Shattered Gate


A/N: Five thousand views… How and why? Anyway, sorry for the late post. Things did not, as you all can see, go as planned. I just went through a really bad move. This chapter was done only two days late (6/25), but I only just got internet back, what, thirty minutes ago? Things have gotten a bit busy for the time being, but I intend to meet my goal of September 15th. I've already written most of the next submission, but despite my intentions, if I don't have time, I don't have time…


"I introduce to you, Gravian," said Morik, motioning to the Defender Archon next to him.

Ramiks and Viksis were used to working with her, but Soren and Kaara were meeting her for the first time. She was to be their sixth for the imminent Raid.

"I look forward to working with you," said Gravian, bowing her head.

"She's… Kinda short," said Soren.

"Only recently made an Archon," said Viksis.

"Ahh, so that'll change?"

"Certainly," said Viksis.

"She has been a natural Defender thus far," said Morik, "Though she is more suited to a supportive role than offense, as opposed to Enki."

"A support Defender?" said Kaara.

"I am a marksman," said Gravian. "I have always prefered either long range or close range, no in-between. At long range, my wire rifle will strike true and hit hard. Up close… I assume you have experience fighting Eliksni my size charged with ether?"

"In memory of Blytz," said Soren, "Yeah. And I really hope you never turn on us… So, basically, in terms of battle strategy, she's just a really big, really tough Kaara."

"I do function best at extremes of range," agreed Kaara.

"Then you will get along well," said Morik. "Eliksni are ready to depart, waiting on you."

"Need anything from the vaults, Kaara?"

"Ready for combat operation."

"You heard the lady," said Soren. "Let's go commit some regicide."


"Last time we were here," said Morik's Ghost, just to him, "It was for survival. Now we steal sups to be a nuisance."

"Asariah and Blyts saved us here as well."

"What's up, Morik?" said Soren, near the front of their borrowed ship. Four fully grown Eliksni were more efficient to carry in a cargo ship than jumpships, provided it was nearby.

"Reviewing information," said Morik, still looking out the open back of the ship.

"We're near the target," reported a Vanguard, piloting up front. His fellow fireteam members, seated in the ship with Morik's Raid team, were the back-up in case things went wrong.

Morik checked over his weapons, like the others. His Archon-class auto rifle, shrapnel launcher, and the Siegfried Rising, all prepared and loaded, with ammo to spare.. Kaara still carried her scout rifle and Patience And Time, alternatives stowed. Soren had a hand cannon and fusion rifle. Ramiks carried an Archon-class pulse rifle and shock blades. Viksis used a scorch cannon and Archon-class hand cannon, but mostly relied on his Voidwalker abilities. Gravian, as she'd reported, had an Archon-class scout rifle and a wire rifle.

"What's the plan, big guy?" asked Soren, over comms to be heard over the roar of the wind and engines.

"Ramiks?" asked Morik, deflecting the question. He hadn't personally seen anything, but Ramiks had been the one to report back.

"House of Kings is well prepared for us. Certainly ready to make war, and will detect any comms near their lair. We land, stay quiet, and rush. With speed, we will crush them before they organize and counter. Kell was present only hours ago, and no NLS activity has been reported."

"Simple enough," said Soren. "I take it you and Kaara will be leading, then?"

Ramiks nodded.

"Comm silent, everyone," said the pilot.

Ramiks and Kaara approached the open back door, Gravian and Morik behind them, Viksis and Soren behind them. The ship slowed after a few minutes, stopping to let the first Raid team jump. Kaara and Ramiks hit the ground and cloaked instantly, looking around the courtyard. Above and to the right, coming from the back of the ship, was the large room where Morik had first encountered the Kell of Kings and his Archon. The room had been cleaned out by the time Ramiks had been scouting, and the equipment was in a room much farther into the complex now. Ramiks dropped stealth, waved the others down, then cloaked again, following Kaara into the complex. The other four jumped out, thudding into the snow and following their stealthy team mates at a safe distance. Ramiks let Kaara go ahead, as he couldn't mask his heavy footsteps, despite his relatively light armor. Morik relayed more of the information as they advanced.

"Kings remember the last several attacks on their lair. They are trying to break into an old vault, one like Rasputin's facility. If they gain entry, access security, they will spread roots thickly. Will be a war unto itself just to drive them out, in that case, yes?"

"Killing a Kell, an Archon, their Barons, and facing armies of Fallen, all with a six man team that's mostly Eliksni Archons…" said Soren. "Something tells me this is going to be completely unfair and one-sided."

Two silenced shots went off. Patience And Time.

"And that would be their sentries," said Soren.

Kaara's IFF turned yellow, followed quickly by Ramiks'. The other four caught up and saw them waiting outside a large set of doors. Radar had slices lit up completely, all in the direction of the door.

"Stealth did not hold long…" said Viksis.

"Ramiks," said Morik, "We go first, yes?"

Ramiks drew his shock blades, facing the door and hissing in anticipation.

"Others, stack and wait. Ramiks and I will attempt to cross the room, create cross-fire. All ready?"

Positive responses all around.

Morik leveled his auto rifle and kicked in the door. The room had been a presentation room, likely for tours of the cosmodrome and informative videos. Some plastic displays remained in the corners of the room, moved there out of the way long ago and forgotten. The usual seats had been ripped away as well, the cushions long rotted, the metal salvaged, leaving just the layered flooring and stairs. The door the Guardians had reached was an emergency exit door above most of the seating in the back left of the room. The entire room was filled with Dregs, only a few Vandals, and two Captains directing them. They were busy organizing, filling, and emptying crates. Until a Kell kicked down the door. The Dregs and Vandals began yelping and the Captains scrambled for their weapons, clumsy and unprepared. A Vandal had noticed the silenced shots and had been listening through the door, but now it was knocked out on the floor. Ramiks crossed the room in several smooth steps, spinning and slicing, his charged shock blades cutting through thin armor as if through a bamboo forest. Morik, at the same time, focused his shots on the Captains who were trying to close the distance, since all they had were shrapnel launchers.

