Chapter 10: The Kell of Darkness
Accessing File: The Priestess
Eliksni! Kridis, the Priestess, cries out to you across the abyss! As we speak, the once-Shipstealer brings the promise of our people to pass. Soon we will rise to true prominence, united under one banner and one Kell—with no gods but ourselves.
For who withstood the Gem invasion of our home? Who pieced together Ketches and armories out of ruins and scraps out in the frontier? Who roamed the edges of our domain to face those who sought to destroy us? Who survived?!
We did! Not the Stellar Alliance, not our belief in a so-called 'Light' that is nothing more than a rare energy the Galra call Quintessence, and most certainly not our ruling Kells. The Eliksni survived!
So why do we still serve them? Why do we kneel to the Servitors that we created originally as tools of war and star chart navigation?
Because we are afraid. Because—for all that we've suffered, for how long we've traveled—we clung tight to the belief that we were meant for a higher existence, meant to evolve beyond our current forms. If only we had learned of this sooner, then we could of seen how short sighted we were.
This, I believed as well. I mourned the death of our collective potential in our rituals and rites. Felt the acid-burn of despair in my body as I received succor from our Prime Servitor. Dreamt of the day I turned my weeping eyes up to the sky and found it empty of salvation.
I was blind.
But Eramis removed the Light from my eyes, and now I see.
So, I entreat you, children of Riis. Come receive clarity for yourselves! Witness the greatness of the House Salvation and the Kell who leads it. Rejoice, for she who brought our Servitors low where they belong will do the same to the ruling Kells and the rest of the universe!
The light holds nothing for us now. Long we have traveled in darkness. Now is our time to embrace it!
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Accessing File: The Kell of Darkness
When the obsidian ship began to send whispers all throughout Europa asking for people to come to it, Eramis is prepared. Her council by her side—Variks, Phylaks, Kridis, Praksis, and Atraks—she greets its arrival with bated breath.
The foreign whispers return. This time, they say…
Do not wait to be chosen. Choose for yourself.
Choose salvation.
Eramis boards the ship and chooses strength.
It is in this moment, as she holds this cold and ancient power in her hands, that House Salvation is born.
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Accessing File: The Killer Robots of Dimension 12
A race of mechanical lifeforms originating from Dimension lead by the vastly intelligent, cold, and emotionless machine Computron. Most of the machines are largewith a big wheel as their primary source of locomotion, a flattish round waist, and a circular mushroom-shaped head with a singular optical cluster array. They also have three long flat bandage-like tendrils for arms and scissor-like claws which appear to be engulfed in a energy aura. Computron's body, eye, and energy aura are red while his minions are blue.
Originally created by a race that lived in Dimension 12 the machines turned on their makers and brought them to extinction.
Dimension 12 is timeless, meaning that any life that travels there will be trapped at the age they were when they entered for the rest of their lives.
Years ago, Computron and his minions tried to invade the Earth of dimension GF-007 but were locked away in their home dimension by Carl Nesmith, better known as the superhero Captain Nemesis.
Scientists hypothesize that their maybe more robot types of the Dimension 12 robots aside from the usual large attack bots that could serve different functions such as scouts or even shock troopers.
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Accessing File: Ether
Ether is a white, liquid and gaseous substance that Eliksni depend on to survive. It can only be produced on worlds like the Eliksni home world of Riis and terraformed planets, as well as by Servitors if the Eliksni venture to places outside of their territory.
Servitors can create Ether by processing energy and matter scavenged by Eliksni explorers. It is absorbed through breathing and appears to run through Eliksni bodies like blood. It can be even consumed by other beings as well. When there is enough in quality it fills an Eliksni with strength.
Ether can be poisonous to some beings, so it is not recommended for others to consume it.
In humans, Ether appears to have properties similar to that of a recreational drug, though it can lead to an unpleasant experience according to the Drifter, or possibly even poisoning, though no permanent damage can occur.
While many races think of Ether as food for the Eliksni it is only partially true. Ether also catalyzes physical maturation and promotes molting. In that sense, it's like hormones in Human adolescents. In a world of unlimited Ether all Eliksni look like Captains for that is the Eliksni's final form. Most Eliksni seen outside of their territory are not captains showing that they are underdeveloped because of the Ether rationing rule forced upon them by the ruling Kells.
