Ultimatum 5: End and Continue
"I'm sorry, but the mapping data is clear."
"Which way are we supposed to go, then? My Kell, If we don't reach the vault-"
"We will improvise. Check the other ventilation systems in the area. Ramiks, we will network our Ghosts for telemetry calculation. We may not be able to precisely transmat to anywhere in this old Tower without proper scans, but we can handle the other side of a few vents. Straight lines, direct turns, it should be simple."
"-And the networking will make calculation that simple almost instant!"
Ramiks produced his Ghost and together they climbed out from under the civilian ship. Sure enough, there were alternate paths nearby through a different set of vents.
Their new route took them along the outside of the old Tower, clinging to pipes and cycling vents, then back inside until they could rejoin Soren's path through some of the main fan corridors. It all went smoothly until they reached the main ventilation junction. The old Tower's sweeper, a TR3-VR, was active along with the emergency power. Soren had easily been able to evade it, but Ramiks and Morik were too big to squeeze through the junction and still move fast enough.
"There might be another way," said one of the Ghosts. "Let me scan for-"
"Hold on," said the other. "I've finished cleaning the atmospheric interference from some scans I took while we were outside. If the velocities are correct, we might only have a few minutes before there's an entire fleet invading this Tower. Even without the TR3-VR in the way, we'd barely make it in time. Soren's transmission was on an open emergency channel; they probably traced it right to the terminal we need!"
"Then," said Ramiks, "We go through it. Send us down."
"The sweeper's a powerful machine, not an enemy! If it hits you, it's got enough force behind it to-"
"There is no time to argue! Our reverence you deserve, as emissary of The Traveler, but we cannot wait!"
"The time we waste reviving you would-"
"Do as he says," said Morik. "If there is no other way, then we have no choice but to press on as quickly as possible. I will track it from here; there is a console there that displays its location. Go inside and listen for my signal. I will follow shortly."
"Yes. My Kell."
Ramiks disappeared, along with his Ghost, into the tight corridor. He shimmied sideways to the corner, turned and started down the long path ahead to the center.
"It is turning toward you from the other end. It will reach its maximum speed before you make contact."
"Then!" Ramiks drew his Shock Blades and entered the Blade Trance. "I will show it the teachings of a Titan!"
The sweeper turned the corner and Ramiks was flooded with its red warning light. He could see the high electricity and many moving parts as it rushed along its track toward him like a rail transport. Sideways in the narrow lane, Ramiks bent so he was head, shoulders, and upper arms first, blades presented.
"RrrrrrRRRRRRAAAAGHH!"
Brace. And a lightning bolt impact as the sweeper met a wall of a Hunter in Ramiks to the tune of a car crash. Ramiks' blades were crushed into the sweeper and jammed it due to the Arc light coursing through them to strengthen the Glimmer-base material and Ramiks was met with the physical force of its speed. He slid, several meters and almost back to the corner, but the sweeper was stopped and all but destroyed.
An alarm began to sound for a short time before that, too, died away, and the construct was silent.
"My Kell," came Ramiks' voice, winded. "The way… Is clear…"
"Then we must hurry."
A/N: Vegeta Powers Up "by" Bruce Faulconer (Best of DBZ Vol.1)
I promise, I searched for this song by my memory of how it sounded, not the title. It's just a simple irony.
The hall where Soren saw his last was mostly empty when Ramiks and Morik arrived. For the moment, only the SIVA-infected Taken Titan remained, and it hadn't quite fully regenerated yet, despite the time that had passed. Any of the others were dust in the wind or stains on the floor. Only a glimpse was needed for Morik to understand.
"Ramiks."
Ramiks looked to Morik, who only stared at the creature.
"Take care of this eyesore. I will finish our mission."
Ramiks stepped forward, but Morik continued to speak.
"After that, we will find any remaining Guardians… And begin our final counterattack. There is always another step."
Morik followed Ramiks forward and the two approached the crater in the center of the room. The floor was weak in the center of it, so the two Eliksni stood across from the Titan.
"Foul creature," said Ramiks, "Dishonoring the body you inhabit. I will set you free. Come."
He raised all four of his fists in a fighting stance.
The Titan raised its chin, but kept its single eye trained on Ramiks. The room darkened around it as it borrowed power. It grew its tail and claws, and swelled almost to Ramiks' size.
"Yes. Give me your best. You do not speak this tongue or any other, but we both know; we know combat is a language. You will understand the depth of your sin, and the Darkness you serve will feel the judgment of the House of Light for its murders."
