Chapter XXII: The Conclave
Absolution Arc
O?d ?ri?i?h E?pi?e, Earth
Unknown time, December 23, 2714
Well, that was one hell of an entrance.
After the Xiphos crashed, I managed to get out of the wreckage alive and tried to reach the Temple where the Conclave were residing. The last thing I remember was collapsing in the snow from both my injuries and the freezing cold. It was so cold around the mountains that it was like I was in goddamn Antarctica rather than where the Conclave reside. Not even my armor's temperature regulators could keep up with the storm. Why the hell a mountain, for the Traveler's sake?
I know I'm in shelter. Definitely not freezing out in the storm at the mountain, nor am I in another visit to the Afterlife. Where, I have a feeling I'll save for later. Knowing this, it meant one thing. And to confirm it, there's a stench of parasitic spores around. Not the Infested kind of spores, but one from fungi and parasites you'd find in the jungles. There's only one subclass that can utilize this type of parasitic spores and poison that only becomes volatile when activated.
"Argh, son of a bitch…"
"You went too far with the shot, Vergil."
"Ha! I'd like to see you do better with that flimsy bow of yours, Asada!" Another voice entered my ears and upon hearing it, I groaned mentally. Not him… "And plus, how was I supposed to know his ship would have its wing blown off after I fired the cannon?"
"This, coming from a Master relying on technology to survive? Your toys won't save you out there."
"Says the Master who refuses to even use a gun and relies on Tenno-based weapons because you want to respect your mother's wishes."
That's it, I'm intervening before it gets out of hand. Knowing these two from memory, it's going to be a debate that'll last at least half a day!
"Dammit, you two," I managed to say, groggy and in serious need of a drink right now. "Can't you take your 'innovation versus improvisation' argument somewhere else?"
"Well, look who's up and at them."
"Been quite a while, Sparda."
How I wish that name would already be buried in the dirt already. My eyes adjusted and I could see I was in a room. Arms supported my back as my upper body lifted itself with my arms propped. A chamber, how quaint to be in. To be specific, a chamber that holds a number of statues honoring the fallen friends and disciples of my father. Even a warmth from a central fireplace and around the chamber were the only sources of heat in this place. Looking back at the central statue behind me, I saw a statue of my father in his armor that I replicated with his Path to the Light planted before him like the knight he is and will be remembered for.
The Conclave is what remains of the Eximus after their journey out into the Void that changed them to Dark Knights. They were the driving force for the Dark Knights during the Tenno-Dark Knight War, the ones who took risks and made every moment of their planning leave no stone unturned until it was an ensured victory. From what I was told, some of the Eximus that refused to go with my father to the Void had their own strategies to counter the Dark Knights' but it wasn't enough. At the head of the Conclave was Teshin, my father's most trusted friend and my adoptive father. My mentor. Most Dark Knights could easily identify a member of the Conclave by their color choice: all of them shared a black, silver-white, and gold color scheme with a golden emblem on their chestplates and breastplates. That color choice was meant to symbolize how even as Dark Knights, they still follow the Tenno ways and in remembrance to my father.
Nowadays, the Conclave mentors the most worthy of Dark Knights from all across the five factions after the division and remain neutral to the war between the five factions. A handful of them are still around but I haven't seen the rest of the Conclave, since they were often on other planets in meditation or taking back what was once ours. The Conclave remaining stationed on Earth still sought to unify all the factions into the way it was before the division, but that seems to be impossible with the Cyphers at the head of Red Veil's leadership.
"You alright?"
My head turned to Asada's voice and thus I was met with a Dark Knight bearing the colors of black, white, and gold. Her armor was sleek yet armored enough to provide enough of a chance to survive, decorated in a camouflage motif to blend in with a wilderness environment. On top of the armor was a lot of fungal tissue and growth that appeared dead and hardened on the outside, prominently around her neck like a scarf. The emblem of the Conclave was marked clearly on the center of her breastplate, glowing like a small sun.
"Yeah, just shaken up after Master Vergil decided to blow my ship's left wing off." My head pounded a bit and I put a hand on my forehead. Out of the corner of my eye, Asada produced a cup and presented it to me. Thanking her, I took it and downed the contents of the drink.
Big mistake taking it.
