The Holders Volume 9 (81-90)

(NOTE: All 545 Object entries in the Holders series aren't credited to any authors so I'll just link to the official website)

## The Holder of Simplicity

In any city, in any country, go to any sizable school or university you can find. When you reach the front desk, ask to see "The Holder of Simplicity". Should the worker utter a single, piercing shriek, place her hands on her ears and close her eyes, you have come to the right place and should feel free to ask again. But, if she simply ignores you and writes something down, your life is doomed; you will instantly become completely aware of everything that has to happen for each action you make to occur, from stepping on an ant to blinking. After you ask the second time, the worker should instantly calm down and ask you to follow her.

She will lead you on a roundabout path, heading through the seemingly endless halls of the school. Count the number of right turns you make- after seven right turns, casually slip into the shadows and let the worker continue walking. Should you fail to do this, you will never get another chance to leave, and those endless halls will swallow you up forever.

If you succeeded in losing the worker, stick your hands in your pockets and look around for a bulletin board. There will be a morass of colorful announcements tacked to it, with an array of eye-catching pictures and descriptions of incredibly exciting activities. Do not be strayed by these- they are trying to hide the one you are looking for. Look for a plain white sheet of paper almost completely covered by the others. Take note of the room number, then look at the time of the activity it advertises. The date will always be today's, but if the time has already passed, then you are too late- they have caught you, and nothing you can do will keep them away.

If the time is later than what it is right then, start searching for the classroom. None of the wall-mounted directories are the same, and the numbering system is horribly random. You will likely never find the place, and will be lost searching for it among the endless halls while the hunters circle in.

If by some miracle you do manage to locate the room, ready a weapon and prepare yourself. If you didn't make it before the listed time, the door will slam and lock, and nothing will ever convince it to open for you again. If you make it in time, take the door at a run, weapon ready.

A heavily decorated biology classroom will greet you. The room's paint job is disgusting - rancid, vile colors drip freshly slathered from every surface. Posters line the walls, emblazoned with pictures of impossible, unholy creatures. Books in dark, lost languages lie scattered on the floor. Yet the room is empty - almost. At the far end of the room, a student sits hunched over one of the unspeakable creatures from the posters, frantically dissecting it with a long-bladed scalpel.

You must ask him the right question, or he will smash the creature aside and turn to find a new subject to dissect - you. At the top of your lungs, scream to him "Why did it not happen then?"

The student will scream, horribly, and whirl around. Time will seem to slow, and in one second he will tell you the hours-long story of why it did not happen then, and all the things that have gone wrong because of it. When he finishes, the creature on the table will whirl up and attack him, tearing him to shreds in seconds. His calculator will fly from the melee - grab it quickly, but dare not to open it. With whatever weapon you have, target the thing's head and aim to destroy, or it will do the same to you. Whirl for the door - the rest of the class has arrived. They all brought their dissection kits today, but you've ruined their only subject- and now they want you to replace it.

Battle your way out of that classroom. The topography has changed. Where once endless, grotesquely painted halls stretched, a single, bare concrete walkway stretches across a pit of flames to a steel door. Fight your way over there - do whatever it takes to get through that door. The moment you grab the handle, everything will turn white. Shut your eyes.

Count to five, then open your eyes again. You will be holding the handle of the locker room door at the last school you ever attended. Open it and walk into the locker room. Pull the student's calculator from your pocket, turn it on, and press the key labeled "Entry."

A number will appear. Toss away the calculator and find the locker with that number on the door. It will be unlocked - open it.

The whetstone inside is Object 81 of 538. When used on any blade, that blade will never again grow dull, and nothing will be able to resist its bite.

Now take advantage of the locker room's showers. You definitely need one after this adventure.

## The Holder of Purity

In any city, in any country, go to any large school or university you can find. Once you locate the visitor's desk, walk up to it and ask if "The Holder of Purity" showed up for school today.

If the worker nods, your fate is sealed - your quest is already known, and nothing you can manage will let you even get as far as the front door. However, if the worker shakes his head and goes back to his work, you are safe. For the moment, anyhow.

Casually sweep your gaze around the school lobby where you stand. No matter how it looked before, it is now beautifully decorated, with delicate draperies over precious, strange stone walls. Look around until you spot a door that stands starkly out among the design - a crudely built door of waterlogged, rotting wood. The handle is rusting away. Bugs unlike any this earth has ever seen crawl through the wood.

