The golden sun set across the horizon, leaving its final traces of light to filter their way through the clouds, across the ground, into the windows of buildings where the beautiful colors would reflect from their surface. Eyes which witness the beauty of nature soften as lips allow a sigh, for despite the horrors this world brings, there is still beauty to be found.

"I still remember..."

A whisper, a hushed breath, a broken sound which once was the proud voice of a warrior.

"Do you remember? I'm sure you do... it was dusk, just like now. I... I was taking you through a field, just enjoying the scenery with you during the world tour. You were so beautiful... your smile, God, I still remember it all so clearly. You were so shocked when I fell to a knee... and you cried, but you were happy. You... you were so very happy, and so was I..."

Tears glint on the surface of bloodshot eyes, eyes which stare out the window as lips speak of fond memories, memories which have finally surfaced through the impending darkness, forcing their way up into the heart of the broken hero. What little time he has left he refuses to spend in pain, instead remembering everything he's been given in his time.

"That's... that's just one of the many things, though! There are so many things I remember, angel... so very many things. You've made me so happy, you know that? You saved me when I was so close to falling through... you brought me back from what was sure to be a failure."

Rough hands wipe at softened eyes, taking with them the wetness of broken tears to saturate the dried skin. A shuddered sigh, the sun no-longer visible on the horizon. Yet despite this, its light still struggles to remain, defiant to the very end. Eyes lower to the ground, those hands now reaching up to gently draw the curtains to cast the room into darkness. The sound of creaking wood, the warrior stands from his chair to slowly make his way over to the nightstand, carefully turning on the small lamp which sits atop it. Then, returning to his chair at his angel's bedside, he offers a soft smile.

"That's better..."

The unflinching hero, afraid to let the darkness come. He takes his angel's hand and squeezes softly, closing his eyes.

"You always said you didn't want a big wedding, but with this business I'm in you knew how many friends would want to come. Always talked about how you'll just be happy to hear me say my vows, to kiss me and know we're finally married, finally ready for the next step into our lives. To make our way forward, to have a child... to start a family... you've always been so excited about the idea.."

A soft laugh, followed by a cough as a sob followed soon after, the tears still threatening to choke out the light.

"Remember the night we talked about this...? We were wondering who would get drunk the quickest at the reception, and you said "Chris" so fast I couldn't help but laugh. It wouldn't be surprising though... for as much alcohol as he drinks, the man has very low tolerance."

Another laugh, the warrior wipes his eyes and sighs.

"I... I want you to know, whatever happens this Sunday, I'm ready, you know! I'm... I'm ready whenever you are... I want this just as bad as you. I.. I don't really know what to expect from Perry, don't know what's going to happen to me if I lose... but I'll always be ready for you. I want to start our family, Suki... I want to marry you, I just want to spend the rest of my life with you..."

Tears fall to the floor, another shuddered breath as a withheld sob burns at the warrior's throat, his breathing now burdened by the strain.

"So you... you can't give up like I have, okay? You have to... you have to keep fighting. You're so much stronger then I am, you know that? You always were Suki, I was always so amazed by you... you've supported me for so long and not once did you ever give up hope. You're just... you're so very incredible..."

Dominic Pericolo lowers his head into his angel's stomach, his tears soaking the blanket covering her as his shoulders rock with sobs.

"Suki... I, I can't stay... I have to go soon, but I don't want to! I want to stay with you, I want to hold your hand until all of this rolls over, but I can't! The NLCW... they, they need me, they're making me come anyway. They've done so very much for me, and now this... they won't let me drop the title, won't let me back down for the first time. They're just... they're making me do something I just can't do right now! I want to stay, with you! I don't want to go, damn it! I don't want to go..."

Long ago a hero was born, and all throughout his life he walked the roads that would lead him to today. From the very day he was born, that hero began to die... but when all hope seemed lost, he was always able to come back over time. Now, however... this hero is at the end of his rope, and must leave the man he's helped behind. Much as a fading star in the sky, the hero's time has finally ended...

Eyes close... and the deed is done.

"Dominic... I'm so sorry that all of this has happened, but you have to understand. This show can't happen without a main event, and you're not so easily replaceable!"

Muscles strain as legs pump like pistons down a narrow hall, the hopeless eyes of a man boring holes into the frightened eyes of another. The warrior stops before his 'owner', fists clenched and ready to deliver vengeance unto the man who's crimes against the warrior were done seemingly without hesitation.

"Dominic..."

