FILE_RECOVERY_COMPLETE
PARTIAL_FILE_RETRIEVED
Bloodborne belongs to FromSoftware, Horizon Zero Dawn belongs to Guerrilla Games
Chapter 39: Grove of Damnation
LOG: Forbidden Knowledge: Data Corruption Minimal
Historian Johnathan Agravain: It is strange the parallels that we find in fiction and reality. I've always been a fan of the horror genre. Analog horror, gothic horror, mascot horror, etc. It always manages to inspire fear and dread, while simultaneously provoking thought and philosophy.
However, cosmic horror has always been an outlier to me. It doesn't cause me any dread or fear, or any other element of that horror usually occurs. No, it only inspires in me a wild curiosity that it often shows to be… detrimental to the psyche. And yet, I can't help but notice the strange parallels between some of the more classic works of H.P. Lovecraft and the writings I've read from Byrgenwerth.
Lovecraft's works are clearly fiction. None of the human names match any person of his time. Granted, he did use the names certain actual places. While some like Innsmouth never existed, Arkham was real, at one point.
Prior to obtaining a copy of some of the works published by Byrgenwerth, I had always assumed it to be fiction… I'm not sure anymore. A lot of historians brush away Byrgenwerth's works as fanciful ideas of an ignorant time. Personally, I think there's more fact than fiction in those papers. Which leads me to think that Lovecraft wrote more fact than fiction.
This only inspires more curiosity.
…/…
Cyrus grunted in exertion. Three days had passed before he had reached the lab's resting site. Three days he had lamented not setting a lantern in place. Especially now since the forest around the lab was an overgrown and tangled mass of trees, vines, and other plant matter. But that wasn't even the worst part. The unprecedented growth of this forest was also shown in the other things trapped by the vines. Alongside the odd bits and bobs of old-world ruins were more than a few human bodies. Dead for some time, but with the growth of the forest, it was difficult to tell if they were killed and the forest grew through them, or if the forest growing through them killed them. Cyrus considered the second option to be more likely considering the amount of partially active machines also trapped in the living walls of wood and vines. Fortunately, GAIA core storage unit that Mergo had hid in wasn't very heavy. More fortunate was that they had found a few more and that they would work for transferring the subordinate functions back to the mountain.
The Burial Blade was able to cut through all of it with no issue, but that didn't matter much in terms of the sheer volume of plant life. And yet, even the then siderite enhanced weapon struggled against the oppressive wood. The path he had cut down to reach the lab was already overgrown. It was mere minutes before the trees and vines would fill in his gaps. There were hints of evidence of a recent group trekking through the region, but with the speed at which the plants were regrowing that evidence was rapidly vanishing.
Fortunately, after three hours of cutting through the wall of trees, he came across a clearing. It too was overgrown. Fortunately, it was overgrown with grass. Tall grass that reached up to Cyrus's chest. In the center of the clearing was an old, ruined building the almost looked as if it was held together by giant vines. A massive willow tree was growing through one of the primary testing facilities, at least if his memory served correctly.
Unfortunately, he was not alone. A volley of arrows whizzed by, and he ducked into the grass. The previous group of people were shooting into the grass from shattered windows on the lab's second floor. Cyrus activated the focus, and fantastic little machine highlighted at least six different people. All of them wore armor from a tribe he had yet to meet. He heard them shouting at each other about his appearance and subsequent hiding.
"I'm not here to fight!" Cyrus yelled, trying for a diplomatic approach. "But I will defend myself!"
"You are trespassing!" One of the men replied. "Turn back and we will not have to fight you."
"I can't!" Cyrus yelled back. "That building contains an object that I require. You can let me pass or you can die!"
That was the wrong thing to say. Another volley of arrows landed around where Cyrus was hiding. One of them got lucky and impacted his shoulder.
"Death it is then." Cyrus muttered.
