As everypony that was rescued from the prison started to move farther away from the battlefield that was unfolding, Twilight wanted nothing more than to ask if everyone was okay after everything that she, her friends… and by extension, their newfound friends in the Vault Hunters that have been here for the last few months. Though, deep down, she knew the answer to her own question. They were okay… if that even meant anything right now.

This might’ve been normal for the Vault Hunters where they are from… but the Equestrians weren’t so familiar with this kind of torment. Originally, the only Psycho that they were familiar with was Krieg and he was on their side. However, for Celestia knows how long they were in that place, she and her friends were subjected to hundreds of psychos who did not retain some form of sanity like Krieg did. Even worse, the one who ran the show acted normal, but was just as mad as the others inside.

Even though she tried to put on a brave face, it was clear that the experience affected her. Something that one of the Vault Hunters that were helping get everyone out and back home have taken notice.

“Everything okay, Princess?”

As Twilight turned around, she found herself looking at Lilith and Axton. Mostly everyone else had started to move and a few other vault hunters were still having a bit of fun tearing what was left of Jack’s loaders to pieces.

“Y-yeah, I-i’m… okay, I guess-”

“So you’re not,” the siren deadpanned, something that caught Twilight by surprise as she walked a bit closer, “There’s no need to hide it. You and your friends have been through hell for the last few days and the kind of hell anyone on Pandora goes through on the regular. No one ever really comes out as ‘okay’ after that.”

For a moment, the princess was quiet, looking out into the Badlands that had unfolded into a battlefield. There was only a single question on her mind. “How do you do it?”

As the question was asked, Lilith looked a bit confused, “Do what?”

“After everything we’ve seen, how do you just… shrug it off. Keep going?” Twilight asked, “I know that we’ve had to be rescued from Chrysalis sometime back, but this was MUCH worse by comparison. And before you guys…well… arrived, none of the villains we faced ever-”

“-died?”

“Y-yeah,” the alicorn sighed, “How do you put on a brave face and keep going after something horrible like that?”

“That’s not exactly an easy question to answer,” Lilith said, glancing over at the commando briefly before she let out a small breath, “When I first arrived on Pandora; Mordecai, Brick, Roland and I all had each other's backs because we knew that to survive and find the Vault on Pandora, we had to trust one another. Same could be said for Gaige and them but… well, a lot can change after five years. It’s never easy to do what we do, but we know that we have people counting on us and that if we don’t stop them, then they can be at risk. That was the case when Jack was… well, still alive.”

“No kidding, Jack just made Pandora into a living hell for those who didn’t follow his orders or demands. Not even going over the fact that the train that myself and some of the others were on was rigged from the start.” Axton just let out a heavy sigh. “Twilight, I’m going to be honest with you, if there would’ve been some way to avoid you all going through this trust us we would’ve done our damnedest to do so. However, nothing really tends to go our way, so we just roll with it and do what we can to overcome whatever it is we are facing.”

“Sometimes, the world can be cruel and unfair… but it depends on what you make of it,” the siren added, “Tell me, have there been times in your life where things didn’t go the way you hoped, so you had to improvise a bit?”

The princess nodded, but couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Y-yes, but how does that-?”

“Well, like what Axton said, there are times where you just need to roll with it and not let it affect you,” Lilith replied back, “Of course… that’s been harder to do for me because my biggest regret has been walking with us for the last few weeks.”

“You mean… that one friend of yours, Roland?”

“He was more than a friend. He was someone I really cared about, even though we’ve both seen and been through our fair share of shit. When he died… I didn’t know what to think of it. We had been through hell together, but it took a while to come to terms with it after Jack got the death he deserved,” She replied, sitting next to the Alicorn, “Still had to put on a brave face in the weeks that followed, because even though Jack was dead, we still had a lot of work to do cleaning up the mess he made. But Roland… I think it’s safe to say that he was the best of us.”

