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Serene Knowledge - The King of Wolves - "The Holders" 3/4 - Pt5

Created on Wed, 13 Sep 2023 15:53:13 GMT

<*Note by Odd: This is part of an old website that no longer exists. I can't post the full page in one paste due to character limits. Look for other "Serene Knowledge - The King of Wolves" pastes to read the full site. *Credit given to: https://dreamcult.xyz/trinkets/sereneknowledge for text provided (lol there's a typo in the first two pastes) *And a mega fucking shoutout to https://dreamcult.xyz/trinkets/sereneknowledge for mirroring the original site as closely as is possible. *Never put all your eggs in one basket. I've lost and re-found this text time and time again. *This is all obvious bullshit...or is it? *> Holder of Agony In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit something which calls itself "The Holder of the Agony". The person behind the counter's eyes will widen in surprise, as if they didn't understand why they recognized the name. They'll sputter for a moment, but their facial expression will soon change to a drawn, furrowed, pensive scowl. They will shudder, turn away, and refuse. You must ask again, and continue asking in a calm, soft voice, even if they weep or scream. Eventually, the life will leave their eyes, and they will lead you, with a shuffling gait, to a room with no apparent number just down the hall. The worker will open the door for you. As you enter, the door will close behind you. The room will smell of rusting metal and blood. You won't be able to see much until the same door you entered through opens and the gray light from without illuminates a lanky, cloaked figure entering the room. When the door shuts, it will be darker than before. Immediately, you will feel the cloaked figure press itself against your body. Its bony limbs will jab your ribs and stomach as it says, "I know you". Its voice will reverberate through your entire body, and you will feel every type of discomfort - like you're being watched, being molested, like your foot fell asleep, like you're dizzy, nauseous, impatient. Stand perfectly still. Make no sound, except to ask: "Why are they in pain?" It will reply, in its gut-wrenching hiss, "I will hold you here for all time, and every night, I will mutilate you, rape you, and murder you." You will have no time to brace yourself or think, and especially no time to move, before you feel a wicked, jagged blade thrust into your abdomen and come out the other side. You will feel its rough surface grating against your organs. Do not move. Do not speak. DO NOT SCREAM. The voice will continue. "I will murder everything you love, and make them see your face as their killer. I will ruin everything you find beautiful. I will twist your mind until you are as grotesque and perverted as the rest of us." It will not stop, even as fiery, acidic pain lances through your nerves from the blade in your gut. The pain will stop your breath and perhaps your heart, but you must remain perfectly still. More of the blades will pierce your body, in soft places, in impossible places, and the voice will continue hissing its deadly vows, its baroque tortures that become so creatively inhuman and meticulously soulless that you will be in danger of losing your mind. Stillness is your only defense. If you move, the blades, growing in number from one to five to thirty to a hundred or a thousand, if only you had a chance of counting, will tear away in every direction, forcing every chunk of your flesh and nerves to stay conscious and aware as they are rent apart again and again forever. Stay still, even as your entire body is wracked with agony that couldn't possibly exist; you would be wishing for a reprieve of snake bites on your eyes and razor blades in your nerves. You must listen to the voice carefully, for eventually, it will say one of two things. If it says, "This glory is reserved for those who have proven themselves," then I can offer only my condolences. Your eternal suffering will be so insanely horrible that anyone on earth who has seen your face or heard your name will have nightmares of your agony even after they have passed on to the afterlife in Heaven or Hell. Your soul will be a wasted husk. If it says, "Your whole existence of forever is untouched by this agony," you must reply, quickly and confidently, "The agony fills us all until they have stopped hurting." For every second it takes to muster your reply through the haze of unbelievable pain, you will suffer from another unique and unerring agony for the rest of your life. If you cannot speak, you will never know another moment without torture, and each day you will consider the prior day's pain to be the tickle of a feather. If you reply correctly, everything will stop - the pain, the hissing - and you will feel the figure, once pressed against you, crumbling into nothingness. Lift the cloak and you will find a leather pouch. Open it only if you want to know what it would be like for the world to be torn asunder by a plague that even Hell wouldn't condone. This tortured dust is object 65 of 538. Don't run, or you'll never know. Holder of Greed In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Greed". If a look of ravenous hunger comes over them, run from the institution, for if you do not, you will be eaten alive in the most painful way possible. However, if a look of tired want comes over them, they will take you to a cell in a corridor that wasn't there before. The walls will be made of fine gold and silver, but do not touch it, lest they devour your soul. As you walk, if at any time you hear the sound of coins jingling, stop and yell quickly, "All that glistens is not gold!" If it continues, you are damned for all eternity, and there is no point in running. However, if it stops, continue. Eventually, you will come to a gilded door. The worker will open it, and close their eyes as you enter. As you enter, the door will close behind you. Inside is an exquisite palace, crafted of ivory and gold and wonders that no mortal man has ever built or conceived. Do not dwell too long, as if you do, the world will open under you, and you will be eternally trapped in a world of filth and squalor. If you continue, the palace around you will slowly and increasingly drip blood, until a torrent of blood rains down on you. Continue, and never look back, and do not stop. Eventually, the blood will stop, and you will be in a room filled with gold bricks and treasure. Sitting in a throne of platinum will be a corpse, which will respond to only one question: "What do they lust for?" It will stand up, and begin telling of every want, every desire, and every theft. If you manage to keep your sanity, the corpse will motions towards the treasure when it finishes with its story. However, do not take any of the gold or treasure. Instead, look for a small, copper coin, inscribed with an unknown language. The second you touch it, you will be back in the institution, as if nothing happened, with the coin in your hand. That coin is 66 of 538. It is worth nothing and everything. Holder of the Cosmos In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. Get the front receptionist's attention and ask to visit someone called "Holder of the Cosmos". He will look you up and down. If he mutters and walks away stay in place - he will return momentarily. Upon his arrival he will unlock a trapdoor beneath his desk and motion for you to follow. He will lead you down an ancient, creaking staircase made of wooden planks. It remains somehow suspended in an impossibly large room, the sides or bottom of which you will not be able to fathom. The only light will be from the quickly receding entryway. Vast, hulking shapes lumber will in the darkness - I recommend that you do not make any noises louder than the gentle squeaking of the bridge. Your guide will remain only a few steps ahead of you, but in the oppressive darkness his features remain unclear. You will be descending the stairs for what seems like an eternity. During this time, do not let your thoughts wander. Focus entirely on your objective - the Keeper of the Cosmos. As you sink farther into the blackness, wooden planks swaying beneath your feet, your guide's form may seem to shift. It is not a trick of your eyes. If he stops at any time, throw yourself from the bridge immediately - an eternity of falling would be preferable to his torment. However, should he continue to move, you will eventually begin to feel a wind pick up. Far below you, the tops of trees will become visible. Above your head, a vault of stars and clouds. To your sides, a vast and unimpeded horizon, save for one structure far to your right. As you descend further, you can see it is a mansion with a small dirt road leading from it. This part of the descent is incredibly peaceful and will last for several hours. Enjoy it, but do not