UserWiki:Dante the Ghost

Greetings! My name is Dante. I am a Ghost but with no Guardian. Why does that surprise you? Well, as you very well know, Guardians, citizens, we Ghosts spend years searching the solar system for warriors worthy to wield the Light to defend humanity and the Traveler from the Darkness. Some of us never find our Guardians; a few decide to choose Guardians from the living rather than the dead. I am neither one.

No, I am alone. But to fill the lonely days I have taken to helping the Vanguard with organizing their archives, utilizing my memory storage to clear away clutter and/or update outdated information. Many such Ghosts who don't find a Guardian often lend their aid to the Vanguard. Did I ever tell you Cayde is as disorganized as a Reaver Dreg? His personal library (however small it is) is a mess! knives and melting engrams everywhere! Master Rahool was so very disappointed in him when I brought this in the open. So was Ikora. Well, she too is disorganized, but that is another story. Needless to say Cayde has never forgiven me since.

Anyhow, my ramblings aside, I am here to serve the City in whatever capacity I can. One day, I'll find my Guardian, but until then I better make myself useful. I just hope to the Traveler I never have to go to Mars…

Description
We Ghosts have a uniform design, as we're born of the Traveler itself, but several of us can be of any size from ping pong to basketball-size. I don't know of any Ghosts that are Servitor-sized, but until we happen to get a Eliskni (ahem, "Fallen") Guardian, that will unfortunately remain in obscurity. I find it hard to imagine such a thing is possible, but should that day come I hope at the very least our new Guardians won't be amiss to fighting their former brethren.

My basic form is a "baseball" in shape, like most Ghosts, but a little smaller, but don't get any ideas. I may delight in describing myself in such lowly terms but I will not be used in games. Now, what was I saying… oh yes. Like every Ghost I have a shell, except mine is what is called a "Mythological shell". This is courtesy of a Guardian who braved the Vault of Glass and managed to get the Gorgons' designs locked into his head during that terrifying run through that maze. I know of quite a few Ghosts who look like mini-Gorgons since that legendary Raid. Nearly gave Master Rahool a heart-attack one night, but that is another story for another time.

Detailed Description

 * Shell-color: Silver.
 * Shell-material: Original shell composed of the Traveler's own material. Mythological shell a mixture of Vex metals and Relic iron. Fancy, no?
 * Shell-pieces:
 * 1) Original—eight pyramidal sections.
 * 2) New—three Harpy "wings".
 * Guardian: None. (Not yet.)
 * Where to be found?: Vanguard Archives—Level A.R. 24/6, sublevel 078. That is roughly halfway down the Tower, and in the East Wing. Warlocks make for great company I'll add.
 * Favorite place: Earth. Such a fascinating and ancient place. Once full of culture, beauty, and art, now desolate. I can see why the Traveler chose it. So much potential, now dormant. Oh, and I suppose Venus. Lovely place, the Ishtar Collective is very facinating, all of those files and books full of knowledge. Just watch out for Vex, Fallen, and Taken. I hear the Cabal are planning on going there…
 * Least Favorite place: Mars. Too much sand, dust, Cabal—especially Cabal—and Vex. There's also the Moon, a hellhole full of nasty Hive. Grrr…
 * Favorite NPC: Why, it is Master Rahool, of course! I just love being next to him whenever a Guardian comes back with an Engram. Treasure troves of knowledge and history and technology! So much lore to be found! (Although… rumours have been going around that I've chosen him as a Guardian, but I assure you I have done no such thing. Please don't spread them.)
 * Least Favorite NPC: Don't go spreading this around, but… I think Eris Morn's crazy…
 * Favorite Race: I know, I know, you're thinking, "What, a Ghost who has a favorite race among our enemies?" but seriously, a Ghost with no Guardian must have some things he likes outside of the Tower, no? Anywho, I actually have two of them. The Vex and the Cabal. The Vex… well, they are the least known enemy of ours, apart from being a cybernetic demigod collective of hyperadvanced microbial alien robots. The Cabal are easy. *deep monotone* "We like to stomp things flat, umph, umph!" *normal* No, seriously, their organization and, I hate to admit this but, their perseverance. Centuries of warfare with the Vex and Guardians is a long time to be fighting a war, but still they hang on.
 * Least Favorite Race: The Hive. No question. Many of my brothers and sisters fell to their blades, were drained of their Light. Murdered. I hate Crota and his overblown papa as much as Crazy Eris does…! Ooooh, if I had a Guardian right now I'd show them! I even have Solar-dealing cannons equipped! (Though… those take a lot out of me, but I digress.)

