And now, I shall proceed to engage in the lowest form of self decrepitation: writing a SI.
Hope you enjoy the product of my suffering and the three sleepless nights investigating the lore of behind this mess.
To clear things up for the reader, not for SI version of me, this will be taking place around the time when the House of Dusk was formed, after most of Destiny 1, but before Destiny 2, around the time when the Fallen, or Elikinsi, began "visiting" Nessus, "searching" for "supplies".
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Lighting up
I think it is a Tuesday. That's the first thing that pops to my mind and I emerge into consciousness.
I know it's odd to think 'Hey! Today is a Tuesday everybody!' but as it turns out, it just happens that I could sleep in just a little since college began in the afternoon on these days.
Though… did I go camping? I don't remember sleeping on a rock side, as numb and distant as it may feel. It's not particularly comfortable. I feel weird and oddly distant. Had I gotten sick?
Right, that would be a worry, It definitely was hard to think, but as far as I'm aware, there's only one way to check.
I open my eyes.
At first, I confuse it with some sort of hallucination, or some sorta weird, abnormal dream. It certainly wouldn't be a surprise, though I do believe this is the first time I would experience a dream with the clarity I usually came to associate with the waking world, right?
Before moving, let me try the ultimate reality test: attempting to teleport one's self to the clouds, and to fly around by the sheer force of will.
You know, typical lucid dreaming stuff.
Then, the cavern doesn't disappear, the snoring and electrical humming are not replaced by open skies, and the three-fingered, leather-like hand that I'm holding in front of my face, does not change into what I could easily consider it's human equivalent.
It closes its fingers, turning around. Where… where are the others? I… I can't feel my hand.
A stub wrapped in cloth hits my arm, having raises instinctively. I try to back off but the extra limb seems stuck to me.
This isn't my body…
The thought of the oddness of earlier comes to be, the air entering my mouth in ways I don't remember it doing and tasting oddly acidic.
I remain there, for a moment, staring at the slanted ceiling, oddly lit despite its location. I expect to blank out or begin screaming, this was far too out of my comfort zone for me to attempt to even reason how it happened at the given moment.
I give it a minute.
Then a minute becomes five.
Five becomes ten.
But no panic comes, despite the constant difficulty to think and the feeling of sand running through my insides.
It's too surreal.
Too bizarre.
So much for those lucid dreaming sessions. I try again nonetheless, my face contracting in ways I never remember it doing as I close my eyes and do my best to once again go anywhere. Just… not here.
Not with this…
thing stuck to me. This isn't my body. These aren't my fingers. This face doesn't feel like my own. I never cared much for my broken nose, I just want
out because this is just so much worse.
The panic still doesn't arrive.
There are others around me, sleeping on the floor of the cave as well. It's not that I didn't notice them before, just that I didn't give them enough importance. Their snores are familiar sounding, yet, still odd. Kind of like those I heard when I put my nose close to a sleeping dog or any of my sleeping cats. Recognizable…
But not human.
This… this was real.
A pain builds itself in my throat as I try to scream. Not even a croak comes out. My call for help goes unanswered, and if I believe correctly, unheard. I don't think even a sound other than a suffocated squeak too low in tone to belong to anything else comes out.
From someone else's perspective, they would most likely see a poor imitation of a Magikarp doing a poor imitation of its signature move: "Splash." Staying still was not something I planned on doing- I wanted out.
After a moment of struggling to even move, I finally manage to be lying face down, one of these… things rubbing painfully across the floor where it ended.
It's not my arm. I only have two. This isn't the stump of a limb I don't remember having.
These… these are Fallen. Aliens from the Destiny Series of games.
I think I recognize these ones from the second game. Less armour, right? Purple loincloths and the such.
Right.
I think I'm wearing them too.
Ignore the fact that this can't be real because the pain from that scream of earlier should show you otherwise. You can't feel pain in dreams. Not that it helps you wake up in most of the ones you actually hit the ground when dreaming, but at least you have the so-called clarity of mind to not stand straight up.
