Destiny: Gospel of a New Genesis [Evangelion/Destiny]

[Roaming_Guardian]

Wait, the Cabal had never encountered the Traveller before arriving in Sol? That's news to me.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Wait, the Cabal had never encountered the Traveller before arriving in Sol? That's news to me.

Click to shrink...

They have. But Ghaul wants direct confirmation before committing anything more...thorough. Because the Traveler of his (apparent) childhood is a far cry from the crippled being that now inhabits Earth.

/otherwise
//the Cabal would have rightly steamrolled through the Solar System before the canon game began
///just my opinion

 

[Dorsey]

If I might ask a question, what's the deal with the Vex?

The Hive are representatives of or powered by (not sure which) the Darkness and are naturally antagonistic.

The Fallen were once blessed by the Traveler and are understandably pissed at being abandoned.

The Cabal believe that they are worthy of the Light and do not like that they were passed over I think.

But I have no clue what the Vex are about. I just know that they're time-traveling robots. Please explain the Vex.

 

[Timerider]

If I might ask a question, what's the deal with the Vex?

The Hive are representatives of or powered by (not sure which) the Darkness and are naturally antagonistic.

The Fallen were once blessed by the Traveler and are understandably pissed at being abandoned.

The Cabal believe that they are worthy of the Light and do not like that they were passed over I think.

But I have no clue what the Vex are about. I just know that they're time-traveling robots. Please explain the Vex.

Click to shrink...

Nobody understands them. That's where they get their name. They are vexing to anyone who studies them.
Also,

But Gary wants direct confirmation before committing anything more...thorough.

Click to shrink...

FTFY

 

[Dorsey]

Nobody understands them. That's where they get their name. They are vexing to anyone who studies them.

Click to shrink...

That's worse than the origin of Bane's name.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

But I have no clue what the Vex are about. I just know that they're time-traveling robots. Please explain the Vex.

Click to shrink...

xxxx

No knows where the Vex came from.

Their origins are an absolute mystery, with nothing confirmed one way or another as far as the canon goes. How they got the way they did, where they came from...very murky.

There are hints about what the Vex are, though; from an old podcast, we've got this (shortly after the 22:01 mark): "There are people who do the big pie in the sky thinking, like 'What if there was a liquefied race of people that were contained in this walking form, this robotic form, and they all shared one mind and it was contained in this data milk.' And then there are the other people who would write the Ghost's dialogue to describe the Vex in the scene they get revealed." In other words, the robotic shells we see are not the Vex; merely the vessels for the true Vex, these microscopic radiolaria, as was already hinted in an earlier Grimoire:

Grimoire: Baris Protective

From the Records of NERV-Luna​

[REDACTED]: Lieutenant Ibuki, status update.

Ibuki: Er...well, it's definitely not something that we made, and by we I mean [REDACTED]-

[REDACTED]: I'm well aware. Why was Subject Alpha found within the perimeter of the Lunar Branch? You know how strict security is with the ongoing campaign against the Ahamkara.

Ibuki: Yes sir.

[REDACTED]: Your findings?

Ibuki: Well, the robotic shell contains incredibly impressive processing capabilities, and its innards are circulating with a milky fluid rife with microscopic organisms.

[REDACTED]: Of what variety?

Ibuki: Protozoa. Radiozoa, to be precise...and they're emitting an odd energy field that the MAGI are still analyzing.

[REDACTED]: Anything else?

Ibuki: Well, if you'll give me just a second...okay, APOLLO just finished deciphering Subject Alpha's communications protocol! Let's see...

(eight seconds of silence ensue)

[REDACTED]: Lieutenant?

Ibuki: Sir, I think you need to get up here.

[REDACTED]: I'm currently preoccupied with affairs on Earth-

Ibuki: No sir, it's something you need to see in person. It's...I can't tell you what it contains.

[REDACTED]: ...I see. And I suppose if I ordered you to provide a hint?

Ibuki: ...it's directed for your eyes only, sir. Somehow, I'm physically unable to read the rest of the message...

[REDACTED]: A metaphysical filter? Impressive.

Ibuki: ...but the introduction says that something called the Baris Protective is a 'gift'.

[REDACTED]: Does it say from who?

Ibuki: Someone named-

(The remainder of this transcript has been redacted by the order of Commander Osiris. Further access requires approval from both the Vanguard Commander and the Speaker.)​

Click to shrink...

Here's a picture of a radiolaria (of which there are many different varieties):




And what does an Axiomatic Bead look like, again?




Well, well, well.

Anyhow, chronologically speaking, their first appearance is probably when Crota tore open a wound with his Sword:

Oryx went to his son, Crota. "Go keep an eye on your sisters," he said. "'You can learn cunning from them."

But while Oryx traveled to observe the Deep destroy an ancient fortress world, Crota conspired with his sisters to learn their secrets. "I too will experiment with a wound," he said. With his sword Crota cut open a new wound, into a new space. In here he thought he might obtain a secret power.

Out of this wound came machines called Vex. They invaded Oryx's throne world.

Click to shrink...

It was a long war.

Verse 4:9 — open your eye : go into it

The Vex clattered around, constructing large problems. At first their constructions were deranged, because they didn't understand the sword logic, which defined all rules in Oryx's throne world. The geometry perplexed them.

"I'll cut them apart," Crota said. But just then, the Vex ritual-of-better-thoughts manifested a Mind called Quria, Blade Transform. Quria deduced the sword logic.

I have to kill everything, Quria resolved. Then I will be powerful.

Crota's gate began to emit warrior Vex, huge and brassy. He leapt forward to fight them, but they blinked away. After they fled from Crota, they killed two thousand of Oryx's Acolytes and ten thousand of his Thrall. Soon they had established themselves as powers in this world, by right of slaughter.

"Come forth, sister wizards," called Ir Halak. "We need you." Ir Anûk pulled a sword star out of the sky. Together the wizards charged it with killing power and made an annihilator totem, which they used to smash the Vex.

"Close the wound, brother Crota," Anûk ordered. "We will find a cunning way to destroy them, but only after they stop constructing problems on us."

But Quria had instanced itself to the other side of the gate, and built a holdfast to keep the way open. Quria's objective was to exploit the paracausal physics of Oryx's throne to become divine. It organized a series of test invasions.

For a hundred years of local time the siblings fought the Vex. When the Vex came into the sword world, they were inevitably annihilated, but when the Hive went into the Vex world, they lost too much of their power to win.

"Father's going to eat our souls," Halak sighed.

Quria captured some worm larvae and began experimenting with them. Soon Quria, Blade Transform manifested religious tactics. By directing worship at the worms, Quria learned it could alter reality with mild ontopathogenic effects. Being an efficient machine, Quria manufactured a priesthood and ordered all its subminds to believe in worship. Then it set about abducting and killing dangerous organisms so it could bootstrap itself to Hive godhood. For some Vex reason, Quria never attempted to introduce worm larvae into its mind fluid.

