Hear my words, oh valued reader. Hear my words and despair. We have reached the end of season one. It's been a long time coming, but with fifteen chapters, 118,000 words, 281 pages, almost 9,000 views, and over fifty followers later, we have made it. I've already gotten to work on season two. No promises as to when it'll drop.
Chapter 15: Salvations Approach
It hurt to breathe. That was the first thing Luz noticed. Her lungs ached as they struggled to draw in air. The second thing she noticed was someone yelling at her. She didn't know why, she didn't even remember where she was. She sat up, clutching her head as the voice continued yelling at her.
"Luz! Can you hear me?"
She mumbled something unintelligible as she felt someone grab her by the shoulders and gently shake her. It still hurt to breathe, but less so. She felt a hand press her back and suddenly, everything felt soothingly warm. She blinked as her focus began to return to her.
"Luz!" Royal shouted, "Say something!"
"I'm here," she groaned, "What's going on?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out," he muttered. Behind him, Lancer was busy scanning Eda's prone form. Looking around, she saw that Lilith and King were similarly incapacitated. Royal manifested another healing orb and gave it to Eda, who sat up groggily.
"Lancer," he called, helping Eda to her feet, "Any idea what that was?"
"It has to be the Vex, there's no other explanation. They must be bringing a massive invasion force through."
"How would that be possible, we destroyed the Conflux."
"Well obviously not," the Ghost rebuffed, "Considering that I traced the shockwaves origin point to the Knee." Royal cursed as he helped King back to his feet. He pointedly ignored Lilith, who was still sprawled on the ground.
"The shockwave that knocked them to the ground, it must've been the Vex opening the portal," Lancer continued, "It's the only possible explanation."
"Why weren't you staggered?" Luz questioned.
"I'm Paracausal," Royal explained, "The Vex can't simulate me, nor can they affect me as they can affect you. Not to mention that I've been fighting them for years now."
"So the Vex are making their move," Eda said, "Then we just need to get over there and shut their Conflux down again. Permanently." Royal shook his head.
"This isn't like what you've seen before, this is a full-blown Vex invasion. It'll be best if you stay here, where it's safe." Eda and Luz looked at each other before turning back to Royal.
"You are not pulling this again," Luz said, "No more lone wolf. We do this together."
"Yeah," Eda agreed, "I'm not going to sit aside while the fate of my home hangs in the balance." Royal looked between the two of them, puffing out his chest.
"I knew you'd say that, just figured I'd give you the chance to back out," he quipped, "Now, let's move." He turned and summoned his sparrow, only for Eda to grab him by the arm and pull him back. He looked at her curiously and she gestured to Lilith, who was still lying on the ground, moaning in pain. Royal let out a frustrated groan.
"Do I have to?"
All across the Isles, chaos was erupting. Everyone across the Isles suffered, collapsing in pain from the sheer power of the Vex. Those further away had already recovered. Nobody had any idea what was going on. Some of the more religiously minded proclaimed that it was the Titan himself voicing his displeasure, though what specifically displeased him was a question with a million contradictory answers. Some declared that he was angry at Wild Witches, for rejecting the coven system and squandering his gifts. Others said that he was angry at Belos, for not having all of said Wild Witches rounded up. All of these answers were wrong.
None of this was known to Royal as he raced through the crowded streets of Bonesborough. Eda and Luz soared overhead, with Lilith tagging along not far behind. The air hummed with power as the Vex crossed between realities. In truth, Royal didn't know how Eda or Lilith would be able to help. Magic had been a very useful tool against the Vex. He supposed that he would just have to arm them. The more guns, the better.
The group arrived at the base of the Knee and began the climb. The area was already beginning to show signs of Vex corruption. The ground was being converted into bronze metal as blocky spires stretched into the sky. They encountered a few Goblins along the way, which Royal easily dispatched. There was no doubt that the main force would be waiting for them at the Conflux.
"Wake up."
