Safari in Scyria

The Heroes Act end up missing on Planet Scyria, which Icky immediately calls AUU Ark: Survival Evolved only without flying ARKs surrounding a post-apocalyptic planet, and the Lodgers have to find them. Though they've each been scattered, and each have been surviving their own way. They've tamed the native prehistoric wildlife, and they're trying to find each other again. But even the Lodgers get separated with each of them because of Ark Titan-like beasts called the Titoses. Thus they have to find each other again and escape this planet. Along the way, they learn about the reason why the HA were even in this planet to begin with: They were after the Tiikon mad scientist known as Dr. Sayus Mayus Dayus, a bioweapons expert that intents on unleashing a lost Teadr 1 super race referred to as the Scyrians, a biologically-perfected raptor super-race that given themselves the traits of other dinosaurs and prehistoric reptiles to become marvels of perfection. But the Scyrians locked themselves away because these changes made them succumb to mutation madness that messed with their minds, as too many genetic features regress intelligence and basically scaled them back to mindless creatures. Sayus is thus endangering the planet, which is vulnerable to conquest because the only places of civilization are found in flying high-tech obelisks and the Beaconbeam Tower, both of Tiikon engineering, to protect from the inhospitable outer wastelands, and potentially the UUniverses by releasing a race cursed by their own genetic hubris as he believes it would help him seek revenge against the Skorner race for what they did to him. They eventually reunite in Ar Cretacion, the former capital of Scyria, and meet a Tiikon scientific adventurer named Heili Runner, and help her rescue her friends, a Sauran female Zoian warrior with armies of tamed wildlife named Meya Liu, an expert hacker Xuron-Aectoid hybrid turned synthetic biomechanical android named Santrago An Sanct, and his Skorner scientific combat agent wife Dinia Altories, from a survival simulation in the tech-city of Ererit Prime infected by enhancelement, an adaptive half-metal and half-genetics material created by Scyrians to help their technological and transsentience evolution, and the infection itself has a sentience of it's own that has been able to download and imprison everyone inside with some kind of malicious AI program. After rescuing them, they say that they all aim to re-terraform Scyria after a long accidental adventure got the four together. They too planned to stop Dr. Sayus as he actually ended up forming his base of operations on what used to be that of their own during their stay in the radioactive Lapse Wastes, where they defeated their traitorous Chredder chemist ex-colleague Edwyn Stonewell, who is now a tentacled mutated monster imprisoned in an underground sarcophagus. They intended to stop him fearing Stonewell would be set free before learning of his true goals, as he actually made a deal with Stonewell that, in return for helping him awaken the Scyrians and their unimaginable secrets, he'd be set free and given everything he ever wanted including his revenge, but they all ended up imprisoned inside the EP simulation with the exception of the escaping Heili. With a threat on the horizon, and Heili being too valuable to go with them, instead giving them a flying comical AI of her named HL-1, the heroes are in for a dino-mite of a challenge.

ARK Extinction - Expansion Pack Official Launch Trailer

Scenes

Who Is Heili Runner?

