Grimoire: Sachiel, Angel of Water
"From the Memories of the House of Sachiel"
The Paean of Sachiel
++BEHOLD, A TRIBUTE TO MY GLORY++
++I Am-
-this shall be my cry++
++I, Chosen of the Great Machine-
-shall sing of my vastness++
-OUR GOD: GENEROUS AND MIGHTY, MAJESTIC AND GLORIOUS-
++I walk valiantly wherever I go-
-and the land shall tremble beneath my feet++
++I will sail through the air-
-embracing the heavenly heights of the Sky++
++Yet it is the seas where I feel at home-
-moving as one in flight, free and clear++
++HENCE MY TITLE, THE ANGEL OF WATER++
++Behold my limbs-
-wiry and limber!++
++Behold my hands-
-bearing undeniable sharpness!++
++Behold my spirit-
-unleashing stoic judgment upon my foes!++
-LET MY STRENGTH BE KNOWN AND RECOGNIZED-
++From this new life of mine-
-a new House shall emerge++
++I shall forge a new future for them-
-alongside the other Chosen++
++BEHOLD THE VOW THAT IS MY NAME: I AM SACHIEL++
xxxx
For the longest time, everything had been muted for the Remnant. Quiet. Solemn.
The sense of his power, being used to define and shape and lead...it had always been the stuff of dreams, an echo of what had once been a great work.
Then, there had been sudden violence - a twist, a rip, and a tear; the kind and valiant Farrhis, struck down! - before silence reigned again. His power was still used...but this time, to plunder, divide, and ruin.
The remainder of his House continued to survive, however; that was enough. And so the Remnant of the greater being was content.
But now...
But now...
Borrowed flesh was amplified and empowered. All traces of the body's original soul - such a foul and gluttonous thing! - was burned away, as the Remnant manifested fully. Eyes focused, and narrowed; the being before him now was...new, yet familiar. This dry and empty satellite; how many had he trod upon? Such answers were beyond him.
And yet...
And yet...
There was no denying the stench of the purple Giant's demonic flesh. It bore the same disgusting taint as the ravenous winds that had emerged from the Howling Dark. The ancient war, destructive and unyielding, had not yet ended!
And so...
And so...
He would continue the fight, for as long as this form could last, until the last dregs of his heavenly power were spent.
Thus did the Remnant of Sachiel - Progenitor of his House, the Angel of Water - march to war.
xxxx
/Oceanus Procellarum, the Moon/
The Fallen Giant was leaking Light like a sieve. Yet that did not stop the being once known as Taniks from charging at Unit-01, lunging with lanky arms and lashing out with sharpened lances of purple crystal.
Shinji Ikari grimaced as he willed his Evangelion to back away; the titanic Sachielix - was he even a Sachielix anymore? - was attacking with a ferocity that he had not anticipated, especially from something so large. Mother, what in the world is happening?!
'Hmm. Don't know. But the energy that this entity is giving off is fascinating! The underlying metaphysical weave is actually imprinted with an informational key!'
Shinji winced, barely dodging the lance that tried to take off his head. He fired a right straight, sending the Fallen Giant skidding backwards across the Moon's surface. What does that even mean?!
'Well, to summarize a lot of metaphysical biology, the energy signature has a proper title: this entity is Sachiel.'
"...Sachiel?" muttered Shinji, arching an eyebrow. "That's...that's the name of the House though, right?"
'Which likely means you're dealing with some fragment of the original. The Progenitor, if you will!'
"...the Progenitor?"
A smooth voice suddenly flowed through the speakers of his helmet. "Did you say Progenitor, Guardian?"
"...er, yes?" He yelped, rolling away from Sachiel's flying kick. His limbs quickly flew for purchase, trying to arrest his wild momentum in the low gravity. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
Variks softly sighed. "Explains much, about the feeling that Taniks always carried...but I suppose it is moot now, yes? If you are facing even a remnant of Sachiel, you might be in trouble."
"Why? What could he do?!" The enemy Giant's eyes glowed, unleashing a cross of pink energy that briefly overpowered the Sun's light. His Evangelion snarled, flinging a Spike Grenade into the ground; the torrent of Void washed over Sachiel, who advanced through it unerringly.
"His title was the Angel of Water...and not for reasons you might expect."
