Climbing ahead.

LIVE. The red indicator at the top-right of the screen flashed rhythmically; in the center of the screen was one of the Project: Honor superstars, who was sporting a smile on his face. Genuine happiness. He had a lot to be happy for; his daughter was able to be back in Norway with her friends, her mother, and safe. Without her, Ulf had no choice but to focus… focus on what was in front of him. The next step forward. The next way to make a statement. The next way to make her proud. Behind him was overlooking a deep valley. It was a clear day. Mere seconds passed before Ulf greeted the viewers that were already skyrocketing well into six-digits.

“God morgen, friends! And--” Ulf began with a chuckle, “--takk for tuning in. Jeg am coming to you live from Japan, and… let me just…” Ulf raised the phone to overlook the view. The Imperial Palace was visible in the background. He turned the camera back to focus on himself, still smiling, “And jeg am currently in de middle of a trail to climb to the top of--” Ulf turned the camera one more time with the trail going upward, but it was clear that he was scaling the infamous Mount Fuji, “--Mount Fuji. Hva does this represent? Hva does this mean? Before jeg became a-- a professional wrestler, before jeg was even twenty-one, jeg was always on some sort of adventure. Jeg was always wanting to see de world, but jeg did not go too far ute of Norway; jeg did not go too far ute of Scandinavia… Aside from de annual family vacation. Jeg was always wanting to explore.” Ulf said while licking his lips.

“Project: Honor gave me de full opportunity to do that… They gave me de full opportunity to travel de world! To see de world! In a vei that nei other company has done for me-- and that is not a knock at de other companies det jeg am apart of. Other companies where jeg am… de champion… Jeg am a doer. Jeg am de type of person that sees exactly hva it is that jeg want: and jeg take it! Jeg do it! Jeg do not let anybody stop me from doing that… Jeg saw--” he says while extending his hand, pointing toward the peak, “--this mountain from de plane. Jeg saw hva jeg was going to do while waiting for Night of Honor. Jeg was going to climb Mount Fuji. Because jeg am a doer! That means that when de bell sounds… Jeg will do. Jeg will do hva-ever it takes to ensure that it is Team Darling-- Team Proving Ground-- that is going to walk ute as de winners, because jeg look at de people in that match and jeg know that we are some of the best that Project: Honor has to offer! Jeg know that we have hva it takes to kick Team DeMarco’s asses ute of Japan--” Ulf holds his hand up with all fingers up, “--five strong!”

Ulf spoke boldly, proudly, and oozed with confidence that his team would be able to walk out as the victors in Tokyo.

“We have… TJ Thompson--” Ulf counted to one, “--Swindle Shelldrake--” two, “--MARK. HUNTER.” three, “Arata Asakura--” four, “--and… yours truly.” five, and Ulf finished the count with a smile.

“Five people. Five WARRIORS that have nothing on their mind except for being able to walk ute being recognized as de best that Project: Honor has to offer… Mark Hunter is coming off of a defeat… Ja… a defeat at de hands of Elena DeDraca, but that is not something to frown over! He took a war to de champion, and he almost walked ute as de Legacy Champion. Winning this match is de key-- de message that he needs to send that that loss is not going to bring him down! It is not going to discourage him! He is going to be able to rise from it and go up to Elena… and tell her… he wants a rematch. And that means that we must go through Team DeMarco. Fallout. Arata Asakura is trying to prove that he should have had de Grand Championship shot, and is being given some sort of promise that he will be given a shot which… du know… Jeg find funny. There is de part of me that would like to have a chat with Indy about that and ask why he gets a shot at de Grand Championship, and hva about de rest of us? Nothing?” Ulf shrugged.

