Chapter 13: The Crucible

The shuttle bearing Crucible colors descended on an old, abandoned fortress near the edge of the City that remained an active battle zone. A grizzled titan sitting next to her looked out the window down below as more Crucible frames traded fire with Fallen scouts. "Looks like the Redjacks have their hands full today. Who knows—maybe a few Fallen will break in and spice things up. Been a while since that happened—it's starting to get a little stale."

Warning lights pinged as the shuttle made its final descent as an automated voice spoke through tinny speakers.

::Welcome to the Twilight Gap Crucible Arena. Here we fight for the memory of those who stood. Here we die, for the glory of the light that never fades. You are Team Blue. Your HUD's are being marked accordingly. The first team to fifty kills wins. May the stronger lights win::

The shuttle set down and the guardians around her readied their startling variety of weapons. "Wait, that's it? Are there any rul—"

Mid-word she was abruptly transmatted down to the ground while the shuttle lifted off in a hurry, and guardians went running in every direction. Confused, Whisper chased after a lethal-looking hunter. He raced forward and around a bend and dropped as a sniper bullet blew through his skull. Whisper skidded to a halt at the corner, shocked, as a burly titan slid into view around the corner, his armor throwing off sparks on the ground as he leveled a shotgun—buckshot slammed into her, shredding her shields and crushing armor and metal beneath.

She returned, disoriented, further back near the shuttle drop-off zone. Other resurrecting guardians joined her, leaping into action to press the attack. Unwilling to be left along, she followed after the others grimly.

Whisper hated every second of it. It wasn't controlled, wasn't coordinated; it was an absolute bloodbath of point-blank range slaughter where a light-infused punch competed with shotguns in tight corridors, the winner determined by ruthless, bloodthirsty aggression and twitch reaction times. The open areas were no better as snipers cut down anything that dared to emerge from cover. As the fight wore on, weapons and amor were destroyed faster than their ghosts could repair them between bringing back their guardians, and the fighters leaned more heavily on the one weapon that never failed—the Light. Firestorms of void, arc, and solar power ripped back and forth. A hunter blinked away from a void nova bomb, gutting the hapless warlock who'd missed, before being shoulder checked by a titan that crushed his skull with a mailed fist. Whisper tried to hide, defending herself desperately as she was cut down again and again, until at last Lord Shaxx's voice emerged over the rubble of crushed walls and pulverized stone.

"Enough! This battle was one-sided! You've obliterated them. Love it! As for you, blue team—each defeat is a lesson. Learn it well and return to fight again."

Whisper boarded the shuttle once more, armor battered, and relieved it was over. She ignored the angry glances and muttered comments of her fellow guardians on the flight back. She wasn't sure why they were so upset, until it dawned on her all at once—the entire thing had been broadcast. She had just embarrassed her team in front of the entire City.

"Perhaps I misjudged her," Lord Shaxx said thoughtfully.

"Hey, it was her first time out there! We're all pretty rough our first go."

Lord Shaxx glanced at Cayde appraisingly. "Did you fail to get a single kill in your first Crucible match?"

"Well of course I got kills."

"Exactly. She'll need a lot of work before she gets out in the field."

"Uh, about that…"

At least some good came out of the Crucible fiasco. Lord Shaxx was as good as his word and stopped to answer her questions without blowing her off, which Whisper half thought he would, given her disastrous match. She caught up to him once more in his command center after the last match of the day. "Lord Shaxx, what was that? Please tell me there is a better reason than the entertainment of the people of the City."

To his credit, Shaxx answered took the question seriously. "What is the Crucible? Before the days of the City and the Iron Lords, it was a place to pursue vendettas. To battle for territory, and pettier reasons. The whole world was a Crucible arena. The Crucible today? To Cayde-6 it is a gambler's paradise and escape. To Zavala, it is a resource sink where equipment goes to die. To Ikora, it is home—though she would never admit it. These are partial answers. The tactics and techniques that will save us in the wars to come are birthed in the Crucible during live-fire training. The Vanguard are so preoccupied with their own agendas they are missing the Vanguard of tomorrow rising right before their eyes."

Whisper crossed her arms. "Training and building confidence is good, but that wasn't an accurate battlefield simulation, was it? I don't think I'll ever encounter a Fallen vandal wrapped in lightning launching out of the sky."

