#umbra's courtyard scene | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kimvvantae · 6 years

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Umbra; 3

➜ being ruled by an ancient commandment, your sole purpose is to serve. you were born to protect the king with your life, tied by an everlasting oath; you are nothing but a shadow, a silent and insignificant being. he appears to you like the sun, the warmest and brightest star in the sky, and gives you a chance to live. it is then that your entire universe starts to orbit around this sun, and you decide that you are truly willing to die for him.

pairing: King!Taehyung x (f) hybrid!reader

genre: royalty au, fantasy, angst

warnings: descriptions of violence, blood, death and mistreatment that might be triggering.

word count: 9,2k

A/N: i would like to thank everyone who sent asks about this fic so far. receiving them has been keeping me encouraged to write, so thank you so much! and if you are reading the fic and didin’t yet - don’t be shy! i love knowing your opinions and i always want to talk. enjoy!

➜ Chapters: check up masterlist in bio!

The sound of metal against metal echoed on my ears.

I was sat quietly on the stone fence, my hands resting on my lap, my feet barely touching the ground. Fortunately, I managed to find a spot under the shadows, hidden from the sun shining at its peak. Summer afternoons are always ruthlessly hot. It seems that even the birds decided to protect themselves from the sun, dozens of them resting between leaves on the only tree placed inside the large courtyard. They did not seem bothered by the people around.

My eyes followed attently the combat happening in front of me.

The two tall men shocked their blades on one another, eventual sparkles visible from the friction between them. The tallest of them, General Kim Seokjin, yet again tried to force an opening on his opponent’s defence with his sword. Taehyung, however, blocked his attack with no apparent struggle and forced the General to step back, his leather combat boots rising dust from the ground with the strenght of the blow.

Taehyung straightened his posture for a moment, panting. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, eyes never leaving the opponent in front of him. His dark hair was already damp with sweat, trapped away from his eyes with a piece of cloth he tied around his forehead, the collar of his shirt damp as well. General Seokjin also stopped for a moment and breathed heavily, just as sweaty as the King, and readjusted his grip on his sword.

I could see they were both coming to their limits, fatigue already slowing their movements, making their limbs feel heavier than they actually were. This battle has been happening for an hour. I felt somehow impressed at this point. The limit normal humans can bear is merely some minutes, as learned from my fighting experiences, yet the two men in front of me were pushing it way farthest than expected, including the fact they were fighting under the implacable heat of the summer sun.

It was interesting, to say the very least.

Combats are one of the few things I enjoy. My body has been trained for it since my birth and it is something I truly am fairly good at. Despite I could not participate on it, watching them fight was entertaining – of course, I knew my duty there did not include get entertained, but watch over the King and make sure he wouldn’t end up severely hurt.

However, I realized there was no need to worry about the King so much. He was handling everything very well.

Surprisingly well, to be fair.

It is common knowledge that members of the Royal Family receive formal fighting training. Yet, from the many trainings they receive, it is presumably the less important. They are protected by the Royal Guard all the time, always surrounded by protective spells and amulets, and the King has the utmost guarantee of protection – me. So there’s no need to be an expert in fights at all.

This is not what I saw in Taehyung, though.

Being a warrior, you eventually end up learning body language. There was a conversation going on between them two. When the duel – training – started, I could see that, from General Seokjin’s movements, he was going lightly. He did not attack much, did not put much strength on his blows - as if he was there just for obligation, just to entertain the King, since he himself asked for some training, claiming that his body was going rusty after so many days of signing endless documents and having diplomatic meetings.

But the General soon realized that Taehyung did not intend to play. When he realized the King was really attacking him, his posture and demeanor changed completely. Even his gaze gained a shadow of seriousness. He realized Taehyung was stronger than he tought. He finally took the training seriously.

And I myself was impressed, because Taehyung was able to keep up with – and pressure – the leader of the Royal Guard, a well-trained warrior with experience in combat.

That is precisely what made me even more intrigued.

I have saw other members of the royalty fighting. Since all of them receive formal training, none of them is exactly bad at it. Yet, formal training is very different from real battle experience. A warrior can’t be a warrior if they don’t receive the ultimate training: fighting a real, deathly battle. A person who only received formal training can hardly keep up in a real combat.

Yet, as I watched Taehyung fight, I could see something very clear. His movements were too firm. His blows were sharp. He was not moving with certain steps, like someone who received formal training would; they usually just repeat what they learned, like the steps of a memorized dance. Taehyung did not do it. He read his opponent, what he was about to do, and traced his attacks in one second. He had complete control over his body, knew the exact ammount of strenght to use, knew exactly when to attack and when to step back.

Taehyung was fighting like a warrior. Not like someone who learned it from a teacher.

He was fighting like someone who has been in a real duel.

And it did not make any sense. The Royal Family don’t fight battles; that is why people like me exist. They have the Royal Guard, they have an entire army at their disposition. Why would a crown prince, the first on the line of succession, have experience in real duels?

I was starting to realize I knew very little about my current master. I was always so focused on my past master that I did not bother to learn about the people around him, including his own son – and that is because King Taejun did not spend much time with his son, as far as I remembered.

As much as I wanted to know more about his past, I knew I had no right to. My duty was to protect him, not to know more about him. I was not his friend.

“Are you sure about this information?”, Taehyung asked, still panting. Although his eyes never left General Seokjin, he was talking to another person.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Counselor Gilliard stated, standing at the other side of the courtyard at a safe distance from them. A dog hybrid maid stood by him holding a parasol to protect the man from the sunlight, even though the girl herself was outside its protection and I could clearly see the droplets of sweat trickling down her temples. “We have been waiting for weeks, yet they did not send any official letter or invitation. Nothing.”

Taehyung tilted his head to the side for a moment. I could see his strong eyebrows furrowing as he steadied his position. “Worrisome.”

He attacked once again with a grunt, Seokjin lifting his sword at the same time. The General tried to push him backwards with a series of strikes, yet Taehyung’s defense was still impenetrable. The fact that none of them were wearing complete armors helped them, since the extra weight would make them much more tired and slower. However, I could notice that the General seemed more affected than Taehyung.

In a swift movement, Taehyung turned his own blade against Seokjin’s. If the General kept gripping on it, his wrist would twist too and probably end up broken. It would undoubtedly be a victory...

Yet Taehyung didn’t finish his blow, instead pushing Seokjin backwards.

I furrowed my eyebrows slightly.

"Okay, let’s finish it now,” Taehyung suddenly said, his face turned into a scowl of tiredness. Seokjin rested his hands on his knees, breathing in heavy gulfs. He then straightened his posture and opened a smile, sheathing his sword with a sharp metallic sound.

“What? Are you afraid of losing to me? I was almost there,” he said.

Taehyung sheathed his sword as well, opened a warm smile and approached, offering his hand which Seokjin gripped tightly. “Let’s consider it a tie.”

“You improved since last time we trained,” he considered.

“Wasn’t it five years ago? You still remember?” the King said with a surprised expression.

“Of course I remember the day I destroyed you,” Seokjin said with a laugh, making Taehyung laugh too. “Missed you. Let’s do this more often,” he concluded.

“Of course,” Taehyung said, tapping his back lightly. General Seokjin then left, bowing lightly at Counselor Gilliard.

I watched the scene with a puzzled expression. I sure knew Taehyung and General Seokjin were cousins, the General only a few years older than him. Despite him also being part of the royalty and older than Taehyung, he was too far from the throne. Still, Seokjin joined the military and built a name for himself as a warrior, instead of just enjoying the luxury and tranquility from the Kim Household. For this reason, I respected the man.

Yet, I did not expect them to have a warm relationship. After so many years living around the royalty, I could say that there was too much bitterness and envy between them, especially towards the principal branch of the Kim Household which leads directly to the throne. All of them wanted the power, the wealth, the status. My past master himself did not hold a friendly relationship with his many siblings and relatives. I highly doubted any of them shed any tears over his death at all. So, watching Taehyung and Seokjin smile at each other like that was rather surprising – especially because I could see there was no pretending on their eyes.

Taehyung wasn’t the type to hide it when he felt unpleased towards someone, I was starting to learn. And the Counselor’s presence was noticeably unpleasant to him.

“There was no formal invitation from our part as well, if I remember clearly,” Taehyung said, his breathing falling into a regular pace again. He did not look at the Counselor in the eye, instead untying the bandages on his hands which he put before so his skin wouldn’t scratch against the uncomfortable hilt of the sword.

“Yet, we made sure to notify all the neighbor kingdoms about your coronation,” the Counselor stated. I noticed how his usual sumptuous tunic was made of a lighter type of fabric. It seems that not even this old leathery man was free from the impact of the hot summer weather.

The King exhaled and lifted his head, a thoughtful expression. He wasn’t looking at anything in particular. His caramel skin shone with sweat, droplets trickling down the strands of his hair. His muscles were tense. He passed his tongue through his lips. Thirsty, I supposed.

“We are in peace with Athena for some decades,” Taehyung pondered to himself in a low voice. “Yet, this is definitely worrisome. Athena already ended commercial accords with Ëlv’en a few years ago. They have been building a protectionist policy.”

“Exactly, Your Majesty,” Counselor Gilliard agreed.

“What is your suggestion on this matter, Gilliard?” Taehyung asked, finally gazing at the old man, a serious expression. But I could see that he asked because of obligation, not because he wanted to hear Gilliard’s opinion.

“I say leave them be,” the old man started, his voice growing and echoing through the courtyard. “This is clearly a provocation of their part. Athena has been wanting to win over us and become the greatest kingdom of the continent for centuries. It is time for us to stand firm and show them we do not need their alliance. We are greater than them. We have more allies than them. I say we should show them that it is the opposite; they depend on Ëlv’en.”

Taehyung was silent for some moments, his gaze again focused in untying the bandages. His expression did not change, however I noticed his clenched jaw. I wondered why the King felt so unpleased towards the Leader of the Council. Of course – the old man is not someone hard to hate, yet I felt there should be a strong reason behind his feelings.

“You arrange an immediate Council meeting,” Taehyung ordered, voice hard. “All the counselors must be present. Let’s discuss this issue properly. I’ll let the details on your hands.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll do it as soon as possible,” Gilliard said, bowing at the King respectfully and turning around to leave the courtyard, the maid following him rapidly.

And then he was alone.

The King approached a wooden table placed nearly and took a canteen of water, drinking from it avidly. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. For some moments he stayed there, his back facing me, the weight of his body supported on his left leg, looking at something above him. I followed his gaze and noticed he was staring at a bird flying around some meters way.

