This is the saddest story I have ever heard.

Somewhere in la Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember, a gentleman lived not long ago, one of those who has a lance and ancient shield on a shelf and keeps a skinny nag and a greyhound for racing.


All this happened, more or less.


The cold passed reluctantly from the earth, and the retiring fogs revealed an army stretched out on the hills, resting.



If I am out of my mind, it's all right with me.

Later.

Okay, so apparently I got on some troll list so I got a bunch of blank entries to fiction blogs or whatever. Doesn't matter. I have a new email address from work, and I'll make a new one there. This old one wiped all my old entries anyway.

I'll send a new email out to the people who I want to see on my new one.

So long! Oh and screw you trolls, go die in a fire.

I'm back!

Hey, I'm back from the hospital. Everyone at work has been so nice, sending me flowers and stuff. I look pretty bad, but the plastic surgeon they had work on me has done an incredible job.

I'm a little bummed that BSU lost. I always said that they got screwed in the rankings, but now they can use this to bury them. Ah well.

Anyway, please don't ask me about the accident. Not yet. I don't remember much anyway other than the impact and the fire, then I wake up in the hospital. The Doc's say I'll remember more later, but that's not something I want to talk about here.

Anyway, did anything happen on the news with the Kardashians? I was out for so long, I miss my gossip.

Still, glad to still be alive, and mostly intact.

Robert

[Blog Wiped]

Status

He never went anywhere you know. The reservation and commune? He made it up. There's really not a single thing Robert said that wasn't a lie. He just wanted to be special. Too bad he suckered you all into it, and now you all sound like a...I'm not that familiar with the Internet Term...Mary Perfect? Whatever it is.

Ezekiel, I'm glad you actually responded. I always wanted to thank you for killing Conaghan. Sick bastard.  People like him give people like you and me bad names. I owe you a coke.

Anyway, I'm almost done with Robert. He'll be returned to you all by...probably Monday, maybe sooner. I believe the colloquial term for your reaction when you see him again is 'shit bricks.'

Truth

Alright, first stop saying Love, Life, Light. You all sound like characters out of a Care Bears episode. They're just words.

Secondly, I want to clear the air and show you people something.
You think Robert went to the 'Other Side' and that Nessa trapped in some Labyrinth or that Zero can, and this is my favorite part of bullshit, go to the 'astral' plane?

Grow the fuck up.

You wanna know where Robert was during his time as Greenlight? Well M got it right. He was hiding in that electric monitoring station, in a filthy suit, with a swiss army knife, talking to himself and his iphone. He was eating out of a McDonald's garbage bin. That's it. Oh yeah, and that story of the kids who fought Him off? Bullshit. They never existed in the first place. The loon just found a knife in a parking lot.

Nessa, you're wandering around the back alleys of a city, babbling to yourself. Give it up. He's already taken your mind. You think you can escape without any damage? Two words babe: Internal hemorrhaging. And doesn't your 'speech of power' sound like the kind of babbling that might result from brain damage?

Amelia, if you want to help your father, just give it up. You're not doing anything helpful. I mean if you WANT to have to club in your father's head with a pipe later, hey keep on being stupid.

You're not winning. You're just poking a sleeping bear. You upsetting Him. Which makes him lash out at us. Which makes us attack you. Everyone gets more agitated and hostile. No one wins. Just stop, and things can calm down, no one but you wants this...and you're just a bunch of Icaruses. Burn baby burn...in Robert's case that was a bit more literal than the rest of you.

Zeke is going to burn as well. We can take him whenever we want, but thankfully the FBI will be doing that for us...thanks for that Zeke by the by. M is the only one who will be here past the solstice you know...he's the only one who understands his place.

I know most of you will blow me off in some display of arrogance and idiocy, your loss, but to those of you who are scared? Who have doubt in your 'Titled Saviors' and the Solstice? Take the offer. This will never come again.

Bravo.

You all think you're so so clever, don't you?
Pulling her back. Your insane 'idol' greenlight helping the pull?
Well, good for you. Really, tell me. What's the score? Your hack artist Nessa and B's little nothing?
So...2? Maybe?
You know what HIS score is?

We caught your little greenlight.
Couldn't fight us off when He set him on fire.
We grabbed him and well...now he's safe with us.
It's very funny really.
His face, a total burned mess. Nose is gone, covered in scabs, mouth just a barely perceptible line.
Guess who he looks like now?

You will fail.
There's nothing special about the solstice.
Greenlight, or should I say Robert, is a lunatic, babbling in a corner.
That swiss army knife, that we WILL find, is only that.
And you can't beat him.

Reach is an idiot.
However, his upcoming fate will pale in comparison to what is going to happen to you.
You have caused him Fear.
You have caused him Pain.
He doesn't LIKE that.

However...
This is your Get Out of Jail Free card.
Delete your blog. Erase yourself. Refuse your title. It's meaningless anyway.
Do that...and you're free.
No more us. No more Him. Your friends and family as well.
Just walk away.
Before Sunday.

Don't just write this off.
You think any of us with any minds left wouldn't chose this in a heartbeat?
Think of your loved ones as well, after you die on the Solstice. He WILL go after them next. Think of their pain.
Actually think about this.

He thinks...less like a Human then you might think.
There's prey. Then, there are you, threats.
He will fight you, and you will lose.
But if you run. He will forget you and go for easier prey and more prevalent threats.

Actually consider it.
You might not mind a death in battle, but I want you to think of little Robbie's screams.
And then imagine them coming from your mother's/father's/sibling's/girlfriend's/boyfriend's/best friend's throat.

And it will be YOUR fault.

Hurt.

Bad.

Direct Attack.

Not Him.

His Fear.

Causing Panic.

Agents Berzerk.

Entered Here.

Assaulted Me.

Didn't Care
Torn Apart
Didn't Care
Fed Trees
Didn't Care

They Attack
Blind Panic
Rabid Animals
Trying Anything
Stop Fear
Stop Him
From Fear

They Shriek:

YOU ARE THE CAUSE OF HIS FEAR.
YOU ARE THE DISEASE.
WE WILL PURGE YOU ALL!

Run.
Hide.
Survive.

Very Bad
Also Good
Idiots Wasting
Using Themselves
Burning Out
Collapsing
Bleeding Internally
Burning Inside
Rotting Without

Burning Out
His Power

Bad Times.
VERY Bad.
Pushed Them
Now Response

Run, Fight
Run, Fight
Run, Fight
Run, Fight

Rescue Possible
Will Help
Can Restore
If Found.

For Now
Must Run

They Scream
For Blood
Also Hear
HIS Screams

Solstice Approaches

This is how all stories like this end, everyone covered in blood.

Solstice Approaches
Call Sent
Titled Prepare

Not Ready
Wont Be
Can't Be
No Choice

Doomed
Can't Win
Know That
Don't Go
Unless Prepared

Hero Emerges
Small Victory
Greater Losses

Still Go
Will Arrive
Bring Weapon
Will Fight

Can't Win
However
Not Lose
Is Possible

Hurt Him
Permanently

Going well
Tasks Assigned

Amelia Cure
Zero Scout
Maduin Trap

Keep On
Feel Him
Hates Us
Fears Us

Ignore Reach
He's Mine
Learning Tricks
Workings, Rules

See Him
See Them
Agents Fear
They're Hunted

I left in San Fransisco

You know, there's a cut song from 'Fiddler on the Roof' it's called 'When Messiah Comes.' It has a nice chorus.

