The VX Virus is a unique pathogen with a singular purpose: to transform its host into a vampire. It achieves this through a series of stages that involve infiltrating the central nervous system, reanimating the host, and systematically altering the host's physiology. Despite its limited transmission routes—primarily blood-to-blood contact and ingestion of infected blood or raw body parts—the virus is highly efficient at spreading when the opportunity arises. Its virulence is unmatched, boasting a 100% fatality rate and a 100% transmission rate through its established routes. The transformation process is painful and can be fatal if the host's system rejects the virus or succumbs to the stress of the transformation. However, those who survive the transformation emerge as vampires, their bodies and abilities radically altered by the virus.
Virulence
The VX Virus exhibits a unique virulence profile. Its transmission is primarily through blood-to-blood contact, but it can also be transmitted by ingesting infected blood or raw body parts, making it less infectious compared to many other viruses. However, what it lacks in infectiousness, it compensates for with its lethality. The VX Virus boasts a 100% fatality rate, capable of killing a host within minutes of exposure before reanimating them. In some cases, the host may die over a longer period due to the host's genetic information rejecting the virus or the intense pain of the transformation causing excessive stress on the system, leading to organ failure before the virus can intervene. Despite its limited transmission routes, the VX Virus is highly efficient at spreading when the opportunity arises, with a 100% transmission rate through blood-to-blood contact or ingestion of infected material.
Symptomatology
The symptomatology of the VX Virus infection presents as a progression from initial exposure to full vampiric transformation.
Symptoms include:
- Itching
- A tingling sensation in the lips or mouth
- Swelling of the throat and other mucous membranes
- Respiratory distress
- Rapid heartbeat
- A sudden drop in blood pressure
- Loss of function in nerve endings and blood vessels
- Abdominal cramps
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Difficult or painful urination
- Discoloration of soft tissues
- Violent limb spasms and convulsions
- High fever
- Death
Initial Infection
Upon exposure, the VX Virus infiltrates the central nervous system (CNS) within six minutes. The host either proves compatible with the specific strain of the virus or succumbs within this timeframe due to anaphylactoid shock, a reaction similar to anaphylaxis but triggered through non-IgE mediated pathways.
CNS Shutdown and Reanimation
Following the shutdown of the CNS, the virus commandeers the brain and nerves to prevent significant decay. Within ten minutes of exposure, the VX Virus gains control of the CNS, nerve endings, and brain, effectively reanimating the host. This process can be intensely painful, with the host experiencing severe, migraine-like headaches reminiscent of a brainstem aura. These migraines can be accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, and difficulty speaking.
Simultaneously, the host may experience significant tingling throughout the body, akin to severe neuropathy. This sensation can be so intense that it feels as though their extremities are on fire.
Once the host regains consciousness, they may feel disoriented and disconnected from the world. Their perception of reality may be distorted, and they may continue to experience residual pain, particularly in the head. This process may be perceived externally as a fainting spell followed by a period of disorientation and distress.
Soft Tissue Invasion
The virus establishes itself in all soft tissues within 72 to 120 hours post-infection. The primary goal of the virus here is to alter the body to sustain itself on blood. The digestive tract begins to accept and partially metabolize blood. As this transformation occurs, the host's ability to process regular food and drink diminishes. Attempts to consume normal food will result in extensive vomiting as the body rejects non-blood sustenance. During this phase, the host may experience:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Coughing and chest spasms
- Difficult or painful urination
- Discoloration of soft tissues
- Violent limb spasms and convulsions
- High fever
By the end of this phase, the host's digestive tract has been fully transformed to metabolize blood, and the body has begun to expel accumulated toxins. Toxins are expelled through various means, including waste excretion, vomiting, and coughing. These toxins manifest as a black, viscous substance similar in consistency to chunky crude oil. The host's physical condition deteriorates significantly during this period, marked by fever, spasms, and the expulsion of toxic substances.
Bone, Marrow, and Connective Tissue Invasion
Eight to ten days post-infection, and after establishment in the soft tissue, the VX Virus moves to the bone, marrow, and connective tissue (ligaments and tendons). The virus's primary objective during this phase is to spread throughout the host as quickly as possible. This phase is characterized by excruciating pain as the virus converts the bone tissue, leading to intense aches throughout the skeletal system. The bones become stronger, causing soreness and discomfort.
As the virus converts the tendons, the host's strength begins to increase. This sudden increase in strength can lead to a lack of control over the force exerted by the host, causing them to inadvertently break bones, tear tendons, and inflict other injuries on themselves. Not all bones and tendons are converted at the same rate, which can exacerbate these injuries. However, by this stage, the host's body has begun to develop regenerative capabilities. Even severe damage will gradually heal, although this process can take a significant amount of time.
Physical changes begin to occur once the host's resistance is fully suppressed. By the end of this phase, the host's skeletal and connective tissues have been fully transformed, and the body has begun to adapt to its new, enhanced capabilities.
Conversion
The host's physiology is gradually altered to fully metabolize blood for sustenance. Fat reserves are utilized for nutrients during this time. The rate of conversion is directly proportional to the age of the sire, which indicates the strength of the VX Virus.
The conversion process includes:
- Development of three pairs of antibiotic and anesthetic saliva ducts to facilitate feeding and healing.
- Modification of ligaments and muscles to enable fangs to retract.
- Growth of sharper, longer teeth (fangs) beneath canines, which push out the original teeth when fully formed.
- Adaptation of the stomach and liver for blood storage, and kidneys for blood filtration.
- Enlargement of the heart.
- Radical hybridization of adrenal glands to suit the needs of bloodline-specific disciplines.
By the end of the conversion process, the host's body has been fully transformed into a vampire, capable of metabolizing blood for sustenance.
Mechanics
The VX Virus operates by producing replica DNA, which is bonded to the host's DNA, making certain traits dominant. This process involves the virus targeting intron and dormant DNA within the host's genome. The virus rewrites these sections, replacing them with sequences that promote vampiric traits. If the host DNA cannot accommodate these changes, the host dies.
The primary goal of the VX Virus is to sustain the host environment indefinitely and ensure its own survival. To achieve this, it immediately begins to reassemble the host environment to meet its needs. This includes reactivating the replaced sections of DNA, causing the newly introduced vampiric traits to become dominant within the host's body. The virus is a reverse transcriptase virus, similar to HIV. However, unlike HIV, which destroys the body's ability to heal itself, the VX Virus seeks out the source of immunity replication within the host, dominates this process, and shuts down the CNS while the brain's pathways sustain significant alterations.
The virus also undertakes a comprehensive rewiring of the host's CNS. This is a crucial step in the transformation process, as it prepares the host's brain to handle the extended memory and lifespan granted by the virus. This rewiring also enables the host to control their new vampiric features and properly process the new sensory information they will experience. By making these extensive modifications to the host's DNA and CNS, the VX Virus ensures its own survival by enhancing the survival and capabilities of its host.