[The Ask Box is closed] [The blog is done] Separatia is a land separated into two countries. There is Evolutia - land of the Pokemon, and Progria - land of the Humans. For the first time, several members of the Guardians of Twilight are heading to Progria, to hide their faces from the country's gazing eyes. They are going there for a reason: to find a cyborg. A cyborg just like their newly recruited member: Bladesong. Yet something has been growing within Progria, a corrupted ugliness that has a terrible goal. This threat will be uncovered, and soon the members of the GoT will realize how grave this threat will be. This threat is the Hybrid Weapons Development Program , and it won't be long until the GoT realizes just how deep the HWDP have rooted themselves within Progria. However there are others seeking to fight the HWDP, to tear out all of their roots and burn all of their vines. This group will do whatever it takes to succeed, even taking down possible allies. So many sides will be pitted against one another. Isn't it delicious, oh reader mine? (This is a Destiny/Pokemon story blog! It'll focus almost primarily on plot, however asks and interactions are accepted when the ask box is open!) (As of currently I could not find the artist/source of the background. If anyone knows who created this amazing piece, I would greatly appreciate to be informed by it so I can give proper credit.)
Guess how many layers my next update is going to be and I'll draw a character of your choice. The person who is closest to the amount will be the winner. Write a comment down below for your prediction.
I will give some helpful hints to make your guess more accurate.
- Each piece of text will be its own layer
- The backgrounds for each panel are all separate layers
- Line-art and colours are on separate layers
- There are going to be 13-14 pages
- There are quite a few layers that are added (like multiply and add) to bring the atmosphere
...Even with the Star Eater gone, the safety of the three realities weren't guaranteed. If it found them once, it could find them again.
To exercise their power to rebuild their creation was not an option. To release such power would simply be fanning the scent of divinity to the edges of reality, allowing it to potentially bleed into the multiverse like blood in the water.
The three goddesses feared that even sitting idly might not be enough. What if their divinity is still potent enough that it's detectable by the Star Eater - or other monstrosities like it?
One option that came to Arceus' was one that horrified all of them - to simply destroy themselves and all traces of divinity. To do that would mean that there would be no one to truly protect or guide their creations, leaving life to fend for themselves when they've been guided by their deities all this time.
Necrozma was most against this choice since very little of Ultra Space remained. With most of its species wiped out and very little of reality to inhabit, they needed guidance and protection in order to ensure that they survive.
That is when Giratina came up with her own suggestion, oh reader mine.
If merely existing or ceasing to exist would invoke danger to the future of their creations, what if they seal their power instead?
This concept earned the attention of Arceus and Necrozma, thus having them look into the possibilities on how one would achieve this.
Eventually they would realize that truly sealing their power would make them mortal - thus signifying that they would eventually die if following this choice. So instead they found another option with this direction in mind...
...and that is bestowing their power onto a mortal.
They couldn't simply just grant their divinity to one of their main extensions - the Legends that exist, for that would simply make another goddess. They would need to sever their power and bestow it upon a mortal they deem worthy, granting that mortal immortality and power.
...But since it is a mortal that would wield it, the divinity would be diminished due to the nature of their form. This would mean that there would still be an entity with divinity that could guide and protect their creations...while also acting as a method to weaken the divinity enough to not earn the attention of other primordial monstrosities.
With the decision made they began their preparations.
Arceus ordered the True Legends below her to seal their power within a stone, so that its power may be properly transferred to a mortal deemed worthy. With that she then searched out and selected a mortal she believed most fitting for the choice of wielding her own power - a Gardevoir named Xiomara. She instructed Xiomara of her newfound duties, warning her of the Star Eater and how she must ensure that her power and the power of the other True Legends must be contained.
Necrozma followed suit, however instead she divided her divinity among the most worthy in her eyes among each species of remaining Ultra Beast. Additionally she partially sealed the divine power within the other Necrozmas she created, tasking them to act as only guardians of Ultra Space in order to limit their divinity.
With it just being Giratina and the daughter made in her likeness, she had no subjects to bestow her power to. So thus she decided to seal her own power within a stone like Arceus had done with her True Legends, and instructed her daughter to find a mortal within the Prime Realm that could act as a Bearer of her strength. Once that Bearer is found, bring them back to the Distortion Realm...and then put herself into stasis unless explicitly needed.
...And so on that fateful time, the High Gods - or True Legends as the modern term is - were no more.
They did not necessarily die since their power lives on, however in a way they did sacrifice themselves for the sake of their creations.
...
A great amount of time had passed since then, oh reader mine. Especially for the Prime Realm.
Civilizations rose and fell, mountains grew and crumbled. With every century, the knowledge of the High Gods slowly faded to legend...and then myth...and then nonexistence.
Legendary Pokemon still exist within the Prime Realm, however it would be an insult to the True Gods to say that they hold any divinity. They may be made in the likeness of their creators, yet they do not hold the caliber of power said creators possessed. Most cases they have integrated into the world, many of which even walking among the rest of the life that exists.
But for Xiomara? When Arceus bestowed upon her the duty of being a Bearer, the immense responsibility weighed on her shoulders greatly. The concept of the Star Eater terrifies her immensely, the sense of helplessness always plaguing her mind as fresh as the very day her goddess spoke to her.
That fear is what directed her decisions to take extra steps in addition to being a Bearer of Arceus. She weaved her reality-shaping power to create an isle that is shrouded in supernatural seclusion, so that it acts as a place to hide the other Bearers away from the rest of the world...
...Except when the amount of Bearers being chosen increased over the millenniums, Xiomara feared that keeping so much divinity in one place could potentially alert the Star Eater. She then reached out to Elysia - the Bearer of Giratina, and they agreed to send any other Bearers of True Legends to the Distortion World to act as a second refuge.
It is a rather sad fate to see such fear having taken hold of Xiomara, oh reader mine. Originally Arceus wanted her to act as a guide to the life of the Prime World, however in the end she chose to go into hiding...and let the rest of the world forget her existence.
...
...As for Ultra Space, the realm is very much fractured. Suffering from lack of resources and lack of space, many of its denizens grew dissatisfied and desperate with their conditions.
Although Ultra Beasts were chosen to wield part of Necrozma's divinity, they've chosen to keep said power to themselves - and thus have turned a blind eye to their very kind that they were meant to guide and protect.
In addition the Guardian Necrozmas were fully disconnected from the populace, becoming something the equivalent of observing statues due to no longer interacting with the Ultra Beasts. Because of said inaction...there were none else for the populace to turn to.
Many Ultra Beasts found ancient gateways within Ultra Space - wormholes that connect Ultra Space to the Prime Realm that were never completed after the Star Eater invaded. Some of these Ultra Beasts utilized these interdimensional tunnels in order to breach into the Prime Realm, of which only a few managed to make their way to the Prime World - the only planet that could sustain them.
...
...As for the Distortion World, it is very much a small world that acts as The Secluded Isle - as Xiomara refers to her own little island prison. It is a place separated from everything, to act as a liveable domain for any new Bearers.
Elysia herself is not content with this life, thus she often leaves the Distortion World to explore the Prime World.
The Demi-Giratina - the daughter of True Giratina - lays in stasis within the center of the Distortion World. She remains disconnected from reality, only to be awoken if she is absolutely needed...
...Whether that time will ever come...we will see.
...
...
...But that is the story of the Bearers of the True Legends, oh reader mine.
A rather tragic story, but it is the origin of the world of Pokemon.
...Or at least this particular world of Pokemon, since every other reality has their own origins.
...
For as carefree as a life the Bearers may seem to live, the mantle of responsiblity weighs heavy on all of them...
...And most especially on Xiomara.
Yet because of this responsibility is why she is the only one who holds the truth as to why they live their life of isolation. She refuses to tell the rest of her 'Sisters' this true reason, for she doesn't want them to experience the same fear...
...The fear of pure helplessness...and insignificance compared to what exists outside their own universe...
...The helplessness that even the original goddesses couldn't fight off an invader...because said invader was simply too vast...and too powerful.
...
...
...
...Because of their life of isolation she has chosen, they are now unaware that a new existential threat is clawing its way into their realm.
Not a Star Eater...
...But an Echo...of something else.
...
Perhaps it is better this way. For even with their power of divinity, they would be Taken all the same.
...
That is enough rambling from me, oh reader mine. You were here for a story, not the endless musings of an...
...Through the vastness of eternity, neither empire nor paradise forever remains intact against the harsh winds of time...
For the three sister universes, there was no end in sight. How could it? They were just beginning to grow, after all.
The Prime Realm was being expanded further by Arceus after her focus on the Prime World, the Ultra Space was continuing its vast interconnected network between the three realities with Necrozma, and the Distortion World was becoming a comforting dwelling for Giratina and her daughter as they watched the other two with joy.
However just as there are the three sister universes, there are countless others in the vast sea of realities...
...and between those realities...are predators.
It was of great misfortune that the three sister universes earned the gaze of one of such primordial entities. It had no name - for it was beyond such concepts, however it would be unfitting to leave it nameless.
Star Eater was what it is most fitting of its description, for it was a vast eldritch creature that traveled from reality to reality to feast upon the stars within - leaving said universes devoid of light and life once it was finished.
However the three sister universes drew its attention specifically out of the untold infinites around it, for something made them stand out more than any other reality. It wasn't the fact that it were three conjoined realities - that was no anomaly in the vast seas of multiverses. It was the fact it was teeming with the divine power of gods.
You would be surprised how uncommon gods are, oh reader mine. Most realities lack gods - true gods that are creators and shapers of realities instead of simply powerful entities. When three conjoined universes contain a god each, it drew the Star Eater like a moth to light.
For while it feasted on stars...
...it also had a particular craving for the divine power of gods...
When the Star Eater arrived, the three goddesses knew that something was terribly wrong. Instantly the primordial entity breached the Prime Realm - the biggest of the three, its vast power immediately integrating into the reality and ruthlessly consuming the stars and ambient divinity.
This was the first time any of the three goddesses faced a threat before - let alone one of such vastness, yet they all knew that they had to fight.
...And yet immediately it became apparent that they were helpless against it...
You would think omniscient and omnipotent goddesses like Arceus and her sisters would be able to effortlessly dispatch a foreign invader, oh reader mine. However the greatest error in such a thought is that powers to rewrite reality can do very little to a being who is from outside of said reality. Every attempt to harm or erase it not only proved completely ineffective, the Star Eater also hungrily devoured the divine power that would crash against its frame.
Arceus immediately realized that in this battle she could not win against the Star Eater, and she watched in horror as its influence spread to the Ultra Space due to the vast interconnected doorways Necrozma made that connects their realms.
The goddesses were at a loss, how could they even possibly hope to fight off a creature not only immune to their abilities - but actively absorbed them?
Just as they were unable to find a solution, Giratina found a possibility where they and their realities could survive.
If they cannot defeat the Star Eater, they should instead sever the parts of reality that its influence has ingrained itself in.
Such a concept was immediately met with resistance from Arceus, how could she abandon most of her creations?
Necrozma however readily agreed with it, her desperation fueling her words as she watched her Ultra Space and its denizens diminish quickly due to the smaller space and how interconnected it is to the other realities.
In the end Arceus begrudgingly agreed to the idea, and so they enacted their plan...
...However by that point, more than half of the Prime Realm and almost the entirety of Ultra Space were devoured.
As the Star Eater continued to encroach, the goddesses made the difficult decision of severing many parts of their home realities. Arceus cut out three quarters of the Prime Reality, Necrozma cut out all but a small sliver of Ultra Space, and Giratina only had to cut away the parts Ultra Space was connected together by Necrozma due to her realm just barely been touched.
...With that they waited with baited breath as the Star Eater's presence was separated along with the realities that were split away...
...And with untold amounts of waiting, they finally let out a sigh of relief when the creature didn't return.
The aftermath left goddesses heartbroken, seeing how little of their creation remained.
Although Arceus' Prime World in the Prime Realm remained untouched, her realm is four times smaller than it initially was.
For Necrozma, almost the entirety of her Ultra Space was devoured by the Entity. Untold species of Ultra Beasts were wiped out, leaving only a small amount left on the tiny fraction of Ultra Space that remained.
Giratina and her Distortion World however was in a far better state compared to her sister realities, however she still felt heartbroken seeing both of her sister goddesses experiencing such anguish for the loss of their creations.
One would think that they could simply rebuild - and you would be correct, oh reader mine. They could begin anew with the realities they have left, allowing their creative divinity flow and reform what was lost.
However as the three met together to discuss the next steps, a single thought made them all acutely aware of a terrible possibility...
...and that possibility is that the Star Eater could return.
And why wouldn't it? Although the multiversal sea is vast and the universes remain infinite, the primordial beast got a particular taste of the goddess' divine power. If it was initially drawn to their realities, it means it could find them again.
With that they feared that if they attempted to exercise their abilities once more to rebuild and repopulate their realities, it could act as a beacon to allow the monster to find them a second time...
...Which means they had to make another decision to ensure the future of their realities...
A breath escapes me after I finish surveying the ruined landscape, crumbled buildings going as far as the eye can see - all overtaken by nature.
It's been a while since I've been in the Brazillian Deadzone, although this location in particular is new to me. Even then, I still recall having to go into Brasília - the old capital city of this country - for a retrieval mission.
I don't really know my geography that well so I'm really not sure on what city this place used to be, that and the signs are too faded for me to properly read anymore - if I could understand the language to begin with.
I leap down from the top of the building I was perched on, the thrusters in my suit activating at the last second to cut the momentum of my fall from lethal to manageable. My cloak billows in the wind as my armored feet land, my gun already drawn as I quickly scan my surroundings through the visor of my helmet.
Nothing.
It makes sense, the Fallen - or Eliksni as they should be properly referred to I guess - have pulled out of this area, so enemy activity has dropped substantially.
Still can't be too careful though.
"You think we will find the Shard here?" A voice crackles through the speakers in my helmet - belonging only to Rain, my Ghost.
"This is what the info Crow has given us." I respond in a low tone back to her.
The Shard of the Traveler, during the Collapse numerous pieces were broken off. Although it's mostly whole at this point after it restored itself, there are still a few remnant pieces that lay scattered across Earth.
At this point the Vanguard has made it their objective to locate all of them, even with them being literal shards they still possess a large amount of Light inside.
