Chapter 22
Neo Chicago
The Mulligan
Hall of Guardians
Tobias was a little nervous as he tried to ignore the stares he was receiving. The Vanguard Mentors were present, along with a variety of other Guardians including the likes of Shaxx, Eris and Saladin. They weren't looking at him directly, but rather the Exo standing next to him. Tobias had to admit though that Gale was handling all of this attention well. He had been so flighty while they were in the Seraphim Vault, but he was much calmer now.
News had spread fast that a team had uncovered the Seraphim Vault in the Cosmodrome and successfully reactivated Rasputin by means of the Exo known as Nightingale-1. Gale then returned to Neo Chicago with the Guardians to meet with their commanders, but the Exo requested that Tobias be at this meeting with him. Now Tobias found himself taking part in the meeting to determine their next course of action for the campaign against the Taken.
"This changes everything." Zavala stated he waved is hand through the map of Earth that had been projected from their table at the center of the room, causing it to waver away.
Their original plan had been a long and arduous campaign across the eastern hemisphere. They would land on the coast of each continent and sweep it clean until they arrived at the heart of the Taken forces. It would be a process that would like take more than a year considering how dense the Taken forces were. But with Rasputin aiding them, they could set their sights on something...bigger.
Replacing the image of the Earth was a massive fortress that seemed to stretch for miles with an equally large Taken Blight hovering above it.
"This is what the Hive built where the Last City once stood." Zavala explained, further increasing the tension in the room. The sanctuary that had housed mankind for centuries after the Collapse had been turned into a breeding ground for the Hive. "Eris mentioned that this Blight above thee fortress is fueling all of the Blights on the eastern hemisphere."
"So if we knock out this one, we knock out all of them." Cayde declared, earning a nod from Zavala.
"That's correct." Zavala responded.
"But getting to that Blight is a challenge all on its own." Eris cut in. "It's shielded by an incantation, and the source of that is deep within their fortress."
"So we're going to have to go in there if we want to take out the big Blight?" Cayde asked.
"Exactly." Eris responded.
"Our experience with the Blight is limited, but do we even have the firepower to destroy that is this, large?" Ikora asked as she zoomed out of the image to give them a different vantage point of this Blight, showing its immense stature.
"That's where Rasputin comes in." Cayde said as he pointed toward Gale who now had everyone's attention. "I'm sure there must be a space laser or two he's got hidden somewhere."
"That's right." Gale said, giving Cayde a nod. "There's a particle cannon orbiting Mars that I can umm, borrow from Rasputin. But I'll only have one shot with it. Rasputin started launching attacks on the Cabal stationed on Mars, so I can't take too many of his resources."
"One shot." Zavala said with a nod. They would have no room for error then. "Eris, are you capable of removing this incantation that shields the Blight?"
"I'm more than capable. But I have to be taken to the source, I can't remove it externally." She explained, which now confirmed their mission.
"Alright, I think it's settled then. We're going in." Cayde stated as he looked around for any disagreements.
"You do understand that you're going into the heart of a Hive stronghold?" Eris asked Cayde as she gave him a narrow gaze. The Taken were not to be…taken so lightly.
"Of course, but we've got some big guns of our own, so I like our chances." Cayde stated as he glanced at the duo of Gale and Tobias.
"He's quite confident isn't he?" The Traveler asked Tobias, causing him to smirk just a bit. Even though they were in the face of a powerful foe, this didn't deter Cayde at all.
'I like it.' Tobias replied.
The meeting had been adjourned about a half an hour later as most of the audience rushed off to finalize their plan to attack the Hive fortress. The only people remaining in the Hall of Guardians now was Tobias, Gale and the Vanguard Mentors who had a number of questions for the Exo that had been brought back from the Seraphim Vault.
"So, why now?" Ikora asked as stared at Gale, sizing up the Exo. Gale was short and small for an Exo, but he still possessed the same piercing, mechanical eyes that all of them possessed.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand?" Gale asked in return as he focused on Ikora.
"In Tobias' report, it was revealed that you had the choice to decide when to reactivate Rasputin." Ikora explained as she leaned forward. "The Guardians have been fighting against many great foes during all this time, and yet you kept such a powerful asset from joining the battle. I want to know why."
