Object 452: The Holder of Technology

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Technology". The worker will smirk and ask you what you really want. You will have to ask him again; he will roll his eyes before leading you into a small office. He will shut the lights off and close you inside.

The only form of light should be from a computer in the back corner of the room. Should the lights turn on for any reason, turn your back to the computer, shut your eyes, and say as quickly as you can, "I am here to learn. Nothing more." Keep your eyes shut until the lights turn back off. If they stay on, keep your eyes shut and grope your way along the wall until you find the door. Once you're safely outside, run. Do not stop, and do not go home that night. Stay at a friend's house; should you make it through the night, consider yourself lucky.

If the lights turn back off, turn around and face the computer in the corner of the room. Sit down and never remove your eyes from the screen and do not speak. Should you do so, you will be faced with monstrosities that will haunt you for the rest of your life and most likely drive you mad.

A message will pop up on the screen that reads: "What is it you want?" You will only get a response to typing the question "How do I make them work?" A video will begin and, in horrifying detail, show you the worst torture imaginable at the hands of hideously twisted machines. You may feel the need to gouge your eyes out and tear your ears away to end the horror. It is advisable that you do not.

When the video is complete (If you could watch it without going mad), you will see a flash drive inserted into the computer. Despite the unbelievable dread you will feel, take the flash drive and exit the room.

That flash drive is Object 452 of 2538. Dare you insert it into another computer?

Object 453: The Holder of Uniqueness

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, tell the receptionist you are here to visit "The Holder of Uniqueness". Should the receptionist laugh, then you have failed, for someone has already come here and succeeded. Your only chance now to die painlessly is to kill yourself before anything else gets a chance. However, if the expression on the receptionist's face becomes one of deep sorrow and misery, you mustn't feel pity. Instead, you must laugh at her plight. She will look at you angrily and lead you to a hallway.

As you walk into the hallway, you will begin to feel the urge to see your guide's face. Don't ignore this urge; simply say, "I wear no mask, so remove yours!" If she keeps walking, pray to any god you think can save you; your death is coming soon by her hands.

If she stops, smiles, and asks you to close your eyes, do so. When you open them, your guide will be gone, and in her place will be hundreds, if not thousands, of headless figures standing in the hallway, and they will conduct you toward your goal. As you continue your walk down the hall, you will begin to get flashes of the most horrifying aspects of the human world: corpses, torn apart; unimaginable sexual fetishes, people in the direst of circumstances. As you continue, your guide will begin to laugh, softly at first, but growing into a mad cacophony. To survive this, you must join in. If you can laugh in the face of horror, your guides will stop at a door. As you enter it, announce to them, "I knew you'd deliver; you always do." They will bow slightly to you and return down the hallway.

In this room, you will see a pastiche of every life that's been ruined out of spite, every good thing that has ended because of hatred. A man, dressed the same as your guide but wearing a white mask, will be sitting in the middle, chuckling softly. Ask him one question: "Why do they laugh?" He will begin to tell you their stories, and why they have no face. He will tell you how the world treated them, and that to escape, they laughed at it. And then, he will tell you how he gave them a face and name, and how they conquered. After he finishes his story, say, "I wish to join the legion." He will ask you to write your name for him, and he'll give you a slip of paper and a pen. When you're done, he will take the paper and burn it, and the last thing you'll hear before you pass out will be "Expect us."

You will wake up in the middle of a large city. You are now part of the legion, and as proof, in your right hand will be the mask the man was wearing. On the inside is the inscription, "Operor non indulge. Operor non alieno."

While you are wearing it, neither you nor anybody else will be able to recall your name or anything else connected with your earthly identity.

The mask is Object 453 of 2538. If you wear it, not even He will know who you are.

Object 454: The Holder of the Cipher

Enter a library in any country, in any town, and approach a librarian. Present to them any of the books that describe the Objects and ask if they know the meaning of its contents. If they recoil in horror, then you have found one who knows of the Holder of the Cipher. The Holder of the Cipher hides in the emptiest part of the library, behind stacks and stacks of unread books. Wander around, browsing, all the while searching for the dark, secluded corner you desire. The light will remain constant throughout until you encounter a child with a heavy book with a yellow cover. From this point on, you follow the designed path, and cannot stray or turn back until you have finished what you started.

The child will pronounce himself as the Keeper of the Cipher. Ignore him and continue. Not long after, an identical child with a book bound in blue will approach you and declare himself the Guardian of the Cipher. Ignore him and move on. At this point, the lights will dim and a third child, identical to the others save for the crimson book in his arms, shall state that he is the Patron of the Cipher. Stand still, and the other two will join you. The three children will form a triangle around you. The lights will flare brightly, but will not blind you. You must not acknowledge the children, but neither may you take your eyes off of the Patron.

When the light subsides, the Keeper will be an old man, the Patron will be a young man, and the Guardian will be a young woman. In the arms of the young woman is the child that once held the three books. The books themselves have come together into one white book. The voice of the child will enter your mind, seeking a question. The question can only be found in one of the volumes about the Objects. If satisfied, then it shall walk over to you, grasp your hand, and lead you out of its realm. If not, then the Keeper, Guardian, and Patron will also enter your mind and tear it apart from the inside as the world around you turns dark. Once this happens, you will join those protecting the child.

If the child leads you out, you shall soon find yourself outside the library you used to enter. Glowing a pure white, the child will fade, and the light will become a pair of glasses. Wear them, and see the truth of whatever is before your eyes.

The glasses are Object 454 of 2538. To wear them is to seal your fate.

Object 455: The Holder of the Second Shard

In any town, in any country...

Find yourself in a room which you alone are in, with a mirror large enough to show the entirety of your body.

Make sure all entrances are barricaded, quite tightly. You aren't going to be using your body, but They can find it, and will. And that's worse than anything the beasts of hell can do. And the only way to hold Them back is to do this as quickly as possible.

Stare into the mirror. Look into your own eyes, and say out loud, "Matter is a lie. My essence is all there is," regardless of whether you adhere to that school of thought.

If your reflection does nothing, you must leave, QUICKLY. Exit the building you are in and flee as far from where you were as possible. Eventually, you will feel the sense of safety cover your body once again. Find a different mirror, if you so desire, and try again.

If your reflection begins to shake, increasing each moment more and more, throw yourself into the mirror. Do this with great confidence. Those with doubt shall have their souls shattered along with the mirror.

If you pass through, take a quick glance back. You will see your body on the ground through the mirror and will notice that the doors of the room you barricaded are thumping. You know that They are trying to enter the room, and you have a limited amount of time.

How much time? Well, how well did you barricade the room?

Run down the corridor you are in. It is a hall of mirrors, each which reflects a different aspect of yourself. NEVER touch these or stare too long, lest you wish to be absorbed into them, forced to relive your worst moments over and over for all of eternity. Eventually, the room will become wider, opening further and further.

You will eventually see the mirrors in the distance fading. As you continue, the mirrors will vanish and the tunnel will end.

Outside, you shall find yourself in a room with two natures, mixed so carefully together you cannot discern where one starts and the other finishes. Heaven and hell. Pay no attention to your surroundings; remember you have little time to spare.

Notice in the center of this "world" that there are many mirrors, once again. How many depends on the complicity of your character. Once again, each will represent a part, however small, of your personality.

Here is the test: Pick that which you feel represents you the greatest. Do not pride yourself; if you pick incorrectly, you will find on the other side this Object's Holder. And unlike many tests, this Holder wishes to remain hidden, and if you anger him... well, let us not cross that path.

Choose; if you believe you have found the door that best represents you, quickly enter it.

You will be in a black void for but a moment; but when the light returns you shall awake in front of the mirror which you entered, lying on the ground, holding a simple shard of glass. You may be unlucky enough to return just as They enter. Stab yourself with the shard to save yourself from Them, as you lack enough time to defend yourself. Death could only be a blessing in comparison. But if you awake and They have yet to enter, hold the shard against the door. They will know you have succeeded and retreat.

The shard is a simple piece of glass; with the partial emblem of an hourglass upon it. You may feel it is worthless, and perhaps it is, alone. But for some reason, They fear it. Not always enough to protect you, but you never know. Keep it by your side for this very reason.

That shard, The Second Shard, is Object 455 of 2538. Remember this thought as you leave the room. A reflection never lies.

Object 456: The Holder of Discernment

Only a Seeker mean, crazy, or otherwise evil enough to be wearing the Sealer's Sash is in any shape to even think of attempting to obtain the Torch of Truth.

This is one of the few Objects known to light the dark, inner corridors of the mind; it will never go out, no matter what it is doused or smothered with, for its flame was never meant to be used except by those who would use it well.

They weren't kidding when They told us we were made in Their image. The first speck of light gave birth to all of us. They used this torch to learn how to do good and evil. Not a single one of Them ever endured an ordeal worthy of Their existence without having to use this torch.

The torch's flame continues to grow brighter at the rate it was growing when it was first imagined. This was done on purpose. Imagine the sun, and now make it a trillion times brighter. It continues to brighten at that speed, every instant, and it is lost to time how long ago that was. If you tried to look at it with your eyes, the flame would be so bright that it is invisible, but your mind would see if from within as such a bright flame that you would go blind if you weren't physically prepared for it.

Check behind you to make sure you're not on fire. Now.

If you haven't burned yourself to a crisp from within, head out to the desert. You will not have to go far; if you are wearing the Sealer's Sash, it will begin to glow brightly.

Allow the sash's light to extend into infinity and rejoin with the light. Once this is done, you will see a ripple in the space-time fabric in front of you; proceed through it.

The sky around you will be red, with fierce black and gray clouds. Before you have a chance to take a look around, you will be face to face with a woman with glowing eyes surrounded by many creatures; some you will recognize and some you will not. If you look too long at any of these creatures, you will become one of them. You must maintain eye contact with the woman while you ask her, the instant you see her: "How could They tell?"

Her eyes will widen and she will be unable to stop herself as she uses her razor-sharp tongue to cleave a deep, thin cut right at the line between good and evil. If your ears do not catch fire and burn away while she speaks her tale, she will be impressed against her will and hand you a black crystal box. Everything will flash white for several seconds. Keep calm while this is happening; everything will reappear shortly.

You won't know where you are when you appear. It may or may not be a safe area. The only common occurrence is that it will be dark.

The speck of light that you are, floating above the torch handle, is Object 456 of 2538. It will shine on the darkness of falsehood.

Object 457: The Holder of Vengeance

To find the Holder of Vengeance, you must go to a place filled with both hatred and desire, where people have viewed themselves as innocents being punished. Many places usually fit this description, even if they are not obvious at first glance: educational institutions, prisons, crypts, and halfway houses are the most common, but often even basements of ordinary houses may be used.

At dust, make sure you are in an underground part of the building, with artificially-lit halls. If you have found the right one, darkness should fall as the sun sinks below the horizon, even though it should have no effect on the area logically.

The area you are in shall become pitch black. Wherever you were before, you will now find yourself facing a wall. There will be a hole in the wall, vaguely illuminated and big enough to fit anything you want to bring with you in, but so small that everything but yourself must be left behind when leaving. Climb through and you will come to a corridor made of what appears to be polished, shining white marble. Touch nothing but the lit candle in a holder by your feet. Continue walking until you reach a room empty except for a man sitting at a table. From a distance, he resembles a skeleton, but as you get closer you notice he is humanoid, albeit faceless, dressed in a black robe made of leather. His skin is completely white and no traces of age are seen on him. His one distinctive feature is his long ginger beard.

You must not say a word lest you disturb him. All you may do is hold up your hand, either the right one in a greeting or the left in farewell. This is your last chance to leave.

At this point, he will arise and beckon you to follow him down another hall, much like the one you had taken to find him. At this point, you will realize that the "marble" is in fact human bone, skulls to be precise. As you continue walking, you will begin to hear the agonized screams of the people whose skulls you pass. Do not dwell on them, or you will be subjected to their torture. The man will lead you to the final room and wait. In here, your candle will go out. You will be left in all-consuming darkness. If you say nothing, you will have failed. If you say the wrong sentence, you will have failed. The price of failure is unknown, save for your name being written in the man's book. Instead, you must begin to list punishments.

As you speak, two glowing spots will appear each intense but neither blinding. Do not ponder them. You must speak of nothing but pure punishments for any wrongs, real or imaginary, done unto you. If you stop to breathe for one second, you have failed. If you repeat yourself, you have failed.

If you manage to recite 538 punishments, a hooded figure will appear in front of you, and ask a simple question: "What is the number?"

Raise your fist, indicating zero, then turn and run. The corridors will be shorter than you remember, but do not falter. Run out of the building and keep running. Do not slow down or enter any building until daylight. At dawn, look down and you will notice you are holding a mask with the same beard as that of your mysterious guide, but only in black.

The Mask of Vengeance is Object 457 of 2538. Wear it, and you will never feel the need to ponder your justification.

Object 458: The Holder of the Dragon

In any mountain range, within any tundra, go to any cave that has a mouth big enough for a house to fit through. When you reach the entrance, do not immediately step inside. Instead, ask for, with a respectful tone, "The Holder of the Dragon". If the mountain begins to shake, enter before the snow can sweep you down the mountain. If nothing happens, come back later.

Once you have entered safely, you will see the cave is littered with the bones of many Seekers that failed this test. Your only light being the torches that line the wall of the cave, walk cautiously until you reach a large chamber with a pool of water in the center. Upon inspection, you will see an egg in the middle of the pool. It will tempt you, but do not venture into the pool or whatever the egg harbors will hatch and devour you.

Wait quietly, standing as still as you can, until you hear a loud explosion that causes the cave to shake but do not move from where you stand. A large, beautiful black dragon will enter from a tunnel on the other side of the chamber. Do not speak, allow the dragon to analyze you. If it approves of you, it will simply relax its muscles and sit by the pool. If it does not, it will open its mouth and blue fire will flow from it. The fire will not burn your skin but you will believe it does and will run to the pool in a hopeless attempt to put it out, going mad as the creature in the egg hatches to devour you alive.

After it sits, ask while looking into its eyes," Are you the one that keeps the dragon?" The dragon will then morph into a handsome young man with jet black hair. He will proceed to answer your question with perfect detail, in an accent you do not recognize. Once he has finished speaking, he will then ask you, "Why do you look for her?" Do not answer. Instead, enter the pool and tap the egg. The egg will then light with blue fire and if you lose consciousness then you have succeeded. If the fire continues to make you mad, you will have failed the test and die in the chamber.

Once you regain consciousness, you will see a young, white lizard with wings protruding from its back. It will follow you until it can eat your hollow carcass.

This young dragon is Object 458 of 2538. Only your death will allow her to grow.

Object 459: The Holder of Shamanism

Go into any forest in the world that is far away from any signs of human life. While in this forest, find a spot where the sunlight peeks through the trees. Look toward the light and speak, "Why must we destroy something so beautiful?" After speaking these words, quickly close your eyes. For if you fail to do so, you will be blinded and the limbs from the trees will reach down and consume you, taking you to a hellish nightmare that you will relive over and over.

If you close your eyes in time, the sun will pass judgment on you. If you are worthy, then the wind will blow, carrying you to a field filled with flowers and surrounded by trees. Do not be distracted by the smell of the flowers or the beautiful colors. Instead, look forward into the shade created by the trees. While staring, you will see a large Indian male walking from the shadows. In his hand will be a tomahawk. His body will be covered in various tattoos. Stare into his eyes and do not blink, blinking will cause his tomahawk to flee from his grasp and to your skull and your body will be no more. All that will be left of you is a cloven skull.

