Mixtape Ghost N

Paragraphs: Agents of Death [FernStone & Mixtape Ghost Note]

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Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin OST - Piercing Silence

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One slash and a hand crumbled to dust.

With another slash and another, Yoko was making easy work of the hands as she stepped outside. As the voice said, the heart had regenerated, and Yoko paused for a moment, ready to strike - she hesitated. A deep, resonant groan filled the chamber, and coming from the ceiling, a grotesque head seamlessly went from the ceiling as if it was made out of water. The left side of its face was almost human but unnervingly oversized. Its single golden eye glowed like molten metal, unnaturally large and protruding slightly; the skin around it was stretched too tight, veins pulsing beneath…

The right side of its face was a mass of writhing, screaming faces that seemed to melt in and out of one another. Each mouth cried out in agony or laughter, their tones overlapping in a cacophony. Some faces were incomplete - an eye floating above half a mouth, a nose jutting out from raw flesh - while others looked vaguely familiar. The head's "neck" was a grotesque mass that fused back into the ceiling yet connected to the heart through a network of veins that snaked above the ground. Surrounding it were the monstrous hands that had torn through earlier, now, each hand seemed to guard the heart and the hands…

The Yokai Killer glew brighter in Yoko’s hands, she turned to Saskia, ”... This is a strange one, to say the least.”

Saskia was enraptured by the writing mass of faces and body parts. It was like an anatomical freak, thousands of human parts shoved together to create an abomination. They wanted to know how it worked. Maybe they could dissect it once they’d killed it…

"It’s interesting," Saskia replied, glancing across the guarding hands. "Clearly we need to destroy the heart again."

Making the most of Yoko’s boost, their blood tendril split in two, and to its side large wings shoved through their back. The muscles forming it were tough enough to make it more defensive, with sharp spikes lining the lower half with an extra long one at the tip.

"You get it from the front, I’ll go from above," they said quietly.

Seemingly on cue, several of the hands placed themselves between Yoko and Saskia and the heart, some of them even wrapping around the heart as a sort of armor.

”... I think they heard that,” Yoko groaned as she took a defensive position, her grip tight on the Yokai Killer. Several hands took position above them - some of which were nowhere near the two - and began rhythmically slamming down one after an other with crushing force. Yoko disappeared into a blur of motion far out of their range.

"No talking, then," Saskia rolled their eyes. Their wings spread and pushed them into the air, spinning out of the way of the crushing hands. A long blood blade formed on their hand, and they dove in, trying to sever one of the hands. It hit the ground while the Yokai Killer extended in Yoko’s hand. She swung it upwards with all pf her strength and splintered a hand down the middle.

Sludge hit the ground as the Head opened its mouth and began sucking in, pulling both Yoko and Saskia into its jaw. Yoko immediately slammed the Yokai Killer into the ground and dropped her weight.

Saskia grimaced. Their blood tendrils shot up to the ceiling, pushing against it to stop them from getting sucked in. But as they were close enough their wings swiped up, sharp bone tips aiming for the golden eye. When Saskia put the tip in; the monster screamed as a flash of molten golden light surged forward. Searing, blinding, and deafening, all while the ground began to faintly rumble. Saskia slammed her eyes shut - but not before it temporarily blinded her.

Yoko gritted her teeth, closing her eyes, but the suction stopped. The light faded only for her to see several of the monstrous hands surging forward. She disappeared into a burst of speed, leaving behind only dust as they crumbled to dust.

Meanwhile a black vicious liquid dripping down the walls and the golden eye shined brightly. The screaming faces on the right side writhed in agony as the creature opened its maw unnaturally wide. The Head began spitting out razor sharp bone shards.

"This thing is so fucked up," Saskia hissed, struggling to see. But they sounded excited. And they were, because it was so interestingly disturbing- even as a razor sharp bone shard embedded in their shoulder. Others shattered as they hit thickening blood armour. They flew out of the way, tucking their wings to spin to the side. The blood from their wound joined the tendrils in their back. They thickened. Thin nerves creeped out of their fingers- temporarily sensing around them as their vision was still filled with black dots.

Their blood tendril lashed out, going for the right side of the head. However the hands reacted as if the brain sent out a pulse. They stirred to life and caught the tendril mid-air. Several more hands flew forward to grab Saskia.

Saskia cut off the tendril from where it was caught, leaving only liquid blood in the hands. The tips of the wings sliced through one hand, while bone spears pushed through their skin all across their body where the hands were grabbing. One managed to grab their tiddy, though.

Yoko slashed forward and cut another hand, reaching for Saskia to dust. Yoko nodded at them, before the ground began shaking. The ground shook harder, before more hands - skeletal and sinewy - emerged darting for them. Yoko slashed another in half as the head let out a gutteral groan…

The black liquid oozed harder from the walls as it began pooling at their feet. Yoko bared teeth, dropping into a defensive stance, ”I’m going for the heart! Give me an opening!” Yoko shouted. The hands surrounded the heart, but Yoko’s eyes were on the head.

"On it." Saskia recklessly launched themselves forward, right into the hands surrounding their heart. Sharp tipped wings slashed at hands, the blood tendril stabbed others, and their whole body was turned into a weapons with bone spears shoving between hard blood armour.

Yoko grinned sharply as Saskia tore through the swarm of hands, eyes locking on the grotesque heart at the room’s center. She vanished in a burst of speed. Reappearing at the edge of the heart, her blade slashed through one of the thick, vein-like tendrils, anchoring it to the ground. She darted to another angle, severing another vein. The heart spasmed violently, black fluid spraying across the chamber. Yoko’s movements became a cyclone of light, her strikes relentless and precise, each one aimed to cripple the heart’s grotesque network. The pulsating beats quickened, erratic, and desperate. Finally, Yoko stopped, hovering mid-air momentarily as she prepared for the final blow...

The castle groaned as if alive, the sound deep and guttural, reverberating through the walls. Cracks spiderwebbed across the stone floor, black liquid seeping up from the fissures. The Head let out a soundless scream, its maw stretching unnaturally. A searing beam of molten light erupted from its golden eye, sweeping across the chamber in a slow, deliberate arc toward Yoko and Saskia. The air around it shimmered with heat, and the walls blackened wherever the beam passed.

At the same time, the writhing faces on the right side began to vomit streams of black, viscous liquid that congealed mid-air into jagged, wing-like shapes. These razor-sharp projectiles shot out in every direction, ricocheting off the walls and floor. A sudden pulse of golden light erupted from the heart, blinding and furious, and the veins began to recoil into it. The castle shuddered harder, chunks of the ceiling falling, and the heart let out a deafening roar that wasn’t just sound - it was rage

Yoko lightly landed on the oily floor with a splash of the strange liquid, she didn’t so much as flinch as it coated her attire. However, Yoko burst forward as the molten light from the head carved a path behind her. One arm came up to shield Saskia’s eyes from the blinding light, while their wings curled around them to take the jagged, black projectiles. They embedded in the hard sinew- but Saskia hardly felt the pain. They just felt thrilled. Was the whole castle a body? Was the heart feeling? They wanted to dissect it and find out.

Their hand came up, shooting an empowered blood bullet at the golden eye, from an angle that avoided going through the molten light. "Yoko, I’ll cover you!" The launched themselves upwards with a powerful blood tendril, damaged wings extending to slice through the writhing faces. It cut through them, and they all screamed and groaned in agony. However, Yoko’s movements were a blur as she closed in on the heart again; one of the projectiles darted toward her, and she slashed it out of the air with an upward strike. The heart pulsed violently, its veins snapping back like whips, one catching her leg mid-dash, and it was severed with one stroke of the Yokai Killer. Then she kicked off the ground, leaping high with the Yokai Killer raised overhead, right as the golden beam spluttered as Saskia’s blood bullet connected.