And the last thing we need is for the enemy to get their filthy claws on them and attempt to harness the Light for themselves.
The landscape doesn't change as I make my way through the city, my gaze always scanning for any sign of movement. Besides the occasional disturbance by the local fauna, there really isn't anything at all here.
That makes me feel antsy. Peace and quiet out here always means trouble.
"I'm picking up an energy signature." Rain's voice crackles through my helmet, making me falter in my step.
"Enemy?" I quickly ask, raising my rifle.
"No..." She says slowly before pausing, only for her tone to be filled with excitement. "Light!"
"Light?" I repeat, feeling my pulse quicken. "The Shard is nearby then."
"It has to be!" She agrees, only to pause again as she becomes uncertain. "But the traces are...faint." She falls silent again for a few more moments before she speaks up again. "Here, I'll mark the location on where I'm getting the readings."
The HUD in my vision is quickly updated with a marker, showing me the direction.
Immediately I make my way towards the source of the energy, keeping my movements quick yet silent. Years of experience out in the wilds have prepared me for this, allowing me to move from place to place with utmost swiftness while remaining undetected.
As I weave through the broken buildings and hop over the rusted remnants of Golden Age vehicles, I finally arrive at what looks like a collapsed industrial complex.
"It's supposed to be in there." I hear Rain mutter. "But the signal is still too faint, is there really a Shard in there? The previous Shards that have been found had a substantially larger signal."
"Maybe it's small." I half-joke, however even I am feeling uncertain.
"Small by what standards?" Rain scoffs. "Despite them being called 'Shards', some of them ended up being more than two stories tall.
"The Traveler is pretty big..." I nod, only to let out a sigh. "Guess we won't find out till we go inside."
After scanning the building for an entrance, I eventually notice a large hole near one of the walls and take that as my path.
Upon entering, I immediately get the idea that this thing collapsed from the top. it's clear that something fell from the sky and impacted it from above when looking at all of the rubble caused from many floors having caved in.
"The signal is getting more focused." Rain updates me. "It should be straight ahead."
Straight ahead, right where the room is blocked by rubble.
"Guess I have to find a way around." I mutter.
"Yeah, we don't want to mess with the foundation of this place any further." She agrees. "This place is already looking unstable, the last thing we need is for untold tons of concrete and rebar falling on top of us."
I take to the hallways, climbing over piles of debris that I'm able to climb over or walk around what I'm incapable of doing.
And eventually I reach the location of the signature - a vast central chamber with a giant crater in the middle, with sunlight streaming from the hole in the ceiling above from something large that fell through.
"There's...nothing there." Rain states the obvious.
And there really is nothing. In the center of this giant crater is just nothing at all.
"But I'm detecting Light from the center of it!" She exclaims with confusion. "Clearly the Shard was there!" She pauses. "Is that why it's faint? That it used to be here and then isn't?"
"Did the Shard get moved?" I mutter with confusion, kneeling at the edge of the crater as I inspect it. "Seeing how big this hole is, it's clear that the Shard was fairly large. This entire structure however is in a very poor state, I don't think it's possible for it to be moved without the entire building being a pile of rubble by the end of it."
"Maybe it was transmatted?" Rain offers, only to quickly shoot down her own idea. "No no, we would've detected remnants of even temporary Transmat zones. It's as if the Shard just...disappeared without a trace. How is that even possible?"
"We'll survey the area a bit more, just in case we're missing something." I sigh.
In the end, we never did find the Shard - or any clues that indicate what happened to it.
And there really was a Shard of the Traveler there, all the signs point to it.
It really is as if...it ceased to exist.
...
...
...
...
...
For them, it may as well as have disappeared...from their side of the Veil at least.
They have no need for it, they already possess a vast amount of Light in their reality.
But this side of the Veil...they have no Light, and thus they have no power to fight the growing Dark.
I'm already treading upon a very fine line with showing you everything that is transpiring, Oh Reader Mine. But this...is an act that could very well reveal myself to the forces attempting to invade.
...So this will be the last From the Veil you will see for a long time, Oh Reader Mine. I cannot risk revealing myself, otherwise so much more will be lost.
...
But now, the Shard is in place. The Traveler is an entity of life and prosperity, so what more fitting location for its shard to be within an Oasis?
With that, all that is left...
...is for a new Guardian to be born.
...
It has been a pleasure having you follow this story for all this time, Oh Reader Mine. I will not be gone forever, just merely...laying low for an undisclosed amount of time.
[Location: Venhara - Venhara City; Temple of the Oracle]
[Name: Imenket, Oracle of Venhara]
[Species: Venharan Lucario]
I walk into my chambers - the circlular room of sandstone smelling strong of incense that my retainers had already prepared for me. Normally I would be in a calm state, but...my mind is troubled.
It has been a while since I have last received a vision - an oracle. Normally such a thing would be considered a blessing since very few visions have ever foretold of a pleasant future, only disasters and fates that need to be averted.
However I have a feeling - a gut feeling - that this peace is short-lived. Especially with the news I overheard from the Sand Striders of the silver monsters across the Dunefields of Den.
I walk over to a basin of water and stare into it, my dark fur barely illuminated by the dim candles surrounding the chamber. I can see my deep amber eyes gazing back with the green markings painted underneath, and my ornamental dress that is designed after that of a Xatu - attire signifying that my family is blessed by the first Oracle, Osiru.
I let out a sigh before cupping the water in my hands and washing my face, attempting to use the cool water to rinse my anxiety away.
The Queen is nervous as well with the news of the silver monsters, fearing that they may be a grave threat. As of now the Guardians of Twilight are sending one of their Night Watchers to assess the situation, but the fact I haven't received a single vision of the situation is...still concerning.
Does it mean that those silver monsters are of no threat?
...
I must meditate.
Using a hand towel to dry my face I walk over to the carpet placed in the center of the chamber, its placed around its edge are incense and candles. I slowly sit down in the center and spread out my robes, resting my hands on my lap.
With a deep breath, I close my eyes...
...
...
Barren landscapes of stone, metal, and glass.
The vibrant yellow dunes of Venhara are no more, leaving nothing but pillars of artificial structures that tower into the sky like carefully constructed pylons.
Silver machines walk across its surface, their cold red optics gazing upon their carefully crafted perfection.
Converted. Subjugated. Assimilated.
It is not just Venhara, but the world. Once a vibrant planet teeming with life is now but an anchor in this reality. An extension to their vast network, acting as a gateway that grants the entire collective access to this untouched universe.
The universe is to be eventually claimed in its entirety, nothing is capable of stopping something so endless as they. It was too late when the Legends got involved, the machines had already converted too much of the world to be stopped.
...
A four armed alien stumbles across the sand, in his clutches a curious Object. It is a stellated octahedron of various colors, its spherical black core disrupting its geometric design.
Once a vibrant possessor of Light, now dormant from having been disrupted by the vast journey across time and space.
The alien succumbs to its mortal wounds, collapsing to the ground just as a pair of Sand Striders stumble upon him. In his last desperate attempt to continue his doomed legacy he offers the object to them, deeming it Winter in his unknown tongue.
The Sand Striders argue amongst each other over the situation before begrudgingly taking the object, knowing that they need to report this to the Queen immediately.
They turn and make haste back to Venhara, leaving the corpse of the alien as he becomes buried underneath the rolling waves of sand.
...
An oasis in the center of the brutal desert, a small slice of paradise that rejuvenates all within before they must resume their grueling journey through Venhara's sand and sun.
But something stands within the center of its blue waters, something that was not there originally.
A large shard of electroweak matter and neutronium stands towering over the surrounding palms, its white surface standing out brilliantly amongst the greenery.
Yet even more brilliantly is that it radiates Light.
Light that burns away the Dark.
The shard glows brilliantly, unleashing a torrential shockwave of its blinding brilliance, giving life to the dormant Object once more...
...and thus giving birth to a warrior whose power allows them to combat the machines.
A warrior who can protect Venhara and this world.
A protector.
A Guardian.
...
...
My eyes shoot open with a gasp, my lungs burning for breath and my heart threatening to burst from my chest.
A vision.
And not just any vision, but one of the fate of Venhara and the world.
I feel dizzy, clutching my head as I try to comprehend all that I've witnessed.
The warrior standing within the light of the shard, the one who will become the Guardian of our world...
I must act immediately, there's no time to inform the Queen of the vision. I need to intercept the Sand Striders and obtain the object they've received and give it to that warrior, and then send them with it to the shard in the oasis.
Time is of the essence, the machines are already starting the process of converting our world into the anchor that connects to their network.
"Nephari!" I shout urgently, calling to my retainer that is waiting outside my room.
Immediately the curtain bursts open, the humanoid outline of my retainer hurrying in.
"What is it, Oracle?" She asks, her eyes wide with surprise. It is very rare that I call for her with any urgency, so for me to do so must truly mean that this situation is grave.
I look upon the Venharan Liepard, the candlelight illuminating her dark fur and the bright gold patterns of her body.
"A pair of Sand Striders are to return to the city very soon, Nephari." I answer her, preparing my instructions. "Intercept them just as they reach the gates, they are possessing an object of immense importance." My eyes narrow. "Bring it to me as soon as you can, this situation concerns more than we can ever hope."
She bows her head, clasping her hands together. "Of course, Oracle." She says, only to look up as her slitted pupils stare into mine. "...If this object is of importance, that means I can expect them to object. How should I proceed if they do?"
"You have my full permission to use my name and authority to retrieve it from them." I tell her. "Time cannot be wasted, I will explain everything to them and the Queen later."
"Of course, Oracle." She repeats before quickly turning and sprinting out of the room, her dexterous form far more agile than even Venharan Lucarios.
"Make haste." I whisper even though she is long gone, a new sensation in my stomach.
A pit far greater than before, anxiety having been replaced with full-blown dread and fear.
Our world is in danger.
I can still recall the form of the warrior that stood before the shard as it filled them with light...
...That warrior... A woman, her appearance that of a Bisharp and Medicham...
[Name: Zolviks]
[Race: Fallen]
[Affiliation: House of Winter]
[PoV: Zolviks]
...
The Vex ruins have long since faded in the distance behind me, my form slowly trudging through the countless dunes of sand. My lower arms continue to clutch against the wound on my side, the bleeding still not stopping.
I'm only moving now out of sheer will, my body aching and growing more numbed with each passing moment.
Despite the sensation of death slowly taking hold, I feel my gaze wander...
These dunes... They remind me of the various accounts of the Sol planet Mercury from other Fallen - how its surface is covered in sand, stone, metal, and glass. The planet itself was completely claimed by the Vex shortly after the Sol system's own Whirlwind, before the Fallen arrived after chasing the Great Machine.
But this place is...not Mercury. The star doesn't take up the entirety of the sky, instead being much smaller...and its heat less intense...
...And the notable lack of Vex structures around me with the exception of what surrounded the Transfer Gate I first came out of...
...Wherever this is, this world is not in the Sol system...
...
The sand beneath my feet shifts from a sudden gust of wind, my already poor balance from blood loss causing me to stumble before tumbling down the dunes.
An agonized hiss escapes me as the pain of my injury flares, my form finally resting at the bottom of the monstrous dune. I merely lie there, too weak to continue...
...But I can't stay here, I must...survive...
...
...I...know that survival is impossible, that hit from the Vex sealed my fate after all. I am going to die a slow and pathetic death - fitting for a lowly Fallen like me.
Fallen who is part of an extinguished house, foolishly and feebly attempting to continue its tainted legacy.
House of Winter...has committed many atrocities against its own people, the harsh and brutal leadership once stemmed from desperation only transforming into sheer cruelty as new leaders took the mantle.
Always stay in line, always follow the orders of your superior. Those are what allowed me to remain the rank I am, to hold some authority over the Dregs of our House.
...But I still remember the stories my mother told me when I was a Hatchling, stories that were told by the mothers of our mothers of once when the Eliksni lived with great prosperity... A Golden Age...
...Before the Whirlwind, before we became Fallen...
...
I slowly try to push myself up, only to find it difficult with what's in the grip of my upper arms.
The Vex weapon from the Vault...
...And the shell of the Ghost...
...I can't hold both of them any longer, my grip is too loose from weakness...so I need to choose...
...The sensible solution is to keep the weapon and abandon the Ghost that is most likely dead, so that I can defend myself against anything that might seek to finish me off...
...
But...for some reason...I couldn't simply leave the Ghost.
Despite all my resentment towards the little creations of the Great Machine - how it and their Given have slaughtered countless Fallen, something irrational within me doesn't want to part with it...
...As if I'm...afraid to lose it...
...
With a growl I drop the weapon, letting its brass frame fall into the sand. The wind continues to blow around me, swirling the grains and burying the weapon - leaving only part of its barrel and scope to poke out. Clutching the Ghost in my upper claws I push my form up again, standing on shaking legs as the wind continues to break against me.
I continue forward...
...
...
The star is setting, the intensity of its light lessening as I feel my bleeding frame battered not quite as harshly from its heat.
The blood flow has slowed substantially, but I know it's not due to the fact that it's healing...
Us Fallen are known to be resilient, our bodies surviving for far longer than possible for other species. The fact I'm still alive is merely a boon - or perhaps a curse - of that.
It's not slowing because of health, but because I am running out of blood to bleed.
My vision has been blurring for a while now as I'm having difficulty focusing, my steps turned to simply dragging my legs forward.
I feel my gaze slowly lowering to the Ghost in my clutches, my claws cradling it like a precious treasure.
...
...
The cursed fate of two entities - isolated by fate...
...A Fallen part of a tattered House...
...And a Ghost with no Given...
...Perhaps that's also why I kept it with me instead of discarding it like refuse, for I find a sense of kinship with the Ghost.
A Given-less, nameless Ghost...
...
I feel the Ether in my mask running low, my breaths becoming wheezes as the Life Air runs low.
My blood-covered lower hands pull away from my wound and reach for the vials of Ether in my pouch, my claws struggling clumsily to grab one...
...But after a few moments I give up, moving my hands back to my wound.
What is the point? I'm going to die anyways, so there's no use in replacing the Life Air...
Overtime my breaths become more labored due to the combination of my weakening body and the last remnants of Ether in my system being used up...
...
...