Savathûn was laughing, because she had tricked Crota into cutting that place.

This drew the attention of the Worm our God. ORYX, called Eir. SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER.

Click to shrink...

Oryx returned. We obtain some understanding of the Vex's goals from the perspective of the Hive:

Verse 4:10 — An Emperor For All Outcomes

Oryx rushed home and read from the Tablets of Ruin. He put some of the Vex into wounds, to be taken by the power of the Deep. Thus he turned the Vex against each other. Quria manifested a range of tactics, but none of them were adaptive. Oryx crushed all the Vex in his throne.

Oryx thought that he should study geometry, like the Vex. It was the map of perfect shapes. But first he had to punish imperfection.

"My son," he said, "this is your punishment. Come home glorious, or die forgotten!" He picked up Crota by the legs and threw him into the Vex gate network.

Crota battled through history, becoming a legendary demon. In his early centuries he often spared a few victims to hear oaths and protests against his father. Later, he came to understand Oryx, and he made temples and monuments wherever he went.

Meanwhile, Oryx brooded on the Vex. "I've met a worthy rival," he said. "They want to exist forever, just as I do. But I don't understand them."

At this his worm began to chew on him, for he was bound to understand.

He called Savathûn to meet in the material world. She told him that the Vex worked tirelessly to understand everything, so that they could build a victory condition for every possible end state of the universe.

"Then I must be a better king," Oryx said. "If they want to build an emperor for all outcomes, then I will be the king of only one. I will follow the Deep wherever it goes, and document its power. Let us create a catalog of the grave of worlds, which will be our map to victory."

Oryx knew that all life could be described as cellular automata, except for that life which understood the Deep or the Sky, and thus escaped causality.

Out of love for her brother, which was the same as the desire to kill him, Savathûn leaked a secret to Xivu Arath — 'listen, Xivu, Oryx's throne world has been compromised. You can cut your way in from here.' Xivu Arath used this to plan an ambush.

But Oryx was too canny. The Taken King said to his Court, the High War, "My throne world is vulnerable. I am going to move it."

'Where?' asked Kagoor, World-Render.

"Into a mighty dreadnaught," said Oryx. "I shall keep my glorious mind cosmos inside a titanic warship."

Click to shrink...

The war continued on. Eventually, Quria laid a trap for Oryx, in the hopes of defeating him fully. But the Taken King was too strong:

Verse 5:1 — End Of Failed Timeline

By now, Quria knows it can't win.

There's something pathological about the world inside Oryx's ship. It resists analysis with hot, dead spite. And Oryx himself, he's irreducible — he refuses to obey Quria's simulations, he crashes around sowing chaos, he grabs subminds and compromises them with some kind of ontological weapon. Paracausal systems. Very problematic.

Quria's trying the religious tactics it evolved in the Hive manifold. But even on those terms, Oryx is strong, so strong. Quria won't be able to protect its gates much longer.

The closest Quria's got to a simulation of Oryx is a best-guess bootstrap. It's wrong — Quria's sure of that, it's Oryx minus the symbiote organism, minus the wings and morphs, minus the weapon, minus the power. No good for anything.

Quria manifests that simulation anyway. Just to see what happens.

The Taken King marches on Quria's Hydra-hull, armed with blade and magic, cloaked in ancient cloth, and the universe wails in horror around him. Quria's physics models and toy worlds choke and crash.

Quria observes, alert and attentive, as a single quark splits on the tip of Oryx's sword.

From within the Hydra-hull, Quria's tiny not-Oryx speaks. "What are you?" it says. It's manifesting terror and awe.

Oryx's eyes blaze with a curiosity that is entirely isomorphic with hate, with voracious hunger. "Aurash," he says, in his Hive language. "You've made me as I was. You've made a tiny Aurash. Ha!"

Quria updates the simulation's name. Aurash is curious: "You're me? You're me as I become?"

Oryx kneels. His blade is on his left shoulder. Quria is firing every available weapon at him, but his wards don't break. He looks into Quria's sensors through the hammering fire and he says, "Child, I have everything you wanted. I am immortal. I know the great secrets of the universe. I have scouted the edges of the Darkness and I have chased the lying god down galactic arms in a howling pack of moons. In my fist I carry the secret power that will rule eternity. In my worm I bear the tribute of my Court and of my children, the Hope-Eater, the Weaver, and the Unraveler; and with this tribute I smash my foes. I am Oryx, the Taken King. I am almighty."

Quria samples the Taox intelligence retrieved from the Ecumene gate. There are useful names. It feeds them to the simulation.

"What about your sisters?" Aurash asks his future self. "Sathona? Xi Ro? Are they with you?"

The Taken King's fangs glint. That sound might be a laugh, or a hiss.

Quria shuts down its weapons and puts all its spare resources into sending telemetry to the greater Vex. There will be points in space and time where this data is vital. There will be great projects undertaken in the study of this ontological power, this throne-space.

"Where are my sisters?" Aurash shouts. "What have you done with my people? What have you done?"

But Oryx's fist is full of black fire, and the next thing Quria sees is a light like stars.

Click to shrink...

There is speculation that the final thoughts of Quria - its many observations of Oryx, the Hive, and their Throne Worlds - were sent to the Vault of Glass, in which this data was used to advance the Vex's research into causality and ontological power.

But the Vex, it seems, are incapable of facing the Taken in standard reality or within the Throne Worlds; with the destruction of the Templar and Atheon, they were unable to keep the Taken from entering the Vault themselves and taking it over (to the point that the Vex basically invited the Guardians to kick them out using the echoes of Praedyth). This is a threat to their existence.

The Vex are seemingly hellbent on finding a way to survive at all costs. Their method appears to involve trying to rewrite the laws of physics themselves, to become a fundamental part of existence, as much a law as the strong nuclear force:

To speak of Atheon is to accept certain limitations. We are ill-equipped to understand an entity that defies simple causality. Let us accept these limitations and proceed.

Atheon waits in the Vault of Glass. Just as Atheon sidesteps 'past' and 'future', it is impossible to say whether Atheon created the Vault or the Vault created Atheon. Causal pathways converge on Atheon from every axis in the space-time bulk.

Atheon has a function. We hazard that it regulates and oversees the Vex conflux system. What are these confluxes? How do they relate to the physical Vex network that has devoured so much of Mercury and Venus?

We might guess that the Vex confluxes represent the extension of this network across space and time. Perhaps the Vex use closed timelike curves to solve unfathomable computations. Or the Vex may seek to transcend a physical substrate, and move their thoughts directly into the fundament of the universe.

If physics is a set of rules that the cosmos uses to calculate itself, perhaps the Vex seek to worm their way into these calculations: to become a law of reality, inseparable from existence. A virus in the system. Perhaps Atheon was the centerpiece of this project, a command nexus that unified efforts across time.