Yoko used this opening to strike the heart with the Yokai Killer, and the slash left a deep dash in the heart, which rotted away afterward. The head uttered a guttural yell upwards into the sky as the castle rumbled harder. However, instead of falling apart, the castle seemed to be unnraveling. The walls began to twist and distort; stone blocks peeled away from one another. The black liquid oozing from the fissures pooled upward, defying gravity and forming swirling, chaotic streams, twisting into something chaotic.

The Head roared again, its golden eye flaring brighter. Another searing beam of molten light lanced out, splitting into multiple smaller beams that swept the room in jagged, unpredictable patterns. The writhing faces on the right side of the Head contorted in unison, their screams merging into a hideous harmony. A viscous black liquid erupted from their mouths, hitting the ground and instantly hardening into writhing spikes. These jagged formations spread rapidly, growing like twisted roots.

Saskia dropped back to the ground for just a moment to roll and avoid a searing beam of light. As black, spiked roots lashed out for their legs, they pushed themselves back up into the air with a powerful flap of their wings. They kicked away the ones that tried to wrap around their feet. Blood dripped onto the floor for just a moment before they pulled it across their skin, reinforcing their armour.

They went for the head again, twisting away from as much of the molten light as they could while ignoring the beams that hit them. Their blood tendril went directly for its eye again, while they lashed out with a long, sharp blood blade to try and finally silence the writing faces on the other side. The Head bellowed as the blood blade carved into the writhing faces, severing several of them in a spray of black ichor. The disjointed mouths screamed even louder in their death throes, their twisted forms collapsing inward. The golden eye flared in rage as Saskia's tendril struck its surface, cracking the glowing orb. It recoiled violently, the molten light dimming momentarily before erupting in a chaotic burst of energy. A shockwave rippled outward, throwing debris in every direction.

Saskia was flung backwards, hitting what remained of a wall with a crack. The ribs they’d broken immediately repaired themselves- the pain had their vision going black for just a moment. They were close to winning… but with that…

"We need to figure a way out before we kill it," they said to Yoko.

” We need to make sure they have the Wayfinders!” Yoko hissed, dropping into a defensive position, ”We don’t even need to kill the heart or do any of this!”

It was a shame that Yoko was right, because Saskia really wanted to dissect that heart and see how it worked. But keeping Ella and Lisa safe was more important. "Defend, then. We hold it off until they come out with it."

Yoko paused for a moment, as she furrowed her brow, ”... Wait, do they even know what it-”

...?...?... I gotcha, boo.

The voice said. Yoko just shrugged, closed her eyes, and took several deep breaths before her eyes shot open. Still reeling from the damage, the Hands began moving again, but more calculatedly. One of the hands, larger and more grotesque than the others, swung towards the two, its fingers elongating into spear-like appendages. The Head’s golden eye slowly regenerated, the crack knitting together…

Saskia’s eyes narrowed. They launched themselves up into the air with a blood tendril, flipping up and around. Sharp bones spears pushed through their feet as they came down on the back of the hand from above. While Yoko darted underneath the spearing hand and her sword was nothing but a blur as she slashed the hands to pieces. She slid to a stop as she barely dodged a hand coming down on top of her as it cracked the ground underneath.

The Head let out a guttural, distorted laugh, the sound vibrating through the walls. Its regenerating golden eye flared briefly, sending a pulse of molten light into the hand beneath Saskia. The hand convulsed violently, its elongated fingers splitting apart into whip-like tendrils covered in jagged bone spurs. They lashed upward, aiming to ensnare and impale both Saskia and Yoko.

The tendrils wrapped around Saskia's legs as they flew upwards to escape them. Their blood armour tanked the sharp spurs at first before they got through, digging into their flesh. They twisted around, slashing at the tendrils with two blood blades. Yoko disappeared into a blur of motion as she slashed through the hands.
However, their brawl was interrupted…

”… We have them!” Lisa shouted as she stood in the doorway. She held two Medallions, one with orange gems, and another with white.

"And some other cool things!" Ella added, holding a sheathed katana in each hand with what looked like a guitar case slung over her shoulder. "I got you a guitar, Saskia!"

"Great, I play bass," Saskia intoned as they got rid of the tendrils on them and landed on the ground near Lisa and Ella. At least they were safe. "Let’s get out of here."

Yoko eyed the katana, before sticking her free hand out, ”Give me the sword!”

Ella looked at one hand, then the other, before shrugging and throwing Yoko one of the katanas (the one that looked less shimmery). Without a word, Yoko unsheathed the katana Ella had tossed her. The moment the blade was free, it erupted into roaring flames, heat radiating so intensely it made the air shimmer.

Lisa narrowed her eyes at the heart before shouting, ”Laceration!”
Saskia nodded, lips pulling up into a slight smile. They formed two blood blades easily, handing one to Lisa - who matched Saskia’s movements. She gripped the bloodblade tightly as they both charged towards the heart. The head bellowed, sending hands forward, but Yoko was already cutting them to bits with both the Yokai Killer and the burning Katana.

The second they reached the heart, they slashed in perfect unison. The green-lux-infused blades tore through the organ like paper, bypassing its defenses entirely. A massive wound erupted that sprayed blood into the air and covered all of the combatants in red…

The heart pulsed one last time; the head let out one final distorted wail as its golden eye shattered like glass. The massive hands convulsed and crumbled into ash, their jagged bones disintegrating. At the same time, the Head’s form split apart, collapsing into a heap of smoldering black ichor before dissolving entirely into the floor.

Saskia let out a disappointed sigh as most of the body disintegrated. But they did get closer to what remained of the heart, completely unbothered that they were covered in blood. They pulled their own blood- from the armour and tendrils- back in through the wound in their hand and clotted it.

"I'm surprised the castle didn't collapse," Saskia intoned, crouching down and considering poking the cut heart.

"What if it regenerates again?" Ella asked nervously, gripping onto the sword she hadn't given Yoko - and hadn't tried unsheathing yet.

Yoko stared at Ella briefly before saying, ”I am more than five hundred percent certain that it is not dead.”

”Yeah it's probably like that dragon fuck!” Lisa began, ”It's probably got two hearts!”

”We got what we need anyhow,” Yoko then turned to Lisa, ”You got all five Wayfinders?”

”... There’s six,” Lisa answered.

”Six? There should only be five,”

…?...?... Is this…?...?...right now, Yoko?

The ground trembled violently beneath their feet. Dust rained from the ceiling as the walls groaned, cracks spiderwebbing across the stone. Yoko’s grip on the flaming katana tightened, her eyes narrowing. ”Knew it,” Yoko shook her head, ”We need to go. Now.” Before she darted towards the door.

As they moved toward the crumbling doorway, the floor beneath them began to ripple, a grotesque, organic motion that made Yoko freeze. Before anyone could react, the floor erupted beneath Saskia and Lisa, a gaping hole of flesh and jagged teeth swallowing them whole in an instant….

"For fuck’s sake," was all Saskia managed to say as they were swallowed… and it wasn’t even in a fun way.

”FUUUUUUUUUUCK ME!” Lisa shouted as she fell into the hole.

Then it closed.