"Ah, I understand now." Gale said as he looked down in thought. "I think there's a misconception here. I have the ability to awaken Rasputin, not control him. He's an entirely separate entity."
"But in the report you said that you're able to override Rasputin's programing." Cayde pointed out, causing Gale to shake his head.
"I can only override the order MIDNIGHT EXIGENT. This is an order for the Warminds to enter a period of deactivation in order to survive an overwhelming threat." Gale explained. "Like my creator said before, we attempted to awaken him right after the Collapse, but Rasputin issued MIDNIGHT EXIGENT again, meaning that he was not in a favorable position to begin opposing the Darkness."
"So what's different now? The Guardians have grown in numbers, but our threats continue to grow more powerful as well." Zavala said as he folded his arms.
"Rasputin and I were going to die in the Seraphim Vault. Or rather, we were going to be corrupted by the Taken." Gale explained with a sigh. "I had to call for help, so I issued IKELOS to gain the attention of the Guardians. When they arrived at the Vault, they demanded that I reactivate Rasputin. The last thing I expected was for him to rejoin the fight."
"Do you know why he's fighting now?" Ikora inquired.
"A few months ago there was a team of Guardians that opened the array station in the Comsodrome. That array station is Rasputin's key into the network of Warsats and weapon systems which had previously been closed off to him. I doubt that's the only reason he's fighting now, but I'm certain that has played a part." Gale explained, causing Tobias to raise his eyebrows as he recalled taking part in the small mission with Carmen and fireteam Salamander.
"Just out of question, what are your other theories?" Ikora pressed, curious to see what could motivate a Warmind.
"Theories, hmm. Well I think it has to do with Tobias." Gale said as he looked toward the Guardian standing beside him.
"How do you figure that?" Tobias asked, wrinkling his forehead.
"You're presence isn't clouded anymore." Gale stated, leaving all of them a bit stunned for a moment.
"And by that you mean…?" Ikora trailed off, waiting for the Exo to continue.
"Since he took on the role of being a vessel for the Light, his strength has been waning. But just recently his Light has become much stronger and pure again." Gale explained. "I think that Rasputin recognized that weakness in Tobias and decided that as long as Tobias was in that state, there was no foreseeable chance of the Guardians winning."
"So Rasputin didn't have any faith in me huh?" Tobias asked with a bit of a smirk. Rasputin wasn't the first, nor would he be the last.
"That's one way to put it." Gale responded.
But now Ikora understood. It was just as Eris had said. The drain on the Traveler's Light was affecting Tobias as well. Even Rasputin could see it, and yet all of them had failed to notice. But now that the Radiant Light had been restored completely, even Rasputin had hope now.
"I think I've heard everything I wanted to know." Ikora stated as she placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought. "The two of you are dismissed."
"I hope I was of some help to you all, and I look forward to working with you all in the future." Gale said as he gave them all a small bow before heading out the exit of the room. Tobias gave them all a wave before following Gale out, eager to speak with the Exo some more.
"Why'd you send them out?" Cayde asked once the duo was out of earshot.
"Because something odd is happening on that fireteam, don't you think?" Ikora asked the two of them.
"What are you getting at?" Cayde asked her while Zavala remained silent.
"Their backgrounds, how their meeting each other. It almost feels unnatural the way their team is developing." Ikora said as she looked at the two of them. "Now more than ever, it feels like someone's out there pulling the strings for Undaunted."
"What, are you thinking they're going to turn on us or something?" Cayde asked incredulously.
"I'm not sure, but what I do know is that they could be the Vanguard's greatest ally, or our biggest threat." Ikora stated, leaving a sobering thought in the minds of the two male Vanguard Mentors.
The Mulligan
Courtyard
"So, this is Gale." Tobias began with a smug little grin that was directed at Carmen as he introduced the Exo. Undaunted had gathered back together now as the Vanguard finalized the attack on the Hive fortress, and Tobias had heard that Carmen and Niko's mission had been a bust. The Guardians that had been coming to Earth in droves had already swept the area clean and the two of them had gone out only to get sent back as soon as they arrived.
Meanwhile Tobias and Diana had helped uncover a Golden Age secret hidden within the Seraphim Vault.
"Of course you guys take the boring office job and it somehow turns into something awesome!" Carmen exclaimed with a huff, irritated that she hadn't seen any action since arriving on Earth.
