Breaking the Ties That Bind

Chuck slowly opens his eyes, finding himself in an unfamiliar place. He lifts his head. He feels dizzy. His eyes feel hot, burning inside his head. Although he can’t see them, they are colorless, a cold gray. It is dark. Dark enough that Chuck can’t see more than a few inches in front of his face. He reaches up to rub his eyes, but can’t. His arms won’t reach. He hears chains rattling, and looks up. He’s chained to a wall, bound at the wrists. His feet are shackled to the floor.

???: “What the fuck are you doing?”

Chuck glances over. He knows that voice. But…Why is he hearing it? What’s going on?

Chuck Matthews: “What’s going on?”

???: “New blood.”

Suddenly, light floods the world around Chuck. He’s in an ancient Roman Colloseum. Chuck is in the Royalty box, where three massive pillars have been erected. Chuck stands between two of them, his hands and feet chained to the stone. Next to him, Brenton Cyrus stands chained to the remaining pillar. Chuck pulls at the chain, but to no avail.

Nick Ridicule: “Quiet! The New blood enters!”

Chuck looks down. In the tier below, Nick stands, chained to his own pillar. His body is wrapped in chains, which bind Ashley to him, so neither are able to move.

Trumpets blast through the arena. All around Chuck, spectators get to their feet. Chuck looks across the arena, at the gates at the other end. Everything is silent. Then, he hears a faint noise. Chains rattling. Metal clinking against metal. A man enters, dressed in armor, and wearing a red cape. It’s Corey Casey. A sword hangs at his side. Behind him, Shadow Demon follows, also dressed in armor. He pulls at a chain that links together a line of people, shackled at the wrists and ankles. At the rear of the line, The Notorious K.I.D, dressed in matching armor, pokes at the back of the last slave with his spear.

The line comes to a halt in front of Chuck, Brenton, Nick and Ashley.

Corey Casey: “My Lord, the new blood!”

The crowd cheers. Brenton leans over the edge as far as his chains will allow. He nods. Chuck is still trying to learn what’s going on.

Corey approaches the first member in line. Chuck sees that it’s Maddox Li.

Corey Casey: “State your name!”

Maddox Li: “Maddox Li.”

Corey Casey: “Do you accept Salvation as your saviors?”

Maddox Li: “Yes sir.”

Corey stares at Maddox for a second, then grunts.

Corey Casey: “Very well.”

He moves on to the next person.

Corey Casey: “State you name!”

Neo Kobayashi: “Neo Kobayashi.”

Corey Casey: “Do you accept Salvation as your saviors?”

Neo Kobayashi: “I do.”

Corey Casey: “You don’t sound convincing.”

Corey rests his hand on the hilt of his sword. Neo straightens up and yells.

Neo Kobayashi: “Yes sir!”

Corey Casey: “Good.”

He moves on to the third member.

Brenton Cyrus: “No way is this guy making the cut.”

He looks over at Chuck expectantly, as if waiting for a response.

Chuck Matthews: “Oh…yeah, this guy won’t work.”

Corey Casey: “State your name!”

Man: “John Mark.”

Chuck hears the name and looks down. Sure enough, there’s Johnny Styles himself, dressed in rags, shackled to Neo and another slave on either side.

Corey Casey: “Do you accept Salvation as your saviors?"

Johnny Styles: “Yes.”

His voice is hardly a whisper, and Chuck strains to hear it.

Corey Casey: “Say it like you mean it, slave!”

Johnny Styles: “Yes.”

It’s louder, but Chuck still struggles to hear it.

Corey Casey: “Do I sense shame in your voice? You dare be ashamed of the life we offer you?”

Johnny Styles: “No…”

Corey doesn’t listen. In one smooth motion, he draws his sword and swings it. The crowd cheers, and Chuck sees Johnny’s head roll away from his body. He slumps to the ground, his neck spraying blood like two small fountains.

Brenton Cyrus: “Told you.”

Chuck lets out a nervous laugh. What the fuck was going on?

Brenton steps forward, his chains allowing him only a step or two from the pillars. He raises his arms, and the people fall silent.

Brenton Cyrus: “On behalf of myself, and my partner Chuck Matthews…we welcome you to Salvation!”

The crowd cheers. Chuck looks around.

Brenton’s face suddenly turns from one of happiness to a sneer, as if he smells something horrible.

Brenton Cyrus: “Oh no. Don’t you cheer. Don’t cheer for us. Because we know the truth.”

Silence falls over the crowd.

Brenton Cyrus: “There are non-believers among you.”