If you do not blink and he sees favor in you, he will move his left hand outward to you. In it will be a crimson red, old, and beat-up bandana. Take it from his hand, hold it close to your heart. Close your eyes and look down to the ground. In front of you will be one of the flowers. Move the bandana to the flowers and speak, "Replenish what is beautiful." After these words have left your lips, the bandana will turn into small white particles of light and will then fall on the flower. A gust of wind will move through the area and you will wake up in your bed in a place you call home with a new crimson red bandana.

This is Object 459 of 2538. Use it wisely.

Object 460: The Holder of Excuses

Get married, have a family. Love your spouse, and they'll love you. Have kids. Build a happy life for your children.

Now do that again. Cheat on your wife and start a secret family. Have more families, if necessary. Let the tension build. Bring them all together, explain yourself, and, finally, kill all of them.

Now bathe in their blood, bask in the gore. Say, "I am the Holder of Excuses, I create myself."

Thunder will shake the building, the foundation will crack, the walls will tumble. If you are alive, a thing not unlike a man will approach you. "You are not the Holder of Excuses! I am he, father of lies and creator of sin! I am not, was not, and never will be!"

Another will appear, saying, "The both of you have created me, the true Holder of Excuses, with your lies! All shall bow before me!"

Many will appear, each claiming to be the true Holder. They will be of all sizes, genders, forms, and shapes. You must step forward and say, "People, calm down, there has clearly been a mix-up! But I know how we will find the true Holder! You see, a Holder of Excuses must be a great liar! So you will each take turns lying and whoever I deem the best liar is the true Holder!"

The Holders will agree to this, for you will have great skill in making others listen to you because you have been the patriarch of many broods. If they don't believe you, or if someone else steps forward, may god rest your soul.

Choose a secluded locale to test them - and make sure you have a weapon. As each enters the area, kill them. You will have won the contest and rightly be given the Liar's Note.

The note will convince any literate mortal to trust you and believe you, unless they already know the nature of the note.

The note is Object 460 of 2538. When They come together, it will be because of excuses.

Object 461: The Holder of Essence

In any city, in any country, go to any monastery or temple you can get yourself to. Inside, you should find a monk bent over and praying. Do not interrupt him, to do this is foolish. When he stands up, ask him to see "The Holder of Essence". He will blink several times and slowly nod his head.

The monk will show you a trapdoor near the altar at the center of the room. He will slowly open it, and move to the position in which you first witnessed him. Only when he has resumed his prayers should you begin to descend the ladder. Once your head is below the level of the floor, the trapdoor will shut itself. Inside, all is darkness. Carefully descend the ladder. Falling here would mean more than an interrupted journey. As you descend, you will feel the air around you become more and more damp. Terrifying specters of every manner will twist through the darkness and attempt to shake your grip from the ladder. Shrieking voices will engulf your senses.

The further you study these images, the more solid they will become. You will begin to recognize them. They are your memories. They are your voice. They are your past, present, and future. As you near the bottom, you will realize. They are you. You are the hands attempting to tear your grip away from the ladder. The snarling faces are yours. Stop now, and do not look away from them. The phantoms will solidify, melding together into one, clutching the other side of the ladder.

Stare into the face of your doppelganger and ask the question, "What is at the core of Their being?" It will stop attempting to tear you away. As soon as it does, let go, yourself, and allow your body to fall. The ever-increasing dampness should culminate in a pool at the bottom of the ladder. Use the momentum generated by your fall to dive as deep as your lungs allow. To linger on the surface is to invite the guardian to join you there, where he will envelop you, bringing your two halves together, and canceling out your existence.

If you are able to dive far enough, your fingers will touch upon a glass jar resting in sand. Clutch this jar with all your strength. It will hold you underwater. Do not let go, do not open your mouth, do not swim up for air. Even as you lose consciousness, to lose your grip is to lose your life. When you awake, you will be back in the temple, and dripping with deep red blood. The jar you hold in your hands is clean.

That empty jar is Object 461 of 2538. Do not open it, and pray it should never break, for held within is the very essence of your soul. While you hold it, your soul may be protected from the tampering of your enemies. But don't count on it.

Object 462: The Holder of Solipsism

So, you think you can get my Object? You don't know anything of my pain. I know. I was in your place once.

The Objects have the power to create their own pocket dimensions. I don't know why, I suppose it's for us. The Holders. We can shape it to our will. The glass eye brought me here a long time ago and now I am charged with protecting it. It whispers to me sometimes. I'm all alone so often, and it tells me things. It will tell me about what it knows. It tells me tales of ignorant people. It tells me it was born from the ignorance of the humans, of the Seekers. It tells me what they've done. I listen, because no one else is here.

Lately, they've been coming, though. Up above is a building. A building for people, crazy people. These are the people closest to me. I feel comfortable here. But then they came looking for me. They asked to see me. Sometimes, they came into my world. They were looking for me. They were looking for my glass eye. But they didn't get past my minions and my traps. Most of them died, but some of them got away. They got away, to tell others what they did wrong. Then, my minions would punish the ones who let the Seekers in. He grew afraid of me. He wouldn't let the Seekers in so easily again. But still, they came.

They kept coming closer to me. Some of them even came into my room. Here I sit, in a room with a single chair, with mirrors on every surface, finding me holding my glass eye. Some of them screamed and killed themselves, others just fled from the room. I guess I don't look human anymore. Some of them stayed to talk to me. I don't know what they said. I just killed them on their feet. I know what they came for. And they're not getting it.

Except for you. You came and you said something horrible. You said, "How can we understand Them?" You want to know how you can understand them? You, a human, an ignorant Seeker. You, who know nothing of the minds of others. I told you what you needed to hear. I told you of the ignorance you and your kind suffered from. I told you of all the horrible things your kind has done because of ignorance. Yet, still, you listened. I laid bare the truth of your ignorance to you, yet you still didn't cow to me. The truth of the ignorance of humanity was not breaking you. Were you truly a human?

Perhaps the glass eye lied to me. Would you hear the same whispering voice that I heard? I held the eye out to you, and you took it. Without looking back, you turned and left me. I thought you might have been the one. The one who could hold the Object without hearing its lulling voice.

But, I'm beginning to miss that lulling voice. It was the only company I had, and now I'm just alone. You, Seeker, took my only company, no matter if you deserved it or not. Only now, I'm not bound here. The Object is gone. What is to keep me from leaving now? What is to keep me from coming after you?

You took my glass eye, Object 462 of 2538.

Now I'm free.

And I want it back.

Object 463: The Holder of the Sparrow

I've always enjoyed the birds.

 

In the Northern United States, on a dark December night around eleven o'clock, walk down a residential street. The only lights you may see are those of the coming holiday, Christmas. They shine brightly and are gorgeously placed all over the homes that celebrate this wondrous holiday.

 

Their curiosity, knowledge, and strength inspire me.

 

Some of the lights may be colorful, others, plainly white, and some may stick with a theme, possible semi-automatic reindeer or inflatable Santa Clauses or wooden elves or freshly made snowmen. Choose a house of which to knock on. Hopefully, only a few people live there.

 

I've always envied the birds.

 

You must murder the inhabitants of the house at the given time you enter, save one. Do not harm the animals in the home. It matters not who is spared. Do nothing with the dead, but take the spared one outside into the cold. Embrace the feeling of warm blood mixed with the chilling breeze.

 

Their flight, and protectiveness, angers me.

 

Ask the survivor of your massacre, "Where are the birds?" He or she may be too shaken to answer. Kneel this person down in the snow. Walk away. Don't heed to the cries behind you. This person may also try to hurt you. Take the abuse; you deserve it.

 

The birds, I'm sure, can outlive us all.

 

Walk to the end of the street and call out, "Holder, show yourself!" The dark of the night will not even match the darkness you are now engulfed in. The cold is replaced with humid air. The noise you hear now is of the birds. Every single diverse type. Hopefully, you know quite a bit about them.

 

The birds are the only friends I have.

 

The lights will slowly turn on and you will see all in this massive room. You will see me in all my glory, a simple scarecrow. The fear I once struck in all birds alike, is now replaced with everlasting love for them. Approach me slowly; just don't frighten the birds.

On one of my arms hangs the only caged bird throughout the whole room: a sparrow. That is the Object you now seek. And believe me, many have succeeded in taking him from me. From the birds, though, that's another story. They'd hate for their comrade to leave their eternal home.

If you do succeed in leaving with my sparrow, stay gone from the street where you committed the murder(s). The police are looking for you.

 

Good luck, Seeker; you've just made new enemies: the birds.

 

The caged sparrow is Object 463 of 2538. The birds are angry and vow their revenge.

Object 464: The Holder of Pareidolia

Find an abandoned building as large and isolated from other people as possible. Memorize the poem "Antigonish" by Hughes Mearns. Walk in calmly and head to the darkest section. Do not use any light to guide your way.

Once there, position yourself in the middle of the darkness and do not move. Gradually, all noises will fade, and you will only hear your breath with an echo. After a minute or so, recite the poem as if to a large crowd; clearly and loudly. If done correctly, you'll meet a man who isn't there.

He will stand there staring at you. Ask this and only this: "Can you hide when they come together?" He will then proceed to answer by narrating all the stories of those who have hidden and been caught. If you've come to understand the truths he has spoken, smile at him and he should smile back slightly. Do not smile falsely, he will know, and you will become a man who isn't there.

If all is well, he will approach you and take out his hand. Shake his hand warmly and honestly as if greeting an old friend. If you do not shake his hand, or hesitate, or shake it impatiently, he will seemingly walk away. However, the man will never, ever go away and you will find yourself seeing him everywhere.

If everything is all right, he will give his overcoat and disappear. Whoever wears that coat will be able to see things that aren't there. The coat is insight into the hidden world. The hidden doors and hallways initially guarding the Holders are able to be seen, thereby giving you a slight warning of what lies ahead.

Bear in mind that you still need to take the usual steps to enter them. Beyond these passageways, however, the coat is ineffective, because the things you will experience are really there. The weaker horrors you may face may be slightly confused and hesitant to fall upon you, though they can see you perfectly well. While wearing the coat, you will disappear from the detection of normal people. Only the insane will claim to sense you.

The overcoat is Object 464 of 2538. You can never hide from them.

Object 465: The Holder of Obscurity

In any city, in any country, go to any martial arts class you can. It doesn't matter the art they study, nor the age of the students. You may hope for a children's class.

Watch the class from the doorway for a bit, acknowledging anyone who notices you, but saying nothing. Wait for a moment when all the students are seated, and approach the one who is furthest left, in the back of the group. Ask them if they have a rival who calls themselves "The Holder of Obscurity". If the student covers their face with their hands, you've done it right. If not, apologize, and leave, for this battle was not yours to fight.

Look around the room now. All the students will be covering their faces the same as the one you asked, and the teacher will be absent. You may notice the walls have changed, any decorations they once held are gone, the walls a bland off-white, and the door you came in is gone.

The students will now rise, their arms falling to their sides, and you will see they all look exactly the same. You might not even be sure if they're male or female at this point. They will attack you, and you must defend yourself. If you can't hold your own against an entire martial arts class, they will tear you apart, and rebuild you as a training dummy, to spend eternity feeling the pain of blow upon blow as others hone their skills on you.

You only need to defeat ONE of the students, the true Holder of Obscurity, with as fierce a strike as you can muster. However, it is unlikely that you will be able to tell which they are before you are overwhelmed. If you are unexpectedly good, you may wind up defeating a good portion of the students before finding the Holder. As unlikely as this is, it will give you no added benefits, as the Holder does not care how many of his puppets you beat down.

Upon defeating the Holder, the other students will stop where they are. At this point, you may ask one and only one question: "What is their true form?" Ask anything else, and the battle will resume, for all of eternity, until you fall, and become a training dummy.

Ask the question, though, and the Holder will reach up and tear off his face. As he approaches you, you will realize you cannot move an inch. The Holder will smother you with his own face, and as you struggle for breath, images will flood your mind, of what once was, what will be again. Images beyond description. You'll pass out shortly thereafter from lack of oxygen. When you wake, you'll find yourself sitting outside the school of martial arts you had moments ago entered. You'll notice the feeling of his torn face against yours still persists. Upon reaching up, you'll realize you are masked in a strange cloth, which you may remove.

Wearing this mask will make you unrecognizable to any mortal and any Holder. What you do with this will be up to you.

This mask is Object 465 of 2538. Even it cannot hide you from what is to come if They are brought together.

Object 466: The Holder of the Transition

I have just come back from our city's fabled "haunted asylum", and this is what I found. I copied it the best I could, but the paper was so old, crumbled, and covered in dried bloodstains that this is all I could decipher.

 

—- —ny city, in any country, go to any men—- —-itution or halfway house you can get yourself to. —- speak to the One Who Rose-. You will be taken outside and —- —- Be careful that you do not let any of their blood touch you —— ——-

 

He introduced himself to me as "Nem, the Holder of Transition," but he may be using another name now —-

 

—- It is very important that you keep your eyes closed until he says, "The color is Bl—-"

 

—-ack, then you may as well keep your eyes closed, because you don't want to see what they're doing to you. But if it is blue, then you can open your eyes —-

 

—- sapphire sculpture is Object 466 of 2538 ——-

Object 467: The Holder of Doubt

You don't want to find me, Seeker.

Deny it as you will, but you're just like all the rest. You act like you're brave and strong, play the charade of the heartless hardass who'll sacrifice everything ever created in order to reunite them. Yet I can see past this paper-thin façade of yours. Deep down, you want it all to end; if you could just stop everything now and resume your life as it once was, peaceful and oblivious to the dire machinations you've since witnessed with your own eyes, you'd do it in the blink of an eye. That's what you already know.

What you should know is that it's impossible to go back.

Sure, other Holders may try to convince you that they can erase your memories, can make you believe you've never even heard of the Objects or the Holders. Yet their "magic" (if it can so be called) is incomplete. You see, from the very moment you obtain your first Object, they become a part of you, as vital and inseparable as your heart or lungs. While those other Holders can indeed wipe your mind of thoughts of the Objects, they cannot remove that inexplicable something that enters your innermost core. Thus, despite your newfound amnesia, you'll still be left with a sort of calling, and (you can rest assured of this) that calling will invariably lead you back to the Objects. Once you are in their grasp, you can never free yourself.

Now that we've established that, provided you've gained at least one Object up to this point, I will appear when you want to see me the least. There's no knowing what I'll look like (after all, I, like any other living creature, enjoy a little variety in my life), but you'll know I'm around when your breath becomes shallow and your heartbeat slows down. You see, just merely being in my presence will cause your body to doubt its right to live.

Whether or not that right exists depends on you, Seeker, for I will be scanning you. I will search for any doubt you've ever felt throughout your lifetime, and if I find even the slightest sliver... well, let's not go into too much detail; suffice it to say, your body won't want to live anymore.

What I hold, a stone sculpture of a human heart, is Object 467 of 2538.

To date, none I have encountered have had no doubts.

Will you be the first?

Object 468: The Holder of Synchronicity

Go to any mental institution that has been abandoned for at least fifty years at the exact moment that the witching hour is at its midpoint. If you walk through the front doors and nothing happens, you are safe. However, you must never seek any of the other Objects again or you will be cursed to fail instantly, and that's the best thing that could happen since it means you will survive. If you walk through and the asylum appears as it did when it was still open and you see a staff operating the building, you have done it correctly.

You will notice that the people who work here are a sickly pale and that they seem to radiate light; everything in the hospital seems to be too bright and foggy to discern a definite shape. Ignore the atmosphere and do not remind the staff that they are damned. Instead, go to the front desk and ask for a patient who goes by the title of "The Holder of Synchronicity". The receptionist will already be laughing before you finish your request, her face slowly warping into a hideous elongated mask of distorted flesh.

