A/N: So...I've had to split this chapter in two as I got to 4000 words and wasn't even halfway done. The second should be uploaded...soonish? Enjoy!
EDIT: 25/04/18
Fused this chapter and the next chapter together, renamed 'The Blind Legion'
DISCLAIMER: The following is a non-profit fanfiction. Destiny and Destiny 2 are owned by Bungie, Activision, High Moon Studios and Vicarious Visions. I own only Kayla and other OCS. Please support the official release.
Saga 01: Guardian Rising
Arc 04: Fruit of the Garden
Chapter 021: The Blind Legion
Earth
The Last City
Tower
The Next Day...
Kayla watched from her bed as Ghost filtered through the data they stole from the Valley of Kings outpost. Out of everything Ghost had floating around him two things were cropping quite regularly: the Blind Legion and Primus Sha'aul. Beside Kayla were a few books on the various Cabal legions.
The Sand Eaters were the easiest to encounter, making up the bulk of the Cabal soldiers on Mars. Although the books noted that they had the most novice tactics they, as Kayla had learned, would press on with fierce determination. They have been the longest deployed and thus had the weakest morale, a lot of divisions stemming from loyalty to Valus Ta'aurc or a splinter group led by Valus Trau'ug.
The next up were the Dust Giants, a legion formed on Mars made up of veterans of the Sand Eaters and were essentially a reserve force sent to reinforce crumbling lines during Vex offensives. Their loyalty was an odd one as they seemed to be loyal to Ta'aurc and Ta'aurc alone as opposed to the Cabal Emperor.
One of the elite legions on Mars were the Siege Dancers. They were primarily an engineering crew, working as an advance shock force and setting up forts. They also acted as a demolitions crew and regularly blew up skyscrapers in Freehold in competitions. Like the previous two they were led by Valus Ta'aurc.
Finally there was the Blind Legion, led by Primus Sha'aul. Identifiable by their white armour, they were the strongest legion in Meridian Bay. Although they were widely feared by the City, they spent most of their time clustered around Vex structures and defending them for Sha'aul.
"Ok," Ghost said finally, Kayla peering up from her book. "I've cobbled together a plan to charge Zydron's eye."
"That's...good?" Kayla asked.
"Yeah. There's a Vex spire that we can use to reawaken the eye. Once we charge it we can use it to open the gate in the Valley of Kings."
"I'm sensing a 'but'."
Ghost nodded a little. "It's deep in the Iron Line, a warbase controlled by the Blind Legion. The good news: we activate the spire we get into the Black Garden."
"And the bad news?" Kayla asked.
"Chances are we'll have to fight Primus Sha'aul to get to it. I hope you're ready for war because we'll be hitting the Cabal we're they're strongest."
Mars
Meridian Bay
Kayla landed in the same area as she did the day previous, heading off on her Sparrow to the large warzone she'd blitzed through originally. As she came out into the wasteland she found the Vex and the Cabal still fighting fiercely and Kayla had to give the space turtles credit: they knew how to outlast the Vex to some degree.
The Voidwalker kept to the rocks, the roasting midday sun making her helmet stuffy. She could see that the firebase, Rubicon, was built on a slant which gave the Cabal a tactical advantage. However the Vex were able to respawn indefinitely, something that the Cabal probably knew too well and Kayla wouldn't be surprised if the Vex had deliberately led them into a war of attrition.
"What are you planning?" Ghost asked as Kayla laid down on a rock.
"They Cabal and the Vex are constantly fighting, right?" Kayla said. "If I can take advantage of the chaos I can rush the base and hopefully slip through."
"That sounds crazy," Ghost deadpanned.
"Yeah, but you like crazy," Kayla said, grabbing Ghost and breaking out into a run.
Kayla jumped, gliding into the Vex army before running a full pelt up the hill. The Vex slowly turned and began firing on Kayla with their slap rifles. Kayla ducked and dived in the sand, attacking the machines with her Matador. Bits of metal flew everywhere as radiolarian fluid splattered over the red dune, Kayla scrambling to her feet and charging up the hill, blasting every Vex that got in her way.
"I really wish you had Fist of Havoc right now!" Ghost shouted over the gunfire.
"You take that back!" Kayla yelled, gliding over the trench wall, stunning the Cabal.
The Sand Eaters all focused on the Guardian, opening fire with a deluge of slug rounds. Kayla roared, launching a powerful Nova Bomb into the base, shaking the walls as the explosion rocked the trench, a wave of Void Light rushing down the trenchway killing every Cabal in it path.
"Really?" Ghost asked as Kayla made off through the base. "THAT'S what's upsetting you right now?"
Kayla ignored her companion, switching to her Nihilist and taking cover behind a doorway. She could hear the Cabal heading for the back entrance to the trench either to corner her or flush her out through the front. She peeked out, seeing a large platoon of Legionnaires waiting. Taking a deep breath, Kayla threw a Vortex Grenade at the Legionnaires to scatter them before opening fire with the Nihilist, the heavy bullets piercing the Cabal's thick armour. With the initial Legionnaires dead Kayla switched to her Matador and broke out a run to the Centurion guarding the only exit at the back of the wall. The hulking beast opened fire as Kayla got close, the Warlock dodging most of the shots. Kayla got up close, the Centurion swiping her with his gun. She ducked before pumping multiple shells into the Centurion's gut, killing it near instantly. Before the Cabal had a chance to regroup Kayla had already disappeared up the valley.