Immediately upon seeing the door, every fiber of your person will want to walk away and never look at it again. But if you truly wish to go through with this, you must overcome yourself and walk over to the door. Students, teachers, and staff will try to get your attention, try to get you to do something, anything other than opening that door, but ignore them. Get over there as fast as possible and rip open the door.

You may catch a glimpse of a darkened, twisted shop classroom before something unseen grabs you. The shrieks of the students and faculty are heard as black, grotesque shapes pour out of the room and your unseen captor pulls you in.

You won't be able to see anything for about five minutes. Lucky you. A sickly, pale-green light will snap on and reveal your current position - strapped to the table of an enormous black drill press. High, high in the darkness above, a high-pitched, warbling whine is heard. The drill press is on, and your captor from before is slowly lowering it - and the enormous drill bit attached.

Very nearly any noise, any action, will cause your captor to shriek and slam the drill press down, impaling you with the whirling bit. Despite whatever massive damage that might do, you won't die - which will only enrage him more. He'll rip it back up, move you so that a different part of your body lies under the bit, and slam it back down again.

Only one question will not bring about your endless torture - "Why did they change?"

The lights will snap on, and the drill press will fall silent. Squeeze your eyes shut and do not open them again, for to stare at that corrupted room and its lone occupant for any length of time is to join them.

Your captor will sigh, then give you an answer so simple that it will seem impossible that no-one has figured it out already. You will hear one more quick shift, then the drill press screeching down one last time. No matter your resolve, the pain from this will be unbearable.

Scream and open your eyes. You are lying on a bench on the top level of a parking garage two miles from the school. The part of your body that got hit by the drill press last will still be throbbing with pain and feel swollen beyond belief. Sit up and check the supposed lump- it will come loose from its taped-on fastening and fall to the ground.

The rusted handle from the woodshop door, which you now hold in your hands, is Object 82 of 538. It longs to be back in its proper place, but its destiny draws it to another.

## The Holder of Corruption

In any city, in any country, go to any sizable school or university you can find. After locating the front desk, walk up to it and ask to see the one who calls himself "The Holder of Corruption." The attendant behind the desk will look down, then begin to scream. Close your eyes tight, you won't want to see what they are doing. When the screaming stops, open your eyes.

You should be in a small, dark room, with wooden walls. There will be a solid looking door of copper and wood behind you. Walk up to the door, knock twice, and open it. You will be standing in the place you call home, but horribly distorted. You will recognize it, but it will be difficult to find your way. Everything will be decayed and rotting. Insects, rats, and all kinds of horrible things wander the house. The house will be buried deep underground, dirt blocks the windows, making it pitch black. You had better have brought a light. If not, the walls won't exist, and you'll wander for the rest of your existence, in the darkness, unable to die, or to feel weariness.

If you did bring a light, however, you are in luck. Quickly find your way to your parents' room or, if you don't live with them anymore, to your own room. On the bed will be a twisted visage of both of your parents, in one body. They will be naked, and smeared in horrible substances, filth, feces, blood, vomit, everything possible. They will be horribly gibbering your name. You cannot react to this at all. If you do, you will join them as one, and your mind and body will break slowly over thousands of years. You will know only torment, and the torment of all others to ever die.

Instead, resolutely stare them in the eyes, and ask them "Why did this come to pass?" At this point, they will split into two separate bodies, and tell you from beginning to end, then from end to beginning at the same time, why it came to pass. It will be a horrifying tale, because it will seem it is your fault these things happened. You will most likely go mad from guilt. If you do not, however, the two bodies will produce an hourglass, and place it on the floor. Thank them, and gently pick it up with both hands.

You will wake up in the place you call home laying on the floor in the most windowed room. It will be 3:32 in the morning. No light will come from the windows 'til the morning comes.

The hourglass is Object 83 of 538. When the sands of one end run empty, then it will begin. This must never happen.

## The Holder of Dreams

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house in you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Dreams". The person behind the desk shall stare at you with piercing eyes, tell you such person is not there. Ask him or her, where can you find him, and youâ€™ll be presented with a key, with a number attached to it.

Walk out from the building, into the street, and go north. If the street doesnâ€™t go either north or south, go east, then turn north once you notice a street at your left. Keep walking until you see a hotel. Maybe you've never heard of it, maybe you never realized it was there, but this is your destination. Enter the hotel, speak to no one, and answer no questions asked to you by the employee in the lobby or the guests. Look at the number attached to the key, and find the bedroomâ€™s door where the key belongs. Once you find it, open the door. Enter the hotel bedroom, and close the door.