Whatever was in my mouth was immediately spitted out in a fine spray and I coughed, wiping my lips with the back of my hand. Dammit, all those times drinking vodka martini made me forget how unappealing Asada's tea was, considering that it was comprised of supposedly 'helpful' ingredients to cure headaches and other ailments in one drink. Either the taste just got worse or the martinis did me a favor and eliminate it from memory. Regardless, my headache is gone and I'm wide awake! Rudely, to add insult to injury!
"What the hell did you put in it this time?" I sputtered as I tried to get the taste out of my mouth.
"The usual, plus feverfew and violet leaves." Asada explained.
"You see, this is why most of us decide to not let Asada make our tea; hers is more like a death concoction than a relaxing drink!"
Master Vergil isn't exactly the type of person you'd expect to be a mentor to so many Dark Knights that he practically is superior to others in his field. In fact, he draws a lot of parallels with Cayde in the 'laid-back, not giving a shit' department. His armor resembles a magician around eight centuries ago in magic shows, to put it simply. And don't expect him to pull rabbits out of his hat of a helmet or any hocus pocus: he pulls you into a pocket dimension where you could be potentially trapped for all eternity or die. On the contrary, Master Vergil is the Conclave's Master regarding technology and weapons similar to my Supra energy machine gun and the Opticor cannon that brought down my Xiphos. The only time I saw him act so serious was when he heard that Lightning was captured by the Perrin Sequence.
"Get out of my face before I shove a—"
"Sword up my ass, I get it. Sorry about your ship, Sparda. Sheesh, relax."
It's Cayde all over again. An urge to lash out and choke him was on my mind right as I heard him apologize for my ship. Bastard… Who else was he expecting to fly around in a black and gray Xiphos?! So far, no one else owns a ship in the same make and color as mine! A Xiphos is a rarity among the other models the Dark Knights use and he decides to blow it up?
"You're a piece of shit, you know that, Master Vergil?"
"Yeesh, I said I'm sorry."
"Sparda is right. You really are a piece of shit to shoot his ship down when you know a Xiphos is a rarity among the Lisets, Mantises, and Scimitars. The Xiphos-class is what got us through our war with the Tenno because of its speed and durability, remember?" A voice called from above. Oh no, I'd recognize that voice anywhere. "If it were my Xiphos, I'd throw you in a tornado that won't stop until you make up for it."
Sitting on top of a pillar as a perch point was another of the Conclave Masters, legs swinging off the edge. The coincidentally named Master Zephyr, a Master specializing in the Archwing and aerial combat. Her armor was streamlined and better suited in the air, which better reflected her subclass of a Zephyr. Haven't heard from her since my defeat at the Archwing tournament at the Academy and that was twenty years ago. She leapt down from her perch and slowly descended down like she was an angel. Zephyrs often have the ability to slowly descend from any height and have a lot more agility in the air compared to the rest of the subclasses.
"Didn't expect your face to show up again, love," she greets me with an ancient British accent. "Thought you'd bite the dust on flying after that defeat at the tournament a good while back."
"I'm not so sad to say this, but Lyssa just died out in the Belt."
"Really now?" Master Zephyr folded her arms. "Good. She wasn't worth teaching anyhow. All hardheaded and refuses to listen to most of my lessons, thinking her way is better…"
"So I did you a favor, Master Zephyr."
"Yep! But don't think you've earned my favor by taking out Lyssa. You still have ways to go in aerial combat and maneuvers."
These guys are supposed to be what remains of my father's disciples and under Teshin's guidings? They're more like my generation. Teshin, Zephyr, and Asada? Not so much my generation.
Truth be told, Asada isn't that older than me: just a few years older, to be exact. Where I look twenty-four, she has to be at least thirty in a physical sense. Her mother knew my father and was one of his closest advisors for every mission they made for the Eximus and soon, the Conclave. Even his top Predator — the Tenno/Dark Knight equivalent of a Hunter back in the olden days — during the war. Unfortunately, she passed away the day before the end of the Tenno-Dark Knight War protecting her daughter from an assault, leaving behind a young Asada without a parent. Master Asada won't talk about her father and downright refuses to do so. Even with her issues, she's the best shot of a Predator we have; maybe the last good one.
