I don't expect to survive this. I'm at the point where I'm measuring my life in hours.
I'm in an apartment building. I can no longer access the City. I can hear a sound above me-- knives scraping against the floor. It's the Rake.
I look out the window and I can see my former master-- Slender Man, might as well call him what he is-- standing out there, watching me. People pass by as if he's not even there, oblivious to him. One group of people moves oddly, their limbs loose, their movements strangely exaggerated. The Wooden Girl's dolls.
I look out another window and Judgment is there. I remember he said something about his sins burning him up soon, and I see now what he meant. I can't even recognize Sleight's body anymore; it's so decrepit looking, like he's aged 60 years in the span of a week.
I hear whispers, telling me to just give it all up, and a gray blur moves in the corner of my eye. I don't know why the Choir is after me, but there are a lot of things I don't know.
And I can feel the Ichor within me, spreading. I cut myself on a nail about an hour ago, and no blood came out. Only clear fluid. It won't be long now.
One way or another, I am going to die soon.
And you know what? I'm OK with that.
In the past few months, I went from just some random, insignificant college student to a supernaturally sponsored murderer. I've killed people without hesitation, and afterward I'd come up with justifications for it, and I'd try to ignore that feeling in the back of my head that what I'm doing is wrong. I'd try to block the inevitable nightmares from invading my sleep. I'd try and try, but to no avail.
Guilt is the punishment for our sins, and I feel little else these days.
But my sins end tonight. I have no intention of becoming a puppet. Not again.
So, all you monsters, all you horrific abominations? What are you waiting for?
I've got a machete on my right and a shotgun on my left. First prize goes to the one who brings me down.
My name is Joseph Amory Steward, and I'm ready for you.
So come and get me.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Oh God Judgement was waiting for me in the City. I just stepped through the Door and there he was with a knife in his hand, shouting about how horrible I am.
Horrible. Horrible. I'm a horrible person.
Killed people. Dead because of me.
Couldn't protect Crystal or Glorius or Acedia or Lexi.
He was my one companion. The voice in my mind that kept me company. He made sure I was never alone. If I was good and loyal, I'd never be alone again. Why did He betray me abandon me why why kill me kill me kill me kill me liklle m,emkkille m eme be
Horrible. Horrible. I'm a horrible person.
Killed people. Dead because of me.
Couldn't protect Crystal or Glorius or Acedia or Lexi.
He was my one companion. The voice in my mind that kept me company. He made sure I was never alone. If I was good and loyal, I'd never be alone again. Why did He betray me abandon me why why kill me kill me kill me kill me liklle m,emkkille m eme be
Ichor
I can feel it inside of me.
It's like some kind of slime, slithering through my veins. I feel a need, no, an obsession, with, of all things, counting the hairs on my arms. I keep losing count and having to start over.
This is the favor, isn't it? The debt I owe to the Ichor. It's coming to collect. It's infested me, and now it's replacing my bodily fluids with its own ink.
Soon, I'll lose myself. I'll become a Camper, just another limb of the Ichor.
Maybe it's what I deserve.
It's like some kind of slime, slithering through my veins. I feel a need, no, an obsession, with, of all things, counting the hairs on my arms. I keep losing count and having to start over.
This is the favor, isn't it? The debt I owe to the Ichor. It's coming to collect. It's infested me, and now it's replacing my bodily fluids with its own ink.
Soon, I'll lose myself. I'll become a Camper, just another limb of the Ichor.
Maybe it's what I deserve.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Running
I can't use the Path anymore, but it seems that I'm still Marked, so I can travel through the City.
To those offering to help, thanks, but trust me: you don't want the things chasing me to come knocking on your door. No amount of magic or connections will save you from them.
By my count, I have about five godlike entities after me. If I get near you, there's no way you'll be able to protect yourself.
To those offering to help, thanks, but trust me: you don't want the things chasing me to come knocking on your door. No amount of magic or connections will save you from them.
By my count, I have about five godlike entities after me. If I get near you, there's no way you'll be able to protect yourself.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The Battle in the Bay
Here's what happened.
I rented a boat and went out to the coordinates Master gave me. I waited there for an hour before He appeared on the deck.