"Perhaps not, guardian. Yet our ultimate enemy is the Darkness, and the Darkness is more capable than any Fallen."

"That… is a fair point, actually." She still wasn't convinced getting guardians accustomed to killing each other was a good idea, but at least there was some thought behind it. Back the point, though. "I have another question for you. I encountered an old recording of you speaking about the swords of the Hive, and some strange power they have. What did you learn about them?"

Shaxx stared down at her. "A curious question from long ago, and a dangerous one. But you are a guardian, and deserve the truth. The warlocks have created a theory of ontological power, but I leave such musings to others. The swords of powerful Hive are infused with Darkness and can suck the Light out of a guardian that no ghost can heal. Such swords killed many guardians on the Moon."

"Was Crota's sword such a weapon?"

The titan was quiet for several, long seconds. "Yes. I saw many guardians, many friends, lost to the point of that sword. But," he continued more brightly, "the sword was shattered after the Great Disaster. Do not worry yourself over the maybes of the future. Instead, focus on improving yourself today so you will be ready to face whatever comes. Now, the next Crucible match is tomorrow morning at—"

"Thank you for your time," interrupted Whisper, backing away frantically.

Eris Morn frowned as Whisper approached her once more. "Have you returned to mock me, child?"

"No," replied Whisper as the crowd rushed past, studiously ignoring them both. "I've done some research. You were right about Crota and his sword. But I wanted to ask why you think the sword is still there. Lord Shaxx thought it was shattered, destroyed."

Eris waived a hand dismissively. "That oaf is a fool."

Whisper blinked, surprised. Calling Shaxx that… Eris was braver than she was, it seemed.

"The sword was shattered, but it was not destroyed. Such a weapon can only be destroyed by killing its bearer, or destroying those that made it."

Whisper consulted the abridged World's Grace download in her head. There was nothing about destroying the sword, but it did mention who had made it. "So, we need to kill the Swarm Princes?"

Eris stopped short and for the first time gave Whisper her full attention. "Yes. How did you learn this?"

"I downloaded it from the World's Grave. It's where we learned about this Hive ritual that's happening."

"I see," whispered Eris. She looked Whisper up and down once more, considering her anew. "Perhaps I misjudged you, hunter."

Whisper shrugged. "Maybe I did the same to you."

"Then let us press forward and destroy Crota's sword and stop this ritual. Prepare your fireteam, hunter, and I will guide you to the Swarm Princes."

"If I can find one. And my name is Whisper."

Whisper was more than a little nervous as she entered in the contact information for a call on VanNet. It rang three times before being answered.

"This is Vistrek."

"Um, hi, this is Whisper. We were on a strike together recently?" she asked awkwardly.

"I remember. What do you want?"

"I have another recon mission I was wondering if you would be willing to join me on."

"Send me the VanNet link and I'll look up the—"

"It's not on VanNet."

Vistrek paused. "What?"

"It's, ah, a confidential mission from the Vanguard. The Speaker asked that we keep it quiet until we know a little more."

"…Have I mentioned you are very odd for a hunter? The last time you provided intel on a strike we took down a Prime Servitor, and now you're on secret Vanguard missions. I'm not sure how, but you are turning into the tip of the spear. Count me in."

Whisper's next call was answered on the first ring.

"Hello, Alice?"

"Hello Whisper."

"I am going on a strike and need a third member for the fireteam. Are you—"

"Who are you fighting?"

"Uh, the Hive, though—"

"Yes. Tell me where and when."

The fireteam's three jumpships orbited Earth in a loose formation, six hours after she had called them both. Whisper was still a little surprised by this – she was still wrapping her head around the near-total independence guardians enjoyed. Barring the Vanguard, there was nobody to ask permission, nobody to check in with.

"Alright Whisper, now can you tell us what this is all about?"

"Yes. So, I was asked to investigate a missing guardian on Luna. I found them, but I also found records of a Hive ritual that may be draining the Traveler of Light. We don't know where it is, and the Speaker told the Vanguard to find it, but to be quiet about it to avoid panic. The Vanguard asked me to speak with Eris Morn and see if she had any ideas about locating it. Eris agreed to help us find this ritual in exchange for helping her destroy something called the Sword of Crota. She told me where to find it, but I wanted to look for myself and see what's going on down there."

