This chapter is going to be a ride.
# # # | # # #
[STEP 38765: Wake up and prepare for the day.]
Pathfinder immediately opened her eyes, getting up from her assigned bed in the Cauldron Base. She headed for the bathroom, beginning her daily hygiene routine to ensure she was at peak cleanliness. Her actions were measured and efficient, every scrub and wash following the [Path to Standard Hygiene].
Once done, she immediately exited her room, following the [Path to Efficient Nutrition to Fulfill the Paths]. She needed enough calories and energy to ensure all steps to the Path would be accomplished. Entering the kitchen, she spotted Doctor Mother preparing their breakfast. "Ahh, Contessa." she greeted, giving her a warm smile. "Good morning!"
Pathfinder gave her a warm smile, copying it from her Host's memories whenever she gave it to the woman. "Good morning, Doctor." she greeted, accepting the meal the doctor prepared for her. "How are you today?"
The doctor began discussing her plans for today, with Pathfinder interjecting whenever necessary. After all, she was merely following the [Path of Social Interaction with Cauldron Members].
[The least you could do is make it authentic. You've hijacked my-]
Pathfinder ignored the bitter voice, shoving it deep into her mind. She didn't need any distraction as she completed the Path. "...what about you?" Doctor Mother then asked. "Do you have any paths ongoing?"
Pathfinder nodded. "I'll be out of contact for the next few months," she explained. This was the last step to the [Path for Doctor Mother's Unwavering Loyalty], ensuring she'd avoid disruption from the rest of Cauldron. "It will be necessary to reduce the overall losses once we engage the Entity."
Recognition appeared on Doctor Mother's face. "That path you showed Kurt and me months ago?" she asked, getting nod. She smiled brightly, looking pleased. "Wonderful, I'll assure the rest not to worry. The losses now might be great, but it pales compared to what it will achieve in the end."
[STEP 38766: Begin Path to Crippling Endbringers.]
"If you'll excuse me," Pathfinder said, standing up. She had finished her meal a few seconds ago, the Path ordering her to begin the next step. "Door, please."
[STEP 1: Door to the High Priest's location.]
A portal opened behind her, linking towards her destination. "Very well," the doctor said. "Take care now!"
Giving her a wave, Pathfinder stepped into Doormaker's portal, exiting into the High Priest's room. The Protectorate cape didn't notice her arrival, just as the Path wanted. The Path had timed it, so he was distracted by the Endbringer Warning sent to his phone. "Hello, David," she announced her presence, surprising the High Priest. "Are you ready?"
"Jesus, Contessa!" he exclaimed, clutching his chest. He then stood up, glaring at her. "Couldn't you have given me some warning you were coming?"
[STEP 2: Knock the High Priest out.]
Pathfinder ignored his question, walking up to him before stabbing him with a tranquilizer. The High Priest only managed a look of shock, no doubt wondering why she was doing this before getting knocked out.
[STEP 3: Deposit the High Priest into Room 23 via Doormaker.]
[I'm so sorry, David, I'm so sorry!]
Pathfinder ignored the sobbing voice in her head, focusing instead on ensuring the High Priest was lying down correctly. Once ready, Pathfinder called for Doormaker to deposit High Priest to the designated room in the Rhodes Island Satellite Office. According to the [Path to Create a Cauldron-controlled Entity], the High Priest will wake up in time to prevent Originum Dust from Lung's sacrifice from spreading. That amount and the ones he absorbed during Bakuda's rampage, will be enough to kickstart his ascension.
[STEP 4: Message the Protectorate that the High Priest will be heading ahead.]
As the portal closed, Pathfinder picked up the High Priest's phone. Opening it, she sent the necessary messages per the Path's instructions. Once done, she brought her phone out.
[STEP 5: Order Coil to gather the Travellers and E88 to Noelle's Room.]
Pathfinder immediately called the Coil. "Coil," she began, giving him no chance to speak. She already knew what his response would be. "Gather the Travellers and the E88 in Noelle's room."
"Uh…may I ask why?" Coil asked as the Path stated.
"Tell Trickster I have a way to cure his girlfriend." she lied. According to the Path, Coil had been meeting with the two before her call. With her lie, they'll quickly gather, allowing her to kill two birds with one stone. "Also, I'll need to speak with Kaiser once I'm there. I'll be there in five minutes."
She then ended the call before readying the other weapon she was going to use. With the [Path to the Creation of Echidna] completed days ago, all she had to do now was trigger Noelle's breakdown. Once done, she waited three minutes (the time indicated by the Path for everyone to gather) before calling Doormaker for a door to Noelle's room.
[STEP 6: Turn Noelle Meinhardt into Echidna.]
[Please, not this! Pathfinder, I beg you - there must be another way!]
Pathfinder ignored the pleading, burying the voice deep into her mind. Stepping through the portal, she entered Noelle's room, where the rest of the Travellers, E88, and Coil had gathered. "Good, everyone's here," she announced, getting everyone's attention. "This makes things easier."
"You're Contessa, right?" Trickster began, a look of hope in his face. Meanwhile, Kaiser and his capes stood near the door, arrayed as if acting as Coil's guards. "Coil said you have a way to help Noelle?"
