A black trench coated figure walks in the snowy landscape with her ghost floating beside her as she looks around for a moment upon hearing the news of a bastion beneath the Traveler to which she is right. In front of her is a large camp consisting of people wearing worn out clothing and some armed with rifles of old that were scrounged up from ruins. A titan spots her with her ghost and lets her pass seeing her as a non-threat while she treads upon the camp grounds beneath the spherical being. She looks around for a moment while ignoring the playing children and citizens walking about doing their own business then spots a bonfire with large logs surrounding it giving her a cue to head towards there and sit on it for warmth. The figure sits on one of the logs and reaches her hand out keeping herself warm from the heat as a titan spots her sitting alone, he's wearing a helmet with two horns on his sides and a worn out jacket alongside scarf. He walks over and sits on a log as he does the same thing as her...
"A long way from home isn't it?" The titan spoke in a light British accent receiving her attention. No one hasn't spoken to her for a long time besides her ghost plus she's a newly resurrected risen, she doesn't know anyone yet. The fact someone is speaking to her is both a relief and a bit scary to the guardian. He observes outfit making him wonder what kind of class she is. She looks up with her hood barely covering her face but there is a hint of a short hair.
"Say, you haven't spoken since you arrived here in the camp. We know you're a guardian since you have a ghost. Maybe you can speak up a little." The titan advised causing her to lift her head. She removes her hood revealing to be a woman with black hair and purple highlights on the tips of her short hair. He observes the cloak wondering where does one get such a fashionable outfit that looks like it's not from this realm at all.
"I'm a hunter." The huntress spoke.
"A hunter? You sure don't look like one. Maybe its the cloak, in fact, I have a far better outfit than that. What's your name?" The titan replied. She opens her mouth for a moment in trying to say her old name but realizes that she's not who she once was, not anymore so the least. The hunter hesitates for a moment trying to muster up anything to say but saying who she once was feels like aphasia.
"My name is...Layla." Layla introduced herself as the titan smiles underneath his mask seeing that she isn't so anti-social. To that, he reaches his hand out towards the hunter in a welcoming gesture as she shakes his hand too.
"My name is Shaxx, honor to meet you Layla." Shaxx introduced himself.
Layla looks down on her scout rifle in her new armor while waiting in a watchtower overlooking the town that was built under the Traveler as Zavala leads a group of refugees to the area. It's hard to imagine that it's been sixty years since this place was once a little camp but time is fast for a guardian because you look the same for your entire life. She overlooks the town seeing shops and houses alongside suburban homes being built and smiles for a moment, this basically marked the end of the Dark Ages although she feels that someone should join her in celebrating. The huntress hasn't been talking to anyone for a long time besides her ghost.
"Any news for today Dokka? Feeling real bored right now." Layla sighed while she nods at the Awoken titan passing by. Her ghost appears beside her in her new shell which is colored in the indigo matrix shader she made for her. Of all the ghosts, Dokkaebi was the one who knew all the gossip from the other ghosts about what's hot in guardian news and what's going on in the field. Her ghost flies in front of her while she looks at her.
"Well I've heard Tevis Larsen and Quantis Rhee found perfectly preserved fried twinkies in a doomsday vault." Dokkaebi replied causing Layla's eyes to shrink for a moment realizing what it means. She's eaten fried twinkies before and even baked them, the taste was enough to give life back to the huntress who has eaten nothing but deer and bear meat. Layla looks down from her guard post and spots two hunters, one wearing a frumious armor set and the other wearing vermilion stripe as she knows who it is fully.
"Yo Tev! Can you hand me some? The rations Perun gave taste like crap!...Don't tell her I said that." She asked the nightstalker who looks at his friend as she shrugs as he picks up the food from his pouch and throws it at her as she catches the fried confectionery treat with her hand and takes a bite. The hunter looks down at the two who are laughing with each other with a look of yearning in her eyes...the need for someone to be with her, forever. It's always been her alone...and she hates it. Layla sighs then continues observing incoming refugees heading towards them.
A Fallen vandal slams Layla against a wall as she struggles to move but realizes his weakness: The stomach. She kicks the alien pirate there causing him to yelp in pain while she pulls out her knife and stabs the back of his neck. Layla catches air for a moment with either splashed on mouth like blood as she can make out a taste for a moment, it takes musky and a little sweet. It wasn't time for enjoyment though, the Fallen were attacking the city...and no one is with her to share her anguish with her. Layla stands in the middle of empty street with her auto rifle in hand and sighs before heading off trying to find any remaining guardian forces.
