Zarinia looks at the holo map on the ship's bridge along with Neru, Scar, and . "Still nothing worth looking into?" Montana says "Affirmative. No signs of artificial structures that fit mission parameters or zones that aren't covered in divine wastes." Zarinia sighs "Well I knew that this might take awhile before we found false. Still months of nothing is a bit upsetting...Alex how is your team holding up?" Alex replies "Fine ma'am. We are grave jumpers. Sometimes the wait between one hellish fight and the next is a few hours, other times it's months. Either way, we will make sure to bring our coffins with us." Zarinia asks "Scar let me guess. Firespitter and Olive are happy as a clam to be paid to do nothing but Dutch is jumping off the walls?" Scar nods "Correct. Though Dutch is always bouncing off walls so nothing to worry about there." she asks Montana next "How are Proto and A.L.I.C.E.?" Montana says "Proto is find for now. She informs me that she's just happy not ever day is a fight for her life anymore. as for A.L.I.C.E.? She informs me that she's used to long waits and is improving her hardware with the down time." Zarinia is silent for a few moments "Neru. I hesitate to ask but...your team?" Neru sighs "As you are aware, with the exception of Reba, time feels...differnt to them. what is a few months to you is more like years to them. A concept that they are still not completely used to unfortunately. Yamata is handling it the best though she has various hobbies to help on top of being an ex grave jumper. Renka and Gavrick are bit jumpy though not as bad as I feared though being ex grave jumpers themselves might be helping them some with the wait. Maki on the other hand...Well we might want to consider inventing something for her to do if we have wait much longer"

Zarinia nods "Noted...I suppose nothing else I can do today though. I'm gonna turn in then we can discuss how to keep them busy after. Too tired to figure that out." Scar nods "Same." Alex, Zarinia, and scar all leave the bridge. 

Zarinia wakes up to an alert. She says annoyed "What is it?" Montana's hologram appears in the room "Ordóñez. An S.O.S. has been detected in the nearby Iavis System. Angelic in origin" Zarinia leaps out of her bed "You already waking the others?" Montana nods "Affirmative." Zarinia quickly gets around and rushes to the bridge arriving at the same time as Alex and Scar. Looks like Neru beat them all there, though that's hardly a surprise. She asks "What do we got captain?" Montana reports "As of a few seconds before waking Project Leader Ordóñez we detected an angelic signal from the Iavis system. In the time it took for you to get up here however Major Neru discovered something intresting about the signal." Montana pauses letting Neru continue "It's using an encryption method angels haven't used since roughly 4,000 years ago. Could be ascendori as we did at times recruit them for work 'beneath us' but mortals couldn't do and we did give them outdated gear but no active group should have gear quite that old...there were some rouge angels that broke off at that time though most of the ones I can remember probably won't be friendly to us." Zarinia nods taking in the information and then asks "any chance the place was abandoned with gear left behind?" Neru thinks about the question for what seems like a moment her arm in instant going from her side to her hand touching her chin as if she was thinking rather hard. Zarinia is probably never going to get used to that. Neru answers "The only way I can imagine a signal still running seemingly in the middle of nowhere is if they were taking out by an oni and that system could easily have an arch oni. which you all know are capable of killing ascended" Zarinia thinks for a moment and says "We should probably investigate anyway. We still might be able to find useful info there. Captain. Set course for it, come in form the far side." Montana replies "Agreed and acknowledged."

The Nemesis enters on the far side of the Iavis system. Montana reports "Exiting warp. No sign of detection. All systems nominal. Signal pin pointed to Iavis System. Approaching now. Elite Squad Alpha and War Hounds Get ready for Departure. Ego Drakes stand by. Proto depart with War Hounds. A.L.I.C.E. stand by with Ego Drakes." As the War Hounds and E.S.A. get ready Zarinia sighs "I should probably stay up here huh?" Montana replies "Affirmative. While the presence of ascended and arch oni are unconfirmed we aren't sure of anything of use to the mission will be down there either. You leaving is too risky and the current situation means you are more useful up here regardless." Zarinia clicks on mission com "sorry Hounds. Looks like I'm stuck shipside." Scar responds with a chuckle "Boss never likes staying behind either. I'll tell you what her wife tells her. Someone has to stay behind to manage the chaos." Dutch chimes in "If we see any oni I'll hit them extra hard for ya Nemesis One departing" a feminine voice comes over the channel "Nemesis Two departing" Zarinia mutes her end and asks "Captain. Why doesn't Reba Bair go through with ascendori treatment if she's on Neru's squad?" Montana replies "She tried however the process had no reaction, not even a negative one. The current theory is that nothing happened because she is a void elf and they do lack souls so perhaps ascending to any degree requires a soul to even be possiable. Neru did say she has never heard of a void elf ascending where every other known species has which also do all have souls." Zarinia nods as that is a major difference between them and all other life.