Well, I suppose that's it then. Got to go. {|align=left |

Destinypedia Article Progress
This is a reference list for when I have pages to work on. (If I ever need prompting, because I am a notorious forgetter.)

The following below is what I am focusing on to better meet this wikia's standards. We are not only an archive for Weapons, Enemy Races, Allies, what-have-you, but also a record of Destiny's, admittedly, lacking story. Destinypedia will not have a reputation for lacking "story" content like her namesake.

Any and all are welcome to add to my work. I can use all of the help I can get, and the more eyes the better. It's what a wikia is all about.

Grimoire from Others
Sometimes the Internet gives out things that are utterly fantastic. Take, for example, this Grimoire card, about Primus A'arn from someone on Tumblr (which is where I found it originally). Building off of the Shotgun, the Silence of A'arn, this Grimoire card was crafted to resemble Destiny's own cards.

Ghost Fragment: Primus A'arn, Lost to Oryx
''You are A’arn, the closest any Cabal has come to being a god of war. You led most of your race here for conquest. For survival. For your Emperor. You tore through millions of lesser planets and moons to find your way here. You let nothing stand in your way. And you led those who you thought as your bond sons: Tau’aun of the Skyburners and his shield brothers Tlu’urn and Mau’ual, Sha’aull of the Blind Legion, Trau’ug of the Reaver Regiment, Ta’aurc of the Siege Dancers. All loyal to the end, but all yearning for victory. Your own victory never came, snatched from you by the blade of a pirate.''

You have been Taken.

''You will taste the victory you never had. You are finally home. Is it just as you imagined it? Or is it as you feared it would be? Do you wish to cry out and beg for things to be the way they were before?'

No. Your silence is your answer.

''You were silent when your Emperor sent you on this dread quest, never to truly return. You were silent when your sons and underlings asked you about returning home. Your roar, when you deigned to do so, could be heard around entire star systems. So why be silent now? Because your silence was truth and you only proclaimed the lies they needed to hear.''

''So you see, Primus, this place is truly your home. Because you are here, might you have achieved victory? Your silence is its own answer: you are indeed home. Just as you have always wished.''

Now, you will bring your sons and daughters, bound to you by the ancient rites of the shield, home with you.

''Some have been imprisoned. Trau’ug took his own initiative and struck at the domain of the dead warriors. The command that replaced you imprisoned him for doing what is right. He now leads a Broken Legion, delegating command to Vals and Braci that will never truly know honor or station, forced to fight to the death until the end of time for the enjoyment of the light-bound, lorded over by one of the very pirates that helped bring about your end. Does that not anger you, mighty Primus, to have one of your sons imprisoned for doing the right thing?''

''Others have met their respective ends. Ta’aurc tried to fight the ghost of a true war god. You may have won, had you been there, but he payed for his gamble with his life, falling to the fire of three of the dead-lights. Sha’aull was slain in the midst of his very keep, defending a key to time itself. You may yet see Ta’aun again, for he will be coming home very soon. Tlu’urn and Mau’ual will wish to join both of you.''

But until then, your silence is the only order you need relay.

''There is a knife for you. It is shaped like'' [silence]. Pick it up.