“Du know hva--” Ulf shook his head, and gestured with his hand as if to say forget it before resuming, “Jeg am not even mad. Because jeg am not like them. Jeg am not going to cry and talk about hva jeg deserve whether it be a shot at de Grand Championship, or a shot at de Legacy Championship; jeg am going to march ute to that ring every chance that jeg get… and jeg am going to prove that jeg deserve it! Prove that jeg am the best contender for de belt! Jeg am de best person to step into de ringe with Ozymandias. Jeg am de best person to step into de ringe with Elena! And at Night of Honor, jeg am going to prove that. Jeg am going to prove that by ensuring that my team walks ute as de winners!” Ulf stopped to lick his lips again, taking a moment to draw in a deep breath and re-center himself. By the tone of his voice, it was clear that he was getting fired up and trying to restrain from saying anything that would put a wedge between himself and his teammates. They had to be on the same page.

“Jeg-- jeg really wanted to do a team building exercise and jeg thought that climbing Mount Fuji would have been it. But alas!” Ulf glanced around himself. There were a few other staggered tourists on the trail, but no faces that were familiar to Project: Honor.

“Nei one wanted to come.” Ulf returned the camera back to himself and chortled, “That is quite alright. That is quite alright because come Sunday, at Night of Honor, there is going to be one page… One page that Team Darling is going to be on! One page that we are going to be on that is going to set us apart. Whether we are teaming together to actually win this as a team, to win this as Team Proving Ground, or Team Darling; we are doing this. We are de better team.”

Ulf gave a quick nod, and the imagery behind him began moving as Ulf continued his hike up the trail. His eyes would shift back and forth from paying attention to the trail and also trying to focus with his audience.

“My last couple of times in de ringe have been… lacking… to say de least. Two battle royal events, and jeg did not even manage to be de runner-up! So jeg know hva everyone must be asking: hva makes me so sure det jeg are de threat that jeg claim to be? Hva makes me so sure that people are going to worry about me when we enter de ringe? Because every time that jeg did go ute to the ringe, jeg remember de electricity generated by de fans… De excitement. De fire! De fire that ran through my veins! More importantly: jeg know that Team DeMarco is going to have to worry most about me because there is something that has happened to me that is rather… unfamiliar… since jeg came back, rejuvenated, ready to compete, ready to take de top prize wherever jeg go, jeg have not been backed into a corner. Jeg have not been put in a position where jeg felt that jeg had to--” Ulf hesitated for a moment, “--where jeg felt jeg was… not living up to my reputation.”

Ulf couldn’t help but shrug as he pondered the situation. He could recall the first time that he stepped out from behind the curtains and emerged among the Project: Honor audience, the cheers that rang throughout the arena… He could hear it every time, but he had that feeling in the pit of his stomach that he had been letting them down. It didn’t stop him. It wouldn’t stop him. Merely motivated.

“Ja, people are going to tell du about de rumble. How quickly jeg entered, how quickly jeg earned my first elimination, but they will also tell du about how quickly jeg was eliminated… Ja, we can take a look at de most recent battle royal where jeg eliminated two ute of de six combatants, only for… two… to win. People are not going to remember that. People are only going to remember that Tara and Petey were declared the winners. Nei matter how hard jeg fought; nei matter how hard jeg tried, people are not going to remember hva jeg did… Because it did not result in me walking ute as de number one contender for de Warrior Rising Championship.” Ulf scoffed.

“But that is why my number one goal for Night of Honor has to be one thing: win. My goal is to throw a Thor Punch here! Throw a Thor Punch there! My goal is to--” Ulf snaps forward, and starts pointing out at random directions with his free hand, “Du get a Thor Punch! Du get a Thor Punch! FREE THOR PUNCHES FOR EVERYONE! But wait--” Ulf says as he holds a finger up, “--there’s more! After de bell rings, jeg will be fully ready, fully able, and fully willing to give de Thor Punch to each and every member of Team Darling just as jeg will give one for everyone on Team DeMarco. Because Sunday… is not just about walking ute with our team as de winners. Nei! Sunday is also about sending a message! Sunday is about putting Proving Ground on notice that de hype jeg came to Project: Honor with was not… merely… hype. It was truth! Jeg will come after de Warrior Rising Champion. Jeg will come after de X-Factor Champion. Jeg will come after de Grand Champion! JEG WILL COME AFTER DE LEGACY CHAMPION! But all of that… ALL OF IT… Starts with me standing ute as de number one of Team Darling. And when…” Ulf takes a moment to draw in a deep breath, his eyes faltering for a moment, “When de final bell sounds, people are going to be talking about de winners… and they are going to be talking about de one who secured it. They are going to be talking about ULF! HEDNIR! Jeg am not like Arata. Jeg do not have to make a deal to get a title shot around here. Jeg am not going to make a deal to get a title shot around her!”