Sturme groaned in pain as the Mind spoke to him. He didn't move, agony sapping his strength. He was dying, and he knew it.
"You will not fall here, 89.07% of simulations dictate that you will survive."
Sturme weakly cracked open his eyes, looking around his burning lab. The heat was unbearable, though whether it was from the fires or the bullet wounds, he couldn't tell. Off to the side, Radiolaria spilled across the floor, drawing closer to him.
"Touch the mind fluid," Synegorus ordered, "Drink deep of it and be reforged. Use it to seek vengeance upon the one who has wronged you."
Seeing no other option, Sturme began to crawl closer to the liquid. Every movement sent waves of unimaginable pain through his body, yet something spurred him on. A hunger burned in him now, a desire to enact vengeance upon the Guardian. Reaching the edge of the Radiolaria, Sture reached out and dipped his fingers into it. He recoiled as it shocked him.
"Do not be afraid," Synegorus said, "The transformation is painful but quick. With it, you shall transcend death, leaving it for lesser beings."
Sturme grit his teeth as he submerged his hand again. He ignored the burning sensation in his flesh as he dragged himself into the pool. The Radiolaria seeped into the bullet wounds in his chest, mixing with his blood. He began to scream as the Vex writhed within him. He could feel them now, scratching at the inside of his mind. The last thing he heard was the deep, rumbling laugh of Synegorus. Then, everything went dark.
They were getting close. The four had been forced to disembark from their mounts and continue on foot, lest they risk being detected. Eda, Luz, and Lilith were having difficulty keeping up with Royal. Their footsteps were heavy and slow, every motion requiring great effort. Royal turned back to them.
"You can always back out," he offered. Eda let out a forced laugh.
"And miss all the fun?" She joked, "I'm not letting you steal all the glory."
"Then in that case," Royal said, drawing a few rifles from transmat, "You'll need to be properly armed." He held out an auto, pulse, and scout rifle. Luz, being the most well-versed in firearms of the three, took the scout. Eda snatched up the pulse, leaving Lilith with the auto. As she reached out, Royal withdrew it.
"I want this back," he said, "As I gave it to you." Lilith nodded and accepted the rifle, holding it delicately.
"Just keep your fingers off the trigger until you're ready to fire," Lancer instructed the Witches, "And remember, the bullets come out of the slim end. I'll keep you topped up on ammo."
Royal motioned for the group to crouch and they obliged, hiding behind a Vex pillar. Not far away was the Conflux, sustaining the portal to the Vex Domain. The area was clear of Vex, much to Royal's discomfort. He gestured for the rest to stay put and advanced on the Conflux, holding Fatebringer in one hand and Edge of Intent in the other. As he moved up, Lilith shuddered, clutching her head.
"I can hear them call out," she whispered, "They are here."
True to her word, multiple Vex forms teleported around the Guardian. In a matter of seconds, he was surrounded by Goblins, Harpys, Minotaurs, and even a couple Hydras. The Vex raised their rifles as Royal prepared himself, laying an empowering rift at his feet. His companions propped up their own weapons, with Luz preparing a few glyphs.
Without warning, the Vex opened fire. Royal's shields flickered as he retaliated, firing indiscriminately into the horde. A few Goblins charged, only to be cut apart by his blade. Luz opened fire, her bullets slamming into the Vex from behind. Eda and Lilith struggled with their weapons, not ready for the recoil. A Minotaur turned around, ordering a few Goblins to eliminate the minor threat.
Luz fired at the Goblins. In her panic, she forgot to aim for center mass. Her rounds punched through the conical heads of the Vex forms. The Vex objected to this rather strongly, charging as their bodies began to spark and shake.
