BloodgownYou've returned home. ''Sector 8'' ain't much, but it's quiet at least.
It's late. Your body aches and your knuckles are sore.
You've spent tonight in the heart of the Dark District. It's not often your job takes you there, but when it does it's always fun. Violence isn't everyones forté, but it's something you excel at. The fact it pays well is merely a bonus.
It's not like you to sleep much, so you decide to un-wind the one way you know how...
⚔ [[Light a cigarette.]] You light a cigarette and place it between your lips. You take a deep drag, filling your lungs with the bitter warmth you're familiar with.
⚔ [[Take another drag.]]
⚔ [[One drag is enough, be gone vile poison.]]Your senses soften, with every exhale delivering small doses of relief for your tired self. After a few long drags you're left with nothing but a brief window of peace and a dull orange sponge between your blood covered fingers.
*Your phone vibrates in your jacket pocket.*
⚔ [[Reluctantly answer.]]You flick your cigarette into a puddle on the ground and notice your own reflection amidst the ripples. Your straight, emotionless face stares back at you, offering a small amount of pride as a reward.
*Your phone vibrates in your jacket pocket.*
⚔ [[Reluctantly answer.]]You hear a distraught man's voice cutting through the sound of a panicked crowd, putting an abrupt end to your brief, peaceful solitude:
"Locke?! Is that you?!"
⚔ [[How'd you get this number?]]
⚔ [[Urgh, fuck off.]]
The sounds of screaming and crying pierce your ears and sharpen your senses as the man on the phone begins to shout:
"No no no, please... my brother John knew you!"
⚔ [[Wait...Smithy?!]]
You press the phone against your ear, paying close attention to the chaos as it continues to unfold...
"It looks like a giant human body with a snakes head, it's...wearing a dressing gown covered in blood! I know it sounds crazy man but it's killing everyone!"
You pause for a moment, repeating the creatures odd description to yourself.
⚔ [[A...snake?!]]
Frantic and terrified, the man continues:
"There's a huge fucking creature ripping people apart! You gotta help us, please man!"
You tell the man to fuck off, you just want to enjoy a cigarette in peace. The man continues to ramble in a panic...
"No no please! You knew my brother John, in P7 Lockup!"
Your demeanour shifts.
⚔ [[Wait...Smithy?!]]
You weren't looking for friends, especially not in the filth ridden cells of Solai's maximum security prison, yet somehow inmate John Smith became just that...
"Yes that's it, Smithy! Look man, some fucking huge creature is tearing people apart! You gotta help us!"
⚔ [[A Creature? What do you mean?]]Either the guy on the phone is on a steady dose of nose powder, or there's an actual ''humanoid snake'' in a ''dressing gown'' terrorizing the people of Solai.
You have a suspision, albeit a vague one. The monsters description sounds oddly familiar to you...
The line starts to break up, the bewildered man struggles to communicate with you.
"Oh god! Dude there's bodies everywhere, people are getti..."
*The phone call ends abruptly, leaving nothing but the dull sound of a dialtone.*
⚔ [[Call him back.]]
*"The person you have called is not available."*
Your demeanor shifts. Helping others? Peoples problems are none of your concern, unless handling them benefits yourself. However, a link to an old friend changes this minset completely. In a very rare occurance, you find yourself giving a shit.
⚔ [[Go back to your apartment.]]
⚔ [[Try calling the number again.]]You turn on the TV.
Scanning through the channels reveals glimpses of glitchy live footage from various cameras catching the dramatic events unfolding in a built up area downtown. You find a stable channel...
⚔ [[The Independent News Network (Fuck big corp media, am I right?!)]]
*"The person you have called is not available."*
Their phone is dead. Given the level of panic and chaos heard during the call, you wonder if the man is ok. What is going on? You have a vague idea, but surely it can't be what it sounds like.
You decide to find out more information.
⚔ [[Go back to your apartment.]]
