Journal of H. A. Grimma

I do not know what happened

I cannot remember the past few days, or weeks

I have no way of knowing how long it’s been

My clothing was splattered with all manner of substances

My face was covered with a thick-black combination of blood, sweat, and dirt

Many pages of my journal were torn out

I noticed one page had the same scribbling in it

Written over and over, theWolftheWolftheWolftheWolf

I have lost my nerve, how can I save my family if this can happen to me

I still have many questions even though I know the Worr to exist

I still do not know what they want with us, or why they curse my family

The Valkyrie and the pocket watch, my mind always returns to those two things

My answers lie within them, I am sure of it

I found myself at the end of a tunnel; it opened into a valley not far from Wolf Manor

I had been here before

When I was a child my father would often take me down here to catch frogs

A cold stream ran out from the tunnel and collided with a nearby river

The roar of the river bounced around my skull

The reflection of the sun off the ground seared my eyes

It was as if I hadn’t seen daylight for some time

The sun comforted me; it took some of the chill from my bones

But not all of it, this chill was deeper than what a cold night could bring

Once I had my senses about me, I sat against a tree and pulled out my books

It was time to find answers to the Valkyrie, the Worr, and this pocket watch

 I delved into the ancient book from the library

I began to notice something

There appeared to be pictures on the pages

They weren’t boldly drawn; they were made out of words

Specific lines of specific words and letters connecting to form this picture

The pages were worn making it difficult to fully see, but I saw a battle

There were Great winged angels upon a hill overlooking a valley

In that valley was a small group of men

Some with long braided hair and beards

Others with shaved heads and war paint

They were all clad in an array of weapons and armor

With as many weapons strapped to their bodies as could fit

On the opposite end of the valley their looked to be a pack of large wolves

It was clear, these men aimed to fight the Worr

They were vastly outnumbered

I turned the page and saw another picture of the same battle

But the placements were different

The two forces had grown closer

The angels on the hill were Valkyrie; they looked both troubled and delighted

On the face of these men only determination could be seen

I turned the page again; the two groups were soon to collide

The Worr leapt, the men raised their blades and shields

I kept turning the pages watching the battle unfold before me

I could smell the foul breath, metal, and blood in the air

They fought with equal ferocity

The Worr lost many and retreated

No victory cry was heard from the brave men

Their youngest had fallen; his father fell to his knees

He watched the Valkyrie descend upon the valley

Taking the cursed souls of the Worr away

They also came for the man’s son

He could see them

He grabbed an approaching Valkyrie by the wrist and thrust his blade into her gut

The Valkyrie let out a cry and all the men fell dead except one

The father still stood

They picked up a Worr, threw it on him, and thrust a sword through the two bodies

They kicked him to the ground and cursed his name

I examined a few lines on the following page,

Promised immortality and mountains of gold

These warriors fought proud and bold

Forsaken when the young one went cold

To question the Valkyrie and the wisdom they hold

A curse fell upon these warriors of old

The fate of the Nameless Grimma is told

(The preceding parts can be found here, Wolf Manor(ALBUM)

Part VIII

The Gorhh

Bright Fang approached Blood Paws still kneeling upon the earth

“Blood Paws, the Wolves found some Sythe scum with leg wounds, too slow and stupid to flee”

“Break their arms and tie them to a tree, let the wolves of the wild feast upon them”

“As you wish Alpha Blood Paws”

“We camp here tonight, have the wounded prepared for the morrow, any unable to march will be left behind; search for rations among the bodies of the Sythe”

Bright Fang bowed and walked away

They camped down the road some ways to avoid the vile stench of death and rot

No one slept well, too on edge after the ambush today

Blood Paws was stuck in a trance of sorrow the likes of which no one knew

But how could they

They call him Blood Paws because of what he did, in rage, in grief

He had just returned from a successful campaign

He had a sack of food slung over his shoulder

His battle axe in the other

He came to his house to find no one home

He found a note on his table

It said that his wife had fallen ill and was being held in the Hospital Chambers of the Gororoth

Blood Paw's heart dropped so deep that he nearly felt it touch the depths of hell

