#JUST WHEN I THOUGHT MY CURSE TO ENCOUNTER CTHULHU WAS DEAD

[vyralglitch]

The Day We Lost Everything

                                           Encounter 1: 

                                                Vyris

It had been almost six months since that God forsaken anti-hero showed up, forcing Mysterion to reemerge onto the streets of South Park.  Crime had been small, at least to Kenny's awareness, until a creepy masked individual started revealing average townspeople as criminals or victims to a grander issue in the town.  While all of this kid's research matched up, there were a few facts about him that the vigilante couldn't ignore.

He was killing or at least harming those involved, and he was calling out the retired superhero with an upside down question mark at each scene.  Things became personal when his little sister and all the others in her class started talking about him.

“Why are you so dumb, Karen?  That mean masked guy is obviously just Mysterion.”. Kenny overheard this conversation as he walked up to pick the youngest McCormick up from school, ditching his last class to do so like always.

“You're wrong!  My guardian angel wouldn't hurt people!  He's gonna stop that guy, I promise you.”. It had been years since Mysterion was mentioned, the caped protector of innocence only wandering the streets in vain as he tried searching for a lost friend.  Eight years of waiting, he'd all but given up on the missing red head.

“Hey, Ken, tell your sister she's delusional.  You know this Vyris guy is just Mysterion as a villain now, everyone knows that.”. One particularly bratty boy commented, making the brown haired girl start to cry.

Before Kenny could say anything, a very happy voice responded, “Vyris isn't Mysterion.  Mr. Vy talks with me online sometimes.  He said he's going to help me move on from big brother going away, but he needed an audience with Mysterion first.  I think they're old friends!”. A bright smile accompanied Ike's face as he joined the classmates he was usually teased by for being too young to be in their class.

“...Ike, Karen, let's get going home.  We're not talking about that freak.”. His response quieted the class, taking the two kids in hand and walking them home.  Add that as another reason this asshole forced him to be a god damn hero again.  No one would endanger Ike, he'd promised Kyle that in return for the latter coming home.  Maybe if he kept that up, Kyle would listen for once and get his ass back to the group.

“Kenny, you seem really upset.  I know you miss Mysterion too, maybe he'll come back and have a cool fight with Vyris!”

“No, Karen, he's my guardian angel.  You aren't allowed to sick yours on him.”. This dependence on the masked figure was concerning, something he'd have to alert Sheila of.  Ever since the incident, Ike has been shifting from obsession to obsession, always talking about how he was going to talk all about the latest pick with Kyle when he got back from his trip.  Anytime Kenny hears this phrase, all he can think of is the bloody green hat he found two years after losing the one friend he never thought would leave him.  

Best case scenario, Kyle didn't suffer when whatever took him killed the poor guy.  That didn't stop him from searching every fucking nearby town for the past eight years.  Now that he wanted to give up and move on, this fucking creep shows up to taunt him.

He sighed deeply, remembering the information Ike had given him.  It was a message from Vyris to Mysterion, a formal invitation to meet on the rooftops of the Ustore It.  An hour had passed, it was fucking freezing in the snow wearing just tights, and Kenny was beyond pissed at himself.  

“Why would I believe the ramblings of some asshole pretending to be Vyris on fucking Minecraft.  I get Ike believing it, but you're better than this.”. Yelling at yourself in a blizzard was the best way to cope with getting one's hopes up, right?

“Are our ramblings too inconsistent for you, Mysterion?  We waited a long time for you to find us, the least you can do is patiently wait for me.”. An obviously altered voice sounded from behind the blond, causing the muttering hero to turn on his heels.  This would be the first time they saw each other, the first real appearance of the Vyris of South Park, and the bane of Kenny's existence.

Before Mysterion spoke, he took a long moment just looking over the unexpectedly solemn anti-hero.  Vyris wore a pair of freshly stolen black jeans coupled with heeled boots Kenny was shocked made no noise as he stepped, making the individual about five feet and six inches, still a good amount shorter than his forced rival.  The boots were decorated with neon green writing, the word 'Vyris’ on both outer sides.

A long yet thin black cloak draped over the ensemble, barely showing the sleeveless dress top underneath, something clearly for a girl.  A black glove covered his left hand, the rest of this arm blocked by his cloak.  Aside from hiding under a hood just like Kenny, a dirty masquerade mask also hid the top of Vyris’ face.  A veil hung down from the mask, covering up the rest of his face.