Following the script the Path provided, Pathfinder turned to Coil. She acted confused, needing to sell the deception. "Is that what you told them? I'm impressed with your lying, Coil."
Startled, Coil gave her a confused look. "I'm sorry?"
Instead of answering him, Pathfinder turned to the Travellers. She put on an appropriate amount of sadness and pity on her face. "Coil sees you too much of a liability to his control of Brockton Bay," she explained. "As such, he wants you gone."
Before anyone could react, Pathfinder fired four shots and knocked down Sundancer, Genesis, Ballistic, and Oliver through Doormaker's portal, depositing them safely in the BBGH emergency room for treatment. According to the Path, the four were necessary for the upcoming steps, but will be a non-entity for the main path.
"They should be in the PRT holding cells by now." she turned to a horrified Coil. Trickster and Noelle needed to believe they were with the PRT instead. Their wounds were superficial, her bullets missing any vital organs. However, from Trickster and Noelle's view, it looked like the shots were fatal. "Get medics to them quickly, or they'll die soon."
Before anyone could react, she turned and patted Kaiser on his shoulder. "Take care of them, Kaiser. Door, please!"
Pathfinder then stepped through the portal, appearing near the staging area for the upcoming Endbringer Battle. Just as the portal closed, she heard Noelle and Trickster screaming bloody murder at the confused villains. According to the Path, Coil gets killed by Trickster, followed by Kaiser killing him. This then triggers Noelle breakdown, transforming her into Echidna and consuming everyone in the base. The clones she'll spawn would then help the next step on the path.
[STEP 7: Prevent the Brockton Bay Capes from Leaving.]
[Stop, Pathfinder! Please - I BEG YOU!]
Ignoring the crying in her head, Pathfinder peeked out from her hiding place. As the Path indicated, the Phoenix Movement and the Protectorate capes were already there, with Strider standing by. After a few seconds, she stepped out into the open. She timed it just as Antares and Armsmaster looked at her general location. "Contessa!" Antares exclaimed, getting everyone's attention, as the Path wanted. "What are you doing here?"
Pathfinder shrugged, walking up to them. "I'm following the Path to crippling the Endbringers," she explained, surprising everyone. "I'm just waiting to finish the current step before initiating the next one."
"Why cripple?" Armsmaster asked, glancing at her. "From the reports I've read, you could find a way to destroy them."
Pathfinder smirked, spotting Myrddin arrive with Purity and Rune. "True," she humored the man, sensing Strider nearing her. "But then, I need to cripple them first before killing them."
As predicted, Strider snorted from behind them. "Figures," he said, sounding amused. "Let me guess, it's part of another Path you're running."
Pathfinder smirked as Myrddin spotted her. "Indeed," she answered, discreetly bringing out her tranquilizer. "And the next step requires all of you to stay here."
Just as everyone gave her a confused look, there was an explosion to the southwest. As predicted, Echidna was now on a rampage, heading for the PHQ. Distracted, Pathfinder quickly grabbed Strider, putting him in a necklock. In full view of Myrddin, she revealed the tranquilizer on her hand. In a snap of a finger, she quickly injected her prisoner. "NO!" Myrddin roared, running to save his friend. "STRIDER!"
[STEP 8: Explain the Situation.]
Pathfinder then pushed Strider forward, causing him to stumble into Myrddin's path. The Laterano was able to catch him on time, the rest of the capes turning towards her in shock. "Coil double-crossed some of his employees," she lied. They'll learn the truth once the dust settles, but it would lay the foundation for her future steps to succeed. "Causing one of them to second trigger into an S-Class threat."
To punctuate, there was another explosion in the city. "Oh, and don't worry about Leviathan," she assured them, turning around as she fixed her fedora. "Eidolon and Lung would take care of it."
Tattletale gaped at her, confused. "What do you mean Leviathan? And what was the last part?"
[STEP 9: Leave for Overlook near Canberra, Australia.]
Pathfinder ignored her. "Door, please!"
The portal opened, allowing her to step into the outskirts of Canberra. She was currently in a Cauldron outpost, one giving her a good view of Simurgh and Behemoth approaching the city from the sea. She entered the outpost, a small shack with a kitchen, bathroom, and bed. Happy the outpost was fully supplied, she followed the [Path to Sufficient Rest between Paths] to ensure she was in peak condition.
[STEP 10: Rest until Leviathan is Destroyed.]
[This isn't what I wanted!]
Pathfinder rolled her eyes. "This is the Path you requested, Host." she shot back, opening the pantry to cook some eggs and ham. "You should have asked for a different path if you didn't want the current outcome."
[Please, Pathfinder, let me-]
"You have set us on this Path, Host." Pathfinder coldly stated. "And there is no turning back."
# # # | # # #
With the amount of lore being dropped in Arknights and Endfield, I thought it was a good opportunity to drop my own lore regarding Catastrophic Escalation and Vision Unrealized.
That said, these lore drops also forced me to revise the story. Most of the things we learn from the recent Endfield trailers and the Lone Trails event go in line with what I have in planned. However, I would need to rewrite some parts to fit the merging. Nothing major, but I am revising CE!Ptilopsis' backstory to fit in with Canon!Ptilopsis story.
Please feel free to discuss your thoughts, comments, theories, and criticism. I would really love to read all of them.
Enjoy!