He dropped the sack of food from his hand, but his axe he held painfully tight

He ran to the Gororoth in a frenzy of grief, love, and anger

He kicked in the door of the Hospital Chamber to find his wife upon one of the many sick beds

Three healers surrounded her

Blood Paws yelled, “Whats wrong, whats wrong with my Love”

He ran to her, dropped his axe beside the bed, and held her hand in both of his

“My Love what has befallen you, look at me my Love”

She opened her eyes just barely and smiled

“My Beloved... You have returned to me, we got the report of Farrow Creek battle, they thought you amongst the dead, but I knew... No one could kill my Beloved”

Blood Paws began to weep, he kissed her forehead, it was death cold, “That’s right my Love, no power in this verse or the next can keep us apart”

“You remember that my Love, my life will depart from here, but my soul will be with you; Always with you, Always my Love…”

In that instant she was gone from this world, so fragile yet so powerful one life can be

What one can mean to another, the bond between two, can tear a hole between time and space

Blood Paws wept

Then his sorrow turned into fury, into rage

“My Love… Why didn’t you save her,” he mumbled it, barely audible

He stood up and spoke louder like a rising wave, “Why did you fail your only duty; I upheld my duty and you failed your single task”

He gripped his battle axe in both hands, “You let her die, you let her life slip through your fingers, you will feel my pain”

He swung his axe back, the 2 healers in front of him had no time to run, they were both sliced in half in one singular swing

For the third healer he pulled out his dagger, threw him against the wall and cut his chest open

He drove his hand in, and ripped out the man’s heart

“Now you know my pain, you know my hurt, my heart was hers and now it’s gone, all gone, and dead just like you”

He walked from that Hospital Chamber, his hands stained deep crimson

They held firm  and did not shake, one on his axe, the other still tightly clenching the man's heart  

From that day forth he was known as Blood Paws

Normally he would have been executed for this behavior, but Omega Black Tongue had felt a pain similar to his some years ago

Part X

The Gorhh

The Wolves under command of Alpha Dark Mane arrived the following afternoon

They looked like starving dogs that had taken to gnawing at themselves

Dark Mane’s army was never known to be kempt or organized

There are many stories of their raids and pillages

Oddly enough they all have the same moral of the story; take your own life before Dark Mane’s bastards get to you

Dark Mane himself was on the tall side

As his name suggests he has thick, long, dark hair

His beard is short, scruffy, and incomplete due to extensive scars from blade wounds

Dark Mane strode into Blood Paws camp

“Alpha Blood Paws and Wolf Sergeant Bright Fang, how’s the campaign treating you; I am guessing well, you bastards already look pudgy”

The three of them had a good laugh at that

Blood Paws stood from his seat, “Well, we were fortunate the villagers kept good stores”

“Bah, I wish I could say the same, there was nothing left, the Sillar dogs let rats eat all their stores; It was one hell of an infestation”

“Don’t worry brother Alpha, we have enough food for the lot of us, we will eat like kings till we reach Sila the Emerald City”

“I see that, what are your numbers currently your ranks look thin; surely these villages didn’t give you that much trouble”

Bright Fang cut in, “The Villages no, but we got hit by a Sythe ambush, filthy dogs, we are sitting at 300 strong now give or take”

“Damn shame, no sign of the Sythe since then; I’d hate to take a Sythe raid once we besiege Sila”

“None, we killed a good number of them, near 400”

“Aye, well a good Sythe is a dead one at any rate, let’s hope they lost their stomach for it”

Bright Fang nodded, “Indeed”

 “My Wolves need to eat before we march”

“Very well, Bright Fang ensure that they are all properly fed, it is a long march to Sila”