Before Shinji could even ask, Sachiel's blank eyes suddenly blazed a brilliant white; the Light around his form continued to blaze, as the surrounding space seemed to...waver. Or perhaps wobble? Almost like...water?
'Oh my word, this is amazing! Sachiel's imposed a matter-equivalence state over the atmosphere around us! '
"Mother! Stop talking like I know what you're talking about!"
'Oh. Sorry. Basically, even though the physical composition of the vacuum around us hasn't changed, it now feels like we're underwater.'
He flexed his arms, and grimaced at the sensation of watery resistance.
(Evangelion Unit-01 gazed at the waters of the Sea of Japan, knowing that the Ahamkara that had reduced Sado Island to a ravaged husk was under there. Without hesitation, he delved into the deep.)
"...I get that." He looked back at where Sachiel had been, and oh crap he had vanished that wasn't good-!
POW!
Sachiel slammed into Unit-01's side, swimming through space with godly agility and dexterity; with a defiant scream, he slammed Unit-01's face into the ground, plowing the Evangelion along the lunar terrain.
Shinji scowled at the sensation of his face being dragged against rock; with a frustrated snarl, Unit-01 slapped a hand against the ground, propelling it upward. The right elbow smashed into Sachiel's torso, with just enough force to push him back. "How can I get rid of this water?"
'It's not actually water-'
"MOTHER!" Unit-01 dropped a Vortex Grenade on the ground behind it, providing a defense so it could ward off the lightning-quick motions of Sachiel. "PLEASE!"
'Oh. Sorry...hey, don't backtalk to your mother, young man!'
Was she really doing this? Right now?! "MOM!"
'Oh. Right. Well, even though the physical composition is the same, the atmosphere around us currently shares the properties of water. Not sure about the exact salinity being mimicked-'
"Like water then. Okay." He might be able to work with that. With a harried roar, he extended Unit-01's A.T. Field into a dome, blocking the Angel of Water from advancing. "Focus..."
Not to be deterred, the Progenitor's eyes blazed, unleashing energy cross after energy cross. The spiritual shield shuddered under the force of the assault, cracking from the stress.
Shinji tried to ignore the increasing ache in his chest - a strange cross between heartburn and numbness - as he focused on the Light within him. The Void - surrounding all things, calm yet hungry - would not help him here; he needed to let his energy flow, like the wild torrent that animated all things...
CHYOOOM!
...the energy of life...
CHYOOOM!
...the power of the Arc.
CHYOOOM!
The A.T. Field gave way, right as Unit-01's eyes sparked brightly; with a burst of electricity, the Evangelion fell into the Bladetrance, manifesting swords of lightning. The faux-water shined with electricity, and the Angel of Water shuddered from the sudden influx of energy. Now! With a defiant howl, Unit-01's right leg tucked in and lashed out, smashing into Sachiel's chest. As the Progenitor went flying, the atmosphere's wavering began to fade, until the wide expanse of space was once more free and clear. That...that did it! With a huff, the Arc Blades vanished; Unit-01 turned its dread gaze back upon the Fallen Giant, which had fallen near the rim of the Hellmouth. The Ketch that had belonged to Taniks had long fled the area; only the Cabal remained, and the remaining Harvesters were firing upon the Progenitor with abandon.
Slowly, the Angel of Water began to rise...until it stopped. "...huh?"
xxxx
Sachiel stared blankly at the bodies lying with the Circle of Bones, exposed to the sky above. Piggish and stout corpses - aliens of an unusual sort, with grim faces befitting Zeruel himself - were surrounded by the remains of familiar beings: Sachielim and Sachielus, bearing his image and likeness. He slowly reached down, prodding one of the limp bodies with a single claw; the chill was a familiar one.
The Progenitor slowly rose to his feet; as missiles rained down upon him from the enemy ships, the Light of his Soul impulsively flickered. In an instant, the two dozen ships erupted in soundless fire. The panic and dismay of these aliens were irrelevant; his focus was upon the blue planet suspended in the heavens. Even from here, he could sense the strife of war, present on so much of the world.
The presence of the Great Machine was a mere echo of its true glory, and that made Sachiel want to weep. Motes of Light, suspended in the darkness...Light that no longer belonged to his brethren, or the remnants of the other Houses, but to other aliens.
And that was the key, wasn't it?