While Asada didn't fight alongside my father and Teshin during the war, Zephyr did. After all, aerial combat and long range reconnaissance was her speciality. Her role hasn't changed at all from her time in the Eximus to the Conclave. Often she did recon on the enemy to see the scope of the enemy's defenses and outflying anyone, whether it be in space or in the air with her Xiphos or Archwing. I believe she was fifty-four by the time the war ended, which meant she was physically eighteen. Impressive, really.
"Where's Teshin?"
"He's at the top of the summit," Asada said, putting a hand on my shoulder reassuringly. "Although it's good to see you again, you chibi (runt). Routine wasn't the same with you gone."
A scoff escaped my nostrils and then she riled up my hair playfully. The times I remember her doing that to me and Lightning, so nostalgic… "Yeah. We have a lot of catching up to do." My hands started fixing my hair back into the way it was and I made sure it would be that way.
"Maybe so, but I have a feeling he's not coming down from the summit anytime soon. He may want you to climb up there to meet him."
"Actually, Teshin isn't going anywhere until Sparda goes up there. Said something about it being a test." Vergil butted in. "It has been four years since you left home and your training, after all. He thinks you were slacking off while you were among the Guardians."
My heart sank. He wants me to climb the summit to talk with him? Typical of the hermit… Can't even be assed to give me a break, can he? Then again, he'll always say 'No excuses' to everyone. If there's one thing I cannot tolerate at all, it's climbing the summit when there is a snowstorm outside. The cold won't do me any favors for the time and effort I used climbing. And also, no I didn't slack off with my training, you old hermit!
"Do I have to do it now?"
The three Masters looked at each other as though one of them had the answer. It was like a shell game where I had to remember which cup or shell the item is hiding. Even the silence and crackling fire wasn't helping to ease the tension I felt. Master Zephyr finally spoke up after a while.
"Teshin saw how hurt you were when you crashed and figured you need rest. He's not as harsh as you think, Sparda."
Honestly, I didn't ask for special treatment from Teshin. I was fine as I was with my former training before I left, which was like everyone else. Sighing, I tried to get back on my feet and I almost fell on my back if it weren't for Asada catching me. Damn, my back hurts more than the rest of my body… How hard did my ship crash, exactly? For all I know, the pain felt like I fell into a pit full of stalagmites and was impaled as a result. As Asada helped me stand, my tendrils wrapped around my legs like they were an organic exoskeleton.
"You need to save your strength, baka."
"For a Master horrible at making leisurely tea, you have a point," I joked. "I have no intention of going up there like this. Not after the last time I was weakened."
"We have time for your tales, Nero Pendragon." That's the first time I heard Master Zephyr address me by my real name rather than 'rookie' or 'hot shot'. Guess I did earn some respect after Lyssa got blown to smithereens. "Start with the good bits first! I want to hear how Lyssa died out in the Belt!"
Looks like I have time to kill. Teshin can wait after I recover my strength.
"So, where do I begin…? Oh yeah, right at the beginning and why I decided to come back." As I began to weave the tale of Lyssa's death, a nagging thought came to my mind. It started off as subtle, then just as important of a detail like remembering one's face in a snap.
Rose.
And Reaper.
I hope that they don't think I abandoned them. This is for their safety before the Taken Take me. Hopefully there's another way to get rid of the Taken within me. The Stalker is formidable, but I couldn't defeat them with the strength I have now. I need to become stronger, unlock the potential I chose to neglect because I feared using the Darkness. In fact, I didn't just come here for help from Teshin.
It was more than that.
-Destiny: Skyfall-
1206 Hours, December 24, 2714
The Tower, Earth
Father…
Why did you go? Was it because I put everyone at risk for saving you from the Stalker? Please come back…
As I stared at the sun from the Hangar, my hand scratched behind Neo's ears as his head rested on my lap. He's been whining sadly all day. Auntie's panicking and mad at your absence. She scares me when she's angry. You weren't in your workshop or at the other planets and Moon. You're scaring us, making us worried.
Neo kept whining even as I scratched the back of his ears to calm him down. "It's okay, boy. He'll come back."
Lying isn't what I like to do but I had to do something to stop Neo's whining. It's not annoying or anything, but the more I hear it, the sadder I feel. Like it was my fault. I couldn't stand by and watch him die!
