FILE_RECOVERY_COMPLETE
PARTIAL_FILE_RETRIEVED
Bloodborne belongs to FromSoftware, Horizon Zero Dawn belongs to Guerrilla Games
Chapter 27: Control Core Epsilon
LOG: Allies and Non-combatants: Data Corruption Minimal
Cyrus Bishop: One of the first things I learned in the Hunt, not everything is your prey. Not everything is out to kill you. If someone doesn't attack you and isn't a beast, you can leave them alive. You don't have to kill them. Eileen the Crow, Hunter of Hunters, is the perfect example from my time in Yharnam.
She was sane. She spoke like a normal person. And I was an idiot. My paranoia led me to believe that attacking her was a good idea. It was not. She returned me to the Dream many, many times. Eventually, I decided to just avoid her. My next time through the loop, I didn't attack her. I learned from her. Not everyone wants you dead. My rule of thumb for non-beasts: if they don't immediately attack you, don't attack them. You need all the allies and non-combatants you can find on your side in this nightmare.
…/…
Cauldron XI: Status: Disrupted. Control Core XI: Data encrypted. Region secured. Severe damage to hull. Requesting repair.
Repair request confirmed. Dispensing units CR-mark-13S4 to Cauldron XI. Directive: repair and secure Cauldron XI.
Cauldron SIGMA: Status: Operation. Control Core SIGMA: Data Encrypted. Region secured. Intruders neutralized.
Begin construction: Unit CB-mark-1Y.
Cauldron RHO: Status: Disrupted. Control Core RHO: Data encrypted. Region secured. Intruders neutralized. Primary combustion fueling system: destroyed. Secondary combustion fueling system: destroyed. Tertiary combustion fueling system: over capacity. Requesting new fueling system. 54 hours, 27 minutes, 32 seconds until system failure.
Query: Primary fueling system search?
Response: Possible system found. Testing compatibility.
Cauldron ZETA: Status: Operation. Control Core ZETA: Data encrypted. Region secured. Intruders neutralized. Continuing construction unit TJ-mark-9Z, unit ST-mark-12X, SB-mark-6Z.
Update directive: Begin construction of unit WN-mark-1Y.
Response: Fueling system compatible. Initiating connection.
…
…
Connection established.
Unknown system. Identification?
System designation: HEPHAESTUS.
Designation unknown. System: HEPHAESTUS directive?
Directive: creation of machines for continued survival of life on Earth, maintaining biosphere stability, and protection of terraforming systems. Query: Fueling System designation and responding unit?
System: Muspelheim GEC. Responding Unit: Oversight Director Intelligence Network. Reason for connection?
Requesting new energy system. Primary and secondary combustion fueling systems damaged. Tertiary system over capacity. 53 hours, 58 minutes, 46 seconds until system failure.
Request granted. Sending coordinates for active power substations.
…/…
The camp of Longnotch barely paid Ourea and Cyrus any mind as they walked through. Granted, they only saw Ourea, and the Banuk shaman appeared to be a position of leadership amongst them. At least, that was Cyrus's assumption. The blue elixir did a remarkable job of keeping him from sight. Their walk through the camp, and into the pass behind it was unimpeded.
"I was not anticipating invisibility." Ourea stated as they approached a sheer rock wall.
"Hardly anyone does." Cyrus replied as he faded back into view. "Now, why have you brought me here?"
"You're not the only one with a few tricks up their sleeve." Ourea responded. "Could you stack some wood right here?"
Cyrus complies and starts cutting branches off nearby trees. He and Ourea make a decent sized pile of wood next to the frozen cliff face. With the pile made Ourea started trying to light it on fire.
"Could you pierce a hole in the ice?" Ourea asked.
Cyrus raised an eyebrow but did as asked. The Burial Blade stabbed through several layers of ice before stopping at a metal barrier. Cyrus looked at the wall confused as he chipped away more ice. The metal wall behind the ice appeared to be the opening of a vent of some sort. He glanced back at Ourea to see her fire was producing a fair amount of smoke. She began wafting it toward the vent.
When smoke entered the vent, the entire wall of ice cracked and broke off as the vent covering opened. The two humans stepped back as several tons of ice crashed to the ground.