A TV Reporter commentates over aerial footage of the scene:
*"There appears to be a large creature wreaking havoc in Solai's financial district. Resembling some kind of giant snake wearing a white blood covered dressing gown! It's rampage has painted the streets red with the blood of it's victims, with body parts sprawled across the ground."*
You change the channel to see more coverage:
⚔ [[Switch to the Solai News Network.]]*"Special forces from the P7PD were called to the scene. Their firearms proved inaffective against the creature and only served to agitate it more. Sadly, those that first responded appear to have been killed."*
The camera angle on this station allows you to get a pixellated close up shot of the monster. It's appearance was blurred, but the longer you observed the silhouette of the creature the more your suspicions grew.
If you're going to go out there and fight this thing, you need to know what you're dealing with, time to re-kindle these memories...
⚔ [[This is heavy shit, time for another cigarette.]]
⚔ [[Jesus, I need a drink.]] A glance at your cell phone reveals Smithy's brothers location. He's in S3, mid-town.
Deciding to find out more information, you head back to your apartment, entering through a thick steel door accesible via the alley way you like to smoke in.
The apartment welcomes you back with its dark, bleak appearance. Amidst the chaos in the city, you take a fleeting moment to enjoy its unique charm.
⚔ [[Lean your blood covered baseball bat up against the wall.]]
⚔ [[Absorb the hot, putrid aroma of 3 week old trash.]]The bat offers glimpses of a bright metallic sheen flashing between the thick streaks of blood splayed across its surface, courtesy of tonights victims.
Typically you'd wipe the bat down, It's only right that a man would look after his tools.
Tonight, however, is different. Based on the call you just had, it seems you may need to it again before sunrise.
Remebering the call moments before, you stop yourself from getting too comfortable. If what John's brother said has any ounce of truth, then this could be another very restless night.
⚔ [[Turn on the TV.]] *Mmmm* - a welcoming scent.
Remebering the call moments before, you stop yourself from getting too comfortable. If what John's brother said has any ounce of truth, then this could be another very restless night.
⚔ [[Turn on the TV.]] The news continues to play in the background whilst you light up a cigarette near the window. You open the window to get a clear view of the city a mile or so away in the distance. The buildings are surrounded by clouds of orange smoke being swallowed up by a fiery haze.
A cigarette helps take the edge off. A few drags later and you've already made up your mind, as much as you'd rather get paid for doing this type of stuff, the people of this city need your help.
You flick the half smoked cigarette out of the window and head to the kitchen. Nothing like a stiff drink to focus the mind. You reach for the old faithful, a bottle of...
⚔ [[Caine Nine (Vodka)]]
⚔ [[Four Leaf Clova (Whisky)]]
⚔ [[Sparkling Water]] The news continues to play in the background as you make your way to the kitchen.
The view from your apartment window shows buildings surrounded by clouds of orange smoke being swallowed up by a fiery haze. The financial district isn't too far from your current location, a mile or so.
It looks like you'll be heading out again tonight, but first; a drink to take the edge off.
You open the cupboard and reach for the old faithful, a bottle of...
⚔ [[Caine Nine (Vodka)]]
⚔ [[Four Leaf Clova (Whisky)]]
⚔ [[Sparkling Water]]The smooth smokey liquid trickles down your throat, creating a hot warmth in your stomach, growing in size with each sip.
You keep replaying images of the Monster in your mind. With every reimagining of it's appearance bringing you one step closer to the truth.
"I've seen this thing before, //years ago...//" you mumble to yourself.
You've kept a few relics from your childhood. It's time to look through them..
⚔ [[Take the box off the kitchen cabinet.]]
The bitter, sharp liquid trickles down your throat, generating a hot warmth in your stomach, growing in size with every sip of the spirit.
You keep replaying images of the Monster in your mind. With every reimagining of it's appearance bringing you one step closer to the truth.
"I've seen this thing before, //years ago...//" you mumble to yourself.
You've kept a few relics around from your childhood. It's time to look through them..
⚔ [[Take the box off the kitchen cabinet.]]
Inside the box is a collection of aged ''K Cole'' comics; A series about a rogue detective on the streets of Solai, a man that follows no rules who's only concern is to fight for justice on behalf of the city's vulnerable.
These were your favourite comic books, and now serve as a bitter sweet memory of a much simpler, happier time. You sit the old dusty box on the kitchen countertop knowing there is a connection between these and what you've seen tonight. You just can't quite put your finger on it...
⚔ [[Look through the old comic books.]]
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''WELCOME TO BLOODGOWN''
[[Click here to play.]]
