Chapter IV: When the Storm Arrives

Absolution Arc


1027 Hours, December 17, 2714

It won't stop.

A sound dreaded by many over and over again.

Every moment they breathe, every moment they live... This sound will never leave their ears or mind.

It was like a swarm of corpse-eating flies buzzing in her ears, screeching and howling for eternity and she couldn't get it out of her ears no matter how hard she tried. The flies had burrowed in her ears and created a hive in her canals, the multitude of them resuming their irritating fluttering and driving a stake into her state of emotions, pinning down her concern and letting worry drown her until she couldn't breathe.

Lightning sat next to her brother in the medical bay, looking at him with all of her attention and wellbeing. She was in casual clothing that closely mirrored her brother's when he was out on a date with Reaper, but her blouse was smoke gray instead of crimson red. He was hooked up to multiple machines attached to his body and arms, as well as a breathing mask covering his mouth. The heart monitor kept on beeping albeit in a rather slow pace that defied the border of death and life. He wasn't dead, but his heart rate was below the average for anyone in a coma. Nero's chest rose and fell, but not like he normally would if he was still conscious. To his older twin it looked as though he was peacefully asleep instead of being in a coma for Traveler knows how long as a result of the torture he went through.

Lightning took hold of one of his hands and squeezed gently. She resisted the urge to break into tears upon seeing her 'little brother' in such a state. She was his older sister, for crying out loud! Why did she leave him those nine years ago?! It was her duty to look after him after their mother's death, not focus on herself and her need to be stronger! Lightning knew that she failed her mother's last wish. She wanted to turn back time and attack the Cyphers before they sent her off to the Reef. They told her weakness makes a Dark Knight weak to their power. And with weakness, a Dark Knight suffers a fate far cruel than death.

Damn the Cyphers! I hate them, I hate them, I hate them! She screamed in her head, loathing her mentors for forcing her to become stronger. Lightning couldn't hold it in anymore. The tears were blurring her vision. A few had fallen from her steel blue eyes, landing on her hand overlapping her brother's.

"I'm sorry… I left you alone for nine years, alone so that you could suffer the weight of the burden we carry. Nero… I shouldn't have left in the first place. I could've spared you from having to carry the weight of her death on your own," she pressed her forehead against her hands that was still squeezing her brother's hand, sobbing at her mistakes. She saw his scar on his cheek and she knew how bad Vesper's death impacted him. "Some sister I turned out to be. I left you for my pursuit for being stronger. I didn't even stop to think about my own brother."

In the midst of her crying, Lightning felt something rest on her shoulder. It wasn't Primus or Artemis, but a hand. She wasn't sure if it was real or not. However, she sensed the presence of Light.

"Why are you here, Guardian? Can't you leave me be?"

"Lightning, I know how you and your class hate us. But please, do know that there are Guardians that sympathize you." The familiar voice of the bow-wielding Bladedancer reached the Dark Knight's ears, despite her disliking of the Guardians. "Even if it has been two weeks, we're still in shock that a fourth class existed."

Lightning wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at the Huntress. "Says the multitude that called us unwanted by the Traveler. And honestly, we accepted the Darkness."

"Are you seriously gonna let Adam and his friends just talk to you like that?! You're a Dark Knight; the bane of anything that stands in your way!"

"Abusing my power and position as the current representative of the Dark Knights can result in exile again. I swore that I would right that wrong father made. Both me and my brother." The daughter of Trionus conjured a sphere of Darkness in her hand, mesmerized and unfazed at the action. "And believe me, there are times that I wish that I took his Light away. But if I lose control of myself, then I've repeated what my father did long ago."