Layla lays on the grass of the tower trying to doze off as she turns seeing guardians with their fireteams and clans...their friends. Its been a hundred years but time goes by fast when you're a guardian. But she didn't care, she didn't care about anything for that matter. All she cares is the next mission from her ghost or when Xander 99-40 is gonna reset anytime to give her a bounty and maybe perhaps get an exotic quest from him so she can get an exotic weapon. She was a ghost to everyone...except for one.
"Shaxx come on! They made me do it! I swear" A voice called out causing Layla to rise and sees a blonde man about her age, a hunter obviously, wearing Bog Wild armor being lifted by Shaxx by his hood. It looks like he's either a rookie or a veteran but the mannerisms remind her of Cayde-6 in a way though. She can barely hear their argument with Shaxx looking angry at him before walking over the balcony to drop him but Cayde runs in motioning the titan to stop. Shaxx turns around then lets the young hunter down settle down on the ground.
"I caught this runt accepting bribes from Tex Mechanica. Could you believe the nerve!?" Shaxx roared at Cayde who looks at the blonde hunter as he breaths a sigh of relief. Cayde rolls his eyes then turns to him with his hands on his hips and shakes his head as the young hunter gets up while shaking his head.
"They offered me a ton of glimmer..."
"Glimmer!? You're a guardian for god's sake, there's glimmer everywhere you go. You can make an easy one million grand everyday just by killing enemies of the City or going around doing missions yet you decide to accept bribes from a foundry that helped in the Faction Wars." The titan spat at him as he sighs and rolls her eyes.
"Well I needed to rank up fast so I wanted a quick buck. Plus no one got hurt...also every foundry was involved in them too." He defended.
"Hurt? The only thing that got hurt was your integrity. We maybe hunters, bar hoppers and loose cannons but we have honor. You basically threw that out of the window the moment you accepted bribes." Cayde adds to Shaxx's statement causing his eyes to widen in realization then hangs them in shame upon realizing what he's done.
"...I'm sorry. It won't happen again." The hunter apologized as Shaxx sees humility in him.
"Ace right? If you want to atone for you've done, perhaps you can join me with the redjacks in finding future crucible locations." Shaxx offered Ace who hangs his eyes in reluctance. Cayde looks at the young hunter for a moment with his eyes lowering and moving left and right as if he was pondering on something before they widen upon realization on what it is. The blue exo looks at Ace for a moment before he sighs then gets up and shakes his hand with a smile underneath his mask thus getting Layla's attention.
She sees him again by her side in the Altar of Flame as the sun shines upon him and a couple of guardians beside her while they face off against the other. The lead guardian who appears to be the leader who organized them is the first to face off against the other team while Ace and her go last. The trials were illegal to join in but the smell of loot attracted many guardians since normal city-based weapons aren't enough to take down the minions of the darkness. This hunter...makes her feel different from the others. Her thoughts are interrupted as they spawn in the corner of the map with the titan looking around.
"So you in this for the loot? Just asking, cause I think that Vance guy convinced some people but hey, who knows." Ace asks Layla getting her attention for a moment. Time stops around her since she's spoken to no one besides her own ghost which stuns the huntress since hasn't been with anyone for a hundred years, she opens her mouth underneath her helmet for a moment...
"And join the mad ravings of a fool who acts cool? Not my type, I'd rather join the Concordat than work for those traitors." Layla replied as Ace breaths a sigh of relief that is heard underneath his helmet but a titan behind him hears it and peers out of a structure as the huntress pulls out her Hawkmoon handcannon and shoots him dead on the ground making the blonde hunter turn around then looks to see a female warlock about to activate a nova bomb on her hand causing Ace to pull out his Palindrome and shoot her head in the process.
"Oh thank God, I thought I stumbled upon some kind of cult initiation or something...We're all in it for the loot right?" He asked while looking around but another titan is about to hit him with a Hammer Of Sol on his hand but Ace ducks then shoots him underneath the helmet. The team leader comes back to Ace after noticing that they are on three to zero which means they must be doing something right.
"Ace, stop messing around and follow my lead!" The titan yelled at him before Ace nods then gestures to Layla to come with him as she makes a smile smile underneath her armor. For the first time, someone noticed her and she felt happy for it...she felt warm as if though someone lit a spark then turned into a small fire in a cold cave. It was at this moment she know, she will never leave his side.