It was the first time I saw him wearing casual clothes like that – a loose beige shirt and brown leather pants, perfect for trainings. Since he has been attending many formal events and diplomatic meetings, it was obvious that the King would wear appropriate clothing according to the occasion. Seeing him in casual clothes made him look a bit different. Younger, perhaps.

“This summer is drier than usual,” Taehyung said all of sudden.

I furrowed my brows slightly. His voice was too loud for him to be simply talking to himself. But there was no one else besides us in the courtyard – if there was, I would have felt it way before him-

Oh.

He was talking to me.

I immediately straightened my posture, standing to my feet. A pang of nervousness hit my stomach, yet I controlled my expressions to look calm. It was not the first time Taehyung addressed me on the past few days. Actually, it seemed that he was aware of my presence all the time.

Painfully aware.

I did not like it. If the King was aware of me, it meant I wasn’t accomplishing my duty satisfactorily. I couldn’t understand why. I always thought my abilities in being unnoticeable were flawless at this point; perhaps I was wrong? Perhaps Taehyung was growing annoyed of me? Perhaps he was thinking of punishment already? After that disaster in which he caught me sleeping during my vigilance, I could understand why.

You have to answer him, I reminded myself after some moments.

“It sure is, Your Majesty,” I said out loud.

Taehyung turned his head in my direction immediately at the sound of my voice, looking at me. His eyebrows lifted slightly for a moment. Oh. He knew I was with him, yet he didn’t know exactly where until I spoke up. That is good, I suppose?

The King drank more water from the canteen, looking at the sky again, a thoughtful expression – yet softer than some moments ago, when the Counselor was still at his presence. “I should ask the mages to bring us some rain.” he wondered, this time more to himself than to me – but again, I felt he wanted me to answer. Or at least I thought he wanted.

Being honest, I wasn’t the best at interactions. My job involved being quiet all the time, so I barely talked to anyone during hours, even days, until a superior gave me an order or I could get some free time to meet Chuu and Yoongi. Besides that, silence reigned above me. What makes me a fairly bad person when it comes to socialize.

“The population would sure feel grateful for this, Your Majesty,” I said, my uneasiness well-hidden in my voice. Or at least I hoped so.

Taehyung nodded slightly and placed the canteen over the table again.

Then he turned completely in my direction.

I immediately lowered my head before our eyes could meet, but still could get a good look at him. The collar of his shirt was slightly opened, leaving his collarbones at sight. All of his skin was covered in sweat, and because of that the fabric was glued on his skin even though the shirt itself was loose, smoldering his torso. Taehyung wasn’t as buff as many men from the army. Yet, I could see his thick thighs under the leather pants and his well-built muscles underneath his shirt.

I gulped.

Good thing I was not allowed to look at him in the eye.

“The diplomatic meetings ended for now, am I right?” he asked in a casual manner.

“Yes, Your Majesty. No new invitations arrived in the past two days,” I said.

I could slightly see Taehyung nodding his head, that thoughtful expression on his face again. He held his chin with his thumb and index fingers, body leaned against the wooden table.

“I was wondering,” the King said after some moments. Again, I could feel his steeling gaze on me. Very good thing I was not allowed to look at him in the eye. “Being my guardian must be boring.”

I widened my eyes and fought against the urge to look at him. “P-Pardon, Your Majesty?”

Why was he saying such thing?!

“You just follow me everywhere,” he continued as if he didn’t hear me at all, “and have to watch over me under all situations, even when it’s not necessary. Like now, when you watched my training.”

I gulped again, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Is it what the King thought of me? Unnecessary?

“I am just following orders, Your Majesty,” I stated, trying to sound as impassive as possible.

“I know you are. Don’t take me wrong. I appreciate your efforts, Y/N. You’ve been doing an excellent job.” Taehyung said quickly. Again, I felt that thing in my chest. That good thing when he compliments me. “I was just wondering... watching over a training session?” he huffed slightly. “The Royal Guard must think I am defenseless after all.”

I heard a hint of something odd in his voice... disappointment?

My hands tightened behind my back. Why the thought of Taehyung feeling disappointed about something made me so uneasy? Perhaps he was feeling weak somehow? Someone that has to be protected because he can’t protect himself?

I remembered of Counselor Gilliard underestimating his intelligence and capacity. I remembered how Seokjin was not taking him seriously at the beginning of the training session.

Despite me being his guardian, I did not like this thought.

Something inside of me struggled. I should not interact with the King. I should not give opinions about anything. Yet...

“I ask permission to speak, Your Ma-”

“I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t ask permission to speak all the time,” Taehyung interrupted me.

“Ah-” I gulped, lowering my head even more. It was so automatic of me to ask permission before speaking, I didn’t even remember his order. “I apologize.”

He laughed lightly. “There’s no need to apologize,” he said light-heartedly, voice soft. I gulped again. Don’t know why this time. “What do you want to say?”

I inhaled before speaking, building up my courage. “I don’t think you are defenseless, Your Majesty. Your fighting ability is impressive.”

Taehyung stared at me for some moments. “Are you being honest?”

My eyes widened once more. He did not trust my words? “O-Of course, Your Majesty. Why would I lie?”

I heard Taehyung laugh softly, but there was no humor in it. I heard bitterness instead. “Again, don’t take me wrong. It’s just that... people have this habit to lie to me all the time.”

I furrowed my eyebrows. “I’m afraid I did not understand, Your Majesty.”

He went quiet for some moments. Again, I knew he was staring at me. His gaze was quite overwhelming. At least this trait he inherited from his father: a piercing gaze. However, it felt different from his father – I did not feel that I was being judged in a bad way with Taehyung.

It was still overwhelming, though, and I couldn’t exactly understand why I felt this way.

“Let’s say that the people around me usually say what they think I want to hear, and not what they truly think.” Taehyung said thoughtfully.

I nodded slightly. It was expected from the court, I supposed: they would always try to please him and make themselves good on his eyes, when in fact they thought differently of him, probably for their own benefit. It’s not that I wasn’t aware of this kind of behavior. But the fact that Taehyung felt bothered by it was somehow surprising. Most people like to have their egos caressed, isn’t it? At least the royalty liked it.

However, I should have learned already that Taehyung is one of a kind.

“It must be hard, Your Majesty,” I pondered. “But I did not have such intention with my words.”

He crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side. “Explain.” he asked, voice curious.

“Thinking of my position, it would be foolish of me to state that Your Majesty can defend yourself. After all, I am your guardian. If I were like any other person from the court, I would want Your Majesty to think that I am extremely necessary so you would always keep me.”

This was probably the longest sentence I ever said to a master.

“So you’re saying you’re not necessary,” Taehyung stated. My breath hitched for a moment.

Perhaps I said too much.

“I-I mean that Your Majesty is not defenseless. You can handle yourself very well. Yet, I think my abilities are still necessary against magic threats,” I hoped my voice did not sound so unsettled.

The sound of Taehyung’s melodious laugh flew smoothly around the courtyard. “I was joking, I’m sorry. You are necessary,” he stated, still laughing. “I appreciate your honesty, Y/N. That’s... very rare.”

He sounded pleased. Intrigued. Content.

Why did my heart started beating rapidly? Was it because of the heat? I should search for a healer soon.

“May I ask you something, Y/N?” he said after some moments, voice lower. Why did he still ask? I would do anything he said. There was no need to ask.

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“From now on, I ask you to be honest with me all the time. Even when if it’s something that you know I would dislike or goes against something I said. Can you do this for me?”

I nodded once. “Yes, Your Majesty. I will do as you please.” I said, even though I didn’t really understand his motives. Why would he want me to be honest with him? I was not a counselor or a member of the court. I was just his guardian.

Taehyung chuckled slightly. He was looking at his hands instead of me now. At the same time I enjoyed the fact that I was not allowed to look at him, it also bothered me.

“Good. Then I want you to give me your honest opinion about something,” he said suddenly, his voice sounding more serious this time. “I’m sure you heard my conversation with the Counselor some minutes ago.”

“I did, Your Majesty.” I agreed, slightly confused.

“What’s your opinion on this matter, Y/N? What do you think we should do?”

The King was looking attentively at me now, waiting for my answer. I unconsciously furrowed even more, deeply confused.

“Your Majesty, I...” I had to stop for a moment before speaking again, collecting my thoughts. “I do not understand why Your Majesty is asking me this. I am just a guardian, why would my opinion be valuable?”

“Because you’re by far the most honest person around me right now. And I guess you’re not interested in personal benefit on this matter, differently from the Council members.”

I blinked. Is that why the King felt so unpleased towards Gilliard? Perhaps he figured the Counselor was aiming his own benefit?

Now I could slightly understand him, yet it still felt strange. No one ever asked my opinion about politics. I was not a studied person such as any other member of the court. However, I have been living around a King my whole life after all, the very core of the government. I was not completely ignorant.

I inhaled before speaking.

“Ëlv’en and Athena have been living a period of peace, as Your Majesty stated before,” I started hesitantly, picking each word with extra care. “Yet our relationship with Athena was always uneasy. Even though we did not reach the point of war, I would say we never achieved real peace with them. It is fragile and unstable, and Athena does not seem especially friendly towards us.”

“Exactly,” Taehyung said nodding, encouraging me to keep going.

“It is fact that Athena is being quite aggressive in not inviting Your Majesty or sending any representative to recognize your coronation. And it is also fact that Athena is clashing against us, trying to overpower us.” I tilted my head slightly, trying to find the right words. “And that is exactly why I think Counselor Gilliard is wrong.”

The King leaned in my direction slightly, completely focused on me. “Why?”

Flashes of old memories ran through my mind.

“Our peace may be fragile, but is peace nevertheless,” as the words flew from my mouth, my resolve became stronger. “Athena has a great army. Their guardian is fairly strong. They are aggressive and want to overpower us. If Ëlv’en does something that sounds insulting to them, they might get infuriated and start an attack. It means war.” I moved one step closer. “Nobody wants war. Thousands of soldiers die. Innocent people lose their lives. The whole population suffers of famine and poverty. The kingdom loses money and properties. In the end, no one wins with a war, not even the ones who overpower the others. That is... that is why Ëlv’en should do its best to keep this fragile peace at all costs.”

“And what do you suggest?”, Taehyung questioned seriously.

“If Athena did not come to us, then... then we should go for them,” I sounded more careful than before. “It would show that we are trying to keep a good relationship with them, that we do not intend to fight against them.”

“Or they could see it as weakness. As if we’re bending over them.” Taehyung pondered.

