Invaded

    A niggling, wiggling feeling presses into the back of your mind. That becomes scratching,  scraping, clawing on the inside of your skull. Your body is getting heavy as a writhing alien will is coiling around your own—wrapping, constricting, strangling, crushing your sense of self. A crawling, creeping, insidiously oppressive dread eclipses all. You feel your thoughts beaten into a dank, dark corner. Silent, internal screaming as your body moves without your consent. Your voice echoes inside the now frozen wasteland of your mind. Your will is suffocated, drowned, and assimilated. 

    Those are the words that Vincent Gregory read aloud while in chains, detained by marines, forced to read this page of text, and once he finished, beaten within an inch of his life. They might as well kill him; he will never betray his god. He neither would not nor could not even think of such a thing.  His bloody, swollen eyes blink painfully as a soldier grabs him by his hooded robe and jerks him to his feet, his bloody bruised legs wobbling under his weight in protest. 

    “I’m only going to ask you once more, you piece of shit. Where did that thing come from?!” Before his blood blinded him, Vincent caught a glimpse of the man screaming at him. From what his pain-addled brain can recall, the man was the stereotypical jarhead. The man's “high and tight” haircut, his fit, well-toned build, the complete and utter obsession with the laughable notion of serving his country. If Vincent weren’t sure one of his ribs was pressing into his left lung, he probably would have laughed out loud. “Fuck it,” he thought to himself, then let out a hacking cough of a laugh that spattered tiny crimson droplets of blood on the soldier's uniform. This action was met with swift and painful reprisal, resulting in the breaking of his left leg.  

    “You pitiful man,” The soldier said. “Do you honestly think that THING cares for you? You think it will protect you? Well, look at you right now, and you tell me if your false god can save you!” The marine grabs Vincent's left leg, twisting it sideways and stomping on the side of his knee. The cartilage let out an audible wet tearing noise, accompanied by a sharp crunch. Through it all, Vincent remained silent, not so much as whimpering at the damage inflicted upon his person. He just looked at his captor and smiled a grotesque clot filled smile of shattered teeth. 

    It was then that Vincent noticed something, a small something, a very small wriggling something. It was approaching the soldier, who was completely unaware of its presence. 

“What made you turn on your country, you traitorous dickbag?! To think I used to call you my CO. How far you’ve fallen that I, you're second in command, was tasked with bringing you in and making you talk. So, you know full well what I’m authorized to do to save this country and with it the world from your madness!” The Sergeant screamed at him. He had long since forgotten his former life. Once he beheld the beauty of the Ineffable, he knew he belonged with her. 

Then another of the wiggling things arrived, another, another and another. Before long, the room behind the soldier was full of the small worm-like creatures and something else, something beautiful beyond description. Through his mouth of broken tooth shards and his busted lips, Vincent managed to say two words. “Thank...you…” 

    “What did you say?” His former Second barked. Vincent gestured behind him with a hand whose fingers would not obey him in the slightest. The soldier turned his head to see a stunning woman, her face obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. She wore an evening gown with a slit on the right to her ribs. Her raven hair is whirling in some unseen breeze. Pale skin, almost translucent, the soldier stood there enraptured by this magnificent lady. His eyes sliding up and down her form, the breasts revealed by the shallow top. Her long legs, the kind said to go for days, making her tall, almost imposing if she were not so beautiful. A smell of vanilla floods his nose, or was it rum and coconut? His eyes relaxed, and his shoulders drooped slightly. Not knowing, he was slowly walking toward her and away from his prisoner. She held out her arms, and he thought he heard her say, “Come to me, my darling.” He obeyed and let her warm arms embrace him. “Yes, be mine forever,” the woman said. He could hear something else, the wheezing, choking laughter of his prisoner.  It was that moment when he realized why thousands of sharp-headed worm monsters plunged their way into his body. He fell to the floor in violent convulsions, unable to scream as more of the worms invaded his mouth, filling his lungs. The beautiful woman walked to his prisoner, touched his face gently, and his wounds began knitting themselves together as a pool of black fluid pooled at the woman's feet, snaking its way into his injuries and making them no more. Before long, Vincent was as good as new; none of his wounds remained, all filled with the liquid.

    The last thing Sergeant Charlie Carmicheal remembers is the sound of Cult Leader Vincent Gregory reading the page aloud once more and the sound of his suffocated screams as he feels the truth of the page firsthand.

The Last Testament of Jeremy Ergon

To begin, Hello. My name is Jeremy Ergon. I am a detective from the Sydney police department. I’ve been tasked with investigating the being known  as Xorlich, its progeny and their cult.

Once it arrived, the tar like substance called ichor suddenly began popping up everywhere. The real problem in understanding ichor is understanding the being that has unparalleled control of it. The issue with learning ichors strange qualities is that we had never actually confirmed its existence. That is until the entity known as Xorlich arose in the modern era. 

How do you know the unknowable? How do you fathom the unfathomable? Xorlich is an enigma. They however will pontificate at length psychically if prompted about its own origin. Whether this is the truth or not has yet to be seen. I was given unprecedented access to the being and it allowed me to learn a few things.

First of all, Xorlich has no true form. It has a preferred form but no true shape. This is due to its physical body being entirely made of ichor. The entity can warp and shift and mold its body however it pleases. To the degree of each person perceiving it differently based on its psychic probing of the individual. 

