Hidden Sun, High Noon (Part 1)
A/N: It's depressing, honestly, how far behind I am writing this. While it's a good thing for concept, since I've had good ideas while thinking about writing this on the way to work and home all the time, it's a bad thing for my motivation because I inevitably come to the thought line of "Well, I'm this far behind already, what's another day." I'm fed up with it, as, I'm sure, is anyone reading this. So now I'm going to be writing after work at night. There's quite a gap these days between my getting home and my friends getting online, so I'll be writing in that gap. Things should go a bit smoother now. Lastly, unless I actually have something important to say, consider this the last author's note. Let's be honest, after all, you're here for the story (I hope), and not my rambling like an old man… Or maybe you're here to pick this story apart, in which case I want you to know I appreciate you. I learn the most from those who dislike what I do, after all.
Servitor translations broadcasted over Fallen comms, rough Eliksni over snarling Cabal in the background, much more quiet.
"No doubt," said Zavala. "The Cabal are the ones giving the orders. They've formed lines, there are Centurions carrying battalion flags, Servitors are translating comms… I never imagined they would work together."
"'Every head of the snake striking at once,' huh?" said Cayde. "It's just as well… If every head is exposed at the same time, it only takes one swing of the blade to sever them all. Frames! Let's get a status update on the Kings, now!"
"This was only a matter of time…" said Viksis, staring at the figures beyond the huge hole in the wall he'd made. The Kell of Kings and two Archons stood just beyond the blast radius of his previous Nova Bomb.
"House of Light," said the Kell, using Eliksni. "I've been expecting you for some time. How unfortunate for you to appear just as I was in the middle of urgent business. Business more pressing than ether thieves and traitors."
Ramiks laughed. "Ether thieves? You speak as if we are just a minor issue, and not standing in front of you after slaughtering your forces."
"You overestimate yourselves. I will show you just how much…"
There was an explosion overhead and the roof of the display hall was ripped off, as if someone pulled the top off a tin can. Captains, large ones, lined the opening, with one Archon for each side, making the total six.
"House of Light is not the only one to break tradition. As you say, times will change and so must I. But your House is small. Mine is not. It was a mistake for you to think you could come into my presence and walk away with your life, much less in victory."
The Kell continued, but Morik started laughing, low and unnoticed at first, then louder and louder.
"You find something amusing, traitor Kell of Light?"
"I have heard humans ask," said Morik, "'Do you hear yourself when you talk?' I pose this question to you. You speak as if the House of Kings is composed of you and you alone. 'My House, mine, me, I, my.' Never 'we, ours,' or any inclusion of your hardworking subordinates. You have promoted more Archons, allowed your Captains and Barons to gorge themselves with ether, and you think it will make you stronger than the Light. Perhaps Earthlings alone, in a Raid team of six would fall, but you face our House of Light. What we lack in ether, we far exceed in Light. We will offer one chance to surrender. As I told your emissaries, with you Kings, we will grant only requests for peace or death."
Just to his fireteam, Morik said, "We will need the other team. Kaara, please direct them here immediately."
"Yessir."
The Kings were all yet silent, either stunned or appalled. When at last the Kell spoke, appalled seemed to be the answer.
"If you will deal in requests for death, then I issue one now. A demand for your death."
The punctuation to his sentence was the roaring of House Kings and the charging of guns.
"Useless!" screamed Gravian, throwing up her Ward of Dawn. A rain of bullets struck the Ward the instant it snapped into place.
"How can we fight six Archons, a Kell, and that many beefed up Captains? To say nothing of the Vandals and Dregs with them?" said Soren. "The last time the odds were this bad…"
"We have changed," said Morik. "This will not go as last time. Ramiks, the Kell. Viksis, Gravian, Soren, prepare grenades for those above. Kaara, use stealth and support as you see fit. I will do the same, though lacking stealth."
"Stay put, Gravian," said Viksis, laying a hand on her shoulder for resonance.
Ramiks drew his shock blades and charged himself with Arc light. He rushed out of the Ward, bringing both blades low and to his right, slashing up and to the left. The Archon in the doorway tried to block on instinct, throwing up his arms and bracing. Ramiks' blades passed right through its armor, arms, and cut halfway through its chest before Ramiks yanked them out to the left, swinging in an arc upwards to deter the other Archon from attacking. He twisted on the spot and slashed down in an X, cutting into both the Archon's shoulders, blades meeting in the center of its chest. Finally, the Kell was reacting, jumping back and raising a shrapnel launcher. Ramiks charged through the burning metal, his strengthened shields and armor absorbing the shards. The Kell was too slow, turning to run too late. Ramiks stabbed the Kell, running forward and slamming it into the ground, impaled.
