(Original chapter belongs to (A Salty Archer) from "Sancta Daemonium" in the Fanfiction website.)

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'It was a rather quiet moment.'

Bornstellar Makes Eternal Everlasting, or as he was now known, the IsoDidact, breathed slowly as he contemplated the actions he was about to commit. Next to him, floated his friend, Chakas, along with the six other monitors commissioned to become the remaining Halos caretakers.

The Lifeworkers onboard their vessel had already certified they were all fit and ready for duty, prepared with the seven activation indexes for their respective Halo.

Under his helmet, he gave a tiny smile towards his old companion as he turned towards him. "I send you on your way friend," He told him. "Your new home will be Installation 04. I will also give you a new designation. Henceforth, you will be no longer be just a guide and assistant. You will be guardian and protector of an entire installation. You will be called 343 Guilty Spark."

Chakas floated in front of him, the human turned monitor receiving his programming for his new mission.

The IsoDidact continued towards the remaining monitors, giving each of them their designations. Their new names an omen and an epitaph for his people.

'Still, if possible, I wish there was another possible method I could have taken.' He thought grimly as the newly christened 343 Guilty Spark floated towards him.

"This is it," The monitor spoke, his artificial voice solemn. "The end?"

"You've traveled a long ways with me, old friend," He told him. "We were both young and foolish when we met. So much has happened to the both of us. We are not at all what we were, are we?" He fought back a wistful chuckle as he thought about the path he had taken to get to this point.

'You are what you dare.'

His rebellious beginnings as Bornstellar. Being sent to Edom for discipline, only to sneak off on a transport to Erde-Tyrene to look for the 'mythical' Precursor relics. Finding the Didact's Cryptum alongside Chakas and Riser, only to fall under the influence of a synchron. The Didact taking him and his at the time guides, and conducting a brevet mutation, implanting his consciousness and almost completely wiping away the remnant personality of Bornstellar.

His fight against the ever-growing Flood threat and destroying the Precursor that was the cause of it all. The subsequent rise as the new Didact.

The Greater Ark.

The Ur-Didacts insanity and immoral actions against humanity on the Omega Halo's in an attempt to combat the Flood. Which then led to his eventual imprisonment for his crimes.

Now here they were. Far more mature. Far more experienced than they were. Then they should have been.

Not like they had a choice.

The war with the Flood would force anyone to change in order to survive after all.

"I will think on all those good days," Chakas agreed. "I hope to find comfort in the memory."

The IsoDidact felt amusement bubble in his chest at those words. A machine seeking comfort? The thought almost caused him to chuckle at the sheer absurdity of it. Then again, here he was, speaking to it as if it was another person.

Truth was, this monitor was much more than a machine, even if it didn't fully comprehend that.

"Now, old friend, we have the most important job in history, perhaps in all time." The IsoDidact murmured. "You may very well outlast all of us here. You may see the new galaxy emerge." He looked away, looking out of the Ark's citadel tower towards the cooling forge and the sites beyond.

"Tell me, Chakas, if this was your choice, after all we had seen and survived... would you fire the rings?"

It was a rhetorical question, one that didn't receive a response. It was mostly the final words he would ever speak to him, a gesture of farewell, for much of his memory would likely be wiped upon his arrival to his new station in order to battle the possibility of the logic plague reemerging.

He doubted Chakas would even remember this conversation at all...

Either way, the remaining six Halos had finished receiving their final preparations. A handful of Lifeworkers assembling in the ship's command center, along with the seven monitors. Likely the only ones remaining in all existence at this point. The rest no doubt having perished on the Ark.

Except for his original and his wife of course...

'I could only hope that...' He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, banishing the needless thoughts in his mind. He needed all his focus for the current task at hand.

No time for distractions.

A monitor, one that went by the name Offensive Bias, suddenly appeared before him. He was surprised, having thought it had perished with the rest at the lesser Ark. The Lifeworkers had likely summoned it in the wake of the greater Ark's destruction.

Now wasn't a time for reassurances though, its survival was more essential than that after all.

"Portal opening," It announced, before speaking once more, hesitance in its voice. "Didact... I have received a coded signal from Mendicant Bias. It offers no quarter, expresses full confidence in its successful destruction of this Ark, and asks that I transfer to join it. Allowing me to survive and partner with it."

Under his helm, the IsoDidact raised a brow. "Why tell me?"

