A/N: Nearing the end, and things are getting tense for Horizon. Now, review time!

To DarkNights: That was the general response I expected, and a war between Fallen and Vex would be fascinating but rather one-sided given the Vex's near-infinite numbers and time-warping but hey, still would be cool. And I'm happy you've been excited for what comes next, I'll try not to disappoint!

To Starpottergeek: That's just how Zane rolls, Cayde's taught him well XD, also, great to have another Guardian enjoying the tale of Wolves retold!

Enjoy!

Chapter 13 - Edge of Revolution

Act VII - House of Wolves

"...no fair~! Why can't I come too!?" A voice huffed, or, from my general point of view, fuzzy and with blurs at key points of my view. Something warm pressed to my head, ruffling I think my hair my gaze met the only clear image, that of the sun, rising over a hillside

"Next time..." A strict but soothing voice above echoed, but I couldn't make out who was talking or the person shadowing my vision. I think I was smaller. but where am I? W-What is this place? "Just trust me and roll the dice, kid,"

Wait... those words are... "What does that mean?" Seems the younger voice of a girl didn't echo my thoughts exactly. I can't move, hearing and feeling was all I had, it was warm, a slight breeze too

Again, an arm reached to where my vision was, I think I was the little girl, all I could make out was a smile, kind, compassionate... "You'll get it someday, I promise."

Then there was nothing, a shattered glass as the few sparkles of light flickered out.

"Ugh... that sucks," My mouth was drier than Morbin's humor, that's as dry as anything can get. Smacking my lips I realized two things. One, I'm not dead, two, I'm back at the Tower's Medical Bay. "Holy crap I'm alive." What a weird dream too, I think it was anyway?

"You're alive!" I yelped at the combined voices of Zane, Rika, and Ghost. Morbin was there too, watching from the far wall with his arms crossed like some tough guy, but he nodded to me gratefully. "I thought you'd never wake up again!" "I was terrified!" "A-Are you sure you're okay!?"

"Guys, guys, I'm fine..." I waved frantically, wiping my brow as I inspected my matterweave underarmor, seeing the hole in my armor, and the white scar across my peachy skin. I sighed with a faint smile. "Guess I got another scar."

"Please no more scars," Ghost shook his shell, narrowing it toward me. "Revenant nearly killed you with that shot, and with the remaining Fallen we almost never made it out! I... it wasn't a great experience." I rubbed the top of his shell, my smile warm as I mentally thanked him once more for saving me

"Always a grade-A ghost, Ghost, never forget that," With a wink, I spun out from under the sheets to my right, sitting upright as I felt my energy renewed with a stretch. "What happened with Skolas, any news?"

Zane went to reply but Morbin took the initiative. "It's been over twenty-four hours, however; He's been spotted heading for the Citadel roughly an hour ago, Worst One's annoying sister is leading her team to intercept, we were going to mobilize until you ended up passed out after we got to safety, so idiot here insisted we bring you back."

I was somewhat shocked out of my seat, looking to the still wary Zane. "What? We need to go, if Revenant is anywhere nearby he'll come after them like he did with us!" This wasn't up for debate, we had to finish this, and stop Revenant in the process. "How long will it take to reach Venus?"

"Couple minutes if we move now ~LETS BURN THEIR COLORS!~" Morbin decreed, then noted Zane's still solemn face, the Exo shrugged, exasperated. "Your issue, Red, I'll be waiting in the Courtyard ~HURRY FOR THE SCREAMS!~."

Soon he left, and Zane stood back, sighing. "Sorry, Boss, I just... was worried," I was going to complain until I heard that voice again, the same one that snapped at me after the meeting for that bloody Vault of Glass, I'll never forget that look on his face. "When you didn't get up after Ghost healed you... I-I thought it was going to..."

"Hey, it's okay, I'm right here, see?" I put my hand in his, squeezing gently with a small wink. "It'll take more than some flunky with a rifle to keep me down."

His eyes were covered by his hair momentarily. "I know that," His hand gripped mine back. "But it still doesn't mean I was scared to lose you." Again, my chest was getting tighter. But with Skolas on the march, the threat of what he may have stolen from the Vex - No, for just a second, I'll just forget I'm a Guardian for one moment before I regret it

I felt the warmth in his cheek as I passed by, my lips pressed gently to it as both ghosts remained where they were, optics wide as I pulled away, leaving the Hunter frozen in his place, probably slack-jawed as I hid my blush under my helmet again, hear it click back into place.

"I'm afraid too, but that's why I'll fight because if I'm being honest, a part of it is for you." Without a word, I made my way out as I shrugged off the last slither of fatigue, my heart bouncing as I pressed my fingers to my helmet. "Hey, Petra? Sorry for leaving you in the wings, tell me everything you know on where we can find Skolas?"

