Prologue: Those Who Came Before
Some point during the Archean eon, there was a group of lifeforms among the rest of lifeforms; the Archaios. Unlike the rest of the lifeforms that barely starting to be created, the Archaios was the first complex life of Planet Earth.
To make the Archaios be the deepest complex life ever exists, the Archaios are incredibly advanced race consists of beings that travel from one galaxy to another by the concept known as Resurrection. It's a complete mystery of how long they have existed. One unique race thought the Archaios were so old that they have witnessed the birth of the Universe long before the birth of the first deities or civilizations ever begins. That same race also thought that the Archaios were the ones responsible for creating deities or other races in the first place resulting in the Archaios as true immortals and Gods.
The Archaios are trans sentient beings that exist on an abstract level; one that's beyond any living creatures. Lacking any unified image, they take whatever form they wanted. To a similar fashion, they can die and evolve anew as many times as they wish. To one unique race's technological achievement tiers, the Archaios was the Apex among all species. The Archaios was a very philosophical race that based their entire existence on three; the Ultimate lifeform, neural physics, and the Mantle of Responsibility.
The Archaios believed that the Ultimate Lifeform is the time that led an infinite series of twisting and time streams that tied to fate; fully knowing that the Archaios will someday be non-existent.
Neural Physics is an Archaios concept that proposes the entire universe as a living being that goes beyond the comprehension of the creation of the universe and their own creation. It blurs the line between philosophy and science that harnessed as a transcendent form of technology allowing them to construct unbelievable structures and even travel the stars. It also allows them to communicate telepathically that could be useful during periods of conflict.
The Mantle of Responsibility is a device that contains the knowledge of past, present, and future Archaios, should they fade from existence to a race that they deemed worthy to carry on their legacy. Stored in the Mantle is the ideology of the Archaios which is that all races in the known universe are created equal, al life is created equal, and if one form of life is to surpass another with no intentions of ill will towards the universe. Then, they are to let them do so. However, the most important of the Ideology is to ensure balance at all cost to the universe or simply known as the balance between order and chaos.
When they're reborn to the Milky Way Galaxy in a Planet, that will someday be called Earth, they saw the world to be young and absent of any intelligent species. First, they build their civilization in the young world. Then, they seeded the world with many species, but one has met their standard barely. This species becomes the dormant native species of Earth that the Archaios will judge them if they're worthy or not. The Archaios called them Humans.
With the Human achieved the first of many trails, the Archaios divided the world in half according to the species. The Archaios colonized the West, while the humans dominated the Eastern of the World. For 300,000 years, the Archaios and Humans were at perfect peace as humanity progresses all trials of the Archaios given to them as worthy to wield the Mantle of Responsibility.
However, Peace is easily broken as they faced a sudden and dire turn of events. A threat that not only against the Archaios but against the balance of the known Universe. This threat, jealous of the Archaios, sought to be the Apex by stealing the Mantle of Responsibility. This threat is known as the Legion.
The Legion is a violent, yet 'lowly' intelligent race that expands their territory by conquest. They take what they want and destroy civilizations that are lower than them. The Archaios have met them about 37 galaxies ago and tried to show the error of their ways. The Legion, being a stubborn race, rejects and seeks ways to exterminate the Archaios to be the Apex among all. For 36 galaxies, they travel to pursue the Archaios and as they travel, they caused destruction and chaos among each species they meet to perfect their technologies and warfare in order to destroy the Archaios.
The Archaios/Humanity-Legion War started with a surprise attack on the world as they devoured everything, the Archaios touched. Even though the Earthian forces were caught off guard, they bravely faced the adversary as they realized the war is all or nothing type. Knowing the Legion, they sought to end their reign of terror before it officially begins.
As the war progresses, the Legion unleashed a new weapon; one that will upset the Balance in a great effect. This weapon is called the Daikaiju; the genetically engineered race of giant creatures with a single purpose to wipe out the Archaios completely or permanently damaged them.
With the extreme hostile behavior of the Daikaiju, it was proved to be an impossible fight. Realizing defeat was inevitable, the Archaios made a decision that destroys the Ideals of the Mantle. They created two different species that are designed for warfare; a humanoid species called the Betans as reinforcement for the Humans and the Archaios version of the Daikaiju known as the Freelancers.
The Freelancers, like the Daikaiju counterparts, are a race of giant creatures. However, they were created in the Archaios' images as they seemed to process the immortality, shapeshifter, and the ideals of the Archaios. They were the answer, powers to restore order and balance to the world that the threat of the Daikaiju presented.