"Just in case you were still doubtful about my freedom from the logic plague. I am still here, still with you, Didact. I await your instructions."

Truly complex beings, these beings were. Far beyond his comprehension.

"Thank you. I have no doubts. Disperse the Halos." He ordered, voice firm and unwavering.

They all stared at the formless darkness above them as the great violet circle of the portal formed in front of their eyes. The Halos slowly moving as a steady rank towards it.

Then they vanished, one by one, their departure leaving phenomenal displays of residual radiation as they did so. As they were placed throughout the galaxy.

That would soon be much, much emptier in a few moments.

___________ Halo x DxD ______________

The time had come. The installations had been set, prepared to fire throughout their strategic positions in the entire galaxy.

Offensive Bias worked, the citadel of the Ark now a command entity that shared all resources with it. Once the order was given, there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. That was communicated with remarkable clarity for those who were left.

There wasn't much to interfere in that regard. Not anymore.

The IsoDidact watched Offensive Bias work, stamping out the emotions that were going through him as they continued to receive more messages over their communications.

Broken, fragmented, desperate messages. From individual ships, the survivors of decimated fleets, outposts who had finally found a way to send messages, now that slipspace resumed its mysterious deliverance.

Cries for mercy. For ship repairs so they can escape. To communicate with their loved ones one last time before the cleansing would commence.

Unfortunately, he would not waver in his task. They didn't have that sort of time to spa-.

"It's fitting that this is how it all would end for your people." A soothing, powerful voice spoke from behind him.

The IsoDidact stiffened at it, not wishing to turn around to regard the owner of it.

It was the last person he had ever wanted to see again.

"Fear not, child of the usurpers." The voice spoke. "I do not wish to have dissension with you. After all," He could almost feel them gesture around them. "We both realize we don't have that type of time on our hands."

"Then why are you here? I believed we had nothing more to discuss after the Primordial's destruction." After he had killed it in anger when he found out the truth of humanity and their place in the galaxy. Along with the Forerunners exploits as a result of hubris.

"To make sure you do what you must. As your penance for your people's unforgivable actions against humanity. Ironic, isn't it? To be forced to create great weapons that will ultimately result in your own demise." They hummed thoughtfully. "...Almost as if it was a monument to all of your sins."

The IsoDidact turned to face the being, feeling more than a little weary. "Penance? Is that what you believe this still is? Exterminating the very threat that has consumed the entire galaxy is far more important," He glared at the being in front of him. "Yahweh..."

The humanoid cosmic being stared at him with Forthecho's face, humanities former Lord of Admirals, its head cocking towards the side. "That much is true child. The real reason of my presence is to manage the inevitable fallout of your rings firing."

"What do you mean? What else is there to manage? We've already analyzed and allocated the proper procedures and measures in the event of such an occurrence. What else can you possibly do? The rings won't affect you." Given its less than biological makeup, and with what the Halos were meant for, its presence here only served to confuse him.

"You are only aware of the more... scientific effects of such a weapon going off. You don't realize the attention it will bring after it accomplishes such a task."

"Attention? From what? Aside from you, there should be no one left."

"If only that were so. Your 'Halos' generate immense power. Power that will most likely be felt by other beings like myself over dimensions."

The IsoDidact only furrowed his brow at that information. "What? There are more like you? How?"

"Not quite like me, no. There is only me. But there are others of great power who can challenge me. As for the how, well, it's not like that matter will be of any importance to you soon anyways. Just know that they are powerful beings. Dragons, as humanity called them."

"So humanity knew of them?" The IsoDidact couldn't help but a tinge of bitterness enter his voice. Another consequence of the Forerunner's meddling with the ownership of the Mantle so long ago.

"Of course. Had they obtained the Mantle as they were predestined to, none of this would have happened."

He fell silent for a moment. "Then tell me this then Yahweh... if humanity was truly set to obtaining the Mantle... and if you are as powerful as you say. Why did you do nothing as my ancestors committed their atrocities?"

"..."

"..."

The IsoDidact almost scoffed at its silence. No answer then? Was it because he was Forerunner? Because he didn't deserve or didn't need to understand the will of a being so omnipotent as HIM?

Finished with the silence as it stretched further, he turned, set on accomplishing his duty.

"Six days..." He paused when it began to speak. "At the height of my power, six days is all it took."

"To do what?"