"Well," Kayla panted, catching her breath on a rock. "That was fun."
"Is it possible...for a Light-based AI...in a robot body...to wet its pants?" Ghost asked, also catching his breath. "Cos I'm pretty sure I just did that."
"Haha, lovely!"
Kayla quietly set off up the steep hill, the midday sun still beating down on her. Around her were shrubs and dead, brittle trees which reminded Kayla of a show on prehistory she had seen as a child. Kayla clambered her way up the rocks, finding the signs of another Cabal fort nearby. Suddenly she realised that this wasn't a fort.
"This is a checkpoint," Kayla said, sneaking her way to the next Cabal contingent.
"Cabal really don't do things by halves it seems," Ghost noted.
"Can I see that map you took?"
Ghost nodded and projected a map. The pair were currently holed out in Rubicon Wastes, with the Iron Line a little bit further on from the checkpoint and, marked in the centre thanks to Dra'ang's logs, was the Vex spire. The only thing between them was a small battalion of regular infantry and the entirety of the Blind Legion.
"We...we can do this right?" Ghost asked.
Kayla looked at the map, and then glanced at Ghost. "You think we can't?"
"I'm...apprehensive," Ghost admitted. "My calculations are...well, let's just say they're slim to none existent."
"Really? That high?" Kayla grinned, making for the next outpost.
Kayla kept to the rocky cover, spying a small fort in the canyon wall. The fort was surrounded by standard Cabal infantry; however it also had several slim, spindly lizard-like creatures running around. They were a little shorter than Kayla and looked the polar opposite of the regular Cabal.
"Ghost, what are those?" Kayla whispered.
"Psions," Ghost replied as a pair of them squawked at each other. "A slave race to the Cabal."
"They're the psychic ones," Kayla said, looking at Ghost. "Right?"
"Yeah. Be careful."
Kayla nodded then sprinted to the outpost, taking down the two Psions with ease. Gliding up to the top of the fort's walls she opened fire on the bewildered Cabal with her Nihilist, mowing down the heavy soldiers while they scrambled for cover. They soon retaliated and began blasting her with their slug rifles, Kayla ducking to avoid the worst of it. She quickly threw a Vortex Grenade at the unit before switching to her Matador and jumping down into the scattered troop, firing her shotgun rapidly. In a few short blasts most of the Legionnaires and Phalanxes were down, leaving Kayla with a lone Centurion.
Kayla opened fire on the Centurion. It dodged nimbly, leaping to a high vantage point using its jump jets. Kayla quickly switched to her PRI only to get knocked off her feet by something slamming into the side of her.
"FUCK!" Kayla cried out in shock as she skidded through the sand onto the cold metal base floor. "What the fuck was that?"
She slowly stood up, seeing a Psion holding its palm out. Was that what caused it? Were they really that powerful? Kayla shook her head and aimed her rifle at it, only for the Psion to blast another wave of energy out of its palm, sending Kayla back into the base wall.
"Yup!" Kayla said through gritted teeth, feeling her back crack. "Definitely that!"
Kayla quickly fired at the Psion, ending it with a swift headshot. No sooner had she done that the Centurion fired with its Projection Rifle. Kayla scrambled to the right and began firing on the Centurion but the Cabal leaped over the wall, the Warlock gliding and clambering to the top of the fort walls.
"He's making a run for it!" Ghost exclaimed, watching the Centurion half run, half slide his way back down to Firebase Rubicon. "How...how can something that fat move so fast?"
"If he gets there he'll warn the others!" Kayla said, vaulting the wall and chasing after the Centurion.
Although the Centurion was further ahead Kayla's lither frame allowed her to close the distance, avoiding the rocks that the Centurion was stumbling over. Kayla braced herself, jumping off a rock as she neared the bottom of the slope and gliding off. She landed on the Centurion's back, pulling upwards to try and make it stop. The Centurion growled as it tried to shake her off, slamming into the walls in a vain attempt to stop her. Kayla clung to the Cabal's back, pulling out her Matador and pressing it to the creature's neck.
"I...I'm so, so sorry," Kayla said, realising what she was about to do. With a deep breath she fired, the Cabal held being ripped clean off by the force of the impact. The corpse slumped forward, Kayla rolling off with her robe drenched in Cabal blood.
She kneeled, staring at the bloodstained sand as the weight of what she had done sunk in. She could her feel her fingers lose feeling, the numbness creeping its way up her arms like a spider. Her chest tightened as her breathing escalated into a rapid panting.
"Kayla," Ghost said, flying in front of her face. "Kayla, ground yourself. Focus on me, focus on breathing. Like Delta showed you. Iiiiiiiin..." Ghost said, Kayla joining him. "And ooooout..."
The pair stayed like that for a few minutes, the ongoing battle further down the desert echoing in the distance. Finally Kayla stood up, a little shaky.
"You alright?" Ghost asked, glancing at the dead Centurion.
"Yeah..." Kayla replied hoarsely, picking up her bloodied Matador. "Still never gets easier. Ah, boy..."
