VESSEL

WE RAN INTO SOME TROUBLE. LIKE, HUGE TROUBLE.

WE CONTINUED OURSEARCH FOR SILVERMIST, WHEN THIS GUY SHOWED UP. HE WAS DRESSED ALL IN RED AND HAD RED EYES AND HAIR. HE LOOKED ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE DANIEL.

“Hey there, pal!” HE CALLED TO US. “You down for a little party I'm throwin'?”

“Who all's invited?” ESTREN ASKED SUSPIIOUSLY.

“Oh, that's the best part!” THE MAN SAID. “It's just gonna be you and me, big boy!”

“Doesn't sound like much of a party wityh just two people,” ESTREN SAID.

“Oh, trust me,” HE SAID. “It'll be a party!”

WE DIDN'T GET ANY TIME TO REACT. HE WAS UPON US ALMOST INSTANTLY. HE HAD HIS HAND AROUND ESTREN'S THROAT AND WAS SQUEEZING TIGHTLY. I TRIED FORCING MYSELF INTO HIS BODY, NUT IT FAILED. THERE WAS ALREADY ANOTHER POSSESSER INSIDE OF HIM, AND IT FORCED ME OUT. I WAS THROWN BACK INTO ESTREN'S BODY. IT WAS JUST AS I FEARED FROM THE BEGINNING. THIS GUY WAS A BLOOD VESSEL.

HE JERKED HIS HAND QUICKLY, AND ESTREN'S NECK SNAPPED. HE DROPPED US TO THE GROUND. I'M SURPRISED ESTREN WAS ABLE TO SURVIVE THAT. I GUESS CARDS CAN LIVE THROUGH A LOT OF PUNISHMENT.

“See?” THE GUY SAID. “One hell of a party, right?”

HE LIFTED HIS LEG AND SMASHED HIS FOOT DOWN ON ESTEEN'S CHEST, BREAKING SEVERAL RIBS. HE WAS LAUGHING LIKE A MANIAC. HE RAISED HIS LEG AND STOMPED ON US AGAIN. THIS TIME, SOME OF ESTREN'S BROKEN RIBS PIERCED INTO HS LUNG. ESTREN GRABBED HIS CUTLASS AND MADE A WEAK ATTEMPT TO SLASH AT OUR ASSAILANT, BUT HE SIMPLY GRABBED THE BLADE IN MID SWING, ALLOWING T TO CUT THROUGH HIS SKIN. HE TOSSED OUR SWORD ASIDE. BLOOD- OR, MORE ACCURATELY, THE RED CAP- BEGAN FLOWING FROM HIS OPEN WOUND. IT RE-SHAPED ITSELF IN MIDAIR, TAKING THE SHAPE OF A SWORD, BEFORE SOLIDIFYING INTO SHINING SCARLET CRYSTAL. HE STABBED US REPEATEDLY IN NONVITAL PLACES, TRYING TO MAKE US HURT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BEFORE HE POINTED THE TIP OF HIS CRYSTAL SWORD AT OUR HEART.

“Before I kill you, I'm going to tell you why I'm doing this,” HE SAID. “You see, I'm from another universe. In my world, I was forced into one of the Game Master's tournaments. While I was there, I met a man named Doug Franklin. We begame friends. Perhaps even more than that. However, as fate would have it, we were pitted against each other in the final battle. I beat him. I beat him black and blue. But I couldn't finish it. The rules dictated that I had to kill him, but I didn't have it in me. I just couldn't do it. So do you know what he did?”

“What?” ESTREN ASKED WEAKLY. A LOOK OF ABSOLUTE DISGUST CAME OVER THE MAN'S FACE.

“He had one of his servants hold my eyelids open while he slaughtered Doug in front of me,” HE SAID. “I wanted to kill him, but I got pulled nto this world before I got the chance. And od course, the Game Master in this universe is already dead, but I'll settle for the next best thing; His servants.”

“If that's true, why would you tell Amy about the Hostel so she could find help for Al?” ESTREN ASKED. 

OF COURSE. I  DIDN'T THINK OF IT AT FIRST, THIS MUST'VE BEEN THE SAME BLOOD VESSEL WHO ATTACKED AMY.