The fact that Ether is more analogous to hormones is what has allowed them to regrow lost limbs. With an infusion of Ether their bodies would molt making them regrow lost limbs with the quantity of ether directly related to the severity of the reaction.
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Incoming transmission:
Velask to those who hear this transmission I greet you within the Light. This is Misraaks, Kell of House Light.
I speak to you now in response to the transmissions sent by Eramis and Solkis. Their words have many of us questioning why we fight this civil war between our people. Eramis' accusations of the corruption of the ruling Kells and Solkis' response about loyalty have many of you wondering which side is the right one.
I know that for a Kell I am young and untested, but the words that they both spoke of has me thinking of how we can fix the mistakes of our predecessors.
Since our first war with the Gems the ruling Kells have placed many strict rules to keep the citizens and minor Houses in line. Enforcing severe Ether rations on the soldiers they send out of Eliksni space to the penalties they put on those who step out of line. All of this has brought out the worst within us.
Many within our Houses have developed a lust for power and will do anything to achieve it. Eramis proved that with trying to usurp Solkis and again when she tried to usurp control of Eliksni from the ruling Kells and the revolutionaries.
We must be better than this so that our people can achieve a new golden age. With Light in our hearts, we must learn to be loyal to each other, we must not oppress our people to further our own goals, we must become better.
The Light provides.
Xxx
Riss-Reborn
Eramis stood on the balcony of her war room overlooking the ruined Terran city below her. Her eyes were focused on the black Pyramid on the horizon of Europa. It gave her and her followers it's power and yet six Terrans have been seen wielding it. What's more three of the Terrans have been seen using the power of Stasis without the aid of a Splinter of Darkness. What makes them worthy of this power? Are the Eliksni not enough? Have Eramis and her House not proven themselves to be the only ones who deserve this power?
BEEP!
BEEP!
BEEP!
She hears her comm device blare with one of her followers trying to contact her. She answers it.
"You may speak." Eramis says into her comm device.
"My Kell, machine lifeforms have invaded Riis-Reborn!"
"The Vex?" Eramis asked.
"Negative. They do not match the description of the dead Vex units recovered from the Clovis Bray Labs."
Eramis growls and gives her response. "Show these machines the wrath of the Eliksni. Leave not a single machine left alive."
"It shall be done Eramiskel."
Xxx
Charon's Crossing, Comms Station
After stopping the Vex the fireteam decided to return to the Comms Station to discuss their next move with Variks. Hopefully they could figure out where the radiolaria fluid was sent to.
"Praksis was interested in the Exo project that Clovis Bray created." Variks says with a clack of his mandibles. "But to where the fluid went Variks does not know."
"I think I might know." Banshee-44 says catching the groups attention. "I remember setting up a facility outside of Eventide where I first created the Exos, I called it The Deep Stone Crypt."
"You sure all that 'Vex milk' went there?" The Drifter asked.
"Positive. When I first saw the Pyramid, it once allowed me to enter it and I took something from it." Banshee said as he put a hand on his head. "I don't remember what the artifact was, but it radiated with the Pyramids Darkness. I exposed radiolaria to it transforming the substance into the Alkahest I used to create the first Exos before I found another way. I called the artifact Clarity Control."
"So that's where we have to go." Ana said "We head to the Crypt stop the House of Salvation from making their own Exos and then-"
BEEP!
BEEP!
BEEP!
"A transmission from one of my sources within House Salvation." Variks says as he answers the transmission through the control room's systems.
The group hears Variks and whoever he was talking to speak but in the Eliksni language preventing at least half of them from understanding the conversation.
"What are they saying?" Elsie asked.
"I don't know my Eliksni is a little rusty." Cayde said in response. "I think something about a battle?"
"Their saying that the Eventide Ruins are being invaded." Eris Morn responded. "They speak of blue colored machines trying to destroy all in their path."
The conversation ends and Variks turns his attention to the group. "Tragedy strikes, Eliksni under attack, but opportunity it provides for us."