[Venus | Ishtar Sink | Waking Ruins]

~Glad your team it back in the fight, Guardian! As for the mission - new orders from the Queen. She wants Skolas captured... alive~ Even Petra was struggling to convey that as I was. How do we capture a Kell? ~I live to serve, of course. Just makes things a little harder, that's all. You'll be the tip of the spear. Get down there, find him, and pin him. I'll be nearby with a capture team of Prince Uldren's Crows, sadly, the Hunt must end, but it's been one fun adventure, Guardians!~

"The feeling is mutual, Petra, but let's talk once we have him in chains... or whatever you plan to use," I replied, just as we touched down on Venus once more, a crash of thunder above like a gong of the penultimate act. With a wave of my arm, we pulled out our sparrows, my blood racing with the end so close in sight. "We need to catch up with Dimitri's team... although I have no idea how we're scaling that tower?"

"There's an access lift inside," Morbin replied as I 'ohed' to myself, then from out of the corner of my eye his helmet slumped. "Through the Hezen Protective and Wolves." There it is...

"You're implying my sister leaves anything alive!" I saw his arm wave in my rearview mirror. But I couldn't exactly reply as I just kept thinking back to what I did merely twenty minutes ago... please let him just forget I did that, atleast until this psycho Skolas is in prison

While we zipped through the jungle once more, the idea of Skolas attacking Vex strongholds was still troubling, and of all places he broke into, the Vault of Glass was the last place I'd have expected. In turn, Petra hummed. ~My team and I have stationed ourselves not far from the Citadel, but I can't help but wonder... He tried to conquer the other Fallen Houses and failed. Maybe now it's about weapons? Outfitting the Wolves with Vex instruments of war?~

"It's a possibility, he has Fallen with knowledge on tampering with Vex technology," Morbin enforcement of that query only tightened a knot in my stomach. We were approaching the entrance to the Citadel but I still can't shake the dread that came with these ends, a sense of doubt loved to linger like a bad habit

Variks then joined our comms, equally wary of the Wolves' move. ~If Skolas thinks he is Kell of prophecy, then weapons could turn the tale~

~Whatever the case, Fireteam Siege is already inside, the Wolves and Vex have them pinned for the moment, better start climbing Guardian~ They're at the top of the tower, 'course they are, never just make it easy, oh no, have to climb a large, Vex-filled spire

Actually storming the narrow walls was easier than I initially believed, given our last encounter with the Fallen I expected reinforcements, but as we ran through the dark, cramped spaces, most were laid out with parts of the Vex scattered everywhere, blacked spots where explosives were armed, the remnant energy crackling in Wire Rifles and Vex weaponry. The battle raged on around to our left, a few stray red lasers striking the wall followed by a flash of blue light.

I immediately screamed as an arrow lodged itself between me and the wall, the head skimming Zane's helmet sharply. "Jesus Christ, warning, C, warni - Yah!" Dimitri swiveled on her heel, driving two arrows through a pair of Goblins, diving behind the wall beside us. "Waitin' for an invite? Get over here!"

"Heeey, sis!" Zane waved, spinning past her to unload half the moon-clip into a group of Dregs, the primary focus was on the Hydra taking center stage before a Reaver Captain who safeguarded a large cylinder of Vex coding before an ominous, crimson pit below

"I'm glad you're here though," Dimitri sighed, jabbing a thumb toward a short overhang to our left, Taka and Reiner pinned down by the concussive blasts of the rampant Hydra and its reinforcements as that rotating shield deflected a plentiful amount of bullets. "I need a clean shot at the Spire Lord and Captain."

"You got it," I nodded while drawing Red Death, "Morbin, clear the Fallen cooped up to the far-right somewhere, me and Zane can take the grunts, we can't afford to waste time so lets mow through them."

"Love it when a plan comes together," Zane clapped, drawing forth a flash of marigold across his body. "You run I shoot!" Morbin already swung himself from cover, ducking under a stray arrow while charging through the Dregs

Zane took point for me, evading three rifles while leveling his sights on the Spire Lord, shattering that so-called, indestructible shield, the coding scattered, another sharp ring as I dashed forward with Red Death, dispersing the Captain's shield too, the last shot flew across my visor, doming a Stealth Vandal to my left, sword clambering to the ground.

Sliding across the ground and under the Hydra I unloaded the clip into its underbody, twisting myself around on my back while reloading. With a kick of my heel I rolled into a kneel, taking the head of a Vandal off, the Captain retreating before an arrow shot it in the knee, then through the chest, and a final whiz of an arrow plunged through its mask between the eyes, tossing it to the ground.

Explosive rounds quickly tore apart the Hydra behind me, Taka's back pressed to mine as a surge of static crawled across the large expanse, crashing with a large bolt of lightning as the Hydra was pulverized. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Ditto," I chuffed, our weapons drawn forward to riddle a group of Goblins crawling from a dark chamber, a Minotaur appeared a moment later, dividing us as we spun simultaneously, drawing a CLG as Taka struck its eye and mine the mind core

Before it could reach out with its Torch Cannon the two elemental grenades tore it apart, leaving behind two massive holes across its chassis. Reiner shoved past me, grabbing a Hobgoblin by the rifle as he threw it high in one arm, smashing its petite frame through another, then swung the shattered remains across the chamber, crushing the Vandal Zane dived over.

