So, Ive been told by my friends and family and random heroes whove heard some of the tale that I should put in writing what happened to me.
My name is Kipland Durj.
Some of you out there have met me.
If I rubbed ya the wrong way when we met, I apologize. Ive been told I have abrasive character, and Im a tad too loud for my own good. Im also a tad quick to curse, but Ive gotten better in the past months.
Dying does an interesting job at correcting your attitude.
Let me clarify
Earlier this year, the docs at a number of Paragons various hospitals noted that I was falling in battle faster than most heroes in my position. I found myself at the mercy of the Tsoo, the Sky Raiders, even the Council of all people...
After aiding a group of heroes in defending the Terra Volta Reactor from a Sky Raider attack, I learned the awful truth from the doctors at Bell Medical Center. I had a new malicious condition.
It seems, early in my career, I had engaged in combat with a Void Seeker soldier of some sort. At the time, I didnt know what a kheldian was, but he yelled at me, said I had the stink of one on me, and started shooting at me with that weird gun of his. Aggravated, I kicked through said gun and the resulting explosion had me zipping to the hospital. No word yet on whether or not the Seeker Stalker I dont know, I wasnt really paying attention to his rank In any case, I dont know if he survived, too.
Well, sadly, that explosion lodged something in my arm. It mustve been smaller than my fingernail or something, because I never felt a damn thing. However, a month later, there I was, making an almost daily trip to the nearest hospital.
That thing in my arm? It was a piece of crystal. Specifically, a piece of a Shadow Cyst Crystal.
Let me say that again
I had a fricking Shadow Cyst Crystal in my fricking arm!
Has anybody ever seen one of these? Its a big black piece of glowing mineral that is rather fond of summoning up large masses of sentient smoke that shoot good guys into the ground with not so sentient smoke. Now, now, dont quote me on that. Its just how it looks to me. And it works Ive seen (and been a part of) enough team wipes at the hands (is "hands" right?) of these things to know. Typically, they only show up when a Peacebringer or a Warshade bring a lot of heroes in force, and then rarely. I still havent seen the perfect mix of heroes to take one down without casualties Maybe such a mix doesnt exist
In any case, one of the damn things had taken root in me and was growing out of my right arm, leaching nutrients from my bones. The doctors called the condition Obsidian Blight and believed the only real treatment would have to be amputation
They cut off my arm in May and kept it for study. I was compensated by Freedom Corps with what they called a "combat prosthetic." It was a mechanical working replica of my original arm, made of steel and impact resistant polymers. Of course, I use martial arts, a derivative blend of Muy Thai kickboxing and Tae Kwon Do So I typically stick with kicks. The arm proved helpful in catching unwanted bullets, though, so I kept it on despite the weight irregularity.
Things went okay for the next couple weeks after that. Teams, solo, I could handle myself again. Then, shortly after hitting security level 30 toward the end of June, I started getting sharp pain in my legs. Nausea, too No, not in the legs (I don't think anybody has ever puked out of their leg...). It was in my gut, like any normal man
Of course, I cant get pregnant (I think ), so it was off to the hospital for me. Not right away, of course. Anyone who knows me knows I waited until some bad guys put me in one. Crey happened to be the happy little gun buddies that did me in that time, and again I was off to find out I had Shadow Cyst Crystal deposits embedded in both legs and leaching nutrients from my spleen and one of my lungs. There was even some behind my right eye.
The amputations later that week were extremely unpleasant.
I spent the following month as a rampaging cyborg, like one of the Freakshow goons. I had all my lost parts replaced with cybernetic gear and I fought like a man possessed. In fact, I even found myself fighting the Freaks in the Terra Volta Reactor. The docs tell me that was a very unwise thing to do, because there was no telling what effect the radiation had on my "powers," or even my condition.
They also kept me updated on the condition of my removed body parts. I figured my arm would be long-since rotted away, but when they showed me the result, I swear I almost puked.