He motions for K.I.D, Shadow, and Corey. They race to the walls around the arena and jump up, climbing into the stands. They push through the crowds. For most, they look at the person, and move on. But sometimes, they stop, draw their swords, and decapitate them, throwing the heads into the arena. Chuck turns away, trying to block out the sights of the blood, and the sound of the screams.

Brenton Cyrus: “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Chuck looks at him. For the first time, he notices. There’s a gaping hole in Brenton’s chest, exposing a massive rock where his heart should be. His eyes are grey, uninviting. Chuck looks down. He too, has a hole in his chest, exposing a stone heart. He looks back to Brenton.

Brenton Cyrus: “This is what we’ve been working for, brother. Finally, we rid this world of the nonbelievers. We will finally have our time.”

Chuck stares at the crowd, sees the blood trickling down the stairs, through cracks in the walls. Slowly, the arena is stained red with the blood of innocent people.

Chuck Matthews: “I can’t do this.”

Brenton Cyrus: “What?”

Chuck shakes his head.

Chuck Matthews: “I won’t sit here and watch innocent people die.”

Brenton laughs.

Brenton Cyrus: “Come on, Chuck, don’t kid around. Don’t tell me you actually care for these people!”

Chuck Matthews: “They’re great people. There’s no reason for them to die.”

Brenton Cyrus: “They’re nonbelievers! They don’t follow our ways! This is the best way.”

Chuck Matthews: “No, it isn’t. So they don’t care for Salvation. Who the fuck cares? Is this really the legacy you want to leave behind? Some ego tripping asshole who kills anyone who doesn’t think he’s God?”

Brenton Cyrus: “It’s the best way. This is the way to make the world perfect.”

Chuck Matthews: “No, this is the way to make the world what you want it. It doesn’t make it right.”

Brenton Cyrus: “Don’t play the martyr here, Chuck. You know as well as I do, you don’t give a shit about these people.”

Chuck Matthews: “Maybe I’ve been enlightened…”

Brenton turns and looks at Chuck. Chuck pulls at the chains as hard as he can. He hears cracking above him, as the stone pillars begin to break.

Brenton Cyrus: “What are you doing?”

Chuck ignores him, and continues to pull. Finally, the pillar breaks. It collapses, releasing it’s hold on Chuck.

Brenton Cyrus: “What have you done?!”

Chuck feels a warmth wash over him as soon as the chains are broken. The shackles unlock, and fall away from his wrists and ankles. His eyes flood with color, back to their usual blue. Chuck feels a pain in his heart for a brief moment. The stone cracks and breaks into dust, which blows away, out of the hole in his chest. Chuck stares at the hole. Slowly, it closes up, leaving behind the smooth, familiar shape.

Brenton Cyrus: “You can’t leave Salvation, Chuck!”

Chuck looks at him for a moment, then shakes his head, grinning. Brenton throws a punch, but his hand is stopped, inches from Chuck’s face by the chains that bind him. Brenton thrashes around, trying to get at Chuck, but Chuck only laughs.

Chuck Matthews: “You want to be God? Fine. You run along and be God. But I won’t have any part of it anymore.”

Brenton Cyrus: “You’re a traitor, Chuck Matthews! How dare you betray-”

Chuck can’t hear him. A wind has picked up, roaring through the arena. Chuck looks up, as the sun breaks through the clods. A bright beam of light shoots through the clouds, covering Chuck. Chuck feels his feet lifting off the ground, as he moves towards the light, up into the heavens. Then there is a flash of white…

Chuck opens his eyes. He’s staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. Beside him, Kim lays, her head resting on Chuck’s chest.

Kimberly O’Day: “Are you okay?”

Chuck looks around. It was a dream…

Chuck Matthews: “I’m fine.”

There is silence for a moment. Then:

Kimberly O’Day: “Do you love me?”

Chuck Matthews: “What?”

Kim sighs, and scoots closer to Chuck.

Kimberly O’Day: “Do you love me?”

This again. Last week, Kim and Chuck had watched Corey’s latest video. It seemed to sprout this seed of doubt in Kim’s mind about Chuck’s true intentions. How Corey believed Chuck to be using people only for his own selfish gain. In a sense, he was right. Chuck had usually used people, befriended them, fucked them, got what he wanted and then kicked them to the curb. But Kim was different. Chad was different. Nick was different. If anything were to happen to them…The result would be different. Still, Corey’s words had planted some doubt in Kim’s mind…

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Earlier that week…

Kimberly O’Day: “You heard what he said.”