Youâ€™ll want to wait until at least sunset, when the first stars show up in the sky. Turn off any mobile phones, donâ€™t turn on the TV, and have no objects which can make sounds. Without changing clothes, lay down in the bed, and close your eyes. Even if youâ€™re not sleepy, your mind will drift away, and youâ€™ll be sleeping soon. Think of good things while waiting with your eyes shut, because if fear or bad thoughts emerge, it might be too late. They know youâ€™re there.

If all goes well, youâ€™ll wake up in the next morning. Leave the hotel with no explanations, return home, and resume your life, but be prepared. You completed, without knowing, a pact. Accepting this path has earned you horrible consequences.

Three people you know will die in the following days. They will die in horrible, disgusting ways you couldnâ€™t imagine were possible. React no more than what is normal to a human. Go to their funerals, mourn for them. Keep moving with your life. Do not attempt to return to the hotel or back to the asylum, or it will be all over, and you will wish you had died the same way your friends or loved ones did. It would have been less horrifying.

After one week -- seven complete days -- you will see the death of the 3rd person. There will be no way to avoid it. It will be the person you most care for, and no matter how much youâ€™ll try to stay alone that day, the person will still come to you, unaware of his or her fate. It doesnâ€™t matter how he or she appeared, the person will be there. When it happens, while youâ€™re unable to save the person, you cannot turn around or close your eyes, or youâ€™ll suffer the same fate. It will be as though the entire legion of Hell came to consume your friend into pain, agony and despair until their last breath.

You must not scream, or react. Just watch. When all is over, when thereâ€™s nothing left but the mutilated corpse of your loved one, youâ€™ll feel a hand tap your shoulder. Do not turn around, or the boned hand will grasp your neck, and death will be slow and painful. The figure behind will ask â€œDid you enjoy that?â€

Do not answer. Instead, ask â€œHow can I protect my dear one?â€

The hand patting your shoulder will rise and point at the corpse. Approach it, and you shall see a faint light coming from inside their now decomposing chest. Reach for it, and remove a small silvery trinket from their flesh. Do not fret if it looks different from what you heard, for it is never the same for anyone. Once you do this, youâ€™ll hear a pitched scream, and the ground under your feet will vanish. Keep holding the trinket tightly, and do not let it go, or you fall into the darkness.

Youâ€™ll wake up in the hotel bedroom. Check the calendar. Those seven days were a dream. Nothing happened at all, and your friends and family are safe and sound. But youâ€™ll have the trinket in your hands.

The trinket is Object 84 of 538. Give it to the one you most care for - it might well be their only hope of salvation, even coming, as it may, at the price of your own salvation.

## The Holder of Sorrow

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house in you can get yourself to. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of Sorrow." The worker will frown and bite his lip. Hesitantly, he will lead you deep within the facility until you reach a rusted, charred iron door. He will open the door for you, and you must enter the darkness beyond it in complete silence. Once you are inside, the worker will quietly close the door and bolt it shut.

You will hear the many screams of tortured souls within a few meters of you. Should the screams stop at any time, quickly scream at the top of your lungs, â€œI do not feel sorry for you!â€ If they do not resume, hope for a quick death, as it is useless to run. However, if the screams return, continue walking forward in darkness. Keep walking until you see a dim light glow in front of you. Once this happens, immediately halt and stare at it.

You will be tempted to look upon the faces of the tormented beings hanging on the walls, and they will plea for your help. Do not answer their cries, for if you avert your eyes from the light, your mind will instantly be shattered and you will reflexively begin to gouge your eyes out.

The light will reveal a man standing with his back to you, and his presence will cause the screams around you to subside. He will only respond to one question: â€œWho will be spared when they come together?â€ He will whirl around to meet your gaze, and answer your question with excruciating detail. Do not interrupt his speech. What would happen if you do could not be described by the most sick and twisted criminal in the history of the world.

When he is done, he will hand to you what appears to be an ordinary rock. He will back away from you, the glow of the mysterious light fading away. The words will begin to ring in your mind, â€œHe who is without sin shall cast the first stone.â€ Close your eyes and count to ten. When you open them you will be standing in front of the front desk in the institution.

The stone is Object 85 of 538. It can only be thrown when they come together.