It wasnt just still there. It was still alive. It was still growing
It had become a twisted version of itself, dark crystal protruding from it at odd angles, the flesh pulling tightly as it stretched to accommodate its new bone structure. Even the parts that had been recently removed had signs of the crystal growth progressing steadily. I guess what ticked me off the most was the fact that my pieces were so willing to accept and cultivate these intruders
What was worse, they found tiny (itty-bitty) crystals in my bloodstream. It was how it got into my legs and organs. It was how it was eating away at my brain. It was how I was going to die in two weeks.
Security Level 38 I had made it to Security Level 38, and life was bad. I had made a solemn vow Id make it to Security Level 40 before I died. I wanted to be sure I had made my mark on this city, that I had put down as much scum and filth that it would make a difference
Instead, I found myself in a hospital bed, breathing, eating and drinking (and the corresponding biological functions) through tubes. My friends and family came to visit me My dad especially. He came all the way here from Kingdale which I guess isnt that far, roughly a six or seven hour drive.
All hope was lost, so I closed my eyes on Friday, August 18th, and slept that final, dreamless sleep.
Only it wasnt dreamless.
No sooner had I closed my eyes than I found myself in a blasted wasteland. It was like walking on a massive asteroid In fact, the sky all around reminded me of Randall Greys stories about the Shadow Shard or the incandescent clouds surrounding Pocket D.
Before I could really take in the hallmarks of this alien landscape, however, I was interrupted by the sound of a guttural growl. I turned casually to see a grotesque monstrosity had been waiting for me to arrive. Anybody who knows of the Slag Golems in the Rogue Isles or the Brutes in the Shard might have an idea what this thing looked like But theyd still be wrong.
This grotesquerie was an abomination of anything and everything known and unknown to mankind. It was a failed experiment, but no less dangerous. Its massive, contorted body, with its club-like arms and stubby, splay-toed feet, made even the Hydra Men seem positively cuddly.
Imagine a Shadow Cyst Crystal with arms and legs made of human flesh. This is what I faced (uh no pun intended). Black-purple obsidian shards protruded from assorted points on its body. Sometimes it was clusters, in other places, maybe one or two. The smaller crystals were all chaotic, like a Rock Tanker with Crystal Armor on However, the larger, main crystals were located on specific points.
One black gem rested center at the top of its neck. Another two protruded from the shoulders, the one on the left larger than the one on the right. One extended from its right forearm and ended in a wicked point; in fact, it looked almost like a sword. The last one, glowing like a Shadow Crystal normally would, protruded from the right side of its chest.
Worst of all Worst of all was what I knew in the pit of my stomach.
This thing was me.
It had my face.
Not where my face shouldve been, mind you. Instead, it was stretched out, and pulled down the left side of its neck and across the shoulder. One of my ears rested over where most humanoid creatures have their heart. I guess a patch of my hair rested somewhere on its back
It was what I would have become, what I was about to become, if the Obsidian Blight was allowed to claim my life. It was a vicious monster, unlike anything the heroes of Paragon had ever seen before. And it was prepared to destroy everything and everyone I ever cared about
Nester
Dad
Sarah
A
No!
I didnt know how I was going to fight it I just knew what it was and what it was capable of It could fire bolts of dark energy from that massive sword crystal I knew it could use the crystal as a weapon, I knew it relied on its brutish size and resilience to survive fights that normally wouldve shattered it early in the fight
I knew all this because it was me, and it knew I was whole in this world, too.
I finally got a good look at myself and saw I was in my original uniform, an old practice football jersey and shoulder pads along with a pair of wide-legged black jeans. My feet were protected by my classic red sneakers Man, I miss those things
The point is, I was whole again. I was strong again. I glared at the Thing that Would be Me, and felt a cold chill creeping through my body. I dont know if any of you have ever gotten this feeling but its the same one you get when getting ready for a big game, or stare down a half pipe for the very first time. Its the feeling you get when the perfect song for the moment or a just plain awesome tune kicks on the radio and you feel lightning in your spine. It's the same feeling you get from your very first kiss...
Its the Quickening
With a vicious roar of rage, hate (yes, heroes can hate), and raw determination, I leapt at the monster and I crushed that damn crystal on its chest with the hardest side kick Ive ever delivered. It exploded in a shower of purple smoke and black dust that scattered on an imperceptible wind. The beast still stood, however, and I had more of a fight in store for me.