"I think I made it worse!" Luz yelped. Eda managed to get her rifle under control and pointed it at the approaching Vex. Together, the two were able to destroy the Goblins. Lilith sprayed wildly at the Minotaur as it began to march on them. It ignored her gunfire and teleported closer. Lilith shouted and quickly leaped back as it swung at her. Luz activated a plant Glyph, entangling the Minotaur. It pulled at its restraints, already beginning to tear itself free. This effort was short-lived as the three opened fire at once, blasting it to pieces.
While the others struggled to eliminate the small Vex force, Royal was carving through the horde with relative ease. Luz looked on in awe as he dashed through the sky, raining death down on the Vex. A shot from his grenade launcher destroyed a cluster of Goblins. A blast from his fusion rifle annihilated a Minotaur. He dove at a Hydra, flying between its impenetrable shields and striking it repeatedly with burning fists. The flying Vex fell to the ground, glowing as it overloaded. Royal deftly avoided the detonation and resumed his slaughter. Despite his efforts, the Conflux continued to spit out more and more Vex. It would only be a matter of time before they were overwhelmed.
The Conflux let out a painful screech as a massive form appeared in the portal. A single leg stepped out, followed quickly by another. Long, glowing tendrils stretched out to the side of the Vex as its guns began to power up. The Wyvern fired at the Guardian, its Void blasts flying through the air in a strange pattern. Royal yelled in shock as the ground around him exploded, sending him flying back. Eda tried to fire on the Wyvern, only for it to completely ignore her gunshots. With a strained grunt, Royal hefted his rocket launcher and fired. The projectile flew into the Wyvern, causing it to stagger. It rose once more and leaped into the air, drawing its legs in as it coursed with energy. It blitzed toward Royal, slamming into the Guardian and crushing him beneath its feet.
The Wyvern drew back to its full height as Royal lay motionless. Behind it, two more Wyverns emerged from the Conflux, their plates sliding over themselves as they marched. The three combat forms turned their attention to Luz and the Witches. Eda pulled Luz behind herself in an effort to protect her ward. The three struggled to combat the Wyverns, each of them able to absorb remarkable amounts of damage. One of them fired at Eda, who was thrown onto her back by the explosion. Groaning, she looked up as it bore down on her.
The Wyvern charged its guns before a bolt of lightning struck it in the side. It staggered as the other two turned to the source of the attack. Royal floated in the air behind them, lightning surging all over his body. He channeled all of it into a single hand.
"Chaos shall consume you!" He roared, thrusting his hand out and firing a concentrated beam of Arc Light at the Wyverns. They buckled under the assault, falling before the Guardians might. They exploded as they died, destroying swathes of lesser Vex. Royal felt his power recede and he dropped back to the ground.
"We have to destroy the Conflux," he said, "Permanently this time." Luz pulled out her glyphs.
"I can handle that," she said. Royal nodded, feeling a sense of pride come over him.
"You two," he gestured to Lilith and Eda, "Focus on the lesser Vex. Keep them off Luz. I'll handle the big ones." The four all nodded and split up as more Vex began to spill through the tear opened in reality. The four moved quickly, with Luz placing fire glyphs all along the central pillars of the Conflux while Eda and Lilith covered her. Royal flew overhead, keeping the main horde occupied. Even Lancer was helping, flying between the four to restore their ammunition. A few more Wyverns appeared, forcing Royal to focus his attention on them. The Vex combat forms were resilient, requiring lots of firepower to bring down. Their guns kept him constantly moving, unable to assist the others.
Eventually, Luz called out to the Guardian, letting him know that all the glyphs had been planted. He ordered the others to retreat to a safe distance and let him activate it. As they withdrew, Lilith fell to her knees and clutched her skull. Eda had to drag her sister back to cover as the Vex pursued, only to be incinerated by Royal.
"Something is coming," Lilith whimpered, "Something powerful."
True to her word, the Conflux began to scream. Another shockwave burst from the machine, though it was far smaller this time. That didn't stop the three from being knocked on their backs. To their horror, a titanic form appeared in the portal.
