//------------------------------// // Chapter 15: Prometheus // Story: Long Far Gone // by A-P-A //------------------------------// Hive dreadnought 'Nightmare Grasp', Deep space. 4367 Earth date. Nokris was silent as ever, gazing out at the infinite black, his tempered mind filled with thoughts of fire and death. A lone knight bowed at his feet, the normally towering creature looking puny and weak against the Hive gods form. "My king, the planet approaches, shall we begin preparations." Nokris pulled himself away from his graphic fantasies. They wouldn't remain fantasies for long. He looked down at his shivering underling, fortunately the news was pleasing, so his life would be spared. "Yes... Have the seeds ready for or arrival, and make good haste!" The kings booming voice sent shock waves through the stinking air, clearing the rolling green fog with ease. There was a moment of silence before the knight rose, exiting the throne room to complete his task. Nokris leaned back in his chair, attempting to resume his thoughts, but something was bothering him. He felt as though he was being stalked, despite the fact that he was alone. Of course it was of no concern to him, he was merely curious as to why he felt as such. There was a flicker in the darkness, a small light glinting in the rafters above. It made its way slowly down to the floor, pulsing with energy. Nokris viewed it with interest. The blue spark stopped, hovering a a few meters away from his throne. A particularly bright pulse was emitted, and the light began to speak. "Hello Nokris..." How curious... It spoke in a light tone, but he could hear the age in it's voice. "Greetings spark, why have you came to this place?" The light flickered, it's blue hue turning to one of red, but it quickly reversed. "I came to you because I believe there is benefit in our interaction, we both want the same thing after all." "And what might that be, spark." Replied the king. "Equis." Now that got his attention, what would a spark of light want with the accursed planet? The orb continued. "Are you aware that a human still lives?" No... Impossible, how could one have survived, he had seen their city with his own eyes. It was nothing but a charred crater, a thousand miles wide. To think that someone could escape that... "Though you do not show it, I can see your surprise. Not only is a human alive, but it's the same human who killed your brother, and his son. He is in the company of my enemies, I trust you will want to meet him?" Revenge... He could have it, personally... While he thought that they were arrogant and foolish, Crota and Oryx were two of the few entities in the galaxy worthy of what little compassion existed within him. They were tasked by the forefathers to consume that which brought light, and destroy the human race. Together. He would avenge his fallen kin. "What is it that you desire..." "I merely propose an alliance, for the sake of ensuring victory. I wish to purge those who have wronged me, as do you. If we were to work together, nothing could even hope to stand in our way." Red lights began to fill the darkness, accompanied by a symphony of mechanical sounds. A silver encrusted creature emerged from the shadows, it's single crimson orb staring evilly up at him. Nokris pushed himself forwards. "And do you have a name, spark?" There was a flicker, and the sphere suddenly changed shape, twisting into a far more recognizable form. A glowing human female stood before him. "My name? I have many, collective mind, forgotten construct... But you, you may call me Cortana..." Long Far Gone, Equis orbit. 2:19am 01/07/1000 AN Out in the vacuum of space, a purple light tore at shocking speeds. Its target was clearly visible, it's mountainous silver hull looming overhead. The huge vessel passed across the rising sun, casting a shadow apon the lands below. The violet glint burned out as its escape thrusters wound down. As if sensing its approach, a massive metal slab moved aside, revealing a shielded hanger entrance, through which the comparatively minuscule craft passed. Inside the hanger, all was as it was left. Sentinels buzzed around, moving objects and filing data. Among them was one that stood out, for it's round shape was in stark contrast to the jagged and menacing androids surrounding her. Exuberant watched as the Lich crossed the shield threshold at unsafe speeds, before impacting the floor and sliding over a hundred meters towards the back wall, where it came to rest apon its original landing pad, although slightly more scratched and dented than before. The monitor rushed to the scene. "Reclaimer! Reclaimer are you okay!" The answer came as one of the side doors slowly opened, revealing a somewhat intact interior. Most of the weapons cases were in perfect shape, but not in the order she had left them. Had they been reorganized? Before her thoughts could go any further, he reclaimer appeared in the entrance, helmet on and hood up. She flew to greet him. "Ah reclaimer, I trust you had a pleasant excursion, did you return the moon princess to her former lodgings?" Mathew didn't answer, he just stared straight ahead, refusing to make eye contact with the chipper AI. "Reclaimer? Is everything alright? You seem to have misheard