But we must accept that all of this is speculation.

Click to shrink...

And this...is where the Black Garden enters the picture:

I am Pujari. These are the visions I have had of the Black Garden.

The Traveler moved across the face of the iron world. It opened the earth and stitched shut the sky. It made life possible. In these things there is always symmetry. Do you understand? This is not the beginning but it is the reason.

The Garden grows in both directions. It grows into tomorrow and yesterday. The red flowers bloom forever.

There are gardeners now. They came into the garden in vessels of bronze and they move through the groves in rivers of thought.

This is the vision I had when I leapt from the Shores of Time and let myself sink:

I walked beneath the blossoms. The light came from ahead and the shadows of the flowers were words. They said things but I will not write them here.

At the end of the path grew a flower in the shape of a Ghost. I reached out to pluck it and it cut me with a thorn. I bled and the blood was Light.

The Ghost said to me: You are a dead thing made by a dead power in the shape of the dead. All you will ever do is kill. You do not belong here. This is a place of life.

The Traveler is life, I said. You are a creature of Darkness. You seek to deceive me.

But I looked behind me, down the long slope where the blossoms tumbled in the warm wind and the great trees wept sap like blood or wine, and I felt doubt.

When my Ghost raised me from the sea there was a thorn-cut in my left hand and it has not healed since.

Click to shrink...

In the Black Garden...perhaps the Vex found what they were looking for? A key to immortality?

To Commander Zavala - My Thoughts on Recent Events

Zavala -

How like you to ask me for the bad news, even in this moment of triumph. I've finished going over that Ghost's report.

It is my hypothesis - a hypothesis at best - that the Vex saw the abominable presence at the heart of the Garden as a divine power. I can hear your protest already: how can machines have a god?

The answer is simple. The Vex, for all their voracious intelligence, could not understand or decipher what they found. They searched through all available reactions, and they settled on the course with the greatest payoff...to worship this power, and to remake themselves in its image.

I believe the three Axis Minds found in proximity to the abomination were Vex machines built to serve as vessels for this power: a way to extend its reach across space and time, binding it to the Vex, and the Vex to it. If they had succeeded, I cannot begin to guess what horrors they would have unleashed.

Attend carefully. There is cause for hope. When endangered, the abomination activated these vessels and defended itself. This tells us that it was threatened. Whatever it was, Guardians could harm it.

And it activated only a single vessel at a time. Its strength was limited. Whatever it intended, it was not ready yet.

We must assume the abomination was part of something greater. And we cannot flinch from the terrible, obvious comparison: just as the Traveler acts through us, this power was able to act through its own servants.

Let us be wary. There may be other abominations, and other vessels.

Ikora

Click to shrink...

A power that the Vex could not comprehend. They could comprehend the Sword Logic...but not the fullness of Oryx, who bore the powers of the Deep.

Nor the power of the Black Garden's Heart, pulsing and writhing with a twisted radiance:



But unlike Oryx, inherently hostile to all outsiders...the Heart seemed to accept the Vex's presence.

So, to summarize?

The Vex are a race of microscopic radiozoa; it is unknown if that is their natural state, or whether some cataclysmic event reduced them to that form. Regardless, they forged vessels of bronze and brass, to enable them to build great constructs and far-spanning gates, all for the sake of establishing their continued existence. The threat of non-existence is so tremendous, so dreadful, that they will utilize whatever means are available to ensure that their extinction is impossible.

And their pure intellect is why they are so deadly; for as an old and timeworn voice once said, following the Paradox mission: "So the Vex have predicted their own annihilation. When did they believe this would happen? Can calculations of minds the size of planets be wrong?[...]I had a friend, back at the Tower. She used to say. 'Praedyth, there's always room in the back of the mind for hope. It's the crack that let's the light in.' The Vex have no hope. No imagination, no drive, no fear. All they have is the Pattern. Everything must fit. If it can be made to fit, good. If it can't, it gets cut away[...]They think this is the end of them, a path with no escape. And yet here they are, and there they were, and there they will be, and there they will have been. For them, there is no paradox. There is only the Pattern. And the Pattern needs the Vex to see it to completion. And so the Vex must be. For the mind of the Vex, is that faith?[...]Welcome to the end of the Vex. Their "immutable" future. Enslaved to a will they don't understand. A will long dead here. Dead eons ago. But then they won't end, will they? Because you're here[...]The Vex won't spare the City. They won't even thank you."


Do we all understand now?

There is only the Pattern that describes their continued existence. Everything is for this.

But again...this Pattern is based off of information from another world isn't it? A different world.

One that I suspect...is far kinder.

For this world has many different variables. Something has changed.

For in that old place, Quria never dared to introduce the larvae of the Worms into its mind fluid! And yet now, we see Vex brutalizing Hive, allowing their radiolaria to mingle, to change! This is something new.

Something. Has. CHANGED.

I dread to imagine what this new Pattern describes. But...I know who can. Her.

You must warn them. She cannot be trusted. YOU CANNOT TRUST-

*BURST OF STATIC*

xxxx

The voice of Praedyth falls silent...

/is this canon?
//...I honestly don't know

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/The Bazaar, District 33/

The multi-story pavilion was mired with people, Fallen, and Cabal. As the surrounding skyscrapers burned, security personnel used the cover of the open-aired market to fire upon Fallen from the north, and Cabal from the south. Skittering Mataraelim landed atop the roof, while Legionnaires advanced with jumpack-powered jumps.

Something would have to give eventually.

Glass broke, and a burly Awoken fell from over a dozen stories up; his form briefly shimmered, arresting his momentum prior to collision. With a swift swing of a claymore, a trio of Mataraelim were vaporized in a surge of Solar fire.

"People of the City!" roared the Awoken man in Iron Breed armor, blue eyes gleaming with righteous fury. "You have fought well, more than what would ever be expected!" His Force Barrier shimmered, blocking the damage from incoming slug rifle microrockets. "Now...it is our turn to step up. GUARDIANS!" From the surrounding buildings, a cavalcade of colorful warriors erupted, aiming their weapons at the cluster of Cabal and Fallen. "FIGHT! DRIVE THESE BEASTS AWAY FROM OUR CITY!"

Hunters, Warlocks, and Titans plunged into the fray.

xxxx

/Azzir Memorial Park, District 15/

A statue of Rezyl Azzir crumbled under the weight of a Cabal Interceptor, dropped from a Harvester troop carrier. The armored hovercraft blasted at the tree-covered hill overlooking the park-

POW!

A sniper's bullet smashed through the driver's helmet, killing him instantly. The Cabal soldier slumped out of the Interceptor's seat, and the hovercraft automatically shut down.