It was larger than the Wyverns, featuring long arms. One of them had a slim cannon attached to the back of its forearm. Its body was coated in thick, blue ice. The monster's three crimson optics were practically blazing with hatred. It raised a single clawed hand into the air, summoning a blade coated in fire.
"Heat," it spoke, forcing the Witches and Human down with the sheer weight of its might, "Smoke. Cinder." Its body erupted in flame as it glared at Royal.
"I shall burn your body and sear your soul!" The Vex's voice boomed.
"Is that Synegorus?" Luz asked, terror seeping into her voice.
"No," Royal replied, landing between the Vex and his friends, "If it was, we would already be dead."
"I am not my master," the Vex said, "I am Pyrikaga, Torchbearer of the Paradoxical Mind." It pointed its sword at the organics, "I shall anoint you all with ash." With that, it charged, swinging its blade down in a powerful overhead strike. Royal acted quickly, summoning his Dawnblade and meeting the blow. The two clashed, with Royal flinching under the power of the strike. Pyrikaga pulled its left hand back and swiped at the airborne Guardian, sending him flying into the metallic ground.
"I am the master of star-fire," it boasted as Royal slowly stood back up, "And you shall be fuel, nothing more."
"Quite talkative for a Vex," Royal muttered, before leaping back into the fray. Luz, Eda, and Lilith were forced back into the fight as the other Vex began to attack them. Royal and Pyrikaga clashed, a single burning speck fighting against a pillar of flame easily taller than the Emperor's Castle. The two locked blades and drew close to each other.
"You shall feed the fire that fuels creation!" Pyrikaga roared.
"You're really dedicated to this gimmick," Royal grunted, straining with exertion. Unbeknownst to anyone involved, another Vex form left the Conflux. Ignosi inspected the battlefield before it, unimpressed by what it saw. Ignoring the other Vex, it turned to face the Emperor's Castle, calculating its trajectory.
-]This unit disagrees with the notion of distance[-
Ignosi faded, teleporting across the Isles as Royal and Pyrikaga continued to clash. Royal flew back, swinging his sword through the empty air. With each swing, a flaming arc was cast toward Pyrikaga. The Typhon lifted its left arm and activated its colossal cannon. A jet of flame engulfed Royal's attack. The Guardian narrowly dodged the flame, feeling it singe his robes. Unlike the Wardens fire, this would definitely hurt him. As Royal dodged, Pyrikaga traced a circle through the air. To the Witches horror, a spell circle appeared. Two illusions of Pyrikaga appeared, charging at Royal. He attempted to dodge, only for the real Pyrikaga to strike him out of the air. The Exo impacted the ground hard, groaning as steam lifted off his armor.
With a single mental order, the rest of the Vex stood down. Eda, Lilith, and Luz all peeked over their cover as Pyrikaga raised its blade over the limp form of Royal as he struggled to rise.
"Witness as your only hope is incinerated under the heat of a million suns!" It shouted to the sky, "Bask in these final moments before it is disintegrated." As its blade descended, Luz slapped down a few of her dwindling glyphs. They activated, sending a spiral of ice and vines over Royal that intercepted the swing. Pyrikaga turned to stare at the Human interloper. Luz gulped nervously as it stared into her eyes. She fired a shot into its chest, only for the round to bounce harmlessly off its chassis.
"Look, it thinks it can shoot," it mocked, "Theoretical: Your final acts of defiance are futile before the great flame. Practical: You shall disintegrate nicely." Eda cried out for her ward as Pyrikaga prepared to incinerate the Human. Just before the cannon activated, a burst of Solar Light scored a blow on the Vex's back. It staggered under the unexpected assault as Royal dove on top of its head, stabbing it repeatedly with his Dawnblade.
"My fury burns brighter!" He shouted as the Vex stumbled, sustaining heavy damage. Royal dropped back to the ground next to Luz, drawing his Sleeper Simulant. The weapon hummed as it charged, a bright red glow appearing along the length of the barrel. Pyrikaga finally regained its footing, glaring at the Guardian through its two functional optics. It made one final attempt to fight before a massive red beam of death punched through its chest. The Vex staggered and Royal fired again, tearing off its cannon arm.