{
(track: 'bgmusic', 'loop', true)
(track: 'bgmusic', 'playwhenpossible')
}As expected it tastes like poison. ''What were you thinking...''
Round two, you reach into the cupboard for some //actual// refreshment.
⚔ [[Caine Nine (Vodka)]]
⚔ [[Four Leaf Clova (Whisky)]]
//First came the ''issue''
Cursed in it's ways
Second came the nightmare
Birthed from the'' page''//
(set: _password to "")\
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[Enter Code:] (input-box: bind _password, "X====", 1)
(link: "Enter")[{
(if: (lowercase: _password) is "03413")[
(go-to: "Access Granted.")
]
(else:)[
(go-to: "Incorrect Code.")
]
}]
//Tttssssss//
The lock unlatches inside the safe door, breaking the airtight seal. The door opens, giving you access to the vial of BAS12.
⚔ [[Retrieve the antidote. Exit the building.]]Incorrect code.
⚔ [[Try again.|Access the medicinal safe.]]You start searching through the old comics, pulling them out of the box one at a time. The distinct two tone cover artwork you'd long forgotten helps deliver a steady stream of dopamine to your cynical brain.
A few issues stand out to you as you flick through your old collection.
⚔ [[Issue #008]]
Issue #029
Issue #013
Issue #034//K Cole, The Rogue Detective. #008 - ''Blue Cats''//
A classic. This is the first issue to introduce the audience to the Blue Cats, a group of low life criminal scum known for stealing from small businesses and peoples homes. You remember this one distinctly, as it was the first gang ever written into this series.
Look at another issue:
Issue #008
⚔ [[Issue #029]]
Issue #013
Issue #034//K Cole, The Rogue Detective. #029 - ''The Heist''//
One of the best. You remember reading this in the backyard of your childhood home. In this issue, K Cole intercepts and prevents a bank heist by fighting the Blue Cats in hand to hand combat at the scene of the proposed crime scene.
Look at another issue:
Issue #008
Issue #029
⚔ [[Issue #013]]
Issue #034//K Cole, The Rogue Detective. #034 - (text-colour:red)[''Bloodgown'']//
Issue #034, the halloween special. You glance at the front cover and the dots start connecting.
//Wait...//
The creature you saw on TV, it's right there on the cover! A two tone drawing of a villain called Bloodgown, posed with its arms in the air holding pieces of a car it has just ripped apart.
You used to read this using a torch under your covers at night for the ultimate immersion. This was one of K Cole's most fierce enemies. Inside this book lay the answers to K Coles eventual success in defeating it.
⚔ [[Search the comic for clues.]]
//K Cole, The Rogue Detective. #013 - ''In Hot Pursuit''//
This is the issue where K Cole finds himself in hot pursuit of a van delivering Arketeq manufactured weapons to criminals hotzones around Solai. This chase lasts the entire comic as K Cole finds himself in armed combat with the criminals shorlty before they scurry. Leaving the van and it's content for K Cole to do with as he wants.
Look at another issue:
Issue #008
Issue #029
Issue #013
⚔ [[Issue #034]]You begin flicking through the pages.
You stop at page 13, the page where K Coles readers are first introduced to this issues villain, a humanoid snake known as Bloodgown. The child in you is jealous, why does grown up Locke get to have all the fun?
You continue your research.
⚔ [[Start reading.]]
//K Cole, The Rogue Detective. #034 - [Bloodgown] Page 13
The citizens of Solai flee in terror as Bloodgown wreaks havoc on the streets. Equiped with his trusty sidearm, K Cole arrives on the scene after hearing the commotion downtown. The streets are baron and most people have escaped from the scene.
K Cole has never seen anything like this monster before, but it will take more than an over sized snake with biceps to stop this rogue detective from protecting his city!
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" K Cole shouts. Bloodgowns focus shifts as his narrow red eyes lock onto K Coles silouette. The monster drops pieces of a car he'd just ripped apart onto the ground, letting out a chilling snarl. //
⚔ [[Continue to page 14.]]//K Cole, The Rogue Detective. #034 - (text-colour:red)[''Bloodgown''] Page 14//
Bloodgown launches himself towards K Cole who's stood at the opposite end of the street. The creature is moving fast, charging towards Cole with a blind rage. Cole reaches for the sidearm strapped to his waist, and in the blink of an eye draws his firearm and fires 4 rounds at the monster! Bloodgown dodges every shot, strafing from side to side as he closes the gap between them.