Since the first days, many men said, get thee out
Kings they were, they're all gone...
We're still here...

I'm(Sage) still here...I think I'll always be here. I went into the woods. Just like I did the other places. I was so so tired. I don't dream any more, and the smell has faded, but there's...nothing there. I envy Shaun and Jay...they're gone. I know it. At least they're free. That much I know for sure, others are His, in Other Side, on the Trees...in the Whispers...still afraid. Shaun and Jay are (Free), gone to a better place, or returned again, or beyond pain or whatever your soul knows to be right.

I(Sage) stood there in the woods, in my suit. I finally realized the picture I made. It's so so funny. I'm a little pissed that the (Shaman) didn't tell me that my role as the Sage had shifted. But it was more important that I figure it out on my own.

I(Sage) have the Weapon. It's such a simple little thing really. It came from a -Triumph.-

I(Sage) watched it...maybe I was lured into the woods to see it...maybe there's a Higher Power helping...or at least giving us the chance to help ourselves.

It was a boy and a girl, a girl scout and her very annoyed brother (I assumed brother, I don't know, but it feels right.) doing some kind of badge work or something. The /Construct/ appeared before them, I could see it slowly stalk and then emerge. The boy saw him first and screamed. I tried to step in, but I tripped on a root and fell, black leather shoes are designed for business jungles, not woodland jungles.

The girl, oh I wish you all could have seen her, dirty faced and dark haired, glasses and braces, a Valkyrie in Girl Scout Brown. She takes out a whistle, and a swiss army knife. She blows on that whistle and the woods seem to shudder, then she stabs Him with that little knife.

/Construct/ lets out that sound of pain, a thousand times louder, and wraps a limb around the girl's arms. I'm still prone on the ground, but the brother returns, a Knight in a Clone Wars t-shirt, and pulls her free. She's still blowing on that whistle, and then they run. They run and run. They didn't know what they had faced. They

I(Sage) laughed. I got to my feet and pointed at the Slender Man, yes no longer a Construct, not for that moment, and I laugh and laugh. The Jedi joke alone is just too funny, add in a routine about cookies and 20 dollars and you have to agree that -Something- has a sense of humor.

The Devil truly cannot abide to be mocked. It was literally right infront of my face...I spat in His blank visage. He just left. Off for other victims, off like the smoke that He prides himself on being, He was gone. And I understood.

Because the Swiss Army knife was left behind.

It's coated with Substance tinged with something black. I can't open it, of course, I'm not the one who's supposed to open it.

I will keep it safe, and I know where to keep it safe. Where its power will stay static and nebulous like the Construct. The Shaman knew I would find it, but the moment I find it, it stops being the Weapon...unless it's on Other Side.

If the Weapon is on Other Side, then He can find it and remove it...unless there is a part of Other Side that keeps it safe...like someone dumb enough to drink Substance.

There will be Three New Sages...actually they're already here, the titles are there for them to take, and all the power and danger that goes with them. Gather intel, find armor, shield, other weapons, passages, or the Champions...or at the least keep spreading the message to fight. Of all duties, that last one is the most vital. Remember us though, and how we went out, kicking, screaming, terrified, but not afraid. That is our legacy, and it has to be yours as well. Wear the title with pride, should you take it, and I weep for your suffering.

He cannot touch me now, I am just as part of Other Side as he is, and if he tried I would Attach him to one side or the other, so that he could be killed or would never be able to reach This Side again. He's a coward at heart really.

It is my new duty. I'll keep the Weapon safe, and when the Champion comes to claim it, it will be theirs to take. I'm going to walk into the Shed Door, dressed in my business suit, and this hideous pink and yellow striped tie my grandmother gave me. I also have this little hand powered safety flashlight with me, a small green light. Look for it, when you need to look for it, me, and what I have.

Goodbye.

Robert (Guardian)

Boston

Bastard's too smart for His own good. The HYBRIDS(Champions) attacked him with a baseball bat...lost yes, but...Evan(----) may be...

No, no can't say. Way too dangerous. Not yet.

Either way /Construct/ has shown one of His cards...I(Sage) can work with this.

TribeTwelve is more dangerous...growing, reaching, almost forgot about that aspect and now its back. Betrayed by my(Sage) own data. Funny really.

/Construct/ has to be Grounded. That's how Der Ritter(Dead) was taken, forced to be something here...or the other way has to happen someone needs to be Grounded to Other Side. Right now, as always we're(Fighters) fighting smoke.

Still, Crossover Items work the best and work for a long while. The wood of Der Ritter's scythe handle was from Other Side, even though it's been replaced it's the same Handle...the Operator Symbol made with Substance was something created on This Side using something on Other Side.

I(Sage) carry a bowie knife with me (In suitcase, no need for it when in the air) that's coated with the last of the Substance. It works...not well...not forever...but it will work for long enough until I find the Real Weapon.

Nothing here can hurt Him, no true weapons exist on Other Side, mixing the two is vital. The last part...I(Sage) think I have theories. Time, place, shape...but the one I want to try last...the one that makes the most sense...all stories need blood in them.

Milwauke

Still here. Still alive...it wasn't...it wasn't nice those past few days.

Those times I(Sage) spent in the quiet of the Parks? A lure...there are many many ways into and out of Other Side.

I(Sage) spent six hours in the Swamp.

The trees whisper to you, and the water's lukewarm.

/Construct/ didn't get me(Sage) or hunt me, or even know I was there until I was gone...Ithink He was occupied elsewhere...honestly, there's no difference between a path and a path in the Swamp.

It(Artifact) has to be a blade. Possibly an enchanted bullet...but a blade will always work. All version of the -Entity- that the /Construct/ originates from are felled by blades.

The trick is discovering what kind. It's nebulous shifting nature makes it hard to pin down...a Hydra. Lop off an arm with one blade, and when it regrows, the blade is now useless...

I'm(Sage) missing something...there's one more part...Blade, Substance, and one more thing...ugh. Too tired. I need to sleep.

Orlando

I(Sage) don't know why I take these little walks out into the wilderness, nature trails, alligator world, boardwalks...I just need to be outside, by the trees. Not by people. Not around those smells. Not around the /Agents/. I need a new tie...hate this dress code.

I(Sage) cornered one. Sick and shaking in a airport bathroom. Another one trying to follow me. Never attacked me or did anything when I cornered him. They babbled about nothing for a while. Just kept talking about needles, injections, and fish. I think it was who I though it was. That /Agent/(Lost) so cold and quiet. I offered they some diluted Substance...but the /Agent/ just ran.

The reservation was exactly that. Just like before, no one spoke or even looked at me(Sage). The (Shaman) just took the Substance and started up a small pot on a hotplate. As it boiled and he added...-elements- to it. (Shaman) told me more about /Construct./

I(Sage) did a typo earlier. It's nation, not country. Always country. They(Entities) come in endless forms. Authority is nice. It increases the sense of powerlessness. That is why Der Ritter appeared as a knight. That is why in the Australian Bush, it is a soldier. That is why in Russia it wears a great black coat. The message is clear, They are Greater. They are Superior. When they cause things to happen...there is nothing we can do.

They follow. The Iraq incident shows that. There's an (Entity) of the Iraqui...but that was not what got them...not what appeared...they can cross...but their prey is their own.

The where and when is unknown and unimportant really, as the (shaman) told me(Sage), and by all purposes a mystery that isn't likely to be solved...Der Ritter is the leading contender though. But the who is known...at least this is what the (Shaman) said.

