LANTERN-000

**LANTERN-000** is PROJECT's unknown warrior. He is a master of every known melee weaponry and uses a light post as his distinctive armament to give his opponents a fighting chance and a challenge, as his expertise with melee weaponry are unrivalled. His sarcasm, in particular, is recognised as exceptional.

Notably, he had rebelled against his directives despite his brain chip; which triggered a sequence of events and situations as a result of his dubious actions, to the point where Lundgren had enough and forced him to shut down, and transform his mind to precisely follow orders, without question.

## Biography

### Early Life

Icarius Warden is the last Lantimorian weapons master, unrivalled in both melee weapon skill and biting sarcasm. Icarius and his kind vowed to protect what little remained of their homeland after it was destroyed by its own hubris in unleashing the demons. As magic returns to their secret nation, this dormant threat awakens, and Icarius roams the entire planet, wielding Lantimor's last light and testing all warriors he meets to see if any are strong enough to stand beside him...

However, he was given a second chance when PROJECT discovered his race in 2918 and welcomed them to become warriors in their own right. Little did Icarius know that the megacorporation intended to use him as a cybernetic warrior in the distant future; when that future occurred, he was sedated and partially transformed into a cyborg, without witnessing the pain of his transformation; as Muldoon Lundgren does not want him to learn of his new state and keep the grandmaster's secrecy to avoid learning of PROJECT's genocidal agendas.

### PROJECT-G/NEX War

Throughout the massive corporate war, LANTERN-000 was kept hidden for so long that not even EQUINOX-612 was able to discover his presence or identity, regardless of whether he tried to find him through conventional means or his expertise in decrypting and hacking files on the megacorporation's server. As his mind is carefully controlled by the Brain Regulation Microchip, he still lacks knowledge about PROJECT's true colours or their evil agenda; however, his chip is *heavily secured* to the point where tools cannot be used to remove it and disable the restrictive brainwashing effect that it carries.

#### Rampancy: Impenetrable Protocols

In 3005, the multinational megacorporation PROJECT transforms warfare by mass-deploying robotic peacekeepers capable of maintaining law and order. Led by CEO Muldoon Lundgren, the corporation attempts moves to market its technology to domestic law enforcement. However, the Avila Act, which prohibits the deployment of militarised drones in Lantimor, prevents this. Muldoon, aware that the majority of Lantimorians oppose the use of military systems in their communities, asks Lashley and his research team to devise an alternative. As a result, a potential cyborg police officer is sent into the field if approved. However, Lashley informs Lundgren that only someone those that are unable to defy orders are suitable for the job.

Working as a low-pay cop, Icarius, is chosen after he is critically injured alongside his cybernetics being destroyed in a car bomb explosion arranged by crime boss Alfred Diallo as revenge for Icarius's investigation into his activities. Murk, Lashley's apprentice, is persuaded to sign off on the procedure. When Icarius awakens and realises the extent of his transformation, he attempts to flee, but Lashley stops him and brings him back to the lab. As Lashley reveals to Icarius that the only remnants of his ultranevian body are most of his head (excluding parts of the brain), respiratory organs and his heart, a disgusted Icarius requests euthanasia, stating that he does not want to see his apprentice see his cyborg body.

Lashley reminds Icarius of his apprentice's patience, persuading him to stay alive. During combat training with trainer Quill Holbrook, Icarius demonstrates an inability to compete effectively with the standard PROJECT PL14 drone bots. Lashley alters LANTERN-000's programming to make him more efficient by letting their AI programming take over his actions, making Icarius think they are his. This re-programming rebrands him as the GOLDEN LANTERN and his combat efficiency dramatically, but leaves him less empathetic, due to his sentient nature being bypassed. That night, Icarius goes to his house in the forests of Lantimor to meet his apprentice, and comfort him.

However, Muldoon Lundgren was able to discover his attempts of breaking protocols, prompting Wynona Achilles to sedate him and reconfigure his mind's memory as the executive circle agrees that LANTERN-000 breaking protocols would result in catastrophe and may learn about the megacorporation's current state of dominating, and ruling the planet.

#### The COALESCENCE: Nearly Revealed

Shortly before he is publicly unveiled, the entire corporate database is uploaded to LANTERN-000's system, including the Icarius Warden crime scene, leading to him to have an emotional breakdown, forcing Lashley to suppress his emotions. During the reveal, he identifies and apprehends a G/NEX rebel in the crowd. He goes on to *reduce* crime in the entirety of Lantimor dramatically, simultaneously increasing public support for repealing the Avila Act. Aware that Murk has begun to ask questions, PROJECT simply states to him that: "He is now an officer."