"What do you mean?" Ana asks the old scribe.
"House Salvation fights machines giving us the opportunity to kill Eramis and Kridis." Variks says to the group.
"He's right." Elsie says in agreement. "With all of their forces stretched thin we can eliminate the rest of House Salvation's leadership."
"But what about Atraks?" Drifter asks. "Isn't she part of the Dark Council?"
"Yes, but my contact says that she left for the Crypt to continue Praksis' work." Variks says. "This attack has also provided the opportunity for the Eliksni who do not agree with Eramis the chance to escape. [insect-like chattering] But many of them still require aid to escape Riis-Reborn."
"Will help them Variks." Ana says reassuringly. "That's what Hunstmen do."
Xxx
The group mounted their Sparrows and began to drive to the ruins of Eventide. But at the start of the drive Elsie decided to talk to the group about the Darkness.
"Darkness is a parasite. It burrows its way into your soul, and feeds on your most selfish desires." Elsie explained. "Your every wish tainted and twisted as you become the very thing Darkness wants you to be. In that world, there is no future for any of us. I… have witnessed it firsthand. I refuse to let it happen again. So, know this as you step away from the Light once more. Inside us all is the strength to control Darkness. We need only look inward and remember why we're here. We are humanity's final salvation."
As Ana, Cayde, and Banshee thought about Elsie's words the fireteam made it to the ruins and were shocked by what they saw. Before them was a three-way battle between House Salvation, Eliksni not wearing the House's colors and banners, and humanoid robots. The machines reminded Ana of the Frames, but these machines were blue colored and were armed with energy rifles.
"Destroy all flesh and the works of flesh!" They heard the robot's chant.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Ana said in disbelief.
"What?" The Drifter asked.
"Those machines are the Killer Robots from Dimension 12." Ana explained.
"Aren't those the machines that Captain Nemesis locked away in their home dimension." Cayde asked. "How did they get out of it?"
"The repaired Vex portal wasn't stable like the one I made decades ago." Banshee explained. "It must've caused a rift that brought these them here just like the rift that brought the Pyramid."
"I don't see any of their heavy hitters, so I guess the rift only brought the weaker ones." Ana said as she observed the battle. "Looks like the machines think they can find the portal that brought them here in Eventide."
"Guess they thought it was at the highest concentration of people." Cayde suggested as several Skiffs flew above them and away from Eventide.
"My allies are escaping but three Skiffs in your position are anchored. [wheezes] Help my allies flee this ruined place, and they will become your allies too." Variks says over the comms.
The group observes the battlefield and spots three tractor beam generators, each one was anchoring a Skiff.
"Ana and I will go for the first one." Elsie explained. "Cayde, you and Drifter go for the second, while Eris and Banshee deal with the third one."
The fireteam all nod their heads in agreement and commence with their objectives. Ana and Elsie approach their object with Ana activating her Semblance to give her a boost in speed and generates a pair of energy daggers that she uses to slice apart a couple of Dimension 12 robots. A couple of House Salvation Eliksni spot her and before they could open fire on her they get gunned down by Eliksni trying to escape Eventide. Ana sees them and waves at them as a sign of saying thanks. Elsie meanwhile charged toward the tractor beam with her weapon changed into its sword form and gathers Stasis energy into her left hand. She slices a few House Salvation Eliksni and then jumps over a Dimension 12 robot, just as she was about to land on the other side of the machine she spins her body allowing her to use her sword to cut off the robots head. Three more Salvation Eliksni stood before her and the tractor beam, she dashes toward them and when the Captain tried to cut her down with his Shock Cutlasses she teleported behind the group. Elsie then fires the Stasis energy at them freezing them solid.
Elsie goes to the controls of the machine and inputs a few commands disabling it. Ana sees that the tractor beam has been disabled and motions to the House Salvation deserters to escape on their Skiff. They transmat onto the Skiff though one of them crossed their Shock Cutlasses together in a salute of respect to Ana for her help before transmatting onto the Skiff.