I just wanted to continue the great legacy of House Winter, I didn't want to abandon its banner to join the House of Dusk - even if all of the remnants of Fallen were uniting to survive a great threat.
House of Dusk didn't have any legacy, no reputation to fight for. Why should one abandon your history when you're merely joining a desperate amalgamation of forces under an unknown Kell?
Even if House of Winter was tainted and reviled, it still didn't mean that the other Houses were any better. Creating a new House won't suddenly absolve others of the sins they've committed either.
...
I...merely wanted to bring back House of Winter's greatness. I didn't want to be Fallen anymore, I wanted to regain the right to call myself Eliksni.
Some Fallen referred to us by the name of our race, but I see it as something that shouldn't be tainted by us.
We are scavengers.
Pirates.
Vermin.
Fallen.
...
Now...the legacy of House of Winter is going to die with me...
...
...
Sorrow starts to sink its clutches into my soul, my four eyes closing as my body continues to move on autopilot.
Perhaps this is the deserving fate of an unforgiveable creature like me.
Zolviks - part of a Fallen House, part of a Fallen people.
...
My legs buckle, my body collapsing onto the ground as my breaths become weaker.
Our legacy...
...My legacy...
I open my eyes - my gaze shifting to the Ghost that's still in my clutches. I cradle it gently, lifting it out of the sand as I look at it.
...Nameless Ghost...
...You are the sworn enemy of our people...
...But you...are the last hope of the people of Sol...
...And perhaps...
...The last hope...of a lowly Fallen such as I...
...
...You never found a Given...
...
...But...
...I don't want the legacy of my house to fade...
...I can't let it die with me...
"Winter..." My voice utters out, my tone faint.
...There...
...You are no longer a nameless Ghost...
...You are Winter, the last remaining piece of House Winter's legacy...
...If you are not dead, if you will possibly come back to roam once more...
...Know that you are Winter...
...
...Even if you are not Fallen...
...Even if you are not Eliksni...
...Carry the name of Winter to honor the last shred of my House's legacy...
...My legacy...
My eyes blur further, feeling my grip loosening on Winter's shell...
Yet through the corner of my eye I notice movement, only for my gaze to shift up.
Two figures are standing over me, but their forms are hard...to decipher due to the darkness created by the setting star...
...
My eyes focus slightly, trying desparetly to see who it is.
Given?
...Vex?
...
No... They are...black, wearing pieces of white clothing. They are holding weapons of gold...
...They are speaking, their tones hushed yet guarded...
...I do not understand them...
...
Whoever they are, they must be the inhabitants of this unknown world...
...
...I can't let Winter disappear into the sand, our legacy must...continue...
With the last essence of my strength I raise the Ghost to the figures, offering him to them in the palms of my open claws.
"Take...Winter." I faintly gasp, my words pleading. "Do not...let him...disappear..."
The two figures glance at each other, their expressions impossible to decipher due to my fading vision. It's not difficult to know that they don't understand me, they can't speak the tongue of my people like Winter can.
They hold a hushed conversation - an argument from their tones of voice - in the language I do not understand. This goes on for several long moments, my arms starting to shake as the last remnants of my strength fades...
...But finally they finish their argument and one of them nods, turning to me and...gingerly taking the Ghost from my grasp.
...
...With Winter possibly finding safety...
...I let my arms fall to the ground, my surroundings darkening...
...
...It is up to you now, Winter...
...As the last remnant of House of Winter's legacy, please...do not let us be forgotten...
...
...I am Zolviks...
...Fallen of House Winter...
...
...And it's time for me...to see my mother again...
(As a heads up, due to the sheer length of the From the Veils post I've just uploaded I've decided to separate it into two different posts, so there is one more I will be uploading sometime in the future!
Once that is finished? There will be one last unrelated - and yet still somewhat related - From the Veil post, after which all that's left would be the Summaries of the Venhara arc.)
[Name: Zolviks]
[Race: Fallen]
[Affiliation: House of Winter]
[PoV: Zolviks]
The sound of gunfire radiates around me as I scurry as fast as my legs can carry my frame, my weapon flashing brilliantly with red light as I shoot down every Vex machine that reveals itself before me.
A bolt of red streaks past my head - barely missing due to me shifting my form during my mad sprint. My gaze locks onto the source and sees a Vex Hobgoblin standing on an elevated platform, its elongated rifle crackling with power.
Without slowing my sprint I aim the rifle at it and unleash several bolts of power, striking the machine and sending it off balance - its metal form plummeting into the ground.
This weapon is far superior than any Fallen weaponry, possessing enough power to kill Vex within one or two shots.
"This way!" The ghost shouts in my tongue, his tiny form suddenly taking a sharp right to go down a tunnel within the rock and metal architecture.
A hiss escapes my maw as I quickly follow after, projectiles striking the space behind me as the Vex continue their onslaught. They are slower than us, however that won't necessarily mean we will easily lose them. They can still close the distance through their capability of teleporting.
The two of us keep our rapid escape through the winding tunnel, leading further and further into the depths of the Vault. Flee back the way we came is of no option as of right now, the Vex already cut off that possibility when they first arrived.
I see a flash of something appearing before us, causing both the Ghost and I to slow down.
A larger Vex machine has teleported to cut off our path, its red optic glowing with cold intent. A low screech escapes from the machine as it raises its fist before bringing it down upon my frame.
I growl with exertion as my form leaps to the side, the sound of stone cracking and crunching from the sheer force of the machine's might. Immediately I raise my weapon and open fire, watching as the Minotaur's shields flare to life as it wards off the bolts.
It stands up fully and aims its weapon at me - the Torch Hammer crackling with purple flame as it prepares to unleash its payload. Before it could fire however the shields fail against my repeated shots, shattering with the sound akin to fire extinguishing.
With no external protection its body stumbles back from the weapon fire, the force sending its arm upwards as it unleashes its own gun. A purple projectile launches and strikes the ceiling, detonating in a brilliant purple explosion. When the smoke clears the Minotaur stumbles to the ground as the white milky substance of its core leaks out.
Dead.
"That's a close one!" The Ghost gasps with relief. "C'mon! We're still not safe yet!"
His words drive me from my sudden stupor. Me - a lowly Vandal - killing a Minotaur by myself? They are machines capable of ending many Fallen before finally expiring, only our Captains possessing the power and technological prowess to fight them as equals.
With a chitter of confirmation I continue back down the tunnels with the Ghost, moving as fast as my body is allowing.
...
[Name: None]
[Race: Ghost]
[Affiliation: The Light]
[PoV: Ghost]
The two of us finally slow down when there's no more sign of Vex pursuing us.
"I think we've lost them..." I sigh, although I more than anything that we truly haven't.
The Vex know for certain where we are - we are within their Vault after all. If they've stopped their chase, that means they're biding their time for something.
The Fallen Vandal is breathing raggedly, each gasp hissing through his mask. He clearly overexerted himself since he's been doing nothing but running and shooting for who knows how long.
I watch as he takes another Ether capsule from his pouch before stuffing it into his mask, filling it with the essence before discarding it onto the ground.
"Must be wary..." He chitters cautiously - but only for a moment. As if realizing who he's with he lets out an angry growl, glaring at me.
Right. Fallen and the people of Sol don't get along.
Part of me still feels kinda bad, this guy is the reason why I'm still in one piece. If I were his Guardian I'd be able to restore his stamina and cure him of his exhaustion since we Ghosts possess powerful restorative capabilities...
...But he's not my Guardian.
"What now?" He demands with impatience.
Well... Even though he very much dislikes me, he at least understands that surviving alone while surrounded by hostile Vex isn't going to do him any favors.
"We should look for a Conflux." I answer him, thinking of the best course of action. Finding one would mean that-
"Conflux?" The Vandal repeats with a mixture of confusion and frustration. "Explain!"
"A Vex Conflux?" I say with my own mix of irritation. "You know... The pillars of bright light?" I let out an indignant huff. "It's a solid state of data that acts as an extension to the Vex network. If we can find one I can look into the layout of the Vault and find a path where we can get out of here."
The Vandal chitters with irritation but ultimately says nothing.
Feeling a bit more satisfied that he understands the plan - and has no objections, the two of us continue down the winding tunnel, the air thick with tension.
As we comove I feel my gaze occasionally glance at him, particularly the dirty and heavily worn armor that he's wearing. I'm not sure why he's alone or wearing the colors of House of Winter, but it's obvious that he's been alone for...quite a while.
...Actually...
"What's your name?" I ask curiously, my form bobbing in the air with curiosity.
He glances sharply at me. "Why?" He growls, the simple question laced with suspicion.
"Well, I want a label to assign to you that isn't 'Fallen' or 'Vandal'." I huff. "Unless you actually want to refer to you by something like that?"
His gaze narrows, but in the end a chittering thrum rumbles in his throat before he focuses on the path ahead.
Fine then I guess, if you don't want to share your name-
"Zolviks." He mutters - his answer making me pause in the air for a moment.
"Zolviks?" I repeat before nodding - or at least trying to nod, my tiny frame bobbing up in down to mimic the gesture. "Even if it's not really a pleasure due to circumstances, it is nice to to be acquainted."
He shakes his head before glancing at me - muttering something I don't catch, only to glance at me once more. "What of you?"
This makes me falter, my form pausing in the air for a moment before quickly moving again. "What about me?" I ask hesitantly.
He growls at this. "Your name." He elaborates further with growing irritation.
Ah...
"I...uh..." I slowly start, now feeling self-conscious. "...I don't have a name."
This makes Zolviks blink before looking at me incredulously. "You have no name?" He asks with suspicion. "I do not believe you."
"Well excuse me!" I exclaim with displeasure. "Us Ghosts weren't given names when we were created! If you meet a Ghost with a name, it's because their Guardians chose it for them!"
He blinks several more times before a low chuckle escapes him.
"What's so funny?" I growl back, glaring at him.
"Ghost with no Given. No name." He starts shaking his head - clearly finding some sort of sick humor in my circumstance.
"Well it's not my fault that I still can't find my Guardian!" I start to yell, only to catch myself as I shouldn't make too much noise in case our enemies are listening.
I huff with irritation before falling silent. It's clear that this Fallen doesn't understand my situation - nor will he ever care.
Actually? He'd be more than glad to just shoot me down on the spot if it wasn't for the fact that I'm of use to him.
So with that I fall into silence, the only sound being that of my frustrated thoughts and the soft steps of Zolvik's feet.
...
[Name: Zolviks]
[Race: Fallen]
[Affiliation: House of Winter]
[PoV: Zolviks]
Much time has passed - or at least what I believe to be - since when we first entered this tunnel to begin with.
The lack of Vex has put me on edge once more, I can feel the sensation of them watching us.
My gaze narrows as I notice a change in the path ahead of us. The tunnel seems to open up, leading to a sort of chamber.
Upon getting closer I press my frame against the wall - the Ghost following suit and hovering right beside me. I scan our surroundings of the new environment, not liking how open it is.
...In the end I see no Vex, but I do notice a pillar of intersecting lines of light that's in the center of this place.
"A Vex Conflux." The Ghost whispers. "I can use that to gain access to their network. Cover my back!"
Without warning the Ghost immediately darts out from cover and flies straight towards the 'Conflux' before I can even react.
"Fool!" I growl with frustration. Such recklessness will get both of us killed! Even though there's no Vex in sight, it doesn't rule out the possibility of it being an ambush!
Left with no choice I utter several choice curse words before quickly following after him, my form low to the ground in case of the possibility of snipers.
As I arrive to the Conflux I notice that the Ghost is already at its work, beams of light shooting from optic that connects to the intersecting lines of data.
I remember the recollections of other Fallen of how Ghosts possess a sort of ability to easily access most technology and networks, their universal hacking capability meaning that the only thing stopping them from accessing anything would be how much time they're willing to spend - and how long their Given can hold off against incoming threats.
I hear the Ghost muse to himself as he seems to be finding something, leaving me to stand anxiously as I continue to scan my surroundings for anything.
"...Oh my..." I hear the Ghost mutter.
"What?" I hiss, turning my glare briefly at the Ghost for a moment before turning back to surveying for any threats. "What do you see?"
"...A lot of...weird experiments." The Ghost answers slowly. "Involving...timelines? Alternate realities I think? It's not concerning the Hezen Protective - the Vex Collective in charge of protecting and completing tasks within the Vault, but instead a Collective referred to as...the Aesive Subjugation?"
"What of our way of escape?!" I say with growing impatience. Whatever the Ghost is finding does not concern our current situation. "I thought you were looking for a way for us-"
"I am! Hold on a moment." The Ghost cuts me off.
A frustrated hiss escapes me. "We have little time!"
"I'm aware!" He retorts back. "I'm still looking! But right now-"
The Ghost falls silent, his body freezing in the air.
Alarm starts to seep into my carapace, my gaze shifting nervously between the Ghost - who has suddenly stopped moving - and our surroundings.
"Ghost?" I ask anxiously, attempting to get his attention. Seeing him still not answer, I speak again with more force. "Answer!"
"This is troubling..." He finally responds, his gaze shifting to me. "Us escaping this place through the way we came is impossible, the Vex have already sealed the Vault."
Dread starts sinking its claws into my soul. "What?!" I exclaim loudly.
"But that doesn't mean we can't escape!" He quickly adds. "There is a way out, but it's through a path that we normally shouldn't take. The Vex are up to something huge, and the only way out is to go through a Transfer Gate."
Transfer Gate - the portals that connect to various locations through their network. Using them is often a massive risk since there's nothing signifying where it will lead, most Fallen tend to avoid it at all cost or even shut them down to prevent Vex from navigating through them.
But if the Vault is sealed as the Ghost said, we truly have no other way to escape.
Another curse is uttered under my breath. "Very well." I grumble. "If we must use a gate, then-"
A distinct sound cuts me off, my body tensing with alarm. The sound of humming and crackling energy.
"Vex incoming!" The Ghost shouts with distress. "We need to leave, now!"
Clouds of mist manifest in the air followed by angular patterns similar to arcing bolts of lightning - the sign of larger numbers of Vex teleporting in from long distance.
At this point the Ghost is already on the move, flying rapidly towards a clear destination. I don't hesitate and bolt after, once more pushing my form to its limit.