A woman had a child. She was either young, selfish, scared, or all of those and a thousand more. Either way, it boiled down to her not wanting the child. So she walked into the Dark Woods. The border where civilization ended and the Cruelty of Nature and the World and all the things hidden inside began, and she left the child there.

There are many stories that start like this.

Then she returned to the village...but she feared her husband, or the authority, or the church. So she destroyed her home, cut herself, and shrieked and cried and spoke of a great monster. A being dressed in -Authority- and who took her child. The villagers believed her...and spread the warning.

That was the first one. If it was the Child, returning for vengeance, -Changed- by something. Or a creature of the Dark, insulted by being blamed for something it did not do, or Something that devoured the Child and developed a taste for it...it doesn't matter.

The woman was found on the trees.

The (Shaman) bade me drink the boiling solution. It was ice cold...and then I(Sage) passed out. When I came to, the smells started. The (Shaman) said that it was necessary. That if I kept traveling, and researching, and fighting...I would find a way to send it back for a while.

I(Sage) don't have dreams when I'm sleeping on the plane.

I'm(Sage) going back to my own home soon...back to the Door to Other Side. I know what's to happen. When I find the /Weapon/ when I discover something that the (Hero, Warrior, Guardian) needs to be victorious...then I must go to Other Side and the Swamp. That is my role as the (Sage), and Shaun(Sage) don't worry...I think...both /Construct/ and I are tired of this. It's sick of my insults and annoyances, and I'm just tired. I will be the next Sage to fall. I can't stop the process, not when its in me...I'll find it. Hide it someplace safe and then...well...I think I'll rub substance over a metal baseball bat.

There's no thing as a good death, just death. But there's a difference between going out like a coward, and going out scrabbling for every last second you can, swinging all the way.

Seattle

Landed here, my(Sage) home...for now at least. I feel like my life is going to become similar to George Clooney's character in the movie 'Up in the Air.'

I(Sage) miss movies...in-flights don't count.

Went to a place called Mercer Slough. (Pronounced SLEW) It's a wetland, I(Sage) used to go here on school field trips. It's very pretty, but I must have looked ridiculous standing in the middle of a nature trail wearing the suit the company makes me wear.

Dropped by the folks, they're fine, said I(Sage) looked good. Lost some weight, need some more sleep. Usual parental stuff. Had a nice dinner with them, and now I'm back at the airport, waiting for my next flight.

The Reservation was one of those 'Off the Grid' places. A tad more organized though, mid-way between hippie and survivalist. People seemed actually sane. Well, apart from the fact that no one would talk to me(Sage) or look at me and they said they'd gag me if I spoke too much. They knew I was a mental leper through and through.

The Old Man(Survivor) that they took me(Sage) too, who did speak with me, was one of the founders of the place. He was very old, German, and he knew of Der Ritter, his great-grandfather's brother was the Hero who killed It. A simple thresher scythe, a field of wheat on fire, mud everywhere, and just him and Der Ritter...neither of them left.

The Old Man(survivor) had also been in the presence of /Construct/. Just as the (Oracle) cannot be harmed by Him, neither could the old man. The Old Man said that it was because /Construct/ wasn't allowed to take him. He was born on German soil, he Knew himself to be a German, Der Ritter was only allowed to take the old man, and It was dead...this bastard son in this bastard country couldn't touch him...also there was one more important thing.

He(Survivor) still had the Scythe of his Uncle.

It's a rather pathetic looking thing. The handle's been replaced several times it appears, and the blade is a solid piece of rust. It's also rather small, the blade's about as big as my(Sage) hand. I'll try to fix it, but I'll probably have to replace the blade as well. 

He(Survivor) gave it to me(Sage), you see.

I(Sage) can't Title it. It doesn't Belong to a Sage, and it can't be Used by a Sage...also there's the whole Rule Change Concept I mentioned...so who knows if it will work. Depends on how strongly the /Construct/ wishes to be associated with Der Ritter I suppose...

Ugh, it's safe here...but it smells. Distinctly too. The woman sitting next to me(Sage) is obsessed with Breast Cancer...The 10-year old across from me is afraid to fly.

Before I got to the Gate there was a little girl who was sitting by the windows. She was being Hunted by Him, that I could tell instantly...she was scanning the horizon, searching for Him. An Operator Symbol painted in whiteout on her Hanna Montana backpack. (M(Hermit) would be so proud.)

Then she turned around suddenly, and looked at me standing in line at a Starbucks. I glanced over at her...and she screamed and screamed, then ran for her mother.

No one seemed to notice...

We're boarding...ugh, lovely sleep.

Airport again

Back again in the blessed freedom of the Airport(Sanctuary). I(Sage?) booked another flight...several flights. Most of them cross country. I called up my boss and asked to be transferred to the sales staff. It involves going from place to place and hawking whatever miracle cure the head company has developed. Had to cash in a lot of favors, and give out a few...playing courier as well, mostly to mistresses and second families. It was...it was easy to know who to approach and call now...they stink like the Swamp. Afraid they're going to get caught, afraid of death, afraid of losing, afraid of not getting enough. I smell it on everyone now. The  (Shaman) at the Reservation said that it wouldn't be long before I can tell the difference.

Of course, the horrid stench around myself(Sage?) is the worst.

He doesn't smell at all...nor do /Agents/.

He(Shaman) had me drink it. He boiled the Substance, and I(Sage?) drank the whole thing while it was steaming. It didn't taste like anything. Just that it was cold.

W-Fighters- are at an eternal disadvantage.

Other Nations' /Constructs/ have set rules, set paths, set legends that they MUST hold to and never change, they've been around so long for so many years that it becomes a Singular Truth...and the Grand Theory holds. A warrior or Guardian or Hero rises, the /Construct/ is defeated and goes away for a long long time before it's rebirthed.

Our /Construct/ has options.

Hundreds of them. Eventually thousands at the rate this is going. You(Hunted) play against Him using M's(Hermit) Rules and then suddenly the /Construct/ starts using the Rules from Marble Hornets or Twelve Tribes, and M's advice becomes crap. So you swap over to following those new rules, but then someone else writes up a new blog with new rules for Him or the /Agents/ and voila! You're back to square one, with no time to recover and you never know when He will change. It's fighting water...or smoke. It's impossible to get a hand on it.

But, it's a double edged sword. All those options? It's the biggest weakness. If /Construct/ were to face against Der Ritter(Dead Monster) then the German Knight would rip Him to shreds. The longer you stay alive, the stronger your Rules become, and eventually...well...

Still comparatively it's trying to fill a 20-gallon oil drum by placing one grain of sand in it, every day. And if you miss one day, or drop your grain, you're dead.

Why do you think M's(Hermit) been able to stay alive for so long? I(Sage?) hope...haven't heard from him lately.

Head's still reeling. I'll(Sage?) try and write again after my flight...blessed sleep. Explain what I've been doing, where I've been, and what I've learned.

Don't give up...turns out He's been playing defensive all along.

Shaun(Sage), I'm(Sage?) so sorry...goodbye. Remember, you are not His...as long as you don't give up. However...a low dosage of morphine will keep you from feeling...No...no...stay in airports, stay in the air, stay alive and what I saw won't happen. You just need to make it to Halloween for now...be in the air on the 26th. Okay? Either that or keep running or sleep at the CN tower in Canada and if not...find some morphine.