"You f-... Fools…" said the Kell of Kings, laughing and coughing blood into his helmet.
Ramiks twisted his blades and leaned in. "Still think we were mistaken to assume victory?"
The Kell only laughed, dying in seconds.
"King's Gate is broken," reported a Frame. "Two Raid teams are currently wiping out all Fallen Kings. Skiffs have been grounded; there is no possibility of escape via NLS. Once the battle has been decided, request for return has been confirmed."
"Good," said Ikora Ray. "We've already got most of the House of Light down in the valley. Without their leader, though, I'm not sure what to expect of their coordination."
"They are Guardians," said Zavala, "And Guardians first. They have proven they can patrol and fight as we can, now they can prove they are one with us. If the City remains after this fight, they will know how the Guardians, Earthlings and Eliksni alike, protected them."
"Enemy formations have solidified," said a Frame. "Still no forward motion. They are waiting for an arrival."
"What else could possibly be on the way? The Kings are done for at this point," said Cayde.
"Incoming NLS signature," said a Frame. "Massive."
"Watch it up there!" yelled Soren, Gliding through the air.
"Sorry. Airstrikes aren't very precise," said a Guardian on the comms.
Morik twisted at the hip and redirected force, toppling an Archon he'd been wrestling with and slamming his boot onto its chest.
"Let none escape!" said Morik. "They may surrender to capture, but we cannot risk them aiding those attacking the City!"
"Prisoners," scoffed Ramiks. "They serve no use to us. They must realize that."
"None will surrender," said Gravian. "It is not our way."
"Then they die," said Viksis.
Kaara and Morik were the last two still inside the building. The others had made their way to the roof and were pursuing the Kings. The other Raid team had four members on the roof with them, the other two in the dropship executing directed airstrikes.
"Something's wrong…" said Kaara.
"What do you mean?" said Soren.
"They are not running, but they are not fighting with all their might. They are coordinated, but they are not countering."
"We need to go, now," said Morik's Ghost over comms. "A Ketch just showed up to support their main force. It's from the House of Kings."
"How?! We snuck up on them, pinned them down! We killed their Kell for crying out loud!" said one of the Vanguards on the other fireteam.
"He mocked us," said Ramiks, speaking through gritted teeth, "Called us fools! This is what they planned, then."
"What's that supposed to mean?" said Soren.
"Kell accompanies the Ketch," said Morik. "By his word it moves. By his eye does it find direction. By a wave of his hand does it lay waste."
"You need one of those. WE need one of those," said Soren.
"Now isn't the time for rash action," said Kaara. "We must finish our mission."
"I agree with Kaara," said Gravian. "Our enemy here is threadbare, despite their resolve. They knew, they had orders, and they gave their lives to stall us."
"If we know they're stalling, why stay?!" said another Guardian.
"Because if we leave them," said Viksis quietly, "Then they will bring these to the fight."
His Ghost fed images of a warehouse, in it resting fifteen Walkers, three being rebuild with salvage and ether.
"Crews abandoned them to fight with us," said Gravian.
"Yes. And now they are ours," said Morik, triumphant. "Viksis, hold their position. I will bring my Ghost, we will reprogram them, and they will fight for the City."
"It'll take hours for them to get to the battlefield!" said Soren.
"And they will sew chaos when they arrive," said Ramiks. "You should know better than I: do not question our Kell."
"I'm not qu-," started Soren, "Whoa, time out! We've been working with him way longer than you, Ramiks. How about not jumping down my throat about it, simmering down, and, hey, remembering your place! You're an Archon, yeah, but you're a Guardian first… Ass."
Ramiks snorted, but conceided. He could see Morik looking at him, ready to scold him as well.
"There is little sign of the enemy," said Kaara.
"We'll finish up here," said the pilot Guardian on the other fireteam. "You guys should get to those Walkers and head to the Tower. You might still make it before the enemy starts their assault."
"I will prepare transport. We should leave immediately," said Kaara.
The Kell of Kings sat on his throne, one hand supporting his head, two on armrests, and one motioning another Dreg forward to report. The small Eliksni skittered forward and dropped to a knee.
"My Kell, King's Gate has fallen as planned."
"Tell the Fang to prepare a Skiff, and the Broken Legion to begin the operation."
The Dreg dipped its head and backed away immediately, letting the next messenger step up. There was chattering all through the control room, many more communications passing through the Ketch, most not important enough to warrant the Kell's attention.
"A call for silence, if you please," thrumbed the Cabal Valus.
His accompanying Val spread the command instantly, and chatter fell to a minimum. The Valus spoke directly to the allied force when things quieted down.