I considered his argument. “But sometimes we need to make concessions for the greater good. As... as what Your Majesty did in the combat, some minutes ago,” I saw Taehyung moving at this. “You could have won over General Seokjin on your last blow, isn’t it? You could have broken his wrist and finally ended the combat. Yet, Your Majesty chose to not do it. Perhaps because Your Majesty knew that it would have hurt General Seokjin’s pride, that should theoretically be stronger. In order to keep a good relationship with the General and avoid insulting him, you decided to end the combat as a tie when in fact you were holding back not to win. A concession. Athena may see Ëlv’en’s actions as a weakness, yet if it helps keeping the peace, then I deem it is necessary. This is what I think, Your Majesty.”

The King went quiet for long moments.

I clenched my jaw, suddenly feeling nervous. Did I say too much? Was he offended? Maybe I should have not said so much, maybe I should have chosen my words more carefully-

“And you say your opinion is not valuable,” Taehyung said with a chuckle. “You have a fair point. I am impressed, Y/N.”

My heart fluttered in my chest the way it always does when Taehyung compliments me. Impressed. Did he really consider my argument as valuable? That incredibly smart man was impressed because of my argument?

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Why did a smile want to creep up on my lips? Control yourself in the presence of your master, Y/N!

“Well, I should get ready for the meeting later today,” the King said, standing up and passing a hand through his hair. I wish I could see his expression clearly. “You should rest for now. Thank you for your hard work.”

“At your disposition, Your Majesty,” I said, bowing at 90 degrees.

“And thank you for your honesty,” he said before leaving. I really wish I could look at his face in that moment. “I hope you can keep being honest with me from now on.”

And like that, he finally walked out of the courtyard.

It took me some minutes before my legs remembered how it is to walk.

All of my senses were completely alert.

Going outside is always a task that demands extra care. The palace is the safest place in the whole kingdom, so I could let it slightly loose. The royal capital is also safe. Leaving the kingdom completely, though, is extremely dangerous.

I did not expect Taehyung would take my argument so seriously. I did not expect that, based on what I said, he could be able to convince the entire Council against Gilliard and put his plan in action.

Yet he did.

And only two weeks after our conversation, we had already left Ëlv’en towards the Kingdom of Athena for an official meeting with their king, Hugo.

Athena is located at the extreme North of the continent. To get there we had to cross foreigner lands, but since Ëlv’en had allies we had no trouble getting permission to enter their territory. After traveling for eleven days, I could already see the mountain range which delimits the entrance to Athena.

The enemy territory.

General Seokjin had picked only his best soldiers to accompany the King within the Royal Entourage, himself included. Altogether, we were a group of at least fifty, including soldiers, Council members and some servants. We’d been advancing with no distractions, only stopping to sleep, eat and let our horses rest; Taehyung wanted to reach Athena as soon as possible. A normal travel would take at least one month, yet we were already almost arriving at our destination in only eleven days.

I was quite used to travels. My past master traveled abroad at least three times a year for diplomatic reasons. Yet, with Taehyung I felt uneasy. New kings who do not have a strong government yet are usually aimed for attacks, and it’s been barely two months since he was crowned. I should be extra careful.

I could sense every one of the fifty people traveling with us, noting any strange change on their auras. I felt anything with a conscious mind in a five kilometer radius, sensing if they could represent any danger. I checked on the protective spells the Royal Mages projected at every hour, fixing all the little cracks and feeding it with my own power. I could hear everything around me; the wind, the sound of the horseshoes against the ground, the chatter within the Entourage, the muffled noise of someone snoring at their sleep inside one of the carriages, the eagles soaring above our heads. My eyesight went as far as no other human could see: an all-black snake crawling nearby, almost camouflaged between the volcanic rocks. A small lilac flower at least two kilometers away, fighting to survive despite the low temperature and rough environment. A lone wolf watching the Entourage pass silently, careful not to approach.

Things were calm to say the very least.

But something felt off.

I couldn’t say exactly why I had this feeling. Perhaps because we were approaching Athena, I supposed: there is a wild, intense aura about this kingdom that I was never able to explain and it makes me quite nervous.

Yet...

There was this other feeling, too. Like an acrid, metallic taste in my throat. A heaviness on my back.

Aggressiveness.

We were not welcome in this place.

I wanted to stop the Entourage and check this feeling properly, but I was not exactly sure if it was just a superficial impression or a real feeling. I had to be careful. Keep the King safe is always the main priority.

And the King himself seemed to be wanting to hinder my main priority.

“Taeh- I mean, Your Majesty,” General Seokjin corrected himself between gritted teeth. “Can you please get into the carriage?”

The man beside me narrowed his eyes at Seokjin, as if getting annoyed. It was probably the hundredth time Seokjin asked this, and it was the hundredth time Taehyung dismissed his ask.

He was quite stubborn.

“I have been inside the carriage the whole day,” Taehyung said. For anyone else he was saying it as usual, but I was beginning to look under his façade more easily now. He was annoyed. “I just want to breath some air.”

And I also knew he was lying. In a normal travel, Taehyung would have his own, personal carriage. But since he himself wanted to hurry up things, he decided that so many carriages were unnecessary and would only slow down the travel. Because of that, he had to share it with others.

With Counselor Gilliard.

I heard the beginning of a discussion some minutes ago. Taehyung was probably avoiding the old man before he could say or do something reckless. Now, the King was riding a horse by my side.

Taehyung wore luxurious clothes, yet they were still much simpler than expected of a King – and even simpler than the outfits the members of the Council wore at the moment. He had a dark blue cape around his shoulders. The whole Entourage wore heavy clothing, me included, thick fabric under my armor. When in Ëlv’en we had summer, in Athena they had winter. The temperature contrast was way too drastic, as well as the landscape: Ëlv’en is full of nature, surrounded by tropical forests and even in winter temperatures are quite high. On the other hand, Athena is always cold, placed in the middle of a mountain chain, built above the destruction ancient dormant volcanoes caused millions of years ago. The soil is poor and vegetation hardly grows. Athena depends on other kingdoms to have food, yet they are rich in diamond extraction.

Reminds me of my birthplace.

“I’m just trying to keep you safe. It’s dangerous to be so visible like this,” General Seokjin tried once again. I agreed with him, honestly, but I preferred not to intervene at the moment.

“As long as Y/N think it’s safe to be outside then there’s no problem,” Taehyung said blatantly, raising his eyebrows to the General. I gulped slightly at the mention of my name, my fingers tightening around the reins as I noticed Seokjin glaring at me as if it was my fault.

The General decided to give up for now, yet I could feel he was still glaring at me. Taehyung wasn’t exactly wrong – that impression could just be it, an impression. I had to be sure before taking any drastic decision-

That’s when an alarm echoed inside of me.

My eyes narrowed. My body went completely alert and ready. I pulled the reins and made my horse run and intercept the King’s horse, making him stop and everyone behind him consequently.

Taehyung widened his eyes at my action, but Seokjin was quick to understand something was wrong, his hand already holding the hilt of his sword. “What’s happening?” he demanded.

I didn’t look at him, my gaze focused ahead instead. The whole Entourage stopped, soldiers alert at my actions and ready to act. “Stay here,” I said, getting off my horse.

“I told you, didn’t I?!” I heard General Seokjin say through gritted teeth, as well the steps of several soldiers leaving their horses, making a protective wall around the King.

I walked forward carefully, my boots making cracking noises as I stepped on boulders. Everyone behind me went silent, watching my movements carefully. Around five meters ahead I finally stopped and kneeled down.

There was a black rock on the ground, exactly like all the other millions of volcanic rocks around. The only difference is that the rock had a purple, shining signal written on it. A rune.

It said fire.

My eyes widened and I took the rock in my left hand, holding it tightly before it could cause an explosion. Black flames emerged from the cursed rock and quickly spread down my forearm, melting the iron of my armor and burning my skin. I grunted lowly and, before the fire could spread more, my lips formed the word cease in my mother language. In just one second the curse was broken; the rune disappeared from the rock’s surface and the black flames immediately dissipated, leaving no hint it ever existed before.

I sighed in relief and got up, the rock now just a harmless piece of hardened lava.

“What was it?”, General Seokjin asked loudly.

I turned around to face them. “Just a cursed rock, Sir General,” I said, walking towards my horse again.

The General nodded and thought for some moments. “Probably a trap for wolves or something. There are animal farms on this region, must’ve been put by a farmer nearby,” he pondered. “Can you feel anything else?”

I stopped for some moments, looking around. That aggressive feeling still bothered my guts, yet there was nothing apparently dangerous anymore. “No, Sir General.”

“So we shall continue,” Seokjin decided, ordering his soldiers to go back in position. I positioned myself on my horse again. “And again, Your Majesty, if it wasn’t proof enough-”

“She said there’s no danger anymore,” Taehyung interrupted him. “There’s no need to go back inside the carriage.”

General Seokjin went silent. He stared at the King with such intensity I could almost see a fire on his eyes. Taehyung, on the other hand, kept a forcefully serious face. He was teasing the General. And seemed to be enjoying it a lot.

I too felt like laughing, yet I bit my cheeks and kept a blank expression. I had no permission to laugh, even though the situation was comical.

Only a few moments later, we were marching ahead again. This time, though, I rode the horse holding the reins with my right hand only, the other arm pressed against my stomach and hidden under my black cape. I’ve been burned several times before, yet black flames are always stronger than usual fire. It could even melt the armor attached to my forearm after all. I knew the burned skin of my arm must’ve been looking nauseating, but it didn’t really hurt. Not anymore. It just bothered me, making me feel slightly angry instead of in pain, but not enough to make me lose my focus.

As well as how I noticed the King looking at me occasionally, yet not addressing me.

We stopped for lunch after some hours. I did not feel particularly hungry, so I was feeding my horse with apples instead, caressing the animal. I could feel him relaxing under my touch, not so afraid as he was at the beginning of the travel. Animals are usually uneasy around me. They can feel what I am.

I looked at the landscape around. We were closer to the mountains now, but it would still take two days and one night to enter Athena. My senses did not alert me about any danger other than the cursed rock before, but I was still hyperaware about my surroundings. I couldn’t simply dismiss this as something trivial.

It wasn’t.

My eyebrows furrowed and I looked down to my left arm. The burning sensation did not cease yet, and my nerves stunted. I considered searching for the healer Thomas, but the day wasn’t over and I could not let my guard down now-

“Does it still hurt?”

I lifted my head immediately, slightly startled. Taehyung was standing before me, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed in a serious expression. I avoided his gaze quickly, looking down.

“Are you done eating, Your Majesty?”, I asked instead, what made me confused. Since when am I allowed to make questions to the King?!

“You didn’t answer. Does it still hurt?”, he pressured again. I was taken aback. Why did it bother him anyway? Why he wanted to know? Even though I knew I should simply answer him, I felt too surprised.

And the King seemed too bothered.