The Rake appeared a few minutes later.
It looked right at Master, and it smiled at him. Like it had won something. And then it turned its attention to me. Those eyes-- those horrible, pitch black, but perfectly intelligent eyes-- took me in, and I felt something emanate from them. Expectation.
A command floated into my mind. A command from Master. I was to walk to the Rake.
I was tribute.
Whatever deal they'd worked out, my life was part of it. I couldn't even move. Fear held my body rigid.
The command came again, stronger this time, and I found myself stepping forward. Toward that thing.
And then there was gunfire.
The Rake's right eye exploded and reared back in rage and pain. I watched, dumbstruck, as its eye reformed on its face, and it turned to look in the direction of the shots. I followed its gaze and saw another boat approaching us. More gunfire rang out, and more bullets pummeled the Rake's body.
I started to walk toward the other boat, but found that I couldn't. Black tentacles held me back. Master had no intention of letting me get away.
I ducked down-- the tentacles gave me enough leeway to do that, at least-- and watched as bullets began to slam into Master's body. They made little splashes, little ripples like they were going through water, and Master stood there, unharmed, quietly watching as the boat approached.
It must have gotten close enough, because I saw people leaping onto our own boat, brandishing knives and machetes and hatchets... It took me only a moment to figure out who they were. The movement of their limbs gave them away. Dolls.
And then the tentacles were gone, and I saw Master burst into a thousand tendrils of darkness, lashing out at all the dolls near him. One's head flew clean off, another took a slash across his stomach.
But even dead, their bodies continued to move, continued to attack, controlled by invisible strings.
I crawled across the deck and dimly realized that the Rake had fled the scene. Evidently he didn't want to be caught in the chaos it had brought on.
I stood and prepared to leap off the boat.
I felt something cut against my back.
I screamed as a slash of heat arced through me and warm sticky blood seeped down my body. I spun around to face my attacker.
Charlotte stood there, a bloody knife in her hand, grinning at me. "Hey there, Stew-stew. Bye-bye." She slashed at me again, and I ducked to the side. Then I found myself have to scramble away as quickly as I could. The girl was fast. There was no way someone her age could move so quickly, with such accurate strikes.
And abruptly, all sound of battle ceased. Charlotte froze in place, dropped her knife, and fell to her knees. She brought her face to the floor and stayed in that position. I turned to see who she was bowing to.
Just four feet away from where I sat, Master and the Wooden Girl stood face to face with eachother.
The Wooden Girl moved first, striking out with a knife in her right hand. Master deflected it with a humanoid arm that extended from the blackness that comprised his body. The strings around the Wooden Girl unwound themselves and flew at Master, wrapping around what limbs they could and trying to pull Him to the ground.
A futile effort. He merely slid out of the strings as if His body were smoke, and a tentacle lashed out from somewhere deep within His body. This wasn't like the other ones I'd seen. The smoky, inky tendrils of blackness. No, this one looked... it looked like it had actual substance.
It crashed against the Wooden Girl, and wrapped around her. I felt something in my mind, like snarl of rage, and then fire spewed forth from the depths of Master's body and down the length of that tentacle. The fire spread out and consumed the Wooden Girl.
And then she did something I never thought I'd see her do.
The Wooden Girl screamed.
The sound seemed to almost break and tear itself, and for an instant I could see a vast void of nothingness surround the two Entities, and then it was all over, and Master let the charred corpse of his opponent crash to the deck.
I was just beginning to relax when another scream tore through the air. I spun around and saw Charlotte, now in her feet, he back arced and her eyes wide in pain and terror. She screamed and screamed as her flesh began to split apart. And from beneath her skin, wood emerged.
It grew out of her, and it continued to grow, covering all of her. Her screams finally cut off as the wood grew over her mouth. For a moment the wooden shape before me simply stood there, and then shapes began to appear on it, as if painted by an invisible hand.
A puppets face soon looked straight at me, a painted on smile taking me in, and then the Wooden Girl vanished in a burst of power. I was thrown backward, and the last thing I remember before passing out was cold water coming over me.
I woke up on the beach an hour before dawn, and went to the first safehouse I could think of.