## The Holder of The Lens

In any city, in any country, go to any mental institution or halfway house you can get yourself into. When you reach the front desk, ask to visit someone who calls himself "The Holder of the Lens." The attendant will not acknowledge your request at first, but you must continue to ask. When she raises her head, she will give you a questioning look, and ask if you are sure. If you have any doubt in your mind that you will not succeed, turn away quietly and never return. If you have no doubt of your impending victory, then give her a single nod. She will smile softly and lead you through a door behind the desk.

The door will open into a steel-gray hall, straight and narrow, barely wide enough for the two of you to traverse. Large mirrors, spaced at odd intervals along the walls, will reflect the two of you along the path; you must look in every one of them as you pass. Should one of the mirrors show that the attendant has disappeared, begin to pray, for you will not be long in this world. However, should it be you missing from the mirror, stop and turn to face it. The attendant will turn around and push it aside, revealing a darkened room. Make sure to thank her before you step inside; the powers in this place do not tolerate a rude visitor.

The mirror will slide silently back into place, coating the room in darkness, and a voice will begin to mutter nonsense words to itself for an indeterminate time. Should they stop, you must state calmly, "I am only here to see a friend." If the voice returns, it will not be a whisper, but a roar of anger that will shred your body, leaving your soul to be slowly consumed by the Holder; if the room begins to light up, then you have intrigued him.

You will find yourself in a small, dimly-lit room, with only a single chair in the center of the light. Stand still, do nothing until a voice asks you to sit, then do so. The Holder will ask you many questions, and you must answer them truthfully, and not make any attempt to clarify their details, no matter how damning they might be. Lying to him will bring out his demon, and you want to avoid that for now.

When he is finished, he will thank you for your honesty, and tell you that he wishes to know why you came. Ask him, "May I see your face?" The Holder will laugh kindly, and a pair of glasses will drop into your lap. Take the time to think of the one thing that means the most to you, and put the glasses on.

Now you will see the room in whole, oozing pestilent blood from every inch of every surface, save the small ring of illuminated floor. Do not stand until the holder asks you to, and when he does, leap up onto the seat of the chair immediately. The light will go out, and blood will rush to fill the gap, but you will still be able to see through the lenses. Look directly ahead of you, and politely ask to see the Holder's face again.

The blood that forms the wall will part like a curtain, and a figure will emerge. If it is anything but the figure that you pictured in your mind before donning the glasses, quickly remove them and throw them aside. If you are fast enough, the darkness will part to reveal the doorway of the institution you came to; count yourself amongst the most fortunate. Should you be too slow, then your blood will be added to the room's - very, very slowly.

If, however, it is the object, step down from the chair. Your feet will touch the blood, but you will not sink. Take five steps forward and halt. The object, whatever or whomever it may be, will move to match your distance. Take three more steps, and wait for the object to move again, then take a single step. This time, when the object moves, you must ball up a fist and strike it with all of the strength you can muster. Hold nothing back, and press your fist through it. The surface will give way and shatter as glass, revealing a floating skull, with chunks of putrid, rotting flesh still clinging to its visage.

Pull your hand back immediately, and do not examine the wounds on your hand. Bow and thank the Holder as politely as you can. He will then ask, with horrid breath, if you wish to see your face. Politely decline, and begin to turn away. A hand will place itself on your shoulder, and the Holder will insist. Now, ask him, "How do they see?" The hand will then forcefully shove you down, and you will sink into the bloody floor. As you pass, press a hand to your face, and keep the glasses from falling away. They are all that protects you.

You will see scores of images, ghastly and demented, pass by your vision as you descend. In all of this, you must not avert your eyes in any way from these scenes, scarring as they might be, for one of them is you. As you pass your own mutilated image, reach out and touch it. The sea of blood will dissipate, replaced by complete darkness. When a door appears, open it. The light will be blinding, but you will find yourself safe, walking away from one of the institution's restrooms. Remember to say "Thank you," for the Holder has enjoyed your company.

The glasses you wear are Object 86 of 538, the Eyes of Clarity. When the time comes, you can see what they see.

## The Holder of Youth

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 Youth." The attendant will choke back a childish giggle and rise from her seat, motioning for you to follow. Do so, but do not show any emotion other than annoyance, for there are creatures watching you, waiting for a chance to erase your mind and make you do their foul bidding.

The attendant will lead you through the facility, skipping merrily along and turning down hallways at a whim. Do not bother trying to remember the path, for it will soon be irrelevant. After what will feel like hours of walking, she will turn into an empty room and halt abruptly, announcing that you have arrived. Follow her in and shut the door firmly, then move aside. She will wait, rocking gingerly on her heels, then bounce towards the door, opening it with little more than a grin.