The pair stood in silence as the warm desert breeze blew gently through the canyon. After a moment Kayla set off up the hill again, Ghost following behind her closely.
Kayla and Ghost eventually came out of a Cabal tunnel that ran under the checkpoint. Before them was a large, flat plain nestled in another canyon with a large base built into the canyon wall. Towering above them was a large pyramid-like structure armed to the teeth with missile launchers and turrets. Before them were several units of Cabal on patrol around the area.
"In there?" Kayla asked, nodding to the Legion's keep.
"Yeah," Ghost said, staring at the amount of Cabal between them. "Simple, right?"
"If I answer that I'll jinx it!" Kayla laughed, taking off into the canyon
(Air Traffic Control- Halo ODST OST)
She fired at the patrol with her PRI, the bullets pinging off the white armour of the Blind Legionnaires. The Cabal instinctively turned with the efficiency of Royal Marines, initially surprised by the attack but not put off, and began firing on the Warlock with brutal aggression. Kayla managed to close the gap, avoiding the gunfire for the most part and surpressing the Cabal with her gunfire of her own. She knew she couldn't give them any breathing room and while Kayla didn't like the direct approach she could tell it was either that or losing the spire for good.
Kayla continued to fire on the Cabal, keeping an eye on the Phalanxes circling her. As they closed in Kayla glided over them, switching to her Matador and firing into their backs. With some of the Phalanxes down she focused on the Legionnaires, switching back to her PRI and pouring as many bullets as she could into them.
Suddenly the patrol's Centurion grabbed her by the throat, lifting her high in the air. Kayla struggled against the tight grip of the Cabal's muscular hand, kicking the Centurion vainly in the face in an attempt to free herself. The Centurion roared, slamming Kayla into the ground as though she were a ragdoll, sand flying up everywhere on impact. She grunted in pain, quickly throwing a Vortex Grenade to scatter the eager Phalanxes that had lined up for a shot before firing the Matador at the Centurion's foot. The Centurion roared in pain as his boot erupted into a mess of shrapnel, blood and leathery flesh, forcing him to let Kayla go. The Guardian crawled backwards, aiming her shotgun at the beast again.
"Heads up!" Ghost shouted as the Centurion was suddenly ploughed down by a large Cabal hoverbike that Ghost had managed to hack.
"Ghost?" Kayla asked, as stunned as the Phalanxes that were now fending off Ghost's new toy "Where did you find that?"
"Cabal garage," the little robot replied happily as he flew towards Kayla. "You want?"
"I do!" Kayla laughed as the vehicle mowed down the last of the patrol.
"There's a small entrance hidden in the rocks," Ghost said. "We can get in through there."
"On it," Kayla said, making a dash for the canyon wall.
The entrance to the Iron Line was tucked away in a rocky hollow at the base of the towering cliffs, marked out by several maintenance lights and was guarded by two Centurions. Kayla charged up to one of them, firing the Matador into his gut. It keeled over, the second Centurion immediately opening fire on the intruder with his Projection Rifle, Kayla turning to throw a Vortex Grenade at him. The Centurion roared in pain as the Void ate away at him and Kayla took the chance to end the alien with a swift headshot from her PRI. Before she had the chance to react Kayla heard the rapid fire of a turret starting up.
"Colossus!" Ghost yelled. "Get to cover!"
Kayla dived behind a rock, peeking out to see where the turret was. To her surprise it wasn't a turret, rather a large, heavily armoured and just as well built Cabal wielding a giant gatling gun. She yelped as one of the guns bullets flew past her head, exploding on a nearby metal wall.
"Of course it fires rockets..." Kayla groaned.
"The Iron Line is under attack!" the Cabal, female, roared in a husky voice to some Legionnaires in the tunnel behind her. "Sound the alarm!"
The Colossus fired on Kayla's position, chipping away at the rock with her gun's rockets. Kayla hesitantly looked around, switching to her Nihilist. There was a metal wall to her right, but with the Colossus suppressing her there wasn't much Kayla could do at this point. Having no other option she hunched herself to the rock and fired her Nihilist at the Colossus, trying to keep to cover as best she could.
"Arrgh!" the Colossus grunted, grabbing her shoulder in pain as the bullets pierced her armour. "I'm not going to let you hide forever! Firing all missiles!"
"Is it just me, or is this Colossus really hammy?" Ghost asked as Kayla watched the large pack on the Colossus' back open.
"Uh oh," Kayla said, face falling with dread as dozens of small missiles flew off in her direction. Kayla quickly rushed to the metal wall as fast of her legs would carry her. "Get out the way get out the way get out the way!"
Kayla dove behind the metal wall as the missiles destroyed her previous hiding place. She quickly poked her head out, firing her Nihilist again then ducking back as the Colossus opened fire again. Kayla composed herself as the bullets made the metal wall shake like paper.
'Jesus!' Kayla thought, stunned. 'Cabal don't pull any punches!'
Kayla looked out again when she heard the Colossus reload, empty another full clip into her before ducking under again. She had to wonder how much punishment the Colossus could take. She had poured a full clip and a half into the soldier and she was still standing.
"You think you can come here and dishonour the Empire?!" the Colossus roared. "We fight for the glory of the Dominus Himself! We won't be swayed by some rat that thinks it's lucky! ALL MISSILES: FIRE!"