my-" "Oh he heard you Exuberant, he's just not in a very good mood right now." Mathews ghost entered her view, his many moving parts twitching erratically. He floated directly in front of her, his single eye narrowing in suspicion. "Why? Was the locals hospitality not sufficient? Did they show aggre-" "Drop the act Exuberant, you're fooling no one." Mathews voice was cold and harsh, almost on the verge of sounding mechanical. He growled at her through his helmet, threatening to vaporize her with his fierce glare. "Whatever do you mean reclaimer?" She asked, feigning surprise. She just needed more time... "You know what, I give up. I'm sick of everyone just lying to me! What is there to hide?! First them, now you." "Reclaimer I-" She was interrupted as Mathew stormed off, sulking like an infant. It was petty, he knew it was petty, but he didn't care. Being mature had gotten him nowhere thus far, maybe acting like a child would make a difference. Ghost stayed where he was, looking directly at the purple monitor. "When did he start acting like this?" She asked, he gaze not leaving the huffing human. "About an hour ago. He was resting when his vitals began to spike, I woke him up and he said we needed to leave. He didn't tell me why, but somethings got him worked up." Exuberant said nothing, refusing to turn away from her reclaimer. "Did he mention anything, anything at all?" "Something about a 'nightmare moon', whoever that is." The forerunner anchilla was silent, stuck in deep thought. "You know, while he was a bit brash, I agree with him. What are you hiding from us, and why can't you just tell us the truth?" Ghosts voice wasn't angry or frustrated, but sad, with a hint of curiosity mixed in. Exuberant broke out of her trance, taking a final fleeting glance at Mathew before turning to his counterpart. "I'm... I'm sorry, it's just sometimes I get cuaght up in my old ways. If Mathew had found out where he was, there was a high chance he wouldn't have set foot on that planet. I needed him to meet them, at least briefly, to get to know them." She was silent for a moment, but quickly followed up on her rather cryptic sentence. "Bring him, I believe it would be easier to show you why you are here, rather than tell you." Ghost nodded in compliance, and floated over towards his forlorn friend. After a moment of hushed speach, Mathew rose and approached her, coming to a stop to her left. "Let's get this over with then." A swirling blue portal opened ahead of them, and the trio disappeared in a flash of light. Canterlot, Equestria. 2:30am 01/07/1000 AN "What do you mean he's gone!" The perfect calm of the castle was annihilated by the hoarse sounding voice of an extremely angry sun horse. Luna, in all her thousands of years of wisdom, had decided to wake her sister apon seeing the guardian leave. She hadn't taken it well. "Sister, calm down! Your going to wake the entire city!" "Calm down?! Luna this is a disaster, those griffons must have come back for him during the night! What if he's hurt! We need to find him-" "Sister! Listen to yourself, Mathew is fine... At least he looked fine. He must have gone up to retrieve something from his spaceship. Nothing more, now rest." "But Luna-" "Rest..." Celestia grumbled and lay down her head, getting a smile from her Lunar counterpart. It reminded her of the old days, when her sister was more joyous and care free. Moments like this were par the course back then. Her musings were cut short as regal princess snores began to permeate the air, Celestia had curled up, her forelegs hugging an overstuffed pillow. "Sweet dreams sister, I shall see you when you awake." Celestia murmured in response, snuggling further down into her pillow heaven. Luna sat up and walked slowly towards the exit, taking care to step over the many scrolls that littered the carpet. She picked one up on the way out, examining the finely pressed seal. As she moved out into the cold hallway, her magic popped off the wax cover, which had a smart imprint of her sibling's student's cutie mark, neatly positioned in the center. Luna scanned the page, which was expertly written in black ink. Dear Princess Celestia I humbly apologize for my actions last night, I was only trying to protect Equestria, and I'm not sure what I did wrong. I couldn't just stand their and let Nightmare Moon bring- "-Eternal night..." Luna froze. "That's what it says isn't it, that's what you wanted me to bring..." She whirled around, charging her horn in the process. "Where are you! Come out at once!" There was a shudder as darkness began to crawl down the castle walls, it seeped through every crack and filled every crevice, covering Luna's surroundings in a thick black tar. It slid across the floor towards her, and was met with a beam of blue light. No effect. "Come now little Luna, don't you wish to see me again? After all..." A particularly large bubble burst, sending a shower of inky goo over the fuming princess. "We're like family." In the bubbles place stood Nightmare, a jagged grin plastered on her face. "You have no place here demon! Leave! Before I am forced to banish you myself." Nightmare just chuckled. "Yes, yes. If seems you haven't changed much since we last met, the only difference then is