“Simple,” THE MAN SAID. “Your brother was the one holding my eyes open. I don't want him to die of some illness. I want his death to mean something. I was to fight him at the peak of his power. I want to face him in a battle of great proportions, in which only one of us will live to see the end. And once I kill you, he'll have all the mitivation he needs to face me. NOW DIE!!!”

HE WAS JUST ABOUT TO THRUST THE SWORD THROUGH US WHEN THE SOUND OF A GUNSHOT WAS HEARD, AND HIS NECK SNAPPED BACK. HE SEEMED CONFUSED. HE REMOVED THE BULLET FROM HIS FORHEAD, AS IF IT WAS NOTHING.

“Who the f--- just shot me?” HE DEMANDED.

MORE SHOTS WERE FIRED. HE SEEMED TO BARELY FEEL ANY OF THEM. HE RUSHED AT THE PERSON FIRING. ESTREN MOVED HIS HEAD AS MUCH AS HE COULD. WE COULD SEE HIM STANDING OVER A WOMAN, WITH A HAND AROUND HER THROAT.

“You're a feisty one, aren't you?” HE SAID. “I think I'll have some fun with you before I rip your face off and feed it to you.”

I TOOK OVER AND FIRED A BALL OF FIRE AT HIS BACK. I DON'T THINK IT DID HIM ANY DAMAGE, BUT IT GOT HIS ATTENTION AND ALLOWED THE WOMAN TO BREAK FREE. SHE RUSHED UP TO US AND KNOCKED US OUT WITH THE BUTT OF HER RIFLE. NEXT THING I KNOW, WE'RE WAKING UP IN A SLENDER PROXY HIDEOUT IN A BED. I TOOK CONTROL OF ONE OF THE PROXIES WHO WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO GET CLOSE SO THAT I COULD WRITE THIS POST. I THINK I'LL GO BACK TO ESTREN'S BODY AFTER THIS. WEARING THIS HUMAN BODY... IT SUCKS. THIS GUY IS PATHETIC WHEN COMPARED TO ESTREN'S STRENGTH. I DON'T CARE IF HIS BODY IS BROKEN TO BITS RIGHT NOW, I STILL PREFER IT TO A HUMAN BODY. BESIDES, HE'S GONNA NEED MY POWER TO RECOVER FROM THIS.

Treatment

We've been staying at the hostel for the past few days. Al's being treated, but we're still not sure what exactly is wrong with him. Hopefully, he'll get better soon. I don't wanna let Estren down.

Also, we've been keeping our powers hidden. I don't know how the people here would react to knowing that we're both former servants of the Game Master, but I have to keep them from finding out.

QUICK POST

IT'S ME, HELLFIRE. ESTREN AND I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR DAWSON, BUT WE CAN'T FIND THE GUY. THE MASK ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY, SO TRACKING HIM USING IT ISN'T AN OPTION.

THOUGH WE CAN'T FIND SILVERMIST AND ITS NEW HOST, WE DID FIND SOMEONE. NOT SOMEONE WE WERE LOOKING FOR, BUT DEFINATELY SOMEONE WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT.

WE WERE WALKING DOWN THE STREET AT NIGHT. IT WAS QUIET, AND FOGGY. NOBODY AROUND AT ALL. AFTER A WHILE, WE SAW THIS GUY RUNNING DOWN THE STREET. AS HE CAME CLOSER, WE REALIZED THAT HIS LEG WAS INJURED BADLY, AND SOME OF THE BONE WAS STICKING OUT. DISPITE THIS, HE WAS RUNNING AS FAST AS HE COULD FROM SOMETHING. UNTIL HE TRIPPED AND FELL ON HIS FACE.

“Are you okay?” ESTREN ASKED, RUNNING UP TO THE GUY.

THE GUY ROLLED ONTO HIS BACK AND STARTED SCOOTING AWAY FROM WHATEVER HE WAS RUNNING FROM, STARING INTO THE DISTANCE WITH A TERRIFIED LOOK ON HIS FACE.

“Are you okay?” ESTREN REPEATED. “What are you running from?”

Hold on!

WHY ARE YOU INTERUPTING MY POST, ESTREN?

Why are you doing my dialog in pink?

IT'S NOT PINK, IT'S MAGENTA, YOU PEASANT.

Well, can you pick a different color?

FINE! GEEZ!

