Inferno could still feel the sting of that Black Mist on his palms. It was absolutely violating to be defeated with such a technique as that. It was like an unspoken 'trust' between him and Darkness was broken, in a pure wrestling match.

He had cheated.

Fool.

The whisper found its way into the darkness where he rested. Inferno looked around, but saw nothing.

"It is you again. Show yourself, now. I want answers."

As you wish.

Light and darkness inverted themselves again for a moment, and then pulled together to form a solid shape. It was impossible to see its face, but its silohette could be seen. It wore a large coat, possibly a trenchcoat, and stood with its arms folded. There were two long, catlike ears extending from its head, and a faint, very faint glow where the eyes should be...

"If you wish to become a monster..." it began.

Suddenly it's left hand stretched out!

Inferno didn't flinch...

But it dug it's claws into his chest...

...deeper...

...and pulled out his heart.

Immeadiately, Inferno let out a primal scream of pain, grasping at the gaping hole in his chest...pain was normally a nuisance. Now it owned his entire being.

His vision became foggy, as the being continued...

"...you must lose your heart."

Inferno reached out a gloved hand in desperation, reaching for the beating organ...

"Fine. I'll return it, if you so desperately need it."

The hand struck into his chest again, and Inferno gasped. Every single breath he took felt like life flowing into his body again. The pain was still absolute.

"You need to decide for yourself who you want to identify as. A heartless monster, or an honorable warrior? You cannot have it both ways. You cannot hope to be a true monster if you live within the boundaries of honor and rules. That is why you lost to Darkness."

Inferno did not move, still clutching his chest.

"You are now at a crossroads. Which way will you go? I will only reappear when you have made the choice yourself. When I return and when you know your true identity is now on you."

"STOP!" Inferno choked out, but the being had disappeared.

Enjoy yourself. It'll be a while...

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Well, this is delightful." Shamrock said sarcasticly. "I get to have another match with that psycho. Wonderful booking..."

He'd appeared at the last PPV only to lose in the Majestic Cup tournament, but it wasn't for lack of trying.

This PPV, he'd get another match, with different stakes. Shamrock always made sure he knew his matches the second they were posted...

"The Trascontinential title, hrm? This might be more worth it than I thought...but how to get it..."

He was pretty sure that Inferno wasn't going to respond to all the money in the world. It's not that he wasn't confident in his ability to psyche him out on his own, but he always liked to seal the deal beforehand.

He was sure there were a few contacts who could help him out, especially with the promise of a little extra cash...

Shamrock threw a manilla file across his locker room.

"I'm fucking sick and tired of getting empty files on my opponents! I pay those people damn good money and I get a half blank sheet of paper. I'm fucking tired of it. You know what? I'm calling Stern right now, I'm fucking tired of dealing with these weirdos. " Shamrock went to get his phone out of his pocket, but Wright stopped him.

"Boss, take it easy. You've got a big match with Indigo coming up in the next few days, besides your contract runs out with TCW fairly soon. You do still have that influence on the board after that, but I'm not sure you should resign."

Shamrock shook Wright's hand off his arm, and looked at him sideways.

"Why the hell wouldn't I resign?"

"Well Will, honestly, you've had one victory, and it wasn't even clean. Meanwhile in the FWRFed, you're almost world champ. Why risk injury wrestling extra? It's not like you need the money."

Shamrock rubbed his chin is thought.

"You know what? You're damn right. Once I beat this crazy Inferno guy and take the Transcontinental title, I'm gonna take the title back with me to FWRFed. Now let's go find this Inferno guy. I'm guessing the boiler room, probably sitting in a corner rocking back and forth. C'mon Wright, you're gonna earn your paycheck today."

"Inferno," said a voice.

"Enough!" bellowed the monster, in his dark space.

The form that was in the shadows was different from before. As it stepped out, it wasn't the coated, mysterious man.

It was Shamrock.

Who was clearly a bit uneasy around his opponent right now, but then again, who wouldn't be uneasy around Inferno?

He sighed, shook it off and stared the big man straight in the eyes of his mask. "Okay, pal, I'm only going to ask you this once. I don't want to have anything to do with you, but I want the belt you're carrying. Once I have that, I'm getting the hell out of this place. So, you can either accept a monetary offer to go to Stern and tell her you're quitting and dropping the belt to me, or I can beat you so bad you won't be able to show up to the match and forfeit. Your call."

Inferno stood up slowly, looming tall over his opponent. A black, gloved fist clenched. "A monetary offer? I think I can come up with a better offer than that."

THUNK. The fist crashed into Shamrock's chin sickeningly, sending him down to the cold floor. "I'll put you in a full body cast. That way, you won't have to wrestle...ever again..."

Shamrock spat onto the ground. Dammit, that bastard hits hard...

"Wright, now!"

From the darkness of the boiler room Wright came from behind, pressing a lead pipe tightly against Inferno's throat. Immediately Inferno would feel his airway shut tightly and his lungs begin to struggle for oxygen...

Several elbows to the chest were just barely enough to get the equally large man off. Inferno slipped out and spun around to face the man, delivering several hard strikes to the head with his fists. The sound of flesh and bone against flesh and bone echoed throughout the boiler room. THUNK, THUNK, THUNK...Inferno vented his emotion with each blow. Nothing but pure, uncontrollable RAGE.

But Wright had dropped the pipe, and Inferno had ignored this. Shamrock's wits told him to get up and go for the pipe, which he did. The back of the monster's head was an exposed target that screamed 'Attack'.

CLANG.

It struck true, and finally the big man fell to the ground in a heap. It couldn't have been more perfect for Shamrock. The big dummy had let himself grow careless...

As if something out of a horror movie, he clenched his fist, and stood right back up...a sickening, guttural, gurgling noise rose from his throat. He was GROWLING, animalistically, at him!

"Fuck..." Shamrock said..."You dared to hit ME?! You beast..."

CLANG. Again the monster fell.

A pause, nothing.

Then Inferno sat up, charging for Shamrock!

CLANG. He fell again, clutching his head and letting out a roar of pain. This time, Inferno wasn't standing up.

Shamrock gripped the pipe and raised it again...

"BOSS!"

Wright's hand reached out and caught the pipe before it fell again. "That's enough, he's out."

Inferno still didn't move.

"Damn...phew...lost control of myself for a second there...Wright, this fucking man...isn't human. TCW. Is. Filled with freaks."

He scanned the floor and saw the TCW Transcontinential belt laying on the floor. Reaching down, he picked it up and put it on his shoulder. "He better not fucking show up for this...as far as I'm concerned, it's mine now. Wright, let's go."

The two men left, pipe and gold belt in hand. Moments later, the monster's hand clutched tightly, so tight it produced blood...