The Hunter downed a blue elixir and rose from the grass. The muting of his sense seemed to grow less and less each time he used the Eldritch concoction. That didn't change the fact that it still tasted terrible, or that he was now nearly invisible. His stock of the concoction was running low, and it was one of the few things from Yharnam that he had no access to the ingredients to make. Brain fluid, the slime of a phantasm shell, and pearl slugs were the main ingredients to create the liquid invisibility. He had access to the phantasm shell and pearl slugs, after all the shell was a somewhat useless hunter tool and pearl slugs could be farmed in the ancient labyrinths. However, brain fluid was a byproduct of the Healing Church's inhumane experiments, and there was absolutely nothing that would get him to replicate those experiments, especially not a situational consumable that only lasted half a minute.
He drank another elixir as he walked slowly through the grass. His location was only betrayed by the trampled grass he left in his wake. Arrows were raining down near him as the men protecting the building saw the trampling grass. Their one way to locate him vanished as he exited the grass onto the concrete surrounding the building. Cyrus drank another elixir as he moved around to the collapsed wall of the building. One of the soldiers was patrolling around the bottom floor.
Cyrus stepped up behind the man and plunged the Burial Blade into his back. A second warrior saw him as he returned to visibility. Cyrus barely glanced at the man as he threw a dagger at him. The small blade struck through his throat, and he was bleeding out in seconds. His shout of alarm brought the remaining four enemies down on him. Cyrus responded as any Hunter would. With efficient brutality, cleaving through the men as if they were little more than the beasts he once killed in the cursed city.
"I warned you." Cyrus muttered as he beheaded the last man with the scythe.
He left the bodies behind and ventured deeper into the ruined lab. The plant growth was proving to be as much of help as it was a hinderance. Power was out across most of the complex, but the doors were open. Forced open by the rapid growth of plant life. He would have assumed that the effects of Yharnam had a hand in the vegetation caused chaos, if it weren't for the fact that he could feel not trace of Eldritch power besides his own.
At one point he encountered the overgrown remains of a camp. The tents and weapons strewn throughout the heavy plant growth appeared to belong to the warriors he had killed earlier. Cyrus was starting to grow suspicious. Exciting plant to grow as fast as this was a feat that many would have killed for in the old world, but it was something resided solely in the realm of fiction.
He continued on, cutting his way through the complex, getting closer and closer to the massive willow. He cut his way through another doorway and found himself in the labs primary generator room. The low hum informed him that the place was running on low power, but the lack of any signs of power confused him. If the lab was operating on low power, where was the evidence?
Cyrus approached one of the monitors. He had to cut away some vines before connecting his focus to it. His concern grew when he saw that the majority of the power in the building was currently being funneled to the Biomass Fuel System testing lab. Cyrus's confusion grew.
"Why would that lab be receiving the power?" He muttered.
His original mission forgotten; Cyrus started a trek towards the testing lab. Of course, that trek involved cutting through more walls of vines and wood, but it otherwise uneventful. Until he actually reached the lab. Standing outside that lab, two things became apparent. One, the giant willow was growing from inside the lab. Two, the remaining members of the foreign expedition were stuck trying to get into the lab.
Cyrus watched as two rather burly guards were trying to pry the door open. A short black-haired woman stood behind and observed as well. Cyrus noted, with some surprise, that she was wearing a Focus. An older model than his, but it was still there. He found the sight before him rather amusing, as he leant against a tree.
A third observation struck, one that filled him with more confusion and some relief. The door emanated a faint pulse of the Eldritch.
"Diviner, we've been trying for a while now, but I don't think that we will get this door open." One of the guards said.
"I know, but we have to get in there." The diviner said. "The only thing we've found points to this building being the location of any legacies of the old world."
"We've been trying for two days now." The other guard said. "If we can't get this door open, then nothing short of a Thunderjaw can get this door open."
Cyrus chuckled.
The three foreigners froze and looked towards him. The two guards immediately drew their bows and aimed at him, arrows knocked and ready. Uncomfortable tension filled the air as not a sound passed between them. Slowly, but surely, the woman filled with a strange confluence of emotions. Cyrus was surprised to note recognition, awe, and a hint of fear in her eyes.
"The Hunter…" She whispered.
Cyrus's gaze locked on her in an instant. His piercing crimson eyes boring into her, as if reading her soul.
"How do you know that?" He asked.
"You look just like the Hunter from the old world." She said. "The one who stood against the army of machines alone."
The guards lowered their weapons, caution still etched into their faces.