"Got it!" Layla yelled while feeling that something is behind her causing her to leap against the wall then turns around seeing a hunter with a shotgun as she shoots him in the head thus shattering his helmet and killing him. Ace stops and smiles at Layla before they head on off knowing that this will be the start of a beautiful friendship with the two going places.
"I. Am. So. Bored." Ace sighed while standing and overlooking...at anything in Felwinter's Peak due to the amount of snow blocking his view as he is armed with his sniper rifle alongside Layla who is resisting the urge not to fall asleep because the cold makes her sleep most of the time due to how peaceful it is. Layla lowers her head as she gives off a snore before Lord Saladin walks up between them. This was supposed to be a celebration of the Battle Of Six Fronts but somehow the celebration erupted into confusion the moment they lost their light thus panic began to spread but Shiro-4 and Saladin claimed authority and advised no one to leave the mountain for something is brewing...or if they can't since their ghosts lost their light. Saladin taps Layla in the back causing her to jump and turn around at the Iron Lord who is unimpressed at their attitude.
"Your patrol shift is up. Get back in the temple." Saladin ordered as the two salute him before heading back into the warm fireplace that is the Iron Temple surrounded by the statues of the Iron Lords whom Ace looks up to a lot. More snow seems to come as Saladin realizes that due to a lack of light, they will die their permanent deaths making him wonder if a patrol is necessary. Ace sits on the bonfire in front of the statues while guardians around him are idling or trying to get the old radio working to call upon anyone out there but the range is too far off and no one from the City is responding at all alongside the fact their ghosts can't summon vehicles as well. He begins to become lost in thought for a moment trying to comprehend his situation...right before feeling something on his shoulder. Ace turns to see Layla leaning against his head due to the warmth of the Iron Temple causing the blonde hunter to sigh. The hunter rolls his eyes for a moment then continues looking at the fireplace in front of him.
"Xemnas...please...Axel, Elrena..." Layla mumbled in her sleep as Ace raises an eyebrow but he simply dismisses it while twiddling his thumbs and swinging his legs. He is about to whistle for a moment by puckering his lips...before a blue light suddenly casts over him causing his eyes to widen with a sensation he's never felt before. It feels like he can take on the world now as Layla's eyes open then widen upon feeling it and jolts upward while she looks at her hands which begin to glow in a void color. Ace looks at his in return with his hand now glowing in a solar color as he realizes that's his super that is now restored.
"Holy shit! Dude, we got our light back!" She rejoiced while Dokkaebi appears beside her with Weiss floating around just the same as him as the four get up from their seats with the two's light resonating on their bodies. Weiss hovers over them and turns on her music player.
Booty Bass-Shake That Ass.
"Yeah! We get to kick ass again!" Ace rejoiced as he does his Potential Dance emote with Layla doing her Denial Dance as the two celebrate their in their light returning. The guardians around them start dancing too with Lord Saladin rolling his eyes at the sight knowing that once they get back to the City or reestablish contact with them then they'll back to business as usual. Shiro joins in on the celebration while doing the Make It Rain emote as a titan does the More Smores one.
He couldn't believe it...he just couldn't...the City was attacked in a war that would be worse than Twilight Gap and he didn't even participate in it. Ace looks at the ruined remains of the Tower shocked at what he's seeing right now, the fact their light ran out was a huge warning that they should've gone to the City or at least helped but he would've died forever if he did. Just the sight leaves Layla stunned at the sight of the former home of the guardians...someone walks up behind Ace and places his hand on his shoulder causing him to turn around to see Cayde himself. The blonde hunter lowers his eyes still shocked before hugging the Hunter Vanguard who returns it as well.
Layla kneels on the ground seeing that Ace is gone...taken by some dark mass of some kind. It didn't look like the normal Taken portal at all which means this goes beyond Riven or even Oryx, this was a new threat the guardians will have to face and they are not prepared for it. She's not even sure if the Drifter knows what this is...but she won't give up on him. Not at all. The huntress rises from shock but stumbles slightly to regain her focus then heads out of the cave, she'll report to the Vanguard later but for now, Ace needs her help and she knows who she can trust. Sometimes a side must be taken even if is the wrong one...words to live by knowing what she's seen and words from an old friend. She gets up while running outside of the lost sector as Scorn arrive to protect it again but the huntress throws a knife at one of them before pulling out her Havoc Pigeon and firing at the incoming ones heading towards her.