"As ordered, we will begin the operation on my signal. This is a reminder to all forces that any members of the House of Light are special targets to be treated with maximum lethal force and the utmost caution. Confine the assault to one section of the wall, and prepare siege engines for a focused attack. Your Kell is determined that this not be as disorganized as Twilight Gap. I am here to ensure his orders are followed… We hereby begin Operation High Noon."
He couldn't have said anything else, as every following thought was drowned by the rising war cries and the rush of motion.
"Remember," said Shaxx calmly into comms, the first real enemy assault since his training days under Lord Saladin baring down on the Tower, "Let the enemy come to you. Never chase, never run, cover your reloads, watch your back, don't rely on your radar to do it for you and, above all, stick together! These outsiders think they're above us, that what is ours has belonged to them long before we ever laid eyes on it. But we know otherwise. We know how the Traveler abandoned them. It belongs to no one, but as long as it rests with us, shares its power with us, enriches our lives and the lives of those we protect, we have a duty to do the same."
The clatter of the enemy charge grew louder, almost at extreme range.
"This won't be like Twilight Gap," he said with more passion. "This is open field combat! Your Light will be your greatest weapon! It alone separates you from the enemy, allows you to ignore the risk of hurting each other. Mind your ammo, your Ghosts will struggle to keep up with data and transmat. Not all of us will return safely tonight, but we will return in victory! All squads! Advance!"
There was a wave of static, Bladedancers cloaking in unison and dashing ahead, followed by the first crack shots from Gunslingers. The ground shook with the first step of so many Titans, descendants of the same great warriors who held the Six Fronts. Their light-footed Warlock counterparts were lost in the din of sound, but their Light shone brightest, less seen and more felt by all, radiating to the full breadth of their power.
Ultimately, the Light of all reached forward, grasping the enemy and immediately causing Dregs and a few Vandals to shrink from their charge. The faltering affected the enemy formation, but not nearly enough to stop them. Still, at the sight of so many slowing or stumbling only further asserted the mutual feeling of every Guardian: victory was an inevitably, and their power would only bring it about sooner.
"We should skip landing at the Tower and head right to the battlefield," said Soren.
"I will remain airborne and attack the enemy at the rear," said Kaara.
"Are you malfunctioning?! What makes you think-" said Soren, cut off by Morik.
"You will stay with us. Only an Exo could do what I have planned."
"Planned?" said Soren.
"There will be time for that later. Stay low, dodge the Tower, and join the front lines."
"This is a battle to take the Traveler…" said Viksis. "But do not mistake, my Kell, they are here for you too."
"They will target us all," agreed Gravian.
"I realize that," said Morik, "But we are also, by nature, the strongest Guardians in our classes. We have size, ether, and Light. It is an unfair advantage we ought to abuse, not avoid."
They flew under the Traveler, straight at the Tower.
"From here, then, I leave your orders behind. Soren is right: we are Guardians first. I am not Kell, I am Vanguard. Titan. You will follow me, or you will do as you think is right, but in the end only you can choose."
No one said a word. The six jumpships dodged the Tower, flying straight for the battlefield, right over the heads of many advancing Guardians.
"To you, I am no longer Kell… But no matter what, I will always be Kell of Light, to my dying breath. And a true Kell must show strength, wisdom, courage, and embodies the honor and name of his House. Though it is what I love, fighting is no choice for me. It is an obligation as well… Dropping now!"
Morik's ship pulled up sharply, its sole occupant transmatting to the ground at the same time. Morik appeared on a boulder where the two forces had met, his auto-rifle in hand, roaring and radiating his Light. Ether mist coalesced around him, and Arc Light sparked over his body. The surrounding Fallen and Cabal shrank, surprised by his appearance and ferocity. A cry went up from the Guardians, who took advantage of the opening. Morik blinked in that instant, off the rock and behind a Cabal Phalanx, hitting it with Stormfist in the back and forcing it to stumble. He fired into its back, the bullets ripping through armor and slamming into the shield the Phalanx had held. In an instant, Morik spun, swapping his auto-rifle for the Siegfried Rising and opening fire.
Across the front line, his fireteam appeared at varied points. Ramiks appeared behind Morik, Soren and Kaara were together near a formation centered on a Baron, Viksis stood on a hill behind allied lines and worked with other Warlocks, gathering the Light for a wave of attacks. Gravian appeared where a Cabal formation was pushing through the allied line, using her Ward of Dawn and providing the opportunity to revive some Guardians who had been killed.
With the sun high above, their battle began...
Hidden Sun, High Noon (Part 2) coming soon...