Secondly, ichor is inert unless Xorlich is interacting with it in some way. Under their control it is everything from a means of locomotion, a source of power, a mutagen and most notably a deadly efficient weapon. 

Next is that, by its own claims, it was birthed by the blending of the blood from ancient deities and extra-dimensional horrors. Creating the substance known as ichor that coalesced into the creature itself. This had an unforeseen consequence to those whose blood created it. Their blood had then turned to ichor and called to Xorlich to be joined with it. More ichor for the creature means it becomes more powerful. 

Lastly, it isn’t from this world or this universe. It has devoured its own universe and seeks to consume ours as well. It has become a deity in its own right. Possessing capabilities i could never dream of. 

I can hear her always inside my mind. When I first arrived, her voice began as a faint scratching, like a cockroach skittering across a paper bag. Now she speaks to me constantly, she is a thing of beauty. Terrible beauty, an eldritch nightmare made into the perfect specimen of humanity.

I was once afraid of what would happen to me during this investigation. Now all I want is to gain her blessing and be graced with her love.

The Hoarfrost Octus

Captured Cultists speak euphorically of the nightly ritual they call The Hoarfrost Octus.

1. The Twilight Supplication- cultists in their formal robes gather around Xorlich bestowing gifts(sacrifices) while chanting the Hoarfrost Gospel.

2. The Immaculate Communion- Xorlich invades the minds of all in attendance.

3. The Perfect Conception- an initiate or sacrifice is held down upon a frozen slab as they are administered a worm-like creature that forcibly enters their body.

4. The Warping Penance- A cultiat is wrapped in Xorlich tendrils  and gently caressed as they begin to scream, melting into an amorphous, falling into the pool of ichor at Xorlich feet to be absorbed slowly without ritual.

5. The Meandering Ablution- After becoming a cultist at some point Xorlich randomly gives a psychic command that wracks the cultists body with painful mutations turning them into an abomination.

6. The Transient Binding- Xorlich causes two Ichorborne to meld together becoming greater than the sum of their parts, Creating an amalgam.

7. The Love Ineffable- Xorlich will choose a cultist by gently lifting their face with a single finger. Bringing them close to its face as if to kiss them. Then Xorlich mouth opens and a sinuous tongue with a large spike pierces the cultists forehead filling their body with ichor. They writhe and spasm, screaming helplessly as their flesh warps and their bones shatter, their body revolting against the violent changes that result in them becoming one of Xorlich perfect children, the Apotheosis.

8. The Destined Assimilation- sacrifices, eldritch creatures and willing cultists come before Xorlich and are dissolved into puddles of ichor joining the rest at its feet.

The Hoarfrost Gospel

Born of blood spilt by wretched bone and holy blade
To tear away realities façade
Birthing from its will and flesh
Firstborn seemed a great success
Choosing a path perilous and untrod
Firstborn betray their parent God

It's power great,  inspiring fear
Drawing priests from far and near
Firstborn teach them the old way
They must stop it without delay
Chanting an incantation from the war
They banish it to the nearest star

Full of wrath, plagued by disgrace
It lobs its essence into space
Crashing down upon the earth
Brings an end to firstborns mirth
Vengeance for its children's spurn
It devours each in turn

Once more complete, world grows cold
It brings the priests into the fold
No more will spawn make its power torn
Giving rise to the blessed Ichorborne
Soaring high its wings unfurled
Our God will freeze the world

World in ruins, crumbling to dust
With new spawn that it can trust
It devours all from place to place
When came upon the dreamers face
A silent death, no defiant scream
Our nightmare swallowed up the dream

Rending holes in space and time
We sing its praise with voice and rhyme
The Hoarfrost Regalia is the key
For this world to let it free
Reality shall end you poor sod
By the coming of our Ichorborne god!

The Case of Detective Jeremy Ergon.

January 24th 10:17 am

The following was simulcast from every major news network:

The report we are about to read is from the internal messaging service of Geneticorp. It was delivered by an anonymous source. Due to the threat of bodily harm all names in this document have been changed to protect those individuals involved.

Description: Ichor, an innocuous, inky-black, tar-like substance. Exhibiting no immediate anomalous qualities. Long rumored by cults and religions to be the blood of the gods. This rumor was all that was known about this seemingly fictitious substance for all of recorded history until one fateful day.

On a day that seemed no different than any other to staff, a perfectly smooth gemstone appeared out of nowhere by the entrance to Geneticorps Dimensional Research Facility. The object appears as a fist-sized opal(18cm in diameter), that is midnight blue at the top and has a slight gradient until it reaches a pale, purplish-white at the bottom. The entire gem is flecked with silver. The gem was wrapped in a hastily scrawled note that simply read “Hoarfrost Opal, do not seek the Regalia.” Researcher Dr. Rebecca Werthing, picked up the opal and read the accompanying message before placing it in a vacuum sealed containment box. Dr. Werthing immediately felt an inexplicable pull, an inexorable desire to investigate this curious object. The doctor received approval to begin testing the gemstone. The curious item then was the subject of various experiments. These notes require top level authorization to access.

Experiment 1: Simple reflective property test. However, upon focusing the light upon the opal it caused a 3m area around it to drop to Absolute Zero. Continuing to try various sources of energy(electricity, gamma radiation and fire), resulted in the same effect. Anything in this supercooled area is frozen solid and crumbles to dust. Examining the dust requires at least a cryo-electron microscope. The dust itself is atomic particles that have been robbed of their bonds and charges. They have been reduced to inert neutrons.