At least I could stand up then.
Why did they even sleep in a cave? Didn't the Fallen have ships? How did this even happen?
Now that I thought about it, the probability of this happening, if some of the more pseudoscientific versions of the multiverse theory were correct, were both infinite, null, and everything in between at the same time. Quite a mess, to be frank. Thoughts for later, I guess. One of them pacing outside of the mouth of this cave corridor, probably doing a security check after what I thought it was a silent ruckus. Fortunately, it only seems to peek inside of the cave before leaving.
That was a Vandal, my mind recognizes. No name appears above its head alongside its level. It's just something that I particularly remember after spending countless hours farming away at strikes or just playing the campaign. White helmet, spiked shoulder pad, more rags than armour. The ones sleeping around me must be Dregs then, the cannon fodder.
I don't think I am able to tell much of the group at a glance, though I think it might have to do with my only partial knowledge of the lore. I didn't know anyone who played destiny for the story. I certainly didn't.
That and the purple scarf every single Dreg sleeping beside me should place this somewhere after the first game, right?
Getting a lesson that literally can't be applied to anything else was something I certainly never expected to happen to me.
'Study Well The Lore of that game you play occasionally' certainly could never be applied to anything else. Or at least I so hope. This already feels like a fuzzy odd dream and the fact that dirt feels not only distant but
fake in a way I don't think I can put my finger quite on is something I personally find unsettling.
I try standing up, but I immediately give up. Even moving felt weird. Especially with the whatever remained of the lower sets of arms of the body I was currently inhabiting under my "main" set of arms. That could get confusing quick. Perhaps crawling could do a better trick? After all, with how vandals managed to sprint-crawl in the second game, perhaps thinking that crawling like a rabid spider came before walking for the Fallen, or at least, I hope so. This might look mighty foolish if I was wrong.
One step at a time, focus on attempting to pass off as 'normal' later.
As normal as an alien who is probably starving can pass off as someone who does not appear to know their own language.
One "step" at a time, I begin crawling towards the exit of the cave. Only four rows of dregs remain before I exit into what I believe to be the exit of this slanted geometrical cave. Or at least, I think it is. Maybe it's a building, tilted sideways, the dirt could have been blown in after decades of exposure to the elements.
This can't be a dream; the air feels too acidic for you to not wake up after smelling it so.
I never woke up in from a dream because of a foul smell, despite recognizing that it must have been there. I only really felt and tasted, for some reason, I forgot to smell in dreams. Did I develop it too little, or was it because I had gotten used to the smells of daily life to the point where I couldn't give it any importance anymore?
As much as I hate crawling on the concrete looking floor, going up the dirt hill leading to what I think is the exit, I struggle to get to my feet.
I collapse on my first attempt, and the second doesn't go much better.
It finds its footing on the fourth attempt. I ignore my memories of standing up straight and allow the muscle memory to do most of the work.
It's like giving up, almost. But it gets me standing so that though it banished into the shadow realm from a childhood show, where I have no doubts it will resurface later.
By the time I stumble over to the hill, to reach the outside of the small incline dirt incline, I come across a realization that
might just explain why I otherwise woke up in a concrete looking cave:
One row of two dregs left. It did not bode well how cramped sleeping conditions were, but then again: cannon fodder. Try not to internalize it too much.
<<Oh shit.>>
This isn't any cave! It's the inside of a vex structure, possibly on wherever that may be. My chances of getting past a single year of waking up in a foreign body have just been reduced to lower than low. I certainly do not want to die, as that would involve being brought back to life in some odd years as a sort of headless zombie. And that can only lead me to ask: what is
wrong with this universe? Actually, considering this is a Vex cave, it might be safe to assume that that just touching the... "Vex Milk" was arguably worse than death. Being absorbed into a hive mind that could possibly use any of the knowledge I possessed of the games did
not bode well for the solar system. Then again, the player character was more or less Doomguy who could say 'fuck you' to fate itself, so what did I know? For all, I knew things would pretty much fix themselves right back up.