"Father…come back…" Tears were streaming down my face and I hugged my knees to my chest. I wouldn't care if I looked weak and sob like a baby; I am still a baby in my head, but my body aged into a teenager because I want to protect father. To be by his side when he falls.
Neo knew the pain I felt and started nuzzling his nose against my side. Mother said that he can understand the emotions of the people around him and comforts them to the best he could. Then he started to howl like a wolf before the full moon. To be with his owner for a few days and alone again, it must've broke Neo's heart.
"Rose!"
Before I could look up, I was tackled by a spiral of a twister and my back was slammed against the wall. Only one Guardian could pull off the same move as I can.
"Ow, Ruby…" The Huntress in question clung onto me like a child and hugged me tightly that it felt like I'll be crushed by her strength. "Can't…breathe!" I hugged Ruby back to hopefully get her back to her senses before she kills me by hugging!
"Ugh, you dolt!" A white Warlock, Weiss, grabbed Ruby by the back of her cloak and pulled her away from me, so that I can breathe again. Neo came to my side and comforted me, his whimpering changed to one of aiding.
"Ohmigosh, I'm sorry!" Ruby apologized, falling to her knees in front of me to look at me. "I was worried about you all day! Why weren't you responding to my calls?"
"Sorry, I was so focused on finding my…" Should I tell them that their mentor is my father? I don't have any proof that he is and they'll probably think I'm crazy. Oh, what do I do?!
"My…" Panic was taking over and I can feel the tears coming back when I remembered that father left for two days now. My hands were shaking violently and they could see it. "My…mentor."
The black Huntress, Blake, knelt down next to me curious at my action. Her cat-like eyes scanned over me and I swore that her bow twitched a little like they were ears. "Rose, something's bothering you. What's going on?"
"Did someone break your heart?" Yang, the golden-yellow Titaness punched her fist into her palm, plated knuckles ready to hurt someone. "Tell me who it is and I'll make them pay for breaking my little Rosie's heart!"
"I-it's nothing like that, Yang!" I managed to blurt out. "I'm worried for Spectre's absence. He promised me we'd keep practicing on my technique."
"So he's your mentor? I didn't think he would be the type to take people under his wing." Blake asked. My head nodded in response. "I'm sure he wouldn't leave without a reason."
Blake is right. Father has to have a reason to just leave us. It can't be because of me; he forgave me for saving him from the Stalker and he wouldn't leave because of me or Reaper. But why? Did he have some kind of unfinished business that I was not aware about? Something that he had to deal with alone?
The tone for an incoming message rang in my ears. It has to be from father! Quickly, I reached for my helmet and slapped it on, ignoring the sudden words from my friends. My eyes diverted to the corner of my helmet's visor where the message would be.
[9 13 7-15-9-14-7 20-15 2-5 20-18-1-9-14-9-14-7 20-15 20-1-11-5 15-14 20-8-5 19-20-1-12-11-5-18. 25-15-21 12-12 11-14-15-23 23-8-5-18-5 20-15 6-9-14-4 13-5. 9 8-1-22-5 20-15 4-15 20-8-9-19 1-12-15-14-5, 19-15 4-15-14 20 23-15-18-18-25. 9 12-12 2-5 6-9-14-5.]
Numbers? Why would he send me numbers? What hope is it? I have no Ghost nor A.I to tell me what it means. My hopes deflated and I took off my helmet. It came from father, so I have hope that he is alive.
Where are you, father? Please be okay…
A/N: Well, we've hit the end of the road for this chapter. It was a long one to write, and I would like to thank those that have been patient waiting for this chapter to be posted as I've hit a roadblock with my other project's chapter.
The Crimson Commando (II-XXI): Yes, it is time for the Light to be tested across the Earth in a place that is devoid of it, plagued by its blights. And plus, I figured that it was a bit of appropriate timing for that reference, so there you go.
Mr. Dox The Fox (II-XXI): Oh trust me, you'll see him with his full potential in due time, my friend. Luckily, we've addressed most of your review through the PM and Spectre does still have a chance against Oryx, Samson, and the Stalker. It's a matter of dedication and a pursuit to become the Guardian of Equilibrium he was born to be. (Get it, because his parents are a Tenno and a Dark Knight? No? Okay.)
Stay safe out there Guardians and enjoy both Iron Banner and Age of Triumph while it lasts! DESTINY 2 HYYYYYYYPPPE!