"You may smother my flame," it growled with a damaged voice, "But my master will never relent. This world will burn and you shall endure an eternity of suffering. It is inevitable."
"Guardians make their own fate." Royal challenged. He fired one last time, obliterating the Vex's head. It staggered into the Conflux and Royal quickly drew his hand cannon and fired. His bullet activated a glyph, beginning a chain reaction that ripped both the Conflux and the Vex apart in jets of flame. Royal pulled Luz behind himself, shielding her from the destruction. As Pyrikaga died and the Conflux broke, a massive backlash crashed over the Vex, causing them to die as well.
The explosions finally ended as the Vex disintegrated into nothing. Silence fell over the metallic ground of the Knee as Eda and Lilith rejoined the two Humans. Eda pulled Luz into another hug, checking her frantically to make sure she was alright, despite the girls' protests. Once she was satisfied, she gave Royal a small punch to the arm.
"Well done Buckethead," she quipped, "You were really something to behold out there."
"I can't take all the credit," Royal said, "Maybe only about ninety percent of it." The two shared a laugh before Luz spoke up.
"Is it over?" She asked, sounding absolutely exhausted, "Are the Vex finished?"
"I don't know," he answered, "If there's one thing I've learned about the Vex, it's that once they dig their claws into a world, it's almost impossible to dig them out. But as long as I'm here, you better believe I'm going to keep trying."
The group made one last pass, searching for any Vex that had survived the battle. Once they were satisfied, they departed, returning to the Owl House to rest after an incredibly long day. Royal recounted his previous adventures to Eda; the skirmish with Darius, assaulting the Conformatorium, and destroying the Emperor's Coven's stash. In turn, Luz told him about her day and how she had fought the Emperor. Royal nodded in understanding when she told him that she had been forced to destroy the portal. There would be time to fix that later, they had other matters to attend to.
Eventually, the four returned home, much to King's elation. Everyone elected to turn in for the night, content with a job well done. Eda allowed Lilith to crash on the couch temporarily before slipping into her nest. Royal returned to his quarters, shutting down to cycle his systems. In her room, Luz had set up her phone to record a message for her mom.
"And that's how we escaped the Emperor," she said to her camera, "Everyone told me he's the most powerful Witch alive. But look at this." She held up the shard of Belos' mask that she had broken off during their fight.
"He's not invincible," she asserted, "Then we had to rush to the Knee so we could stop the Vex from invading and killing everyone. It was… scary doesn't even begin to describe it. But Royal led us through and even went toe-to-toe with the Vex commander. You should've seen it. It was just like a fight from one of my animes!" Her expression fell as she fiddled with the shard.
"It's weird, thinking about everything I've gone through here and knowing that I can't share it with you. I promise, I will find a way back. I don't care how long it takes me. Deja una luz puesta para mí. Te Quiero." She ended the recording and put the phone down. Instantly, she fell asleep, eagerly awaiting what the next day would bring.
Deep within the Vex Domain, far from the prying eyes of Synegorus, two figures stood. One, massive and wrapped in armor as dark as the night sky, crushed a Hobgoblin between two Arc-powered fists. The other, slim and covered in dull silver, danced around a Minotaur's viscous jabs before slapping a Void bomb on its back. The bomb detonated, destroying the Minotaur. The Titan and Hunter both looked out over the area before them. Vex corpses were piled high. These were the standard bronze, as opposed to Synegorus' preferred silver frames, coated in ice.
Suddenly, the two felt an overwhelming force wash over the Vex Domain. They didn't even flinch under the pressure, more curious than anything. The Hunter pulled a long sniper rifle off their back, peering through the scope in the direction the shockwave had come from.