"Heh, too bad squirt." Tobias replied as he blew a raspberry at her.
"It's nice to meet you." Diana said kindly as she shook hands with Gale.
"Yeah, welcome to the team." Niko added with a bright grin, slapping Gale on the back although he remained completely still despite Niko's strength.
"What team?" Gale asked.
"Our fireteam." Niko clarified.
"I'm not a Guardian though." Gale revealed, not that this was much of a surprise to them.
"Well of course you're not; you've been locked up in a vault for hundreds of years." Niko stated rather humorously. "But you must have some awesome weapons since you're part of Rasputin, right?"
"I'm able to access the defense network that Rasputin uses, so yes, I do have a number of weapons at my disposal." Gale stated.
"Atta boy!" Niko said, slapping his back once again. "You'll do just fine with us."
Carmen cleared her throat to get their attention as she stepped toward Gale.
"I'm Carmen, and that's the only name you'll need to remember." She began. "You see, I'm the leader of this team, and all of them obey my every command. And I expect you to do the same."
Everyone except for Gale deadpanned at this before Carmen found herself receiving a noogie from Niko.
"Gale, you can just ignore her." Diana stated.
"She's more trouble than she's worth." Tobias added.
Gale though eyed Carmen as she struggled to break free from Niko's grasp, stringing together some colorful language to describe the Hunter as he grinded his knuckles against her head. He couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. It had been such a long time since he had spoken with other people. He had almost forgotten what it's like.
It had been two days since Gale had been brought to Neo Chicago before the Vanguard called together all of the Guardians. Their attack on the fortress had been finalized.
Everyone had gathered together in the courtyard where the highest authority among the Vanguard was waiting for them. Shaxx, Zavala and Saladin were taking the lead though since they had spent a great deal of time devising a plan to enter the Hive fortress.
"I'm sure all of you know what you've been called together for." Zavala said as he, Shaxx and Saladin stood in front of the small projector they had set up that displayed the fortress for all of them to see. "In twenty six hours, we'll be launching our attack on the fortress."
The tension in the room seemed to increase as everyone now realized that it was finally going to happen. They were going on the offensive now.
"Our original plan was to land on the coast and advance up to the fortress, but the Taken presence is very heavy surrounding it." Shaxx explained. "Our goal though is to minimize our losses before even arriving at the fortress, so we found another means of entering it."
The display went down below the fortress where they could see a network of tunnels underneath it, similar to the catacombs beneath the surface of the room. They had been transforming the Earth during the limited amount of time they had free reign.
"There's a tunnel near the coast they we can enter, so we've modified our underwater transport to burrow through the earth and get us into that tunnel." Shaxx explained as the image began to show a simulation of that plan. Everyone could see the transport drilling through the ground until it arrived at the tunnel where all of the Guardians got out and advanced up the tunnel that led to the fortress.
"Once we arrive there, the majority of you will exit the tunnel to stir up the Taken and Hive within the fortress. You must get all of the attention you can. We've selected three raid teams to go into the heart of the fortress and find the source of the incantation that protects the Blight. Those not on these teams have to act as a distraction to ensure that these raid teams can venture through the fortress with as little resistance as possible." Saladin explained as nodded to Zavala who had the list of Guardians that made up these raid teams.
"So the first raid team is composed of myself, Cayde-6, Ikora, Rox-12, Panther and Phoebe." Zavala stated as the projector now showed a snap shot of each of these Guardians. "Team two will consist of Zeke, Axel, Sheryl, Sander, Mira and Archer."
The members of fireteam Salamander nodded their heads with approval as they glanced at one another. This was their first big mission. Their big chance.
"And team three will consist of Diana, Niko, Tobias, Carmen, Shaxx and Saladin." Zavala said as he display showed the final team. The first two raid teams each possessed two established fireteams, but since Undaunted currently had four members, Zavala added to solo Guardians to their raid team. He wasn't going to select Shaxx or Saladin, but Ikora had advised it. She wanted someone they knew well working with Undaunted to see if there was anything going on within this fireteam.
Zavala didn't like the mistrust Ikora was developing for Undaunted since it seemed to develop out of nowhere, but he couldn't deny that this team was becoming extraordinary, even Saladin had to agree. They had the vessel of the Light, an Exo connected to Rasputin, a time traveling Hunter, the slayer of Crota…it was incredible to think that all of them were on the same team. There hadn't been such a powerful team of Guardians since the Iron Lords, so they could only hope that the fate of Undaunted wasn't similar to them.
