AN OPEN GRAVE

Chronologically, the origin of the Gravemind is also the origin of the Flood. The most common misinterpretation of the data provided is the notion that there is some overriding separation between the Gravemind and the Flood.

This is as fallacious as it is inaccurate.

Did the Flood give way to the Gravemind or did the Gravemind birth the Flood?

The answer is irrevocably exclaimed: Yes!

They are the same entity and every single move or operation which has been sanctioned by the Gravemind has been in complete coordination with the Flood – every act leading up to the construction of the Gravemind by the Flood was entirely in sync with their collective purpose.

They are one in the same.

But just saying as much isn’t really the proof that our readership deserves, nor does it provide the answers to the litany of riddles in the Gravemind’s wake. So let’s start on a dark, mysterious border world hidden in the backwaters of our galaxy, where it all began…

ORIGIN (97,857 +/- BCE)

All evidence suggests that the Flood, as a parasite collective, has existed in other galaxies before ours. That being said, it only became noticed by our part of the universe approximately 100,409 years prior to the events of the trilogy.

It is also presumed that all galaxies touched by the Flood predating the events of the trilogy (2552 CE) were laid to waste. Its modus operandi was to consume all sentient resources until there were none left and then, as evidence suggests, flee to a neighboring galaxy to begin the process anew.

Putting this into the perspective of the entire universe and what could have been possibly hundreds, thousands or even millions of galaxies in the Flood’s wake of butchery and death, it is no small wonder that the Forerunners’ reasoning regarding this fact led them to the constitution of the Halo Array weapon. They were developing a weapon to stop the Flood, not only for their galaxy but for every galaxy which would have been impacted in the future once it was done with theirs.

And to think that only about 343 years before the Forerunner leadership pulled the trigger and decimated all sentient life within range of the Array, the Forerunners had not even known about the Flood.

The Gravemind’s first encounter with player is the eventual catalyst which unites the humans and Elites – an act which ultimately proves to be the creature’s undoing.

The Forerunner records of its origin are gaunt but clear. A pioneer group made contact with a “border region” planet known as G617g. Upon first arriving, there were several curious features about this strange world. Here was a planet which was capable of supporting sentient life, yet there was none to be found.

In their report, they also remark that any fauna (animal life) is to first be considered indigenous and local, rather than an anomaly upon confirmation by their survey team. After communication with the ground side team was abruptly terminated for an extended period of time, the exploratory group presiding over this affair submitted an armed military unit to resolve any hostile possibilities.

While the full story has yet to be depicted, it is suggested that the Flood consumed the first survey party and the military detachment which followed, using their space-faring vessels to depart from G617g and begin to find other planetary footholds heavy in sentient life. One can only imagine that the Forerunners involved in this, likely wanting to return home for years upon years, were now finally going to. Unfortunately, they would not be returning home to hug and kiss their loved ones, but rather to devour them.

At some point the Forerunners recognized this was taking place and quickly materialized a military contingency to stop it. During the protracted 300 years of horrifying warfare which followed, they realized that their options were diminishing by the passing of every second. It was true that they had captured and studied the Flood, gathering a great deal of knowledge in the process. But, like candles in the wind, nothing they had learned was of any use and the parasite spread like an unstoppable and raging wave across the face of the galaxy.

It was likely then that the Forerunners gave them they name they bear now: FLOOD.

FERAL STAGE

The Flood is a unique parasite which operates within the framework of an extremely versatile cell, engineering a cyclical process that uses sentient beings as food for survival and propagation.

This cell is referred to as LF.Xx.3273 or the Flood Super Cell and is believed to mimic any organ it would need to when necessary. The membrane and tissue which arises from the Flood Super Cell is light enough to be effectively used as versatile armor but strong enough to build a fortress with, as is later witnessed on High Charity.

The Forerunners likely spent just as much time intensively researching the Flood, as they did fighting them.

In its primal and cursory state, the Flood is said to be in a Feral Stage, which is largely disorganized and chaotic, but stable. The parasite’s lowest element, the Infection Form, is, for all intents and purposes, its most important. It is not sentient, despite evidence suggesting that it may carry memories of its previous hosts. The small spindly creature at first attaches itself to host, whether dead or alive, and then it begins bore into the victim, eventually using the super cell to transform their phenotypic attributes and control their mind.

If their biomass and mental faculties are deemed sufficient, they will become what is known as a Combat Form. This strong and aggressive variant of the parasite, essentially a horrific transformation of the victim, is sent out in groups to locate and slay sentient life for the Infection Forms to acquire, therein furthering the spread of the super cell. Although having limited memories and knowledge of their past selves, the Combat Forms operate together to serve the collective using what is presumed to be pheromones for a very primitive method of communication. When they’ve fulfilled their individual purpose and aged accordingly, Combat Forms eventually become Carrier Forms – a large bulbous creature which incubates and dispatches a clutch of Infection Forms – disbursing them in a controlled but self-destructive process.

This cycle offers the summation of the Feral Stage in its entirety. In this state, the Flood operates in a very stable manner and their existence forms around any adjacent sentient life forms – spreading from one group to another.

But, as deadly as this stage is, it is only a matter of time before the parasite evolves into something even more dangerous…

[Proceed to Part II]