Eris and Banshee's task was going fine. Eris assisted the Eliksni deserters in defending their Skiff. She fired a rifle at House Salvation members and Dimension 12 robots while she telekinetically moved her sphere to attack her enemies. Banshee meanwhile was at the tractor beam and using his Semblance to understand what he was dealing with.
"Okay, I press this, then I lower this and then done!" Banshee says to himself as he manages to deactivate the tractor beam.
Eris waves her left hand at approaching enemies and releases a wave of Stasis energy that freezes them solid. She then fires her rifle at them with each round shattering the frozen Salvation Eliksni and Dimension 12 robots upon impact. The Salvation deserters see that their Skiff is free and then transmat onto it so that they can leave on it.
Drifter and Cayde assisted the fleeing Eliksni with trying to get their Skiff freed with Drifter assisting a 11ft tall Eliksni Captain in defending the Skiff from attackers.
"Pretty good with that Shrapnel Launcher big guy." Drifter complimented him while attacking Salvation Eliksni and Dimension 12 robots with a combination of Stasis blasts and revolver rounds.
"Namrask is weaver." The Eliksni named Namrask says. "Weaves fabrics and sells them."
"Whatever you say big man." Drifter says with a chuckle as he continues killing bad guys.
Cayde had volunteered to deactivate the tractor beam and he had no idea of what he was even doing.
"Come on, come on! How do you even turn this stupid thing off?!" Cayde yelled as he just pushed random buttons hoping one of them would turn off the device. "Seriously, how does thing even work?! You know what screw it!"
Cayde pulls out the Ace of Spades at uses it to fire three rounds at the tractor beam. The device turns off freeing the last Skiff. The fleeing Eliksni see this and transmat onto the Skiff to make their escape.
"Tech support… with extreme prejudice." Cayde says as he twirls his hand cannon.
With the three remaining Skiffs free the fireteam regroups and approaches the entrance to Riis-Reborn.
"My friends… thank you. Soon, the Eliksni who still know hope will flee to safety. [insect-like chattering] Misraaks, the Light Kell. Awaits them." Variks says over the comms. "For a Kell, he is young. Untested. [insect-like chattering] But my people dare to hope, yes? Once, the House of Salvation fought for peace for the Eliksni. Now, they fight for power. [insect-like chattering] Humble them. Bring this lesson to Eramis. [insect-like chattering]"
"The more Eliksni that escape, the better I feel." Ana says as she readies her rifle. "They deserve safety, away from Eramis."
"A victory, yes, but more remain." Variks says.
"And when I find them, they'll all die. Good riddance to traitors like you – unworthy of my empire." Eramis says on the comms having intercepted the transmission.
"Eramis… it was not meant to be an empire. [insect-like chattering] It was meant to be home." Variks says hoping to reason with his old friend.
"Home? Our home was taken from us by our unworthy leaders. There is no home for us while they and their rules still live." Eramis says in response.
"What about Mithrax?" Cayde says mispronouncing Misraaks, the Light Kell's name while him and the fireteam enter the gravity lift to Riis-Reborn. "He's trying to return your people to the way they were before they encountered Gems."
"Nothing more than a step back in evolution." Eramis retorts back. "While I applaud Misraaks for starting the revolution he is not the future our people need."
As the group made it to the top of the gravity lift, they made their way to the ice cave leading into the city while the two Eliksni on the comms continued the conversation.
"Eramis… [insect-like chattering] Variks had hoped that somewhere within, the friend I knew remained. But after seeing what you did, I knew I was wrong." Variks says solemnly.
"Do you know what humans in the universe the Pyramid came from called our counterparts? Fallen." Eramis says shocking Ana, Cayde, and Banshee as that was the name of the Grimm infused beings in their universe.
"They're 'Fallen' because Eliksni like you and your counterpart never proved we could stand up. To humanity, our counterparts were always weak. Always doomed. And now I see that weakness in the Eliksni of our universe." Eramis explained. "After learning of counterparts' mistreatment, I knew what had to be done. I was the only one who had the strength to do it. So forgive me, traitor, but the 'friend' you thought you had? She never existed at all."