"What a stacked team."
"Yeah, talk about loaded."
"These three teams will go in after the distraction has begun and make their way into the center of the fortress. We don't have any exact coordinates as to where the source of the incantation is, so that's why we're sending in three teams to search for it." Shaxx explained.
"In order to remove the incantation, we need to get Eris in there. So we've developed a one way transmat to take her to the location of the raid team who gets to the source. Once she's done, Gale-1 will use a particle cannon orbiting Mars to take out the Blight." Cayde added as the projector now showed everyone the massive cannon that was currently orbiting Mars.
"Oh sick, I didn't even know we had weapons that big!"
The confidence among the Guardians was growing as the plan became clear. This was more than doable so long as everyone did their part.
"The transport that will take us across the ocean is waiting for us at these coordinates. Gather what you need and head there. We'll go over final preparations once more before we deploy." Zavala called to them before Shaxx stepped forward.
"Guardians, we have been given an opportunity to reclaim what we have lost. All of humanity is waiting for us to reclaim their home, our home! We are the line between survival, and extinction. We will not fall, let's show them our might!" Shaxx roared, rallying the crowd which through their hands with whoops and cheers, ready for the battle ahead of them.
This was it. Now was their time.
Delaware Bay
Undaunted was among some of the first fireteams to arrive at the site where the transport was waiting for them. And they were impressed to say the least. It was huge submarine that stretched down a portion of the coastline. And at the front of the watercraft, they could see that a large and powerful drill had been built into it for this very mission.
"Are you guys ready for this?" Niko asked the group as stood on the beach with the sun sinking in the horizon.
"You better believe I am." Tobias said as he tapped his chest enthusiastically.
"Heck yeah!" Carmen added with just as much, if not more energy than Tobias. "But why isn't Gale coming with us?"
She was a little disappointed that she wouldn't be able to see their newest member in action with them. And the Exo seemed a little down as they parted ways back at the hanger in the Mulligan.
"He's not a Guardian Carmen, he can't come into combat with us." Diana pointed out.
"Yeah, he'll get wrecked pretty bad." Niko said with a bit of a grin.
"Besides, he has to prep the particle cannon to fire once we knock out that shield. I wouldn't want to be doing that in the middle of a warzone." Tobias added.
"Well looks who's early!" A voice called out, causing all them to look back at the three Guardians that stood behind them. It was fireteam Salamander.
"Hey!" Carmen said as they joined them at the shore.
"Long time no see." Sheryl said to Carmen and Tobias as they gave each other high fives.
"Well actually I got to hang with Axel when we were training to be Stormcallers." Tobias pointed out.
"That's old news." Axel interjected.
"So I'm sure you guys must be excited. You're in with all the big leagues now." Niko said with a grin as he eyed the three of them. They seemed to be just fine even though they would be taking part in the most dangerous portion of their upcoming mission.
"Of course we are." Zeke began as he raised one arm, flexing his bicep. "This is what we've been waiting for. It's time for everyone to know that Undaunted isn't the only fireteam that can handle the big baddies out there."
"Best of luck out there, we'll be rooting for you." Niko said as he raised to bump forearms with Zeke who had his arm raised still. "But don't expect us to slow down for you guys."
"They didn't for me." Tobias said as he raised his hand.
"We wouldn't want you to. Where's the fun in beating you guys if we know you took it easy on us." Zeke shot back.
"You guys don't stand a chance." Carmen cut in.
"Oh, you'll see." Zeke said as their conversation became more a stare down between Niko, Carmen and Zeke.
"How about a little bet then." Niko suggested with a smirk as Carmen and Zeke were now truly interested.
"Are they really making a competition over this?" Tobias asked incredulously as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Don't think much of it, Zeke is just fired up." Sheryl whispered to them as she stood on the sidelines with Tobias, Axel and Diana.
"And Niko's just anxious to get back out in the field too." Diana said, and she was certain that she could say the same for Carmen as well.
"It's just the way we are. Fighting is one thing a Guardian has always known." Axel commented, getting a nod of agreement from all of them. It was the only thing they were sure about. They would fight until the day they die.