Writing from Airport terminal. Done with Commune, going to Reservation next. Plane is leaving soon. Decided to risk this. Also, Airports? Fantastic places to rest. /Construct/ hates them for some reason. No Visitation and saw an /Agent/ that was tailing me(Sage) literally collapse and vomit. When I'm in the air...I can feel His presence leave.

M's(Hermit) get up high rule still has merit. Maybe I should look into becoming a steward.

Heard about Jay(Heroic Sage). I take solace that he is Free. His no more.

Got some important information from my source at the Commune.

German /Construct/ and American /Construct/ are NOT the same being.
There is more than one of them. /Constructs/ exist in nearly every country. Different forms, same type of /Being./ They are ALL awake. Records across time show.

However, American /Construct/ is a singular being. The /Constructs/ will not, CAN not, work together.

Finally...the German /Construct/ is dead. Killed with a small, peasant's wheat scythe. The Theory is proven.

History lesson is over. Reservation is next.

Shaun(Sage), He's getting angrier. You and I(Sage) both know it. If he can't reach me, he'll go for you. Book a cross country flight as soon as you can and get to the airport as soon as possible. If we're still alive by Dec. 23rd, then we'll be okay. Trust me on this, it's been confirmed.

Until then, and I(Sage) can't believe I'm saying this, follow M's(Hermit) rules, and stay in airports or in the air as long as possible.

October will be bad. November will be worse...and December...Shaun(Sage) if He hasn't found Zeke(Mystic) by then and we're still alive...we will have His FULL attention.

Travel plans

Shaun(Sage) is right. I've(Sage) been getting too much information. The voyage of Little Sage, the fact that I was able to translate the Whispers. (I'm thinking that my earlier hypothesis is still true. This isn't the /Construct/ speaking to me. It's just my own mind giving suggestions.)

I've(Sage) been taking far too many risks. I've even handled the Substance with my bare hands. Adrenaline surges through my mind. I'm welcoming His presence...wanting him to come. I want the fight. I'm losing my grip on my objectivity and letting the aggression take over. As a result it's been tainting my work.

I(Sage) have two new leads to follow up on, however. So I'm going to be gone for a few weeks. I'm going to be out of communication as well. The Commune and the Reservation both made it clear that if I was coming in to ask about /Construct/ then I had to be disconnected from anyone else who is -Infected.- They were unclear as to why, although it was interesting that they both said the same thing without prompting and they're two VERY different sources.

Hold tight Fighters and Sages. Hopefully I(Sage) can get some new intel.

Translation Complete

Alright, I(Sage) caved in and tried to translate the /Construct's/ whispers. Very very very stupid of me and I did some stuff that would make M(Hermit) yell at me for a good hour and a half. However, I...managed understanding, and got something that was coherent enough to figure out. /Construct/ apparently was not used to direct communications, not sure if He knows how really. Normally just His presence is enough to cause the human mind to go off on its own...like how Zeke's(Mystic) /Agent/ saw Him as the Angel of Death.

Anyway, this is a bit of Good News/Bad News.

Good News: Zeke(Mystic), congratulations, you're at the top of /Construct's/ hit list. He HATES you more than anyone else. You have survived and you have shouted loudly that He was to be fought. This has caused Him more trouble than ANY. OTHER. THING. So bravo.

The Sages are next. The /Construct/ loathes us for our efforts and specifically to Jay(Sage) for robbing him not only of (Victims) but of an /Agent/ as well. Shaun(Sage) you rebuked his control, that was a concept unknowable to Him, and until you did it, impossible to anyone else. I(Sage) caused Him pain. Also, not something that was possible until I forced it to be.

M? Umm...how can I say this man? He -cherishes- you. The idea of you running and running and running forever, spreading Him in your wake is -pleasing.-

The rest he didn't speak of.

Great News: Zeke(Mystic), Sages? I think...I think as long as we don't commit /Acts of Despair/ then when we Go, we Go to Beyond. He can't get us. That was part of His rage, /Construct/ implied that we may be beyond his reach after we Go but He will...

Well...that's what the Bad News is:

If/When the /Construct/ gets us...He said it will not be quick...and that it will be very painful. Images...dreams...of trees on Other Side...one for each of Us Who Fight...we will not be bagged. We(Fighters) will be spread across the limbs...and we will scream. We will scream for a long long time before we Go.

But after that we are Out of His reach. So...plus there.

He's back.

Well, like I(Sage) said, now that we are in the Time of Darkness for the Western Hemisphere the /Construct/ has a little more oomph in His step. He's out there right now, a typical visitation. I'm experiencing the reactionary emotional responses of both primal fear, and my own personal advanced aggression. Pushed it down, I can play His little games.

However...that's not the only thing I'm(Sage) experiencing.

The /Construct/ is...whispering things at me. I think. I hear them on the edges of everything, the humm of my refrigerator, the buzz of my computer, in the wind through the trees. Faint hints of words, that echo in my skull and the more I hear them the clearer they become. I'm trying to ignore them, but it's like He's forcing those words into my skull, slowly.

Right now I(Sage) know one thing though.

He's angry, REALLY angry.

At the Sages.

New Avenues

Alright, so...Grand Theory is out and running well with more and more people accepting Titles. The -Concept- of the Three Sages is getting stronger. The Voyage of Little Sage went well, and I(Sage) have some more Substance to work with that I managed to scrape off of Little Sage's car.

An upswing.

Although that probably means that the /Construct/ is going to double effort into stopping the Three Sages. I(Sage) had my raid, Jay(Sage) had his little assault, and Shaun(Sage) had his momentary bout of -Infection.- Which means it's my turn again.

Bring it, ya bastard.

I'm intrigued by JerseyDagmar(Keeper? Prodigal? Chosen? Foreigner? Not enough information to tell really. Not now.) and his /Guardian/. The non-effect it has on /Agents/ is obvious, but it seems to work so well on /Construct./ The Jersey Devil is a.../Concept/ that is VERY well known and has some True Believers. I wonder if there are other /Guardian Concepts/ that could emerge if the /Construct/ targeted someone who believed in some other being.

I(Sage) also have some good news regarding Halloween and the Winter Equinox. I've check and rechecked all old legends and such.

During those two time,s He's actually weaker.

Oh, /Construct/ may still snatch a child alone and afraid on Halloween, but that's the night when Fear is Welcomed and made into Enjoyment and Fun. Basically it's a poisoned source. Powerful yes, but if /Construct/ became a Halloween fixture, would anyone really fear him? A bunch of people running around in 'Slender Man' costumes would be the WORST THING POSSIBLE for the /Construct/. Mass proliferation yes...but not the kind that He wants. I(Sage) mean, Jason and Freddy are scary sure...but can you really fear them when you imagine a bunch of seven year olds running around wearing their faces?

I'll(Sage) go into more detail about that later.

As for the Winter Equinox. The longest night of the year...if I(Sage) was required to go to Other Side and fight him. That is when I would do it. That is when /Construct/ and things like him are weakest. You might wonder why I think so. 'Longest Night of the Year? Is he nuts?' Well, yes obviously, BUT you have to realize the flip side of that. The Longest Night of the Year means that the Light is Returning. Days get longer, and Darkness goes away. I know Light/Dark means little to the /Construct/ but I think it matters on Other Side.

Anyway, I'll(Sage) talk about that more later as well. These are just more Theories, but as I said. The Sage is to gather all knowledge no matter how insignificant or Insane.