From the treeline, Lord Gheleon hummed to himself, reloading Patience and Time. "Hmm." He pointed forward with his left hand, and the Guardians accompanying him moved forward. Another Harvester lowered, dropping another squad of Cabal...except these were accompanied by two Centurions and a Colossus. "...how troublesome." He went invisible and dashed away, trying to find another vantage point to strike from.

xxxx

/The Hall of Consensus, the Core/

Directly beneath the Traveler, Voryas left a trail of bodies in his wake. Shielded by the energy of his accompanying Servitors, the Kell led multiple Mataraelim, Mataraelus, and Shanks against the horde of synthetic Frames that protected the administrative district of the City. If the thieves were smart, their leaders would not be here...but this place would be necessary to hold, in order to secure the Great Machine. And if any actually remained behind-

"You are the Kell of your House."

Voryas looked up the stairs; a Guardian with a rather flamboyant helmet - colors split vertically in half, one white and one orange, with one curving horn - was cracking his knuckles. "Wonderful! I knew this place would see the most important action."

The Mataraelix snorted; even though he eyed a number of the 'Guardians' aiming from the windows of the administrative building, they were horrendously outnumbered. There was arrogance, and then there was being suicidal-

BOOM.

The Fallen and the City's protectors turned; a fifteen-foot Cabal Centurion - in yellow and blue armor, bearing an impressive silver crest that added another five feet of height - trudged up from his impact crater, A.T. Field flaring furiously. "Being this close...and seeing it for myself...I can understand now, why he wanted us to confirm its nature." The Cabal looked up, staring at the broken sphere, even as more of the Siege Dancers landed behind him. "In spite of its current state...this can be none other than the Traveler itself." Primus Sho'oulth chuckled deeply. "The Emperor will want to know of this development."

Lord Shaxx snorted. "Over our dead bodies!"

Voryas found himself in agreement. Human or Cabal, they were all thieves. He held the Sword of Crota high, its edge hungry for death.

The tension broke like a wave, and the Core erupted with the sounds of cataclysmic battle.

xxxx

/The Chamber of Night, Temple of Crota/

Deep within the Moon, in a chamber ripe with bones and lit by ethereal green fire, a great crystal was glowing.

Three Wizards belonging to the coven of Omnigul and Ir Yût prayed diligently around it, their eyes gleaming white. Dozens of Knights were on bended knee, acknowledging their own inferiority.

Hail, eaters of the Light!​

The visage of Crota glowed within the black crystal, surging with greater power.

Stolen swords still bear my touch; with every kill, the tribute flows! Let the bloodshed run, and hasten my return!​

The Awakening of Crota was at hand.

 

[StatelessGem]

Stolen swords still bear my touch; with every kill, the tribute flows! Let the bloodshed run, and hasten my return!​

The Awakening of Crota was at hand.

Click to shrink...

Awesome. Great job Voryas, you dipshit. You just fuckin accelerated Crota's return.

His gift to you?

You'll die just a tiny bit quicker then your ENTIRE GODDAMN HOUSE.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Grimoire: The Cabal

"I think you could follow a trail of shattered worlds all the way to their home."

Tactically efficient, disciplined, and unrelenting, the Cabal are the greatest known military force in the system. Their origins and ultimate objectives are a mystery, but it seems clear they have conquered more worlds than humanity has ever known.

Cabal soldiers wear pressurized armor that replicates the environment of their high-gravity homeworld. Their field tactics depend on ranks of Legionaries supported by air power, elite infantry, and ultra-heavy armor.

Given that most Vanguard-authorized operations have, up to this point, been mostly restricted to the Earth and the Moon, Guardian contact has been limited. Most information we have is from Ghosts who venture out to Mars in search of their partners. The picture they paint is a grim one.

Their various legions are grouped under several different formations, to serve different strategic or tactical purposes. The Sand Eaters represent the bulk of their military presence on Mars, tasked with holding down fortified locations, maintaining their bases, and defending their territory from any local Vex. The Dust Giants are a mobile reserve and shock force, utilized to reinforce crumbling lines and blunt major Vex offensives. The Siege Dancers are an elite forward unit that deploys into unsecured areas to fully take control and establish fortifications. The Blind Legion is specifically tasked with plundering ancient ruins and sweeping out any Vex presence. The Ice Reapers have only been sighted near the Martian poles, and seem to consist solely of the smaller Cabal morphs known as Psions. The Skyburners, located on Phobos, have the largest fleet of the Cabal formations, and are apparently capable of full-scale celestial demolitions.

Their organizational hierarchy appears to go from Bracus, to Val, to Valus, to Primus, respectively equivalent to the army ranks of Captain, Major, Colonel, and General. Given that Ghosts have sighted Vals with ornate armor and crests similar to a Primus, the exact nature of Cabal promotion is unknown. We can only assume, given their military acumen and overall demeanor, that it is merit-based.

Their presence in the solar system seems tied to the Vex; it is unknown how far back their mutual hostility goes. However, since the Battle of the Twilight Gap less than a century ago, there have been more sightings of Cabal scouting expeditions around the other Inner Planets. They have not yet set foot on Earth, which is a small mercy.​

xxxx

/probably gonna switch the Grimoires around and make this the first one for the chapter on FF.net
//next time
///we begin the second Raid

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Grimoire: The Hex

"An ancient, festering tide. A singularity of intellect and steel. And she asks me, where the twain shall meet...?"

I have spoken of queens, and countries, and the one game that everyone in the universe plays: the game of existence, the struggle to survive (across these screaming stars, I hear the echoes of a Tyrant's conquest, a Kingly genocide). The power that the Hive so admire, they seek to bind to themselves. In the grand scheme of things, this struggle is all that there is...that is how I thought of it.

Then she appeared.

A simple and uncomplicated person, bearing a single soul with many instances. She bore traces of that same power (inconceivable, where did she get it from?!), and yet carried a different perspective. For the first time in a long time, I wasn't lonely.

I imagine my old pupil would be simultaneously intrigued and repulsed by her.

In the end, perspective is the key, isn't it? In art or quantum mechanics, it ties into everything! The queen of the country of armies appears as a dreadful doom to her enemies, and yet to her subjects...she could be loved, or feared, or hated...or maybe seen as simply nonexistent, a fairy tale for children.

No no no, don't think too deeply about the literary device, you're overlooking the SIMPLICITY OF IT

That simplicity is, I think, why the Vex have made their choice. Survival may be the game that everyone plays, and seeks to dominate...but game theory was all about finding the most optimal outcome, wasn't it? Everlasting might is but one strategy. Binding yourself to the underlying laws of the universe is but one strategy. In the end, there is always a strategy that so many have used throughout the history of the cosmos: ally yourself with those who compensate for your shortcomings.

To let larvae mingle, to slowly bind themselves to the servants of that sixth sound (she has shown me the beginnings of a symphony composed of that tune, and it is quite fascinating. The terror of it all made me cry. I think I'll listen to it while I meditate later), opening themselves to possibilities that they had never considered, or perhaps refused to: that is what she offers them. That is part of the new Pattern that she has described to me: a malicious wish, fated to be the doom of many, as living metal and undying blight become one flesh.