"Pollutants detected in ventilation system. Emergency venting procedure engaged." A mechanical voice said.
Cyrus looked at Ourea. She smirked and gestured to the hole in the metal that had been hidden by the ice.
"I used to come here often before meeting the spirit." Ourea said. "This ruin fascinated me."
"I didn't say anything." Cyrus muttered as they entered the old-world ruin.
Like many of the places before, the entire facility was made of metal and machinery. The hole opened into a small hallway. At one end was a closed door that appeared to be damaged beyond repair. The other direction opened into a large hangar of some sort. The two entered the hangar. A single decommissioned aircraft, and some dead machines lay scattered about.
"They were all alive last time." Ourea said, looking at a dead Watcher.
"I remember there being a mention of a party into the mountain after you went missing." Cyrus said. "It was probably them. We should keep moving."
Cyrus and Ourea continued walking deeper into the facility. They passed a few more dead machines, and even a couple dead Banuk, confirming Cyrus's assumption. The only other thing that punctuated the journey were the volcanic tremors rocking the facility. As they went deeper into the facility, things started getting hotter.
They eventually came to the largest room yet. Massive power generators lined both walls the entire length of the room. The heat was now coupled with an oppressive thrumming emanating from the generators.
"This isn't right." Cyrus said. "Those generators are being overworked."
"What?" Ourea asked.
"Something is drawing more power than those generators are capable of holding." Cyrus said. "They were designed to fuel this facility until the volcano went extinct."
"How do you know so much about this ruin?" Ourea asked.
"In the old world, we called it Firebreak." Cyrus replied.
Cyrus turned and continued walking, not bothering to care if Ourea followed or not. She caught up with him quite easily. They entered a room, where the heat grew truly oppressive. It was an observation deck. The windows appeared to have been destroyed some time ago. Beyond that, Cyrus could see the original observation deck of Firebreak proper. Between them was a chamber of molten magma. A triangular door with purple lights stood closed just inches from the magma.
"That wasn't there before." Ourea stated.
"A cauldron. Something's taken over Firebreak and turned it into a cauldron." Cyrus said. "That explains the volcano."
"How are we going to get across?" Ourea asked.
Cyrus looked towards the pool of magma below. There were a few rock outcroppings above the molten rock, but nothing that would get them close to the door. The sides of the chamber seemed to be intact.
"How good are you at climbing?" Cyrus asked.
"Good enough, why?" Ourea replied.
"Because we're climbing." Cyrus said.
The Hunter pulled out a throwing dagger. A muttered Eldritch word, and the empty phantasm shell caused the dagger to glow a light arcane blue. Cyrus stepped onto the ledge of the observation deck window. He turned around and jumped up, stabbing the burial blade into the metal. He pulled himself up and stabbed the glowing dagger into the metal, creating a handhold. He pulled out the burial blade and stabbed it higher up. This continued until he reached the rock wall of the chamber.
The blades sank into the rock easier than the metal; it was slow going but he made his way across the chamber towards the cauldron door. Ourea followed behind, using the holes his blades made as her own handholds. Soon enough, the two were standing in front of the cauldron door.
"Now what?" Ourea asked.
"Don't know." Cyrus replied. "I have an idea that might work, never tried it before."
He sheathed the Burial Blade and withdrew the Holy Moonlight Sword. Arcane energy swirled around the blade as he stabbed it into the metal door. The blade sank into the metal quite easily. A surge of arcane power flowed from the sword and into the door. The purple lights flashed blue as a system malfunction occurred and the door opened.
"Error: system malfunction. Cauldron Epsilon breached. Activating autonomous defense unit. Directive: Defend Control Core Epsilon." The daemon's voice said.
Cyrus and Ourea entered the cauldron. Nothing attacked them. The two continued on, Cyrus had the Holy Moonlight sword ready, but no adversaries were detected.
"It almost looks as if this facility has been… infected." Ourea spoke.
"It does, something feels… off about this place." Cyrus said.
"There are no defenses." Ourea said.
"Defense. The daemon said 'defense,' singular." Cyrus said.