that we were on the same page..." "I never sided with you! You used me!" "Is that so, or am I forgetting the millions you killed just to acquire me..." Luna snarled, pawing the marble floor with her hoof. "I did no such thing! We will not allow an evil being to bring such slander to our name!" "To the eye that does not wish to see, slanders there can only be... That's an old Zebrican saying is it not, one that fits quite well in your case." Luna fired a beam of hot magic at her twisted form, only for her to disappear af the last second. She materialised on a ledge not far a above, grinning like a mad-mare. "Tell me Luna, what's got Tia so worked up, she's normally so prim and proper. " "That is none of your concern, witch!" Another azure projectile impacted the overhang, blowing it to pieces. Nightmare reappeared behind her. "Could it maybe have something to do with our current guest, hmm?" Luna slowly rotated, a drip of blue plasma rolling down her horn. "Where. Is. He." "He's long gone, far away from you." "What have you DONE TO HIM!" She punctuated he sentence with a huge blast of magic, striking the cackling alicorn right in the chest. The blast caused her to erupt into a cloud of black mist, which drifted aimlessly downwards. Luna collapsed from exhaustion, magic fatigue beginning to effect her senses. There was a twitch of light, and the dust rose in a thick cloud. The cloud rumbled and began to reassemble into a familiar shape, once again Nightmare stood over the lunar diarch. "I have done nothing to him Lu-lu, nothing at all. You on the other hand, or should I say hoof, it doesn't really matter at this point does it. You, are the source of all his strife." "I-I, No! I shall not yield!" "Then it will be your undoing." With a powerful beat of her wings Nightmare sent the moon princess flying backwards. She slammed off the white wall behind her, specks of red splattering the alabaster marble. Luna tried to regain her defensive stance but was cut short as a black hoof impacted her muzzle. Blood erupted from the end of her nose, clouding her vision in a sea of crimson. "Weak, just as you were before." Luna spat out a blob of saliva, shakily pulling herself to her hooves. "You may try to break me, witch, but you will not succeed. No matter how real this seems, it's just another nightmare." "I'm not here to break you Luna, I'm here to make you see." Nightmare kicked her again, tossing the mare to the floor. "Breaking you is just an added bonus." She reared up to deliver a crushing blow, Luna pulled her hooves over her eyes, preparing for the impact. There was a whooshing of air, followed by a sickening crunch. Luna popped her eye open. A shimmering blue hoof shoe was imbedded in the floor, just an inch away from her head. "Look at you, pathetic. At least that monkey had the guts to listen to what I had to say." "Please... Please don't hurt him..." Nightmare Moon just sighed, pulling her dust covered hoof out of the sizeable crater in the stonework. "As much as seeing you in pain pleases me, I doubt I would be able to do anything of the sort." Luna gazed up at her in fear, watching as a tri coloured flash warped across the spirits snake like eyes. Blue, orange, purple. "You see, there is nothing that I could do, nothing I could ever take away from him, that would match what you've already done..." Long Far Gone, Equis orbit. 2:45am 01/07/1000 AN Mathew walked silently down the narrow pink corridors of the Long Far Gone. If it weren't for his sour mood, he would have probably mentioned the complete silence that seemed to shroud the halls. After exiting the portal, it was as if all the background noise just... Stopped... They were alone, moving thoughtfully through a maze of twists and turns and blinking lights. He watched Exuberant with a sceptical but curious eye, following her through what must have been a cartographers nightmare. Eventually, they reached a long slim door. It's shimmering purple surface glowed with hidden lights, illuminating the symbols it bore. One of the sun, the other of the moon. Between the two symbols was another he recognised, the same symbol that had originally drawn him to this strange place. Exuberant turned to face him. "Reclaimer, before we enter, there is something I must ask of you. Something very important." Mathew shrugged impatiently. "I don't care what it is, as long as we get the answers we deserve." The monitor blipped in conformation, before digging through her memory for the right words to use. "Behind this door, are many things that you may bat be able to fully understand. Their nature may anger you, confuse you, or even scare you, but you must promise me, promise me, please do not lash out. Because no matter how you react, you will not be walking out of that room the same as you go in." Mathew nodded uneasily, shooting a wary look at his ghost underneath his visor. "Splended! Shall we enter?" The symbols on the door compressed, spinning as imbedded locks began to pick themselves apart. With a final clank, the process was completed, and the door slid slowly open, revealing what was on the other side. "Woah." The room was huge, nothing like the size of the hanger, but it's shape seemed to increase the already immense scale. The curved