under any circumstance look back from where you came. The rickety staircase will collapse and you will plummet to your death. Eventually you will reach the bottom of the stairs. They will have deposited you in a thickly wooded forest, a few yards from a dirt road. Your guide will stop moving. In the sparse shafts of moonlight filtering down between the trees, you will notice that he has changed considerably. Where once stood a man now stands a hellish, hulking beast. He will begin to turn. You must run. The staircase you recently descended will have disappeared. Your only choice is the road. The demon is slow, but he will not relent. Run. Run until your lungs burn and your chest heaves. Run until your throat is slick with blood. Until you cannot run any longer. Give up hope. Fall to your knees. Weep. You will feel the demon's breath at your heels, and you will mumble a prayer into the dirt road as you see your life flash before your eyes. At that very moment, as you have lost all hope, a gunshot will roar into the void of the darkened forest road. The demon at your back will have been slain. This next moment is crucial. No matter how winded you are, you must stand up and immediately say: "Who is their enemy?" If you wait a split second too long you will be blown to bits in a similar fashion to the demon. However, if you are fast enough, an elegantly dressed gentleman on a horse will trot out of the darkness a few steps down the road. He appears rather young and is holding an ornately crafted, 18th century pistol in his right hand. He has several large tomes strapped to the saddlebags of his horse and bits of script in a foreign language are visible pasted, in a fashionable way, to various bits of his clothing. He will slowly approach you, making no move to dismount, but visibly interested in your appearance. You must hold his gaze until he disappears in the opposite direction. Following this exchange your exhaustion will suddenly catch up with you, and you will find it increasingly difficult to stay awake. Give in to your weariness and sleep. You will awake the next day in your bed, clutching a rough piece of paper. On it, in an elegant script, are written the words: "You are a fool." That man is object 67 of 538. He defends the cosmos from their revival. Now that he knows your intentions, he will do anything to stop you. Holder of the Negative In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. Get the front receptionist's attention and ask to visit someone called "Holder of the Negative". If the receptionist adamantly refuses to help you, immediately turn, leave the institution behind and take the fastest possible route home. After a fortnight of hiding you will know whether their trackers have found you. However, if the receptionist merely nods at you with a stony expression and gestures for you to follow, do so. He will lead you to a seemingly innocent-looking hospital room and leave. As soon as the door locks, push the bed aside to reveal a decrepit wooden trap door underneath. Use the bed to block the door - the clock is ticking and the sentinels are already on their way. Open the trap door to find a dusty and grimy gray metal coffin in a shallow pit dug into the floor. Open the locks on the side and lift the lid. If the coffin is empty, lay yourself inside and close both the trap door and the coffin lid. If there is somebody already in there, well - I would recommend trying to snap your own neck before the coffin's previous resident does. You must lie inside the coffin for exactly four minutes and thirteen seconds. Until this time, DO NOT OPEN THE LID. What would come to pass if you did is beyond the description of mortal men. When the required time has passed, you may knock twice on the metal lid. If there is no answer, knock thrice more. If the coffin trembles slightly in response, you may push the lid off. If the coffin remains silent, you know your life expectancy is now a minute at best. Push the lid aside to emerge in what seems like the dark, blasted remains of a bizarre underground machine shop. The blotched, ocher metal walls and the gray dust of time over the disengaged, quiet computing devices speak in their own way about the hundreds of thousands battles which were planned, organized and miserably lost in the very same room you are now sitting in. As alien and intricate the machinery may be, don't dally. Rise to your feet and reach your right hand out to find a wall. Fumble around until you find a metal lever sticking out of it - it's roughly at your shoulder level. If the room starts to emit an increasingly loud whirring, DO NOT PANIC. Instead, call out sternly into the blackness: "It's the last piece of knowledge we require." If the whirring dies down, continue your search. If it doesn't, the machinery will engage in their last integration routine with you as their target. When you find the switch, throw it. The last operational generator will start up with a painful whine, powering little else but the few good light fixtures around the floor. In the core of the still dim room, you will see a huge, brass-colored and impossibly complex mechanical device which most closely resembles a crossover between an opulent metal throne and a Victorian-era life support system. Amidst the zigzagging tubes, pipes, valves, cogs and plates you can see a gaunt, inhumanly frail corpse barely clinging on to its life. As intimidating as the throne may be, enter the creature's presence and matter-of-factly utter the query: "Who scattered them for the first time?" Your question sparks a new light in his milky gray eyes, and with the spite and frustration of countless generations in his raspy, mechanically amplified voice he will recite to you all of the stories, all tales of vain heroism, every broken union and all of the heart-wrenchingly disappointing failures of all of those who came before you. His contagious despair will punch through your skin, slither past your flesh and pierce through your bones, but take heed not to lose your focus - he is still their slave and his corrupted side will readily consume you if given the opportunity. He will tell you of those who first knew of their convergence, how they scattered the objects and broke their unholy union and what made those first fail and perish. When he is done, he will slowly and painfully extend his hand out to you from within the metal shell. Do not take his hand. Instead, cross your arms across your chest and exclaim: "Your flawed routines are not mine to embrace!” Leaning against one of the mysterious devices is a thin, two-pronged metal staff. Grab it, and using all the power you can possibly muster, drive it through the only exposed vital part in his body - his head. His death will be swift. When his rotten body and the infernal device lie silent, reach inside the metal shell protecting the body and fumble around the inner workings of the machine. As soon as your hand hits a part pulsing heat, yank it out. It should come off easily. Retreat as fast as you can back into the zinc coffin - you have killed the only entity which upheld the order of the place and it won't be long until the room is going to unmake itself and crumble into the void. Slam down the lid, close your eyes, and if you are lucky, you will near-instantly drift off into sleep. When you wake up, you will wake up in your own home, in your own bed, tightly hugging a warm chunk of metal to your chest. You would be wise to get rid of the coffin around you at earliest opportunity. This corrupted golden gear is the object 68 of 538. You now know how your predecessors failed. Now it's your responsibility to make sure their errors are not repeated. Holder of the Sky In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Sky". The receptionist will ignore your existence completely, and you will collapse on the floor. You will wake up in a torrent of soundless rain, the silence will be unbearable, and there is no environment, what you walk on is solid air in a tempest. In the silence a huge mass of people dressed in complete darkness will appear and begin approaching you, do not fear. Take off your shirt and wrap it around your dominant hand and walk at them. Do not speak. When you get close hold your arm forward and simply fend aside anyone who is in your way, should your skin contact any of them, the silence will be broken and you will become visible to them, and that would mean the end. Going through you will see a man in scarlet; he will be the only one standing still, and the only one that can see you. An empty circle will oddly form with you and the man inside, the rest continuously walking. Stand and wait, once the man raises his hand you must immediately break the silence. “How many will perish when they are brought together?” The men will all stop and rhythmically face towards you, all of them eyeing your every move. Once they are all facing you, you must