Now only a few meters a part, K Cole leaps out the way of the enraged monster to avoid its deathly claws!
⚔ [[Continue to page 15.]]//K Cole, The Rogue Detective. #034 - (text-colour:red)[''Bloodgown''] Page 15
Bloodgown turns around and locks eyes with Coles. The monsters glare is terrifying, it's big red eyes widen as it advances with a heavy, dominant walk.
Cole matches his evergy, standing tall and brave. He wont cower infront of this beast! He aims his gun at Bloodgown once more, firing another 5 rounds. This time Bloodgown doesn't move, giving Cole's bullets a chance to land right on target.
The rounds hit perfectly, making holes in the monsters blood covered lab coat! However, they do not penetrate it's scales, they don't even leave a scratch! All the bullets have done is agrivate this creature even more.
Bloodgown stops for a moment, looking down at his chest before letting out a sinister, haunting "No".//
⚔ [[It speaks?! Continue to page 16.]]
//K Cole, The Rogue Detective. #034 - (text-colour:red)[''Bloodgown''] Page 16
Confused, Cole starts walking backwards to create space between them both.
Bloodgown hisses and it's mouth opens wide, revealing it's sharp poisonous fangs and hideous long black tongue. Cole's out of options, he's no where near strong enough to take this thing on 1 v 1 and his gun does nothing but agrivate Bloodgown even more.
As much as he wants to stay and fight, he needs an exit plan pronto! Cole aims his firearm at a steam pipe running down the wall and takes a couple of shots, piercing the metal pipe in several places.
Piping hot steam sprays out of the pipe and fills the area around Bloodgown, obstructing the creatures view. This gives Cole a few precious seconds to escape!//
⚔ [[Bla bla bla, skip to the good stuff...]]
You continue to read through the comic, learning that Bloodgown is the result of an experiment gone wrong. Dr Stephen Cale, a renowned scientist and visionary at Arketeq was responsible for developing a human enhancement drug called Serum X. The drug was designed to improve a persons cognitive function and dratstically improve their physical stats, increasing their strength and agility. It was made by combining the DNA of several apex predators, including lions, sharks and snakes.
With huge pressure to begin human testing in order to meet strict deadlines, Dr Cale decided to take matters into his own hands in his own home. He self administered a large dose of Serum X in an attempt to prove the drug was stable.
Confident in his work, the results were promising at first, giving him insane strength and agility. However, this quickly changed as the drug began transforming his body on a cellular level, turning him into what can only be described as a humanoid snake filled with rage.
As you near the end of the comic, the final pages reveal how to defeat Bloodgown.
⚔ [[Discover the key to defeating Bloodgown (It's about time!).]]
//K Cole, The Rogue Detective. #034 - (text-colour:red)[''Bloodgown''] Page 21
It's 3am, the coast is clear. Cole opens the vent positioned directly above Dr Cales desk inside the Arketeq science facilities. After Volca tipped him off about Dr Cales research files on the Serum X experiments, Cole knew there was a way to put an end to Bloodgowns rampage.
He slowly lowers himself into the office and starts searching through the files on the desk. As instructed by Volca, Cole finds Dr Cales research files in one of the desk drawers!
He begins scanning through the document...
"Serum X, bla bla bla ... violence ... yeah yeah ... side effects ...
The notes read:
''Numerous lab testing on rats and other small animals gives us undeniable proof that Serum X does enhance the hosts strength, agility and mobility. However, there have been rare cases where the Serum has caused a physical mutation in the host.
On the rare occasion this happens, the host becomes extremely violent as though blinded by rage itself. The only way we have found to reverse this mutation is to administer an antedote known as BAS12, currently being held in the labs medicinal safe.
It's a long way from being perfect, but it's progress at least. I'm hope Mr Price doesn't rush human testing.''
⚔ [[Arketeq science lab - BAS12 - Medicinal safe...]]