Prior to the creation of the First Freelancer, the Archaios biologists did many attempts of creating Freelancers but ultimately failed as Daikaiju raided many locations that are deemed to be birthplaces of the Freelancers.
However, the remaining biologist Archaios joined forces with the Archaios that study Neural Physics which led to the creation of a new branch within the latter subject. With three solar cycles, they have succeeded in creating Prototype-classed Freelancer, forever known as Dagon, in Temple-000.
Dagon is the first and largest of all of the Freelancers, standing tall of about 121 meters. Dagon, which is an Archaios term for 'dragon' is a wingless version of a black colored dragon with bold markings from his tail/toe to the height of his head. Atop his head, three horns set in a triangular pattern that seemed to be a natural born crown. Unlike the classical dragon, the Archaios design Dagon's head (excluding his crown) to be more like a V-rex. Although Dagon is the first of many, the Archaios uploaded some sort of self-adaptive genes into him to ensure that he continues to evolve that is subjected to time in physical and spiritual of Dagon.
Shortly after Dagon's creation, Dagon was unleashed into the world attacking any Legion and Daikaiju that threatened the world's balance. Dagon proved that the existence of the Freelancers proved to be necessary to end this war. To fight the Daikaiju, the Archaios created the Freelancers in undamaged Temples.
At the peak of the war, about 500 Freelancers, ranging from 30 to close to 121 meters were created and launched against the Daikaiju. With the legion's trump card being hindered wherever they go and reinforcement of the Archaios, the Legion was facing complete and utter annihilation.
Finally, it was over when the last Legions and the last of the Daikaiju were destroyed. It was a victory for Archaios and their three 'newborn' species; the Humans, the Betans, and the Freelancers. Out of 577 Freelancers, only 264 of these Freelancers still survived as of Humanity existed. Due to victory given by the Freelancers, the Archaios used their knowledge and technology to create a world inside the Earth resulting the Earth to be hollow for them to live.
However, it was a costly victory as the Archaios was dying. The Archaios found out the blood of the DaiKaiju is toxic and once released into the air of Earth, created some sort of virus designed to wipe out the Archaios should the Legion failed to win the War.
As more Archaios died forever, the remaining Archaios, that were infected of this airborne diseases, tested humanity one last test to ensure that they're ready to carry the Mantle of Responsibility. Sadly, Humanity failed that last test horribly.
As the last act, the Archaios given the Mantle to Freelancers to safeguard it till Humanity was finally ready or any other species out there came to Earth with the greatest of good intentions seek the Mantle.
Misinterpreted this, Humanity thought the Archaios was giving the Mantle to the Freelancers as successors of their legacy without any sort of trials that the humans were tested. Outrage, Humanity alongside with the Betans declared war on the Archaios, starting the Archaios-Betan/Human War.
As more of the remaining Archaios were dying from the War and the disease, Freelancers come to the aid of their creators and fight against their former allies. The War was lost as the Last Archaios welcome death by disease. The Archaios, after untold numbers of ages and eons of existence, was no more.
Out of 264 Freelancers, 86 of them survived from that lost war and identify the Betans and Humanity as an infection of the whole Planet Earth as they drive the Archaios to a fast extinction. As protectors of the natural world, the Freelancers ensure that Humanity of the Archean Eon suffers the same fate as their creators. This event was known to Freelancers as the Great Purge as more of their kind were a further sacrifice to destroy them all. Dagon, including 62 other Freelancers, survived after their purging Humanity and the Betans.
Feeling Balance was restored, the Freelancers took their role as successors of the Archaios for now. To guarantee that Humanity was no more, Dagon and some of the 62 Freelancers destroyed every structure made by the Humans and the Archaios fearing that another unworthy species misuse their makers' technologies to suit their selfish needs. As the first war, they've fought, it was a costly victory as the Hollow World lies in ruin forcing the survivors to live on the surface.
Nearly the end of the Archean Eon, the Hollow World is rebuilt and filled with the surviving species of three wars. Most of the Freelancers believed that surface is no longer worth protecting descending into the depths of the Earth as some chose to enter into cryostasis in Temples. The others sealed all entrances of the Hollow World leaving few of the Freelancers that choose to stay including the newly evolved Dagon to build some sort of civilization that is similar to the Archaios.
Like the others, the surfaced freelancers entered into cryosleep within other temples. Dragon is the last active freelancer and spent the remaining of his lonesome life within Temple-054 while protecting the Mantle.
Three days prior to the closure of the Archean Eon, Dagon activates Grand Temple-151 and Grand Temple-094 or known as Twins for two single purposes. Grand Temple-151 started all remaining structures to not only going into hiding but activate any and all security units to ensure no 'corrupt' species can use the knowledge for ill intents. Grand Temple-094 summon a mass extinction event that wipes all traces of higher organisms, leaving the single cell or lower organisms. Finally, Dagon entered into a cryosleep like all the young planet to matured without the Freelancers.