Wind breaks around the flesh of the warrior, as one fist finds its mark across his master's jaw. The man falls to the ground, hand clutching his face in shock and pain as he begins to crawl backwards, like a cornered animal without a hope of survival.

"Stop this, stop this now! Dominic, you should know better!"

"Why, James?"

Silence, the once strained muscles begin trembling as the warrior's head lowers to let his eyes gaze upon the ground.

"How could you do this... your own wife, kidnapped by Durst. For God's sake James, you know my fear, you know this pain... and yet still you make me fight. How could you not understand what I have to endure? How could you be so very blind...?"

"Dominic... it's not just me, the entire board agreed that you had to come. It's just too much of a risk not to have you Dominic..."

"I could walk out on this company right now because of this, James... I could leave the NLCW."

"But you won't."

His head lowered, Dominic cringes at the words. He knows their truth... he knows he can't just leave. He loves Suki Minamoto, not NLCW, the fans, the gold or anything else could ever compaire to her... but without the NLCW, where else could he possibly go? They could live comfortably off of all the money he'd made in his career... but would it be enough to last the rest of their lives?

Would it be enough to give their children what they deserve?

"There's nothing... nothing that can be done, is there?"

"I'm sorry, Dominic."

These words create a spark, which travels through Dominic's body. The spark lights aflame the resentment inside of him, as Dominic casts one final glare to the man he calls his COO.

"I don't need your sorrow... I have enough on my own."

The venom in his words palpable, Dominic turns his back on Rockingwell, and storms away down the hall. He knows what he's meant to do, know what he has to do... and though he doesn't want to,

Dominic has given into all of it. He has finally succumbed to the demands of others... he has finally fallen before them all.

In the darkest of hours, the hero could not rise again.

"Ugh... I can't stand some people."

It was a few years ago... I was frowning, making my way down a sidewalk in the middle of the night. The air was cold, and the jacket I had on wasn't protecting me from that cold very well either. I kicked a nearby beer bottle someone had left lying on the ground about a mile down the sidewalk, sending it rolling into an alleyway. Watching it for a moment, I sighed, and remembered the wild night I'd endured.

"That damn kid didn't know when to shut his mouth... I'm suprised the bouncer didn't escort him out earlier."

Earlier that night I'd been at a bar, trying to relax. The music was good, and back then I still wasn't drinking so I was sobered up enough to really enjoy it. During my time spent there, however... a drunken youth had noticed my size and assumed me to be a fighter. I still remember his friends backing him up, all of them grinning as he tried to egg me on, tried to get me to throw the first punch.

Ignoring him only seemed to further anger the drunken boy, however, and he eventually decided to try and throw the first punch instead. It's strange, really... how often some drunks will try to prove their machoness to the world by challenging people larger then them.

Of course, before he was ever able to hit me, a bouncer was there to stop his fist from connecting. I was glad, really... during those times I'd heard alot about wrestlers going to bars and beating people up, seemingly just for the fun of it... I really didn't want to be apart of a trend like that.

I digress... after all of that had happened and I'd started to make my way home, I was thinking about old times, you know? Memories of my friends getting drunk off their asses, memories of myself and Crystal watching with grins on our faces, the designated drivers for the night as always. It was fun, watching them drink themselves stupid... because more often then not they did some of the funniest things they were capable of doing.

Fond memories... they were such a great group of people...

I remember feeling lonely on that night, my eyes piercing the night sky in search of an answer from the heavens. I couldn't help but whisper to the sky, hoping to hear the voice of my love long since lost.

"Crystal... why did you have to die...?"

A hand on my shoulder, I remember a feeling of shock rushing through my body as I pulled away and turned, my arms rising defensively. I... I remember expecting to see that kid again, him and his buds looking for revenge from earlier in the night.

Instead, I saw you... I saw the one person I'd not seen in ages. I didn't know it was you right away, but God... I would be so hard-pressed to forget that voice.

"Calm down... I won't hurt you; I saw you at the bar, that's all."

I blinked a few times, standing up straight and looking at your shadowed figure.

"Who are you...?"

I heard you giggle lightly, and watched you step from the shadows cast by a nearby tree and into the light provided by the moon. My eyes widened, a realization of who you were sweeping over me.

"I couldn't tell who you were when you walked into the bar right away... but when I got a better look at you, I knew it was you. It's impossible to forget a friend like you."

"Suki?! Suki Minamoto?"

