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Around [[107,445 BCE]], ten million years after the Forerunners' genocide of the Precursors, [[prehistoric human civilization|humanity's interstellar empire]] came into contact with the Precursor powder which would, over several centuries, bring forth the Flood. The Flood initially ravaged humanity's colonies until receding from the galaxy on its own accord, awaiting for a better moment to exact their final vengeance on the Forerunners. The Flood intentionally allowed some humans to go uninfected, leaving the implication of a possible cure that would misdirect efforts in its next assault, while the truth of the humans' genetic attack on the Flood was lost until it was far too late. Around the same time, a human exploratory group led by [[Yprin Yprikushma]] discovered a small planetoid at the edge of the Milky Way. Hidden within it was a large [[stasis capsule]] containing an ancient being whom they later named the [[Primordial]]. They transported the capsule and its captive to the human capital world of [[Charum Hakkor]] and found a way to communicate with the being, which claimed to be the last Precursor.
Around [[107,445 BCE]], ten million years after the Forerunners' genocide of the Precursors, [[prehistoric human civilization|humanity's interstellar empire]] came into contact with the Precursor powder which would, over several centuries, bring forth the Flood. The Flood initially ravaged humanity's colonies until receding from the galaxy on its own accord, awaiting for a better moment to exact their final vengeance on the Forerunners. The Flood intentionally allowed some humans to go uninfected, leaving the implication of a possible cure that would misdirect efforts in its next assault, while the truth of the humans' genetic attack on the Flood was lost until it was far too late. Around the same time, a human exploratory group led by [[Yprin Yprikushma]] discovered a small planetoid at the edge of the Milky Way. Hidden within it was a large [[stasis capsule]] containing an ancient being whom they later named the [[Primordial]]. They transported the capsule and its captive to the human capital world of [[Charum Hakkor]] and found a way to communicate with the being, which claimed to be the last Precursor.


When human scientists questioned the imprisoned being as to the nature of the Flood, the Primordial's response horrified the humans so deeply that many of them committed suicide.{{Citation needed}} Around ten thousand years later, the [[IsoDidact]] interrogated the Primordial on [[Installation 07]], receiving only vague responses as to the fate of the Precursors and their relationship with the Flood. Enraged, the IsoDidact then executed the being. The Primordial faced its end with calm satisfaction, stating that the Forerunners' defiance and, indeed, its own death through the artificial passing of a billion years within an [[Slipspace bubble|accelerating chronological field]], would only add up to the total "sweetness" of life's struggles while asserting its confidence that all life would still succumb to the Flood in the end.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 362-366''</ref><ref name="sweetness"/> The [[Ur-Didact]] later discovered that the [[Gravemind]] retained the thoughts and memories of the Primordial, demonstrating that they were one and the same.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 167''</ref> However, not even the Gravemind could fully access or comprehend the wisdom the Precursors once had, flawed and fallen as it was.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 322''</ref>
When human scientists questioned the imprisoned being as to the nature of the Flood, the Primordial's response horrified the humans so deeply that many of them committed suicide.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 271''</ref> Around ten thousand years later, the [[IsoDidact]] interrogated the Primordial on [[Installation 07]], receiving only vague responses as to the fate of the Precursors and their relationship with the Flood. Enraged, the IsoDidact then executed the being. The Primordial faced its end with calm satisfaction, stating that the Forerunners' defiance and, indeed, its own death through the artificial passing of a billion years within an [[Slipspace bubble|accelerating chronological field]], would only add up to the total "sweetness" of life's struggles while asserting its confidence that all life would still succumb to the Flood in the end.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 362-366''</ref><ref name="sweetness"/> The [[Ur-Didact]] later discovered that the [[Gravemind]] retained the thoughts and memories of the Primordial, demonstrating that they were one and the same.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 167''</ref> However, not even the Gravemind could fully access or comprehend the wisdom the Precursors once had, flawed and fallen as it was.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 322''</ref>


In the final hours of the Forerunners' war with the Flood the Gravemind sent a group of imprinted humans, including [[Forthencho|Forthencho, Lord of Admirals]], to deliver a message to the [[Librarian]], who was stranded on Erde-Tyrene. Forthencho revealed to her the truth about the Precursors and that the Domain was in fact the mythical [[Organon]], which would be destroyed by the [[Halo Array]]'s immediate firing. By withholding this information until the very end, when the Halos' activation could no longer be stopped, the Precursors ensured that the Forerunners would unwittingly destroy all records of their history and their cultural heritage, or "kill their own soul" as phrased by the Librarian.<ref name="sil320"/> This was the culmination of the Precursors' insidious plan of vengeance against the Forerunners, set in motion ten thousand years earlier with the revelation of the Flood. While the firing of the Halos seemingly quelled the Flood, the Precursors (through the Gravemind) had already accomplished what they intended: to punish the Forerunners for their defiance not only directly via the Flood, but also allowing the Forerunners' own scheming and internecine feuding to gradually tear down the Forerunners' deepest-held precepts and beliefs. By the time of the Halos' firing, in addition to the near-extinction of the Forerunner species, the Forerunners were forced to admit their many failures and give up the Mantle, ensuring that they would not rise again despite their Pyrrhic victory.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 323-324''</ref>
In the final hours of the Forerunners' war with the Flood the Gravemind sent a group of imprinted humans, including [[Forthencho|Forthencho, Lord of Admirals]], to deliver a message to the [[Librarian]], who was stranded on Erde-Tyrene. Forthencho revealed to her the truth about the Precursors and that the Domain was in fact the mythical [[Organon]], which would be destroyed by the [[Halo Array]]'s immediate firing. By withholding this information until the very end, when the Halos' activation could no longer be stopped, the Precursors ensured that the Forerunners would unwittingly destroy all records of their history and their cultural heritage, or "kill their own soul" as phrased by the Librarian.<ref name="sil320"/> This was the culmination of the Precursors' insidious plan of vengeance against the Forerunners, set in motion ten thousand years earlier with the revelation of the Flood. While the firing of the Halos seemingly quelled the Flood, the Precursors (through the Gravemind) had already accomplished what they intended: to punish the Forerunners for their defiance not only directly via the Flood, but also allowing the Forerunners' own scheming and internecine feuding to gradually tear down the Forerunners' deepest-held precepts and beliefs. By the time of the Halos' firing, in addition to the near-extinction of the Forerunner species, the Forerunners were forced to admit their many failures and give up the Mantle, ensuring that they would not rise again despite their Pyrrhic victory.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 323-324''</ref>
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