Chuck Matthews: “You don’t believe it, do you?”

Kimberly O’Day: “Well…you do have a history…”

Chuck runs his hand through his hair. After watching the latest video from Corey Casey, Kim asked the question Chuck really didn’t want to hear.

Kimberly O’Day: “Is this true?”

Was it true? Was Chuck simply using Kim, Bobby, Chad, for his own selfish gain? Was this just some sick scheme to help Chuck retain his World Heavyweight Championship as long as he could?

No. Chuck cared for Kim. She had been there, even when he was going downhill. She wasn’t like Lauren Taylor, who loved Chuck so long as he had gold around his waist. Kim wasn’t like Jessica Vestieri, who only stayed with Chuck for the sex. She wasn’t like Erika Fox, who ran at the first sign of trouble…Kim was different. She wanted to take everything head on. She wasn’t afraid, of Chuck, of his history…of anything. And Chuck…was he really falling in love?

Chuck Matthews: “Kim…I don’t know what to tell you.”

Kimberly O’Day: “Tell me you love me.”

Chuck opens his mouth to speak, but hesitates. Love…How many times had Chuck told a woman he loved her, knowing fully well he was only saying it because she wanted to hear it during sex? Kim was right. Chuck’s history spoke for itself. He dated Erika, and was dumped because he was losing his mind. Jessica left when Chuck stopped fucking her. And Lauren…

Fuck her.

The only girl that had never left Chuck was Bridget. And Bridget…Chuck laughs. It’s amazing, the resemblance between Kim and Bridget. Not physically, but in their attitudes. Their ways of life. Bridget was all about her family. Her grandparents meant the world to her. And she was tough. She wasn’t one to step aside and let the guys do all the work. Kim…she was the same way.

Kimberly O’Day: “Do you love me, Chuck?”

Chuck Matthews: “I do. I really do…but…I can’t say it.”

Kimberly O’Day: “Why not?”

Chuck Matthews: “Kim, when you’ve fucked as many women as I have, you tend to throw words like ‘love’ around a lot. It just…it doesn’t have the same meaning anymore.”

Kim stares at him for a moment.

Chuck Matthews: “You don’t believe me.”

Kimberly O’Day: “I do…I’m just a bit confused, is all.”

Chuck Matthews: “Confused?”

Kim eyes Chuck for a moment.

Kimberly O’Day: “My family doesn’t like you, Chuck. But…I do. I see something that they can’t. I feel like I know you, but at the same time, I feel like I know nothing about you.”

Chuck Matthews: “What do you mean?”

Kimberly O’Day: “Well…it’s like what Corey was talking-”

Chuck Matthews: “Do you believe him?”

Kimberly O’Day: “No…but he does bring up a point. You have a tendency to do things your way, and not tell anyone about them. I just can’t help but wonder if this is just another case of that. Just a part of your plan. Some hidden motive that you have that you refuse to share with me.”

Chuck sinks further into the sofa, running his hands through his hair again.

Chuck Matthews: “So what do I do? Is there nothing I can say or do to convince you?”

Kimberly O’Day: “Chuck…I really like you. You’re really sweet. You’re the smartest man I’ve ever met…but you’re the sex icon. You were part of Salvation. And-”

Chuck Matthews: “Kim…I know there was a time when I was one of the nastiest guys on the planet. I was violent…angry…But when I broke out of Salvation…It was like the chains were broken. My life was renewed. The stone and ice were chipped away from my heart…I was changed.”

Kim looks at him, but says nothing.

Chuck Matthews: “I guess…the sex icon was just my way of coping. Trying to fill that void in my heart. But you…you fill it, just by being here. By caring, even when everyone else left. With you…I feel like I have a reason to go out and fight every week. I guess…I‘ve been miserable all this time because I was alone. I don‘t want to be alone anymore. I want someone who cares. Who really, truly cares. About me, not what I‘ve done.”

Kim smiles. She kisses his cheek, and rests her head on his shoulder.

Kimberly O’Day: “I care.”

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And yet, for the rest of the day, she would ask at random intervals.

Kimberly O’Day: “Do you love me?”

She must have been just waiting for Chuck to come out and say it. Yes, he loved her. For the first time in a while, he truly felt like she was the right person. She wasn’t going to leave him. He was finally going to get it right.
Chuck smiles.

Chuck Matthews: “I do. I love you.”

And that was all it took.

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Chuck Matthews: “I don’t know how he managed to do it, but Corey Casey beat me. For the record, this, Corey, is what it truly means to ‘upset’ someone.