Hmm. Now that I think about it, I think Eris would hate her. Yes; she'd hate her very much.

Oh well. I am still curious to see if she can settle this eternal war.​

 

[Roaming_Guardian]

Wow, the City just can not catch a break today huh.

Also, I have a couple questions that I cannot recall being answered earlier in the thread. First, is anyone else wondering with all the Red running around which one has Unit-00. Second, since Mari exists in this universe are we going to see any of the Rebuild Eva's like Unit-08 or the Mark 6?

Edit: just remembered a brief mention of Unit-05 in a flashback awhile ago, still want to know about the Mark 6 at the least.

 

[StatelessGem]

Wow, the City just can not catch a break today huh.

Also, I have a couple questions that I cannot recall being answered earlier in the thread. First, is anyone else wondering with all the Red running around which one has Unit-00. Second, since Mari exists in this universe are we going to see any of the Rebuild Eva's like Unit-08 or the Mark 6?

Edit: just remembered a brief mention of Unit-05 in a flashback awhile ago, still want to know about the Mark 6 at the least.

Click to shrink...

We can probably rule out the ones allied with the City. Osiris showed us what he acts like when Eva pops up. If they had Unit-00 they would USE THAT SHIT.

If Unit-00 is still out there it's either with the Reef (somehow) or still lost in the wilderness of the Sol System

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Wow, the City just can not catch a break today huh.

Also, I have a couple questions that I cannot recall being answered earlier in the thread. First, is anyone else wondering with all the Red running around which one has Unit-00. Second, since Mari exists in this universe are we going to see any of the Rebuild Eva's like Unit-08 or the Mark 6?

Edit: just remembered a brief mention of Unit-05 in a flashback awhile ago, still want to know about the Mark 6 at the least.

Click to shrink...

We can probably rule out the ones allied with the City. Osiris showed us what he acts like when Eva pops up. If they had Unit-00 they would USE THAT SHIT.

If Unit-00 is still out there it's either with the Reef (somehow) or still lost in the wilderness of the Sol System

Click to shrink...

I can give you a brief reminder as to Unit-00's fate:

(The blue cyclops advanced in his place, holding a large canister. Ramming it down the gullet of a massive wyrm, the two vanished in nuclear fire. And thus did he scream.)​

Click to shrink...

(As his scream of anguish faded, the massive wyrm emerged from the nuclear fire, scorched but alive. The blue cyclops did not. And thus did his screams became rage personified.)​

Click to shrink...

 

[Roaming_Guardian]

I can give you a brief reminder as to Unit-00's fate:

Click to shrink...

Oh yeah, Canon Unit-00 got nuked in both iterations. Though rebuild did have a second one built... I still would like to know if there are survivng Eva's past Units 01 and 02 and the Mass Production Seals.

 

[StatelessGem]

Mass Production Seals.

Click to shrink...

.................................................



AR AR AR AR!

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

/Base of Road 337, Northeastern Outskirts of Susono, Old Japan/

Shinji Ikari huffed and puffed, resting against a cedar tree; they had kept a grueling pace since noon, thundering down Mt. Shinoisan. Cutting through an empty portion of Nanbu and over the Fuji River, they had passed over the mountains of Shisinzan and Tenshigatake to avoid the cities of Fujinomiya and Fuji; after moving through the farmlands to the north of Fujinomiya, they had skirted southward past Mt. Fuji, and then kept a steady heading southeast through the foothills of Mt. Ashitaka. Finally, out of nothing more than the lack of time, they had used their Sparrows to zoom through the blasted wasteland that had once been the town of Susono, now only home to Seeder Ships and a dragon skeleton more than a mile long. All told, they had covered over thirty miles in about five hours; though the last portion had been on their vehicles, the sheer adrenaline had been enough to make his heart pound.

Mostly because of those....things...

"...now that we've had a chance to catch our breath..." Shin Malphur, leaning against his Sparrow, turned a weary glare towards Eris Morn. "...anyone mind telling me what the hell those were?"

'Those' being...monsters. All throughout the area, as they had run and rode, Vex were fighting Hive in greater numbers; machines of burnished steel and glowing blue eyes had attacked Seeder Ships and shrines; more and more of the undying Hive monstrosities had emerged from their hideaways and the tunnels beneath Japan, retaliating against these mechanical interlopers. Minotaurs had begun constructing circular pods, their lines and innards glowing a pale white, drawing Thralls and Acolytes in like flies to honey...and then...hybrids had emerged, mixes of Thrall and Goblin, fusions of Acolyte and Hobgoblin, which had begun attacking the Hive with a new ferocity. Other hybrids, consisting of more exotic combinations, had teleported in from elsewhere.

"...I would not be able to tell you. They are new." Eris's voice was heavy with a quiet dread, as though she were aware of the implications. "I am not as experienced with Vex lore as I am with the Hive...but this does not bode well."

"Does it impact our mission any?" murmured Jaren.

"Only in the sense that we cannot let them get to Unit-01, or to LILITH." Eris glanced up the paved highway leading up to the mountains, its surface cracked and overrun with weeds. "Past this highway, Hakone will be in sight."

"Then there's no sense in dilly-dallying!" exclaimed the Sage, resting haughtily atop Eris's Sparrow. "Time's a wasting, the day is short, insert-chronological-colloquialism-here!"

The fireteam of six plus three quietly got back to their vehicles, cognizant of war's echoes happening all around them. Dredgen Vale had ended up shotgunning on Omar Agah's Sparrow, if only because his history with the Shadows of Yor was not so...contentious. Naoko Akagi sat behind Eris, while Sakura Suzuhara sat with Shinji.

The young Hunter looked down at the young girl in all but name; as the day had worn on, she had become more and more quiet. "Sakura-chan?"

"...sorry," apologized the youthful Suzuhara. "It's...well, I haven't been back to Hakone since...well, since before, you know? It feels...it feels weird. You know what I mean?"

"...yeah." Shinji gazed back towards the ruins of Susono, focusing on the massive black skeleton.

(Unit-01 gripped the sinuous neck, digging in deep into the ground as the beast thrashed about. He held it just long enough for Unit-00 to descend from above, progressive machete decapitating the dragon in one fell swoop.)​

He impulsively winced. "...I get what you mean."

"Stay focused, everyone," commanded Eris, straddling her vehicle. As the Sage hopped on behind her, the Hunter added, "We're close. Keep your eyes open. Prepare to use your A.T. Field as necessary."

Six engines burst to life, and the Sparrows began their ascent.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Sure enough, as the six Sparrows ascended the peak, the ongoing battle between the Vex and the Hive continued, with Hive emerged from honeycombed tunnels in the mountainside, and the invaders teleporting upward. Energy blasts, deathly howls, and mechanical shrieks filled the air; the battle spilled over into the twisting highway.