then ask “And how many will be there to fight back?” They will laugh. All but the one in the red cloak will laugh. Their cackling will resonate throughout the space you stand on, but you mustn’t give in. Resume asking, “And how many will be there to fight back?” Their laughter will grow and they will begin to fade. Once all but one are no more, ask one last question to the scarlet man, “Where will we be safe from them?” The man will bow before you and fade, the only thing left will be his scarlet red cloak. This cloak is object 71 of 538. When worn it brings you back to this space, the only place safe when they are brought together. Holder of Sanity In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Sanity". The receptionist will look at you strange, but you must keep asking the same question, and nothing else. Eventually, she will call for a "doctor" and you will be taken to the room in the furthest corner of the institution. Beware, for after this point, there is no turning back, and if you wish to leave then, tell the doctor that you are sorry, and must not have taken your medication today, and leave. Run as far away as you can, outside of the city limits, outside of the country limits, for cowards are not spared if caught. If you continue on, you will be put into a straight jacket and locked in a padded room. After a few days that seem like months, you will start to hear voices. Hundreds of them, all talking about how their lives were ruined. Their stories may drive you mad, and you would have to stay there for all eternity, for in your padded room, there is no death, only torture. If the voices stop talking, close your eyes tight, and shout at the top of your lungs, "I WILL NOT SHARE YOUR STORIES." If the voices continue to be absent, pray that the pain you will next feel will not be so bad, however unlikely this is. If the voices continue talking, single out the voice that speaks of the very hospital you are in, listen to his story, and open your eyes. You will not be in the cell anymore, but still in a straight jacket. Instead, you will be in what seems like an endless void, the only thing separating you and the void a glass box. A man will appear in front of you, and ask if you have any questions. He will respond to one, and only one question. Ask "What drove them to insanity?" He will go on in horrifying detail about the lives and deaths of them. During this time, a large black dot will appear to be moving through the void, but you must not focus your sight on it, for it will shatter the glass box, leaving you to fall into infinite for all eternity. Once the man is finished his story, he will remove the straight jacket from you, and bid you farewell, and you will be standing outside the institution. The jacket is object 72 of 538. May you never wear it again. Holder of Winter In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Winter". Should the receptionist begin to cry, you're at the right place. You will appear in a cold street in the middle of fall after a storm. Begin walking down the street. The houses are all dark and the twilight is forever. It is good to hear the cicadas and birds chirping, for if they stop you must run. Any direction will do, as long as it's down the street. If the cries continue again stop. Do not go off the road, the thing in the woods hates company. If you see a single black crow on the electric wires in the distance you must seize movement. Everything will become silent and they will know you have seen it, do not worry about running. The crow will begin flying at a horrendously slow pace toward you. Once you spot its green eyes you cannot avert your gaze from it, for if you do time will accelerate to mid winter and you will be unable to move, you will freeze to death slowly in the snow. Once the crow lands it will begin acting as if you aren't there and begin pecking at the ground, you must ask it one question and one question only with your gaze still at its eyes, if it turns you stare at its head. "What will we gain by bringing Winter?" The crow will continue pecking at the ground, but you will stare at it. It will suddenly begin staring directly at you as if into your own soul. The time will feel immeasurable and the late fall's cold will get to you but you will not avert your gaze. The crow will caw once and begin to fly away but you will not lose sight of it, you will give chase. You will come up to a forest and the crow will fly through, you will stare at where it last disappeared and pass through the trees. You will come to a clearing and you will find the crow long dead and rotting, the only thing left is one of its lucid green eyes. You will be filled with painful visions of yourself gouging out your own eye to replace it with the crow's. It will end; you will realize you are back on a busy street in your neighborhood, the eye in your hand. That eye is object 73 of 538. It can see into people’s hearts and show their true self, and they must never come together. Holder of the Mark In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Mark" he will freeze, as though he knew this moment was coming for a long time and was very afraid it had finally come. He will stutter and tell you there was no such man here, but be insistant. He will eventually yield and after looking around to see if anyone else is here he will beckon for you to follow him. He will lead you along corridors of increasingly smaller size, until you eventually have to stoop. He will point you to a door at the end of a corridor so small you have to crawl to. It will be perfectly normal except for a large exclamation mark in the centre and a smaller question mark on the doorknob. This is your last chance to turn away, and if you have the slightest hint of doubt in you I recommend you do so. If your will is strong, open the door gently and pull yourself through. You will be in a ornate hall, covered with wall paintings depicting famous historical dictators and murderers, butchers, rapists and serial killers. Do not linger on them, for the souls of the people reside in those pictures and the twisted hate of their life has been amplified in their death, waiting to reach out and rend you limb from limb, delighting in your slow painful death. When you finally reach the end of the hall, there will be a small wooden box with an insignia on it that is old and faded you will feel a sharp tingle go up your spine as you behold this item, and then a voice behind you will say: "Beautiful, is it not?" You must reply: "As the full moon." If he is not satisfied with your response, pray he doesn't make you one of his paintings and instead gives you a painless death, but if he is satisfied, he will say: "You ask?" You MUST say exactly "How do we destroy them?" He will laugh and say he doesn't know, but will simply state, "You're bound to think of something.". You will then wake up in the nearest bathroom, your eye in excruciating pain. As the pain recedes, you will see your pupil has now taken the shape of the mark on the box back in that room. That mark is object 74 of 538. It will let you behold the ultimate truth. Holder of Divinity In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you get to the front desk, ask to visit "The Holder of Divinity". Repeat this two more times before the worker responds. He should stiffen, looking straight upwards for a few seconds before looking back down at you with eyes of an indescribable color. You must then follow the worker, keeping your eyes on the ground, tracing his footsteps as exactly as you can. If you do not follow well enough, you will never find your way again. When the worker stops, turn around and look up from the ground. Resist any urge to look behind you from this point on. You will find yourself facing a door, with a hideously shaped red dagger stabbed into the center. Grip its handle, and an incredible pain should slowly creep up the skin of your arm, then across your whole body, sinking deeper and deeper into your body. If at any time you release your hold on the dagger, the pain will never go away, even after you die. Once the pain reaches your heart, you should feel a sudden surge of demonic strength. Rip the dagger from the door and it will swing open. You must run through the doorway and through a long, arched hallway, which will open into a strangely lit circular room. Go straight for the man in the center. He will be kneeling, facing away from you, deep in prayer, completely in shadow but surrounded by a golden glow. If he finishes his prayer, you will be damned for all eternity. Once you reach him, press the dagger to his throat and ask the question, "What do they teach?" He will begin to sing in answer. Do not try to comprehend his words; in your state they would destroy you. Listen only for the word "sacrifice". As soon as you hear this word, stab the dagger into his throat. His blood will seep onto the dagger, transforming