Imago rang twice beneath his head, himself landing smoothly while two more Fallen crumpled to the ground, an arrow lodged in the head of the last Stealth Vandal that snuck up on him. Zane turned slow, seeing it struggling to reach him before a large hole of burnt ether was punctured by Morbin's shotgun.

"Thanks buddy!" "Go to hell." Ever the duo they are...

Breathing a sigh of relief we pushed by the mounds of Vex remains, the countless corpses was evident of their complete assault on the Citadel. If Skolas managed to obtain some level of control over this place we may be looking at more than empty promises and fanatical words. I wouldn't allow that now, not when we've got reinforcements.

Zane was by the... switch, I think? Examining it while a clear posture of perplexion. "Anyone speak 'Beeps and Bops'?"

Dimitri ran a hand over her helmet, shoving him aside. "Stand back idiot, Ray, if you would..." She bowed a hand and out came the meek ghost, scanning and triggering a number of metal gyros to spin up below and within the Vex frame. "Stole the codes before Anger-Management here up and blew apart that Axis Hydra." Her thumb was jabbed at the ill-tempered Reiner

"You want to go, shorty!?" His fist trembled, but my ears twitched to an all-too-familiar sound, even Dimitri made a rather long and sarcastic 'oh' as her head slowly rotated up and down the stairs. "Don't ignore me!"

"Second thought my angry buddy, mind handling damage control?" To her words, a new gathering of Vex warped in from the way we came, marching through the hallway toward us, weapons charged and locked to our position. "Taka, keep him from dying,"

Taka switched to a grenade launcher, nodding. "You got it, try not to look down." That made the huntress freeze up slightly, earning Taka a punch to the arm as I snickered

"One time..." As Dimitri said this she yanked Ray away from the line of two rifle rounds, his shell jumped immediately into Dimitri once more. "Way's open, hold you applause."

"Yes, you're a prodigy thief ~THANK YOU NICE LADY~ ugh..." Morbin was a second from blowing a fuse as we ran across the catwalk toward the now accessible gravity lift, similar in make to that of the Fallen's Grav Lifts

"Going up?" Zane bowed to me, then leapt back into the lift as his body was pulled away, Morbin hopped in next, followed by Dimitri with a tip of her invisible hat. I gave my gloves a little adjustment, tightly grasping my rifle before I joined them, Variks' voiced thoughts filling my ear

~I was House Judgment scribe. I stood with Skolas for much of Reef Wars. Now, I stand with you in Judgment of Wolf Kell. That feels... right somehow~ That brought a smile to me as I was pulled skyward with a strange, weightless force like a gust of wind

"For what it's worth, Variks, you're a good friend." No morale-encompassing speech, just... gratitude, both for his help and the insightful lessons on his kind's past. Skolas was no better than the corrupt Kells now if he gained control it would mean a new power we might not avoid confronting

The lift spat me out close to the top of the spire, only now the wind had calmed to a long howl. The sun glared through a thick layer of clouds swirling across the top of the spire, the ground wasn't visible anymore say for the protrusions across the Citadel. A massive chasm was between us and where Skolas' Ketch docked. The only way across were the many platforms flickering in and out of the void.

"There's his Ketch, one issue," Zane leaned over the edge, then to the disappearing platforms.

~The Vex tech here matches a signature from the Vault of Glass. These machines fade in and out of our timeline. Watch your step~ Easier said than done, Petra. Strangely enough, there was another line of platforms to our left, but they weren't shifting between timelines, rather, they just sat there motionless

I put my fingers to my temple again, that same, cloudy sensation in the back of - My eyes shot wide as I shoved Morbin aside. "Move - Grah!" A heavy, chilling arm crashing into my abdomen with enough force to throw me across the chasm, my back colliding with a platform while my fingers dug into the ridges to slow my skid

"Not you again -" Zane coughed while guarding with both forearm, a blade slicing through his armor while his back collided with Dimitri, the siblings cut off from us as the large, blackened Knight stood tall, the cursed sword crackling with Hive magic

"Not again... dammit no!" I stood up, but Morbin pushed me back. "Morbin, stop-!"

"We can't help them, jump!" His voice thundered, and beneath me, the world far below started to seep through the metal. Hesitant, I glided to the next platform, my feet moments away from vanishing into the clouds below.

"Zane! Dimitri!" I ran to the edge, seeing them slowly recover while Revenant stood by the lift, swinging his cleaver slowly, mockingly

~That hurt...~ Zane's voice was a relief to hear. ~We can take this guy, go on, Boss~

Again. How many times does this have to happen? Did I really just played with fate to the point karma found it amusing to taunt me? I just doomed us again? Taka and Reiner are still fighting, Dimitri and Zane are trapped by Revenant, and the former could barely leave a scratch last time.