walls rose into a beautiful dome, a swirling hologram of a galaxy bathing the room in an aura of blue light. Lining the walls were stands, each containing an item of a different variety. Some looked to be weapons, while others ancient robes and tapestries. What was most impressive however, was the shelves bordering the majestic dome, each of which was stacked with throusands of books and tombs, the nature of which remained unclear. In the center of the room was a grand podium, suspended on which was an ornate golden staff. Mathew approached it. "What, is this place?" He asked, still gawping at the stunning interior. "This is the arcane archives, the last remaining documentaion of the forerunner dark period." Though she couldn't see Mathew's confused expression, she could feel it was there, begging for her to continue. "Held within this room are the answers to many of the universes great secrets, locked away in time. It is also were you will find the answers to your own questions, reclaimer. It is every beings quest to discover why they tred the grounds of the universe, even those like yourself, who have an eternity to find out. If you wish to uncover the future, I must first tell you of the past." "Well then, go on..." Exuberant began to glow, a soft steady hum resonating from her spherical body. The light in the room began to warp and bend around her, obscuring much her surroundings in a gravitational lense. Mathew took a step back, attempting to distance himself from the dramatic display. Just as the vortex reached its critical point, the monitors violet eye burst open in a flash of white, and the world dissolved around him. UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN #:&?am/pm 01/07/1000 AN Mathew awoke to a haze of blue, spotted with close but distant specks of light. He felt as though he was underwater, able to feel the air moving past his fingers, like he was floating in soup. There was nothing below him, or above him, or anywhere around him. Just an infinite expanse of nothing. "Hello? Exuberant? Is anyone there?" "I am here reclaimer, do not fret." Though there were no clear surfaces anywhere, the monitors voice seemed to echo loudly, making it difficult to pinpoint her location. "Where are you?" "I am everywhere, and nowhere. I need not be physical while in this state." There was a flash and Exuberant appeared next to him, twisting around to be at his eye level. "But if it makes it easier for you." Mathew jumped in surprise, but curtly nodded, it was probably best not to think about that to much. He opened the telemetry that normally allowed him to communicate with his ghost, but was met with only static. When a swift bang to the side of his helmet failed to solve the problem, he turned instead to the monitor. "If you are trying to contact your ancilla, I'm sorry to say that you won't find him. This place is normally off limits to an artificial mind, they don't have the right neural framework to access it. Normally." "Exuberant, where are we?" The monitor took a quick glance at her surroundings, she paused for a moment in an action that could only be described as a tired sigh, before continuing. "This is the dreamscape Mathew, you may not know it by that name, as it has many others. Mindscape, limbo, purgatory. It's all the same thing, a metaphysical realm that overlays the physical world in a shroud of thoughts and memories. It's how your princess friend was able to enter your dreams, it's also the realm in which many terrible horrors lurk." Mathew winced at the mention of Luna, what was she thinking right now? She was probably asleep. In the distance, he began to make out what looked like rows of screens travelling towards them. Each had a display of unknown events, most of which looked alien to him. "The archives contain a magical artifact that allows inexperienced dream walkers to traverse the dreamscape with relative ease, truth be told I never thought I'd have to use it, but here we are!" The screens reached them, stopping just ahead of the duo, awaiting further commands. Mathew eyed them with caution. "Your wondering what they are, aren't you. Simply put, they're memories, ancient memories from before even my time. In the dreamscape, minds become similar to that of housing structures, with the entrances being doors, while memories appear as windows. These paticular memories will help to answer some of your questions." As he took a closer look, he began to make out what looked like a massive city. It was larger than anything he had ever seen, dwarfing even the ancient ruins he had seen in Africa. Much of the city was suspended from great floating platforms, elegant and silver in design. Great sparkling crystals were aglow in all the streets, lighting the way. Exuberant moved the window closer for emphasis. "Wow, where is that place." "Where this all began, where we all began." Mathew could see creatures roaming the streets, though it was blurry, he could definitely be sure they weren't human. "Long, long ago, there was an ancient race of beings who had one simple, yet indescribably complex task. They were the keepers of the mantle of responsibility, and they watched over and protected all life in the galaxy. This is the only known memory of them