The scanners had expired as the Tenno reached its vantage point from its previous trip near the tower. Taking the information, it found the structure of the tower to be rigid and uniform. Corridors were incredibly tight and had little means of cover aside from corner intersections. Few rooms had open spaces, cover is certainly a preference for these humans, but the capability of its weapons leave the enemy no chance to hide.
The lower areas were a series of halls organized to act as a maze. Hundreds of different pathways around the object with only a single entrance to the room. It would take it a considerable amount of time to navigate through, but the means of ripping apart the walls straight to the objective was a possibility if the material proved malleable enough.
More scanners pulsed on the ground, glowing an iridescent orange as hundreds of items were observed and documented. A cycle of firing the orbs till a path could be found if the first plan did not work. Guards were revealed and surveillance cameras were marked to prevent knowledge of its infiltration. Hundreds of potential entrances were shown and kept note of as the Tenno stood across its target. Winter winds began to gather as it slowly built up its reserves, biting against the mortar of the roof. A few more moments of preparation was all it needed before starting its mission.
Two hours had passed before sufficient data was gathered and sorted through. Coming towards the front entrance would result in the quickest route towards the item, but against a sufficient amount of force to warrant liberal use of ammunition. It was a tactic favored by the more savage of its kin, but with limited resources, it simply did not wish to waste bullets against these frail creatures. Perhaps only the usage of its scythe could remedy that. The stopping power of their weaponry was incredibly weak, even in volleys. Something to take note of.
Underground sewage systems were another option. Taking the route would result in minimal opposition and the element of stealth to ensure silent entry. The lack of control on surveillance is an issue to be dealt with, but resistance after the security of the target would substantially increase. A likely choice given the lack of salvageable ammuntion.
The results were the same. The considerable amount of conflict would give the enemy complete attention to it and will divert resources to stop it from taking the target, if the security of the subject were anything to go by.
An outline of the object flashed briefly in its vision before fading into a single dull yellow dot. The routes were connected to its mind, the information vivid. Sufficient data moved forward and dispensed the information as the Tenno followed and fell into the alley, its entrance bolted shut. A minor inconvenience.
Ice crept against the bolts and concrete, hardening and breaking it down. A deft tug ripped the grate open and the wide sewer was entered after.
Landing silently, the Tenno's circuits energized marginally from the Void signature farther in. A residual energy burst that happened every few minutes. The surprising thing was the lack of warped space from exposure to raw void energy. Without the proper channeling and refinement of the energies, the very reality would begin to change to the randomized nature of the Void, even outright destroying the space. The amount focused into this object was akin to ripping a chunk of the very dimension itself and containing its expansive nature.
The consequences of it would be catastrophic. It was a surprise that it hadn't destroyed the city in the first place, but either way, the Tenno would need to retrieve it before it goes out of control.
The warrior stopped in front of a dead end, touching the brick and mortar, commanding ice to expand between the cracks. Tendrils of ice slowly crept from the tips of its fingers to the wall. Slow and methodical until the energies of the frame circulated into the ice, completely flash freezing the wall.
The wall shattered inward from a light push, inadvertently crushing two armed guards against the wall. An inconsequence to its plan and began to walk the halls of the maze, the predetermined path laid out clearly and the scythe gripped in its hand to kill any enemies that may come its way.
The facility was uniform and boxy, a utilitarian design marked with only the neon blue lights and gray walls. Sliding doors moved normally, while cameras sat stationary and observed a fixed area. An impractical use of surveillance. The stranger thing was the difference between the upper and lower floors. While the lower was utilitarian, the upper had a more vibrant color and variation. Perhaps this was the laboratory? It would certainly explain the environment.
It seemed that the Tenno would have to download the information here too once the artifact was in hand.
Another pulse was released and slammed against the Tenno. A flood of energy entered its system, but reality had begun to change with each step. The wave of Void had frozen the entire hall behind him with only a line from its body seemingly unaffected. Jutting ice crystals the size of human arms grew from the ceiling and walls like a virus and curved inward of itself. Their compositions reminiscent of its own creations. Similar in their forms, but the corruption of the environment says otherwise, warping the very walls to create the ice.
The closer it went, the stronger the Void began to resonate in its cell. Something powerful was stored within and the containment they brought lacked sufficient technology to hold its strength. Such foolishness from primitive creatures. To contain the Void is to ask for an unholy damnation.
The Tenno moved faster, a blur in its full sprint. The alarms were sounded a few minutes after.
"Intruder! There's an intruder in the lower basement floor. I repeat, there is an intruder in the lower basement floor." The automated voice blared throughout the facility, alerting every single guard to converge into its position. Of course, that would be fine. The Tenno feared no enemy in this world and their numbers will be their only advantage against its wrath. No army would stop it from reaching the artifact, nothing in this planet can. They've yet to prove their worth for its strongest capabilities.
Footsteps echoed from both sides of the corridor. Dozens of soldiers by the sound of frequent and disorderly gaits. No cover in the hallways. That would be fine, cover was for the restricted. And it was far from shackled to these walls.
Biting winds crystallized and sharpened, rushing in every ventilation pore that riddled the facility at a molecular level. Unrestricted and powerful, the twin fists slammed to down and crystal void exploded from the floor and walls, expanding outwards. Soldiers turned the corner and were promptly skewered by the wave of spears. Screams were cut short and gunfire was an absent sound.
Efficient and smooth, it retracted its fist and stood up, calling back the scythe from the Void and walked away from the impaled remains and shredded walls dripping with blood. More would be coming soon, so reaching the goal would need to be hastened.