Sachiel slowly turned, facing the creature he had been fighting. Its foul taint was undeniable...but the power of the Light had been unmistakable. That truly was what compelled him to cease this battle...for what was the point in continuing to fight with a servant of the Great Machine?
One question burned; one that the Angel of Water couldn't help but verbalize with a confused warble.
++WHY?++
Why indeed?
Why was the Great Machine here?
Why was it so much weaker?
Why had it left the realm of the Eliksni?
-WERE WE NOT GOOD ENOUGH?-
Had they been lacking?
Had they been found wanting, in the face of the Whirlwind?
Had the Great Machine, in its infinite wisdom, abandoned them when their fate had become set in stone?
++WHAT WERE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?++
What could they have done?
What could these aliens do that the Eliksni could not?
What had they been missing?
-OUR FAILURE WAS COMPLETE, AND TOTAL-
The fragments of his House, which had once populated entire star systems...now reduced to the crew of a single ship.
The other Houses, even if united, were so embroiled with hatred and rage...the taste of it was palpable, and rampant throughout this system. No wonder the Light felt so choked and constrained.
Sachiel stared despondently at the indigo Giant, then looked down at his claws; the Light leaking from his body was slowing to a trickle, a sure sign if any of his current state. How fitting a mirror, for the state of the Eliksni: bleeding dry, until nothing remained.
++HOW DID IT ALL GO SO WRONG?++
A plea to his House; to the Great Machine; to this strange creature that he had battled...it did not matter. For a plea is all that it would be.
And thus did the Remnant of Sachiel, Angel of Water, give up the ghost.
xxxx
Shinji Ikari felt a strange sense of conflict within his heart as the Angel of Water slowly dissolved into flickers and specks of Light, fading away from sight. "What...what's happening?"
'Hmm. Sachiel couldn't maintain his forum...ah, I see. That final blow delivered by Cayde to Taniks shattered the S2 Engine. Although the sudden burst of energy is what allowed Sachiel to override Taniks's corporeal form, the Engine's integrity was fatally compromised.'
"...is there nothing that can be done?"
"A good question, Guardian," mused Variks. There was a strange lilt to his voice, akin to somber...nostalgia. "This Remnant, great with power, yet unable to continue existing. A proverbial deity, from a time long past..."
Shinji's brow furrowed as the last motes of Light vanished. "...he sounded..." Those odd cries, impossibly traversing the vacuum...they had spoken to him. "...sad."
"...indeed."
"Do you know what he was saying?"
"...Variks would rather not say. There are things that I must...consider." With a terse huff, the Tabrix then said, "In any case...a wretched murderer has met his end. Taniks was powerful, and the losses suffered by House Sachiel will no doubt reduce their activity on the frontlines. Unfortunately, I do not know if we were successful in preventing him from plundering the World's Grave."
Another voice burst over the comms. "Hey, kid! You doing okay in there?" asked Cayde-6.
"...yeah." Maybe. The battle with Sachiel had left him in an unusual place. "Are you all okay?"
"Feeling peachy keen...huh, there's another phrase...anyway, good job on fending off that gigantic Sachielix there. Now we won't have to worry about Taniks ever again."
"...yeah..."
"We may not have been able to get to the World's Grave, but I'll accept the death of Taniks as a consolation prize. Head on back Guardian; let's go home."
Stopping Taniks was one thing...but the creature that had empowered the mercenary, this 'Angel of Water'...he didn't feel so good about that one.
'It's not like you would have been able to change anything, son. Sachiel was doomed the moment our battle with Taniks concluded.'
"...maybe..."
'...uh oh.'
"...what's wrong?"
'You might want to be ready for a drop.'
"Why-?" His question was interrupted by the sudden sensation of Unit-01...folding up and vanishing. "...oh."
'Yeah.'
The Core around him suddenly flickered and vanished in a steady flash of Light; he resisted the urge to yelp as he was suddenly floating in midair next to his Ghost. With an application of willpower, he formed an orange octagon beneath his feet, providing some measure of support. "...how did you return to normal?"
'Personally, I would define Unit-01 as 'normal'.'
'But to answer your implied question, I don't know. I'll need to bounce some ideas off of someone else. Maybe Akagi-79 will have an idea...'
There was a quiet vibration that rattled his body in the thin atmosphere; turning around, he saw a familiar jumpship floating behind him, clad in the foul material of Hive architecture. "Ikari; would you like a lift back to your ship?" asked Eris Morn over the comms.