“From what I’ve heard he was your de facto leader when you, him, Brick, and Mordecai were still in the vault hunter business. Calm even when the situation was knee deep in the sh*t.” Axton just let out a small chuckle at that. “Hell, Twilight if you were able to meet him before he died you would be able to understand what he meant to all of us. Especially to Lilith here and Tina.”

“Can’t really say that we ‘left’ the Vault Hunting business,” Lilith shrugged, “Once you’re a Vault Hunter, it sort of sticks with you. Still, Roland had a way of staying positive despite how bad things got. Something that kind of became part of us too.”

“Anyway, speaking of a vault hunter, I’m going to check in with Gaige. She hasn’t said anything since that artillery barrage she requested.”

The siren nodded, not saying anything as she let Twilight process what was said. Though, for the commando, he tried to get a hold of her through his ECHO. But, oddly enough, any calls that tried to reach her ended up hearing static.

“Hmm, ok this is starting to get bad. Hey Twilight I’m going to go and check if Gaige is stuck or something.” Axton said as he remembered the coordinates for said barrage and headed in that direction.

“Can’t you just look down the barrel of a sniper or something? We don’t know if that could be a trap,” Lilith pointed out. “We know how Jack likes to manipulate and confuse people, so if there’s a chance he’s still alive and kicking, let’s… take a page from Moxxi and make ourselves hard to get… Ugh, just saying that leaves a sour taste in my mouth.”

“Yeah, but something just doesn’t sit right with me about this.” Axton said as he turned around. “I made sure there were enough explosives that Mr. Torgue would shed a tear of pride. But even then I would prefer to go and see how she’s doing.”

As the two were talking though… the alicorn turned her head and noticed something. Through the dust and the haze, the ruins along the terrain of the Badlands gave off a faint, but vibrant glow. “Um…? Question for both of you… is it normal for a Vault to be… glowing?”

“Not unless it's open, then-” The siren paused, before looking at where Twilight was looking as she got back on her feet. “Ah, sh*t.”

“F*ck me, I hate that I was right.” Axton said as he looked back as well. “Looks like we have an even worse problem to deal with now.”

At that, Twilight got up on her hooves and looked at both the siren and the commando, “If it’s that bad, then I’m coming with you. I know this is something that you are more familiar with than us, but Equestria is my home too. If whatever caused my friends and I to get hurt is over there, then I can’t just sit by and wait for this to be over with.”

Lilith couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, before looking back to Axton, “It wouldn’t hurt to have one more. Besides, if Roland’s there, then there’s a few choice words I would like to say to him.”

Before the siren could say anything else, Twilight’s horn began to glow as lavender magic surged around him, gathering all around the three of them before she finished the incantations for a teleportation spell. One that would put them at the edge of the gate.

In Gaige’s mind right now, things had just gone from bad to awfully worse in a heartbeat.

It was one thing to have Angel unexpectedly throw you a curveball and sacrifice herself to destroy Jack. But now, she lacked the time to put her original arm back in place, Roland could do anything while her back was turned and this… thing just stepped out of the vault with its attention seemingly being fixed on her. Ignoring Roland altogether and just locked its non-existent eyes on her.

“At last… we meet.”

“Uh…” the mechromancer paused, before looking at her, “I’m sorry, have we met?”

“Not in person, no. But you’ve seen my work throughout your stay here,” It cryptically responded, before it motioned its arm towards Roland, “How souls you thought were long gone still walked alongside you. How old foes have returned, remembering what you did to them. How those same souls you thought were friends immediately took advantage of you at the drop of a hat.”

Then, it started to make sense. “You’re the one Angel said. The Consular.”

Much to her own surprise, the eridian figure… laughed, “An ironic name, I admit. If it were true, a Consular would care about life, nurture it… and let it rest once it is done. I am something different. Something far worse.”

Gaige narrowed her eyes, slowly finding a firm grip on her Unkempt Harold as she asked another question, “What are you, then?”

“A binder of wills and a weaver of souls. My kin gave me a title much different as I was sealed in here. The Will-Weaver.”

