[Malakai Midnight sits in a small dwelling, surrounded by lit candles. Static covers the screen, jittering and glitching. A smile creeps eerily across his face.]
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “Welcome to the midnight hour, my little owls.”
[He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.]
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “A flame that burns, consumes. Its consumption is endless, unless halted. That has been the way of it since Prometheus first brought fire to Arcadia.”
[Malakai reaches out and grabs a candle that is full and glistening with the glow of being lit.]
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “Look at this candle for example. The wick has been lit. As the flame travels down the wick, the candle wax melts. The longer you allow the wick to be lit, the quicker the candle melts.”
[He smiles, placing the candle back on the table.]
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “Many years ago, you suffered a tragedy that any Midnight Owl would see as a blessing and opportunity. You survived the fire and flame that wreaked havoc through your home. The devil tapped you on the shoulder and sent you forth to burn in his name.”
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “And it would appear that the fire lit a candle within you.”
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “The flame of which has been burning ever since.”
[Midnight picks up a smaller candle, nearly melted, only remnants of the wick remain alight.]
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “With such an opportunity, gifted to you by the hands of our Dark Lord, you’ve wasted it. You became ‘heroic’. You could have brought the fire to Arcadia like Prometheus himself but you chose to burn within, instead.”
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “Much like this candle, you’ve been melted down Maxwell. You’ve been alit for such a long time that there’s not much wick or candle left.”
[The Lord of Darkness pulls the candle close to his face.]
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “You’re not the only one alight though, little owl. Last week I lit candles within Mark Hayes, Raven, Bartholomew Finkle and Mud Mouth too. They now burn with the desire of vengeance. Their hearts belong to the Dark Lord. They’ll soon owe him a price they simply cannot afford to pay.”
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “And you can relate to that, can you not?”
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “The problem with a candle like this, Maxwell, is that once it has burned to its near conclusion, should the flame go out, it’s impossible to light it once again.”
[Midnight smirks.]
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “Next week, I debut in Old School Wrestling and I can see the flame flickering within you. I can feel it getting weaker as the days pass. That thirst for vengeance has consumed the wax of your soul and there’s nothing much left. The wick is at its end.”
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “It’s time it was snuffed out.”
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “Your dalliance with the devil begins now, Maxwell.”
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “Join me, little owl.”
[Midnight blows out the candle.]
MALAKAI MIDNIGHT: “We’ll have a hoot.”