Reaper looked over at the comatose leader of the Ancient Vanguard, then back at the temporary Dark Knight vanguard. This isn't the Lightning I know. She's changed. Reaper figured that she deeply cared for Spectre, and thus the change. She hoped that she wasn't stepping on the wrong path before her Light is consumed by the Darkness within a Dark Knight. During her wandering around in the Tower, the ones that were torturing the new generation of Dark Knights were deliberately trying to get Lightning and the kazoku exiled. Truthfully, it boiled her over to hear such hateful commentary from her fellow Guardians of the Light.

"Lightning, do you still trust me?" blurted out Reaper suddenly.

"…Truthfully? I know you just want to help, but that eagerness without thinking about the effects it could have on you can get you killed or worse. So, in spite of your desire to help and over eagerness, yes." Lightning kept her back facing the Huntress, glancing at her comatose brother. "But answer me this: that song you sang to calm Spectre," she slowly rose from her chair and faced the Bladedancer. "Where did you learn it?"

Reaper turned to face Rex, whose eye was glowing in a notion that indicated both uncertainty and secrecy. The Huntress also shared the same facial expression before facing Lightning. "…I… I don't know. It just sparked in my mind when Rex revived me. I just sang or hummed to it. It couldn't leave my mind. Why?"

"That song was sung by one of my friends when my people were still hiding from the Tower and Vanguard. However, she sang it in English; the tone and message was exactly the same." Lightning stopped before she revealed the name of her brother's fiancée. She figured that she could let Nero talk about it. If he escapes his coma, that is.

"How do you know what it means if the one I sing is in another language?"

"Cloud. He speaks in Japanese, and we understand him. You sang it in Japanese. Besides, he knows the English to Japanese translation well," just before Reaper could ask her next question, Lightning continued. "He once spoke in English before, but an injury to his vocals during one of his missions forced him to adopt another language to compensate."

There was a knock on the door causing the two to turn their heads. In walked in 20/20, whose face was slightly repaired from the last time they saw him. In his hand was a portfolio—or the 28th Century equivalent of it—as his Ghost loomed over his shoulder.

"I figured you would be here, Lightning."

"When would I not be?" responded Lightning, her sapphire orbs dimly shining in the morning light.

The Exo Titan skimmed through the portfolio before closing it again. "Sorry the full report took too long. With the Tower going nuts with both the SRL and having been told that a fourth class exists, I had to scramble around the place to compile the data," he handed it to Lightning, who started to examine the data extensively. He noticed the freelancing Bladedancer. "You're welcome to take your leave, Reaper."

"I think I'll be comfortable having to hear this, thank you very much."

20/20 sighed defeatedly, then facing Lightning. "Excluding the information I told you two weeks ago—and thankfully being able to not explain it again—, he has a very slim chance of living. Especially with the poison hindering his healing. We tried getting it out of his system, but nothing works. Most of the detoxifying equipment were contaminated and infected by the time we removed them from his body."

Lightning looked up from reading through the medical report. "That's the point of us Dark Knights using the poison. We infect someone with it, and it will hinder their healing up to the point they die. It won't leave until the victim's dead. I know an antidote to removing it, but it could kill him at this state."

"Even if Spectre manages to pull through, it poses an incredible threat to his own health. Hell, he may not be able to go back into the field anymore!" His optics whirred and focused, adjusting his sight since the damage he took that day was causing his vision to glitch out. "And that's not all. We tried to give him surgery to piece his bones back together but the tendril just shoved us away. It clearly didn't want to have Spectre touched."

"That tendril was in a reflexive state. It protects the Dark Knight from any form of attack—guess it took surgery and defibrillators as attacks—while allowing them to naturally heal. Basically, the tendril is security," clarified Lightning.

"Great, just great. Now how are we gonna patch your brother up if his tendrils are gonna prevent us from getting there and stitching up his bones?"

"You don't," she closed the portfolio and shoved it into 20's chest. "His healing factor should cover it, with or without the poison. The only thing that can be done is making sure he doesn't reach cardiac arrest."