"Oh, fuck!" Kayla cried, grabbing of Ghost and throwing him like a cricket ball.
"Kayla, wait!" Ghost cried as he found himself in the dirt, watching in horror as Kayla was bombarded with missiles.
(Pause)
Smoke and dust kicked up everywhere, Ghost waiting with baited breath. Panicking he flew into the cloud of smoke. The Colossus on the other hand gave a smug, haughty laugh, proud of herself, then turned back inside.
"Honestly, Ghost?" came a voice from the smoke. "I was expecting worse than that."
"Huh?" the Colossus said, turning slightly.
"That was stupid!" came the drone's voice. "You could have died! Again!
"Impossible!" the Colossus gasped, aiming her gun again.
"Yeah, but I didn't," she heard the humanoid thing say, almost childishly.
"How can...? That was a barrage of missiles!?"
"I thought you swore never to die again!" the drone cried, exasperated.
"That's not possible..." the Colossus breathed, shock filling her as the creature and its drone talked about dying so casually. "That's not possible..."
"Hang on, I think she's pissed," the creature said, vaguely annoyed.
"Why won't you die?!" the Cabal Colossus screamed, utterly terrified as she fired her Heavy Slug Thrower into the smoke. "Why won't you die?!"
The Colossus kept firing until the smoke cleared, eyes widening in fear as the creature. She frantically looked around for it, stumbling backwards when she found it stood on a rock. It's coat was badly singed, its pants burned up to the knees and its lower torso bare, exposing its underbust, and its helmet was cracked leaving its left eye visible. What frightened the Colossus the most was the fact that its injuries were healing rapidly, almost as though they were never there in the first place.
"W-What are you?" the Colossus asked fearfully.
"I'm Kayla," the creature replied. "I'm a Guardian from the Last City on Earth. I'm three-hundred and twenty years old, and I'm the woman who's going to stop the Vex and save every race in this system." Then the 'Guardian' levelled a serious stare at the Colossus. "You got a problem with that?"
"Just...just die!" the Colossus roared, raising her gun again.
Kayla jumped up, blasting the Colossus in the chest with her shotgun. The Colossus collapsed in the sands, dead.
"Well..." Ghost said after a moment. "If they didn't know we're here, I'm sure they do now."
"And I don't think it'll get any easier either," Kayla sighed.
Kayla cautiously set off into the Iron Line, gun poised and ready as she slowly made her way through the entrance tunnel. Like the rest of the Cabal's forts this one was filled was cold and served no purpose other than to house the soldiers. She imagined that these tunnels snaked their way under the entire Exclusion Zone which, if it was true, spoke volumes about the Cabal's presence on Mars.
"Oh, this is so cool!" Ghost said, fawning over the structure.
"What is it?" Kayla asked.
"This was built from a kit," he said, glancing at Kayla. "They send engineers done to burrow the mountains and build them using drones. I thought it was just humans that were into kits. This place is almost built the same as a flat pack wardrobe. Just...on a larger scale. And slightly easier, too."
The pair continued, coming to a large door. Before Ghost had a chance to hack it the door slowly opened, the hiss of hydraulics echoing throughout the room. Ghost and Kayla glanced at each other nervously.
"I...think they just invited us in," Ghost said.
Kayla hesitantly walked into the cavern. It was gloomy and lit by industrial lighting, a ramp leading up to a large doorway that Kayla figured was the entrance to the Blind Legion's base itself.
"Do you think this as a trap?" Kayla asked, shivering. "Cos it feels like a trap. Geez, it's cold..."
"Well...you are a little..." Ghost started, staring up and down Kayla before looking away shyly. "Exposed."
"Yeah..." she grumbled in response. "Might take up Zavala's crochet class."
As Kayla walked into the centre of the cavern she couldn't help but feel watched. She aimed to her right. Nothing. She spun round to the left. Also nothing.
(Play)
"Something's not right..." Kayla said, jumping as loud alarms blared, the whole cavern being bathed in red. "Yeah! Definitely not right!"
Kayla took to cover as dozens of Psions, Legionnaires, Phalanxes and a couple of Centurions surrounded her on all sides. Kayla's face fell at the sheer number of Cabal she was face with, her brain working overtime trying to figure out how to take down the Blind Legion soldiers.
"You totally jinxed it by the way," Ghost said as the Psions circled round to flush her out of cover.
"Not helping, Ghost!" Kayla snapped, firing on the Psions.
The Psions fell, dead, only for Kayla to get shot at from more Psions on a ridge. Kayla mentally swore, changing positions. As she ran for a nearby rock the Legionnaires surrounded her, bombarding her with gunfire. Kayla grabbed her gut in pain as one of the rounds exploded against her stomach, blood oozing from her wound.
Kayla grunted, switching to her Matador and firing on the Legionnaires. They Cabal collapsed, dead, and Kayla staggered to a nearby rock for cover, wincing as her wound stung with every step. Ghost quickly flew out of his hiding place, making his way to her.
"Eww..." Ghost said with a grimace, staring at the large hole of mangled flesh and shrapnel. "You really ought to be more careful."