Ulf taps his finger against his chest to point to himself.

“Jeg EARN my title shot. When Indy sees fit to give me a title shot, it’s going to be because jeg left NEI DOUBT in his mind that jeg should be de one battling for de belt! There will be NEI DOUBT that jeg am de biggest threat to Ozymandias, or Elena. There will be NEI DOUBT that jeg could walk ute with a new championship-- that jeg will walk ute with a new title. So make no mistake: de match is about highlighting Indy Darling against Christian DeMarco; de match is about us putting aside our differences and working as one unit with one goal in mind. But who’s going to deliver? Jeg know that jeg will not fail. Because when it is crunch time, when it’s time to dig deep… when it’s time to silence de doubt… that is when jeg become something else. Something more. Jeg become-- de animal. Jeg become-- de wolf. And jeg am quite hungry… for this win… Jeg am quite hungry for another belt. So for Team Darling…

Tag me in. Skål!”

Ulf throws up the devil horns for the camera before the live feed cuts.

---

Ulf is sitting in the hotel room in the early morning hours. He is sitting with his laptop open and a cup of coffee in his hand as he glances down at the time. 4:03 a.m. in Japan. There came a sudden sound indicating an incoming call from the laptop and Ulf took a moment to answer it, and just as soon as he did, his daughter was sitting on the other end with Rori. Thea was sitting in her lap as Rori rocked her gently.

“Pappa!” Thea shouted excitedly, but right after she clicked her teeth together a few times.

Ulf had a glimpse of the monster, Abraxes, entering his mind giving him a moment of having a spaced out look. He quickly recovered, and smiled, “God morgen, søtnos. How are du?”

“Fine.”

“How is school?” Ulf asked.

“Fine.”

“Learning a lot?” Ulf persisted, but this time Thea just answered with a nod. She raised her hand up to rub her eyes, appearing to be exhausted, and Ulf continued, “Jeg am happy to see du. Du-- want to see de mountain?” Thea nodded again, and Ulf picked up the laptop to walk it to his balcony and ensuring that Thea was able to see Mount Fuji from the screen. “Hva do du think?”

“It’s pretty!” Thea exclaimed.

“Jeg climbed it. Du want to climb it?” Ulf asked, and all he got in response was another nod. She rubbed her eyes again and let out a large yawn.

“Good evening, babe,” Rori said and blew a kiss toward Ulf, “It’s coming up on her bedtime.” Rori said, and Thea still nodded in agreement as she seemed to fall back into her arms and closed her eyes.

“Good morning,” Ulf answered, “That is fine. Sleep is good for her. Jeg won’t see du until after my fight, Thea… Are du going to wish me luck?”

“Good luck, Pappa!” Thea said groggily.

“Takk. Love you!” Ulf said.

Rori and Ulf smiled to each other for a moment before Rori spoke, “I’m going to go ahead and put her to bed. Then I can call you back. See you soon.” Rori said and blew a second kiss before the screen blanked out.

Ulf stood up to stretch and reached his hands behind his back. He heard his phone vibrate and checked the message… it was from Vivienne, and he opened the text.



The text read. Ulf texted back quickly before setting the phone back down. He looked out at the mountain again, the mountain that he had climbed. Another ascension. He had another mountain to climb, and people that were racing him to the top… He reached his arms behind his head and just stretched while counting the time to himself. Night of Honor was coming up, and he was going to stand out.