it, and light will fill the room. You will find yourself standing on the roof of the building you started at, holding a pure-white feather. That feather is object 77 of 538. Protect it at all costs, for its fate is now your own. Holder of the Rails In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you get to the front desk, ask to visit "the holder of the rails". Should a look of doubt and fear come over the officer's face, you are in the right place, if a look of greed and lust come over the officer's face, run out of the station and keep running, you will hear an inhuman sound behind you, like the sound of a rabid dog chasing you. Keep running until that sound disappears or until you pass out. When you awaken, the officer will be gone and a new one will be in that officer's place at the station. While running, do not look back, for if you do, the now distorted and gruesome face of the officer will send paralyzing fear through your body and you will be caught, raped, and fed upon for the rest of eternity, feeling everything. The officer will take you to an elevator. Before the doors open, close your eyes. When you hear a bell, wait 5 seconds, and then take 3 steps in. Make a 180 degree spin, and keep your eyes closed. The officer will get on with you and press a button. You will never know what floor you will end up on, so don't fret. The same thing will happen. You will be riding on the elevator for hours, going straight down. You will hear a bell and the doors will open. The officer will say, "Is this where you want to go?" Do NOT answer; do NOT open your eyes. After a while, the officer will sigh and the doors will close. You will go down another floor and a buzz will ring out instead of the bell. The officer will say, "End of the line." Take 7 steps out and wait 30 seconds before opening your eyes. You will be in a long, dark hallway with old white, filth-caked walls. Blood will be oozing upward on the walls. Pay it no heed and walk. Walk swiftly, but don't speed walk or run. The demons hiding in the shadows love fast objects, and your scent will slowly drive them wild with hunger. When you get to the end, there will be a door with no knob. Push it open and you will be standing at the top of an escalator. It seems to go down into endless darkness, but don't let your mind waver and don't let your bravery falter. You've made it this far. There is no turning back. Should you hear a voice urge you to come down, ride the escalator all the way down. It will take you 7 days. If you hear a scream come from behind you, walk down the escalator at a normal walking speed. Count the first 20 steps in an indoor voice. Once you say '20', stop counting, but don't stop walking. You will hear loud footsteps behind you, matching your footsteps, sometimes a bit slower, sometimes a bit faster. Do not slow down, do not speed up, do not look behind you, and do not speak. The footsteps will sound like hard sandals hitting metal and you will become very annoyed. Still, keep your pace and do not falter. After about 20 minutes of walking, you will reach the platform. The footsteps will end and you will feel a presence right behind you. Turn around to face your follower. If it is a female apparition with a scarf on her head, you are safe for now. If it is a male apparition that stands at least 2 feet taller than you, throw yourself onto the tracks and the train will come instantly and end your life. The female will smile at you and lean up to kiss you. Let her. She will thank you for accompanying her down the long escalator ride. At that time, ask her, "Where do I go?" She will gasp and move away and beg you not to continue. She will confess her love for you and wrap her arms around you. Ask her again, with sternness in your voice. "Where do I go?" If she pulls back and pushes you onto the track, pray that the train comes and takes your life before the woman calls forth her small demons. As small as they may be, they will enter your body and eat you from the inside out. Should she pull away and cry, caress her cheek and tell her you love her softly. She will begin to tell you in a riddle like manner where the last and strongest holder is. Ask her this, "How will I know when it happens?" When she opens her mouth to answer, the train will come, blowing its horn and awakening all of the demons from your worst nightmares. They will begin stampeding down the escalator, rage flaring in their monstrous eyes. Run as fast as you can to the front car of the train. Those doors will be the only doors that open, and they'll open for anyone. The apparition is in the driver's seat, looking at you with sadness in her eyes. Don't stare into her eyes, for they will enchant you and cause you to forget your mission. The demons will rip you apart slowly and each day, you will heal just for it to happen again. Reach over the apparition and press the only button. It will make the train move and seal all the doors. Now, it is safe to look at the apparition. Ask her the question again. "How will I know when it happens." she will begin to blink in and out of existence and finally fade away, smiling. Her spirit is now free. Now, however, the station around you will begin to crumble and the train is speeding out of control. The lights will turn red and a gruesome demonic voice will answer you. "When the sun shines at night, And the moon lights up the day, When the Devil runs to Heaven, And God hides away, When the plagues return at once, And all of the first born sons die, When thunder flashes and lightning rains, And the Earth becomes the sky, When fire cools and water burns, When clouds surround and the mountains churn, When screams are silent and silence becomes sound, When angels fall from the melting ground, The Legion will arise." The voice will speak slowly and you must run to the very last car into the control room and pull what looks like a jewel studded level down. Once you pull it down, pull it out of the panel and you will see it's a dagger. Where the button was in the first control room there will be a heart. Stab the heart and close your eyes. Scream out as loud as you can, "I FIGHT FOR THE SOULS THAT WERE LOST IN THIS TRAIL! THIS MOTION IS FOR THEM!" Drag the dagger down the hear and a loud screech will be heard. Your eyes will open and you will be arriving at the station closest to you home. You will be sitting in a random seat with the dagger in your lap. Since it's illegal to carry weapons on a train, you may want to conceal it as you leave. There will be a red taxi with wings on the door and a horn on the hood. Go to it, put your hand on the handle of the door and close your eyes. Get in, don't speak, don't open your eyes. Count to 10 in your head and open your eyes. You will be on your couch at home. If you look on your nightstand, you will see a picture of yourself and that apparition while she was alive. You two will be in a playful embrace and suddenly, sadness will wash over you. You will suddenly think you have just lost the love of your life, the love you never had. Look at the dagger. It is up to you whether to use it. That dagger is object 78 of 538. It will only pierce one heart: the heart of its owner. Holder of Simplicity In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you get to the front desk, ask to visit "The Holder of Simplicity". Should the worker utter a single, piercing shriek, place his hands on his ears and close his eyes, you have come to the right place and should feel free to ask again. But, if he simply ignores you and writes something down, your life is doomed; you will instantly become completely aware of everything that has to happen for each action you make to occur, from stepping on an ant to blinking. After you ask the second time, the worker should instantly calm down and ask you to follow her. She will lead you on a roundabout path, heading through the seemingly endless halls of the school. Count the number of right turns you make- after seven right turns, casually slip into the shadows and let the worker continue walking. Should you fail to do this, you will never get another chance to leave, and those endless halls will swallow you up forever. If you succeeded in losing the worker, stick your hands in your pockets and look around for a bulletin board. There will be a morass of colorful announcements tacked to it, with an array of eye-catching pictures and descriptions of incredibly exciting activities. Do not be strayed by these- they are trying to hide the one you are looking for. Look for a plain white sheet of paper almost completely covered by the others. Take note of the room number, then look at the time of the activity it advertises. The date will always be today's, but if the time has already passed, then you are too late- they have caught you, and nothing you can do will keep them away. If the time is later than what it is right then, start searching