Description[]
The Pathogen, sometimes called the Plague, is a biological disease released as an agent of genocide against the Sudran people. Athetos released the Pathogen to mutate and wipe out the Sudrans after he discovered that they were using the Breach to prevent travel to other worlds and universes, thereby preventing any technological advancements being spread to other universes, and specifically to Earth.[1]
Trace is heavily affected by the Pathogen late in the game, causing him to hallucinate through most of his initial travels through Ukkin-Na, culminating in a battle where he believes himself to be a boss. Although it is difficult to say when or how Trace is initially infected, the game does show a brief hallucination much earlier, when the effects may still be mild. In Zi, while players are making the climb to Kur for the first time, they might notice another Trace in the upper-left corner of the screen.
On Kiengir (Speculation)[]
An earlier version of the pathogen seems to spread on Kiengir during the events of Axiom Verge 2. This starts to occur after Indra acquires Damu and enters the Breach, and subsequently interacts with the humans in a certain way.[2] After a couple of hours, the affected human mutates into a Proto-Xedur. Though it isn't known how the Sudrans died to the pathogen or what the sickness entailed, the Breach's toxic effects are very well recognized in the first game.