The Titan bent its knees to pounce. Ramiks clenched his fists… And started laughing as the Titan leapt at him.
Four Arc Blades stretched from Ramiks' hands, one in each, and he began to shred the monster the instant it entered his range. Unable to alter its own trajectory in midair, the Titan fell directly into Ramiks' storm of blades. Only then did Morik walk around the crater and approach the terminal to send out his Ghost.
Ramiks and the Titan did not end their clash there. Ramiks found that he might tear into the creature's body and even remove limbs, but it was drawing on the Dark the way he drew on the Light, and regenerating too fast for him to permanently damage it.
"There is-"
A blocked claw and another slash to sever the arm.
"-Always-"
The arm regrew and Ramiks blocked with his lower arm.
"-Some new trick!"
Ramiks kicked the Titan straight upward and crossed his blades in an X-shaped slash, projecting Arc energy the way a Dawnblade threw flames. The Titan was cut into fourths and the pieces thumped to the ground - before each began to regenerate on its own quickly.
Ramiks looked around to see this in time for all four of his enemies to begin to freeze over. He could feel the air getting colder as the four absorbed the energy in the room. Now they were not just Taken Titans, transformed by Darkness, but they also wielded Stasis.
In Ramiks' shock, he heard a voice.
You seek power. True power. You seek to serve your Kell. You do not wish to lead anyone but yourself.
It was a quiet voice. Just a gentle tone in his helmet. The four Titans raised their now-frozen claws.
You respect strength. Conviction. Honor.
Now there was a whisper behind the voice. Two distinct voices.
Can you really win?
Three voices, two at a whisper.
Ramiks' stance softened only slightly, but he held his four blades at the ready. These were the creatures that bested Soren. The ones that had killed Enki and Kaara despite Soren and Gravian being at their side. And now-
"Ramiks."
Morik didn't even bother with comms. He spoke in a calm voice from across the chamber, but there was little besides Ramiks' own Arc static he had to speak over.
"When your enemy knows they are beaten, they will seek to have you defeat yourself. When your foe attacks your confidence, your character-"
Morik looked up from the glow of the terminal, the white upload bar practically projected on his smooth faceplate.
"-Remember that it is out of fear."
Paraphrased, but… Enki's words, no doubt. Wisdom.
Ramiks' fists tightened, and his Light recovered along with him. The beasts, despite their newfound numbers and power, hadn't attacked. Combat was a language indeed, and Ramiks had forgotten to listen for a moment.
He jumped into a Showstopper - and was gone. The four Titans staggered from the shockwave and began to look anxiously around the room, eyes on a swivel.
Ramiks appeared behind one of the Titans and slashed down at it. It turned to block - and Ramiks instead blinked through it to attack the Titan across the hall. This one had dropped its guard to rush in and attack, and Ramiks swiftly bisected it from head to waist, then across the waist with another slash, and his two remaining arms flew upward in a double Razor's Edge that fried the parts practically out of existence.
Ramiks turned, stomped out his ether hard enough to collapse the floor in the center of the crater - currently to his left - and throw one of the closer Titan's against the wall. The other two threw Stasis grenades and pounced, thinking to force Ramiks to dodge how they wanted and capitalize.
Instead, Ramiks used a Blink Strike to close in and shove all four Arc Blades into one Titan's chest. The other had to stop mid-step and lost balance while Ramiks flooded its ally with Arc Light powerful enough to make it explode into black goop.
Finally, the Titan that had hit the wall, having recovered, landed a solid punch across Ramiks' face. While it followed up, the other Titan leapt across the chamber to attack Morik. Ramiks used an ether blink, then his Hunter's blink, then yet another ether blink, and came to stand ahead of the other Titan - effectively also dodging any follow-up as well.
Ramiks decided to kick the creature in the chest instead of taunt it, and when it staggered he followed up with his blades. The Titan blocked once, twice, three times with its Stasis-infused claws, then stepped back away from Ramiks' fourth strike. It lashed out at his legs with its tail when he tried to continue forward, then threw a punch while he tried to regain balance.
Ramiks met the claws with a punch of his own, Arc infused like a Titan's blow. Stasis Gauntleted claws to an Archon's Arc-charged fist and the Taken creature's arm exploded as Ramiks' fist blew right through it. Now in perfect position, Ramiks used the same arm to stab the Titan in the eye with his Arc Blade in that hand, then used his two left arms to block a pouncing strike from the other Titan. He kicked it back, prepared to kill the one he'd robbed of an arm - and the voices started again.
