Ghost Fragment: Kell of Scar

(Audio log 1 of 2)

Light is being tested. Trial by fire as the Warlock would have put it. Being asked to enter Vault of Glass as per Vanguard request...

(Voice analyzing. One match. Eliksni. Svadis, Kell of Kells.)

(The recording pauses briefly.)

According to Vanguard, unknown signal is originating from Vault. Attempting to enter was much easier than I thought. Vex let me in with no resistance. Suppose machines know we have common enemy in Oryx and Taken. Imagine they have lost much, like I. Am certain that the signal is both centuries old and from the future all at the same time. Quite the paradox yes?

(Recording pauses. Time lapse estimated before record resumes is thirty minutes)

Am near Templar spire. Fought them. Taken. Crawling through Vault like maggots in open wound. Warlock commander, whose name escapes me, has put disturbing image in my head. Vex worlds crawling with Taken? (he shudders audibly) Mercury lost to humanity already. Too late for that. Will not lose Venus. Have come too far to lose it all now. Houses united under my banner. Grudges buried. Still need to resolve that. (long pause followed by irritated growl) Cannot believe I am Kell of Kells and yet still beneath Vanguard's boot! Will fight for equality of my people! Will fight until I cannot anymore. Titan friend has concept. Philosophy. Firebreak Calculus. Will enact this. Have chosen spot to fight. May not be physical, figurative, instead. I choose the Vanguard's figurative territory and will hold my ground from their unfair and unjust treatment of all Eliksni until I draw my last breath. Am heading to Gorgon Maze, signal belongs to Guardian I presume. He is called Praedyth.

(Recording pauses indefinitely.)

Gorgons are missing. Not surprised. Taken might have destroyed them. Or maybe the Warlock and his friends did. Maybe both did. In Vault of Glass who knows how many possible truths there are. All exist here and yet none exist here. Another paradox? Of course. Am still not sure where signal is (gunfire fills the log alongside what might be Eliksni swearing. Unable to translate.)

Taken are here! Hydra must be blocking signal. Hobgoblins moving in. Must fight.

(Indefinite pause followed by panting.)

Fought hard. Managed to destroy Hydra. Signal has vanished. Unsure if Hydra was playing trick on me or if signal has just died away. Found Praedyth. Or what was left of him. Bones are centuries old. Was probably trapped in Time by Atheon. Cannot say for sure. Have reported to Warlock Commander my findings. Unsure if Taken have made it to Time's Conflux. Will check to be certain.

(Indefinite pause)

Have run into problem. Another paradox. Praedyth alive somehow? Scattered like a Warlock I've heard of and commanding Taken within Time's Conflux. Have successfully destroyed them all. Was then visited by Exo. Not a Guardian. Not a minion of the Dark either. An enigma. Gave me her thanks. Told me this was proper timeline. Gave me weapon. Claimed her task was complete. Has no need of it. Looks similar to Vex technology. Spoke to me. Called herself No Time To Explain. Renamed her Katadeh. It means "Time" in old tongue. She has a word etched into her side: Soon. Will keep her. Need replacement for old rifle. Was destroyed by Minotaur. Will report findings to commander.

(pause)

She gave me praise. "You really are the Kell of Kells." she said. Asked in return for supplies. Food and water mostly. Minimal weaponry for our warriors. Taken are still threat until Oryx dies. Have not heard back since. Will send scouts to loot House Winter's old territory. Praying there is something there left to salvage. Pray Guardians will help us. Will need their help for many years to come.

(Audio log 2 of 2.)

Not even three days have passed since last request from Vanguard. A needy bunch they are, yes? (Eliksni laughter). Serious note; blight has been detected on top of Citadel Spire. Citadel is one of the centers of Vex Network. Cannot allow Oryx to control Vex. Would be disastrous.

(pause)

Remember this place too well. Many cycles have passed since Dagger fought Skolas up there. Now I return there in their stead, with the mission of destroying Oryx's Blight. Will do this for good of universe, not for Vanguard who fails to answer my calls for aid.

(Video log 1 of 1. Footage origin is Vex security network on top of Citadel spire. Synced with audio.)

Atop the Vex Citadel Spire sat a blight of Taken energy. Tendrils of darkness spread along the surface of smoothed metal below tearing through it and directly into the Vex coding. It wouldn't be long before all of the Vex in Venus were consumed by Taken. A single Kell stood before the blight staring up at it, his swords held limp at his sides by his lower arms, and his upper arms lay crossed over his chest.

"Quite the collection of Light you have gathered Oryx..." he commented.

He uncrossed his arms, handing his swords to them and taking a stance. The blight bubbled as the light took shape forming into and Echo of Oryx. Upon seeing the Kell, the shadow laughed.

"An Eliksni Kell?" he spoke, "Your kind have been scattered! Your forces are weak! Have you come to accept your fate?"

The Kell took a stance, "You have destroyed my people, have burned my home and shattered our honor. Most would give in. I am not one of them."

"Then you are a fool. And like all fools before you, you will die!"

The Echo tapped into the Kell's Light and began twisting it using an infamous spell: Grasp of the King. The Kell shrugged off the spells initial effect and Blinked at the Echo running his blades through the creature's stomach. The spell failed with the Echo's concentration broken. The Kell and the Echo's eyes locked.

"You'll not drain my life so easily." the Kell whispered.

The Echo slammed a fist into the Kell's stomach tossing him across the way. The Eliksni flipped over skidding along the metal in a three point stance. The Echo raised a hand, casting bolts of darkness at his opponent. The Kell sheathed his blades, blinked to cover and returned fire from a pulse rifle that had once been on his back. The Shadow roared in fury and summoned the Taken. A legion of Phalanx and Psions met the Kell in battle but they meant little to him. Redrawing his swords the Kell focused. In a flash, almost like an actual lightning bolt he tore through the ranks of the Taken stopping at the Echo who had summoned them, the blades of his sword laying against its neck.

"A message for your creator." he growled, "Am coming for his head. Will restore Eliksni! Will restore our honor! Will avenge my father, whom you slew all those eons ago. Tell him I WILL DESTROY HIM!"

He swiped the blades beheading the Echo.

With the Echo dead the Blight became unstable and consumed itself disappearing a moment later. What little Light remained on Venus was restored to its rightful place atop the Spire.

"Commander." the Kell spoke, "Blight has been destroyed. Venus is clean. Have favor to ask of you. When you find Oryx's Throne World, allow me to join the team you send to destroy him. This is for personal reasons."

"Very good, despite Dagger having sent Oryx screaming back to the Ascendant Realm, his Taken still run wild. This must no be."

"Have fulfilled my bargain. Will my request be granted?"

"I will contact you when we figure out more. For now, stay in touch. Your supplies have just been sent out, they should arrive within the hour."

"Thank you, Warlock Commander. Give my regards to all who made efforts to feed my people, without their kindness we would surely perish."

"Consider it done."

"Farewell commander, may the Light guide your way."

(The security footage fades to black and the audio cuts off.)