"To create everything from nothing, down to the very cells in which they would take form. Becoming the bedrock to every single thing in existence. Creating days, and nights. Each of the planets. Water, the skies, and the lands. Separating the Heavens and Hells from my domain. Then came the sentient beings. The Precursors, my very will becoming a foundation for theirs as I gave them the ability to seed the planets with life. The Humans, in my image. Forerunners, to serve as their assistance and adjutants, and other sentient children. Then I had them begin to implant knowledge. Wisdom." It took a slight breath. "It was tiring work, but it was something I was proud of. The cost to my power was too great though. On the seventh day, was when I rested, having exhausted my ability. I had entrusted my will to the Precursors to continue my work as I rested. Nurturing the newly birthed universe we had made. Your people and humanity had been my proudest achievements at the time."

"So why?" The IsoDidact snapped. "Why did you forsake us when we, no, the entire GALAXY needed you the most?" Even after destroying the Primordial, It still didn't raise a single finger in assistance.

"Because the damage had been done. Because in your hubris, the Forerunners had stolen the Mantel from Humanity after they had been judged unworthy."

"They were going to exterminate us!" He barked, turning around furiously.

The face of Yprin Yprikushma stared back at him, face serine. "What you see now is the result of that rebellion. Can you honestly look at me and say it was worth it all?"

The IsoDidact remained silent at that. The creation of the Flood. The crimes done to Humanity and all other species. All done because they wanted to still be relevant.

The emotional part of him wanted to say yes. That regardless of what happened, they still deserved a chance to live instead of being slaughtered like cattle.

The logical part of him, the larger part, couldn't deny the words. All this needless death, pain, and destruction.

And for what?

"Too many sins had occurred during the time I had rested. By the time I had awakened, the damage had been done. The Precursors, hunted down and slaughtered by your people, the creation of the Flood becoming the result. Humanity, once a noble and powerful race, now reduced to clunking rocks together and having barely discovered fire. Their devolution at your hands. It made me realize that perhaps..." He heard It sigh, a slightly strange sound due to Its current appearance as a human female. "...It was time to start over... to create a new cycle with the Geas implanted in humanity. One I would watch over myself this time around, bestowing the ownership of the Mantle of Responsibility when the time is right instead of giving the burden to others. That, the Librarian and I are in agreement with. She understands Humanities worth far more than the rest of your people ever could."

Despite himself, the IsoDidact felt himself smile slightly at the thought of his wife. "...She was always fond of them..."

"Indeed."

He turned back towards the console, silently processing the revelations as Offensive Bias finished the preparations, having ignored the conversation to accomplish its task.

"Final sequences initiated, do we delay?" The monitor asked him.

The IsoDidact took a shaky breath. "No, no more delays." If he waited any longer, he would lose the strength to do what needed to be done.

The monitor went to work immediately. "Check point for final abort, ten seconds. Installation 04, Alpha Halo, it will be called, will initiate discharge, followed by the remaining installations. The rings will fire once their fields intersect."

He could feel a cold ball form in his stomach as it continued, a detatched numbness spreading around his body. The details, and there were so many of them, all handled by Offensive Bias. The remains of the final fleet taken back to the Line in an attempt to delay Mendicant Bias and the Gravemind and their fleet of Flood ships, one that was larger than anyone still alive would witness. The last act of defiance against the odds by the Forerunners Warrior-Servants, all executed flawlessly.

But would it be enough to exempt them of their transgressions?

"Yahweh," He called for the being behind him. "Do you think, that with all we've done, all will be forgiven?"

He could feel Its stare piercing his back as he waited for his answer.

"...Whether you kneel or stand, it does not matter to me. As long as you pray for forgiveness, even if no one else will, remember that as long as you believe in me, all with be forgiven. For you are all my children, and I will always embrace you with open arms."

The IsoDidact steeled his mind, before pressing the activation plate and closing his eyes.

"Forgive us." He said.

Have said.

Will always say.

And the galaxy knew no more. It's silent wails calling out towards supernatural creatures from their domain. Their curiosity piqued with the immense energies that could be felt through the different worlds.

Throughout the Heavens.

Throughout the Underworld.

Throughout the Dimensional Gap.

The being known as 'Yahweh', stoically prepared itself as it felt its domain ripple and open as these new entities forced themselves in. Creating a new age.

For now, the galaxy had embraced...

Genesis.

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Up next is the bio, and expect long chapters like this one.