Though it had seemed like only a moment, the ship's internal clock didn't change. It had been ten thousand years.
I shook my head to clear the remaining mental fog and released my various familiars to go back to where they liked to be. The Navarchs and Princeps were busy bringing the ship back online as I rolled the tickets I'd gotten from the system.
[Gift from beyond the veil, 1x Random Bronze Ticket] (Ozev_10)
[Gift from beyond the veil, 1x Random Gold Ticket] (Shadow_soldier7)
[Live for more than ten thousand years, 1x Random Diamond Trait]
[Spinning, spinning, spinning, done!]
[IX - The Hermit]
|Uncommon Item|
Tarot Card - Allows you to read minds and thoughts for 1 hour. 120 Hour Cooldown
uselessssssss BRUH!!
[Tali]
|Rare Familiar|
Mass Effect - Otherwise known as Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, is an accomplished military personnel and genius engineer belonging to the race of Quarian. As a Quarian, she has notable physical abilities but possesses an incredibly compromised immune system. Tali is a genius engineer, but is used to working with Eezo. Despite this, she is still a very experienced and flexible engineer. She comes equipped with her suit but no tools.
Eh, better. I summoned her and let the Princeps deal with her as I looked to see what the last ticket gave me.
[Sea Serpent]
|Epic Trait|
You are a Sea Serpent or a Hybrid, a true apex predator of the seas. You are able to unleash your Sea Serpent characteristics, either turning into your Hybrid form or full Sea Serpent size. You also possess greatly superhuman physical abilities and are empowered when wet or underwater. All Water-based abilities cost less energy to use and are more potent. But you are vulnerable to dying out, which will drastically reduce all of your stats.
I winced as I felt my Viltrumite trait absorb the changes the trait was trying to make. I guess I've pushed this body so far that the Smart Atoms are starting to consume everything they can to make this body even more extreme.
I guess I'd be more resistant to pressure now? I was already able to do that, but sure.
Anyway, right now I was waiting for the Princeps to re-establish contact with the Librarian. She was the only one who was able to call us out of 'cryo sleep', as it were. So we needed to link up with her and find out what the problem was.
It didn't take very long, but I could see the millennia had been hard for her. Even so, she greeted us with a smile as she greeted each member of the crew and the familiar currently on the bridge.
"Now, on to the reason for my waking you." She began.
"As you know, I was forced to hide the Didact away because of the Master Builder's schemes. He was found by a young Builder manipulator, who has since been forced to take the mantle of Didact as well."
I felt a pit form in my stomach as I realized we'd been gone too long; it was almost time. . .
"With both my husband, the Ur-Didact, and the now Iso-Didact in opposition to Faber's plan, the Council was finally swayed to decommission the Halo Array, the Master Builder's final solution to end the Flood.
They were recalled, all of them, to Maethrillian. Aboard was a Conterder-Class Ancilla meant to protect us from the Flood; it too had been taken by the parasite and used its control over one of the rings to fire it.
Despite swift action from the defense fleet, the ring fired. Maethrillian is no more."
There was a wave of shock that passed through the crews of all the ships in the fleet. I'd opened the channel to them as well; they deserved to know.
"The Didacts and I escaped, as have enough of the ruling Council to reform and make one last stand. You were meant to awaken long before this, but the distance and meddling from Faber had delayed me.
I bid you now, join us here. On the Lesser Ark, it is our last hope."
The Librarian disconnected and left us in silence. Not a word was said for several minutes as our Ancillas did their best to keep everyone sane, somewhat. Finally, the Princeps of the Vengeful recovered enough to send out the order.
"A-all ships. Set course for the Ark."
It took us two months. One to leave the galactic center, another to safely reach the Ark.
We'd been attacked several times by both Flood fleets and Mendicant Bias. Offensive Bias was online, however, as the Flood focused on it and the Maginot Sphere. That gave us the time and opening needed to reach the Ark, without Flood ships following us.
When we were finally permitted to dock, the first ones there to meet us were the Iso-Didact and the Librarian. Two somber individuals who looked exhausted, even though they still towered over me.
