Morbquest - Road to Hell

Looks like we're morbin' out! Stay tuned for... channeling the Morbin' Energies within you?!

[] Confusion. If you can't blind them with your brilliance or mash them with muscles, baffle them with your bullshit!

Jim's groans filled the night air, followed by Johnson's gruff voice. "Shut it, or I'll make sure you stay shut."

As he rounds the corner, the footsteps seep into your head, growing more and more faint and spaced out as the wind seems to move slower. You close your eyes. The outlines of the streetlights' glow penetrating your eyelids coalesced into floating orbs of energy. For a moment, all the wonders of the universe flowed into you. Muscles previously tensed now relaxed and limber. Mind blurred by memories and doubt focused with singular precision.

Help.

That's the essence of the Hippocratic oath. The one you swore when you shed your life as just a patient and began your life as a doctor. Your legs buckle, but you steady yourself against the wall behind. This is not just about you. It's about the people in your care. The ones who you know deserve the best you can provide.

"You... require aid." You mutter, the still air brushing against your lips. "I won't deny you that."

With a sweeping action, you duck to the right, slinking into the darkness of the nearby alleyway. Right hand pulls out and speed-dials 911, the noises alerting Big Johnson towards your location, his grunting closing in.

Tap-tap-tap goes your crutch as you make your way down the alley, explaining your location and situation along the way, dragging the attention of the gangster approaching evermore.

Come back here!

You'll get away this time.

Who do you think you are?
His name's stupid, 'Morbius'!

This time will be different.

Morbius! Hah! Morbius, Morbius, Morbius!
Morb! Morb!

Every step seems to flutter in the wind. Perhaps it is a trick of the light, perhaps it's because of the alleyway funneling all the wind. Perhaps it's your willpower pushing through your physical limitations. In a moment of clarity, the world opens up to you, outlines of the material world shimmer along each edge, everything looking much sharper and high-definition, as if you switched to a 4K monitor. Your body felt like it just knew how to move, though still with the confines of your leg in mind. After confirming the dispatcher would be sending the right people to your location, you hang up, mind focused on the task at hand.

The man behind you seems to pause for a moment before you hear more footsteps from him. Luckily there were fewer obstacles in your way to impede movement than there were in the other alley. Only a dumpster and some fire escapes attached to both buildings line the sides. The path ahead seems longer than usual, however, and your stamina is quickly dropping. Breathing becomes more labored as you realize that your clarity isn't a replacement for physical prowess.

Heavy stomping and a roar come out from behind you. Thinking fast, you reach out and grab with your right hand at the dumpster in front, ducking and swinging behind the metal container with frightening speed. You subsequently raise up your left hand, body twirling around in an impressive display of finesse you didn't know you had within you. A rush of air at your side signaled Johnson's passing by.

"I don't want to do this!" You sputter out, trying to gasp for more air. "I'm sure you don't either!"

You use a pleading look to stare into the man's eyes. From this angle, no more than 5 feet away, you see him turning towards you, the light from the street illuminating his face and features more clearly.

A blocky head sat atop his shoulders, which were roughly one and a half heads wide, each. His hair was cut short in a buzz cut. Teeth flash from his scowl, a few reflecting some metallic, possibly gold, hue. Both of his arms were each as thick as his shoulder, with one arm noticeably augmented with some metals, with discrete displays, interfaces, and indicators you managed to see. This arm seems closely attached to his skin, and ends with thick claws and nasty-looking knuckles.

Without a second thought, you dart the way you came as fast as you could, but just as you thought you could get away, a hand grasps onto your crutch.

After, you felt yourself crash down face-first into the cold and uneven concrete ground. Luckily you managed to avoid most of the fall by having your right arm cushion your fall, but Johnson's shadow spreads over you.

"You crazy, yeah." He clutches your crutch in his metal hand, poised to strike. "Well, you gotta be crazy."

As his arm came down, you had already felt it coming, rolling out of the way halfway down. You weren't fast enough, of course, and the metal of your familiar walking aid clipped the side of your left leg, causing you to recoil. The roll managed to cause it to graze you instead of a full-on hit, but it stung like a hundred needles piercing just that portion of flesh. The pain shoots up your body and you roll further, trying to steady yourself on the ground and get up as best you can.