After backing up a few steps, it raised that hideous right arm and fired a stream of dark energy at me. Having never really learned how to dodge, Im sad to say the blast caught me full in the chest and sent me sprawling toward the edge of the asteroid we fought upon. I caught myself a few feet from it and leapt up, ready for more. Though the energy beam must have taken half my resilience, I barely registered the damage. I had too much at stake to worry about my condition. Live or die, this monster was going down.
I beat my chest and roared. I was about to get gory satisfaction. It fired again and I didnt fall back. I took the blast full in the chest and charged forward. The energy stream slowed me slightly, but did nothing to truly stop me. By the time the stream stopped, I was at the point of the sword and it was cracking under the impact of a snap kick and a follow-up back-heel kick. Those two didnt quite do the job, so I wrapped my arms around its forearm, leapt up, twisted my body around the limb (twisting its arm with me and snapping my right foot into the gem on top of its head for good measure) and used the momentum of my moving body to drive the point of the crystal spike into the ground.
Then I drove my foot through the blade like it was a piece of kindling wood, snapping, splintering and shattering it.
The beast flailed wildly at me with its good arm, a sickening three-clawed thing (each claw tipped with, you guessed it, sharp black crystal) and gashed across my chest. My armor flew away and I was left with just my bare chest, pants, and sneakers to protect myself.
It tried to shoulder slam me with its right shoulder (the attempt seemingly to skewer me on the crystal there). This ended badly for the beast as I grabbed a hold of the weapon and kicked into its knee with both feet, rolling back as I did so. The crystal slammed against the ground at a bad angle and tore out of its place. I rolled out from under the monster as the rest of the body followed and made my way for the lost appendage.
I wrapped my arms about it and lifted the black-purple block into the air. As the monster lifted itself from the ground and started charging toward me, I hurled the former piece of its body as hard as I could.
I lack super strength, though, so it fell far short. It landed about a foot from me and rolled another three feet.
The good news was that the beast stepped on it, slipped when it started to roll, and crushed the offending gem under its weight. The other shoulder gem shattered on impact with the ground and all that was left was the one where its head should have been.
The monster tried to stand and I gave the same sharp splintering kick to its left wrist, breaking it and shattering the bones inside with a sickening crunch. I could've sworn I saw "my face" on it's shoulder moan silently with pain... When it turned the head gem to stare at me (It was glowing, so I think it was a last ditch attack), I was already in the air, twisting about and bringing my foot crashing down on it.
I have to say, when that last crystal shattered, it was the most satisfying victory in my life.
The dream ended instantly. I awoke to a bright, blinding pain as the contacts for my prosthetics were torn from my body and I felt something slam into me (it felt like getting hit by a grenade, really). Witnesses say they saw a bright explosion that tore a huge hole into the wall next to me and sent me flying, screaming into the night.
When I came to, I was whole. My lost limbs, my lost organs (I just knew intuitively, but a doctor's test proved it later)... My eye. Everything had been returned to me. The docs tell me the jars holding my lost parts shattered when I blew a hole into the Chiron Medical Center's wall.
And, I had a snazzy new suit of armor. If any of you out there watched Saturday morning TV shows about teen-age superheroes fighting evil aliens in flimsy jumpsuits that never seemed to get cut (despite the dynamite they were getting hit with), consider this armor to be the "paragon" of that idea. This stuff is real body armor, harder than anything I've seen (you know, like inobtanium...) and flexible in ways it shouldn't be. It fits like a glove, too, and despite the mask, I can breathe easy and my peripheral vision isn't hosed.
Its been pretty useful so far Where I used to have to rely on normal, bulky body armor or even the cybernetic prosthetics to keep from getting killed, now the armor protects me. Even when Im in my civvies, tiny explosions of purple smoke decimate whatever projectiles the bad guys shoot at me.
My name is Kipland Durj. I am the first and so far only victim of the Obsidian Blight. Be careful out there, heroes. There's more freaky stuff than this out there, and I have a bad feeling its only going to get worse.