You will feel the ground under you suddenly shift very violently and you will fall to the floor. The staff and the patients standing in the hallway will watch you flash by as the entire floor seems to move you at a rapid speed toward a door at the end of an endless hallway. You will stop at the door and the hallway will suddenly be empty.

You may only look back once; if you look twice, you will be left there an eternity as a patient in this minor outpost of hell. Open the door before you and step inside. In the soft padded cell, you will notice a barefooted figure sitting in a straightjacket in the far corner, making a sound that is hard to distinguish from crying and giggling. The figure will ask you what your name is; you must answer with your full name including all first names, middle names, and maiden names that apply to you.

If you leave anything out, the hospital will return to being abandoned and you will find yourself trapped in the blackened basement with no way to get out, doomed to starve to death in the darkness.

If you answer correctly, the Holder will begin to talk to you in the form of a pleasant conversation. You will slowly begin to notice that everything the Holder says is somehow mocking you in some way. Eventually, you will realize that the Holder is playing a game with you. When you realize this, the two of you will be standing on the top of the hospital and the Holder will tell you to hold your breath and jump. Many foolish Seekers die this way because they don't realize that the Holder is merely asking them to jump in place.

If you jump in place, the Holder will laugh heartily; you have pleased it. Now you may ask "How are they all tied together?"

The Holder will tell you the real secrets of time and the true sources of power in the universe. It is so simple that most cannot even begin to fathom them. Most go mad and leap to their deaths simply to avoid the mental strain of the horrible knowledge that they now possess. If you are weak of heart and mind, this will be your fate as well.

When it finishes talking, it will hold out a harmonica. You must take it. When you do, you will be alone on the top of the building, holding a very old harmonica that is inscribed with several writings in a language that doesn't look human.

This harmonica is Object 468 of 2538, and if you play it things will start happening the way you want them to, but you will no longer be able to control your own desires.

Object 469: The Holder of Revelry

This Holder cannot be found in any normal halfway house or mental institution. During the 1800s, after muckrakers uncovered a series of horrific abuses in certain asylums, many were forced to close down after the public learned of the horrors perpetrated within. With the rapid change that accompanies the passing of so many years, these abandoned buildings were forgotten in the mists of time by generations who had never had the misfortune of being trapped within their walls. But, not by those who yearned only for the thrill of the unending horrors that those dark and long-forgotten cells once held in store for them.

If you should ever come upon an abandoned building in your seeking, look for its entrance if you dare. Should you find the words "I am Dionysus unbound, joy and terror one" written upon it in red, your fate is sealed. You must open the door and enter, without fail. If you should walk away, you may not enter His domain, but He will make His way into your very soul. Every laugh, every moment of high spirits, every glow of contentment that you shall ever feel will bring with it unbearable, gnawing fear without bound, and the feeling of looming dread at the mere thought of happiness will walk hand-in-hand with the sickening rush of danger. You will either swing like a pendulum from the euphoria of endless peril to the crushing burden of merciless terror, or you will separate yourself from anything and everything you love so that your horror will never claim you again in the shadow of a life you now endure. Both are but paths to the certain madness that awaits you if you deny the Holder's invitation.

Enter the asylum; you will know you are in the right place when you feel the oppressive humidity of hot, stagnant air weighing down upon you. A pale little girl in a pristine white dress will trot up to you, angelic features turned up in a broad smile, and shove a full black glass into your hands. Drink it all, no matter how much it burns, for if you fail to accept this gift the little one's eyes will turn to a monstrous glare before she leans forward on tiptoe, jams her little fingers into your neck, and tears out your throat, leaving you to wander as a forever thirsting shade. Once you are done, she will offer her hand. Take it. The little girl will lead you down a long corridor, past countless cells, all of them roaring with hysterical laugher as your gait begins to grow unsteady and your sight blurs from the drink overpowering your senses and your mind. Do not dare to look inside any of the cells, for in each is a patient horrifically mutilating themselves to their own riotous cackling. If you should so much as glance into their wild eyes, you will join them in their maddening laughter as you watch your own two hands rend your flesh apart in your mindless stupor.

If you should manage to keep hold of your senses long enough, you will eventually reach the far end of the corridor, where not even the dim light of this forsaken place shines, the hideous laughter fades, and all that can be heard is a distant whistling from afar. The little girl will release your hand, and you must begin to walk forth on your own without looking back. When you have ventured far enough down this hall, you will, at last, see a dim red light before you, and the whistling will grow ever louder 'til the walls seem to shudder from its thunderous volume. As you come under this light, a hoarse, breathless voice like that of a man who has been screaming for all time shall ask, "Who am I?"

Stop. Do not say "You are Dionysus," for you shall yearn for nothing more than the peace of nothingness as its hacking laughter resonates in your ears so long as you live. Say only, "You are the Holder of Revelry." At this, step forward, and you will see Him in an opened cell lit by that same red light, bound against the ceiling by chains and manacles that cut deep into burnt flesh too dry to even bleed, empty eye sockets drawn fast as he looks down upon you, the stumps of his ears twitching at every sound you make, and no nose save for the cavity in his skull that whistles as he inhales quickly and unevenly. His face will be twisted into an expectant grin, almost trembling with anticipation. Ask, "What are the joys of evil unbound?"

You will barely have finished your question before he licks his charred lips and begins to speak in that raspy voice that grates against your very soul, speak of the joys of all the twisted men in their endless and vile deeds, and as he speaks you will share their twisted satisfaction as it passes through your mind for but a moment. He will tell of how when the End is near all of the darkest desires of man will be let loose as humans become no more than beasts reigning their terror upon one another, until there is nothing but oblivion. His voice growing ever quicker and more exhilarated with the telling, the red light will flicker, buzz, and then die as he speaks the last few words of the inevitable doom of all that walks the earth. Then, silence.

Step forward into the now flightless cell, and grope in the darkness against the floor. There will be the glass the little girl handed you before, the 469th Object. It grows ever fuller with each of its kind you gather, to send its drinker into murderous ecstasy in celebration of the End that is soon to be.

Object 470: The Holder of Carelessness

This man doesn't even know he is a Holder, and I see no reason for him to perceive it that way, especially since he'll just dismiss it as fantastical conjecture and mad raving. It's rather ironic considering the meth mark on his arm that he once showed me. It could be anyone; someone you know, someone you don't know, me, hell, it could even be you. He does have a name, but I would rather not reveal it here and now. Perhaps when it comes time for his reckoning I will reveal it, but knowing him, he's probably sold the Object for meth money, given his general lack of care.

The cassette player I let him borrow wasn't originally an Object; it was just a personal cassette player with auto-reverse. Whether he knows it or not (and indeed, whether he wants to accept it or not) through his stubborn carelessness, he has made a pact with the only Object by refusing to return it. Seek it out if you wish, but since it represents carelessness, it will have those effects on you, and you'll only make it worse for yourself, since it now wants to be reunited with the others.

The cassette that was last in the player seems to be an innocent bystander; it's part of a taped training course that taught me how to protect myself from this kind of thing, since its effects on the spiritual realm within can be easily measured by those who can sense it.

I'll admit, this was inspired by something of a mutual grudge. He used to be a good friend of mine until he became the Holder, pushing me and several of his real friends away in favor of his sex life, which is an aspect that I won't get into, other than to say that it is most careless indeed, because he could have had a set of real friends and a wonderful boyfriend. He's done this before, too, and it has always resulted in similar loss for him, but he's too careless to see it that way.

It became clear to me that I was speaking to the meth and crack he sucked up instead of the person; they all end up like that, whether they believe it or not.

The cassette player is Object 470 of 2538. Through its Holder's carelessness, they will be brought together, and not even the most careful actions will prevent it.

Object 471: The Holder of the Schism

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Schism". A look of inward conflict, as though torn between decisions could cross the worker's face. It won't last long, blink and you'll miss it. The worker will request that you back away a few steps as they approach. Reaching down to the floor where you were standing, the worker will reveal a trapdoor that was not there before. The door will open, and you will feel yourself drawn to look deep within the blackness of the void below. If you look up, you will notice the worker has vanished and the entire room will be bare. Do not let this unsettle you, and descend into the darkness below.

As you descend into the darkness, you will notice that the darkness seems to lighten in an unnatural way. You will reach the bottom, a hard stone floor covered in small pebbles of debris and faint moisture. Gazing around you will notice there are no light sources. No bulbs, torches, nor candles. There will also be no windows, only high stone walls that reflect the texture of the floor. In the center of the cellar, you will see an ancient stone pedestal with a knob resting on top. The ladder will no longer be there, either, but instead, there will be a steel door embedded in the stone wall behind you. The door will have no distinguishable characteristics. Only a faint bronze tint from years of ware and a small hole where the knob should be. Should you turn around, you will see across the cellar from you there is a matching door. Its traits are the same, completely plain and made of a type of steel with a small hole. The difference will be that this door will be tinted a faint blue instead.

When you lift the knob from the pedestal, you will be filled with a strange, overwhelming sensation telling you which door to choose. While you won't have detailed knowledge of it, the knob has told your mind what is behind each door, and depending on your mood at the time will determine which door you feel you should enter. Choose one, place the knob into the hole, and enter. The door will disappear behind you, leaving you alone in a darkened hallway of stone. If you chose to enter neither door, and place the knob back to the pedestal, the ladder will reappear and you will be able to escape as if nothing had ever happened.

Assuming you have found yourself within the dark hall, proceed forward. You may not be able to see so much as your own hand in front of your face, but do not fear, for there will be nothing to concern yourself with in your path. Continue on, and you will eventually hear a strange buzzing noise in the distance. Soon after, the path will begin to glow the same as the cellar had, and you will find yourself in a clearing with seemingly no walls in sight, only darkness. In the center of this clearing, you will see a cloaked figure. The buzzing will grow ever stronger as you approach him, and soon you will see that he is shrouded partially in flies. Little of him can be seen, but his hands and face shall be exposed to you. Your reaction once you look upon him will determine everything, although you will not know it yet. His face is partially mangled and decayed, not split down the middle but in horizontal strips across. The other half will be so normal that it is almost too perfect to seem real. His hands will reflect this as well, the right hand being decayed and dead while the other being pristine and healthy.

If you recoil in disgust, one path has been chosen. If you stand strong and unaffected, another has. Whichever it is, you will not know until you leave, and only the cloaked man will decide how he thinks you faired in this matter.

Ask him the question, "What could split them?" as it is all that he shall reply to. He will open his half-decayed mouth slowly, allowing a small cloud of dust to escape. He will begin to tell you a tale of conflict. One of old times of the hardest decisions you could ever know. He will speak of each of the most difficult decisions that have ever been made in this world or any other, and for each, he shall tell you only what could have resulted from the decision not selected. Every one of these unchosen results will be of great resolve and promise, something which you could only imagine would be the greatest of results. You will be filled with a powerful woe for those many who chose the wrong path, and begin to reflect on your own back in the cellar. This is your one chance to change the fate of your path. If you doubt your decision, the path will remain the same. If you feel confident, it will change.

Once you have told yourself what you feel about your choice, your path will be set in eternity. The cloaked figure will be gone, the walls will have returned, and you will find yourself in the cellar once again. The ladder will have returned, and you may leave.

For the rest of your life, nothing will ever again bother you, for your mind will be eternally haunted by only two things. What would have happened had you chosen the other door, and how did the path chosen for you affect your life?

This conflict is Object 471 of 2538. Pine as you may, the answers will never come to you.

Object 472: The Holder of the Last Dream

Return to wherever you live, or more appropriately, wherever you call home. Close all the blinds, windows, doors, as well as turn off the lights, televisions, basically anything that could distract you. Go to your sleeping chamber, lie down, and drift into sleep. This will be a normal, predictable, and relaxing sleep. When you awake, however, don't get up, just stay lying down. Once again, lie there until you fall back to sleep. Since you are already rested, this may take a long time, but keep with it.

Repeat this cycle. Each time, it will take longer and longer for you to fall asleep, but since your body is not used to the situation, you will start to have choppy, grainy, and slightly disturbing dreams. They will fade in and out of your head, coming in distorted and twisted, and seem almost alien to you. It will be like an old VHS tape trying to tune itself, with mistakes and lines flying all over an image you just can't make out.

Soon this static will consume all, and it will feel you no longer are observing this world, but rather, are a part of it. It will be a simple location, a school, a playground, or something similar. It will go in and out of focus, as if you are truly trying to tune it to your mind. Explore this world, touch it, smell it, listen to it. Nothing will seem right, yet nothing on the surface seems wrong, yet a cold, sinking feeling will be in your stomach.

Eventually, you will be tapped on the shoulder. It would be in your best interest not to turn around. A hand will extend by your side, and in it will be two little glass tubes. One will be filled with red sand, and the other blue. These will be the only truly clear things in this world. Take them both, and quietly thank the figure. With that, the room will darken, and you will be awake in your room.

Arise from your bed, walk to the nearest door, and open it. Instead of what would be a closet, your living room, or whatnot, when you open it, you will walk into what seems like a new plane. It will feel as if you are floating in space, with stars, planets, nebulae, and other celestial objects surrounding you. Take it all in, for it truly will be a beautiful sight. As you look, one by one each one will dim, slowly. It may take hours, but soon the sky will be black except for a couple of faint glowing stars in the distance.

"What have you brought me?" a booming voice will call, with the remaining stars illuminating in rhythm with its words. The great volume will shake the sky, and those stars will scatter, as if falling off the walls of existence.

Reach out, and open your hand, and inside will be your sand tubes. Both will seem to float over your palm. Choose which one you want to part with, open it, and spread the sand all over the place. The dust will fly away, in patterns, glowing, as it covers the ends of the universe. Take the other one, and put it in your pocket. Everything will illuminate again, smile and bow, and thank the voice for its help. Walk over to the door, and enter back into your room.

Take the tube you didn't give, and pour it all over your bed. Get in, and drift to sleep.

Now if you kept the red tube, you will dream some of the most brutal, and disturbing nightmares you have ever experienced. Time will flow like normal, and any pain or sadness you experience will be as real as you being awake. Just stay alive, that's all that matters, for if you die in your dream, you never will awake.

The blue tube is just the opposite, you will have an unbelievable sleep, and dance forever with women, friends, anything you desire. Anything you could have ever wanted will be yours. It will be bliss like nothing you ever experienced.

Now, it seems like there is no reason not to take the blue tube, but realize whatever you take, the rest of mankind gets what you gave away, and they will experience it for the next year. Do you want to reward the planet, or torture them? Is it a gift or a punishment? Would you experience any guilt, as you walk down depressed and frightened streets as the night begins to fall? This is your choice, and yours alone. Remember, one night of bliss against hundreds of pain for mankind.

When you wake from this dream, get up, and fold up the sheet you spilled sand over. Whenever you cover yourself with this sheet from now on, you will stay awake and not fatigue. When wearing it, your body might ache, and your spirits could be low, but your eyes will not become weary.

This "cloak" is Object 472 of 2538. With it, you will never dream again, because you have been to the peak of the sublime.

Object 473: The Holder of the Bardo

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. Go to the front desk and ask to speak to "The Holder of the Bardo". The worker will stare you down. Do not flinch. Everything around you will begin to vanish and fade into nothingness, including you. Do not be afraid; that will only make it worse.

If and when you come to, you will not be able to make sense of what you see. It will appear as if scores of bursts of light are appearing, one after another, some vanishing into themselves and others dimming down, as if to seem less threatening. You will see people accompanying these bursts. Do not interact with them, but feel free to look around; this realm is true reality, and its mind wants you to learn what it is. You will notice that the people who didn't merge with the first forms of light are having "bubbles" formed around them comprised of images from their lives. Get close to one of these ones if you can, but be careful not to get caught in their "bubble", because you will have to watch their lives flashing before their eyes, and it will slow you down, at the very least.

