Chapter 27: Crota's Will is Broken
Five days following the destruction of Crota's soul crystal, Eris had one more task for the now Four Deadly Sins: The destruction of Omnigul, the Will of Crota. But for now everyone was doing some extra prepping. After Ana got back to the Tower, she was greeted rather warmly by everyone else who was happy to see she was alive, well except for Zavala at least.
But with her being back, the Crucible soon was met by her voracious curiosity about how the City had changed while she was gone, which soon earned glutton the new title of: The Boar Sin of Gluttony.
Meanwhile, Cortona's War Beast, whom she had named Brutus, was introduced to Nyx. The War Beast pup was hesitant due to the Worm's appearance, but after a bit of time, he managed to warm up to her. Now Nyx had a playmate.
Interestingly, Cortona had decided to feed him orbs of light alongside his meat. No real changes had occurred yet since it hasn't even been a week yet. Those were expected to be noticeable over the next few months. Though Alex had noticed that Brutus' coat was slowly starting to change from dingy brown and bronze, to pure white and gold.
"Anything about Omnigul I should be aware of?" Ana asked as she looked over her favorite scout rifle, Polaris Lance.
"She has the voice of a banshee, I can tell you that much." Cortona told her as she checked her new Red Spectre for anything off.
"She's also depraved." Alex added as he pulled out The Stranger's rifle.
"And probably has the emotional range of a toothpick." Vulcan finished as he got his new Hard Light auto rifle ready for combat.
"She's also no slouch in combat, so don't hesitate to bring something heavy for when we deal with her." Snake chimed in.
Ana nodded and began looking through what she had to see if she had anything that would be helpful for shutting up the banshee-like Wizard.
"I think I got something." She said as she pulled out several gadgets. One was some sort of throwing disc, and the other was a cube. "This first one is called the Absolute Cancellation disc, it disables all forms of energy (solar, arc or void) in range. The second is the Perfect Cube generator, it can create cube-like force fields you can surround yourself or others in that nothing can break out of or damage."
The other three Sins looked at the gadgets in interest. The Absolute Cancellation disc sounded especially useful if applied correctly, and Alex idly wondered if it could keep a Wizard from sending out their signature magic blasts.
"I also developed this." She then held up a chip. "This is the Infinity Chip. If your Ghosts install this, you can potentially sustain your supers, grenades, melees, or class abilities longer by controlling its time." She then installed it in her Ghost. "Though I'll use it first to test it out."
"That reminds me, we should probably take Ana to Mara to get a seal tattoo at some point." Vulcan noted.
"Good idea." Alex agreed.
"I'm sorry, a sealing tattoo? Why do I need that?" The Bray Guardian asked in confusion.
"To control your curiosity so it doesn't get you killed." Cortona explained.
"Curiosity is what killed the cat, as they say." Alex nodded.
"Exactly." Vulcan nodded. "Anyway, are we all ready to go?" He asked the group.
"Yeah." His teammates replied as they all got on their ships.
-Cosmodrome Airspace-
The group transmatted to the surface and started charging forward to find Omnigul, Though they were soon met by resistance on three fronts when they entered a three way skirmish between the Fallen, Hive and Hybrids. Right around the area where they killed the Devil Archon Riksis.
"Shit, looks like the Fallen are taking some severe losses." The Dragon Sin noted as he saw another Fallen get shot dead.
"Are those things eating them alive?!" Ana gasped as she saw a swarm of Drells and Thralls eat several Captains alive and cannibalize several Knights and Paladins.
"Sadly, yes. Pretty fucked up shit show, isn't it?" Cortona asked, her voice full of disgust.
"I… I think I'm gonna be sick…!" Ana groaned as she held her stomach.
"Come, let's give the Fallen the relief they deserve." Vulcan beckoned as he started walking forward towards the onslaught.
Alex was first, by throwing a Void toxin grenade in the center of the conflict he was able to disorientate the Hive and hybrids while the others got the Fallen away long enough for Alex to active his void clones and stealthily killed them with his rifle and Lostvayne.
As the smoke cleared, the Dragon Sin stood over a mountain of corpses and jumped down. "Honestly this is getting insulting." He yawned. He then made his way over to his teammates. "How are the Fallen?" He asked.
"Pretty shaken up due to what they just endured. They actually seem glad that we're here." Ana reported.