The downside is that, if I'm right, even though on those two times /Construct/ is weak...for the REST of the time, He's going to be riding tall in the saddle. So to speak. Let's see...22nd was the Autumn...yeah...starting this Sunday, the 3rd? Strap in folks. It's gonna get worse before it gets better.

They're back!

/Agent/ activity has returned...however they aren't hostile towards me(Sage). Not yet at least. They're focused on the Shed. Approaching it, yet afraid to get close. No idea if this means that they want to have audience with /Construct/ or if they want to go to Other Side or...I have no idea.

Jay(Sage) you have that /Agent/ still? Show her a picture of a swamp or a slough. See if there's a reaction. Make sure they're free of -Influence- of course.

Shaun(Sage) start looking into anything regarding old legends about creatures from the Dark Swamp, or the Rotten Area, or any topographical location type that invokes primal fear. I(Sage) wont lie, this is going to be risk stuff with chance of -Infection- but...and I know this sounds callous but it's the truth...since you've already been Exposed, then you'll be able to have better insight, so we need to use that. If you feel youself slipping, remind yourself that Jay(Sage) and I(Sage) are with you in spirit. Your Title is your Power, and you will fall when YOU are ready. Not when He says so. That is the Gift the Sage receives.

Since you asked:

Warrior: Brave, Bold, Stupid in that headstrong way, Fights for the sake of the fight, Fights without fear, Only fights on This Side, Can push /Construct/ back to Other Side for a while, cannot beat it. A stop gap, and if they become an /Agent/ then there's going to be a lot of trouble.

Guardian: Calm, controlled with knowledge, FIghts for others BUT will have nothing left on This Side, FIghts on Other Side, Stays on Other Side and keep Him there for a much longer time, will return when the Vigil is over, or if a Hero emerges.

Hero: Afraid but pushes on, Foolish but gains wisdom from Sages and Mystics, Fights for those who are important to him, Fights on both This Side and Other Side Only a Hero can kill a monster...but the Hero always dies at the end of the story.

Little Sage drove through the door of the Utility Shed at 3:32, which then closed behind him. The car is water logged and the camera gave out under the strain, just holding out long enough to get back to This Side. The mic was totaled.

However, the little lego man, our Little Sage, is in prime condition. The first champion.

Were that we all made of plastic.

No new data apart from what I(Sage) saw over my first hour. Well...possibly no new data. Those whispers...I'm glad I destroyed them. Also wiped all data to prevent further contamination.

I'm(Sage) going to dissect the car and check the water and God knows what else got caught in that thing. Maybe I got lucky and gained some more Substance. Not holding my breath.

If only Little Sage could talk...what would he tell us of that Other Side and the Swamp?

I mean, after he finished screaming. Of course.

Voyage of the LittleSage

It's been an hour since Little Sage entered the Shed. I(Sage) Had to name it, Names are Important as we all agree. I even wrote Little Sage on the side and put a lego man in the driver seat.

Godspeed my little friend.

There was initially no reaction on the feed. The little pen light and camera I(Sage) rigged up only showed what you might expect in a power station utility shed. A bunch of meters on the wall, a trash can, and nothing else.

I(Sage) turned the Little Sage around to leave. I thought that either the /Construct/ was just screwing with me, or Little Sage was firmly on -This Side.-

Little Sage exited the door, but he didn't come out. Visual confirmation from my home with binoculars. I(Sage) was still getting feed though. So, I watched, still am. There's not much to see really. Too low of light save what I can make out from little glimpses here and there. However, I've confirmed two things. Some of it is from observation, the other part is...when you make a theory about the /Construct/ and write it down, maybe especially if you're a Sage, and it's Correct then it just 'feels' right.

First: Other Side is his Absolute Origin. This is where the /Construct/ was born. Back before the Germans gave the /Construct/ it's first name. Back to the time when villages would search for the Children who disappeared into the dark. Other Side is a Very Old Place...older than the /Construct/. The mic picks up whispers...and when I hear them I think of...best not to go further on that. I disabled the mic and destroyed all recorded audio.

Second: Other Side is not a forest, or an ocean, or a lake, or an empty place filled with rot and decay. It's all of these things really.

It's a swamp.

Still Stable

It's okay. I'm(Sage) still here. I've destroyed the recordings. Shuan(Sage), heh I TOLD you that we(Three Sages) would refuse to let you fall to the /Construct./ Jay,(Sage) this is important. You HAVE to be as convicted on the impossibility of Shaun's further -Infection- and how we can use it against the /Construct./ Any information that you can remember Shaun is important. Don't stress yourself, but try.

I(Sage) don't know why I(Sage) thought it was the ocean. There was a sound of water...but it wasn't waves. Not what I thought at first. It sounded like a rushing river...I don't know. Either way, something to note I suppose.

I'm(Sage) going to try the rc car tactic tonight.

I've(Sage) decided to not fight it. If I resist the -compulsion- then it just becomes stronger until I break and wander in halfway to being an /Agent./ I accept my fate, and I can control it. I feel more in control. I have to go...but not now, and not without preparation.

That's how Zeke(Mystic) did it...how's he's still out there. You accept that there are things outside your control, cinder blocks and rebar...but you control yourself, you control your own mind, you can't control fate, but you can shape your destiny.

I(Sage) know it doesn't make sense. Maybe I'm already affected...but I'm not letting /Construct/ have a clean win.

I(Sage) caused Him pain. That means that bastard can bleed.

That means Someone(Hero,Warrior,Guardian) will be able to kill him.

It wont be me, but when that person emerges, or takes on that title...then they'll find that someone has gone before them...and stacked the deck in their favor.

It's falling apart. He's trying to get us, to break us(Sages)...Jay's got a timebomb, Shaun's down, and I'm being lured into a trap. Stupid stupid stupid...it's in my skull now, a stupid lure. I WANT to go into that shed, charge into the /Construct's/ home and...and...I don't know. Ugh. Hard to think straight these days on Him. I just start getting angry and hostile and an irrational desire to attackattackattack...I hate Him. I hate him for what he did to Alexis. What he's done to Shaun. He knows that this is how to get us...appeal to Jay's nature as a scientist, subverted Shaun, and to me...well...offer me a fight that I can't win.

This is worse than being Turned.

Although, maybe it would be better that way. I(Sage) mean, what would it be? Pain, and then my soul would be beyond his reach. Valhalla. Heheh...a flame of glory. Ugh...nononono. Can't think like that. Have to be rational. I loved the RC car tactic, use that first. Don't be suckered.

You know, I've(Sage) always been told that I was lucky. I remember that day in the park. Nasty accident, drunk driver smashed really hard into a construction site next to it. Things went flying...a kid got impaled by a piece of rebar. I was on the merry-go-round with another girl. We were going so fast...a piece of cinderblock...several...hurled through the air. The girl was nailed right in the head. She survived, but she's brain damaged. I span around and around...and nothing touched me. Didn't even get my clothes dusty or bloody.

They checked me out, saw that I(Sage) was fine and left me on a bench to wait for mom to come back from Grocery shopping. I watched all of them, crying and bleeding, ambulances and police, reporters and news vans. I was fine.

I'm(Sage) always fine.

Other children wailed and screamed, invented monsters to cope with the trauma, some of them died later...it might have been the /Construct/...he might have been there that day. But I(Sage) didn't see him. I was just fine.

I'm(Sage) always fine.

Edit: Took a tranquilizer. Got some control back. Restored the entry with the proper demarkation. I feel better and the world is a little more organized. Alphabetized my books and DVDs. Enforcing a strict order upon my world, makes it feel less oppressive.