While you are accompanying the person on their journey, you will come across a group of deities who want nothing more than for their charge to have a safe and prosperous journey into death. Some people, still holding on to their quickly-fading fear, draw this phase out long enough to incur the annoyance of these "peaceful" deities, often bringing out the raw rage and wrath of the divine, as a way to send a message that the petty fear the person is feeling is nothing compared to what is really happening. The Holder is among these beings. Whether they are in their "peaceful" or "wrathful" state makes no difference, as long as you ask this question: "Can they truly be changed?"

In response, the Holder will stare you in the face with a cold, burning expression; this alone is enough to drive many Seekers to join their fellow dead just for the sake of never having to face that look again. The Holder will open its mouth and vomit. You will be splattered with the vomit. Allow its acidic bite to dissolve your "body", but remain steadfast and fearless, because this is merely an illusion. Your awareness will remain.

Eventually, your mind will have expanded in size and scope to a point where you have a definite form once more, but you will not recognize yourself, nor will you have any sense of identity. Amnesia is not an accurate way to describe it; you will remember everything, but you will realize that you are, and have always been, an illusion. Nevertheless, you must keep your cool; the Object is calling. You will be behind the mental institution. There will be a wooden rocking cradle in front of you. Take it and go.

The cradle is Object 473 of 2538. It is now up to you to decide whether or not the one who belongs in it should be born.

Object 474: The Holder of the Cleansed

Go to a lake, any lake will do. The only requirement is that it's within at most a mile of another smaller lake. You must be at the lake by 6:33 PM. However, it must be dark at this time, so it probably works best in the winter months. Sit at its shores until it is exactly 6:59 PM, at which point you must bellow across the water, "I have come to see the Holder of the Cleansed!" Wait a minute and check your watch. Make sure it's digital, or else you won't notice the difference. If, after a minute it says 7:00, you should run, and do not look back and do not stop until daylight, or face unknown consequences.

However, if your watch changes to 6:60, the water will start to ripple. It will keep rippling until your watch hits 6:66, when a swell will form in the middle of the lake. A booming voice will ring across the shores and ask, "Are you without filth?" Do not answer yes, no matter how pure of heart you think you are. If you do so, the water will turn a shade of red, and rise quickly, swallowing you up. This water will not feel cold, but rather boiling hot. You will not drown, but forever be trapped in the burning pool.

Instead, tell it your biggest mistake or worst transgression. If it disagrees, you will face the same fate as if you lied, but if you're successful, the voice will tell you that you'll face "judgment". The swell will grow bigger, and you should keep your eyes on it the whole time. The process might be fast or quite lengthy. Regardless, keep staring. Eventually, it will break, and a tall figure will stand in the middle. His face will be covered with a scar, and his eyes will be pale and veined, almost lifeless. He will raise his hand and signal you to approach. Step onto the water with no hesitation, for if you show any doubt, you will sink to the bottom for eternity. It will be as if solid, and keep walking until it motions for you to stop.

He'll ask again, in a hissing voice, "Are you without filth?" Do not answer this question, for you already have, but ask if he's "The Holder of the Cleansed". He will look you up and down with his ghostly eyes, and then hold out his hand. In it, there will be a tiny seed no bigger than your fingernail. When you look down at it, and then back up, you will notice the figure has vanished. When you realize this, you will fall into the water. It will feel thick and be rigidly cold. Swim, and don't stop until you reach the shore. It will feel like hours, and as if the shore is never moving closer. Keep going, and whatever you do, do not loosen your grip on the seed.

Once you reach the shore, you will be as if perfectly dry. Go straight to the other lake that's nearby. Once you reach the shore, throw the seed into the water. Once again a swell will form. Don't move your eyes from it.

Eventually, out of the middle, a giant plant will rise. It will shoot many branches in all directions, from them giant fruits will grow in the shape of deformed, mutilated, and scarred people. They will have looks of agony and horror on their faces, many will be bloody or eyeless. The stench of death and rot will fill the air, and the plant will produce hissing and growling noises. Soon it will stop growing, and the lake will go calm and silent. One branch will eventually grow out to you on the shore. Hold out your hand, and it will drop a fruit into your hand. It will be red and with smudged black stripes. Right there, you must eat this fruit. The taste will be horrible and ash-like. Make sure you eat all of it before you leave, and leave nothing. No stem, no skin, no seeds, nothing.

Soon, you will feel lightheaded and collapse on the shore. In the morning, you will awake at 6:59 AM, and all traces of the plant or even the figure will be gone. You will feel very sick, and soon vomit. Your vomit will be strangely black, but in it will be the pit from the fruit you ate. Carved into it at a microscopic level will be the words, "Squandered Second Chances Aren't Forgotten." From now on, all those that you have wronged in the past will forgive you of your mistakes. Cross them again, however, and you will face a fate even They dread the thought of.

The pit is Object 474 of 2538. Don't let your core become as rotten and hardened as it is.

Object 475: The Holder of Coincidence

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Coincidence". You will actually be speaking to the Holder, who in this case, prefers a more "hands-on" approach.

He will lead you to the backdoor of the complex, and simply leave. Do not open the door, for the last circle in hell shrinks to compare to what lies beyond it. Rather, knock four times to be granted entrance, and proceed. The door will close behind you, casting you into pitch black.

After a moment or two, you will hear running footsteps, human in pattern. Ask the darkness, "What role does Chance play in The Game?" The footsteps will pause, lights will come on, and you will see the Holder again, but in his true state. His face has only been described as the most horribly scarred and disfigured, and he will begin to move toward you in an inhuman rhythm, almost as if frames have been removed from your perspective. When he approaches you, do not EVEN THINK to let him smell the fear on you, and receive your answer.

The most horrific screech imaginable greets your ears now, and through it, you will realize how every action you've taken on this journey thus far has harmed your loved ones. Many kill themselves in that instant, going for the suicide-by-Holder approach, but if you can retain your mind, you can move on.

The Holder will move away from you, and glance skyward. If you follow his gaze, you will thousands of cocoons attached to the walls around you. He will tell you that you have been tasked with finding the butterfly that is his Object. He also informs you that you have a 98% chance of going mad first, like the Others. Ignore him and proceed. You will know that you have found it when you open the cocoon and the butterfly has been impaled with a sewing needle, yet it lives.

This butterfly is Object 475 of 2538. Congratulations. We wonder what your odds are now.

Object 476: The Holder of Comfort

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls herself "The Holder of Comfort". The worker will always respond with a warm smile and say, "Of course, right this way." Follow the attendant to a door just within the hallway. He or she will open the door for you, and beckon you in.

Walk through the door and see an elderly woman sitting in the corner. She will respond to the question, "Why should I continue?" She will turn to you and say the most encouraging thing to you, something that will drive you to continue with the hardships of the quest you have chosen. You will sit on her bed, and listen with the utmost respect and admiration. The two of you can talk for as long as you like. Many a Seeker have spent weeks in that room, content with living in a temporary paradise, as many would be.

When you have finished your conversation, press the call button for the attendant. They will walk in with a platter, upon which rests a gun. The gun has one bullet, and you have three choices.

One, kill the woman for her Object, and continue to fight.

Two, kill yourself, or shoot the attendant. (Both end the same way...)

Or three, stay in the room forever, but know that the woman is not the same.

Look behind you and realize that the two of you weren't alone. Many people holding the same gun stand in the background, unable to make the terrible choice.

Her Object is 476 of 2538. Move forward with confidence.

Object 477: The Holder of Forgotten Truths

In any city, in any country, visit the library of your choice.

Upon entering, if the librarian at the front desk is a man, enter the fiction section and browse. After some time, you will find a short book, the title of which will be familiar, though you remember nothing about it. Take it out, and read it, and the feeling of familiarity will remain, but you will not remember what happens next. Upon finishing, leave the library, and seek another.

If, however, the librarian is a woman, approach and ask her for assistance. Tell her that you wish to find a book, but you have forgotten it.

When she prompts you for details, tell her that you remember the phrase "clear blue sky", but not the context. If she prompts for more details, you have the wrong library. In this case, do not simply leave, give more, and contradictory details about the book, and wait until she tells you she cannot help you. Then sigh, and admit you may not be properly remembering the details, thank her for her assistance, and leave, to seek another library.

If you have the right library, however, the librarian will tell you she knows precisely which book you mean, and lead you into the library. She will take you to the stacks, then return to the front desk, with some final instructions.

Enter the stacks, and within, you will find a wizened old man, sitting before a large leather-bound book. He will nod at you, and ask you your name. You will find yourself unable to remember. Tell him so. He will suggest a name, and ask you if that was it. Simply repeat that you don't remember. He will repeat this several times. Always repeat that you do not remember. Eventually, he will shrug, and simply take to calling you "my child".

He will invite you to sit and chat, though he will never let you speak on your own, instead asking you questions.

You will know the answers to all of the questions, but will be unable to remember them. They will be connected to your quest so far - what city are you in, and what cities have you visited previously; the number of libraries visited; the number of librarians of each sex; the titles of any books read. You will grow frustrated as you know you should know the answers, but they fail to materialize. You will be tempted to lie, simply to avoid admitting you don't know the answer, but resist the temptation, always answer truthfully. You have forgotten. There is no shame in this.

After he finishes the questioning, he will lean back in his chair, and open the book. He will give you the correct answer to each question, as well as describing your conduct in each library. If you have followed these instructions, he will then close the book, and hand it to you, without another word. He will seem, in fact, to have forgotten you are there. Take the book, and leave. The book, you will soon find, grants you the ability to remember anything anyone other than yourself has forgotten, at the cost of your own memories up to this moment.

If, however, you have failed to follow the instructions, he will levy a punishment against you for each failure.

If you failed to stop to read a book upon encountering a male librarian, he curses your lack of imagination, and sends you away. If this is your only failure, consider yourself lucky.

If you failed to deal with incorrect female librarians in a polite manner, he will curse your rudeness, and again send you away. Upon leaving the library, you will find you remember, unbidden, in complete detail, every slight against you, ranging from simple rudeness to crimes against your person. This will pass, only to be followed by remembering every slight you've ever committed against another person. This too will pass, and you will be able to continue on your way, until the cycle repeats the next day. And every day for the rest of your life.

If this is your only crime, you should still count yourself lucky, for the final punishment is still worse.

If you lie, and claim you remember the answer to any of the questions he asks, even if you give the correct answer, he will slam the book closed and call you a liar. When he sends you away, you will find you still cannot remember your name, or those of any person you know. Or the city from which you come. You will never be able to remember them, nor will you be able to build a new life, for the memories of any new name you take, any new people you meet, any new city you settle in, will slip away as surely as these.

So, I bid you, remember these instructions well.

The book is Object 477 of 2538. It is heavy, and grows heavier each day.

Object 478: The Holder of Academis

In any city, in any country, in late afternoon, go to the elementary school nearest your house. As you enter the front office, speak to the secretary. She should be preparing to leave. If she is not, leave and come back another day. If the time is right, ask to see "The Holder of Academia". She will ask you if you are a relation, and you must respond, "No, I am a student."

The secretary will give you a visitor's pass. On this, you must write, "Holder, Academia: Student". She will then take you to a classroom, on the furthest end of the school, on the side of the school opposite the sun. She will open the door for you but she will not follow you in.

Inside, there will be a young boy, aged 9, scribbling on a single piece of paper. An old, frayed navy blue bookbag will rest slumped next to his desk. It is one of only two desks in an otherwise empty room. On your desk is a small pocket knife.

Sit at the desk. The boy will continue to pour over his paper. After the sun has set completely, if you wait long enough, the boy will whisper to you without looking up: "I can't figure out the answer to the last question. Do you know?"

Tell him that you are having trouble with the test as well, but that if he lets you hold his paper and see his answers, you'll write the final answer down for him and give it back finished. Then he can go home.

The boy will nod and hand you his test. At the bottom of the paper is the question: "Would you spill blood for your quest?"

Open the pocket knife and cut your index finger, then write your answer in your blood. Then get up from the desk and leave the room, taking the test with you.

The boy cannot go home until he turns in his test.

The finished test is Object 478 of 2538. The innocent suffer because of your obsession.

Object 479: The Holder of Eisoptrophobia

Go to any mirror, anywhere, it doesn't matter. Be sure to bring along a sword. Not a pocketknife, not a dagger, not a halberd, especially not a gun, a sword. Stand just far enough back from the mirror to hold the sword straight out, with the tip touching the glass. In this position, look your reflection in the eyes and say with all the boldness you have, "I am not afraid anymore." If your reflection is still, you're lucky. You've been marked for death. It'll find you somehow. Demons have their ways.

However, if your reflection replies with, "I'll be the judge of that," then your unholy quest as a Seeker is destined to continue. At this point, you have two choices. You can either say to your reflection, "I must hone my skills," in which case it will bow to you and allow you to leave so that you can train to use the sword in your hand, or you can say, "So be it."

If you chose the second one, every lightbulb illuminating the room will shatter, but the room in the mirror will still be the same. The lights in the mirror, however, will begin to dim. You must jump into the mirror before it goes completely dark, or your reflection will leap forward and slaughter you in the most painful way possible, banishing you to the darkest corners of hell. If you make it, the room will be dark save for a soft light emanating from the floor.

Music will begin to play, any track your reflection chooses to accentuate the coming battle, usually some foul piece of death metal so dark and foreboding that its rhythm alone may drive you mad. Hope that it's a track you like, because you'll need all the help you can get in this battle. Your reflection has had much more time to hone its skills than you have, being trapped in the same room since you were born. As quick as you can after the music starts, but no sooner, leap to your feet and prepare for the battle. Make no mistake, your reflection is more powerful and skilled than you could ever hope to be, but fight anyway. Fight with all your heart, put your very soul into every swing, and most of all, remember that if the light from the floor dims, your reflection is becoming stronger.

If your reflection defeats you, kneel and say that you are unworthy. If you are a compassionate person, your reflection will show you mercy and you will be back where you were when you first learned of the Holders, having forgotten all about your quest, and all the Objects you gathered will be back where they were before you reached them. However, if you defeat your reflection, it will knee, drop its sword, and order you to finish it off. Do not obey it, for if you do, you will die with it. Instead, ask it one question and only one question: "As a Seeker, what is my power over you?"

Your reflection will get up and grab its sword. Do not attack. If you stand perfectly still, it will thrust the sword into the ground and hug you. The hug will feel like the crawling and biting of a thousand insects, but do not pull away. It will then kiss your forehead and disappear, leaving you with a whisper of "Good luck, my liege." You will then be back in the room with the mirror, and the lights will be back to normal.

If you look at your reflection, it will smile warmly at you, no matter what expression you wear, and if you give anybody's reflection an order, they will obey. Reflections will also speak to you, becoming your close friends. You will notice there is a tattoo on your forehead. It is different for every Seeker, depending on their personality and how well their duel went.

That tattoo is Object 479 of 2538. May its authority serve you well.

Object 480: The Holder of Paranoia

In any city, in any country, go to any haunted house on a Friday, October the 13th. In there, you will fall into the state of mind where primal fear takes over, fueled by a feeling of being watched, followed, or constantly having your potential assailant right over your shoulder. Do not mistake this for mere paranoia, for if that is your only thought then you will never know what hit you from behind.

When this seemingly irrational fear hits you, think of what you fear the most. Once you have this thought clearly envisioned in your mind and can feel it almost as if it were happening, turn around and swing as hard as you possibly can behind you. If you spin and are knocked on your haunches, remain there, because struggling will only make your fate worse. If, however, you hit something, turn around and observe closely the form that the creature you struck has taken. It will be somebody or something dear to you. It will ask why you have injured it, it will tell you to go on and leave it alone, but don't. This is where the faint of heart need not apply, for when you smite this creature and kill it, the person or object whose form it has taken will hang in the balance from this point on. You should decide now if gaining the Object is worth it.

