Grimoire: Taniks, the Scarred
"I have power, and so I do what I will."
There has always been something about the House of Sachiel that galls Variks.
Perhaps it is the fact that they never settle, never claim any territory for themselves, remaining in their solitary Ketch for time immemorial. Even now, centuries and centuries after the Whirlwind, the ancestral memory runs strong. Continents...worlds...star systems...so many, held by the Houses of the Eliksni. It is glory that everyone still strives for, yes?
Everyone except House Sachiel, that is. They simply fly, sailing the stars; never stopping, never ceasing.
There is also the willingness of House Sachiel to aid the other Houses in efforts to destroy their fellows. In an era before the peoples of Earth served as a focus for their bitterness and rage, the Houses would oft compete with each other for territory, and resources. Senseless, disappointing! Yet House Sachiel saw no issue with prolonging such pointless destruction.
Truly, they were a mystery.
In the time before Variks ever ventured to the Sol System, he encounters House Sachiel only once. A chance meeting, on an arid world that had been rendered lifeless by a massive meteorite. The Ketch hovers over the impact crater, quietly breaking down the rare metals and fused alloys into base, usable material. The Kell of that House watches the horizon in stoic silence, cloak fluttering in the dusty wind.
Variks has only one question, a simple one: what is the point of your existence?
He will never forget how Taniks chuckles, and gestures at the devastated landscape. The Sachielix muses about the nature of such cataclysmic events...about their purity. Weakness is eradicated, wiping the slate clean. Only the hardy...the mighty...the strong...would survive, meriting the chance to start anew. He turns, and there is something akin to amusement in his blank eyes. Taniks proclaims that the only absolute limit is power; with enough power, he can do what he wishes, without consequence.
Variks acknowledges the bluntness of it. But power is neutral; it is the will that gives it meaning. And the will of Taniks is one that he will always find repugnant.
That Taniks dares to mimic his House's noble Progenitor is, perhaps, what seals the deal for Variks. Sachiel had been a noble warrior; stalwart; unrelenting! The red jewel that is buried in the Sachielix's chest makes for a shameful mockery.
And yet...and yet...Variks always recalls a haunting sensation: a feeling of something ancient.
Of something primal.
xxxx
/High Earth Orbit Zone/
Shinji Ikari gulped quietly as the Moon loomed closer.
'Nervous?'
...somewhat.
'Is it just because you're fighting alongside the Hunter Vanguard?'
...maybe? He hadn't really pondered the possibility of Cayde-6 ever actually working in the field, given how fixed his presence in the Tower had seemed. That he had personally requested him for this strike mission...was somewhat humbling. I mean, I'm not the strongest person by a long shot.
'Don't be such a downer. You've played a part in rather heavy events since becoming a Guardian! Have some more confidence in yourself.'
It's not a matter of confidence. It's a matter of there being people who are better.
'Do you really think Cayde would have chosen you if he didn't think you were the best fit for this mission?'
...okay, he couldn't quite rebut that one.
"Okay kids, we've got ourselves a rather nasty character today." Shinji glanced out of his jumpship's cockpit, looking beyond Eris Morn's Light of the Abyss and towards Cayde-6's personal jumpship: an unusual model called Serenity, almost looking like a marine mammal...if it was a battered hunk of metal held together by chewing gum and duct tape. Cayde's words, not his. "Taniks, the Scarred; Kell of the House of Sachiel. Notorious pirate and mercenary."
"And the one who murdered Andal Brask."
The stoic words of Eris, crackling over his speakers, carried a strange weight to him. Who's Andal Brask?
'The previous Hunter Vanguard.'
"...yeah." Cayde's voice went quiet. But just for a moment. "Anyway, he's apparently been commissioned by Skolas to find something important, deep inside the Temple of Crota. Does the term Worlds' Grave mean anything to you, Eris?"
"...a repository of knowledge. Or perhaps a library. Toland once described it as a 'testament written in blood'."
"Sounds...riveting. Did you ever find it?"
"...no. There were...other things, that occupied our attention at the time."
"Fair enough. Anyway, according to intelligence from the Reef, Taniks is being sent after this thing. Given that he'll have to go through a bunch of Cabal to get to it...it must be important. And we've got ourselves a...helping hand, so to speak. Variks, you on the comms?"
There was a brief burst of static, before a calm and lucid voice answered, speaking flawlessly in the common tongue. "Yes, yes...greetings, Guardians. Variks, the Loyal, will be happy to assist you this day. Especially if it means the end of Taniks, yes?"
"...you sound angry," murmured Shinji.