SO ANYWAY, WE SAW THIS GUY APPROACHING US FROM THE FOG. HE WAS CARRYING THIS GIANT AX WITH A TWISTED FACE ON IT. HE DRAGGED THE AX ALONG THE GROUND WHILE WHISTLING THIS WEIRD TUNE. THE GUY WITH THE BROKEN LEG WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF THIS NEW GUY.

“Who are you?” ESTREN ASKED.

Yellow? Really?

SHUT UP, ESTREN. I'M TYPING.

THE GUY JUST LOOKED AT US, THEN RAISED A HAND INTO THE AIR AND SNAPPED HIS FINGERS. A GIANT YELLOW DRAGON APPEARED IN THE SKY ABOVE US.

“Hastur Dragon,” HE SAID, “Kill him.”

THE DRAGON SWOOPED DOWN ON US, AND ESTREN WARPED OUT OF THE WAY. THE GUY RAN FORWARD REALLY QUICKLY AND SLASHED THE INJURED MAN'S THROAT WITH HIS AXE, THEN GRABBED HIM BY THE HAIR.

“I have what I came for,” HE SAID. “I'll let Hastur here handle you.”

THEN HE OPENED A PORTAL AND RAN THROUGH IT.

WE WERE LEFT ALONE WITH THE HUGE DRAGON. WE EVENTUALLY MANAGED TO CUT THE THING DOWN. ITS BODY VANISHED AFTER IT DIED.

“Who was that guy?” ESTREN ASKED.

“I DON'T KNOW,” I SAID. “HE CALLED THE DRAGON HASTUR, AFTER THE LOVECRAFTIAN WIND DEITY.”

“You think that means nything?” ESTREN ASKED.

“IT MIGHT,” I SAID. “WE'D BETTER LOOK INTO THIS. IF WE HAVE HIM AND THE SILVERMIST/DAWSON TEAM ON THE LOOSE, THERE COULD BE TROUBLE.”

Nearly there

We're almost there. Alphonse teleported us most of the way before passing out. I had to wait for him to wake up again, so we could start moving again. I'm having to act as his crutch.

We're taking a quick break so I can type this. Al's mask is shattered into pieces, but it still provides internet access for some reason.

We'd better get moving again soon. I wonder how these people will react to seeing a chick dressed like a vampire carrying a ninja with a giant slash across his face.

Hostel

It's me, Amy again.

I was out getting a few things when this crazy guy started following me. I didn't realize it at first, but I figured it out after a while. I picked up the pace. So did he. I tried to lose him in an alleyway, but he caught up and grabbed me by the throat, and pinned me to the wall. I tried kicking him in the solar plexus, but he just started laughing.

"You got some fight in you," he said, tightening his grip. "I like that."

I kicked him as hard as I could in the jaw. That got him to release me. As soon as I was free, I charged at him and sank my teeth into his neck. I instantly realized it wasn't blood I was tasting. I let him go and started spitting the red liquid out of my mouth.

"Oh, such a shame," he said. "I was hoping you'd swallow instead of spit. It would have been fun to give my boss a new Vessel."

I turned invisible, hoping it would give me a chance to escape.

"Oh no!" he said sarcastically, while pulling a bottle of wine from his jacket. "She's gone all invisible and shit! Whatever shall I do!?"

He took a swig of the wine, then he started spraying from his mouth in every direction, some of it hitting my face. I cried out in disgust. Bad idea on my part, because immediately afterwards I felt his hand around my throat again.

"There you are," he chuckled, slamming me to the ground and tightening his grip.

I couldn't breath, and my vision started to get blurry. I thought he was going to kill me, but instead, he let go, stood back up, and started chugging the rest of his wine. I started getting my breathe back.

"I've had my fun," he said, pulling a slip of paper from his pocket and dropping it on the ground in front of me. "This is the address of a hostel that might be able to help your friend. Go on and check the place out."


He left me alone in that alleyway. I eventually got my strength back, and returned to the place we're currently staying at.

I don't trust that guy, but Alphonse needs help, and if this hostel can do anything for him, I guess it's worth a shot.

Hey...

Hello, this is Amy.


I'm sorry Estren hasn't updated the blog. I can't blame him. He's been through a lot.


I'll try to get you guys up to speed as much as you can.


So, after the GM died, Estren came back, with HELLFIRE back in his possession.