Scyrian Island

• Xandy:... Interesting. Hud, you need to see this.
• Hudson: What is it, hon?
• Xandy:... Okay, there's no one around to hear you call me that, so, whatever. I, found this journal. It depicts... A LOT of stuff. Something about a woman named... Heili Runner.
• Hudson:... Huh. Oddly enough, that's the name of the lady people are gaga for here."
• Xandy:... Well... What do you think she's been up to?
• Hudson: Well, maybe the journal has some ideas.
• Xandy:... Oy, you really are so simplistic and direct Hudson, and I like you for it. (She did so)
• (Heili): I've lost count how many sunrises I've seen since I arrived on this island. Hundreds, I'd imagine. Yet, each one seems more beautiful than the last. Sometimes I like to take Athea out just before dawn and watch it while flying through the morning sky. It's in these simple moments that I realize just how lucky I am. Not that I was unhappy exploring the reefs and rainforests back on Tik, but I wasn't going to spot a UIS-territorial sauropod stomping about my homeland, now was I? Since I came here to continue the research of my Ma, the great Johnna Runner, I've had the opportunity to study the living and the greatness of tech not like any other Teadr 1 race. The Scyrians left behind such fascinating secrets. I'll always be grateful for that.
• Xandy:... She really DOES seem lucky.
• Hudson: Huh. Didn't think Heli was a Tiken.
• Xandy: Well, what did you THINK she was?
• Hudson: Maybe a sentient version of a native dino? I dunno, you tell me!
• Xandy: (She giggles) Oh, Hud. (She continued reading)
• (Heili): I've been holding out for a change in weather before studying the wildlife of this island's peculiar tundra region, given my natural cold-bloodedness, but I think it's safe to say that it's not forthcoming. Clearly this planet has no axial tilt, given the condition of the environment outside this island, and therefore, it has no seasons. That ice and snow isn't melting anytime soon. Can't say I'm happy about it. The cold and I are not the best of mates. Reminder in cause a MORON is reading this, I'm a Tiiken, which are reptiles, and reptiles don't take kindly to coldness. I can tell you that, but I just have to suck it up. An environment for dinosaurs like these are fairly uniform, so an arctic climate is quite the oddity.
• Xandy:... Well, if THAT doesn't indicate she's a Tiikon, I don't know what does. Tiikons are smart critters.
• Hudson: She came off abit aggressive with the "Moron" comment, though.
• Xandy: Goes to show how much the cold sucks for reps! (She giggles again and continues reading)
• (Heili): The tribe that calls itself the Howling Rolves have made this expedition in the north a lot easier. Well, them and Athea. She's right at home here. She may be a pterosaur, but she's a pteroavian, so she's more bird than reptile. I don't think I'll ever repay Stonewell for just up and giving me a Pteriornis. He's said our conversations are payment enough, but I still feel guilty. I should remember to collect some floral samples while I'm here. Anyway, tagging along with the Rolves has been a good introduction to the region, but I think I'm ready to make my own way. To make real scientific conclusions, I need to observe these animals undisturbed in their natural habitat for long periods of time.
• Hudson:... Yes, definitely a Tiikon. If there was even some minor doubt, that killed it faster then a fat kid on cake. (Xandy giggles)... Okay, Xans, your giggles are getting contagious now, are ya catching a laugh virus?
• Xandy: Oh, stop it, cutie! (She continued reading)... Wow, she sounds excited on this page.
• (Heili): What a day! There I am, putting the finishing touches on the Mammothericus Dossier, when all of a sudden, a Tyrannus starts attacking the herd. Strewth! A Tyrannus wading through the bloody snow! I asked The Howling Rolves at the nearest camp, and apparently, this is a common thing. They’re not new to the region. It just doesn’t make sense. How can a Tyrannus, a REPTILE, survive in this climate? And how can the introduction of an apex predator not shift the entire ecosystem?!
• Hudson:... I take it she didn't get the memo on this world yet.
• Xandy: I'm sure she'll figure that out, let's just keep reading.
• (Heili): Well, I've combed through more carnivore droppings than I care to calculate, and I can't say they provided many answers. All the predators in this region have very similar diets. With so many different predators hunting the same prey, the populations of all these species shouldn't be sustainable. Yet I've found nothing to indicate that any population shift is actually happening. It's just bizarre! The longer I'm here, the more I realize that this region shouldn't exist. Its climate is out of sync with the rest of the island, and the planet in general, many of the creatures here are equally dominant and therefore deadlocked or threatened, and the ecosystem is almost static! Something's off. I need to review my notes.
• Xandy:... Well, let's hope she realizes it.
• (Heili):... Heili, you're a dipstick. Going through my notes, I've realized that there are more predators than prey across this entire island by almost double. That's the OPPOSITE of how ANY ecosystem is supposed to work. It's like this world was meant to be a dino-fantasy video game and all the iconic carnivores are present in mass! I can't believe it took a Tyrannus frolicking through the snow for me to see this. It's plain as day. What to make of it? Add in the sentient being factor, and it's impossible for this island to continue as it is by natural means. So, what, is this island's wildlife being monitored and curated somehow? Possibly from the Scyrians, or their technology, in some way? I should speak with Stonewell. Maybe he's come to a similar conclusion.
• Xandy:... Well, at least she's catching on. Watching people as smart as this woman discover things is... Kinda engaging.
• Hudson: I'm just glad she doesn't do too much sciencey talk. (They continue reading)
• (Heili): I never thought this island was normal, exactly. I mean, there are three giant obelisks not of Tiikon origin floating in the sky, for Petan's sake. Not to mention that cave I found in the central volcano, which hid a platform similar to those found at the base of said obelisks. Well, similar except for those oddly shaped holes that were carved into its podium. I guess I just didn't care about all that. So long as I had my beautiful, unique and untainted ecosystem to study, I was happy. But now... No, I shouldn't write it off just yet. Not before I arrive at Stonewell's. There's still a chance that my data is off or, that I missed something obvious. I won't give up on my paradise just yet.
• Xandy:... "Her paradise" she said.
• (Heili): I really need to visit Stonewell more. It's so energizing to be around someone of his experience that still has so much excitement for his work, and talking to him always helps me gain perspective. As for the island's ecological abnormalities, Stonewell reassured me that I was jumping to conclusions. He made a great point: Just because this place doesn't follow the scientific or natural laws, let alone even the most basic sense of the natural world we're used to, doesn't mean it follows no scientific laws at all. After all, science is about discovery, and new discoveries can invalidate old principles, or reinvent them, whatever works with you. So before I latch onto my theory, I need to gather more empirical evidence. Otherwise, I'm no scientist.
• Xandy:... Well, at least she's got someone who's optimistic in her circle.
• (Heili): On Stonewell's recommendation, I've headed south to start an in-depth study of the island's marine life with the help of a tribe called the Dyesharks. Because the ecosystem of the ocean that surrounds the island is separate from the ecosystem on the mainland, correlating patterns between them might help me isolate and understand this island's scientific abnormalities. Also, after freezing my ass off for so long, I could really use an extended stay on a tropical island. Marine biology wasn't my uh, Magnum Opus of study, but I do love the ocean. A lot of people do these days. And why not? If nothing else, it should be beautiful there, as many oceans are.
• Xandy: Puh-REECH!
• Hudson:.... This seems to affect my inner Aquastar.
• Xandy: Oh, Hud.
• (Heili): The Dyesharks have treated me like I'm the bloody queen since I showed them Stonewell's letter of recommendation. I don't think I've eaten better in my entire time on the island. Not that it's a high bar, I'm a horrible cook. Oh, and they've been of tremendous help with my research, of course. So far, my estimates of the predator-prey balance are consistent with the ecosystems on the mainland. The water is simply teeming with shoals of Junjadons, and they are extremely aggressive. Perhaps that's a side effect of having limited prey? Sharks aren't known as territorial creatures. I'll have to study them further.
• Hudson:... Heck's a Junjadon?
• Xandy: Oh, I learned about them as Xasandra. They're an offset evolutionary cousin of the Junja Shark, and they're MUCH bigger, have armored spiked backs, and are night-black.
• Hudson:....  And this woman, was crazy enough to study them?
• Xandy: Apparently. When you're a scientist, you take risks.
• Hudson: "It's amazing alot of them are even alive."
• (Heili): Still no answers as to why the Junjadons are so territorial, but I was privy to something even more extraordinary: Junjadon Mating Behavior! No one's ever witnessed Junjas rooting around back home, so that alone is monumental, but I got something even better. I know, what could possibly top watching Junjadons having a naughty, right? Tracking the female! I was able to observe her for almost the full gestation period, and get this, it only lasts one week. One, week! No wonder the population is so high. These are spitting out pups 44x the rate of the average Junja. I should compare how they behave in captivity.
• Xandy:... Captivity?... Those things, can be TAMED?!
• Hudson: Apparently. I guess ANYTHING can be tamed on this planet.
• (Heili): So, in addition to all of the oddities I found with wild Junjadons, here's the real sherry on top: Taming them is a piece of piss. A bit of training and they're more obedient than the family rog. Now, I've heard of sharks getting very rudimentary training over a year or so, but not to this extent. Certainly not so easily. Sharks aren't mammals or even avians, they're fish. They rely more on instinct, I.E., they're not very smart. You shouldn't be able to ride one like a jet ski. I'm trying to keep an open mind like Stonewell suggested, but, I'm kinda back to square one where I question the realism of this planet.
• Xandy:... Well, true. When you become self-aware of your own paradise... It gets ruined. Though it's not exactly hard to see oddities like this.
• Hudson: Soooo, she still has no idea that this is a controlled environment? Ugh, you would think that Tikens would be smarter than that!
• Xandy: I'm SURE we're getting to that. Just be patient, kay?
• (Heili): Well, this seals it. Just when I thought I'd made some sense of the notes I took while visiting the Dyesharks, I spotted the nail in the proverbial coffin: Roos. A whole herd of giant Roos were just hopping about the countryside like they'd always been there. As much as I love Roos, they just shouldn't be here, period. They evolved away from dinosaurs. Large mammals and dinosaurs can't so easily share the same environment without some degree of environmental damage, and/or causing natural chaos. If I know any genus, it's this one, and Coptopodus should not exist here. This island isn't an ecosystem, its a zoo, or better yet, it may as well actually be the previously claimed Dinosaur Fantasy Video Game.
• Xandy:... Cute.
• Hudson: Well took her long enough to get the picture.
• (Heili): Not too long ago, I thought this place was a far-off utopia where I could study a lot of UIS wonders AND the secrets of yet another lost Teadr 1 race unlike many I've seen. Now that I'm certain it's not natural at all, I have to say, it's lost a lot of luster, that's to say, this world feels like a parody of what uneducated folks THINK prehistoric times were like. This shouldn't be a real world. But, would that mean that, It's Teadr 1 race was a lie too? Not helping that they disappeared mysteriously and even the Wondos can only guess what happened, so some part of me feels as if the Wondos do know what happened, but are motivated to play dumb on it as if to protect some secret. Interference from sentientkind hasn't helped. Most tribes have learned to live in harmony with their slice of the island, but some aren't content with that. One is even trying to conquer all the others, and natural or not, this ecosystem won't be any better off if it's burned down in some great war. In some way, I know it involves the technology my Mother studied. The sunrises are still beautiful, though. At least nothing can change that, not even the implication of a planet being faked, or at the least radically altered from its normal ways.
• Xandy:... They really are, sister. They, really, are.
• Hudson: Glad you're together with someone who can fly huh?
• Xandy: (Chuckles) Yeah.
• (Heili): Of all the abnormalities that I've observed, the tamed Junjadons stick out to me. It was almost like they were stray rogs who were resocialized, as though they had a genetic history of sentient obedience. Obviously, it's the Scyrians, but I can't know for certain yet. Most of my observations have been in the wild, but I think I may learn a thing or two if I observe domesticated creatures more closely. I need to study their diets, their mating patterns, how they socialize with other species, all this and that and what have you. Rumor has it that there's some woman that's tamed a whole mess of them all by herself, so many that they call her The Animal Queen. Maybe she'll have some useful insights.
• Xandy:... I don't feel confident with that. That sounds like a feral being. And that ain't pretty.
• Hudson: Nope... But let's keep reading just to be sure. Maybe this 'Animal Queen' is a different kind of feral person.
• (Heili): I suppose it was a bit naive of me to think that someone with the moniker of "Animal Queen" would roll out the red carpet. Should've figured that being the "Animal Queen", requires to being QUITE the piece of work! I guess I got used to all the friendly treatment that being an associate of Stonewell's earned me. She did let me stay at least, and she hasn't instructed her dinosaurs to kill me yet, so that's a positive. Not that she'd really need the dinosaurs. If that glare of her's gets any more intense, I'll probably just burst into flames on the spot. Strewth, I hope she eases up. Sifting through raptor excrement with someone watching is harder than you might think.
• Xandy:... Well she's got the scary look of an unsentient animal, for sure.
• Hudson: Yeah, this queen's glare would certainly do something random like that... In a figurative sense.
• (Heili): There's nothing special about the diet of these tamed creatures when compared to their wild counterparts. Part of that is the Animal Queen's doing, as she takes them on regular hunting excursions for training purposes. Curiously, they never have to range too far. There is an abundance of prey nearby, despite the size of her pack. That this has held true regardless of her domesticated creature's remarkable birth and growth rates makes it even more unusual. Oh, and I did finally get her name: Meya Liu. She's gotten a little less glarey, too. In hindsight, maybe starting by studying her animals' feces just gave her the wrong impression.
• Hudson:... Yeah, I mean, why was she even do that?
• Xandy:... I'm amazed you didn't know that, hon. That's how biologists study an animal's diet.
• Hudson:... Still gross.
• Xandy: Science ain't always sanitary, Huddy.
• (Heili): The most interesting thing that I've observed about Meya's animals has been what they don't do: they never fight. Among creatures that have been domesticated for generations like feloots or rogs, that's normal, but there's a reason zoos keep their animals in separate enclosures. Certain instincts are hard to curb, and there should definitely be more disputes among such a diverse group. Meya has even integrated a herd of herbivores into her army, as their thick hides have proven resistant to fire and explosives. Yet despite being surrounded by carnivores, they remain untouched. It doesn't make sense. That's not to take anything away from Meya. She works hard to treat and train her animals well. She's not bad company either, at least when she's not mute and I don't go full biologist. Sometimes it's felt like speaking a new language, but it's been kind of refreshing.
• Hudson:... I don't know how to feel about this 'Meya' person.
• Xandy: Me neither. But Heili looks like she's got her charm, so that should change soon.
• (Heili): After going over my notes from Meya's camp, I've concluded that the animals on this island are not only used to sentient beings, but used to captivity. Even with their accelerated growth rates, their behavior indicates that they have been regularly domesticated for decades at least. Otherwise, they'd never obey the whims of sentientkind so easily. With that in mind, I believe that my theory about this island being curated is back in play, again. In fact, it's possible that not only are animal populations being controlled, but that the animals themselves are genetically modified. However, before I bring this to Stonewell, there's one more rumor that I want to confirm.
• Xandy:... Hmm...
• (Heili):... This is the smoking gun. It has to be. I simply can't be convinced that this place is natural after finding an island populated entirely by carnivores. Even if they fed off of each other, which is awfully dubious given that carnivore meat is much more likely to carry harmful parasites than herbivore meat, the landmass is so small and their population is so dense that they could never maintain it. Yet there it is, hidden away off the northeast coast of the island. Someone could have to put them there on purpose. There's no way that Stonewell can deny my theory now.
• Hudson:... Seriously?
• Xandy: Actually, yeah, now that she brings it up, I HAVE seen that island before I met up with you. I saw a Tyrannus fighting it out with a group of Scoepons AND a pack of raptors.
• Hudson:... Wow. I'm surprised Heili was the ONLY one to realize that. The people on this island must've been dumb as bricks.
• Xandy: Or maybe just blissfully ignorant.
• (Heili): As I expected, Stonewell couldn't deny my theory, but I can't say that I have his endorsement either. He didn't seem terribly engrossed in the subject, frankly. Something else seems to have captured his attention as of late: the island's obelisks. Apparently, Stonewell stumbled upon a way to interact with the towering monuments while spelunking, of all things. I guess he felt the need to scratch that old intrepid explorer itch of his. It's pretty impressive, considering his age, as he knew my Ma. Now that I think about it, the obelisks could be linked to my own findings about Scyrian technological involvement on this island. Their nature has always been a mystery, and Stonewell made some intriguing observations. I should follow up.
• Hudson:... Something tells me their story has just begun.
• Xandy: No kidding.
• (Heili): Though I've been received by the Steel Brotherhood, they didn't seem very pleased to see me, especially when I mentioned Stonewell. That's a first. Add that to the rather deserted, gloomy state of their compound, and I'm starting to feel a bit apprehensive. Their leader can't return from his hunting expedition soon enough. All I've confirmed so far is that yes, they gathered all of the artifacts Stonewell sought and yes, the artifacts were able to activate one of the obelisks. You'd think they'd be celebrating such a monumental discovery, but it's just killjoys as far as the eye can see. Go figure.
• Hudson/Xandy: Well it IS a primitive tribe. JINX! DOUBLE JINX! (They both laughed)
• (Heili): I keep glancing at the artifact. I understand why the Steel Brotherhood's leader didn't want it. Since it has no apparent use, all it does is remind him of the tribesman who died seizing it from that giant multi-fanged spider. Can it really be useless, though? They described the artifacts that activated the obelisk as looking similar to it, so I headed to the nearest obelisk to see if I could get a response. No luck. Maybe it activates something else? Of course! The platform in the volcanic cave! It's a long shot, but it's the only thing I can think of that's similar to the obelisks. Definitely worth a try.
• Xandy:... Yeah, she's starting to solve a puzzle here.
• Hudson: Let's see if it worked.
• (Heili):... Unbelievable! The artifacts perfectly fits one of the slots in the platform's pedestal. How did I not notice that right away? I really am a dipstick. So if this key, such as it is, was acquired by activating one of the obelisks, then it follows that the other two keys can be obtained by activating the other two obelisks. Then, with all three keys, maybe this platform will lead to whatever is controlling the island's ecosystem. If the other obelisks work the way that the first one did, that means I have to find a whole mess of artifacts first, and I don't think I can do that alone.
• Hudson:... Meya?
• Xandy: Meya.
• (Heili): Well, the Howling Rolves are quickly tracking down the artifacts, but after hearing about what happened to the Steel Brotherhood, that's as far as they'll go. It's understandable, but it leaves me in a tight spot. If a giant spider and I get in a scrap, the spider's winning for sure. Even with Athea on my side, I prefer to avoid danger, not confront it. My aim's piss poor and I've got fists like soft pillows. If I want a fair go at actually surviving whatever happens when the obelisk activates, I'll need backup. Negotiation Notes: Don't mention feces. Don't look directly at the glare. Bring chili (UNBURNED).
• Xandy: Definitely Meya.
• Hudson: Yep, Meya.
• (Heili): Now, I know you don't get a nickname like "Animal Queen" without being one tough lady, but when I saw that giant ape, Giopithecus to be more specific, and a rare endangered species at that, I still thought we were buggered. Fortunately, Meya's got more intestinal fortitude than yours truly, and somehow, someway she was able to pull out a win. Glad I'm on her good side. I already found the second key, but I want to take a look around here before we head back through the portal. This ape either lived here, or was released when we activated the obelisk. Finding out how it survived in this isolated environment or how it got here could prove useful.
• Hudson:... Wow. I guess they look like they might win this quick.
• Xandy:... Ummm... I think you spoke too soon, honey. Listen to this.
• (Heili): So, these are the conquerors that I heard about way back when. Not a great first impression. Meya and I weren't quite mates, but watching her creatures get slaughtered like that certainly wasn't pleasant. I'm not a fan of the prisoner lifestyle, either. The leader introduced himself as Nervay Gai Artegerant, and he's not a complete bogan, I'll give him that. He let me keep my personal effects and our conversations have been civil so far. I get the feeling that'll change if I don't cooperate, though. Not that I have much choice. They already took the keys. The only way I'm seeing this through is as a "guest" of the Artegerant Legion.
• Hudson:... Wow.... That went downhill fast.
• Xandy: A slaughter?! Damn.
• (Heili): This Nervay bloke's FIGJAM incarnate. Seems that his entire family wants to leave the island and reclaim the world or some rubbish like that. I think his ego was actually tangible when the Legion returned from to the obelisk with the third key and the head of a Dracthysaur in tow. Sadly, as much as I would enjoy seeing him fall flat on his face, I need him and I need the Artegerant Legion. So, when he "asked" me to guide his forces to the hidden cave, I obliged without protest. What he'll do with me afterwards, I don't know.
• Hudson:... I'm genuinely scared right now.
• Xandy:... Me too.
• (Heili): When Nervay and his band return from the cave, they'll decide my fate, so this may be my final chance to reflect. I may as well take advantage of it. I realize that had I just ignored the signs and accepted this paradise at face value for easier research on the Scyrians and the wildlife for Ma, I'd still be happy and free and be spared her fate. Would that have been better? I don't think so. After a lot of thought, I've decided that I'd rather die seeking the truth than living in an illusion or living in the past. That, as Stonewell would say, is the path of a true scientist. Not that I'm some historical scientist battling the church or anything, but hey, it's something to hold onto.
• Hudson:... So... She's dead?
• Xandy:... Not quite. Look at this.
• (Heili): Well, I'm not dead, and as it turns out, neither was Meya. In fact, it was her who freed me, and insisted we follow Nervay through the portal in the cave. A horrifying scene awaited us. All of Nervay's men lay dead amongst the shards of a mysterious metal, but Nervay's body was missing. Forgetting my present company, I suggested a peaceful approach if we encountered him. That earned me one hell of a knockout punch. After all, Meya's animals were all dead, and the one she cared for the most, a raptor named Suave, died saving her life. A sacrifice like that would have her understandably seeking revenge. But I at least tried to have a compromise. When I came to, I searched the whole station, but the only signs of Meya and Nervay were a few ounces of dried blood. No bodies, and no victor. Then suddenly, there, floating outside the window and surrounded by machinery, was not just the very island that I had been living on, but the land and ocean around it. I never thought the rest of the planet as a whole was a wasteland. I never had the chance to see it when I arrived. Teleportation and all that. But the station I was on? It was orbiting high above the planet close to the Karman line. This station was doing some crazy work on the obelisks on the island. And everything was revealed. The ecosystem on the island wasn't just curated, it was completely artificial from the ground up. In fact, it wasn't just a controlled and contained environment just like I knew it was... It was some kind of prison. What in the hell is all this? Why would the Scyrians construct it? And how could they have possibly kept it hidden from the world? I don't have the answers to any of these questions or the dozens of others that keep popping into my head, but somehow, I mean to find out. Somehow, I'll find the truth.
• Xandy:... So, I guess she's starting to reveal everything needed to know about the Scyrians.
• Hudson:... Yeah.
• Xandy:... So it ends here... But she says here that she has another journal. One that she made because she suspected that it would be her last entry for now.... Clever forethought.
• Hudson: Yeah, kinda comes from a race known for extra personas.
• Xandy: Definitely.