Variks breathed heavily, his remorse palpable, yet final. "He is a murderer, and very good at what he does. He has long stripped his House of honor, prudence, and dignity. I have been tracking him since House Zeruel broke their chains, yes? Well, he has been sent to plunder the Hive. Your job, just as simple: avenge the dead; stop him from stealing the Dark."
"Variks, you are speaking my language!" exclaimed Cayde-6. "Buckle up Guardians; it's gonna be a bumpy ride."
And so the three jumpships swooped in towards the Ocean of Storms.
xxxx
/Outskirts of Yamagishi's Line, Oceanus Procellarum, the Moon/
The Guardian watched silently from his perch - a busted dome, containing supplies that had long been ransacked - as three jumpships slowly descended to the distance. "Reinforcements."
'This is your first big outing with a fireteam.'
"I'll be fine."
'I know. Just trying to calm your nerves.'
How funny. He would either succeed or fail; thinking about the possibility of failure wouldn't help at this juncture. And so the Guardian watched quietly as his three comrades approached, following his trail of carnage. "My goodness Guardian, you certainly like to make an impression," remarked Cayde-6, overselling how impressed he was. Then again, the Exo was apparently comfortable enough to go without a helmet, regardless of how little tactical sense that made.
'Immortality comes with quirks.'
A helmet is still a helmet. "The Ketch belonging to our target has taken a stationary position over the Hellmouth." He gestured off into the distance, where the green and white vessel was firing upon unseen foes. Numerous Cutters and Skiffs were trading fire with Cabal Harvesters, brightening the lunar night. "Taniks and his forces have chosen to take a more direct route, through heavy resistance."
"...I know this entrance." The lone female stepped forward, bearing blue armor and a cycloptic helmet; if he didn't know any better, she came off as an Evangelion-in-miniature. "It inevitably leads back through the periphery of the Hellmouth; we'd be walking straight into the field of battle. There is another entrance, further south of Yamagishi's Line."
"I scouted while waiting for your arrival; the Cabal have a number of outposts established all throughout the area. The Ketch's assault is the only reason I haven't been attacked by reinforcements yet."
The women huffed. "...a fair point. And the corridors beyond this entrance will be ideal for small arms combat, instead of the heavy demolitions that the Cabal favor; we might be able to slip through behind them. But time is of the essence; we must make it to the Worlds' Grave."
The other male of the trio - slimmer than Cayde, with a gait that betrayed his non-Exo nature - approached him quietly. He briefly catalogued the smaller man's lean armor - black with gray and green trimming, bearing shards of Ramielim crystal along the points of physical contact; the Fallen Striker armor set, courtesy of the Reef armories that had not hesitated to offer their wares to Guardians upon the Alliance's inception - before offering a nod of acknowledgment. Then the smaller man spoke with a rather boyish voice, and he was forced to reevaluate his impressions. "My name's Ikari. Shinji Ikari...I'm sure you already know Cayde-6...and our other teammate is Eris Morn. And you are?"
"...I don't have a name. Just call me Guardian."
"...erm...won't that get confusing though?"
His Ghost quickly manifested over his shoulder, staring plainly at them. "He's rather obstinate." Peter descended, gazing quietly at Ikari's purple Ghost, which glowed with its own A.T. Field. "And you...are a very interesting Ghost."
"Why thank you!" chirped a feminine voice.
Ikari, not to be denied, continued on, "...do you not remember your name?"
"...no. I don't."
"But I do. And he doesn't want me to say." Peter floated back up, pulling off an unimpressed glare. "I understand your viewpoint and stance on things...but it does make for an unnecessary-"
"Okay, I'm stopping this now. If the name thing is such an issue, I'm gonna call you Steve. Any objections?" A half-second passed before Cayde finished, "No objections then, we're cool! Now...let's get going!"
He and Peter watched Cayde-6 tumble down the rocky path towards the Hive fortress's entrance, which now bore the banners of the Sand Eaters. Turning his gaze towards Eris and Ikari, the Guardian settled for shrugging. "...I guess you can call me Steve."
xxxx
/Firebase Neaera, the Moon/
After the aborted assault on the Last City, and the Cabal had established a foothold in the Hive's ruins, it hadn't taken long for the bulk of the defenders to be replaced by soldiers of the Sand Eaters' legions; this freed up the Siege Dancers to redeploy to other unsecured areas across Sol-3's satellite, the Skyburners so that they could return to Phobos and have their ships serviced, and the Dust Giants so that they could consolidate their forces and prepare for enemy assaults. After all, being so close to the heart of the Guardians' power, it was only natural to expect conflict.
Then the various Fallen Houses had allied and instigated a thorough war effort throughout the system.
One such House had come knocking on their proverbial doorstep.