Has the group made it through the cave they came to the Riis-Reborn Approach and found Dimension 12 robots and House Salvation Eliksni fighting each one other.
"Guess the Dimension 12 robots made it into the city." Cayde said as him and the group observed the scene before them.
"We might want to consider sitting this one out." Ana suggested.
The group made their way through the battle going on before them and only attacked when the enemy combatants turned their attention to them. Such actions were short lived as the fireteam proved to be stronger. With their enemies slain they made their way into a building and came upon the lobby that lead to the rally room and another open door that went deeper into the city.
"We'll have to split up here." Elsie said as the HUD in her optics showed her that Eramis and Kridis are in two different locations. "Ana, you, Cayde, and Banshee will go after Eramis, while me, Eris, and Drifter will go after the Dark Priestess."
"You sure about that Elsie?" Ana asked her sister's future counterpart.
"Yeah, Eramis is no slouch in a fight." Cayde explained. "And who knows what she's capable of with Stasis."
"I know but I believe that you can all do it." Elsie says hoping to reassure them. "Remember what I said. Look within, for Darkness lies within all of us."
Elsie and Ana nod to each other and then hug.
"I love you sis." Ana says.
"I love you too little sister." Elsie says before the two of them break away from the hug.
Elsie looks at the group and leaves with Eris and Drifter into the deeper parts of the city. Ana, Cayde, and Banshee go to the entrance leading to the rally room of Riis-Reborn.
"You think me insane, don't you pawns? One day, you'll understand when the world you once knew shatters like glass." Eramis says.
Ana's fireteam walks through the room overlooking the rally room and finds a staircase leading down. They walk down the stairs and eventually reach the level of the rally room and walk into it. Looking around the room they find a doorway underneath the stage and enter it where they find a room with a teleporter inside of it. Before they entered it they heard Variks on the comms making a another retort to Eramis.
"Eramis… is wrong. About Variks. About Eliksni!" Variks retorts back with anger in his voice. "Variks came to Europa for a second chance. For the right thing. That is strength, not weakness!"
"Oh please, Variks. You only came here to hide. Like a coward." Eramis says in response.
"No! Trying to release Vex brought the Dimension 12 robots here putting Eliksni in danger. Many have already perished. Eramis… you are the real coward!" Variks retorts back.
"Silence!" Eramis yells back over the comms. "I've had enough you, Variks. I will enjoy watching your skull shatter into pieces."
Ana and her fireteam step onto the teleporter and are taken to a different location.
Xxx
Meanwhile…
Elsie and her team fought through many Eliksni and Dimension 12 within Riis-Reborn making their way deeper into the city. They made their way into the vehicle repair bay where they came upon Kridis, the Dark Priestess waiting for them. She was hunched over within a Eliksni meditative pose surrounded by small shards of Stasis ice. Then the shards drop to the floor, and she stands straight up and faces her enemies.
"Welcome, spawns of Earth. Have you come to witness the Eliksnis ascension into godhood?" Kridis asked condescendingly.
"No, we came here to kill sister." Drifter says as he fires his revolver at the Dark Priestess.
The rounds impact Kridis' absorption shield and form the Splinters of Darkness on her helmet she gathers energy that she uses to fire Stasis blasts at the Terrans. The group avoids the blasts though the Drifter's left leg gets hit half freezing it. He grunts and channels green Aura causing the ice to break though draining his Aura by 15%.
"Glad you taught us that Aura thing Elsie." He says as he gets to cover.
Kridis uses her teleporter to blink a short distance to the fireteam and summons a pair of Stasis cutlasses that she uses to swing at Eris. The three-eyed human counters by turning her sphere Stasis blue and directs it to attack the Dark Priestess. But Kridis counters the orb and swings her cutlasses at Eris. They hit their target and Eris is sent flying into a wall, her black colored Aura shatters and she is left unconscious.
Drifter throws a Stasis crystal at Kridis that explodes and envelops her in a spherical storm of Stasis ice that begins to freeze her. Her absorption shields take most of the damage giving her sometime to get out of the sphere and charge at the Drifter. The Drifter fires at her depleting the rest of her absorption shield but swings her ice swords at the scoundrel sending him back and depleting the rest of his Aura leaving him unconscious. Kridis then turns her attention to Elsie who has changed her pulse rifle into its sword form.