"See anything?" The Titan asked in a deep, baritone voice that rippled with age and experience. The Hunter shook their head.
"Nothing," she replied, "Blip, can you detect anything?"
"Negative," her Ghost said in an even voice, "The Vex are doing a very good job keeping their secrets hidden." The Titan grumbled.
"Then let's find out what it was," he said, "With luck, we might even find Scholar."
"He would be involved with this, wouldn't he, Brother?" The Hunter asked with a laugh.
"Indeed, Sister," the Titan said, sharing in the amusement. The two drew their preferred weapons; a massive, advanced-looking white rocket launcher for the Titan and a revolver that seemed to be leaking black smoke for the Hunter. Together, they set off, searching for their lost comrade.
Pyrikaga dropped to its knees, prostrating itself before Synegorus. A Vex Mind was never truly slain; whenever its physical form was destroyed, it would simply return to the Vex Domain. The Sub-Minds Synegorus had created were no exception.
"My master, forgive me," it groveled. Synegorus ignored it, mildly amused by the Torchbearers' panic.
"I promise you, I will not fail again," Pyrikaga continued. Synegorus felt its amusement begin to grow into annoyance.
"Enough!" It ordered, "Cease this frivolous weakness. I created you to be above that." The Sub-Mind fell silent, not moving from its position. Synegorus sighed, no doubt destroying several small armies with the effort.
"I am not going to disintegrate you." Pyrikaga looked up.
"You are not?"
"No," Synegorus said, already tired of this conversation, "In fact, you should be commended. You played your part admirably."
"I do not understand, my master."
"You were never meant to win, you sycophant!" Synegorus shouted, causing the Vex Domain to shake, "You were a distraction. The time of invasion has not yet come. We must entrench our presence further. That is why I have sent another agent to the Witches."
"I see, most wise one," Pyrikaga said, finally standing up, "What would you have me do now?"
"You shall lead my forces here. I have detected a strange presence and I expect you to deal with it."
"Yes master," Pyrikaga said with a bow, "I shall not fail you again."
"My lord," Kikimora said, rushing into the throne room, "Are you alright?" The shockwave had hit the castle hard. Kikimora now led a squad of coven scouts to ensure that their Emperor was unharmed. To their joy, he was resting on his throne, seeming no worse for wear.
"I am unharmed," he said calmly. Kikimora began to blabber about something that he tuned out. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the shadows on the wall flicker. Rising, he ordered Kikimora to determine the extent of the damage across the Isles. She bowed and left with her scouts in tow. Belos smiled under his mask.
"Welcome back, Collector. It's been a while," he greeted. The shadows on the walls twisted and morphed into a humanoid shape. The two-dimensional entity let out a childish giggle.
"Caught me," he said, not seeming to mind that he had been found, "How's my best friend been?"
"I am well Collector," Belos replied in a friendly tone. In truth, he hated this creature. However, he needed the knowledge it provided him, so he would have to play along a little while longer. Suddenly, he gained an idea.
"Actually, I do have one question," he said, "Are you familiar with those called Guardians?" The Collector crossed his arms as he thought, his form shifting once more into several strange shapes.
"Nope," he said, popping the P. Belos frowned a little under his mask.
"Perhaps the term Lightbearer is more familiar?" That caught the Collectors attention.
"I who have played across the stars. You who bear many scars," he rhymed. Belos rolled his eyes, the Collector liked to do this and it was always annoying.
"Now you find one touched by the power of the Skies," the flat image of the Collector continued, "Together, we shall witness their demise."
Footsteps could be heard outside the throne room. The Collector quickly hid as the door swung open. Two figures stood in the doorway, each of them with three glowing red eyes.
"State your business," Belos commanded. The two figures stepped into the light. They kneeled before Belos as he inspected them. They were both made of silver metal and had a distinct layer of frost on their forms. Their metal plates were smooth and elegant. The smaller of the two featured a more defined face, though they lacked a mouth. Where the mouth would be, there was instead a smooth black screen. The other was far larger, though no less elegantly built. Unlike their companion, this one appeared truly alien.