Recollections: Primal Sinister

Shaniya.Hart
29 | Shaniya Colleen Hart | She/Her "I only welcome care when I'm wounded."	Description: Shaniya Hart’s path to becoming one of the PRA’s most formidable agents was shaped by her years in Cloverfield, a city rife with crime, corruption, and the constant threat of the Paranormal. Growing up in this chaotic urban landscape, Shaniya was no stranger to danger. From a young age, she was drawn to law enforcement, fueled by a fierce determination to protect those who couldn’t defend themselves. She grew up alongside her younger sister, Cleopatra (Cleo) Hart, a girl with a free spirit and a fiery determination. While Shaniya always felt the world's weight on her shoulders, Cleo often sought her path, which led her into the city’s darker corners. The sisters shared a strong bond despite their differences, which was tested over time. After high school, Shaniya enlisted in the United States Army as an Infantry, where her innate combat abilities and leadership skills quickly set her apart from her peers. Her time in the service honed her tactical mind, and by the time she was honorably discharged, she knew her next mission: the PRA. Titan, a powerful Apparition, had already chosen Shaniya during her time in the military. In the heat of battle during a particularly harrowing mission, Shaniya found herself trapped, surrounded by insurgents, with no escape. Her squad had already fallen, and Shaniya faced the crushing weight of failure. Thoughts of her sister Cleo and the world she was fighting to protect swirled in her mind. In that moment of despair—when Shaniya felt truly broken—Titan appeared, an immense Apparition of pure power. Seeing the raw strength in Shaniya’s will to protect others, Titan bonded with her, offering her his abstraction. The Apparition’s strength flowed through her veins, and for the first time, Shaniya felt genuinely unstoppable. But with this power came the weight of Titan's will—a reminder that her strength was not just for her survival but for protecting those who couldn’t fight for themselves. Upon leaving the military, Shaniya was recruited by the PRA, impressed by her success in handling high-risk situations. The PRA saw her potential and promised her the opportunity to combat the Paranormal nationally. Their ideals aligned with Shaniya’s—she wanted to protect the innocent and keep the world safe from the ever-growing threat the Paranormal posed. She joined the PRA, quickly rising through the ranks, driven by an unyielding resolve to protect Cloverfield and beyond. However, over time, the PRA’s methods began to wear on her. Shaniya’s growing dissatisfaction with the PRA began subtly. At first, it was just the bureaucracy—the mountains of paperwork, the endless red tape, the slow-moving wheels of justice. But the cracks in the agency’s foundation soon became impossible to ignore. Her true transformation, however, came during the Cataclysm. Cloverfield became the epicenter of an unprecedented disaster when Nyrah the Ravager, a force of destruction, threatened to annihilate the city. Thrown in the chaos, Shaniya became a pivotal fighter in the war, using her abilities granted by Titan to combat Nyrah and other cataclysmic forces. Her bond with Titan, already forged in the heat of her military service, grew stronger as she faced the devastation head-on. Her powers and status within the PRA made her a highly respected agent, but they also began to push her further away from the agency's methods. As Shaniya continued to protect Cloverfield, she became increasingly disillusioned with the PRA’s bureaucratic nature and heavy-handed tactics. She saw the city’s residents suffering, not just from Paranormal threats but from the PRA's oppressive actions. The agency’s unwillingness to address the real issues in the town began to irritate her, and soon, she was questioning her loyalty to an organization that seemed more focused on maintaining control than helping people. Now, Shaniya stands as one of the PRA's most powerful agents, but her growing dissatisfaction with the agency’s mission looms over her. She’s still driven by the same desire to protect Cloverfield, but she’s beginning to realize that to save her city truly, she may have to go against the organization she’s sworn to serve. Her relationship with Cleo is complex—a mix of love, guilt, and unspoken resentment. Shaniya tries to shield Cleo from the dangers of their world, but Cleo, increasingly drawn to the city’s underworld, has become a force in her own right. The sisters’ bond fractured after a violent encounter in which Shaniya was forced to confront Cleo’s involvement with a Paranormal crime group. Though Cleo escaped, the rift between them grew wider, leaving Shaniya with a sense of guilt over failing to protect her sister from the very thing she was trying to fight. Now, Shaniya struggles with the tension between her duty and her family, knowing that she may have to choose between the PRA and saving what’s left of her relationship with Cleo. Shaniya is African-American, thin and lanky, standing at six-one. Abstraction: Adjoined - Tempest. Shaniya's Abstraction, granted by Titan, manifests raw, elemental power that enhances her physical capabilities and grants her unparalleled versatility in battle. Her connection to Titan gives her enhanced strength, durability, and the ability to fly, making her a formidable force even without using her elemental control. She can engage in close combat with exceptional resilience, shrugging off blows that would incapacitate a normal person, and her strength allows her to perform feats of brute force, from smashing through reinforced walls to lifting heavy objects with ease. Her flight gives her an edge in mobility, allowing her to soar across the battlefield, evade attacks, or strike from the sky with deadly precision. On top of these physical enhancements, Shaniya can manipulate any element she desires, bending the environment to her will. She can control everything from fire and water to more abstract forces like light, electricity, and gravity. Her ability to manipulate the elements works like a slotting system: the more elements she chooses to control at once, the weaker her control over each one becomes. If she slots only one element, she can wield it with devastating power, using all her focus and mastery to harness its full potential. However, if she spreads herself across multiple elements, each becomes diluted, losing strength compared to when she concentrates on a single force. This "dilution" effect requires Shaniya to be strategic in combat, carefully deciding whether to focus on a single element for maximum potency or spread her influence across multiple elements to adapt to various threats.

Recollections: Primal Sinister

@Mixtape Ghost N Thanks I hate it

@PatientBean

You’re welcome

Recollections: Primal Sinister

The.Mother.Will

??? | ??? | She/Her "The Pit favors you; it doesn't want to let you go."

Description: The Mother Will is an enigmatic and unnervingly powerful presence within the Pit. She claims to be the voice, the mouthpiece, and the living embodiment of the Pit itself. Whether or not she is truly a being of the Paranormal or something else entirely is a subject of fear and speculation. Mother Will is the Pit’s manipulator, pulling the strings behind its evil influence. She has a chilling, omnipresent quality, able to appear seemingly anywhere at any time. She guides whoever she presents herself to toward brutality, encouraging them to give in to their darker impulses and subtly twisting their perceptions of right and wrong. She is a dark mentor, always seeming to know a person’s deepest fears, desires, and insecurities. Through subtle manipulation, gaslighting, and the instillation of doubt, she can lead her "students" down a path of violence and self-destruction. Her presence feels almost omniscient as if she can see everything happening within the Pit and beyond, her eyes always watching and waiting. When she speaks, it’s as if she already knows the choices that will be made, and her words seem to resonate with an unnatural truth. There is a cruel, almost playful tone to her judgments—she speaks as if the Pit is a living, breathing entity, caring for those it "likes" and punishing those it "hates." Her voice is never without purpose; every word serves to nudge, prod, and push her target in her desired direction. The Mother Will claims that the Pit "likes" worthy people who show promise or strength. If someone catches the Pit’s interest, she assures them they are safe—at least for now. In truth, being favored by the Pit might not be as desirable as it seems. Though the Pit may not harm them directly, it will never let them leave, forcing them to conform to its nightmarish design. Conversely, if the Pit "hates" someone, their end is likely near. However, there is a strange mercy: the Pit may allow them to escape. The Mother Will is always there, a constant presence in their minds, whispering encouragements to embrace the darkness, to become more than they ever imagined. She is challenging to define. Is she an apparition? A manifestation of the Pit itself? Or something else, something far more terrifying? Her influence is subtle, her manipulation insidious, and her true purpose remains a mystery. Some believe she was once a being of flesh and blood, but now, she exists purely as a force of eldritch power, an entity that thrives on chaos and despair. She speaks like a mentor, offering wisdom drenched in poison, presenting violence as a form of liberation, and teaching her "students" that the only way to escape the Pit is to embrace it completely. Her true nature is a question that haunts all who encounter her. Whatever she is, she cannot be easily understood or explained. She is part of the Pit, and perhaps, in some way, the Pit is part of her. The Mother Will looms over Destiny Wright long after escaping the Pit. She whispers promises of power, purpose, and a place Destiny truly belongs—the Pit. Abstraction: The true nature of Mother Will remains elusive. Her essence defies any precise categorization within the realm of the Paranormal. Her influence is unearthly, bending the rules of perception and reality in ways that suggest she may not belong to any world, plane, or system of understanding. Is she a force of the Pit, a product of its corruption, or something older - something else entirely?