"...yes, please. Thank you." With a slight bow of gratitude, he walked onto the wing of the Light in the Abyss, holding on tightly as it made a course for Yamagishi's Line.
He had a lot to think about.
xxxx
/Somewhere between Mars and Earth/
/The Prison of Elders/
Skolas quietly looked at the head of Qodron - its contents and simulation core long plundered of anything useful by - as a small portal opened in front of him, courtesy of House Leliel. Glancing up, the Zeruelus stared as a small cloud of Iruelim emerged. "Did you find it?"
The Iruelim loosed a synthetic chirp: a humble request to relay information.
Skolas reached into his form, withdrawing a data tablet from within. The sentient nanites eagerly joined it, and began displaying the relevant information that they had been sent to find; with a soft chuckle, the Kell of Kells smiled. "Good...good." Now, it was a matter of acquiring the means.
There was a quiet crackle; a communications channel opened on his tablet, and a familiar voice spoke. "Skolas."
"...Variks," sneered the Zeruelix.
"Taniks has perished."
A shame. The Sachielix had been strong. But ultimately, the mercenary was superfluous. "What of it?"
"Are you aware of what he carried within him? A shard of his House's Progenitor: a mere Remnant, brimming with the Great Machine's boon."
"...interesting." No wonder the mercenary had been so powerful; he had literally been borrowing power from his god, like a parasite! "That you would mention this to me means that he still fell. So again: what of it?"
"...I heard the cries of Sachiel, as the Remnant fell in battle. Tell me, Skolas: where will all of this end?"
Skolas snorted; was the traitor intentionally being daft? "With the reclamation of the Great Machine, and the destruction of the thieves."
"Must it? The Great Machine chose to bless the people of Earth with its Light; foreign to we Eliksni, yet similar in other ways. Had they been with us from the beginning...perhaps they would have been yet another House in our great Confederation. Time, space, and circumstance are all that separate us."
Such petty words. Time, space, and circumstance accounted for a vast, unbridgeable gulf; within that gulf lied the bodies of countless dead and dying. "...you are suggesting an armistice. Treaties." His skull-like face would have curdled with disgust if it could move. "Peace," he snarled.
"The return to glory of the Eliksni and the killing of the Earthlings need not be a 'package deal', as some would say. I believe that unity is possible...and in the face of what lies out in this universe, it would be to our detriment, if we did not at least try."
"Wretched beast!" howled Skolas. "You would have us simply forget centuries of bloodshed?! Of countless Eliksni killed and ravaged?! Never forget that these thieves were the one who crippled the Great Machine, and reduced it so utterly! And you...you would have us make peace with such a scourge." He glared at the data tablet, resisting the urge to vaporize it. "Their slaughter is not only called for...it would be just."
"...so you say," murmured Variks, chuckling bitterly. "What a fine question that he asked...'how did it all go so wrong,' indeed...perhaps I will never know in full, yes?" And then the line cut off.
The Zeruelix huffed, placing the data tablet down and tossing the head of Qodron over onto the wreckage of its fellow Minotaurs. As infuriating as Variks was, he had only reminded him of the glory that awaited his people.
It was time to begin the next phase.
xxxx
/Vanguard Headquarters, the Tower/
The Guardian was quiet as the debriefing continued, listening intently while also focusing on a rather pressing question. Peter.
'Yes?'
...the title that Cayde-6 gave me. 'Steve'. It doesn't seem...to fit.
'Yes. That is very true. Are you ready to hear your name now?'
No.
'Stubborn.'
Osiris tilted his head. "How...unfortunate. The Worlds' Grave would have been a very valuable trove of knowledge."
"Hey, next time I have two colossal giants stomping around an important 'Artifact'," snarked Cayde-6, making finger quotes in the air, "I'll make sure to ask if they could politely step aside."
"...I suppose it doesn't matter at this point. The demise of Taniks will serve as a heavy blow to the Fallen." Saint-14 turned towards Shinji, noting his uneasiness. "You are ill at ease, Hunter Ikari?"
"...the Fallen Giant that Taniks turned into...this 'Sachiel'..." He shook his head, trying to regain his thoughts, from the look of it. "...Variks said that the Fallen used to be the 'Chosen' of the Traveler. That they were...well, like us, at one point." The Japanese teen glanced at the Hunter Vanguard. "And Cayde-san...he said that it was something that the Vanguard knew."
