[Fade in… and we see Old Nick Morningstar sitting in front of a chess board, the OSW NXT Level championship shining brightly beside it. He begins speaking without looking up from the table, moving a piece on the board.]
“The Queen’s Pawn Open.. simple, yet effective.”
[He moves another piece, eyes still on the board.]
“Simple, yet effective. Truer words could never be spoken of one, Felix Foley. A man with heart, determination and grit. Noble traits, yet.. simple. Easily manipulated, gaslit by those who he surrounds himself with.”
[Another piece moved.]
“A man who tries so hard to do the right thing, yet pushed into situations that leave him more and more broken as each comes to pass. Trying so hard to keep that moral center while wavering in his beliefs, trying so hard to be _good_.”
[He pauses and looks up, a look of pity on his face.]
“Aren’t you tired, Felix? Don’t you wish you could just do away with all of the strife that has infected your life these past few months? Not only have you been broken mentally, but we all witnessed your body being broken. Poor soul, you _must_ be tired..”
[He looks back down at the board, moving another piece.]
“So I come to you with an offer, Felix. One I think you might find appealing, all things considered.. this week at Vendetta, take the night off. You stay home, take care of your mother.. take care of _yourself_. You do this and you can call on me for a favor, anytime you like..”
[He slowly moves another piece.]
“The alternative, Felix, won’t be much to your liking. The alternative, Felix… is _me_.”
[He looks up again, moving his hand from a piece on the board to rest it on the NXT Level championship title.]
“And if you decide to make that long walk to the ring, it might possibly end up being your last. Have you taken notice of the things I’ve done around here, Felix? Do you think that what Tombstone did to you was bad?”
[He smirks and lets out a breathy snort.]
“I will make that look like childs play, a walk in the park. The destruction of Felix Foley will be written in your blood. I’m not a bad man, Felix, but I’ve done some very bad things. And bad things are what’s headed your way come Vendetta.”
[He moves another piece on the board.]
“The choice is now yours; stay home and take care of yourself, _save_ yourself or face me and quite possibly, your end.”
[He moves one last piece, and tips over another. He steeples his hands and stares into the camera.]
“You’ve proven yourself to be the Queens Pawn, but I am the Knight, the King and the entire board you find yourself playing on.”
[He smirks again.]
“Checkmate.”
[And with that the camera fades to black.]