My voice started to break again, "Zane... please." I begged, even as the buzz under my feet alerted me to run, this platform was going to disappear soon

~I keep my word, Titan Lady, gotta roll the dice, right?~ That stupid... He held his index finger high, triumphantly while the darkness around us thickened. ~Go kick Skolas' teeth in for us - D-Dimi's words, not mine~

Without a word I made the jump to the third platform, the Ketch slowly growing larger with each push. Morbin was with me, but that would be enough. I've made more mistakes during this Wolf uprising than I'd have imagined, but right now they're relying on us to end this, to finally put things right again. I won't fail, no one else is going to die!

"Soon, judgment will be served." He sounded all to eager for a 'capture' mission, though I can assume Morbin's mentality was, 'he doesn't need all his limbs to live', and that line right there elegantly explains how long I've spent listening to him and Kreig. "Hmm, something isn't right..." We were crossing unstable platforms, nothing about this screams 'right'

~You're getting close. The Crows and I are inbound, strange... I'm picking up that Fallen-Vex communication, I think Skolas is trying to relay a message?~ Okay, now I understood why Morbin was weirded out, not by Petra's informing, but rather... the entire structure was silent, nothing appeared on my radar

We finally set foot in the final area. Suddenly, the sound of Vex warp storms emerged beyond some of the obstructing walls, but I saw no Vex, to my widened eyes, numerous transfer gates opened, and hordes of Fallen appeared from the frames.

"That's not possible..." It just became possible, Ghost

Petra gasped, ~What? Guardian, there are dozens of new Wolf signatures, and the number keeps growing. It's the Vex tech!~ So they did it... Skolas has control over Vex technology... ~Skolas! He's pulling the entire House of Wolves through time!~

My companion was hardly phased, "So they send more lambs to my slaughter?" Laughter... crazed, obsessed laughter escaped his mask. "~HAHAHA, LET THE HUNT BEGIIIIN!~"

"Doesn't matter how many he sends," I brought out Zenobia instead, "Morbin, duck!" I flew across the platform, his body zipping back after a trail of molten rounds broke down several Wolves. My tracker honed in on the Captain and his Vandals, their weapons barely disrupted my focus as the rocket-propelled across the gap, ripping a wave of Arc through the ground and the Fallen, the way cleared with a cluster of miniature rockets

He was still crazed, grabbing a Dreg as he swung it down, snapping its neck under his boot while headbutting another, backhanding it with Lord of Wolves. "~PAIN WILL FILL YOUR SOULS!~"

A Vandal appeared before me, I drew my rifle but buckshot silenced the snarls while my bullets traveled past Morbin, striking the Dreg ahead, I didn't release the trigger, unleashing burst fire upon the Vandals between the uneven walls as they attempted to gain a line of sight through the streams of fire soaking the air, Morbin's unending spree with Lord of Wolves burnt down the lesser Wolves, leaving their snipers exposed for a single rounds of lead to rip through their bodies as I moved up.

Hiding behind a small wall and gate, disabling the hacked structure while tossing my CLG to a Captain, his shield stripped away for Judgement to propel a slug through the chin and out the crown, the force knocking the Captain's body back. His arm stretched far, topping a scampering Vandal before it could reach the two High Servitors.

"Take their Kell, I'll handle the gates," Morbin's voice remained low, his body rippling with Void while the static link within the remaining gateways ignited. I pulled his forearm back, eyeing his helmet sternly

"You got this?" I needed a definitive answer, given his hatred right now, probably because of the Winter grunts among the Wolf ranks. His arm pulled away, locking a firm grip with my own

"You have my word... Leader." I tried not to make it obvious how happy I was to hear that as bullets forced our hands away with a quick bump of knuckles. Hopping from the lower stage to the large wall dividing the central platform, I faced the Servitors, stepping down to approach the three main portals as the machines whirled at my approach, then, a storm filled the air, my right hand flexed with a small gathering of embers

From the surge flew an arctic wind, towering over the Servitors was the blue banner marked with the howl of the Wolves. Those respiratory pipes a vibrant orange feeding toward the two pairs of crystal-blue eyes, slit with cunning and trickery. With a large, augmented Shrapnel Launcher in two arms, the Kell cackled.

[]Skolas, Kell of Kells[]

Despite the dread of backup no longer an issue thanks to Morbin's crazed gloating, I couldn't help but hear the words of the Kell bellow into my eardrums, triumph in every word. Variks answered, ~Skolas said, 'I stole the gift of Freedom. Secrets of time and space. House of Wolves will stand forever'~ To summarize for Variks; He's lost it. With a gurgle in Variks' throat, he added as Skolas prodded a claw toward me. ~'Drevis. Yavek. Basoriks. Their hatred I will use to end you Sol Guardian'~

~He's got nowhere left to run, take him down!~ Petra too was thrilled for the end, but I had to land the killing blow, right here and now, the Kell of Kells will fall!

