Breaking A Projection

Standing at the steps of the Cathedral of Saint Paul, a small group has gathered. Perhaps they recognize me, or maybe they are simply intrigued by the fact that Paxar has procured a cameraman for what is about to transpire. I am not certain.

“I...I wasn’t expecting people,” Paxar whispers to me. “I mean, I know you’ve got a loyal following and all but I didn’t even think about having some kind of security…”

“Do not worry, my friend,” I tell her reassuringly. “Everything shall be fine.”

“I hope so,” Paxar states, still somewhat worried. “Are you ready?”

I politely nod to her then she turns to the cameraman who begins recording. Staring into the camera, I smile brightly.

“Hello. For those unaware, I am Reya Serra Janason and a member of the Visionaries of Wrestling. I am standing here outside of the Cathedral of Saint Paul today…”

Pausing for a moment, I glance over to Paxar curiously. “Say, why are we outside rather than inside?”

“I...um...forgot to check their hours before we came down here and the inside’s closed,” Paxar informs me sheepishly. “My bad.”

Letting out a slight sigh of dismay at the small blunder by my best friend and manager, I turn my attention back to the camera.

“In any case, I am standing outside of this cathedral to address my opponent at the Visionaries of Wrestling Breakthrough event this week, a man by the name of Casanova English.”

I take a breath as a few cheers and boos are heard from the crowd behind the cameraman.

“I had the opportunity to view the video you recorded yourself earlier, Mister English,” I say truthfully to the camera. “The choice of doing so from the High Bridge I found to be interesting. See, I found myself to be at the edge of a similar bridge when I was younger. Have I told you this story? Perhaps I have, but I shall do so once more…”

Moving closer to the camera, I continue.

“It was the day my sisters and I were separated. I was being chased and finally I came to the edge of the bridge. It was not by any means my intention to attempt suicide, but jumping from that bridge was the only choice available to me. So...I jumped.”

Pausing momentarily, I let out a deep sigh as I recall these memories before pressing forward.

“I jumped into the water, thankfully not suffering any serious injuries from that, but considering I could not swim I was ultimately captured by that which had been chasing me, where I proceeded to be...I believe I am starting to get off topic. In any case, as I have said, I have been at the edge of a bridge before Mister English. Perhaps I have been for all of my adult life, only being able to glance briefly behind and feeling pressed to jump forward into the uncertain waters…”

For a moment I glance down at the steps before looking back up at the camera.

“That was not all about your video that caught my attention, Mister English. Would you like to know what else did? I shall tell you.”

I take a few steps to the right of the camera, with the cameraman remaining stationary but moving the camera itself along with me.

“You comparing yourself to the snake in the story of Adam and Eve. Believing yourself to be a manipulator that can charm me, infect me with your way of thinking. After all, that is what you are all about, is it now? Blasphemously referring to yourself as a messiah of modern times, attempting to paint yourself in the eyes of others as a good man.”

“Paxar, tell me...is Casanova English a good man?” I ask my friend, peering over to her.

“If he’s a good man Seth Iser’s got the looks of a young William Shatner,” Paxar replies from off camera.

“That is the problem with those that are terrible manipulators,” I continue as there are a few boos at the previous mention of the one that is called The Deity of Destruction. “People can see right through them. Even more so when they choose simply not to even mention important facts. See Mister English, if you wanted to make a better case against me you should have pointed out that you defeated me inside a Visionaries of Wrestling ring roughly a month ago. I did lose in our last encounter after all and mentioning something that is a truthful fact probably would have been better than attempting this weak manipulation.”

Pausing I walk back towards the left before I speak once more.

“You want me to crucify you. You claim to be a messiah and you want me to be the one to make you a martyr for your cause, for your supposed religion you wish to spread. To that, I simply say no,” I say to the camera defiantly. “Here is what I shall do instead, in fact I have already been doing so. I am exposing you for what you really are...a vile, blasphemous man.”

I take another step forward, my tone increasing in sternness as I do so.

“Starrkadian saw you for what you are first, sparking off a battle between you two, and from then on and even now more and more people are seeing it too. Every week on Breakthrough more of them see what lies inside you rather than what you pathetically attempt to project...and at Breakthrough this week when you step into the ring with me?” I speak seriously. “I intend to break that projection of yourself for good when you stand before me, when you face the Final Judgment and are forced to submit to it. For then, the projected image of the so called modern day messiah that nearly won the Xcel Championship shall disappear and be replaced with the manipulative snake known as Casanova English, a snake whose head has been separated from its body.”

A final step is taken by me towards the camera, almost coming nose to nose with it as I have but one final thing to say to Mister English.

“It shall not be the crucifixion you requested Mister English, but rather your revelation.”