Scorchar Desert

• Xandy:... It can't be!
• Hudson: What? What?
• Xandy: This is the second journal of Heili!
• Hudson:... Wow, isn't that a coincidence?
• Xandy: And we didn't even have to do some proper journeying.
• Hudson: Nope.
• Xandy: Let's see what happened after she found that floating tower.
• (Heili): I'm alive. Why the hell am I alive and how? Well, I suppose it is a rather strange question to ask. But I just learned how my mother died. She was killed by that station's Overwatcher AI or something because 'she was learning too much' or some hogwash like that. I’m still not entirely certain just how I got that console working before he came, but it suddenly started cycling through holographic images of different destinations far from the island that I’d been studying on. Of course, I couldn't think before pressing another button while it was showing off one that contained miles and miles of bloody desert, and here I am. Seems that the station teleported directly above the desert, which is actually inside a giant crater, and I had to jump from this massive altitude to avoid getting killed. That’s just typical of me, isn’t it? Always leaping, never looking. It's a bloody miracle I survived that fall somehow. Oh well, better make the best of it, and by that, I mean "better not die of heat exhaustion". Not that it was a possibility. Reptiles THRIVE in heat.
• Xandy: (Giggles)
• Hudson: Still sick of that laughing virus?
• Xandy: Oh, come on, Hud, you like my laugh, don't you?
• Hudson: Yeah, but we're on an important mission to stop Dr. SMD.
• Xandy: I know, but... Maybe these people we've been reading about might have some clues to how we start.
• (Heili): Okay, reptiles can't thrive in THIS kind of heat. It's burning hot out here. Too much for me. Worse, my hunting skills are seriously out of practice. Not that I was ever spectacular, but I feel like I’d graduated from smashing bugs with a rock at some point. At least I was thoroughly rewarded for my efforts. My hunch was spot on these big green bastards are carrying drinkable water on their backs, and thank goodness for that! I may have never known if I’d killed a red one first, since those carry oil instead. Far less useful when you’re dying of thirst, let me tell you. I may be fighting the inevitable, though. I’m still on foot and still alone. Definitely miss Athea.
• Xandy:... Well, glad that Isabellene got her and... She became a mother with Achitans.
• Hudson: THERE'S a happy ending for you.
• (Heili): I’m on a roll. By sheer coincidence, I stumbled into another group of survivors today, and they didn’t try to kill me or anything. If I didn’t know how probability actually worked, I’d say that this recent string of good luck is the universe making up for sending me to the bloody desert in the first place. The caravaners were welcoming, and the creatures they ride are fascinating. They seem like dinosaurs, but they also appear to share some biology with camels. Bizarre! For all its oddities, the island never had anything like that. I’ll have to study them... After a nap. All this desert survival’s left me knackered.
• Xandy:... Oh, she means these Limels.
• Hudson: I guess.
• (Heili): If I’d ended up in this place instead of on that island, I’d have never imagined the ecosystem was natural. Not for two seconds. Take these Nimels for example: they’re actually a new species that was generated a population by the Scyrian structures in the sky decades ago. They have a biology identical to bamals, and the strangest part? There are places in its humps where you can stick a spigot and get clean drinking water. Tastes like piss, but not only is it safe, it doesn’t even harm the Nimel. It’s crackers. Definitely a genetically-engineered modification, but I knew that, didn't I? Maybe studying the creatures here with my new perspective will yield some insight.
• Xandy:... Well we just got ourselves some info, and- HUDSON?!
• Hudson: (He was seen taming one)... What? She said they had water in them. And bonus, we got a ride.
• Xandy:... Eh, why not? I'm tired of riding vehicles anyway. (As they rode on the Limel they kept reading)
• (Heili): Today, I caught a glimpse of what the caravaners call the "Boundary Dunes". The desolate sea of sand that apparently surrounds the livable portion of the desert on all sides inside the giant crater we're standing in. Now those dunes are pretty inhospitable, what with the harsh sunlight baking the sands, the lack of much water, and even the predators that dwell there. But not only do they, stretch on for a long time, but they're home to... Get this... giant sand "worms" that will devour anything that sets foot in their domain. I laughed that off at first since it seemed unlikely a giant worm like that could survive such an environment with little water and food with such a great metabolism. Then I saw a creature the size of a train burst up from the sand and devour a wild Nimel that had wandered into its territory. I suppose I'll just have to learn to walk without rhythm.
• Xandy:... Wow. A giant worm.
• Hudson: Just like the ones that attacked us when we got here.
• Xandy: Damn.
• (Heili): As absurd as the Sandons are, I see their purpose. They are a natural barrier. Since this whole crater is apparently another contained and controlled environment like the island, but not also serving as a prison site, then it needs to keep the wildlife and sentient animals inside it who have been a means of sentient animal control contained in a way that appears natural. The island accomplished that by simply being an island, and the desert does it via the Sandons. Granted, a large population of predators with ludicrous kilocalorie needs would never last long in a place as devoid of prey as I said before, but as this is an artificially-crafted and curated environment meant to fix the wastelands outside, the station can feed or, replace the Sandons as needed. It's a little convoluted, but it makes sense.
• Xandy:... Wow.
• Hudson: You said it.
• (Heili): Time to go over the facts. Like the island, this crater desert is a contained surface environment posing as a natural environment until a future date. It is inhabited by a large population of dangerous, genetically-reshaped and controlled creatures, and a small population of sentient animals and immigrating sentient beings that are struggling to survive. This whole environment is then deliberately contained by a combination of a holographic horizon and natural barriers. Assuming the other places around the world are at all similar, then this whole thing is starting to look like some kind of bizarre experiment on a grand scale. Yes, each environment would represent an experimental group, and... I'll have to continue this later. One of the caravan's scouts just returned in a panic. Something about rocks being alive, which is of course ridic.
• Xandy:... Wow, she hadn't gotten out much, has she?
• Hudson: Nope. Apparently not.
• (Heili): I long for the days when I thought a tyrannus frolicking through the snow was the height of absurdity. Compared to yesterday, that seems commonplace. As the scout had so eloquently put, the rocks were indeed alive. Alive, in the shape of a massive, bipedal Rok and exceedingly angry. I was too shocked to scatter like the others when it charged, and for a moment, I was certain that I would die. Then something even more ludicrous happened. Lightning crashed into the Rok, but it didn't come from the sky. It came from the mouth of a bloody Dracthysaur. I don't recall much else. Fear and instinct pretty much took over for the rest of the day, and while that helped me survive, I'm once again on my own.
• Xandy:... Well that was lucky.
• Hudson: I should say so, you don't have a savior riding a dracthonosaur saving your life unexpectedly every day.
• (Heili): Well, I found a new best mate. The little fuzzball isn't exactly what I meant, but I'll take her. It's a little critter called an Earbitidium. They're small, cuddly little herbivores, and as far as I can tell, taming one has no practical use. I just couldn't let the her starve to death, though. I guess all this rubbish with Roks and Drachtysaurs has quenched what was left of my scientific instinct to leave nature to nature. At least we provide each other with a little warmth at night, and her antics have helped to keep my spirits up. I suppose I'll need to give her a name.
• Hudson/Xandy: Awwww.
• (Heili): I may have been wrong about Earbitidium not having a practical use. Earlier today, my furry new companion started bouncing around so excitedly that I couldn't calm her down, and then soon enough it started raining. I brushed that off as a coincidence, but soon after filling my waterskins and setting off once more, she started acting skittish. I decided to find shelter just in case, and within minutes light rainfall had turned into an electrical storm. I'll need more evidence to draw any firm conclusions of course, but I wouldn't mind having a fuzzy little creature that can scan for weather with me. You know... It's a little on the nose, but Scanny's not a bad name.
• Xandy:... Impressive. A creature that can sense weather changes.
• Hudson: I have GOT to get me one of THOSE!
• Xandy: (She giggles)
• (Heili): Thank goodness that I decided to find some high ground two days ago, or I'd have never spotted this settlement. That's twice now that I've stumbled into my own salvation. I can't count on that happening again. I'll need to stay here for a while and prepare before setting out once more. Fortunately, the villagers are willing to let me trade work for supplies and shelter. Another stroke of luck, and another factor I can't rely on. On the island, Stonewell's name got me far, but here I'm just another stranger. Not everyone will trust or help me. I need to be prepared to survive on my own.
• Hudson:... Well, she's DEFINITELY lucky.
• (Heili): In some ways, surviving on my own was less work. At least then I wasn't conscripted into manual labor. Ugh, my whole body feels sore! I bet I wouldn't have to work if I were as adorable as Scanny. The whole village is in love with her. I swear, they spoil her like a furry little princess. Stonewell would be livid about this arrangement. I can just hear him ranting about treating scholars with propriety. I hope the old Chredder is doing well. Maybe when I've broken this mystery wide open, I'll figure out a way to get him off the island and we can discuss it all over tea like old times.
• Hudson:... He's a Chredder, huh?
• Xandy: Apparently. But, let's see how she does without him.
• (Heili): While my mind still can't recall the last time I fired a gun, my muscle memory is much better. According to my would-be instructor, I wasn't a complete disaster on the firing range. I'm no pacifist. Death and violence are a part of life, that's just nature. Yet a gun still makes me a little uncomfortable. The idea of shooting at another sentient being or animal, just seems instinctively wrong to me. I couldn't even fire at the Artegerent Legion back on the island. But I need to pull my weight. The villagers have been welcoming and patient with me. For their sake, I need to practice.
• Hudson: Well, she got this far, so, she might need to catch up with whatever surprises await her.
• (Heili): I may have to put my freshly-polished marksmanship skills to the test sooner than I thought. A hunting party spotted a swarm of giant M-Lucuses heading in our direction. M-Lucus. I read a lot about them, but I never seen one with my own eyes. But I also didn't expect to see them this early given the villagers have spoken of them every now and again. It's a little-known fact that M-Lucus is an intelligent species. Not sentient intelligent, but intelligent enough to hunt as efficiently as any sentient being. They have strategy. Resourcefulness. These insects were no different. Their little hands can actually grip and wield weapons or tools. Sounds absolutely loony, but there's a lot of loony stuff in the UUniverses. No one seems keen on fighting them, but they're too close to outrun. Hopefully they'll just pass us by.
• Hudson:... M-Lucus?
• Xandy: It's a species of giant mangrid. Call them, insect raptors.
• Hudson:... I see.
• Xandy:... Ooh. Uh, Hudson, your comment about a savior from the sky riding a dracthonsaur... May not be accurate. Apparently the people get it all the time. Listen to this.
• (Heili): My hopes that the M-Lucuses would ignore the village were unfounded, and I think we were all wondering if this morning's sunrise would be our last. Despite all my practice, my rifle felt heavy and foreign in my shaking hands as the swarm advanced. Fortunately, they weren't our only visitors. The villagers erupted in cheers as lightning and fire tore through the advancing insects from above. Some chanted a name: The Rayburn Skyrider. The rider, still hidden behind black robes, didn't acknowledge the ovation. With swift efficiency, their small flight of Dracthysaurs decimated the M-Lucus swarm and made for the horizon.... Now that I think about it, she must have been how I survived that fall here from the floating tower. The Rayburn Skyrider.... I need to meet this person, if only to thank them.

Who Is Edwyn Stonewell?