"Not. Helping. Ghost!" Kayla said through clenched teeth, wincing as Ghost's Light burned her skin back together. "Fuck, that hurt!"
Kayla peeked out of cover, noticing the Phalanxes were now defending the Legionnaires. Kayla instead focused on the Psions on the ridge, picking them off with her PRI. The first Psion fell to a single bullet, causing the other Psions to scatter. Kayla tracked one, catching it in the shin and making it stumble before killing it with a swift headshot. The third one end up trapping itself by a rock. Kayla smirked and launched a Vortex Grenade, blocking its escape while the Void drained it.
With the Psions dead Kayla turned her attention to the contingent of Cabal that were advancing on her. She quickly climbed the rock and launched a Nova Bomb from the top. The cavern shook as an explosion of Void Light engulfed the Cabal, tearing them apart and leaving nothing but dust. All that were left were the two Centurions. Kayla jumped down and switched to her Nihilist as the Centurions backed up slightly, firing at her in panic. However, fear threw off their aim and Kayla was able to dispatch them with ease.
"How you holding up?" Ghost asked, healing Kayla again.
"So-so," Kayla said, adrenaline pumping through her.
"Only so-so?"
"Still doesn't get easier," Kayla shrugged, heading to the big door. "Through here?"
"Yeah," Ghost replied, hacking the door.
Kayla cautiously entered the large room, running up the large staircase to the upper floors. As she made her way through the corridors she ended up coming out to the roof of the Iron Line. From there she could see the Legion's Keep towering above her. Beneath her was a large hollowed out pit filled with Cabal vehicles and weapons and across the pit was a bridge, leading to a fenced area that contained a large obelisk.
"I'm guessing that's the spire?" Kayla asked.
"Yeah," Ghost said. "And something tells me they won't give it up easily."
Kayla took off along the ridge of the wall, gunning down the Legionnaires that stood in her way. A Centurion charged at her, firing its Projection Rifle. Kayla dodged the rounds, firing back with her PRI. With the Centurion dead Kayla rushed to the entrance of the bridge. From the corner of eye she could see the Blind Legion congregate on the bridge in an attempt to stop her. Kayla arrived at the start of the bridged, seeing Phalanxes and Psions line up to stop her. She quickly dispatched the Psions that rushed with relative ease, then began firing on the Phalanxes from behind a crate that had been left there. She focused on one, making it drop its gun. The angered Phalanx rushed her, raising it shield. Kayla backed up slightly, narrowly avoid the shield's razor sharp edge as the Phalanx slammed it down on the ground. She quickly switched to her Matador and blasted it in the shoulder. The Phalanx roared in pain, grabbing its shoulder and dropping its shield. Kayla ran up to it and struck its chest with her palm, killing it, before throwing a Vortex Grenade at the other Phalanxes. As they were eaten by the Void Kayla pushed forward a deep bass voice came through the tannoy.
"This is Primus Sha'aul!" the voice boomed. "Hold the position until the last soldier falls! We cannot allow this thieving rat to steal our research! For the glory of the empire! For the Dominus!"
"For the Dominus!" the Cabal cried with fanatical fervour, redoubling their efforts.
A squad of four Legionnaires came charging at Kayla. Kayla stopped herself, backing up with her PRI and firing. She'd already had one down by the time the others caught up to her. One of the Legionnaires closed in, firing with its Slug Rifle. Kayla switched to her Matador and killed it only to be blindsided by another Legionary. Kayla fell to the ground, Matador flying out of reach, teetering on the edge of the bridge. Kayla tried to crawl to it, only for her wrist to be crushed under the weight of the Legionary's boot. The Cabal soldier chuckled as he aimed his gun at her.
"Ghost!" Kayla shouted.
"I got you!" Ghost said.
Suddenly a few canisters exploded, the Legionary letting Kayla go and moving to the sound. Kayla quickly crawled to the Matador, grabbing it while Ghost healed her wrist. The three Legionnaires cautiously approached the canister, unaware of Kayla rushing behind one of them and smacking it across the back of the head with her shotgun. The Legionary stumbled and turned, only to be shot in the chest. The other Legionnaires noticed and fired with angry determination. Kayla hissed in pain as round tore through part of her arm, closing the gap and firing at the Legionnaires with her Matador again.
With the Legionnaires finally dead Kayla moved forward only to be pinned by three Centurions. While Ghost healed her Kayla focused on one of the Centurions with her PRI. The Centurion panicked, leaping to a nearby platform to better reposition himself. Ghost watched from cover as Kayla pressed herself against a wall to protect her from the gunfire.
"The Centurion's got a better shot on you!" Ghost said as the Centurion fired from above.
"I know!" Kayla shouted over the gunfire, switching to the Nihilist and rushing at the other two Centurions.
"Dammit, Kayla! Remember what Anora said!"
The stunned Centurions backed themselves up as this...thing rampaged through the keep. How could it be so powerful? The weapons it was using, they looked like technology the Cabal had moved past years ago. It was so fragile and weak, and most of its armour was missing by the looks of it, yet it was tearing through the Blind Legion like it they were nothing. It was more than halfway across the bridge. The creature turned, throwing some kind of energy from her palm to their comrade on the platform. It erupted in two a swirling vortex, the energy visibly eating away at him. The two Centurions watched as their friend fell off, crashing into the pit below.