A chorus of synthetic howls and screeches are heard behind me as the Vex finish manifesting, their frames dropping from the air and landing on the ground.
Already they're firing upon me with a storm of red and purple bolts, but by this point I've already reached the other end of the massive chamber and ducked into the hallway opposite of where we came - the energy striking and exploding upon the walls.
I hear the deep screeches of the Minotaurs as they aggressively chase after us, their bodies blinking in and out with short-range teleports - a trait that makes them more dangerous than the more standard models of the Vex.
Not stopping my sprint I aim my weapon behind me and start shooting at the Minotaurs, their purple shields flaring with each bolt that comes in contact. They return fire with their Torch Hammers, the explosive projectiles flying through the air.
"Left!" The Ghost shouts suddenly before darting down a side path.
I use my momentum to leap towards that direction he went - the purple projectiles flying past where I was going and exploding in the distance.
"Right!" The Ghost announces again before quickly moving.
The Minotaurs - two of them - are right on our heels, the only reason they're unable to land a successful shot on us is due to how we're weaving through the winding tunnels that make up this maze.
After several more turns, the Ghost speaks again. "Our destination is across the chasm before us, make use of the platforms!" He says loudly as we finally leave the tunnels and into a vast open space. Before us is a cliff that drops down into an infinite abyss, countless floating platforms of stone seemingly hovering in the air with no support - creating a sort of path. On the other side of this 'bridge' of platforms is another giant cliff - except barely visible is a tunnel that leads further into the Vault.
Using my athletic body I leap off the cliff and soar through the air, landing onto one of the floating platforms before quickly sprinting forward.
The Minotaurs behind us stop at the edge of the cliff, continuing to fire their weapons in an attempt take us down from afar.
But a Fallen is dexterous, our movements swift. These platforms are easy for me to navigate with each leap, the gunfire of the Vex only striking where I was. In the end the Vex cease with shooting, seeing that we've gotten out of range.
Finally I reach the other side - my breathing heavy from exertion.
"We're almost here!" The Ghost says with growing excitement. "Once we go through this last tunnel, the Transfer Gate will be found in the next chamber!"
I can't help but let out a chuckle of relief, having once again gotten out unscathed with another encounter from the Vex.
Despite all of my frustrations, the directions the Ghost gave has allowed us to escape the pursuit of the machines.
"Then let us escape here." I nod, feeling my spirits rise for the first time since I've entered the Vault. "Then-"
I didn't finish the sentence, for my words are cut out as a bolt of red power pierces through my frame, leaving a deep hole in my side.
...
[PoV: Ghost]
I watch in horror as the bolt of Solar energy tears straight through the Vandal, my prior hopefulness immediately extinguished.
"Zolviks!" I shout with shock.
There's only one weapon the Vex have that can make such a precise shot from a distance - a Line Rifle, the weapon of the Hobgoblin.
My gaze quickly turns to the source and sees the Vex sniper standing on an alleviated platform that wasn't there previously, its weapon already charging for another shot with clear intention to finish the job.
"We need to get out of here!" I shout - the only thing I can do. "Let's go! LET'S GO!"
Zolviks hisses in agony before stumbling into the tunnel with me right beside him, the distinct ping of the Line Rifle is heard before the shot impacts into the spot we were just standing earlier.
As we quickly move further in, my gaze turns to the Fallen's injury.
Seeing the current state the injury is, my heart would be sinking if I had one. It is very bad, a chunk of his side has been disintegrated and bleeding profusely.
"How...much...further..." He says through clenched teeth, his two lower arms clutching his side as agony burns in his four eyes.
"N-Not much farther!" I say quickly, panic flowing through me. "Just a few more turns and we'll arrive to the chamber with the gate that will get us out of here!"
Although my knowledge on Eliksni biology is limited, it's clear that an injury that Zolviks received is very, very bad. With how much blood he's losing he'll certainly bleed out unless he's given immediate medical attention.
And even if we get through the gate, he won't survive for very long on the other side.
Desperation starts to sink in. As much as the Eliksni angered me on several occasions, I didn't want any harm to be fall him. The more I start to realize that I don't have any options to help him, my thoughts start to become more irrational.
"I-I can heal you, just keep moving!" I say - remembering how Ghosts are able to undo even the most life threatening injuries to their Guardians.
As the Fallen continues to stumble forward I hover beside his wound, my shell opening as I start channeling the power of the Light.
Come on... Come on...
A pulse of energy is released as it envelopes the Eliksni, but whatever slim hope I had is immediately crushed when I see that nothing changed.
...Of course nothing changed... He's not my Guardian...
With a growl of frustration I release another pulse of light, and then another...
But nothing changes. Zolviks is dying.
Useless! Useless useless useless!
What is the point of a Guardianless Ghost? I can't do anything or save anyone! Even though Zolviks is an Eliksni - and by extension an enemy of Humanity, he still kept me alive! He looked out for me!
"Enough, Ghost..." He says in a strained tone. "Save your Light."
My shell closes as I look at the Eliksni, despair sinking in.
"I was reckless, to think myself save even when dealing with the ire of the Vex." He growls softly, it's clear that his maw is clenching even with the mask he wears. "This is the fate of the foolish."
"But you were not foolish! We were doing so well!" I try to argue, only for him to let out a sharp, pained laugh.
"All it takes is one moment, one lapse in judgement. Us Fallen understand it well, it is a lesson we teach our hatchlings as soon as they can understand." His body stumbles, using one of his upper arms to press against the stone and metal wall to support himself. "...I am merely a Vandal, a fate such as this is...expected."
I'm not sure on what sort of thoughts are going through his mind, but it's obvious that he knows this injury is fatal. But there's no panic or anger, only...acceptance.
I end up not responding him, since...I have nothing left to say. In the end I float beside him in silence as our movement slows down with time.
...
Eventually...the tunnel opens once more to another large chamber, except this time...there is a Vex Transfer gate in the wall on the opposite side.
A large ring of bronze metal with glowing white intersecting lines of solidified data in the center - the iconic appearance of the portals that the Vex use for long-distance travel. And by long distance, it could either be from one side of a building to the other...or across entire star systems.
...
When I was looking for a way out, I saw what the Vex are doing. Something perhaps more concerning than anything we've recorded.
...And it is tied to that Transfer Gate.
"Zolviks..." I say with concern, noticing how much the Eliksni is struggling. He's lost a lot of blood already, his lower hands stained blue from attempting to staunch the wound. "Once we go through that portal, we'll be out of the Vault. But I need to warn you, on the other side is nothing like where we're from."
He doesn't look at me while we get closer to the portal, but it's clear that he doesn't understand.
He needs to know.
"It doesn't just lead us outside the Vault, Zolviks. It will take us to a-" I start only for a loud, roaring screech to shake the entirety of the chamber.
My body quickly turns to the source - the sound belonging to one of the few Vex machines capable of emitting a noise of such caliber: A Hydra.
I watch in horror as it materializes behind us, its segmented body being far bigger than any typical Hydra. It's clearly an Axis Mind - a Vex of higher authority and power than the standard machine.
"Nevermind! I'll tell you later!" I shout with growing panic. "We need to get through that portal NOW!"
White barriers of energy that Hydras manifest around it, its ultimate defense removing any possibility of harming it as it aims its weapons at us. Another loud roar emanates from it, the sheer power of the sound shaking us to our core.
Zolviks hisses before using what remaining strength in his body to run to the Transfer Gate, his blue blood continuing to leave a trail on the ground.
The gate is just within our reach - only a little farther!
The Hydra proceeds to unleash the cannons on its sides, firing a salvo of explosive projectiles upon us.
We are so close...! But...! We're not gonna-
The Fallen reaches one of his claws towards me and grasps my shell, his fingers gripping tightly around me as he uses the last of his strength to leap towards the gate.
For a moment time seems to slow, the incoming projectiles growing closer and closer to us as we sail through the air.
And just as the shots of the Hydra's Aeon Mauls are about to impact, we pass through the portal.
My vision goes white, my senses shifting and scrambling. I can't see, I can't hear!
What's going on?!
Parts of myself are shutting down one by one, the strain of traversing through the Vex network overwhelming me.
Traveling through a Transfer Gate shouldn't cause any issue at all for me - especially since other Ghosts have recounted times they and their Guardians have used them to traverse Vex structures.
Is it because that this gate leads to a completely different-
...
...
...
[Location: ???; ???]
[PoV: Zolviks]
My momentum carries me through the Transfer Gate, my form soaring through the air before crashing hard into the ground. A loud hiss of pain escapes my maw as I proceed to roll across stone, my already severe injury worsening further.
When we slow to a stop, I merely lay there for a moment with my eyes clenched shut. The only sound heard are the labored breaths from my form, and the bellowing of wind.
...Wind?
...
...Why do I feel...warm?
Slowly I lift open my gaze and behold sunlight and bright blue skies, a vast contrast the green skies of Venus. As I slowly shift my focus to the horizon, I find myself pausing in stunned silence.
Beyond the surrounding architecture of the Vex, I see nothing but rolling dunes of sand.
"Ghost..." I manage to wheeze, the mere action of speaking causing me pain. "Where are we now?"
No response.
My gaze shifts to the Ghost that I've kept in my clutches, only to realize that the light in his optic is gone.
I slowly pull myself to my knees with my two lower arms, my upper arms still keeping a tight grip on my weapon and the Ghost.
"Ghost?" I repeat again, confusion forming in my voice.
Still no response.
I've seen many dead Ghosts during our expeditions around Venus, their bodies broken from a cruel encounter with fate. Their bodies would be broken, their optics devoid of any light.
Is he...?
...
...I can't stay here...
..It's not safe...
I'm still around Vex territory seeing the spanning geometric structures of stone, glass, and metal. But further beyond are the dunes of sand - untouched by the machines.
Slowly standing up on shaking legs, I once more press my lower hands into the wound that continues to bleed. I have nothing to staunch it, nothing to cover it...
...Don't think about it...
I slowly start my trek away from the Transfer Gate, the smooth stone beneath my feet slowly being replaced with coarse sand. I continue to hold my weapon like it's a lifeline, and the Ghost...?
...
If he is dead, there is no use on holding onto him any longer. He had his use, he assisted me in escaping from the Vex even if it's not unscathed...
...But in the end, I couldn't let go of him.
...
I...do not know where I should go, but I do know that it's away from where I came...
As the structures of the Vex behind me start to slowly fade into the distance, I feel my gaze turn to the sky once more.
FtV - To Find Your Light | Tattered Banner of Winter
I was born the moment the first Traveler died...
...as everything collapsed around me.
Before that day, there had never been a Ghost.
There had never been a Guardian.
There's not much I know about the Traveler. But I do know it made me to bring back a Guardian.
...And yet I have found nothing, even after spending a really, really long time searching.
As I saw the other Ghosts find their Guardians, and the centuries went by, I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever find my Guardian.
...
[Location: Venus - Ishtar Sink; Vault of Glass]
[Name: None]
[Race: Ghost]
[Affiliation: The Light]
[PoV: Ghost]
I cautiously float through the dark depths of the Vex architecture, the air silent except for the soft hum. My optic continues to scan my surroundings, looking for any trace of...something.
Now you'd might ask me: "By the Traveler! Why are you within the heart of one of the Vex's most infamous domains?" Now that is a pretty good question, as a Ghost I am already incredibly vulnerable to so many things - not to mention my shell isn't designed for durability in mind.
But... At this point I feel that I've lost most options when it comes to searching for my Guardian, almost every part of this system has been scoured. Earth, Mars, Mercury, I've looked everywhere. Venus is no different, its constant rain pelting the rainforests below as I've spent countless cycles searching for my Guardian.
...So it got me thinking. Perhaps I should search one of the darkest places? There is no place darker than the Vault of Glass.
The place where time is in flux, where the Vex's most convoluted experiments involving timelines have taken place. We've lost a notable Fireteam in there, not to mention it has been opened countless times - the first couple times by Guardians, and then by Eliksni.
...And when I arrived at its door, I was even more surprised to find it open once more. Normally the Vault is sealed, the only way to open it being the three pressure plates - each requiring a separate entity to stand upon at the same time. So if it was opened, it means that someone went inside.
So of course...I decided to go in as well!
A calculated risk since the place is going to be swarming with Vex, but perhaps there will be something in there that will help me find my Guardian.
As my form continues to drift through the air, soft clicks and hums radiate from my form and bounce off the geometric architecture that makes the interior of the Vault's depths. It's not quite clear how much of this space actually exists - on a technical and literal term specifically. It's supposedly been mapped by the Vanguard and it indicates that it goes very, VERY deep into Venus. In fact there are some parts of the Vault that don't actually match with the surrounding terrain, meaning that its existence disobeys the laws of space in additional of time.
Or maybe it bends the laws...?
...
As my form drifts deeper and deeper into the vault, I surprisingly haven't seen a single shred of Vex or their glowing red optics. Wherever there's Vex structures there's Vex activity, but this place feels very...forgotten.
Where are the Vex? I'm sure they wouldn't abandon something this vital - regardless of how many times the Vault has been breached. There's several ontological weapons they've developed that needs protection, so certainly they have to be somewhere....
...But it's...so quiet...
Did they leave?
Or are they...slumbering?
...
[Location: Venus - Ishtar Sink; Vault of Glass]
[Name: Zolviks]
[Race: Fallen]
[Affiliation: House of Winter]
[PoV: Zolviks]
My form crouches low to the stone and metal ground as I crawl slowly through the darkness, the air feeling cold against my carapace.
I do not know how long I have been wandering through the Vault of Glass, but I have yet to see any Vex.
...But that does not mean I haven't found anything of disinterest.
I stumbled upon the remains of countless Fallen, their colors showing that they were part of House of Wolves. I knew that they entered the Vault with Skolas in order to steal Vex technology, but conflict erupted when the Given followed to stop them.
The Given.
The Guardians.
I hiss lowly as I shake my head, driving the hateful thoughts from my mind.
That was years ago when that happened. However when I found the bodies of the Wolves, it appeared as if they were freshly killed. Perfectly preserved corpses without a speck of rot.
So the words hold true, time truly holds little meaning within the Vault. Even though countless years have passed, the bodies of the Wolves don't reflect this.
In the end I cared little, all that truly mattered was that there were countless Ether vials on several of the Fallen. I scrambled to take any that I could fit in my pouches, refilling my Life Air in order to stave off starvation.