That doesn't stop the second blow from coming down, however, and another similar pain flies into your right side, knocking you sideways with your breath failing to catch up. Now in a fetal position and trying to process the pain, you can't imagine what would befall you if you don't get out of there. The primal side of you screamed to run, but your higher functions failed to make that happen.

Heavy boots crunching on the ground were all you heard, in addition to that deep grumbling voice. "I've wasted enough time dealing with you."

Knowing what would come next, you squeeze your eyes closed.

Morb! Morb! Morb!

You're finally letting the voices win.

Moooorb! Like a cow!

Just breathe.

Morrrr BS!

And out.

The block of metal both hits and doesn't hit where you are. Or rather, where you were. The fact of reality was that you can't quite tell whether you were the limp body with a lump of metal sticking out of it, left on the cold ground, or whether you were the agile athlete dodge-rolling to the side while spin-kicking the brute in the head, flipping upright as a martial artist might.

You chose the realistic path.

Pain.

The primordial screeching of life. If a thing lives, it will experience pain at some point in its life, ending in death eventually. Whether it would be a physical, gut-turning pain, or a mental and cerebral pain that can be felt on a different plane, pain is something that is shared by all living beings. It was and always will be the signal of beginnings and the indicator of ends.

But even more so, pain is what it means to be alive.

You could feel the numbness and ringing of your bones, and that meant you were alive. You intend to keep that a reality.

Throwing yourself against a protesting body, you manage to lurch forward. A clang and a shout sound off in the distance, your focus completely on forward motion. The numbness spreads, muscles feeling like they are moving of their own accord, forcing yourself to flop forward. Every movement followed by a roll, or a squirm.

"What are you doing?" A muddled voice rings out. "Who the fuck are you?"

Your arms claw at the ground, thrusting your body at an angle to the wall, supporting itself to the best of its abilities.

"I..." You groan, eyes trained on Johnson's bewildered face. "...am Morbius."

Then, you collapse.

You couldn't hear what happened next, but the flashing of red and blue lights combined with hurried shouts and the absence of further blunt force trauma made your consciousness feel more at ease, flickering out in between scenes: flashing night sky, ambulance ceiling, hospital.

The last bits of awareness fled from your mind's grasp as fatigue set in, replacing the adrenaline that had vacated your veins. Your last vision was of someone attending to your side, perhaps Martine, perhaps a physician or nurse...

<>
<>

A world, ever floating.

Morrrrrr

From a castle in the sky.

Biusssssssss

You wake to a blinding blue sky. Reflexively holding up your arms and making a squint, you wait until you no longer feel the sting. The sky darkens, highlighted by multicolored glowing wisps highlighting the space with streaks of soft, lasting light as they fly by.

'I guess this is where it all ends...' You think aloud. The granite floor of the castle felt strangely malleable as you pushed off it, standing up. 'Maybe I could have done something different...'

Something felt off however. You couldn't tell if it was the effort with which you stood up, or the fact that you stood up at all. Things have been hectic in the past... you wanted to say 'hour', but you weren't quite sure, as the act of pulling your phone out of your pocket failed to yield anything but a slowed down wave of your arms.

Morrrrrbiusssss

'What the hell?' You turn left and right, trying to shake the noises coming from all around you, flailing at the various glowing lights as they approach. Those orbs flitted away, making giggling sounds.

'Morbius!' A cheerful voice rings clear in your head. 'Michael Morbius!'

Puzzled, you turn and look behind you, failing to see any source of the voice. 'That's me?'

'Oh, it's the doctor! I can't believe this worked. How long do I have...?' The voice is moderately high pitched, with a whimsical hum to it. In fact, you seem to get lost in the humming before your mind snaps back. 'Ahhh, well, I'll be quick. Oh, I have so many questions for you-- how do you feel? Do you like this world? I have a bunch of others if you want, like this--"

The voice just drones on, while the world around you warps and you fall down towards a great pit of screaming, fiery bodies. As your screaming joins the chorus and before you can join them, your body collapses into a soft, white marshmallow material. A sickeningly sweet scent wafts through the air, showing you the masses of lollipops, chocolates, and candies making up the landscape. The marshmallow you rest on then bursts, swallowing you into the night sky of a city. Grass can be felt beneath you, the wind gently caressing whatever body you have at this time.