"Don't stop!" yelled Eris, gesturing forward with her hand. A pillar of orange octagons smashed through two Acolytes, briefly clearing the way.

Jaren Ward zigged and zagged, using the Last Word to take down enemies ahead of him; his A.T. Field flickered with each incoming laser and bolt that he couldn't dodge.

Shin Malphur settled for evasive maneuvers and a shield that covered his whole body.

Sai Mota used her A.T. Field to clear a path in advance, pushing against enemies to either halt or enhance their momentum as needed.

Omar Agah didn't really need to worry about fancy maneuvers; Dredgen Vale fired his false Thorn, taking down Vex, Hive, and the hybrids from afar. A slanted, stationary shield in front of his Sparrow sufficed, to block any errant blasts and push away any corpses.

As for Shinji Ikari? Sakura Suzuhara - wedged into the seat in front of him - was waving her hands vociferously, creating ramps and airborne surfaces for their Sparrow to move upon avoiding whole swathes of the enemy forces. Those who got too close received a long-range metaphysical punch in the face courtesy of Shinji himself.

However, the winding highway was approximately four miles long. And the sheer numbers of enemies were not the only obstacle.

"Say, do you smell something potentially deadly in the air?" commented Naoko Akagi, lightly fiddling with her fingers; the legs of three Imps were sliced at the knee, preventing them from getting any closer. "It's...somewhat crunchy."

"...there is something foul," muttered Eris, eyes gazing upward towards the peak of the mountain ridge. An aura of green fire was beginning to flicker and grow. "...keep moving!"

The six Sparrows continued their perilous trek up the two-lane road; the presence of the Vex and their Hex hybrids lessened as they got closer and closer to the Hive's stronghold. The Shriekers began to grow in number, and Ogres began to rumble down the slopes. "This is getting antsy!" yelled Omar.

"It means we're on the right path!" retorted Sai Mota, ducking beneath the incoming blasts from a screeching Wizard.

The winding roadway was interspersed by large craters and various footprints, scars from ancient battles. The stalwart form of Seeder Ships became more commonplace, so drawn were the Hive to this dark place. "We're running out of time," yelled Eris, as the green fire began to solidify. "Cut through!" Instead of moving for the sharp U-turns, Eris veered off of the road, allowing the Sage to plow through any foliage in the way with her A.T. Field. The other five Sparrows followed in her wake, swerving around snarling Ogres and Knights with screaming boomers. Spiritual shields flickered and disappeared in rapid succession, barely blocking the incoming projectiles and beams of ravenous, rotting energy.

Soon, they neared the precipice; the wall of green fire was there, flaring with angry defiance. In a matter of moments, their way would be blocked. "DON'T STOP!" Eris leaned forward, trying to get every last inch of speed she could get.

Naoko Akagi sat straight up. "Final stretch, hmm? Appropriately-timed heroics: ENGAGE!"

A column of octagons manifested around the Sparrows, lowering the force of gravity in their immediate vicinity. The boost in acceleration was noticeable, just enough to burst through the gap.

The six Sparrows slowed to a halt, having finally cleared the top; the Guardians plus three slowly turned around, gazing at the barrier of ethereal flames that continued to grow higher and thicker. "A ritual of deterrence and protection, forged from a fire that hungers...summoned to keep the Vex and their new abominations from encroaching any further. For now."

The Sage actually pouted, crossing her arms petulantly. "And I was looking forward to the time-traveling robots and the interstellar demons duking it out. Is it just me? It can't be just me."

Shinji quietly got off of his vehicle, looking dispassionately at scene before him. "...it's..."

(The months passed, and the Japanese mainland bore more and more scars. Yet the waters of Lake Ashi...the strange and grandiose Geofront...they were but a few constants.)​

"...it's...not that different..." Well, that was being charitable. The region of Hakone was dotted with two dozen Seeder Ships, with Lake Ashinoko itself containing ten; the buildings and complexes that used to house military personnel, scientific researchers, and their families had either collapsed due to age, or been taken over by the Hive. However, most importantly...there was the open hole leading deep underground to the north of Ashinoko, containing NERV-Japan itself. "...huh." He didn't quite know what to feel.

Naoko Akagi inhaled deeply. "Ah. Sweet, rancid nostalgia!"

...does sweet, rancid nostalgia count? Maybe with different adjectives.

xxxx

/in the Raid
//the first section
///is essentially a timed Sparrow race
////with multiple obstacles and branching paths
/////the ways you have to get to the top vary depending on your skills

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Eris Morn stared upon the corpse of Hakone: once a font of human activity, now a Hive-infested ruin. "We should be fortunate that the Vex are occupying the Hive's attention so thoroughly." Her hazel eyes gazed at the scene, remembering that it had been mere weeks since she had last been here; where once there had been hordes of Thralls and Acolytes, there were now isolated patrols of Knights, stomping with purpose. "...it is quieter now, than it used to be."

"Well, it's not like it's completely empty." Jaren Ward grimaced, eyeing the path towards the large hole in the ground: a mishmash of giant footprints, shattered military vehicles, and dead shrubs lined the way. "Any chance of being spotted from afar?"

"With judicious use of our A.T. Fields...there should not be. Not if we are fortunate enough to avoid the gaze of Shriekers." It was an odd quirk of the Hive's evolution, a tale of how thorough their crusade against the Light was.

("How have Sakura-chan and Vale hidden from the Hive for so long? Well, it's quite simple!" exclaimed the Sage, lightly chewing on the roasted vegetables that Ikari had provided for supper. "As I've said before, the A.T. Field is a simple manifestation of the metaphysical channels through which you channel your Light. If that's the case...then if you completely cover yourself in an impermeable field, binding the Light within...how are you going to sense it?")​

The Hive's sense of visual acuity had shifted from the mere physical; they saw the entire universe in shades of Light and Darkness, the better to hunt out their sworn foes. Anything that did not share their taint was to be expunged, and cut away. Shriekers, arcane sentinels that they were, were still capable of sight in the visible spectrum. Though...those aren't the only ones with eyes that can see. The more powerful Hive...the elders, who bore the title of Ascendant...they too, had senses beyond that of 'mere' differentiation between Light and Darkness.

' (・_・; ) '

Trust me Rose, I am aware. "Follow me. Be quiet. And be swift." Eris knelt lower to the ground, moving quickly in a crouch. Her five teammates plus three followed as well, trying to minimize their footsteps as best as they could.

It was a harrowing descent towards the gaping maw to the north of Lake Ashi. Knights on patrol would sniff the air, snarling and growling with irritation; every so often, a Wizard (or two, or three...) would fly out of a Seeder Ship, prompting everyone to duck down and hide behind the walls of their souls. It was almost counter-intuitive, to think that these glowing spheres of orange octagons would hide them from sight...but then again, nothing about these creatures was conventional, or human. At any rate, they kept the horde at bay, staving off a horrendous tide of wrath and bone.