You nodded, that amazing smile that took my breath long before I realized I loved you spreading over your features. I couldn't help but hug you close to me, to close my eyes and enjoy the sound of your laughter as memories flooded through my being, times of the past suddenly visible to the eye. We pulled apart, my eyes locking with your own... and I could only shake my head in disbelief.

"Wow... you've grown so much since I last saw you! How long's it been?! It's had to have at least been four years... my God, look at you!"

You rolled your eyes at me, laughing and punching me lightly in the arm.

"Gee, thanks dad. So how've you been Dominic? It's been so long... I missed you, you know. Everyone has."

"Everyone...?"

"Yes, everyone! We all got together on the phone recently, talking about old times..."

Talking about old times... just like I'm doing now. I remember my past, Suki... I respect all that I've gone through, and I feel so very blessed to have you apart of it.

Thank you... thank you for everything.

On Friday, October 27th... I saw my heroes die. My angel, her wings torn and tattered, lying motionless within the cold walls of a hospital, the people within doing all they could to make sure her injuries weren't as serious as they could be. I never slept a minute during the night, my tired, bloodshot eyes focused on her as my hand held hers softly. I couldn't leave her side, I refused to let her go... but sometimes, you have to know when to finally give in.

I never... never really did know when to do such a thing, myself... guess it's about time I realized the truth, huh?

Shane Perry... you've already won, my friend. Congratulations on your victory, may you wave the banner of the NLCW high. The fact is... this hero has long since died. When I walk into All Hallow's Eve... I will be completely and utterly numb. I will be fighting a fight that at one time I would have eagerly entered, and now wish to have nothing to do with. I would lay down and save you the trouble of destroying me in the ring, but... you wouldn't accept that, would you?

You want my best... and I already know it could never be enough. You're too good, Perry... too confident, too sure of your abilities. Look at me, on the other hand, look at all I've been forced to endure. Look at how I've reacted, look at how I'm acting, look at how far I've fallen.

True heroes never fall... this hero finally has. I'm just a man, Shane... I'm not a hero.

I'm not even a man, I'm just a boy who had an impossible dream. I see now I was never meant to be happy, yet despite all of that I'd found a way. Despite what life had in store for me, I fought my way through... and it's time for me to stop fighting.

Without Suki, I can't possibly move on... I've lost so much in this life, I've nothing left to give to lose.

The Wandering Samurai has succumbed to the darkness, the villains of Capital City have overthrown Danger's reign. Death to the king, cry the masses... and King Dominic lowers his head in shame. David could never beat Goliath, it was all an illusion provided to give false hope to a hero being built to fail.

Society loves its tragic stories... the days of a happy ending have long passed us by; and me? I'm just here to prove that very point...

The days of heroes has passed, and all that's left is darkness. I made these heroes to die, I brought them into my life to tear them down, and watched them live so I could see them die.

All the hope I once held has finally passed... all the desire I had to move forward now gone. All that's left, I suppose, is All Hallow's Eve.

Where, before thousands... the hero will fall for the final time.

So congratulations, Perry... on a job well done. I'll see you Sunday.

"You ready?"

Chris Champion stands at the door of a limo, holding it open as his eyes stare into Dominic's. Dominic's own eyes are bloodshot, as he takes one final look back at the hotel behind him.

"You'll be okay, Dominic... I know you don't want to do this, but they're making you anyway. If I could, I'd make them give you the time you need... but for as much pull as I have with the board, I don't nearly have enough for that."

"It's okay, Chris... let's go."

Champion lowers his head and sighs, watching as Dominic makes his way over to the limo, eyes burning with the tears that drip down his cheeks.

"Hey man... don't worry, okay? When we get back from All Hallow's Eve, Suki'll be awake and you can tell her all about how you kicked Perry's ass."

A soft smile, Dominic shakes his head at the absurdity of it all. Stopping at the door, Dominic turns and takes Champ's hand, pulling him close and placing his other hand on his back.

"Thanks, Chris... for not giving up."

Champion smirks, nodding his head and pulling back from Dominic.

"I never give up, Percolator, and neither should you. I'll be watching tonight... don't disappoint me man."

A nod, Dominic sighs and enters the limo as Chris shuts the door behind him. The faceless driver starts the vehicle up, and Dominic casts a final look outside the window, to the glowing moon in the night sky.

Tommorow, the hero would fall for the final time... for all hope is already lost, and no hope could possibly return.

There were no concerns for failure at this point, no concerns for how badly he shall fall.

"Hang in there, Suki... I'll be back soon enough."

All that is left for Dominic Pericolo... is pain.

For pain was all there ever was.