You question wether this is actually happening, wether or not what you're reading inside these comics actually holds any merit in defeating this monster. You glance over at the TV to compare Bloodgowns appearance to that of the comic.
They're almost identical.
The reality of the situation becomes heavy quickly. This isn't a joke, and this isn't an enemy of the likes you've ever faced before.
You gather your things before heading out.
⚔ [[Pour yourself another shot.]]
⚔ [[(Grab your bat).]]
//"Fuck it, one more won't hurt."//
You savour the familiar taste, knowing it could be your last.
It's time to leave. You gather your things before heading out.
⚔ [[(Grab your bat).]]The only tool you need to get the job done, in most cases...
⚔ [[Leave your apartment.]]Exiting via the alleyway, you take a moment to absorb your surroundings. The skyline now glows an even brighter shade of orange, carrying with it the drowned out sounds of chaos and destruction.
You consider turning around and heading back inside. What stops you is the memory of your cell mate Smithy, and the sacrifice he made to help you get out of prison.
Now Smithy's brother needs your help, as do the people of this city. Regardless of how selfish you usually are, tonight is different. You finally get to do right by Smithy.
Your current location is in **Sector 8** The Arketeq lab is in **Sector 9**, on the other side of the city. Given the chaos ensuing downtown, travelling via the sewer tunnel system would be much slower, yet safer than the surface level. Bloodgown is your main priority, you only hope that by the time you get to S3 with the antedote that no more people have been killed.
⚔ [[Navigate the sewer level via a maze of tunnels.]]
You reach up and drag an old worn-out cardboard box from ontop of the kitchen cabinet. In doing so, a folded piece of dust covered paper falls to the ground.
⚔ [[Open the folded piece of paper.]]
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//Plan your route
Save some time
The path is clear
If total digits are nine//
(set: _password to "")\
(align:"<==")+(box:"X=")[Pick the best route:] (input-box: bind _password, "X====", 1)
(link: "Plan route.")[{
(if: (lowercase: _password) is "154610187")[
(go-to: "Route found.")
]
(else:)[
(go-to: "It's a dead end. Try a different route.")
]
}]You've mapped out a path to S9 using Smithy's hand drawn diagram of the underground sewer tunnels. It's melancholic, having your old friends hand drawn diagram guide you at a time when they're no longer around themselves.
You take a deep breath through your nose and out your mouth. It's time to go save Smithy's brother and the people of this city.
⚔ [[Navigate the tunnel system to reach S9.]]You've hit a dead end.
⚔ [[Plan the route again.|Navigate the sewer level via a maze of tunnels.]]</style>
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This tiny piece of paper ultimately led to your escape from P7 Lockup. A simple drawn diagram displaying the network of maintenance tunnels running underneath Solai, courtesy of Smithy.
⚔ [[Search through your old box.]]
The sewers are dark, cold and damp with a strong unpleasant odour. You keep an eye on the route you've planned using the tunnel diagram as you make your way through the maze.
The closer you get to S3 the louder the muffled sounds of destruction become from up on the surface. Eventually you reach the heart of S3, with the financial district directly above you. A mould covered iron ladder bolted into the cold concrete wall leads to a manhole on the surface.
Given the fact that the last known location of Smithy's brother was in S3 before his phone cut off, you consider taking this ladder to the surface to see if anyone needs help. You resist, however, what use are you to anyone if your dead? Your top priority is aquiring the antedote, only then do you have a chance of stopping this monster.
You left your lack-lustre demeanour back in your apartment along side the half empty bottles of liquor you enjoyed earlier.
It's game time. With urgency you switch up your pace, time is of the essence.
⚔ [[Sprint through the tunnels toward S9.]]You've navigated the maze of sewer tunnels thanks to Smithy's diagram and S9 is now directly above you.
Another set of iron ladders bolted into the wall offer access to the surface above. You're adrenaline spikes as you place your foot on the first rung.
//"Let's fucking do this."//
⚔ [[Acend to the surface via the ladder.]]You push your hand up against the manhole cover, revealing a view of the Arketeq building roughly 300 yards ahead of you. The lab is located on the 12th floor, this is where you'll find the antedode.
⚔ [[Approach Arketeq.]]