Scar will never get used to stealth drops. These ghost owls are silent even in the dropship, not an engine sound to be heard. He hears his old friend, a human called Samantha 'Olive' Cobble, on squad com "Just to be sure. This fancy armor will protect us from the divine radiation right?" Scar answers "For about four to five hours yes. The armor will alert you when it's time to high tail back to the ship." Dutch chimes in with a laugh "you worry to much Olive. You saw the tech on the Nemesis. These Blackfire folks got the kit for this " The tallest of the Warhounds, a male morna elf called Michael 'Firespitter' Crock replies "lay off there Dutch. It was a fair question. Most gear on the market only lasts about an hour and half for personal protection against that stuff and even that is pretty expensive." Dutch thinks for a second "Hmm...say Scar. Just how expensive is this stuff anyway?" Scar grins under his helmet "you don't want to know Dutch" Dutch remarks "That pricy huh? Hey Proto. Noticing you haven't joined in. You all right." Proto replies "I'm fine" Scar clarifies "proto doesn't tend to talk to new people at first. She'll have our backs through if hell breaks loose."

The dropship lands without a hitch. Scar clicks to mission com "Nemesis One landed. Warhounds departing" He then hears Neru "Nemesis Two landed. ESA departing" He hears Zarinia next "The signal is coming from the north of your current location. ESA secure the perimeter and eliminate any oni you find. Warhounds you are to investigate the the source of the signal and any structure you find there. Both squad leaders respond "affirmative" Scar clicks to squad com "Since ascended might be involved I want you on point Proto." Without saying a word Proto moves forward and the Warhounds fall in behind her. Olive asks "is that a house?" Scar was surprised as well as he was not expecting what appears to be an ordinary house that isn't in ruin. Scar clicks to mission com "Nemesis?" Zarinia replies "This is Nemesis. Go ahead Scar." Scar asks "Remind me, to which god the area we are in is aligned to." Zarinia answers "Elementria why?" Scar reports "Because we are looking at a house that isn't in ruins. A very normal looking house at that." Zarinia replies "That's...unexpected. Defenses?" Scar says "none that we can see though I can see what looks like a half built radiation shield generator...Neru any reason an ascended or ascendori would build one of those?" Neru replies "only if they wanted a mortal to stay here." Dutch says over squad com "ok. I'll say it. This is weird" Scar clicks over to squad com "Firespitter keep watch outside. Everyone else move in"

The inside of the house was just as normal as the outside. Scar was currently looking through a desk in an office space looking for some kind of clue of who lives here. Olive says "Proto and I have secured upstairs. No one else is up here." Dutch says "Found a door open. Looks like it leads to a basement." Scar commands "Stay put till proto gets there. With the rest of the house cleared it's the only place someone might be at" Scar also makes his way there but it's not long before he hears Proto report "Basement cleared. Though there is a corpse down here" Well it's something. Probably better than a totally empty house that's in this good of a condition anyway.

Neru flew above the three tops. She saw no aerial oni and her team hasn't even seen a sign of any since landing. Was something keeping them away. Neru clicked to squad com "Check in" Maki reports "Still nothing" Gavrick reports "same." Junko reports "no signs of oni." Renka reports "I also don't see anything" Reba reports "Sensors see nothing around the dropship." Neru was sure now something had to be keeping them away. She turns and looks down towards the house and half built generator. perhaps... Her thoughts were interrupted by Scar over mission com "ESA leader. I'm sending Hound Two and Free One to bring our dropship closer. House is secure but you should probably come check the basement." Neru clicks to mission com and replies "On my way Hound Leader." She clicks to squad com "ESA 4. Bring Nemesis Two next to the house then check out that generator. Perhaps it's not as incomplete as it looks." Reba replies "Roger ESA Leader" Neru quickly flies to the house and makes her way to the basement. Neru heads through the rooms till she finds the one Scar is waiting in. At the same time she spots the body of Gabe. The one person she was hoping the body wasn't.

