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dog collar match

The lights begin to flicker slightly and then go out as the sound of thunder echos through the PA system. As a light mist fills the entryway and a soft blue light bathes the arena, the crowd hears a soft but meancing sound of footsteps before the rhythm of a tribal beat plays. A white light slowly blooms on the stage to show a figure dressed in black sitting cross legged in the entrance way.

As the opening chords of Absent in Body's Rise from Ruins hits, the blue light slowly turns red as the figure stands up from out of the mist as the crowd roars in response. Over the din, the announcer calls out:

"Introducing his opponent...From Weimar Germany, weighing in at 298 lbs...Erynys Reich!"

As the music blares, Erynys makes it halfway down to ringside where he stops and retrieves a microphone from his back pocket. He removes his mask and fixes his gaze on his opponent.

"Bison, you claim I don't have the "dawg" in me. That is a matter of opinion. But what I do have...is the Truth. If you will indulge me..."

He looks back at the tron and a video starts playing.

Footsteps are heard in the darkened room and a voice is heard offscreen.

"The words that I remember from my childhood still are true, that there's none so blind as those who will not see."

The crowd murmers as a hooded Reich appears on the screen. "Bison, you know who I am, but I feel like you have some misconceptions about me. To you, I'm the great betrayer, public enemy number 1. In reality, I'm the complete opposite. Let me explain."

He settles down in the chair all the while, keeping his attention on the camera. "You say that I betrayed Salem, betrayed Apex. Yes and no. You see, I never betrayed Apex. My allegiance to Trent, to Avari and Jessie, that has never changed. They were and are my family. Now Salem...that's another story. Yeah I stabbed him in the back....but only after he left me for dead. You see Bison, I never ******** over anyone in my life who didn't have it coming to them. And Salem deserved what I did to him. And you want to know why? Because he's selfish. Because Salem Croft cares about one thing and one thing only....Salem Croft. When I was blinded, where was Salem then? When I was hospitalized in Germany, where was Salem then? Did he come to see me, check on his partner? No, he sent his daughter to do that for him. But it hasn't just been me that's felt this. Look at Trent, another member of Apex who has willingly carried the banner. At Mania, did Salem intervene to help his beloved team mate out? No, he left him behind and now who knows when or if Trent will ever be able to compete again. Time and again, Salem has proven that his alliance only goes so far. That as long as you are fulfilling his goals that you're a benefit. But once your usefulness is spent, you're expendable. Look at Jessie, who he deemed the cornerstone of the women's division, now relegated to a nurse maid. Trent, one of the pillars of this company, now left crippled, his future in doubt. Nuke Fusion, the very man who unlocked the code for Apex, where is he now?And me, his right hand man, his brother, now exiled and declared enemy number 1. Are you seeing the pattern now Bison? Salem doesn't care about you Bison any more than he cares about me, or Trent or anyone else in Apex. We're nothing but pawns to him, puppets he uses to achieve his ends.

You're angry and justifiably so because you feel duped. It's ok to feel that way. It's understandable. I understand your anger Bison. Your rage. But the question is, who are you more angry at? Me? The one who dared to do what no one else would to bring the truth to light? Or is the greedy treacherous viper himself who took you for a fool?

He paused to look down at the collar that had been tossed to him and then back at the big man and merely shook his head. "Can't say I'm surprised...the bigger they are, the stupider they are, especially when the truth is slapping them in the face. Save your pity Bison, I feel it for you. If this is what you want, on your head be it."

He attached the collar to his neck and before the bell rang, he would look to wrap the chain around his fist and go low on the big man.

The blow had the intended effect but it seemed to just anger the mighty Bison who responded with a massive double ax handle which sent him to his knees.

The knee hit him flush in the face and he was left seeing stars as the crowd began to wonder if this was already the beginning of the end for the German warrior.

The balled up chain hit him square in the ribs and lower back. He bit back a yell of pain as his hands went instinctively to the injured area and he curled himself into a tight ball.

He let out a scream of pain as the chains slammed into his ribs and he felt his whole body seize up as the air was driven out of him.