So, Ive been told by my friends and family and random heroes whove heard some of the tale that I should put in writing what happened to me.
My name is Kipland Durj.
Some of you out there have met me.
If I rubbed ya the wrong way when we met, I apologize. Ive been told I have abrasive character, and Im a tad too loud for my own good. Im also a tad quick to curse, but Ive gotten better in the past months.
Dying does an interesting job at correcting your attitude.
Let me clarify
Earlier this year, the docs at a number of Paragons various hospitals noted that I was falling in battle faster than most heroes in my position. I found myself at the mercy of the Tsoo, the Sky Raiders, even the Council of all people...
After aiding a group of heroes in defending the Terra Volta Reactor from a Sky Raider attack, I learned the awful truth from the doctors at Bell Medical Center. I had a new malicious condition.
It seems, early in my career, I had engaged in combat with a Void Seeker soldier of some sort. At the time, I didnt know what a kheldian was, but he yelled at me, said I had the stink of one on me, and started shooting at me with that weird gun of his. Aggravated, I kicked through said gun and the resulting explosion had me zipping to the hospital. No word yet on whether or not the Seeker Stalker I dont know, I wasnt really paying attention to his rank In any case, I dont know if he survived, too.
Well, sadly, that explosion lodged something in my arm. It mustve been smaller than my fingernail or something, because I never felt a damn thing. However, a month later, there I was, making an almost daily trip to the nearest hospital.
That thing in my arm? It was a piece of crystal. Specifically, a piece of a Shadow Cyst Crystal.
Let me say that again
I had a fricking Shadow Cyst Crystal in my fricking arm!
Has anybody ever seen one of these? Its a big black piece of glowing mineral that is rather fond of summoning up large masses of sentient smoke that shoot good guys into the ground with not so sentient smoke. Now, now, dont quote me on that. Its just how it looks to me. And it works Ive seen (and been a part of) enough team wipes at the hands (is "hands" right?) of these things to know. Typically, they only show up when a Peacebringer or a Warshade bring a lot of heroes in force, and then rarely. I still havent seen the perfect mix of heroes to take one down without casualties Maybe such a mix doesnt exist
In any case, one of the damn things had taken root in me and was growing out of my right arm, leaching nutrients from my bones. The doctors called the condition Obsidian Blight and believed the only real treatment would have to be amputation
They cut off my arm in May and kept it for study. I was compensated by Freedom Corps with what they called a "combat prosthetic." It was a mechanical working replica of my original arm, made of steel and impact resistant polymers. Of course, I use martial arts, a derivative blend of Muy Thai kickboxing and Tae Kwon Do So I typically stick with kicks. The arm proved helpful in catching unwanted bullets, though, so I kept it on despite the weight irregularity.
Things went okay for the next couple weeks after that. Teams, solo, I could handle myself again. Then, shortly after hitting security level 30 toward the end of June, I started getting sharp pain in my legs. Nausea, too No, not in the legs (I don't think anybody has ever puked out of their leg...). It was in my gut, like any normal man
Of course, I cant get pregnant (I think ), so it was off to the hospital for me. Not right away, of course. Anyone who knows me knows I waited until some bad guys put me in one. Crey happened to be the happy little gun buddies that did me in that time, and again I was off to find out I had Shadow Cyst Crystal deposits embedded in both legs and leaching nutrients from my spleen and one of my lungs. There was even some behind my right eye.
The amputations later that week were extremely unpleasant.
I spent the following month as a rampaging cyborg, like one of the Freakshow goons. I had all my lost parts replaced with cybernetic gear and I fought like a man possessed. In fact, I even found myself fighting the Freaks in the Terra Volta Reactor. The docs tell me that was a very unwise thing to do, because there was no telling what effect the radiation had on my "powers," or even my condition.
They also kept me updated on the condition of my removed body parts. I figured my arm would be long-since rotted away, but when they showed me the result, I swear I almost puked.