Jungle

• Clifton:... Where'd you get this, Sam?
• Samantha: Found it in some kind of fancy chest.... It's the journal of a man named... Sir Edwyn Stonewell.
• Clifton:... I've heard that name a lot on this mission. Well... I guess it's about time we found out why, and even why people don't like hearing it.
• Samantha:... (Sighs)... Well... Probably a good idea. (They read)
• (Stonewell): Greetings and salutations dear reader!
• Samantha: "Okay, who other then themselves has expected people would read these things?"
• Clifton: "Well this just screams egoist."
• (Stonewell): If these words are gracing your eyes, then you have had the good fortune to find the journal of Sir Edwyn Stonewell, stupendous scholar, gallant gentleman and explorer extraordinaire. It also means that it’s entirely possible that I’ve met some unseemly end on this fascinating but exceedingly dangerous planet that I call home. I suppose you could have also stolen it or I could have misplaced it in which case please proceed to either hang your head in shame or return it to me at once. Whichever is appropriate. Regards, Sir Edwyn Stonewell.
• Clifton:... Dafuq?... Yeesh, this guy has an interesting opinion on himself.
• Samantha:... Samest assured belief that he's an egoist.
• (Stonewell): The wondrous properties of the flora on this island will never cease to amaze me. Glad I drugged my parents before they could take this golden opportunity of research first. Otherwise, if I’d told my colleagues back home that I could create a concoction capable of erasing someone’s memories, I’d be laughed out of the room and never invited to tea again for being such a ripoff of my own kin. Yet here it sits: my Mindfreshening Tonic. As usual, I’ve had tribal leaders grovelling at the gates of Stonewell Manor just for the tiniest of samples, and for the recipe? Oh the bounties I’ve been offered! I’m not interested in their riches though. I have their protection, supplies for my studies and all the time in the world. What more could I ask for?
• Samantha:... He seems really morally grey.
• Clifton: That is debatable, cause I still get "Egoist" from this guy.
• (Stonewell): These tribal negotiations give me a headache every time. The Blackhands are mad that the Dyesharks sunk two of their barges, but the Dyesharks say that the barges were too close to Southern Haven and they were perfectly within their rights to sink them as per The South Island Accords. Typically, neither side is willing to budge. What a bother. I’d just as soon find fresh the lot of them and return to my studies. Alas, such is the fate of the island’s most respected neutral entity. At least the Dyesharks brought some fresh fish. Perhaps I’ll side with them.
• Samantha:... He also seems to have some... Hoity-toityness to him.
• Clifton: "I'd go for "Snobby Asshole"."
• (Stonewell): Any chemist worth his salt knows the irreplaceable value of testing. Until a tonic has been rigorously tested, it is less useful than water. If only I could persuade this island’s less intellectual inhabitants to see that tests on monkeys serve well for early trials, but they are no replacement for genuine sentient subjects at later, safer stages. By subjects, I of course mean willing participants that are prepared to risk mild headaches and much less mild nausea for the sake of science. The Rock Skulls offered rather less willing participants at one point, but I declined. With how difficult it is to find volunteers these days, I sometimes regret it.
• Clifton:... He, tested his experiments, on his own guests?!
• Samantha: There goes that "Morally Grey" statement, I guess. It's abit more darker than expected in some areas.
• Clifton: All he had to do was ask!
• Samantha: In all fairness Clifton, what do we know about how this world works? If it was nicer, we wouldn't even need to be here.
• (Stonewell): Miss Runner's impromptu visits are always an unexpected pleasure. Especially since her mother was quite as smart as they come. Johnna Runner was studying the Scyrian precursors of this planet for decades. So after that headache with the Sharks and Blackhands, a lively tea-time discussion about the abnormalities of the island's ecosystem was precisely what I needed. Thank goodness I've managed to find an intellectual colleague that shares my love for the sciences. It saddens me to think that Miss Runner's charming colonial accent would keep her out of the more prestigious institutions and societies back home. Another of the Island's wonders, it is a true meritocracy unlike any in the modern world. If Miss Runner and I could find and cultivate more minds like ourselves, we could create a true scientific utopia.
• Clifton: Ya know, I haven't even physically met the dude, but even just READING about him has that veil of me imagining his face being punchable!
• Samantha: I would imagine that this man is a sort-of pariah in this world.
• (Stonewell): This expedition to Whitewind Peak has been just splendid, top to bottom. The weather's been marvelous, I've found excellent floral samples and the local hunters had more Wooloceros horns than you could shake a stick at. I even managed to find volunteers for my latest experiment! It turns out that it was simply a matter of linguistics: those who are wary of experimental serums are much more receptive to experimental food. Once my Omnithermic Pastes were renamed Frosser Curry, people were clamoring to test it. It has moderate nutritional value, so it's not technically a deception. It's just favorable language in the name of progress, that's all. Perfectly moral.
• Clifton: Ya might want a second opinion on that, doc!
• Samantha: I believe it's obvious he's trying to comfort himself in his actions and delude himself into thinking these are necessary evils. This man is of troubled mind and soul.
• Clifton: "I'm thinking more along the lines of him being JACKSHIT INSANE?!"
• Samantha: "Well if you are to be vulgar about it, then yes."
• Clifton: Oh don't act like ya don't agree other than because ya try to be polite due to Magilo-User policy and stuff. He even drugged his own parents to take credit for this research first? I don't think anybody is THAT egomaniacal.
• Samantha: Pride can be a powerful and dangerious vice.
• (Stonewell): Sadly my Frosser Curry trials cannot begin immediately as the volunteers have a much more difficult journey to Stonewell Manor than I. After all, I couldn't very well carry every one of them on Achitans. Yes, the Pteriornis could clutch one with his talons, but I've always found the practice to be barbaric. The rest of the island may be embroiled in feudal savagery, but a gentleman always maintains his class and dignity. At any rate, I must have my assistants renovate the guest compound. Naturally, I would never let strangers into the manor proper, but there's no reason there stay should not affect my civilized standards.
• Clifton: Wow, he couldn't even get his victims to come to his place. Pfft, what a maroon.
• Samantha: "I don't believe this is a matter of him being intellectually inferior as more like the natives have proven, weary."
• (Stonewell): Having readily available subjects has helped my experiments tremendously even if their numbers dwindled over time. Not only was I able to curb the side effects of my Frosser Curry's endothermic properties, but I managed to bring out an additional benefit of the mixture. Now, it also lowers the subject's metabolism, letting them go longer without needing food. Marvelous! I hadn't even considered that as a possibility. Why, with all I've learned from these experiments, I imagine that I could reverse the effects of the Curry and create a concoction to aid survival in extreme heat as well. I must find more volunteers posthaste.
• Clifton: JUST ASK, YOU BUMBLING MANIPULATOR!
• Samantha: Clifton, you think he hasn't tried? He was clearly getting abit of a reputation at this point."
• Clifton: Hey, this is just wrong. Scientists have standards, you know.
• Samantha:  "Well perhaps being in this strange world compromised his better judgment."
• Clifton: Ya too gentle on this hack, Sam! I hope this guy's dead, or at least his acts got him in trouble.
• Samantha: "Ahem! I would've chosen saying "I hope Karma made a desired judgment on him"."
• (Stonewell): I decided to seek out volunteers for my next experiment among the island's larger tribes. I thought that surely they would be willing to help after I patiently moderated so many of their frivolous disputes. How idealistic of me. Instead, they have yet another favor to ask. Apparently there's a new tribe that's behaving rather aggressively and no one can successfully negotiate with its leader. So naturally they have turned to me. It's rather bothersome, but I can't touch their logic. If Sir Edwyn Stonewell cannot reason with this Nervay fellow, then who can?
• Clifton:... A conqueror tribe?
• Samantha: Better keep reading to be safe.
• Clifton: Good idea. (They kept reading)
• (Stonewell): Well, I found the report on Mister Nervay to be rather exaggerated, and as any gentleman one might imagine that I'd view imperial leadership with some disdain. Yet in my experience, I found Mister Nervay to be both honest and intellectually engaging....Orat least Mr. Nervay TRIES. In fact, after a lengthy conversation, I daresay that Mister Nervay has the right of it when it comes to this island's politics. He argued that this island needed to be more civilized and he even wishes to escape the island and expand, especially since his family was stranded there for, get this, eons. That means they originated from the days of the Scyrians. I doubt his endeavors will harm my research, so I see no reason to interfere in this pointless squabble.
• Clifton:... He's agreeing, with a conqueror?
• Samantha: I'm guessing he was able to relate better with a fellow pariah.
• Clifton: Not when the people who negotiate or use it are too dense to have a proper conscience.
• Samantha: (Sighs and kept reading)
• (Stonewell): How can these tribal leaders be so short-sighted? Yes, the members of their respective tribes who volunteered for my Combat Tartare and Strengthening Sauté experiments have been experiencing prolonged withdrawal episodes, but can't they see that the benefits outweigh the costs?
• Clifton: "Well maybe the costs were TOO UGLY to cope with for any legit plus-sides, dorkinstein!"
• (Stonewell): I create mixtures that can bring out enhanced strength, speed and coordination in ordinary men and they can only focus on the negatives. Simple-minded, the lot of them!
• Clifton: "Well again, maybe these were SOME REALLY BAD NEGATIVES for them to be all like "NOPE"!"
• Samantha: "Sometimes scientists worry more about long-term good over short-term and intermediate inconveniences like what was happening with the persons."
• (Stonewell): They even banned their members from partaking in my experiments now. Ridiculous! I'll not let them stand in the way of sentient progress. They may not understand the importance of my work, but surely my assistants do.
• Clifton: Well, it's about TIME they opened their eyes. I hope he got what he deserved.
• Samantha:... Well, there's still more entries, so your dark desires are left unfulfilled at the moment.
• (Stonewell): I've decided to take a brief vacation from the laboratory. Well, I say that I've decided to, but the whole thing was my assistant Isabellene's idea. She noticed that I'd been quite ruffled lately and suggested that I take a bit of time to myself before rushing headlong into my next experiment. Such an observant young woman, that Isabellene. She's somewhat lacking as a chemist, but she understands my moods almost better than I do. I daresay that an old fashioned adventure will do me some good. Nothing like some rigorous recreation to clear the mind. Perhaps I'll go spelunking. Yes, a splendid idea! I know just the place for it.
• Samantha:... At least he still has some gentlemanly dignity.
• Clifton: Sure, like THAT justifies his immoral scientific code.
• Samantha: "Clifton, by all means, I'm no fan of his motivations neither, but continuous judging makes for the kind of people that Stonewell ended up being. I suspect his sanity was dwindling cause of always being rejected, even if you had found them reasonable or not."
• Clifton: ".... Okay, fair point."
• (Stonewell): Remarkable. Absolutely remarkable! When I chose that remote northern cave as the site of my spectacular spelunking sojourn, I'd never imagined that I'd find such wonders within. Granted, I don't know what this specific wonder does exactly, but it's fascinating to examine. It's like nothing I've ever seen! I don't even recognize the materials that it's composed of, and it's constantly pulsing with some sort of latent energy. What is it? Is it unique or are there similar artifacts just waiting to be discovered beneath the island's surface? My, how invigorating! Isabellene was right, this was exactly what I needed. I feel like a young Chredder again!
• Clifton:... Oh, so he's a Chredder.
• Samantha: You were wondering that?
• Clifton: Yeah, people all over the UUniverses are so mix-matched these days. It becomes an instinct you have to know what they are, because next thing you know, when you mock someone before seeing what they are, they'll be as big as a whule and kick your ass.
• Samantha: Let us resume the book.
• (Stonewell): Eureka! My theory was correct. The small podium at the base of the obelisk is definitely responding to the artifact's proximity and vice versa. Honestly I feel foolish for not attempting this sooner! The stylistic similarities between the artifacts and the obelisks floating above the island seems so obvious to me now. Clearly they were created within the same culture and era. Bizarrely, while both the artifact and obelisks are in exquisite condition, there are no other signs of this mysterious civilization. How could that be? What kind of mad society would gallivant about some remote island, building towering structures and stuffing knickknacks into caves before vanishing without a trace? I don't understand it, but it's certainly piqued my curiosity.
• Clifton: Get in line, Ched-head, there's plenty who have done the same.
• Samantha: (Sighs) Clifton, I can't say I'm a fan of this person myself, but can you get over it already? It's been years since this was written.
• (Stonewell): Well, I think I've gotten as far in my studies of the obelisks as my archaeological expertise will take me. A shame, really. This has been such a joyous little diversion that I hate to see it end. Ah Stonewell, you old twit. You've forgotten the origins of this little excursion: spelunking. Did you yourself not hypothesize that there may be more artifacts hidden elsewhere on this island? Surely you can't give up before confirming that. No, certainly not, nor can I be expected to scour the island's corners alone. Perhaps someone can spelunk in my stead? Better yet, perhaps someone has already spelunked!