'W-What's going on?'

'Oh doctor, I'll need to work on this, but I'm sure you'll enjoy this environment in the meantime. The big alarm went off and I was scared that you were gonna go, you know? Haha.' This voice, still seeming to source itself from all around you, trails off with a laugh, seemingly losing the topic.

'Am I dead? Is this the afterlife?'

'Yeah? No? It could be. It's not the real world, I'll say. I'm just glad you're okay. There is so much I need to tell you, but I fear we might not have the time.'

A bolt of pain streaks from your left foot up into your right ear.

Choose 1:
[] 'I could've done better.' +Might (Strength)
[] 'Maybe this was too much.' +velOcity (Dexterity)
[] 'Didn't see it coming.' +Reactivity (Perception)
[] 'This is such bullshit.' +BS (Bullshit)

'Feels... strange. Is this you?' You ask, voice solidifying.

'It's no--t me, I don't actively change things. Anything you might feel is just facilitated by my actions. Maybe. Tell me mo--re, actually!'

Trying to open your mouth, you suddenly feel your throat dry up. Your eyes shut, not responding to your commands.

'Oh dear-- looks-- like our time-- 's come to an end--' The voice fizzles in and out, void-like tears of nothingness accompanying each break. 'You'll know-- when we me--et again-- Morbius!'

'Wh-Who are y--' The world blanks out instantly, wiping your body and mind away.

<>

Bright humming of the hospital lights welcome you back into the realm of the conscious. Followed by a jolt of your leg.

"Michael!" Martine's familiar voice draws you into the present. "Oh thank god, oh my goodness." You see her hands wrapped around yours, sensations returning. Among them, warmth and touch.

"Hey..." You clear your throat, Martine handing you the cup of water on the bedside table.

"We thought-- ugh, I'm just glad you're okay." She helps you readjust your position. "Are you okay?"

You consider the question. The... dream? Disoriented you, made you feel like shit, and you're reminded of your previous run-in with the big guy when your brain reminds you again of your leg and side. "Ow. Yeah, still in one piece, it seems."

She tries to reach in for a hug, but settles for a light squeeze as you struggle to lift your body.

"Seriously, what were you thinking?" Martine droops her head. "I heard the report from the police. A thug twice your size?"

"I got out alive." You groan, avoiding her upturned glare. "And okay, that was kind of stupid, but how was I supposed to know how homicidal he was?"

A stare.

"Right, my bad. Rest assured that I won't be forgetting this any time soon." You reach out with your hands, breathing deep. Still can't get up. "I might need to rest for a bit."

"I hope you do." Martine sighs. "This might be a good chance to get a break, for once in a while. I'll sort out the things we need to do and relay that when needed. Trials will take a pause, but there's plenty of data to go over."

"Ugh..."

"Do you want me to help you relax?" She bites her lip, leaning in conspiratorially.

You consider it for a bit, ruminating on what you'd like at the moment. "Would be nice, but we can save that for when I'm able." Lifting your leg with a wince, you chuckle.

Martine puts a hand over your leg, turning to you. "We'll keep in touch, okay? If you need anything, let me know. I'll see what I can do to make it happen."

"Well, maybe just a taste..." You smile, leaning over goofily.

She chuckles, leaning in. The two of you smooch up a storm, losing track of time before the passing by of hospital staff moving outside pulls the two of you away.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Path gained:

Path of Pain.
Whether it involves pushing through existing pain or bracing against future pains, the Path of Pain is one of the primordial paths of Life. It can come in many forms: the pricking of a finger, wounds from a weapon, corruption of one's body by viruses, or even the mental anguish one may suffer in the throes of life.

When life hits you, you hit back. Or don't. It's up to you. Agony, whether physical or mental, can aid you, or at least dissuade the damage it can cause you normally, depending on the situation.

A philosophy of acknowledging, understanding, and embracing the pain that is inherent to any conscious existence, whether intentional or not. As for what lies ahead, only further suffering can reveal these secrets...

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Congrats! You didn't die!
Bad news, you got kind of fucked up. Oh well, that's what you get for... reads script... morbin' out?
Well, hope you enjoy this new discovery of your morbin' powers! Is it a power? Well, you'll find out soon enough. Enjoy a nice lil boost to stats.