Dispatches From Xi – The End of Days
by KrazyFace, HSM team writer
Entry: Day 47
The end of days? The final bomb resides in the Continuum, the countdown had found 9 of 10 digits and my Primer gave me a 100% chance it would find its last digit today. Here and now.
Today was my day of reckoning. Today I was tasked with saving this new world of virtuality. Only one thing stood in my way; the Simulacrum of Tiberius. A big ego – I knew – would put up a big fight. It was with this in mind that I sought to track him down and destroy him. Thankfully I had the real Tiberius to help me. Here’s how it went.
The team I’d selected were the top agents of all I’d worked alongside since I came to the Continuum. Naturally – I couldn’t afford to take any chances with this one. Tiberius was going be my hardest fight yet. Guns, hacking, intel and strength were the order of the day, and each member didn’t just excel at these, they were undeniably the best in their chosen fields. With my team gathered we set off to find Tiberius, with the real one in-tow, who seemed more interested in Jess than the fact his world was about to be destroyed! I guess regardless of him being such an Einstein, he was still just a man after all.
Then, we spotted him, just sitting at the end of the gardens – waiting patiently – as if he had all the time in the world. It seemed the Continuum had actually bolstered the Simulacrum’s defenses to try and protect it for some reason. It didn’t matter though, we were here to bring it down, and so we would. There were few words, no quick retorts or come-backs, just a hard fight that I must confess, I rather enjoyed raining down everything I had on him. Every blow that connected I could feel myself getting stronger; each time we weakened his defenses, my team would grow in morale. When we were too close in proximity to honorably use our guns, I took glee in kicking him to the ground, and giving him everything I had. I fought, tooth and nail, with a violence in me I hardly thought possible. Given what was at stake however, I feel it was justified.
When the dust had settled, I think the real Tiberius was just thankful that I had come for his Simulacrum and not he himself, for his silence said everything. But it was necessary, and in doing so I had cleared the Continuum of it’s plight. As I let go of the Simulacrum and it fell lifelessly to the floor, a sudden hue of color began to bleed all throughout the world. The grey shadows were chased away from our faces, the jet-black daubs of bleakness were vanquished by the sweet soothing blue haze that I once embraced and all of the world became alive once more. My team cheered and punched the air with such vigor you could almost hear it tear the sky itself. We had done it. The Continuum was safe at last – or so we thought.
As I headed towards Axiom HQ to join the celebrations, something happened – something strange. Suddenly, the color was again drained from the world. I ran into the HQ and just as I entered, the countdown timer hit the final digit. How could this be!? All the bombs were destroyed!
All, except one – Merylsilvertongue’s.
Jess was frantic, yelling at me to use my scanner to trace it immediately. Of course I did, but all I could find was her arm, there had to be more!
I ran with all of the strength I could muster, faster than I knew I could, every few seconds checking my tracker so I might make use of every millisecond I had left. And there in the park, I could see it, another sliver of Meryl’s dismembered body. As I approached it Jess had already worked out that it was not the piece we needed. How can this be happening!? No time, I had to find that last bomb part. Jess implored me;
“Run agent” She said.
“Like the wind!”
And then suddenly I felt something hit me. There was a low bass frequency that pierced my chest, and I knew what it was, for I had felt this once before. It came upon me like a tidal wave, the brightest flash I’d ever known; my aether had come to claim me once more. And then…
Nothing.
February 1st, 2013 by KrazyFace | 7 comments
KrazyFace has been a gamer for longer than he can remember. In fact its been so long he's pretty sure he started gaming with rocks and sticks in a cave someplace off the coast of Africa, when it was joined on to France. However long its been, he's got enough experience behind him to know a good game when he sees one. He's also a bit of a Home addict, you'll find him in there whenever he's got spare time - or not playing a game.
TwitterShare
| Tweet |
Nonsense! This isn’t the PS3 forums so I don’t have to do the spoiler bit.
When I did the final scene I rushed as quick as I could (they call me Fleetfoot, remember?) and disarmed the boom. Oh sure, there was a small disruption but I was tossed safely back to my Xi apartment. The Continuum was saved.
And for those nonbelievers, go to your Xi2 apartment and walk out the door. Is the Continuum there? Yes it is and everything is well.
First I want to say dispatches from Xi has been wonderful! Great job Krazy. I have looked forward to every installment.
I loved and hated the ending depending on what moment you ask me. I think if Xi had a newspaper the headline that day would have read: “Continuum explodes…everyone OK.”
Hahaha! Yeah, that’d be the headline alright.
Thank you Ted, glad you liked it.
I think the way they ended it was a bit vague on purpose. They are leaving themselves an opening to add more to the story for sure, even though it looked like a bomb went off, I think it was something else entirely, something that will change the continuum into something else for the next phase of the game.
Nice review Krazy, I hope this game continues to add new chapters as they have hinted at, though I feel I was right about my original assessment that they will never capture the essence of what the first Xi held because Home has changed too much for that.
Now I am going to play this game. I expected it would have a lot more impact if I waited for your coverage of it.
Thank you Krazy! I hope this series of articles get there own place over there to the right. —->
Such a good writer.
Cheers Godz!
Same as the end of the first XI was trippy, Xi2 followed in its predecessors footsteps and I personally liked it. Now all I can say is nDreams, I’m looking forward to Xi3.