"Dokkaebi, how much byron bough do I have in my inventory?" Layla asked her ghost while reloading her handgun feeling that presence of loneliness creeping back at her. She won't lose the only friend she's got in this world, the Red War has claimed enough fellow guardian brothers and sisters, and she won't lose another who she sees more than that. Those bones may only give her some tincture but the Ahamkara's transcend death itself and can still communicate to heed her wishes for him to return no matter what. More dark creatures spawn around her causing the huntress to pull out her knife to fight them all off again but they are all shot easily by someone in the mist who is walking out causing Layla to aim her gun at the figure...it's Petra who is armed with a scout rifle.
"Layla? Where's Ace?" Petra asked her making Layla sigh in relief that it's just Petra and not some Fallen. She leans behind her then looks at the huntress who falls silent trying to explain the situation and its solution...
"Layla...?"
"Ace...Ace got pulled into something, some kind of dark stuff but I think I can bring him back though and end this once and for all." Layla explained her vague plan but Petra knows what she's talking about. Guardians use those bones for tincture but this gonna be different, a wish, yet she knows how Ahamkara wishes can go wrong all the time because of an Ahamkara's need to feed off desire and misery. Petra's eyes widen upon the realization causing her to gently place her hands on Layla's shoulders.
"Layla, those bones should be only be used for a tincture of Queen's Foil not on a wish! It's bad enough the Dreaming City is stuck in a time loop but who knows what one last wish will do!" Petra begged and shook her desperately causing Layla to let go of her quickly and gritting her teeth.
"And if that wish backfires, I'll make sure it'll backfire on me instead on everyone..." There is a pause between them for a moment as Petra decides what to do. A wish like that would have consequences but if it only backfires on Laya then the situation in the Dreaming City will stay the same. A lesser of two evils...Petra sighs with Layla feeling like she understands her...only for the Awoken to pull out her Vestian Dynasty at the hunter seeing that she made her decision.
"...I can't let you do this." Petra sadly said at Layla prompting the huntress to throw an smoke grenade at Petra causing a cloud of smoke to engulf her. She coughs fervently while waving it away and fires her gun but the smoke clears revealing Layla has disappeared into it much to her shock and anger. Meanwhile Layla speeds off with her sparrow as Taken spawn in front of her but she shoots them all with her gun ensuring that nothing gets in her way. What she doesn't know is a cloaked figure watching from afar at the whole thing as she pulls down her hood revealing that it's a blonde haired woman with blue eyes...she smiles at the sight before opening a dark portal then walks away.
Realm Of Darkness.
"Hey! We're not done yet!" Ace yelled at the woman ready for a rematch against her as she turns around eyes squinting at the revived hunter confused on why he rose up from the dead after a gunshot wound to the head. He grips his spare hand-cannon on his hand while he clenches his teeth at the mysterious adversary in front of him as he yells while firing the gun on his hand towards her. The woman dashes towards Ace in lightning speed as she blocks each shot landed towards her via her own key-like weapon as she disappears temporarily before reappearing again ready to take a swing leading to Ace to activate his shadow dodge as the weapon phases through him. She looks around for a moment wondering where Ace went before noticing that he's on her right aiming the exotic weapon on his hand against her her head.
She notices this and takes a swing at him which strikes the hunter leading him to be pushed away by the force of it all but Ace regains his focus then softly lands by reaching his hand out to the ground leaving a trail on the sand. Ace raises his head while switching to his sniper rifle and takes aim as she notices the glint from the distance leading her to run towards him while zipping in motion making sure he doesn't have a clear shot on her then lunges at him with the weapon. The hunter smirks knowing she was led into a trap. Suddenly, he drops a skip grenade on the ground! The tracking rounds swarm the assailant with fervor! She is surrounded by the rounds as they explode seemingly killing her in the process! Ace huffs in exhaustion hoping that would be the last he's seen of the woman...
Ace scoffs and walks towards the smoke but feels something grabbing his left leg causing him to look down at whatever it is seeing a pair of yellow eyes with small hands holding him back. He aims his gun at it knowing its the same creature that attacked him from before but another pair of arms holds right leg next causing him to take aim at it next right before noticing the woman walk towards him. Ace's vision is suddenly engulfed in darkness making him feel like he's drowning while struggling. He flails around erratically swinging his knife left and right whatever surrounded him while seeing some glimpses of the outside but nothing is working. The hunter breathes heavily before closing his eyes...suddenly, a light spawns on his hand causing him to look down and see his version of her weapon. This gives him an opportunity to break free which he does while hacking away then freeing himself seeing what trapped him in the process, it's a tower made up of those creatures he saw in the Dreaming City.