That wisdom comforts you.
Just a voice.
You feel in control.
A voice and a whisper.
You have hope.
A voice and two whispers.
The Titan put a fist in Ramiks' gut, then hit him with an uppercut using its powerful tail.
Good. There is little worth in the despair of one without hope.
The Titan regrew its arm. Ramiks recovered, beginning to shake off the Stasis, when the other Titan hit him with a grenade in the back. His Light faltered and he lost the four blades.
Take your time, came a voice and four whispers. Your demise will come. No need to rush. Give it your very best, little light. You will fade. And so will your Kell.
"Madness!"
Ramiks ripped from the ice beginning to encase him. He exchanged blows with the Titan between he and Morik.
"You think to corrupt me and I might bend!"
A block, an elbow to the Titan's face, a palm to its knee-strike, an arm to stop its tail.
"But you will never bend my Kell!"
He has known us before. A voice and five whispers. Ever louder, dronning down to the depths of Ramiks' chest. We know him now.
The other Titan wrapped its arms around Ramiks' neck and pulled him back, binding his legs with its tail.
You were never the threat. Always you have stood in his shadow.
The fore Titan stepped up and raised its joined fists, thickening the ice into a hammer as large as Ramiks' head.
You forget that in shadow you are most vulnerable.
The hammer struck Ramiks' faceplate.
A/N: Parametric by Maretu (JPN title: 媒介変数 from the album Fried Eye)
Or would have, if not for Morik shattering the ice with his own fist. Morik picked up the creature, silent as the grave, and threw it clear across the hall. Ramiks closed his fists, summoned back his four Arc Blades, and stabbed the Titan holding him in the ribs. It let go of him so he gave it a spinning kick to the chest so it would join its ally.
"Our objective is complete," said Morik. "We will finish them and proceed with our next mission."
The two Arc-infused Guardians began to approach the remaining Titans.
"Reinforcements should've been here by now," said one of their Ghosts. "Something isn't right."
The two Taken recovered, standing side by side, when they both seemed to widen their single glowing "eye" and look at each other. They walked toward each other until they collided - and merged together. Briefly almost formless, the mass took on the form of a corrupted Kell. Still, the single eye remained constant, but the creature now had four arms and a tail, and began to armor itself with ice from Stasis.
A voice and eight whispers spoke to them both.
"The reinforcements were not needed. You will fall to the very form and power you rely on. You will be your own undoing."
The Taken Kell charged.
Immediately, the difference was obvious. Both Morik and Ramiks attacked the Kell without mercy, and it seemed both fast enough and strong enough to oppose them both. Each time one of them seemed to have an opening, it was as if one of the Kell's arms would move with a mind of its own and an unnatural speed to defend or intercept the attack.
The creature had unnatural, disjointed movements, and its tail in this larger form was even stronger, sweeping Morik off balance as it twisted once to block an attack from Ramiks. Ramiks slashed upward to throw a Razor's Edge and the Kell threw an arm down to block him from making the motion. With their arms crossed over one another, down near their waists, the Kell grew an extra joint and limb from the wrist - into a spear of Taken flesh that pierced Ramiks' stomach.
Ramiks sliced off the limb and staggered back. Morik could see his light visibly flicker and watched Ramiks shake his head. He was still hearing the voices. Morik had recovered, however, and shoulder-checked the Kell to keep it on the defensive. It grew large, sharp thorns in response and he ended up ramming the thorns deep into his own shoulder. The Arc-infused attack still landed, leaving the Kell to bend to one knee from the force.
Morik snapped out his arm as his wounds healed quickly, but Ramiks was continuing to struggle.
"Do not listen! Give no ground! You are a Guardian, Ramiks! My Archon!"
This time, it was Morik who heard a voice. Just one voice.
You always knew no one could resist.
Morik jumped away, avoiding another swipe of the Kell's tail - and one of Ramiks' blades.
Morik landed, his stance still solid, but his heart sank. Ramiks had attacked in his direction, and now was holding only one Arc Blade. His upper left hand was on his head and he was gripping that blade with all his might. Ramiks' body shook with the exertion and he violently shook his head and shoulders. His left side began to ice over and he lost the other Arc Blade, all four arms up to his head.
The Taken Kell didn't pursue Morik. It watched him while he watched his Archon. They both waited.