When the creature dies, it will explode in a puff of fumes, leaving behind a horrid scent, but you must inhale it deeply, as deeply as you possibly can until you pass out. You will awaken behind the person that the demon took the form of. Your trial is to torture them through fear. You must frighten them beyond all understanding using the form and powers that the fumes you inhaled have given you, to the brink of driving them insane. If you did everything right, the person will pick up the nearest sharp object and drive it into their eyes. Do not be alarmed, as this can be undone with the Object.

As they lie dying, pick up the Object they drove into their eyes and it will turn into an elaborate dagger in your hands, a pulsating red gem set in the handle and an eye-shaped recess in the rather wide, long blade. This is where you must take care, for if you do this wrong, the person you hold dear is gone for good and the Holder will refuse to see you. You must slash the person's chest with the dagger just deep enough to allow the eye to drip with blood, but do not drench it. A few seconds after this, the person will awaken, their wounds healed and all paranoid thoughts and feelings gone from them. Now close your eyes and stab the dagger behind you. If you connect with something, leave the dagger in and turn around. If not, it would be better not to open your eyes, for you and the one dear to you will know a fate worse than simple death. Once you've turned to face the Holder, he will smile wickedly in his true form, perhaps driving you to madness as he is the embodiment of all that makes people paranoid.

If you can stand it, look him in the eyes and ask him, "Why must they hide?" The Holder will tell you of every feat of stealth, good and bad, that was ever performed by any creature or soul, natural or otherwise. You'll hear of everything from rapes, murders, and robberies to surprise parties. Hope that you do not get distracted from the tale until its end, or the Holder will become displeased and leave you in your ghastly form for all eternity. If you make it through his story, he will nod and say to you, "Indeed, you have proven yourself worthy," but do not believe him! Remain suspicious and as the Holder moves to draw the dagger from his body, take it first and embed it into one of his eyes! He will scream and curse you as you pull out the dagger with his eye on it. Fumes will come from the wound as well. You must inhale them deeply as you did before. You will again pass out, but you will awaken in your true form, next to the one who gouged out their eyes. You will see that they are fine, and that the dagger is in your hands.

When you awaken, you will be able to see every demon and monstrosity that would usually make you paranoid, so long as the dagger is with you... if you can turn around fast enough. When you slice yourself with the blade, it will rid you temporarily of all fear, but be careful... Now that you're being watched, you may just be scared into killing yourself.

The blood-ridden dagger is Object 480 of 2538. Is the knowledge of their existence better than living ignorantly?

Object 481: The Holder of the Universe

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. At the front desk, ask for someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Universe". The man at the desk will look at you as if you're insane (which you may well be by now) and pretend that he doesn't know what you're talking about. After a few minutes of staring, he'll start down a hallway. Follow him.

On the way down to the end of the hallway, he will tell you about his patient. If he does, he'll tell you that the man killed his whole family, 5 kids, his wife, and both of his dogs. He'll tell you how the man first tied down the kids and his wife. Then he took the two dogs and cut both of their throats. He then ripped off all the skin of the dogs with his teeth. At this point, the family was extremely scared and dumbfounded at what the man, "The Holder of the Universe", had done. He then turned to them, covered in blood, and stared into his youngest daughter's eyes. She was only four years old at the time. He untied her and then threw her to the ground and beat her to death. The rest of the family was found with repeated shotgun blasts to the face. They couldn't even be recognized, he'll tell you. At that point, you should've reached the end of the hall.

"Well, here it is." He'll point at the heavy door and hand you a rusty key before walking away. Once you put the key in the hole, the door will open by itself. Inside, there is a plain room with an ordinary man sitting in a chair behind a table, with another chair on your side. Go ahead and take a seat. Greet the man, as he will probably greet you first. He is a friendly man, and smiles often.

If you're curious, ask him anything you want, and he'll answer it in the way anyone would. But if you ask him "Why did this happen?", his face will turn grim, and the lights will go out and back on quickly. When they're back on, the walls will be covered in strange writings, some carved into the wall itself, and some written in blood. The man will now be an old man, blood dripping from his thin hands. He'll stand up and throw the table across the room, shattering it on the wall. He will then knock you off your chair and scream your answer at you in a horrible language that you never learned, but somehow can understand. Once he is done, the lights will flicker. You will then be sitting back in your chair, everything looking as it did before. He will stand up and shake your hand. He will then hand you a shotgun shell, and he will tell you exactly where the rest went in horrible graphic detail. He will also tell you for whom his last one is fore, although the mere knowledge of him may be enough to drive you insane.

The last shotgun shell is Object 481 of 2538. You will know when to use it, and you must do so, or all hope is lost.

Object 482: The Holder of Enlightenment

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask if you can visit a man who calls himself "The Holder of Enlightenment". If the worker opens the door behind him and beckons you follow him, do not follow. Each step taken in his wake will cast one memory from your mind, and you will die knowing nothing but fear and loneliness.

If, instead, the worker tells you to visit the chaplain, ask for his keys and enter the hallway behind him to find the chapel. If a service is being held, come back the next day. If the chapel is closed, locate the chapel key and insert it into the door, but do not open it. Turn your back to the chapel and wait. Do not turn around. You will hear a child pleading to be let out, a rattling of the door handle, and the child's frantic screams as he is being torn apart by some foul creature. If you turn around at any time, your will will fail you, and you shall be reduced to obey whatever the creature commands. When the child has screamed his last, count to five, and turn back around; there will be a red key on the keychains that had not been there before. Use it to open the chapel.

The room you step into will be altogether different from the one you saw through the window, if there was one: a high vaulted ceiling disappears into darkness, and all around - the cold, stone pillars of a basilica. It will be dimly lit, yet with no discernible source of light. There are no sounds save for a low hum; your footsteps will not echo, nor will your voice ring out. Yet, attempt no speech, else the breath will be drawn from your lungs, and your ribs crushed under the weight of the great stones. Walk forward through the pillars until you reach the final row. There will be a missing pillar; stand in its place and call out, "I know what I seek."

If a voice replies "You do not know," run forward, beyond the pillars as quickly as you can, and hope that the stone floor fades into the grass of the park nearest your residence. If, instead, you hear footsteps echo from the gloom, stay where you are and look only directly ahead. A man wearing a Roman collar will appear and walk calmly toward you. His response to any utterance, save one, will be to sever your nerves one by one, reducing you to a paralyzed, drooling, mindless husk. The one exception is to ask, "How can it be undone?"

He will tell you of the true origins of religion, of the forces at work seeking to dominate and control humankind: of the nature of the link between brain, mind, and soul, and finally of the true purpose of the Objects, and how that purpose might be wrought or corrupted. If in attaining this enlightenment your mind has not collapsed into insanity, the chaplain will crack his head on the pillar behind you, and hand you his brain.

The chaplain's brain is Object 482 of 2538. You alone can undo what has been set in motion. Continue your journey or halt another's: the difference is a matter of will.

Object 483: The Holder of the Code

In any city, in any country, anywhere in the world, take yourself to any halfway house or mental institution you can get yourself to. However, for this Holder, you may be better off taking yourself to the mental institution; if you cannot hold up to this Holder's trials it is exactly where you will end up. Once you reach the front desk, look and see if the receptionist is typing on a computer. If not, you may leave and safely live out the remainder of your days. If, however, the receptionist is typing something, ask to see someone who calls themselves "The Holder of the Code". The receptionist will type faster and faster, until finally their fingers snap from the relentless typing and they will pass out.

Once the person behind the desk is out cold, walk around to the computer and look at the screen. Despite their frantic typing, you will only notice a 3-digit number on the screen, and a key underneath the keyboard. Take the key and find the room number that was printed on the computer screen. It may seem like an eternity before you actually find it, but you must press on, lest the Holder deem you unworthy.

As soon as you have found the room, unlock it with the key you found at the front desk and step inside. Oh, and make sure you lock the door behind you because if the Holder has deemed you unworthy then a terror more horrible than anything you can ever imagine will open the door and then proceed to chew upon you for all eternity. Lie down on the bed, and close your eyes. Wait exactly two minutes (count it in your head if you must) and as soon as those two minutes are up, you must scream at the top of your lungs, "I wish to break the code!" If you have succeeded, then when you open your eyes you will be in a dark, office-like area with only one small gleam of light emanating from a single computer screen. If the Holder does not see you as fit, when you open your eyes you will have joined a legion of impaled corpses in a sea of rock spikes, forever forced to suffer the same death, over and over.

Walk to the one computer screen and see a woman sitting down, typing frantically as did the person behind the desk when you first began. (If you are a female, it will be a male typing here.) You must ask them a single question and nothing more. You must ask them, "What is it that keeps them in check?" The person will stop typing and stand. A bright light will shine down upon them, revealing the most beautiful man or woman you have ever seen. They will try to seduce you, however, you must persist and as they step closer you must say with all your conviction, "I will not break the code which keeps me in check."

If you have done this correctly, the person will let out an ear-piercing scream which drives most Seekers to insanity, and then slowly melt away onto the floor, leaving a pile of bones. Reach down and you will find the skull has a small hole in the back. Reach inside with two fingers and pull out the small memory card inside. You will notice that the "lock" switch on the side is set to "lock". Slide it down and everything will go black. You will wake up, two hours after the time you began your quest, in your home on your bed with the memory card in hand.

The memory card you hold is Object 483 of 2538. Do you dare see the information it holds within?

Object 484: The Holder of the Eight

The seven have been locked away, but dare you conquer the eighth and final Holder of this unholy pact which you have unwittingly exposed yourself to?

Yes, of course, you do. You are a Seeker and your foolishness knows no bounds. Besides, now that the seventh has told you his secret, it's not easy to turn back. So may I relate to you, now, my tale. The tale of the Holder of the Eight, and how to obtain my Object.

Your journey will be long, and your journey will be brutal. I have no mercy, and no pity for beings such as yourself. You willingly subject yourself to this, do not expect me to feel sorry for you. You must remember one thing and one thing only: eight. Keep the number with you at all times, for it will dictate all that you do along the way, as it does me.

Enter any city, in any country of your choosing, but make sure that it was the eighth city founded there since the current generation of inhabitants took root. Do not get this number wrong. I cannot control the forces which are outside of my number, and which will devour your soul should you choose the wrong city.

Upon your arrival, it is imperative that you sleep in a motel or boarding house for eight nights before attempting to locate me. Do not remain in your chosen building during the day. It is best left unsaid what will happen to you, should you do this.

Each night you will be visited by a dream, a vision, one that is somewhere between hallucination and reality. The first night, the vision will be tame. I will join you as a humble roommate, and we may chat about whatever you wish. You can ask me anything, so long as it does not pertain to the number eight. I may lie to you, I may tell you the truth. You may know when I am lying, you may not.

The purpose of this exercise is simply so that you may become acquainted with me. Observe everything I do, Seeker, for I will not repeat myself in word or action. Should you fail to memorize everything I do, then no amount of screaming will stifle your pain. I will be uncharacteristically optimistic about my answers and my demeanor, and I should think you will be glad to see a Holder so cheerful. We are not often this way.

On the second and third nights, the dreams will not be so complacent to leave you sane. My pets will burst from every open space and tear you asunder, climbing through any window and smashing through any door to get to you. I am not at liberty to discuss why I wish this upon you, simply know that it is MY will that allows you to be here at all; be glad I don't have worse done to you than this.

The next few nights will be worse, oh, so much worse. My fallen brothers, the numbers come before me, will wish their vengeance and I cannot control anything outside of my own number. Each will have his turn, some on the same nights as one another, some on different nights. Suffice to say that you may take no action to stop these dreams, and you may do nothing which will cause harm to my brothers' spirits.

Unless, of course, you wish to die. Then, by all means, be my guest.

By the eighth night, I know you will be fragile, and so I shall visit you again on that night. However, my demeanor will not be so charismatic or friendly this time. I will arm you with the instruction on how to succeed at my task, and I shall inform you upon that which you are about to face. Should you decline, I will slice your head from your shoulders and end your pathetic existence in the only act of "mercy" I am aware of.

Accept, however, and I will lead you to an abandoned mental institution, eight blocks from where you took up residence. In the dark of night, you will see that this building has replaced some other establishment which previously held this spot, and you will know that all inside of it at the time of its transformation are now dead, thanks to your willingness to accept such a challenge. Steel your heart this night, Seeker, for by the end of my challenge I hope to have ripped it from your chest and erected it on a stick. I loathe you, and all others like you.

From here on, my approach to this will not be nearly so hands-on. I shall not visit you, nor shall my brothers torment you. You need only enter the institution and declare to empty air, "I wish to speak with the Holder of the Eight." Should you hear and see nothing in response, you have already failed. Lie down and die now, Seeker, for it will be far better than what is to come.

If you are worthy, however, the room around you will shift and change. In its dilapidated place will stand a building of pristine and eerie whiteness, a white not known to man by any stretch of the imagination. A solitary desk of relatively normal black wood shall stand out in the center of this room, with a creature behind it typing away as if this is normal.

You know all of those desk-workers you have so eagerly dispatched of, tricked, talked to, or otherwise sacrificed to your greedy desire for more Objects? This is his true self, the being behind it all. Every soul that has ever been given to this beast has remained within his torturous gut for all eternity. Pray he does not make you one of these souls.

He will rise without a word from you, and sit you into a chair you did not previously see before. Now, the interrogation has begun.

Should you survive the next eight months with your sanity intact, I will be impressed. This monster will subject you to the most twisted conversation you have ever had in your life. He will accuse you of things, twist your words to get you to confess, then verbally reprimand you for what he has falsely accused you of. He will bend your mind, chew on your soul, and then spit it back out to you as if it is the vilest thing he has ever tasted. And once he has done this, you may believe him.

If, however, you possess the strength of mind and soul to overcome this, you will remember my number. Eight will solve all of the beast's problems and puzzles, and each time he attacks you and rebukes you for some new crime, rebuttal with the eight. It will be your salvation.

Sounds easy, doesn't it? But be wary, Seeker, for it will not be. The eight is not a magical toy for you to use, and I pray you understand what it is you are doing when you so eagerly throw my number in the beast's face. Be clever with your answers, conceal the eight beneath them, for if you do not the beast will find it, and will easily twist even that answer. I do not appreciate my number being so soullessly abused.

If your faith in yourself and the number eight remain sat at the end of the eighth-month conversation, the beast shall lead you to a corridor of white-walled rooms similar to the first, but completely bare inside. There will be eight, and if he leads to to the eighth, then you have been deemed worthy of the next portion of my challenge. Remember that the next eight days will be the last eight of your emotions and your faith, save in the eight. Should you forget my number, you will fall.

For eight days you will be subjected to endless amounts of torture; mental, emotional, and physical. Beasts you cannot comprehend will rend your soul and your body alike into pieces, then reconstruct you for their own amusement. Each will bear the mask of my brothers' numbers, starting from one and ending with seven. Should you, at any time, forget that eight is your only salvation and throw yourself at the mercy of another number, I shall make you my plaything for the rest of time.

On the ninth day, you will be freed. I do not know or control how this will happen, for it is outside of my number, but remember the eight nonetheless. It will save you, I promise.

Now you enter the final stages of my task. You will be led back to your original dwelling in this city, but a new occupant will have taken your place. This is another Seeker, come to claim my Object and my number in the time which has passed since you first accepted my challenge. Yes, it is true; it has only been eight days and the rest of time that you spent learning about my number was a lie. Steel your shock, and pose as the Holder of the Eight for this new Seeker.