The Door Opens soon...

If I'm quick I can put a microphone nearby it.

Negative Contact

Nothing.

No Visitations. No /Agents/. No hallucinations either auditory or visual. No distortion on my video surveillance cameras. Nothing.

Meanwhile Shaun(Victim) has become an /Agent/ and Jay's(Sage) making amazing progress with his experiments.

I'm(Sage) however, treading water, staring at a little lump of black tree sap and a jar of green water. I've got plans and schedules, everything is ready...but there's just no activity.

Well...no. No, there's one bit of activity on my(Sage) end. It was the last appearance of the /Construct/ before this period of inactivity ended. He appeared on one of my surveillance tapes upon later review (Common occurrence). It was near the end of the tree line, where the power converter station is. Normally there's never been any activity there...but the last sighting had Him physically open the door to a small utility shack there and enter it. I went over there to examine it, in the day, and found it firmly locked. Hold on...

Ah. Alright it's been about twenty minutes since I(Sage) started up again. According to my tapes, I have received a Visitation every night. That door opens slightly every night, at 11:11pm(Recurring numbers common theme) and then shuts at 5:55am.

I(Sage) think that's an invitation.

Of course, there are traps, and then there are Traps, and then there's this which might as well have TRAP in twenty foot high neon letters...

Do I have any other options though?

Sage Side Effects

Noticing things...strange side effects. Not sure if this is happening to the other (Sages) but...if it is then it means the Core Theory is working.

One Sage researches weapons, one Sage looks at defensive measures, and one sage tries to understand the properties of the foe.

-Sword, Shield, Shroud.-

(Sages change)
Jay's showing defensive tendencies, being concerned about his security. Paranoia?
Shaun feels that he's turning into an /Agent/ and a part of /Construct./
I'm found myself becoming more aggressive in nature, more ready to fight and get into fights. Irrational anger.

Taking on aspects of our Focus as we(Sages) become more into our Titles. Losing focus. New counter attack from /Construct/ or is the Core Theory reacting stronger than I thought? When I can get secure contact with the Sages...then I'll tell them the Core Theory. Too risky to say it in public...

Plus M(Hermit) will probably have an anger induced seizure when he hears it.

Gotcha!

Heh...you wanna know WHY that ranty little crazy post was cut short?

Cause that was when the police kicked open my door and found a bunch of masked crazies tearing up my house.

After I(Sage) ran, I called the police. I work for a Medical Company, cops had NO problem buying my 'assaulted by junkies' story, mostly because it's happened to my co-workers.

I waved at them/Agents/ as the police hauled them away. Normally I would have erased that little post of theirs, I only found it after I finished cleaning up my place. However, they referenced me as the Sage, which means its working and the Core Theory is holding.

On the downside the bastards destroyed the Substance samples that I didn't grab in my exit. All I have left is a small orb about the size of a malted milkball and the jar of water I dissolved some of it into.

Still...a win is a win. And I'm(Sage) counting this as a win.

Godspeaksandwelisten
TheSagewillexperienceafateandpainbeyondanyandall
Godhaschosenyourfates
Acceptthem
Unlessyouwishtosharehisfate
DonotjointheSageinhisfolly
Godwillshowyouth

Make this quick. There's six of them/Agents/ now...they obviously don't know about the duck blind camera I(Sage) set up. What are they waiting for? Nightfall? Sun is setting right now...have to Evac. No time to get the Notes, just hope they don't find them...I have to go. I'll contact again when secure.

Shit, I must have REALLY pissed Him off.

Substance

Alexis(Victim) once said this to me...I(Sage) think she got it from one of the Japanese cartoons she enjoyed to watch. (I despise those things, of course this is coming from a person who loathes animation in general, so my opinion on that matter is biased.) May those who accept their fate be granted happiness, may those who defy it be granted glory. I've been thinking about that quote a lot.


It sounded like inane moralizing claptrap, and still is really...but...I(Sage) suppose when you go seeking for something to give yourself solace, you'll cling to anything that you can grasp.

It always surprises people to know that I'm(Sage) a very spiritual person. They see me as a type of doctor, a person who dissects everything in existence, the type of man who worships himself and his own cleverness. The fact that I pray and believe in a Higher Creator or Prime Mover conflicts their expectations.

I'm(Sage) not one for religion, though. Also, I will be the first to say that finding sanctuary in a church or trying to exorcise the /Construct/ are acts of futility at best. Nor do I believe that God is a man with a white beard, or even any sort of human. God is God.

And God is cruel. Otherwise, we couldn't be human. Stephen King once wrote that the cruelest thing God can do is let us live. I think M(Hermit) might agree.

A(Coward) asked about his title and debated that since he is without fear, then he should not qualify for such a title. I'm(Sage) not surprised at all by his(Coward) lack of understanding regarding the Titles, and the whole nature of Fear. The Coward never is 'afraid,' quite the opposite. The 'Coward' just avoids the fight, lives off other people, and in the end will die a sad, cold, lonely death. You see them in -concepts- all the time.

Anyway, enough of the -High Concept- navel gazing crap. You want to know about the Substance and what I found out about it.

It does conduct electricity, despite the Fire Retardant presence. When exposed to open flame it acts like magnesium. A massive flash of bright white light. Lower heat, in this case a frying pan, shows no result. While I'd like to work on finding the melting point of the Substance, lack of material forces me to end heat tests.

Cold tests show no effect. No condensation forms on the Substance, nor frost. It just loses it's tacky texture for a while until exposed to warmer temperatures.

As far as I can tell from equipment I 'borrowed' from work, it's cellular make-up is identical to tree sap. Simple cellular construction identical to plant cells. Also it dissolves in water, but a small amount (Say the size of a pin head), when dissolved in water, can turn 2 cups of water a light, translucent, green color. Say one or two drops of green food dye will get a similar result.

Haven't begun with the saturated water, allowing to sit for further study.

I also found that this substance, while being able to conduct electricity, also has some adverse effect on electronic devices. Putting it near (less than 6 inches) a television or computer screen will cause the screen to go into static. It is not magnetic though.

Shows no corrosive properties as of yet, experiments still on going.

High tonal frequencies (Tuning fork) show no effect.

I have saved the best for last though.

As I said, it's slightly sticky, and leaves a light yellow/greenish residue. I carefully used it to mark out an Operator Symbol(Proven Sigil) and set it up outside, where the /Construct/ makes his usual appearance to observe and assault me with -Emotional Imbalances.-

He showed up.

There was a flash of bright light, similar to what happens when the Substance is exposed to open flame.

Then I heard...it was an awful noise. It sounded like a cat being dragged across a blackboard, clawing and yowling. I suffered a panic attack and almost dropped into the fetal position. But the /Construct/ left, and the irrational terror left soon after.

Then I realized what happened.

I(Sage) made that fucker scream in pain.

Rule of Three

Three (Sages)...Myself, Jay, and Shaun. Good number. Gives the Title more weight, and allows others to not have to be (Sage) and share our fates. What we have learned is a good start, but the research is scattered. Disjointed. We end up going over similar things, and we aren't exactly working on a subject that allows redundant activity.

M thinks I'm nuts as well as Jay, and his opinion on Shaun's close contact experiments is clearly known.


Yes, well...stabbing people in the brain to induce trauma is hardly signs of a stable mind, as well as trying to collect vocal data on the /Construct/ or avoiding using Operator Symbols(Proven Sigil) just to lure him close enough to conduct weapons tests.