"A- Archon?!"
More ice, now across Ramiks' shoulders and down his right arms as well.
"I- I- I am- No Archon!"
He threw his arms down, palms up, fists tight.
"I am a Guardian!"
Arc Blades, as long as his Shock Blades, lanced from his clenched fists, and he tore the Taken Kell, SIVA tendrils and all, to absolute ribbons in a frenzy of Arc Light and howling.
The Kell seemed completely off guard for the outburst and, despite its best defense, Ramiks was suddenly able to carve straight through its ice armor and tear it to pieces. He attacked so swiftly, so violently, that the Kell was lifted from the floor, completely off its feet.
Without a jump or a spin or any other motion, Ramiks simply halting his onslaught was enough for a Showstopper to pulse from his body and vaporize what remained of the Kell, the SIVA infused Titan.
Still, the fight wasn't over. Ramiks screamed so loudly, Morik worried he would never speak again. His Light shone dazzlingly bright, blinding Morik and forcing him to shield his eyes.
"ENOUGH! STOP! STOP SPEAKING! STOP WHISPERING! ENOUGH!"
"RAMIKS!"
Morik was thrown backward into the wall as Ramiks' Light overloaded just as Soren's had - though infinitely less voluntarily. The sudden vacuum of power, of Light and air and sound, left Morik in shock. He sat, back to the wall, arms up to shield his face, looking at the empty space Ramiks had just occupied seconds prior.
The Dark had attacked his mind so fiercely, forced its influence over him with such intensity, that in his efforts to resist Ramiks had pushed himself to the very limits of his body and power.
Are you ready?
A voice and a whisper.
Morik's heart raced in his ears.
"Who are you?" A voice and two whispers.
Morik remained silent.
"If you fight me, will you win?" A voice and three, and growing.
Morik's eyes widened. He heard footsteps - many footsteps - behind him through the way he'd come with Ramiks.
He closed his eyes.
"Yes," came his answer. The word no Guardian was left alive to hear.
Morik ran.
"None left?!"
"If there's anyone out there," replied his Ghost, "They either can't hear us or won't answer."
Without a request, his Ghost activated the transmat that allowed Morik to bypass a cramped server room and emerge in a heating and air conditioning maintenance room. There was a large vent, angled down, that led outside.
Morik jumped up to the ledge as Guardians, Taken and otherwise, began to fire at him as they exited the server room. Morik didn't look back, instead jumping into the vent and sliding down and out to a landing pad. He blinked to make sure his landing was safe and looked around.
He was alone, for the moment.
"Then we have reached the end."
A/N: Ultimate Soldier composed by Shiro Sagisu
He looked up, with a perfect view of The Traveler and The Last City below it. The lights had gone out in The City, and the full moon lit The Traveler from somewhere Morik could not see it.
Before him, the sky began to darken - filled with the shadows of descending ships. Hive, Cabal, Fallen, flying Vex, Guardian jumpships, and a small pyramid ship. The Cabal and Fallen ships were encrusted with ice, and crawling with Taken.
"Could be worse," said Morik's Ghost. "Imagine if they'd escaped with the SIVA back there."
"Time, now, to hunt… No more talk."
"Yes."
Guardians dropped from the vent behind him. One of the Titans shoved a storage container out of the way to clear their path.
"You must answer with the truth," said the universe.
"Thus," said Morik. He widened his stance. Arc Light crackled across his body. Void Light shone in his eyes. His fingers danced with Solar flame.
"I choose the truth."
Morik turned to face the Guardians behind him, framed then by the many approaching ships. A swipe of his arm and a wave of flame as from a Thermite grenade washed forward. He drew his auto rifle and fired as he moved forward. The fireteam all reacted, returning fire and throwing grenades. Morik's steps released more waves of flame, and the Guardians were forced to reposition when a Juggernaut shield appeared ahead of Morik.
Most of the Guardians had dodged to his right, so Morik deployed a barricade in their direction and threw a Pulse grenade at the other two on his left before barraging them with fire and downing them both. Two Taken Guardians, a Hunter and Warlock, dropped from the vent above. The Hunter latched onto Morik's helmet to blind him.
The Warlock landed with the other Guardians and dropped them an Empowering Rift, and their bullets tore through Morik's Titan Barricade. Morik ripped the Hunter from his face and threw him into the oncoming fire, drawing his Siegfried Rising and spinning it up.