"Eris," hissed the normally calm Alice. "You cannot trust that one. She has been corrupted."

The anger caught Whisper off-guard, and she responded slowly. "She's… certainly strange, but I've confirmed most of what she said from independent sources. We're primarily trying to see if we can even find the sword, but if we can destroy it, we will."

Vistrek's voice was thoughtful over the com channel. "Have the Vanguard retracted the interdiction on Luna?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

Silence fell between them, which stretched anxiously long. When she could take it no more, she asked, "So?"

"If the Vanguard approves, then I will help you," said Vistrek finally.

Alice said nothing for nearly another minute, then sighed. "I do not trust Eris, and I warn you both not to rely on her… but the Praxic Order's purpose is to stand against the Darkness, and this is, finally, a direct strike against the Hive. I will help you."

Whisper let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Thank you both. Here is the heading to lock in, and I'll explain everything else I've learned so far on the way."

The jumpships' NLS drives hummed as they powered up, and the fireteam leaped into motion.

The moon grew ominously in the display as they approached, its cratered surface cracked and scarred. They transmatted down to the Surface not far from the broken-down accelerator. Whisper's two companions looked around cautiously, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.

"I… did not expect it to look like this," observed Alice finally.

Vistrek nodded. "Me either. So, this is where Wei Ning met her end."

Whisper looked around anxiously. "From what I've read, lots of guardians did. Come on, we don't want to get caught by a Fallen patrol."

"And I still am not sure I believe there is a Fallen House of Exile living here on the Hive's front lawn," muttered Vistrek, but he fell in behind her, watching her left flank while Alice watched her right. They continued downwards toward the cover of the accelerator. They moved at a brisk pace, retracing Whisper's earlier steps.

The journey was quite different this time for Whisper. She'd already been here before and had a fair idea of where to go, which helped, but mostly it was the comfort of having two other guardians back her up that made it a little less terrifying.

As they approached the structure Eris' voice filled their coms. In her peripheral vision, Whisper saw Alice tense.

"The first Swarm Price is said to guard a ritual site near the Hellmouth. You must challenge him, first. I am sending coordinates." True to her word, Whisper's HUD accepted new data. The ritual site was a ways off, on the other side of the Hellmouth.

"I think we'll need to speed over stealth for this. We won't make it unseen that far. Sparrows." With a flick of her wrist, she transmatted the S-20 Nomad into existence and leapt on, while the others prepared their own sparrows. Together they leapt into motion, sweeping across the lunar landscape along an old trail blazed by long-dead human colonists. After a few minutes, the others slowed, and Whisper hit the reverse thruster "breaks" and looked over her shoulder. Both of her fireteam members were staring at the gaping maw of the Hellmouth as green gas seeped out of it.

"There are so many of them," whispered Alice quietly.

"Yeah," muttered Vistrek. "Really puts it into perspective, doesn't it?"

"Come on, we have to keep moving. They have quick-reaction tombships down there."

Vistrek nodded mutely, and after a moment Alice turned away and they pressed forward. Together they zoomed up along a ridgeline and back down, where they slowed and put away their sparrows. Blabber crept out of hiding and looked around cautiously. There, I think. All those chunks of metal the Hive stuck into the ground like obelisks – this is where we'll find him. I hope you're ready.

Whisper frowned at Blabber's sudden lack of confidence, but there was no time for that now. "Okay, I think I see it." She pointed out the circular pattern of metal surrounding a small pillar that glowed with green Hive power. "I'll go check it out, and you two be ready to back me up. If you see the Hive knight, take it out."

Vistrek watched her, clearly torn between letting a hunter go out and face danger while he waited and the need for caution in these entirely unfamiliar surroundings. She grabbed his shoulder and tried to approximate his deep voice. "I'm the fireteam leader, today. That means you do what I say, got it?"

That at least got a small smile out of him and he nodded. "Fair enough, Whisper. You can count on me."

"Alice?"

The warlock nodded, still clearly unsettled by this place.

Well, time to see just how bad of an idea this really was. She stepped out cautiously, trying to keep cover within a couple steps, and approached the glowing green pillar. As she stepped into the gree glow, hidden trapdoors in the ground lifted up and a squad of Hive acolytes, their skins the muddled brown and green of the Spawn of Crota, crawled out with a screech of rage, their shredder spitting void energy. She slid right, Sorrow MG2 SMG cutting down two of them, and hurled a vortex grenade that consumed two more in the purple fire of the void.