for the classroom. None of the wall-mounted directories are the same, and the numbering system is horribly random. You will likely never find the place, and will be lost searching for it among the endless halls while the hunters circle in. If by some miracle you do manage to locate the room, ready a weapon and prepare yourself. If you didn't make it before the listed time, the door will slam and lock, and nothing will ever convince it to open for you again. If you make it in time, take the door at a run, weapon ready. A heavily decorated Biology classroom will greet you. The room's paint job is disgusting- rancid, vile colors drip freshly slathered from every surface. Posters line the walls, emblazoned with pictures of impossible, unholy creatures. Books in dark, lost languages lie scattered on the floor. Yet the room is empty- almost. At the far end of the room, a student sits hunched over one of the unspeakable creatures from the posters, frantically dissecting it with a long-bladed scalpel. You must ask him the right question, or he will smash the creature aside and turn to find a new subject to dissect- you. At the top of your lungs, scream to him "Why did it not happen then?" The student will scream, horribly, and whirl around. Time will seem to slow, and in one second he will tell you the hours-long story of why it did not happen then, and all the things that have gone wrong because of it. When he finishes, the creature on the table will whirl up and attack him, tearing him to shreds in seconds. His calculator will fly from the melee- grab it quickly, but dare not to open it. With whatever weapon you have, target the thing's head and aim to destroy, or it will do the same to you. Whirl for the door- the rest of the class has arrived. They all brought their dissection kits today, but you've ruined their only subject- and now they want you to replace it. Battle your way out of that classroom. The topography has changed. Where once endless, grotesquely painted halls stretched, a single, bare concrete walkway stretches across a pit of flames to a steel door. Fight your way over there- do whatever it takes to get through that door. The moment you grab the handle, everything will turn white. Shut your eyes. Count to five, then open your eyes again. You will be holding the handle of the locker room door at the last school you ever attended. Open it and walk into the locker room. Pull the student's calculator from your pocket, turn it on, and press the key labelled "ENTRY". A number will appear. Toss away the calculator and find the locker with that number on the door. It will be unlocked- open it. The whetstone inside is object 81 of 538. When used on any blade, that blade will never again grow dull, and nothing will be able to resist its bite. It is for the blade that will help you destroy Him. Holder of Corruption In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you get to the front desk, ask to visit "The Holder of Corruption." The attendant behind the desk will look down, and then begin to scream. Close your eyes tight, you won't want to see what they are doing. When the screaming stops, open your eyes. You should be in a small, dark room, with wooden walls. There will be a solid looking door of copper and wood behind you. Walk up to the door, knock twice, and open it. You will be standing in the place you call home, but horribly distorted. You will recognize it, but it will be difficult to find your way. Everything will be decayed and rotting. Insects, rats, and all kinds of horrible things wander the house. The house will be buried deep underground, dirt blocks the windows, making it pitch black. You had better have brought a light. If not, the walls won't exist, and you'll wander for the rest of your existence, in the darkness, unable to die, or to feel weariness. If you did bring a light, however, you are in luck. Quickly find your way to your parents room. On the bed will be a twisted visage of both of your parents, in one body. They will be naked, and smeared in horrible substances, filth, feces, blood, vomit, everything possible. They will be horribly gibbering your name. You cannot react to this at all. If you do, you will join them as one, and your mind and body will break slowly over thousands of years. You will know only torment, and the torment of all others to ever die. Instead, resolutely stare them in the eyes, and ask them "Why did this come to pass?" At this point, they will split into two separate bodies, and tell you from beginning to end, then from end to beginning at the same time, why it came to pass. It will be a horrifying tale, because it will seem it is your fault these things happened. You will most likely go mad from guilt. If you do not, however, the two bodies will produce an hourglass, and place it on the floor. Thank them, and gently pick it up with both hands. You will wake up in the place you call home laying on the floor in the most windowed room. It will be 3:32 in the morning. No light will come from the windows till the morning comes. The hourglass is object 83 of 538. When the sands of one end run empty, then it will begin. Don't let this happen. Holder of Dreams In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Dreams". The person behind the desk shall stare at you with piercing eyes, tell you such person is not there. Ask him or her, where can you find him, and you’ll be granted with a key, with a number attached to it. Walk out from the building, into the street, and go north. If the street doesn’t go neither north or south, go east, when turn north once you notice a street at your left. Keep walking until you see a hotel. Maybe you never heard of it, maybe you never realized it was there, but this is your destination. Enter the hotel, and speak to nobody, answer no questions directed to you by the one in the lobby or other guests. Look at the number attached to the key, and find the bedroom’s door where the key belongs. Once you find it, open the door. Enter the hotel bedroom, and close the door. You’ll want to wait until, at least, sunset, when the first stars show up in the sky. Turn off any possessing mobile phones, don’t turn on the TV, have no objects which can be make sounds. Without changing clothes, lay down in the bed, and close your eyes. Even if you’re not asleep, your mind will drift away, and you’ll be sleeping soon. Think of good things while waiting with your eyes shut, because if fear or bad thoughts emerge, it might be too late. They know you’re there. If all goes well, you’ll wake up in the next morning. Leave the hotel with no explanations, return home, and resume your life, but be prepared. You did, without knowing, a pact. Accepting to take this path granted you horrible consequences. 3 people you know will die in the following days. They will die in horrible, disgusting ways you couldn’t imagine it was possible. React no more than what is normal to a human. Go to their funerals, mourn for them. Keep moving with your life. Do not attempt to return to the hotel or back to the asylum, or it will be all over, and you will wish you had died the same way your friends did. It would have been less horrifying. After one week, 7 complete days, you will see, for sure, the death of the 3rd person. There will be no way to avoid it. It will be the person next to you in the 7th day, and no matter how much you’ll try to stay alone in the day, that person will still come to you, without guessing his/her fate. It will also be the person you most care for, doesn’t matter how he/she appeared, the person will be there. When it happens, while you’re unable to save the person, you cannot turn around or close your eyes, or you’ll suffer the same fate. It will be as the entire legion of Hell came to consume your friend into pain, agony and despair until his/her last breath. You must not scream, or react. Just watch. When all is over, when there’s nothing left but the mutilated corpse of your friend, you’ll feel an hand tap your shoulder. Do NOT turn around, or the boned hand will grasp your neck, and death will be slow and painful. The figure behind will ask “Did you enjoy?” Do not answer. Instead, ask “How can I protect my dear one?” The hand patting your should will rise and point at the corpse. Approach it, and you shall see a faint light coming from inside the now decomposing chest. Reach for it, and remove a small silvery trinket from your flesh. Once you do this, you’ll hear a pitched scream, and the ground under your feet will vanish. Keep holding the trinket tightly, DO NOT LET IT GO, as you fall into the darkness. You’ll wake up in the hotel bedroom. Check the calendar. Those 7 days were a dream. Nothing happened at all, your friends and family are safe and sound. But you’ll have the trinket in your hands. The trinket is object 84 of 538. Give it to the one you most care for- it might well be their only salvation. Holder