It wasnt just still there. It was still alive. It was still growing
It had become a twisted version of itself, dark crystal protruding from it at odd angles, the flesh pulling tightly as it stretched to accommodate its new bone structure. Even the parts that had been recently removed had signs of the crystal growth progressing steadily. I guess what ticked me off the most was the fact that my pieces were so willing to accept and cultivate these intruders
What was worse, they found tiny (itty-bitty) crystals in my bloodstream. It was how it got into my legs and organs. It was how it was eating away at my brain. It was how I was going to die in two weeks.
Security Level 38 I had made it to Security Level 38, and life was bad. I had made a solemn vow Id make it to Security Level 40 before I died. I wanted to be sure I had made my mark on this city, that I had put down as much scum and filth that it would make a difference
Instead, I found myself in a hospital bed, breathing, eating and drinking (and the corresponding biological functions) through tubes. My friends and family came to visit me My dad especially. He came all the way here from Kingdale which I guess isnt that far, roughly a six or seven hour drive.
All hope was lost, so I closed my eyes on Friday, August 18th, and slept that final, dreamless sleep.
Only it wasnt dreamless.
No sooner had I closed my eyes than I found myself in a blasted wasteland. It was like walking on a massive asteroid In fact, the sky all around reminded me of Randall Greys stories about the Shadow Shard or the incandescent clouds surrounding Pocket D.
Before I could really take in the hallmarks of this alien landscape, however, I was interrupted by the sound of a guttural growl. I turned casually to see a grotesque monstrosity had been waiting for me to arrive. Anybody who knows of the Slag Golems in the Rogue Isles or the Brutes in the Shard might have an idea what this thing looked like But theyd still be wrong.
This grotesquerie was an abomination of anything and everything known and unknown to mankind. It was a failed experiment, but no less dangerous. Its massive, contorted body, with its club-like arms and stubby, splay-toed feet, made even the Hydra Men seem positively cuddly.
Imagine a Shadow Cyst Crystal with arms and legs made of human flesh. This is what I faced (uh no pun intended). Black-purple obsidian shards protruded from assorted points on its body. Sometimes it was clusters, in other places, maybe one or two. The smaller crystals were all chaotic, like a Rock Tanker with Crystal Armor on However, the larger, main crystals were located on specific points.
One black gem rested center at the top of its neck. Another two protruded from the shoulders, the one on the left larger than the one on the right. One extended from its right forearm and ended in a wicked point; in fact, it looked almost like a sword. The last one, glowing like a Shadow Crystal normally would, protruded from the right side of its chest.
Worst of all Worst of all was what I knew in the pit of my stomach.
This thing was me.
It had my face.
Not where my face shouldve been, mind you. Instead, it was stretched out, and pulled down the left side of its neck and across the shoulder. One of my ears rested over where most humanoid creatures have their heart. I guess a patch of my hair rested somewhere on its back
It was what I would have become, what I was about to become, if the Obsidian Blight was allowed to claim my life. It was a vicious monster, unlike anything the heroes of Paragon had ever seen before. And it was prepared to destroy everything and everyone I ever cared about
Nester
Dad
Sarah
A
No!
I didnt know how I was going to fight it I just knew what it was and what it was capable of It could fire bolts of dark energy from that massive sword crystal I knew it could use the crystal as a weapon, I knew it relied on its brutish size and resilience to survive fights that normally wouldve shattered it early in the fight
I knew all this because it was me, and it knew I was whole in this world, too.
I finally got a good look at myself and saw I was in my original uniform, an old practice football jersey and shoulder pads along with a pair of wide-legged black jeans. My feet were protected by my classic red sneakers Man, I miss those things
The point is, I was whole again. I was strong again. I glared at the Thing that Would be Me, and felt a cold chill creeping through my body. I dont know if any of you have ever gotten this feeling but its the same one you get when getting ready for a big game, or stare down a half pipe for the very first time. Its the feeling you get when the perfect song for the moment or a just plain awesome tune kicks on the radio and you feel lightning in your spine. It's the same feeling you get from your very first kiss...
Its the Quickening
With a vicious roar of rage, hate (yes, heroes can hate), and raw determination, I leapt at the monster and I crushed that damn crystal on its chest with the hardest side kick Ive ever delivered. It exploded in a shower of purple smoke and black dust that scattered on an imperceptible wind. The beast still stood, however, and I had more of a fight in store for me.