Before long, Lightning left the medical bay, the door sliding shut just as soon as she was out of sight. Both the Exo and human Huntress were taken aback by her sudden personality change. As if they were freed from being frozen, they took a deep breath. One minute she was here crying because of her brother, the next she returns to normal. Talk about a storm. Reaper glanced over at the comatose Dark Knight after that moment of silence.

"You know he's not supposed to have visitors. And that includes you, Reaper."

"Says the Exo that has been thrown around like a rag doll and needs to constantly adjust his optics when they start glitching out until he can find the source of the problem," countered Reaper, darting a triumphant look at the Exo Titan. And to add icing to the cake, she smirked slyly.

"Touché." 20 heard the small snickering coming from his Ghost, who was hovering at the sidelines. "What're you laughing at?"

"Oh, nothing. Maybe the fact that you just got served by the Predator. Who knew she'd have a sharp tongue?"

"Watch your words, because that tongue isn't just for Guardians," Rex materialized from nowhere, glancing at the Exo's Ghost. "She can use her sharp tongue on other Ghosts."

"Noted."


When it came to the Tower during an event, it would either be jam-packed with Guardians preparing for some of the activities or for other businesses like decrypting engrams by the simultaneously hated and respected Cryptarch posted here, speak with faction leaders, purchase new equipment and weapons, and even collect packages. Since the Sparrow Racing League was on, many of the Guardians were in armor or shaders that were introduced in the event. Even the SRL banners were hung overhead, further adding its presence.

Lightning emerged from the Northern section of the Tower, her casual clothing replaced by her Dark Knight armor. Some of the Guardians stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to her, some of their looks sympathetic and others a blend between hate and fear. Of course, Lightning ignored the attention and made her way to the Traveler's Walk, the giant barrier moving out of the way. Ever since the Speaker revealed the existence of the Dark Knights, they were given the Traveler's Walk to serve as their dojo of sorts here in the Tower since the spot for the Tenno/Dark Knight Vanguard was already occupied by her brother and the Ancient Vanguard. Of course, the kazoku had to share the place when Lord Saladin arrives to set up shop for Iron Banner.

Once she stepped into the other side and the barricade closing shut behind her, she found Cloud meditating in the Seiza position with both his Buster Sword and completed Fusion Swords stabbed in the ground on both sides. Aqua was busy digging her nose into her journal, reviewing some documents left by her parents, some complete and others just waiting for Aqua to finish. At the far end, Leon was occupied with his training, dueling with a shadow clone of himself he created from smoke. Lionheart clashed with its own shadow, the sounds of the blades crashing against each other nonexistent. His aggressive fighting style seemed to compliment the fact that he's hot-headed since he lost his older sister.

Just like old times… Lightning murmured, a faint smile crossing her lips at what's going on. However, deep in her heart she knew something was missing from this picture. A void that couldn't be filled again. Vesper.

Her almost sister-in-law's presence was no more, only to live on in their memories. She remembered when Vesper was sitting under a tree with Nero in their field back home, the two having the look of content and love as they enjoyed their moments together. Often, Lightning saw Vesper resting her head on her brother's shoulder after a long day. Of course, she sang a particularly annoying rhyme when she saw the two acting lovey dovey. It went on for months and the last time she sang the rhyme, both of them threw apples at her. As it was the last straw for them that time, Lightning was greeted with a cold reception.


"Well well, what do we have here?" a younger Lightning teased, looking on at the main tree in the field Spectre and Vesper often go to. Vesper was sitting next to her boyfriend, head resting against his shoulder and was apparently taking a nap before Lightning's presence ruined it.

Vesper yawned and stretched her arms, then looking at their visitor. "Leave us alone, Light. Why don't you head back to town and find yourself a man of your own?" she murmured.

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you guys something," Lightning was met with some irritated groans from the couple and a small plead to not break out into rhyme. Too late for that. "Nero and Vesper, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Just before she could break into the next verse, Spectre had picked up an apple from a pile at his side and threw it at his sister. He handed Vesper one as well and she threw it as well. The first thrown apple missed, but Vesper's had hit her square in the arm.