Alphonse has gotten worse. I think it may be an infection, or some other kind of sickness. He's been coughing a lot, and he's been feverish, cranky, and he's conscious about 4 hours a day on average. We have no idea what's wrong with him.

We haven't gotten any closer to the thing HELLFIRE's been looking for. The Samurai was called away on business with the Wooden Girl, but he gave us a phone number, and said to call if we get any more leads on Garrot Kelterry. He also said he doesn't answer this umber at all, but he will respond if we leave him a message saying who we are and why we're calling.

and then we found out that Silver mist is still alive, and has possessed Bill Dawson. Two of the most evil people I know of (aside from the GM and some of his servants, of course) have teamed up. And, in addition, Silvermist is seeking to absorb more Dying Men to make itself stronger.

Seeing this as a problem, Estren and HELLFIRE told me to care for  Alphonse while they go and try to handle Silvermist and Dawson.


I normally wouldn't be worried. I mean, Estren's has grown as a fighter. He's pretty good in battle, and with HELLFIRE inside him, he's pretty badass. Not invincible, but still pretty awesome. I've seen the two of them fighting as a single unit, and they are... just fuckin' awesome. I am actually somewhat attracted to them.

However, I haven't heard from them in a couple weeks. I have no idea if they're okay. I'm worried about those two.
And to make it worse, Al's condition just keeps getting more horrible. He needs medical attention, and I can't help him much, aside from holding a wet rag to his head occasionally. He needs help.

Please, if anyone knows any hospitals that aren't infected with Oathbreakers, please let me know. He needs help, and I can't give it to him. Estren would kill me if I let him die...

Tragedy

I teleported to the top of a building nearby the Chrysler building, and looked up there to see what was going on. The Scientist and the Game Master were there, along with the Bloody Biker and this huge machine. And Daniel was there, getting his butt kicked. He was almost thrown over the edge, but I caught him. We didn't have time to talk, because that insane Biker guy attacked us. We fought back, and after a while O'Zalia joined in.

Then Malkator arrived. He addressed all of us. He told O'Zalia to keep helping runners. He told me to get HELLFIRE back. He apologized to the Biker. He showed some distaste towards the Scientist. And I still can't believe what he said to the Game Master. He congratulated him. He said he had won. Then Crow showed up. Malkator told Daniel to save the world, then he ate the bomb and jumped off the building. Crow went after him. I could feel Malkator's life extinguish. He's dead.

What happened next is a bit of a blur. Daniel blew the Biker's brains out and then started attacking the Game Master. I started fighting the Scientist. He was powerful. Not surprising, since he had HELLFIRE's power, and the power of another Dying Man that could use lightning.

"You can't win," he said. "How does it feel, knowing that you'll never get to see your precious possessor again?"
"You're wrong on two things," I said. "First, he's not precious. He's kind of annoying, actually. Second, I will see him again. Nitr'aku vismilleah frektei l'lir wesgirof sorufeid!"

After speaking the incantation, things changed. I was inside his mind. I could see two cages. One of them held a ghost like being discharging lightning, and the other held a man made of black flames with yellow eyes. It was HELLFIRE.

"How did you get here?" he asked.
"A subconscious invasion spell," I said. "I'm here to break you out."

I slashed the bars on his cage and released him. He immediately attack the other Dying Man, and consumed it.

"Dude, what the hell?" I asked.
"Didn't like that guy very much," he replied. "Decided to absorb him. Now come on, let's finish this."

Then we left the Scientist's mind and I let HELLFIRE handle things from there.

I BURNT THAT GUY TO A CRISP. DON'T THINK THE GAME MASTER LIKED THAT VERY MUCH. DANIEL AND I STARTED FIGHTING HIM, BUT HE OVERPOWERED US AFTER A WHILE. HE STARTED INSULTING US AND MALKATOR. THE MIND READER GOT MAD AND DESTROYED THE GAME MASTER. IT'S OVER.

I KNOW I'M AN ELDRITCH MONSTER AND ALL, BUT I'M STILL SAD TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MALKATOR. HE WAS ONE OF MY BEST HOSTS. I'LL MISS THAT CRAZY SON OF A BITCH. I DON'T LIKE SWEARING, BUT FUCK IT, I'LL DO IT FOR HIM. YOU WERE ONE CRAZY ASS MOTHER FUCKER. REST IN PEACE, ASSHOLE.