Author's Note: I do not own the WWE. I don't claim to own the WWE. I don't own the rights to the wrestling personalities associated with the WWE. I don't claim to own the rights to any wrestling personalities associated with the WWE. This is a work of fanfiction. That said, enjoy!

Prologue: Welcome

Underneath the star field, at the end of the trail of fireflies, and deep into the woods sits a house. The house is in a sorry state of disrepair. One would think that it was abandoned if there was not a single light from an oil lantern burning in one of the windows. As you approach, the door opens on its own. An ominous mist appears to billow forth from within, growing in intensity as you approach. A cold chill comes over you as you get closer to the entrance. Doubt begins to set in. You know you should turn from the house and spirit yourself away, but you find yourself inexplicably drawn nearer. With no warning, a figure appears in the mist holding a lantern similar to the one in the window. Silently, the figure bids you enter in. Your legs move you forward, as though they were controlled by another. Once you are close to the entrance you can see the figure more clearly. It is a man in a red flannel shirt with a large bushy beard and wild fierce eyes. A crazed smile comes to his face and he steps aside for you. You know you shouldn't enter the house, but you do anyway. As you cross the threshold, the heat from within assaults you, but it gives you no warmth. The man in the red flannel gestures down the hallway, clearly indicating the way you must go. Fearful, you move down the hallway. The only light is now behind you. You don't want to press forward, but you know it is too late to turn back. Blissfully, or perhaps terrifyingly, a light begins to flicker at the end of the hallway. Somehow, the occasional light scares you more than the total darkness. Every now and again, you think you see someone, someone simply waiting for you to approach them. All at once, the flickering light stops. Again, all is darkness. Your progress forward slows. Suddenly, the once flickering light comes back on at full strength. You've reached the end of the hall. Underneath the light is a very tall man wearing a black sheep's mask. His arms are folded, and though you cannot see his eyes, you know his gaze is burrowing straight through you. Before you can open your mouth to ask him where you should go next, he uncoils one of his impossibly large arms and points downwards towards a set of stairs off to his side. He makes no other movement, he doesn't even appear to be breathing. Looking down the stairs, they are cramped, almost claustrophobic. A light from all the way at the bottom is barely lighting the way. You proceed downwards. Will it simply be a basement when you get there? Or perhaps, just perhaps, at the bottom of the stairs will be Hell. Right now, such a revelation wouldn't surprise you. The stairs are so steep and narrow that you must move slowly just to keep from falling. You reach a tiny landing and find that the stairs coiled around and continue their downward path towards the unknown. After several more agonizing minutes, you finally reach the bottom. The ground beneath you is cold stone. You now see the source of the light that lit your way down. It is another man. In his outstretched hand is another oil lantern. On his face is a damaged white sheep's mask. With his free hand he beckons you forward toward a closed wooden door just to his side. You move forward with fear gripping your soul. As you move forward, the man in the sheep's mask stands steadier than a statue. Once you are at the door, his head suddenly snaps to face you. With his free hand, he opens the door for you, never once taking his eyes off of you. Inside is darkness. "Come in," says a voice with an ominous gentility. His invitation compels you and you enter the room within, even though every fiber of your being tells you to run. But you can't run, it's too late for that. "I've been waiting for you. And now, you're here."

Suddenly, the door to the room swings shut violently as though blown by a strong wind and all is darkness.

To be continued...