Death and The Miser

[Matt]

A black screen is shown and dripping blood red text appears on the screen saying “Memento Mori”. It opens up to a set like a children’s TV programme, but inside instead of bright colours it instead is filled with dim lighting, dark red and black painting along the set, a voice is heard.

Announcer: Please, welcome your host. Finn Bálor.

Canned applause is heard sounding like young adults, cheering and whooping before the canned applause audio distorts and the sound is quite terrifying. Bálor is seen walking onto the set through a door at the back, fire and smoke billowing behind him. He closes the door and the smoke stops filling the room, the distorted audio stops as Finn walks towards the camera, wearing a black suit and white shirt with a dark red tie.

Finn Bálor: For one night only here at EBWF, you are going to witness the new show known as Memento Mori. Now you may be thinking to yourself Finn what is memento mori? Well I’ll tell you, Memento Mori is the darkest part of your soul it is a place where you cannot fathom ever going to, it’s the place that you wish to hide from all your friends and all of your foes.

A smile pursed across Finn’s face. His smile was scary and unnervingly unrealistic. His energy changed and he seemed more upbeat.

Finn Bálor: With that being said, we do have some friends here at Memento Mori. Would you like to meet them?

The distorted applause from earlier came back and Finn smiled again before slightly jogging and sitting on a dark red, dirty, stained couch. After a second of looking around and looking for something, a grotesque child-like puppet with winged ears appeared behind the couch. His voice was like a small boy, but deeper and annunciated all of its words properly in a transatlantic accent.

Mammon: Finn, what a pleasure to see you here!

Finn Bálor: Thank you, Mammon. Good people, here is my good friend, Mammon. Say hello to the people Mammon!

Mammon: Oh, what a delight you have brought so many different people here to see us all.

Finn Bálor: Yes, Mammon. All these good people have been watching me on EBWF.

Mammon: That wrestling programme? Oh, we have plenty of sinners here who have loved EBWF over the years.

Finn Balor: I don’t doubt that, Mammon.

Mammon: The rest of the gang will be so happy to see you here, go and see them and have a wonderful trip here at Memento Mori.

Finn Bálor: Thank you, Mammon, we’ll see you soon. So good people, that was Mammon. I know, he’s a little scary, but I mean, you’ve seen worse here at EBWF, I mean, Maven is a Hollywood star, if you can put up with him, you can put up with Mammon. Let’s go meet the rest of the gang.

Finn got up off the couch and the camera followed him into the kitchen where there was a podium, Finn stood in front of the podium and knocked on it twice.

Finn Bálor: Wakey, wakey, rise and shine! Leviathan? Are you awake?

Finn called out as if he was calling to a child. Suddenly an ugly dark blue coloured baby sea monster puppet appeared from behind the podium. The lights shot to an eerie blue colour and as the sea monster opened its mouth, a large bellowing roar surged through the studio and the set began to shake, and the cameras shook too, like an earthquake had erupted.

Finn Balor: Lord almighty, Levi, is that necessary every time you yawn.

When baby Leviathan spoke, his voice was softer than a person would expect, almost like a child, but not quite.

Leviathan: Finn, you’re back, I can’t say I’m too pleased. When you were here last time you left us on a whim, taking the demon with you, which some people aren’t too happy about.

Finn Bálor: Hold up, let me introduce you to the people. Everybody, this is Leviathan. He’s a stroppy little fellow, but he has a heart, somewhere, within that deep, dark, abyss.

Leviathan: Hello everyone. Finn, I’m trying to tell you some people aren’t that happy you’ve come back. They can sense you being here.

Finn Bálor: Look, Levi. I’m the Prince of Darkness, no one scares me down here, do you understand me?

Leviathan: Understood, Finn. I… I have things to do, nice to see you. I gotta go.

Leviathan then got down behind the podium and the lights turned back to the original colour of Memento Mori. Finn walked through to the dining room and as he walked through the door, a ram headed humanoid creature sat at the table. Finn looked over at him.

Finn Bálor: Ramsey, so nice to see you up and about and not in bed like you were the whole time I was last here.

The ram head turned and looked at Finn, before letting out a piercing scream, the room started to shake and the floor boards above them started creaking before the floorboards of the stairs started to creak in unison, and down the stairs came a beautiful red haired woman. She walked downstairs quickly and looked scared.