Valus Ta'aurc grumbled, his armor clanking with each heavy footstep. The former Hive fortress had already undergone a thorough remodel to accommodate the larger Cabal, and various barricades and banners had been established in strategic locations. Even so, the relative darkness, compared to that of Sol-4, had a grim effect on morale. How fortunate for this new development, then!
The mighty Colossus of the fourth Dust Giants legion chuckled as his elevator platform came to a halt, bringing him up to the location that had once been known as the Circle of Bones. The muted sounds of microrockets and crashing plasma echoed through the ground, rattling his armor; gazing out into the open air, he peered up at the putrid Ketch that had taken up residence over the Hellmouth. Energy bolts crashed into Cabal barricades, while light aircraft performed a deadly back-and-forth dance in the lunar sky above. His gaze fell, and saw various Phalanxes hold up against wire rifles and shock rifles, while Legionnaires fired their slug rifles from behind barricades. The numerically superior Fallen - tiny Sachielim, only a meter high, dancing and bouncing around with claws of amethyst that could pierce armor; larger Sachielus, lanky humanoids with shrapnel launchers and scorch cannons; the ubiquitous Servitors, providing shielding and long-distance fire; the bothersome Shanks, providing covering fire - crashed with seemingly endless fury against the Sand Eaters' hardy defenses.
Valus Ta'aurc chuckled; at least they had spirit! With a defiant and complex growl, he commanded the nearest Centurions to gather the Psions, and prepare for an organized counter-offensive; Phalanxes were to rearrange themselves into tighter formations, and press the enemy back! Loosing his heavy slug thrower, the giant Colossus unleashed a storm of microrockets, pulverizing a row of Shanks and obliterating a small cluster of the dwarfish Sachielim.
The entire Hellmouth was singing with the song of war; how exhilarating!
"Push them back!" howled Ta'aurc, his vibrant Anima Murum pulsing with each shot that came his way; these creatures didn't have what it took to pierce his spiritual shield! "Crush them all!"
CHYOOOM!
The Valus's world went topsy-turvy, as a whole segment of the Circle of Bones became awash in pink energy. It stung, burned; what had just happened?!
Snarling, the Colossus rose to his feet, eyes falling upon the cloacked humanoid that had landed near the ledge overseeing the abyss. Tactical data from the Cabal battle network fed into his HUD, identifying this new target immediately: a Sachielix named Taniks; the proverbial 'Primus' and captain of the Fallen vessel that was now assaulting Firebase Neaera. "How...fortuitous!"
The Sachielix's bony pauldrons seemed to separate, revealing twin scorch cannons that peppered his position. The fire smashed against his Anima Murum, causing the orange octagons to flare wildly; despite that impressive firepower, his soul was too strong! Howling, he raised his heavy slug thrower once more-
Taniks was suddenly in front of him; there was a flash of orange, as the Fallen's own Anima Murum neutralized his own. A hand rose, and a spike of purple crystal shot forward, and everything went dark.
xxxx
Taniks huffed with disappointment as his crystalline lance pierced the Colossus's face, erupting out of the other side in a spray of pressure fluid and brain matter; blank eyes watched as they lazily splattered against the walls, with the more meaty chunks spiraling away in the low-gravity atmosphere. Feeling irritated, he kicked the dead Dust Giant in the torso, whereupon the titanic corpse tumbled to the ground.
This whole mission had been quite boring so far.
With a harsh cry over the comm channels, a number of Sachielus and Shanks broke off to accompany him as they ventured deeper into the Hive fortress. He briefly patted the large container strapped to his waist; at this rate, the Iruelim hiding within would have a more exciting day than he would!
And so Taniks, the Scarred advanced onward, scorch cannons firing with reckless abandon at the stalwart Cabal defenders.
xxxx
Cayde-6 lobbed a Swarm Grenade over the gaping pit, where it dropped upon the ranks of the Cabal Legionnaires; as tiny projectiles burst against their targets, he yelled. "Kid! Eris! NOW!"
The other two Hunters vaulted into the air, Void Light surging; whereas Eris formed the usual bow-and-arrow, the kid's Light twisted into something akin to a javelin. The arrow was loosed, and the javelin was thrown; the twin Shadowshot bolts crashed amongst the Sand Eaters, tethering them tightly. "Steve, now!"
The Guardian in question ran across the small bridge that connected both sides of the cavernous pit, clutching a knife that burned with Solar energy. With A.T. Field-enhanced punches, he smashed into the bound Legionnaires and stabbed their necks, alternating between crushing them or incinerating them with bursts of fire.