• Clifton:... Let's see where he goes with this, because I think we might get information on this Scyrian technology.
• Samantha: Good thinking. Though I must caution'd that it may get darker from here.
• (Stonewell): After many days of scouring the island upon Achitans and many more fruitless conversations with the witless, savage sods that seem to make up most of this island's population, I have finally found the spelunkers I need! A tribe to the northwest called the Steel Brotherhood has apparently found three artifacts themselves, and it's clear that said relics share an origin with my own. In exchange for my artifact, the Brotherhood agreed to report any findings to me straight away as they continue their search. What stupendously good fortune! Now I can return to my alchemical studies with renewed vigor, while they crawl through the island's caverns in my stead. Brilliant.
• Clifton:... Okay, I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, but using people for your own needs?... I mean, I don't think it's using them, but... Okay, you know what? I'm done arguing about his morals. They're still as gray as the sky right now.
• Samantha: Thank you for keeping an open head, Cliff. I love you for it. And if it helps, as before, he's not my favorite person either. As A magilo, I just make myself above anger and being offended by undesirable actions. Doesn't mean my dissatisfaction has to be unknown.
• Clifton: You love me period.
• Samantha: (Chuckles as they kept reading)
• (Stonewell): The first round of trials for my new Lazereus Chowder have gone marvelously, but I have found it hard to maintain my enthusiasm. After all, I will never get truly definitive results with only primitive primate subjects. It is quite frustrating. Even so, I see now that Isabellene was right. Having my assistants take part in the trials would be asking too much of them, and they are too valuable to risk so frivolously. If I cannot find sentient subjects from the nearby tribes, then I shall have to make do with trials on greater apes that are a close second. Perhaps it is finally time to capture some Pithecuses...
• Clifton:... Good for you, you're starting to get more moral. Why was I ever angry at this person?
• Samantha: "Be cautious though, he might have a turnaround later."
• (Stonewell): I admit there are times when it is useful to live among simpletons. For example, I was able to trade several gallons of my Lazereus Chowder to a group of hunters in exchange for an entire contingent of tamed Pithecuses, and they never questioned whether it had been tested on sentient beings yet. Well, I suppose if they return with another batch of apes, then I'll know that Lazereus Chowder doesn't cause asphyxiation, won't I? It's not exactly a conclusive, scientific trial, but I suppose it will serve. Unfortunately all these bigger primates have given Stonewell Manor quite the pungent odor. Isabellene said she is working on some sort of air freshener, but I hope she makes haste.
• Clifton: Well, keep trying, good sir. Failure is the best teacher.
• (Stonewell): I am perplexed. Even with an expanded number of test subjects, I just cannot find the passion that I once had for my research. I truly thought that my recent adventure had lit a fire in my belly, but I constantly find myself losing focus. Confound it all! Perhaps said adventure itself is the problem. Thinking about it, I am always eager to discuss the obelisks and the artifacts I found with my assistants, even when I am not in the mood for research. There is a certain allure to them that I cannot describe, something that causes my thoughts to drift in their direction, like the pull of a strong tide. But it could simply be a passing fancy. I must give myself more time.
• Clifton: Mmm, I wouldn't call researching this kind of tech 'boring', in an unrefined tongue.
• Samantha: Neither would I. Studying precursor races that have shaped a backbone for the UUniverses are a scientist's pride and joy.
• Clifton: "I'm guessing he might not be the right kind of scientist for this then."
• (Stonewell): I was ever so glad to see Miss Runner again. My assistants are clever in their own right, but dear Johnna Jr. is still the only person that I feel comfortable diving into my deeper theories with. I fear that I may have kept her from getting a word in edgewise, though. Once I got going on the obelisks, why I just couldn't contain my enthusiasm! My word, I really have become quite enamored with the subject, haven't I? Well, that settles it! After this next set of trials, I shall go check on the Steel Brotherhood's progress. Perhaps I can convince Miss Runner to join me. We could make a real scientific expedition out of it!
• Samantha:... At least he has a friend of equal intellect to share words with.
• Clifton: Glad for that myself. At least he grew on his own too.
• (Stonewell): The latest Broth of Knowledge trials have concluded, and as expected, I am disappointed in the results. Thought the primates I tested it on showed increased aptitude for learning, I do not believe any of them have truly ascended to a higher level of intelligence. Well bugger the little blighters, I say! My assistants have almost finished preparing my supplies for my next expedition, and I have drafted a letter to send to the Steel Brotherhood ahead of my departure. Soon enough, I'll have forgotten all about the... Pardon the interruption, it seems that I have a guest. Now just what is Mister Nervay doing here? I suppose I'll find out.
• Clifton: Oh, yeah, I forgot about this Nervay guy.
• (Stonewell): I have always tried to maintain a strict neutrality when it comes to tribal matters and affairs, as with the rules of the grander community of the universes, but then again, I have never had an offer this tempting from someone as respectable as Mister Nervay. Not only has he offered to provide me with test subjects, but he has also expressed a mutual interest in investigating the obelisks. All he asks from me is that I provide him with "reliable council." I would trust few tribes to be able to make good on such promises, but Mister Nervay's Artegerant Legion is perhaps the most powerful tribe on the island. Indeed, if they maintain their current trajectory, they may be the only powerful tribe on the island. His offer is worth considering, at the very least.
• Clifton:... Okay, so much for having respect for him. Nervay had re-sparked his immoral practices by giving him test subjects.
• Samantha: Well I did cautioned that the last view pages were a brief period. Look, Clifton, it's a cold cold world out here. War and suffering has been happening since the beginning of time, and often times for the most pettiest of reasons.
• Clifton: Yes, but sometimes, I wish it wasn't.
• Samantha: We all do.
• (Stonewell): After much deliberation, I have decided to accept Mister Nervay's offer. True, the Artegerent Legion is not beloved by many other tribes, but what force interested to become the dominant force of anything ever gotten a kinder reputation? If my studies are to continue, I must be on the side of history most likely to be the one to make changes. As part of our agreement, I will need to travel with Mister Nervay for a time, and wait to study the obelisks until the Artegerant Legion have taken care of some smaller matters of foreign policy. Abit inconvenient to my researching hobbies, but clearly Nervay's legion are nomadic in nature, so I have to respect that it's something convinent to them. As such, I have left Stonewell Manor in Isabellene's charge. She will take excellent care of it, I am sure. Well then, onto new frontiers! Excelsior!
• Clifton:... Okay, um... I'll just... Keep going and hope he doesn't get any worse from here.
• Samantha: "I rather for us both to prepare for impact. I am regretful to say that this will only get darker."
• (Stonewell): I admit, I have been rather coy with Mister Nervay when it comes to the true nature of the obelisks. As a military man, the obelisks would naturally be more useful to him if they were some sort of weapon, and I have made sure to allude to that possibility from time to time. It is not as though I am selling my gracious host a falsehood. After all, I have neither any proof that the obelisks could be weaponized, nor any evidence to the contrary. Their purpose is entirely theoretical at this stage, and if twisting those theories will convince Mister Nervay to march on the obelisks any sooner, then so be it.
• Clifton:... At least he proves that brains can dominate brawns. And good to know Nervay's abit of a dumbass, tribalism aside
• Samantha: I wouldn't underestimate Nervay just because of the planet's technological nature, Clifton. We may not know Nervay ourselves, but there could be more then meets the eye.
• Clifton:... True.
• (Stonewell): The Artegerant Legion is finally on the march, and not a moment too soon! Mister Nervay runs his tribe exceptionally well, but their compound is positively spaetan. I don't think I saw a single piece of decor anywhere! It certainly made me miss the comforts of Stonewell Manor, I'll say that. At any rate, we are apparently in pursuit of a barbaric "Animal Queen". According to the men, she feasts on the flesh of her enemies alongside her army of monsters. Oy, the further criticisms to the ways of life of tribal society I got from that statement alone. Mister Nervay is convinced that she is heading towards an obelisk, but I see no cause for alarm. No mere heathen could hope to uncover its secrets, and certainly not alone.
• Samantha:... Animal... Queen... Sounds like they encountered a feral leader.
• Clifton: Well, I just hope he keeps a level head and keeps thinking wise.
• Samantha:... Looks like you spoke too soon, Clifton. Listen to this. He sounds jealous in this chapter.
• (Stonewell): I am absolutely astonished! Shocked! Flabbergasted! Why in the world was Miss Runner investigating the obelisks at the side of such a savage woman, and without notifying me first? Was she intending to discover their secrets behind my back and keep them all to herself? The nerve! The audacity! And after I treated her with such respect and civility!
• Clifton: ".....I'm already getting the feeling this was an easily avoidable misunderstanding that can easily be avoided by a simple conversation."
• Samantha: "Well I'm afraid what follows that Stonewell wasn't able to be in a listening mood."
• (Stonewell): Well, unfortunately for her, Sir Edwyn Stonewell is always one step ahead of his rivals. Thanks to my partnership with Mister Nervay, I can combine what scraps of knowledge she has on the obelisks with my own findings, and she'll be none the wiser. Why, since she is confined to a cage, I can keep my presence concealed from her altogether!
• Clifton:... You've got to be kidding me. He actually accuses someone he respected, of stealing his research? I thought he was better than that.
• Samantha: Dishonorable, I know, but fair's fair, I believe it's obvious at this point that Stonewell has already started to take a downward spiral thanks to Nervay.
• Clifton: "Doesn't make ched-head less of a dick though!"
• (Stonewell): Before arriving on this island, I would have dismissed the idea of a device instantly transporting a person from one location to another as complete and utter poppycock.... Or at least, one such at this godly degree. Yet, that appears exactly what the strange platforms beneath the obelisks are capable of doing. Astounding! Yes, yes, there was a Dracthysaur on the other side. I'm sure Mister Nervay and his men fought quite the battle, but discovering another slobbering beast is trivial in comparison. Imagine! One could go from one side of the globe to the other in the blink of an eye, and also in using little commands and energy to do so spontaneously, and I'll wager that is just the start of the obelisk's capabilities! I must learn more! I must!
• Clifton: And now he's competing for the research of this race? Come ON! They're not the only ones who did this! HEILI'S MOM DID IT, AND HE KNEW HER!! How could he betray her daughter and disrespect her mother's grave like that?
• Samantha: With intelligence comes pride, Clifton, you know that. Many of the best scientists had pride themselves.
• (Stonewell): I am starting to become quite cross with Mister Nervay's impatience. I had barely any time at all to study the obelisk before we set out again, this time to that cave Miss Runner mentioned. I wonder, does he believe that she knows more about the obelisks than I do? Nonsense! Any fool could see that I am the superior scientist. Ugh, if only Nervay wasn't just some mindless savage playing conqueror! Besides, I am his official advisor while she is his prisoner. She isn't even privy to my presence. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to prove my scientific mettle. Whatever is in that cave, I shall be the one to discover its purpose. The mysteries of the obelisks are mine to uncover, not Miss Runner's or even Mister Nervay's. Mine.
• Clifton: Oh for the love of Gods, are you serious?! You think this world revolves around you, you stuck-up moron?!
• Samantha: Clifton!
• Clifton: Right. (Deep breath)... I'm still hoping he gets wise again like he did before. That said, I am getting the idea the honeymoon with Nervay is starting to turn south.
• Samantha: "Ahem, well, be cautious that him turning against Nervay may not necessarily be a good thing, and I suspect this book will only get darker."
• (Stonewell): In all my life, I have never seen so magnificent a sight! Mister Nervay may be bemoaning the loss of his men, but I would sacrifice them a thousand times over to witness such majesty! I have never seen a night sky so beautiful. Somehow, this place looks down upon the world from on high, as though it stands upon the peak of divine mountains themselves! And my word, the exquisite metal this place is made out of, not to mention that bizarre creature! It reminds me of the material that lines the obelisks, yet somehow more... Alive. The very walls of this place seem to hum with power and possibility. I must find more information on this material. Perhaps one of these consoles will have something I could use. I am not familiar with the technology, but I am sure a scientist of my caliber could get something out of them with a little educated fiddling.
• Clifton: Pheh, sure, I can see where that goes, because it looks like this journal is done.
• Samantha:... Not quite. What he's done according to this journal is not serious enough to garner such a notoriety. He had to have done something worse. MUCH worse.