Recollections: The Compendium

THE.PRODUCT
| The Addictive Confection | "One taste is all it takes." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | A concoction born from Heinrich Thòrmer's twisted ingenuity, The Product is crafted using volatile Lux-infused compounds, cursed extracts, and fragments of Apparitions. Its creation reflects humanity’s darkest desires: power, salvation, and escape twisted into candy form. | TYPE: | Magical Candy. | LOCATION: | Distributed through underground markets and criminal networks from Dollhouse's El Mañana facility. St. Portwell has seen a surge of activity tied to The Product. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | N/A. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. | .............................................................................	The Product is Dollhouse’s flagship creation: a series of deceptively innocent peppermint-like candies that promise miraculous power. Infused with Lux, corrupted Apparition fragments, and alchemical compounds, each candy whispers, pulses, and radiates an unnatural allure. In the underworld of St. Portwell, they are known as "candy for the damned" - a sweet doorway to power at the cost of everything else. Variations of the Product Red: Amplifies magic. Users experience explosive magical output, burning brighter than they ever believed possible. However, blood vessels rupture, muscles tear, and their bodies begin to "crack" as if their magic is bursting out. Long-term users become brittle and frail, bones shattering from even minor exertion. Glass: Accelerates healing. Wounds close instantly, broken bones fuse, and lost limbs regrow. However, the healing is imperfect - skin seals unevenly, bones twist unnaturally, and tumors of hardened scar tissue form over time. Users eventually resemble fleshy mannequins, their bodies warped and grotesque. Blue: Grants vision beyond comprehension. Users gain profound insight: they see truths, future events, and the workings of magic itself. The cost is steep as the brain begins to splinter. Users suffer auditory hallucinations, paranoia, and eventual insanity as their minds fail to process the flood of knowledge. Gold: Unleashes superhuman strength. Users become unstoppable forces, tearing through walls and enemies alike. However, their muscles swell grotesquely, tendons snap under pressure, and bones crack from the force of their movements. Long-term use leaves them crippled, their bodies bloated and ruined. Bite: The user’s body mutates - teeth elongate into rows of jagged fangs, bones shift, and claws sprout where fingers once were. For a brief time, they become living weapons, capable of tearing through flesh and steel with primal savagery. The transformation is agonizing, and afterward, the body remains marred by fractures, broken teeth, and torn muscles. Prolonged use turns addicts into grotesque, feral creatures that Dollhouse calls “Gnashers.” Bliss: The user’s nervous system explodes with euphoric sensations, described as the most intense orgasm imaginable, leaving their mind swimming in pleasure. Pain ceases to exist for a few precious minutes, and the world becomes an intoxicating haze. The downside: the body convulses from overstimulation, muscles lock, and users often collapse into spasms. Chronic use burns out nerve endings, leaving addicts numb and unresponsive. Beast: The user’s muscles bulge with unnatural power, veins blackening as their body shifts: their skin thickens, eyes glow feral, and horns or tusk-like appendages might sprout. Their strength becomes overwhelming, allowing them to smash through walls, flip vehicles, or tear apart opponents. However, the strain causes bones to splinter and joints to dislocate. Long-term users become hulking, misshapen brutes—nicknamed “The Hulks.” Bloom: Their physical form becomes impossibly beautiful—skin flawless, eyes luminous, and their voice a siren’s call. Those who gaze upon them are attracted and driven to obsession or madness. However, when the effect ends, the user’s body begins to decay—skin sags, hair falls out, and muscles atrophy. Long-term users turn into skeletal husks, their beauty gone forever. Drift: The user enters a surreal state where the world becomes beautiful, soft, and shimmering. Pain, fear, and despair vanish as their mind floats from the body; for creatives or the hopeless, Drift feels like salvation. However, users quickly lose touch with reality, unable to distinguish hallucinations from life. Long-term addicts slip into catatonia, staring blankly as their bodies wither. The candies are impossibly addictive. The first taste overwhelms the senses with a euphoric rush—flavors are indescribably sweet yet tinged with a metallic, unnatural aftertaste. Withdrawal is hellish: sweating, hallucinations, and craving so potent it drives users into madness. Over time, addicts of The Product (referred to as "Dolls" on the streets) begin to degrade into something inhuman. Their bodies twist, their skin warps, and they lose all semblance of their former selves. To Dollhouse, these Dolls are tools—either harvested for their corrupted bodies to fuel further rituals or transformed into Abscised enforcers for their growing army. In St. Portwell, The Product has gained a reputation as both salvation and damnation. Criminal factions wage wars over shipments, desperate Adepts whisper prayers over each bite, and hopeless souls consume their way into oblivion. Dollhouse, meanwhile, watches from the shadows, smiling as the city falls deeper into its web.

Recollections: Primal Sinister

THE.PRA "The Sword and Shield to protect the masses."