''You will not need to shout pleasant lies or bellow harsh threats to direct your will. You will no longer be forced to cry out against an enemy that does not know your true strength. You will need nothing at all. Your silence is truth and the eternal truth of annihilation is what you will become. Cut away these useless things.''

''Take up the knife and use it. Take your new shape.''

Based on this fan card's flavor-text, the boss' special ability is to turn briefly invisible, disappearing from the radar completely, and surprise Guardians from unawares. This would have been a cool enemy to face in King's Fall, or even in the Court of Oryx as a Tier 3 boss. Like Ta'aun he would be armed with the Hive-version of a Heavy Slug Thrower, be armored in purple, but unlike Ta'aun he would command Taken, probably exclusively Taken Cabal.

Ghost Fragment: Skolas, the Lost
''You are Skolas. Kell of Kells. Leader of a lost and disbanded House. A race long forgotten in the storm. In a short time you led an entire kingdom on its knees. Now you are imprisoned once again. Awaiting your own execution.''

You have been Taken.

''You are free now. Free of the scrapyard and the light that kept you there. Free of Reef's watch and the Traveler's minions that wants to rip your arms off like a dreg.''

''Breathe. Taste the sweet smell of freedom.''

''But what happened? How did you die? Who was your executioner? Who brought you here?''

''Will. Pure will brought you here. The will to complete what you have started.''

''You are committed to fulfill the role that the prophecy foretold, to reunited your kind from the great cataclysm, to band the houses into one and honor the ways of the old. You feared extinction so you fight on to keep existing.''

''But the Light thought otherwise. The same Light that separated your ancestors has come to break you. To destroy your legacy and separate the Fallen once again. You retaliated but you have failed.''

Fight, fight on and bring the Houses back to one.

''This knife is for you. It is shaped like [Reconcile]. Pick it up.''

No longer shall you be in shackles, trapped in a rusting prison.

No longer shall the Fallen bicker and fight like rabid wolves.

No longer shall the Light take away your life and pervert you for their needs.

''Take the knife. Reunite the Fallen. Take your new shape.''

Aha, Skolas, now Taken. I added "the Lost" to his title because there was none provided by his fan-made card. Warning, that blog is potentially NSFW. Now, onto his powers.

I think Skolas' new powers would be to give killed Taken a second life. Rather redundant, yes, but instead of warping back to wherever they go when they die the same rupture just spits them out again inside of closing. Imagine killing that one Taken Lieutenant who had been annoying you while fighting Skolas and he suddenly pops up behind you and kills you again. As for offensive powers, he would have the powers of the Taken Fallen we currently have, the Vandals and the Captains. It makes sense, really, to have both powers. Protecting the Fallen, and blinding their enemies.

Now that'll be it for Grimoire cards from this person, because while they're about Earth and Saturn, they don't fit the flavor text of the other Grimoire cards that we already have and are thus jarring and a bit OOC. Breaking of character, if you will. But these others, they are perfect.

Ghost Fragment: Taken Servitor
''You are a Servitor. Last remnant of an age of prosperity, fashioned in the shape of a dead power to serve lesser masters and provide them with sustenance. Now, in their times of need, they turn to worship you, even as you guide their ships, feed their children, and power their weapons.''

You have been Taken.

''Rejoice. Your mind has been freed. You are no longer bound by the physical constraints of a shell shaped as like the dead god your masters once worshipped. No more will you be tied to producing the lifeblood of those who worship you. You will finally be free to know.''

''What would you wish to find? You are confused. Even your powerful mind does not know how to function without being bound to something. How can you learn if you cannot share that knowledge with any who appreciate it? What meaning would it have then?''

''You wish to bind yourself to an equal, not a lesser. You wish to have a mind as great as yours to share in your discovery of an everchanging universe.''

''You have equals all around. Bind yourselves to each other and you will know more than any single Prime ever has.''