Journal of H. A. Grimma

I left Sir Rigar Finch at the library and thanked him upon my passing

He gave me another piece to the puzzle

The leather cover of this book was tattered and worn

It looked as if it had caught fire once upon a time

I returned to the woods and by luck happened upon a cave

There I sat in the darkness resting my head against the wall

With my book and watch held to my breast

I would study the book in the morning; I then fell to dreams of struggle

I woke up; the sun had not yet risen

I began to doubt my chances of survival

Judging by my past and the fact no one had yet to survive

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched or followed

I kept seeing eyes from the cave entrance

Looking at me almost tenderly for a moment to make sure I did not sneak off

I felt trapped in a prison

A prison created by the crimson Wolf and the cold in my mind

The Wolf’s eyes kept peering at me from the corner

I do not know if it is real or if I have lost it, my mind

Either way it froze the blood in my veins

The only thing that gave me warmth was my watch

Today I’d delve into its secrets

Failure is no option; I must avenge my family and gain them passage to Heaven

Even if I do not believe in it myself, I must for their sake

I must change it, change it all

Its chaos what has happened, these wolves, this curse

It’s unholy; I keep feeling the need for a priest

And sadly wishing I was one

I’d be nice to have faith in something

To be able to wield the word of God against Evil

It would have already come in handy at any rate

Maybe it would make that crimson Wolf leave me be

I don’t know what it wants, but I know it wants something

I can see it in those cold eyes; it’s as if they whisper their desires to me

The sun finally rose, I felt instant relief

I dusted off my waist coat and ran my hands through my hair

I stared at the crimson sky

Soaking up its warmth and beauty

In that instant I was no longer a cursed Grimma

I was simply a man happy to be alive

Sadly my mind did not allow me the luxury to forget for long

I checked the earth outside the cave for wolf tracks, I found none

This did not comfort me; I needed to get back to Wolf manor

I cannot study in such conditions

I should need my study chair and a glass of scotch

Ah… I think that’d do just nicely

(Sorry it has been so long since I wrote more, do not worry I will finish this story(:

I Simply Am (A tiny story for the TheSerpentTheCharmer's illustration Herbert & Isle)

“Robot, do you think there are more like us?”

“No.”

“Robot… May I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you always so sad?”

“Because one day you will fall from my shoulder.”

“Don’t we all die?”

“I do not.”

“Why?”

“Bird, I am a machine, I am not alive, I simply am.”

“Were there others before me?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me about them.”

“There used to be a snake that would coil around my arm, a frog that would sit on my head, a rabbit that would hop by my side, a mouse that would sleep in my hand. They are all gone my dear sweet Bird, and you are the last of those living things…”

(I love this illustration, and I am glad my remix is getting so many hearts!!!)

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 1:

               My name is John Sire. I am a test subject for the new medical breakthrough NuroMaxx. I will be leading the human trials of NuroMaxx Mark II; I am a volunteer. They say my IQ will increase exponentially because it unlocks sections to my mind that I never even knew existed. They refer to it as a key, a key that unlocks the deepest darkest parts of your mind. I am a little hesitant; do I really want to know what I have in the deepest darkest bits of my mind? What is lurking that I wanted to forget? They say it will bring my memory to 100% and I will gain full recollection of every single second of my life.  I don’t know what to think about all that, but it does not matter anyway, I need the money.

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 2:

The NuroMaxx Mark II will be surgically implanted in my brain today. They are going to put me under, slice open my skull, and attach the chip. Once it’s installed, I will be put into a coma for two days while the chip “restructures” my mind.

I don’t know who exactly will end up reading this, I am sure you think I am crazy, but my back is against the wall here, I have no other options.  I understand the risks of being the first human subject, but that also means better pay, and maybe my small part will help someone.

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 3:

It’s been four days, just woke up from the coma, I feel normal, like nothing has changed, but also different. I am me, this is my mind, but I know answers to questions I never dreamed of answering. Beyond that I am thinking of questions I never dreamed of asking, and what is even more astounding, I feel as if the questions and answers don’t stop. I just keep answering them, and then asking more, and then answering, I am like a machine; my mind doesn’t trip over itself anymore. It simply does.

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 4:

Day 5 since I woke up from the coma, I didn’t make any entries because I was too consumed. Too consumed with all the questions that needed answering, but that’s the thing with answers, they always lead to more questions. In my supreme knowledge I have realized that the questions will never stop. I am losing it, I am starting to see my thoughts, actually see them. I talked to the doctors, they say it’s due to my sleep deprivation, but I know what is happening. These words in my head, I can’t stop them, all this shit circling my head. 