"We do," acknowledged Osiris.
"Then why are we still fighting? Shouldn't we be trying to be allies with them? If the Traveler chose humanity and the Eliksni...then why can't we try and band together?"
Saint-14 huffed. "As much as it may gall you, young Hunter, we were not blind to the possibility."
"What my friend means, is that the City has tried to parley with the Fallen before, particularly once we were able to establish some understanding of their language," explained the Vanguard Commander. "Our last attempt...was when the Warlock Ulan-Tan went to negotiate personally with the House of Arael. His body returned to us. As for his mind..." Osiris's lip curled with something akin to somber anger. "...the point that Saint-14 was trying to make, is that we have made efforts to negotiate before...and in good faith. Alas, they were to no avail."
"...oh..." Shinji seemed to deflate.
Eris glanced briefly at the younger Hunter before interjecting. "Variks told us that his civilization fell to the Hive. If that's true...then perhaps Skolas was seeking information about their old worlds. As for why..." She briefly paced in place, mulling over something. "...Commander Osiris. Have you ever visited the Future War Cult?"
"I can't say that I have."
"...they have a Device of sorts, that enables one to peer into alternate timelines."
"...I am aware of its existence. I also know that use of it renders one insane."
"...I have been using it, as of late. To try and gain greater understanding of the threats we face." She held her hand, warding off the inevitable retorts. "With the ability to wield and manifest my A.T. Field...I have been able to withstand the pressures of the Device."
Osiris had a slight grin on his face. "Oh really?"
"Starting to get that creepy look again," cautioned Cayde.
The Guardian could see what Eris was trying to get at. "What did you see?" asked the Exo.
"...the House of Iruel has long been fascinated by the Vex, have they not? Skolas will play into this fascination, and seek to use the powers of the Vex for his own hands." Eris leaned against the long table, pale face contorted into a displeased expression. "It was only one possibility of many...but with this mission involving the Worlds' Grave, it is one that I fear is likely. Imagine: with the Vex's ability to manipulate and traverse time...Skolas could pluck warriors from his House - or any House - from any time period, seeking out those who are on the threshold of death. Imagine: right before a planet would be destroyed by Hive arcana, their denizens could be whisked away, as they would not be in any danger of changing future events."
"...the potential paradoxes would be circumvented by choosing the right targets," muttered Osiris.
Eris nodded grimly. "I believe that Skolas intends to bring whole armies of Fallen into this timeline."
"...so what you're saying is that we need to beat Skolas before he can claim Vex tech for himself. Sounds simple enough," said Cayde-6.
"There can only be one target of opportunity for him then: the Vault of Glass." Osiris quietly manipulated the projected images, zooming in towards a region on Venus. "Based on the reports from the Princess of the Reef, its current location is somewhere within the Ishtar Sink."
"Smack-dab in the front lines of the Hezen Corrective and the House of Iruel," muttered the Hunter Vanguard. "...sounds simple enough."
"We already have numerous Guardians acting all across the Venusian theater," said Saint-14. "More Fallen from the Houses of Zeruel, Israfel, and Ramiel are beginning to reinforce their brethren from Iruel and Shamshel on Venus. If we're going to beat them to the Vault, we must strike before they have a chance to consolidate their forces." The Titan Vanguard turned his gaze towards the projection of Earth, focusing on the North American continent. "But what of the Black Garden? Wouldn't it also be a target for Skolas?"
"There's too much territory in the North American Anomalous Zone for them to concentrate on without taking combatants away from the other fronts," remarked Osiris. "And the Vault of Glass is more...isolated, at least according to the testimony of Pahanin. It would be the easier target."
Cayde-6 was suddenly quiet, his eyes focused on a litany of information being displayed from the projector: mission reports, apparently. "...yeah. It probably is."
Shinji Ikari tilted his head, apparently noting the Exo's sudden quiet. "Is...something wrong?"
"...got a report in from the Anomalous Zone. Shiro-4 is em-eye-ay. His jumpship disappeared...no contact reestablished." The Hunter Vanguard sighed audibly. "Great. Just great."
The Guardian let the thought circulate within his head. Missing in action...Peter, how important is Shiro-4?