. The Paranormal Response Authority (PRA) operates as a covert arm of the government, tasked with regulating and suppressing Paranormal activity across the country. Officially a subdivision of the Department of Homeland Security, the PRA works entirely underground, ensuring its actions remain invisible to the general public. Their mission is twofold: protect civilians from the dangers of the Paranormal and keep the existence of such phenomena hidden from those without magical awareness. Despite its lofty goals, the PRA is severely underfunded, chronically understaffed, and forced to rely on a ragtag assortment of recruits. While the ideal recruit is a soldier, law enforcement officer, or even a Paranormal being with combat experience, the agency often settles for anyone with the right instincts and a willingness to face the Paranormal. At the very least, every PRA agent has undergone training to handle encounters with Paranormal beings. However, the quality of that training varies wildly depending on the resources of their specific branch. The PRA’s fieldwork is shrouded in secrecy. Agents frequently operate under the guise of other organizations - typically the FBI, DEA, or local police departments - allowing them to infiltrate and neutralize Paranormal threats without raising public suspicion. Once a mission is complete, the PRA vanishes without a trace, leaving behind a sanitized version of events. They specialize in covering up magical incidents by scrubbing social media posts, wiping witness memories, or fabricating mundane explanations for supernatural occurrences. The PRA maintains an extensive database of Paranormal beings, tracking their activities nationwide. However, they operate under a strict directive: as long as a Paranormal being does not endanger the general public, they are left in peace. This delicate balance means the PRA must tread carefully, avoiding unnecessary conflicts while remaining ever-vigilant for potential threats. Despite their best efforts, the PRA’s influence is strained, especially in cities like Cloverfield. The aftermath of the Cataclysm has overwhelmed their resources, forcing the agency to prioritize high-risk targets while leaving more minor problems to fester. The PRA’s national operations are overseen by Director Morgan Verde, a pragmatic and calculating leader whose strict protocol adherence has earned respect and resentment within the agency. Verde is known for prioritizing the PRA’s public invisibility above all else, often pushing agents to take extreme measures to contain information leaks. Though rarely seen in the field, Verde’s influence is felt in every PRA operation, with directives that leave little room for interpretation—or dissent. In Cloverfield, the local branch is led by Carmine Navarro, a former police captain with a reputation for taking risks others wouldn’t. Where Verde is methodical, Navarro operates on instinct, often bending the rules to achieve results. His unorthodox methods have earned him a loyal team and constant scrutiny from higher-ups. Navarro’s motivations remain unclear, though some suspect he has a personal stake in the city's Paranormal crisis. The PRA compensates for its lack of manpower with cutting-edge technology and weaponry tailored for combating the Paranormal. Agents are armed with the Colt Federal Patrol Carbine, a lightweight yet powerful rifle, and specialized sidearms. Their gear includes: PRA Equipment Chainmail Tactical Armor: Stab-proof, shock-absorbent, and thermal-resistant, this sleek armor provides essential protection in encounters with Paranormal entities. Non-Lethal Arsenal: Taser rounds, tear gas, and containment devices designed to subdue targets without unnecessary bloodshed. Live Ammunition and Explosives: Used only as a last resort when containment fails or a threat escalates beyond control. Paranormal Activity Radar (PAR): A specialized device capable of detecting bursts of magical energy or the presence of supernatural beings within a set radius. In Cloverfield, the PRA is one of the most prominent factions vying for control in the wake of the Cataclysm. Their primary goal is stabilizing the city and eliminating dangerous entities and organizations threatening public safety. However, the PRA’s presence is not without controversy. The agency’s heavy-handed tactics, such as sweeping arrests and the use of excessive force, have drawn ire from Cloverfield’s south side, where most Paranormal beings and Aberrations reside. For many, the PRA is seen as less of a protector and more of an occupying force, enforcing the will of a government that has long ignored their plight. As tensions in Cloverfield rise, the PRA’s resources are stretched to their breaking point. While the polished image of the north side remains their priority, whispers of rebellion and shadowy threats from the south loom large. With enemies on all sides, the Paranormal Response Authority faces its greatest challenge, yet whether it can rise to meet it remains uncertain.

Recollections: Primal Sinister

HEAVENS "The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning."

. Heavens is a faction born from the ashes of Cloverfield’s first Cataclysm, a twisted cult that believes the only path to salvation is the total annihilation of the world as it exists. Their mission is simple: they seek to cause a second Cataclysm, one so great that it will obliterate the current world, leaving only a select few survivors to rebuild it in the image of their vision of a paradise. In their eyes, only the purest souls, those who have undergone their rigorous indoctrination, will be worthy of this new world. The rest are expendable sacrifices in their apocalyptic plan. At the heart of Heaven’s ideology is a perverse reverence for destruction. They view the first Cataclysm as a divine event, an almost holy cleansing that reveals the world's true nature. They believe that the suffering and devastation it caused were necessary for the birth of something greater, a "paradise" that can only be achieved once the world has been reduced to rubble. To bring about this second Cataclysm, they have set their sights on empowering an Apparition by boosting it to unimaginable strength or by fusing several others into a singular, god-like entity capable of triggering ultimate destruction. This fusion or ascension is their ultimate goal, and they are willing to sacrifice anything—lives, cities, entire populations—to achieve it. Heaven’s enigmatic and charismatic leader, the Messiah, is central to Heaven's belief system. The Messiah is regarded as a divine figure, the chosen one who holds the only proper understanding of the universe and the path to salvation. He is the one who speaks directly to the Apparitions, the one who communes with the forces of destruction in ways that others cannot comprehend. His power lies in his ability to manipulate the desperate and the lost, offering them the ultimate escape from the chaos of the current world through destruction. Beneath the Messiah stands the Preacher, a figure of equal importance but more grounded in the day-to-day workings of the cult. The Preacher is the voice that spreads the Messiah’s word to the masses, serving as the bridge between the divine and the followers. He is the one who recruits new members, performs rituals, and ensures that the cult’s teachings are adhered to with unwavering devotion. To the followers, the Preacher represents the direct connection to the Messiah’s will and how they can earn a place in the post-Cataclysmic paradise. Below them is Heaven’s Chosen, the cult’s inner circle of elite leaders seen as the most enlightened. These figures are the ones who have ascended to the highest ranks through acts of devotion and sacrifice, and they are entrusted with the most sacred duties in Heaven’ mission to bring about the second Cataclysm. Each Heaven’s Chosen is carefully selected to perform the rituals necessary to ascend these entities to unimaginable strength. They are charismatic, persuasive, and ruthlessly manipulative leaders who present themselves as the ultimate guides to salvation. They claim to understand the true purpose of the world, and they teach that only by tearing it down and rebuilding it from nothing can humanity transcend its flaws. The Heaven’s Chosen are the ones who hold the keys to Heavens’ most dangerous and forbidden rituals. These leaders are seen as messengers of the Messiah, and their words are treated as gospel. They are the ones who have indeed "seen the light" and who possess the knowledge that others cannot even begin to fathom. To the followers, Heaven’s Chosen are living gods, and their every command is a step closer to the promised paradise. To the outsider, Heavens may appear as a group of deeply compassionate individuals working toward a higher goal, but they are manipulative and ruthlessly cold beneath the surface. They deploy love bombing in its most toxic form, showering recruits with affection and attention only to bind them further into their web of lies. Once someone is drawn in, they are slowly, systematically indoctrinated. The cult's leaders use a combination of isolation, psychological manipulation, and the promise of exclusive access to the "truth" to ensure that their followers are entirely dependent on the group. Heavens’ rituals are a disturbing mix of the sacred and the profane. They often hold elaborate ceremonies where they commune with Apparitions, channeling their power through ritualistic sacrifice and dark magic. The Apparitions are treated as divine beings—tools to be cultivated, honed, and ultimately merged into the perfect force of destruction. In this process, Heavens' members believe they are not merely using magic; they are unlocking the cosmic secrets of creation itself. The cult’s followers are taught that by unleashing the full power of these apparitions, they will not only bring about the second Cataclysm but will be reborn from the ashes as the true inheritors of the new world. Heavens may not have the vast resources of a government or a corporate empire, but their influence is built on manipulation, cunning, and a singular focus on their apocalyptic vision. A growing army of Adepts is at their disposal, individuals who have undergone a transformative experience through the cult’s teachings, unlocking their magical potential. These Adepts are fiercely loyal to the Messiah and the cause, possessing various colors of Lux, but they predominantly wield Blue-Lux and Pink-Lux to enforce their will. Heavens’ resources are unorthodox but highly effective, emphasizing using what the world already provides. While the cult has minimal access to magical artifacts, they’ve instead invested heavily in conventional weapons. The group has amassed a stockpile of firearms, explosives, and other military-grade equipment through black-market deals, smuggling, and covert operations. These weapons are used not just for defense but to enforce the cult's will during violent confrontations or when subduing hostile territory. Their arsenal isn’t overwhelming compared to a well-funded army, but it’s enough to be intimidating and dangerous combined with their magical prowess. In addition to their weapons, Heavens has a network of loyal followers who serve as informants, spies, and logistical support. They work behind the scenes to help supply the cult with ammunition, firearms, and other resources, often smuggling them into Heavens' strongholds under the guise of legitimate business operations or underground channels.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

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Autumn Hayes & Kashmira Sarai

Elysium Island - With the Mobster and the Monster Gone, it's just the Tunnels. The Tunnels of Dick. Artifact Group.