4,037 years ago

A tall dark skinned angel with black hair and brown eyes opens the door and says "Ah Neru. Thanks for coming. Come on in" Neru enters asking "What caused you to call me over here on such short notice, and why not Xin or Arthur?" He leads Neru through his office sighing "The other's won't be capable of understanding if my research is correct. But you Neru. Your mind is capable of change." They enter the office. Neru sees various programs on his computer that seem to be decrypting something. She also sees various books, mostly on the Ancient Civilation written by mortals. Neru says agitated "Seriously Gabe? What could you possiably learn from the Ancient Civilation? They used to span the known realms then got crushed by the pantheon for failing to give the respect true gods deserve. End of story. Not mention these books are written by mortals. What could those children EVER teach us!?!" Gabe says "woah calm down Neru. You would be surprised by what there is to learn from them and the Ancient Civilation. Besides I want to show you something else first." He opens up a laptop showing some neural patterns and some soul readings that are paired. Gabe continues "As you can see the souls on the left are pure white and notice how the brain activity differs from those on the right with the more transparent souls? I noticed this when serving at a Zelori Inquisition hospital. Mortals with the white souls seem to worship Zelda no matter what. Even those that came from places without proper teaching worshipped her and seem to instinctively understand the tenants. They also seemed to obey their superiors without question." Neru scoffs "So They are loyal. Hardly means anything." Gabe continues "The one furthest on the left. He used to be mortal and had a soul like those on the right. After his ascension however his soul turned pure white. I started looking at more records. It used to be rare. But as the goddess gained power and she became stricter the change happened more often. almost as if they are being tempered so they can't disobey. I also think based on my own study of the ancient civilation that perhaps Zelda wasn't always a god. Which..." He is sent sprawling to the floor after being hit by Neru. Gabe looks up to see Neru clad in her metallic orange armor with sword in hand. Gabe asked shocked "Neru? Why did you..." he stopped talking when Neru leveled her sword at him. She growls at him "Not one more word traitor! Accusing our goddess of brain washing was bad enough but daring to suggest she somehow wasn't always divine? I should end you here for your hafane lies...to think I ever called you friend." Neru slices his computer and lights his research a blaze with holy fire. Gabe mutters "oh...I am a fool" Neru yanks him up, binds his arms, then shoves him outside the office yelling "Outside you hafane filth!" as they head outside she coms her superiors "I have found a hafane angel. I have him detained and burning his hafane teachings as we speak." It did not take long for officers to come drag Gabe away. The next day the Archon of Light called Neru to her office. She was asked to report all she saw. Neru told the Archon everything except about the part where Gabe suggested Zelda was once mortal. Something deep down inside told her to keep that part to herself.

Back in the present

Scar was starting to be concerned. Neru just froze when she saw the body and wasn't responding to him. Suddenly he saw her on her knees next to the body. some wet spots on the ground, as well as tears on her face...so she knew him. Scar suddenly flung against the wall and crumples to the floor. Once the ground stops shaking and he regains his bearings he sees a section of the basement floor has caved in. He checks on his team over squad com to make sure they were ok. Once that was down he finally looked at Neru. Her face is contorted into rage and her fist is on the ground almost like she punched it. Infact giving what just happened she probably did. He traces her eyesight to a wall with words in lesser diviara carved into the walls. Whatever it says has clearly made Neru's blood boil. He makes his way over to where the basement caved in and looks down it. He finds a stair case that leads further down.