of Sorrow In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Sorrow." The worker will frown and bite his lip. Hesitantly, he will lead you deep within the facility until you reach a rusted, charred iron door. He will open the door for you, and you must enter in the darkness in complete silence. Once you are inside, the worker will quietly close the door shut and bolt it locked. You will hear the many screams of tortured souls within a few meters of you. Should the screams stop at any time, QUICKLY scream at the top of your lungs “I do not feel sorry for you!” If they do not resume, hope for a quick death, as it is useless to run. However, if the screams return, continue walking forward in darkness. Keep walking until you see a dim light glow in front of you. Once this happens, IMMEDIATELY halt and stare at it. You will be tempted to look upon the faces of the tormented beings hanging on the walls, and they will plea for your help. Do not answer their cries, for if you avert your eyes from the light, your mind will instantly be shattered and you will reflexively begin to gouge your eyes out. The light will reveal a man standing with his back to you, and his presence will cause the screams around you to subside. He will only respond to one question: “Who will be spared when they come together?” He will whirl around to meet your gaze, and answer your question with excruciating detail. Do not interrupt his speech. What would happen if you did could not be described by the most sick and twisted criminal in the history of the world. When he is done, he will hand to you what appears to be an ordinary rock. He will back away from you, the glow of the mysterious light fading away. The words will begin to ring in your mind, “He who is without sin shall cast the first stone.” Close your eyes and count to ten. When you open them you will be standing in front of the front desk in the institution. The stone is object 85 of 538. It can only be thrown when they come together. Holder of the Lens In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself into. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Lens." The attendant will not acknowledge your request at first, but you must continue to ask. When she raises her head, she will give you a questioning look, and ask if you are sure. If you have any doubt in your mind that you will not succeed, turn away quietly and never return. If you have no doubt of your impending victory, then give her a single nod. She will smile softly and lead you through a door behind the desk. The door will open into a steel-gray hall, straight and narrow, barely wide enough for the two of you to traverse. Large mirrors, spaced at odd intervals along the walls, will reflect the two of you along the path; you must look in every one of them as you pass. Should one of the mirrors show that the attendant has disappeared, begin to pray, for you will not be long in this world. However, should it be you missing from the mirror, stop and turn to face it. The attendant will turn around and push it aside, revealing a darkened room. Make sure to thank her before you step inside; the powers in this place do not tolerate a rude visitor. The mirror will slide silently back into place, coating the room in darkness, and a voice will begin to mutter nonsense words to itself for an indeterminate time. Should they stop, you must state calmly, "I am only here to see a friend." If the voice returns, it will not be a whisper, but a roar of anger that will shred your body, leaving your soul to be slowly consumed by the Holder; if the room begins to light up, then you have intrigued him. You will find yourself in a small, dimly-lit room, with only a single chair in the center of the light. Stand still, do nothing until a voice asks you to sit, then do so. The Holder will ask you many questions, and you must answer them truthfully, and not make any attempt to clarify their details, no matter how damning they might be. Lying to him will bring out his demon, and you want to avoid that for now. When he is finished, he will thank you for your honesty, and tell you that he wishes to know why you came. Ask him, "May I see your face?" The Holder will laugh kindly, and a pair of glasses will drop into your lap. Take the time to think of the one thing that means the most to you, and put the glasses on. Now you will see the room in whole, oozing pestilent blood from every inch of every surface, save the small ring of illuminated floor. Do not stand until the holder asks you to, and when he does, leap up onto the seat of the chair immediately. The light will go out, and blood will rush to fill the gap, but you will still be able to see through the lenses. Look directly ahead of you, and politely ask to see the Holder's face again. The blood that forms the wall will part like a curtain, and a figure will emerge. If it is anything but the figure that you pictured in your mind before donning the glasses, quickly remove them and throw them aside. If you are fast enough, the darkness will part to reveal the doorway of the institution you came to; count yourself amongst the most fortunate. Should you be too slow, then your blood will be added to the room's- very, very slowly. If, however, it is the object, step down from the chair. Your feet will touch the blood, but you will not sink. Take five steps forward and halt. The object, whatever or whomever it may be, will move to match your distance. Take three more steps, and wait for the object to move again, then take a single step. This time, when the object moves, you must ball up a fist and strike it with all of the strength you can muster. Hold nothing back, and press your fist through it. The surface will give way and shatter as glass, revealing a floating skull, with chunks of putrid, rotting flesh still clinging to its visage. Pull your hand back immediately, and do not examine the wounds on your hand. Bow and thank the Holder as politely as you can. He will then ask, with horrid breath, if you wish to see your face. Politely decline, and begin to turn away. A hand will place itself on your shoulder, and the Holder will insist. Now, ask him, "How do they see?" The hand will then forcefully shove you down, and you will sink into the bloody floor. As you pass, press a hand to your face, and keep the glasses from falling away. They are all that protects you. You will see scores of images, ghastly and demented, pass by your vision as you descend. In all of this, you must not avert your eyes in any way from these scenes, scarring as they might be, for one of them is you. As you pass your own mutilated image, reach out and touch it. The sea of blood will dissipate, replaced by complete darkness. When a door appears, open it. The light will be blinding, but you will find yourself safe, walking away from one of the institution's restrooms. Remember to say "Thank you," for the Holder has enjoyed your company. The glasses you wear are object 86 of 538, the Eyes of Clarity. When the time comes, you can see what they see. Holder of Youth In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Youth." The attendant will choke back a childish giggle and rise from her seat, motioning for you to follow. Do so, but do not show any emotion other than annoyance, for there are creatures watching you, waiting for a chance to erase your mind and make you do their foul bidding. The attendant will lead you through the facility, skipping merrily along and turning down hallways at a whim. Do not bother trying to remember the path, for it will soon be irrelevant. After what will feel like hours of walking, she will turn into an empty room and halt abruptly, announcing that you have arrived. Follow her in and shut the door firmly, then move aside. She will wait, rocking gingerly on her heels, then bounce towards the door, opening it with little more than a grin. Through the door, there will be a lush meadow, teeming with vibrance and life. Follow your guide through the frame and stop when she does. She will then glance around nervously, and lean towards you with apprehension in her eyes; she will speak a single, whimsical word, then depart, leaving through the door and closing it. You must make sure not to forget that word. Walk forward with rigid, stoic paces, keeping an angry visage upon your features; the guardians here know you do not belong, but will be too afraid to strike... for now. Continue walking until you reach a ring of flowers, and step inside it. They will all wilt suddenly, with the exception of one small portion. Go in that direction, and that direction only, for 44 paces, then stop, turn to your right, and walk another 44 paces. When you stop for a second time, turn completely around. You should be in a dense, verdant forest. If you are not, then the guardians have mustered their courage, and no power in this place will try to save you. When you arrive, immediately