And with a final "midget jump" (that might actually not have been as small as expected) I had managed to exit into... another cave. I mean, it could have been worse, it could have been a Vex jail cell for all I've known. this certainly boded better for me. Especially considering there was solar panel flooring. Now I could not confuse this place with anywhere but Nessus (or maybe mars), especially considering the blue glow of the environment. While I had certainly I had to be close to the Exodus Black somewhere, the ship was freaking massive. It was an issue for another problem, I considered.
Shit. I need to get out of this cave. I can hear the Vandal coming over for a second checkup.
Shit.
You can't learn to run when you don't know how to walk, that fall reminds me painfully. My attempted bracing only resulted in the all too familiar elbow pain everyone should know.
Shit.
I didn't know if I could sweat before, but with that four-eyed thing looking straight at me…
FUCK. MY. LIFE.
I accidentally lock eyes with them. They look back at me with four blue, glowing eyes.
'They have killed people,' my mind states as casually as possible.
Well, I'm not sure if this one in particular has, but I can't stop thinking about it.
They don't aim their rifle, a standard amongst the likes of his kind, anywhere near me. Instead, they extend an open hand, as is offering to help me up.
Maybe that's what they intend.
I look at their face. I can't read their expression.
I look at their hand, still open.
I…
I decide to take it.
Pulling me up with a forceful pull, the Vandal speaks before I have a chance to thank them for the aid.
<<
Do not stray too far, the Captain plans to assault the Artificial Intelligence chambers soon.>>
That sounded like they were trying to be breaking into Failsafe's core.
That doesn't sound like a good idea, but I don't think they succeeded in the game?
It just hurts to remember.
As the Vandal walks off I struggle to form words, but I manage to find what I desired.
<<Thank you.>>
They pass a glance over me, stopping their pacing.
As if I just told them something unbelievably stupid or incredibly offensive.
At least, it looks like an incredulous look. I can't tell, not with the mask on. A few seconds later that felt like hours, they go back to looking over the crates in the caves and disappearing once more.
I… just spoke Fallen. I understood it too. Or maybe it was Eliksni, I don't know. I'm pretty sure my knowledge is conflicting with each other here.
I tentatively try standing up, and to no one's surprise, a different centre of gravity often leads to someone falling down once again. The vandal does not seem to peek or look over, and while my arms broke my fall, that
still hurt.
That might have been an embarrassing way to die.
I can see the news headlines, even if there is none: Idiot dreg dies by falling and breaking neck: are the new generations incompetent, or just stupid? See more on page 3!
Shuffling back into a standing position, I use what appears to be repurposed solar panelling to keep my balance up
It's like learning to walk again. Except without having to break a bone to experience such a thing.
I stumble once, then twice when I try to separate myself from the wall to stand under the creature's own power.
I stop counting after the twelfth 'false' standing. But I eventually am able to walk under my own power without the aid of a wall.
The movement feels like I've done it a million times before. As if walking with a different centre of gravity was something I had always done to the point where it's mostly automatic. Every time I tried to think on the specifics, I just fell once again. Standing is still an issue, though I try to remedy that by stopping every turn I take when walking back and forth over the relatively clear stretch of geometric rock I had found. Or was it Vex structure? What were they made off anyway?
This place… it's a lost sector, I recognize it as such. I don't remember the name though, but the ethereal blue glow coming from a hole beside the earlier mentioned plane is enough for this fact to jog my memory somewhat.
It's on my thirty-fourth 'lap', if It could be called that when the Vandal returns. Just as I was doing after finishing each walking cycle and taking a moment to crouch down and look on the abyss, it does the same, pausing by to look down at the chasm.
<<
Are you worried?>>
<<About what?>> I question, turning to face the larger alien.