Lilith: Finn, it was a bad decision you coming back here. He knows, he’s coming.

Finn: Lovely seeing you too, Lilith. Where is the big man then, is he coming to join me or what?

Thuds came from above as the floorboards creaked once again and down the stairs came a horrifying combination of diverse animal and human parts. He has the body of a man, the head of a lion, talons of an eagle, two pairs of wings, a scorpion's tail. Tall though, in stature and spoke with a deep booming voice.

Pazuzu: Finn. You will regret this. You came back and you have disrespected the sanctity of Memento Mori.

All of a sudden, Finn snapped his fingers, everyone stopped in motion, Finn walked out of the back door into an abyss of darkness, the only light was from the set behind him, the windows were lit with the backdrop of the inside of the set, he walked forward and picked up a lighter and lit a piece of rope, the rope lead back inside and the fire spread throughout the kitchen and the dining room and the rest of the set.

As the set started to burn, the individual voices started to scream, harrowing screams reverberated throughout the studio as Finn looked up into the eyes of the camera.

Finn Bálor: What you saw there, ladies and gentlemen, was me, confronting my demons, Mammon, Leviathan, Ramsey, Lilith and Pazuzu. They are all of my demons which are now one, and no longer do I need them. The difference between myself and my opponent Bray Wyatt is that I, Finn Bálor does not disguise my demons in the shape of puppets, and fictional creatures, I value my demons, I respect them. This is where we differ, Bray. You’re deluded to have these puppets as parts of you, whereas all of those people you just met were all figments of my imagination, I’m not deluded to think they’re actually real.

Finn Bálor: Bray, you are a magnificent wrestler, truly you are great, but the fact is, I am better. Although my first match in EBWF wasn’t the best showcase of my talents, over the coming weeks I will show why I am the future of EBWF and unfortunately, Bray Wyatt, you are next, you will be the reason people start to take me seriously in this company.

Finn carried on walking as the set burnt to the ground. He clicked his neck as he carried on walking and talking with the camera walking in front of him.

Finn Bálor: You see, Bray, I watched the firefly rumble, and you didn’t deserve that win, Rambling Rabbit should have won. You actually do make a pretty good TV presenter though, maybe EBWF could put a bit of money into making a children’s channel for the company, seeing you as you mentioned British television in your last episode, maybe you could be EBWF’s answer to Mr. Tumble.

He smiled as he mentioned the national treasure.

Finn Bálor: After I deal with you, Bray, I’ll deal with the man who decided to get rid of me at the Royal Rumble, The Miz. Now, Miz, I don’t blame you for what happened on Sunday, it was an all against all situation and the fact is you needed to get rid of me to make sure your chances were better, I get that, but the fact is, you stopped me from winning the Royal Rumble on my debut and for that, I’m going to hold you fully responsible.

Finn smiled and cleared his throat.

Finn Bálor: When Monday comes around and I get into the ring with you, I want to see the fiend in the ring with me, I don’t want to see the old Bray Wyatt, I want to be face to face with the fearless, terrifying Fiend. I am the demon, as I have said many times, I am the Prince of Darkness, the demon has corrupted me and this is my new self.

He nodded, agreeing with his own statement.

Finn Bálor: Let’s go back to the Royal Rumble for just a moment, I’d like to congratulate Edge for winning the royal rumble, and him facing the EBWF champion Randy Orton at Wrestlemania is going to be a match for the ages and will be one of the best matches EBWF will ever see, all I know is, once I show the EBWF big wigs what an asset the Prince of Darkness is I know for a fact that I will be facing one of you, one day to win that EBWF championship, so I recommend both of you do what I have been doing for the past six months and research and study every move I make, but let me remind you, I am still unpredictable, but back to the matter at hand.

He sniffed a little and smiled menacingly at the camera.

Finn Bálor: Bray, I can guarantee, the EBWF universe have never seen anything like what they will see on Monday when we step into the ring together, they will have never seen a Finn Bálor like me, at the top of his game, in the peak of his prime, with the undeniable skill and tenacity people once knew, now with the fearlessness and the power of the demon. See you Monday, Bray.

Finn walked past the camera and the camera turned around to follow him but he was gone.