The man lands on the ground with said weapon in hand as the swarm hovers over him before he locks in on all of them feeling like his light taking over his body as a fire-like aura surrounds his said weapon causing him to jump towards it feeling confident enough then hacks away at the swarm revealing the woman behind it. Ace roars in fury while attempting to swing it at her as there blades collide against each other while he tilts his blade slightly against hers to break her lock. He pulls out his knife from his hip and thrusts it into the side of her stomach before aiming the Hawkmoon at her head. She unleashes a dark shock-wave that pushes him on the ground as he gets up weakly. The woman lands on the ground helped by the creatures almost like a goddess with Ace knowing full well she might be in control of them. She removes the knife from her stomach with black blood coming out of it and her wound healing in the process making him grab the handle of his weapon tightly.
"I take it you must be a big fan of Darkness? You might wanna share your secrets on that?" Ace asked circling her trying to regain his strength after that encounter he had. The fire-like aura fades away from his keyblade while doing so observing the woman's next steps while she does the same wondering where did he come from. Ace wonders if she was a guardian as well because of those skills but the fact she was able to take him down several times with the thing says otherwise as he comes up with theories in his head yet they won't come in handy once she attacks him again. The woman darts towards Ace making him aim his gun at her once more hoping when this battle is over, he might get answers.
Layla arrives in the halls of the skulls of the Ahamkara's walking and observing them, she heard these belonged to ones that Mara Sov owned as she approaches the skull of Huginn with byron bough glowing bright with a violet fervor on her hands. The huntress kneels feeling the presence of the dragon as an act of reverence to the beast before her. She gulps for a moment and opens her mouth...
"Great Huginn, I beg for your help..." She offers the material to the skull as it begins to glow but a shot interrupts her wish making her turn around see Petra aiming her Vestian Dynasty causing her to rise up. Layla fires her Havoc Pigeon while sprinting causing Petra to dodge the shots gripping her knife in the process running towards her in response as well but doesn't recognize that the skull is glowing. A knife flies towards the huntress who grabs it by her blade but due to Petra's telekinesis, it slips out making her hand bleed because of it with Petra roundhouse kicking the human hunter knocking her down on the ground only for her to spin and trip Petra on the ground. Layla throws a smoke grenade at Petra's chest but she rolls over then shoots her twice knocking half of Layla's armor energy out as the huntress returns fire at her while wincing in pain as a response. Suddenly, something almost hits her foot causing her to turn around and see Awoken Corsairs armed with auto rifles behind her.
"Layla, you're outnumber three to one! Give up!" Petra ordered causing the woman to pull out an Antiope-D SMG from inventory aiming it back at the women aiming the rifles at her. She never gives up on a friend, ever and it wouldn't take a thousand deaths to stop her.
"I like those odds..."
Ace dodges another strike from the woman while blocking yet another with his weapon and fires more Hawkmoon bullets into her chest which pierce through it making wounds no normal human would survive but she swings him away knocking him onto the ground. He activates his super and fires more golden gun shots at her only for them to be knocked away by her weapon like she was hitting baseballs instead of fiery balls of death and light at her. The hunter switches to his auto-rifle Origin Story shooting frantically at her yet it is proven ineffective as well. He decides to throw at knife at her shoulder which lands against it as it explodes while Ace leaps in the air swinging his keyblade at her. He notices something behind her...
"What is that?" He said causing the attacker to turn around eyebrows raised.
Layla punches a Corsair hard in the helmet making it crack exposing her eye while another one tries shooting her with her pistol but she ducks then grabs her arm before punching her twice in the stomach then lifting the woman and throwing her against a wall knocking her unconscious. The Corsair with a broken helmet joins Petra in shooting at her again as Layla returns fire with her SMG at them making her take cover from them albeit almost hit in the process too. Petra goes to her fallen sister who gets up weakly only for Layla to leap towards her landing a punch in the head then a kick to the stomach before headbutting the commander knocking her out cold. The other Corsaid attempts to shoot at her again but Layla trips her on the ground then kicks her weapon away as she notices something...
A door stands in front of her causing the guardian to ready her weapon realizing it's the wish she was granted and that wherever Ace is, he'll come home. She bites her teeth walking towards it as it begins to open...to reveal the woman who attacked Ace who is behind her on the ground. Layla gasps shooting at her as the woman runs towards her while Ace gets up behind her running towards her as well then tackles her on the ground but a dark aura surrounds her causing her to release it and launching Ace out of the door and onto Layla. He gets up breathing heavily while Petra regains consciousness alongside the Awoken beside her as the broken helmeted Corsair runs at the woman with a knife but she grabs her head as a smooth ink-like matter takes over her turning her into something else, something inhuman.