So, once again, I fail to defend my title, and once again, I go to grab another one. That’s this week.

Corey, you told me last week I was just kissing the fans asses so they would vote me in. As if there was any doubt who they were going to vote for anyway? I don’t need to kiss up to anyone. I’m Chuck Matthews. Whether you like it or not, those people were going to vote me in. It didn’t matter what anyone said on Revolution. Speeches, earn your vote matches…they don’t mean anything. At the end of the day, those fans were voting who they wanted to see leave as the champion. In this case, it’s me. I wasn’t kissing up to them, Corey, I was thanking them for always being on my side. Nothing wrong with showing a little gratification to those who deserve it. Of course, you’ll disagree, because you tend to spit on everything that most people hold in high regard. Love, friendship, honesty…thankfulness. But hey. You’re a big tough Salvation member. Empathy isn’t exactly Salvation’s strong suit. Trust me. I know.

Regardless, here’s the plan this week, Corey. I go in, I fight you for the third time. And this time, you can’t hold my failure to defend titles over my head. In fact, my track record, once again, is in my favor. Because, you see, when I fight for titles, I succeed. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do this week. Fight for a world title, and become an unprecedented five time World Champion.

It’s a Hell in a Cell match. A match where the entire ring is surrounded by steel. There’s no way out. And no way in. Know what that means? It means no Brenton Cyrus to save your ass. No bullshit referees. Just you and me. Best man wins. But the thing is, Corey…I’ve already got a match like this under my belt.

Triple Cage. My first world title match since King of the Throne. And this time, I went in to win it for myself. I didn’t want to help someone else win. I wanted to take it, become the Universal Champion for the first time. I went into the Triple Cage. Three cells, stacked on top of each other. And I succeeded. I defeated nine other men and took hold of the Universal Title. It isn’t a Hell in a Cell match…but hey, surrounded by steel, belt on the line? Same basic principle.

That’s why those fans voted for this match, Corey. Because they know, Chuck Matthews is the man who can stop Corey Casey. He’s the man that can stop Salvation. This week, the roles are reversed. You went on about how I couldn’t defend my title in the past. Now I look, and I see, you’re in the same boat. Your first defense of the World Heavyweight Championship, and you failed. You lost it to me. It’s the same thing all over again. You’ll fight me, defend your title, and lose. And do you know what the ost ironic part of the whole thing is?

You’ll be a seven-day champion. Which will put you one step further in your mission to be just like me.

Did you ever stop to wonder why everyone else failed, everyone else was destroyed, and yet I’m still around? You had the chance to get rid of me at Legends of the Fall, and you failed. You went into our match at Revolution hoping you would destroy me, and you failed. Ask yourself, Corey…why is it that everyone else can be stopped dead in their tracks, but you can never count me out?

Because I’m better than everyone else. I’m not Mark Pollak, or Killer B, or Mexican Samurai. I’m better. That’s why The Dynasty is the force that’s going to bring Salvation to its knees. 4East was just a team of losers who had a vendetta against Nick, Brenton, and me. We destroyed them. Ryan Apollos was fresh blood. A newcomer to NLWF who wanted power all for himself, and got in way over his head. What sets me apart?

I know the enemy.

You think I’m constantly reminding you that I was a part of Salvation for my health? Because I’m proud of it? Because I’m bored, and it’s fun to throw Salvation around like a cheap whore? No, Corey. I remind you regularly because that’s the deciding factor. That’s the thing that sets me apart from 4East, from Lethal Injection. You aren’t fighting some team of power-hungry egomaniacs. You’re fighting the man who helped create Salvation. Who knows it inside and out. I know how it works. How it exists. How it survives. I know what keeps it going…and I know how to take it out.

Can Lethal Injection say that?

I’m not some power-hungry egomaniac. I’m not here to destroy Salvation and take their spot. I’m here to save the people. Call me a traitor, call me the Ultimate Betrayer, call me what you will, but I prefer the title the people give me. The Savior. That’s what I’m ehre for. That’s what The Dynasty is here for. To save them from Salvation.
There was once a time when Salvation meant something good. It was meant to save the people. Now it only poisons them. Kills off those who don’t bow down, who don‘t flock to your churches like a bunch of fucking sheep. Salvation was once something great. Now…it’s a bunch of mindless drones bowing down to a bunch of mindless drones. And Corey…you’re quickly becoming King Drone. The Ultimate in human stupidity.

So how do you counter Ultimate Stupidity?

Why don’t you ask the smartest man in NLWF? You’ll see him on Monday. Staring you down right before that bell rings.”