Dangal o Prinsipyo

March 12, 2019
Airport at Berlin, Germany
5:45 pm

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Chris Ravenna and his group arrived experiencing jet-lag. He needed to shake it off for his match (according to the match card) with Shinjiro Nakama against James Edwards and AJ Knight. As the group was about to exit the airport, something bothered the traveling party.

“Ravenna!”

Chris heard of his name calling for him. So he turned around to find someone chanting. At first glance, he saw nothing but people roaming in and out of the building.

“Ravenna! Hey! Over here!”

Chris kept searching, and he found a person waving at him. The group decided to meet with him to see who that person was. As they went closer, Ravenna has finally remembered the identity of that person.

“Max?” Ravenna tried to check if it was him.

“Guten Tag, Ravenna! Glad to see you again!” Max greeted him with a handshake. Anthony was glad that Max was here, so he shook Max’s hand as well. Seeing them for a long time filled Max’s heart with joy. However, it appears that Lolo Tasyo, Paco and Isidra have some questions to ask.

Before Ravenna forgets some manners, “Ito pala si Maximillian Eldritch, nakatatandang kapatid ni Serena.” (This is Maximillian Eldritch, older brother of Serena.)

The trio finally understood and offered Serena’s brother a handshake.

“Nice to meet you all,” Max politely greeted to the rest of the group. At that moment, Chris was like breathing fresh air after being lost in touch by the likes of Sakuya, his wife, and Serena, his closest friend. Now that they have reunited, it looked like another member joined the party in Chris’ travels for the TOUKON ROAD.


Schlachtshiff Memorial Arcade, Berlin, Germany
8:45 pm

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It was time for Chris’ upcoming match, both Chris and Max were on the backstage exchanging stories to each other. Max went from his hometown from England to Germany to oversee the branch of their family’s empire. He stayed there for four years, and he became familiar with the German language. In the occasion, Max visited his father and her little sister, Serena to keep in touch. Chris also shared some of the intense moments during their travels with Serena along with his success in the wrestling industry. He even showed the championship belt to Max as proof.

“Wow, so this is the MAX-J Junior Heavyweight Championship,” Max commented as he began to feel and allured the luster of the title.

“Yup, I won that when I had a match at my hometown in Manila,” Chris explained.

“Awesome! I guess the Household Dungeon in Utah were glad about your victory, weren’t they?”

Chris didn’t respond as he already shared some of the bittersweet moments in Salem, Utah. Max finally got it, and so he decided to keep quiet on that matter. Max asked, “So Serena decided to go separate ways, huh?”

“Yup,” Chris replied. “She said that she went to the Sanatorium asylum to fight her inner demons.”

“Inner demons?” Max Eldritch raised his eyebrow.

“You don’t want to know.” Chris looked at him saying that. For that, Max nodded and went to skip ahead to that topic. “But what’s even worst is that everyone speculated that I’m the one who forced her to send to the asylum.”

Max noticed the sigh coming from Chris’ mouth as he went on saying, “This is why I detest fame, even that title.” Max baffled on why he brought the title he won to the situation he has. “Why do you said that?”

Chris looked at the ceiling of the backstage, “As I hold that title, it felt like I have the power to beat everyone. I became arrogant and disrespectful. I have become a joke to everyone. It was the first time that my humility threw off the building. No wonder everyone hates my guts, even Serena.”

“But you two are the best of friends.” Max rebutted. “I highly doubted that she felt like that towards you.”

Chris shook his head in response. There was a moment of silence for both of them. “I told Lolo Tasyo, Paco and Isidra that I’m about to enter a war in the wrestling world. Its narrow path proved to be difficult. I’m starting to think that it’s all over again. From the time, when I won the CEW World Heavyweight Championship up to the point where I feuded with Cassius Reed. Now everyone hates me…”

“Don’t say that, Chris. Remember that you are a champion.” Max tried to console him.

“Not for long, Max. This title belongs to someone like MAX Hero, Matt Pulver, and Lynx. It appears that I’m no longer fitted to be a champion. Perhaps I was a bridge for James Edwards for him to become the new champion.”

“And he has to prove it by facing you. Come on, Chris.” Max sat beside him patting his shoulder to encourage him. “You told me that Eron “the Lynx” Hunter beat you by a backslide pin, am I right? Now, you won that belt from him ending his half-year reign. He was known to be the greatest Junior Heavyweight Champion in MAX-J, and you managed to defeat him. Don’t you think that it makes you confident enough to defend your title successfully?”

Chris cast a smile on his face and moved his head from side to side. Max’s encouragement reminded him of his wife, Sakuya where she said the same thing when he’s about to face one opponent. “Overconfident, I guess?”

“My point is that I’m not a champion, nor a fighter. I’m a coward, a rat who run away from the battle. I left Action Wrestling because it was getting intense. Now everyone thinks that I’m a coward.”

“And now you have to prove to them that you’re not,” Max said. “Once you faced James Edwards for that title, you must give your best and convince everyone why you are a champion.”

Chris responded by giving him a nod. He might take time to digest his word, but he’ll fathom it.