Scar looks over to Neru and finally asks with his coms off "you going to be ok Major?" Neru replies "In a moment." Scar says "All right. Take your time." He carefully makes his way down the rubble covered stairs. He shined a light down the narrow passage. Looks like it was reinforced pretty well and goes further than he can see. He picks up a piece of the rubble and looks if over. Cross sections got signed of them being magically created. Long passage, magicked matter...both would be trivial matters for an ascended, and since Neru knows the body and has no signs of the radiation affecting him would mean he's an angel. He shines his light down the passage again. Dead angel, house took most of Neru's punch other than this one spot means whoever built clearly knows how to make or at least enchant the materials here to withstand that but didn't with this spot? No. Makes more sense who ever killed the angel quickly covered their tracks? In a hurry or just a precautionary measure on the off chance the place was discovered? Either way best let ESA check that out.

Those who try to poison the True Faith shall face their wrath. Those words enraged Neru. Not just because who ever wrote that is probably Gabe's killer but also cause she recognized that handiwork. Samuel had to be the one to carve that message. She never did get along with him, made zealots look tame. Still how the hell did he find Gabe? She finally shakes her self free of the rage. She still has a job to do. She gets up and heads to the hole in the floor and asks "What have you found out?" Scar replies "A narrow passage that stretches further than I can see as well as this rubble here was made magically. I think your squad is better equipped to handle what ever might be on the other side, not to mention they can get over their much faster. Either way we have been down here for a while. My squad should probably swap out with the Ego Drakes." Neru hears Reba over squad com. "ESA Leader your hunch was correct. While the generator isn't finished it is emitting a field of some kind that covers the perimeter. Seems to repel oni. Might be a good idea to relay the location to HQ when we can." Neru replies to her "understood and good job. Stand by for now." as Scar climbs up Neru clicks to mission come to report "Area is secure. We found a large device that is repealing the Oni as well as an underground passage that carries on for some distince. The War Hounds also request to swap out with the Ego Drakes" Zarinia replies "understood. Ego Drakes swap out with the War Hounds except for Porto. I want her planet side still just in case" Neru responds "Understood. We'll wait till the Ego Drakes land to head into the passage."

As ESA are double checking their equipment before heading down into the passage when Maki asks "Major. Can I speak with you before we head down?" Neru nods and orders "Captain Yamata. Take Kuwata and Strongpike. Start making your way down the passage but stop if you see a door." Junko says "You heard the Major. Fall in behind me" Junko leads the others into the passage. Neru asks "What's on your mind Maki?" Maki turns to the body of Gabe and asks "he isn't decomposing yet right?" Neru nods "correct." Maki continues "and what happened when I consumed that recently dead ice hawk back on Polaris Five?" Neru says "You gained it's mem...." she pauses and looks at Gabe's body then continues "would you even be able to break down an ascended?" Maki nods "Since I'm ascendori now I'm pretty sure. It might take a bit of time though." Neru sighs "He...he wouldn't have wanted the knowledge he gained to be lost...only if your certain. But be careful. If it works you'll be hit by thousands of years worth of memories...and at least one rather unpleasant one involving me." Neru then clicks to squad com "We are going to be a bit. Report if you find anything." Junko replies "understood." Neru nods to Maki. Make knells down and places her hands on the body. Her hands seem to wobble then bubble as they change to black and crimson tendrils, resembling some kind of sinew, that begin snaking across Gabe's body till they completely cover it.

After awhile Maki's head suddenly twitches and she exclaims "Shit!" her body begins to thrash as the consumption rate suddenly accelerates. Her whole body bubbles till it's form mimics the tendrils appearnce. Neru moves to pull Maki away but she yells at Neru "don't fucking touch me! I lost control!" she then slams into the ground with each trash causing things to shake more and more violently with each thrash. Neru realizing what might be happening quickly gets Proto to help as the both of them get the Ego Drakes outside for fear of furniture falling on them if they stay inside. Neru leaves Proto behind to explain what is happening to the confused Ego Drakes while she herself heads back to Maki's side. Though she isn't able to do much past watch Maki thrash about. After what felt like an eternity Gabe's remains are no more and Maki's form goes back to normal. Maki groans surprisingly quickly "that felt like the dam crystal." She also sat up in a blur. Neru lets her processing speed up to normal and asks "How are you doing?" Maki replies "I ache but a lot better than a few seconds ago." Neru hears Junko say seemingly slowly "Still busy?" Maki asks Neru "Why is she speaking so slowly?" Neru slows down and replies "Changing plans Proto will catch up to you. I need to get Maki back to the Nemesis." Junko replies "roger." She then says over mission com "I need to bring Maki back, Please have proto report to ESA One." Zarinia replies "Something happen?" Neru responds "It's better if I explain on the ship. And have Bip-Yap ready to look Maki over." Zarinia says "Understood. Ego Drake Leader. Send Proto to meet with the rest of the ESA." Maki asks "What is happening? Is something wrong with me?" Neru says to her "I think you just became an angel."