"My Emperor," the smaller of the two said, its mouthpiece glowing red as it spoke, "Allow me to introduce you to a new guest." The larger of the two stood up.
"Greeting mortal," it said in a soft voice, "I have arrived to offer you my expertise."
"And who are you?" Belos asked. The smaller one spoke up first.
"I am Sturme, my lord. The Guardian discovered our hidden facility and nearly killed me. It is only through the gifts of the Vex that I still live."
"You may call this unit Ignosi, Wisdom Unbound," the Vex Sub-Mind introduced itself, "My master has sent me to serve your desires."
"I am pleased to see that you have survived Sturme," Belos said evenly, not hinting at anything, "Rest assured, the Guardian shall pay for the crimes he has committed this day. Now, about this master of yours." Ignosi turned to Sturme, who rumbled and shifted. His eyes glowed with greater intensity as Synegorus spoke through him.
"I am Synegorus," the Mind said, sending ripples through the room. Belos gripped the armrest of his throne tightly as the Mind continued, "The Paradoxical Mind. Master of the Temporal Ascendancy."
"And what are you?" Belos asked.
"Your mathematics cannot compute the entirety of my being. Rest assured, I am here to offer my aid. We have a mutual enemy, after all." As it said that, Ignosi projected an image of Royal stabbing his glaive through a Goblin.
"I see," Belos said, stroking his chin, "I look forward to working with you, Synegorus." The harsh glow faded as the Mind withdrew. Sturme and Ignosi bowed and departed, leaving Belos alone with the Collector once again.
"Vex?" The Collector asked, dumbfounded, "Here?"
"You are familiar with these creatures?"
"Yeah, they're fun," the Collector said, spinning around on the wall, "They've been around forever, even longer than me. I remember him telling me about them, but I can't remember what he said though. Something about a shape?"
"And who is this 'him' you speak of?" Belos asked. The Collector blew a raspberry.
"I don't want to talk about him," he complained, "He's boring. All work, no fun. Let's play a game instead."
"Very well," Belos acquiesced, "What do you want to play?"
And there you have it. These last few chapters haven't been the longest, but it is what it is. If I had a nickel for every time I mentioned the word atom in this fic, I'd have nine nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's way more than I expected.
Kinda going out on a limb and assuming that fire-sword duels are a thing in anime. I wouldn't know, never really been able to get into the medium myself.
I figured I'd use this ending chunk to give my own personal thoughts on how these first fifteen chapters panned out. Think of it like a self-review.
General Plot
I think that, overall, the base story has been... dare I say good? I dunno, feels a little too self-congratulatory. I don't look back on every chapter the same. Chapter two honestly feels entirely unnecessary. Chapter five feels clunky, probably because it was written and rewritten over the course of a few months due to writer's block. Chapters nine and ten are mostly decent but there are some bits that feel awkward to read, mostly the Amity subplot. On the other hand, I think Chapters three, seven, and eleven onwards came out really well. I feel that I definitely noticed an improvement in my writing abilities.
The actual plot could've used some tightening up. I set up a few things that didn't go anywhere, only for me to randomly remember them; the prime example being that extra bit of Vex tech Eda stored away before she first met Royal. There's another example, but I'm not gonna mention it yet cause that would be a massive spoiler.
Characters
I think I've handled the existing characters from both TOH and Destiny pretty well, with one exception, that being Luz. I feel she's been a bit inconsistent with her characterization in the show, more so in the earlier chapters cause she hadn't gone through all the shit I had planned yet. As for the OCs, I have a few more thoughts.
Royal-6: The main Warlock himself. His early characterization was... sloppy. I'm not entirely proud of it. Wish I kept the xenophobia angle prevalent for a little longer. Might find a way to bring that back up again. Essentially, he's an intelligent, highly-capable warrior who has a bit of a fiery temper. He's dedicated and loyal, but also zealous and rather stubborn. He's a good man... bot... but he's not without baggage.