Who Is Meya Liu?

Chinese-Esque Forest

• Marcilene:... Hmmm... How interesting.
• Cloakblade: What have you got, Marci?
• Serpentos: Yeah, what's up?
• Marcilene:... I found some... Peculiar scrolls in this chest that belongs to some... Animal Queen by the name of... Meya Liu. (Opens them and sees the poetic pinyin on them as well as the Chinese-themed pictures on them)... And she's written her adventures rather poetically.
• Serpentos: A poet warrior? Rather conventional, but interesting.
• Marcilene: Actually, it's got a poetic feel.
• Cloakblade:... It's a Sauran language. My learning of that language is, still sparse.
• Marcilene: Allow me. There are plenty of them on Zo. I believe I can translate.
• (Meya): Where am I? How did I arrive? I have asked these questions many times since I awoke on this foreign shore, but I must stop. They do not matter. Their answers will not save me, but only give context that neither aides nor hinder my situation, so I will focus on a different question: how can I survive? This question always has an answer, though it is ever-changing, and it has helped me find resolve in moments of uncertainty or fear. Just days ago, I never thought I'd fear again. I thought my fear died with the things I have done for my hometown. Yet when I heard that giant roar of a monster and my retreat got me briefly drowned and washed onto the shores of this island, I know fear is exactly what I feel.
• Cloakblade:... Interesting.
• Serpentos: If kinda overly dramatic. Are we sure this is a real person's journal and that it's not a fictional read?
• Marcilene: Well it lacks an author's name, so, this is someone's private journal, albeit, an artsy-fartsy one.
• (Meya): I am armed and clothed now, though crudely. My stone spearhead makes me long for my village's weaponsmith, even wish for even the most low-level lazer pistol in the weapon market, but it serves. I use it to hunt the slow, fat birds that wander the coast. I do not know how such creatures survive here at all, but I am grateful for the meat they provide. Also grateful that they happened to be in good health, and bore little understanding that I was a danger to them, but I suspect this may change soon given the reaction of my first kills' flock. I save my arrows for the more dangerous creatures, like the dinosaurs with ears like fans, whose spit burns the things it touches. No, not just the creatures. They are not the only danger. Yesterday, I found footprints in the sand that were not my own. I am not alone.
• Marcilene:... Well, she's an experienced survivor and fighter, at least.
• Serpentos: "Yeah I doubt this would even exist if she was incompetent with nature survival."
• (Meya): Defending my hometown during criminals taught me more in months than I learned in all the years before it. Among those lessons, men will always underestimate women in battle, pertain this to sexism or just immature false expectations if you would please.
• Serpentos: "I would believe both, honestly."
• (Meya): The other lesson: sentient beings, no matter what shape or size, can be crueler than any animal.
• Serpentos: "But, how can animals be cruel if they're unsentient?"
• Maricilene: "It's mainly meant to be artistic, Serp. He's basically an artsy way of saying "People Suck"."
• (Meya): Both applied today. The footprints I found were not from one man, but three. All were a Haelic, an Augean, and a Simobe. Their eyes changed when they saw me, like rolves discovering a kneep. They were wrong. They were merely mutts desperate for an easy target but of poor judgment. I was the rolf. Two died to arrows after ignoring my warnings. The last to my spear. But before any reader besieges me as a monster for doing this, I didn't do this without second thought. I know perhaps these men had families or loved ones wherever they came from and that any action they would've done to me was for survival's sake. But consider this, they failed to take a warning seriously. They were also impudent. The words they say and the intentions they had, I rather not repeat in this book. Suffice to say, I feel no loss of conscience of what I assume to be folks that have long embraced survival and deemed me a threat as I did them. A pity that I was forced to confirm it cause of their own bad choice. I left their bodies out in the wild. I cannot stay here. The beaches are too open. To survive, I must brave the jungle.
• Serpentos:... Brutal.
• Marcilene: Unfortunately, that's the law of being out in the wild. It's eat or be eaten, and kill or be killed. As sentient animals, with the exception of Serpentos, we should know that.
• (Meya): Today, I scored a great victory. As the sunsets, I happened upon a small village on a bluff. Unfortunately, it was besieged by a man who rode a raptor and wielded a torch. I know not of his reasons, perhaps the village leader did something malevolent and this rider decided personal vengeance. But even if so, the innocents being made to suffer this attack is dramatically overkill just to punish one ungrateful action. It would have been safer to retreat, but I could not ignore the bodies. Regardless of the rider's reasoning, this was a slaughter. Surprise can be a warrior's most powerful weapon, and I wielded it effectively. My first arrow found the raptor's throat, and many more pierced the man's back once he tumbled from the saddle. He never saw his vanquisher. In hindsight, I should have spared the beast. A mount would be welcome.
• Serpentos:... (Sighs)... She was starting out, I can't blame her for this murder.
• Marcilene: When it comes to survival, murder laws are nonexistent.
• Cloakblade: "And to be fair, she did acknowledge that the rider may had a reason for what he did, but we have to consider that his reasons were outweighed by the people he was hurting for what is merely the actions of one or two individuals.
• (Meya): The surviving villagers let me claim the raptor rider's armor and weapons, and gave me shelter for the night. To my surprise, I understood them. Their mouths moved strangely, but in my ears I heard the language of my home. They say it is the work of some strange devices internally wired into them. I do not understand, but they had no reason to lie, so, I'll humor this strange truth for now. That night, I dreamt of a fight between my old teacher Guoylu, lifting the siege on his village in a single, gallant charge. But I was Guoylu. Yet when I woke, I was just Meya Liu, and the villagers were gone. I am a stranger to them, but my heart feels heavier for their loss. I must carry on alone.
• Marcilene:... She must have been through a lot back home.
• (Meya): The villagers had made taming beasts sound simple, but my first attempt was nearly my last. My prey was a raptor just like the raider's steed, but this one was strong. Even as my toxin-laced arrows knocked him out, he was able to make one final lunge for my arm. He nearly took it. Carefully, I fed him scraps of meat as he rested, and when he finally woke, I kept my weapon trained on him. Only when I was sure that he was docile did I notice his appearance, all blackish-green, save his glittering shins and feet. Right then, I named him Suave, and while I do not believe in fate, I felt that this beast would carry me home.
• Serpentos: Aww, she made a friend.
• Cloakblade: A rather strong one at that, too. Also rather sour at first given the near loss of an arm.
• (Meya): The raptors are improving. They know to follow Suave, and Suave knows to listen to me. These raptors were actually Suave's pack, and the alpha, which I have nicknamed Injured-Hand, had to take another beating when Suave being tamed by someone with my skill threatened his leadership. But they're still inexperienced. Beasts without riders cannot maintain a formation, but they at least run close together. In time, they have even learned how to attack and retreat at my signal during our hunts on the plains. Together, Suave and his five pack members, including Injured-Hand, are like a light cavalry unit, and I am their commander. Unfortunately, they are all I really have. I am not much of a craftsman, and have few possessions. Not everyone here is like me, though. There may be some who can craft but cannot fight. Perhaps we could trade.
• Serpentos: And she even tamed his family.
• Cloakblade: How intriguing. She's more experienced in survival than I thought.
• Marcilene: "Though how did those raptors know to find him?"
• Serpentos: "I'm sure if we were paired with an animal expert, they say something like smells and scents and whatnot."
• (Meya): The defense went spectacularly. Like many tribes, The Red Claws relied entirely on brute force. They thought only of charging in with their beasts and their guns, with no regard for their surroundings. They never expected a sortie, much less one that came from their exposed flank. Our victory was so complete that my benefactors not only rewarded me with the weapons and supplies they promised, but extra pack animals to carry them. With each battle, my skills improve and my ranks swell, if only with beasts. I don't mind that. The people that I care about are back home. Until I return with the right stories to tell, Suave is enough company.
• Cloakblade:... And she grew in animal companions.
• Seprentos: "Yeah I am starting to see where the animal queen idea came from."
• (Meya): I was told this escort mission would be dangerous, but I had not expected to fight a legitimate army. Fortunately, I was riding ahead of the main column and spotted them first. After signaling for the convoy to change course, I harassed the enemy from their flanks to draw their attention, then retreated in a different direction. Even that cost me. Many of Suave's brothers were injured and some were killed, though ironically, Injured-Hand, the one with a permanent injury, survived with little scratches. Not that he could avoid any scratch. Previously, my enemies here fought wildly or scattered when attacked, but these men had discipline. They would've done much worse. The leader of the convoy was very grateful. Apparently, few survive an encounter with this "Artegerent Legion". I should be wary of them in the future.
• Serpentos: Even an ARMY is no match for her! Amazing.
• (Meya): Am I a mercenary now? I had not given it much thought until I was actually called one. I don't like the title. Mercenaries fight for riches, but I'm just fighting for what I need to survive. That's different, isn't it? When I fought back home, I knew who and what I was fighting for. I knew who my enemies were. Here I cannot tell. I am trying to be honorable by defending people and not attacking them, but how can I be certain? I cannot dwell on it. To survive, I must fight on. To complete my crusade, I must fight on.
• Serpentos:... Hmm. Crusade? I suppose she was on the island for a greater purpose.
• Marcilene: Most likely.
• (Meya): I've started to tame larger creatures. The speed of my light cavalry was beneficial, but I realized that it was not enough. A hundred swift strikes mean nothing if there is no strength behind them. To survive enemies like the Artegerent Legion, I must be able to strike with power. I began with the ones that look like larger raptors, but with horns on their foreheads, or 'Taurotyrannus' as they're called. I was never one for dinosaur biology. But these tauros, they balance strength and speed well, and will serve well as the core of my forces. When I have enough tauros, I will add some of the giants. Maybe then I'll finally have the strength to find my place on this inhospitable planet.
• Marcilene:... And she's growing further with the predators.
• Serpentos: Hooray for her.
• (Meya): When I tried to leave the island I was stranded on, I realized I am living on no ordinary island. It was a cursed island. I managed to tame a great spytorannus and a dominoraptor, I left to find a way off of this treacherous island to continue my outside journey, but I soon found myself traveling in circles. Worse still, I'm told that a magical barrier prevents ships from sailing too far from the shore, and birds from flying too high to leave the island. It seems that this barrier allows things in, but never out. It was never a matter of strength. There is no path home at all. Suave seems to sense my unease. These days, I often wake to find him nestled beside me. At least I am not trapped here alone.
• Serpentos:... Aw.
• Marcilene: Well someone's become a sweetheart all of a sudden.
• Serpentos: Just keep translating.
• (Meya): I laughed for the first time in weeks today. A man from a small tribe of fishermen sought to hire me, but he didn't call me by my name. He called me, the "Animal Queen". I could not keep a straight face. But I suppose I understand the title. Since my compromised expedition and failure to get off the island, I have staked out a small swath of land to live on more permanently, and the locals know it as my pack's hunting ground. Still, I'm hardly a queen. My "castle" is little more than a shack. But at the same time..... I'd rather be called a queen than a mercenary though, so I may as well embrace it.
• Cloakblade:... At least she has a sense of humor.
• (Meya): I wonder what my adopted father would think of me now. Would he be proud of me when I march off into a dangerous battle like this? This wasn't like the battles back home. A hero's battle. This was a bigger battle than he had seen his entire life, and he was concerned when I left. I know my original father, who died to Boss Iilong when I was just 2, wanted a son. That's why he sought to train me in secret before that awful tragedy. Luckily his friend, the great Master Guoylu, fulfilled that wish in his absence. Would either father accept an Animal Queen instead? Mother certainly wouldn't approve if she was alive either. The other villagers were too desperate to care about my gender when I joined the fight against Iilong's syndicate, but mother wanted different things from me. That's one of the things I remembered at such an early age. I bet she wouldn't even look at me now. Should I mind? Those were Meya Liu's parents, from Meya Liu's life. MY life. And sometimes I wonder if that life was even real. Maybe I was always a beast, and never a woman. Still, I had another role-model as a father. Even the great Master Guoylu feared for my safety when I left. He'd certainly be surprised I have a family of unsentient animals. After all, I had a pet who died in my final battle against Iilong. Five small multisaurs whom I adopted when I was living briefly as a street vrat in a time I thought Guoylu was dead. They died for me, and I'll always be grateful for their sacrifice. Now their legacy lives on in Suave and my army of animals. I am the Animal Queen, and I shall live up to that title.
• Cloakblade:... And great spirit to boot.