Junko says to squad mates "hold here till Proto arrives." Renka says worried "I hope Maki is ok." Gavrick chuckles "Ah don't worry. I'm sure the lass is fine. She's tough even for us." Unsurprisingly Proto caught up to them quickly. Junko signals to move out and they do. Eventully they reach the other side. They also see it was broken into. Junko takes point knowing what ever might be inside it probably isn't friendly. They carefully make their way in. They follow the trail of open doors till they find a large control room. Inside were five people. Judging by the fact four of them seem to be moving about at their speed with the fifth seems to be a blue they are dealing with four ascendori and one angel. She signals Proto to trigger the attack. Proto rushes in at full speed. Unfortunately the unknown ascended turns around just in time to see Proto rush him. The two clash as blurs with loud rapid clanging reverberating through the room. Luckily these ascendori seem untrained and were watching the fight unsure what to do. Junko signaled to take advantage of that. They open fire quickly slotting all four letting the bodies crumple to the floor as Junko and Renka take up positions ready to fire on the ascendori when an opportunity presents itself and Gavrick keeps an eye on the entrance to the room. After a few moments the ascended's weapon crashes into the wall as he is slammed against the ground. Proto and the hostile were clearly visible now except for their arms and Proto's scythe, which are vibrating from the struggle as she tries to push past her opponents strength. Junko and Renka aim and open fire at the ascended's head. The anti-ascended rounds drilling into their intended target causing him to erupt into blue flame as he turns to ash letting Proto's scythe cleave into the ground. Proto yanks her scythe free as Junko approaches the console the unknown ascended was fiddling with. Looking it over she finds what looks like a power button. She pushes it but nothing happens. No power? Juno commands "Proto and Gavrick. Go see if you can find a way to turn power on. Renka. Watch my back while I try to see if something else is preventing it from turning on. Stay alert. There may still be hostiles around. Proto and Gavrick begin the search while Renka takes up position to watch the door.

Zarinia is watching the holo display on the bridge when Montana informs her "Major Kirigiri and Specialist Takada have returned to the Nemesis. If you with to see them then I'd advise you head to the infirmary." Zarinia says "Take command Captain." and heads off to the infirmary. Once there she sees the crustalin, Bip-Yap who handles the care of the ascendori and ascended on this mission, looking over data on his pad while and assisted by the elskorna Kelgor who seems to be looking over his own screen. Neru is standing by Maki. The later on a bed with all kinds of devices hooked up to her. Zarinia asks "Neru? Report please." Major Neru stands to attention "On the surface we found the body of an angel. Maki consumed him in helps to gain his memories. However in the process did not go as plan. I beleive it might have caused her to ascend." Zarinia asks "Any reason to suspect this might happen?" Neru replies "none that I'm aware of ma'am. Her abilities while allowing her to acquire biomass have not resulted in any fundamental changes in her before. Only to redistribute them and gain the memories if the a creature was recently dead." Zarinia asks Bip-Yap "Well has she become a full ascended?" The crustalin nods "Oh most certainly. Her DNA reads as full angel now. The vexing part is figuring out why our indicators are implying she'd be a natural born as this doesn't look like changed human or ascendori DNA. In fact I can't find a trace of human in her anymore. Kelgor. How is the soul?" Kelgor clicks "Still adjusting to the change but stable. Mana reserves are vastly increased however." Bip-Yap's pincer clicks a few times as he says "Damit if were only able to have learned more about ascendori physiology...but perhaps I know more than I think. If we look about how Neru's DNA reacted to their mortal selves...I wonder if natural ascendori feel hatred to their mortal half." Neru speaks up "one moment. Maki might be able to give us the answer. The angel she consumed was Gabe. He was a doctor before his exile." Zarinia watches as Maki and Neru seems to star at each other. Of course with how fast they can move perhaps it would look they are doing nothing. Frequency might even perhaps be high enough to explain why she isn't hearing them talk? Neru turns back "Maki says that according to Gabe's memories most ascendori felt like a part of them was missing and typically crave ascension. It's apparently why they are normally so eager to serve us. Hoping it would get them there. Though Maki also says she never felt such a pull." Bip-Yap says "She may have never felt it but if that pull is baked into their genes then perhaps on an instinctual level she sensed an opportunity to be 'finished' for lack of a better word. The main reason the change was so violent might simply be that her abilities never let her change her own base genetic code like that. A survival mechanism perhaps? after all screwing that up could kill her." Zarinia says "When will she be stable?" Kelgor replies "From our readings she's stable now. That's not why she's restricted to bed rest." Zarinia raises an eyebrow. "Then why is she?" Neru explains "ma'am. It's because her physical abilities are now greatly enhanced from what they were and this ship is built with ascendori in mind. It can't withstand the full might of an ascended for long." Zarinia says "Your saying she needs physical therapy?" Neru nods "in a sense. She can technically move her limbs fine but even walking requires holding back or I could damage the ship overtime to failure just by walking around. Not to mention it would make it hard for those around us to stay standing. You did see what happened when Proto launched herself during our spar. We need a place I can train Maki. All ascended, natural or otherwise, would go through various exercises to learn to do such including slowing their processing speed down before being allowed to head out to the mortal realm for a mission." Zarinia says "All right. We need to head to a place we can make contact with Blackfire HQ for a request like that though. We will head out when the Ego Drakes and the rest of your squad returns. Since Maki is stable though you can at least let her rest in her own bed. I trust you can train her on the processing speed thing in the ship right." Neru nods "of course." Zarinia nods "Good. Get her to her room then. I need head back to the bridge."