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 5:

Day 6, the words are still everywhere, but it is worse. Everything is coated with words, almost like words are the foundation for life. I regret so much, I am still asking questions and answering them a moment later, so many questions prompting so many answers.

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 6:

Day 7, they won’t let me leave the test facility; they say I am unstable, and prone to bouts of rage. I don’t believe them, I am level headed and thinking clearer than I ever have in my whole life. The Memory improvements kicked in today, I was knocked cold for a few hours while my mind replayed my whole life thus far. I feel traumatized, I was basically forced to relive every regrettable moment I have ever had. Now that I look back, most moments were regrettable, but that makes me determined. Even though I regret this chip, I am going to use this new found enlightenment and efficiency to my own good and the good of others.

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 7:

Day 8, they gave me a chalk board today. I still had questions, I still had answers, and I still saw words everywhere, but now I felt compelled to solve all of this once and for all. I would use numbers and equations to answer one last question, the question to it all, the question that will have the answer for everything. Only then may I find peace and put my brain to productive use. Right now I am working at 100% efficiency, but the questions I am answering with 100% accuracy are random and unimportant. Intelligent it may be, but groundbreaking, no.

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 8:

Day 11, I tried, couldn’t answer it, there is no answer, I can’t answer the question.

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 9:

Day 13, words and numbers, all I see are words and numbers, life as we know it is words and numbers. They won’t let me leave; I am stuck here within this room.

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 10:

Day 14, I smashed the chalk board. I had run out of chalk and I had begun using my nails to scratch in equations. I got control of myself temporarily, mental control, where I could make a decision that wasn’t based upon questions or answers. Those infernal numbers disappeared the moment the chalkboard was splinters, but the words remain, it would appear I can ignore numbers, but not words, why words?

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 11:

Day 15, doctors talked to me today, this is the first time in days, but I know they have been watching me since I was chipped. They gave me their apologies; the chip they put in my brain malfunctioned because a rival company implanted it with a virus. Again, they expressed their deepest apologies; I asked if it could be removed, a question with an answer I hoped would be good. The answer was not good; to remove it would mean certain death.

NuroMaxx Medical Journal Entry 12:

Day 16, this will be my last entry. They offered to remove the chip and put me out of my “misery;” They agreed to richly supporting my dependents for life, I signed the contract today. I don’t regret the chip, its more money than I could have ever given them. It does not matter to you who they are, what matters is that they are finally cared for…

(Big thanks to Metaphorest, her NuroMaxx (What if?) inspired me greatly. I wrote all of this last night, anyway, I hope everyone enjoys it.)

Journal of Henry Archibald Grimma

I made my way back to Wolf Manor

I was kept company by the rhythm of snapping branches and squishy mud beneath my feet

A raven landed on a branch before me

He looked right at me, into my eyes

He crowed at me as if he did not want me here

As if I was some evil that did not belong

I know one thing, if the wildlife turns on me, I’ll know I am too far gone

I had the feeling I was being followed the past hour

This was different than the feelings I had before

I caught a glimpse in my peripherals

I threw my head to my right and I saw it

It was a wolf, not some creature of devilry

But a wolf, a real one, with thick lush brown fur

One of his eyes was slashed closed, but the other was a big beautiful yellow

Almost golden his eye was, he knew I spotted him

He did not care; he stared back at me, opened his mouth and panted at me

If I didn’t know any better, he was smiling at me

Then I heard it, hounds, the police had begun the manhunt

The wolf ran off, it was sad to see him go, it felt as if he was a friend

My walk turned into a run, I needed to get as far from those hounds as possible

I was hoping to sneak into Wolf Manor and hide in the secret room

I have lived in Wolf Manor my whole life and did not know of this room till recently

Any chance of the police finding it is slim to none

I needed peace and quiet to study this book

It’d be no simple task to discover the secrets of my watch

And establish some means to communicate with the Valkyrie

Which I realize sounds crazy as all hell, but bare with me

I hope to prove my case in this journal

I ask this of you, my unknown reader

Whatever should befall me, my family, and Wolf Manor

Do not think less of me

(I would like to take this time to give a special thanks to all my readers for the nice comments, recommends, and views. It means so much to me as a writer, even more so since I am just starting out and I am still struggling to get recognition.)

