Ur-Didact

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the other survivors had foolishly abandoned it. The irony that it was a builder.

left.

"The Mantle and its teachings remain to us even if nothing else does. Let that anchor you as you find your footing in this strange unfamilar galaxy. The rest will follow."

It only now dawned on him that beside himself, she could be the only other believer in this galaxy. As far as he knew-

he could offer her. That there truly was a living breathing Forerunner beside her. That she was not alone.

"No. They're not."

Who exactly Antiquity was asking after, if anyone specifically he wasn't sure. The inexplicable truth remained the same. They were all that was -

grow angry and bitter at it, yet process that it had happened all the same. She has had no such luxury.

He allows his suits ancilla to remove his helmet, slowly sliding away, it's pieces storing itself elsewhere in his armor. No matter how grotesque his appearance now, it was all that-

Wordlessly, he gives a slight tilt of his head forward in a nod. Most of those that had seen already were all those left.

It is impossible to consider his second exile in the cryptum as any sort of blessing, but it did allow him this. It had given him time to accept all that had happened. To-

You will be impressed by the book deals I have planned. Here is one of the samples.

I will be assembling the Forerunner equivalent of the dream team.

I’m gonna get off scot free.

𝘾𝙋𝙊 𝙈𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙯𝙞𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨
𝘕𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳

DOB: June 6, 2499
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 230 lbs
Personality: Grandfatherly calm, Assertively Supportive

FC: Anthony Varrecchia

matter how much he wanted to believe it.

catastrophe after catastrophe. For the Forerunners. For the galaxy. But all is not lost. There is still the future to look to. We still remain. Not as we once were, but it is enough."

Didact expected the words to only be a shallow comfort for Antiquity. It sounded shallow and hollow to himself no -

low he had fallen.

The light on his armor dimmed, as the rage left him. Doubt and uncertainty replaced it, though even these were shoved to the side for now. There would be no answers today.

"Yes. A hundred thousand years have passed since your expedition. Much of that time has been filled with -

gotten his revenge on Faber. Delivered upon him suffering that was nearly unimaginable. Why had that not been enough?

His words had been true. Yet they had also been cruel for the sake of cruelty. An attempt to strike at any Builder for simply being apart of a rate that was angry towards. How -

Whatever feelings of grim satisfaction he had been expecting, from forcing the first form's eyes open to the crimes of the builders, failed to materialize. He felt nothing in her disillusionment.

What had it accomplished. She wasn't the Master Builder. Had not served on the old council. He had -

lay claim to the Mantle."

softens things. Whatever hints of softness quickly dissipate as he begins to discuss the humans.

"Devolution was their punishment for daring to strike at us. Sufficient... if it had been the sum of their crimes. But they have much more to answer for. They unleashed the Flood and even now dare-

was known as the Iso Didact during our war with the Flood. He took over command of our military once Faber's misdeeds began to come to light."

His tone softens a tad as he discusses Bornstellar. There was still plenty he was cross about, but the memories of the first form hunting for treasure-

off the memories of his time in the Burn. One day he would share that story with the first-form. Just to see their trust in Faber and their own rate weaken even more. For now he will bide his time and wait for a better time to drop that hammer.

"I believe so. His name is Bornstellar, but he -

struggle. The Warrior Servants had just proven themselves in the war against the humans. We were to be replaced by Builder Security and the all consuming chase of short term success. Nothing mattered to builders under Faber except enriching themselves."

It takes all of his might to fight-

Builder supremacy!"

His suit's ancilla clammers to life at this moment. Requesting that the Didact calm himself. He pays it no mind. Let the builder learn what their rate had forced onto the galaxy.

"Faber shattered the greatest fighting force in the galaxy on the eve of our greatest-

"Because I dared to oppose the Halo Installations. Faber realized that if he could not bend my rate to his will, then it must be broken. I was sentenced to exile for refusing to go along with the abomination. Many of my commanders were executed! For the crime of refusing to accept-

from their follies.

"How unfortunate that even now, her view remains clouded."

of bringing this forward. It is likely it would be dismissed out of hand as a fruitless attempt to continue my campaign against the humans. They may even be right."

He did nothing to stop the scoff from leaving his mouth upon learning the Librarian's reaction. When will the others learn -

confuse her even further by dwelling on that. It would only hurt his credibility to her. Mentioning Faber's misdeeds is likely enough to cause that to happen. It is for similar reasons his helmet stays on. There is no need to see what has has become.

"It is my feelings on human that make me wary-

"That is... complicated. Faber, the arrogant man he was, claimed my title as his own. Protector of the Ecumene, even as he tried to dismantle my rate. Eventually a Forerunner carrying my imprint had that right restored. My own status is not what's important at the moment."

There was no need to-

has not missed thee.

"Even if she herself far overreaches, the Librarian may be the best candidate."

Of all the things it could have been...

May the Mantle give him restraint.

"I agree. If it is true it represents a gross breach of conduct. Unfortunately neither you nor I, will be very credible on the subject for obvious reasons. It will need to go through someone else."

Politicizing how he -

"Be warned, that is not an accusation to make lightly. It is unlikely to be free of repercussions."

But the Didact will not dismiss it out of hand. He could not afford to.

"Explain yourself."

“What is it you require?”