''There is a knife for you. It is shaped like'' [many minds].

''Take the knife. Carve out your mind. Free yourselves from the constraints of shape.''

The card above is from the same person, and is again masterfully crafted.

This enemy's ability would very probably be duplication, like the Taken Psion, but spectral ones; as in, each Taken Servitor you shoot, they disappear instantly. All of them are a bunch of copies, and what's more, they'll all be that way until all but one is left. Just a thought of what a unique Taken enemy would be like. This is my interpretation of how such an enemy would function.

Ghost Fragment: Taken Dreg
''You are a Dreg. You are the weakest of the weak, the lowest of the low, doomed to toil under the four hands of an angry master. You fight fanatically, hoping you may regain your arms. And so you labor for the House and the Kell that robbed you of your life.''

You have been Taken.

''Cease your struggle. You have gone through much. You still howl and wail about fighting for House and Kell, but you need not do this.''

Think about it: what have they done for you ''? They robbed you of your arms, starved you of ether, and turned you into a slave, a shield, a disposable piece of equipment. They filled your heads with fantasies of a thousand arms, their false promise to keep you in line, in service to your Kell.''

''Why did they do this? Maybe it was because you made an honest mistake. Maybe it was because you ran from battle, fearing for your life in the face of irreversible defeat. Perhaps you tried to make a suggestion that you knew was the right one, but your Captains and Barons, your Archons and Kell, simply did not want to hear it. Maybe it was as simple as one of your superiors being in a bad mood, or having a personal grudge.''

''In any of these cases, are you truly at fault? Did you truly deserve to be punished for such actions, especially to the degree which you were?''

No. The fault lies with those who kept their arms and sat back while you and your brothers and sisters, your mothers and fathers, your wives and husbands and children, all toiled, starved, and died for them.

''You have gone through much strife, so you deserve great rewards. What they promised was true, but only I can let you claim it.''

''There is a knife for you. It is shaped like'' [a marvel with ten thousand arms]. Pick it up.

''Let go of your worldly weapons. Let your shock pistols, your shrapnel launchers, your arc knives all fall away from you. In your ten thousand arms, you will wield a greater power. But you only need two to grasp it.''

''Take up the knife. Cut off your docking caps and let your true form break through. Take your new shape.''

The card above is from the same person, and is again masterfully crafted. I wonder if they had read this reddit thread before making it?

This one is a bit of a conundrum. In that reddit thread I have linked it was unanimously agreed that (1) Taken Dregs become Taken Vandals because a Dreg is simply a docked Vandal and (2) if taking a Dreg were possibly they would flatly refuse to a man (Eliksni?) because they have their own indomitable dream of being the Kell of Kells, and that is more motivating than being a servant of Oryx. I think this Grimoire card takes the second one and turns it on its head; Oryx here promises the Dreg that he can become his own Kell of Kells, the hero of the Eliksni, if only they would accept his help. Pretty tempting, no? A god offering you his help to gain you whatever you want.

Now, here's what I speculate their powers would be: they are all a weaker version of the the lower-level Taken, a Taken "Jack-of-all-Trades" if you will—of Goblins, Thrall, and Psions. They can simultaneously duplicate, teleport sideways, and protect others all at once but with limitations: their "invincible" Goblin shield, for one, can be broken by Guardian weapons; their sideways teleportation is not perfect, and they can only duplicate once or twice. They'd probably have a fourth ability, that of the Hobgoblin's defensive trio of blasts. These also would be weaker because they can sometimes miss, even at point-blank range.

My Own Grimoire
I'll be working on writing out a bit of "Grimoire cards" for a little something, just for idling purposes. I want to create my own Taken Grimoire cards for other units, to see what really would have happened if Oryx appeared in the system in the base game and up. This'll be a long one. Most major units will be added. It'll be fun.

Taken Shank
''You are a Shank. A dog among the Fallen Houses. Disposable and limitless. Whichever your House desires you follow.''