After backing up a few steps, it raised that hideous right arm and fired a stream of dark energy at me. Having never really learned how to dodge, Im sad to say the blast caught me full in the chest and sent me sprawling toward the edge of the asteroid we fought upon. I caught myself a few feet from it and leapt up, ready for more. Though the energy beam must have taken half my resilience, I barely registered the damage. I had too much at stake to worry about my condition. Live or die, this monster was going down.
I beat my chest and roared. I was about to get gory satisfaction. It fired again and I didnt fall back. I took the blast full in the chest and charged forward. The energy stream slowed me slightly, but did nothing to truly stop me. By the time the stream stopped, I was at the point of the sword and it was cracking under the impact of a snap kick and a follow-up back-heel kick. Those two didnt quite do the job, so I wrapped my arms around its forearm, leapt up, twisted my body around the limb (twisting its arm with me and snapping my right foot into the gem on top of its head for good measure) and used the momentum of my moving body to drive the point of the crystal spike into the ground.
Then I drove my foot through the blade like it was a piece of kindling wood, snapping, splintering and shattering it.
The beast flailed wildly at me with its good arm, a sickening three-clawed thing (each claw tipped with, you guessed it, sharp black crystal) and gashed across my chest. My armor flew away and I was left with just my bare chest, pants, and sneakers to protect myself.
It tried to shoulder slam me with its right shoulder (the attempt seemingly to skewer me on the crystal there). This ended badly for the beast as I grabbed a hold of the weapon and kicked into its knee with both feet, rolling back as I did so. The crystal slammed against the ground at a bad angle and tore out of its place. I rolled out from under the monster as the rest of the body followed and made my way for the lost appendage.
I wrapped my arms about it and lifted the black-purple block into the air. As the monster lifted itself from the ground and started charging toward me, I hurled the former piece of its body as hard as I could.
I lack super strength, though, so it fell far short. It landed about a foot from me and rolled another three feet.
The good news was that the beast stepped on it, slipped when it started to roll, and crushed the offending gem under its weight. The other shoulder gem shattered on impact with the ground and all that was left was the one where its head should have been.
The monster tried to stand and I gave the same sharp splintering kick to its left wrist, breaking it and shattering the bones inside with a sickening crunch. I could've sworn I saw "my face" on it's shoulder moan silently with pain... When it turned the head gem to stare at me (It was glowing, so I think it was a last ditch attack), I was already in the air, twisting about and bringing my foot crashing down on it.
I have to say, when that last crystal shattered, it was the most satisfying victory in my life.
The dream ended instantly. I awoke to a bright, blinding pain as the contacts for my prosthetics were torn from my body and I felt something slam into me (it felt like getting hit by a grenade, really). Witnesses say they saw a bright explosion that tore a huge hole into the wall next to me and sent me flying, screaming into the night.
When I came to, I was whole. My lost limbs, my lost organs (I just knew intuitively, but a doctor's test proved it later)... My eye. Everything had been returned to me. The docs tell me the jars holding my lost parts shattered when I blew a hole into the Chiron Medical Center's wall.
And, I had a snazzy new suit of armor. If any of you out there watched Saturday morning TV shows about teen-age superheroes fighting evil aliens in flimsy jumpsuits that never seemed to get cut (despite the dynamite they were getting hit with), consider this armor to be the "paragon" of that idea. This stuff is real body armor, harder than anything I've seen (you know, like inobtanium...) and flexible in ways it shouldn't be. It fits like a glove, too, and despite the mask, I can breathe easy and my peripheral vision isn't hosed.
Its been pretty useful so far Where I used to have to rely on normal, bulky body armor or even the cybernetic prosthetics to keep from getting killed, now the armor protects me. Even when Im in my civvies, tiny explosions of purple smoke decimate whatever projectiles the bad guys shoot at me.
My name is Kipland Durj. I am the first and so far only victim of the Obsidian Blight. Be careful out there, heroes. There's more freaky stuff than this out there, and I have a bad feeling its only going to get worse.
My Stories
Look at that. A full-grown woman pulling off pigtails. Her crazy is off the charts.