...
I place another vial to my mask, a soft hiss filling the air as I pump more of the Life Air - the corpse of the Wolves long behind me. I take a ragged breath before dropping the vial onto the ground, its use holding no more meaning to me.
My Shock Blades are still drawn in my other two hands, my fingers clenching the weapons tightly - as if a mere gust of wind is enough to knock them from my hands and send them plunging into the infinitely spanning pit of blackness before me.
...However there is no wind, the air is deathly still.
...
Where are the Vex?
My gaze continues to scan my surroundings as I press my back against one of the stone walls. The space I'm standing in overlooks a cliff that opens towards endless darkness. Around me are countless paths that lead into open areas, spaces that could spell certain death if any Hobgoblins - Vex snipers - were watching.
But they are not watching.
Or are they?
With there being no sign of Vex, I immediately sheath my Shockblades and lower onto my four arms. Using my six appendages proceed to crawl rapidly towards the next place of cover.
And then the next. And then the next.
Slow progress, but I can't risk being careless. Even with no sign of the machines, I still must not let my guard down.
...
I am Fallen...
I have survived for this long due to my own cunning and desire to survive...
I may die someday, but it will not be due to my own foolishness.
...
I do not know if time is passing, by at least I know I'm making some sort of progress into the Vault's deepest depths.
Carefully scaling down the smooth and rigid cliffs.
Carefully and swiftly moving across open spaces.
Carefully rationing my Ether.
...
WHERE ARE THE VEX?!
My gaze is frantic now, trying to find even a single shred of the red lights that their eyes radiate. Only darkness answers me. Darkness and the lifeless geometric structures that they've transformed this terrain into.
Did they flee this place? Did they abandon the Vault?
Not only is there no sign of any of the machines, there's also no sign of any sort of technology that I can utilize.
Have I spent days in the Vault? Weeks? Months? I can't tell anymore, and with how time flows within it could've only been a day outside while being a century in here...
I'm growing desperate, will I truly find something to revive my House?
I catch a hiss of frustration in my maw before it escapes, instead to shake my head silently.
I can't allow any sound to be heard. I can't chance the Vex finding me.
As I move to the next place of cover, I glance ahead to notice something new that lays out in the open.
The body of a Given.
My senses are on alert. I recognize that armor: the armor of a dealer of death. A slaughterer of Fallen, a monster that comes back even when killed.
I gaze at it for a long while, waiting to see if it would move. To see if a Ghost - the small mechanical monstrosities - would appear and revive it...
...But...nothing.
Ever so slowly my curiosity starts to take place of my caution, my inner mind screaming at me to not approach the body of the Given.
But...something in its grasp calls for me.
Ever so slowly I approach the body, my glowing eyes fixated on it. Eventually I arrive and I can see that it is certainly dead. Several parts of its armor and flesh have clean holes - as if disintegrated by intense heat, clear signs of Vex weaponry.
My gaze eventually drifts from the injuries and more to what's in its hands.
Clenched tightly in its grasp...is a weapon.
It looks to be Vex in design, but...clearly not designed to be wielded by the Vex?
It holds handles designed for hands like mine and the Given, to be wielded easily like any other armament. Although the darkness of the Vault makes it difficult to decipher most details, I can at least make out its surface to be the color of brass - a color that some Vex collectives that inhabit this planet share. It has a scope as well whose lens is as red as the eyes of the Vex.
It is a weapon. A gun.
I carefully pull it out of the Given's hands, inspecting it with curiosity. Could this be it? The thing I was searching for?
The weapon itself doesn't look too impressive besides its uniqueness. Although it may perhaps aid me better while I am in this Vault, I do not think that something this simple is enough.
I need to find something greater. Something-
A voice exclaims behind me in a language I'm unfamiliar, cutting off my train of thought and bringing me back to reality.
A loud hiss escapes from me, frustrated for dropping my guard so carelessly. I swiftly turn around, aiming the weapon at the source of the voice.
However my eyes widen in confusion upon what my gaze lands upon...
...
[PoV: Ghost]
I continued to move down the depths of the Vault, my form flitting from space to space. Unable to help myself I've been scanning any sort of protrusion in the architecture, to see if I can gleam insight on any sort of technological knowledge that could help me navigate.
Of course I don't get any results, but there's no shame in trying.
I know the Vex have data streams that other Ghosts have used to find important information - such as layouts, but there's nothing at all here!
More floating around and more nothing, just the creepy depths of the infinitely spanning Vex space.
It wasn't until I reached the space where the Templar once dwelled that I finally found something interesting.
Eliksni corpses. From the design in their armor I recognize them to belong to the House of Wolves. Ignoring the insignia, the iconic coloration for them are the deep blues with gray accents. Seeing these guys are definitely a throwback.
Those...were interesting times when I think about, thankfully I was searching Mars for my Guardian when the whole event transpired. I missed the whole thing, but at least I have the Vanguard to thank for allowing me to stay informed with the recent happenings in the system.
...Well, guess I can't really thank them since I never did ask for their permission for accessing their archives...
...Anyways...
There's no point in really searching them - Eliksni corpses I mean. Eliksni can't be Guardians, they don't hold the promise of Light - the small spark allows one to become a Guardian.
...
Or can they?
...
It's not like I ever checked now that I think about it, but there has never been a single Eliksni Guardian before. It also didn't help that they tended to shoot at us constantly, but still...
...
No shame in giving it a shot. If I do end up reviving the first Eliksni Guardian, I wouldn't have to worry about them shooting me. Guardians lose all their memories when they're first awakened after all - a clean slate.
I start scanning each and every corpse, looking for the sign that shows them as a Guardian. Part of me is almost hoping that I find the one among them - regardless of them being Eliksni. But to my unsurprise...none of them were my Guardian.
"...I guess it's really a big waste of time to come here." I mutter to myself, my synthesized voice echoing throughout the Templar's Well.
What did I even hope to find? The only corpses here are going to be Guardians and Eliksni. People who become Guardians and then die their final death can't become Guardians again by new Ghosts, and Eliksni are just...not an option to be Guardians.
I let out a sigh, deciding that it's time for me to abandon this pointless location and move onto somewhere else. Anywhere is better than here.
As I start floating back the way I came, something catches my eye...
...Ether vials?
I turn through the air and dart over to them, beams of light radiating from my optic as I scan them.
Although time is difficult to measure within the Vault, these...really do look like they're far more fresh than anything else I've seen here.
...Is there something else in this Vault besides me and corpses?
Perhaps a living Eliksni?
...A terrible idea if so, like I've said before they tend to shoot at me upon seeing. Something about them hating Ghosts and Guardians for 'stealing the Great Machine'.
Now back to the main thought at hand? Bad idea to follow. Really big bad idea.
...But...you know what? At this point I'm too curious to leave, and it's not like I'm going to find my Guardian anytime soon...
...If ever...
...
I start moving towards the direction of the vials, even with how spaced out they are they seem to create a sort of trail that I'm able to follow. It went deeper and deeper into the Vault, meaning that the one responsible is probably looking for something...
...And eventually I found the one responsible.
I stop before darting to one of giant rectangular columns of stone and metal, my tiny form just barely peaking out.
An Eliksni Vandal! And judging from their colors they belong...to House of Winter?
I thought that House was completely abandoned, since most Eliksni casted aside their previous allegiances to unify themselves under House Dusk initially - in preparation for the Darkness.
But this Eliksni clearly doesn't hold the signature purple colors of House of Dusk, they instead have bright whites and cyan that are associated with the House of Winter.
The thing that makes me most curious however is that their body is hovered over the remains of a Guardian.
Are they holding something?
I really should be hiding, but there's something in the Vandal's grasp that I can't quite make out from my position.
So against all sense of better judgement I float away from the position I was hiding in and move a little closer, my optic zooming in on the equipment.
...And I recognized it immediately! A enigmatic piece of weaponry found within the Vault, a gun from a far-flung corner of time and space. How it works is a mystery and same for its material, and the greatest curiosity is that it's designed for Human hands. It clearly looks Vex tech, but why the weapon is even usable for Humans is something no one can answer.
And it's right before me!
"The Mythoclast!" I exclaim with excitement, thrilled to see it with my own eye. I quickly realize my mistake however when the Vandal flinches, a loud hiss escaping from them as they spin on their heels to aim the fabled weapon at me.
...Oh dear...
...
[PoV: Zolviks]
A Ghost - the machines of the Given, the ones responsible for them coming back despite death after death?!
Here?!
A loud hiss radiates from me as my eyes narrow with hatred.
The source of death to Fallen! The one that makes the Given have the powers they wield!
Realization hits me. If a Ghost is here, that must mean a Given is close by. A Ghost is never without their Given.
My gaze frantically scans my surroundings, looking for the looming bane of Fallen kind. Yet despite how much I look, I see neither glimpse of armor or...
I pause, realizing that I'm standing over the body of a Given. Does this mean that this Given belongs to the Ghost?
No. I can't let it revive it!
The Ghost says something again, its tone indicating nervousness. However I don't understand those words, nor do I wish to understand the language of the Given.
I aim the weapon at its tiny hovering form - the Ghost's body small enough to fit in the palm of my claws, my finger resting upon the trigger of the gun.
"Hold on! I am a friend!" I hear the Ghost shout - this time in the tongue I understand.
Despite my rage I find myself faltering, confused that it even knows to speak in the tongue of my people.
"S-See? I know Eliksni!" He chuckles awkwardly. "I'm not an enemy, I am-"
A growl thrums in my throat, making the Ghost float back slightly in fear.
"Not Eliksni!" I hiss, my fangs gritting together. "Fallen!"
"O-Oh." The Ghost stutters nervously, his eye quickly looking left and right "I-I see, but I thought that the Eliksni was the name of your people, and Fallen is a derogatory term used-"
"Fallen!" I spit with rage, my voice hissing through my mask. "We are not Eliksni, we are Fallen! None deserve to be called Eliksni-"
My breath catches in my throat, realizing that the Ether I've been breathing is spent. Cursing inwardly I scramble for my pouch with my lower arms, keeping the weapon trained on the Ghost as I desperately try to grab one of the vials left More curses are uttered as my desperation causes me to drop several vials, soft clinking radiating through the air as I finally grasp one in my pouch. I stuff it into my mask, a soft hiss signifying my success.
"...You okay?" The Ghost asks my cautiously, his shell rotating slightly. During my moment of weakness he could've fled, and yet he foolishly decided to remain.
And that infuriated me more. How dare a Ghost feel the need to not flee before a Fallen of House Winter! And to show concern? After all the Fallen that the Given has killed?!
My form is trembling with rage. I don't hesitate any further, I keep my weapon tracked on the Ghost and pull the trigger.
A distinct thrum of energy is heard as a bolt of crackling red light shoots from the weapon, sailing through the air with deadly intent. The Ghost yelps and flits to the side, barely avoiding the shot.
"H-Hey! Let's not get hasty here!" He says with growing fear, only to immediately dart through the air again as I continue to lay down the trigger.
Shot after shot is sent from the weapon, its sleek design barely having any recoil as its projectiles fill the dark space with deadly red light. The Ghost however is infuriatingly dodging every shot, moving frantically in random directs as he desperately tries to not get vaporized.
"HOLD ON NOW! JUST LISTEN TO ME!" He cries with desperation. "You need to stop this! Otherwise there's a chance that you might wake-"
Loud synthetic howls and chirps start filling the air, causing me to cease firing the weapon as my eyes widen. In the distance these digital cries echo throughout in the Vault, my eyes frantically locking onto the horizon as countless red lights appear in the distance.
The Vex!
"You!" I growl spitefully at the Ghost. "If-"
"Now hold it right there!" The Ghost exclaims angrily, his form bobbing in the air. "YOU were the one who shot at me! YOU were the one that woke up the Vex!"
My claws clench tightly around the weapon again. "To stop you from reviving the Given!" I retort back with barely restrained rage.
"Given? You mean the Guardian?!" The Ghost exclaims with both frustration and confusion. "Well excuse you but I am a Guardianless Ghost! That Guardian isn't mine, and I came here-" He stops, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Forget it! We're both in trouble now, we need to figure out how to escape!"
This Ghost has no Given? That is a lie! I know that this Ghost has the Given. Does it take me for a fool?!
My gaze nervously glance to the distance again, the countless glowing eyes of the Vex signifying that there are many many more coming.
By the Great Machine...
Seeing that it is just me and the Ghost, we have no chance in surviving against the impeding numbers of the ruthless Vex.
I lower my weapon, letting out a growl. "Revive the Given!" I order begrudgingly. One Fallen is not enough to deal with the Collective - especially of such numbers that are quickly approaching. The only one capable of doing so is a Given - which this Ghost has been wanting this entire time.
"What did I just tell you?" The Ghost groans with exasperation." That Guardian is not mine-"
"NOW!" I roar, gesturing frantically to the body.
The Ghost grumbles indignantly before floating over to the Given, beams of light escaping from his optic as he scans it. After a few moments the beams die, only for him to turn and glare at me.
"See?!" He says with annoyance and a small fraction of smugness. "That Guardian is not mine! I am Guardianless-"
The cries of the machines grow louder before a beam of light shoots through the air. My body jerks to the side, the bolt striking the rock behind me - having missed by inches.
Hobgoblins.
The Vex snipers are already firing upon us, and we are out in the open!
"Come on!" The Ghost exclaims before quickly flying down one of the numerous paths of the Vault. "We need to get out of here!"
With another frustrated hiss I quickly run after it, bolts of red energy striking the spot I once stood.
Me - Zolviks, a proud member of House Winter - running with one of the greatest enemies of Eliksni kind.
No...
Fallen. We are Fallen, we are no longer Eliksni. We do not deserve to be called Eliksni.
The air crackles with digital energy before several Vex machines suddenly teleport near me - Goblins, their chirps and howls filling the air as they aim their weapons. I don't hesitate and fire with my own weapon in hand, the red bolts from the Vex technology striking into the frames of the machines and sending their bodies to the ground - disintegrating.
"I'll see if I can get us out!" The Ghost continues to yell in the tongue of my people. "Just keep shooting the Vex!"
To have the fate of my life entwined with a Ghost...