You peer out from an alleyway, looking in at the heavily guarded lobby. You recall the last time you visited this place, It was a blood bath that subsequently lead to your time in prison. With this in mind, you decide it's not the smartest play to waltz in via the front entrance to be greeted by security again.
You make your way around to the rear of the building, taking cover behind a it's surrounded by a tall perimiter fence with a couple of armed guards stood near a large gate. There's a thick metal door on the back of the building labelled 'emergency access', with a stairwell symbol. This more than likely extends to every floor of the building.
You take a moment to assess the risks, your best chance is to get rid of the guards and hop the fence. Once over the fence, you'll enter the building via the emergency starwell and ascend the stairs to the lab.
First things first, the guards...
⚔ [[Distract the guards violence is not the answer!]]
⚔ [[Fuck the guards up - violence solves everything!]]
You've spent the last 35 seconds thinking about wether or not these men leave this site in body bags. That's 35 seconds too long...
You're aware of the fact that tonight is about helping others, but how can you do that unless you get this antedote before it's too late? The guards may play ball and fall for the distraction, but even then how can you be sure that gaining access to the building is going to be easy?
Time to do what you do best...
//You let out a feint whistle from the shadow filled alleyway//
"What was that?" the guards ask themselves as they slowly creep toward the alley. You scrape your bat against the floor, an intimidation technique proven to be effective time and time again. The guards hesitate to enter the alley, but at this point it's already too late.
You emerge behind them, swinging your bat with force before they have time to turn around. The sound of the metal bat connecting flush the skulls of these men serves as music to your ears.
You drag their unconcious bodies into the alley. They're not dead, just unconcious. Tonight, for the first time in what feels like forever you've decided to carry yourself with at least a hint of a moral compass.
Next stop, the lab.
⚔ [[Ahh that felt good. |Sprint towards the building and hop the fence.]]You look around for something to use as a distraction. The alley you're stood in is filled with trash, as you'd expect. You pick up a wine bottle by the neck, aiming at a poorly lit section of the street.
Your throw it high into the air with the bottle landing roughly 30ft infront of the guards. They're both startled, yet curious enough to inspect the source of the noise...
Guard 1 - "What the fuck was that?"
Guard 2 - "I don't know..."
They slowly start walking towards the origin of the sound. Just a few feet more until you feel comfortable making a break for it.
3...2...1
⚔ [[Sprint towards the building and hop the fence.]]
You climb the stairs to the 12th floor, it's dark and quiet with no one around at this time of night. The corridor spans the entire length of the floor, with multiple labs seperated into glass partitions on either side. A steady walk down the corridor illuminates the labs thanks to the motion sensing lighting, revealing name plates printed on the glass outside of each lab.
Dr Cales lab is situated at the end of the corridor. A quick glance through the glass reveals what looks like the medicinal safe with a single vial dose of BAS12 inside of it.
⚔ [[Enter the lab.]]
With your tool of choice in your hand, you sprint across the road before climbing the tall perimeter fence and dropping down to the other side of it. You quietly make your way to the door, keeping a look out for additional guards.
The coast looks clear.
Pulling the handle towards you opens the door with ease.
"Easier than I thought..." you mutter to yourself as you enter the starwell and shut the door behind you.
⚔ [[Ascend the stairwell to the lab.]]The lab is filled with various scientific instruments and technology. Reams of paper filled with messy hardwriten equasions lay across the desk in the centre of the room. You approach the medicinal safe which sat ontop of small table in the corner of the room. Inside the safe is a glass vial of BAS12 along side one needle and one syringe.
You let out a sigh of relief...
//"Finally."//
The safe has a keypad, along side an engraved piece of text. It looks like you need a code to gain access to the antidote.
//"Of course I need a fucking code."//
⚔ [[Access the safe. |Access the medicinal safe.]]You grab the antedote and needle, placing them in your inside jacket pocket before swiftly leaving the lab. Exiting via the way you came is a little risky, luckily for you the 12th floor window at the end of the corridor gives a good view of the surrounding area. There are no guards near this side of the building, presumably because there are no entry points or exit points into Arketeq on this side.
Directly below the window is a dumpster roughly 100 ft below. Luckily for you it appears to be full, offering you a softer landing from this height. Sure, it's not the prettiest way to leave the building, but its the most efficient.