"Ma'am, are you sure?" The first guard asked. "He could be one of the savages on this continent, trying to trick us."
"Savage?" Cyrus questioned. "It's been a long time since I've been referred to as savage. But I'm not of the tribes on this continent."
"Then what are you?" The other guard asked.
"A traveler." Cyrus said. "A traveler who needs to gain access to the building behind you. How about you? I've yet to see armor and garb matching yours."
"We are Quen." The woman said, excitement filling her voice. "We came across the sea, though we lost most of our expedition. I'm Alva, a Diviner of the Quen. These are-"
"Ma'am, I don't trust him." The second guard interrupted.
The now named Alva turned towards the guards. "You should recognize him. He's the Hunter. He's from the old world."
"You're sure?" The guard asked.
"Of course, you don't think I'd know the names and faces of the exalted?" Alva asked.
"Exalted is one of the last words I'd use to describe the old world… or myself for that matter." Cyrus muttered.
"Now lower your weapons." Alva commanded, not hearing Cyrus.
"Are you don't with your petty squabble?" Cyrus asked. "I really need to enter that lab."
"Do you know how to get in?" Alva asked. "We've been trying for days but have had no luck."
Cyrus didn't answer her. Instead, he just walked up to the door and placed his hand against the cold metal. He spoke one of the few words in the Eldritch tongue that was utterable without the aid of a Great One. The door glowed blue for second before it opened. The stench of death and decay flowed from the room. The three Quen gagged at the smell. Inside were host of long dead, decomposing bodies.
Beyond the bodies was a large glass window looking out into the testing area. A testing area that was almost completely engulfed by the massive willow tree that shaded most of the building. In front of that window was a console connected to a series of servers. The console was active, on the screen was a series of results.
Cyrus approached the console and began to peruse the files within.
"What is this place?" Alva asked as she walked up behind him.
"This is where the seed of the destruction was planted in the old world." Cyrus answered. "Faro developed a biomass fueling system for his machines. This is where that system was created."
"Theodore Faro?" Alva asked.
"The egomaniac extraordinaire himself." Cyrus said.
"But… he did so much good." Alva protested. "How could he be responsible for the world's destruction?"
"You didn't know? Here, these files should reveal everything about the man I knew as Ted Faro." Cyrus spat as he sent his logs to her.
Cyrus turned back to the console and reached the most recent data entries. What he found was a shock. For one, the server was playing host to DEMETER. Cyrus connected the GAIA core unit to the terminal. A command prompt appeared, and Cyrus began typing in the command.
Issue order: Halt operations, transfer to GAIA core retrieval unit. Clearance level: Cyrus Bishop, Omicron.
The GAIA core unit glowed green as DEMETER transferred into the unit. More importantly, Cyrus turned back to the console.
"Contact GAIA." Cyrus commanded.
A second after his Focus opened communications, Mergo started speaking. "Cyrus? What is it? You got DEMETER, what else did you find?"
"Hold a second Mergo. I'm transferring these files to you; I want you to tell me what you think." Cyrus said.
Mergo went silent for a second as the transfer completed.
"Those humans didn't complete this task, did they?" Mergo asked.
"Of course not. This was completed two years ago." Cyrus said. "It seems that DEMETER found this facility and started working on reversing the biomass conversion system."
"This…" Mergo stopped. "Did it work?"
"Considering that the entirety of the biomass converter testing ground is currently a massive willow tree the height of Oedon Chapel, I'd say it works too well. The entire area around this lab is an overgrowing tangled mass of vines, roots, and trees. It would seem DEMETER has been trying to refine this over the past year or so."
"When DEMETER gets reconnected, I'm going to have her continue that work. MINERVA is also working a way to transmit this to the Faro swarm." Mergo said. "This will work as a nice back up plan when the worst comes."
ERROR-DATA_CORRUPTION-BEGIN_FILE_RECOVERY…/…
Data Log TEH-039
Do you have any idea how difficult it is to sit down and write when Shadow of the Erdtree releases? I so desperately want to keep this fic alive, but I also want to play Elden Ring. So, if you don't hear from me again for a long time, chances are I'm once again in the Lands Between or I'm helping build a house. With my schedule, it's most likely the latter.
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.