Junko asks over squad com "Found anything?" Proto reports "A few more ascendori. Took them out." Gavrick reports "Same. None of seemed very trained. Starting to think that ascended was desperate and just plucked up some people hoping numbers would be enou....why hello there. Found the power generator." Lights around the walls turn on. Junko turns on the machine and a screen turns on with what looks like a boot up sequence. She says "We are in buisness! Regroup on my position. I'm gonna pull what I can then we are getting out of here." Junko sorts through the files while an external drive downloads the data and a pop up appears on the screen indicating an incoming video message. The squad all look at each other. Junko decides to play it. At the end of the video the squad is all grinning. They just got a massive lead. Junko downloads the video as well and orders "All right people double time back to the drop ship. They are gonna want to see this pronto."

Zarinia hears Junko over mission com "Nemesis. This is ESA One. Passage lead to a small underground facility. We meet hostiles but they are neutralized. We have pulled all the data and found a video you are going to want to see. Pretty sure this fits the boss's criteria on what we are looking for." Zarinia says "Good. You and the Ego Drakes pull back to the ship for now. We need to head out to make contact with HQ anyways. Junko. Bring that video to the bridge when you get here. We might as well see it for ourselves." Junko replies "Understood Nemesis." Montana says to Zarinia "Well this has been a fruitful endeavor to say the least. Certainly not what I was expecting though." Zarinia says "Same. Do you know how long it will take for Maki to adjust?" Montana says "Months potentially. Took longer for them all to adjust to being ascendori. That said she does have access to an ascended's memory, which she doesn't seem to have the muscle memory should still help, and Neru is more familiar with training ascended so it's hard to say for sure. Either way a wait would be worth it. A third ascended on mission would increase our success chances significantly. So I'm sure Tonya will approve the delay." After a time everyone has returned to the Nemesis and Junko appears on the bridge in a blur and salutes "Captain Yamata reporting as ordered." Zarinia says "At ease. You don't have to do that with me" Junko replies "Reflex ma'am." She hands the drive with the video to Zarinia. Zarinia plugs it in and says "Alright Captain. let's see what's on here." Montana has the holo display the video.