I've been running since.
I rented a boat and went out to the coordinates Master gave me. I waited there for an hour before He appeared on the deck.
The Rake appeared a few minutes later.
It looked right at Master, and it smiled at him. Like it had won something. And then it turned its attention to me. Those eyes-- those horrible, pitch black, but perfectly intelligent eyes-- took me in, and I felt something emanate from them. Expectation.
A command floated into my mind. A command from Master. I was to walk to the Rake.
I was tribute.
Whatever deal they'd worked out, my life was part of it. I couldn't even move. Fear held my body rigid.
The command came again, stronger this time, and I found myself stepping forward. Toward that thing.
And then there was gunfire.
The Rake's right eye exploded and reared back in rage and pain. I watched, dumbstruck, as its eye reformed on its face, and it turned to look in the direction of the shots. I followed its gaze and saw another boat approaching us. More gunfire rang out, and more bullets pummeled the Rake's body.
I started to walk toward the other boat, but found that I couldn't. Black tentacles held me back. Master had no intention of letting me get away.
I ducked down-- the tentacles gave me enough leeway to do that, at least-- and watched as bullets began to slam into Master's body. They made little splashes, little ripples like they were going through water, and Master stood there, unharmed, quietly watching as the boat approached.
It must have gotten close enough, because I saw people leaping onto our own boat, brandishing knives and machetes and hatchets... It took me only a moment to figure out who they were. The movement of their limbs gave them away. Dolls.
And then the tentacles were gone, and I saw Master burst into a thousand tendrils of darkness, lashing out at all the dolls near him. One's head flew clean off, another took a slash across his stomach.
But even dead, their bodies continued to move, continued to attack, controlled by invisible strings.
I crawled across the deck and dimly realized that the Rake had fled the scene. Evidently he didn't want to be caught in the chaos it had brought on.
I stood and prepared to leap off the boat.
I felt something cut against my back.
I screamed as a slash of heat arced through me and warm sticky blood seeped down my body. I spun around to face my attacker.
Charlotte stood there, a bloody knife in her hand, grinning at me. "Hey there, Stew-stew. Bye-bye." She slashed at me again, and I ducked to the side. Then I found myself have to scramble away as quickly as I could. The girl was fast. There was no way someone her age could move so quickly, with such accurate strikes.
And abruptly, all sound of battle ceased. Charlotte froze in place, dropped her knife, and fell to her knees. She brought her face to the floor and stayed in that position. I turned to see who she was bowing to.
Just four feet away from where I sat, Master and the Wooden Girl stood face to face with eachother.
The Wooden Girl moved first, striking out with a knife in her right hand. Master deflected it with a humanoid arm that extended from the blackness that comprised his body. The strings around the Wooden Girl unwound themselves and flew at Master, wrapping around what limbs they could and trying to pull Him to the ground.
A futile effort. He merely slid out of the strings as if His body were smoke, and a tentacle lashed out from somewhere deep within His body. This wasn't like the other ones I'd seen. The smoky, inky tendrils of blackness. No, this one looked... it looked like it had actual substance.
It crashed against the Wooden Girl, and wrapped around her. I felt something in my mind, like snarl of rage, and then fire spewed forth from the depths of Master's body and down the length of that tentacle. The fire spread out and consumed the Wooden Girl.
And then she did something I never thought I'd see her do.
The Wooden Girl screamed.
The sound seemed to almost break and tear itself, and for an instant I could see a vast void of nothingness surround the two Entities, and then it was all over, and Master let the charred corpse of his opponent crash to the deck.
I was just beginning to relax when another scream tore through the air. I spun around and saw Charlotte, now in her feet, he back arced and her eyes wide in pain and terror. She screamed and screamed as her flesh began to split apart. And from beneath her skin, wood emerged.
It grew out of her, and it continued to grow, covering all of her. Her screams finally cut off as the wood grew over her mouth. For a moment the wooden shape before me simply stood there, and then shapes began to appear on it, as if painted by an invisible hand.
A puppets face soon looked straight at me, a painted on smile taking me in, and then the Wooden Girl vanished in a burst of power. I was thrown backward, and the last thing I remember before passing out was cold water coming over me.