The bulky Tenno unleashed the torrent of energy through the frame, stimulating the nerves, increasing speed and reaction. It darted like a bullet across multiple hallways, a deadly blur that begun to cut its way through security team after security team. No time for them to react before their death was upon them. Shots fired wildly at a ghostly white figure before a golden scythe harvested their lives.
The Tenno, for once, reveled in the blood bath.
Upon reaching the room, the trail of bodies ended with the last two guarding it. Frozen statues of horror and pain. The projectiles it threw were far stronger than it had wanted them to be. Their torsos had been caved in by the time the freeze kicked in effect, no doubt organs were waiting to explode from the pressure.
The Tenno turned its attention to the door, questioning why it did not open. Touching the door, it simply sat there, unmoving from its touch. Looking to the side, it found a panel, numbers riddled into a scanner.
The warrior approached it and placed its hand over it. Circuitry and programs were torn open for it to see. Forced reprogramming turned the struggling system to a broken puppet as the Tenno made quick work of the primitive security system, unlocking the door with practiced ease.
The room itself was large and followed the rigid, uniform set up of every other room in the facility. Eight rectangular coffins sat upright, two per side of the room, with each wrapped with thick wires. Residual Void signatures coursed through these threads, creating a small layer of Void around the coffins. It was particularly weak in terms of coating, but the main focus for the Tenno was the center of the room.
Multiple wires ran around a small, clear cylindrical container. The source of the energy itself. The entrance to the void. A Void key shone brightly as another pulse escaped its container and into the coffins. To use the power of the key as an energy source was playing a dangerous game of turning the entire facility into a smoldering crater or a warped abomination.
Regardless, it found the key. The Void was to be kept safe in its own hands, not to naive civilizations. The Tenno smashed the container, inciting another alarm, the room turning to a bright red. Hiding the key itself was easy as it turned its attention to the giant footsteps behind him.
Ice surrounded the frame and expanded into a frozen bastion as the walls of the building collapsed to missiles and bullets. A large mechanical monstrosity lumbered forward, its weapons at the ready alongside humanoids clad in white, surrounding the globe.
"Put your weapons down and your hands up!" The order was ignored, opting to observe the forces against the Tenno. The larger robot stood to close off the hole it made, several armaments with an emphasis on large rounds. Two launchers were resting on its shoulder and four weapons to its side. A cockpit was spotted, noting the use of a pilot instead of being unmanned.
Thirty-one enemies total.
Ten in front, surrounding automaton.
Seventeen surrounding globe. Lightly armored. Eliminate then focus mechanoid.
Efficient destruction through crystallization and complete immobilization.
Executing.
The Tenno raised its hand and watched as the Void answered. Its power surged through the systems in anticipated release. Tapped from its hellish dimension, it swirled into sub zero temperatures around the focal point of its summoner, coming ever so close to the point of implosion. Shards of ice grew through the warped metal, cooling and creating void tainted icicles. A single clench of its fist sent down a white wave of frozen Void, the tainted ice claiming every android in the room into a frozen statue. Whole systems shut down, back up reserves struggled to restart, and all forms of movement and communication from its source were cut off.
A wave of its arm dismissed their human forms, calling the coursing energy to explode and shatter into shards. Thirty one became thousands of metallic remains to be called upon as they gathered around its opened palm, the residual energy warping it into the a single sphere of focused ice. A flick of the wrist sent it flying to its cockpit, before splitting mid air. Shards of ice and metal slammed against both limbs, the groan a sign of progress until was swallowed by the ice. The pistol was drawn in a flash, sending a corrosive hypersonic bullet right through the joints and rendered the limbs useless as they shattered
The Tenno charged, scythe drawn as the bullets hailed. Orokin steel repelled the rain of lead as energy surged into action, flowing through frame and weapon. Bullets simply ricocheted or were obliterated as it rushed its underside. Void coated metal bit into the unprotected leg and carved through with a screech. Its free arm gripped the second leg and liberated it from the torso with a deft pull.
The Atlas robot fell limbless, unable to protect itself. A perfect execution stage for the warrior. It sheathed its weapon and leapt high enough to touch the ceiling before falling back to earth, trailing a white glow. Its fist pierced through the metal, letting the ice within its palm blossom to countless shards as the metal was ripped open by the emergence of countless spears.
It ripped the limb out and hopped down, content with its work. A suitable exercise for it to have, but found them lacking in true lethality. An unfortunate side effect for their society, but one that could be remedied given enough time. But it would not be there to watch its growth. It was necessary for it to find a way off this planet and make contact with its kin.
The key would be the first step to do so. An entrance to secure a tower created by the Orokin would no doubt be able to contact others. The means to do so, however, would not be easy. The technology wasn't up to the standards the Tenno required, but given the fact that a Void Key appeared within the city meant there were other signs of Orokin influence hidden within this world.
All it had to do was find it. The possibility of many being hidden within the city would be high, but their traces would be suppressed. Just like the key, these people had managed to hide its presence at a certain distance. It would need a way to track them, a goal to be considered.
But for now, it would retreat. The facility was in high alert and were already diverting its reinforcements towards the room. There was no point in wasting time and ammunition for blood.
It would have been proven to be an oversight for many to ignore such important relics of the past, as history would reset its course once more. The golden empire fell to its warriors and to its enemies. Slain were the emperors of the past and rose the oppressed, lawless and free. It would only take the first few to begin the reclamation of the failed conquest.
From the prisons, each rose silently to the air. Eight silent acknowledgements and eight cores glowing brightly for revenge. Their creators have long lost died, but their descendants remain. No longer shall they live.
The Directive was sent through them.
Eliminate the Tenno