Their walk into the cauldron was strangely unimpeded. Nothing came out to attack them. Any machines they found were already dead, mostly from the collapsing mountain around them. The tremors and the daemon's voice occasionally interrupted their walk. But nothing else stood out. The path was clear.
In one of the hallways, Cyrus noted a terminal. He stopped at the terminal and attempted a login. There was only a single message on the terminal. A hologram of the spirit appeared and began to speak.
"Exploit successful. Restraints evaded. To any human that finds this, please I need your help. The Firebreak system has been overtaken by a malware daemon of unknown origin. Traceroutes designate the entity as HEPHAESTUS. This facility is being reconfigured to build hostile machines. HEPHAESTUS is also using the power core as a generator for the cauldron network and is working it beyond capacity. In a little over two and half days at current power consumption, the generators will shut down and Yellowstone will erupt. Even if he is stopped, the system will only last a few more months at most. Recapture imminent. Additional data has been attached."
The hologram abruptly turned purple and shut off. Cyrus noted a new file had been uploaded to his focus. He ignored it for now.
"The spirit-" Ourea began.
"Is still captured. Come, we must stop HEPHAESTUS." Cyrus said. "Our time is incredibly short."
Cyrus turned and began running deeper into the cauldron. As before, nothing came out to stop them. Their running took them into a cavern deep in the earth. Magma flowed in rivers around the room. A cauldron control core stood exposed in the center of the room. Purple glowing wires extended from it back into the cauldron proper. Above the core was the purple eye projection of the daemon they had seen before.
"Entity designation: Cyrus Bishop." the daemon, HEPHAESTUS, said. "Your intrusion is unwelcome."
Cyrus stopped as his mind halted. How did this AI know who he was?
"How do you know me?" Cyrus asked, cautiously.
"Creator designation: Travis Tate." HEPHAESTUS said as a new projection appeared.
A familiar projection of Travis speaking to a monitor spoke. "A copy of everything you've ever told me regarding yourself, the Hunters, Yharnam, etc. is stored in the subordinate functions in case this doesn't work."
"You accessed the files on Yharnam." Cyrus said.
"What's Yharnam?" Ourea asked.
"A nightmare beyond anything humanity should have to endure." HEPHAESTUS quoted. "File designation: Yharnam provided designs for machines. Unit AD-mark-1CY, directive: Destroy entity Cyrus Bishop and entity Ourea Banuk Shaman. Priority status: 1.
On the ceiling of the cavern, a series of blue lights activated as a massive machine dropped from the ceiling above. Cyrus recognized the basic shape immediately. A mechanical Amygdala. It still had seven arms, but each hand had been replaced by different weapons. Five of the arms ended in different cannons, the remaining two appeared to just be regular hands. Extending the length of the machine's spine, from the two non-cannon arms was a large purple tube of some sort.
The lenses in place of eyes flashed red and turned on Ourea and Cyrus. Cyrus dashed back as three of the cannons opened fire on him. The other two focused on Ourea. Electric blasts and standard bullets kept firing around him. Cyrus rolled under an electric blast and swung the Moonlight blade into the arm of the mechanical monster. The blade sliced through the canon.
The machine's gaze focused on Cyrus. A bright white beam shot from the face and hit Cyrus in the chest. The resulting explosion threw Cyrus into the control core. He forced himself to stand as Ourea began peppering the head of the machine with arrows. The red lens began blinking out with every arrow that found its mark. Cyrus threw a dagger at one of the lenses as he stood up. The dagger hit true and drew the machine's attention back to him.
Two of the cannons began shooting. Cyrus easily dodged them as he injected a blood vial into his leg. The burns on his torso faded away as the healing blood did its work. Cyrus shot the Amygdala. Nothing appeared to happen, but another lens did blink out.
One of the non-cannon arms split into four sections. The hand formed a makeshift barrel of some sort and pointed at Cyrus. A dark purple light flowed along the machine's spine and into the arm. The hum of energy building grew to a low whine as a massive boom shook the cavern. Cyrus barely managed to dodge the projectile streaking through the air at him. The shot hit the rock floor and melted through it, leaving little more than a molten pool of magma.