"Your comrades lie defeated." Kridis says as she walks toward the Exo from the future. "Only you remain, you cannot win."
"Maybe, but I won't go down without a fight." Elsie says as she walks toward Kridis.
Soon their walking turned into running and as they charged toward each other Elsie gathered Stasis energy into her feet. When the two got within range of each other Kridis swung her blades down onto her smaller opponent. Elsie teleports above the 12ft tall Eliksni and brings her feet down onto Kridis' head. Her feet make contact and soon Kridis' head is frozen solid. Elsie jumps off and Kridis body falls forward with her frozen head making contact with the metallic floor and shatter into pieces.
Elsie breathes a sigh of relief with seeing that another of Eramis' Dark Council has now died. She sees Eris and the Drifter get back up, but something catches Elsie's attention. She sees that one of Kridis' Splinters of Darkness survived and she picks it up.
"Assuming Ana and her team don't destroy Eramis' Splinter when they kill her, they may need this to unlock the final seal at the Ziggurat." She says to herself as Eris and the Drifter approach her. "Come on let's go meet up with the others."
Xxx
Meanwhile…
After entering the teleporter Ana and her fireteam fought through many House Salvation Eliksni until they upon the entrance to Eramis' war room. On the other side they knew Eramis was waiting for them, and they weren't going to keep her waiting. They enter the large room and see that in the center of the room was a table with a holographic image of the Pyramid and at the other end of the room Eramis stood before the doorway to the balcony overlooking the Pyramid. In her left hand she was telekinetically holding a piece of Stasis ice. She then crushes it and turns her attention to the fireteam of Terrans in her war room.
"Eramis." Ana says to the Kell of Darkness.
"Welcome back. It's time to meet your end." Eramis says as she points her Shrapnel Launcher at the group.
She fires her weapon causing the Terrans to scatter so that she wouldn't hit them. Eramis eyes Banshee and brings her lowers arms to the ground to send a line of Stasis ice toward him. He narrowly dodges the ice, but the last group of Stasis ice freezes his left leg forcing him to flare his Aura to break it but also causes him to lose an additional 15% of it.
Ana charges in with her Semblance active and energy knives in her hands. She swings at the 12ft Eliksni but Eramis uses her teleporter to blink away and then reappears at Ana's left side and hits her with a blast of Stasis energy that sends her across the room but freezes her legs. Ana flares her Aura to free herself but loses thirty percent of her Aura.
"Darkness was not meant for you!" Eramis says to the young Bray.
Suddenly Eramis feels the room heat up which should've been impossible considering the cold temperatures of this moon. She turns to see that Cayde has activated his Semblance to use his Golden Gun technique. He aims his hand cannon at the Kell of Darkness, but she uses her teleporter to get past the molten hot blasts and close to the Exo Huntsmen. She holsters her gun onto her back and covers her upper hands in Stasis ice and then begins repeatedly punching Cayde with them. Her last punch sends him across the room and depletes the last of his Aura when he hits a wall. Eramis looks down on the floor to see that Cayde's Splinter of Darkness had fallen out of his pocket. She raises her Stasis covered right arm and slams it onto the Splinter destroying it.
"You do not understand this power!" Eramis says to foolhardy Exo.
She then hears the loud howl of a blade and turns to see Banshee swinging his sword The Lament at her. She blocks with her Stasis covered hands and is pushed back. She then slams her hands together causing the Stasis crystals to break apart and by the power of her mind reform into a staff made of Stasis ice. She twirls the staff a few times at the Exo who tries to block the attacks with his sword. But The Lament was large and even with Banshee's strength couldn't block all of Eramis's staff strikes. Eventually she was continually landing hits on the gunsmith with her last attack sending him across the room, depleting his Aura, and dropping his Splinter of Darkness at Eramis' feet. She sees it and brings her Stasis staff down on it destroying it.
"I will destroy you, your comrades, and everyone you care for!" Eramis declared to the gunsmith.