"Seriously? Apples? Can't you two think of anything better than something that childish?" taunted the older sister of Nero, wiping the apple remains off of her arm and laughing it off. It was at this moment that she didn't notice that the couple sitting under the tree had an evil grin on their faces.

Right in Spectre's hand was a cable-like rope. He predicted that this would happen eventually again, and it was the last straw for him and Vesper. So, the couple devised a plan to get back at her. Just as his sister wasn't paying attention, which was the cue he needed, Spectre lightly pulled on the rope. Three… Two… One… He bit his tongue and watched the next chain of events unfold.

The couple watched on as a deviously hidden bucket toppled over from a branch. Lightning still didn't notice until the contents came down on her. Lightning screamed like a banshee as the water splashed down on her, drenching her from head to toe in arctic-cold water courtesy of Aqua. That and the fact that it was close to dusk, just screamed 'cold'.

Even if Lightning would suffer a cold later, it was still worth it to both Nero and Vesper. While Lightning was busy glaring at the two and drying herself up, the couple were snickering and laughing at their payback. Nero failed to hold back his laughter, seeing as it was funny to hear his sister scream like a little girl being jumpscared by a monster.


Quite a change from the previous times, which often flustered the two of them and told her to shut up. And she learnt her lesson of underestimating her brother's cleverness.

Then, her mind shifted to Reaper. The Bladedancer clearly shared some parallels with Vesper, particularly in the singing department. They had a similar voice and elegance to it. She also remembered Vesper using a bow and arrow for some game hunting out in the woods near their village. Something gnawed at her thoughts, an idea that seems incredibly ludicrous. What if Vesper lived? Of course, here came the concrete evidence. There's no way that Vesper could've survived the shot that killed her. She knew what a gun built by Vesper can do; a guaranteed kill with a single shot to the head. Something about Reaper seemed familiar, like they've known each other for a long time.

"Raitoningu. Lightning," Lightning snapped out of her spacing out and saw Cloud standing before her, apparently done with his meditating. He wasn't one for showing his face, but he removed his helmet. Behind the helmet that was An Insurmountable Skullfort was a man her age with gravity-defying blonde hair and blue eyes that looked like navy-colored fire. It's no wonder why the other members of the kazoku called him 'Chocobo head'. His hair was just too damn spiky! "Daijōbu desu ka? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just remembering the peaceful times. Before this turmoil happened, before Vesper died, back during the times we'd all meet up after spending nearly thirteen hours in the dojo in training. The times when we'd unwind and have some fun before having to go home and repeat the cycle over and over."

Just as Lightning was going to let a tear fall from her eye from her nostalgia, Cloud held her close in a sibling-like manner. Maybe even more than just a comforting manner. Shocked, Lightning's blue orbs widened and she managed to hold it back thanks to the sudden chain of events. He never showed any sign of caring before, but why now of all times?

"Shinpai nasaranaide kudasai. Subete umaku ikimsu. Don't worry. Everything will be alright," whispered the brawn of the kazoku, making the two look at each other in the eye. "Makase te, Tohsaka. Trust me, Tohsaka."

The battle-hardened daughter of Trionus felt her face heat up. She tried to speak, but her words were starting to fail her. Flustered, she tried to break free from his embrace before anyone seeing this gets the wrong idea, but her strength couldn't compare to Cloud's. It was like comparing a wolf to a rhino. An alpha wolf of the pack against a very angry, so-pissed-off-it-could-stab-you-with-its-horn-without-any-second-thoughts rhino. Her mouth mimicked speaking, but no words came out. "I-idiot! You're not supposed to say my birth name like it's normal!"

Lightning really considered Cloud as someone to trust with her birth name, aside from her mother and brother. Unlike her brother, her name wasn't changed when she was in her mother's arms after she was born. She didn't hate her name at all. In fact, she was grateful for it. But when the others in the village said her name in either a taunting or provoking way it just made her feel weird and sound weak, two of which she hates.

