Static.
Red lights cycle over a black concrete wall. C.J. Thorpe’s voice cuts through the silence. His eyes, reflecting a soul tempered by adversity, gaze into the distance as he begins his tale.
“Every day in Death Row was like being buried under ashes,” Thorpe starts, his voice a blend of deep emotion and unrest. “but you know what? Each threat, each attempt on my life by cunt Max Meadows, it only fanned the flames within me. Flames that turned me into a fucking phoenix. I didn’t just survive; I was reborn, ready to turn the world upside down.”
Thorpe pauses, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in. “And now, here I am, standing tall against Zeus and his Pantheon, with my brother trying to clip my wings. Jackson, Mr. By-the-Book. You think you’re the hero in this story, don’t you? Trying to cage the fire that I’ve become. But let me tell you something, brother, you can’t cage a phoenix. You can’t lock up the flames of change.”
His voice grows stronger, fueled by a righteous anger. “This fight between us, it’s more than just blood. It’s about what we stand for. You, with your laws and orders, and me, fighting for something bigger. I’m not just breaking chains; I’m burning them, turning them to ashes so we can all rise from them, free from the tyranny you’re too blind to see.”
“You think you can douse this fire with your little rulebook?” He growls, rage simmering under the surface. “I’m not the scared kid you remember. I am the fucking fire now. And I’m coming, not just for Zeus but for anyone who stands in my way. Including you, Jack.”
He stands, a figure of resolve and determination, his voice echoing off the walls.
“This isn’t just a fight; it’s a goddamned Uprising. And Uprising’s ain’t fought with pleas and polite requests. They’re fought with fire, with passion, with the kind of fury that turns oppressors to ashes. And when the smoke clears, it’s not going to be your world anymore. It’s going to be ours.”
A cocky grin crosses his face.
“You think you can stop me? Try. But remember, every time you try to put out this fire, you’re only going to make it burn brighter. I’m not just fighting for my freedom; I’m fighting for everyone’s. And nothing, not even my own blood, is going to stand in my way.”
“So, here’s how it’s going to be: either you join me,” the Coyote holds his arms out in welcome, “and rise from the ashes of your outdated morals, or you stand against me and watch as I change the world. Either way, I’m moving forward, I’m rising, I’m burning brighter than ever. And there’s no force on earth that can stop a phoenix on fire.”
Stepping forward into the camera, Thorpe’s face takes up the whole screen.
“Cause a phoenix doesn’t ask; it takes. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do at Invasion. Rise up or get burned because the phoenix has risen, and nothing will ever be the same again.”
Static.