Deceive him. Twist the eight, bend it, turn it into whatever you'd like, but make him truly believe that what you have taught him about the eight is true. For him to succeed is for you to fail. Remember, however, that he has been given the same instructions you have. Even after all the emotional and physical torment you have been through, you must successfully fool him into thinking you are the Holder. Just as I was optimistic toward you, remain optimistic toward this new Seeker. If he sees through this ruse, he will kill you.

When your conversation with the new Seeker is finished, kill him, by whatever means necessary. His soul will be delivered to the institution you have recently escaped from, and he will find himself tortured unimaginably for eternity. You now have his innocence on your conscience, but remain faithful to the eight. The greater your understanding of it, the greater your understanding of the necessity of your actions, and the more at peace you shall be.

Sleep one final night in the hotel, and dream of whatever you'd like. I think you shall find your dreams are much more under your control than before, and pertain to one particular subject more, as well. When you awaken, there should be a cheap, plastic eight ball on the bedrest beside you.

The eight ball is my gift to you for achieving what no other Seeker has achieved before. It does not have any special powers; it does not always give you the truth, or answer any question you wish of it. Nor does it control the minds of others. It is an ordinary eight ball, save being an Object, and it will serve as your only reminder of the eight which you now possess such great understanding. My understanding of.

Use the eight for whatever you'd like from now on. Bend psyches to your will, persuade anyone of anything, so long as it pertains to the number eight. The eight ball will remind you of what you have recently learned, for it is Object 484 of 2538. I think you will find your mastery over my number more useful than you might think.

Object 485: The Holder of the Nibelung

In any city, in any country, go to the nearest train station you can find. Proceed to move toward the information booth and ask the person there to instruct you on where to find a train that leads to "The Holder of the Nibelung". Should he look at you in an awkward way or tell you that he does not know such place, leave immediately and never ask for that train again as you were never meant to even go near the place where the train will take you. If the person grows pale and mumbles a faint "Follow me," do so. You will be taken to a very distant part of the train station, which you never thought existed before in the place. You will be left alone near the train tracks to wait for the incoming train. Suddenly, you will see a train approaching, similar to any other common train you have seen before, but instead of a number or letter, a very strange mark will be branded on its cars. You must take the third car, and only the third car, in the train as any other car will cause you multiple effects from schizophrenia to heatstroke which will eventually cause a painful death.

Once you enter the train, take a seat and the doors will shut tight behind you. You will feel a rush of cold air, colder than anything you have felt before as the train starts moving at a very fast pace and everything outside goes pitch black. In a seat close to yours, you will soon notice a very strange person garbed in a black trench coat, wearing a black hat that obscures his facial features entirely even though the train is in fact well lit. Do not stare at the man for very long as this will enrage him, causing the freezing train car to turn red with heat to the point that any living thing inside will incinerate almost immediately. The train will abruptly stop once, but you must not stand up from your seat. Instead, the figure accompanying you will rise and proceed to head to the exit and take off his hat, revealing his face. He will ask you, "Are you one of those foolish enough to seek?" You must then respond with all sincerity why you became a Seeker. He will exit the train and disappear into the darkness, cursing the Seekers for their foolishness. The train will then move again, this time the temperature dropping more by the second. The train will stop abruptly, and you must immediately leave the train.

You will end up in a hall that resembles that of a castle. As you walk further to the end of the room, you will notice various ice columns adorning your way, each containing a single person maimed in the most grotesque and horrifying ways ever, their suffering frozen in place for what seems like an eternity.

At the very end of the room, there will be a large, circular pedestal surrounded by thirteen colossal statues, each wielding a sword pinned against the ground. In front of the pedestal will be a very large bearded man who has remained stoic every since you noticed him, apparently not impressed or surprised by your visit. Anything you utter at this point will come out as a wail of irrational pain that you will feel, with no apparent cause. The only words capable of exiting your mouth in this place are those which you must ask the bearded Holder, "What will become of me once they are together?" The Holder will then open his mouth, but no sound will come out. Your mind will fill with images of yourself in your future, and all the suffering and pain you will feel once they come together will come to you at once. The pain itself may cause you to want to scream your lungs out, but your wails will just cause the pain to worsen. Once the ordeal is complete, the man will shift from his position, leading to the pedestal, which contains a very large sword in its center. Draw it from its place and examine the ancient runes that cover the blade, exactly 2,537 black marks. If the thirteen statues draw their swords from their place and point them at you, the best option right now is suicide. If you let the statues get you before this, they will obliterate you in the most horrid and painful way conceivable and you will be frozen on an ice column, feeling the pain of being maimed constantly added with the constant suffering of not having any oxygen for all eternity.

If, however, the statues raise their swords high over their heads, the sword is yours to keep. This sword is the legendary balmung. For every Object you already possess, one of the black runes will light up as a bright green light. The temperature will begin to rise and the ice columns will melt. All the maimed figures will be angered at you as you did that which they could not do and made them end up in eternal suffering. They will all charge at you and start devouring you. You can fend them off with your newly-acquired sword if you like, but they will eventually out-turn you and you will be knocked out by them.

You will open your eyes again and you will appear in the place you call home with the balmung at your side.

The balmung is Object 485 of 2538. As the amount of Objects you possess increases, the sword will become stronger, and so will your skills with weaponry. Beware, as giving the sword too much power will cause the inexperienced Seeker to drive it against themselves. Some Objects may be at your possession, but their true desire is to be with the others.

Object 486: The Holder of Self-Loathing

In order to complete this trial, you will need to bring a gun with you. Make sure that it is new, and loaded with just one bullet.

In any city, in any country, go to any funeral home you can get yourself to. Once there, open a casket that is not being viewed by anyone. If it is empty, They know what you are doing, and you will join the dearly departed. However, do know that your death will be quick, and well-respected; a fate many Seekers would take. If it is inhabited by a cadaver, quietly demand to see "The Holder of Self-Loathing".

The body should get up from its eternal slumber, walk away from you, and promptly disappear. Step into the coffin, lie down, close your eyes, and close the lid. If the Holder deems you worthy, you will be taken from the coffin, and led into a dark room labeled "Employees Only". If no one comes, the coffin will lock and you will slowly asphyxiate.

The person guiding you into the room will disappear once you enter the dark room. The room will emanate a feeling of utter depression. The walls are bleak, and although you can see, everything seems dead, the only ornament in the room, a mirror, will show you killing yourself; try not to look at it. This is your last chance to escape. If you wish to leave, yell at the top of your lungs, "I hold dear to life!" If they believe you, you will fall unconscious, and wake up in your room, the day before your quest began, completely oblivious to the Objects. You have been given a fresh start at life, use it well. If, however, you decide to say, "I do not fear hopelessness," your true love will manifest him or herself in front of you.

Your true love will tell you a story about all the wonderful things that happened today. It may be the most wonderful story you have ever heard during your quest for the Objects; you will feel happy to be where you are. You cannot let these feelings betray you. If you allow them to continue, the Holder will deem you unworthy of the Objects. Your true love will rip you apart with his or her bare hands. It will be a most painful death.

Without any emotion, you must convince your love to kill him or herself. You must tell them how horrible life is, that they are worthless and stupid. You must tell your love how much pleasure his or her death would bring you. You must believe every word you say, for the Holder will not tolerate anything else. You will hate yourself, a hate beyond comprehension. But for your sake, do not show it. Eventually, no matter how optimistic your love was before, he or she will accept death. They will show no emotion, as you have drained all of it out of him or her. Your beloved will then ask for something to use to kill him or herself. Produce the gun, and hand it over. You must watch carefully as the one you loved takes his or her life in front of you. The sight of it will be burned into your memory for all eternity. The Holder will appear, applauding you. He will appear as a very thin man, about 10 years older than you, no matter how old you are. He has gray hair, no matter his age, he will be wearing no shirt, and his trousers are torn. If you are female, the same will hold true, except that the Holder will be female and wearing a slightly torn shirt. After all, even Holders have manners. This is you in ten years. You must ask, "Why do They hate Their existence?"

The Holder will explain, in detail, why everyone throughout history has ever suffered depression. He will tell you what they did to deserve such a state, or what happened to them. He will tell you how they lived, and how they died. You will feel an impossible urge to end your life like they did, and the Holder will gladly give you whatever you need. Whatever you do, don't give in. If you do, your suffering will not end, you will take the Holder's place until someone else chooses your fate.

Once the tale is finished, the Holder will hand you the gun your beloved used to end his or her life. It will be covered in his or her blood, and it will be loaded with one bullet, made of his or her bone. You will fall unconscious and wake up in a hotel closest to where you call home. You have a room on the house, you deserve it, after all.

The bullet is Object 486 of 2538. You have given your love the means to end their suffering, now we have given you yours.

Object 487: The Holder of Acceptance

In any city, in any country, go to a private doctor's office. Walk up to the receptionist and ask her if there is an appointment for "The Holder of Acceptance". If she says there isn't or doesn't understand what you are talking about, leave and try again the next day. If she turns around and starts muttering to herself, sit down in a chair and wait. Do not bother to listen to the muttering, for it consists of the thoughts of the mad and would make no sense to your ears.

After some time, it could be seconds or it could be hours, the receptionist will call for the Holder. You will see an elderly woman dressed in black that you didn't notice before stand and walk toward the back. Follow her, and do not look at anyone's face unless you wish to fall into madness as you bear witness to every atrocity ever committed by humans in their eyes.

As you follow the elderly lady, she will open a door and walk inside. After she closes that door, open the door across the hall. You should see a room with green tiled walls and an operating table. If the table is empty, you are safe for now. But if you see a body lying there, turn away and walk slowly out of the office without showing fear. If you stay, run, or show your anxiety in any way, you will be ripped to pieces by the person you found lying there.

Lie down on the table and you will see the elderly woman enter the room from the door you came in. As she restrains you to the table, ask her, "What is the consequence of denial?" She will then tell you of every time someone's denial of fact led to consequences in the past, present, and future. Then, she will ask, "Are you ready to accept your role as a Seeker?" Tell her no, and you will awaken to the moment before you learned of the Holders with no memory of any events related to them. Tell her yes, and she will proceed to cut open your stomach. Despite any pain you feel, do not scream or you will be subject to this pain for all eternity.

The woman will reach into your body and pull out a contract with your signature on it. After handing it to you, she will disappear and you will find yourself in front of that doctor's office, one hand on the door and the contract in the other. Never enter this office again.

This contract is Object 487 of 2538. Sometimes one must accept their fate.

Object 488: The Holder of Grief

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. When entering, there should be an old couple arguing in front of the receptionist's counter. If there is no one in front of the desk, leave, you may return a week later to check again. When and if they do show up, walk up to the old man of the couple and present him a mirror, any kind will do. He will then show the mirror to his wife, who will then laugh inhumanly loud, and walk off. The man will walk off as well, but not before handing you a small piece of paper. Wait until the couple drives off, and then turn to the receptionist.

Read off the numbers on the piece of paper to the receptionist, and place the paper inside your pocket. She will stare at you for a few moments, confused, and write them down. Afterward, ask to see "The Holder of Grief". The woman will suddenly look as if she has known you would arrive for some time, and will summon an elderly woman to guide you. If it so happens that the guide does not fit this description, IMMEDIATELY run outside of the building, back to your current place of residence. Break all of the mirrors you own and wait three days before exiting. If you do not, hell itself will seem to be a blessing compared to what you will endure.

If, however, the guide fits the description, follow her outside the institution and into a nearby dilapidated building. Enter and wait for the old woman to bow and exit before continuing. Slowly locate and enter the nearest staircase, then walk up toward the ninth story and open the door there. If it is locked, well, take comfort in knowing your death shall be quick. Enter and walk down the corridor which will gradually be filled with an overpowering mildew-like smell. Yell out "You don't need to suffer like this!" and the smell shall gradually fade. If it does not, the smell will become so strong that it will cause you to fall into an eternal slumber.

If you manage to stop the stench, continue walking until you reach the end of the corridor, and open the office door. What you are about to experience may drive you, as it has many others, to kill yourself.

Pictures surrounding the small desk in the middle of the room depict every sad and depressing point of your life, amplified to an extreme degree. All of the terrible feelings you have felt will ravage your very being. Despite this mental onslaught, you must resist the urge to commit suicide. Walk over to the desk and sit down as fast as you can, and ask in a stern voice: "Why must they continue to hurt?"

The figure will gracefully wave his hand in the air, causing the pictures and feelings to fade away. What is left is a simple executive's office overlooking a vast wasteland. Still looking away from you, the figure will ask in a deep voice for a drink. Walk over to the small cedar chest to the right of you and open it; there should be two bottles inside. Be sure to check the contents, if it has the same mildew smell as before, DO NOT take this bottle. Take the other one instead, and quietly place it on the desk.

The figure will turn around, revealing a very tired and sad-looking man. He will speak of all his mistakes and follies, which drove him to destroy everything that had any value to him. Be sure to sympathize with him, although you must be EXTREMELY careful on how you word your comments; the slightest hint of mockery will cause him to kill you in the most brutal way possible. When he is finished, he will smile and fade away into dust. Grab the bottle on the desk and leave the office.

You will suddenly appear in a graveyard, in front of a large tombstone. Upon examining the tombstone, you will discover that it is the same grave of the man you just listened to. Pay your respects and leave at once.

Go back to the same mental institution or halfway house you started from, where you will find the old couple bickering once again. They will quiet upon seeing you, and the wife will hand you a small bottle - the same bottle you took out of the office.

This bottle is Object 488 of 2538. The contents it holds are extraordinarily dangerous and should be kept safe, especially from Them. But by looking carefully at the bottle, you will be assured that their ordeals are not your own.

Object 489: The Holder of the Blazon

Seekers have been subject to trials and feats most people would find ghastly and quite macabre. Yet the Seekers soon shed this doubt early on, and learn to live with their decision to take the path traveled only by the most courageous. However, the life of a Seeker is impersonal, and some can try with varying amounts of success to separate their quest from the rest of their relations. However, many have ended their journey once they meet the Holder of Blazon, even after they finish seeking for Him.

Go to the house of a relative. Any relative will do, but make sure it is one that you have a connection with, one that you are fairly close to. Make sure they aren't one you live with, such as a parent, one that is a part of the family through marriage, not blood-related, nor one you are only distantly familiar with. If you choose the wrong individual, you'll end up looking foolish when you ask them to "Bring me to the Holder of the Blazon." However, your aunt, grandfather, uncle, cousin, or whoever you choose, looking at you strangely and laughing at your odd request will be a fate you'd soon have begged for.

However, if they don't change facial expressions, and stare into your eyes for a long time, then you know you have done right. They will keep staring for what seems like an eternity, and no one really is sure how much time passes. Do not break eye contact, for they are in the process of great growth and change. To do so would lead to unknown consequences and the safety of you or your loved one cannot be guaranteed.

Eventually, they will blink, and when their eyes open, the iris of their eye will have changed from the brown, blue, green, or whatever it normally is, to a cold steely black, the pupil barely visible. They will speak, in a monotone and almost robotic manner, giving you a date and a time. This date may be later that day, week, month, or much farther down. Regardless, you must memorize it. Until then, do not, under any circumstance or emergency, come across this relative. If someone mysteriously calls and says they are ill and you must be there immediately, ignore it. If there is a family get-together they might attend, you should not. Even if your relative calls your phone personally asking to see you, do not go. If you break this rule, your relative will not be there to greet you, but rather the tangible embodiment of hell itself will, waiting to whisk you away to its gates.