“Stay where you are, unless you really are a masochist.”  The voice warmed, not coming from Vyris himself.  Mysterion stalked over to the threat regardless, not seeing a weapon and stupidly assuming he had the upper hand.  A few steps before he could attack, already reaching out to grab Vyris, a bear trap snapped around his foot, having been concealed in the snow.  There was a groan of pain, but this wasn't anything new to him.  He'd just bleed out now and fight this asshole later when he's terrified of a dead man hunting him.

“Congratu-fucking-lations, you're just going to kill someone else for no reason.”. He almost growled, every bit of anger he had for the past few years begging to be unleashed on the overconfident man.  “Why are you even in this shithole town?  This is my fucking territory.”

Vyris stepped forward, his gloved hand reaching out to touch Mysterion’s face, but the latter pulled away.  This effectively cut at his ankle more, the twisting bringing about a new wave of pain.  “You weren't supposed to fall for that.  We always thought you were smarter.”

“Jokes on you, I'm a fucking retard!  Tell me why you are here and harassing Ike Broflovski.”. He could bleed out, but first he'd need information. Vyris suddenly knelt down at Mysterion's feet, opening up the device.  “What are you doing?”

“We can't let you die again.  This has to go better than our first meeting.  We weren't in our disguise that time, but our eyes never met.”. The voice was quieter now, his right hand moving Kenny's injured foot and forcing the vigilante onto his back.  “...We can't cure that, perhaps letting you die would be merciful, we can meet here again tomorrow night.”

This calm reaction only made Kenny more furious, but the pain in his mangled foot was starting to blur his thoughts.  “If I die here, there isn't a second meeting, idiot.”

“Spawn of Cthulhu, you cannot fool us.  We've watched you die for your town over and over this past few weeks.  Why is it you pretend to be mortal?  Are you afraid of being looked upon like a god?”. He was sitting in the snow now, packing up the metal contraption.  “Ask us anything you wish, you might as well interrogate us before dying again.  Last time we brushed paths on the roof of our home, we scared you off the roof.  We do apologise for that.”

This made him jolt up again, getting to his knees to face the mask in front of him.  “Who are you, why are you harassing Ike, why are you harassing me, and what the fuck do you know about the disappearance of Kyle Broflovski.”. He rattled off, earning an amused yet low chuckle from the actual source.  “What's so funny?”

“You are.  Always so quick to anger in this form.  He was like that too.  The boy you're inquiring about.  His temper never did him favors, why would yours?”

“Don't you talk about him so casually!  Answer the damn questions before I break your neck.”. Without responding verbally, Vyris moved closer now, sitting next to the injured hero.  The stranger took his gloved hands off of the floor, placing the purple clothed fingers around his own neck.

“Kill us, Mysterion, that is why we are here.  We've done terrible things, hurt innocent people, and corrupted someone who once trusted us.  We want you, the moonlight of this town, to kill us.  We've tried to do it ourself, but we can't.  It won't let us die.”

There was silence now, nothing but tension between the two.  Vyris’ left hand tapped impatiently onto the back of Mysterion's own hand, the appendages delivering more force than expected.  When the hero didn't respond, one finger slowly pressed against his glove, starting to break skin pretty easily.

The blond managed to squirm away, kicking his new enemy off with his good foot.  “Kid, I don't know who you think you are, but I don't kill anyone.  I'll arrest you like everyone else.”

His tone betrayed that confidence, wavering due to the blood pouring out now.  “I'm too busy to waste time on something like you, if you'll excuse me.”. It was time to wake up, which meant plunging off the rooftop again.  

Before he could actually get himself to the edge of the building, something dug deep into his left shoulder.  “Mysterion, if you insist on abandoning us again and giving her more control, at least let us make that decision.  You aren't just dying for you anymore.  Your life may not concern you, but your constant deaths will make us your worst nightmare.”

Blue eyes looked up in fear at the hand on his shoulder, seeing metal pierced through the fabric of Vyris’ gloves and into his skin.  For the first time, he faltered in his speech. “What are you talking about?  You can't get that I'll come back, no one does.  And why does it even matter to you, I don't fucking know you!”. No one had ever openly accepted his curse before, he might have been relieved if it were someone important to him.