Through the door, there will be a lush meadow, teeming with vibrancy and life. Follow your guide through the frame and stop when she does. She will then glance around nervously, and lean towards you with apprehension in her eyes; she will speak a single, whimsical word, then depart, leaving through the door and closing it. You must make sure not to forget that word.

Walk forward with rigid, stoic paces, keeping an angry visage upon your features; the guardians here know you do not belong, but will be too afraid to strike . . . for now.

Continue walking until you reach a ring of flowers, and step inside it. They will all wilt suddenly, with the exception of one small portion. Go in that direction, and that direction only, for 44 paces, then stop, turn to your right, and walk another 44 paces. When you stop for a second time, turn completely around. You should be in a dense, verdant forest. If you are not, then the guardians have mustered their courage, and no power in this place will try to save you.

When you arrive, immediately take three steps backward; you should come to rest against a large tree. Vines and branches will snake over your body and hold you there, but do not struggle. No matter how tightly they constrict, you must not show your pain, but keep glaring forward, lest the tree decide to crush you on itself. When the growth stops, several children will burst from the bushes, laughing and playing, oblivious to your presence, and form a ring around the tree.

As they begin to dance around it, they will sing in pleasant voices, a silly children's song, making the trees around them shudder with laughter. Whatever you do, do not speak or soften your face, but wait until the children pause and sit to catch their breath. One of them will finally notice you, and ask what you are doing there. Tell them that you wish to see Father, and they will gasp as one. Should they begin to giggle, then your death will arrive soon, by creatures which no words could ever describe.

Sternly tell them again that you wish to speak with Father, and their leader will hang his head glumly, muttering acquaintances to you. He will stand and walk away, leaving all the others around you. They will begin to speak, to themselves and you, but you must not look at them, listen to them, or even think about anything they might say to you; they only seek to break your stoic mask and flee their punishment. If their words should ever cease, then growl at them, "Stop pouting about it and enjoy yourselves." You must sound as menacing as possible, and they will resume talking; no one knows what happens if they remain silent.

When the other child finally arrives, he will sit back down, and a tall, wizened figure will emerge from the thicket. He will stare at you, a gaunt, annoyed face that should match your own, and demand to know why you came here, of all places. Glare at him and ask, "Does it truly matter?" The figure will sigh darkly, and begin a long-winded rant about the follies of youth; stay silent, for he will not take kindly to interruptions. When he finally winds down, he will ask again why you are here. Ask him, "What were they before this?

The old man's eyes will flash with understanding, and he will sit on a nearby stone and begin to speak. He will tell you, in every possible detail, what they were in a time before time, when there was still a shred of goodness within what they kept. He will explain, with a heavy voice, the calmer times, and tell you of the events that sparked their fall. Every slight, every delusion, every crushed dream will be laid bare by his words. As the old man speaks, the lush green around you will give way to blackened, dead soil, rotting trees, and foul, half-rotting vegetation; do not change your expression, and hold your gaze on the old man.

The story will end with "See what they have done to my children?" The small figures that sat around you will now be festering corpses, all eying you with gleams of sadness in their putrescent faces, begging for release. They will all stand, and trot toward you, with their Father telling you that their hunger must be sated. Now, in your loudest voice, scream the word you were told when you arrived. Should you have forgotten, or mispronounce it in any way, then you will spend the rest of eternity as the dead children's meal.

Speak it correctly, and they should all fall to the ground, clutching their ears shut, and the constricting briars from the tree will shatter. Take the largest piece of wood that you can find, run toward the old man, and stab him in the neck with it. As he chokes on his own blood, he will hold a single rose aloft. Take it from his hand, as darkness will surround you, forcing you to choke and die like him.

When your lungs feel as though they shall burst, you will find yourself at the door to the place you call home, gasping for air and clutching the flower in your clammy hand.

That rose is Object 87 of 538, Forlorn Remembrance. It stands for the purity that once was, and never shall be again.

## The Holder of Void

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 for someone who calls himself "The Holder of Void". The worker will look at you as if you've spoken another language. Repeat your request once more -- any more, and your fate is best left unsaid, for our sakes. The worker will stand, visibly shaken, and motion for you to follow. Do so, but look to your feet and carefully count your steps. Once your foot has fallen on the 64th step, stop. The worker will have disappeared.