Sadly, like all things come to the end, this one will mark the end for Me to write DxD fanfictions. This one might be an AU to Reborn of a Faction, but I'm not sure of as yet. This story is kindly trash since I've no evidence that the Archean Eon have the Earth to support complex life, but I winged it anyway. As you read the first prologue chapter, It been inspiring by Halo (game), Pacific Rim (movie), and some aspects of Godzilla (maybe).
The Archaios are deeply inspired by the Precursors of Halo Universe (before they were turned into the Flood). The term Archaios is another for Ancient in a different language. To avoid making this story a crossover, I ensure that the Archaios are too different from the Precursors by ideals and origins (since I still in the dark of how the Precursors came to be). Like Reborn of a Faction, Humanity were created to early, but like Halo, they were deeply advanced. However, Humanity at this point isn't us in any way. I've made Mantle of Responsibility into an object as you read since the Halo version is just Ideals. Also this Mantle to have new ideals than the orignal one.
The Legion is inspired by the Precursors of Pacific Rim as the Legion, too created the Daikajiu. Their race were a easy concept to make as I wanted to ensure that the Archaios were at the Beginning of the End stage as their sworn enemy finally shows up and tried to wipe the Archaios from Existence.
Their war with the Legion forces the Archaios to basically perform the Ultimate Sin; to create life that is design for war. Like the Legion, the Betans were an easy concept to make as the Legion outnumber and outmatch Earth greatly. The Betans were inspired by the Promethean of Halo Universe. For now, I only said that they're humanoid, loyal only to the Humans, and will be classed as top secret for now. (or ever?)
The Freelancers are inspired by both the Forerunners of Halo and Mutos/Titans of Monsterverse. Heck, they even are inspired or based upon the Avatars of Reborn of a Faction. Unlike the Betans, they are extremely loyal to the Archaios since the Archaios created in their shape shifting image. However, let's clear some things if you're confused with the Freelancers. The Freelancers are neither good nor bad since they have complete no understanding of these concepts, they ensure the world is safe and in balance even it means killing species that will threatened it. The Archaios made them as white blood cells of the Earth if any race whether it's their own creation or the Universe's doesn't kill it. As I said, the Freelancers are completely different to one another in shape and size. The Temples of the Archaios were used to created them because at that point, the Legion can't spy on building with religious status for unknown reason.
Dagon is the First and most powerful and largest of the Freelancers. Dagon is you could say Godzilla of this version; although for future avoidance of crossover, Dagon will look like Godzilla but at the same time isn't Godzilla. Dagon is proved to be the Leader of the Freelancers due to his strength and intelligence to be at least a few steps closer to be an Archaios. For the future, Dagon will acquire a human form and personality of either Thanos or a complete delinquent.
If you were wondering about the Unknown, I will said that the Unknown is Great Red. The reason of why having both Great Red and Dagon fights is because to prove how strength Dagon really is and have Great Red to occurs the Dimension Gap. It was really obvious to me that Great Red and Ophis have existed either before or after the Unverise was created. And let's clear some confusions that Dagon is far stronger than Great Red because he isn't. Dagon and Great Red are in fact equals in terms of power, but Great Red is more like a brawn type of oppentent as Dagon (at a very young age) is the mixure of brians and brawn type of oppentent. It was his battle plans that allow Dagon to win over Great Red and 'banished' him into the Nothingness.
The Grand Temples! The Grand Temples are considered to be Temple, but have a far more importance to the Archaios and Freelancer race. The Aquila is the gateway between galaxies by directing into the D.G or as the Freelancers called it, the Nothingness. The Twins Grand Temples are some sort of Last Resorts to ensure that life will continued on without the total destruction of the planet. The Hollow World isn't the Underworld as the Underworld didn't even existed as of this point of time. The Hollow World is more under the Underworld. Heck, you could that their a floor inside of a four stories high building.
Now, this is where I says that if that a point of this story that is confusing that I said to you to post your questions, so that I answered the next chapter and moving to request section. As for the Freelancers, I would like for you to make me whether or not that Dagon isn't the last Freelancer that awaken in the future world of supernatural and natural world. If so, help me to bring them into the story meaning the Freelancers can be creations of your own image or one of the existing 'movie' monsters. Also, for the future, I will created a Freelancer Encyclopedia at the end of the next chapters that shows first 'official' of Dagon and his siblings.
Goodbye and Have a nice summer!