“Can I at least look at it?”, he asked. Yes, he was bothered. But why? Was he bothered by the fact that I got hurt so easily? Perhaps he expected me to be more tough?

Almost hesitantly, I finally stretched my left arm, leaving my injury at sight.

Taehyung gulped visibly. “Alright, let me take care of it.”

I saw him lifting his hands to touch me, and in that moment I did something out of pure instinct: I flinched and retracted my arms, hugging myself, and stepped away from him.

Taehyung froze.

I immediately understood I shouldn’t have done it. I just offended my master! I should know how to control my instincts at this point, that was simply unacceptable. Why have I been committing so many mistakes around Taehyung? I was not acting like myself!

I bowed at him, regret and shame weighting on my shoulders. “Your Majesty, I apologize!”

The King didn’t say anything for long seconds. Perhaps he was too offended to even move.

“There’s no need to apologize, Y/N,” he said softly. Way too softly. I straightened my posture slowly, staring at my feet. “I’m the one who should apologize. I shouldn’t have tried to touch you without asking permission.”

My eyes widened in utter shock. Did he just apologize? I tried to say something, yet my voice seemed stuck in my throat.

“So, can I take care of your injury? Please?”

Please.

“But- Your Majesty-” I stuttered. “It does not hurt. And I can ask Sir Thomas to take care of it, there’s no need to-”

“I know there’s no need, but I want to,” the King interrupted me softly. “It’s my way of thanking you for keeping us all safe, okay?”

Nervousness took control of my whole body. He apologized and thanked me. But I knew I should never say no to the King, so I had no choice but to nod accordingly.

Taehyung smiled, content.

He sat on a small wooden stool some meters away and placed other in front of him, pointing for me to seat too. I did so, hesitant. Our knees brushed on one another. I was as stiff as a board. He gesticulated for me to lift my arm again.

When I did, Taehyung’s face frowned. I couldn’t blame him: my whole forearm looked disgusting, the skin completely burned in deep levels, a sickening bright red color and huge blisters here and there. For what it looked like, the epidermis was wholly destroyed. Even my nails simply fell, since the flesh couldn’t hold them anymore.

A normal human would be screaming in pain. A normal human would have taken an infection hours ago. A normal human’s arm would gangrene.

I am no normal human.

“Pardon, did you just intend to wait hours to take care of this?”, Taehyung said, incredulous.

I shrugged. “I have to keep my vigilance, Your Majesty. Besides, it does not hurt so bad. By tomorrow morning the skin will be way better and eventually I’ll heal.”

Taehyung lifted his eyebrows, seeming impressed. Scared even. “And these army soldiers think they are tough,” he pondered to himself, what made me want to smile, yet I held back as always. He shook his head slightly. “I’m sorry, it’s just that... black flames are fatal for humans. Sometimes I just forget what you are,” he said, the last sentence barely a whisper but I could still hear.

I understood what he was saying. I knew I don’t look like what someone imagines to be a dragon hybrid. Since most people had no idea what my species looks like – some of them did not even believe we exist – they had an odd, distorted idea of us: a humanoid beast with the body full of scales, fangs, claws, basically a mix between human and a lizard. They had no idea that I could get inside of a crowd and no one would suspect my true nature. In fact, I am so normal that it is even hard to believe I’m a warrior. The few female warriors within the army have extremely muscular bodies, while I simply look like a normal woman.

“My body system works differently,” I muttered quietly, as if trying to justify myself.

“I know. In some days your burned skin will be replaced by a healthy layer, isn’t it?” I just nodded. Taehyung tilted his head. “But I still can’t ignore this burn, so let’s speed up this process a little.”

I expected him to take some ointment, herb or any other medicine. Instead, Taehyung brushed his hands on one another for some moments, then clasped them tightly, seemingly focused. I felt a shiver at the back of my neck, my eyes widening slowly when I realized what he was doing.

When he unclasped his hands again, there were identical runes on the surface of his skin, shining in a hue of blue. It meant heal.

I had to gather all of my will not to look at him in the eye, completely astonished. Taehyung seemed to notice my utter shock anyway, because I saw the hint of a smirk on his lips. I wanted to ask where did he learn it and why would a King know how to evocate healing spells, but I kept my mouth shut. I was not allowed to question him.

Taehyung approached his hands from my burnt forearm, but he didn’t touch it, hovering some centimeters away from the skin. He then moved his hands slowly along the member; I immediately felt the pain cease completely, a refreshing sensation taking place instead. The blisters decreased until they disappeared, and the color of the whole arm looked slightly better.

I felt even more impressed. He was doing a fairly good job, despite I knew he wouldn’t be able to heal it completely since the burn was too severe. Still, it did not feel like the work of an amateur: I could sense he was using the right amount of energy, a delicate process of picking thin layers of power to help the skin cells regenerate more quickly.

A King who had obvious real battle experience and could evoke healing spells.

What else Taehyung was hiding?

“Done,” he said, retracting his hands, the runes disappearing from his skin. I looked at my forearm. It was still obviously burnt, but looked less disgusting, the skin in full process of regeneration. I also could move my fingers freely, what meant the nerves were already healed.

“Thank you so much, Your Majesty,” I said, bowing my head respectfully. Taehyung chuckled.

“Wait, I didn’t finish yet,” he said, taking something from inside a leather bag at his side I just noticed: a roll of bandages. I stretched my arm for him again. Delicately, he started to put it over the injury.

“There’s no need to thank me though,” he said quietly. “You got hurt protecting all of us. Well... me specifically. I felt quite bad.”

I quirked one eyebrow. “You should not, Your Majesty. This is my duty.”

Taehyung went silent for some moments, and I felt a strange heaviness in the air. Did I say something wrong?

“It still bothers me. I don’t like to see people getting hurt because of me at all. Childish of someone in my position, I know.” he said, bandaging my fingers with care. My eyes were focused on what he was doing, his own long and slender fingers, big hands doing such a delicate work. The Royal Ring on his right hand shone beautifully when sunlight touched it, a big and elaborated piece of gold with a tremendously huge sapphire placed on it, the precious jewel just as old as Ëlv’en itself. I knew this ring very well, the same ring his father used and all the previous kings used before him.

It felt different to see Taehyung use it. Everything about Taehyung felt different. I did not know why it made me feel scared.

“It’s not childish, Your Majesty. It just means Your Majesty is good,” I said and regretted immediately, my whole body freezing. I felt my face go hot and lowered my head even more. Since when I just blurt out things without thinking before?

Taehyung went quiet again, his hands never stopping. I considered apologizing, but there was no reason to do so; instead, I felt like hiding from him until he could forget what I said...

“Your honesty really is honest,” Taehyung said quietly. I felt my face get even hotter. His voice sounded so... tender. Soft. Again, even though I wasn’t looking, I heard his smile. “Thank you.”

I gulped. It was amazing how I could get my whole arm burnt with black flames without thinking twice, yet I could not do an easy task such as say anything to him.

“Now I actually finished,” Taehyung said after some more moments, analyzing his work. My arm was properly wrapped in bandages, from the elbow to the fingertips, tight enough to protect the forearm but not too tight, so the skin could breathe properly.

“Thank you once more, Your Majesty,” I repeated, bowing yet again.

“It’s nothing,” the King said. He was still smiling. God, how I wish I was allowed to look at his face. “Now you should eat something if you didn’t yet. We want you on your best shape, alright?”

I nodded. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

Taehyung got up and so did I, bowing respectfully as he walked away.

When he was far enough, I sat on the stool again.

I held my left arm close to my body, looking at it. Looking at his careful work. Remembering how his fingers moved softly and delicately not to hurt me. Remembering how he did all of this even though he knew he didn’t need to, even though he knew I would heal naturally without any help, remembering how he came after me to check if I was in pain or not when no one else bothered.

I didn’t know why my heart was beating so fast.

I also didn’t know why tears were trickling down my cheeks freely.

My mind is completely blurred.

I can’t focus on anything other than the pain, pain and pain. Pain is all that exists. I know this is not right. A dragon-guardian can’t feel pain, I try to tell myself. Pain is superficial. I have to ignore it. I have to take control of my senses...

But I can’t.

I feel dizzy, my surroundings twirling... how did this even happen...?

Ah.

King Taejun was coming back from a travel abroad. We were almost arriving at the Capital when I felt an urge inside of me: before anyone else, I realized my master was in danger. Before anyone else, I saw the arrow flying directly towards his heart. Before anyone else, I jumped in front on him. The arrow landed on my right shoulder, crossing skin, muscle and bones to the other side of my body.

I saw when the soldiers around me immediately saw the attacker, only a few meters away. The man was a wolf hybrid. A member of a rebellion. They were faster than him and immobilized the madman.

All the attention went to the King. I am happy that I was able to protect him, to receive this arrow that would have definitely killed him. He is safe. I kept him safe.

The arrow was soaked with poison.

Not any poison. It was made with waters from the Styx river. The cursed river.

It would have killed any human, including my master. But not me. My body is stronger, I was born to bear it all.

But it still hurts.

It hurts and stings and burns. I feel my whole body going on fever, as if someone threw me inside a Vulcan. The poison spreads through my bloodstream, making me lose all senses.

I am not going to die, but I know it will make me suffer a lot.

We entered the Capital of Ëlv’en, while I tried to keep me sane. We walked all the way inside the palace while I tried to walk straight. I accompanied my master inside the reunion room where he reunited the Council to discuss the motives behind the attack.

The discussion around me is heated. My head spins. I feel sweaty. I lean on the wall, trying to keep my balance.

“I said this rebellion was getting out of hand,” I hear my master say. “It’s spreading around the kingdom, we have to-” the King goes silent suddenly. He is looking down to his feet. “What’s with all this blood...?”

He finally finds me in the corner of the room, hand gripping my wound, legs shaking.

I feel a flood of relief. Will he call a healer? I really need one, I know I won’t be able to keep awake for much longer-

“You’re dirtying the carpet!” my master storms, voice full of anger, making my shoulders shrink. “Look at all the mess you made. Get out of here!”

I gulp. He is right... I should have at least tried to clean myself. There is a trail of blood everywhere I went. I bow down, almost falling in the process, and try to say something. My master is not paying attention to me anymore, back to his discussion.

I stumble out of the room, leaning on the wall as I walk.

My steps are slow and careful. It feels as if the ground is going to crumble under my feet. I feel my clothes soaked with blood. I am ashamed of myself. How could I let myself feel pain when I have been training to avoid it? Why couldn’t I be more diligent with my duties? I sure deserved a punishment.

Yet, if it wasn’t for me, my master would not be angry with me. Because he would not even be alive. I am happy after all, because I was able to protect him. King Taejun is safe. My compassionate master is safe, all because of me.