that still exists, and even then it is hazy." Mathew lifted his hand up to stroke the fragile surface, it wobbled under his touch, threatening to shatter. He backed away. "Under these supposed precursors care, three beautiful and unique races began to blossom. Though they showed great potential, they were unexperienced and weak, forcing themselves into perpetual states of war and chaos. Seeing this, the precursors wished to show them the wonders that could be achieved though teamwork and friendship. They presented each of the struggling civilisations with a gift, and told them that, whether they accepted it or not, they would find salvation through it's unlocking. That gift reclaimer, was magic." Mathew felt the travellers light run through his hands, forming a sparkling orb in his palm. "Who were they?" In a flash of light the city screen vanished, and a new one took its place. It was an image of a silk woven tapestry, emblazoned with symbols and all the colours of the rainbow. In the center stood a group of beings, two tall bipeds, and one smaller quadruped. Their happy smiles set forever in thread. "They were us Mathew, humans, forerunners, ponies. We were all given that opportunity, the greatest gift ever given from one to another. They showed your ancestors the magic of friendship, and sealed the bond between our kin. Though only the ponies chose to accept the gift, the knowledge that came with it was vital to keeping our relationship afloat. Over time they grew in strength, and defining values began to emerge among each of the different cultures. The forerunners were good at maintaining order, and wished for a galaxy of peace and prosperity. The humans wished to progress, both in their own knowledge and as a compassionate and curious species. And the ponies, well they wished to see a universe of harmony, where everyone worked together and shared their values of love and friendship." Though it would have seemed complicated at first glance, Mathew found it surprisingly easy to grasp. Three races, each with their own values and characteristics, coming together to make the world a better place. It reminded him of a good three class fireteam. There was just one thing that was bugging him thus far. "Wait, when did this all happen, I'm not sure I've ever seen any of this stuff written anywhere." "You will not find any of this information in a history book, no matter where you look." Said Exuberant, facing the screen. "It happened hundreds of thousands of years ago, and has long since fallen into myth." "There's no way that's possible, the human race was barely banging rocks together at that point." "I'll- I'll get to that later, for now reclaimer, shall we continue?" The tapestry dematerialised, a new image sliding into view. "Though the precursors truly wished to bring happiness to all those under their care, they had other motives as well. The mantle isn't something that can be owned, it must be cherished, and must be free to move on. The precursors understood this, and through building teamwork and trust, were attempting to find a successor. After thousands of years of observation, a decision had finally been made. The forerunners had been chosen to inherit the mantle of responsibility, and with this new power, they hoped to bring an everlasting peace to the galaxy. But as always..." The new image was finally clear to view, and what Mathew saw could only be described as shocking. "They took it one step to far..." Within the window was a still image, crystal clear compared to those that came previous. Though it was merely static, it conveyed all the emotion it needed to. Framed against the sky was a massive bird like structure, stretching its mighty wings across the city below, a city that was shrouded in darkness. Figures could be seen running from the huge metal beast, like tiny ants about to be exterminated. The most prominent of the masses was a young looking man, his mouth wide with terror, clutching something to his chest. Mathew squinted to make out what he was holding, and apon closer inspection realised that it was a child, a pony foal, it's tiny ears splayed back in fear and its eyes wet with terrified tears. "They called them guardians, and they were built as a solution to an honourable goal, to watch over and protect worlds from harm. Protection quickly turned to restraint, which then turned to violence. Only when they started to harvest arcane energy from pony controlled settlements, did the precursors realise their mistake. My creators didn't take kindly to the removal of their power, they were more distraught when it was offered again to the humans, who readily accepted. As the humans began to rebuiled what they had lost, the forerunners anger stewed, they grew resentful of the beings who had taken away their right to rule, and they grew envious of the race who had filled their place. A hundred years later, they declared war on the precursors, shattering millennias of trust and companionship in one swift move." The screen changed again, this time showing footage of a great battle. Ships streaked the skies and blood fell as rain, staining the charred ground. "The war lasted an inconceivable amount of time, the forerunners pushing their teachers further and