Murk confronts LANTERN-000, telling him about his nightmares, social retreat, and the megacorporation's treatment of him. LANTERN-000 is motivated by the experience to override his programming and gain access to previously sealed files about his attempted murder. He learns from them that his apprentice that he suffered from PTSD as a result of seeing the explosion. He seeks vengeance on Diallo's group. He suffers considerable damage from their armour-piercing weaponry but manages to slaughter Diallo and his men, crushing Diallo's head in rage. He returns to the station to join his apprentice. They approach the two corrupt PPD cops who betrayed him to Diallo, slamming one of them with his light post and tasing the other with his weapon. Learning that the *Head of Law* was also involved, Murphy moves to arrest her but is remotely shut down by Holbrook.

With the help of pro-PROJECT talk show host Ingram McCollum, Lundgren uses the incident to get the Avila Act repealed. Murk goes to the press and fiercely demands to see her husband. Fearful of being exposed, Sellars orders Holbrook to destroy LANTERN-000 while being repaired and tricks Clara into thinking that Murphy died. Lundgren reaches him first and reveals the truth. LANTERN-000 narrowly escapes from the building just as it undergoes a lockdown.

He returns and storms the building, fighting his way through the SCOUT Walker and HUNTER Walker mechas sent to stop him, while Murk and his fellow rebels to hold off the rest of PPD forces. Holbrook subdues him, preparing to finish him off, but is killed by Murk with a gun. He then makes his way to the roof where Lundgren is waiting for a helicopter with his rebels as hostages. His programming initially prevents him from arresting Lundgren. However, he overcomes his programming long enough to shoot him, but Lundgren is perfectly saved by an armoured soldier and he proceeds to pull out a device, that shuts him down for good. The CEO admits that modifying with his mind to suit their agenda has been difficult, despite his Brain Regulation Microchip. Holbrook is alive, slowly transformed into a cyborg.

PPD's parent, PROJECT, shuts down the program. The planet votes the repeal of the Avila Act based on Lashley's testimony, much to McCollum's anger, leading to him being anti-PROJECT and siding with COALESCENCE. His cybernetic body is rebuilt in Lashley's laboratory, knowing the fact that Lundgren killed his apprentice and his rebels; He is unable to interfere as his will is taken away by his new programming, making him act akin to a mindless robot than a sentient being.

#### Going All Out: Awaiting.

At this point, LANTERN-000 is surprised by the fact that PROJECT is slowly losing the war. As a result, he strives to do everything for the megacorporation, knowing that their aim would change the planet into a controlled society in which the megacorporation retains global dominance. Despite his lack of will, he can take advantage of something, which is a duel with FIONA-384. As the megacorporation's Command Line forces approached the front wall of Obrinia, he was given the opportunity to be deployed as a warrior, which relieved him because he despised his past activities as a corporate enforcer. As soon as the Command Line forces are having a hard time against RUBICORE defences, PROJECT warriors were called upon to deploy in the battlefield, including him.

As the operation intensifies, LANTERN happened to cross paths with FIONA-384 in the forest. He was fired up, and she was too. The rebel duelist questions his sudden appearance and why he went unnoticed for so long, to which he responds that his existence in the database was repeatedly covered up by the megacorporation, referring to incidents he caused years ago when he was still an enforcer that exposed him, partially, to the public. They fought bravely after that. Surprisingly, they are both equally skilled, and the combat lasted a very long time, occupying the two so much that they almost forgot what happened in Obrinia's woodlands and the city's walls. However, he wins the fight by pulling out a large broadsword and defeats her with ease.

After that, both of them ended the fight as the latter followed to her group, while LANTERN awaits her again for another duel, this time he wanted her to excel so much more than she normally does in swordsmanship.

#### Technological Lies

It is unknown what he did during the final operation that saw the planet defeat PROJECT right in their door step. LANTERN-000 however, still sees the war as a stalemate and refuses to believe that the G/NEX and their allies are gaining the upper hand, deeming it as propaganda of the media.

### Bleeding Edge: Ultimatum

He fails to answer PROJECT ANNIHILATOR's order to come with him like Gray Wolf and INTERCEPTOR-409. That is mainly due to settling one more thing before accepting that the megacorporation has suffered a defeat. The thing is, he accepted FIONA-384's challenge for a duel to the death.