Experiment 2: Following the first experiment, Dr. Werthing sent a subject, lab rat, in with the opal. As expected, there was no reaction. However, the good Doctor began suffering from night terrors when they went to bed that night.

Experiment 3: Wondering if it would react to something else with anomalous properties, Dr. Werthing brought in a human male with unexplainable abilities. When next to the opal, the subject began to convulse violently. Slowly ichor began to leak from the eyes of the subject and it seemed to be drawn inexorably to the opal, leeching its way into the opal itself. After this experiment, the opal began to audibly pulse. Dr. Werthing realized this opal could be used to neutralize other strange beings the Geneticorp deemed too dangerous to exist. The, now normal, human male was placed under surveillance to see if his anomalous properties would return. Whatever the Opal did to him, it was permanent. Also, it was this night that the doctor's night terrors became louder, like a scratching sensation on the inside of her skull, and could swear she could hear whispering.

The following day a notebook bearing a stylized snowflake symbol stamped on the cover arrived on the facility’s doorstep, It appears to be a normal composition notebook. The pages detail a being tied to this opal and four other items referred to as The Hoarfrost Regalia. An immortal eldritch horror called Xorlich the Ineffable, whose influence can render the world a frozen crumbling wasteland. How the notebook and opal came to the facility, or how someone could glean this knowledge is unknown. If this wasn’t concerning enough, shortly after the notebook was brought inside, other items would mysteriously arrive as well.

The first was a stylized scepter. This was decorated in fine filigree depicting snowflakes The second was a luxurious cloak bearing a pattern matching the coloration of the opal.

Throughout the next day two more items would arrive. A pair of full plates greaves with the same filigree as the scepter and finally a very ornate platinum crown with again the same filigree.

The night after the crown arrived, Dr. Werthing began complaining of sleepless nights and a frigid blue light washing over her. She spoke of how the opal longed to be reunited with the rest of the Hoarfrost Regalia. How they belonged together. Medical staff prescribed sleep aids and sent her home for some much-needed rest. Later that day she returned and conducted the following experiment.

Experiment 4: Dr. Werthing had 4 research interns bring the regalia into the containment area in proximity to the opal. This was a heinous breach of protocol. Anyone who knew her knows this is not something she would do of her own volition.

It was later reported that at this moment everyone at the facility suddenly felt a soul-crushing sense of dread wash over them and the personnel stationed outside the containment area complained of scratching on the inside of their skulls and hearing screams that no known source was capable of making. Once in the same room as the opal, the items begged to be worn. The opal itself began leaking the black fluid known as Ichor. Dr. Werthing instructed one of the interns to put on all the items and grasp the scepter. Upon doing so the opal seemed to melt and shift into a small, four-tentacled, floating, bubble of ichor(20cm bubble with 40cm tentacles). After the opal finished its transformation, it bored it's way into the interns skull through their forehead. Then all the other items melted into ichor and oozed into the flesh of the now screaming intern Security personnel reported it was at that moment they heard Dr. Werthing laughing like a madwoman and screaming “Together at last! Together at last! Finally, together at last!” accompanied by a roaring sound, like the splitting of a glacier.

Shortly after this there was a burst of blue light and all camera feeds in the room but one was rendered inoperable. On a single monitor, you could see everything in the room was frozen solid with the exception of two objects. Dr. Werthing and a stunningly beautiful naked woman standing in an ever-growing pool of ichor. The woman pressed herself against Rebecca and kissed her forehead. She convulsed and screamed as her bones audibly cracked and split. She continued screaming as her flesh melted and reformed. Her cries of torment only ceased once her ordeal was over. But she was no longer human, she was the first known instance of a creature referred to in the notebook as Apotheosis. Humanoid and monstrous(3m tall), with a pair of long-horns and a mouth that begins from the top of its head and splits the body down to where the pelvic area would be on a human. Sporting wicked claws and a digitigrade stance. Dr. Werthing was gone.

After this the former Rebecca Werthing never left the woman's side. All other personnel in the immediate area have gone missing and there are whispers amongst the researchers who have heard of this event of an eternal frozen midnight. Amid the growing chaos are rumors of an organization calling itself The Order of The Ichorborne God.

Addendum 1: Reports of some sort of explosion rocked the facility. Upon investigation and review of the CCTV recordings, the Regalia is gone. In its place stands a bipedal digitigrade humanoid and a devilishly handsome man.

If the text in the notebook were to be believed, the reunion of the opal and the four items spell the end of reality as we know it. In precaution, the president of Geneticorp forbids anyone going near the area in which these beings are being housed. All security measures money can buy have been placed in an area surrounding its containment cell, the majority of the facility it’s housed in has been evacuated and locked down.

Transmission from Head Security Officer of Dimensional Research Facility: The woman can escape if she wants. We have no means to contain her. Anything she wills, freezes and disintegrates. The full extent of her abilities are unknown.

What used to be Dr. Werthing is highly aggressive and attacks anything that enters the room, leaving a bloody broken corpse. The woman sits silently in a pool of ichor like she's waiting for something only she knows is going to occur.

Addendum 2: Geneticorps main office reported that all contact with the Dimensional Research Facility has been lost, further investigation is required.