Another wave of acolytes boiled out of the ground, but this time a knight joined them, wrapped in thick chitinous armor marred by the spikes of the Hidden Swarm. "Go!" shouted Whisper as she backpedaled from the Hive, and above her launched her reinforcements.

With a warcry, the titan slammed into the ground, crackling with electricity and sending acolytes flying. He ducked a swipe of the knights serrated blade and slammed his fist into the monster and followed up with a shotgun blast to the torso. Above them, Alice held overwatch and fired her pulse rifle down at any acolyte that poked out its head.

Whisper traded out her SMG for the shotgun and charged in after Vistrek. Together they poured shell after shell into the monster taller than either of them, each impact driving it a step further backwards and ripping its armor to pieces. Vistrek bellowed his fury and grabbed the staggering knight's head with both hands. He grunted with effort, Light wreathing around his gauntlets, and the skull cracked, then crushed into powder.

The remaining Hive fled as the knight's body consumed itself in front of them, and Whisper and Vistrek traded a glance.

"You have destroyed Banuk, Hive Prince and worshiper of Crota and Ur," rasped Eris in their ears. "The other Swarm Princes flee. You must find the sword and draw them out. It lies beneath the Gatehouse of the Hellmouth."

Whisper grimaced and looked at the others. "Well, I guess you'll get a closer look at the Hellmouth. Come on, let's go before they can gather reinforcements. I know how to get to the Gatehouse."

Once again Whisper took the lead as they raced out on their sparrows, circling the massive chasm to the fortified entrance. As they approached Whisper leaped clear of her vehicle and cut loose with her SMG while sliding into cover. Vistrek took point and charged forwards, his shotgun mangling acolytes with every shot. Whisper kept close on his heals, finishing off any Hive that he missed, while Alice watched their backs. Two more knights howled their challenge and opened up with boomers. Vistrek and Whisper leapt apart behind pillars and each took their own knight while Alice held off the acolytes.

Within seconds they had destroyed the Hive. Whisper double checked that no more Hive were hiding nearby, then gestured for Blabber to emerge. "This is as far as we've gone. Blabber, what do you have?"

Eris explained how to detect it. Not to unsettle you, but I'm tracking the sword by the light of the guardians it has killed. It's further below. Updating your HUD.

Wonderful. Whisper transferred the information to her fireteam members. "After you?" she asked Vistrek, gesturing to the gloomy tiled tunnel heading downwards further into the dark. The titan nodded, finished loading shells into his shotgun, and pressed forwards.

Hooks hanging from the ceiling cast crazed shadows in the light of razer-sharp crystals. They emerged into a larger chamber with huge pillars breaking up sightlines. Another wave of Hive charged forward, this time lead by a swarm of thrall. Whisper backpedaled and Alice hurled a ball of molten sunlight forward that exploded into a puddle of fire, consuming each of the thrall as they mindlessly raced forward. The last thrall staggered more slowly, glowing in green light from within, before detonating itself in an explosion that threw Whisper back into the wall. She recovered and waved off Blabber's worried comments. "I'm fine. Come on."

Well in that case, we're close. I can feel its dark power.

They pressed forward, wading through more and more Hive, until they breached a large circular chamber and no more Hive came upon them. The walls in this chamber were arced inwards around a humongous black chain that led from somewhere above and down into the depths below. And there, behind it, was what they were looking for.

In an eerie green glow floated a jet-black, curved, and wickedly serrated blade. Light seemed to flicker along its edge, as if trapped inside and trying vainly to escape. As she watched it Whisper felt a crushing weight of darkness clouding her sensors, making her jittery and anxious. All of her bemusement at the thought of a sword trying to fight against ranged weaponry vanished in the presence if this terrible weapon. Every instinct towards her to run, to get as far away as possible from the dread promise of annihilation.

It was clear now exactly why the guardians had faced such horrendous casualties on that long-ago day. This was it – the Sword of Crota.

Lore Referenced:

Grimoire: Twilight Gap

Items: Binary Phoenix Bond

Missions: The Sword of Crota