You climb out onto the window ledge, taking one last deep breath before jumping.
⚔ [[Jump off the ledge.]][//It's wise to keep note of certain details in this story as you may be called upon them at a later stage.//]
⚔ [[Begin your journey.]] Clutching the antedote in your hand you leap off the building, hurtling towards the ground below. Though you land heavily, the dumpster did it's job in breaking your fall.
You brush yourself off. The easy part is done.
Now it's time to find Bloodgown and put an end to this.
⚔ [[Make your way to Sector 3.|Make your way to Sector 3 - Face Bloodgown.]]
⚔ [["Fuck this" - Go home, get drunk.]]You traverse the cold, damp sewers, arriving at S3 once again. This time however, with the cure to end the madness happening in the city directly above you.
Taking a moment to think about your strategy, you gaze up at the manhole cover above your head. You smirk to yourself, why are you actually excited about this? The idea that you may die here is very real, yet you embrace it, welcoming the challenge.
With one final sigh you pull out the antedote from your inside jacket pocket, sticking the needle inside the vial and drawing out the precious cure into the syringe.
All your actions up till now have led to this moment.
It's now or never.
⚔ [[Acend to the surface. Face Bloodgown.]]Now's not really the time. Though a quick cigarette on the way to your impending doom won't hurt.
it may be your last...
⚔ [[Make your way to Sector 3 - Face Bloodgown.]]Lifting the manhole cover reveals how truly destructive this monsters rampage has been. Buildings are on fire and the streets are filled with the bodies of Bloodgowns unfortunate victims. Chunks of the road have been clawed at and cars have been flipped over, some of which have been thrown into buildings.
Scanning the area, you pan your head around until you spot the large scaled monster roughly 100 ft away. It currently has its back turned to you and is busy being held off by the P7PD through the use of large vehicle mounted machine guns. There are no civillians in the area, everyone seems to have evacuated.
You exit the sewer, planting your feet on the uneven broken ground as adrenaline begins to course through your veins. Gripping your bat tightly in your hand, you let out a smirk of excitement, finally...a challenge.
Standing strong, you mutter two final words under your breath.
//"Game time."//
⚔ [[Get Bloodgowns attention.]]
Stunned, the P7PD spot you in the distance and stop firing at Bloodgown for a brief moment. They know who you are and what you're capable of, it's not suprising that your reputation precedes you.
Using this brief moment of cease fire you walk steadily towards the monster whilst scraping your metal bat on the ground. The percussive, high pitched sound grabs the attention of the enraged creature, causing it to spin around and let out a blood curdling scream.
The first thing you notice is that even though Its gown is filled with bullet holes, none of the machine gun rounds have pierced Bloodgowns body. The gap grows smaller as the creatures mouth opens wide, it seems hungry for the challenge. You're happy to oblige.
⚔ [[Make the first move.]]You pick up a baseball sized rock from the ground and hold it against the base of your bat. Hitting this directly will smash it to pieces, instead, you use your left hand to roll the rock up to the tip bat before quickly swing it with your right arm.
The rock is whipped powerfully towards Bloodgown with incredible accuracy, hitting it square in the chest before ricocheting into hundereds of tiny pieces. You knew what to expect, however, in your mind you've already decided that you need to find a point of weakness on its body, an exposed area in which you can administer the antedote.
Bloodgown is furious, sprinting toward you with a footfall so heavy you feel the ground shaking beneath your feet. From experience you know it's best to try and maintain distance from this monster, but its inevitable at some point you'll need to get close enough to find its weakness.
⚔ [[Move out the way. Maintain your distance.]]
⚔ [[Stand your ground.]]You stand your ground.
Bloodgown continues to sprint towards you, twisting it's torso and drawing its right arm back in preperation to strike. Against all your instincts you remain still, knowing that you need to get close enough to find a weak spot and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike once the monster gets close enough.
The gap is closed! Bloodgown swings its powerful arm towards you, revealing its sharp blood covered claws. Given the creatures height, you're able to duck underneath its swing whilst simultaneously connecting with a powerful swing of your own.
Your bat lands flush against the creatures abdomen, creating a loud piercing sound reminiscent of a metal hammer striking an anvil. Bloodgown roars as you move a few yards back.