'...well, to my knowledge, he used to be Cayde-6's protege. He's one of the Vanguard's best scouts, and has a way with firearms. Did you know that the majority of the SIVA-enhanced weapons are based off of his designs?'
...I see. "Is there a plan in place to extract him?"
"I'd have to think about that one, new guy. We're talking about infiltrating heavily-guarded Vex territory...much as I'd like to avoid a repeat of Andal, I wouldn't know where to start looking."
"...very well. I'll look for him." He turned on his heel and prepared to leave when the Hunter Vanguard's voice broke through with uncharacteristic seriousness.
"Steve...no. Guardian." He could feel Cayde's gaze on his back. "I think you've got moxie. I've liked what I've seen so far...but going alone is a suicide mission."
Hmm. Suicide mission. The term seemed...
(It was the first days of the Cataclysm. Gang activity in the inner city had become intolerable, to the point where open warfare was taking place. The military had been mobilized to restore order, until - inexplicably - they too had turned on themselves. The local police were surrounded on all sides by hostile forces. It was in this hellish environment that he, a mere officer, stepped into the fray.)
...familiar. "...I'm new. A relative unknown." He glanced over his shoulder. "Anonymity will be my best ally, correct?"
"...hmm. The Vex do seem to respond proportionately as a basic tactical matter," acknowledged Osiris. "Ever since Unit-02 retreated from the Anomalous Zone, we have yet to encounter more giant Vex. Perhaps...you may have a valid point."
Cayde-6's eyes narrowed. "...Osiris, you normally advocate sensible action. A solo warrior, delving into the deep dark, all heroically and gallantly? That's normally a me move." He blinked, looking somewhat befuddled. "...I'm not sure I how I feel about this role reversal."
"...Shiro-4, from what it sounds like, is a valuable member of the City's military forces. A rescue mission is called for...and in the meantime, I'll report anything I find about this 'Black Garden'." The Guardian turned his gaze towards his other erstwhile teammates: Eris Morn was looking somewhat contemplative, while Shinji Ikari appeared a little...worried. Possibly for him. A nice sentiment...but the young Hunter would need to maintain focus on his own tasks. "Good luck with the Vault of Glass."
The Japanese teen blinked owlishly. "What...what makes you think I'm going there?"
"Given the stakes...you don't strike me as the type of person to back down. No matter how much you hate it. Am I wrong?"
The young man's face curdled, a strange cross of bitter and resigned. "...no."
And that was that.
"Well 'Steve'...do your best," relented Cayde-6, sounding not too happy about this turn of events. "Try not to die. I'd look really foolish for pushing you to take that class with Suzuhara, then." Jocularity, to disguise his concern.
"Understood. And sir..."
(In a matter of years, he had changed so much from what he had used to be. Undergoing GEHIRN's procedure to become an Exo, ascending through the ranks as other officers died, became Vassals of the Ahamkara, or simply fled...in less than a decade, his shoulders bore the four stars of the Chief of Police. In terms of remaining municipal authority, he was all that was left; countless lives in the city depended on him. In spite of it all...he always rose to the challenge.)
"...call me Chief." And with that, he left the Vanguard Headquarters.
'...a significant improvement,' fondly said Peter. 'You sure you don't want your name?'
I'm sure.
'Very well.'
Besides...Chief seemed far more...appropriate.
xxxx
Cayde-6 hummed thoughtfully as the Guardian departed. "Hmm...Chief, huh? Sounds pretentious...I like it!"
"Ikari. Eris." The words of Osiris elicited the two Hunters to look back towards him. "You two have been at the forefront of many significant events as of late. The discovery of SIVA, the end of Nokris and Crota, the reclamation of Evangelion...and now, the defeat of Taniks, the Scarred. You, Eris, have long been dependable, as seen by your work for the Speaker...but Ikari...you have quickly become rather notorious."
"...that's bad, right?" asked Shinji.
"Notorious for the enemies of the City, more like," answered Saint-14.
"My point...is that in battles with forces that play with temporal physics and defy causality, it would only be sensible that the spearhead consist of those who have been at the forefront of such things. Additionally, even if Unit-01 is not as consistent as Unit-02 is...it is a trump card that cannot be denied."
The young Hunter actually seemed to deflate at the mention of Unit-01. Eris quietly interjected, "Being a Pilot of Evangelion is not where he begins and ends, Commander."