further out of the galaxy. My creators told themselves that they were doing the right thing, and that they were preventing their own destruction. I was told that myself, and at the time, I believed it. Eventually the precursers were pushed out of the Milky Way, and into a local dwarf galaxy. Where they ultimately met their demise." Mathew watched as the image faded away to nothing, leaving only a faint outline behind. "What happened then?" He asked, shifting his damp eyes upward. "Nothing, for millions of years the galaxy was silent. Leaders came and went, lives were spent, and from the forerunners perspective, their old allies and friends receided from view. Of course they didn't go anywhere, they simply began a new, attempting to replace my creators with a new race of allies. When the forerunners finally remembered who their old friends were, it was not on the best of circumstances. An armada of ships had been edging towards their territory, armed to the teeth with magical and technological weaponry that even the most fearless warrior servants tremble in fear. And after a human starship glassed a forerunner colony, the war to end all wars was declared. It's truly sad that my creators couldn't see past their hate and anger, unable to view what was really occurring just out of sight." Exuberant pulled another, more sinister looking image from nowhere. It showed a marred corpse bursting with sick yellow flesh. "The armada wasn't attacking... It was running, and now trapped between two slowly closing walls, both of your kinds were easily defeated, and all that remained were my creators, and the flood of horrors that they had unleashed. The parasite bled across forerunner territory, destroying and infecting anything it came into contact with. It was the precursors final gift, a final test of our will, which we thought was as strong as the fleet it bolstered. Everything we threw at it failed, until we were left with only one option. If we couldn't defeat the monster, then we had to starve it." A final memory appeared, showing a bazaar piece of footage. Mathew couldn't quite make sense of it. Many silver rings hung eerily over a larger object, it's surface covered with mountain ranges and oceans. He swore they looked familiar, he had seen them somewhere. Then it hit him. "Those are halo rings, aren't they." Exuberant bobbed up and down, attempting a nod. "I'm sure you have been made aware of their function, correct?" "Yeah, yeah I was." "Then you must understand the sacrifice my creators had to make, and the sacrifices they continued to make, right up until the end. Though the forerunners could hardly be considered the noble and proud race they once were, many wished to see their supposed enemies preserved from the coming fire. Saved from destruction." The memories field of view tightened, expanding in on a patch of space near the base of the larger structure. "Plans were put in place to guarantee your survival, but it was not without compromise. The forerunner leadership did not wish for either the ponies, or the humans to find out who the once were. So a pair of installations were constructed. Given controllable ecosystems and perfect landscapes. A single star and moon, rotating around a prison world were nothing ever changed. One had magic, the other was abundant in natural resources, a crib in which a neutered civilisation could grow. That would have been your fate Mathew, a fate that you narrowly avoided. Your peers weren't so lucky." A white orb began to emerge from the shadow of the massive machine, tiny and insignificant. "Were it not for a little outside meddling, I wouldn't be having this conversation with you, and you wouldn't even exist. As luck would have it, humanity had a supporter that was capable of interfering with the process, and Earth was placed in the Sol system, hidden from the scrying eyes of the high council. The Librarian, as she was called, created a time capsule of everything you humans had discovered, and filled it with the knowledge and power that would eventually lead you to reclaim the mantel that was stolen. It was launched out to space, with a hundred thousand year long flight plan that would one day take it to it's intended target. She named it the wandering star, and it was the key to everything." There it was, the traveller, the light of humanity. Glowing with pristine beauty against the darkness of the universe behind it. He could almost feel it's touch again. Until the light of the window faded, reminding him of where he truly was. "The rings were activated, and everything died, just as planned." Slowly, the dreamscape began to fall apart, tearing itself to pieces. "Ah, it appears I am losing control. Not an issue, I shall see you in a moment." With a final groan, the dream world shattered, thousands of shards of prismatic glass raining apon him. He awoke with a start. "Well, that was quick, it normally takes a mind some time to disentangle itself from the dreamscape." A quick check of his surroundings confirmed that he was indeed back in the archives, leaning against the central podium. The odd staff that was situated there gleamed in the ghostly azure light. It rotated slowly in it's gravity well, reflecting at all angles. "Well that