"Well we better get moving. Where's the next checkpoint?" The male Exo asked.
"The Array station near the Skywatch." Vulcan told him.
"Alright, let's move." He said as they got moving again.
When they reached the control station, they were greeted by an entire swarm of Hive and, thankfully, no hybrids in sight… At least for now. Vulcan fired the first shot at them and took out a Thrall via a headshot.
"Where's the next checkpoint after this?" Cortona questioned as she threw an arc bolt grenade at a cluster of Hive.
"The Jovial junction, just east of here. Eris says that's where Omnigul May be hiding!" Ana yelled back.
"Let's move! Mow 'em down, people!" Alex barked as The Stranger's Rifle sent a burst of bullets into an Acolyte.
Continuing onto the next checkpoint, they were luckily not met with much more resistance until they reached the checkpoint and hacked their way in, that was until…
AIEEEEHEHEHEHEHEHE!
Omnigul's screech echoed about the complex.
"... She really does have the voice of a banshee." Ana commented after a moment.
"Does anyone wonder if any Hive near her go deaf from her screeching?" Sentry wondered.
"Probably." Cortona shrugged. After that, they made their way in… and were greeted by a horde of Cursed Thralls.
Alex let out a yelp of surprise and fired a burst into the nearest target. The result was a chain reaction that pretty much made the problem solve itself. After the reaction ended, and dozens of body parts littered the ground, everyone could only stare at where the large horde used to be with only one thing going through their minds.
"What was the point of that?!" Ana asked in a baffled tone. "Seriously, what was the point of them being there if that was going to happen?!" She added, gesturing to the scorched ground.
"Yeah, that was honestly piss poor planning on Omnigul's part." Alex agreed with a sigh as he shook his head.
"Let's just keep moving." Cortona said. After a moment or two, they came to an area that had collapsed (probably due to the giant Seeder's impact) that was full of Hive. And much to the irritation of the Dragon Sin, there were two Ogres among them. The Exo Hunter wordlessly shot a pair of rockets at them, not even dropping his glare as he did so. After that, Vulcan cleared them a way to Omnigul through the lesser Hive, who didn't stand a chance against him.
Upon reaching where the Will of Crota was residing, they noticed that her Vandalyte child wasn't present. She had likely hidden it away for safety. Crota's mate glared at them with murder in her eyes, promising vengeance for what they had done.
"Come on guys, let's show this intergalactic bitch how we do things in the Last City." Alex told them, whipping out his Gjallarhorn.
"It's like you read our minds." Vulcan said with a grin as he took aim with Hard Light, but then he gasped in pain as a hand was placed on his back and he felt all of his light and power forcibly leave him and float away in a sun colored wispy orb, which Omnigul snatched as she flew out from behind him.
"SHIT! Guys, Omnigul just took Vulcan's light!" Sentry yelled in alarm.
The witch seemed to lick her lips as she opened her mouth wide and swallowed the light whole. Everyone watched in shock for a few moments before, all of a sudden, Omnigul started clutching her midsection and writhing in pain. Everyone could only look at her in confusion.
"Um, Snake? What's going on with her?" Alex asked with a raised eye-plate.
"It's Vulcan's Divine Grace: Sunshine, it's too hot for Omnigul to handle, so it's burning her from the inside out!" The Ghost said as the Will of Crota started wailing and screaming in agony. She then started flying erratically around the room in pain, crashing into anything that happened to be in her way. After a while of this, she crashed near Vulcan.
The light then floated out of her mouth and back into Vulcan, causing him to be able to get back up, his power and strength restored. He then grabbed Omnigul by her throat and brought her to eye level, where he gave her a suitably pissed off glare.
"... Is this the part where we take cover?" Ana asked warily, feeling like that would be the smart thing to do right now.
"Uh, yeah." Alex nodded as the two Exos and one human hightailed it out of there and watched from a safe distance a Vulcan attached a fusion grenade to Omnigul's head, surrounded her in a Cruel Sun, and then hurled her out of the building and followed her by jumping through the roof.
The other three Guardians followed and saw the Titan flying over the small sun, which was now smack dab in the middle of the Cosmodrome reservoir.
"Pride Flare!" He yelled, closing his hand, causing the sun and the grenade to explode in the mother of all explosions, vaporizing the entire reservoir and destroying several thousands of tons of concrete and metal in the process, leaving it a glowing, molten mess.