The group scattered to dodge the Taken Hunter, then too slow to dodge the wire filament rounds that tore through shields and armor like cardboard. Hive forces landed first on the pad, quickly deploying Shriekers and launching a fusillade of ammunition at Morik.
Morik fired until the Siegfried jammed, then jumped away after trusting his armor with all the damage his shields couldn't hold back. He was healing, but as he landed on a lower level, just below the walkway he'd been on, he heard the voices from the Dark again.
This time, rather than even allow himself to resolve the words, he roared in response and erupted with Solar light. He jumped back, flipped, and threw a Hammer of Sol where he would land. A Sunspot appeared to wait for him, fueling him as a Sun Warrior the moment his feet touched the flames.
With two arms, he threw hammers for the Shriekers and Knights. With the other two, he fired his auto rifle at the Thrall horde rushing him. All the while, he urged himself to be calm, to measure his strength - but it grew difficult. Impossible. To fight Hive and resist the Dark's maddening influence at the same time drove him to ever greater exertions.
Fallen joined the Hive forces, deploying two Walkers and bringing a Taken Archon. The Cabal ships came within firing range and launched rockets. Morik jumped, flipped to the side, and glued his feet to the wall with altered gravity using Void Light. He ran, jumped, and landed atop a Walker.
With a Fist of Havoc, he ruptured the top of its main gun and killed the Dregs and Shanks that had launched to defend it. Wire Rifle shots punched him in the shoulders and chest, even a few hitting his helmet. They were joined by Vex Line Rifles when Hobgoblins began to warp onto the pad as well. More Cabal rockets forced Morik to move - so he moved into the huge gathering of enemies on the landing pad. He stomped to send them all to their knees. Before he could follow up, the air around him, his head in particular, darkened and he screamed.
These days, when a new Guardian is discovered and is brought before us, we help them tune their Light to a preferred class, but when the Traveler first slept, we were all just Guardians.
Hardiman's words cut through, in Morik's mind.
But, thought Morik, We were awakening The Traveler. We were so close. If this is the way it will end… I am glad I was a Guardian to my final breath. Like Ramiks. Like Soren. Enki and Kaara. Viksis and Blytz and Azariah.
Morik felt quieted. The voice of The Dark in his head truly felt like a whisper to the stream of his own consciousness.
I was Morik. Kell of Light. A Titan.
Misraaks. I entrust it all to you, now.
A/N: The Dragon Theme "by" Bruce Faulconer (Best of DBZ Vol.1)
Morik's scream stopped suddenly. He straightened. Something had changed even his enemy could feel. All the ships in the sky saw a star born in the belly of the Old Tower. Morik didn't have a polarization this time. There was only Light.
The enemy forces recovered and opened fire, starting with the remaining Walker's main gun.
Morik raised a hand, produced a barrier, and the high-explosive shot washed him from sight with fire and smoke. Then the bullets came.
He rose from the smoke in a leap, slashing an arm down to crush one of the Walker's leg joints. As it pitched to the side, Morik's other upper arm punched through its casing to the core, leaving volatile light behind like a grenade. Morik jumped away and dove like Death From Above to return to the landing pad.
The shockwave cleared the pad, either by disintegrating the enemy or throwing them off the side, depending on how close they'd been.
"You can only field so many troops," said Morik in open comms. "This is such a tiny battlefield, after all."
He stood in defiance of the fleet in the sky before him, not a weapon in hand, not a stance taken.
"If there are none left for The Traveler to shine through… Let it shine through me. Until my body is no more."
The pyramid ship finally answered. A beam, something like gravity given shape and direction, reached out for Morik to crush him where he stood. At first, all Morik saw was the flash before the weapon fired on him.
When the next flash passed, from the impact, Morik stood on the landing pad, arms crossed, withstanding the beam with shield in place. The landing pad was quickly ripped apart, chunks of advanced concrete lifting into the air so swiftly they were a gray blur around Morik. The ground shook. The Old Tower itself began to rise up from the ground as the beam pulled and Morik refused to go.
A second pyramid ship appeared and fired on Morik. The fleet of corrupted actors dipped low over The City to make room and a third and fourth pyramid ship appeared.
Finally, Morik was torn from The Old Tower, what remained of the landing pad and all. The ground on which he stood flew into the air and the stone under his feet was ripped apart.
Morik floated there, brilliant in the moonlight made pale by his own shining, until he was torn asunder by the gravity… And was no more.
The Dark fell over the Earth and all was calm.