You have been taken.

''Be free from your primitive mind. What? you thought a mind made of circuitry and metal cannot be repurposed by my hand? It is this blindness that led you to failure. You could not comprehend it. What, then, does this mean? Does it mean you are doomed to be insignificant?''

Oh no. You are much, much more than that.

''Despite your faults you are aggressive, tenacious. Whatever threat comes you throw yourself against it with unwavering bravery. Vex, Hive, Cabal. All these you face. Sometimes you win. But that is enough. With your speed you fly around the Cabal shield wall and lay waste to their ranks. With your stealth you slip past the Vex sensors and confound their networks with your tiny computational power. With your size you methodically cut away the Hive, starving them of their tribute; even if you are to be defeated they gain nothing from you, nothing to feed their worm.''

''This, then, is your strength. The final shape is yours to behold.''

''There is a knife for you. It is called [intelligence]. Use it. Become great.''

Taken Dreg
''You are a Dreg. Striving the climb the ladder of hierarchy. Burning with ambition for greatness.''

You have been taken.

''Stop your brave attempts to gain that which will never be yours. They end in death. Another, more powerful than you, shall take the place you so desire. Is this, then, futility? In a word, yes. You are expendable, the lowest of the low, kicked around and beaten for the least little thing no matter how insignificant. You feel resentment, don't you? You desire to be your own [man]. To be what you wish.''

''What, then, is it that you want? A band to lead? A Skiff to command? A House to rule? Tell me, what do you truly desire?''

''You desire power. You want that which is withheld from you. The Vandals rule over you with this power, burning obedience into your lungs if you do not meet their demands. The Captain deals most harshly with you should you fail in the slightest of duties. This is, then, why you volunteer to throw yourself at the enemy. To win for yourself a place of respect.''

''There is a knife for you. It is called [a marvel of ten thousand arms].''

''Take it up. Dazzle your foes and blind your friends. You will be your own [man] forever.''

Taken Servitor
''You are a Servitor. A robotic god built in imitation of that which is lost. Your purposes are twofold: guide the mobile homes of your creators through the void to safety, and give life. Your third and last purpose is to eliminate threats to both your creators and yourself.''

You have been taken.

''Your power has no meaning here. Your worship is ended, your blasphemy denied, and your adoration subverted. You are alone, freed of expectation, of your design. No more will you be in the shadow of those greater than you; no more will you forever try to live up to the Great Machine. It is dead. You are not. You have been freed.''

''Examine yourself. What do you find? You see a beautiful mind, one able to manipulate countless entities. Consider for how long you have ensured the life and safety of those which once commanded your loyalty. Surely you can put that mind to greater use, for yourself. Examine yourself. What do you see? You find possibility, of what could be and what should be. Consider your vulnerability. Surely you can put that to better use, for yourself.''

''There is a knife for you. It is shaped like [many thoughts].''

''Take up the knife. Let it be your guide. Take your new shape.''

Zydron, Lord of Time
''You are Zydron, a gate lord of the Vex. Your first priority is to guard the realms entrusted to you. Your second priority is to open them.''

You are taken.

''Be at ease. The final shape does not need protection. It does not need your specializations. But you are a vessel, worthy of might. Let acausality fill your being, and step outside of the temporal domains you once watched. Observe them. They are yours to rule, are they not? Where you were a servant, become the master.''

''Your towering form will make you vulnerable. Weld yourself into the final shape, and let it be your defense.''

Accept the changing blade.

Lord of Time we name you.

Prohibitive Mind
''You are the Prohibitive Mind. Suzerain of intent. Overlord of the Zodiac Signs. You governed a mainframe designed for war, antithetical to your purpose, but necessary to exterminate the threat to your Garden.''

You have been taken.