I hiccup, tears falling nonstop.

I must not wait to be recognized. I am just a shadow. My master must not notice me. Even though I made him angry, I am still happy.

I can’t stop crying.

My legs finally lose all strength and I fall against the cool floor. I can’t move. I don’t know where I am anymore. I know nothing. All I know is pain, pain, pain.

“Oh my God,” I hear someone gasping somewhere. Steps approach me hurriedly and someone crouches down at my side. “What happened to you?!”

My sight focus on a young boy, apparently older than me; he looks completely frightened, eyes widened and mouth ajar. His skin is fair and his hair is pitch black. I see cat ears peeking from the top of his head.

“Someone, help! Call a healer!” he shouts, and I hear more steps running. I feel my consciousness slowly leaving me. “You’ll be alright, okay? We’ll take care of you. My name is Yoongi.”

I wish I could respond, but my limbs don’t obey anymore. I just want to sleep now... sleep until this pain ceases.

Sleep until I heal, then I can go back to my compassionate master. The purpose of my life.

The sun of my particular solar system.

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orokinarchives · 6 years

Text

The Sacrifice

(Update 23 splash)

A tortured vision sends the Operator on the hunt for a warframe unlike any other.

Previous story quest: Apostasy Prologue

Starting the quest

After completing the Apostasy Prologue, this quest can be initiated in the Codex. Upon starting the quest, the Lotus can be heard faintly whispering in the Orbiter.

Lotus: "Tenno… Tenno…."

The Tenno is prompted to examine the Lotus' helmet in their Personal Quarters. Upon interacting with the helmet, the introductory cinematic begins.

Intro cutscene

[On Earth, in a broken-down and overgrown courtyard, dense fog swirls around a dead cherry tree in the deep purple light of evening. Lua looms in the sky, gold-ringed and fractured. A warframe falls to its hands and knees on the courtyard stones. It appears to be a dark-coloured variant of the Excalibur warframe, but with a black scarf-like fabric hanging from its neck, and golden Orokin detailing, including protruding, crescent-shaped prongs along its arms and legs. The warframe plants a nikana in the ground – its pommel featuring the same crescent motif – and briefly leans on it for support. The warframe looks at its own hands, its body language somehow indicative of horror, and throws back its head and howls at the stars. Sparks and beams of light erupt from the warframe in its agony. Exhausted, the warframe slumps over, but immediately whirls around when a refined voice carries softly over the courtyard.]

Ballas: "Howl all you want. It won't bring him back."

[Ballas is leaning on a stone obelisk, obscured in shadow. As the warframe turns to face the Orokin Executor, it becomes apparent that the courtyard is in fact a graveyard. Ballas steps out of the shadow of the obelisk and walks forward a few paces, turning sideways to angle his elongated right arm out of view. Six of the Orokin tombstones ripple with blue energy particles as their forms shift, resolving into Sentient fighters similar to Battalysts. The warframe, on guard, analyses the situation quickly and summons its Exalted Blade. Two of the Sentient fighters raise their arm cannons and fire beams of destructive energy. The warframe deflects them both with the Exalted Blade before Slash Dashing forward and striking down all six Sentients with two swipes of its blade. It then dashes to Ballas and holds the Exalted Blade to his chest. The tip of the blade glances off a personal shield protecting the Orokin, generating a purple glow. Ballas does not seem concerned. His eyes glow orange as he communicates telepathically with the warframe.]

Ballas (Transference): "Lua brings you strength, Umbra—"

[A burst of red energy dissipates Umbra's Exalted Blade, and the warframe clutches its head, disoriented, before quickly collecting itself.]

Ballas: "—but you cannot defy your creator."

[A Sentient – much larger than a Battalyst, but smaller than an Teralyst – emerges from the fog behind Ballas and hovers forward to his side. Ballas steps towards the warframe, gloating.]

Ballas: "Even I make mistakes. Like you."

[The Sentient raises its left arm and vaporises Umbra with a beam of purple energy. After the flash of light, all that remains is Umbra's nikana, still standing upright by the dead tree.]

[on board Orbiter]

[The Operator flinches as their consciousness returns to their body, arm still outstretched towards the helmet. They look around the room frantically to orient themself.]

Ordis: "Operator? Are you alright? Your delta waves spiked for a moment. Ever since she—abandoned you—was taken…. Ordis knows just what you need! A comforting memory from my data store!"

Operator: "Ordis, don't!"

Lotus (recording): "Forgive me. This is who you really are: a Tenno. More than human… but once a child like any other. What do you—"

Operator: "That's enough, Ordis. Scan for Sentient energy on Earth. Recent activity."

Ordis: "I don't think… oh, what's this? Marking on Navigation. How did you know— oh, Ordis, this is the Operator we're talking about!"

First Mission: Investigate Sentient Energy (Lith, Earth)

(Grineer Forest tileset remaster concept image)

The mission takes place on the Grineer Forest tileset at night. There are no enemies initially.

Ordis: "I am not sensing any Sentients, but there is something… oh no, Ghouls! Something must have disturbed their incubation sacs. A disgusting lifecycle."

Ghouls will burst out of the ground. The Tenno may engage them or bypass them. A waypoint leads deeper into the forest.

Ordis: "Operator, I am just a bug-addled Cephalon, but… if you ever need to talk… Ordis would be happy to hear how depressed you are!"

The waypoint leads to an Orokin door with a complex locking mechanism. The door is also overgrown with roots. Upon destroying the roots with damage, Ordis will being unlocking the door. The Tenno must hold their position at the door as the Ghouls assault them. Once the door opens, the Tenno can follow the path through a rocky crevasse that leads to the courtyard from their vision.

Operator: "I saw this place."

Ordis: "How? Did she… did the Lotus show you?"

Operator: "I don't know, but I think she wants me to see this. I'll scan the scene. Check for warframe traces."

The Tenno must scan the nikana Umbra left behind, as well as three fragments of Umbra left behind by his violent demise. Part of Umbra's helmet rests in a pile of ash to the left of the tree, the scarf is hanging from the rock walls on the right side of the courtyard, and one of the golden arm-crescents is lying on the ground at the top of the courtyard, near the entrance.

(upon scanning the nikana) Ordis: "This blade may pre-date everything in your arsenal. Very faint traces of mineral exposure. From Lua."

(upon scanning the first warframe trace) Ordis: "Remnants appear to be of warframe composition. I am not familiar with this design."

(upon scanning the second warframe trace) Ordis: "Almost… crude. If you can get another scan, I may be able to synthesise a partial schematic of the victim."

Ordis: "I know what you're going through. With the Lotus, I mean. Remember how you abandoned me? But look at how—angry—happy I am now! Don't worry, Operator, we'll find her."

(upon scanning the third warframe trace) Ordis: "Processing. I have extraction ready. I think you should hurry."

As the Tenno heads through the passage to extraction, loud cackling can be heard echoing through the tunnel.

Operator: "Ordis? What's going on?"

Large numbers of Ghouls will be waiting at the end of the tunnel, at the Orokin door.

Ordis: "Are they… coordinating an ambush?! I may have underestimated Ghoul intelligence! Expect resistance toward the extraction zone."

The Tenno must get through the Ghouls and reach extraction.

[on board Orbiter]

Ordis: "I've reconstructed what I could. Check your Foundry, Operator."

Upon checking the Foundry, the Excalibur Umbra blueprint will be present, but unable to be built. The build components are undetermined, and the blueprint will be labelled "More data required".

Ordis: "Uncertain if any Tenno has linked with this design. The Transference bolt seems different, but we cannot build this without more data."

Operator: "What about Lua? You said there were traces on the weapon…."

Ordis: "Right. One step ahead, aren't you, Operator! Marking on Navigation."

Second Mission: Explore Lua (Pavlov, Lua)

(Orokin Moon tileset expansion concept image)

The mission takes place on the Orokin Moon tileset. There are no enemies present.

Ordis: "Are you sure we want to build this warframe? It could be dangerous."

Operator: "What I saw… what the Lotus showed me… this warframe knew Ballas. It tried to attack him."

Ordis: "What? The warframes are Transference-controlled. Battle envoys for the Operator to command… I don't understand."

Operator: "This one is different."

An Orokin console blocks further access. Upon accessing the console, a set of three rings covered in symbols appears. The Tenno must rotate the rings to display the correct symbols in the correct order, but no combination will be able to be selected.

Ordis: "An Orokin cipher! Impossible to bypass. They use mnemonic code-glyphs drawn directly from your memory. Perhaps search the area?"

On the right wall of the chamber with the console are two symbols, etched into the ivory wall. Another pair of symbols are on the wall in the room preceding the chamber. Upon approach, the markings will glow and project the symbols in the air in swirling blue energy particles.

(upon finding the first symbol pair) Ordis: "Curious. These markings seem fresh. Are there more?"

(upon finding the second symbol pair) Ordis: "Another. Is that a paired symbol there?"

Operator: "The order may be important for the cipher."

The pairs of symbols represent the first two and the last two symbols in the three-symbol code for the Orokin cipher, with the middle symbol being shared by each symbol pair. The symbol pairs, when put together, reveal the correct order of the three code-glyphs for the cipher. Upon accessing the console again, the symbol pairs will be displayed above the cipher for the Tenno to easily reference, and the symbols will glow blue when the proper code-glyph is selected.

Once the proper combination of code-glyphs have been entered, the gate will open, allowing the Tenno to proceed. In the room on the other side is a Sentient fighter, disguised as an Orokin pillar. The Sentient will reveal itself upon being approached and begin attacking the player with its beam weapons. Like Battalysts and Conculysts, it possesses the ability to adapt to the damage types it encounters, but is weak to the Operator's Void attacks.

Operator: "Ordis! What are these? Some new Sentient design?"

Ordis: "An old design! Mimics! Sentient Mimics! These haven't been seen since the Old War!"

(upon killing the Mimic) Ordis: "How did Mimics get to the Origin System? Operator, be vigilant when approaching… uh… 'things'."

Operator: "'Things'…."

Ordis: "Sorry, I can't be more specific."

More Mimics will be present throughout the mission, disguised as pillars, death orbs, resource deposits, storage containers, or lockers, attacking on approach. Eventually, the Tenno will come to a sealed dome, protected by another Orokin cipher, this one with a five-symbol code. The Tenno must find four symbol pairs in the rooms adjacent to the cipher. Each symbol pair is guarded by a pair of Mimics.

(upon finding the first symbol pair) Ordis: "You found one! Memorise it."

(upon finding the second symbol pair) Ordis: "Another. And look, a different marking beside it!"

(upon finding the fourth symbol pair) Ordis: "That should be the last one. Now… to figure out the correct ordering."