⚔ [[Prepare for a counter attack.]]
Straifing to the side allows you to maintain your distance as Bloodgown hurls itself in a straight line towards you. The creature slams into an empty car behind your previous position, flipping it onto its roof. You reassess your loaction, meanwhile the creature sinks its claws into the vehicle and slides it out of the way.
//"Holy shit..."// - Just like the comics, Bloodgown is incredibly strong and fearse.
⚔ [[Prepare for a counter attack.]]
You're suddenly not as mobile as before, your options are limited. Your priority is to find a weakspot, and exploit that area to administer the antedote. If only there was a way to target multiple areas on Bloodgowns body at once...
You take a handful of smaller stones in the form of chipped pieces of rubble that lay across the floor. You scoop them up with one hand whilst holding your bat in the other. It's time to beat Bloodgown at its own game.
//"Worth a shot..."//
You're aware that these stones wont do any damage, but this method allows you to cover a large surface area at once, if this works then it should highlight a weakspot in its armor.
You slump down to the ground, your legs unable to bare the weight of your injured body anymore.
Bloodgown is only a few feet away. It's now or never.
⚔ [[Consume the last of your energy.]]
Without warning the monster quickly spins around, throwing pieces of shrapnel and rubble and bombarding you with them at tremendous speed. Your eyes are tuned to quick objects, and your batting skills are sharp. You manage to swing and break most of the debry hurtling towards you with one arm.
However...
⚔ [[Fuck. Something doesn't feel right...]]
You look down at your body, blood has started seeping through your coat. Some of the shrapnel has penetrated your skin and sunk into the right side of your abdomen.
//"The antedote!!"// - You panic, checking your instie coat pocket to find that the vial of BAS12 is still intact. Luckily for you, you placed it in your left pocket.
//"Fuck..."// - It's not like you to get injured in a fight, but you knew the risks all along. You feel your energy depleting as the blood seeps out of your body. The pain is setting in, you know already that your ability to twist and swing your bat is going to be limited.
The creature sneers, walking towards you with it's blood red eyes and hellish glare.
⚔ [[Uhh...think of something Locke.]]
You throw the handful of rubble up into the air before timing your one handed swing to maximise the impact and spray of the projectiles.
Almost like a dance, the timing of your swing is met perfectly with Bloodgowns vicious dive toward you as he fully closes the gap. Given the angle of the swing, the rubble connects perfectly, spraying across the breadth of the monsters body and head, leaving you both in the centre of a thin cloud of dust.
The monster that was once towering over you is now writhing in pain, scrambling a few steps away from you with its claws covering its eyes.
You grab the glass vial of BAS12 from your coat pocket and break the top of it off using your bat. Meanwhile frantically try to see where the source of Bloodgowns pain is coming from.
Suddenly you see blood, trickling down between the claws of the monster, emanating from its...
⚔ [["Eyes! It's the fucking eyes!"]]
Bloodgown jolts its head towards you, letting out one final scream:
"DIEEEEE!"
⚔ [[...]]
(text-colour:red)["ARGHHHHHH!!!"]
Bloodgown screams in pain as the glass vile protrudes out of its right eye. The contents of which have since seeped into its wound.
You didn't have time to 'fuck around' with the syringe, and instead chose to administer the antedote by stabbing the monster in its weakspot with the broken vial.
Bloodgowns body starts to shrink as it slowly transforms back to human form, the form of Dr Cale...
⚔ [["It's...working"]]
The P7PD rushes over to assist both you and Dr Cale. Void of energy, you remain laid down on the ground next to Dr Cales body as it slowly transforms him to a normal state.
//"...It's Done."//
You close your eyes and enjoy a moments bliss as paramedics rush to the scene. You feel yourself drifting away, a familiar voice hastily greets you.
"You did it man, you fucking did it! My brother was right about you!"
These words of encouragement from Johns brother mean everything to you. You repaid your debt to an old friend, and in turn saved the city.
If this isn't cause for a drink, fuck knows what is.
//"I did it Smithy, I ... Did it."//
Finally, you can rest.
⚔ [[End.]]
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⚔ (link: "Stream / buy 'Bloodgown'")[(goto-url: 'https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/pylot/bloodgown')] ⚔