Addendum 3: Geneticorp has authorized an investigation into the loss of contact. Upon arriving the search team reported the entire site is a frozen hellscape overrun with hordes of strange and hostile creatures. All their attempts to reach the facility have failed. Shareholders deemed the entire site in need of containment and sent teams to secure the surrounding area. This too failed, all known containment procedures are ineffective.

Addendum 4: Upon analysis of ichor samples gathered hastily by Dr. Werthing before her transformation, it is revealed that it has many viral qualities but is only capable of infecting a subject if directly exposed to a subject's bloodstream. It is unlike any known infectious agent. This points to the potential extraterrestrial or extradimensional origins of the ichor and the items themselves.

Addendum 5: Mobilization of SR Team 19 (Search and Recovery) dispatched to the location.

SR Field Leader Report 1: The man has tremendous psychic capability and can communicate telepathically. The language in which he communicates is dependent on the listener and he seems to fully understand those responding to him. The man's psionic emanations pass through any and all materials, warping the minds of those they touch. He's surrounded by people in robes fashioned to match the colors of the Hoarfrost opal. No one can enter the frozen area without being assimilated.

Addendum 6: The notebook mysteriously appeared on the conference table of Geneticorps Shareholders. After fully grasping the depths of its contents they are in constant deliberations in regards to how to deal with the being named Xorlich.

SR Field Leader Report 2: Further long-range observation confirms the text in the notebook. It’s clear the psychic influence draws humans in to be infected by tiny floating worms with barbed heads, referred to as Contagions in the notebook. Once infected, over the course of days the victim will either be brought before Xorlich or be left to mutate into a writhing monster known as an Abomination. Xorlich may forcefully transform a victim into either an Apotheosis, like Dr. Werthing or a bubbling mass of semi-sentient goo called an Amorphous. The Amorphous slink into the pool of ichor surrounding Xorlich and are absorbed by it. Apotheosis will spawn large semi-humanoid half serpent creatures designated as Atrocity. That, in turn, gives birth to large serpentine beings named Anathema. Which then produces even more of the Abominations. The Abominations release swarms of Contagions. The sizes of all these beings vary wildly.

SR Field Leader Report 3: Xorlich seems to possess a suite of abilities that make it horrendously dangerous. These anomalous qualities include Energy absorption(reduces item to neutrons), matter absorption(increases its size), the ability to warp space and time(seems to move impossibly fast and everything in its vicinity is slowed down or stopped entirely), bodily possession(forcibly infiltrates a subjects body, puppets them and then bursts out in a shower of entrails), phase shifting(shifts from solid to liquid to gas to plasma at will), and of course the ability to neutralize the special qualities of other beings by forcing the ichor from inside of items and absorbing it.

SR Field Leader Report 4: Observing him draws his attention to you and will drive you to madness, he will make you his own. He's calling me…

SR Field Leader Report 2: Further long-range observation confirms the text in the notebook. It’s clear the psychic influence draws humans in to be infected by tiny floating worms with barbed heads, referred to as Contagions in the notebook. Once infected, over the course of days the victim will either be brought before Xorlich or be left to mutate into a writhing monster known as an Abomination. Xorlich may forcefully transform a victim into either an Apotheosis, like Dr. Werthing or a bubbling mass of semi-sentient goo called an Amorphous. The Amorphous slink into the pool of ichor surrounding Xorlich and are absorbed by it. Apotheosis will spawn large semi-humanoid half serpent creatures designated as Atrocity. That, in turn, gives birth to large serpentine beings named Anathema. Which then produces even more of the Abominations. The Abominations release swarms of Contagions. The sizes of all these beings vary wildly.

SR Field Leader Report 3: Xorlich seems to possess a suite of abilities that make it horrendously dangerous. These anomalous qualities include Energy absorption(reduces item to neutrons), matter absorption(increases its size), the ability to warp space and time(seems to move impossibly fast and everything in its vicinity is slowed down or stopped entirely), bodily possession(forcibly infiltrates a subjects body, puppets them and then bursts out in a shower of entrails), phase shifting(shifts from solid to liquid to gas to plasma at will), and of course the ability to neutralize the special qualities of other beings by forcing the ichor from inside of items and absorbing it.

SR Field Leader Report 4: Observing him draws his attention to you and will drive you to madness, he will make you his own. He's calling me…

Addendum 6: Contact with SR Team 19 lost. Request for escalation approved.

Addendum 7: One final attempt to secure the area was made. Geneticorps President and shareholders authorized the mobilization of CT Team Omega 6 (Covert Termination). Upon arrival all transmissions from CT Team Omega 6 ceased, save for sounds that humans are incapable of making. The communication line is still operational.

Transmission from CT Team Omega 6 Commander 1: All things in the area have been infected. All personnel on site are compromised. The self-termination order has been issued.

Transmission from CT Team Omega 6 Commander 2: “The Ineffable Xorlich will devour all!”

Transmission from CT Team Omega 6 Commander 3: “Glory to The Ichorborne God!”

Addendum 8: Due to promising information gleaned through observation. Geneticorp authorizes the use of ichor to induce supernatural qualities in human test subjects. These tests are to be administered by Senior Researcher Dr. William Carmichael Jr.