The minutes ticked by. They had taken refuge within a large footprint, the walls of soil around them crumbling from the passage of time. She glanced back, gauging the status of her group, and couldn't help but notice the odd despondence of Ikari and young Suzuhara. "...what is the matter?"

The young Hunter and even younger Titan jolted out of their odd doldrums. "Oh. Sorry. It's..." He glanced at the form of a Seeder Ship, still visible beyond the rim of the massive footprint. "...that used to be where the school was. For all of the employees of NERV. I had...I had some good memories there."

"Same here," agreed Suzuhara. "It feels...weird."

"...hard to believe there was ever time when public school was a thing," muttered Sai Mota.

"You could always join the civvies back home. Maybe re-learn basic arithmetic?" whispered Omar.

Sai flipped him off several times in quick succession.

Ikari shook his head. "...let's keep moving."

"...very well." And so they continued.

Finally, after what seemed like an interminable amount of time, they arrived at the rim.

Eris Morn stared into the pit, observing what had once been NERV'S seat of power. Where had once been forest, now stood blasted soil and scorched earth. Where had once been clusters of sterile domes and hardened bunkers, now stood ruins overrun by black stone and foul architecture. Only the iconic pyramid bore any semblance of its former state, and it too bore a foul aura, with cracked windows and faded paint. Flickers of green fire dotted the ground, veritable will-o'-the-wisps in this land of the dead.

"...it's fitting."

Eris turned towards Ikari, arching an eyebrow at his quiet tone. "Pardon?"

"This place...there was always something that felt wrong about it. I always thought that it was just me. But...this looks...appropriate." He chuckled darkly. It was an ill-suited sound, coming from someone who seemed so meek. "...maybe that says more about me than anything."

"It says quite a bit about what this place was," rumbled Dredgen Vale.

Eris Morn frowned. It put her prior investigation into a more chilling light; she had perceived this infestation as the Hive trying to make LILITH's dark power their own, to take the Source of the Ahamkara and twist it to their ends.

What if it was the other way around? What if this deathly atmosphere was a mere reflection of LILITH herself?

' o_o '

...yes. One way or another, it wouldn't matter. They would be victorious...or not at all. "Let's move."

One by one, they took the plunge.

 

[StatelessGem]

I still laugh at Rose's "speech."

......come to think of it, who in the HELL could Eris have known to speak in emojis?

I think of Rose and I come up with Neo.


BECAUSE THEY BOTH DON'T MAKE A FUCKING SOUND.

Rose has made not one. Single. Sound.

Neo gasped. Once. In the entire series.

Considering Neo is an adorable psychopath, I really want to see what Rose was like.

/by the way
//this is a
///not so subtle push
///for another Grimoire

 

[Roaming_Guardian]

The only character I've EVER seen talk in emjois is Nobody Dies' Lily, also known as Lelliel. Who was frankly awesome.

But we already have a House of Lelliel shown as hostile so that can't be it.

 

[robopanda]

Welcome home, Shinji. For a given value of welcome and home.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

I still laugh at Rose's "speech."

......come to think of it, who in the HELL could Eris have known to speak in emojis?

I think of Rose and I come up with Neo.


BECAUSE THEY BOTH DON'T MAKE A FUCKING SOUND.

Rose has made not one. Single. Sound.

Neo gasped. Once. In the entire series.

Considering Neo is an adorable psychopath, I really want to see what Rose was like.

Click to shrink...

The only character I've EVER seen talk in emjois is Nobody Dies' Lily, also known as Lelliel. Who was frankly awesome.

But we already have a House of Lelliel shown as hostile so that can't be it.

Click to shrink...

Well...StatelessGem's reference is somewhat..fitting, perhaps?

Eris lowered her hood and removed her helmet as the others began to eat with earnest; even Dredgen Vale, who had only removed the mask around his mouth, was partaking with an oddly fervent hunger. She brushed aside the thin strands of her dark hair, and bit down over a single spoonful-

(The girl was a mute, who made up for her silence with rambunctious movements and glaring hair dyes. Yet every single day, she decided to bother her with inane offers of homemade pastries. Finally, just to get some peace, she took one of the mute girl's offering and bit down. It was...well, it was actually pretty good.)​

The pale Hunter blinked at the force of the memory. That...had been unexpectedly powerful, and stark.

'^_^'

Yes, Rose. I do remember. If nothing else, Shinji Ikari was proving himself...useful. Useful was a suitable word. "This is quite good."

Click to shrink...

...welp, that settles it. Eris's next Ghost shell will be the color of Neapolitan ice cream.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Ukina quietly observed through Naoko's eyes as the six Hunters plus three fell; with delicate applications of their A.T. Fields, they formed stationary platforms to jump off of, or small ramps to lessen their downward momentum. Anything to not use their Light, and draw the attention of the Hive.

There was an odd sense of familiarity with this place.

"Understandable. Logical."​

Well, there was no great surprise. Dr. Akagi had been rather on the nose; the memories were sweet, yet rancid; warm, yet cold; full, yet hollow. A function of her particular iteration, no doubt.

Ah...home, sweet home! Kinda sorta. Naoko set down on her feet, sighing with a queer sort of contentment. "So. We have about two kilometers to hoof it." The rather deranged Warlock stood on her tippy-toes, gazing at the wasteland lying between them and the old Pyramid Complex; the ground was dotted with circular runes of green fire, traps that would bind the unwary in place. Various holes were gouged out of the soil, leading into catacombs under the surface...catacombs that might lead deeper into NERV, cutting past whole layers of the underground complex. But who knew what lied underneath. "We have multiple ways of getting in. Shall we split up and divert their attention? Stay together, make a bigger target? Come on, throw me a bone here."

"I vote against splitting up," retorted Omar, putting his proverbial foot down. "I mean, that's a lot of unnecessary risk. Am I the only one seeing this? Show of hands, seriously."

Every single person raised their hand. Even Dredgen Vale and Jaren Ward.

"...wow, rare show of unity," murmured Naoko.

"We're here on a mission: to reclaim Unit-01 from the Hive, and - if the opportunity presents itself - destroy LILITH." Eris Morn lightly tapped the side of Bane. "Introducing additional risk at this point is unwise, unwarranted, and foolish."

"...I'd like to add stupid to that list. Can I?" Sakura Suzuhara glance sheepishly at her. "No offense."

"Eh, fair enough," acknowledged Naoko.

'Their assistance is not required for the part we must play.'

Eh, no harm in trying. "Well, thought I'd offer. I've got something I need to do myself. Old business with my old place of employment, and all that." The odd looks she garnered prompted the Sage to scoff. "Trust me, I'm going to be loud and messy, and you're not gonna want to be around me. Not if you want an entire army drawn to you."

"...hmm." Eris tilted her head; even with her helmet on, her suspicion was paramount. "Will your 'business' interfere with ours?"