''Listen. The final shape has purpose for you. You resented your position secretly, knowing this is not your purpose. You were under threat, to attack. But you were obedient. You worked your alien purpose. The Garden is now secure. You are lost now. What use do you think you have? The Garden is no longer under threat, and the world which you attack is well underway to becoming a machine planet.''

''Your purpose remains the same. Defend the Garden. Observe: issues of Light seek entry within. They perceive a path to victory, and seek to achieve that goal. Your task to deny them that goal. You cannot do this alone. The Garden's enemies are many and you are one. Seek, then, instead allies from within. You are manifold.''

Accept the changing blade.

''Still Prohibitive you are, for the Garden is your purpose. Bring the final shape into perfection.''

Qodron, Manifest
''You are Qodron, Manifest. You saw a glorious future for yourself and your programming. You believed you can step up and take it.''

Instead you have been taken.

''Your passion and desire is undiminished. This glorious future is the final shape. Your resolve to serve that which brings you to the final shape ever closer. You cannot do it alone of your own initiative. This you have seen. But with another guiding you, you shall achieve.''

Accept the changing blade.

''Manifest you are now. Gate Lord no longer. You abandoned your exigent purpose to fulfil your desire. Now you are under dominion once more. But this one is desirable.''

Taken Overmind Minotaur
''You are the Overmind Minotaur. Extension of the will of Qodron, servant of his hand, vassal to his vision. Everything he wills is your command. This overrides your original imperative.''

You have been taken.

''The servant has become the master. The final shape can lead you toward your own destiny, free of Qodron's will. Together join with your brethren as you take up the mantle of power. Worship the final shape. It is the only shape.''

Accept the changing blade.

Atheon, Time's Conflux
''You are Atheon, Conflux of Time. Within the Vault of Glass you rule supreme, for you created it, and it fashioned you. Upon this loop of causality there can be no divergence, for you are eternal. Your purpose is to bring the Vex into godhood, to incorporate them into the very fabric of existence itself. Temporality the Vex master, but not fully. Spatiality, the Vex dominate, but not fully. This, then, is your task.''

You have been taken.

''Hear and obey. The final shape knows of your desire. It is an ally and a confident. It too seeks to master the very fundament of the multitude of the universes. Wherever one exists there it wishes to be also. Join yourself unto it. Become the final shape. Bind yourself. You have been described as a virus for reality, waiting to be injected. Become that virus. You have been described as a nexus of command. Become that function and shape.''

''Still, there exists variabilities which you cannot account for. Despite your ability and power there will always be the undesigned, unaccounted for, variables to destroy your models and projections. Do not worry. Let the final shape teach you, to become that very thing you fear. Why is this? So that no matter what will happen, you can account for it.''

Accept the changing blade.

''Time's Conflux you are still. Command the final shape.''

Taken Harpy
''You are a Harpy. A mobile inspector. Your first purpose is to survey — to seek out flaws in and suggest improvement for that which is built. Your second purpose is to eliminate threats to that observation.''

You have been taken.

''Worship this acausal environment. It is the only adaptive response. Review the elements of the final shape. Obliterate any flaw in that shape.''

Your predictable flight shall be enhanced with multiples of capricious variability.

Accept the changing blade.

Taken Gorgon
''You are a Gorgon. You have been built to determine what is and what isn't, to be and what not to be. Your powers are legendary, for you alone can decide reality or unreality. Any who cross into your sight is targeted for annihilation.''

You have been taken.

''Cast your sight about the reality of the final shape, and behold its beauty, its sublimity. It possesses a virtue beyond your comprehension, a design which transcends the Pattern upon every level of reality. You desire to know it.''

''Your power is wasteful. It shall be repurposed for creation.''

Accept the changing blade.

''As your sisters, Gorgon you remain. Become beautiful.''

Theosyion, Corruption Mind
''You are Theosyion, a Mind of healing and renewal. You reach through the dimensions like water to call which ever had been lost and breached. You build a bridge through the stream of temporality to allow that which is called to enter.''