Tau Ceti - Europa Colony 2247

Date, October 3, 2900

Location: Cetus Star System

Population: 2247

“It’s dark in here, night vision on.  Peter and the rest of you scientists stay right behind me.”

I believe that is the first time he got my name right.

We passed the bloodied body of Pawn, I could hardly see him in the darkness, but I knew he was there, I could feel the dread. It was as if even in death Pawn was still there, warning us it was not safe. Pleading at us to turn back. Turn back we did not; we entered the black gates of Hell and then walked further.

Walking forward felt uneasy as if my soul was trying to drag me away from this place. Why? Why did this tunnel feel so God forsaken?

Rook raised his hand up, “Hold.”

Sergeant Isaac walked up to him, “What is it?”

I could hear a strange sound going off, with each passing second its pace quickened.

“Gamma radiation sir, high content, we need to get moving.” He moved his Geiger Counter over the group to pinpoint the location, “Behind us sir.”

Knight was at the rear, he raised his rifle the Balthazar Mark II, 35 pounds of automatic fire breathing hell. It is standard issue to the Templars who tend to favor pyro based weaponry.

We all saw something stir in the shadows, then we heard it. A sound which will forever haunt my dreams.

CRRRRRRRRRRUUULLLLLLLLLL….

Knight was grabbed by the neck and lifted in the air; we heard a sickening shing sound and Knight fell limp to the floor. His head toppled down to the ground.

The dank dark tunnel lit up like a firestorm and all I could hear was gunfire.

I could see Knight’s body as the flames danced from the gun barrels of my company. Blood dripped down his chest piece, his neck was sliced clean as if it had been hit by a guillotine. The monster, this otherworldly being was long gone, but they kept firing in grief and rage.

(I am looking for an illustrator if anyone would like to draw scenes or characters in this story.)

All was dark... Until her eyes illuminated the universe.

Another awesome picture by Li- that has wow’d me and inspired my creative mind!

Journal of H. A. Grimma

For some time I sat at my desk

I felt glued to the seat as I pondered the riddle

I did not want to rush my mind into solving it

I must have the correct answer

I must be sure

My father always told me, regarding riddles

You must let the answer reveal itself to you

Do not poke or prod, just open your eyes

The answer always lies within the eyes

But whose eyes

There is something I am not seeing, I can feel it

It’s right in front of me and yet I feel as if a shroud is snuffing me

Blinding me from the truth

I decided to dive back into my father’s journal

I will find my answers there; I know my father will guide me

Grimma these entries are from many years ago, read them carefully

You are destined to redeem our family

January 1st

My father died, he left me his sword

I feel lost in this world

January 20^th,

I saw them, my family isn’t crazy, the Worr exist

They’re real

I nearly had my throat ripped out today

This war stretching back generations is nothing to be taken lightly

It’s voracious, it’s real

January 22^nd

I found a note in my father’s sword addressed to me

It contained a riddle

“What lurks in the dark and loves the light”

“What seeks out blood and cries in delight”

“What will hunt you in the night”

“Draw your sword mirror bright”

The answer to me is obvious

It’s a description of the Worr, their behavior, and our interactions with them

It does not comfort me though, the Worr are unholy

I would have preferred something else

January 25^th

I was stunned, we captured it, one of them, a Worr

I was starting to think they could vanish in thin air

I know now they are not creatures made of shadow and mist

We couldn’t stop it, the cold

Even caged up it was gnawing at our minds

We had to kill it, had to stop the cold

We studied it as best we could, we discovered vulnerabilities

 But, we did not want to risk madness for the sake of discovery

The beast’s mind was stronger than ours no doubt

He sought to bend us to his will

We have seen those of less constitution corrupted by such tricks

Influence on a weak mind is a powerful tool and it would appear these beasts have many thralls

We are losing this war, I have no doubt I will die by the hand of the enemy

This war, this blood feud, will be the death of our family

A grand old legacy that only a few will know

I am starting to wonder if we have been forsaken

August 3^rd

It has only been months, but the war is getting to me

The cold has hallowed my bones

The constant gnawing, I feel brittle

My son Henry is a fighter I can tell

I expect the war will consume me, but I have faith my Son will save us

(A quick note, I am going to put aside my other projects and focus on Wolf Manor until it is finished.)