This time I couldn't refrain from scoffing, leveling my rifle to his precious Servitors. "For the Awoken, and the Eliksni you've slaughtered, I'll carry their hopes to snuff you out." He took that insult with a roar, warping away from my gunfire as I tore into a Servitor

He then appeared behind me, bringing his launcher to bear as a strange hum resonated in the barrel. I ran backward, evading the Servitor blasts as his weapon unleashed a large wave of fire that continuously exploded in intervals toward me. The heat was that of the sun to my eyes.

[No POV]

"Of all things, come on!" Zane whined with ample aggravation as he was chased behind a wall, his sister on another platform as Revenant flew between them, his body a distorted mess of red energy, but the form he took was that of a large Wizard, one with glowing blue eyes and a familiar, ear-aching cackle. "I'll take Atheon, Crota, but why... why did he turn into Omnigul!?"

"Will you stop bitching already!?" Dimitri yelled, sliding away from a continuous stream of Arc, her arrows piercing the chitin to cancel out the flow. But Revenant spun around, bringing both glowing arms high as the siblings ran from the pillars of green fire that ripped through the metal

Revenant did it again with one arm focused on Dimitri, a round of Arc blasts soaring toward the exposed hunter as he spun around on his palm, flicking himself high to land three explosive rounds against its thick skull. Revenant shrieked, tossing another ring of fire to corner Zane, both arms raised even as Imago continuously unloaded rounds, Zane's hands flicking anew clip in even as Arc painfully shook his bones.

"Oi, you slag!" Revenant turned to the noise, then met a grenade to the face, the consider smothering it in Arc. Dimitri slapped a new cartridge into Flash and Thunder, her head tilted to view the sight of the ugly Wizard now charging a blast. She fired first, loading another into the chamber while running from the predictable blasts. "All yours, Zane!"

Instinctively, Revenant conjured a column of fire to force Dimitri into retreating to another, longer platform ahead, twirling sharply to blast the Hunter from the sky. Only to find the air vacant, Zane having ran to meet with Dimitri, the siblings laughing while another grenade broke apart Revenant's chitin, followed by an Arc and Solar grenade from Zane to burn and web the armor further.

"He actually fell for it," Zane chuckled as Dimitri held herself up by his shoulder

"What an idiot, and that's coming from us!" That made their laughter grow boisterously, even as the Omnigul clone warped and vanished. With a sudden pull of the air behind them, the siblings turned slowly with worry, finding a large, onyx Praetorian raise its Torch Cannon, blasting Dimitri toward the edge while the arm locked with Zane's sword, spinning on its axis to toss him backward

"That's not good," Both muttered, Dimitri's arrows nocked immediately, the pinpoint arrows jammed between the joints while Zane remained on the defense, ducking under its grabs, each close enough that he and Rika felt the tug of their Light, the Torch Cannon burning away at his shin armor

Revenant smashed the ground with its cannon, teleporting behind Zane to grab him by the cloak, pulling him closer to its crimson glare, shattered by an arrow as it lost its grip after a powerful surge of Arc energy traveled into its servos, Zane's body bent for a snap-kick to the neck, breaking the head completely while he stepped back behind his sister, her body too cast in Light.

She drew back her Shadowshot, her elbow smacking Zane before he could level Imago. The tether tore at the legs, bringing Revenant down as it sucked up the anchor into its foot. Dimitri pulled back with rapid, furious succession, each time she did her shadowshots would break away the Vex body, but be absorbed by the red aura, however, her elbow relatively cracked against Zane's helmet.

Another. "Ow." One to the chest. "Ow." The next through the headless chassis. "Ow." A final twin pluck of her Void longbow and Revenant caved, body consumed by a blinding, scarlet rupture as it shrank. "Ow..."

Dimitri spun and found her brother pinned to her back, a large dent in his helmet. "Oh, shi - Sorry," She helped him stand strong, patted at the dent. "It... It'll buff out."

"All good!" He swung his arm for a salute, then pointed wobbly ahead. "I think he shrunk." Shaking his head he pulled Dimitri into his arm, drawing Quickfang high to parry the large cleaver, the forearm of a Knight demolishing the small barrier while the siblings slowly backed away. "I think the more we damage him the harder it becomes to maintain a stronger form."

"Could be why he's degrading to weaker baddies," Dimitri clicked her tongue, nudging her head with his. "Thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

"We can group up...?" His body shimmered with a flurry of embers, some mingling with the Void wisps gathering across Dimitri

"And hit it 'till it dies!" They cheered, high-fiving while a cursed sword sent a flaming ripple across the metal platform, the huntress diving over the cursed flames

Zane ricocheted off a small wall, slicing across Revenant's chest while a smoke grenade blindsided him and his thrashing sword, missing Zane as he clipped his right ankle, forcing him to kneel into another grenade cartridge, the smoke dissipated while Zane's flaming heels spun, crashing against the helmet, followed by a downward slash of his sword to divert Revenant's counter-swing.