Almost as if to demonstrate, Gaige felt something hit her free hand and knock her pistol out. When she turned to see where the shot came from, the Mechromancer turned to see Roland with a pistol of his own drawn. His own shock was apparent, for he didn’t make a move and yet, his gun was burning hot in his hands and a bullet shell at his feet.

All while the Eridian stood there. Not even making a move.

“I didn’t want this to happen. I had hoped I gave Axton enough time to set things right before this one arrived.” Roland tried to move the gun away from Gaige, but no matter how he struggled his arm wouldn’t move. “So Gaige, however little this might mean to you, I'm sorry.”

“Now though, violence is not what I seek,” the Eridian’s voice echoed, “I wish to converse. Bring no harm to me and I will not harm you or this soul in exchange. And only with you. Not the others that follow after.”

The mechromancer glanced over at Roland, before looking behind her. Not that far away, Gaige could see that Lilith, Axton and Twilight were coming up the same way she did to make it here. Even though she was relieved to see them, there was a feeling of fear alongside it. A fear that came with not knowing what would happen if she provoked the wrath of an Eridian like this one.

The Warrior was one thing. A creature bent on destruction. But the Will-Weaver, if its claims were to be believed, was a league of its own. But… why did it seem fixated on her specifically? What was it that fascinated them?

“Fine,” she begrudgingly said, picking up her weapon and holstering it, “But try anything and you will regret it.”

The Will-Weaver said nothing, but turned around and walked back towards the entrance of the vault. It expected for the Mechromancer to follow, just as the others arrived and watched this play out.

“Gaige!! You alright?” Axton called out as he arrived.

“I’m fine! Just… don’t follow me.”

“And if we don’t listen to you and follow you?” Axton asked, Roland then moved to stand in front of Gaige to prevent the others from following.

“I’m afraid it would be better if you listened to her.” Roland suggested.

Behind Axton, the siren looked over to Twilight, who’s gaze was transfixed on the Eridian in the back. It was only now occurring to Lilith that this was likely the first time that the alicorn was actually seeing an Eridian in the flesh. Hearing about them was one thing, but witnessing one move and breathing with your own eyes is another.

“While I might be someone for pushing my luck at times, this isn’t one of them,” Lilith grumbled, before looking to the commando as the Eridian and the Mechromancer started to walk away, “Roland, you have a lot of explaining to do. Not just to me, but to Twilight as well. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I’m well aware of that. I just hope that when that’s done you will have a better understanding of my situation.” Roland could only sigh at this.

“Then drop your weapon and start at the beginning,” Twilight said, looking sternly at the soldier as her horn lit up with magic.

“Fine.” Roland then dropped his weapon and looked at the group. “Just so you’re aware, I won’t have full control of myself if you decide to ignore the warning given to you.”

“So basically for these two to get a better picture, there might be times where Roland himself will take a backseat from his body but will be fully aware of what his body is doing.” Axton said.

“Thanks for the clarification.” Roland could only shake his head. “The Consular, or rather Will-Weaver, has a fascination with those who have regrets or grudges for those that have passed on. In which case for me it would've been my regret for dying before I could finish the fight against Handsome Jack.”

“And everyone else he brought back was similar in that regard?” the alicorn asked, “They all… passed on with some kind of regret before dying.”

“Yeah, anyone whom he deemed worthy enough of his attention was brought back.” Roland could grit his teeth in anger. “It was like a new kind of hell having to be ‘buddy buddy’ with your enemies who have no regard for anyone but themselves.”

“But why would he just bring all of our worst headaches back though? Surely, they must’ve had a motive.” the siren asked, eyeing the Eridian once more.

“Yeah it did, and it has to deal with Gaige.” Roland eyed the Eridian as well. “However, that's the one reason he kept closed off to the rest of us. I only just found out about it recently.”

“Why Gaige though? Surely, any one of the other vault hunters would have sufficed,” Lilith questioned, “I mean, all of them played a part in killing Jack and The Warrior.”