With Alex, Cortona, and Ana, they watched the entire spectacle. When they saw Vulcan vaporize the shit out of the whole reservoir, they nearly fainted in pure shock.
"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" Ana yelled with wide eyes. "Okay, where the hell were you guys during Twilight Gap, Six Fronts and The Great Disaster?! With this much fire power, we could have saved hundreds, if not thousands of Guardians back then!"
"I'm pretty sure me and Alex were both dead after the Collapse." Cortona replied with wide optics.
"At least we're here now.." Alex added, his optics just as wide as Cortona's.
That's when Vulcan landed, his body still radiating blistering heat, which was slowly being suppressed by his seal, but was still enough to give Ana a small sunburn.
"And that… Is why I am the one... Who stands at the pinnacle… Of all races." He panted.
"I think we understand that fully." Alex nodded dumbly.
"I think the local Fallen can also agree with that statement." Hawk commented. It was then that the four Sins noticed the group of dumbstruck Fallen nearby that had borne witness to Omnigul's spectacular demise.
"So I'm curious. If Omnigul can be killed and die, does that mean she can come back like the rest of the Hive?" Cayde asked.
"... Yeah, probably." Alex replied, his shoulders slumping.
"To the Hive, death is relative. They can always find ways to come back, no matter how heretical." Eris stated.
"Yeah, but I think Omnigul may be scared of Vulcan forever now after how she was killed by him." The Hunter Vanguard rebuked. "That being said, I guess that means we're made for each other. Us and the Hive, I mean. Anyway, good work team, come on back home. Ramen's on me."
*Grumble*
Everyone turned to Ana, who's stomach had just rumbled after the mention of food, causing her to clutch it in embarrassment. "I… May have forgotten to eat before we left." She admitted sheepishly. Everyone just laughed in amusement before they transmatted back to their ships and headed home.
(A couple days later)
Ana was currently sitting in front of Sedia as the techeun placed a sealing tattoo on the right side of her neck, which took the shape of a red boar. The woman moaned as she rubbed her neck after the tech witch pulled away.
"Welcome to my ranks, Anastasia Bray, Boar Sin." Mara told the hunter, handing her a Vestian Monarchy Cloak.
Ana smiled as she put the cloak on. "Thank you, your grace." She said.
"I look forward to having the Sins as my warriors in the coming conflicts." She then leaned into the girl's ear. "And please do me this one favor, keep an eye on the other Sins, especially Vulcan. My dear Lion does have a tendency to get in over his head far too often, so please make sure he stays down to earth."
"No problem." Ana whispered back with a smirk. With that, Mara stepped back and let her get up. The queen of the Awoken looked the woman over before she smiled.
"I believe you may be the perfect candidate." She said.
"For what?" The last Bray asked.
"A new form of light based powers my techeuns and I have developed. By using both light and dark we have created new powers similar to what you call 'subclasses'." Mara explained. "These new powers are called Natural Disaster Classes."
Ana felt her gluttonous appetite for knowledge pop up. "Just what elements do they entail?" She inquired curiously.
"Wind for Hunters, Water for Titans, and Earth for Warlocks." The woman explained while giving a satisfied and sultry smile.
"Wow…" She breathed in amazement before she chuckled. "The water one is what's going to be ironic in Vulcan's case. I hope you realize that." She told her as she chuckled. Mara blinked before she caught on and began chuckling as well.
"Yes, I suppose you're right." Mara nodded while wrapping her arm around Ana's waist to lead her away. "Come, let me show you what I mean." She purred, leading a blushing Ana further into her palace.
ThermalsniperN7: Does anyone else feel a small amount of pity for Omnigul right now? I mean, she just got her ass vaporized so hard that there's not even dust left of her.
Dragon Emperor0: She had it coming. Besides, Vulcan even said that he'd clap her the second he got his hands on her anyway. Also, let's all give a warm welcome to Brutus the War Beast!
ThermalsniperN7: Fair point. And yeah, welcome to the group, Brutus! Also, apparently Ana's got the attention of Mara's lesbian side. How's that gonna turn out?
Dragon Emperor0: Eh, knowing Vulcan he probably wouldn't mind. I mean he's spent countless hours reading up on Awoken customs and traditions, so he knows that they usually have multiple lovers.
ThermalsniperN7: Fair enough. Anyway, see you guys next chapter.