I woke up on the beach an hour before dawn, and went to the first safehouse I could think of.
I've been running since.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Memories
Been hanging in the area. Tonight's the night Master faces him.
So many memories... I've been walking around my old neighborhood. Someone else is living in my old house now. I guess they don't mind living in a place where a family was murdered.
Were they my family? Sometimes I find it hard to believe. What memories I have are distant, and the rest... well, I gave my childhood to the Blind Man, didn't I?
But non of that matters now.
Tonight, one way or another, this all ends.
-STEWARD
So many memories... I've been walking around my old neighborhood. Someone else is living in my old house now. I guess they don't mind living in a place where a family was murdered.
Were they my family? Sometimes I find it hard to believe. What memories I have are distant, and the rest... well, I gave my childhood to the Blind Man, didn't I?
But non of that matters now.
Tonight, one way or another, this all ends.
-STEWARD
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
The Compulsion
It was all so fucking obvious.
But I couldn't see it? How could I? He's just a beast. A mindless animal. That's what I saw when I looked at him. That's what we all see.
That's exactly what he wants us to see.
We focused on his claws and his fangs. We forgot about his voice. That voice that implants ideas and instructions in our minds when we are at our most vulnerable.
He worked for years to make sure we only saw the feral aspects. Even the Entities came to see him as beast. They were blind to the chaos he was sewing within their ranks.
So much patience. So much careful planning. So much work, just to make sure that humanity knew about Them. Just to make sure that humanity would rebel against Them. Chaos is doubtlessly his end-goal. For from chaos, anything can rise to supremacy.
And we were all too eager to follow the instructions he whispered into our ears.
He is the Feral Beast. He is the Whisperer. He is the Incubus. He is the Lord of Nightmares.
He is the Rake.
-STEWARD
But I couldn't see it? How could I? He's just a beast. A mindless animal. That's what I saw when I looked at him. That's what we all see.
That's exactly what he wants us to see.
We focused on his claws and his fangs. We forgot about his voice. That voice that implants ideas and instructions in our minds when we are at our most vulnerable.
He worked for years to make sure we only saw the feral aspects. Even the Entities came to see him as beast. They were blind to the chaos he was sewing within their ranks.
So much patience. So much careful planning. So much work, just to make sure that humanity knew about Them. Just to make sure that humanity would rebel against Them. Chaos is doubtlessly his end-goal. For from chaos, anything can rise to supremacy.
And we were all too eager to follow the instructions he whispered into our ears.
He is the Feral Beast. He is the Whisperer. He is the Incubus. He is the Lord of Nightmares.
He is the Rake.
-STEWARD
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Judgment
I've been hunting down the members of Sleight's old magic troupe. None have given me any useful information. No matter how strenuously I question them, no matter how forcefully I beat them, no matter how tearfully I beg them to just tell me what I want to know so I. Can. Stop. Hurting. Them.
The one I visited this morning didn't survive his questioning. He had a heart condition.
When I turned to leave his house, I found Sleight standing in the doorway.
I froze.
"Who are you?"
Sleight smiled. It wasn't a cruel smile. It wasn't a joyous smile. It was... peaceful. "You know."
"You can't be here. You were trapped in the City."
Sleight nodded. "I was trapped when I was called Sleight who was called John Kramer. But now my identity has shifted. I am a new being. No longer the Empty City's."
I didn't say anything. I stood there and watched him. Waiting to see what he'd do. Trying to figure out what his game was.
"The Eye found me. It entered into me. A new identity was born. I am the Eye. The Eye is me. I am Judgment." Sleight or Judgment or whatever began walking toward me. A knife flashed in his hand. "The sins of my old self burn within me. Soon the flames will consume this body and a new Judgment must be found. But for the time being I live, and I have a purpose. Retribution."
He struck out at me. It was like watching a cobra. I put my arm up defensively and jumped back. My arm stung. Blood trickled down my skin.
"Your sins weigh heavily on you, Joseph," he said. "Accept my cleansing. It is the sweetest fate you can be given. They have all taken notice of you. You cannot be at peace unless your sins are burned away." He struck out at me again, and again I dodged it, and again I felt a new cut running down my flesh.