#### Duel

Following their previous encounter, FIONA-384 would harbour a great resentment toward LANTERN-000. He would also inform his companions, particularly FIONA-384, of his earlier observation that the duelist saw her weapon "as a tool." His, on the other hand, is a light post but a weapon of fair challenges, as he concedes that his talent is too great for any capable warrior to utilise an actual combat weapon. Fiona and Icarius had a serious discussion about whether the war between PROJECT and G/NEX will end, knowing that billions has been slaughtered as a result of the megacorporation. Icarius has revealed he was nothing more than a tool for them, which Fiona takes note of, seeking to end his life in order to put his life away, a life of being a cyborg slave of the megacorporation, following orders without a second thought.

He later had a final duel with FIONA-384 in the *Ascending Mountain of Valenthia*, with no one bearing witness to it. He was killed by Fiona in the same mountains by a swift stab through his torso following an intense confrontation. Prior to his duel and ultimate death, he confided in with LILIAN-395, wondering whether or not his actions were right after seeing that the convictions held by FIONA-384 were once his own.

### Demise

Upon his death, FIONA-384 discovered that LANTERN-000 has only a few cybernetic enhancements. Only his right arm and legs are entirely machine, apart from the robotic armour that encased his otherwise normal body. Muldoon Lundgren criticised his death, claiming that he got what he deserved for causing a series of events as an enforcer back in the day, and then murders Icarius' apprentice with a bullet from INTERCEPTOR-409. This ensures that no one, under any circumstances, will be able to redeem LANTERN-000.

## Abilities

Due to his mastery of various weapons, LANTERN uses his namesake weapon, a modified, futuristic lantern post, as his primary armament, as using actual weapons are preventing him from having a worthy challenge in any duel. His lantern post allows him to fight extremely fair and allow his opponents to form a decent challenge when he is holding abcl.

### Technological Capabilities

* **ABILITY SEEKER**: His advanced HUD determines all enemy warriors through gauging or perfectly analysing their overall combat and tactical skills. When doing so, it quickly determines on who is the worthy opponent.

* **CORPORATE LEAP**: Leaping attacks of LANTERN cause more damage than normal, and is perfect for instigating duels without outside interference from numerous enemies.

* **LANTERN PLASMA**: Empowers his lantern with Plasma, dealing additional damage and apply thermal burns to any struck surface.

* **ANTI-FIONA**: Parries all incoming melee attacks and returns with a counter attack, usually a sweeping strike or a spinning motion. Usually used against FIONA-384 as he finds her precise movements to be very annoying throughout all their battles.

* **CORPORATE GRANDMASTER**: Enhances his capabilities such as speed, strength, durability and reflexes for a chosen duration. When in use, he emits holographic armour projections throughout his entire body.

### Skills

* **Master Combatant**: LANTERN-000 is an extraordinarily skilled combatant, which allowed him to earn the title of Grandmaster at Arms; Proving that he is efficient in any forms of melee weapon that can be easily demonstrated to effortlessly win a fight in close combat. As a result, he uses a lantern post instead of an actual armament in order to give him a challenger against worthy opponents.

* **Master Thief**: He is a skilled thief, capable of duping people with deceptive distraction and sleight-of-hand while stealing their valuables. Though he is skilled at committing the act, he isn't always so skilled at fleeing when his victims realise they've been robbed.

## Trivia

### General

* LANTERN-000's fate wasn't given any form of attention or consideration by PROJECT, even though he managed to become an obedient cyborg through forced use of violence that became valuable to them for a while.
* It is unknown who decided to came up with the codename, but it mostly due to his lantern staff that he uses as a "weapon".
* His apprentice is a Losterian rebel, known as Murk. He was known to defend himself with slingshots that fire lethal projectiles such as sulphuric acid or heated rocks. Unfortunately, he was killed before the G/NEX or any faction can rescue him alive.
* A *Grandmaster at Arms*, he is known to be the true "master" of all melee weapons created by nevanity.
* Fiona has been his mortal enemy due to their equal level of skill. However, he bears no grudge against her, while the latter does. However, he is always eager to fight her.
* His favourite colour is gold. And when he got rebranded as GOLDEN LANTERN, his armour had golden accents that compliment his obsidian exterior.
* Since the ancient days, he holds a rivalry against Fiona, a Valenthian duelist.

### Developmental Notes

* LANTERN-000's entire life as a cyborg resembles that of *RoboCop* and his struggle to contain his humanity after realising the corporation that turned him into a machine simply sees and uses him as a deadly weapon.
* His armour is Obsidian plated.
* The weapon he carries is a high tech staff that can unfold and retract at his choice. It also appears to also have the ability to electrocute its target. In summary, his weapon is a highly customised staff that is collapsible and is loaded with voltage generators, designed to electrocute his targets.
* His apprentice is roughly the same level of skill as him.