(if player takes too long with hacking the console) Ordis: "You have all the codes, but the order seems wrong."

After entering the correct code, the dome will open, revealing a doorway to a laboratory of some kind. In the lab, an Orokin sentry turret is still active and will fire upon the Tenno until it is destroyed.

Ordis: "These markings signify danger. Was this a containment cell for something?"

Operator: "Umbra. Cave-ins must have compromised the enclosure."

Ordis: "Likely. There are still strong aftershocks from when you pulled Lua out of the Void."

The Tenno must search the lab. Eventually they will find an Orokin data-storage device on the bench to the left. Interacting with it will display a spiral of memory-glyphs, one of which glows blue and is labelled "ENEMY". Selecting it will open up a voice recording of Ballas, while warframe blueprints are displayed in gold on black.

(The Orokin words are, from top to bottom, "sample" and "hand".)

Ballas: "It is with the greatest of risk that I commit this recording. The codices within reveal the hidden weakness of your most feared enemy. My creations. My frames of war."

Ordis: "A Vitruvian – this is rare Orokin technology! Incredible it survived this long…. You should destroy it immediately."

Operator: "What? No. We need to get inside… but it's locked to a new set of codes [sigh]. I'm bringing it back for analysis."

Ordis: "I was afraid you'd say that."

More Mimics, as well as Battalysts and Conculysts, will attack the Tenno on their way to extraction.

[on board Orbiter]

Ordis: "Operator, I'd rather not connect that Vitruvian to my systems. It could—make me crazy—affect my systems in unforeseen ways."

Operator: "This may have belonged to Ballas. He's our only way to the Lotus. Please, Ordis?"

Ordis: "You had to say please, didn't you?"

The Tenno can install the Vitruvian in the lower level of the Orbiter, just outside of the Somatic Link chamber.

Ordis: "Ordis, you need to learn how to stand up for yourself. To say no, and mean it, even if it is the Oper-a-TTTORRR_OR_OR_OR—"

Ordis will glitch out heavily upon connecting to the Vitruvian. The Orbiter will begin to list to starboard, and the lights will go out. After a few seconds, the lights will come back on and the Orbiter will right itself. Ordis will now speak with a completely toneless cadence and will no longer display any glitches.

Vitruvian Ordis: "I have been upgraded, Star-Child. Your warframe blueprint now has the required data. Check Foundry."

In the Foundry, the Excalibur Umbra blueprint now displays the required build materials: 10.000 credits, 1 Orokin cell, 60 kuva, 1.200 nano spores, and 1.600 alloy plate. It will take 10 seconds to build, and be already Rank 30. Once completed, the Tenno will be prompted to equip it in the Arsenal. Upon doing so, the Arsenal interface will disappear as a cutscene begins.

[Umbra rejects Transference control and howls, releasing arcs of energy and damaging its helmet. After recovering, it lunges forward and grabs the Operator by the throat, pulling them out of Void mode. Up close, it can be seen that the damage to the warframe's helmet has exposed biological flesh beneath, and a white eye where one would be expected on a human face. Umbra throws the Operator against the wall of the Orbiter, then follows up by trapping them against the bulkhead, holding their neck within one of the crescent prongs on its forearm. Golden energy ripples across the helmet as Umbra makes itself whole, mending the helmet to obscure its flesh once more. Struggling, the Operator raises their arm and grabs Umbra's shoulder, initiating Transference.]

Inside Umbra's mind, the Operator finds themself within a memory. Umbra's point of view is from a person confined to a bed in an Orokin medical facility. To the right of the bed stands a Dax soldier at attention. To the left sits Ballas, reclining with one leg crossed over the other. Directly in front of the bed is the doorway, but nothing is on the other side but a cherry tree in bloom, surrounded by water, backlit by harsh white light. The Tenno can look around the room, but cannot move, as Umbra is lying in the bed.

Ballas: "Good morning, old friend."

Umbra: [urgent grunts and muffled attempts to speak]

Ballas: "I'm afraid the disease has taken your voice, but we've prepared the finest serums to treat you. Shall we pass the time with a game of komi? Like old times."

Ballas gestures to a 5x5 game board resting between him and Umbra. A clicking and hissing noise can be heard, presumably a Transference bolt engaging in Umbra's brain. Ballas' eyes glow orange as he uses Transference to communicate with Umbra without speaking aloud.

Ballas (Transference): "You remember this game, don't you? Think your move and the board senses…."

Umbra: [grunts]

Ballas (Transference): "Oh, this… I've had them fit you with a Transference bolt. In honour of our… history together."

Ballas: "And look… look who hasn't left your side since you took ill."

Ballas (Transference): "Look at him, old man. Look at your son."

(if the Tenno does not look) Ballas (Transference): "Look at your son. Do it."

Ballas indicates the Dax soldier standing next to the bed. When the Tenno sees the Dax, the soldier glows blue, and a memory-glyph is unlocked. The Dax breaks his stance and steps forward.

Dax: "Can he hear me? Father? It's me, Isaah. Do you remember me?"

The visor of Isaah's helmet retracts, revealing his face. Isaah sits next to the bed, close to Umbra.

Ballas: "Of course he remembers you, young Dax—"

Ballas (Transference): "—which will make this reunion all the more tragic… when you watch him die."

Umbra: [frantic attempts to speak]

The view will shake as Umbra tries desperately to move or leave the bed, and the memory fades into darkness.

Back in the Orbiter, the Operator will collapse to the floor, breathing rapidly and clutching their throat. Umbra is nowhere to be seen.

Operator: "Ordis? What happened?"

Vitruvian Ordis: "The warframe I warned you not to build, that you built anyway, caused a massive Transference overload and damaged my precepts. It has escaped out into the System."

Operator: "When I linked to it… there was something there. A… a memory."

Vitruvian Ordis: "Warframes are Transference proxies for the Star-Child. They do not have memories."

Operator: "Well, this one does. Might be why it's unstable… Ordis, let me look at the Vitruvian."

In the Vitruvian, a different symbol will be highlighted: the symbol unlocked when seeing Isaah, labelled "BLASPHEMY". The recording of Ballas continues over a blueprint of the Sentient unit that was seen earlier in the Operator's vision of the courtyard.

(The Orokin words are, from left to right, "Sentient", "Natah", and "data".)

Ballas: "What led us here? You did. You vile blasphemies. Machines… thinking… breeding…. You were to bear us a new, promised land. But when you arrived at that distant world… you knew that in time, we would bring ruin to it as well. As we had to Earth. And so it was… we came to war."

Operator: "Ordis. We need to track that Umbra warframe."

Vitruvian Ordis: "Done, Star-Child."

Third Mission: Search for Umbra (Nuovo, Ceres)

(Grineer Shipyards tileset remaster concept image)

The mission takes place on the Grineer Shipyard tileset, with the usual Grineer enemies.

Vitruvian Ordis: "Star-Child, are you seeking revenge for its damage to me? Will you destroy this Umbra warframe?"

Operator: "No. The codes are in his memory. If I can get close, I'll go in again and try to recover them. He's the key to finding the Lotus, I can feel it."

As the Tenno progresses through the map, dead Grineer bodies can be seen scattered on the ground. Eventually, Umbra can be found attacking Grineer with his nikana and his full range of warframe abilities.

(when Umbra is spotted) Vitruvian Ordis: "There it is. Approach with caution."

Umbra is immune to all damage, and will attack the Tenno if no Grineer remain alive. His attacks can cross through the Void to damage the Operator in Void mode, but he can be temporarily stunned with Void Blast. The Tenno must use Transference on Umbra while he is stunned.

(if the Operator does not use Void Blast, variant) Vitruvian Ordis: "Star-Child, use your Void Blast to weaken him."

(if the Operator does not use Void Blast, variant) Vitruvian Ordis: "Star-Child, you must use Void Blast to wear him down."

(if the Operator does not use Void Blast, variant) Vitruvian Ordis: "Void Blast, Star-Child. Use it."

(upon stunning Umbra, variant) Vitruvian Ordis: "Now… use Transference."

(upon stunning Umbra, variant) Vitruvian Ordis: "Star-Child, you have an opening. Use your Transference."

(upon stunning Umbra, variant) Vitruvian Ordis: "He may recover, Star-Child. Quickly, use your Transference."

Using Transference on Umbra will take the Tenno into another memory. The scene continues from the previous memory with Ballas and Isaah, although now small patches of Technocyte can be seen growing on the pristine Orokin walls.

Ballas: "Your move."

On the komi board, Ballas has placed a single white stone, which is surrounded on three sides by Umbra's black stones. Beside the board is a panel which keeps score (currently 0-0) and explains the rules of the game. It is similar to the board game Go. The panel indicates that the first player to capture 3 stones wins the match, and points out that Ballas' stone can easily be captured in a single move. During komi play, Ballas will periodically urge Umbra to play, or comment on his move. These lines are spoken during all komi scenes throughout the quest.

(if the Tenno idles, variant) Ballas: "Go on. Make a play."

(if the Tenno idles, variant) Ballas: "It's your move, old friend."

(if the Tenno idles, variant) Ballas: "I'm waiting. Make your play."

(if the Tenno idles, variant) Ballas: "Your turn."

(if the Tenno idles, variant) Ballas: "Take your time."

(after the Tenno makes a move, variant) Ballas: "Finally."

(after the Tenno makes a move, variant) Ballas: "Curious."

(after the Tenno makes a move, variant) Ballas: "A fine move."

(after the Tenno makes a move, variant) Ballas: "Hmmm."

(after the Tenno makes a move, variant) Ballas: "Well played."

(after the Tenno makes a move, variant) Ballas: "I see."

(when Ballas wins a match, variant) Ballas: "Mine."

(when Ballas wins a match, variant) Ballas: "And so I take another."

After completing a match, the board will clear and a new game will start immediately, with Umbra having the first move.

(if Umbra wins) Isaah: "He loves this game. I'll never forget the time I finally beat him… but now I'm thinking he just let me win."

(after the third match) Ballas: "You served with distinction, old Dax. We commissioned a portrait in your honour, there on the wall."

(if the Tenno does not look) Ballas: "A beautiful portrait, don't you agree?"

Behind Ballas, on the left wall of the room, is a portrait of a Dax standing tall on a hazy plain, with scattered wreckage faintly visible behind him. When the Tenno looks at the portrait, another memory-glyph is unlocked.

Isaah: "The Sentient battle at Hull… I can't imagine…. You were awarded the Lua Cross for valour."

Ballas: "Will you follow in your father's path?"

Isaah: "Of course."

