Forum:Saphix

"The Darkness showed me the Light, but the Vex showed me salvation"

- Saphix

Saphix was a former Guardian and the first to retain his consciousness after being infected with radiolaria. He is also one of many Guardians that were able to control the powers of the Darkness. He is currently leading the Oxian Almighty.

Resurrection
"Imagine sleeping for a little while, and then that slumber is interrupted. Not only are you awake, you are impaled and you don’t know why you exist."

- Saphix recalling his resurrection

During a Ghost’s journey to resurrect a Guardian, it stumbled upon a corpse impaled by a pole. It was able to revive the corpse, but it was frightened to be resurrected and more frightened to be impaled. Ignoring the Ghost’s attempts to calm him down, the newborn Guardian ripped himself in half, killing him.

After that dilemma, the Guardian immediately walked toward a nearby puddle, and touched it. It created a negative reaction, as the liquid started to consume the Guardian, but slowly enough so that the Ghost doesn’t pay attention. The Guardian began to ask questions to the Ghost, some of which involved the giant orb in the sky. The Ghost replied by calling it the Traveller, and was the cause of his resurrection. The Guardian, now more confused, sought to get under the orb to gain its attention and ask questions.

During that journey, the Guardian would ask many questions to the Ghost, and would sometimes have to be told to be quiet by the Ghost. Unfortunately, the Guardian was starting to ask many questions that were about the Traveller and it’s opposite. The Ghost had to scan him for any mental problems, but instead was met with a lot of radiolaria inside his body. The Ghost was able to get rid of the radiolaria, but the Guardian wasn’t happy, as he wanted more “juice”. Strangely, the Guardian still asked questions, only at a smaller rate.

The Traveller and Ideals
When the lonesome Guardian and his Ghost arrived under the Traveller, they were able to see a small settlement that took place there. He was invited by the Speaker, and asked if he could talk to the Traveller. While disappointed when told he couldn’t, he was intrigued when the Speaker said that he spoke for the Traveller. The Guardian than asked why the Traveller didn’t desire to talk. The Speaker said that it was attacked by the Darkness, and in its dying breath drove away the Darkness and created the ghosts. Although satisfied, the Guardian asked again why he was chosen to be resurrected. The Speaker said he did not know, but he assured him that the Traveller knew what it was doing.

Later, the Guardian was packing his supplies for a mission. When his Ghost asked what was the mission, the Guardian said that it was a journey to find the Darkness. The Ghost went livid, telling the Guardian that he was resurrected to destroy the Darkness. The Guardian shot back, telling the Ghost that he didn’t know anything that was happening and desired to find the Darkness to find answers. Against his Ghost objections, the Guardian was still determined to find the Darkness, but not before calling himself a new name. That new name would be Saphix.

The Darkness and Salvation
"Saphix was focused on finding the Darkness, to show him the answers, but instead found an untouched power long ago"

- Eris Morn recalling the tales of Saphix

As Saphix moved on to find the Darkness, he realized that the Darkness wouldn’t be on Earth, and asked his Ghost to show him where a Jumpship was. His Ghost refused to, but was afraid when Saphix grabbed a knife and aimed it at the Ghost, not hesitating to kill it. Saphix was able to find a jumpship and leave, but his Ghost would not talk to him for a while.

During their trip, Saphix sensed an unknown energy source on a Moon of Jupiter, and decided to head there. He would later find out it would be Europa, and would be one of the first to attain the element of the Darkness. When they reached Europa, Saphix was able to locate a hidden Pyramid in the icy landscapes. There, he would traverse inside it, attempting to gain its attention. He was disappointed when the Pyramid was not inhabited, and decided to take a closer journey inside the Pyramid.

Later on, Saphix was able to find a smaller Pyramid in the core of the ship. Touching it, he felt peaceful and satisfied. This was the moment when Saphix would use the ability of Stasis to his own desires. His Ghost warned him that the other Guardians would not be happy, but Saphix shrugged it off, saying that he had no desire to return to the Last City. He took his leave, and went out of the Pyramid, and out of the icy moon called Europa.

Capture and Infection
"This was the day I was reborn. The day I became stronger."

- Saphix recalling his infection

After retrieving his new powers, he returned to Earth and commenced a raid on a small settlement. With his ferociousness and bloodlust, Saphix killed almost everyone in the small village, and left a large ice structure as a sign. While his Ghost noticed that Saphix became more unstable, he did not acknowledge it, nor did he help when Saphix was injured. He would then depart to Mercury, a Machine World. His presence would attract the attention of the Vex, and they sought out a plan to capture him. Due to his Ghost’s ignorance and Saphix’s mental instability, he would be captured by the Vex.