take three steps backwards; you should come to rest against a large tree. Vines and branches will snake over your body and hold you there, but do not struggle. No matter how tightly they constrict, you must not show your pain, but keep glaring forward, lest the tree decide to crush you on itself. When the growth stops, several children will burst from the bushes, laughing and playing, oblivious to your presence, and form a ring around the tree. As they begin to dance around it, they will sing in pleasant voices, a silly children's' song, making the trees around them shudder with laughter. Whatever you do, do not speak or soften your face, but wait until the children pause and sit to catch their breath. One of them will finally notice you, and ask what you are doing there. Tell them that you wish to see Father, and they will gasp as one. Should they begin to giggle, then your death will arrive soon, by creatures which no words could ever describe. Sternly tell them again that you wish to speak with Father, and their leader will hang his head glumly, muttering acquiescences to you. He will stand and walk away, leaving all the others around you. They will begin to speak, to themselves and you, but you must not look at them, listen to them, or even think about anything they might say to you; they only seek to break your stoic mask and flee their punishment. If their words should ever cease, then growl at them, "Stop pouting about it and enjoy yourselves." You must sound as menacing as possible, and they will resume talking; no one knows what happens if they remain silent. When the other child finally arrives, he will sit back down, and a tall, wizened figure will emerge from the thicket. He will stare at you, a gaunt, annoyed face that should match your own, and demand to know why you came here, of all places. Glare at him and ask, "Does it truly matter?" The figure will sigh darkly, and begin a long-winded rant about the follies of youth; stay silent, for he will not take kindly to interruptions. When he finally winds down, he will ask again why you are here. Ask him, "What were they before this? The old man's eyes will flash with understanding, and he will sit on a nearby stone and begin to speak. He will tell you, in every possible detail, what they were in a time before time, when there was still a shred of goodness within what they kept. He will explain, with a heavy voice, the calmer times, and tell you of the events that sparked their fall. Every slight, every delusion, every crushed dream will be laid bare by his words. As the old man speaks, the lush green around you will give way to blackened, dead soil, rotting trees, and foul, half-rotting vegetation; do not change your expression, and hold your gaze on the old man. The story will end with "See what they have do to my children?" The small figures that sat around you will now be festering corpses, all eying you with gleams of sadness in their putrescent faces, begging for release. They will all stand, and trot towards you, with their Father telling you that their hunger must be sated. Now, in your loudest voice, scream the word you were told when you arrived. Should you have forgotten, or mispronounce it in any way, then you will spend the rest of eternity as the dead children's' meal. Speak it correctly, and they should all fall to the ground, clutching their ears shut, and the constricting briars from the tree will shatter. Take the largest piece of wood that you can find, run toward the old man, and stab him in the neck with it. As he chokes on his own blood, he will hold a single rose aloft. Take it from his hand, as darkness will surround you, forcing you to choke and die like him. When your lungs feel as though they shall burst, you will find yourself at the door to the place you call home, gasping for air and clutching the flower in your clammy hand. That rose is object 87 of 538, Forlorn Remembrance. It stands for the purity that once was, and never shall be again. Holder of the Chosen Seeker In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution house you can get yourself into. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls themselves "The Holder of the Seeker". A bored look will stretch across their face and they will ask you, "Friend or Family?" as they shuffle through their papers. Answer promptly, but calmly, that you are "The One Who Seeks". They will shoot you a look that will make you feel as if you were already committed. Perhaps you should be if you are actually considering this voyage. The clerk will dismiss you, claiming to have no time for pranks. Do not press the issue. You will only be escorted out by the guards, and your attempt will be ruined. Leave at once, and place your hand on the door of the building. Many who have sought this Holder distinctly remember weeping bitterly at this point, though I doubt you will need to. Scream at the top of your lungs, with a voice enough to shake the stones "I KNOW THAT THEY ARE REAL! DON'T LET THIS END HERE!" You will feel a hand on your back. Perhaps she will touch your shoulder or arm, or perhaps she will tug on your pant-leg. Turn to face her, although she will not be there. You will find a run-down shack directly across or down the road from you. If a forbidding air seems to push you away from it, you know you have found the place. If you wish to spare yourself the innumerable horrors of the 2537 objects, turn back now. No-one will think the less of you. However, if you are brave, steel yourself and knock upon the plastic-siding door. It will slide back, revealing a beautiful woman in an elegant dress. Her eyes will be dark-ringed from lack of sleep, and red from crying for so many years. So many years. And those brown eyes were so vivid once. She will ask you if you truly believe in them. Tell her the truth, for if you are lying to her this day she will know. Your quest will end here. If you do tell her the truth, and she likes your answer, then she will invite you in. Remove your shoes once inside. She is a neat freak and would be angry if you tracked anything on the carpet. Yes, the inside of this ramshackle place will be opulent, bedecked in marble, gold, silks, and fine woods. Some exist here who remember building this for her. Touch nothing as she escorts you into her lounge. Especially touch not the crystals. One inside the lounge, sit at the low table as she reclines opposite you. This table is shaped as a bagua, with a crystal ball in the center and feet made from effigies of the other objects. Do not look at them. Do not touch the ball. There will be time for this yet. She will ask you questions. Deep questions about your dark secrets. Questions that will lay bare your every sin and failure. If she begins to cry, know this: She weeps for you, and she weeps for herself. Do not console her. After a while, she will touch the crystal ball. Do so as well. She will ask your name. Give it in full. Your name will drift away into the crystal ball. She will ask your birthdate. Give it. It too, will drift away. She will ask you for your titles, your pseudonyms, your signon names, your nicknames. All will float away from you and into her crystal ball. When she bids you rise, do so, and follow her to her bedchamber. Here, she will lay out clothes on the bed and step outside, still clutching her crystal ball. Strip yourself naked in front of the mirror. Do not leave a single ring on your finger, or in your ear. You must be bare of all but your skin. Throw your clothes into the unlit fireplace. Dress yourself in the clothes that she laid out for you. Your fate will be sealed by the colors of the garments. Lay down in the bed. Do not lay on your side or on your stomach, for if you do, you will lay there for all eternity, never able to sleep, but experiencing every nightmare there ever was or will be in every moment. Lay still for four minutes and thirteen seconds. If you stir, she will not come. When she does come she will be wearing the same clothes that you are, and her raven black hair will be deftly brushed. Her makeup will be done to a tee, and she will look ever so beautiful. This is your last glimpse of true beauty before your long journey of horror. She will toss your shoes into the fireplace and light it, burning all of your clothes and belongings. She will then lay down next to you in the bed, smoothing back your hair as a mother might her child. Watch in stillness as hundreds of grotesque servants enter the room. Do not look them in their pain-wracked eyes. Do not listen to their sullen murmurings. For if you do, they will make sounds that will slowly and painfully melt your every bone. They will then take your frameless form from the bed and consume you alive, inconsiderate and unworthy person you are. As long as you do not do these things, and you allow her to pet you, and you stay absolutely still, you may watch as these servants in