Neither made it possible for Revenant to snatch up their Light directly, and their strength had grown considerably since the last time his hands grazed the hunter's Light. It did not anticipate this, and their cooperation was unlike any Light-Bearers before, even the Hunter and the Titan weren't this powerful together.

Zane went for the attack but Revenant side-stepped, lunging with a magic-infused fist that locked to his blade, the weight downing him to his knees, those eyes narrowed with unrivaled concentration. Revenant's off-hand swiped once to swat the arrows, a few sunk into its back. Releasing Zane, Revenant brought its cleaver under its left arm, emerald sparks gathering while Zane panic dived.

In a manner, unlike any Knight, Revenant tore across the platform, the cleaver's large, lime-green arc shaving many of the small walls to the edges. Now, his gleaming blade swished in a hasty 'X' behind it, knocking Dimitri away. Zane gasped, diving to his right as the whole body turned, smashing the cleaver down, then with an almost immediate reaction, the blade crashed down to his left, grazing Zane's forearm.

Dimitri grinned while shadowing her brother, he slid while she dived, the cleaver missed them both while Zane swiped at the legs, taking Revenant down for a rocket to shatter the chitin along its spine. The strange, black, and red mist shrinking around Revenant. It slammed a fist into the ground bitterly, a desire to erase these Light-Bearers and their motes of Light forever.

"I think this is what it originally looked like, whatever that red stuff is it's probably... no, it couldn't be?" Zane rubbed his chin, his disregard before suddenly gave way to clarity. The ability to drain the Light, high amounts of durability, and a shapeshifting technique. "Dimitri, think you have enough Light for something stupid?"

"Depends, how stupid is the bar today?" She inquired, the sharp flap of the unknown banner wrapped tightly around the Vandal's frame, blades drawn, crude and jagged beyond repair. Zane took the lead, putting his left foot forward, drawing his right hand back with a crackle of lightning. "You better not - Hey, wait!"

He just put a peace sign back, a fire raged across his form, while the buzz of electricity carved a blade from the static-filled air, Light overflowing from his veins, it was painful but he could still move even though it wouldn't last for long. "With my body enhanced by Solar and my Bladedancer in my hands... I can do this, for everyone he's killed let this work!" "...Light... Unity... hehehe, you're screwed."

[]Revenant, Visage of Whirlwind[]

The deadly stance of the ancient enemy broke across the metal, both contrasting energies ripping up a few reinforced plates as their blades clashed with an unstable result. Some of Zane's Light was tapped, but his frantic strikes kept up with the four arms and their blades, shaving into his flaming form while he disarmed two of the appendages, drawing a left hook across Revenant's mask, then amputated the lower left arm while the adjacent slashed his stomach. To his unexpected eye, ice started to crawl into the wound in the armor.

With no room to parry, Revenant took the Arc dagger across the chest, a back-kick striking his chin while Zane tossed the knife, skewering one of the arms as his body flashed from thin air, surprising Revenant as it grabbed his arm to drain his Light, slowly infecting his gauntlet with frost too, yet it was melted away by the roaring flames that fed its unsatiated hunger.

"Take all you want-" Zane dared, eyes glowering electric blue under the visor as he brought the dagger through the creature's chest, straining from the combined Light and subtle drain of his life-force. "-but I'm not letting go!" A twist and the tip of the blade plunged deeper through the red veil, a massive crash of thunder and halo of Arc and Solar unleashed atop the platform, dispersing Revenant from Zane as he rolled backward, arms burnt and his Light almost drained.

While he sat back, he and Dimitri eyed the corrupted Fallen, body slumped to the floor, smoking and the faint whiff of burnt flesh, "That's for making Ceres cry." He spat, Dimitri, helping him stand before punching his wounded gut. "Ack - I deserved that!"

"And a whole lot more," Rika growled in his head, however, Dimitri left her opinion out as she drew her bow again, Zane's head slowly twisting to find Revenant shambling to his feet, completely unphased by the attack despite the wounds and frost covering them

"He's still moving..." Zane chuckled, then grabbed his sister around the waist. "Come on, we have to throw everything we got!" His eyes flashed to Revenant, slowly shambling toward them with a hand outstretched. "He's not going to back down so lets give him what he wants!"

Dimitri didn't get it, if they fed it all their Light they'll be defenseless? She eyed her brother's helmet, then the fact his arm had wrapped securely around her waist, just as he did when they fought Crota. A scoff, like there was any doubt they'd lose here, and together of all things. "Alright," She plucked back the Void with her fingers. "You and C may be a set but this punk's got nothin' on us."

"Haha, amen!" His hand closed around hers at the handle, the growing darkness from the Vandal inching closer

Searing heat flourished from Rika to Zane, his fingers locked with hers, converting the arrow to a spacial aroura of molten fire and universal energy. The cracks formed across the river of the bow, but flames flung from the ends, the tip of the arrowhead etched like a phoenix. It might not be enough for three shots, so they poured what they had into the first.