Interactions: .

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When the dust had settled, the tree had impaled the Undead King and was reduced to nothing.

Britney let out a sigh of relief... She felt like lying down after making a tree that fast. Yet, she had to keep her composure, keep it together, for the group's good. As the fires faded away, the tree remained there, and Britney looked around. Everyone was in one piece...

... Except for Adora, who had fallen backward.

"Oh goodness!" Kashmira shouted as she ran over to Adora and pressed her hands against her torso. Waves and pulses of green light came out of hands that surrounded Adora. "Everyone! Huddle together for warmth!"

”... I'm. Fine.” Adora said, pushing herself up to her feet, she was still shivering - yet Kashmira wrapped her arms around her waist and drew Adora close. ”I'm-”

Kashmira released more of the healing energy.

“Don’t argue with me; you're not the Doctor!” Kashmira said nervously, tightening her hold around Adora’s waist. “At least let me stabilize you.”

Despite it all, the group was still one big red blip on Elysium Island, with their entire location being broadcasted. The idea of a stealth mission was thrown out of the window almost immediately...

"Damn," Autumn monotonously said, shaking her head in disappointment. "I was hoping to claim him myself."

Britney raised a thumb, pivoting around as she glanced at everyone.

”Is everyone okay?!” Her eyes landed on Clancy momentarily, and she awkwardly laughed. ”... Sorry about that, Clance.”

She turned towards the hall and said, ”If you're all still standing, you can move. So let's go.” Her voice carried more resolve than she felt, but it was enough. Without waiting for a reply, she turned down the hall, leading the group into the unknown.

---

The tunnel stretched before them, shrouded in a heavy, oppressive quiet. The air was thick and damp and seemed to grow colder with each step. Britney let Autumn take the lead, as she seemed to know where she was going, but thankfully, they avoided any more monsters!

"We're getting close," Autumn said - having to raise her voice to be louder than the alarm - glancing at Adora; she still looked pale, but Kashmira was at her side to catch her if she fell.

”... Define close,” Adora muttered, not loud enough for Autumn to hear.

As if on cue, the tunnel began to widen. The walls pulled away, and the dim light grew brighter as they approached the Vault Room. Autumn raised a hand, signaling the group to stop. The room was enormous - an imposing rectangle and in the center, perched on a massive pedestal, was the Starving Dog. Behind the Starving Dog stood the vault door, a towering masterpiece of steampunk engineering. It was constructed of dark, weathered metal, its surface adorned with intricate rivets, gears, and pipes that hissed faintly with escaping steam. At the center of the door was a large, circular emblem resembling an eye, its iris made of gleaming sapphire that seemed to follow the group just as the Dog’s eyes did. Around the door's edges, jagged scratches and scorch marks hinted at failed attempts to breach its defenses.

“Why does it look like that?” Kashmira asked, her head tilting slightly as she stared at the statue. “It’s just a statue, right?”

”More than just a statue,” Britney matter of factly said,
”It'll come to life if we get too close.”

Her eyes went to the very edges of the tunnel into the room before she went back to the group.

”I know we're short on time, but we should devise a quick plan for handling this... That thing is tough as nails, fast, and strong,” Britney awkwardly laughed.
”If we go in guns blazing, we will be in for a world of hurt.”

Adora turned to Autumn, then asked, ”Can you boost me again?”

"I ca-"

"... You're still hurt!" Kashmira said.

”I said I'm good,” Adora shook her head. ”I'm the only one who can give Luca or Sloane an opening.” She rolled her eyes.

---

The Coalition, & The Magma Apparition.

^{From the perspective of Ruby White.}

Interactions:

Elysium Island.

---

---

Ruby and the others watched Drake get snatched by the House of Cards.

Fuck.

"... Wasn't that your boy?" James asked Sully, weakly pointing the finger at where Drake was.

"We'll get him back," Ruby said to Sully.

Naomi swung in spiderwoman style with Pearl in her arms, just in time to see the Eustis Veil crash down on the Apparition and slam it into the ground so hard that it sent a rumble throughout the island. They received word to rain down hell on the Apparition, and the first thing that popped into Ruby's mind was to hit it with the Maiden Flash now that all four Maidens were present. However, by the time they charged up a Maiden Flash worth anything. That didn't stop James and Jess, who were barraging the creature with lightning and sunlight.

“One of you boosted the adept that can summon the sun, right? I can seal the apparition, but the size of it means I could use the help. We have to act fast while it’s down, so do you have an amplifier or not?”

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the stranger. She had no clue who this bitch was or who she came with. She had half a thought thinking that she was trying to pull a fast one on them, but-

"... You're lookin' at her," Lily said in a singsong, sassily putting a hand on her hip. "I don't know who the fuck you are! But if you can get rid of big n' hot over there before he cooks us, I'll love you fooooooorever!" She blew her a kiss.

"But we don't know this bitc-"

"Yeah, yeah," Lily rolled her eyes at Ruby as she walked over to Liz. "The way I see it, we're screwed if we don't take the Hercules Movie reject out, so who gives a fuck? Not me." She laughed as she wrapped her arms around Liz's. There was a transfer of magical energy as Lily's skeleton illuminated, and Liz's skeleton began to glow brightly as she started charging her more.

After a certain point, Lily let go of her and gave her the thumbs up.

"... Go get 'em, tiger!"

Paragraphs: Agents of Death [FernStone & Mixtape Ghost Note]

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---

The Spider let out a final, mechanical hiss before collapsing into a pile of golden, blood-coated debris.

They stepped inside, and immediately the air inside was colder than the air outside. It carried an unnecessary dampness that stuck to the skin. The walls were not walls in the traditional sense - more like the inside of an eldritch beast, pulsing faintly with some unidentifiable life force. The black stone of the exterior gave way to strange materials: warped glass, slick, fleshy surfaces marred by pulsating veins, and patches of jagged, rusted metal.

The corridor stretched on before them, impossibly long. Doors of different sizes and shapes dotted the walls, each unique but uniformly menacing. Some appeared carved from bone, others were massive slabs of solid metal inscribed with runes that pulsed faintly like a heartbeat.

Whispers filled the air, not words, but sensations.

Yoko stepped in, unsheathing the Yokai Killer, it glew so brightly it almost illuminated the entire hall. She sighed. ”,.. Your power boost should last a few hours.” Yoko began, ”Let’s be quick! Mysterious voice!”

…?...?... You…?... need to…?...?...?... down….?...?...?...the King.

"Go down… stairs? All the way down the corridor? Be more specific, mysterious voice!" Ella shouted into the void. She looked around with a frown, cautiously taking a few steps further into the unending corridor. They could try all of the doors, but that would be stupid. It would take them hours and then their power boost would run out…

"Don’t shout," Saskia intoned. "Maybe we should stab the wall. It feels alive."

”Alright, here goes nothing,” Yoko says as she slowly slid the Yokai Killer into the wall; even from Ella’s perspective, it looked like a horrible idea. The Yokai Killer shined as it pierced the wall. For a moment, the hall went eerily silent. Even the incessant whispers stopped…

Then came the scream.

”... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! WHAT THE FUCK!?”

Yoko pulled back. The scream did not sound like a monster or an eldritch horror. More like a random person they just stabbed.
”Hahahahaha, the fuck?!” Lisa laughed.

“Who the fuck stabbed me?!” The voice on the other end of the wall shouted. “You ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHOOOOOOOOOOOLES!]”

Saskia reactively covered themselves in blood armour, but didn't say anything, narrowing their eyes.

"BY SAILOR MOON- I'm so sorry wall person!" Ella shouted. Sure, she was absolutely freaked out! The wall was talking! That was super weird - but at least it didn't seem to be hurting them? Yoko had stabbed it and it just screamed at them… which made it friendlier than most of the things they met here! "We didn't realise that would hurt you! Are you alright? I'm so sorry-"

Ella reached out to pat the wall, but Saskia grabbed her hand before she could. They just stared at her for a moment. Like she was crazy. But if the wall could talk it was basically a person! And talking was one of her strong points!

"... wall person, do you know how we get to the King?"

“… Just go down the hall and climb the stairs!” The (stabbed) wall person said. “There’s traps! But step on all of them, you assholes!”

"Thank you! Is there anything we can do for you? Since you've been so helpful, it must be horrible being… a wall…" Ella said, bottom lip trembling a little.

“I’m. On. The. Other. Side!” The bastard shouted.

Saskia rolled their eyes again. "Come on, let's just go."

Lisa and Yoko just shrugged and walked down the hall, however, Lisa couldn’t hold in her laughter. ”Yoko, you just stabbed a guy. Some guy in a weird ass castle wall, but- shit.” She laughed harder.

Yoko rolled her eyes, muttering something as she adjusted her grip on the Yokai Killer. Its brightness cast a thick shadow.

”... It smells like unwashed bootyhole in here,” Lisa mumbled.

”Focus, Turner,” Yoko rolled her eyes, glancing down at the Yokai Killer. ”Because I feel this place might be more than just a castle.”

"No shit, the wall talks," Saskia intoned.

The hallway seemed to stretch forever, but a jagged staircase, a spiral of rusted metal and cracked stone soon emerged. The stairs spiraled both upward into the shadows and downward into an abyss.

”Let’s go murder the King already,” Lisa giggled, before her face went flat. ”... That’s what we were here for, right? Riiiiiiiiight?”

Yoko facepalmed.

”No, Turner,” Yoko said with the hand still pressed against her face, ”We want the Wayfinders so we can just leave.”

She released her hand.

”We shouldn’t concern ourselves with every petty tyrant and warlord, anyhow,” Yoko shrugged.

"But we should rid the world of as much evil as we can! That is our duty as magical girls!" Ella declared, narrowing her eyes at the staircase. She… wasn’t sure which way was right. Down to a safe dungeon? Up to an evil throne room overlooking the kingdom?

"I agree with Yoko, for once. We get what we need." Saskia pointed down. "It has to be down. That’s where I’d hide my artifacts."

”We’re in the Pit, Disciple,” Yoko sighed. ”No matter how many of these monsters we kill, another will just replace them, but… let’s just start moving.”

Lisa didn’t have anything to say as she silently descended the stairs; the air got colder as they descended. It got thicker, not with tension, but literally thicker. If it weren’t for the light provided by the Yokai Killer, it would be complete and utter darkness. Though Yoko paused for a moment, her eyes darting around in the silent halls of the castle. Only to shake her head and keep going. The staircase spiraled downwards. Lisa’s foot hit the bottom staircase first, but something wasn’t right. There was a click. Then they heard a groan; the Yokai Killer's brightness did not change.

In the darkness ahead, footsteps and a dragging sound could be heard, coinciding with the groans. Yoko got into a defensive position as Lisa summoned spiders. Saskia created a sharp blood tendril on their back. It stepped out of the darkness. Its hulking, mutated frame was a chaotic fusion of muscle, writhing appendages, and snapping jaws. Its right arm was a long, mutated appendage with a gaping jaw and growths. The creature looked at them, a pained and afraid expression on its face.

For a moment, Ella felt sympathy, seeing the fear on its face—but she knew she couldn't… It was so clearly not human that it didn't last long. It was better to put it out of its misery.

She created a massive fireball in her hand and threw it directly at the creature. It hit it, and it loudly yelled in pain and turned its body away from the group. It loudly gasped and groaned in fear as it quickly backpedaled away - the fire that consumed it burned away its underwear, revealing its genitals (relatively normal except for the freakish, pulsating grown on the side of the shaft). It retaliated by swinging its massive arm at the group.

However, before it could fully begin its swing, Yoko disappeared into a burst of speed, appearing on the other side and the tendril-like arm, holding a pose with one hand on the hilt of the Yokai Killer and the other on the sheath. A slash appeared seconds later, and the arm flew off and landed nowhere near the group.

Ella covered her mouth, dampening the scream- she didn’t want Yoko to get mad at her again about how it was just a dick. But it never really was! It had something growing on- Just don’t think about it, Ella! She jumped forward, incredibly strong glowing leg swinging up to kick it in the stomach.

At the same time Saskia’s blood tendril shot forward, aiming to pierce through its eye. Lisa raised her hands and swept them downwards and the spiders came at the monster and bit his lower body and schlong. It fell backwards, and Yoko quickly ran over and began bringing the Yokai Killer on it over and over again.

"Surely it’s dead already?" Ella asked as she hopped back a few steps.

"Can’t be too safe," Saskia intoned, blood tendril stabbing the creature in multiple places to ensure it was dead, just like Yoko stabbing it over and over.

It was dead.

It had a wife and kids who loved it dearly.

”… Well that was weird,” Lisa shrugged as her spiders returned back to her, scuttling over the dead guy.

Using her sleeve, Yoko wiped the Yokai Killer clean. ”Don’t worry about it.” Her eyes scanned the darkness ahead as the Yokai Killer was still shining. ”Keep your eyes peeled, there might be more ahead.”

The group pressed on, quick and quiet as they went deeper into the depths of the castle. Eventually they entered a massive, dimly lit by an eerie red glow. At the center of the room was a massive, pulsating heart, its veins sprawling out across the stone floor like roots digging into the earth. It throbbed steadily, each beat resonating through the chamber. In the wall behind it was an ornate vault door, covered in glowing runes and sigils that pulsed in rhythm with the grotesque heart.

Lisa narrowed her eyes and stepped forward, before suddenly halting and pivoting on her front foot back towards the group. A nervous smile etched across her face, ”… Is it just me or is it zero resistance in here compared to outside?”

”I was thinking the same thing, Turner,” Yoko said in a hushed tone, ”Let’s just grab the Wayfinders and go.”

"Probably because we killed the Autoknight mech!" Ella said with feigned confidence. As much as she wanted to be completely positive about it… nothing came easy in the Pit. She had to stay alert to keep her friends safe. "But how do we get through that door? With all those runes… it’ll definitely do something if we touch it!"

Saskia was silent, watching the large heart with what seemed to be… excitement? It was difficult to tell with them.

…?…?…?…?…-search the…?…?…?…?…?…minutes.

The mysterious voice says, not that it was invaluable at the moment due to how much it cut out. Yoko raised her finger.

”We should figure out a way through the runes as quickly as possible, but also let’s not go, as Wilson would say, ‘Titties first’ into-”

”Ella, just kick the door,” Lisa said.