Perhaps I have truly fallen even further than any Fallen...
(At this point I have two From the Veil drafts still saved - both of them being important parts of the story that would set everything in motion for the fourth act.
Although I could simply just include them in the summary, I thought that they deserve a bit more than that.
The first one will be uploaded today (in a few hours specifically) while the second one will be at a later undesignated time, however my main goal is to finish the summarizations of the whole blog by the end of the year - especially since I have a long vacation week coming up that will giving me enough freetime to do so.
So yeah! Only two From the Veils left in my drafts, I hope you'll enjoy this one that's coming up!
...And if you want a bit of a heads up, these From the Veils are ones that take place after FtV - Last of House Winter. I embedded a link for easier access! I don't know how long the second one will be, but the first one that's coming up will definitely be on the lengthier side.)
(An old 'interview' sequence that I made to go more in-depth with Chimera's Strike team before scrapping since I couldn't find a place to put it in, but after looking through my binned posts I thought I'd revive this.
It is essentially multiple interviews that have been cut and stuck together at different intervals. I apologize for the lack of anything since I have very little free time to keep up with the summarization, but hopefully you'll enjoy this!)
[Start of recordings]
Today we will have a very special interview with the Guardian of Twilight's most mysterious team of elite hybrids! You are listening to Daytime in Evolutia and this is your host - Orthwin Daylight! Now we'll have the first member of the Strike Team!
Interviewer: Thank you for giving us the time for this interview, our listeners are very interested to learn abut the members of the Guardian of Twilight's most enigmatic team. Please, introduce yourself for our listeners!
Chimera: I am Chimera - the leader of the Strike Team.
Interviewer: Hello Chimera, we've pooled together a multitude of questions from our listeners who are dying to know more about you! Are you ready?
Chimera: Go ahead.
Interviewer: So just to be clear, your team consists entirely of artificial hybrids made by the HWDP?
Chimera: That's correct.
Interviewer: It's clear to see that you are part Deoxys - which is a very rare Pokemon. Most Deoxys that have been found are often Ferals, so a sentient Deoxys hybrid is practically unheard of! Since you are a hybrid, one of our listeners wanted to know what else you are a hybrid of. Can you tell us what it is?
Chimera: That's classified.
Interviewer: I-I'm sorry, that's...classified?
Chimera: Yes.
[Awkward Silence]
Interviewer: (Awkward laugh) I-I see, in that case we will move to the next question. Another viewer was curious since you go by Chimera - and most of the Guardians of Twilight have an alias they go by when they work. You don't have to reveal your true name for your safety, but a viewer wanted to know-
Chimera: That's classified.
---
Paladin: I am a Hybrid of Bisharp, Escavalier, and Rapidash!
Interviewer: I see! That is quite the combo, we can see that it really shows with you having that centaur-like appearance that's depicted in Human mythology.
Paladin: Aha! That is not the first who have said such a thing, but indeed my appearance is very much like that of a centaur!
Interviewer: Concerning your abilities, one of our listeners wanted to know of what special abilities you possess due to your hybrid nature.
Paladin: Well I am a knight of fire! I wield the power of flames to heat my body to great temperatures for scorching foul villains. I can also conjure a shield of flames hot enough to incinerate even Human bullets that strike it!
Interviewer: My that is impressive! The alias of Paladin truly is fitting, you remind me of some chivalric orders that existed in the past!
Paladin: Alas however I will never truly be part of the chivalric orders of old - such as the Order of the Talon. I very much aspire to be like those very crusaders who fought against evil!
Interviewer: I see! Well on that note, another one of our listeners is curious on-
Paladin: Ah! I should tell you of one of the most impressive stories I've read! It is of a fearsome and valiant crusader known as Tapferkeit who fought against an army of darkness whose numbers ranged in the thousands all by himself.
Interviewer: H-Hold on now Paladin, we need to keep on track here-
Paladin: It all started on a dark day with blood soaking in the ground...
---
Snowstorm: I freeze things, is there anything else you need to do?
Interviewer: I-I'm aware, Snowstorm. You see however, the listens are curious on the specifics of your abilities and roles in the tea-
Snowstorm: So you wish to learn the nitty gritty details, hmmm~? Well, very well. Unlike the standard Salazzle who releases pheromones, my Aurorus side allows me to release mist capable of instantly freezing anything in contact. So when I enter into a room filled with targets, I freeze them solid~ After which I take advantage of my Tyrantrum genes to use my claws and teeth to crush them into little frozen bits of meat. That good enough on the details for your listeners?
[Silence]
---
Interviewer: W-What about your abilities? Our listeners want to know about-
Chimera: Also classified.
---
Trojan: -As for how I receive connection? Progria actually has a network of satellites that orbit around our planet that enable faster connection to their internet network, so by using a transmitter we've stolen from one of the HWDP's facilities I am able to establish contact with those satellites and access the internet even from this remote place here.
Interviewer: I-
Trojan: ...Of course normally my access would be barred since I'm not a registered user and they'd realize that the signal is coming from Evolutia, so I also transmit an extension of myself to use a 'digital smokescreen' to make it difficult to decipher where the signal is coming from, effectively making it impossible to track me. With that I can access the internet from the comfort of the Guardian of Twilight's HQ.
Interviewer: ...Trojan, that isn't even the question I asked- What even is the internet?!
Trojan: ...Heh, forgot that you guys live under a rock since you're using radio as the main source of news here. Alright, the internet-
Interviewer: (Frustrated groan) Forget about that question! Let's get back on topic, our listeners wanted to know-
Trojan: Oh come on, this is vital information to know. You guys wanted to know about what I do, right? Well that requires me to tell you exactly what my role is about when it comes to infiltrating Progria's cyberspace.
Interviewer: [Loud growl of exasperation]
---
Paladin: -and with his great hammer he struck down the foul Lady Midnight, and thus Tapferkeit and the Order of the Talon have won against all odds!
Interviewer: Paladin PLEASE, you have just spent TWENTY MINUTES talking about this unrelated story. We are wasting precious interview time for our listeners-
Paladin: Oh! I am very sorry my friend, it appears that I've allowed myself to get sidetracked. Please, continue with the questions!
Interviewer: It's okay, it's okay... It's very much okay, we can at least get some of these questions answered.
[Sounds of throat clearing]
Interviewer: Okay, so! One of our listeners asked this: What is your greatest achievement in the Guardians of Twilight? What daring act did you accomplish that you remember to this day?
Paladin: Aha! I remember it clear as day where I charged straight into the depths of an HWDP facility with my comrades in arms, to free the captive Pokemon within from their evil clutches!
Interviewer: I see! Are you able to go into detail about this? Or...is this also classified?
Paladin: Ah I can speak of it! It was a glorious battle, in fact it reminded me of the Order of the Talon's great charge against-
---
[Awkward silence]
...
[More awkward silence]
...
Snowstorm: Skitty got your tongue, hmm~?
Interviewer: ...Snowstorm, you can't just...go into the details about these things. There are children who are listening to this broadcast-
Snowstorm: Well they should've known better than to ask such questions.
Interviewer: Just...have some restraint, Snowstorm.
Snowstorm: Restraint? Heh. You can't have restraint when dealing with monsters, handsome.
Interviewer: Wait, handsome?!?! What do you mean by-
Snowstorm: Sometimes you need to realize that the world isn't just sunshine and rainbows, that you really need to cut it all away to reveal that blood and death is very, very real. For those listening? People die, and I certainly am responsible for a good deal of death. Don't worry though, at least the ones I kill deserve it~
Interviewer: ...Please don't make that expression when you're talking about this.
Snowstorm: Oh~? What, afraid of a little fangs~? Or are you liking what you're seeing~?
Interviewer: (Audible gulp)
---
Interviewer: What about your...choice of attire? Can we learn about your robes and hood, so that our listeners can-
Chimera: That's also classified.
---
Trojan: -now because I don't need a VPN, I'm able to access some of the most confidential of files that the HWDP have to offer - with really good bandwidth too I might add. With it I can bring up programs, virtual simulations of combat tactics, the nitty-gritty data on their biometric plans for their hybrids, the blueprints on the CCWs and how they operat-
Interviewer: Trojan PLEASE! Our listeners won't know what any of those words mean! I don't even know what half of those words mean!
---
Interviewer: ...Our listeners want to know about how you live about your day-
[Sudden pause]
Interviewer: ...Classified?
Chimera: Classified.
[Audible sigh of frustration]
---
Snowstorm: ...Now why don't we skip the questions about me and go about you, my dear Orthwin? Tell me, what Pokemon tend to catch your fancy~?
Interviewer: T-This isn't about me, Snowstorm. This is about you and the Strike team. Please, I need to salvage what I can from these interviews-
Snowstorm: What's the matter? (Purring sound) Don't want to tangle with a dino~?
Interviewer: P-P-P-P-P-PLEASE DON'T GET ANY CLOSER! STOP GIVING ME THAT LOOK!
---
Paladin: -and thus just like the crusaders at Mt. Eternity, we-
Interviewer: Please just end me...
---
[Awkward silence]
Interviewer: ...Chimera, what can you even tell us about yourself? About your team?! What's NOT classified?!?!
Chimera: ...My favorite color is green.
[Sounds of frustration followed by papers being tossed into the air]
---
Paladin: -and thus the great metal crusader and the dashing rogue worked together to take down the infamous serial killer and thus establishing peace once again in Evolutia! A grand story published by Shadowjack, I highly recommend giving his novels a check!
Interviewer: ...Paladin, we haven't been live for over ten minutes...
Paladin: Oh! How dreadful! Come, let us restart so that your listeners can-
Interviewer: No no no, they are MORE than fine without needing to listen to this!
Paladin: Ah, I see... Well! In that case, I will be more than happy to share more of these tales with you!
Interviewer: That's n-n-not necessary, Paladin! We'll end things her-
Paladin: Now for the great first battle of Tapferkeit when he was a newly constructed Golurk-
Interviewer: For the love of Arceu-
---
Trojan: ...Let me guess, you have no intention on airing these interviews?
[Awkward silence]
Trojan: ...You should stick with just interviewing the Night Hunters, I'm not sure why you even reached out to us - another Night Warden team - after seeing what happened when you interviewed Purging Light.
Interviewer: Oh Arceus, Asmund still gives me night terrors to this day.
(It's been a while, decided that now is about time I've uploaded the rest of the art I've commissioned in the long past.
For the Venhara arc, the Vex would have become the main antagonists as they begin their invasion of the Pokemon world. Due to the fact that The Echo has first established a link between the two worlds, the Vex eventually found their way in and began their objective in converting the world and making it a part of the Vex Collective.
These Vex are part of a sub-collective known as the Aesive Subjugation, the distinctive features being their silver carapace and the cyan markings. Originally I planned to commission a total of eight art pieces.
The first six would be based on the normal Vex models - the Goblin, Hobgoblin, Minotaur, Harpy, Hydra, and Cyclops. The last two would be on the two Axis Minds that lead the Aesive Subjugation - Panakion, Nexus Mind and Enkelados, Reality Weaver. Of the eight pieces, only the first five were finished.
I don't plan to commission the rest since the story itself is done, but I still wanted to upload them for all people to see on what would've been a major build-up on the story as the two worlds of Pokemon and Destiny collide.
As of this point in the story? Essentially the cast need to destroy the Vex before they establish a permanent foothold on the planet, for failure to do so would result in the complete destruction of all life as the planet becomes part of the Vex Collective - thus meaning that the Vex can send unlimited numbers to convert the entire universe due to it having no way to stop them.
'Course that's not how that would have ended, since there is a reason why Rinako and the Praxic Blades are heading to Venhara, but that's for a different summary.
But yeah, the art is done by @quetzalcoatl2kart . Still super happy with how these turned out, the sheer detail that he put into the designs to make them as close to the real deal is still something I'm thankful for.)
After we brought back word of discovering more tracks to the Queen, many more Dune Striders have been deployed to the region of its location. Ever since then, more tracks have been discovered by not just us but the other Dune Striders.
Although at first it was satisfying to finally be proven right, the fact that the frequency of these tracks being discovered is only increasing is something that fills me with a great amount of dread. The number of possible entities that these tracks tend to group together range from one to over twenty, however none of us have managed to actually get a close glance at whatever left them. The most one Strider saw was a glint of metal, however it vanished just as they were upon it - just like Massika and I's experience.
Today we decided to travel further away, reaching near the borders of the Soa Wastes - a severally inhospitable region of both sand and rock. Many hostile Ferals live in this area, its harsh conditions and the fact that there's no point in crossing it making it a region where rarely any Venharan steps foot in it.
However due to the fact that the frequency of the tracks border the region, we both decided to push further in.
"We can't go much further, Abasi." Massika cautions me, drinking from her near-empty flask. "We still must make the trek back - something that would be dangerous due to our dwindling supplies."
I let out a sigh and take a swig from my own water-flask, feeling the warm water flow down my throat. With a gulp, I let out a growl of annoyance. "I know, but we still must find at least something. The creatures must have come from there, I know it!"
She gives me her own look of annoyance. "Don't let your emotions overrun you, Abasi. You are no pup just joining the Dune Striders, you know the limits of our bodies. The Venharan Desert will strip the meat from our bones and dry our skin if we push far beyond our bodies and spirit can manage."
I stash the bottle back at my belt with the rest, my fist clenching in frustration. "I know! I know..." I sigh again. "Yet I still want to find whatever created these tracks, so that our Queen may know peace."
Massika approaches and places her hand on my shoulder. "I understand, Abasi. However there is no need to push ourselves far beyond our limits. We are Dune Striders, not-"
I look at her, noticing her pause. Seeing her eyes narrow as she peer in the distance, I turn my gaze quickly to look at the direction. In the distance I see-
"There!" Massika shouts! "Follow!"
Immediately she sprints down the dunes, towards a shiny metallic glint. Without question I move into action, following her as swiftly as my legs can manage.
We scale dune over dune, moving across the land as effortless as Venharan Golisopods. As we get closer to the metallic glint, we start to make it out.
A metallic figure.
Just as we start to decipher the details, it flashes red...before disappearing.
Before I could exclaim my frustration, Massika's shout causes me to focus on her. "Further down!"
She continues down the direction, my gaze turning further down the landscape to see the same metallic glint further on. It teleported further into the Soa Wastes.