She looked over Cloud's shoulder to see Leon crossing his arms and giving a disapproving look before Aqua nudged him in the shoulder. They whispered something to one another and looked back at the other two members of the kazoku. He scratched the back of his head, and Aqua gave a bit of a smile while mouthing something and intertwining her hand with Leon's. Dammit, of course she'd take it the wrong way…

"Hey, Chocobo head! Let go of me!" whispered Lightning angrily. "They're getting the wrong idea!"

Complying, Cloud let go of her. The two sent a death glare at the other couple, Lightning grinding her teeth and Cloud tightening his fist. Not only was Lightning back to her old self, but it also put Cloud in a very bad position. At least the scene didn't unfold out in the Tower Plaza, otherwise their respective reputations would stoop into a dangerous level.

Tohsaka growled through her teeth, "This never happened, Aqua."

"Oh trust me, I saw nothing," she understood the circumstances based on Lightning's body language. "My lips are sealed. I'll fight Cloud to prove it. Right, Cloud?"

Cloud had already gone to put on his helmet back on, his face hiding behind the visor before his Titan armor morphed into his Dark Knight form. He approached the area where he meditated and yanked both of his swords out, the Fusion Swords disassembling into six and being put away in a holster on his back. He faced the Sorceress of the kazoku. "Kyoumi nai ne. Not interested," he said, resting the flat end of the Buster Sword on his shoulder.

"Of course he'd say that," muttered Leon.

"What can you expect? Cloud's Cloud." His girlfriend added, slapping him in the back of the head. Again, the younger brother of Vesper rubbed the back of his head with his hand, knowing the playful notion behind Aqua despite sticking her nose in a book.

On the inside, the daughter of Trionus smiled at the scene. She took account of the rest of the kazoku, including her comatose brother and felt the shiver of nostalgia return. Things never changed, did they?


'You had lost it all, your Darkness tainted to the corrupted of the corrupted.'

A cosmic colored substance crawled all over the dark form as it meditated.

'I knew that he had been Trionus's son from the moment we met. I cannot allow that power to slay my Liege.'

The substance enveloped the chestplate, turning it into a black and blood red color.

'You are no Trionus, for you have dishonored yourself a hundredfold than he did.'

It soon reached their helmet, running around in the ravines that formed a pattern at the visor.

'Just as I gifted the power to Take to gift to my Influenced, I gift you my vengeance. My anger, my hatred now belongs to you.'

Soon enough, the pattern on the helmet had morphed the pattern into a new, menacing look and the shadow raised their head.

"What is your command, my master?"

'Stalk them. Know their every move. Hunt them down. Destroy their hope and spirit. Blot out their Light and Darkness with your Darkness, my Stalker. Do it before She sends her Heir to protect them from future despair.'

The Taken rose up and raised their head, a dark smile forming on their face under the corrupted helmet, the symbol of the Taken General formulating on their Cape. The helmets of both a Titan and a Dark Knight fell at the Stalker's sides, completely battered and unrecognizable regardless of being in the Taken realm or outside it.

"I will not fail you, my master. For I am their reckoning!"


Prophet: Great, now we got ourselves a handful… Again.

Me: Don't look at me. As I said in I-III, I want to put a new twist to the Taken King story. Reaper reveals how she knows the song sung by Vesper, hints towards a possible romance between Cloud and Lightning, and another threat planning to go after Spectre's kazoku and Fireteam. Yeesh, just when things were going to get peaceful too…

Prophet: What about that other cliffhanger at the end of the previous chapter?

Me: Patience, young grasshopper. Time will tell of what is to come concerning that.

Prophet: If I had feet, then I would be tapping the hell out of it in impatience.

Me: We're through with this chapter. Until then, keep fighting Guardians!