"And I would never insinuate such a thing," retorted Osiris.
Cayde nodded; even if being able to summon a giant robot was incredibly handy, the kid had a special spark inside him: a strange kind of intense resiliency, in a sense. "A gun's only as good as the guy handling it."
"We would not be considering you for this mission if we did not believe you could handle it," said Saint-14. "Take comfort in that, young Guardian; it is a sign of your prowess."
"...thanks," he muttered, as though embarrassed by the accolade...and yet, the small smile on his face indicated that he was also somehow pleased by it.
"There are some particular fellows who I believe would be particularly useful for the endeaver to plunder the Vault of Glass," said Osiris, already filtering through various Guardian profiles. "If you have any suggestions, I'll hear them. But I suggest you resupply and rest; you two have quite the task ahead of you."
Indeed they do, thought Cayde-6 quietly, looking down at his own terminal. And so does our new Guardian...
'...you're not seriously going to let Chief go it alone, are you?' mentally asked his Ghost.
Hell no.
Buck sighed. 'You actually gonna cash in some of your favors?'
If I have to. He's gonna be plunging deep into Vex territory; no telling what he's going to find in there.
xxxx
/Mexican Archipelago, Southern Fringes of the North American Anomalous Zone/
The bearded man hopped off of his horse, lightly patting her side as her saddle and reins were removed. "Go on, now. You'll be of no use where we're going."
The brown equine neighed, swiftly turning tail and turning southward with her other brethren. Their animal instincts had long ago convinced them to stay away from the place they had been heading for so long.
Sighing, the bearded man readjusted his armor and cloak, letting his fingers rest upon the stock of an aged sidearm. After all of the intrigue, events had led up to this: a gathering of Guardians who had remained loyal to his faction, sixty strong; dozens more in baseline humans and Exos; over a hundred combat-class frames. The cloudy sky fit his pensive mood, even as the northern horizon crackled with lightning amidst floating towers of brass and bronze. Well, I've gathered as many as were willing to come. It would have to be enough. And now we're plunging deep into the belly of the beast...
(He stared with wide eyes at the orange crystal, within which lied a nude girl with blue hair...and three red eyes. "No...that absolute madman...!")
...no more than usual, I suppose. It was time to truly see how deep the proverbial rabbit hole went; he gingerly padded the pocket within his vest, within which lied a tattered journal: yellowed with age, and yet containing things that would have been considered insane by most. Time to find out if what you had foreseen is actually the truth...Ryoji Kaji. "Everyone: move out!"
And so the war party of Lysander and the Concordat's remnants marched into the Anomalous Zone.
xxxx
Grimoire: The Concordat
"Harmony must be preserved for the people alone. Outsiders will only threaten it."
Before Seele ascended to the Consensus, there was the Concordat.
One of the original factions, the Concordat was part of the first triad that comprised the Consensus, alongside Nerv and the Symmetry. The Concordat espoused an isolationist ethos: to avoid drawing the attention of greater foes, it was best to maintain a purely defensive posture; to reduce civil stress, social harmony was emphasized as the highest virtue; to truly guide humanity to a Golden Age, the resurrection of the Traveler was their highest priority; their overall philosophy was socially popular, which was why they maintained their position for so long.
As decades passed following the Battle of Six Fronts, they became more disconcerted by the direction the Vanguard and the Speaker were taking. Osiris's interests were too dangerous, bordering on heresy; the Speaker was too lax when it came to the ideas of those such as the Binary Star Cult, Seele, or the Monists; the loyalties of the Awoken who had left the Reef were suspect, given how close the Royal Family appeared to be with the mysterious Nine; these and other views were sources of tension within the Concordat, further exacerbated and politicized after Lysander became the faction's representative within the Tower.
Then, after Twilight Gap, the Concordat inexplicably initiated a coup, seeking to supplant the City's ruling government. Although it was swiftly routed, the stark internecine conflict rattled the City to its core; thus, by decree of the Consensus, Lysander was exiled, the Concordat was disbanded, and the Guardians who had sworn loyalty to that faction were given the opportunity to realign. Some Guardians and civilians who had worked closely with the faction instead opted to leave the City, never to return.
To this day, rumors still abound that Lysander roams the Wilds, gathering supporters to continue his crusade against the Consensus: the Speaker, Osiris, and the faction Nerv in particular.