"We need to run!" Petra warned but Layla knows running would slow them all down so she grabs her by the hand and activates her ghost to go to orbit therefore disappearing in the process. Ace does the same to the injured corsair as they both find themselves on their respective ships orbiting the Dreaming City making them relieved but a sudden realization comes to Petra who gets on the communications.
"All guardian and Awoken forces, withdraw from the Dreaming City at once! I repeat, withdraw at once!" She ordered on the communications as Ace watches the planet from his ship. A moment of silence happens as they all catch their breaths seeing the guardian and Awoken ships flying away much to Petra's relief but now the curse has gotten worse with a new enemy possibly worse than the Hive, Scorn and Taken pillaging the city. There is no victory at all, just a realization of complete loss. Petra hangs her head knowing the homeland of the Awoken is gone now...
Mara Sov watches the entire ordeal on her throne from a projection gripping the armchair of her seat. She knows who this and who she trained with yet has no idea how this happened but the fact she's like this now indicates something went completely wrong. The Queen rises from her throne summoning a keyblade that resembles more of a rapier alongside light manifesting all over her body before it vanishes revealing she's in silver armor and heads out with a portal opening.
Ace's ship known as the Alpha Umi alongside Layla's flies over to the city with the male hunter trying his best to not lose his grip on the steering wheel due to being shock of the events. Whatever he saw was a darkness that almost matched the one in the Collapse to the point it shook him to the core to say the least, the woman's power almost rivaled that of Oryx and typical Hive magic as well. He's fought Taken, Cabal, Hive, and Vex but this is something new and something very dangerous to their world. The two appear out of their ships with Petra and her fellow corsair as well with Zavala taking notice walking towards them alongside Ikora Rey knowing something is wrong.
"Ace? Layla? What happened?" The Awoken titan asked him while Ace pulls his hood down and Layla kicking the floor realizing that she basically played into an Ahamkara's old trick. Desperation is what drove her into making the war on the Dreaming City worse and basically botched a Vanguard operation both of which drive a stake into Layla heart seeing that this is all her fault wanting to save Ace. Layla walks forward before Ace can speak up...
"Ace here was captured by an unknown enemy and I used the Ahamkara bones to wish him back only for more of the unknown enemies to infiltrate the Dreaming City." Layla explained making Zavala's eyes widen in both fear and anger at the hunter as he grits his teeth stepping forward to her.
"You did what!?" Zavala asked hoping he was hearing and seeing things as Ace intervenes.
"It was all on me sir. I tried taking on an unknown threat and seeing the situation was impossible, I told Layla to leave where I ended up in some kind of dark place that didn't look like a throne world at all. There was also two threats too: One guy wearing a black cloak who had darkness based powers and the one in the Dreaming City is some woman with white hair." Ace explained the situation entirely making the titan hangs his head and shaking it.
"Layla, do you have any idea what you have just done? You just made an entire situation worse and unleashed a threat perhaps greater than all of what we've faced before! This basically jeopardized any efforts that every guardian has done and now this new threat might be coming to us! This is the Awoken homeworld and a strategic location for the Vanguard containing every dangerous secret the Awoken have and now it is in the hands of forces we don't even know! Did you ever think before your decisions!?" Zavala roared at her making Layla pull back then closes her eyes. She knew that she would get a word lashing but never on this level as Zavala closes his eyes and clenches his teeth shaking his head.
"Do you at least have any intel who attacked you?" He asked sighing as his anger recedes albeit relieved that Ace is safe now. Everyday when he sees him, he sees Cayde in him alongside that hood and gun he has and if he died, the titan would never forgive himself since he's the last thing Cayde left behind. Ace lets Weiss out as she helps project the image of the attacker and the creatures.
"The attacker wielded a strange key-shaped weapon while the creatures in the Dreaming City are also these strange creatures that look something out of a kid's twisted drawings. I believe they have something to do with our visitor from last time." Ace explained as Ikora observes the projection in worry seeing it. She's seen many things in her life but this is different, these things look like it doesn't belong to their world like an invasive species similar to the Taken.