"I can see all your sins. Even the ones the Sightless One took your memory of. I can see the first lie you ever told. The first person you ever hit. The first time you were ever intentionally cruel to someone. Every sin in your life glows like an ember. It is a wonder people do not burn on their own, so infinite are their evils."
He slashed at me again, and this time I retreated into the Path.
I ran down the trail, and I heard his voice call out to me, as loudly and clearly as if he were right behind me.
"You cannot run, Joseph. Face Judgment, or suffer at Their hands. Either way, your time in this world is growing short."
-STEWARD
The one I visited this morning didn't survive his questioning. He had a heart condition.
When I turned to leave his house, I found Sleight standing in the doorway.
I froze.
"Who are you?"
Sleight smiled. It wasn't a cruel smile. It wasn't a joyous smile. It was... peaceful. "You know."
"You can't be here. You were trapped in the City."
Sleight nodded. "I was trapped when I was called Sleight who was called John Kramer. But now my identity has shifted. I am a new being. No longer the Empty City's."
I didn't say anything. I stood there and watched him. Waiting to see what he'd do. Trying to figure out what his game was.
"The Eye found me. It entered into me. A new identity was born. I am the Eye. The Eye is me. I am Judgment." Sleight or Judgment or whatever began walking toward me. A knife flashed in his hand. "The sins of my old self burn within me. Soon the flames will consume this body and a new Judgment must be found. But for the time being I live, and I have a purpose. Retribution."
He struck out at me. It was like watching a cobra. I put my arm up defensively and jumped back. My arm stung. Blood trickled down my skin.
"Your sins weigh heavily on you, Joseph," he said. "Accept my cleansing. It is the sweetest fate you can be given. They have all taken notice of you. You cannot be at peace unless your sins are burned away." He struck out at me again, and again I dodged it, and again I felt a new cut running down my flesh.
"I can see all your sins. Even the ones the Sightless One took your memory of. I can see the first lie you ever told. The first person you ever hit. The first time you were ever intentionally cruel to someone. Every sin in your life glows like an ember. It is a wonder people do not burn on their own, so infinite are their evils."
He slashed at me again, and this time I retreated into the Path.
I ran down the trail, and I heard his voice call out to me, as loudly and clearly as if he were right behind me.
"You cannot run, Joseph. Face Judgment, or suffer at Their hands. Either way, your time in this world is growing short."
-STEWARD
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Fools
It was stupid.
I was SO STUPID.
She's dead. Just like Crystal. The same scene. The blood everywhere. The hotel room. The killer standing over her corpse.
Lexi.
Gone.
Scarneck. That bitch.
She tried to say something. I think she tried to tell me her name. I don't know. I don't care. No weapons. Just my fists.
I was so angry. The murderous bitch. Poor Lexi....
Scarneck died with a smile on her lips. What right did she have to die that way? What right!?
No right. No one has any rights.
I let myself forget that. I let myself be taken in by the empty promises of human companionship.
Human life is fleeting. Humans are traitorous and treacherous and always changing. Friend becomes foe becomes friend. Living becomes dead.
There is only one constant in life.
Master.
I let myself forget that. I was foolish. I let myself grow soft and weak.
No more.
-STEWARD
I was SO STUPID.
She's dead. Just like Crystal. The same scene. The blood everywhere. The hotel room. The killer standing over her corpse.
Lexi.
Gone.
Scarneck. That bitch.
She tried to say something. I think she tried to tell me her name. I don't know. I don't care. No weapons. Just my fists.
I was so angry. The murderous bitch. Poor Lexi....
Scarneck died with a smile on her lips. What right did she have to die that way? What right!?
No right. No one has any rights.
I let myself forget that. I let myself be taken in by the empty promises of human companionship.
Human life is fleeting. Humans are traitorous and treacherous and always changing. Friend becomes foe becomes friend. Living becomes dead.
There is only one constant in life.
Master.
I let myself forget that. I was foolish. I let myself grow soft and weak.
No more.
-STEWARD
Friday, August 5, 2011
Life Goes On
I, um, I have a confession to make.