Saphix would be the subject to multiple tests for Guardians, including the process of injecting radiolaria into the dark Guardian. The Sol Divisive would call him a demigod of the Darkness, while the Vex collective that captured him called him a mere guinea pig. In all of these incidents, Saphix would retain his consciousness, and would instead grow more stronger from the radiolaria. However, the radiolaria in his body began to turn his arms into mechanical limbs, which would later have the Vex watching Saphix coughing violently. Saphix, now gaining some benefits from the radiolaria, such as increased intelligence, would use his Ghost as a constant healing factor for him by ripping it apart and using its parts to control the radiolaria. This would result in the Darkness containing and changing the radiolaria, turning it into a darker form of the substance. With the infection crisis solved, Saphix would plan his escape.

In a turn of events, Saphix found out that he could control the nearby Vex by focusing the Darkness to manipulate the radiolaria. He would master this ability to the point where he wouldn’t need to focus to control the Vex. Saphix would then escape, taking a few Goblins and Minotaurs as his defense while taking out the Mind that planned his capture. After this predicament, the nearby Vex stopped attacking him and followed his orders, as they viewed him as a stronger Mind, effectively breaking out of the Pattern. With this done, Saphix would instead stay and expand his new territory and army, planning a massive attack...

The Infinite Forest
"Did you think it was the right thing to let it go? It wouldn’t have mattered. It’s only a mere echo of the actual threat."

- Sagira and Osiris talking about Saphix and his Mouth

Prior to the attack, Osiris was focusing on slowing the Vex collective from taking complete control over the Infinite Forest. While his reflections were exploring the many simulations, some of them reported a strange collective of Vex attacking the Collective and taking control of the simulations. Osiris was intrigued, as the only other Collective that attacked other Vex were the Sol Divisive. He was then communicated by the Mouth of Saphix, and addressed itself as responsible for the recent events revolving around both Osiris’ and the Collective’s loss of their simulations. When asked of it’s purpose, it replied with a search for salvation. Osiris then asked if it had a grasp of the Darkness. It acknowledged it, but did not fully answer his question. Osiris then asked for a reason of taking the simulations. It merely replied with a question on his goals. Osiris was able to leave, but was asked by Sagira if he should’ve killed it. He replied that the Mouth was merely an echo for the true threat, and continued on his exploits.

As Saphix took more control over the simulations, it was attacked by a simulation of Dendron, Root Mind. He destroyed it with a number of Cyclops, but salvaged the remains for a project. By the time he returned to his own simulation, he was attacked by Panoptes, and was deleted from the Infinite Forest, removing his status as the ruler of the small group of Vex, and taking Saphix’s conquered simulations for itself. The attack ultimately failed, but Saphix was able to learn more from it, and begin deciding his next location.

Strengths and Weaknesses
Unlike other Guardians, Saphix is able to use the powers of the Darkness to his own desire. Unlike others that embraced the Darkness, Saphix has mastered and embraced the Darkness, and can harm others at a surprisingly fast rate. He specializes in using this power to either freeze or contain enemies in order to research them. Those who faced him have either died or were left with many scars, but was shown mercy as a message to not attempt to subdue him. He can also be incredibly agile, climbing to the top of Felwinter Peak in a span of 30 seconds.

While Saphix lost his connection to the Light, he still has traces of it inside his body left by his Ghost’s remains. While this may allow Saphix to use his Light, he can only be able to do it in such a degree that doesn’t harm him, as the Darkness prevents the radiolaria from infecting him and the Light allows him to control his mental stability. This leaves unknown and catastrophic scenarios, as Light and Dark do not work together, and radiolaria can only help Saphix so far. However, this still allows Saphix to detect traces of Light, similar to his Ghost.

Arsenal
When he’s not using the Darkness, Saphix uses the Temptation’s Hook as a way to kill in range and melee. Saphix is fond of swords and daggers, often seen playing with a balisong knife.

With the addition of the radiolaria infection, Saphix is also able to use the Slap Rifle and the Torch Hammer. With a limb of the Vex, Saphix’s strength enhancements doubled, enabling him to destroy an object with the mass of a truck.

Trivia

 * Saphix played the recorder once. It did not end well.
 * Saphix is sometimes seen watching the simulations of the Infinite Forest, and rarely being seen manipulating them.