(Sages) are batshit insane. We have to be. It's up to people like M(Hermit), Sandra(Oracle), or Zeke(Mystic) to take what we find and make it useful. And no I'm not changing M(Hermit)'s title...he hasn't shown any other signs of other titles...besides...it makes me laugh when I see him complain, and if I don't find funny things about this whole thing I'm going to turn into Jay(Sage), Shaun(Sage), or Lord Forbid A(Coward).

Maybe that's why /Construct/ lets (Sages) live so long. He wants to see exactly HOW crazy we can go. Fear only lasts so long after all, before trauma sets in and the victims make /Acts of Despair./

Crazy just keeps on going and going and going...not to mention our proclivity to -infect- others. (And they wonder why I only use codewords.)

Actually went outside after the Fire Extinguisher Incident (Here forward referenced as Incident 2) and discovered something interesting outside where /Construct/ was. Remember that sticky residue that I mentioned was often found after utilization of an ABC extinguisher? Well, I found a residue in the location where /Construct/ was...only it's not the right kind of residue, or if it is it's been contaminated with some other element. It's similar to tree sap, hard, apparently sticky or tacky (Not stupid enough to touch with bare hands, don't worry) and a blackish/yellowish color. The yellow is the monoammonium phosphate, but...I'll need to run some tests.

Still stumped on -Origin- project progress...but if this stuff is what I(Sage) think it is...no, don't get hopes up. Keep stable or else you go nutty like the others...nuttier.

Close Call

Holy...oh, dear sweet Lord above in Heaven. I thank thee for thy compassion and blessings upon my courage and my folly.

Jay(Sage) suggested that Chemically Induced Amnesia was an option, and that I should try it on an /Agent./ Although, I lack the skills to do an injection into the Hippocampus.  Maybe A(Coward) will volunteer to help me practice.

You know...I do have access to a pharmacy in my position. I'll look into seeing if there's anything that can cause that condition. Although, it still seems like a stop gap, as opposed to an actual solution.

Anyway, must explain the event.

I had just finished typing out my last entry when I look up and there, in my window during dusk, was /Construct./

My use of code names and strange titles is confusing to some and muddies up my data a little...but it's a way to protect others, and it grants me some feeling of control over the situation which is SO vital...anyway.

I see Him, and instantly I scream and begin to go into my usual vocal rant. Verbal abuse, taunts, threats, recitations from the Bible (New King James, Gospel of Mark, Chapter 5 on), normally this has no effect other than giving me something to focus upon while I'm looking at him. This time however, I was -compelled- with a massive surge of emotion. (Look into possible testosterone, adrenaline, and other neurochemicals for counteractions.) Mainly fear, and aggression. Just a desire to be DONE with this mess...

Records show history of being 'lured' into /Construct's/ arms...is this new method?

Either way, I hurled open the window...but in my anger. I also grabbed one of my newly purchased fire extinguishers and blasted the entire thing at him. There was a massive cloud, and I was also screaming at the time...but when it cleared, I was unharmed and the /Construct/ had departed from His position.

Naturally I closed and secured the window. Still reluctant on the use of Operator Symbols. Have to use them when I have few options left.

Anyway, no idea if the fire extinguisher was the cause or if there was some other force that caused His exodus...maybe He just decided to leave. Either way, I'm not risking fate by trying it again, but I encourage others to attempt it.

For the record. It was a Dry Chemical, class ABC extinguisher, that sprayed monoammonium phosphate. It's a yellowish powder, although the typical sticky residue that normally accompanies it was not seen at the site. Also of note, the material is slightly caustic and is exceptionally damaging to electrical appliances. No idea if that is of any significance, but it should be recorded.

Self Terminology

Ha! Gamble paid off. I(Sage) think it was an /Agent/ in my house. The place is trashed, and drawers are opened and my freezer had everything pulled out of it. They were looking for my research journal, and they didn't find a thing. You'd think I'd be THAT stupid to hide my work in some place as obvious as under the couch or the freezer?

Reported the action to the police, acted suitably distressed (Not hard), and they promised to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity around the area. Well, good luck to them. Here's hoping an /Agent/ gets sloppy.

My make shift weapons last night reminded me that I have to make observations regarding Fire. Know that /Construct/ has affinity for it, but does that make Him immune? Know /Agents/ burn like anyone else. Bought several fire extinguishers and have placed them around the house.

Basic ballistic, blade, and bludgeon show no effect. High pressure water hose shows possibility as a deterrent but not suitable for combat. Light obviously not a factor. -Origin- is still my best bet, but I haven't found an -entrance- yet.

Zeke(Mystic) and M(Hermit) have asked about my titles for them. It's not as complicated as you might think it is, although the Theory is based on a Faith concept. It has nothing to do with Tarot nonsense. There is a firm belief in older oral traditions that  giving things like the /Concept/ a name, or discussing it, gives it power. My theory is that the idea works both ways.

The Mystic can equal to -Veteran.- Mystic has fought, stores the knowledge of the past, and continues to give support when possible.

The Hermit lives by himself, has developed methods to survive, and is willing to pass on instructions, but has his own priorities, and odds are will not fight as opposed to run.

As for myself(Sage), well...there's not much to tell about me. Robert Sage, tried to be a pharmacist and ended up working as a phone monkey for a medical conglomeration. I am...causative of Alexis'(Victim) /Act of Despair/ and I have to atone for that. I'm an arrogant prick, who has been accused of looking at the world as if it was to be dissected. Cold-blooded bastard. True statements, but now I feel they work in my favor. I will pick the /Construct's/ world apart, and find a way to end it. At the very least, I will get some explanations for some things.

The Sage...

There's a dark jungle next to the village. People who go into it never return. The villagers fear the jungle. Then one day a man with a torch goes in, the villagers scream at him to not, but he does anyway. He returns the next night, crawling back, bleeding to death, claw marks on his back. With his last breath he says 'Within the Jungle lives a Tiger, who is twelve feet long, obsidian claws, and has fire in its eyes...but it is just a Tiger and it bleeds.' After that he dies. The villagers no longer fear the jungle after that day. Oh, it's still scary and they take precautions from the huge Tiger...but it's just a Tiger. No longer is it Unknown or Shadows, perhaps one day someone will go and kill the Tiger...but there is no need for pointless fear.


M, I know I'm ignoring your rules. It's not out of arrogance in thinking that I know better. It's just not my place, style, or role to run away from the Tiger when I can figure out what I need to tell the person who comes after me.

Contact!

Received contact from Zeke(Mystic), who obviously thinks that I'm(Sage) a few beer short of a six pack. Don't blame him, I would think the same thing. Also was contacted by A(Opposition/Unknown) who was...less than charming. Suspect him to be a high functioning /Agent/ of the /Construct./ This may mean that the other /Agents/ are now aware of me...as a direct result of my making this blog. Damn. Still, odds were this was inevitable, especially when I begin full recording and bring in Fletcher and Lizzie.

Defensive measures will need to be taken.

Until then, I have an open request to any and all. I need information. Weapon usage. Anyone who has used ANY kind of weapon, device, or artifact on the /Construct,/ please tell me what you used along with any signs of effect. Combat, Escape, Defense, Warding, the use is irrelevant. It doesn't matter if it didn't work or only worked once. Any data is welcomed.

Remember the /Construct/ is on Defense to -Fighters.- He has to get lucky every time, we just have to get lucky once.