Cayde-6 nodded, leaping to join his teammates on the other side. "Good job Guardians, let's keep moving." As they ascended past the steppes lined with ancient black stone and more-recent metal barricades, the Hunter Vanguard glanced curiously at Ikari. "So Shinji...interesting Shadowshot there."
"Eh?"
"Throwing a spear instead of shooting an arrow; interesting method."
"Oh. Well...it's what comes naturally, I guess."
The Exo Gunslinger snorted. "Naturally, he says."
"Um...is something wrong with the way I do it?"
"No," sighed Eris. "But the energy of the Void is a torrent that can consume the unwary; hence why it is theoretically simpler to aim the energy and let it flow where it wishes. Your method is akin to grabbing a whirlpool and throwing it."
"...is that a bad thing?"
"Eh, if it works, it works!" Cayde roughly patted the younger kid on the back. "Variks, got anything new?"
There was a harsh breath that came through. "Comms are...excitable. Taniks has burst through Cabal lines, descending deeper into the fortress...wait. Forces of House Sachiel are beginning to fall back towards their Ketch."
"Are the Cabal pushing them back?" asked 'Steve'.
"...no."
"Then why?"
"Because Taniks no longer needs them."
"...then he must have made it to the Worlds' Grave," growled Eris.
"Double-time it, people!" yelled Cayde as they continued running through the twisting corridor; sure enough, they came across a line of Cabal Phalanxes and Psions, shouting angrily and opening fire. Not to be outdone, the Hunter Vanguard's body came alight with fire, a Golden Gun manifesting in his hand. "You're in our way!"
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
xxxx
BOOM.
Taniks huffed as his scorch cannon incinerated the last of the Psions protecting the terminal. The Sachielix looked up and down at the elaborate column: a mass of arcane circuitry and metaphysical knowledge. Without much in the way of fanfare, he opened the spherical container on his waist, allowing the Iruelim within to emerge. The thousands upon thousands of nanites swarmed towards the Worlds' Grave, intermingling with its infernal machinery. Their annoyingly synthetic chatter prompted Taniks to turn off his comms; so long as they were making progress, he didn't care. The crew aboard his Ketch would inform him once the desired information was found and transmitted.
For now, it was simply a matter of defending this place.
xxxx
The four Hunters watched from around the corner as the Fallen of House Sachiel pushed back against the Cabal reinforcements; the Legionnaires had circled around the retreating Sachielim and Sachielus, while Phalanxes and Centurions were focused on the Skiffs that had descended to retrieve the Fallen. Psions were throwing their A.T. Fields around with abandon, warding off the Fallen movements, and providing additional defense against the ships' Arc bolts. It was a horrific cacophony of rockets, explosives, and energy blasts, shining brighter than the stars in the lunar sky above. "...well, that's gonna take some finagling to get through."
Cayde's words prompted Eris to glance at Shinji. "Ikari; do you remember the bounty from last week? The Zeruel Baroness Drevis?"
"...that was on the northern shore of the Great Aral Sea, right?"
"You recall how you retaliated when three Gaghielus started attacking us from the shoreline?"
"...I get it." The young man glanced over at 'Steve'. "Can you pick up that shield?"
The Guardian glanced at the dead Phalanx nearby, and the massive bulwark that was almost as tall as him. With a stern grunt, the Exo Hunter hefted it up with both hands.
Cayde arched an eyebrow. "There's a plan being made that I'm not in on."
"Just be prepared to run," cautioned Eris.
xxxx
Bracus Tho'ourg paused at the sudden screams coming over the comm channels; what in the world-?!
He turned away from the Servitor he had just shattered, boggling at the sight he witnessed: Cabal and Fallen were now flying, their bodies pulverized in some way, shape, form, or fashion. Something was barreling through them in a straight line-!
The last thing he saw was a small purple drone, propelled by orange octagons. It blasted through his Anima Murum with ease, bowling him over without a care in the world.
He didn't have much time to ponder his crushed rib cage before death took him.
xxxx
As 'Steve' - using a Phalanx's shield to block any incoming fire from stragglers - led the way through the broken enemy lines, Cayde-6 yelled, "That is extremely unfair!"
"Are you actually complaining?" griped Eris, firing Bane at some Sachielim that tried to get in close.
"Complaining about why I don't have a Ghost that can serve as a battering ram!"
"It has to do with how Unit-01 is locked inside my Ghost!" explained Shinji; the shield-carrying Guardian skidded to a halt beside what had once been a large Hive rampart, now reduced to a pile of rubble by the kid's Ghost. Shinji knelt down besides his unmoving partner, which flashed and rejoined his essence in a blink of Light. "But the feedback causes her to shut down for a little while!"
"How come?" asked the Hunter Vanguard.