• (Meya): I have finally found a beast that I cannot command. No, to call him a beast is not enough. He is a demon. But I needed a more clever name than just 'Demon' or 'Demon King', or something. People have heard stories about this creature, but didn't have a name for it. It was called a Massosaurus, and it was a species hardly documented as it is extremely rare, and for good reason. They can camouflage themselves with limited color-change, they can mimic other animal sounds, and most importantly, their testosterone and adrenaline levels are through the roof. I met this mighty monster when I was stalking a pair of ceroraptors, waiting for an opportunity to bring them into my pack, when he tore through the treeline to steal their kill. He dwarfed even the tyrannuses in size, and in fury he surely has no equal in this world. When his foes bit at him, his eyes glowed with hatred and he struck with renewed vigor. I have never seen such terror. Even I dare not challenge this creature. Such fury was unnatural... Fury. That what I shall call him. Fury.
• Cloakblade:... Just goes to show that not all creatures can be curbed.
• Serpentos: "Ya know, if Veta was here, she'd be diffidently wanting to publicize this book into an action story."
• Marcilene: "Well that's isn't particularly respectful to someone's private thoughts."
• Serpentos: "Tell that to her when she tried the same with all the HA's private diaries."
• Marcilene: (Sighs) Then we better leave these out of her reach.
• (Meya): A Tiikon named Heili arrived at my camp yesterday, though not to hire me. She said that she was a scholar studying the creatures on this island, and that she wanted to observe my beasts. I turned her away at first, not trusting her intentions. How could I? What mad fool would bother with scholarly pursuits in a place like this? Yet she persisted, and in time I was convinced of her honesty. I don't know if I made the right decision. Heili is constantly asking strange questions. Why does she need to know so much about my beasts' feces and mating behavior? What a bizarre person.
• Marcilene:... She wasn't kidding about being a novice at biology. Analyzing feces is how you study an animal's diet.
• Cloakblade: Indeed, but not all are jovial about an unsanitary act.
• (Meya): When Heili arrived, I was constantly glancing in her direction, wondering just what she was scribbling in that thick book of hers. Now I hardly notice her unless we're speaking. The questions haven't stopped, but thankfully they aren't always about things like animal feces. Sometimes we just talk about something simple, like cooking. Neither of us are very good at it, but together we've managed to make a few things that tasted better than plain meat. Yet before long, my territory will be silent once more. Heili says she has to move on, and war is brewing in the south. Someone will need my sword very soon.
• Cloakblade: Hmm... I suppose this is when she's going to prove her worth.
• (Meya): The war in the south is not an ordinary one. According to the member of the Dyesharks that arrived to hire me, his tribe is fighting the Artegerent Legion. I admit, that gave me pause. They were formidable before, and they've grown even stronger since we last met. Yet I have grown stronger too, and the Sharks were clearly in desperate straights. I could not turn them away. As I readied for war, I recalled a dream I had many months ago. I still don't believe in fate, but maybe this is my nature. On this island, maybe I can actually be like my surrogate father.
• Serpentos:... Alright, this oughtta be good.
• (Meya): My beasts are precisely what the Sharks lacked. Most of their martial strength lies at sea. On land, they lacked a unit with the ferocity of a true vanguard. Without that, they could merely withstand the Legion's siege, not break it. That changed when my beasts crashed into the Legion's rear like a great wave. I can still hear the cheers as the Legion fled. I can feel the echo of the emotion that swelled in my chest. If I could return home, I imagine that is what I would feel like. I won't dare forget it.
• Serpentos:... Huh. She did it. She was REALLY starting to scare this Legion, I bet.
• (Meya): Sometimes I fear that I have grown fangs or horns without noticing. What else can explain the way others look at me? In battle the Sharks cheer me, but afterwards we rarely speak. I camp separately and only am summoned when it's time to discuss strategy. I do not understand. Trust is rare on this island. I know that. But have I not bled in their defense? Have my beasts not died fighting their battles? Perhaps it's just the strain of war. We're in Legion territory now, taking the battle to them. Soon the war will be won. Surely then the Sharks will not fear me.
• Serpentos: Oh, it's about to go on. So, she wins, right?
• Marcilene:... MY! These look like angry words. So, I'm guessing no.
• (Meya): When anger rises, think of the consequences. I know this by heart, yet I cannot help but seethe with fury. Even Suave is keeping his distance. Last night, I awoke to the sound of thunder coming from the Shark's main camp. I rushed to their aid, but blinded by the night and consumed with panic, they attacked my pack. By the time order was restored, we'd both sustained losses. Clearly this was the work of the enemy, but those fools blame me for the confusion. Some even claim I torched their camp. How dare they question my honor after all I've done? Cowards! They have no right!
• Cloakblade:... Shameful. Only a fool would do so.
• Marcilene: Well, it's like she said, war tends to mess with people's minds. It was obviously a ploy for the enemy to turn them against their trump card.
• Serpentos: Yeah, makes sense.
• (Meya): I should have foreseen this. Though I put my pride aside, those audacious Sharks could not. At their behest, I began the long trek back to my own territory this morning. They say that they will finish the war without me. Doubtful. Without my pack at the van, the Artegerent Legion will surely smash them to pieces. But what can I do? I cannot protect them if they do not want my protection. Will the Legion come for me afterwards? I cannot say, but if they do, I know that I will receive no aid. I must rely on my own strength, and right now I fear it insufficient. I need to become stronger.... I need Fury.
• Serpentos:...
• Cloakblade:...
• Marcilene:... Looks like she just decided to take a greater risk than ever before. After how she described this Fury creature before, I don't think she'd ever dare cross paths with it again.... Yet here she is, relying on it's power to fight against this Artegerent Legion.
• Serpentos: Does she succeed?
• Marcilene: Well, let's find out.
• (Meya): He is mine. After a mighty struggle, the power of Fury is now mine to unleash. The cost was almost too great. I brought only my swiftest beasts on the hunt, hoping to run him in circles, but even still he managed to kill many of them. Were it not for Suave, and, perplexingly enough, Injured-Hand, even at the cost of his injured hand, he may have killed me as well, but my Suave is both swift and cunning. He knew exactly what distance to maintain, exactly when to retreat. No steed could prove more true. And an additional bonus was that afterward, Injured-Hand was treated as the beta of my raptors.... Well... Gamma if I count myself. Tomorrow I must begin acclimating Fury to life in my pack, but for tonight, I will allow myself to celebrate.
• Marcilene:... Yep.
• Serpentos: Well, that was amazing.
• Cloakblade: Yet, as usual, blood could not remain unshed.
• (Meya): I was wise to test Fury's hunting skills from atop one of my flying beasts. When he stumbled down a small rock formation, his eyes glowed with that familiar hatred and suddenly he proved deaf to my commands. In time, he calmed down and obeyed me once more, but it was a fearsome thing to witness. I think I will keep him apart from the other beasts. Not only will it keep them safe, but it will calm their nerves. They have been tense since his arrival. I cannot blame them. Fury's power could save or doom us. I must use him with extreme care.
• Serpentos:... And already she's getting herself used to this giant Fury of hers. Impressive.
• (Meya): Am I making a mistake? Maybe. The closer that great pillar of light gets on the horizon, the more my concern grows. It is a gamble, no question. Heili said that she did not know if this pillar of light will behave like the other one. Yet if it does, if we are transported to some other plane to battle a monster for a mysterious key, then there's a chance that this could be the first step on the path home. If not that, then at least a path away from this island and the Artegerent Legion. Technically Heili has hired me, but that small chance is payment enough. It's worth the risk. I hope I am prepared.
• Serpentos:... Hmm.... And she's ALSO started a new adventure.
• Marcilene: And it's one I have an itching feeling may be the most important one of her life. The one she was looking for.
• (Meya): Had I let fear rule me and left Fury behind, then Heili and I would be dead. Only with his strength were we able to defeat the gigantic ape. His rage cost some of my pack their lives in the aftermath, but that was the price of victory. The price of hope. And again, spontaneously, Injured-Hand lived. But his other hand was gone. The key we were rewarded with matches the one Heili already had. The means the third pillar must lead to a third key. And when combined? What then? It's uncertain, but if each pillar takes us somewhere, then maybe their combined power can take us anywhere. Maybe it can take us off this prison of an island.
• Serpentos:... Looks like she's going to go back on this journey of her's after all.
• Marcilene:... Oh dear.... Looks like things got downhill fast. Listen to this.
• (Meya): Damn those Artegerent Legion cowards! At full strength, I could have fended them off, but they attacked just as we returned to the pillar of light. What beasts I had were exhausted, and Fury flew into a rage before I could start a retreat. When that happened, all hope was lost. All my beasts were killed. Every single one. Fury fell off a cliff to his death as his rage got the better of him. Even Injured-Hand. With both his hands gone, he couldn't maintain balance and was eaten alive by one of the Artegerent's giants.... Well, all were gone... Except one. The last thing I remember is a sharp pain in my side. When I awoke, I was alone with Suave. Both of us were covered in blood, but Suave's wounds were deeper. I cannot fathom how he carried me to safety in such a state. I must find a place to hide. Suave and I are alone now, and barely clinging to hope.
• Serpentos:... Oh dear.
• Cloakblade: How unfortunate she lost all the family she had so easily.
• Marcilene:... Oh... These are the words of sadness. Well, that, and the tear stains on this scroll. Seems like... She lost the last, and first, tame she ever had. Seems the wounds her favorite raptor had... Proved too fatal.
• (Meya): My dearest friend is gone. To his last he was magnificent. The creatures that attacked us were larger and with his wounds they were even faster, but no beast could ever match Suave in spirit. I buried him where he fell, saving me one last time. I was unworthy of such a loyal friend, but I will avenge him. His true murderers will pay. Not the beasts, but the Artegerent Legion. They are responsible. I swear by the souls of my ancestors that I will find their leader and drive my blade into his heart! In Suave's name I will take his head!
• Serpentos:... Spirit, all the way.
• Cloakblade: Proud for her spirit.
• (Meya): As I thought, the Legion was at the last pillar of light. I sighted them as they departed, and have been following them since. They are too many for me to fight head on. If they spot me, I will be killed, but I know how to hide from sight and mask my scent from their beasts. It did not take long to discern which one was the leader. No one else walks with his pride or gestures with his authority. I could probably have hit him with an arrow by now, but I want him to see my face. I want him to know that the Animal Queen vanquished him.
• Cloakblade:... Well, looks like she's getting close.
• (Meya): I soon regretted freeing Heili from her cage before following the Legion through the portal they opened. She was too focused on the wonders around us. When she saw that most of the Legion was dead, she even tried to dissuade me from killing their leader. After I explicitly told her I wanted him to pay righteously for killing the closest I had to a family since Guoylu, I knocked her unconscious when she ignored my arguments. I wish her no harm but I cannot let her interfere. At least she told me his name: Nervay. That is the man I will kill here, on this most fitting stage. I admit, it is beautiful. The stars shine so clearly. I can think of no better place for my vengeance. Here, at the edge of heaven, let our battle finally be decided.
• Marcilene:... Oh dear. This is the last scroll.
• Serpentos: So, did she win or what?
• Marcilene:... Let's find out. (Deep breath)...
• (Meya): I suspect Nervay knew that he would not fare well in battle. After taking a couple blows from my sword, he dashed off into the darkness. However, I know he was deeply wounded. His blood cannot lie. I suspect this command center was created by something with technology far beyond most normal comprehension. In the distance I can see a perfect spatial view of the planet, and I had not known that most of it was the wasteland I saw before I was scared onto the island that was now below me. I am now sure that I could find another area to continue my journey now that I was free. But disturbing of all, I saw what looked like giant reptilian beings off on the ground. I couldn't see what they looked like from such a high altitude, but I would rather not go anywhere near until I know what they were. But first things first, I had a family to avenge. Though that scoundrel Nervay must have escaped before he could meet his death. Little does he know, I won't give up that easily, I will find him in whatever realm he travels to. There is a terminal that sits upon a platform near the end of the command center. Surely, through some combination of codes, that must unlock travel to other lands on this planet. But it does not. It only adds another foe to be slain by the Animal Queen. After Nervay is killed for his crimes... I must continue on my journey. Though in the event I should not survive... This will be my last scroll before I truly leave the island.
• Serpentos:... Oh, great. A cliffhanger.
• Cloakblade: I'm sure she's still alive. Her fame seemed to have reached the ears of many animals on this planet. In fact, if you were to say the name, many animals seem to have a response. Watch. (Clears throat)... MEYA LIU!!! (The words echoed as many animals had mixed reactions and mostly retreated)... So, she's likely still alive.
• Serpentos: But where is she?
• Cloakblade: That, is a good question.
• Marcilene: "Then let us seek the answer of that riddle out."