I've never been in a relationship (at least not that I can remember, though I doubt I ever had some kind of hildhood romance, so...). Not really. I mean, there were girls that I liked but I was too shy, too scared to really talk to them...
Yeah. I know. The big bad "proxy" (God, I hate that word) is a little loser underneath his tough-guy exterior. Shut up.
Glorius and Acedia-- Gerald and Dana-- they had each other. When life was too much for either one to bear, they looked to one another for support. I never had something like that. Even with my friends, I was always distant. I have trouble really relating to other people. Well, no that's not the word I'm looking for. I have trouble connecting to other people.
So yeah. That's me. Never had a girlfriend. Never been kissed.
Until the other day.
It's just... it's been so hard. Losing those two. And me and Lexi, we're together constantly....
I mean, there was attraction since day one, but... Maybe we're just clinging to each other because we're both hurt. Is that healthy?
Heh. Look at me, concerned for my mental health when I work for an incomprehensible monstrosity.
I'm just afraid. Afraid that I'll lose her. Afraid that I'll drive her away. Afraid that this all just a phase or something...
I've never really dealt with these kind of... issues before.
-STEWARD
I've never been in a relationship (at least not that I can remember, though I doubt I ever had some kind of hildhood romance, so...). Not really. I mean, there were girls that I liked but I was too shy, too scared to really talk to them...
Yeah. I know. The big bad "proxy" (God, I hate that word) is a little loser underneath his tough-guy exterior. Shut up.
Glorius and Acedia-- Gerald and Dana-- they had each other. When life was too much for either one to bear, they looked to one another for support. I never had something like that. Even with my friends, I was always distant. I have trouble really relating to other people. Well, no that's not the word I'm looking for. I have trouble connecting to other people.
So yeah. That's me. Never had a girlfriend. Never been kissed.
Until the other day.
It's just... it's been so hard. Losing those two. And me and Lexi, we're together constantly....
I mean, there was attraction since day one, but... Maybe we're just clinging to each other because we're both hurt. Is that healthy?
Heh. Look at me, concerned for my mental health when I work for an incomprehensible monstrosity.
I'm just afraid. Afraid that I'll lose her. Afraid that I'll drive her away. Afraid that this all just a phase or something...
I've never really dealt with these kind of... issues before.
-STEWARD
Monday, August 1, 2011
Warehouse
I found Spike in a warehouse. He was expecting me.
"Well, Mr. Chief Proxy is here!" He shouted. "I'll make you scream! And then I'll make your boss scream! SCREAM!"
I ducked behind a crate as he began shooting at me. His laughter almost seemed to drown out the gunfire.
"I'll kill all you proxies!" He shouted. "You, Morningstar, Messenger, Executor... I'll slaughter you all! It's what you deserve!"
I opened up the Path and stepped in.
I took two steps.
I stepped out.
Spike stood before me, with his back turned. Firing at the crate I had been crouching behind just moments ago.
Fucking dumbass.
He started laughing again, and I grabbed his shoulder and jammed my knife into his fucking neck.
Good riddance you piece of shit.
Scarneck: I hope you're reading this. Because you patsy is dead and I'm coming for you next. Whoever your boss is is going to regret ever crossing paths with me.
You are beyond redemption.
-STEWARD
"Well, Mr. Chief Proxy is here!" He shouted. "I'll make you scream! And then I'll make your boss scream! SCREAM!"
I ducked behind a crate as he began shooting at me. His laughter almost seemed to drown out the gunfire.
"I'll kill all you proxies!" He shouted. "You, Morningstar, Messenger, Executor... I'll slaughter you all! It's what you deserve!"
I opened up the Path and stepped in.
I took two steps.
I stepped out.
Spike stood before me, with his back turned. Firing at the crate I had been crouching behind just moments ago.
Fucking dumbass.
He started laughing again, and I grabbed his shoulder and jammed my knife into his fucking neck.
Good riddance you piece of shit.
Scarneck: I hope you're reading this. Because you patsy is dead and I'm coming for you next. Whoever your boss is is going to regret ever crossing paths with me.
You are beyond redemption.
-STEWARD
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)