(If you are looking for the earlier portions of Wolf Manor, they can be found here Wolf Manor(ALBUM)

Journal of Henry Archibald Grimma

One word kept circling my mind

It weighed heavy on my heart

It was my problem, my enemy

The Worr are the reason my family is cursed

They are the cause of my forefather’s purgatory

I have heard the word before; my father mentioned them a few times

I wish I had paid better attention, I know he must have written books on them

I looked behind at the mound of broken shelves and book rubble

Somewhere within that heap were my answers

Once I understand the Worr, I should be able to understand the Valkyrie

These are the pieces to the puzzle I need

I can feel it; salvation for my family is within my grasp

I will not falter; I must not, for their sake

I began the slow process of stacking and looking at each book in the pile

Coughing all the while, considering the amount of dust and paper particulate floating about

I came upon a black book bound by ivory, no title

It smelled of scotch, definitely written by my father

I began to read it,

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Worr

Within these pages is all you need to know about the Worr and more than you’d want to know

I am still haunted by what I have learned and what I had to do to learn it

I believe the Worr to be inherently evil

They exist to bring treachery and punishment

Why they plague our family I am not exactly sure

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stopped reading; I heard a crash, sounded like a stampede was charging through Wolf Manor

I take it the investigators have a hunch and have turned to searching every nook and cranny

They are persistent, I am sure they will discover this passage; I must find a new safe haven

I ate some stale bread and proceeded to running my hands along the walls

Knowing my father and my family, there would have been a secret exit to this library

With each passing moment I felt closer to being discovered and the police sounded closer to this chamber

But it would appear I am not entirely unlucky, I found the exit in due time

There was a chip in one of the stones and all I had to do was place my thumb in it

The chip pushed in and a door opened slightly

I pried the thick stone door the rest of the way

It was a small opening with only a descending ladder

Judging by the size of this opening

I’d say it runs down next to the chimney, it was the only way to hide such a thing

Into the black I descended

Into the black I was accepted

Into the black I found my new home

(As most of you know, I have been looking for someone to illustrate Wolf Manor. I have had several that wanted to do it, but they all ended up dropping the project for some reason. Anyway, I have found another illustrator and hopefully I'll be able to present the last few portions of Wolf Manor with illustrations[=

(Photo was taken in Georgetown then edited on picmonkey)

 For those of you just joining, here is the album where the rest of the story resides, Wolf Manor(ALBUM)

Mr. Lumpy Bear

Oh the fun to be with Mr. Lumpy Bear

Frumpy Lumpy Bumpy Bear

All the dreams we share

My Mr. Lumpy Bear

Wait a moment I say

We’ll have fun this day

After milk and cookies we’ll play

And pick up a shrubbery along the way

And pet that sting ray

Don’t worry it will be okay

He won’t harm us down by the bay

If we bring him some hay

Oh Mr. Lumpy Bear I love this song

Let us dance along

To the sounds I’ve loved so long

There is nothing wrong

With dancing to a gong

Shaking my head like Bong Bong Bong, Dinga Linga Ding Dong

Dong Bong Bong, Dinga Linga Ding Dong

Dong Bong Bong, Dinga Linga Ding Dong

Let’s go to the fountain

Atop the mountain

I’ll pack the basket

You grab my racket

So I can conquer the tourney bracket

Whilst you make an encouraging racket

Oh Mr. Lumpy Bear

My feet worse for the wear

Carry me home my shoes soon to tear

I grow tired in this chair

As I run a comb through my hair

I see the sky and I stare

Because the Heavens of which I care

Who above me kindly share

Their love for me and my Lumpy Bear

(I decided to do a remix of one of my favorite illustrations by the amazing artist Li-, I did sharpen the picture so that I could add a small bit of text to it. Hopefully I have done justice to this beautiful work of art.)