When the day arrives, go to their house. Go alone, and without anything except the clothes on your back and any other Object you have acquired. Even if you have a lot, bring no bag and no box, as only your hands and pockets may help you with them. Don't even bring a car, you have to take a cab or alternate source of transportation. When you arrive, your relative will be awaiting in front of their house in a black robe and standing next to an old car. I'm sure I don't need to mention the results of being even a second late. You may speak to your relative, greet them, and even hug them. However, you will get no response out of them, and they will stand by the car until you get in.

Once you are both in, immediately turn on the radio. Go to FM, and go to station 48.9. Although most radios don't have this frequency, this car certainly does. Drive down any road, and any direction, it matters not. Once you leave, do not talk to your passenger, do not touch them, and most of all, never, ever, make eye contact with them. From the speakers will play your favorite song, giving you a positive feeling. As you drive through, it will repeat over and over and every note will cut into your head like a sharp nail.

Keep driving, and soon the road will become more rural. No matter how well you know the road, before you notice, you will be in the middle of nowhere. Your song will slowly become more and more garbled and warped, until it sounds as if demonic voices are blasting throughout the car. You'll never run out of gas, and you'll be driving for what feels like days. The car will go a random speed, no matter how hard you press the pedal. One second you'll go unbearably slow, and the next dangerously fast. All you must do is keep control of the vehicle. There will be no houses, no other cars, no landscape of any kind, except dirt and the hot sun will beat down upon you, as it will forever be at high noon. If you smell a rotting, almost death-like scent, do not be alarmed, this is normal, and to be expected.

When the music is pushing you upon the brink of madness, the sun beating down, burning your skin, and the stench of death unbearable, your relative will, in the same monotone voice, ask you to stop. Put the car in park, and get out, once again, not looking at them. Turn your back to the car, and your relative will put a blindfold over your eyes. Their cold hand will lead you to their shoulder, and you will walk. Follow them for a relatively short distance, when the blindfold will be removed.

When your eyes adjust, you will be in a strange world unlike the dirt path you were once on. You will be standing on a sea of fine light-blue sand, and the hot sun will be replaced by a silver crescent moon, which is the sole source of light. It will be freezing, with a wind blowing across the dunes. You now may look at their face.

What was once a face with features similar to yours will now be a corpse-like monstrosity. Open sores, cuts, and dead skin will cover their body. Their eyes will be shrunken, almost forced shut by throbbing oozing tumors. Every time they breathe, a labored and dry dusty sound will be produced. Circling above will be giant black crow-like birds, who will land on their shoulders. They will gnaw, peck, and chew away at the rotting body. You will easily see their pain and suffering, and for the first time since the beginning of the journey for the Holder, you'll see the warm eyes of your relative instead of a stranger. Check your pocket, and you will see a knife, no bigger than one you find at the dinner table, will have appeared.

Take them out of their misery. Do it fast, as every second for them feels like a million lifetimes in hell. Slice them across the throat. No blood will drip, and they will fall limp to the ground. You, too, will collapse, and fall into a deep sleep.

When you awaken, you will be dressed in a fine suit in a funeral home. As you approach the casket, you will see your relative resting peacefully. A gentle yet awkward smile will be on their face, with a faint, almost invisible light-pink scar across the neck. People will take no notice of you, ignoring you as if you aren't there. You may pay your respects, as your relative has been returned to you.

Finally, near the end of the funeral, a man will approach you and ask you to come with him. Follow him to an old dusty office. He will tell you the story of your relative's life. He'll surprise you by saying you were their favorite, and they left you something special. He'll hand you what appears to be a shield with a coat of arms on the front; a silver moon above a desert of blue sand. He'll lead you to the door. Before you leave, he'll turn you around and wink, and when his eye opens, it will be all black, with almost no pupil. Turn around again, and there will be no one there.

Your family members no longer are a part of you and no longer are you a part of them. You might as well be a stranger. Even if you live with your parents, they'll take no notice of you, and they won't question this strange person living amongst them. Your last name is now "Holder", as it has become more than your purpose, it has become your identity.

The coat of arms is Object 489 of 2538. Inscribed on the back: "Never Forget Where You Came From, Even If It Forgets You."

Object 490: The Holder of Love

In any city, in any country, go to any hospital and ask to visit "The Holder of Love". Prepare yourself to be destroyed completely and utterly.

None have returned from their quest for this Object, or if they have, they are no longer truly "living". They are husks, gone from their bodies completely and utterly, leaving mad messages strewn across the walls of their new home, their ruined bodies sickening to behold.

The things that I call "survivors" no longer have the will to live, and yet no longer have strength enough to end their lives. They have descended to a place of nightmares and horror, a place of hate and despair. A place where their desires become torments and their despair becomes home. This place is filled with denizens more horrid and unimaginable than the Objects themselves, beasts and monstrous beyond words which will rend you apart in a thousand ways before they end your life. This is the place this Holder calls home, the worst Holder; the worst in all the Hells.

They have set forth on the path of an Object; a dark "protection" both divine and demonic. It may steel you from the horrors of your quest, and you may believe it spells your salvation, but know what I know: that you are damned if you seek this, damned beyond any of the Holders you have heard of or shall hear of.

But, if you believe you can strive forward and defeat the trials and horrors this fell Guardian has to offer then I hope you finally taste the rewards of your quest, for you are greater than the greatest and a god among the insects of Holders.

The dark reward you seek is Object 490 of 2538. It longs for the company of the rest.

Object 491: The Holder of Exodus

[The following note was found beside what appeared to be the victim of an extremely messy suicide.]

 

My name is Christopher Holm, but you might know me better as "Investigator C."

That was my handle. I found a very specific sort of thing for a very specific sort of person. I was very good at it. And it paid very well.

I never touched the Objects myself, of course. Too damn dangerous and horrifying. There was a lot of wealth to be gained from the people who were crazy or self-loathing enough to Seek them, and I was happy to take that from them without going into their realms personally. This arrangement worked very well for me.

Until one day, I decided to go for it.

I had a full set of info, and it was very easy. Almost nothing left to chance, very little personal pain involved. So I did it. I got my first Object. But after that, I was hooked. I couldn't bring myself to stop. I built myself a small collection, but it wasn't until much later that I realized the cost. I had lost so much in such a short time, and my only "gains" were these goddamn... things. I wanted out, and I thought I knew how to do it.

So I went to the bus station. I bought a ticket to "anywhere, just get me there before it all comes to an end". I got on a normal-looking bus with normal-looking people and not a single person would look at me. So far, so good.

Then I waited. Days passed. People were starving, begging to be let off the bus, but the driver refused them, and I counted each refusal. Four-hundred-and-nine-one, no more, no less. That's when I loaded the bullet into my gun, and shot him in the head. The door opened as if on cue, and I made sure I was the first one out. But I had to pluck the bullet from his skull first. It wasn't mandatory. But I just couldn't bring myself to let it go.

Everyone followed me as I led them through a seemingly endless wasteland. My path took us in circles, and many died on the way or questioned my leadership, but I said nothing. I had the map. I knew the way. And I knew what They would do if I stepped off the invisible path.

Soon, we arrived at the sea. A ship was waiting, its captain calling me. "No," I said. He offered again, and again I said "no". The others piled on, and the captain came down to meet me. I asked him, "What can free Them?"

And he told me the truth, too. It wasn't an eternity-long laundry list of things people have done. It was a short, simple answer, one that I knew in what was left of my heart to be true but didn't want to hear. Then he took my right hand, shook it, and sailed off into... wherever the hell they went.

Then I was back home. I had what I wanted. My hand, where he shook it, was wreathed in blue fire. The Fire of Exodus. Touch anybody with it, living or dead, and they will be sent away to a place free of all of this. Of the End itself. It was supposed to be my salvation... but what they don't tell you is, you can't use it on yourself. And worse, almost anybody who knows what it is wants a piece of that escape. Like Them. They want Exodus. And They want it bad.

I know what's going to happen to me if I take the coward's way out. The Holders have told me in no small detail. Christ, they do love to share, don't they? No imaginations. But I can't stand it. They've been hunting me with such ferocity ever since my hand started burning.

Fucking Object 491 of 2538. I hope the next guy knows how to use it better than I did.

Object 492: The Holder of Observation

In any city, in any country, take a seat anywhere that you can watch the public pass. You don't necessarily have to sit; you don't even have to stay in one place or do this in one sitting. Just carefully keep vigil over the swarms of people you come across. Eventually, you will come to notice that one out of many every two hundred people will be... different, for lack of a better word. You will not know how to describe this sensation, but if you are at all serious with your quest, you will learn to feel the difference.

When you are ready, approach one of these oddities. If this is the first Object you seek, you may have to ask this person to take you to the Holder of Observation. If you have taken at least one Object prior to this, however, this demand is unnecessary, as the person will already know what you desire. This person will lead you away; this is your last chance to turn back.

Once you are in an isolated area safe from witnesses, this person will glare at you intensely, and you will feel as though you are being pushed away from the person by an unseen force, but you must stand your ground. You will be in utmost agony as each atom is ripped from your body, the force of the glare eroding you away, but you must resist, or all will be for naught. Eventually, you will have completely disintegrated, what was once your body now just a group of isolated particles scattered around. Yet you will still be able to see.

You will be able to see everything in the universe; no side of any object is out of your range of sight. With your newfound omnipresence, seek out a peculiar clock tower suspended somewhere - anywhere - in the universe. The human mind was not built to be able to see everything at once, so it will take time to sort out one scene from the next, but you must hurry. You will have just one earth hour to lay your vision upon this Holder, or you will remain trapped in your present state, never again to enjoy the benefits of a physical body. Be wary, though, for you may accidentally see something your mind cannot handle; though your human incapability for true omnipresence will prevent you from instantly focusing upon these objects, it won't protect you from losing your sanity, which is all that you have left at this point.

Once you find it, focus in on the clock tower. Somewhere within its walls is a door marked by an eye. The rooms and hallway of this clock tower are constantly changing, so you must act quickly. As soon as you locate the door, shift your gaze into the room beyond, or it will instantly transport itself to a different part of the clock tower. If, at the time you enter, you have already used up more than three-quarters of your allotted hour (hope you've been keeping track of the time), give up now. You will need around fifteen minutes to interact with the Holder.

Behind the eye-marked door should be what appears to be a humanoid creature garbed in a black cowl. Look only at this entity from behind, as its face is one of the many things that can break your mind. The entity should feel your gaze and speak to you in your native tongue. It would do you good to pay attention, as this Holder is both wise and benevolent, a combination that you will rarely come across in your quest for the Objects. He will share with you everything that his billions of eyes have seen on every known planet with intelligent life in 14 dimensions, his memory dating back eight-six billion earth years. There is no way that your mind can comprehend all of this, and the cloaked figure will know, choosing to stop when you have heard enough.

If your hour has not been fully expended by this point, your vision will snap back to the alley in which you had disintegrated, and your physical body will reform within it. Once you are again material and you regain control of your limbs, you will notice that a badge which you have never seen before is pinned to the article of clothing closest to your heart (if you are not wearing any clothing - in which case, how did you even start your journey without being arrested for indecent exposure? - you will find this badge pinned through your skin over your heart). On the badge is a simple marking shaped like an eye.

You are now allied with one out of every two hundred people (as well as one out of every 200 members of every dominant extraterrestrial species, should you ever come to meet them). They cannot carry out your tasks, but they can provide you with almost any information that you desire.

This badge is Object 492 of 2538. Your time is running out; you'll need all the help you can get.

Object 493: The Holder of the Psyche

In any city, in any country, go to any theater you can get yourself to, whether it be a theater for plays, cinemas, or concerts. At the front desk, ask to watch either "The Holder of the Id" or "The Holder of the Superego". Commit to one and never, ever seek the other, for meeting both even centuries apart shall lock your mind in an eternal civil war.

The receptionist will give you a ticket. Walk away from the theater in any direction until you see a man, garbed in deep green, standing in a narrow alley with a door on each side. Hand to him the ticket and he will offer to unlock one of the doors. Touch the doorknob of one and only one of the doors. If a wave of irrational hatred spreads through your body, the door will take you to the Holder of Id. If, instead, you are overcome with unbearable fear, the door will take you to the Holder of the Superego. Ask the man to unlock the door that leads to the Holder you requested. If you do otherwise, the opposite Holder will emerge and rob you of your ability to think, leaving your body and soul complete but mindless for the rest of your miserable existence.

Having chosen the proper door, step through the threshold and the man will close the door behind you. The room should be an empty theater with an elevated stage. Take a seat so that the play may begin. Once the marionettes descend onto the stage, do not shift your eyes from the performance or the puppeteer will take offense. If that should happen, plead his forgiveness and beg him to continue. If he does not accept your apologies, your hollowed body shall be added to his collection of hand puppets. The marionette actors reenact every important decision you have made in your life. As you watch, always be confident that you had made the right choice. If you should, for a second, regret or take back one of the decisions, the actors will infinitely repeat that scene. You will be unable to leave, let alone look away, for all eternity.

After the play ends and the puppeteer leaves, remain seated. Within a few minutes, a figure should step out onstage. If you had called upon the Holder of the Id, a giant, nude, muscular man with an enormous, erect phallus and bloodied fists should emerge from stage left. If you had called upon the Holder of the Superego, a petite woman in an extravagant robe and veil covering every square inch of skin should gracefully step in from stage right. To whoever appears, shout the following question: "Is the power worth the consequence?"

The figure will not speak, but only stare. Do not break eye contact, or your power to think shall be lost to the figure. As you stare, you will slowly come to realize the answer to your own question. When you have the full answer, the figure will leave the stage from the side that he or she entered. Reach under your seat and pick up the coin beneath it, then quickly exit the theater. The coin is identical regardless of the Holder that appeared.

This coin is Object 493 of 2538. Don't be so hasty to flip it for important decisions.

Object 494: The Holder of Brotherhood

In any city, in any country, go to the nearest orphanage you can get yourself to. When you arrive, ask the nun or social worker at the desk to speak to "The Holders of Brotherhood". She will smile and comment "I see more of your kind these days," with a tinge of remorse in her voice.

As she leads you through the building, the children will flock to you. Under no circumstances though, should you make eye contact with any of the orphans. None of these orphans are real children, but rather the soulless husks of failed Seekers that were unable to pass the difficult test ahead of you. She will walk you back into the depths of the orphanage to a room that looks older than time itself and hand you a key.

This is your last chance to change your mind and flee, though you will most likely still lose your sanity from the children's stares as they haunt your dreams for years to come. Should you, however, choose to continue, you will find yourself in an empty and unremarkable room. The room is spartan, having only one bed with rough sheets, a sink, and a toilet. Sitting quietly on the bed will be a pair of conjoined twins that will greet you warmly with smiles and waves. The remarkable thing you will almost immediately notice about these twins is their color. One is as black as the night sky, void of any color whatsoever, and the other bright as any fresh snow.

These Holders have been joined since the last time the Objects were brought together, but you must convince one of them that the other plots against them. Should you succeed in this task, however, the brother you have convinced will choke the other to death.

As he does this, you must ask him one question.

If the light brother is dying, you must ask him: "Will I be Their savior?" He will tell you over the course of an eternity, a list of all the sins committed by Seekers searching for the Objects, and by the Objects themselves.

If the dark brother is dying, you must ask him: "Will They be my salvation?" and he will answer you. Though what he will say I have not been able to glean from any amount of research.

After the brother is dead, the living one will remove a ring from his brother's finger and give it to you and thank you for saving his life. Do not protest, simply leave the room and go about your day, no matter how many years may have passed.

Each ring is Object 494 of 2538. One will bring great joy, the other eternal sorrow. Choose wisely.