“You are correct.  I..I...we mean nothing to you.  We never did.  But you mean life or death to us, and it would be in your best interest to choose death.”. The grip on his shoulder loosened just a bit, and without warning Vyris pulled Kenny to hang his head off the edge.  “Do you want to die?”

“Not by your hands, you crazy bastard!” Just as he tried to shove himself off, the metal hand clawed deep into to the fleeing teen's neck, suspending his body above the fall for just a moment longer, vision fading to black.

“We guess we are going to be the bastard this time.  See you tomorrow, Mysterion.”. He let go, watching the boy crash to the ground like a ragdoll before leaving the storage area.

[brothermouzongaming]

Games I’m excited about for 2018

Spider-man (PS4 exclusive): This list is in no way ranked. That being said this is my most anticipated game of 2018. I have been waiting for a Spider-man game to grab me since Spider-man 2. When I was at E3 the gameplay looked really promising and showed that the developers knew what made the good games good. From what I can see they even were able to pull some of the things that made the bad games good a la “Web of Shadows”. I’m not going to say much else for fear of this whole post turning into a Spider-man rant. Don’t let me down Insomniac. Do not.

Dragon Ball FighterZ: This game looks SHIT HOT and I’m excited to have a fighter I really want to get into from this generation. Smooth seamless combat at breakneck speeds and so much source material it was probably daunting. DBZ is special to me and many people like me, the guys at Arc Systems have their work cut out for them and I’m excited. My fighting games thus far have been Soul Calibur 3, MvC 2, and the little I dabbled in Injustice 2 ....yeah as you can see fighting games aren’t my thing. This, however, this is gonna be something I commit to. Come January 28th these hands will be on sale, come and get it

Days Gone (PS4 exclusive): 28 Days Later-esque pandemic centered in a rich yet frightening wilderness with survival mechanics? Single Player based?Yes please and thank you I will be having all of it. The gameplay looks great and just as importantly, the story seems engaging. Yes, it’s the same Last of Us scenario we’ve encountered time and time again in both games and movies. This time I think that may have been taken into account. There’s a somber yet rooted tone that though again has been done before, really seems to hold up even in the brief cutscenes available online. Am I worried that the developers have really only accomplished the Syphon Filter series (dating myself here which is a scary thought), two PS Vita Uncharted games, one unremarkable Resistance game, and Bubsy 3D in ‘96.... NOPE fuck it cause it’s almost promised to be free of micro-transactions and actually be an enjoyable and enthralling experience.

Monster Hunter World: The beta was fun, combat felt a little empty at times but once it gets going there is no stopping this game. Something about hunting a Slug Fish creature in a swamp, turning a corner only to see some unholy being vaguely reminiscent of a T Rex fused with an Armadillo. At that point I realized that we may be the monster hunters but holy shitfuck we better come correct. Really really really deep equipment and tools settings. Your main weapon is just the beginning with perks, buffs both passive and active, as well as a few other key tools also being at your disposal. I got a buddy to join me and the two of us dragged each other through that ordeal but it was hard because it was new, I was still having a good time. I’m excited to see what Capcom brings to their first console rendition in 11 years for a franchise that is as highly acclaimed as this one. 

Far Cry 5: This is a series that has always done an amazing job at the whole “Hunter v Hunted” aesthetic. I always feel so powerful and dangerous when I play Far Cry and 3 was a huge step in the right direction. 4 had a lot of things that I enjoyed, the gunplay, vehicles, and characters were really good. It did, however, fall a little short story-wise as well as some worn game mechanics with this being the fourth in the series. I did not get to play FC5 at E3 because that line was absurd. That being said, from the gameplay available on Youtube and various interviews it does seem that Ubisoft is aware of the potential stale twinge Far Cry has developed over the years. I’m looking forward to cutting down zealot cultists in the open Montana landscapes. March 27.

Anthem: This game is important, after the fuck-shit-stack that was Battlefront 2 and the cacophony of backlash that came with it; EA have to get this right. This loot box based online shooter, the “Destiny-killer” it’s being called. How does one kill what is already dead? Fuck if I know but I am interested IF they can do it right. That being said, my hopes aren’t high, but this game will be a barometer. This will show whether EA is willing to bend at all on their plans for monetization. They know a BF2 scenario is totally on the table now, and if they misstep, there will be more backlash. Either way, we win, either we get a good game or EA get put on another stake to burn.