Turn to your left, and knock thrice on the door in front of you. If there is no answer, turn around and try the same on the door behind you. If there is still no answer, then this game was not yours to play; you will wander the halls of the institution for the rest of eternity.

But, should a childlike voice ask you to come in, quietly open the door and step inside. The room will be simple, painted in solid ocean blue. There will be a child in the middle of the room, sitting at a table, playing what appears to be a cross between a board game and solitaire. The child will look at you with impossibly black eyes, eyes that seem to bore into your very soul and beyond. He will ask you, still staring, "Do you also want a card?"

The next few moments will decide your fate.

Stare into the child's eyes, but do not make a sound. Breathe quietly. He will eventually sigh, and resume his game. He will pull a card out of a stack on the table.

Should that card have a picture on it, the child will sigh again, and throw the card to the ground. Whatever was depicted on the card will come to life -- flee, if you wish. If you're lucky, you will die of starvation and dehydration before the impossibly grotesque creature finds you within the halls.

But, should the card be blank, ask in a loud, commanding voice: "Why did they shatter?"

The boy will stare into you, into your mind, as if your very existence is being probed. Do not attempt to hide anything or fight. This Holder's powers are more than what they seem, and you may very well lose your sanity where you stand.

If you are still coherent when this "examination" finishes, you will find yourself falling asleep. Again, do not fight the feeling.

You will wake up in the bed of where you call home, a small, round, pearlescent object in your hand.

This Object is 88 of 538. You've played the game and won, but will you be so lucky at the reunion?

## The Holder of The Heart

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 Heart." Should a look of disinterest appear on the worker's face, be persistent and ask him again, but with a more determined tone. Don't let that tone fade from your speech for a moment. They know you're here, and they won't hesitate to kill you where you stand. Once he gives in and gets up from his desk, follow him to the entrance of a very odd corridor, and he will stop. He will hand you a mask that has half of an odd symbol on one side and all black on the other. It's best to put on that mask first before entering, as you don't want them to see your face; they can tell you apart from a crowd pretty well. He will stand there, but it won't be to help you.

Once you get to the end of the corridor, you will arrive at a wooden door styled in the times of peasants, kings, and knights. Knock twice, and say this exactly: "I wish to be complete, I do not mean to intrude." Should you say anything else, that door will explode open, shattering to pieces, but you wouldn't want to know what was on the other side. If you did say the right thing, however, the door will slowly open itself, and you will be pushed through by an unknown force. Don't bother looking back, for there's no one there. Yet. You will have arrived at a large clearing, and the door you were pushed out of will have disappeared from sight, with nothing left but a pile of ashes. Look around: you will notice a large castle - or what was left of it - beyond a humongous clearing. Starting from where you have entered this realm, walk until you get to that clearing and keep walking to that bare castle. Sleep where your body falls, and keep your mask on at all times. It's the only thing that's protecting you right now. It will be days, weeks even, before you reach the Castle; keep walking until you get to a bolted door. Knock twice, and say, "I have come for my Heart."

There will be a sliding panel on the door, and it will open, revealing bright amber orbs in the darkness. Ask this only: "Do you have what I seek?" Ask anything else, and that door will open. You will never outrun what is on the other side. Should it grunt, it means that you have access to the Hallway. Enter, and the door will shut. The thing that possessed those eyes is nowhere to be seen. It's better that way, for your own sanity. Here in this Hallway, everything is safe, so you are free to remove your mask and look around. On the left side of the Hallway, there is a beautiful mural that depicts very odd events and fights. On the last panel, you see yourself, but you are missing your face, and behind you is a horde of unspeakable things. Do not scream at what you see on the right wall, however, for that door that closed is now locked on the inside, but not on the out. And not even that mask will help you.

Take a good look at your mask after looking at the right-wall mural. The symbol on your mask should represent your purposes for seeking this Holder. Now look for it on the gruesome mural and say in a whisper, "I wish to erase this moment." Some paint and paintbrushes will appear beside you, and you must paint over the symbol from your mask with the appropriate colors. Should you fail to match the colors or ignore this step completely, the demons that will break in soon will take notice, and they will know who you are. Once you are done and you are ready to receive the next object, take a good long look at the insignia on your mask. You will have to recall its name once you are face-to-face with him, if you can recognize it at all. Put on your mask and go to the door at the end of the Hallway. Knock thrice, and say, "I wish to obscure the sunlight."