their black clothing bring in your every belonging and throw it into the fire. Do not weep for the loss of these things. The worst is yet to come. When all your things have burned to cinders, she will roll over and straddle your waist. She will then poke and prod your muscles and nerves. At times she will seem to poke at your very marrow. She will then rise to her full hight and say, "You know what it is you must ask. Ask it." Ask her "Am I the One Chosen to Seek Them?" This may yet be your last moment with your mind, heart, soul and body intact. She will likely begin to cry. Ever harder. Her tears will splash down on your chest. She will begin to massage her tears into your skin. If at this point her nails dig into you, know that your every lie this day has been discovered. Foul creature, how could you lie to her? Her tears will leak into your veins and dissolve your will into a screaming husk, and you will serve to carry people's belongings for all eternity, but never have any of your own. If, however, she bends over and kisses you on the lips, and your white garments touch hers, know that you have been chosen. She will tell you of the Holders who have been lost to documentation. She will tell you the proper order in which to approach the Holders, so that you may seek Them. And by seeking Them, seek Him. She will then whisper into your ear your new name, your name as the Chosen Seeker. Know that every person who knows of you will not remember any name, pseudonym, nickname, or signon you gave them. Only your name as the Chosen Seeker. If you stand at the footsteps of any mental institution or halfway house and ask the wind to bring you the Bride of the Seeker, her home will appear for you as a haven from your troubles. You are now object 90 out of 538, the Chosen Seeker of the objects. Whether you seek to gather them or destroy them, we who have gone before you pray for your soul. Do not let us down. Holder of Honour In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Honor." The attendant will look up from his papers and hand you a thick Tarot card. Should you be given the Moon card, then know you are ready to face this trial; however, if the attendant passes you the Devil card, turn away, and do not return until you have lived through another of the Holders' ordeals. Only with their infernal strength will you survive this task. If you remain, the attendant will ask you to check the church at the end of the street, and return to his paperwork. Leave the building and walk leisurely down the street, and enjoy what may be your final moments alive. When you reach the end of the road, you will see an old, dilapidated structure that may have been a house of worship a long time past. Enter the door carefully, lest the frame collapse on you. You will be surrounded by light, and taken to the place where the objects you have gathered lay before you, along with two doors. Know now that if you lack the cloak, the Beast's Resolve, the shield, or the sword, then take the door on the left and leave, for you are doomed to fail. If you possess one or more of these items, then choose one and enter the door to your right. You will pass into a hellish expanse of wasteland, its horizon surging with infernal flames and showers of blood pounding the barren ground beneath your feet. Far in the distance, a tall structure juts out, its stark and polished whiteness blaring its presence to everything here. And, rest assured, you are not alone. You will only have a handful of seconds to take in these sights before a horde of demons begins to rush towards you. If you carry the cloak with you, drape it over yourself and walk towards the building; the creatures are an extension of the Holder, who sees you through their hatred. Otherwise, arm yourself with the plain sword that appears at your feet, as the king's blade will not come free should you wear it. The demons are numerous, but frail; they exist only as a thought, and one stroke will cleave them apart. No matter how you do so, it will take a very long time to reach the structure, but you will never find yourself tired from the exertions of moving or fighting - conflict is the food of life here, and you are part of its source. When you climb onto the first step of the entrance, the endless swarm of creatures pouring from its doors will finally halt, and the crowd that eagerly pressed against itself to flay you will calm and watch your every movement as you ascend to the large, opulent doors. They will part as you walk, forming a silent, vigilant ring that urges you toward their keeper. The inside is just as lavish as its outer shell, dressed in fine fabrics and frescoes, beautiful statues, and beautiful mosaics inlaid into the floor. The Holder's minions will form a solid path from which you should not dare deviate; they are much more resilient here, within their home. Follow your only sensible option for as long as it leads you but do not turn back or make to leave. Your passage will lead to a spacious and stark room, dotted only by a throne and two figures; a naked, brown-skinned woman reclining in the seat, and a pale man bedecked in armor, kneeling on the floor in front of her. State without fear that you have come to answer the challenge. With a grin from the woman, the knight will rise, don a helmet, and bring sword and shield to bear. Should you possess the sword, the blade you were given will morph into a round shield, and your own weapon will let itself be drawn. Should you lack the shield, the knight will toss one to you, letting it slide to a halt at your feet. One way or another, when you have equipped yourself properly, a suit of half plate will form around you, and the knight will charge. Now, it is up to you and your skills. If you chose the sword, know that his armor alone will not save him, as the king's blade will batter and eventually pierce the heavy metal. If you opted to take the shield, then do not fear the knight's blade, for it cannot break the hellish protector. But whatever you decided, be aware that the knight is a very formidable opponent; he will use any means he can to defeat you, whether it be his blade, his shield, or punishing, steel-hardened strikes from his hands and feet. To best the knight, you must cleave his sword arm from his body; only then will he yield, kneeling to you and ignoring the mangled, bleeding stump. If you are victorious, the woman will rise and walk towards you. Kneel, and hold your weapon tight in your hand. She will tell you "Obey the strong; destroy the weak." Now, ram the blade through her gut and wrench it upwards. As her body slumps to the floor, sheathe your blade and offer the knight his missing arm. As he holds it back to the wound, his armor will shatter, revealing him to be a humanoid figure with fire-blackened skin, golden hair, and deep amethyst eyes that bore into your soul. He will compliment you on your fight, and on seeing through his master's illusion. He will speak, in length, of the measures that were placed in this realm to guard the object here, and how he extended them through himself. When he finishes, he will permit you to ask one question. You must request of him, "Why do you follow Him, my lord?" The Holder will seat himself as he tells you, in a gravely voice that holds the weight of ages of vows, how he fought his way into His favor, and describe, in painful detail, how he fought Him and lost. The words will take shape as the hell knight speaks, burning the images of the entire story into your memory. The Holder will explain the agonizing torture he suffered, and you shall feel his pain as he speaks. If your mind cannot endure this, then you will take the dead woman's place as the Holder's next decoy, but if you persevere, then the Holder will tell you the vow he took to escape the unending torment. When this is finished, he will stand and offer you the only remaining piece of his armor; the gauntlet is still pristine, despite the battle. Replace yours with the one you are offered. Then, the Holder will advise you to arm yourself again, for you must fight your way to the entrance of his home. Only when you are ready will he order his minions to attack. If you chose to carry the Beast's Resolve, it will manifest itself now, surging though your body and lending you the strength of the most fearsome of demons. Otherwise, it will be a long and savage battle to the front door. If you manage to reach the foyer alive and rend through the frenzy around you to the door, white light will surround you, yanking you across dimensions and dropping you outside the wrecked church. Everything will be gone, your chosen object returned to its place of holding, but the knight's gift will remain. That gauntlet is object 91 of 538, the Hand of Obedience. Though he cannot aid you, the knight hopes that you will free him from his servitude.

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