Vampyr: From the developer that brought us Life is Strange and Remember Me comes a new game set in London 1918 during the Spanish Flu pandemic. We will play a vampire (sigh prime journalism over here folks) in town with a set number of NPCs and each death will have consequences for both you and the city. Semi-open world with an RPG and combat focus, I’m so down and I really hope this game can do new things. Q2 (Jan., Feb., Mar.) 2018

Soul Calibur 6: My fighting game is back and this is going to be a weird year for me with not one but two fighting games that will find my focus this year. Mitsurugi, Sophitia, and around 20+ are back to beat the everloving snot out of each other. I’m excited because this is supposedly a “reboot” of the franchise which means a lot of the original characters will be back (Nightmare, Maxi, Ivy, Taki, Kilik, etc). Things like armor breaking are both interesting and worrisome. I suspect Taki, Ivy, and the other unreasonably busty women of the series will be left awfully vulnerable sans armor by the mid/end of a battle. Regardless, this revamp maybe what the fighting franchise needs to enter the ring against the big boys of this generation. 

Death Stranding: DEATH MOTHER FUCKING STRANDVXIRJORWTMDNGHF  Let me tell you something, Kojima is going to save us all. I’m serious he is going to take all our hands and walk us into the sunlight of gaming where there are no microtransactions, the singleplayer is an epic odyssey, the multiplayer is fun but unnecessary, and the gaming experience is not only unique but has a lasting impression on every gamer brave enough to hold a controller. This game is going to test us, change us, and maybe most importantly: make people rethink the way games are made/designed. The third person sci-fi nightmare adventure will be here before we know it and great Scott am I ready to dive in. 

Red Dead Redemption 2: Had you asked me about RDD2 and it’s hypothetical production about 3 years ago; I would’ve said something along the lines of  “Fuck yes yippie kai yay mfs where mah horse at”. After Take-Two (parent company of 2k and Rockstar) came out and essentially supported EA’s usage of loot boxes. The CEO stated that “Recurrent consumer spending was the way of the future,” which is concerning to say the very least. I’m worried my West World sim is gonna turn into well...something more like West World. “Oh what’s that want a new hat? 5 bucks. New horse? 10 doll hairs plz. New gun? 15 smackers and the skin off your respective genitalia. Thank you come again.” My once resounding and honestly strange response is definitely more tepid and cautious. GTAV is lending itself quite nicely to the ways of the microtransaction and I can just see little buckets of gold nuggets or some dumb shit like that hinging in front of me or at the local shop. If so may there be backlash, and lots of it. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Greedfall: Developed by Spiders, a team with an... interesting track record in gaming (Sherlock Holmes v Jack the Ripper, Bound by Flame, and Technomancer [yikes]). On paper, this game sounds like it might be worth a damn and this is the most publicity any of their games have gotten so that does peak my interest. That and the publisher is Focus Home Interactive, makers of games like Divinity 2 and The Surge as well as my highly anticipated Call of Cthulhu and Vampyr. Who knows, this team up might just work. An open world RPG with online mechanics sounds fun.

God of War: I have never played a God of War game all the way through. With this being my first PlayStation that does make sense. That being said, I’m very excited to sit down and try my hand at this rebooted series. Given the reputation and clear influence a game like GoW has had, it does lead my expectations up rather than down. Santa Monica is developing, Ready at Dawn for some reason isn’t but it’s good to see the original team getting another crack at the Spartan. This time Greco-Roman gods are put aside for a more Nordic feel. The chain blades replaced with a hefty ax as well as a few other tools from what I’ve read/heard. Another interesting single player experience for those turned off by multiplayer and microtransactions. Not to say it won't have them just look at Shadow of War. It does, however, make it considerably less likely.

BioMutant: Traverse an open and changing world as an also everchanging bio-genetic mutant. Supposedly going to have big rpg mechanics involving the fact that your character’s schtick is evolving and changing. Brought to you by THQ Nordic the people that brought us the highs of the Darksiders series, Painkiller: Hell and Damnation, and Red Faction (2001). As well as some lows like the recently imploded Elex, Alan Wake, and the classic Spynx and the Cursed Mummy. I really don’t know what to make of this resume let alone what to expect. I am however excited for something new in the third person adventure genre.