Hearing strange noises from within house. I have locked my door, opened my closet wide, turned on all lights in room, window has been barricaded for now, and I have baseball bat and WD40 with duct taped lighter. If it's an /Agent/ then look all you want asswipe. My records aren't there. If it's /Construct/...then  make all the noise you want, I'm not coming out. Anything that comes in though, I'm not going to be polite to them.

Alexis(Victim)

Ever since I mentioned Alexis(Victim) she's been in my mind for the entire day. Not sure if it was just generic guilt and regret or if it was a -compulsion- caused by /Construct./  Either way, I need to return to the original Focus, so I have to talk about her here. That way she'll be in the record and I wont have to dwell on her memory more than I have to.

Alexis(Victim) was my cousin. She was pretty much a standard 20-something College Dropouts, like all the others. Pretty enough to qualify for the label of 'attractive' but not her main attribute. Very active in athletics, and possessing of an exceptional sense of humor, even though her laugh sounded like a dying cat being dragged across a chalkboard that's been embedded with broken shards of glass. Average student, had serious attendance issues, and just dropped out of college due to lack of academic prowess and the inability to keep to a schedule.

Returned home, got cashier job at a Department Store, moved out to apartment, lived typical life with mild hedonistic actions coupled with a rather depressing amount of debt. Typical for both Alexis'(Victim) life/personality/character. Rotating significant others, nothing serious, didn't understand concept of difference that 'Falling in Love' and 'Being in Love' are two separate feelings. Disliked me(Sage), as she saw me as an arrogant elitist prick.

Which I am.

One of Alexis'(Victim) boyfriends(Unknown, but if I ever find him I'm going to express my displeasure to him with the utilization of golfing equipment) introduced her to the /Construct/ and all the other recordings and journals related to Him, knowing that she often found things like that to be amusing. She laughed at it and then waved it off as just another nonsensical internet thing.

One week later her -visitations- began.

If you are here in research to the /Construct/ then you know all the typical symptoms. Signs of Illness, Paranoia, Compulsion to record everything through either video or journal (Journal in her case. I looked through them. Nothing helpful, just typical ramblings and drawings. I have burnt them to avoid anyone else exposing themselves to the /Concept/ and becoming aware and -noticed- by Him.), loss of Memory, and blackouts.

All the while she was being stalked by /Construct/ through nocturnal appearances within her home, and daytime appearances at a distance.

I think the erratic behavior concerning appearances should be examined, see if there's any correlation between aggressive/passive activity and location of appearances. If I can determine that the /Construct's/ appearances aren't always coupled with a physical prese

Ah, damn. -Compulsion- is making me write about things I need to keep secret. Can't delete it either, find myself experiencing extreme nausea and near paranoia/nervous breakdown when I attempt to delete. Record this, and keep focus. Alexis(Victim), just think about Alexis(Victim) and don't consider anything else.

Alright...Alexis(Victim), she began to be stalked, and she went seeking help. Others didn't believe her. I didn't believe her...but I said I did so I could do something so much worse.

I observed her. I wanted to document her condition, what I thought was a condition, and write it up so I could get into a proper medical journal and not have to work in this God-forsaken medical call center all day dealing with Insurance Hell.

She got worse. He stalked her more. I just watched and fed her fear and paranoia...then in the end she committed an /Act of Despair./

Soon after that, the /Construct/ started to stalk me.

Shorthand translation

No sightings today. Things are holding together actually, feeling less -presence- and more stable. Trap is written ALL over this one.

I promised that I would make my shorthand easier to understand. Name(Title) represents a person who has to deal with Him. The Title is...a supposition based around a current theory/battle plan I'm working on. Ignore it for now. However, it has to be recorded multiple times because if the core theory holds true, then I'll already have the groundwork laid for me.

-term- is my clumsy way of saying 'I have no idea on how to say this that wont take a paragraph so I'm using this word that's mildly similar in concept, even if it's the wrong word.'

/Word/: Giving things Names and Titles is dangerous. M(Hermit) is proof enough of that folly. This is my way to take notation of people, places, and things that are possibly dangerous if -invoked- so I can record them without fear.

/Construct/ is of course...well...Him. I call him a 'construct' because that's what I think he is. Something made, something built, something that can be broken and destroyed. There's more to Him than just that of course, were it so simple. Going to have to break this rule once or twice, actually right now to be exact, but it has to be done. Risk is less than need.

This is the record of Robert(Sage), I am going to analyze, dissect, and study the -entity- known as the Slender Man. I am doing this so that I, or anyone else who wishes to help or follow my work, can develop a way to kill the bastard.

I am doing this for Alexis(Victim). May her soul be in peace and God forgive her weakness.

I fell into the trap.

I just freaked out so much at seeing /Construct/ near some kids that I overreacted and created this blog as a way to lure and distract him. No A-Alerts in the news though, comforting but I'm not going to be able to bait /Construct/ every night.

Now I'm stuck with this, and the Compulsion...worst of all /Construct/ is now aware of intentions. I'm not sure if there's a need to worry yet, haven't tipped my entire hand. Probably will need to watch out for /Agents/ and will need to bring in F&L earlier than planned.

Forgive me you two...but I know you'd rather fight than let this continue.

On my coffee break now...should be focusing, but Compulsion is there. I need to record this.

Did hear one of my co-workers talk about seeing a bum sleeping on the Rite-Aid roof. Possible Runner? Perhaps a way to contact M(Hermit)? It's worth an attempt.

Trying to contact Damsel(?) for more -Viewpoints- but I've made a /Promise/ that I'll try and help Jessa(Maiden) and it could put me in contact with HYBRIDS(Warrior/Tainted/?) but not going to hold my breath.

I use my shorthand way too much here. I'll explain it more later, after work.

Can't make it dark, make it look like the others...concepts have to align properly or it wont start out right...anyway. Have to keep it all down. Skip the usual 'descent' crap. Have been told, in better words. This isn't that kind of work.

Sighting Today. My Action: Waiting for bus home from work. Had no camera, and too far for cell phone camera to work. Location: Across the street in Lyon's Park, South Tree Line. Time: 4:26. Appearance: Standard humanoid, save proportions. Activity: Stationary. Other Elements: Children present (Major concern), Unseen by other co-workers at bus stop when inquired (Standard), Co-Worker's MP3 player showed irregularities in screen and in sound (Presence effect on electronics normal but first recorded time with mp3 player, and on someone who was unmarked and unaware but still heard and saw Distortion), new Operator Symbol present: OS scratched into glass with other graffiti, obvious in correlation to my presence. Unknown if spontaneous/Hallowed/Runner, still no certification of significance/power.

There was a story, long ago, about a sheik and a flying carpet. The carpet would move, as long as the rider never so much as thought about a single phrase. The Sheik, in his arrogance and idiocy, demanded to know the word so that he would never thing of it, and he summoned his court around him to hear. So that no one else would make a mistake. 'White Elephants' was the phrase...and of course, the carpet never moved again.

Bastard's near kids...gotta get him away from them. Focus on me. I still need some time though, haven't gotten enough information, Fletcher and Lizzie still untapped...but not ready to bring them in. Zeke(Mystic) can't help at this point, too far from location, too early, and he wont trust me...but...no, no choice. Have to keep the kids safe.

Have to bait that Armani-wearing Ass to spend a night staring at me. Look at me all you want Sharp Dressed Man. I'll make us both drinks...stay here, and you aren't out there.

And if you come inside...I'm gonna introduce your face to my baseball bat.