The kid loosed an exasperated sigh. "I don't know! Her explanation involved a bunch of words that I still don't know the meaning of!"
"...fair enough."
Eris Morn dropped a Voidwall Grenade, creating a blazing wall of purple fire between them and the recovering Cabal and Fallen. "We've made it past the bulk of the enemy forces; let's find our target."
That's right. Keep your head in the game, admonished Cayde-6 to himself. "Yeah," he said, raising his Ace of Spades hand cannon and glancing towards the alcove beyond; a tunnel could be seen, leading deeper into the old Hive fortress. "Let's."
Further down, went the four Hunters; 'Steve' led the way, using his purloined shield to block incoming fire from any stragglers. Cayde-6 would throw a Swarm Grenade to harry their foes, while Eris and Shinji would take them down with their scout rifles. Most of the work, however, had already been done for them, judging by the various corpses lining the path. Legionnaires were missing limbs, Shanks had been pulverized, and lanky Sachielus had been blown up. "Taniks is going through a lot of trouble for this Worlds' Grave. What are the Fallen hoping to find?"
"...I have been trying to recall," admitted Eris. "There was once a Hive warrior, called Kranox, the Graven. He was tasked as the Keeper of the Worlds' Grave...within which was a catalogue of all the worlds conquered by the Hive; every life they have eradicated; every enemy they have faced."
"Huh. Neat." Cayde's mind churned; what could be the motive? "Variks, you got any idea?"
"Hmm...you say all worlds conquered by Hive, yes?"
"That is correct," acknowledged Eris.
There was a forlorn sigh that echoed across the comms. "Tales of the Whirlwind are many, Guardians. Passed down through each House, losing more details as time goes on. Clarity and precision, disappearing...yet House Tabris still remembers clearly. It was the Hive who were the downfall of my people, the Eliksni."
"Wait, seriously?" Well, this will probably make Rahool's day. "You're thinking that Taniks is trying to find something about your people?"
"Not Taniks. He is here by the order of Skolas; as for Skolas's aims...I am unsure."
"...we're actually a lot alike," murmured Shinji. "Us and the Fallen, I mean. We've both faced the Hive...and we've lost so much. Right?"
Variks bitterly chuckled. "Insightful, young Guardian. In truth, the similarity runs deeper: long before the Traveler graced your world, we were its chosen. We called it the Great Machine."
Eris, Shinji, and 'Steve' all glanced at each other with varying degrees of shock or surprise; Cayde didn't react at all, something that the lone female caught quickly. "You already knew this, Cayde?"
The Exo shrugged. "Kinda comes with being the Vanguard. I know things most other Guardians don't know. Or don't care to know, same difference."
"...if our peoples were both chosen by the Traveler, then why are we fighting?" asked 'Steve', holding his shield fast as a Sachielus fired a shrapnel launcher at him. "It seems counterproductive."
Cayde-6 emptied his hand cannon at the gangly beast, hitting all shots in the same spot; the last bullet broke through its A.T. Field, bursting the bony skull and exploding. "Call it the luck of the draw; by the time anyone in the City even had an inkling of the Fallen's past history with the Traveler, we had already been at war for centuries. Too much bad blood between us by that point. Too much blood spilled."
"Indeed. Little hope for reconciliation, it seems. Too much hatred, yes?"
"That's...sad." That was really all that Shinji had to say. Nothing else needed to be said.
"Regardless, Skolas must be stopped. His unknown ambition will not bode well for your people, should it achieve fruition. Stop Taniks, once and for all."
"Gladly," agreed Cayde-6, blue eyes gleaming with anticipation.
After blowing past one last defensive line of Sachielus, the four Hunters finally arrived in a large room dotted with rocks and Cabal terminals; a stairway led up to a large ledge, lit by orange light. In front of the sole door was a tall humanoid, wrapped in red sashes and a tattered cloak of crimson. Blank eyes stared down at them quizzically...and then he chuckled. With a swift strike of his arm, he shattered the wall behind him, causing rubble to collapse in front of the doorway.
"...I believe that the Worlds' Grave is behind that door," muttered the shield-carrying Guardian.
"Would be typical of my luck," groused Cayde-6.
The Sachielix raised his arms, shouting at them in a guttural language that they could not understand.
However, Variks was quick to translate. "Oh-ho! You are being called out, Guardians. Taniks wishes for an 'actual challenge'. Be wary. Fight. Win! Live."
That's the plan, thought the Hunter Vanguard as he took in Taniks's appearance. So you're the one who killed my friend. Time to return the favor.
'Steve' wasted no time, launching his Phalanx shield at the Sachielix with a grunt.