Say anything else, and the door will lock, the aforementioned front door will break, and not even the holiest of people would be able to save you from your fate. If you have said the right thing, the door will open, and the murals on the walls in the Hallway will have vanished, all but the object you have painted over. Close the door behind you and lock it with as many of the locking mechanisms as you can find. The room you entered is scrawled on with words, all having one cryptic message pointing to another, and another, and another. Don't bother trying to understand these messages, for they will leave you mad and your understanding of life will have crumbled to pieces. Instead, look at the Holder before you. He is sitting on the floor, writing something incoherent with a quill pen and crimson ink. It seems to have just a bit left.

No matter how long it takes, wait until his ink is used up. Interrupting him will result in that very quill jabbed into your chest, and your blood will be drained from your body and used as the Holder's new ink supply.

When he is finished writing and all his ink is gone, ask, "Why must the innocent suffer first?" He will get up, looking straight at you with ominous red eyes and then come so close to you he could rip the mask right off you. He will then explain to you, in great detail, the tragedies and deaths of people you know, people you don't know, and people you wish you'd never known. When he is finished, he will step back and ask what you are. If you misunderstand the question and answer incorrectly, you'll wish that the demons from outside had reached you first. Your answer must be "I am a \_\_\_\_\_\_!", with the blank as the name of the insignia on your mask. He will then react horribly, his skin melting away and his eyes falling out with the membranes still hanging onto the eyeballs, then finally disconnecting themselves; his hair will all fall off, and his tongue will be forcefully ripped out.

His flesh, or what remains of it, is now all pitch-black and his sockets glow bright yellow, and his size would make even the largest demon tremble, but do not cower at his true form; he attacks only the cowardly, after all. With pride in your voice, shout again your answer, and he will knock a hole in the ceiling. A bright light will shine through and land on him, and the Holder will melt into a small puddle of black liquid. All that remains of him is a small keychain, with a shining red heart dangling from one of its ends. In front of you will appear an unlocked white door. Quickly pick up the keychain and step through the door with your eyes closed shut, as hard as you can. For about a minute or so, you will feel a falling sensation. Do not open your eyes, for you don't want to know what you're falling through, and doing so will trap you there for eternity. When you are face-down on what seems to feel like concrete, and you feel warmth on your body, you can open them. You are now outside the institution or halfway home, the very same one that you stepped in to, moments ago. The mask you are wearing will falls off, be burned by a black flame into nothing but ashes, to be blown away by the wind.

That keychain is Object 89 of 538. When you have figured out its purpose, you will have one chance to end it all.

## The Holder of The Seeker

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 themselves "The Holder of the Seeker." A bored look will stretch across their face and they will ask you, "Friend or Family?" as they shuffle through their papers. Answer promptly, but calmly, that you are "The One Who Seeks." They will shoot you a look that will make you feel as if you were already committed. Perhaps you should be if you are actually considering this voyage. The clerk will dismiss you, claiming to have no time for pranks. Do not press the issue. You will only be escorted out by the guards, and your attempt will be ruined. Leave at once, and place your hand on the door of the building. Many who have sought this Holder distinctly remember weeping bitterly at this point, though I doubt you will need to. Scream at the top of your lungs, with a voice enough to shake the stones "I know that they are real! Don't let this end here!"

You will feel a hand on your back. Perhaps she will touch your shoulder or arm, or perhaps she will tug on your pant-leg. Turn to face her, although she will not be there. You will find a run-down shack directly across or down the road from you. If a forbidding air seems to push you away from it, you know you have found the place. If you wish to spare yourself the innumerable horrors of the 2538 objects, turn back now. No-one will think the less of you. However, if you are brave, steel yourself and knock upon the plastic-siding door.

It will slide back, revealing a beautiful woman in an elegant dress. Her eyes will be dark-ringed from lack of sleep, and red from crying for so many years. So many years. And those brown eyes were so vivid once. She will ask you if you truly believe in them. Tell her the truth, for if you are lying to her this day she will know, and your quest will end here. If you do tell her the truth, and she likes your answer, then she will invite you in. Remove your shoes once inside. She is a neat freak and would be angry if you tracked anything on the carpet. Yes, the inside of this ramshackle place will be opulent, bedecked in marble, gold, silks, and fine woods. Some exist here who remember building this for her.