"It's insanity to think anything could stop us now…" said Soren, shaking his head at the display of power.


Smoke billowed into the Vanguard Hall from the broken windows. A cloaked Skiff flew low into the valley, pulling out of its dive and back up into orbit.

"What the-," started Zavala, coughing, "What just happened?! I thought the Traveller's barrier wouldn't let them through!"

"Looks like we overestimated it," said Cayde, solemnly.

Ikora Ray forced the smoke aside and stepped boldly up to the shattered window and crumbling floor. "You two need to see this!"

They jogged up to the window, looking out. Fallen in the thousands were emerging, Skiffs warping in and out.

"How could they field so many… Their numbers just keep growing!" said Ikora.

"Attention, Vanguard Commanders," said a Frame at the other end of the room. "Sensors show high NLS activity at previously unexplored areas."

"Meaning what, exactly?" asked Cayde.

"Sensors were turned away from the solar system's planetary axis, still resolving, but have discovered a massive Fallen force far above the system."

"No one thinks to look up…" said Zavala, his tone as if he were quoting from somewhere.

"That's right!" said Lord Shaxx, striding into the room. "All Frames! Issue requests to all Guardians to return at once! Crucible combatants are already gathering and preparing to buy time, but they will not survive alone."

"Return requests ready. Message?"

"Tell them whether the City will stand by dusk or not depends on their return."

"Requests transmitting."

Guardians began crowding into the Vanguard Hall, all of them with red paint on their armor and custom weapons, provided by City sponsors.

"Alright Guardians!" began Shaxx. "This is what you've trained for! What you've fought tirelessly for, day and night! You are machines of war, self-made, tested against each other, and you will be the first response of the Traveler! This is just another match of Extermination… 'Execute all targets!'"

Guardians began jumping straight out the window, war cries filling the air.


Morik was slowly walking down a huge hall, once for displaying the massive pieces that made up ships escaping Earth. He walked slowly, with balanced steps, firing his auto rifle in controlled bursts, spearheading his Raid team's offensive. Kaara and Ramiks were cleaning out every side room, dashing from door to door, blades flashing. Gravian and Soren were behind Morik, picking off enemies that attempted to flank or shoot from cover. Viksis was high above, balanced on light fixtures that shouldn't be able to hold his weight, firing down with his Archon-class hand cannon and projecting Vortex grenades for area-denial. Amidst the chaos, the Guardians heard a message over comms, loud and clear in a male Frame's voice.

"This a return request from the Tower. Fallen have appeared outside the city in uncountable numbers. Message included: 'Tell them whether the City will stand by dusk or not depends on their return.' I repeat-"

"We can't leave now! If that Kell is still here, he and his command will be the masterminds of the offensive! Cut the head and the body will fall!" said Soren.

"Then no time lose, yes?" said Viksis.

He crashed to the ground at the other end of the hall, blocking the other main doorway and standing among the increasingly pressured enemy. He started swinging, punching Vandals in the chest and sending them into the walls, bowling over their fellows, smashing them with the backs of his fists, picking up Dregs by the head and tossing them. Morik roared, slung his rifle, and charged into the fray with Viksis.

"Havoc!" called out Morik. Viksis jumped away, and Morik raised his fists. As he slammed them down, releasing an explosion of Arc light, Viksis slowed and stopped in midair. He spun to face the door and thrust a palm forward in one smooth motion. A Lance Nova Bomb flew right over Morik's head and through the main door behind him, landing just inside. The resulting explosion of Void light vaporized the doorway, widening it, as well as about ten approaching Fallen. When the purple flash dimmed, the Kell of Kings could be seen standing beyond the blast radius.


"There are confirmed House of Exiles ships approaching from low orbit," reported a Frame.

"They probably have a bone to pick with us after that fireteam destroyed their buried Ketch," said Cayde.

"Any sign of House of Kings?" asked Zavala.

"No reports, confirmed or otherwise."

"We have two Raid teams pinning the Kings down in their lair," said Ikora. "Morik and his Archons are among them. The Kings won't have a chance to show up. The Exiles are a problem of numbers, but they don't bring much firepower to the table. House of Winter and Devils have been weakened recently, but they've always been formidable. They aren't charging us yet, but they aren't organized either. Look at their spacing, and their placement of forces. Things would be much worse for us if they had ranks and divis-..."

"Ikora?" said Cayde, looking up from the console he was at, busy feeding data to Ghosts in the field.

"Confirmed NLS activity behind enemy lines," reported a Frame. "Cabal Harvesters inbound. Emblems match with the Broken Legion."

"That's not possible," said Zavala. "Their leader was captured. He was killed in the Prison of Elders a month or so ago. His second in command was with him."

"Which is not to say that his philosophy or plans died with him. He had quite the following despite, apparently, being a traitor to the empire," said Cayde.

"The Fallen," said Ikora, "They're reforming. The Harvesters are dropping troops right into the Fallen ranks. It looks like the Cabal have tactical command…"

"Communications tapped," reported a Frame. "Security is reduced to allow different factions to begin communications. Rough translations confirm that Cabal command structure is being enacted."

"High NLS activity over the City. Guardians returning as per request," reported another Frame.

"Direct them to back up the Crucible Guardians," said Ikora. "The enemy is still preparing. We should do the same…"


Hidden Sun, High Noon (Part 1) coming soon...