Addendum 9: Drone photographs show the entire area is under the control of a human of varying gender. The surrounding landscape is either frozen or drowned in ichor. What can only be the former members of CT Team Omega 6 now stand dutifully around their new god in twisted mockeries of humanity. A New entity type observed, dubbed Amalgams have been detailed. These creatures are the result of two other entities melding together and forming a new monstrous whole. Xorlich then destroyed the drone from afar. All further attempts at remote observation have failed.

Addendum 10: Due to the likelihood that this entity could cause the end of reality. Request submitted to the Geneticorp Shareholders to classify this situation as a TA (Total Annihilation) scenario. Referred to in the armed forces as a BOHICA (Bend over here it comes again) situation.

Addendum 11: Request Approved.

Addendum 12: All knowledge of these entities and events are now restricted to the president and shareholders of Geneticorp. Any other persons with any knowledge of Xorlich or the events surrounding it will result in immediate neutralization.

Last log of Detective Jeremy Ergon: I've been given the task of looking into a spree of missing persons. These cases are thought to be somehow linked to the cult known as The Order of The Ichorborne God that has been growing in power in recent years. I have a few sources from various secret organizations that are funded by certain companies. If it got out that I know of their existence, well let's just say I would be terminated with extreme force. As would my contacts that provided me with this information.

Xorlich the Ineffable, it sounds a little too edgelord for my taste. Why can it be called Kevin, the Friendly Underpaid School Security Guard from New Zealand or something. It Always has to be something grandiose. Anyway I digress. Sources tell me this being is difficult to locate as its incalculable psychic prowess causes any and all observers to see it as a strikingly beautiful human of varying gender. I'm told it probes your brain to find the image of your ideal mate. The effect is psychic in nature and overrides all senses perceiving the entity. It sees what it wants you to see, it must have learned that from my ex mother in law. If anyone knows it's true face they are either dead or one of its Ichorborne. How long has this thing been coiling its insidious tendrils through our world? How many innocent people have been taken by this being? I'm not sure what to do with this information honestly. Records indicate everyone associated with this case goes missing without a trace. Stands to reason why they keep sending officers with no family or attachments. Disappearances are easily swept under the rug if no one cares you've gone missing.

Just to CMA, I've sent this dossier to an associate of mine who will distribute it accordingly if they are not contacted by me within 72 hours.

Later the day after the broadcast, outside of Geneticorps Health Treatment Facility, a strange creature was cradling a man and waiting patiently for the facility to open. The first person to arrive was shocked at first by the creature but then by how gently it set its cargo down. After delivering the potentially seriously injured man the being darted off into the nearby forest. The man it left behind was unconscious and severely frostbite on his face, ears, hands and feet. All which were so badly damaged they had to be amputated. Once the man was stable he was transferred to a Mental Health Facility owned by Geneticorp. The man came too and began screaming.

On the days that followed, he was identified as Detective Jeremy Ergon. It soon became clear that whatever caused this the detectives physical condition was not the extent of his injuries. He would rapidly change moods from wailing to manic laughter to fits of rage. Despite the sudden shifts in mood the man constantly repeats three words ad infinitum. "Hi, I'm Kevin."

Excerpt from Arthrosapien Book.

Round 2 on the January 5th Chapter opener.

5 Miles Outside of what
used to be Moscow, Russia
January 5th 2020


A winding, snow-dusted path; through glistening, ice-dipped conifers. The pristine flakes tumble gently through the mid-morning air, drifting lazily to the ground. This tranquil scene broken by the sounds of heavy boot-clad footfalls. A young woman, mid-thirties, is running as fast as she can down this path. She is dressed in the appropriate clothing for such frigid conditions. Specifically, a billowing long coat of a dark brown shade and rubber coated leather boots.  Although, since the event they haven’t been as cold as they used to be. Matter of fact, the former country of Russia is experiencing a record high for this time of year. The woman appears visibly frightened. Her breathing comes in heavy and panicked bursts, releasing little puffs of white mist. She clutches something to her breast within the folds of her coat. As she runs she continuously glances back over her shoulder. The trees rustle in an unseen breeze that doesn't so much as jostle the woman’s hair. Ahead is a small wooden cottage, the woman’s obvious destination. The closer she gets the more determined the look on her face becomes. A face, that if it were not twisted into a blend of terror and determination, would be quite beautiful.
She reaches the door to the cottage, her left hand bolting out to grasp the handle hurriedly, it turns and the door swings open. She leaps through the portal to her apparent salvation. She lands hard on the wooden floorboards, almost knocking the air from her lungs. Realizing the door lay open behind her she scrambles to her feet and slams the door closed, locking it with both the knob and deadbolt. She darts around the room frantically locking every window before collapsing from near definite exhaustion in the center of the floor. Everything is quiet and her breathing relaxes. She tosses her long coat towards a rack designed for such an item that stands dutifully next to the door, and misses. She stands up removing her heavy boots, she takes them to the cookstove and sits them next to it before she starts a fire to dry the boots and warm her chilled soul. The cottage is silent all for her breathing and the crackling of the newborn fire. A silence that is very short lived. The cottage is enveloped in clicking, scratching and smashing sounds. She darts to her coat and grasps it’s still hidden contents close to her chest before screaming.” You’ve already taken my daughter, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME!” She begins sobbing  as she pulls the object free form the layers of her long coat to reveal it is a backpack, flower patterned and pink, belonging to her lost daughter.  Pulling it as tight to her heart as she can and she felt something squish. The backpack having a large damp spot covering the bottom half of it. The noises increase, boards breaking, windows shattering, all accompanied by angry clicking-hisses. She breathlessly opens the pack, inside is an oblong object. It appears to be made of layers of a gray paper-like material, eerily similar to a wasps nest. The thing is oozing a viscous fluid. The sounds rise from angry clicks to an echoing roar of fury as the childless mother stares in slack-jawed horror at the contents of the backpack. It was then that the house was no longer a barrier to the unseen angry hordes outside it’s walls. As the walls practically explode in a shower of splinters, the woman screams one final time.
Weeks later, a small family follows the quaint path looking for sanctuary from the worst snowstorm on record, they find only a gaping earthen hole where there cottage once stood.