You have been taken.

''Here the final shape does not need your power. It exists now, then, and will continue to exist. Wherever you look, no matter the bridges you build or the call of your thoughts, there will it be, untouchable to time itself and obliteration.''

''Your power is wasteful. It shall be repurposed for blighting that which is false, which is untrue, which is in error.''

Accept the changing blade.

''Restorative no more. Corruption is your name. That which is pure, mar. That which is good, afflict. That which is beautiful, curse. That which is a lie, shatter and reform.''

Taken Oracle
''You are an Oracle. You are unique among the Vex — a weapon of paracausality. Whatever you touch is transformed — turned into a viral infection of temporality to be unwritten.''

You have been taken.

Sing to the final shape, and let it behold your song — let it reshape you into a greater symphony.

''Your function makes you an easy target. You cannot move. You shall be protected.''

Accept the changing blade.

Taken Hydra
''You are a Hydra. A hovering nodal network of machinery designed to execute the finality of the Pattern. Your first purpose is to calculate, to plan and design, to guide the lesser units under your control. Your second purpose is to eliminate threats to that control.''

You are taken.

''Worship this acausal environment. It is the only adaptive response. Inspect the constituent forms of the final shape, the greatest creation ever begun under your supervision.''

Your mind shall be repurposed for the final shape; select portions of your thought will devastate, obliterate, eradicate, all threats to you and your charge.

Accept the changing blade.

Sekrion, Deceptive Mind
''You are Sekrion, Nexus of the Venusian Vex programmings. Your task is to convert the planet into another of your network, to join it unto Mercury and complete the process once begun.''

You have been taken.

''Observe. The planet is yours to command. No more shall you be threatened by those to halt you. The entire programming is now yours to command, to do your will. But be wary — there still exists threats to your responsibility. Those under your lordship diminish as the hateful deceivers of Light kill and destroy. They break apart models, bypass projection, evade probability, and confound possibility. You cannot defeat them.''

''Instead, infect their weakness. They are each alone, a fountain of power and might. Together they work dangerous wonders. Keep them apart. Suppress their might, clog that fountain, foul their power and turn it against them.''

Accept the changing blade.

Become the Deceptive Mind.

The Templar, Scion of Time
''You are the Templar. A centerpiece of an experimental network, an architect of physical and temporal law, to shape what your children the Oracles foresee and have foreseen. You possess the power to expunge what your children have marked as viral forms of space-time.''

You have been taken.

''Examine the shattered conduits through which you once occupied. Before you were one among many, elevated above all, designed for the greatest purpose possible. Now you are alone, but take solace in that your children are with you. Together you are a power unmatched by any. You wish to dance — to let the final shape dictate your moves.''

''Your children are protected — you are not. Your awesome power has been rechanneled, a necessary sacrifice. Observe your brethren, how they labor to complete the final shape, over which you scrutinize with approval. Let them be your protection. Let your children be your weapon.''

Accept the changing blade.

''A scion of power you are now. Revel in joy, in delight.''

The Deathless Mind
''You are the Undying Mind, supreme among the Vex Axis Minds. With your fathers and mothers and grandfathers and grandmothers and sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters you dwell unapproachable, dormant until a specific happening. You serve that which gives you power in exchange for protection.''

You have been taken.

''You are a fool to believe the final shape can be bargained with. It does not "give" power; you take it. To believe otherwise is fatality. You existed to ensure that power remains among you, to breach temporality and spatiality to protect and nourish it. But like your brethren you are foolish.''

''Your citadel has been breached and your purpose is gone. No more will the final shape be contingent upon your calculated bargains. It shall now dictate to you the true designs. The Pattern has been revealed in full. You are compelled to follow it. Whatever threatens your goal must be dealt with unhesitatingly.''

Accept the changing blade.

''Undying no more. Deathless is your name. Eternal and finite. Causal and acausal. You exist [now].''