“Could it be because she led the rescue attempt?” Twilight now wondered, “I mean, she was the only one unaccounted for when trapped in there… Was her being left behind in Ponyville on purpose?”

“Unlikely, but it’s not the first time that Jack’s attempts to leave a Vault Hunter for dead didn’t exactly work out,” the siren said, before motioning to Axton, “She was on the same train to Pandora as Axton and Jack tried to blow them up on arrival.”

“If I knew what it has planned for her, I would tell you. But for now we can only hope that she will be fine.”

“I am really trying my hardest not to go past you right now after hearing all that Roland.” Axton said as he gripped his gun harder.

“Don’t, Just don’t. I wouldn’t be able to guarantee your safety if you did.”

“Now that sounds like more of the Roland we know,” Lilith sighed, “So, despite everything you don’t know, what else is there that you do know? How long exactly has this been going on?”

“For quite a while it seems. I only came around when you all first landed here, didn’t know what the hell was going on or where I was. Just suddenly woke up and Jack was right in front of me but he wouldn’t let me so much as lay a single finger on the bastard. However after my little stunt with Axton I pulled, hoping it could give you guys an edge, I’ve been kept in the dark about what happens next.”

“So… Jack thought he could use you as a mole?” Lilith chuckled, “Honestly, sounds just like him to not play fair and look how that turned out.”

“Exactly, so now that Jack and his cronies are all gone I’m the only one left for now.” Roland could shrug. “Not like I know what he is going to be bringing next, if there even is a next time.”

“Did this… Will-Weaver seem like a combative type? Like, he brought you and those other people back because he needed an army or something?” Twilight asked.

“Hmm, I think so or at least that's what it felt like to me. I think he got an army together though for a different reason than simply just being combative, he is more like a manipulator.”

The metaphorical gears in Twilight’s brain were slowly turning, trying to think of different possibilities for what this Will-Weaver was trying to do based on the information that the soldier had given her. Yet for each one she tried to deduce, another idea would soon contradict it. As if processing whatever this figure’s motives were was on the same level as trying to apply logic and reason to Pinkie Pie. And it didn’t exactly go well the last time she tried.

This Will-Weaver was a puppeteer, sure. But what exactly was the reason for orchestrating such a show… and why? What’s their endgame?

“A manipulator with a goal, I would think,” Lilith then added, “Then again, the Eridians are not exactly easy to understand. Believe me, we’ve met one in the time that you’ve been gone.”

“Then you might have a decent chance to deal with him or at least I’m betting on it.”

That had the siren chuckle a little, “Funny, because I never really saw you as a gambling man. You seem like someone who would want to test the waters a bit first before-”

Then, something clicked in Twilight’s mind. “A test… is that what this is?”

“Yeah, something along those lines.” Roland smirked. “Nice to see there is someone else with brains in the group other than lilith.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Axton shouted back.

“In this case, you’re going to need a bit more than just simply brawn to deal with this Eridian.” The soldier explained. “You need to think how you can deal with him with the information I can give you. I can’t do more than that, because if you want me to join you I will only be another target for you to shoot at.”

“So, a logic puzzle? Dammit, Tannis is the one who’s good at those and she’s not even here.”

“So, we’re supposed to just trust Gaige to figure this out on her own?” Twilight asked, anxiety setting in as the feathers on her wings started to rustle, “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Unfortunately, that is the case.” Roland then sighs heavily “So right now, it’s simply a matter of how much do you trust Gaige right now and do you believe she can handle herself.”

“Well, I… don’t know her as much as the rest of you. So I think I’m not the best to answer,” the princess admitted.

“I know that she’s saved both Roland’s ass and mine quite a few times,” Lilith shrugged, before she looked back at the only other person who hadn’t given an answer yet, “So, Axton… what do you think?”

“Honestly, she can handle herself quite well. I’m more worried now that she doesn’t have DT with her for backup.” Axton then crossed his arm in front of his chest. “I have full confidence in her so I just hope we don’t have to force ourselves past you Roland.”