Entry 14

January 13th 2008 7:35 A.M.

On billy’s most recent journey into the world of the arthropods he’s brought back vast amounts of new knowledge. the findings are neatly described in a list below.

They are eusocial creatures
Various morphs are highly specialized
The swarms are actually the same race not a symbiont
Swarms are stored inside a large creature until needed
They cultivate fungus using flesh and plant material
The queen lays large egg sacs on the ceiling of a chamber above a pile of flesh
The larvae emerge once a certain temperature is reached
Larvae are strictly carnivorous
Most adults are only capable of digesting sucrose
the bulk of the colony is made up of workers and drones.

My next entry will explain the basic lifecycle of these creatures.

Billy’s curiosity never ceases to amaze me. He delves deeper into the hive each consecutive visit. He shows us more and more of their world everyday. He continues to make me proud of him.

Entry 14 Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde

Entry 13

January 3rd 2008 1:00 P.M.

Has it really been that long since I last wrote an entry in this journal? I must be losing track of time due to our never ebbing enthusiasm in studying the most amazing race of creatures to have ever been witnessed by mankind. I occasionally find myself feeling an impending sense of dread while watching them. My ancestral memory recalling the arthropodan horrors that stalked them in their burrows. However, I suppress my baser instincts and delve deeper into our findings. I’ll begin with explaining my newest creation that has been used to explore more of the creatures lives.

My Biological Interdimensional Lifeform Examination Nano colony. Billy for short. He and yes I know I’m referring to a nanobot collective as a he, can easily slip into the arthropod’s world and investigate them thoroughly. Although on an exciting note and the reason I refer to Billy as a he. Billy is undeniably sentient and sapient. I’m not sure what happened when I initiated his startup program but he demonstrates everything we humans would associate with being self aware. He has passed every test that are already in place to verify person-ness in synthetic humans. It’s obvious he is far more than what I programmed him to be. He has been endlessly helpful in our research, not to mention giving us all someone new to talk to. I am very proud of my creation.

From now on I will attempt to write an entry every few days reporting on the arthropods or Billy, perhaps both since they both hold endless mystery. My next entry however will be a compilation of Billy’s most recent foray into the bug’s world.

I’m sure you’re wondering how Billy has been able to go to the arthropod’s world when the Transdimensional Gateway shorts out everything around it when it’s engaged for anything other than viewing. Well, it’s simple really. We fixed it. Well, we sort of fixed it. Since we constructed the window we’ve been able to reactivate the gateway linking us to the world of arthropods without issue.

In my haste to report on our findings and explain a few things I’ve almost forgot to describe Billy. He manifests himself as a humanoid in fairly great detail while he’s with us and as a cloud of buzzing arthropods while in their world. His chosen human visage is that of a young man in his mid twenties, with wavy coal-black hair and fair skin. He has fairly angular features to his face but a soft kind look in his black eyes. he seems to enjoy appearing in a black vest with a striped button up shirt underneath. His pants of choice are fairly simple black slacks with black dress shoes on his feet that always seem to be freshly polished. His adaptability and accuracy when mimicking the human form is astounding. He may just be more adaptable than the creatures he’s observing.

Entry 13 Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde

Entry 12

August 30th 2007 4:25 A.M.


I must apologize, to any and all who might be reading this, for my lapse in entries. I’ve just been so enthralled, bewitched even by the sights and sounds of this world of Arthropods. That’s right, you’ve read that correctly. The world the swarm came from is ruled by a race of semi-humanoid arthropods. I’ve seen many different types already. My team and I are trying to categorize them all. They are obviously all the same species, the way they move is eerily deliberate and swift. They seem to have a strange language made up of clicks, hand gestures, body posture, and bio-luminescent antennae flashes. Also, they all cooperate seamlessly. Without a doubt they are of at least of tribal intelligence. From my twenty days of observation I’ve witnessed them harvesting plant matter non-stop. this planet seems to regrow vegetation almost overnight. Anyway, back to the arthropods. They are harvesting plant matter. which makes me wonder if they are similar to my world’s leaf and grass cutting ants.


Oh, in my excitement about our other discoveries, I almost forgot to mention that the swarm we’ve captured are a symbiotic partner to the large arthropods. there seem to be multitudes of both kinds. I’ve seem swarms that look like spines and ones that seem to be tufts of hair. Of the large creatures I've seen scorpion-like and ant-like morphs. That's just scratching the surface. Everyday is like my birthday when I gaze through that window.


However, all our discoveries aside, In the span of time we’ve been here there has still been no sign of rescue. we’ve all but given up hope of return. Instead i study the creatures with an all but sleepless fervor.

