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| {{Status|Canon}} | | {{Era|Forerunner}} |
| '''Living Time''' was a [[Forerunner]] philosophical concept relating to the flow of time and "the joy of life's interaction with the Cosmos."<ref name="c267">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 267''</ref>{{Ref/Site|Id=CryptumGlossary|URL=http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/related/text/cryptum-glossary/62e29c59-a3f9-4b63-af76-def71fda5459|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Cryptum Glossary|D=14|M=03|Y=2014|LocalArchive=Halo: Cryptum/Glossary}} It was the founding concept behind the [[Mantle]], and seemingly drew from the [[Precursor]] philosophy of [[neural physics]] which postulated that the entire universe was a living entity enriched by the collective experience of ever-changing life.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 365, 367''</ref> According to the premise of Living Time, struggle, competition and even war were not at odds with the harmony of the cosmos, as they were regarded as a natural part of life. However, excessive and needless cruelty as well as destruction were seen as introducing an imbalance to the harmony of Living Time.{{Ref/Reuse|c267}} | | '''Living Time''' was a [[Forerunner]] philosophical concept relating to the flow of time and "the joy of life's interaction with the Cosmos."<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 267''</ref> It was the founding concept behind the [[Mantle]]. The Forerunners considered themselves to be only a stage in the stewardship of Living Time, with only a temporary place in the Mantle before another civilization that would reclaim their place as stewards of the galaxy.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 31''</ref> |
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| The philosophy of Living Time viewed time as an infinite series of twisting and entangling streams—known as world-lines—intrinsically tied to the notion of fate.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 235'' (''"It arises from the skill and the will of my life-mate, my wife, the Librarian, who sees much farther than I do down the twining streams of Living Time."'')</ref> Metaphysical junctures of Living Time where the world-lines of individual entities connected and were bound together were known as [[synchron]]s.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 57''</ref> While it was common for these points in time to go entirely unnoticed, a particularly potent synchron could be felt by a Forerunner as a momentary and very concrete realization of the linkages of world-lines between themselves and other individuals sharing their fate.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 60'' (''"The synchron was definitely upon me. By the sensations that crept up and down my back and my neck, I sensed that a connective loop of world-lines would bind me for a long time—perhaps forever—to the two humans waiting in the dark, back at the stone circle."'')</ref>
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| The Forerunners considered themselves to be only a stage in the stewardship of Living Time, with only a temporary place in the Mantle before another civilization that would reclaim their place as stewards of the galaxy.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 31''</ref> The Forerunners also believed that individual lives would be summed and judged at the end of Living Time.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 16''</ref> | |
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| In [[2558]], the [[Librarian]] tells [[Rion Forge]] that Living Time was sent into an imbalance by the Forerunners wiping out their creators with the [[Flood]] continuing this imbalance, putting it at a risk of collapse. With the Flood spreading, humanity had to survive in order to assume the [[Mantle of Responsibility]], care for the galaxy, adhere to its laws and in doing so help tend the flow of Living Time. According to the Librarian, long down the world-line there will be another Librarian, Primordial, Didact, Chakas and Rion as Living Time needs its champions and villains to keep the balance.<ref>'''[[Halo: Point of Light]]'''</ref>
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| After the [[Xalanyn]]'s imprisonment, the Forerunners discovered that the species had peculiar attunement to elements of Living Time itself, though to what extent remains unknown.{{Ref/Book|Id=enc22p486|Enc22|Page=486}}
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| ==List of appearances== | | ==List of appearances== |
| *''[[Halo: Cryptum]]'' {{1st}} | | *''[[Halo: Cryptum]]'' {{1st}} |
| *''[[Halo: Primordium]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Silentium]]''
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| *''[[Rebirth]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Point of Light]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: Epitaph]]''
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| ==Sources== | | ==Sources== |
| {{Ref/Sources}}
| | <references/> |
| | | [[Category:The Forerunner]] |
| [[Category:Forerunner culture]] | |
| [[Category:Ideology]] | | [[Category:Ideology]] |