Ana uses her Semblance to create her energy bow at and takes aim at Eramis. She fires an energy arrow at the Kell of Darkness, but Eramis was quick to react to it and fired a Stasis blast that canceled out the arrow. Ana than uses her weapon the Polaris Lance in its glaive mode to attack the dark Kell. Eramis however proved to be more formidable, as for every attack Ana made Eramis was able to counter with her Stasis made staff. Eramis then manages to make furry of rapid staff strikes on Ana and then with a spin on her feet Eramis delivers one more strike on the young Bray that sends her onto the floor and drops her Splinter of Darkness while depleting her Aura. Slowly, Ana manages to get back onto her feet and grabs the Splinter while noticing that it has started to glow showing that she can use Stasis again.
"Your chains are showing." Eramis says as she unsummons her staff of Stasis ice. "All that power, wasted serving unworthy masters."
From behind her helmet Ana grits her teeth and charges herself with Stasis energy and charges at Eramis.
"Ha!" Eramis says as she sends a blast of Stasis energy from her upper left hand at Ana's feet. The blast cancels out Ana's charge of Stasis energy and stops her dead in her tracks as the ice started to crawl up on her threatening to encase her in ice. And with her Aura depleted their was no way she could get out of this on her own.
"Allow me to help you break free." Eramis says as she began to walk toward Ana.
"Ana!" Cayde called out as him and Banshee managed to get back on their feet and charged in but like Ana Eramis blasted them at their feet with Stasis energy.
Ana struggled trying to break free from the Stasis ice as it continued to cover her. She looked at the Splinter of Darkness in her hand and saw that it had lost its glow. She hears a grunt from Eramis and watches the Kell of Darkness snatch the Splinter out of her hand.
"Look what I've done for you. No more Aura. No more Dark." Eramis says as she then crushes the Splinter of Darkness in her hand with a grunt.
"This looks like the end for us." Banshee says to the group.
Ana however wasn't willing to go out like this. As the ice almost covered her body, she found herself remembering Elsie's words about controlling Stasis.
"Remember what Elsie said about how to control this Darkness." Ana said to the Exos.
"Look within. Focus your power." Were the words they recalled Elsie saying to them one time.
As the covered their entire bodies something was odd. The three Hunters could still move but at a slow rate and a mysterious glow emanated from their chests.
"How interesting." Eramis says as she watched this all unfold before her.
With a strained shout from the three Hunters, they managed to break out of the ice and the force of it made Eramis jump back with a yelp. The three Hunters looked at themselves and summoned Stasis energy to their hands showing that they were now using the power without a Splinter.
"Sweet! Second wind!" Cayde said joyously.
"The only thing we have to break here – is you." Banshee says to Eramis.
"Come then, pawns." Eramis says to the Hunters as she takes her Shrapnel Launcher off her back. "Show me what freedom has given you."
Eramis uses her teleporter to teleport to the doorway to the balcony were she then walks onto the platform. She turns her attention to the doorway and fires at it once the Terrans make their way through it.
"Come to me, pawns." Eramis says to taunt her opponents.
With their Aura depleted the three Hunters had to be extra careful no to let a hit land on them. They avoided the Shrapnel Launcher shots and Cayde summons a pair of Stasis kamas that he throws at Eramis. They shatter at the ground around her and release a strong wind that sends a fury of shards at her causing her to stagger back.
"I will tear the Darkness out from inside you." Eramis declares to the Exo.
Eramis then holsters her gun and summons her Stasis staff and then uses it to fire blasts of Stasis energy at the Terrans. They scatter but Ana charges in and summons a lance made of Stasis ice and engages Eramis in close range combat. Not wanting a repeat of earlier Ana decided to make a few changes in her tactic. She made a few jabs while kiting around Eramis taking advantage of the Kell's much larger size. Ana then jumps back and throws the lance at Eramis. It shatters and breaks her absorption shield.
"How dare you get in my way!" Eramis said as she could feel her anger building up at what was happening to her. She was being bested by opponents she had just beaten.