With a derisive snort, the twin scorch cannons in his bony pauldrons fired, blasting it away; the blazing orbs of fire continued to soar.
"Scatter!" yelled Cayde-6. The four Hunters promptly dispersed, as Taniks began his assault. The Hunter Vanguard dashed from rock to rock, firing his hand cannon between each gap; Eris and 'Steve' - now that he was thinking about it some more, 'Steve' really wasn't a good fit - were moving in closer, while Shinji got in a far enough position to take shots with his sniper rifle Positively Disappointing. The streams of positrons splashed against Taniks's A.T. Field, eliciting an amused snort from the beast. Huh. Probably should have conned my way into Sakura Suzuhara's first round of students. An A.T. Field would have been really handy right now. "We've got to wear down that shield!"
"On it," replied the Guardian, throwing an Incendiary Grenade at Taniks's feet. The Sachielix calmly strode over the fire, swatting at the Exo with his long arms. He bounded over the mercenary, using his soul to propel him further...and then a Vortex Grenade smashed into his face, courtesy of Eris. The female Hunter moved closer, firing her Swordbreaker shotgun with abandon. Snarling, Taniks stomped the ground around him, knocking her away and into a wall; however, the Guardian was remaining dangerously close, letting his soul shine brightly.
CHYOOM.
A ray of blue positrons smashed into Taniks's torso, scarring his flesh further. The Sachielix roared, backhanding the Guardian in the face before turning his dreadful gaze towards Shinji. The holes in his avian mask flashed.
CHYOOOM!
The young Hunter barely shadestepped away in time to avoid the eruption of energy, manifesting as a pink cross that tore into the floor and ceiling. The sheer force sent the kid tumbling, and he was forced to go invisible with a smoke grenade to get out of the line of fire.
Hmm. Time for a new plan. Cayde-6 huffed, tossing a Tripmine Grenade at the wall by the Fallen mercenary. With a condescending snort, the Sachielix flash-teleported away...and manifested right in front of him. New plan, NEW PLAN-!
The Kell's twin scorch cannons erupted, enveloping him in fire-
Doggone it. I hate dying. Can't really feel anything like I need to.
Then again, Exos don't feel much anyway. Gotta use memory chips for that.
Three Lights are moving around and about - my teammates, probably - rather haphazardly. That big energy signal - like a bonfire, seriously - must be Taniks. Its flinging power like it's going out of style.
Seriously Buck, you decrepit bastard, hurry up and bring me back-
With a flash of Light, the torched and blasted body of the Hunter Vanguard was restored by his Ghost. Good as new. Thanks.
'Don't think I didn't hear that decrepit bastard comment.'
...I stand by what I said.
'So, your new plan didn't turn out well. Now what?'
Cayde-6 glanced over at Taniks; the Sachielix was pushed off of the ledge by a shoulder charge from the Guardian, empowered by an A.T. Field-enhanced dash. He fell into a duo of Spike Grenades that had been dropped by Eris and Shinji, who were shooting him with their scout rifles. The mercenary snorted, crystalline lances emerging from his palms and lashing out with ferocious speed. Each lunging thrust broke through rock with ease; a single hit from those things would be deadly. Hmm...I've got a new new plan.
'Great.'
Trust me, it's gonna be brilliant. He withdrew his heavy weapon: a red rocket launcher known only as the Hothead. "It's called explosive ordnance."
'...genius.'
"Trust me, I know. FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Two rockets erupted from the barrel, crashing into Taniks's back with an explosive burst of Solar energy. The Sachielix stumbled, turning around with a fierce glare, and teleported-
SMASH!
A kick to the side sent Cayde-6 tumbling into the wall, causing a pile of rubble to fall on top of him. "...ow." The Hunter Vanguard quickly shuffled out, staring irritably at his right arm - the shoulder was busted, just typical - before gazing back at the battle. He winced as Eris was pierced through the chest by one of the Lances, her form dissolving into motes of Light; Shinji was quick to yoink the woman's flower-colored Ghost and retreat, but not before throwing a Voidwall Grenade behind him. Taniks was nearly bowled over by an A.T. Field-empowered punch from the Guardian; his reward was a solar cannon shot to the face, which blasted the other Exo away. "...really wish I had an A.T. Field right now." He raised his left hand, fingers clutching tightly onto the form of his Ghost. "Hurry up and heal me, Buck-"
Taniks teleported again.
CRUNCH.