"They don't look like Taken nor does she look like a guardian. In all our years as guardians-we've only known the three factions of the Darkness that plague us in the form of the Fallen, Hive, Vex and Cabal...I believe we're dealing with fourth party that has discovered us." Ikora observed the models of the enemies that attack them causing Ace's eyes to widen in fear. The projection also shows the being using its darkness to turn a corsair into one of them as well meaning even a guardian can corrupted. Zavala watches the footage eyes squinting resisting the urge not to squirm at the sight.
"Shit...I guess it's a war on all fronts now and looking at their behavior-I don't think they're big on alliances meaning they're on their own faction for now." Ace added as Zavala nods at him.
"And we'll keep it that way. The only reason why the armies of the Darkness haven't destroyed the Last City as of yet is that they have their own motives and own agendas the others don't agree with. But we need to find a way to deal with this kind of new threat fast or it will spread us so all guardian forces and...Awoken, must keep their distance from the Dreaming City for now to risk infection from whatever this new enemy has." Zavala ordered while Petra blinks caught off guard stepping forward in anger.
"Zavala, the Dreaming City is full of secrets that will endanger the universe! If she gets her hands on it then we will all be doomed!" Petra pleaded as Ace turns to her. He wants to agree with her but Zavala is right after all, they would be going in blind fighting a threat that no one can comprehend and it will be made worse if a guardian turns into one of those things.
"I know it's a good idea fighting back but we're just throwing more food to the beast knowing what she can do and we'll end up having guardians shooting at us. But I have something with me that can deal with the situation." Ace proposed before revealing the key-like weapon on his hand and stabbing it on the ground. Zavala observes the weapon by picking it up only for the thing to vanish in light then back on Ace's hand much to his surprise hinting it's of magic origin as the Awoken can feel light resonating from it.
"I've seen swords in the past but that...thing looks different. Perhaps Lord Shaxx can take a look at it, report to him at once." Ikora ordered Ace who goes over the titan with Layla. Shaxx watches the monitor screens unimpressed at the sight of the fights going on wishing he can go back to action right this instant or participate, he hears Ace behind him and turns around seeing the keyblade in his hand making his head tilt curiously at the weapon. Petra watches Zavala and Ikora walk away then begins to follow to talk more strategies until her vision begins to turn blue all of a sudden...
Petra, bring him to me when he's done talking to Shaxx.
The voice sends ripples down Petra's body knowing who it belongs to and what she wants with Ace but the question is why? Sure he has the same weapon as the other but Ace is just one of many guardians yet she sees something special in him. She has never doubted her at all even during the olden days and whatever she has plans for him means victory is over the horizon. Petra puckers her lips conflicted wondering how to respond yet she knows she's never led the Awoken astray and their fate all rests on him.
"As you wish my queen." She whispered to herself.
Dul Incaru floats in the Eleusinia wondering if any guardians will come to her and they can repeat the cycle as always but a sudden disturbance within the reality bothers the wizard making her pause. Her Darkblade bodyguards can feel it also alongside the Taken...something has entered the realm and it's not a guardian, it was something more and it's power rivals that of the Hive's. For the first time since this cycle began-she is afraid to step out fearing for what awaits her outside.
The attacker feels the light resonate against her skin feeling almost relieved that she was out from that hellish place yet all what's left in her is darkness and hate for everything that moves...like the Scorn Stalker crawling backwards on the ground hyperventilating as his corrupted brothers tower over him colored in black and eyes glowing yellow. Before he can give off a scream, they soon jump towards him as the attacker simply watches them corrupt him into one of them now giving her a small smile. She heads out sits on a rock overlooking the entire Dreaming City and takes a deep breath smelling the air...the smell of freedom.
But that feeling for some reason-changes upon sensing something behind her seeing a woman in white armor and long flowing violet cape armed with the same weapon albeit shaped like a rapier standing before her with an aura of both light and dark resonating from the woman. The attacker squints her eyes at her as they begin circling each other for a moment eyes locked wondering what is their intent with the latter knowing who she is. She raises her weapon pointing at the dark woman in front of her.
"You must be one of Eraqus's students. Far from home are we not? Aqua I presume, I am Mara Sov, wielder and queen of the Awoken." She taunted her bringing the name that she has long forgotten about making her flinch for a split second as thoughts run through head wondering who she is. Was she gone for that long that he abandoned her for a new student? Her master never mentioned this woman yet a memory passes in her head remembering a student she talked about who disgraced the name. Aqua is grits her teeth at the keyblade wielder knowing she might be more experienced than her.