“Chris! Max!”

Both men got their heads up and looked at Anthony calling for both of them.

“The match is about to start! You should come to the locker room and prepare.”

Meanwhile, Max felt something in his pocket as he unraveled it. His phone was ringing and shaking. So he excused Chris, “You should go ahead. I got a call to answer.”

Such a busy businessman, Chris thought. So he grabbed the belt and met up with Anthony to proceed with the upcoming match.


March 14, 2019
Open Fields near Athens, Greece
9:45 pm

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It was bedtime, and Chris was laying on his hammock with a lantern hanging beside his shoulders. He held a Bible to read every night. Since his humiliating defeat against ZENKI and GRIM, he started to realize that his arrogance was showing. So Chris began to read some of the pages for guidance. To him, it was a routine like Buddhist taking refuge on the Dharma. At that moment, a passage from the text gave him attention.



He pondered over its meaning as if the text was trying to say something for him. On that point, he recalled some of the little lessons from Sakuya back when they lived as a happy couple. He asked his wife for some context behind those verses.

Sakuya took courses in religious studies and continued until she and Chris moved to America. She explained that those words came from Moses when they were about to enter the Promised Land. God told them to follow its commands for them to be successful. The Israelites expected to be holy and discipline. But after they settled in Canaan, they adopted practices coming from the neighboring tribes. They kept offending God with their “detestable worship”. So at the time when the Assyrians and Babylonians dominated Israel, God “hid his face from them” and didn’t save them. The Israelites walked in disgrace when they went exile.

But their suffering ended when God saved them through the Medo-Persian forces. Once they liberated, they have returned to their holy land and went back to their pure worship.

Ravenna pondered what could it mean for him. And he was able to comprehend that message for him. Before he became the champion, he was humble and a man of principle. He had a work ethic to live by just like his upcoming opponent, James Edwards. He was small in the eyes of many and also God. However, God applauded his humility and rose him up as the champion. But ever since he had a title on his grasp, he became a fool and arrogant. Just like the Israelites, he adopted the attitude of any bigoted Americans. That’s why Chris left one American promotion. He needed clarity for his mind.

Ravenna got up from his hammock to pick up his two important things. He stared at the two valuable possessions. Here are some of his thoughts:


The Maximum Japan Junior Heavyweight Championship. It stood for the glory of any competitor desired to achieve. The “Junior Heavyweights” wanted to prove to everyone how much they have improved by raising that belt. I remember when Lynx “told (me) to wear it with the same respect he’d shown it for the last half-year.” I was happy back then.

The Santiago Bolo. My family heirloom passed down from generation to generation. I felt the presence of my late father as I kept holding into it. In the eyes of many, it was bizarre for him to carry that antique sword in modern warfare. Little did they know that he’s using it to preserve the culture of his family, his fellow Filipinos. This weapon stood for what my family fought for, principle.

And here I am asking myself, what is more important, glory or principle?

I won against Eron Hunter for that title, not because of my effort, but for my strength shared with my ancestors. The championship was the fruit that bore from my hard work. NO! It was from OUR hard-work, for it wasn’t for my father and the strength of my ancestors, I would be nothing but a soulless man. But now, look at me. I’m such a mess. I was supposed to preserve the culture and values of my countrymen, yet I became attached and adopted the attitude of the Westerners. What have I become?

If I didn’t leave that American promotion, I wouldn’t realize it sooner. I’m starting to think that I was a bridge for Edwards to be a champion. He lived by his work ethic and iron will. He is a real competitor, a true mark of a champion. Maybe, this night would be my last to reign as a champion.

But if that’s going to be the case, then I’m going to do my best. James Edwards should be my measuring stick to know how much I’ve improved despite my short arrogance. The belt is searching for a champion that not only live by his principles, but he fights for it. I should not mourn for my failures. However, I should continue showing everyone that I am worthy as a champion.

Now, I’m asking for God for his forgiveness and for Him to help me with my title defense. His answer would lie on the upcoming championship match. I should look to it in a positive light. If God responds, maybe it was His Will for me to become a champion as He gave me a second chance. Otherwise, maybe it was a sign of discipline. Just like the Israelites, God punished me for my arrogance. If that happens, then I will accept it like a man.

This title belt may be valuable to the eyes of competitors. However, I’ve realized that it’s just a belt. I could win it back someday and redeem what I’ve lacked in the past.

Until then, I should take time to meditate what my Motherland said to me. “Remember who you are, my son.”

Whatever happens, I will turn back the way I was before I became a champion, a man of nothing.

Tayo'y laging lumalapit upang grasya Niya'y kamtin
(We should always be closer to Him / for His grace we shall obtain)

Chris put the two items back to where it was and return to his hammock. He hid his Bible on his bag for another reading tomorrow.

Patnubay Niya'y ating hilingin. Ngayon, magpahanggang libing.
(For His guidance we should ask. Now until death.)

He laid back on his bed and took a deep breath. He was either nervous or excited for his title defense against the contender, James Edwards.


He grabbed the lantern and switched off the lights.