was, interesting, to say the least..." Sputtered Mathew, still mildly dumbfounded. "But it doesn't answer my question, you still haven't told us why we're here." "I know reclaimer, I'm just trying to find the right vocabulary. You've handled these transgressions admirably thus far, but I know what I'm about to tell you is going to hurt." Ghost, who had just finished a batch download of all the information his guardian had received, floated blankly at his side. "You can tell us Exuberant, it's okay..." The monitors normally peppy nature seemed to have drained away, leaving what could only be described as shame. "Okay, but, remember your promise. Please don't take this out on those who cannot attest to their actions." "I promise Exuberant..." Replied Mathew, standing up from his slouched position. She simply sighed, and flickered in discomfort. "I've made many choices reclaimer, being as old as I am. Some were easy, some were more difficult, but in the end it didn't really matter which way I chose to go. The grass would still grow, the world would keep on spinning. I was content with knowing that no matter what choices I made, the outcome would never truly affect the universe. Until the day that changed, when that lucid dysfunctional construct had the audacity to infiltrate my installation. Taking with her a million years of peace and sanctity. The choices I made during that time, while they seemed beneficial, would only lead to the eventual downfall of your most precious golden age, and all the destruction that came with it." "In time I grew resentful, as I watched your race tear itself apart from the sidelines, hiding what was left of my kind aboard a stolen vessel of war, and just when I thought all hope was lost... The Wandering star did something know one could have foreseen, it created you..." Mathew shared a confused glance with his ghost, who was listening intently. "As final contingency plan, the raw arcane energy within the star, previously unseen, birthed out in the form of constructs, much like your ghost. With a newfound hope, I witnessed this new breed of super soldiers push back the enemies you had once run from, driving them away from your home. For a time that's all there was to it, but as I looked closer a single team began to overstep the bounds required. They went on the offensive, and were successful! For the first time in nearly a millennia humanity was winning it's battles, fighting harder that they ever had before!" In a surprising burst of speed, Exuberant closed the distance between them, coming to a stop inches from Mathews visor. "That was you reclaimer! You pushed back the Vex and the Cabal and the Flo-" "I know what I did! Okay, I know what I did... Just please, tell us why we're here..." Whatever brief spell of excitement the monitor had managed to conjure up, quickly vanished with the mention of their arrival. "Yes reclaimer... Unfortunately, with the arcana leaking from the star, it put itself at great risk to those able to wield that power. Ritual magic is one thing, but if a true creature of the arcane was to get a hold of it, well the results would have been less than pleasent for both sides, and in my own fit of enthusiasm, I had allowed my conscience to forget about that a fact... By the time I realised what was coming, it was already to late... I had to do something, even if it meant revealing myself to those who wished for my destruction. I had planned for them to send a team of three... When only you arrived, my plans changed quickly. At the request of your ghost, I sent the Long Far Gone to the origin of the magical drain. In truth we could have been here hundreds of years earlier, but I was trying to buy time from those who have an unlimited amount..." "So you brought us here as a defence? A sort of last bastion?" Asked ghost. "Precisely. I do not know whether we were followed, but we more than likely were, so I've been preparing." Mathew, who had gone uncharacteristically quiet, whispered something under his helmet. His companions, being the what they were, detected it immediately. "Did you say something reclaimer?" Mathew glared at the monitor, his visor hiding the troubled mix of emotions on his face. "You talked about the source of the drain, d-did you ever find out what it was?" Exuberant paused mid flight, looking for a way to defuse the situation. "Answer me! Who was it!" Finally she broke, and in a slow stutter, spoke the very words Mathew had been praying not to hear. "I-I think we both know the answer to that question reclaimer..." "No... No it wasn't her, she had nothing to do with this!" "I know this must be hard to accept reclaimer, millions of years of friendship are not easily erased..." "It wasn't her, there has to be another answer! Please tell me... Please..." He looked pleadingly at his ghost, who just nodded in resignation. "I detected it too, but from what I can tell, it wasn't intentional." "She wasn't in control of her actions reclaimer..." "NO! I WONT BELIEVE IT! There's no way..." Mathew collapsed to his knees, pulling his helmet of with a dejected hiss. "It... It can't have been her... I trusted her... I trusted all of them..." A single tear tracked down his face, dripping onto the plated floor. "Why Luna... Why..."