A spike of purple crystal smashed through the drone. And Cayde's left arm. The Hunter Vanguard, if he could, would have looked pale. Instead, he settled for gazing up into the empty eyes of Taniks, gleaming with haughty triumph...and burgeoning power. "...well. Shi-"
CHYOOOM!
xxxx
Shinji Ikari barely finished giving some Light to Rose - speeding up Eris's resurrection - when a large cross of pink light erupted in front of Taniks. As the glow faded, and the Sachielix turned...there was nothing left where Cayde-6 had once stood, save for ash. "...no."
Eris Morn stretched her neck. "He will be fine."
"...I saw his Ghost get destroyed."
" oAo! "
The woman went still. "...then maybe not."
" ;_; "
Seriously. Why Cayde? Even if he wasn't someone that Shinji would call a friend, he was lighthearted and jovial! He was...well, kind of funny!
(The stalwart man did not falter nor fail, even with the three axes embedded into him. He could see Misato's body begin to tremble with rage and sadness...and yet Saladin did not appear to regret it. "...make it count..." And so he fell, once and for all.)
This...this didn't have the same weight. Just one unlucky turn of events, and Cayde-6 was gone! "...have to make it count..." He glanced over at his teammate. "Eris."
"Hmm?"
"You remember that Bardielus bounty from two weeks ago? The one with the large Walker?"
"...you mean Loksis."
"Yes."
"...very well." Eris got back to her feet, staring intently at Taniks as he advanced. "Let's end this."
" (＃ﾟДﾟ) "
The two Hunters darted from side-to-side, dodging the Sachielix's solar cannon shots as they did. Two Vortex Grenades were thrown, harrying the mercenary, but seeming to do little more than annoy him. 'Steve' seemed to pick up on the fact that they had a plan, and was firing his Palindrome with bullets encased in orange octagons; each bullet exploded against Taniks's A.T. Field, chipping away at it.
The Fallen Kell huffed, turning on his heel with gleaming eyes.
CHYOOOM!
By this point, they knew well enough that glowing eyes was a lead-up to an energy cross; the Guardian rolled to the side, avoiding the incinerating blast of energy. His lances extended with each thrust of his arms, pulverizing more and more of the rocks that served as their cover. The Sachielix loosed a boisterous howl, solar cannons firing with abandon as the three Guardians moved like madmen.
And then...their Light reached a threshold.
The Guardian's body become a fiery pyre, and his Golden Gun roared.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
The Sachielix grunted as the explosive bolts sent him backwards, right into a small clearing that had been blown clear of rubble during the battle. Eris and Shinji's bodies shined with indigo and orange as they unleashed their Shadowshots. Arrow and javelin pierced the ground by Taniks's feet, tethering him tightly. The Sachielix growled, trying to move, trying to engage his A.T. Field...but could not. The Void Light was smothering him. "Now it's over!" roared Shinji, raising his sniper rifle-
"Whoa, hold up Guardians!"
Everyone paused, turning their heads back towards a pile of rubble at the end of the room. Some of the pebbles stirred...and out emerged a familiar Ghost, floating towards them. Shinji blinked, recognizing the prominent wedges on the top and bottom, colored orange. "But...I saw you-!"
"I know, I apologize for him. He likes making up plans at the drop of a hat." The Ghost expanded, and in a flash of Light, Cayde-6 was standing there, good as new.
Noting their stunned amazement, the Hunter Vanguard reached behind his cloak...and pulled out what appeared to be a perfect replica of his Ghost. "Pro-tip, Guardians: children's toys make for excellent decoys. Seriously, the top-of-the-line stuff? Can't even tell the difference!"
Shinji blinked, his previous emotional high deflating quite rapidly. "..."
"Now then." Cayde-6 walked towards the bound Taniks, who was still trying to escape his bonds. "I bet if I said 'Andal Brask', you wouldn't know who I was talking about. Fair enough; can't expect you to remember everyone you've murdered." His Ghost returned to his body, and - for the first time - a helmet was transmatted over his head: a golden mask with white and red trimming, with a swooping nose that evoked the image of a bird of prey. "So here's a pro-tip for you, Taniks the Scarred." With a burst of Light, the Golden Gun manifested in Cayde's right hand, its power enhanced by the Celestial Nighthawk that he now wore. "...payback is a real bitch."
BOOOM!
Just one shot. But it was enough to smash the red jewel in Taniks's chest, blowing it apart.
The Sachielix stumbled backwards, hands reaching up to his sternum with something akin to shock; Light was leaking from the cracked jewel like water from a sieve. The expression on Cayde's face was...one of content. Or perhaps satisfaction.
Shinji could barely process this reversal of events before a familiar voice echoed in his mind. 'Hoo, finally back. Anything I missed?'
Well...I think we just won.
His Ghost manifested in a flash over his shoulder, peering at the Kell's trembling form. "...wait...that sphere...!" Yui blinked rapidly. "That looks like a self-encompassing spiral engine!"