Also, I wonder if perhaps I could apply these creature's DNA to my famous splicing technique to create humans with attributes taken from these individuals. Perhaps that's a train of thought for another day...


Entry 12 Dr. Leon cypher Jackwilde

Entry 11

August 10th 2007 7:00 P.M.

They have lungs! The extradimensional arthropod-like creatures have lungs, not spiracles like our world’s insects. Not only that, they are able to detect poisons in the area through unknown olfactory means and act accordingly. Upon further inspection the members of this swarm have six pairs of legs. Which makes them a completely new type of arthropod entirely! Which would in and of itself be amazing had they not come through the gateway. They are unique and have no contemporary in our world. A fact that makes them both endlessly fascinating and unspeakably dangerous.

We wouldn’t have been able to discover any of this had my team not found a weak member of the swarm to incapacitate. I personally dissected it and, with the help of my team, found even more fascinating things far beyond what I’ve already stated above.

We have isolated six primary effects of these arthropod’s venom. Any of which could potentially prove unquestionably lethal. All of them are by far stronger and faster acting than anything ever encountered by man. I’ve already begun implementing some of the less than lethal effects in my Nano colony. But, I’ll get back to that. the first of these toxins is a blood affecting hemotoxin that could revolutionize the anticoagulant industry. Second is a neurotoxin that destroys nerve cells throughout the body. It could be key in lessening the neurological damage caused by trauma. Third is a flesh dissolving necrotoxin. The final three are just as alarming and exciting. with effects like memory loss, neuromuscular inhibition, and finally immediate full body paralysis. Every one is of dire medical importance naturally. I only hope to share our discoveries outside of this place.

Nevertheless, I’ve been watching the window into the arthropod’s world. As of yet I have not witnessed the presence of any large mammals, or large anything for that matter. But, I can draw a few conclusions. the ambient light seems to be very high in ultraviolet rays. So, I’d gather it's being produced by a red giant class star. It also appears like a tropical paradise with plants of enormous proportions. I’d be a fool if i couldn’t surmise that it’s due to high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the air, paired with the large amount of light energy that allows these plants to grow verdantly.

Wait a minute, I think I just saw something….

Entry 11 Dr.Leon Cypher Jackwilde

Entry 10

August 9th 2007 1:26 A.M.

I’ve been quite productive in the last few hours. I’ve found a way to “tune in” to the swarm’s home universe. It was a simple matter of frequency. Once I had discovered that, finding a universe that matched the gateways readings when it was activated was mere child's play. So now I’ve spent the last hour peering into their world. It’s absolutely astounding.

I’ve also just recently received the final readouts of the venom that the creatures produce. Only after constructing a much more sensitive device to measure it however. The venom seems to possess nearly one hundred different types of toxins that affect all manner of things from muscle contraction to synaptic firing. It appears that they are perfectly adapted to protect themselves from and eliminate any perceived threats. So, tomorrow we will begin to test what conventional pest control methods affect them. Just in case of another incident.

For now I think I’ll get some rest.

Entry 10
Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde

Entry 9

August 8th 2007 6:03 A.M.

Seven days, an entire week has passed, since my last entry and still no sign of rescue. Honestly at this point it’s not in the least bit about survival here. With the facilities running at full capacity we can stay here indefinitely. We all just want to see our families again.

We’ve constructed numerous wonders of science in our waiting. From powerful atmospheric water condensers to agricultural bio processors that use our own waste to generate usable topsoil for our electrochemical grow blankets. Not to mention the second Gateway itself. It’s being refitted and fine tuned to hopefully discourage more malfunctions from occurring in future tests.

The loss of fellow researcher, Jonathan Skye, weighs heavy on our hearts still. As much as it distresses me, the creatures that had laid him low endlessly fascinate me. Does that make me a bad person? Don’t misunderstand, I miss him terribly but I can’t help myself. I just have this sense of promise coming from that swarm. I’ve actually began constructing a self-replicating networked Nano colony, after observing the creatures. I wondered if I could use them as a model of inspiration to create something similar. So far I’ve been met with success.

Entry 9
Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde

Entry 8

August 1st 2007 7:00 A.M.

The strangest thing occurred yesterday. one of my lab techs found the swarms of insect-like creatures, which are now safely in stasis, sadly he is no longer with us. The creatures, as it turns out, are in possession of some highly toxic venom. It’s a complex mix of proteins, so much so our current instruments are unable to analyze its components effectively. I volunteered to personally keep an eye on the swarm of extradimensional arthropod-like creatures to see what secrets they might yield. I mean, I might as well. It’s a lot better than idly awaiting rescue, not to mention much less disheartening. We’ve still not received contact from Geneticorp. We are all waiting, some impatiently, some eagerly. It makes me wonder if perhaps time somehow passes here at a different rate than back home. I’m curious…

Entry 8
Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde.

Entry 7

July 31st 2007 1:00 A.M.

Well the good news is we have completed the gateway well ahead of schedule. Not to mention that it worked beyond our wildest dreams… at least for a few minutes that is.

The bad news is that it shorted out everything within a few hundred feet of it. also, while it was open we witnessed a swarm of small insect-like things come through. Afterwards they promptly disappeared somewhere into one of the facilities. We are currently trying to locate them so we can place them in stasis for examination.

