Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.

Once again you may think me vainglorious in that I am merely quoting the words of a much wiser man than myself, but you see I understand my own limitations and find it a pointless exercise to wrack my brains in trying to come up with a witty repartee when Sun Tzu said exactly what I want to, but so much more eloquently.

… then again it was Ghandi himself who said that it is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.

So am I therefore a wise man making a mistake by quoting others or a wise man knowing my own limitations by using the words of those who came before me to fight my battles?

I don’t know the answer myself, so there is no point looking at me to let you know. What I do know though is that I am very aware of the fact that it is not wise to become complacent, it is not wise to always assume that one will remain strong and victorious in all things. Instead I am perfectly aware of the fact that I may weaken, I may err.

After all to err is human is it not?

Perhaps so, but it seems that currently I could be forgiven for making assumptions in regards to my victories and my strengths. I mean why wouldn’t I considering the fact that in my first match in the WWA I defeated the self styled Serpent Prince whose return to the federation many hailed almost as if he was the second coming of a long prophesised messiah. Then of course just last night I stepped foot into the ring with three other men, two of whom are both well known and well decorated, and came out on top.

… not just on top of course, but with all ego aside rather easily on top as well!

Where was the promised battle that I was awaiting, where was the challenge, where in deed was the proof that my opponents deserved their faded glories? Nowhere that I could see.

If Grunge was at one time called the best that the WWA had to offer then I have to admit to a twinge of disappointment as I realise that in only my first official match for this place that prides itself on it’s history I have faced their best and found it wanting.

… but then again in a place that indeed prides itself on it’s history maybe they realise that I have done exactly what was needed, exactly what I came here for. I started to make my own history. How many people can not only boast … for boasting is easy and as hollow as an empty box on most occasions … but actually live up to the fact that on their debut they took down a vaunted World champion, that they took down three other men and when the metaphorical dust cleared they were left standing, with their hand raised in victory and the cheers of the fans the accolade of the night?

Hmmm … no need for that to be a rhetorical question really is there, as I have done my research and I know the WWA history books rather well. There is NO-ONE else who can actually live up to the claim that they have beaten a World champion in their first televised match.

It has NEVER happened before and to be honest unless I discover a working principle for time travel there is little chance of it ever happening again. I not only made history, but I started the makings of a legend.

The legend of Ember.

Again I can hear the murmurings of wounded egos and green-eyed jealousy at my words, as people mock the fact that I am bold enough to speak so. Shouldn’t I … the little new person, the rookie, the unknown … know my role and place and sit in the back waiting for the handouts and scraps of my ‘betters’? The ‘real’ wrestlers in the WWA, the men who have earned their spot through months and years of blood, sweat and tears. Shouldn’t I wait for them to beat me to a pulp and show me the way that things are done here before I am accepted into their hallowed ranks and ‘earn’ the honour of speaking these words?

Should I Hell!

The simple fact of the matter is that I don’t need to earn anything from anyone here in the WWA, and if anyone wants to try to teach me the error of my ways then they are more than welcome to do so; Aidan Delacroix, Ace, Bonafide and Grunge will be more than happy to explain what happens when people try to ‘teach’ me anything! I don’t need to wait for my place in the pecking order of the WWA or accept a helping hand … the rub so to speak … from others. I will TAKE my rightful place in this federation and I will prove night after night, match after match if necessary, that it is mine by right and nothing else.

I will speak the words that I want to and the Devil take anyone that doesn’t care for them … I will bow to no man and I will hold my tongue for no-one. False pride and humility for appearance sake are things that I will never be accused of. It is one thing for someone to state that they are good … that they are great … that they are better than the rest.

It is another to believe it … to know it … to PROVE it.

… I believe

… I know

… I have proved it.

Just ask Grunge, a franchise player in the WWA who has held most of the accolades on offer in this place and he will tell you that my words are true. He believes, he knows, he has had the proof. When fate collided with his destiny, when my foot connected with his head … he believed. When dreams turned to nightmares and he could only watch in stunned disbelief as I flew threw the air to land across him in the centre of the ring … he knew. Finally when all he could do was stare at the arena lights as he heard the three words that will haunt his sleep for weeks to come ring out

… one …

… two …

… three …

When all he could do was curl up into a foetal position and whimper to himself as my arm was raised in victory and my name called out in triumph … it was THEN that it was proved to him.

It was then that he knew that I always come to war expecting … KNOWING … that I have won the battle before I have even stepped foot into the ring. It was then that he knew that all that I had said, all that I had promised, had been delivered. He had hoped to escape the loss of dignity … the loss of the match … by not turning up at all. I will applaud his courage at the last in coming to the ring, even as I will mock his intelligence for doing so. By staying away he would have simply been a coward, by coming to the ring he is not only that but also a loser.

… he was defeated from the moment that the match was declared and the contracts signed, the war was over before the first battle and one of the stalwarts of the WWA became the first causality.

… but not the last.

I am here WWA, I have drawn the lines and made my first move. I am being open and honest about my intentions. I am here to succeed, nothing more and nothing less. I am here to live my own life, my own way. I am here to make my mark. I am here to face my demons and beat him once and for all.

Will anyone stop me?

Sun Tzu also said that the best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities...It is best to win without fighting.

… I disagree though, I don’t like it THAT easy. I don’t like it when there is no challenge at all. What happened on Meltdown was a close as it gets to surrender before hostility commences, Grunge knew that. Is that how it will be for me, is that what each week and month will bring until I have finished my work and left my mark on the history books of the WWA in such a way that when anyone mentions this federation the first thing that they will actually think of is me?

Is that what it will be WWA … will this place be mine without a fight?

I hope not, but as Pandora found out once the box is open it is hard to close it again and I am used to disappointments in life.

I have proved myself WWA

… so now prove me wrong!