Object 495: The Holder of Pleasure

In any city, in any country, go to any public school past the hours of its normal operation. Should you be greeted by anyone at all, you should leave, for that person will know your intentions and be filled with an innermost desire to kill you - and your death shall be one of unprecedented gore. Should no one know of your arrival, approach the most secluded door you can find. Approach it and knock, wait approximately one minute, and say, "I seek only pleasure... No more." At this moment, an unerring silence will fall upon you.

Should you hear any vocal sound, whether from man or beast, state your name and your reasons for seeking the Holder. If your statement is sincere, you should begin to progress. If you hear any other sound, you should begin to run as fast as you can back from whence you came. You will know by dawn's light if you have escaped or not. You will be allowed to live your life within the realms of normalcy; however, you will lose all memory of any Holder of Object. Should you come across another Seeker or Object, you will go insane at the most base level. Simple mention of your former quest will bring forth horrible sufferance as well as a guilty pleasure.

The phrase uttered will be of importance, memorize it and hold it dear. If you were to forget the word, eternity in Hell would be a blessing for you. At this time the door will transform, you will feel a sudden urge to gaze at it. To submit to this desire would reveal a small part of your soul to you; your greatest flaw.

Enter the door, and walk forward until you feel a sense of despair. For some, it may take minutes and others days. Upon truly feeling despair, an end to the maddening monotony of this bland hallway will appear. Going through this portal will reverse the feelings of pain and pleasure. You will find yourself in a room full of various instruments of torture from history. In the middle of this display of terror, you will find your true love. This person will act as if you have never met.

You must threaten to torture your companion with the object you believe will inflict the most "pleasure" upon them. As they beg for their life, you must make good on your threat. At the climax of their pain, gaze deeply into the eye that corresponds to your dominant hand and utter the phrase you should have memorized earlier.

By whatever means necessary, remove the eye from your present victim. Stare at the disembodies organ. You will see the pain and revulsion of all of history's atrocities committed in the name of pleasure. Should you remain sane, you will now find yourself back at the school. Exit the building as quickly as possible, but do not allow anyone else to gaze upon the Object in your hand. If they see it, they will desire to have it at the expense of your life.

This eye is Object 495 of 2538. When they are united, you will bask in the suffering of those around you. You will find thrill and exhilaration in the pain He brings. However, your death will come from the hands of your true love.

Object 496: The Holder of the Sought

Seeker, you have been searching for some time now. You have been in mental hospitals, laboratories, ancient libraries, ruins, different dimensions, and everything in between. All the while you have been searching, but more importantly, you have been doing as your name implies: Seeking.

Yet your presence hasn't always been welcomed, and often, your arrival is met with downright hostility. However, you keep seeking. Keep striving, going. Farther and farther you go, it becomes an obsession, a curse, and each Object brings you closer and closer to the eventual end of your seeking.

However, you yourself are never sought. You're never desired, called upon, or approached. The world sometimes feels cold, as you are the one always finding others, and sometimes, it feels as if you don't exist until you initiate it. Yet you will soon find out that you are more than just a Seeker. You are a part of a giant cosmic game, a player in a plan that you may never understand. This Object will not become available until you have been seeking for a while. How long? I cannot say. However, you will know when it does. Be prepared, though, you won't come across the Holder of the Sought on your terms.

You will randomly, and without warning, awake in a mental hospital or halfway house in some city in some country. Look around the desolate room, and realize it is decrepit. Rust is splattered across the room, trailed and dotted as if blood from a murder scene. Filth is everywhere, and covers your dirty, turned-orange mattress which rests on your ancient spring bed. Bars cover the window leading to an overgrown courtyard, which sits under a perpetually yellow sky. There is a steel door, with no knob or handle from your side, and the only mark is a little flap that slides you food twice daily by an unknown source. Night never falls, and the only noise you hear is the wind blowing in through the window, often carrying a weak dusty, and almost decaying, scent.

It is enough to make someone go mad. Stay strong though, keep with it. Days will turn to weeks and to months, and perhaps years. You will start to think you truly are mad, and question your sanity. Don't succumb to these feelings, for if you do, you will belong there, and never leave. Yet if you hold through one day it will pay off...

You will awaken to a knock at the door. As your eyes adjust, it will open to a nurse with a strange tall man. Although you see him clearly, it will be odd, as his features will seem blurred, and almost dreamlike. The more you stare at him, the less will be revealed. The nurse will leave, and in a slow, almost robotic manner, he will ask, "Are you the Holder of the Sought?"

If you are to answer yes, he will grab your arm, and tie a blue ribbon upon your wrist. You are now the Holder of the Found, yet no one will ever seek you, and the Object will drive you mad. Yet if you answer no, he'll ask other questions. He'll ask about the Objects you've acquired, the places you've been, and monsters you've fought. Keep answering, and with as much detail as you can, until he says, in the usual monotone, to "stop". He will then grab your arm, and tie a red ribbon upon it, and leave.

Days will pass, and soon you will be back to your usual routine. Try not to go mad again. One day, however, you will hear another knock. This time, a man with a black surgeon's mask will enter in scrubs, and signal you to follow him. Do not instigate conversation, don't make eye contact, just walk beside him. As you walk down the hallway, you will see barred prison cells. Inside, you'll see the familiar faces of some of the Holders you've come across. Some will be joyous and wink at you, some will ignore you. Others will reach out through the bars and attack you. Keep your cool, and just keep walking, and try to survive.

Soon, you will come to a room, which he'll lead you in. Inside will be what seems to be an operating room. There will be old dusty books, various surgical tools, and stains on the floor from blood, urine, and feces. Pictures of medical experiments and grotesque mutilations cover the walls. Somehow though, what should be disgusting to you feels quite homely, almost like the room you grew up in. It is almost as if this is where you belonged all along.

Eventually, the door will open again, and the man from weeks earlier will come in, escorting a series of six men around your age. Some will be short, tall, or average with different hair, eye, and skin tones. It will be what seems like a good cross-section of the population.

Motion for the first to come up to you. Ask him three questions that you have been asked through your great journey. Ask about his life, his family, his quest for the Objects. Anything. Whatever he answers will be wrong, and the man from earlier will turn to you and ask, "What will be his fate?" You have two choices to give. You can tell him to run, and never look back. If so, the man being questioned will flee, and never bother you again. You could also request for him to be tortured for his ignorance, and he'll be escorted to another room, from which you will hear the screams of his suffering.

After that, the next will come, and follow the same system, as will the next three. Each time you'll have the options of torture or freedom. You can choose for everyone to have the same fate, or mix it up. The choice is yours.

When the last comes up, follow suit and ask him the questions. However, he will give you answers pertaining to your life. He'll know anything, your pets' names, parents' hometowns, Objects you have possessed. Anything at all you ask, he'll know about you. After all this, take the ribbon off your arm, and hand it to him. Ask it comes off, a great burn will shoot through your hand, and become visible as a deep scar on your wrist where it rested moments ago. As he takes it, a great burden will be lifted, and you'll feel free of what seems like a curse. He shall thank you, and exit out the door.

The strange man will then approach you, and his face will finally come into focus. He'll smile at you, and look strangely familiar, but you cannot put your finger on it. He will then exit through the torture door, and the screams from earlier will resume.

Of the first five men that approached you, beware. Three are normal people like you are, where two are beings from worlds unknown. For every real person you sent to be tortured, his eventual release will leave him bitter, and prepared for revenge. He will forever hunt you down, and eventually, HE WILL FIND YOU, and you must kill him to escape. For every otherworld being you let run, they will mock your ignorance. They, too, shall forever seek you, yet they'll take a more demonic and monstrous form this time, and no matter how many times you fight them off, they will keep appearing until you complete your grand quest. These might be during the most inopportune times, such as in the middle of approaching a Holder, or during a time when you must be quiet and still. If a human is freed, he will be grateful, and perhaps may come across you again at a later time, and be of assistance to you. Each demon you send to be tortured will consider you their equal, and never bother you again. When you question them though, they all will appear human. Only through non-physical clues such as body composure and mannerisms may their identity show itself. Still, it is very hard to tell.

The man with the ribbon will cross your path again down the road. When? It cannot be said, but when you do, you'll know, for it will signal the start of your search for the Holder of the Found.

Your burn is Object 496 of 2538. It is a constant reminder of how it feels to be finally discovered.

Object 497: The Holder of the Internet

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself to. That's the formula. That's how they always start, right? That's why it's an entertaining, creepy story. It's frightening, but only if you instigate it.

My friends and I were out at the mall. Game stores, bookstores, clothing stores. We decided to duck into Spencer's Gifts, even though I was kinda hungry. We made our way to the back where they keep all the sexy things, just for giggles.

While we were browsing, I noticed this person hovering in my peripheral vision. I say person because to this day, I still do not know whether it was male or female. Despite this hovering creep, my friends minded their own business, almost as if they didn't even notice the new presence.

A ghostly white hand passed in front of my eyes, holding an elegant business card. It was printed on a near-black tone of red on a white card with gold trim. The script was elegant. On the front, it said, "Entrusted to your care. Give it only to the one who passes. He will want it."

And on the back, it said in the same script, "I want to be with the others."

I should have noticed it then. My hunger disappeared and my muscles relaxed. When I looked up from the card I found myself in a cylindrical room, with a chair in the center. As I stepped further in, the walls illuminated with images. A keyboard ascended in front of the chair. The internet. The walls were filled with screens from the internet. One screen dominated them all.

The rules. What I could and could not do. How to determine someone worthy. When I could leave and who was allowed to see me. The question I was going to be asked. I fell to the floor; half-laughing, half-crying. It couldn't be real. The Holders, they were just stories. And even if they were, you have to seek them out. No. Not this one. This one seeks you out. And I am its... I am its... I...

I typed the question into the console, then pressed enter: "Why are new ones made when the old ones are brought together?" The answer felt like someone drove their fist into my chest.

Save me from this, please. I don't want to be a Holder. None of us do. It's maddening. I'll tell you everything I can, just get me out of here, please!

In any city, in any country... it feels so wrong, writing this from this side. Go to any enclosed mall you can get yourself to. If one of your friends ever asks "Do you forgive?", you know the answer, don't you Anon?

That room is Object 497 of 2538, the Nexus. Not all stories follow the formula.

Object 498: The Holder of the Seen

In any city, in any country, go to any movie theater you can get yourself to. Before you even attempt to try this Holder, you must have retrieved the Object from the Holder of the Lens first. Otherwise, you will only be able to enjoy the movie and the endless pain that this Holder can bring.

Once you enter the theater, look around for any movie that you wish to see. It shouldn't matter, however, the gorier the movie is, the more likely the Holder will be there. Once you find one you may enjoy, buy the ticket and enter. Make sure you will enjoy it, for this may be the only thing you can take enjoyment from in the visit.

Enter the movie room. Once you do, IMMEDIATELY stop, and put on the glasses. There should be one person in the theater that you cannot see when you put the glasses on. And when you take them off, he will reappear, in the same position you first saw him in. If not, then you have no fear. Nothing will happen, and you can enjoy the movie in peace.

Once you find the disappearing man in the theater, find a seat next to him. Watch the movie, and if possible, make light conversation with people sitting next to you, but not to the man.

After a while of watching the movie, which could take some time, the man will say one of two things, deciding your fate. If he says "I don't know why I paid for this," then you must tell him "Because you thought it would be worth it. As did I." Pray that he takes condolence in your statement, for then your death will be swift and merciful. If not, then you are beyond hope.

However, if he says to you "Pay close attention to this part," you must watch the screen. Pay attention to everything that is shown. Eventually, you will realize that you are seeing things never meant to be filmed. Demons of an inexplicable nature will begin to slaughter everyone on the screen. And things of a worse nature will appear, things never meant to be birthed by beast or man. At odd intervals, the man will laugh. Laugh along with him, if you wish. You may be laughing out of insanity by now. If not, then the man will turn to you and say, "Well, what did you think?"

You must respond to this is only one way: "I could tell you, but you know what I think. What of you?" The man will chuckle to himself, then nod. He will let you ask one question, as the other Holders have. Refuse. This is only his trick, and his true desires, unlike most Holders, is to help you see past the rest of the lies. He will give you another chance. Refuse again. He will laugh to himself, and then congratulate you on a good job. Only now may you ask the question: "How can they be hidden while He sees?"

He will stop, and in a depressed tone, will tell you. He will tell you of every defense for every Object, why these defenses were built, who they killed, and how. Do not motion in the direction of the man besides a general nod of understanding. You may very well go insane, or worse, attempt to attack the man. However, if you manage to sit through the ordeal, you will be asked to leave by a member of the theater's staff. The man will excuse himself and leave, and you will be urged to as well. However, don't go just yet, but instead, take the glasses again and look into the seat that the man was sitting in. You will see a small cloth, suitable for cleaning glasses; pick it up and leave.

This cloth is Object 498 of 2538. Use it on the glasses to see the things that hold them together. To see anything else is a travesty.

Object 499: The Holder of the Motive

Through your travels, you have done many things both honorable and dishonorable. You have killed in the name of honor, but also killed in the name of cowardice. You have ignored those for whom you feel sympathy, yet you did your part to kill the ones that are cruel. You have used the greatest love you share to gain an Object, yet mutilated that same person to gain another. I realize that as you had approached the other Holders, you have made few decisions of your own - otherwise, you would be dead, insane, or suffering eternal torture at this point. Many times, you have even suppressed your innermost feelings and emotions to gain an emphatic Holder's approval. Everything you have done up to this point was shaped by the will of beings of greater powers, not by your own will.

Let me change that.

Seek me out however you wish. It does not matter where you ask, nor does it matter who you ask or for whom you ask. If you carry the Badge of the Observers, your best chance would be to ask your allies for my position, as nothing escapes their master's eyes. Once you find me, I have no physical test to put you through. I have no reason to care about the limits of your strength, your athleticism, your endurance, or your resolve. Feel free to look around as much as you want. I will be sure to remove from my chamber anything that could potentially drive you insane at first glance. I wish to know something about you, something buried deep in the recesses of your soul, and I need you to be alive and sane to tell me. All I ask is this: What is your motive for collecting the Objects?

To reunite them, to protect them, to destroy them - I do not care for those answers. That much I will already know; you are not the only one who can access the Great Observer's memories. I want an answer that cannot be easily observed, one that you probably do not yet know yourself. You have heard the tales from other Holders. These stories have moved you, given you a larger perspective of the true nature and true power of the Objects. After hearing these, your movie has undoubtedly changed from what it was at the start of your quest.

As you contemplate your motive, you will notice that there are people in the room that were not there previously. Your best friend, your lover, your mother, your father... Everybody you have ever come to know and love. They already know of your quest. Many of them will likely beg you to stop. Some of them might be in deep shock from learning of what atrocities you have performed. But along with me, all of them eagerly await your answer. Just as I do - perhaps even more than I do - they wish to know why you have chosen your path.

Do you wish to avenge those whose purity has been defiled? Do you intend to use the Objects' power to conquer the unbearable solitude of death? Maybe at this point, your quest is nothing more than a mindless obsession. I do not judge. No answer shall be deemed incorrect or unworthy as long as you firmly believe it to be your true motive. You may not leave my chamber until I have your motive, however, and I will know if you are lying. If you cannot figure out why you seek the Objects, or if you are too ashamed to bring yourself to say it in front of your loved ones, then you may be stuck with me for a long while.

Once you have found your true motive, recite it to me with confidence. If I am convinced, then your trial is over. Your loved ones will each offer you a parting message as they disappear. You will not see them again until your quest is over, but worry not, for they are safe with me. When the last one has vanished, you may take whichever item you desire from my chamber and leave. It matters not what item you take. I will not miss it.

This item is Object 499 of 2538. All was once set in stone, but that stone has since been shattered. You may very well still have a chance.