Ballas (Transference): "He will, and his children will. You see… these are the stakes of this little game. Each stone I capture will be another, and another, and another… culled from your subversive bloodline. You thought you could outplay me? I've had lifetimes to plan my defection. You spied on me, intercepted my communications. But I saw your move long before you took it. And so… we come to the consequences…."

Umbra: [frantic attempts to speak]

Isaah: "Father? You… you alright? Please! Do something for him!"

The memory fades to black and the Tenno returns to the mission.

Vitruvian Ordis: "Star-Child, were you successful?"

Operator: [gasping] "I couldn't breathe…."

Vitruvian Ordis: "Somehow you are inverting the flow. Not from Tenno to warframe… but warframe to Tenno. There may be residual effects. Return to the ship."

Umbra is nowhere to be found, but Grineer bodies will continue to litter the ground on the way to extraction. Sentient fighters will also appear and begin attacking the Tenno, along with the remaining Grineer forces.

[on board Orbiter]

The Vitruvian interface will be brought up upon returning to the Orbiter, and the Tenno must select the glyph they saw in the memory: "WARFRAMES". The Vitruvian displays an Infested mass as Ballas continues to narrate.

(The three circles are labelled, from top-left to bottom-right, "Figure 1", "Figure 2", and "Figure 3", and the central drawing is labelled "Infested".)

Ballas: "Our hubris shone like a black star… for our technology, our war-machines were your kin. How easily you turned them against us. We were forced to older means. Not circuits, nor light… but flesh and disease. Our horrors past, our ravaged outer colonies… became gardens!"

Continuing to the next section of the recording shows the blueprint for the chair from the Helminth Infirmary.

(The Orokin words are, from top to bottom, "test", "simulation", and "Helminth".)

Ballas: "We cultured the Infestation, conceiving of a hybrid. Transformed, but only just. The Helminth was created, born to yield these new warriors, worthy of battle against you, the great and terrible Hunhow."

The next schematic is of a human.

(The Orokin text says "test subject" and "Infested".)

Ballas: "We took our greatest, volunteers or not, and polluted them with these cultured reagents. They transformed. They became Infested…"

The next schematic is the same human, but now in the process of becoming infested, looking very similar to a Nidus warframe.

(The Orokin text says "test subject" and "sword-steel".)

Ballas: "…but only just. Their skin blossomed into sword-steel. Their organs, interlinked with untold resilience. Yet their minds were free of the Infested madness. Or so we thought. We set them upon the battlefield, bio-drones under our command."

The next schematic is the same human, now resembling an Excalibur warframe.

(The Orokin text says "test subject" and "warframe".)

Ballas: "The warframes… all of them… failures. Surprised? They turned on us, just as you did. And so we had no choice… but to commit them to grave. This is all you know, Hunhow, but there is a hidden half, a secret, that lies within a place forbidden to you and your kind. I speak of the Void."

Vitruvian Ordis: "Star-Child, repairs continue. Allow me to test vestigial precepts for a moment. Like 'caring'."

The lights in the Orbiter will temporarily shut off as Ordis reverts to his previous self.

Ordis (heavily glitching at first): "Operator, you need to stop this! You could suffer permanent harm from Umbra's memory. What if you internalise all this?"

Operator: "I feel like… he's leading me to the truth, about Ballas…. Right now, it's all I have to go on."

Fourth Mission: Pursue Umbra (Triton, Neptune)

(Corpus ship redesigns, DevStream 117)

The mission takes place on the Corpus Ship tileset. There are no living Corpus units, only bloody corpses. High numbers of Sentient Battalysts and Conculysts are present throughout the map.

Ordis: "Ballas must be tracking Umbra now. I'm detecting increased Sentient presence in the area."

Umbra can be found in a large room, fighting against several Sentients. He now has shields that protect him from the Operator's Void Blast. Upon approach, he will emit a Radial Howl that will blind the Tenno and kill all the Sentients. After recovering, the Tenno will find that Umbra is gone.

Ordis: "The area is locked down. We need to take care of those Mimics."

Five Mimics will be hidden in the room, and must be hunted down and killed before the lockdown can be lifted. Following usual Mimic behaviour, they will reveal themselves when the Tenno nears them, and attack.

Ordis: "Keep searching, they are here somewhere."

(after the last Mimic is killed) Ordis: "Lockdown ended, very good. Now, where is that warframe?"

Umbra will be alone in another large room and will attack the Tenno's warframe or Operator (whichever is under active control) on sight relentlessly with all his warframe abilities. As before, his attacks can harm the Operator in Void mode.

(when spotting Umbra, variant) Ordis: "See him, Operator? Advise you approach with caution!"

(when spotting Umbra, variant) Ordis: "Operator, please be careful… he's not in control."

Umbra's shields must be depleted before he can be stunned by Void Blast, but they can only be damaged by Void Beam or an Amp.

Ordis: "Normal attacks won't work. Try using your Void Blast?"

(upon stunning Umbra) Ordis:"That did it! Now is your chance – use Transference!"

Back in the memory, the Infestation has covered more of the walls – it is clear now that the encroaching Technocyte is a delirious projection of the Infestation growing within Umbra. Another komi game with Ballas is in progress, with the scoreboard noting that Ballas is already winning by 2. The layout of the board makes it impossible to prevent Ballas from winning the game in a couple of moves.

Ballas: "Trouble concentrating, old friend? Look at all your komi stones I've taken."

Ballas (Transference): "This one, a brother. These three, his children. And on and on, all of these gone to the Jade Light."

(after Ballas wins the komi game) Isaah: "Father, do you remember your shawzin? Remember how you'd sing to us 'Smiles from Juran'?"

Ballas: "A fine instrument."

The shawzin is on a stand by the right wall of the room, behind Isaah's chair. Looking at it will unlock another memory-glyph.

Ballas: "How thoughtful, to remind him of his better days. Come now, your move. Only a few stones left."

A new game of komi will be on the board, half-completed. Two of Ballas' komi stones are about to be captured, and the board glows with hints as to the proper moves. Performing either move will capture a stone.

(when his stone is captured) Ballas: "Isaah, looks like your father still has his sharp wit."

Isaah: "My father understands the game better than anyone."

Ballas (Transference): "Yet you couldn't understand why I'd give my secrets to our enemy. How could I betray my own kind? But you have never had to sacrifice your love for faith. Imagine – to live, forever, with only one memory: seeing the one you love, die."

Ballas places another stone on the board and passes the turn to Umbra. One of his komi stones is still vulnerable, and the board highlights the proper move to capture it. However, attempting to place the stone causes Umbra to lose focus on the board.

Ballas (Transference): "But you won't have to imagine. A lovingly-cultured Infestation swarms within your blood. Your transformation has begun—"

The Infestation in the room spreads visibly and Umbra begins frantically struggling to move or speak.

Ballas (Transference): "—reshaping you into a sacred surrogate of the unholy Tenno… a warframe with but a single, burning, memory. It is… a miracle!"

Umbra places his komi stone on the board, but instead of capturing one of Ballas' pieces, the stone lands on a different space than the one selected, placing it right into a trap that Ballas has set, ready to be captured on the next move.

Ballas: "But all miracles require sacrifice."

The memory fades to black and the Tenno returns to the mission.

Operator: [gasping] "He's gonna kill him!"

Ordis: "Who's going to what?"

Operator: "Ballas. He's going to kill my… his… son, Isaah."

Ordis: "But aren't these memories, Operator? You cannot undo what has been done."

On the way to extraction, Corpus units will begin appearing to attack the Tenno, along with remaining Sentient fighters.

[on board Orbiter]

In the Vitruvian, the shawzin memory-glyph appears, labelled "TENNO". Selecting it will display a blueprint of an interstellar ship – the Zariman 10-0 – while Ballas narrates.

(The Orokin word to the right says "Zariman".)

Ballas: "Before the vain faith, our people held Dualism as truth. That all things were of two parts. Mind and body. Consciousness and matter. Of our world… and the Void. It was from there that our answer finally came."

The next blueprint is of a Tenno, kneeling in front of a warframe.

(The Orokin text labels the warframe as "body" and the Operator as "mind", and says "Tenno" on either side of the figure.)

Ballas: "Distorted by vague horrors, we kept the Zariman survivors within a secret Reservoir. They were the missing half. Transference-linked: the warframes, the body; and they, the mind. I give you now the coordinates and codes to this place. But do not underestimate these devils, Hunhow. They did what we could not. We had created monsters we couldn't—"

The Tenno abruptly terminates the recording.

Operator: "I know what I have to do."

The Operator Transferences out of the warframe and arrives at the Navigation Console of the Orbiter.

Ordis: "Operator?"

Operator: "I don't need to hear it. I lived it…. Prepare the landing craft, Ordis. I'm going in… myself."

Ordis: "I hope that doesn't mean what I think it does."

Fifth Mission: Confront Umbra (Tycho, Lua)

(The Sacrifice hype image)

The mission takes place on the Orokin Moon tileset. The Tenno arrives in Operator mode and has no warframe. There are no enemies.

Ordis: "Operator, please reconsider. You know how dangerous this is. The Sentients will be here in force! This is why you bring a warframe to these things!"

Operator: "My warframe is here. I just have to find it."

(when Umbra is spotted, variant) Ordis: "See him, Operator? Advise you approach with caution!"

(when Umbra is spotted, variant) Ordis: "Operator, please be careful… he's not in control."

As before, the Tenno must deplete Umbra's shields, stun him with Void Blast, and use Transference on him, while avoiding his attacks. Without a warframe to recover or distract Umbra, the fight is somewhat more difficult.

In the memory, the room is now completely overgrown with Infestation, even the hospital bed, and black particles fall like snow from the ceiling – whether ash or Technocyte particles or something else is not clear. The komi board is unchanged from the last memory, the game still in progress.

This time, the Operator is present, standing in the doorway, addressing Umbra directly.

Operator: "You have relived this moment countless times. But our minds are linked now. We'll face this together."

The growth of the Infestation can be heard audibly, and Umbra begins breathing rapidly, straining from the effort. Neither Ballas nor Isaah react to this, nor to the Operator's presence.

Operator: "This poison he's given you, it has taken your will away. You are a victim, as much as your son."

Ballas looks over at Isaah, then makes his move on the komi board, capturing the stone that Umbra had misplayed previously. The komi stones disappear from the board – Ballas has won.

Ballas: "Sorry, Isaah. The time has come."

Ballas languidly rises from his seat.

Operator: "We are together."

Isaah rises and stands stiffly at attention, bowing respectfully.

Isaah: "I… am honoured… to be your son."

Operator: [points to Ballas] "Ballas did this, not you."

Ballas (Transference): "Don't worry, old friend. I'm not going to kill your boy…"

Ballas extends his elongated right arm and gestures commandingly at Umbra.