We continue to sprint, the sand dunes slowly changing to that of hard rock and coarse dirt. As we start to get closer to the figure, it vanishes in a flash of red before reappearing further away.
This chase continues for many many minutes, the hot Venharan sun already beginning to set as the air grows cooler and colors of the sky becomes that of red and violet.
Just as we get close again, the figure vanishes for the last time - disappearing for good.
I don't feel frustration however despite my exhaustion and aching legs, for before me and Massika is something we would have never thought to find out here.
As both of us slow to a stop - gasping for breath all the while, we couldn't help but gawk at what's before us.
The only thing that stands out in the Soa Wastes is the fact that it's nothing but flat lands of sunbaked clay and rock, its surface impossible for all except the most hardy and brutal of Pokemon to live. Yet standing out in the middle of nowhere is not dark brown and clay red, but green and silver.
Towering before us are numerous massive square-like structures and pillars, their surface coursing with light and shining with metal. Surrounding them are countless vegetation unlike anything we have ever seen, the flora glittering in the sun with bright greens and the occasional blue. Surrounding the structures and flora is a vast river, however instead of water it flows with a glittering white liquid - its consistency and colors appearing almost like milk.
As we continue to stare, we start to pick out other details. There are numerous metallic glints amongst the structures and flora, appearing to be made of a silvery metal. When we focus on them, we realize that they are humanoid figures.
"How?" I manage to utter, dumbstruck. "How does this place exist?"
The last time a Venharan has been out here in the Soa Wastes is months ago, the reason due to the fact that they were a mercenary hired to bring back the claws of an infamous feral Drapion. They never mentioned anything of a place like this during their time here.
"This could not have been here before." Massika nods, also dumbstruck. "We all would have known of such a change."
And yet here it is, something akin to an oasis in a desert. Yet this...is certainly no ordinary oasis.
"We must get closer." I tell her, my expression becoming determined.
"I agree." Massika nods, however her expression becomes uncertain. "However caution must be used, for we do not know how these beings will react to us."
We keep our bodies low to the ground as we begin our approach, trying our best to conceal ourselves despite the fact that there is no cover for us to hide behind. As we continue to creep towards the structure, a feeling of dread begins to well in my stomach.
This...does not seem right.
As we get closer, I notice that the texture beneath my feet is changing. The stone is slowly becoming more smooth, various lines and patterns replacing the material beneath me. It's becoming unnatural - artificial even, as if something has changed the very ground beneath us. Soon the ground consists of not only smooth stone, but metal wires and rods as well as glass.
At one point me and Massika stop, our gaze turning to the very ground in confusion. Slowly however our expressions become one of horror.
"The land is changing." Massika whispers, her tone betraying the increase in fear.
She's right, it's as if the surrounding landscape is slowly turning into whatever the pillars and vegetation consist of. Just as there are towering spires of glass and metal, the surrounding land is becoming more and more like it as it gets closer to the center of the structures.
At this point we have seen enough.
"We must return with haste, we have found where they reside." I whisper quietly, my tone filled with urgency. "This is not something any of us can handle, this needs to be brought to the Queen immediately."
Massika opens her mouth to respond, however it quickly closes as her gaze turns to look behind me.
I follow her gaze, uncertain on what she has seen...
...and I can only stumble backwards as I witness what can only witness as a sphere of flashing light.
As the sphere flashes, several dark clouds materialize around it and begin flashing with lightning...
...just like the sudden storm from a month ago...
Just as realization begins to hit me, something loud echoes around us.
A terrifying, terrifying sound.
With a final flash, the sphere explodes and countless figure appear around. They are all humanoid, possessing silvery bodies and a singular red glowing eye. Loud distorted screams and chirps come from them all as Massika and I realize that we are completely surrounded.
"RUN!" Massika screams and with that instant, the odd weapons in the hands of these machines begin to glow.
Without hesitation I dive past the intruders, making a full-blown sprint towards the way we came from. As the machines scream their distorted cries, I feel something hot as a red bolt of light streams barely past my head and strikes the ground, scorching it.
By the Queens, they're attacking us.
Both me and Massika duck and weave as we continue our dash for our lives, avoiding incoming fire as the machines shoot at us. With every amount of ground we gain, new tiny storms of lightning and light appear before releasing more of these machines.
My heart is pounding with every new batch of reinforcements, adrenaline pumping through my veins like no other as I try to evade their every attempt to cut me off.
At this point the 'Oasis' of the machines is far in the distance, yet they're still pursuing us.
My feet feel brittle, my legs becoming sluggish, my lungs burning like they're on fire. At this rate, I don't think I'll make it.
And yet, just as my fears start to overcome me...
...the incoming fire from the machines stop.
I still don't stop, continuing my mad sprint to get as much distance away from those things as I can. Only after what may have been hours of running did I finally stop, my chest heaving so hard that I could faint right this second.
With my eyes barely focusing, I turn and survey my surroundings. None of those machines are within sight as I'm well back within the Dunes of Den. Massika is right besides me, parts of her fur singed and smoking from the few bolts of energy that managed to graze her body.
"By Venharan's sun, what was that?!" Massika wheezes, her eyes filled with pure terror.
Although the immediate danger is over, a new set of fear sets its claws upon my heart.
These machines...
They can teleport.
They possess weapons unlike anything we have ever witnessed.
They have vast numbers.
And most importantly...
...they are changing the very land into whatever structures they are creating.
"We need to alert the Queen." I rasp, choking on air as my lungs continue to struggle to breath. "We need to alert our people."
///WORLD STATUS: LIFE DETECTED\\\
///INHABITANT LEVEL: NON-THREATENING\\\
///CIVILIZATION LOCATION: WITHIN RADIUS OF CONVERSION\\\
///RISK: 0%\\\
///DEPLOYING NEW OBJECTIVE TO VEX COLLECTIVE: AESIVE SUBJUGATION\\\
///MAINTAIN PASSIVE BEHAVIOR\\\
///ENGAGE NON-VEX THAT ENTER THE ESTABLISHED RADIUS\\\
///LEVEL OF FORCE: COMPLETE ELIMINATION\\\
///PERSISTENCE: DISENGAGE WHEN LIFEFORMS EXIT RADIUS\\\
///NEW OBJECTIVE DEPLOYED\\\
///CONVERT|SUBJUGATE\\\
///CONVERT|SUBJUGATE\\\
///CONVERT|SUBJUGATE\\\
///ADDITIONAL INFO RECEIVED\\\
///NON-VEX ENTITY DETECTED AT EDGE OF RADIUS\\\
///ENTITY NUMBER: 1\\\
///THREAT LEVEL: MINIMAL\\\
///REQUIRED ACTION: STANDBY\\\
It has been many days since Massika and I have found the previous tracks, yet unfortunately we have been unable to find any more traces. The winds of the Venhara desert are known to be frequent and strong, the brutal resetting the sands to hide any created tracks for the next day.
I let out a low sigh, my eyes squinting as the overbearing Venharan sun continues to beat down upon us with her harsh light and heat. I hear Massika taking another drink from her flask as I continue my survey, recovering her vitality with the water we’ve been supplied.
“It still confuses me greatly...” I mutter to myself, my lips quickly morphing into an irritated frown. “How can one simply disappear with no trace?”
Although tracks quickly wear away from the wind, there are still subtle details that we Sand Striders can find. If a creature begins flight or levitate, there are still signs we can see around the marks in the sand. Whatever left those unusual footprints, it truly looked as if they disappeared...
“I am refreshed.” I hear Massika speak, drawing me from my thoughts. I turn my gaze to her as she reattaches her water flask to her side, her gaze possessing a hint of fatigue. “Let us continue.”
Another sigh threatens to escape my maw, however this time I manage to restrain it. “Then let us continue our search.” I nod in agreement. “If the past Queens are smiling upon us, perhaps we may find something before we return.”
“That would be preferred...” Massika responds quietly, however she falls silent after that.
With nothing else to say, we begin sprinting down the dune and proceed further into the Dunefields of Den.
...
...
Time is running out, seeing the setting sun and the exhaustion that my body is experiencing.
We have been scouring the dunefields for nearly five hours now. Our rations are finished and our water is nearly there as well, and yet...
...nothing.
“Damn it all!” I growl, my anger slipping beyond my control.
“Abasi!” Massika hisses, her tone tired yet still managing to be sharp.
“It has been four days since the tracks have been found, yet...nothing!” I continue, my ire focusing on the other Lucario. “It is as if we are chasing spirits, leaving no trace of their presence or existence!” I stomp my foot, kicking sand into the air. “The other Sand Striders have found nothing, making us appear as deceivers.” My hands clench into fists. “They doubt us, Massika. They say that we found no tracks, to lie in order to claim fame and glory.”
At this Massika sighs, rubbing sweat from her brows. “I know, Abasi.” Her gaze turns to the side. “I know of the words they speak behind our backs, the scornful and demeaning whispers. However we do not do this for glory and we know of the tracks we have found.” Her gaze hardens. “Yet it doesn’t matter if they believe us. If Tetishuri and the Queen have faith in us, then that is more than enough to me.”
I hang my head, my own sigh escaping once more as my anger burns out. “You are right, Massika. But it is still insulting to be belittled by such pups.”
“It may be, however we our proud Dune Striders.” She nods, a tired smile forming on her lips. “We have trained all our lives to become the eyes of Venhara and her Queen. They are the ones who have faith in us, not our fellow Venharans. As long as we prove ourselves faithful in turn, then there is nothing else that matters.”
I feel my own smile forming. “Yes... In the end, that is all that truly m-” I stop, my eyes immediately locking onto something in the distance.
With the setting sun I manage to spot something across the shining amber mounds of sand.
A glint of metal.
Metal?
“Massika! Follow!” I shout before leaping towards the direction, sprinting across the dunes in my haste to cross the distance towards the glittering object in the distance.
I focus on only the sight in front of me, trying to discern the metallic object as I quickly cover distance. The closer I get the closer I can notice more details.
It looks like a figure, a humanoid figure clad in metal. It is hard to notice much else due to the fact that the setting sun causes it to reflect a great deal of light, but I know for a fact that is a creature.
I dive down another dune before kicking off at the bottom, launching myself above the next one in front of me. As I land I finally manage to see the entity from much closer, allowing me to see-
Just as I was about to figure out what it was, it becomes enveloped in red light. I blink, only to see that it is gone.
Where is it?
Where is it?!
Throwing caution to the wind I immediately approach where it once stood, only to see that there is no trace of it.
“Damn it all!!” I yell, gnashing my teeth and clenching my hands tightly.
“It left tracks!” I hear Massika say beside me, having been keeping up with me the entire time. She immediately kneels down, examining the markings in the sand.
It didn’t even take a glance for me to recognize the tracks. They are the same triangular foot with the two talon-like claws in the back, the tracks left by the mysterious creature that we have found earlier. Whatever that is that disappeared, it is responsible for said tracks.
However is it responsible for the mysterious storm that showed up weeks earlier...?
“Although they end here, it does come from somewhere else...” She mutters, drawing me from my thoughts again. “Yet where could it be...?”
I follow my gaze with hers, noticing that this creature have walked a great ways upon seeing these tracks span countless dunes, vanishing into the distance.
“Perhaps we can see where it came from.” I say to her, feeling invigorated. “Although it may have disappeared, we could perhaps discern its origins.”
“Indeed, then let us make haste! Before the sun sets.” Massika agrees.
The two of us quickly start backtracking, following the tracks on where this mysterious entity came from. The minutes continue to pass as we travel over countless dunes, the sun continuing to set as the amber glow of the sand starts shifting into a deep red.
As we continue trekking across, we immediately notice something else in the distance.
More tracks that are beside the entity we have been following.
When we arrive we could only feel confusion well in our stomachs...
...as well as dread.
“There are many of them.” Massika gasps, eying the sight before us with great concern.
Before us lay the tracks of at least eight pairs of legs, seven of which being the same as the first entity we found. The eighth however are different - it contains the similar triangular shape with two talons in the back, yet the main difference are an extra pair of talons on the front. They are a little larger, perhaps indicating that this new entity is of greater size than the rest.
The most important detail of all however are the fact that the tracks of these seven other entities ended suddenly, only leaving the tracks of the original one to continue onward from where it eventually disappeared as well.
Our eyes follow further to see where these set of eight came from, only to see that they started just as abruptly as they have ended. No source of where they truly came from, only them appearing just like how they disappeared.
No true lead of their origins, however...
“So it is not just a lone creature.” I say in a grave tone. “If there are this many, perhaps there could be many more. We must inform the Queen immediately.”
After the events of the Progria arc, the third interlude focuses on the transpiring events in Venhara as well as the Praxic Blades - the ones who will quickly become the main focus of the next arc.
For the Praxic Blades, they are currently on their way to Venhara due to the vision that Rinako had received. Although she’s no longer plagued by the nightmares, she still feels a strong sense of dread due to the message of Tiye - the Fourth Queen of Venhara - gave her. She was meant to ‘save the kingdom’, yet she had no idea what is even threatening said kingdom and how she can even do anything about it. Although she may be a skilled warrior, she does not possess nearly enough strength or capability to save an entire kingdom. The other members of the Praxic Blades are also incredibly uncertain, some (particularly Valence and Richmond) question if following this ‘vision’ is even a good idea, however ultimately Rodrigo and Artemisia give their full support to helping Rinako. Vedika however is merely just part of the ride and cares less regardless of the decision.
As for Venhara, it continues to focus mostly on the Dune Striders Abasi and Massika in their searches for the mysterious footprints. As time continues to pass they find these footprints becoming more and more frequent - as well as increasing in numbers. However they notice these footprints seem to come from a certain area in the desert, however they eventually find something that gives them a great amount of concern...
There is a brief moment where it focuses on an unknown individual from the GoT, a Night Watcher by the name of Asahi. He is a Greninja with a great skill in tracking as well as a keen sense of detecting anomalies, thus his skills have made him a prime choice in investigating the unusual storm and tracks in Venhara. As of currently he is in transit to the location through ship and will be arriving to the desert kingdom very soon.