"And how do you know my name?" Aqua growled since the only ones who know her are either her friends or Eraqus herself. This woman doesn't deserve to utter her name, the name she forsook the moment the darkness consumed her, the name that was used by ones long lost to her in another lifetime yet here she is standing there saying her name. The white haired woman prepares herself resisting the urge to kill her waiting for the right moment to strike at her with precision.
"I know many things in many worlds. My friends are my eyes and ears...and yet I didn't know you what became of you. So...this is what happened...then I guess Eraqus is..."
"Long gone." Aqua completed her words making Mara pause for a moment and hang her eyes underneath her helmet in sadness then focuses on her. She didn't see a student anymore but a plague, an invasive creature that needs to be eliminated from this world or she will spread. The younger woman notices Mara's foot positioning itself by raising it indicating a possible attack hoping she'd let her guard down for now but she wasn't falling for any tricks. Aqua realizes that this is all just one big diversion to get her riled up and attack.
"That's a shame...and it is a greater shame that I have to eliminate one of his students!" Mara speeds towards Aqua who may have saw the attack coming yet couldn't predict when as the wielder's pupil's eyes shrink for a moment paralyzed by surprise but Aqua regains her bearings and blocks it next. Aqua leaps behind her and takes a swing but Mara ducks dodging the swing then attempts to swing back only for Aqua to leap backwards avoiding her swings as she lands with Mara raising her weapon only for her strike to be blocked by her while she kneels in the process. Mara grunts for a moment trying to hold her down seeing the right opportunity now.
"Thundaga!" Mara screamed with lightning striking Aqua sending shock waves across her body making Aqua scream in pain and agony with the swarm of dark creatures coming to her aid. Aqua releases a sudden burst in the form of dark waves throwing Mara across briefly but she stabs her weapon on the ground with a streak leaving it. She pulls out a strange trinket from her pocket, a star-shaped charm, an item that brings memories back to Aqua only for a moment realizing what Mara is going to do with it. Suddenly a portal opens with puppies running out but not just ordinary puppies-puppies with laser eyes much to Aqua's shock and confusion with Mara sadistically in triumph almost mocking her. A puppy lunges on top of Aqua shooting at her while she moves her left and right before throwing it away still avoiding the lasers shooting at her as they hit the creatures trying to assist.
The puppies soon disappear much to her relief with the woman regaining her concentration at Mara who runs at her again making Aqua prepare for another attack. Mara leaps briefly in the air with her weapon summoning a blizzard as ice shares burst out of it causing Aqua to block them in response while Mara punches her in the stomach then kicks her down on the ground. Aqua remembers the gun she stole from Ace causing her to pull it out and shoot Mara in the head but the bullet only shatters the visor as Mara takes notice dodging the shot only exposing her eye. The Awoken uses the charm again while speeding towards Aqua firing at her avoiding the shots as a figure manifests revealing a rather fit looking blonde man with an eyepatch and bandanna on his head complete with blue jeans and white bandages on his wrists coated in sixteen-bit pixels punches Aqua against a wall leaving a crack against it. He punches her more times then launches an energy ball at her knocking her face down.
"Thank you Rumble." Mara thanked the video game character who gives a thumbs up earning a hundred points then disappearing while Aqua who appears to be unconscious as she picks up her head eyes closed and face bruised from the fight gasping for air before the queen drops her again on her face. She raises her weapon up but looks up and sees something...a swarm of the same creatures coming at her almost like a hurricane blocking out the skies. More creatures appear from the walls of the Dreaming City causing Mara to slowly back away eyes widen realizing that Aqua isn't the only threat out there. She summons a flying vehicle that has the same aesthetic as her weapon then begins flying off with a portal opening.
"Hmm...this weapon appears to be of magic origin, I've never seen anything like it in fact! It has light and belongs to our world yet doesn't at the same time! You said spawned on your hand?" Shaxx observed the weapon on the table next to Ace who nods in response. The titan picks it up again but it disappears in a flash of light and back on Ace's hand as Layla watches giving her an idea motioning Ace to give it to her which he does.
"This bitch empty...YEET!" Layla throws the weapon away from the tower making Ace's eyes widen in panic but it comes back to his hand again while she nods in astonishment at it. Suddenly, Petra walks in between them...with Mara Sov without her helmet beside her.
"Ace? Layla? This is Queen Mara Sov...and she might like to have a word with you two."
If anyone is gonna ask, yes, that was Rumble McSkirmish from Gravity Falls and the Laser Puppies from Star Vs The Forces Of Evil. This story is the first of a trilogy and these two are teasers for what's to come. Please leave a review.