Ella looked at Lisa, then she looked at Yoko. On one hand, Yoko was her friend and her Sensei! On the other Lisa was also her friend and every time she’d told her to kick down a door, it had worked! But…

Her gaze turned towards Saskia.

"Why’re you looking at me?" Saskia intoned, eyes still on the massive, incredibly gross heart.

"I don’t know what to- Oh!" Ella had a brilliant idea. One that didn’t involve her possibly losing a leg to a magical door. She pulled one of the dildos with Kanji on it out of her bag and threw it at the door.

It hit the door and bounced off, the runes flickering for a moment was the only reaction from the door. The room was silent save for the background of the heart beating, and everyone looked at the dildo.

”… Was that the one with the fucking ghost in it?”

"Of course not!"

Yoko facepalmed.

However, Ella heard a low, eldritch, groan.

Ella screamed- thank Sailor Moon she hadn’t kicked it! "I’m sorry door I shouldn’t have thrown a dildo at you!"

”… Who are you talking to?” Lisa raised an eyebrow.

"Did you not hear that groan?" Ella asked, turning to look at Lisa with a confused expression.

Lisa shook her head.

”Perhaps she just heard the Apparition,” Yoko shrugged, as her eyes scanned the heart, then the runes, then the heart again. ”… They are obviously connected, possibly we could destroy the heart to disable the protective runes… but that’s a risk.”

Yoko rubbed her chin.

”… I’ll do it, you three take cover.”

"But I think it’ll hurt you," Ella tried to protest.

"She has the best chance of not getting hurt," Saskia intoned, grabbing Ella by the arm and tugging her away from the door. Of course, Saskia couldn’t actually drag Ella anywhere by physical force but… Ella went with her.

Large wings covered in strong bone scales shoved out of Saskia’s back. They wrapped around Ella and Lisa- seeing as there wasn’t much actual cover in the room.

”Don’t worry Disciple, I’ll be fine,”

Yoko stepped forward, her grip tight on the Yokai Killer. She took a deep breath before vanishing into a blur of motion, she appeared on the other side of the heart in an instant and moments later the heart was cut in half and blood gushed in all directions.

There was a loud screech as the entire castle began to rumble. The veins across the floor pulsed, and the walls and floors shifted unnaturally. The floor beneath them rippled like liquid and formed twisted faces that screamed.

The runes faded.

Ella let out a shocked cry, jumping away from the twisted faces in the floor - even though they were everywhere. It was awful! "We-we hurt it!"

"So?" Saskia rolled their eyes. "I would’ve liked to learn more about it first…"

Ella hung her head, but she supposed Saskia was right… did it matter? The twisted faces weren’t real people. Hopefully. Nor was the voice in the wall. So she moved forward, approaching the door and trying to open it. The veins on the door quivered in protest but ultimately gave way and let the door open. With an audible creak, the doors lurched forward…

Inside there were no shelves or glass cases, but the walls and floors were alive. Red, organic and pulsating, lined with glowing Membranous sacs. Each sac floated off the ground, tethered by dark veins.
In the center of the room was a swirling pool of liquid, its surface shifting constantly between reflective silver and a deep, bottomless black. Objects - artifacts, presumably - floated in the liquid, slowly rising and sinking like fish in a tank. Some were recognizable as weapons, jewelry, or trinkets, while others were abstract, incomprehensible shapes.
Yoko stayed at the entrance, ”… Don’t touch anything until we know what it does.” She stared at the pool, ”Look for a medallion with orange gems.”

There was a pause.

”… Why does that one look like a dick?” Lisa asked.

"Magical severed dick?" Saskia suggested, glancing at it for only a moment before continuing looking.

"Gross- it's probably just a dildo!" Ella said.

”Turner! Come here!” Yoko gestured for Lisa to come close, and she silently ran over as the two walked over to the edge of the pool of… liquid. Yoko glanced over her shoulder at Saskia and Ella and said, ”... You two, keep watch. We’re….”

Yoko sighed.

”... Going have to do this the hard way.”

"You're not going in are you?" Ella asked, with a slight shudder at the thought. Would they get out? Could she let them do it? Surely they were so short that even if it was a shallow pool they could probably drown in it!

”Hold on, lemme see something,” Lisa said as she stuck her hand into the pool. Moments later she pulled it out and her hand was completely gone. ”,.. Yeah that’s not going to work. Ella!” She presented her stump for healing.

"Why would you do that Lisa?! I could've done it!" Ella shouted, bright healing light coming from her arm and hitting the stump. It didn't take long for Lisa's hand to start reforming.

"So we need to find a way to turn it off," Saskia intoned, looking around the room. They pointed to one of the membranous sacs. "Maybe one of those."

"... You just want to take it apart and see what's inside, don't you?!"

Saskia shrugged.

While this was going on, the gears in Lisa’s head were audibly turning. She raised a finger, ”Yoko! Give Ella your bo staff!”

”What are you-”

”Just do it!”

Yoko dug into her hip pouch and pulled out the bo staff and threw it to Ella. Ella caught it, looking at Lisa questioningly.

"What do you want me to do with this?!"

””Stick it out over the pool!

Ella had no idea what Lisa planned to do with this but… it was worth a shot! What could go wrong? So long as they weren’t losing anymore limbs. So she did what Lisa said and shoved it in the pool.

A web appeared and connected the bo staff with one of the artifacts. ”Now pull!”

"Oh!" Ella’s eyes brightened, like a lightbulb had gone off. She widened her stance, arms tensing as she pulled back with the Bo staff. Launching through the air, and landing at her feet was the artifact that Lisa said “looked like a dick”.

”… Turner! You’re a genius!” Yoko said.

Lisa stammered out some words, rubbing the back of her neck. Looking like she was blushing.

”Get all of them!” Yoko commanded, ”Or as many as you can.”

”… All of them?” Lisa tilted her head.

”There definitely has to be something useful among these artifacts,” Yoko began, ”We might not even need to go to the Forge…”

Lisa saluted, before the voice returned.

…?…?…?…?…heart…?…?…?…?..?

”… Huh?” Lisa asked.

…?…?…?…?…outside….?…?…?…?…?…regenerated.

”Not tracking,” Lisa shrugged.

"No idea!" Ella shrugged, preparing to fish out more artifacts.

Saskia rolled their eyes, though there was a hint of excitement in them. "The heart outside regenerated… so Yoko should just go cut it in half again. Ooo, maybe I can take a proper look inside it this time."

Yoko slowly withdrew the Yokai Killer, grinning, ”I bet you’d like that, Otten,” She then turned towards Lisa and Ella. ”We will handle this threat… continue fishing for Artifacts.”

Lisa nodded, and the walls began to shudder violently before Yoko could speak again. Cracks formed in the ceiling, oozing a sickly black liquid that dripped to the floor. Then, the first hand came through the door, resting on the edges. It was enormous and grotesque, made entirely of exposed sinew and glistening with viscous fluids. The fingers were unnaturally long and ended in jagged, splintered bone that looked like crude claws. A second hand came through, then a third, then a fourth, and so on… The hands reached inside, grasping blindly. Yoko's grip tightened on the Yokai Killer, her stance widening.

She turned her head towards Saskia.

Then nodded.

Saskia's lips pulled up into a slight smile, blood covering their body and elongating into a tendril out of their back. They nodded back.

Then they looked back at the door, ready to tear apart whatever was trying to get through.

Recollections: Primal Sinister

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