Who Is Nervay?

Island

• Miria:... What have you found, Tollund?
• Tollund: Oh, just some... Scrolls about some conqueror or something. Not that I can understand these markings.
• Miria: I can. Give them to me.
• Tollund:... Okay, knock yourself out.
• Miria: (She grabbed the scrolls)... They're from a conqueror named Nervay Gai Artegerent.
• Tollund: WHOA, YOU, YOU ACTUALLY CAN UNDERSTAND THEM?!?
• Miria: I do not lie.
• Tollund: I, I, I never said you were.
• Miria: You were THINKING it.
• Tollund:... Umm... Okay, I'm gonna back off until you're cooler than this. (He did that)... Is there anything, interesting on them at least?
• Miria: I INTEND to read them. 'Conqueror' is immediate instinct for me to read them to see if this person is still alive. In a UUniverses where anything can happen, it's the law of being the best hero. (She clears her throat)
• (Nervay): It is the chaos of this island that has always been truly disturbing to me, even more than its most titanic and vicious beasts. Animals are meant to be savage. Even when tamed, they are not truly civilized, but sentients? That is supposed to be above the animal, yet the people here live in squalor and fight viciously over scraps like stray rogs. My family living here for eons, is an insult to me. So I have convinced some of them to band together under my leadership, and together, we have found safety and order. Unfortunately, they are untrained and lack cohesion. I'll have to fix that. Nervay Gai Artegerent, Victory Through Discipline.
• Miria:... Hmm... All these scroll readings end the same way... I'll be sure not to conclude them in later reads.
• Tollund: Good call, cause it might get annoying alittle later down the line otherwise.
• (Nervay): I am reminded of my first command when I was adolescent. Many men questioned my rank and worth, wondering why they had to follow a Centurion so young. It took time to earn their trust, but it was necessary. I could not have even a single soldier questioning me in battle, lest our discipline fail. Without discipline, our century's formation would crumble, and the Legion would be exposed. It is the same here. These ragged men and women will not become a unit overnight, but I am patient and more experienced than I was long ago. I may be far from my place, but I know this for certain, this island will know its might once I have the power to leave this prison island.
• Tollund:... So, he was a prisoner.
• Miria: Seems so. But for what, I do not know yet.
• (Nervay): Training grew easier once my charges began to see the results. In fact, they've found such a wellspring of enthusiasm that their drills and chores alone cannot contain it. This morning, I found a flag flying above the armory. It was the symbol of the Artegerent Legion, but with one of the island's pterosaurs replacing the giant bird that used to be there. I admit, I smiled at the sight. With me in charge after my father's unfortunate passing, I needed to change our reputation, starting with our emblem. Very well then. It's time to find out if I've created true Legionnaires. We march at dawn.
• Tollund:... I got a bad feeling about this guy.
• Miria: As do I. But I respect his instinct of leadership.
• Goldbeam: "Hey try to remember this is likely a bad guy's private journal we're reading on, Miria. Cause nothing what he's aiming for sounds heroic."
• (Nervay): I knew I'd chosen a soft target to test my men, but I had expected a little more resistance. The tribe we assaulted was young, but supposedly they had seen some success as raiders. I cannot see how, given how swiftly they fell into disarray. Some even attempted to flee but they did not get far. After scouring their fortifications for supplies, we razed them to the ground and planted our flag among the ashes. Let every savage and tribal pretender know: the Artegerent Legion has changed. No longer will we be confined to this island.
• Miria:... Hmm... Though their methods, are still barbaric. I don't understand. The only way they could've been stagnant from such a primitive setting is if they were there since...... The Scyrian Ages....
• Tollund: "Then that's a LOOOOONG ass time to be stuck at Teadr 7."
• Miria:.... (She kept reading)
• (Nervay): I am finally satisfied with our defenses against flying creatures. The solution was obvious once I stopped thinking of them as special. With any foe, the goal is to control their actions. So instead of trying to block flyers completely, we created apparent holes in our aerial defenses that entice attackers into kill zones. Our architect was grateful for the solution. He had been dreading trying to build a roof over the whole fortress. We have grown too large for that to be practical, and soon we will be larger still. Our first true war begins soon, and I suspect many Blackhands shall defect before its end.
• Miria:... I still respect him for his strategy. That is the mark of a true leader. Take notes, gentlemen. THIS is how a REAL leader gets the tough jobs done.
• Goldbeam: It would be if this guy wasn't in such a crappy primitive lifestyle. And again, this is clearly the journal of what obviously sounds like a bad guy-
• Miria: LOOK PAST THAT, ONCE IN A WHILE, WHY DON'T YOU?!
• (Nervay): It did not take long for me to grow accustomed to new weapons. I have finally been able to acclimate to the guns that were far more accurate and deadly than any bow, and from our insufficient crossbows. But like any weapon, they are only as effective as their wielder. In the hands of the Blackhands, they are of no concern. In battle, we have been able to bait the Blackhands into attacking a wave of durable but disposable beasts before descending upon them with our main force. Our attacks are concentrated while theirs are scattered. That makes all the difference.
• Miria:... Like I said, strategy.
• Goldbeam: (Sighs) At least remember alittle bit that this Nervay guy sounds like he's a class-A villain? (Miria smacked him) OW! WHY SO SERIOUS ALL THE TIME?!?
• Miria: Go to hell, that's why!
• (Nervay): The Blackhands are destroyed. Their leader was defiant, but his tribesmen did not wish to fight the inevitable. They offered us his head last evening. I suspect surrenders will be more frequent now. The Blackhands were the first, but they shall not be the last. Yes, it's finally happening. This is our endeavors come true. The Scyrians had imprisoned us here after we tried to bring justice to them for what they have done to our planet. Their wars ravaged our homes, and eons of living on a primitive island prison is our punishment for their lack of courtesy and not so much as offering war bonds.
• Tollund: "I take it he doesn't realize that something may've happened to the Scys for why they're stuck on an island for all their lives?"
• Goldbeam: "So I take it it means he's not a COMPLETE genius."
• Miria: "To be fair, isolation can mar even the most intelligent of beings' judgment if they are not up to date on events."
• (Nervay) But before I leave, I must save these people from their own savagery. Now I shall create my own empire in the name of the first Artegerent.
• Miria:... I believe I found my answer.
• Tollund: I know you're annoyed by this, but, his reasonings or not, he's kinda still a total bad guy here.
• Miria:...... (Sighs) But I feel in my bones that he himself is one of very savages he swore to correct. The dark irony of being the very thing, he wanted gone from this island. Violence is NOT strength. He does not see that, and that has often lead to destruction. After these scrolls are over, he will meet a cathartic end.
• Goldbeam: That's assuming he's even still alive, cause, I've seen NO signs of this "Artegerent Legion" being a thing or the kind of dark paradise this psyco tried to create! So this guy either failed before he started or something happened that caused that dream to not happen, cause this place is still as wild as ever. Also, did not knew you were so poetic.
• Miria: Shut it!
• Goldbeam: WHAT, IT WAS JUST A COMPLIMENT!
• Miria: It's not because of that, I was asking for silence because I'm reading.
• Goldbeam: Oh... Well, you could've just asked.
• (Nervay): I have allowed the Legion to take a reprieve from war, at least for now. We need time to gather our strength and plan our road to conquest before we march again. My ancestors did not unite the Legion long ago by rushing into battle, after all. Such things take time, and more importantly, information. As I write, my scouts are mapping out the surrounding lands and observing any tribes that may oppose us. I have no doubt they are not all like the Blackhands. One could very well prove to be my greatest obstacle, and I would be a fool to not expect ANY obstacle to my plans. So when I find him, I will be prepared, no matter what.
• Miria:... Preparing for a true obstacle to boot. This man has more discipline than he knows what to do with.
• Goldbeam/Tolund: "Remember, he's CLEARLY a bad-"
• Miria: "OKAY, I GET IT, HE'S LIKELY EVIL?! Can't a girl admire strategy without being reminded of it being tainted by a dark mind?!"
• (Nervay): While a prudent general must take his time to plan, I realize that comfort breeds complacence. So as my scouts range across the beaches and jungles, I have made sure to lead our main force out on regular raids. Our targets have been weak, mostly small villages or unsuspecting convoys, but they resist enough to keep my men's instincts sharp. Letting them keep the meager spoils of these exercises has helped morale as well. Our actions have not gone unnoticed, however. My scouts say many tribes are avoiding our territory altogether now. Good. A fearsome reputation will serve the Legion well.
• Miria: AND controlling comfort to avoid complacence. Takes mental notes, people, this man, as barbaric as he is, is a genius.
• Goldbeam: Okay, seriously, how many times do we have to remind ya that this guy is CLEARLY evil-
• Miria: NOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!! (They screamed and stood silent)
• (Nervay): Who could have imagined that a simple convoy would give the Artegerent Legion its first taste of adversity? Before today, the idea would seem absurd. They must have seen our approach, because just as we spotted our prey, we found our left flank beset upon by a pack of beasts. Though the creatures were smaller in size and number, they struck fast, they struck together and they never lingered. By the time we chased them off for good, the convoy was long gone. Impossibly, I spotted but a single rider throughout it all. A Sauran girl, in her 20s by the looks I could make out, who stood atop the biggest beast she had. Who is she? How could she command all these beasts alone? No, I was simply unprepared. I will not be again.
• Tollund:.... What a twist.
• Goldbeam: A girl with an army of beasts? Well glad to know it wasn't gonna be one-sided here.
• Miria: See? Just preparing and foreseeing an obstacle isn't enough. It's more-wise, to expect the unexpected.
• Tollund: Seriously, why do you use EVERY opportunity you have as an excuse to teach us a lesson?
• Miria: Because shut up.
• Goldbeam: "And why use an obvious bad guy as an example? It shouldn't even matter if this psyco was a disciple of Kraan, these are the ramblings of a crazy person-"
• Miria: "JUST, let, me, read!"
• (Nervay): It seems that some of our neighbors have grown weary of our raiding. Today, I received an envoy from the Golden Flames who proposed a lucrative trade agreement between our two tribes, with the caveat that we never encroach on the territory or convoys of the Golden Flames or any of their allies. I normally care less about trade agreements, espeically ones clearly designed to LIMIT and curb my ambitions and is OBVIOUSLY the cowards' attempt to shield their own tails, cause I can tell from the ambassador's impudent son that they HATED the idea of negotiating with me otherwise. But I do know how to seize an opportunity. So instead of accepting right away, I proposed that we ratify the agreement with his tribe's leaders on a neutral site. I have planned long enough. It is time for the Artegerent Legion to resume its march.
• Miria: And right here, seize an opportunity as quick as you can. (Tollund and Goldbeam simply began to stare at disgust at how Miria was blind to how crazy Nervay clearly is) Gentlemen, you do these things, and you'll be TRUE-
• Goldbeam: "(Grabs the scrolls) OKAY, STORY TIME'S OVER?! (He and Tollund began destroying the scrolls)?!"
• Miria: "NO STOP?! THAT'S AN ORDER?!"
• Tollund: "Doing this for your own good, Miria, you're beginning to romanticize a bad guy's life story because of something as petty as his strategies?! Your forgetting that you're basically reading the perspective of a murderous lunatic?! Ya know, like the bastard that killed your parents?!"

Transcript

ARK Extinction Song Coming Home by NerdOut

Intro Song

Intro Theme (NerdOut- Coming Home) Coming soon...

Material

Songs/Music/Videos

Ark - Extinction Theme OST

Intro Theme

Ark Menu Theme

Climax Theme

ARK - Scorched Earth Theme

Scorchar Desert Theme

ARK - Aberration Theme

Lapse Wastes Theme

ARK Genesis Final Boss OST Extened

EP Stonewell AI Fight Theme

ARK - Boss Battle Theme - Rockwell

Stonewell's Freedom Theme

ARK - Boss Battle Theme - King Titan (unused stinger)

Stonewell Final Battle Theme

ARK Extinction Final Cutscene

Scyria Resurrected

ARK Survival Evolved - Soundtrack - Death Theme

Tension Music

ARK - Loading Screen

Travel Theme

ARK - Credit Theme (The Island)

Final Victory Theme

ARK - Battle Theme - Bioluminiscens Region

Lapse Wastes Tension Theme

ARK - Battle Theme - Element Region

Lapse Wastes Enhancelement Pools Theme

ARK Genesis Mission Horde Gauntlet OST Extened

EP Simulation Tension Theme