"Comrade, what do we-?" the one on the right asked his friend, only for her to be killed in front of him. The Centurion panicked and charged the creature, snarling in rage. "For the Empire!"
Kayla ducked as the Centurion swung for her, firing a round into his head. 'Halfway there' she thought. 'Only...'
Suddenly a huge barrage of missiles flew from the end of the bridge, all heading in her direction. Kayla backed up, seeing another Colossus clamber onto raised platform, firing off its gatling gun in a boast of strength. Beneath him were several Psions, all rushing towards Kayla.
Kayla opened fire on the Psions, killing some, but she was pushed back when the Colossus fired its gun at her. The Warlock ducked behind a small barrier on the bridge as the bullets flew past her. One of the remaining Psions positioned itself out of her reach and fired, Kayla moving back further along the wall. The other two Psions flanked her, keeping to cover as they did so.
"Ghost?" Kayla asked quietly.
"Y-yeah?" Ghost replied, shaking a little in fear.
"Can you fly under the bridge and do something to distract that Colossus? I can handle the Psions but not if Hulk over there is firing at me."
Ghost gave a hesitant nod. "Alright."
As Ghost flew off Kayla pushed further back, avoiding the Psions and staying ahead of the Colossus' attack. She nestled herself in a spot with a small barrier and where the Psions couldn't crowd her, keeping her back to a wall and her sightlines clear. The Psions all took cover behind several barriers or crates, the Colossus dominating the battlefield with its gatling gun. Kayla peeked through a crack in the barrier, keeping an eye on the Colossus. To Kayla's delight one of the small turrets behind the Colossus began to fire at it. Caught by surprise the Colossus turned and fired, only for another turret to aim itself as well.
"Ohh, well played, Ghost!" Kayla laughed, shooting and killing the Psions before rushing to the distracted Colossus.
The Colossus on the other hand had managed to take down the turrets. If he could get a lock on that creature's weird drone he could stop it from taking over other stuff. Its hacking skills were impeccable though and the Colossus wondered if it were better to capture the creature and its drone for Sha'aul to study.
Unbeknownst to the Colossus Ghost had managed to sneak up behind him. The little robot could see Kayla rushing towards the Cabal soldier and he figured that if he could...
"There we go!" he said in a barely audible whisper, before flying back to Kayla. "You need to see this."
"What do you mean?" Kayla asked, stopping as the Colossus turned to face her.
"Little thief, you won't get a step further!" the Colossus boomed. "All cannons: FIRE!"
Kayla instinctively made for cover as the missile pods opened. What stopped was the sound of beeping coming from the Colossus' armour. The Colossus paused, looking around frantically.
"W-Wait!" he cried. "Abort launch!"
Kayla laughed as the missiles launched and homed in on the Colossus, explosions ripping through his body. When the attack was done the Colossus staggered to the edge of the platform and fell off, the impact making the bridge shake a little. Kayla slowly made her way over to the Colossus, touching it with her foot. He was dead.
(Pause)
"What did you do?" Kayla asked.
"Eh...I fiddled with his targeting system while he was distracted," Ghost said simply.
Kayla chuckled and head off. Beyond the bridge was a large circular dig site littered with small, unearthed Vex ruins. In the centre was a large obelisk hooked up to a Cabal work platform. On the other side was a tunnel leading up to the base that shadowed the entire area.
"The energy of Vex spire..." Ghost murmured. "I sure hope this works, otherwise this entire fight was a waste."
"Honestly...It's not the weirdest thing we've done if you think about it," Kayla said, scoping around the dig site.
It was quiet but Kayla couldn't shake the feeling that the Legion were monitoring her every move from their base. It wouldn't be too surprising. She quickly made her way up a ridge to a small Vex structure that was in line with the obelisk.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say this is control device," Ghost said as the pair inspected the small structure.
"You see a control device, I see a big red button," Kayla chuckled, setting the Gate Lord's eye on the structure.
"I'd step away from that if I were you, creature," came a familiar voice.
Kayla immediately readied her rifle, aiming it at the Cabal that entered the dig site. He was large, wearing white and yellow armour adorn with what Kayla could only assume were Cabal medals. On his back were two feathery adornments. The Cabal walked towards the pair quite calmly, his rifle holstered on his thigh.
"Primus Sha'aul, I presume?" Kayla asked.
"Correct," Sha'aul nodded, surprised when Kayla mimicked a Cabal salute. "You know our salute?"
"Yeah," Kayla replied. "I know I just killed a tonne of your troops, but I can still show respect to an enemy."
"Admirable. You seem to have something of a brain in that skull of yours. I've seen your kind prancing about the Meridian Bay like idiots, but I never believed one of you would be brave or foolish enough to breach the Blind Legion's Keep. You're not like the others, are you?"
Kayla remained stony faced. Sha'aul laughed. "Very good, a good Primus never reveals their plans."
"You assume me to be a Primus?" Kayla asked.
"One of your skill must be?"
"Nope. I've had four months experience."
Sha'aul paused before clapping. "Then bravo, what was your name?"
"Kayla."
"Bravo, Kayla.! You really are something special. Or..." Sha'aul let out a sadistic chuckle. "Your faction is something different."