"Golden-Shadow Flashbang!" Their Supers nearly stripped away their gauntlets, the recoil scream-inducing as the helix arrow pierced into Revenant's hands, scorching away the skin and armor, leaving only some amalgamation of darkness for its arms. However, the arrow lost its strength, blackening while ice crystals began to crop around the shaft, shattering the projectile with a flick of the claws. "Not yet!" "Again!" The wind was fierce and painful but they had no other choice

*Fwoosh-Boom!*

The siblings blinked, dumbfounded by the rocket that broke apart the left leg, forcing away Revenant's arms as it slumped forward, arm still reaching, jabbing the air weakly. To the far right, through a cloud, the sight of a familiar pair of Titans came into view. They chuffed together, seeing them spectate from afar.

"Keep your hands off my leader," Taka remarked, sitting back while Reiner folded his arms, eyeing the commotion across the Citadel

"Idiots are taking so long..."

Across the platform, what remained of their fading Light was brought to the forefront of their arms, Revenant still reeling from the rocket's shrapnel lodged in its exposed darkness underneath. The frost still snaking across the metal frame.

With a combined warcry, the duo set off a final Light Connected attack, the arrow blipped from the sunlight, shattering the ice crystals, evaporating the frost coating Revenant as the shaft lodged itself through its throat, the spine promptly snapped back, the arms flailing in an attempt to remain balanced at the edge, but it was all for naught as it finally unleashed an unearthly roar that echoed for the world to hear.

They stood there, arms still joined while the matterweave hissed, expending their Light to the finite limit as they fell forward, Zane catching his little sister as he sat upright, allowing her to rest in his lap. What was now a peaceful escape from the chaos as their ghosts appeared fell apart at Dimitri's whining. "My arms are numb...~"

Zane shifted his gaze to his own clutching his sister, the pain was throbbing, he rolled his eyes. "Oh please." "Here's hoping Chrome Dom and Ceres are okay..."

[Ceres' POV]

I flew back into the wall, shuffling to the right as another explosive wave ripped apart the platform with titanic force. The Servitors were down but Skolas wasn't, his armor was cracked, but that experimental launcher of his tore waves of flaming shrapnel with such violent ferocity that it's done a number on me. He's a deceiver but had the strength of a leader.

I brought Zenobia high, blasting him point-blank in the face, but he did to, both our elemental attacks stripped ribbons off our armor, tossing us back. I, however, refused to touch the ground as I was pulled by my shoulder to gaze down at the fury in his eyes, he then brought an arm high, punching me respectively in the face, chipping piece-after-piece off my helmet before swinging me wide, slamming my body into the bronze wall, my body denting the metal while I slumped to the ground, earning a teleporting kick to the jaw, blood spat from between my teeth as I rolled away from an ultra stomp.

Wiping my lips I threw the remains of my helmet away, the harsh winds up here playing with my hair as I loaded Verdict, jamming the muzzle of his launcher with a slug while I swung low, bringing my hammer down with a resounding crack, dropping the Kell to a knee while performing a cartwheel with one hand, bouncing between two swipes of his arms while the launcher shredded a wall of flames to my right, forcing my body into his teleporting grasp, the fist colliding with my shoulder as I lost my grip on Verdict.

Skolas leapt wide, bringing his foot down so I tossed a hammer high, smacking the corner of his helmet as he slid past me, claws dug through the ground to charged right back with a push, spraying flaming slag haphazardly around us, some nearly singeing my hair while I edged closer to the large drop below. With my body coated in flames, I forced my forearms into a cross, blocking the fist that pushed me down.

Again, his fists continued to pound down on my forearms, my guard weakening while my heels struggled to hold back the kinetic force, each felt like cannons going off against my bones, my Light was starting to flicker too, some flames flashing lilac while I gasped, losing my ground steadily.

"Ceres, the edge!" I know, Ghost, but I can't move, my legs are stiff. "You need to hold on, until Morbin-" They won't stop, even if the portals... are destroyed, I can't... stand. "Get up, Ceres, Guardian, keep fighting!"

Another fist drove my left arm down, now pushing off the ground shakily while my heels almost slipped off the edge. I caught between my strands of hair the sight of the Fallen, pouncing and firing upon Morbin, his pristine clothing burnt but his vicious assault never-ending while wielding both shotguns at once. A Dreg slung over his back.

Skolas loomed like Death himself, the crook of his arm raised the muzzle to my face, the heat radiating onto my dirtied face, both my pupils had dilated, teeth knitted out of anger and pain flowing through me.

"They're still fighting... I'm not waiting for some miracle flashback, why kid myself?" I spat back at my own conscience, fingers balled into fists even as my bones were shaken to their core. "They can still fight, Dimitri, Morbin, Taka, Reiner... Zane..."

"-When Skolas is captured, his Wolves scattered, I'll tell him," I raised my head, cheeks reddened while my hand raised to keep Taka from saying anything. "I know, tempting fate like this is stupid," I cracked a small smile, just as Zane would. "But I know, deep down. Me, Morbin, Zane, we will see this through to the end, together."