Touch nothing as she escorts you into her lounge. Especially not the crystals. Once inside the lounge, sit at the low table as she reclines opposite you. This table is shaped like a bagua, with a crystal ball in the center and feet made from effigies of the other Objects. Do not look at them. Do not touch the ball. There will be time for this yet. She will ask you questions, deep questions about your dark secrets. Questions that will lay bare your every sin and failure. If she begins to cry, know this: she weeps for you, and she weeps for herself. Do not console her.

After a while, she will touch the crystal ball. Do so as well. She will ask your name. Give it in full. Your name will drift away into the crystal ball. She will ask your birthdate. Give it. It too, will drift away. She will ask you for your titles, your pseudonyms, your screennames, your nicknames. All will float away from you and into her crystal ball. When she bids you rise, do so, and follow her to her bedchamber. Here, she will lay out clothes on the bed and step outside, still clutching her crystal ball. Strip yourself naked in front of the mirror. Do not leave a single ring on your finger, or in your ear. You must be bare of all but your skin. Throw your clothes into the unlit fireplace. Dress yourself in the clothes that she laid out for you. Your fate will be sealed by the colors of the garments.

Lie down in the bed. Do not lie on your side or on your stomach, for if you do, you will stay there for all eternity, never able to sleep, but experiencing every nightmare there ever was or will be in every moment. Lie still for four minutes and thirteen seconds. If you stir, she will not come. When she does come she will be wearing the same clothes that you are, and her raven black hair will be deftly brushed. Her makeup will be done to a tee, and she will look ever so beautiful. This is your last glimpse of true beauty before your long journey of horror. She will toss your shoes into the fireplace and light it, burning all of your clothes and belongings. She will then lay down next to you in the bed, smoothing back your hair as a mother might her child. Watch in stillness as hundreds of grotesque servants enter the room. Do not look them in their pain-wracked eyes. Do not listen to their sullen murmurings. For if you do, they will make sounds that will slowly and painfully melt your every bone. They will then take your frameless form from the bed and consume you alive, inconsiderate and unworthy person you are.

As long as you do not do these things, and you allow her to pet you, and you stay absolutely still, you may watch as these servants in their black clothing bring in your every belonging and throw it into the fire. Do not weep for the loss of these things. The worst is yet to come. When all your things have burned to cinders, she will roll over and straddle your waist. She will then poke and prod your muscles and nerves. At times she will seem to poke at your very marrow. She will then rise to her full height and say, "You know what it is you must ask. Ask it."

Ask her "Am I the One Chosen to Seek Them?"

This may yet be your last moment with your mind, heart, soul and body intact. She will likely begin to cry ever harder. Her tears will splash down on your chest. She will begin to massage her tears into your skin. If at this point her nails dig into you, know that your every lie this day has been discovered. Foul creature, how could you lie to her? Her tears will leak into your veins and dissolve your will into a screaming husk, and you will serve to carry people's belongings for all eternity, but never have any of your own.

She may look down at you in pity, for you have come so far and experienced unimaginable horrors, and have even told the absolute truth to her, but you are not the Chosen. She will apologize for what has been done to you and what you may have been forced to do. She will then ask you, "Do you want to forget?" You may respond in one of three ways. If you say yes, all your belongings will be returned to you. You will be returned to your home, and will have no memory of the Holders, the Objects, or the horrors you have witnessed in seeking them. If you say no, as some do, her house will vanish from around you. You will have no clothes and no belongings, but you will have knowledge of the Objects as well as whatever Objects you have already collected. If you seek to collect them for personal gain, this is the option to choose. However, you may say "No, but I wish to aid the Chosen". In this case, she will tell you the name and location of the Chosen. You must immediately seek him out, tell him of the Bride, and turn over to him whatever Objects you possess. After this, as with the "yes" answer, you will be returned to your home with all your belongings and no memory of the Holders.

If, however, she bends over and kisses you on the lips, and your white garments touch hers, know that you have been chosen. She will tell you of the Holders who have been lost to documentation. She will tell you the proper order in which to approach the Holders, so that you may seek Them. And by seeking Them, seek Him. She will then whisper into your ear your new name, your name as the Seeker of Holders. Know now that every person who knows of you will not remember any name, pseudonym, nickname, or screenname you gave or ever will give them. Only your name as the Seeker of Holders. If you stand at the footsteps of any mental institution or halfway house and ask the wind to bring you the Bride of the Seeker, her home will appear for you as a haven from your troubles.

You are now object 90 out of 538, the Seeker of Holders. Whether you seek to gather them or destroy them, we who have gone before you pray for your soul.

Do not let us down.