Lancer: In contrast to his Guardian, Lancer's characterization was pretty solid throughout. He's (or at least I hope he came across as) a lovable dick and Royal's moral compass. He comes packed with quips and advice in equal amounts and I think I conveyed that well enough.
Sturme: And back down we go. I'm not super proud of how Sturme was characterized. Take my problems with Royal's characterization and amplify it by 11. He acts differently in each of the earlier chapters. This was supposed to show the different aspects of his personality. Instead, I feel like it came across as just being wildly inconsistent. The Witch I tried to convey was eager and hard-working, but with a cruel side. He's terrified of the Vex but craves their secrets even more. He's doing what he does for a noble cause.
Synegorus: I absolutely love getting to write for this omnicidal bastard. Every time they're talking is a chance to just put down the edgiest, most arrogant shit I can imagine. Its entire deal is Logical Sadism: Killing you is the most logical option and it is going to enjoy making you suffer. I picture it as a mixture of the Void Dragon, the Gravemind, and Unicron.
Dialogue
Honestly, I think the dialogue is mostly pretty good. It accurately conveys what the characters are thinking at that moment. There are definitely some clunky lines that I would love to redo. But hey, if you don't come out of the creative process hating the thing you made at least a little bit, then you aren't doing it right.
Now onto the reviews.
SolarisHez: My DPS starts and ends with revving Lament and screaming like a madman. Chainsword do in fact go brrrrrrr. While Strand and Stasis would no doubt be a boon, no one in the timeline has them yet. If I had to say when this occurs in the D2 timeline, it would technically be before the Golden Age. But for Royal, he enters the Isles around the time of Shadowkeep. And you got your own crossover planned? Well, can't wait to see it. Don't worry about long reviews. Reading these is my favorite part honestly, don't get nearly enough.
GodzillaMaster: Those guards were unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. That being between Royal and the Vex. Should've thought about that before being born I guess. And hey, no rest for the weary and the Bad Girl Goven is most definitely weary.
OMAC001: I'm trying not to overshadow Belos too much, despite the Vex being on a whole other level. He's got a few tricks up his sleeves.
Trials sweat: Aw thanks mate, I really appreciate it. And don't worry about how the Blights will be doing, I got some plans for them.
"Come on you miserable excuse for a Witch," Royal barked, "I want to see those legs of yours tearing up this hell-road!" Eda panted as she ran, Royal right on her heels. He had offered her some special training in firearms and other combat techniques. Seeing as she didn't have magic anymore, she accepted. Now, she wanted to smack her previous self. This wasn't training, this was torture.
The two finally finished their twenty-fifth lap around the Owl House. Eda collapsed to her knees, panting heavily. Royal continued to jog in place as Lancer relayed their time.
"Thirty-three minutes and sixteen seconds," the Ghost said, "Not great, not terrible."
"You call that running?" Royal asked Eda, "I've seen dead men move faster than that." Luz giggled at the display, sitting just outside the door and playing with King.
"Looking good out there Eda!" She shouted, "Keep up the hustle!"
"Why doesn't she have to do this?" The now powerless Witch asked.
"Luz has already completed her basic physical evaluation," Royal replied in a strict, militarist tone, "She now keeps in shape by performing a more scaled-back version of these exercises daily."
"So my reward for finishing this exercise is more exercise?" Eda panted.
"Correct," Royal said, "Now your break is over. Time for suicides." Luz flinched as she heard that, vividly remembering how painful that part of training had been.
"If the Vex don't kill me," Eda groaned, "I feel like you definitely will."
Since it'll probably be a while before I upload again, if you have a burning question then feel free to DM me. And with that, I bid you all adieu for now. Rest assured, Witches and Warlocks shall return.