"And I'll tell him... he means more to me than he thinks."

"I'm..." My fire was snuffed out, and my left foot remained standing, a drop in a still, mirror or water echoed in my mind under twilight, the stars, the very universe... bent between my hands as I felt it beat from my irises like a heartbeat. "...going to... SURVIVE!"

Like a tidal wave from deep rumble under the water, a strong, kinetic force sprung from my palms, blanketing me from another ultra stomp as Skolas howled in pain, his shrapnel launcher shattered between a thin veiling of condensed starlight, a ward of Void Light radiating across my body and before me.

Skolas stumbled in his place, unable to break the field of hardlight around me as I gradually stood tall under the Ward of Dawn, my fury was blinding and I couldn't care to understand what it was that flowed instead of a fire, but it was pulsating, gradual and unyielding, the very edges of Venus were being pulled by my hands.

I drew my arms close like an embrace, the forcefield bent, then I threw my hands wide with a cry, shattering the dome with a dazzling brilliance of purple. He wasn't down, however, throwing a fist that did connect to my face, but now I had him, fear was consistent in his eyes as I shrugged off the blow, a pleasant veil wrapped around my form as I brought up the remains of the embers by my feet.

"Hyyyyah!" A single stroke blew his arms back, my hammer of sol breaking the mask with a single, illuminating arc of fire, the shell of Void shattering from the impact as I stumbled back to my feet, Skolas landing in a heap before me, unable to so much as prop an elbow up under his weight. "It's over..."

Jubilation entered my comms, the faint clapping and cheering in the background feed of our transmission, ~The House of Wolves is broken! Stand by for a transmission~ Petra declared with mirth and pride

Her Jumpship and two more appeared before the shadow of the Ketch, a red focusing sight bearing down on Skolas' form as his eyes locked to mine a final time

There was resentment burrowing into my pupils as his body was slowly tugged by the scan, "$!&* ?#'% *^\." Snarling in his language as the tractor lasers pulled him off the ground, transferring the Kell from our sight

A familiar voice reached me, Morbin tossing the rifle of a Vandal away as I sat down, ~This is Mara Sov, Queen of the Awoken~ She spoke with dignity and superiority like last time, ~Guardian, when you first came in search of the Black Garden, I thought of you as just another Mote of Light, too far from its Traveler. I see now that I was wrong. Accept my thanks and the promise of a fitting reward. Petra, bring Skolas to me!~ That last order even gave us a shiver

Satisfied, Petra's spotlights blinked to us, ~Capture confirmed. I almost feel sorry for Skolas here. Conversations with the Queen can be... harsh. Anyway, I'll meet you back at the Reef with your reward, and quite the celebration~ I waved to her Jumpship a final time as they slowly pulled away

It was over, Skolas was finally locked up again, and for good this time. Ghost appeared as Morbin stepped in, leaning down while Ghost worked his magic. "...You used the Void, you unlocked it...?" Clearly, I don't suppose it was that easy...

I lifted my hand to my eyes. "If I'm honest... I haven't the foggiest idea how," That didn't keep me from smiling giddily as I flicked two fingers up, creating a wisp of Void Light. "Awesome~! Two down one to go." I'm the ultimate sword and shield now... or hammer in my case

He chuffed, overlooking the devastation despite his need of replacement armor. "The idiot is alive, fantastic... as for it being 'over'. doubtful," I lost my smile after that, his body turned to the remains of the augmented weapon, a clear similarity to Aksor's augments too. "Taniks is out there... I won't let him live this time."

"'We'll' be sure of it," I tapped his bicep, crossing my arms with a slight wince. "Just trust me like how I trust you both." It was quite the spectacle up here, the sun's rays piercing the clouds high above the constant rainfall, and the silence of the Citadel, but I saw his posture loosen

"...Okay... because Deus wants to," He admitted as I smiled brightly, giggling

"TSUNDERE!" If Morbin's word wasn't already enough for me, Zane and Dimitri's taunt from far away was a definite, both I and Ghost breaking into a laugh while Morbin muttered, deciding the scavenge the Fallen for gear and Engrams as wiped away the first happy tears in days

To Be Continued...

I can't feel my fingers. Judgement on Skolas and Revenant has passed. If you think the fight with Skolas was short, then you have no idea what is to come, hehehe. Also, Ceres has now tapped into the Void! Also, if you're surprised Ceres was back in the fight after only a day, do remember us Guardians are very death-resistant when we try. And yeah, Revenant was using Stasis, dun-dun-duuun. I hope you enjoyed, appreciate the support, seeya in the next chapter Guardians!

Next Chapter: Beyond Judgement

The would-be 'Kell of Kells' is imprisoned, but his aid, Taniks, is still at large. Now with Variks and Cayde's assistance, Morbin will have his chance to inflict what his weapon was built for. But where's the line between Judgement and Vengeance?

A/N: For those curious, Skolas said these exact words. "This isn't over."