Eramis could feel that a few shards of Stasis ice had managed to breach her suit and pierce her body, but she would not let that stop her. She reforms her Stasis staff into a shield and cutlass and charged forward, but now it was Banshee's turn to fight her. He charges in with his hands covered in Stasis ice and attacks her. He uses one makeshift gauntlet of Stasis ice to parry her sword strikes and the other to attack her. While Eramis used her shield to block strikes from Banshee's ice-covered fists.
"You are not special. The Darkness is MINE!" Eramis says as she uses shield to bash Banshee.
He manages to raise to raise his fists in time to block the attack and gets pushed back a couple of feet. He then smashes his fists together shattering the ice covering them and then reforms the shards into a massive Warhammer and charges at Eramis.
"However you do this, it does not matter." Eramis says as she charges at the Exo as well. "I will still tear you apart."
As they got close Banshee slams the Warhammer onto the ground and creates a ring of Stasis ice walls around Eramis both confusing and angering her further.
"This power was meant for me and the Eliksni!" Eramis angrily says to the three Terrans as they gathered around the ice. "Not scum like you."
The Hunters all look at each other and gather Stasis energy into their hands. They then look at the Stasis ice walls and then slam their hands onto the balcony platform releasing a wave of energy that breaks the ice wall circle. Shards of Stasis ice hit Eramis and one of the larger shards damages her gauntlet causing to spark with electricity. The Stasis winds push Eramis closer to the ledge and she falls onto her hands and knees from the intense pain she was feeling from the trio's last attack.
"It's over Eramis!" Ana says as she takes out the Polaris Lance in its rifle mode and points it at the Kell of Darkness while Cayde and Banshee do the same thing with their main weapons. "Surrender now and we'll let you live."
Eramis climbs back up onto her feet and looks at the Terrans defiantly. "It will not end this way! It can't!"
She then crosses her arms in an attempt to gather Stasis energy, but Banshee looks at her gauntlet and sees it sparking with electricity. He gets a general idea of what is about to happen if Eramis tries to use it.
"Eramis! Don't your gauntlet's malfunctioning!" He warned the Kell of Darkness, but sadly his warning fell on deaf ears.
With a grunt she uses the gauntlet to channel power from the Splinter, but her hands and feet start to freeze.
"What?" Eramis says with a gasp as she saw the ice begin to spread all over herself. She turns toward the Pyramid before the ice could restrict her movements and reaches out to it with her upper left hand. "Nooo…!"
With her last words she is left completely frozen, unable to move, and leaving the Hunters shocked.
"Is she…dead?" Ana asked as she and the others got close to the frozen Kell.
Cayde looks at it and then fires his hand cannon the Ace of Spades at it. Instead of shattering the frozen Eramis like with all other Stasis frozen enemies Eramis was still in one piece.
"I don't know." Cayde said as he holstered his gun. "But it's doubtful she can get out of that."
Ana then activates her comm unit to talk to Elsie. "Elsie, Eramis has been defeated."
"Well done little light." Elsie said congratulating her sister's past self. "Kridis is dead and the Dimension 12 robots and House Salvation Eliksni who remained in Riis-Reborn have all killed each other. Aside from us the city is completely deserted. Our job here is done."
"So, our mission on Europa is over now?" Cayde asked.
"There's still Atraks and the Deep Stone Crypt." Banshee reminded the bounty hunter. "Our job's not done yet."
"Agreed. Meet me back at my camp so we can prepare for our next move." Elsie said to the Hunters as they began to leave the empty city.
Xxx
Deep Stone Crypt
Within the labs of the Deep Stone Crypt Eliksni of House Salvation managed to learn about the fate of Eramis and their comrades at Riis-Reborn.
"Now what do we do?" Asked one Captain.
"I don't know." Said another Captain. "It may be over for us."
"It's not." Said a mechanical female voice from down a hall.
The two Captains look towards the direction of the and saw 12'1ft mechanical Eliksni walk out of it. She had four magenta-colored eyes and her chasis was black and white. On her back were two appendages and her head was shaped just like Atraks' helmet.
"This story isn't over yet." Atraks-1, Eliksni Exo declared to her two subordinates.
Next chapter, The Deep Stone Crypt Part 1