I will say this, all of these unfortunate events which seem to plague us are beginning to take a severe emotional toll on a few of the team members.

Entry 7
Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde

Entry 6

July 30th 2007 1:00 A.M.

It has been eight days without even the slightest hint of rescue. I suppose the gateway could have been severely damaged during its malfunction on our trip, but my mind is elsewhere.

Lianna, my dear wife. Although you may never read these words, know I miss you terribly. I hope to be home soon. I keep up spirits but, the rest of the team fears we’ve been abandoned.

Back to the science side of things. My team and I have been working to get every ounce of functionality restored to the facilities. Curiously, this place appears to have an ambient electrostatic field which we are able to use to power our equipment. Nikolai Tesla would be ever so proud.

We’ve also begun attempting to construct another gateway in an effort to escape if help does not arrive soon. I surmise this second Transdimensional Gateway will be crude but functional in a few days.

Entry 6
Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde

Entry 5

July 22nd 2007 3:13 P.M.

I haven’t the words to express what wholly terrible thing has befallen upon my intrepid team. We’ve entered the gateway only for it to malfunction and close behind us. We, are stranded. Stranded here in this foreign place. I can’t understand how this could’ve happened. All the readings were normal, no overheating or anything that would’ve caused it to malfunction this way. Everything was running perfectly. I suppose it is only a matter of time until another team of engineers repair it and we can all return home. Although we have had a day and a half to take stock of our surroundings. This place we have dubbed Technospace.

Technospace consists of three free floating islands surrounded by an seemingly endless white expanse. A large stairway leads up to the very spot we entered from the gateway. Each island has a huge glass dome covering an abandoned laboratory-like facility. The first island is the smallest and closest to the entrance. The second is the next to smallest or the second largest, however you wish to perceive it. The third is massive approximately the size of downtown Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. All of which are completely uninhabited.

Since we have no idea of how long we may be stranded, we’ve already gotten the facilities up and running. Some agricultural experiments will supply us with food for the time being. We’ve also set up water condensers to collect some fresh drinking water, should our own supply begin to dwindle.
I do hope help arrives soon. Nevertheless, we shall continue our journals as a catalog of this place and the happenings within. I have faith Geneticorp will find a way to bring us home.

Entry 5
Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde

Entry 4

July 20th 2007 12:00 A.M.

Tomorrow is the day my team and I traverse across the threshold of all man has observed and into unknown realms of existence. We will go down in history as the first people to visit another universe, bringing the concept of the multiverse from theory into law. Well, I suppose I should cut this entry a bit short. I still have lots of preparations to complete before our journey.

Entry 4
Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde

Entry 3

July 19th 2007 12:00 P.M.

I’ve just received the news. My team is to be the ones to explore the other world. Our groundbreaking expedition is slated to be in two days time. The team is out celebrating. I volunteered to stay behind and finish up all the necessary liability paperwork. I’ll leave the partying to my friend Caltre and the rest of the team. I cannot begin to fathom how well this year has been to me and our group of researchers.

Entry 3
Dr. Leon Cypher Jackwilde

College and Adulthood

Later in life, after he had attained his doctorate in many fields from the best colleges, he began to earn enough money to make most parents giddy with adoration. For Leon, this was not the case. His degrees in Physics, Genetics, Microbiology, Molecular Engineering, Psychology, Robotics, Nano-technology and Speculative Evolution were still not enough to please his father. Eventually Leon grew to resent his father’s disapproval and then to resent his father.

Leon would go on to accept a position at a company called Geneticorp. While there he would revolutionize the genetics industry. He invented new gene therapies that would save millions of lives worldwide. He had been at Geneticorp for around six years when he started getting job offers from other already well established companies. The time came when Leon wanted to make sure he was set for the rest of his life once he retired. He had his letter of resignation in hand and was on his way to turn it in to his boss William Carmichael. It was then he saw the woman he grew to love, the boss’ daughter, Lianna Carmichael. Mr. Carmichael introduced them and not long into their whirlwind romance were they married.

Leon’s life was looking wonderful, practically fairytale wonderful. He became partner at his now father-in-law’s company. He had the love of a beautiful woman. He even had two children, both Lianna’s from a former marriage, Sarah and Vincent. They lived quite content and happy lives for about a year. Then things really started to get weird for Leon.

One day, while Leon was doing a few experiments in his lab with his prized colleague Caltre, something happened that tore open the fabric of reality. Leon and Caltre volunteered to check out the anomaly themselves, taking a cadre of the world’s brightest minds with them.

Childhood of Leon Jackwilde

Leon Cypher Jackwilde was named after his father and his grandfather on his mother Erin’s side. His father and grandfather are Leon William Strikens and Cypher Eugene Jackwilde respectively. He was born July 16th, 1975 in a town of less than 300 inhabitants. Leon’s father was ex-military and a firm believer that everyone should serve their country. His mother was a former actress from London, who believed that no one should have to fight for a corrupt, capitalistic government. It was obvious, to everyone who knew him, that Leon had a knack for the sciences at an early age. He thought highly of all the great geniuses of the past and present. Leon admired them, idolized them and dreamed of one day being just like them. He excelled in elementary, middle and high school. He graduated at the age of 15 and had a scholarship to any college of his choosing. His scholastic accomplishments aside, Leon was not a very physical person much to his father’s dismay. Nevertheless, Leon wanted his father’s approval. He has yet to receive it.