"...eh?"
The excited speech from Yui prompted Cayde-6 to turn away from his long-awaited payback. "Is something wrong?"
"...well, back when the Evangelions were being made, their Core - that which allows them to draw on vast quantities of Light to power them indefinitely - was inspired by visions from the Traveler: a red sphere, with a complex internal structure of interlocking helices. In our technical manuals, we defined the Core as a 'self-encompassing spiral' engine...or an S2 Engine, for short."
"And the relevance of this is...?" murmured Eris, her eyes focused on the fountain of Light erupting from Taniks.
"Well...only that the amount of energy contained within an S2 Engine is incredibly potent. Dangerously so. And...uh oh."
"What's wrong?" asked 'Steve'.
"...you all may want to run. Except you Shinji."
"Why me?"
"Because I don't think you'll be able to," said his Ghost as her A.T. Field began to expand, and Light began to erupt from her form...Light that quickly began pulling Shinji in.
"Hey, what the-?!" His cries were swiftly muffled as he was absorbed by the radiance.
xxxx
"Ikari!" shouted Eris Morn. The energy around his Ghost was swelling, taking on greater definition...and the Light that been leaking from Taniks - how strange, to think that such a foul creature possessed so much of it! - was also beginning to pulse and writhe to greater heights.
"...oh shoot," muttered Cayde-6. "We need to go. Real quick like!" He turned on his heels and made for the tunnel leading back to the surface. "I think it's about to get really unpleasant in here!"
The Guardian didn't hesitate. "Let's go," he said, before following his fellow Exo.
Eris scowled, slowly backing away from the giant figures that were starting to form. "...damnation."
' C_X '
"...fine," acquiesced Eris, finally beginning her retreat. Do not falter, Ikari.
xxxx
The surface of the Moon was tranquil, even if the nearby Hellmouth was still flashing with combat between the Cabal and the retreating Fallen.
That serenity was shattered as a glowing claw erupted from underground, sending chunks of lunar rock flying into space. A massive humanoid emerged, similar in appearance to Taniks. However, the dimensions were more bestial than that of a Sachielix; the bones were harder, sharper and protruded more; the arms were longer, the legs ganglier, the proportions less even. The creature's entire form was ethereal and ghostly, with an entire outline wrapped in flickering flames of Light. 'Ghostly' was an appropriate term.
Dozens of meters away, an armored hand burst through the surface; with a snarl that was muffled in the Moon's thin atmosphere, Evangelion Unit-01 emerged, glaring wrathfully at the newcomer.
Deep within Unit-01's Core, Shinji Ikari was scowling. "You could've given me more warning, mother."
'Sorry! This whole process was rather spontaneous. I'll need to review these events later to try and identify the transformation's trigger!'
"Um, maybe we should worry about that later-?!"
Shinji was unable to finish his sentence before the Fallen Giant punched Unit-01 in the face.
xxxx
Grimoire: Sachiel, Angel of Water 2
"From the Memories of the House of Sachiel"
The Requiem of Sachiel
++BEHOLD, AN ODE TO MY LINEAGE++
++I Am-
-thus has been my cry++
++since our ascendance by the Great Machine-
++OUR GOD: DIVINE MACHINERY FULL OF LIGHT++
-This wretched Whirlwind, howling madly++
++kin Turned against kin, whole worlds consumed by slaughter-
-long have I strived++
-ON LAND I WALKED, THROUGH SEA I FLEW, THROUGH AIR I LEAPT-
++Though my brother GAGHIEL commands the waters-
-I am the undisputed master of its depths++
++countless are the enemies that I sent to their demise-
++YET THE BOTTOMLESS DARK IS AN UNENDING MAELSTROM++
-Hail, my precious people!++
++You have remained obedient and stalwart until the end-
-even as your numbers dwindle, and your navies crumble++
-MY HOUSE IS AT AN END, BROUGHT LOW BY POISON-
++Oh Farrhis, Kell of my people-
-your sorrow over our impending destruction has touched me++
++inspiring me to grant you a boon-
++A PIECE OF MY SOUL, VAST AND HEAVY++
-Take this shard, let it guide you++
++follow the example of Matarael's House, and flee-
-flee for the stars, make your own way++
-I SHALL REMAIN, IN THE GRAVE OF MY BRETHREN-
++The Great Machine's dread is stark, clouding my sight-
-since the death of ZERUEL, terror has gripped our worlds++
++horrible gales are ripping closer and closer-
++AND SO I GO, SICKLY AND CRIPPLED, TO DESTROY AS MANY AS I CAN++