Burn Baby Burn

The steady buzz of the arena pulsed through the backstage hallways, a distant, restless energy that never truly faded. Even here, behind the curtain, Titan could feel it—the murmur of fans waiting, the weight of anticipation heavy like a crown.

But for the first time in his career, he didn’t care.

He walked through the poorly lit corridors with his usual swagger, the World Heavyweight Championship slung over his shoulder, but it felt different tonight. The belt that once felt like an extension of himself now felt like dead weight.

Everywhere he walked, eyes followed him. Wrestlers leaned against walls, taping their wrists, stretching, and whispering. The air around him was heavy with unspoken words.

They knew something was coming.

Titan ignored them. He had a destination.

He stopped in front of a door marked "Promoter – Roy Daniels." He didn’t knock. He never knocked. Instead, he pushed the door open, stepping inside with the same unshakable confidence that had made him the biggest draw in the business.

Roy Daniels sat behind his desk, buried under paperwork, his shirt wrinkled from hours of stress. His office was cluttered—old posters from past events, stacks of unsorted documents, an untouched cup of coffee going cold. Roy looked up, his eyes narrowing as Titan stepped inside.

“Elias,” Roy started, straightening. “What—”

Titan cut him off.

With zero hesitation, he tossed the World Heavyweight Championship onto the desk.

The belt landed with a dull thud, knocking over a stack of papers. Coffee spilled, spreading across contracts and expense reports.

Roy’s jaw tightened. He looked down at the championship, then back up at Titan. “What the hell is this?”

Titan crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe like he had all the time in the world. “It’s the belt, Roy. You can keep it. I’m done.”

Silence.

Roy blinked, struggling to process what he had just heard. His hands clenched the arms of his chair. “Done? Done with what?”

Titan shrugged. “All of it.”

Roy’s face reddened. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” He shot up from his chair, palms slamming against the desk. “The pay-per-view match against Havok is around the corner. We’ve spent four months building this thing. Four months. Just like you wanted. And now you’re saying you’re out?”

Titan didn’t flinch. “That’s right.”

Roy’s nostrils flared. He ran a hand through his thinning hair, pacing behind his desk. “Elias, do you have any idea what this does to us? To me? We’ve promoted this match everywhere—TV spots, interviews, ads, posters—you are the goddamn main event! You can’t just walk away.”

Titan smirked. “Watch me.”

Roy stared at him, breathing heavily. His frustration was boiling over, but Titan? He was calm. Detached.

“Is this about money?” Roy’s voice was measured now, trying to salvage the situation.

“Because if it is, we can work something out. I’ll get you more.”

Titan shook his head. “Not about money.”

Roy exhaled sharply. “Then what? What’s bigger than headlining the biggest pay-per-view of the year?”

Titan chuckled, shaking his head. “Roy, my legacy doesn’t need cementing. It’s already set in stone. Havok? This company? They’re not on my level. You should be thanking me for carrying this place as long as I did.”

Roy’s hands curled into fists. His voice shook with anger. “You arrogant son of a—” He stopped himself, breathing hard, trying to keep control.

Titan smiled. “Careful, Roy. You don’t want to say something you’ll regret.”

Roy sat back down, gripping the edges of his desk. “You’re gonna regret this, Elias. No one’s gonna want to work with you after this.”

Titan pushed off the doorframe and took a step closer. “You think this is the first bridge I’ve burned, Roy?” He smirked. “It won’t be the last. And let’s be honest—you’ll get over it. You always do.”

Roy glared at him, shaking his head. “This is why no one trusts you. You pull stunts like this, and you wonder why people call you a backstage cancer.”

Titan grinned. “You say that like I care.” He leaned in slightly, voice dropping to a near whisper. “You know what they also call me? The biggest draw in the business. And that’s all

that matters.”

Roy was fuming now. “You’re screwing over everyone, Elias. The fans. The boys in the back. Havok—do you even care?”

Titan paused for a moment. Not long. Just long enough. Then, slowly, deliberately, he tilted his head.

“Nope.”

And with that, he turned and walked out, leaving the championship behind.

The energy of the arena grew as Titan made his way through the backstage halls. The air crackled with anticipation, charged like a live wire. Fans were waiting. The show was still happening. The world was still turning.

But for the first time, he wasn’t part of it.

He passed by wrestlers in the hall—some glaring, others watching in stunned silence. One of them was Havok.

Havok stood just outside the gorilla position, fists clenched, chest rising and falling in deep, measured breaths. He looked ready for war. But the moment his eyes met Titan’s, his expression twisted into something else—anger, confusion… betrayal.

Titan smirked, barely slowing his stride. “Sorry, kid. Guess your big moment isn’t happening anymore.”

Havok didn’t speak. Didn’t move. But his eyes burned into Titan as he walked past.

Titan didn’t look back.

The belt was no longer his problem. The match wasn’t his concern.

He had bigger things lined up.

Because for Elias Rhodes, it was never about loyalty. Never about legacy.

It was about being the center of the universe.

And if he had to burn everything down to stay there?

So be it.