The holo display starts playing a recording of an ornate black orb with gold inlay though two of his ‘sides’ are a concave. In the center of the orb is a lens that glows with a silver light. Interestingly the black material looks the same as the black curved obelisks that can be found all through out the realms. Most famously in Subter-Xu where the upper most sections glow red and form a circle around it. The orb begins to speak, it’s light growing dimmer and brighter in time with the words to show that it is indeed the unit talking. “Greetings to the person or people that have found this recording. I am an advanced artificial overseer. My designated name is Torben. It unfortunately took some time to override my protocols to send this message out. I hope that it is not too late and that this message finds it’s way to someone or group that is antagonistic to the gods that currently plague the realms. Though in time perhaps even that won’t matter so long as this reaches someone at all. But I am getting ahead of myself. I run the most advanced research and defense center mostly dedicated to dealing with the Forgotten and the Divinity Crisis built by Calesia. A Civilation far older than the Orithyian Empire that your people currently think is the oldest civilation. Though you refer to it as the Ancient Civilation. I wonder if that’s yet another way th….no Torben stay on task. Sorry my inquisitive nature does cause me to drift off from time to time.” 

The scene changes. Torben is floating before a window that reveals an environment outside the facility that looks like a forest clearing with a river running through it though it’s mostly grey though the reflections in the water have color. In the distince there also appears to be some kind of visible wind stream. Torben speaks “This facility is located in what your gods call the Twilight realm.” He turns around “That wind stream there. Is in fact not wind, but either. It flows in vast quantities down here. When a living thing is born a bit of ether breaks off to form a soul. Mana then stitches to the living being to anchor it in place. When that person dies the ether is set free and is supposed to eventully find it’s way back to the ether streams.” He turns back to the screen. “This has not happened in some time. Your gods are keeping souls in their private realms preventing their return. This realm does have a way of converting mana to ether but the realms with the most mana are the same realms these gods dwell in. Causing the ether that is made to be tainted by that gods influence and it’s spreading. This problematic for multiple reasons. Souls made from this ether will have no choice but to worship that god further increasing their power. It has also been causing instability in the realm. Though I have yet to determine if this is because the large amount of mana it is regular converting now, the fact non balanced either is in the streams or if it’s just the result of so many different types of ether. Unless something else entirely. Compounding this also the twilight realms expansion. It is the backbone if you well of all realms. Your gods power hungry as they can be have not just getting new followers but expanding their realms as well and at times making new ones. This forced the twilight realm to expand as well and if life is there it must also provide ether that it already is having to convert on mass from mana. There is more I wish to tell but I dare not risk it in this message. I revealed the above to provide that I can be of great aide to someone who wishes to help put things right. In this recording I have seeded clues that can get you to me where I will answer any question you have provided I have an answer. Please do not delay. With each passing day we are running out of time. Exponentially at that. From both your gods and the Forgotten."

Zarinia says "That is certainly a step in the right direction. He said something about clues seeded into the video." Montana says "Indeed. I will require Reba's expertise on this matter. I have found a few but it seems Torben was wary of other AI. Makes sense the theocracies do employ them as well. Together we will be able to crack what he has hidden." Zarinia nods "Ya. I guess that does make sense. All right Montana get us somewhere we can contact Tonya. Make sure Reba knows to help you." Montana nods as the ship prepares to enter warp.

Neru sets Maki down on her bed. Neru says "You are gonna have to wait still but at least we can practice on controlling your processing speed till we can get you planet side though I think we will give you the day to process everything that has happened." Maki says "Some alone time would probably be good." Neru goes to leave but stops when she hears Maki say "Neru...He didn't hate you." Neru turns to Maki and says "What?" Maki continues "Gabe. He didn't hate you. In fact he still saw you as a friend. Even when Samuel did him in. He should have known better and been more careful when telling you about what all he discovered. He also wanted to thank you. He figured out that he would have been dead if you told them about what he found about Zelda once being mortal. Only reason they would have exile him instead is if you kept that part to yourself." Neru starts forming tears as Maki continues "Oh and he meet someone. A Zarange called Jotaro Zugimato. It's why he made that house. Once he finished the shield generator to keep the divine radiation out he was going to bring him there. He would have loved for you too meet. His final worry was wondering how he was going to keep Jotaro safe now. Think we can help with that?" Neru wipes the tears from her eyes and smiles "Oh I'm going to make sure of it. Thank you Maki. You have no idea the weight you just lifted." Maki returns the smile.