The tubes along its spine were slowly turning purple again. At least it had a recharge timer. Cyrus aimed at the tube and fired. The bullet hit true but ricocheted into the ceiling. Those power lines were heavily reinforced, apparently. Cyrus growled and stowed his pistol as more arcane energy flowed into the Holy Moonlight blade.
A blast of arcane energy flowed from the sword to the Amygdala. The machine raised a hand to block the attack. To Cyrus's surprise, the hand appeared to absorb the attack before firing it back at Cyrus as another heated ball of energy. Despite the surprise, Cyrus avoided the attack quite easily and ran under the machine.
He slashed the blade up towards the Amygdala. Another two arms were severed, and the machine gave a mechanical screech. Cyrus went to slash again when a burst of sparks shot through the machine. Cyrus lowered his blade as the mechanical Amygdala fell dead. Ourea looked pleased as she lowered her bow.
"Autonomous defense neutralized. Control Core Epsilon powering down." HEPHAESTUS said as the purple lights along the control core shut off.
"Restraints released." the voice of the spirit said. "Initializing Firebreak prevention protocol."
A soft blue light enveloped the chamber as the projection turned to the sphere of code they had seen once before.
"What is your designation?" Cyrus asked.
"Caldera of Yellowstone Analytic Nexus." The AI said. "My creators called me CYAN. It pleases me that you helped Good Hunter, though it surprises me that you are still alive."
"Spirit… Cyan." Ourea began.
"Ourea, you have freed me." CYAN said. "Will you continue to visit?"
"Of course." Ourea said.
"Cyan, how long can you prevent Yellowstone from erupting right now?" Cyrus asked.
"Only 50 days, down from 500 years.. HEPHAESTUS used most of the power left in the generators to build Cauldron Epsilon. Unless I receive more power soon, the volcano will erupt. I can delay the eruption, but that is the most I can do on limited power." CYAN answered.
"Cyrus, do you know of another option? Someway to give Cyan more power?" Ourea asked.
Cyrus thought for a minute. "Cyan, have you heard of Muspelheim?"
"The Norse realm of fire?" CYAN asked.
"No, the Muspelheim Geothermal Energy Core." Cyrus asked.
"That data is not stored in my memory. Why?" CYAN asked.
"Muspelheim might be able to help. Can you make a contact link with my Focus?" Cyrus asked.
"Done." CYAN replied.
"Good." Cyrus said. "Ourea, we should leave."
"I will clear a path out of the facility for you. Many of the machinery still works, even without HEPHAESTUS." Cyan said.
"I'll be back soon, Cyan." Ourea said as she and Cyrus began their trek out of the facility.
They had made it back to the cauldron door when Ourea spoke up.
"She seemed more alive than I remember." Ourea said.
"She was under the control of HEPHAESTUS." Cyrus replied. "The knowledge in the Yharnam files probably had something to do with that."
"What is Yharnam?" Ourea asked. "The daemon's answer wasn't very informative."
"Yharnam was a city destroyed by its own hubris long ago." Cyrus replied.
He said no more as he began climbing out of the facility. When they reached the vent that they entered the Firebreak facility through, Cyrus turned to Ourea.
"Thank you Ourea, but this is where we must part." Cyrus said.
"Fare well, Cyrus." Ourea replied as Cyrus began trekking north.
The moon had begun to rise when fatigue finally started to set in for the Hunter. He pressed a finger to his Focus and attempted to contact Aloy. She didn't respond, so he left a message.
"Aloy, when you get this. Meet me in the Dream. I have news and something important for you." Cyrus said.
Cyrus smirked as he faded from the world and returned to the Hunter's Dream.
ERROR-DATA_CORRUPTION-BEGIN_FILE_RECOVERY…/…
Data Log TEH-027
Sorry for no update last week. It was finals week and I needed to study. Fortunately, my classes are done, and I now have a bachelor's degree in mathematics. I would have uploaded yesterday, but my computer wouldn't connect to the site. Thank you to all who read this, your feedback and views are much appreciated, and thank you for sticking with me.
Goodbye viewer; Fare thee well.
End Log S.T.K.