“Good to know that we are at least in full agreement that she is capable, also fair enough.”

Through the broken crevice in the side of the badlands, Gaige followed the Eridian further towards where she was being taken. While she had her reservations and would’ve wanted to have someone else come with her, the mechromancer wasn’t exactly in the right position to try and fight. The arm she crafted for Angel was now in pieces, with a bare frame of a foreleg holding her weight and without it, she couldn’t even call on DeathTrap to help her.

“So, you said you wanted to talk?”

There was no response, but the Will-Weaver just kept walking. As if it insisted for her to just follow them further in.

As the Vault Hunter kept walking, the walls started to change. Rough slates of cracked stones started to shift and become smoother. At certain points, stone hands from the walls held up braziers of green fire along the walls.

Then, the Will Weaver stopped as they approached a massive chamber. Immediately, Gaige recognized the pieces of the Vault Key they were searching for floating in the air, but not combined as the arching doorway of the Vault itself stood open in front of her.

“We are here.”

Gaige blinked, before looking back at her, “Okay… look, can you drop the cryptic bullshit? One moment, you’re bringing back our worst enemies from beyond the grave to murder us and now, you’re leading me to what we came here for? Why?”

“As I said before, I wished to converse,” the Will-Weaver insisted, “Tell me something. You and your companions have been searching for this vault for a long time… but do you know what it actually contains?”

The question… threw Gaige off guard. Sure, it was a Vault. But not all vaults were the same. Many believed that they contained riches. But, time and time again, it had been proven that was not always the case. Especially with the Vault of the Warrior.

“To be honest, that never came to mind. But to be honest, part of our ‘job’ as a Vault Hunter is to find out what these vaults have.”

That had the Will-Weaver let out a low breath, before it continued, “As I mentioned once, I am a weaver of souls. So, in turn, this vault doesn’t contain riches. It’s a purgatory of all the souls of the departed, the regretful and the damned. Not just in this world, but in all worlds outside of this one in our galaxy and beyond. Each one I pluck from fate’s loom ends up living again, but bound to me for I brought them back to the living.”

Now, it started to click in Gaige’s mind. “You’re a necromancer?”

“A common misconception. Many believe necromancy is raising the dead, but my power focuses more on the soul of the individual rather than the body. Anyone can steal a body and use it to impersonate someone, but you cannot do the same thing with a soul. Why else did you think that the commander you once followed was the same as when you first met him?”

“Honestly, that still sounds like necromancy,” She replied, “Even if you try putting a fancy name on it, it’s still manipulating the dead.”

“To each their own. But, as you so delicately put it… you wish to get straight to the point, don’t you?”

Even though she didn’t say anything, Gaige knew internally that’s what she wanted. But the Mechromancer had to be cautious. This… still felt like some kind of set up.

“To put it simply, this vault has never truly been closed… and the ramifications of such a thing have affected this world’s history for centuries. Even if the creatures of this world haven't realized the depth of such things. For temptation, jealousy and desires affect both the living and the dead.”

“Then what the hell makes me different? Surely, you’ve tried to talk to others, have you?”

“There used to be one. He called himself Sendak. He taught me much of this world, its inhabitants and its creatures in exchange for knowledge. However, even though he was not twisted by desire, his apprentice was. Going as far as to kill him in his sleep and steal all of his knowledge. That apprentice ended up becoming infamously known as Lord Tirek.”

It’s as this conversation was happening that a theory was beginning to form in the Mechromancer’s mind. No matter what it was, one thing possibly connected everything. Desire. The desires of the living led them to the Eridian, while the unfulfilled desires of the dead led the Will-Weaver to bring them back to life. If that was the case…

“What do you desire then?”

The Will-Weaver paused, thrown off guard by the question. But, it did not take long for an answer.

“For the Vault to be sealed, never opened again… and for my eternal sentence to cease.”

Author's Note

After a few months, here we are coming ever so closer to the end of this story. Stay tuned for what comes next.