Lastly there is an unusual scene taking place within another world in another universe, a vast structure once mentioned through the ‘From the Veil’ series. This location is the Vault of Glass, where a Fallen from House Winter is traversing through the dark labyrinths of the machine called The Vex. Eventually he stumbles upon an unlikely entity within its time-breaking chambers, and the resulting encounter causes chaos that may change everything for both the universe they originated and the universe of Pokemon.
Ultimately the next story is referred to as thus: The Venhara Arc.
---
(Note: I do have some incomplete posts of some of Abasi and Massika’s investigations in Venhara. Although I could simply just do a quick summary on their specifics, I have decided to instead revisit them and finish the posts instead of leaving them alone. It will only be a couple, however it will reveal what exactly Venhara will be dealing with - as well as how dangerous of a threat it is.
Additionally I did write a partial post of what happens within the Vault of Glass in preparation for the next arc, however I will also revisit it. Although the ‘From the Veil’ series is simply an ‘inside look’ on the happenings of the other universe to give context - be it events of said universe or the thoughts of individuals, this particular ‘From the Veil’ isn’t necessarily something that brings thought or context. This is an event that will actively affect the universe of the blog as well as shape the inevitable events that will transpire.
I don’t have a set time on when these posts will be released since my time has been very limited as of late, however you should be able to expect them eventually!)
At this point of the story it would go back in time, changing its focus to the perspective of Dr. Carlos Robertson.
It would show the aftermath of Snakewulf escaping and the ‘removal’ of Felicia, the one responsible for freeing said artificial Pokemon. Although the creation of Snakewulf was a resounding and revolutionary success, the fact said creation has escaped - and the data destroyed - is considered to be an ultimate failure to Dr. Robertson. The fact he didn’t notice any unusual behavior from someone who works directly under him is a grave oversight. This combined with the fact that he wanted to have something under his belt that would make him surpass Dr. Horus - someone who he holds a great amount of jealousy towards ever since Samuel joined the HWDP and quickly gained influence and power.
At this point Dr. Robertson thought that his work is finished and that there would be nothing left, however he would be approached by another official of the HWDP who would offer him another proposition. Although he would have to go back to square one, they desire for him to create another artificial Pokemon.
Not wanting to humiliate himself again, he immediately went to work on creating another. He declared his next project to be Project: Behemoth, where he would create the largest and most powerful creature the world has ever seen. However before he could get started, he discovered that Dr. Horus recruited James away from him and thus lost his only other subordinate. This infuriated Dr. Robertson greatly, however he had little say on the matter due to at this point Dr. Horus has far more say than he does. Infuriated, Dr. Robertson declared to himself that he will do this work himself.
Working tirelessly for weeks he began working on his project, taking various samples of DNA in order to create a new Pokemon. As these weeks turned to months, his results always end in failures. Each of these artificial Pokemon would end up dying or failing to form, the reasoning Dr. Robertson suspects to be the fact that there is DNA from a key Pokemon that is not allowing a creature of such mass to sustain itself.
As the months drag on and word on Dr. Horus’ success on creating Project: Bladesong, Dr. Robertson believed that there is no way that he can come back from his humiliation and thus officially announced that Project: Behemoth has been cancelled. After him officially canning the project, he gets pulled aside by the same HWDP official and is questioned on why he has wasted countless ‘company resources’ with no results. Carlos explains that due to having no sufficient DNA, he is incapable of creating a creature of massive proportions. That and as much as he hated to admit it, creating artificial creatures will have no place when artificial Hybrids and cybernetically augmented humans are being created.
The official asks him what sort of sufficient DNA he requires, and off the top of his head the first thing Carlos says would be ‘DNA of that of a Legendary Pokemon’, something that the HWDP have been incapable of obtaining - except for the fluke of when they obtained DNA of Deoxys for creating a Human/Pokemon hybrid, which ultimately created Chimera.
Hearing this, the official takes Carlos aside and reveals to him that said DNA has been obtained - Groudon DNA specifically. Although they have tried creating a Groudon hybrid with it, the resulting hybrids would usually die due to their bodies being incapable of handling DNA of a Legendary Pokemon.
Hearing this, Carlos demands to know why he wasn’t informed on them possessing Legendary Pokemon DNA since such knowledge would be invaluable to his research and production. In response he is told that this DNA is currently kept in The Cage, a place where even Carlos knows little of due to him not being approved to work on the site. Dr. Robertson is offered a new proposition, in exchange for him utilizing this Groudon DNA he would have to remain completely silent on the project.
Although he would love to flaunt his possible success to Dr. Horus’ face, Dr. Robertson begrudgingly agrees, and thus is sent out to The Cage while his Project: Behemoth is still officially considered cancelled.
After a little while longer, Dr. Robertson utilizes the Groudon DNA and proceeds to try to create his Behemoth again. It took only a few attempts, but he eventually managed to create a creature that can sustain the Legendary genes. While incubating, the creature would continue to grow larger and larger, its size becoming so big that it would eventually require a massive chamber to store it.
Excited with the current success of creating such massive life, Dr. Robertson would work with Cage officials in incorporating their new ‘Control Collars’ to the Behemoth. These collars were designed to control the artificial Hybrids completely through Psychic signals, and Carlos wanted this collar on the Behemoth so he could control it completely - and not have another incident of rebellion like with Snakewulf.
There were many flaws with this collar however that some personnel pointing out - specifically how much of a glaring weakness they are, where they can be fairly destroyed and cause the controlled Pokemon to go berserk. However due to them still trying to develop a better alternative - such as a microchip, they kept with the idea of the collar for the Behemoth.
Ultimately however due to the glaring weakness and danger of having the Behemoth rampage, they made it clear to Robertson that it is not considered ready to be tested - or deployed even - until such an alternative is designed and field-tested.
At this point the story would go a bit farther into the future during the events of when the facility Dr. Horus resided in was attacked by ‘terrorists’, ultimately ending with the facility detonating and leaving no survivors or traces of what happened.
Although Dr. Horus’ corpse was supposedly found due to finding a DNA match on it, Dr. Robertson refused to believe that Samuel was dead. Due to his growing paranoia and jealousy towards the man, Carlos theorized that Samuel was solely responsible for causing the facility’s destruction and then escaped. However due to him having no proof of this, he kept these thoughts to himself.
The story would go forward more to closer to the present, where The Cage is being attacked. Seeing the cyborgs through the security cameras - as well as members of the GoT, he declares to himself that he knew Dr. Horus was alive. How could he not be? The cyborgs are all of his own creations, James and Felicia both held some form of sympathy for Pokemon and the GoT, and the fact that both forces are attacking this facility - which is hidden completely from both the public eye and from most members of the HWDP - is clear proof to him.
Although having been warned countless times from releasing the Behemoth, Carlos decided to do just that. He would show Dr. Horus the pinnacle of his work, how he has created something that will surpass any measly cyborg that Samuel could make. He would show him and the world!
So he releases the Behemoth and uses the PsyControl - a device made to control specific or multiple hybrids - to unleash destruction upon the invaders with little care of how much of the facility he would destroy in the process.
Dr. Robertson was ecstatic, there was nothing they could do to harm the behemoth. Its armored scales were too tough, its size too great, its strength too oppressive, its pure-energy beam too powerful. There was nothing they could do to it, and they will soon die to his perfect creation...!
...That is until he watched with horror as one of the cyborgs saw the metal-like bands around the Behemoth’s neck and destroyed it, and thus Carlos could feel only panic as he no longer controlled the massive monstrosity.
...
Now back at the present and from the perspective of the cyborgs, they have been trying to find a way to take down the Behemoth but with no avail.
Due to its now erratic and animalistic behavior, they have been finding it practically impossible to predict and respond to its movements. Even with the five cyborgs, Chimera, and the mercenaries who are attacking from the dropship they have been leaving no lasting injuries. Even their attempt at attacking the eyes have had no effect due to said spheres being coated in some form of transparent scales as tough as its hide.
One theory they had of attacking it was from the inside by entering its mouth, but due to the intense heat radiating from it they deemed such a mission suicide since anyone entering it would immediately burn to ash.
As time continues to go by and the Behemoth beings to make its way out of the facility, Chimera comes up with a solution. While doing fly-bys and unleashing beams of energy, he noticed that there is some small bits of exposed skin around the Behemoth’s neck on where the metal bands used to be. If they can reach that area and repeatedly hack at this, they could potentially kill the Behemoth from entering its body from that angle.
Armed with this knowledge and newfound vigor, Chimera and the mercenaries began their objective of distracting the beast so that the cyborgs can scale the Behemoth. This results in the mercenaries nearly being obliderated from the sky after narrowingly dodging its beam attack, however the cyborgs manage to successfully scale the beast - after a great amount of difficulty - and reach its neck.
They immediately began hacking at it, quickly creating a gaping hole and entering inside before the beast could strike them with its claws. Now properly inside the flesh of the beast, they continued to strike at the soft tissue inside, soon creating a giant internal wound that continues to grow larger.
Feeling the intense pain, the beast ceases focusing on the nuisances outside and tries to claw and smash at its neck to rid itself of the cyborgs inside - but with no avail. As the cyborgs make the wound even more massive, the beast grows more desperate due to the extreme pain and begins prying its own hide off from its neck.
As it begins bleeding profusely from both the cyborgs and itself, proceeds to unleash a powerful beam with no target to focus on, causing destruction everywhere around it as it whips its head around. The cyborgs currently inside its neck feel the intense heat and realize that if they don’t kill the Behemoth here, they would most likely melt from the continual heat that it’s generating. So they’ve come to a singular conclusion: sever the Behemoth’s head.
So instead of hacking randomly, they instead focused on a singular level lining the outside of the beast’s skin before working inward. As time passes and their bodies begin to become more and more damaged from the heat, they continue their plan of killing the creature.
After a certain point Torrent ceases cutting and instead stabs his blades into the creature and unleashes as much electricity he could muster, causing the surrounding muscles to spasm and thus cutting off the creature’s beam - albeit temporarily. With its beam cut off, the Behemoth once again resumes clawing at its neck - removing more and more of the surrounding scales to expose the flesh.
With the scales completely removed - and the cyborgs managing to cut a clean ring, the Behemoth jerks its body violently...and thus its head slides off. With it gone, the monstrosity collapses into the earth, now nothing but a giant corpse.
Although the surrounding forest - and base for that matter - are in complete ruins, the group ultimately managed to stop one of the HWDP’s greatest weapons and destroyed their most essential facility. And not only that, but they managed to record everything with the few surviving drones they had left.
Even though they wanted to celebrate this victory, they went back to the remains of The Cage and explored the ruins of said facility for any survivors. Ultimately they found only a few personnel - Dr. Robertson included - and subdued them, so that they can be used as witnesses for when they bring all of the footage and files forward for the inevitable trial that will take place.
Unfortunately they were many brainwashed Hybrids left that had to be killed, however they did find a few survivors that have yet to be converted - and thus will be sent to the GoT to be rehabilitated like the rest of the artificial hybrids.
Knowing that it’s only a matter of time till the rest of the HWDP converges to their location, they quickly teleport back the remaining Pokemon while the mercenaries, cyborgs, and the original GoT group sent here flew off in the dropship with their prisoners.
After this point some time passes, the perspective shifting to Trojan. All footage and files of what the HWDP has been uploaded anonymously to numerous websites and news sites - with his help of course, and it has already taken the internet by storm. With this knowledge all of Progria was in outrage, seeing the incredibly cruel experiments as well as the HWDP’s desire to wage war against their neighboring country. This combined with information leaked on various companies - as well as specific government officials - who sponsored this project, it causes a great amount of chaos in the Human country.
Dr. Horus proceeded to turn himself in - as well as the numerous prisoners they have taken from The Cage - to act as key witnesses. Due to the anger of the citizens - and fear of how Evolutia would react upon hearing of what happened to their abducted citizens, this was a trial that could not be kept on the downlow. Dr. Horus was definitely going to go to prison for the numerous crimes he has committed, however his sentence won’t be nearly as severe compared to the other officials of the HWDP due to his willingness to cooperate and testify.
Focusing to the GoT group specifically, now that their mission is finished - and the HWDP in complete ruins, it was time for them to return back to Evolutia. However Bladesong requested to them that she instead wished to stay with the mercenaries instead of going back, since the other cyborgs have also made their decision to work with the mercenary band from here on out, since they feel much more at-home with the Humans after having working with them for so long.
Chimera tells her that even though she went against orders, she would still be welcomed in the GoT for the work she has done. However Bladesong stays adamant on her decision, saying that in the end as a cyborg she doesn’t quite fit in with fellow Pokemon anymore - that and she feels a sort of companionship with the other cyborgs. In the end Chimera agrees to her leaving, but not before the mercenary group and the GoT form an official alliance. If the GoT were to require their assistance, they would hire the mercenaries and cyborgs - for a price that is.
And so Chimera and Trojan return back to Evolutia with the guidance of Velvett - said Delphox deciding to stay in Progria for a bit longer to see ‘how the dumpster fire will turn out’. With only two left, Chimera inquires to Trojan on what will happen to the two other scientists who worked under Samuel Horus.
Trojan responds saying that the two have also elected to work with the mercenaries, since they’re officially considered dead to the eyes of Progria and thus don’t really have a place - unless they want to be persecuted by the full extent of the law as all of the other members of the HWDP. So instead they have elected to stay with the group and use their knowledge to assist the band of fighters to provide assistance, not to mention the two of them are the only people left in the group that know how to repair and maintain the bodies of the cyborgs.
Satisfied with this knowledge, he instead turns to the topic of how the GoT will handle revealing what happened to the rest of Evolutia, since they have kept knowledge on the HWDP’s activity on the downlow. It’s only a matter of time till Pokemon hear of the outrage in Progria, and this outrage will soon spread as Pokemon realize that their Human neighbors have been kidnapping and experimenting on their own - let alone the fact that said Pokemon were being turned into living weapons to be used to wage war.
At this Trojan merely shrugs and says that ultimately The Lady has the final say, however some sort of announcement will be made. He suspects that the outrage and desire for retaliation could be quelled if worded correctly, since otherwise they could be looking at a potential war between both Progria and Evolutia if the citizens of Evolutia desire blood and vengeance.
Not liking the prospect of war, Chimera says that at this point they can only hope that the situation won’t get worse, only for Trojan to scold him for jinxing it.
...And thus at this point, the Progria would come to an end...and the third Interlude would begin.