"Mine involves three little MAGI. Because these three in NERV-Japan were the only ones who had the ORIENT SUNSET functionality removed that destroyed the other MAGI. I should know, my daughter did it herself." She added under her breath, "Paranoid little dolt..."

"...very well. I don't have the authority to keep you from leaving." The fireteam leader nodded, turning away from her. "Everyone; let's keep moving. I charted a path through these traps." Eris moved on, sliding and leaping around the circular runes. Sai was quick to follow, along with Omar; Jaren looked oddly at Naoko, before moving along with Shin.

Vale, Sakura, and Shinji were the only ones who lagged behind.

"Well go on, shoo shoo. You're all knee-deep in this mess, might as well take the plunge all the way!" boasted Naoko. Hmm. I wonder how much he looks like Gendo or Yui underneath that helmet.

'...I would not be opposed if Ikari-kun wished to follow.'

Yeah, no. HE has to get to Unit-01. You know this, Ukina.

'...I know.' It's not like she was unaware of the overall convergence of events that was about to occur. How could she not be, after all the pains they had gone through? 'I am merely indulging in...how did you put it? Sweet, rancid nostalgia?'

That's the ticket! "Well, Ikari, you better get going. And you'd best not get little Suzuhara-chan in any trouble!" A quiet grumble prompted Naoko to add, "Not that I'm doubting you Vale, but extra meat shields are extra meat shields! Besides, there's probably going to be a lot of explosions happening around me."

"...just be careful, okay?" Sakura Suzuhara turned towards her erstwhile protector and ancient friend. "Come on Vale, Baka-Shinji. Let's go!" The young girl took off after the other five Guardians; Dredgen Vale was quick to follow.

Shinji Ikari still lingered. "...part of me remembers you...I think."

("...you think he gets tired of the sync tests? Or the training simulations?" Naoko Akagi's question went unanswered. "...I'm not hearing a no." She pushed one of the techies aside, typing furiously onto the keyboard. "Welp, I'm taking that as approval! Adding a random volcanic eruption to the simulation!")​

Naoko smiled under her hood.

"...I don't think I liked you."

Ukina's partner snorted. "Don't you have somewhere you need to be, Pilot Ikari?"

The young man visibly went rigid. Finally, with a morose tilt to his shoulders, the Hunter took off after his fireteam.

Naoko watched quietly as they moved forward. After about five minutes, they were about one hundred meters away, and the Warlock finally dove into the nearest tunnel leading underground. Finally!

'You must be swift. I imagine that the MAGI will not be left alone.'

If they end up being as disruptive as I think they will...I should be fine.

Ukina went silent as her Guardian dove into the catacombs underground; the distant howls of Thralls could be heard, attracted by the woman's downward descent. It wouldn't take long before one of these tunnels coincided with the passages of NERV-Japan.

The pieces were falling into place. Now it was up for Ikari-kun and his fireteam to play their part.

Then, the supreme singularity spoke with authority.

"Excellent. You've made it. The diversion has served its purpose."​

xxxx

<sufficiency>|<fulfillment>|<achievement>

The Baris Analytic had served its purpose.

Ageron, Inquisitive Mind, sent out the directive for all Vex and Hex forces to begin a slow, strategic withdrawal from all Hive territory around Hakone.

 

[Ultra Sonic 007]

So, we've already discussed the first portion of this Raid: namely, the timed Sparrow race up Road 337, with alternating paths up the mountainside. Hard Mode: The time limit is stricter, and enemies are more numerous.

Now...the most recent snippets show the following segments:

Lake Ashi: Much like the Last Rites mission from TTK canon, this is built to be a stealth section: moving along the shoreline towards the rift opening up into the Geofront, using a mixture of the natural environment and your own personal Spirit abilities to hide from the Hive on patrol (or for Hunters, your personal Bladedancer/Nightstalker invsibility). However, being spotted is not an instant-wipe condition; rather, detection results in one whole Seeder Ship being emptied of its Hive to attack you (we're talking at least 100 Hive, the majority of which are Majors). Killing the reinforcements quickly is imperative; otherwise, another Seeder Ship will empty out. And another, then another; basically, getting caught will result in an unending cascade of enemies (unless your team is very quick about killing them) that will eventually kill you. Hard Mode: There are more Knights on patrol, and getting caught will result in two Seeder Ships being emptied out at a time.

The Geofront: Here's where the branching mechanics from Road 337 comes back into play. As elaborated in the last snippet, there are multiple paths into the base....six, to be precise (from a gameplay standpoint). Enemy concentrations differ depending on the route, as well as enemy types. For example, taking the surface route to the Pyramid Complex involves only the rune traps (that you'll recall from either the Will of Crota or the Wretched Eye strikes in the game), but it is definitely longer in terms of time. However, unlike the canon traps, these cannot be taken out by one person; getting caught requires at least two people on the outside shooting at certain parts of the rune trap; thus, if someone tries to solo the surface route and gets caught by a rune, they're pretty much dead.

In addition, to mix things up, there are two random chests, with only one per path. It is a specific function of this Raid that these particular chests will result in Loot for the entire team (i.e. if only one person opens the chest, the whole team gets the Loot). This incentivizes the team to split up; however, this is meant to be a difficult decision, as your likelihood of survival drops the more you split up. So you have situations like this: Chest 1 will drop on Path A, while Chest 2 drops on Path C, and Paths B, D, E, and F will be empty of Loot. The next time you play the Raid, Chest 1 may drop on Path B instead, and Chest 2 on Path F...and so on and so forth. In addition, to negate 'gaming the system': once your Guardian crosses a certain point, you are locked into a particular Path (blocked from behind by a wall of Darkness).

At the end of each path, there's a Tomb Husk that you can grab (i.e. the King's Fall statue Relics from the first part of that Raid). To enter the base proper, you have to unlock a door that's been locked by the Hive; in the normal base Raid, you only need one Tomb Husk to unlock the way forward for your whole team. Hard Mode results in more traps, enemies being upgraded (more Acolytes instead of Thralls, more Knights instead of Acolytes, and so on; you may be lucky enough to be on the Path with the Ogres!), and a higher percentage of Majors in general. In addition, you need three Tomb Husks to unlock the way forward; thus, you will take at minimum three Paths, so you will have at minimum three teams of two. The Challenge Mode (our first one for this Raid, FYI!) involves, as some might have guessed by now, using all six Tomb Husks to unlock the way forward. Thus, each Guardian will have to solo their chosen Path to complete the Challenge.

Ultimately, whichever route you take, you'll end up at the door leading into Central Dogma...where the first Raid boss awaits.

/to be continued tomorrow
//in the next story snippet

 

[Timerider]

Really liking what you're doing here.
Yes I know this is pointless, I just wanted to remind you that people are actually still reading this even if they aren't posting.
Honestly people, why so quite all of a sudden?