"Greetings, Micah. It has been a long time since I last laid eyes upon you." The Librarian intoned softly as I bowed. The Iso-Didact looked a bit upset; I'm guessing he's found out her plan.
"It pains me to see the Ecumene fallen so far, but I did warn you. Faber and the Ur-Didact were also warned, but hubris has made fools of us all, myself included."
She nodded sadly as we began walking. "I'm most grateful for your assistance during the Indexing. Many more species and specimens have been documented, much more than I could have done alone."
I nodded, smiling at the thought I'd been able to help even a little. I didn't know much about how the Indexing had occurred in canon, but I did know the Librarian wished she'd done more. I was glad to have helped Index since it would save more.
"I'm guessing she's told you her plan? How much time is left?" I asked the Iso-Didact as he furrowed his brow.
"Two weeks remain. Offensive Bias and the remains of the fleet have begun their attack on the parasite; they will buy us time." He said gruffly as I nodded. I then turned back to the Librarian.
"I'm guessing the Ur-Didact has been sealed?" She nodded sadly as I sighed. "I'm guessing you left him in a cryptum to recover within the Domain?" She nodded, and I explained why that was a bad idea.
"The Domain was created by the Precursors. As were the Star-roads." The Iso-Didact understood before she did, as his eyes went wide in shock and terror. I nodded when she finally caught on.
"He will be trapped, along. Everything within the Domain will be lost or destroyed. It is too late to save him now; I will try my best once the rings have been lit."
We continued further into the Ark as my ships were upgraded with the newest technology, and I made sure they grabbed everything they could so that we lost as little information as possible when the rings ignited.
Of course, the Iso-Didact and I tried our best to talk the Librarian out of going to Erde Tyrene, but she was adamant. She'd left a week ago, leaving us to rally the few remaining Forerunners. There was actually a split among them.
Half were with the Iso-Didact. Too long had the Ecumene held the galaxy in an iron grip; it was time to wipe the slate clean so that Humanity could reclaim the galaxy as rightful inheritor of the Mantle, without us to guide them.
The others were with me, and the Princeps of my fleet. Yes, the Ecumene was wrong, but now was the time to make it right. Once the rings had been lit and the Flood destroyed, we would personally reseed every planet we'd indexed.
It would be a long and hard process, but life would flourish once more, and we'd stand guard to make sure nothing would ever threaten the galaxy again, at least not the Flood. We would not reclaim the galaxy; however, that was not our job.
Our duty was to make sure Humanity reclaimed the Mantle, and that they didn't repeat our mistakes. Humanity would take the Mantle of Responsibility, and we would make sure they understood it wasn't a tool, but a way of life that kept all safe.
Despite this split, all worked as one to make sure the rings were ready for final firing. When not arranging the final additions to my fleet, I was busy with the Iso-Didact, planning for the future that not many would live to see.
Despite his reservations, the Iso-Didact made sure my ships were more than capable of finding and reseeding the multitude of planets. I also made sure to get to the location of as many installations as I could, since I had no plans of letting the Flood escape at all.
I remember vividly the terror of playing the Library level in Halo CE, especially the hell that was rocket-Flood. I had no interest in ever seeing such things at all. I also didn't want anything like the Gravemind on Delta Halo forming.
I had no idea what the 'win condition' was for this reality. I have no clue what the ROBs had planned for me.
[Dude, you know I can tell you, right?]
'What?! Really?!'
[Yeah lol. Your goal this time is to help humanity reclaim the Mantle. Sounds like a big task, but you got this.]
I mulled on that for the last two days I had left. How on earth would I wrangle HUMANS into the idea of the Mantle? Humanity was one of the most diverse, ingenious, and hateful species out there.
Yes, we could terraform planets to make paradise worlds. We could cure every disease possible and learn any language with enough time. We could band together as a society and species against any threat out there.
We also poison the water of those below us. We also invent new and exciting ways to suppress our fellow man, not to mention all the super weapons. Greed, hate, lust, and pride were some of the biggest things keeping Humanity away from the Mantle.
I didn't know as much as I would like about the Mantle, so I spent a few hours learning all I could from the Principia and Ancilla until Bornstellar called for me; it was time to light the rings.