from one of confusion to one of pity. After a brief moment to take it all in, Fuor nods prompting Arishma to spin Stearns around from a Ripcord grapple hold, before executing a Rolling Elbow Smash, smashing his elbow into Darrin’s mug with all the force he can possibly muster, knocking him out clean with the Lightning Blade. Christum drops to his knees, folding Darrin’s arms over the other like you would the deceased as Brian Lowery begrudgingly makes the count.

”ONE!”

“TWO!”

“THREE!”

As the bell sounds to signal the end of the bout, Christum looks in the direction of Chris Strike now, who remains cuffed to the ropes whilst being fondled by Lady Magdalena, much to the Brazilian’s chagrin. There’s a bitter scowl on Strike’s face as he looks at the carnage that has been caused by the man he refers to as the Smiling God and his associates. Strike is momentarily distracted by his former lover, who caresses him, and runs her hands through his thick hair, kissing and licking him on the cheek and neck to further infuriate him. Chris tries to break free, but there’s no use and he immediately realizes this. His gaze returns Furor now, who brings the microphone back to his lips.

Christum Furor: Because the idea of love exists in this world, sacrifice is born… and sacrifice breeds hatred… and when one knows these feelings, then they comprehend what PAIN is. But that does not mean that we can come to an understanding… to understand someone is to know their pain… to feel their pain… to share their pain. So tell me… DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME NOW?

The infamous villain’s voice echoes through the arena as he looks out into the capacity crowd, then at the bodies strewn along the ring, first to Kane, then to Fiona, to Jonathan, and now back at Strike - the man who returned at Absent Are the Saints under the guile of WEAPON with the hope of beating him once and for all.

Christum Furor: DO YOU UNDERSTAND MY PAIN?

The World Champion looks down at Darrin’s lifeless carcass, passing his hand over Stearns’ eyes to shut them.

Christum Furor: This cruel business… this broken system which is exploited by crooked politicians like Jonathan… they took EVERYTHING away from me. They took my hope away. They took my spirit away. They took my dreams away. THEY TOOK HAVEN AWAY AND LEFT ME WITH NOTHING!!! And the PAIN of loneliness… of desolation… it drove me INSANE because I couldn’t bear the pain… Magnus Gunner couldn’t bear the pain… and so he DIED. But from his ashes rose the man who became the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD! The man who became a GOD… and that GOD has come to bring down a wrath upon EXODUS and those who live to build themselves up by tearing down everyone else… who lie, and deceive those around them to pursue their own selfish ambitions… WHO DESTROY LIVES TO PRESERVE THEIR OWN EXISTENCE!

The madman washes his hand over Darrin’s crimson mask, wiping the blood across his chest, and then his own face as he stares at the members of the Sekigun.

Christum Furor: And that God’s name is CHRISTUM FUROR…. and THIS… IS… THE NEW AGE!

The EXODUS World Champion outstretches his arms in the crucifix pose, while HATE and G&M all follow suit as a still and ominous shot to end the telecast.


WINNER (and STILL World Champion): CHRISTUM FUROR