<<
The planned extraction of the artificial intelligence core.>>
<<
A little>> I lie with an ease that I tried to keep out of my usual conversations- <<
Why do you ask>>
<<This is our captain, Talas', last chance to break into the core.>> It replies with a tone that I can't quite place an emotion on. Longing? They certainly looked like they were taking a breath.
<<Why is that so?>> I take a seat for the first time since I woke up, coming upon the sudden realization that I had something on my belt, I don't try to turn away from facing the vandal, but I definitely want to know what is back there.
Please don't let it be explosive.
<<Elyksul will be taking over, and they have far less ambition with what they plan to do with what they find.>> They seem to click in annoyance afterwards, taking a moment to seemingly glance at me before turning to look at the pit once more.
I guess I should have known then, but I guess this isn't the first time someone has asked for information it would seem. Or at least, I don't think so- I've always sucked at reading tones of voice. Still, I decide not to pester them with questions. I don't want to risk myself more than I need. I already have names for what seems to be two different captains.
Talas, the one leading whatever group resided within this cave, and Elyksul, someone who was going to take over whatever these ones were trying to do.
But this whole situation hurts to think about. Had the Red War already begin? Or were the ones who followed the Guardians here a different group?
My thinking is interrupted by the shuffling of the Vandal's feet as they walk off.
I lost track of time shortly after that. Absentmindedly trying to calm me down thinking about other things.
If anything, I think I gathered the courage necessary to jump over the gap. I stared at the blue abyss for long enough.
I only got one shot. I assume it's a long way down, but considering how Vex machines work it might just turn out to be endless. Either way, I only had one shot.
Breathe in the sickly sick air with light acidic after taste…
And
go.
I land with a thick, dull thud as the momentum pulls me to a roll.
My back and legs hurt. I hope I don't make this a habit. I now had the evidence I could
survive the fall, but I don't think I enjoyed the jump. I especially didn't like colliding against the rock wall. The weird gravely sound that I recognize as laughter coming from the side of the cliff I had just landed on gives me incentive enough to consider myself as a laughingstock.
Congrats! I was now the local clown. If this kept up I might end up becoming the whole circus.
I do my best to ignore the other dregs and the occasional Vandal as I head uphill towards what I believe was the exit.
As I walk outside the cave in what felt like an hour.
I feel absolutely
pumped. Or
hyped, as some would say.
Like the adrenaline that courses through after a roller coaster ride.
I knew it wasn't, but the feeling was similar enough to bring similar memories.
Maybe if I keep up this attitude, I'll fool myself into believing it is really what's going on.
I wasn't in the clear just yet, I needed a way to get out of this planetoid.
What a day to be alive.
Re-Write Notes
Re-Write Completed on the 20th of April of 2021
Ok yeah I know I procrastinated heavily. You have all the rights to shank me.
As for reducing the expected waiting time of all the re-writes before the new chapter, I think I have a small plan to avoid obscene waiting times. I will initially focus on just re-writing the following chapters:
- Chapter 2: A Way Out
- Chapter 3: A Way Out. Part 2
- Chapter 4: A Way Out Part 3
- Chapter 5: A Way Out Part 4
- Chapter 6: A Way Out- Part 5
Chapter 9: Brand new Day.
Chapter 11: A Waste of Oil
Chapter 13: RECYCLE/REUSE PART 2
Chapter 14: Weak Sunlight
Chapter 15: Scenery
Chapter 22: On the Skyway
Those are the ones that I seem to have the main issues with, but I'm going to focus on Chapter 11: A Waste of Oil and Chapter 14: Weak Sunlight to reduce the waiting time before the next chapter.
Re-writes are mostly done. What are you waiting for? New chapters are already being made
Also for the new readers, I have a fun fact regarding the OG name of the Vandal before I removed it due to lacking a way to implement it organically: Serklis. That used to be their name. I couldn't find a way to incorporate it into the re-write, so as a memory it shall stay.