Kayla gripped her gun tighter, ready for a fight to break out. Sha'aul turned to the obelisk. "You seem like a scholar. Tell me, what do you know of this?"
"I thought Primii never revealed each other's plans?" Kayla retorted.
"Oh, I'm not asking you as a Primus," Sha'aul replied. "I'm asking you as a scholar."
Kayla looked at Sha'aul then the obelisk. "The Vex, those machines you're all fighting? Well they want to take control of the universe. This spire holds the key to get into their home. I need that energy or the Vex will kill all of us. Guardians and Cabal."
Sha'aul laughed. "So, that's what this thing can do...I assume it's connected to the large gate in the Valley of Kings?" Kayla nodded in response. Sha'aul continued. "Then I propose we take that device you placed and enter the home of these machines ourselves."
"You can't defeat what's in there!" Kayla protested.
"And you propose we leave the fate of our Empire in the hands of you?"
"I just rampaged through the Iron Line; I'd say that's not a bad idea!" Kayla snapped.
"Maybe...but maybe if I take you to study I can empower the Cabal."
Ghost leaned in close to Kayla. "I'll wake the spire. You take care of Sha'aul."
(Play)
Kayla nodded and aimed her rifle at Sha'aul. "If you don't let us take what we need and go," Kayla said. "I'm going to have to kill you."
"Very well," Sha'aul replied casually, grabbing his Projection Rifle. "Let us see how strong you are, Kayla!"
PRIMUS SHA'AUL
ADMIRAL OF THE BLIND LEGION
Kayla jumped off the ridge while Ghost began to hack the Vex conduit. Sha'aul was the first to attack, firing off his Projection Rifle and forcing Kayla into cover. She took potshots at him from behind the rock but the bullets barely seemed to be doing any damage. Either that or Sha'aul just wasn't fazed. Kayla cursed and glided up to the Cabal's work platform to get a better shot. She knew that her PRI wasn't doing much damage but she had a feeling she shouldn't risk getting in close with the Matador.
Sha'aul shielded his head with his large armoured forearm, chuckling at Kayla's efforts. When she reloaded he strafed with his rifle, trying to close the gap between them. Kayla turned to escape but Sha'aul used his jump jets to cut her off. She skidded to halt, allowing to Sha'aul to stomp the ground and sending out a powerful shockwave that sent Kayla flying backwards.
"Kayla!" Ghost yelled.
"Focus on the conduit, Ghost!" Kayla shouted back, standing up and noticing she'd dislocated her shoulder. "Dammit."
Kayla let out a yelp in agony as she fixed the injury, making Sha'aul laugh. "Very brave!" he boomed in delight. "I know Cabal soldiers that wouldn't do that."
Sha'aul broke off into a run forcing Kayla to double back, still firing with her PRI. Sha'aul grunted and stumbled, a bullet evidently piercing somewhere. Kayla paused as the Primus touched his left bicep, blood dripping slightly. While he was distracted Kayla opened fire again, dealing damage to Sha'aul's head and chest. Sha'aul growled, frustrated.
"I guess you're not as greennosed as you appear," Sha'aul said. "Cabal War Code #431: Take advantage of all opportunities as they present themselves."
"Isn't that just a fancy where of saying fight dirty?" Kayla asked, reloading.
"Perhaps," Sha'aul replied, jumping up to a ridge. "Cabal War Code #56: Elevation is key."
Kayla scrambled for cover as Sha'aul bombarded her with gunfire again, diving behind a rock. She waited out until she heard Sha'aul reload, throwing a Vortex Grenade at him. The Primus roared in pain as the Void Light began to eat away at him. While he was distracted Kayla glided up to the ridge and opened fire with her Nihilist, bullets riddling Sha'aul's body. Sha'aul growled in anger, charging like a bull. Kayla quickly switched to Matador, gliding slightly out of the way and firing the shotgun into Sha'aul's thigh.
Sha'aul turned, skidding in the sand and charged again, leaping off the ridge and grabbing Kayla before slamming her into the ground. Kayla felt several of her bones fracture on impact as she rolled in the sand coughing up blood.
"F-fuck..." Kayla groaned as she stood, fighting off the pain from her legs. "Have to get back to Ghost..."
Meanwhile Sha'aul casually picked up his rifle and started strolling towards Ghost to Kayla's dismay. The Warlock moved, stumbling in the sand as her legs gave way slightly. Balancing herself she fired with her Nihilist again.
"Ghost, get out of there!" she screamed.
Sha'aul's shocked growl of pain was enough to make Ghost notice. He quickly flew off to hide while Kayla bombarded the Primus with machine gun fire. Sha'aul merely shook off the pain and laughed.
"That drone...it's more than a robot, isn't it?" Sha'aul asked with intense curiousity before moving to look for Ghost again.
'Dammit..' she thought. 'Got to keep him interested in me'
With all her might Kayla glided up high and fired off a powerful Nova Bomb at the Primus. Sha'aul barely had any time to react as he say a giant orb of purple energy careen towards him. The bomb flew towards him, erupting into something almost like a black hole on impact. Sha'aul screamed in agony as he felt this strange energy burn every fibre of his being, completely ignoring his armour. What was this stuff that 'Kayla' threw out of her palms like it was the most natural thing in the world. When the energy subsides Sha'aul collapsed on the ground, seeing the little drone heal Kayla's injuries. While the creature was distracted Sha'aul searched through the logs on the Cabal Battlenet for its rampage, finding one of Kayla's infiltration.