Ballas: "…you are."

Umbra's view shakily turns to look at Isaah, who reacts with surprise.

Isaah: "Father? Father!"

Umbra jumps towards Isaah and the memory goes dark.

The Tenno Operator will find themselves in a new place, a curving path suspended in midair leading to a cherry tree. Motes of light and swirls of energy surround the scene. Everything is cast in black and outlined in gold, obscuring detail and texture. The Tenno cannot use any abilities or parkour manoeuvres, and can only walk along the path. As they walk, memories of Isaah's voice sound out in the dark.

Isaah: "Father?"

Isaah: "It's me. Isaah."

Isaah: "Do you remember your shawzin?"

Isaah: "Father? Father!"

Isaah: "He loves this game. I'll never forget the time I finally beat him…."

Isaah: "Father? You… you alright?"

A figure is huddled at the base of the tree. As the Tenno approaches, a cutscene begins.

[The Umbra warframe kneels on the ground, hands pressed to the side of his head, shaking violently as if weeping intensely. The plucked strings of a shawzin can be heard as the Tenno draws close to Umbra and slowly sits in front of him in the traditional Tenno seiza position. Ballas' narration from the "TENNO" Vitruvian entry, which the Tenno had interrupted earlier, plays as the Operator begins to meditate with Umbra.]

Ballas: "—We had created monsters we couldn't control. We drugged them, tortured them, eviscerated them… we brutalised their minds, but it did not work. Until they came."

[Umbra stills and stops weeping. He settles back on his ankles and places his hands on his hips, mirroring the Tenno's sitting position. As Ballas continues, the scene fades out of the black-and-gold rendering and is visible in normal colour.]

Ballas: "And it was not their force of will – not their Void devilry – not their alien darkness… it was something else. It was that somehow, from within the derelict horror, they had learned a way to see inside an ugly, broken thing—"

[The Operator's sitting position swivels to become aligned with Umbra's, and the Operator melts into the Umbra warframe as if through Transference, leaving only the kneeling Umbra.]

Ballas: "—and take away its pain."

The Tenno helps Umbra assimilate the traumatic memory with a dialogue choice:

(Sun) Operator: "We use this memory. It fuels our wrath."

(Neutral) Operator: "We accept this memory and move beyond its reach."

(Moon) Operator: "We return this memory to the Void and find peace in our emptiness."

Back on Lua, Umbra slowly rises from his seated position, glowing with Transference energy. The nikana is embedded in the ground before him, and Umbra grasps the hilt, then draws the blade with a flourish. The scene transitions into gameplay, with the Tenno now controlling Umbra through Transference.

Ordis: "Operator! You did it! Your Transference signal is clean, synchronised with that warframe!"

Operator: "Mark a path to extraction. We've got one last mission before this is done."

Ordis: "Marking, but I'm detecting a mass of Sentient forces converging on your location. Quickly; you may be able to escape."

Operator: "No. Let them come."

Excalibur Umbra is similar to the base Excalibur warframe, with his Radial Blind ability replaced with Radial Howl, which has the added effect of eliminating Sentient resistances. His nikana is named the Skiajati, and will grant temporary invisibility upon performing finisher attacks. Both the warframe and the nikana are max level. If the Operator Transferences out of Excalibur Umbra, then Umbra will retain control of the warframe and fight alongside the Operator, using the equipped weapons and abilities. Battalysts, Conculysts, and Corrupted will begin to appear and attack the Tenno, but they do not need to be killed in order to extract.

[on board Orbiter]

Ordis: "Operator, we have no idea what Ballas is capable of. Please, reconsider this. Why would you risk it?"

Operator: "Ordis. I'd like to hear her."

Ordis: "Yes. Yes, of course… accessing data-store… which should I play?"

(Sun) Lotus (recording): "Now we fight on two fronts, my child. The war without… and the war within."

(Neutral) Lotus (recording): "Dream… not of what you are, but of what you want to be."

(Moon) Lotus (recording): "My child… so beautiful to behold. How do you feel?"

Ordis: "Operator, there is much to be done. Please consult the Navigation console."

Examining Excalibur Umbra in the Arsenal will show that he has an Orokin Reactor installed and is already equipped with three new mods: Umbral Intensify, Umbral Fibre, and Umbral Vitality, which are primed versions of Intensify, Steel Fibre, and Vitality, respectively. They each also grant an amount of resistance to Sentient attacks, and belong to the Umbral mod set, which enhances the stats of each mod the more are equipped. The Skiajati has an Orokin Catalyst installed and is equipped with Sacrificial Steel and Sacrificial Pressure, which are primed versions of True Steel and Pressure Point. Each also adds bonus damage against Sentients, and belong to the Sacrificial mod set, which enhances the stats of each mod the more are equipped. All five new mods are already rank 5, and can be ranked up as much as desired before continuing. The Exalted Umbra Blade also comes equipped with the Sacrificial mods. The next mission cannot be started if either Excalibur Umbra or the Skiajati is unequipped.

Sixth Mission: Return to Earth (Lith, Earth)

(The Sacrifice teaser image, DevStream 112)

The mission takes place on the Grineer Forest tileset at night, with the map identical to the first mission. The Ghouls are no longer present, but Sentient fighters are present throughout.

Ordis: "He is waiting for you, but I'm detecting powerful signals emanating from the courtyard. They are calling out for reinforcements across the entire System. You don't have long."

As the Tenno enters the courtyard, Ballas can be seen standing next to the cherry tree.

Ballas: "I tried to release you from your torment, but it seems those devils rebuilt you."

Operator: "What have you done with her? Ballas, where is the Lotus?"

Ballas: "Has the wolf become a dog? Is this Umbra, or some Tenno?"

Operator: "Both."

Ballas: "Then both will burn!"

Ballas will generate a protective shield around himself, which also lights the cherry tree on fire. Tombstones all around will reveal themselves as Mimics and engage the Tenno, while Battalysts and Conculysts arrive as well. Upon killing all the Sentients, the Operator will Transference back into Excalibur Umbra (if they were out) and a cutscene will begin.

[Umbra advances on Ballas with his blade drawn. Ballas steps forward and extends his left hand.]

Ballas: "STOP."

[A wave of purple energy radiates from Ballas, washing over Umbra, who freezes in place. Ballas smiles with satisfaction as he saunters over to stand directly in front of Umbra, regarding him haughtily.]

Ballas: "You think you can defy me? Not even your Tenno devil can—"

[The sound of steel cutting flesh interrupts Ballas, who gasps and looks down. The Skiajati, still held in Umbra's hand, has impaled Ballas through his left abdomen. Ballas looks up at Umbra in shock.]

Ballas: [gasps] "I… created… you…."

[Umbra's hand trembles, and releases the nikana momentarily, before the Operator's hand materialises to guide Umbra to grip the handle again, and together they drive the blade in deeper, causing it to emerge out of Ballas' back. The Operator releases Umbra, who withdraws the blade, causing Ballas to fall back and stumble to the ground at the base of the tree. The Operator, backed by Umbra, looks down at Ballas and rebukes him. Ballas has different replies based on the dialogue choice.]

(Sun) Operator (angrily): "Squirm, like the maggot you are!"

Ballas: "I… am just the stone…. She is the hand."

(Neutral) Operator: "This was inevitable."

Ballas: "Yes… yes… she has foreseen it."

(Moon) Operator: "The cycle is broken."

Ballas: "Now I know… [gasping breath] what she sees in you."

[Ballas goes limp, seemingly dead. Sentient Mimics drop from the sky and arrange themselves behind the cherry tree, readying their arm weapons. The Operator runs forward, demanding answers from Ballas' corpse.]

Operator: "Where is she? Where is the Lotus?"

[A loud, discordant sound rings out, followed by a sonic boom as a large Sentient drops down from the sky, destroying the burning cherry tree. It is the same Sentient seen earlier, in the courtyard with Ballas. It is purple-coloured, composed of the same wood-like, sinewy material as the Eidolons, about two or three times larger than a normal human. A large pair of arms end in pincer-like claws, which earlier had vaporised Umbra's body. Another pair of arms, ghostly and ethereal, are extended forward, and a third pair of strongly humanoid arms are held together, in front, as if praying. A purple carapace, extremely similar to the Lotus' helmet, is lifted off of the face by a tail-like appendage, revealing the Lotus herself. The skin of her face is now segmented into discrete portions rigged to the skeleton beneath, producing an disturbing robot-like appearance when she moves or speaks. Her voice, though familiar, is toneless and devoid of the little affect she had previously displayed.]

Lotus: "I am here, Tenno."

[The Operator is shocked and horrified.]

Operator: "What? What have they done to you?"

Lotus: "Nothing. This… is what I am."

[The Lotus' ethereal arms have picked up Ballas' body while she was talking to the Tenno. The dozen-odd Mimics behind her suddenly fire their arm beams at the Tenno in unison, but Umbra, with seemingly prescient reflexes, leaps to the Operator, grabs them with one arm, and leaps back, shielding the Operator with his body while bringing them to safety. Both Umbra and the Operator land in battle-ready stances, and the Operator immediately Transferences back into Umbra. The Lotus begins to radiate orange energy as Excalibur Umbra readies his Skiajati and the cutscene ends.]

Lotus (voice distorted and echoing): "Drifting, gaunt beyond the bleak star…. Mother… I am coming home."

The Mimics fly up into the sky, and the Lotus soon follows, taking off like a rocket and warping away in a blast of purple light, leaving only the charred, broken stump of the cherry tree. Instead of heading to extraction, the mission fades to black and ends automatically.

[on board Orbiter]

Operator: [sighs] "I saw her, Ordis."

Ordis: "But it wasn't… 'her', was it?"

Operator: "No. I— I don't know. But I'm going to find out."

After the quest is complete, the Tenno will receive an inbox message from Ordis containing the Excalibur Umbra Sunder helmet (the damaged helmet Umbra had initially, with the exposed eye), the courtyard on Earth as a Captura scene, and unique noble and agile animation sets for Excalibur Umbra.

Inbox message: More Vitruvian Secrets

Operator,

After close examination, Ordis has determined that the Vitruvian contained several more designs for Umbra-related items! I have taken the liberty of constructing those items for you.

Your loyal Cephalon, Ordis

After the quest is complete, the next time the Tenno encounters the Man in the Wall on their Orbiter, a short interaction will play out.

Man in the Wall: "Feelin' better, kiddo?"

Operator: "I killed him… Isaah."

Man in the Wall: "Did you now? Is that how you remember it?"

Operator: "Yes."

Man in the Wall: "Good." [vanishes]

This quest can be replayed from the Codex.

Next story quest: Chimera Prologue

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