'I'm Kayla Ashcroft. I'm a Guardian from the Last City on Earth. I'm three-hundred and twenty years old, and I'm the woman who's going to stop the Vex and save every race in this system. You got a problem with that?'
Sha'aul replayed the clip in panic.
'I'm Guardian from the Last City on Earth.'
'Guardian...Earth'
'Guardian'
"This...this is a whole new faction..." Sha'aul gasped, filled with dread.
Kayla watched as Sha'aul stood up, visibly wounded. "You witch!" he growled.
"That's Warlock!" Kayla protested childishly.
"That stuff...what was that?" Sha'aul asked, staggering down from the conduit. "No...Never mind, it won't help now...I'll just let Ta'aurc view the footage."
Kayla looked at Ghost. "Of my attack?"
Sha'aul nodded, blood and oil oozing out of his helmet. "Ta'aurc will do what I cannot. If you have an army Sol 3 then you must be stopped." Sha'aul put his fist to his chest, wincing in pain. "For the glory, nngh...of the Empire..."
"Is this a surrender?" Kayla asked.
"No..." Sha'aul said with a shake of his head. "A necessary sacrifice..."
Kayla nodded and saluted him. Sha'aul eyed the creature, his curiosity still trying to goad him to continue. But he knew he couldn't. This was a hopeless fight. That black hole attack proved it. All he could hope for was that Ta'aurc could see just how vicious and dangerous this creature was.
"Still an enigma for until the end..." Sha'aul panted. "I knew there would be more to you..."
"If the Cabal have a concept of an afterlife," Kayla said solemnly, still saluting. "I hope you find peace in it."
Sha'aul bowed his head respectfully then nodded to her Nihilist. Kayla obliged and opened fire, the Primus collapsed in a hail of bullets and blood.
(End 'Air Traffic Control')
Kayla let out a relieved sigh. Slowly she made her way to the Vex conduit, her bones and muscles aching from all the fighting. After making her way to the conduit she finally took a look at the spire they'd been fighting over. The sandstone that covered it had been ripped away leaving a pristine tower that looked like it was made of blocks of strands of metal. Slowly it began to glow as a wave of energy poured into the eye. Kayla hesitantly picked it up.
"Did it work?" Ghost asked.
"Only one place we can test this," Kayla said. "Let's get back to the Tower for now. We'll figure out what we do with it tomorrow."
The Legion's Keep
Several hours later...
The dig site around the spire was quiet aside from the various Dust Giants that were currently acting as a cleanup crew for the Blind Legion. Currently overseeing the operation was Val Zu'uarc, one of Ta'aurc's three lieutenants. Zu'uarc looked over the recent battleground, staring at the giant scorch mark from the creature's weird black hole attack. Around him were heavily demoralized Legion members, something that Zu'uarc found deeply troubling.
"This is...this is not what I expected," a Cabal said from behind him.
Zu'uarc turned to see Ma'aurg, a recently made Val and another member of Ta'aurc's lieutenants. Although he was an excellent engineer Ma'aurg was never one for direct combat, preferring to defend himself with turrets and tanks than anything else. Zu'uarc knew Ma'aurg was not cowardly but his combat skills were severely lacking.
"It's a little...unnerving."
"Even the most elite of our soldiers can be demoralised," Zu'uarc said. "Especially in circumstances like these."
"What do you mean?"
"The creature that attacked the Iron Line. It only had four months experience."
"T-that's...that's absurd!" Ma'aurg exclaimed. "It killed Primus Sha'aul!"
"Exactly," Zu'uarc said. "Can you blame them for being demoralised."
"What will they do now?"
"I imagine the Valus will take over their leadership. Then we either learn to defeat these 'Guardians' or..." Zu'uarc trailed off, looking up at Phobos. "Or we wait for the Skyburners."
"Well you two, I've got bad news and bad news," a third Val said.
Zu'uarc turned to see the last of Ta'aurc's lieutenants, Val Bo'ourc, walking towards them. She was holding a datapad in her hand, her face grim.
"Go on..." Zu'uarc said apprehensively.
"The first part is...this Guardian. From the footage I've been shown this...thing just won't die."
"Y-You're joking, right?" Ma'aurg asked, nervously.
"It took a full barrage of a Colossi's missiles to the face and lived," Bo'ourc deadpanned. Ma'aurg gulped. "That's not even the worst part. The Guardian has implied that it has died at least once before, and that it can be resurrected indefinitely. I imagine its drone, called a Dead Person, is key to this but it will need further research."
"And the other bad news?" Zu'uarc asked.
"The machines, the one the Guardian named 'Vex'...there's been a massive surge in their activity all over the Exclusion Zone that coincided with the Guardian living the Keep."
The three lieutenants all looked at each other uneasy. Zu'uarc wouldn't say it but he had a sick feeling in the pit of stomach. Something big was coming, and he was unsure they would live to see it.
NEXT TIME: Kayla joins two Titans to take down Valus Ta'aurc in Chapter 1-22: The Three Vals