"We're heading out!" The call came from pilot of the transport over the intercom, informing all the Guardians aboard that it was finally time. They were departing, starting the trip across the Atlantic Ocean that would only take an hour or so before they arrived at the southern coast of what was formerly India.
Now that they were on route to the battleground, everyone went through one last check. This would be their last opportunity to before this fight, or maybe forever. As confident as they had become, there was some uncertainty going into this battle. The Taken had overwhelmed them in their last battle, it could possibly happen again…
No, they had new abilities; they had all been training the last few months just for this day. There was no time to think about what could go wrong.
"Whoa, did you feel that?" Whispers flew around the crowd of Guardians that were waiting in the belly of the transport.
All of a sudden it felt as though their Light was being smothered, as if Oryx was suffocating them. A chill ran down their spines as they realized that this force was being exerted from the Blight that they were going in to destroy. Its power was so far reaching even though they were still a half an hour from their destination.
"We're so far from the Traveler, I can barely feel its Light." One of them noted.
The thought was sobering. The power that they relied upon felt like it was being squashed. How would they overcome this? They were becoming restless and nervous.
"What are you all getting cold feet for?" Carmen snapped at the crowd. "The odds are always stacked against us but we make it out every time. It's no different this time!"
Time and again they had managed to fight and scrap to overcome unimaginable odds.
"This fight is no different from any other. But if you treat it differently, it'll become its own monster. We just have to go in there and do what we do best." Niko said as he looked around. "We're gonna light the place up!"
"Hell yeah we are!"
Everyone seemed to settle down after this as their last minute jitters faded away. They were ready.
"This is it, we've arrived Guardians." Zavala stated over the intercom as the Guardians gathered in the front of the transport where the base opened up, allowing them to exit into the tunnel which they had just finished burrowing into. A short trek was all that separated them from the massive battlefield above.
"Let's go!" They roared, flooding out into the tunnel as their Ghots directed them into the pathway that would lead them up into the fortress.
"Raid teams, give us one final check in." Zavala called out as he was connected to a private comm line with them.
"Raid team two, we're all set to go!" Zeke responded as he pumped his fist.
"Raid team thr-" Tobias began only to be interrupted by Carmen.
"Raid team three, locked and loaded!" She declared, earning a glare from Tobias, but she only stuck her tongue out in response.
"Zavala I would check in too but you're on my team, so I'll leave it to you." Cayde pointed out as he stood beside the Titan that made this request. Zavala gave Cayde a hard stare in return before focusing on the task at hand. Everyone was present and accounted for, now it was time to put their plan into action.
The raid teams were still remaining in the transport while all of the other Guardians already advanced to the exit of the tunnel. Everyone else would get to see firsthand what it looked like while the raid teams would have to wait for clearance before they could move in.
"Man, I hate waiting around." Carmen muttered, her arms folded in front of her chest as she tapped her feet.
"It won't be much longer." Diana stated as she placed a hand of Carmen's shoulder.
"We're at the exit." A Guardians stated over the comms, informing Zavala that they were now in position. It was about to begin.
"Excellent, you may commence your attack." Zavala replied.
"Move out!" The order was given and the Guardians broke out of the tunnel, flooding into the Hive fortress.
"Oh my God, they're everywhere!" Someone shrieked.
"Focus on your positions, we need to establish control of this area right now!"
"We need some bubbles down now if we're going to do that!"
"We've got their attention now!"
"There's a large group of them approaching from the east, get ready to engage."
"Push out Guardians. We can't get pinned down at the entrance to the tunnel or the raid teams will never get through!"
"We have several teams moving south of the tunnel and their drawing a lot of attention, use this opportunity to spread out Guardians!"
The callouts had everyone's hearts racing as the battle above them intensified. They could only imagine how things were taking place as they anxiously waited for the signal for the raid teams to move in. But it was taking longer than they had anticipated.
"What's the situation?" Zavala demanded, waiting for a response from any of the fireteam leaders.
"The resistance up here is heavy but we're almost there. We just need a little more time." They replied, causing the raid teams to take a few nervous glances at each other. Their attack had barely begun and already things were starting to go astray.
"When they give us the signal, be prepared." Zavala warned them. "Whatever is waiting for us there will attack us with all of its force."
"Commander Zavala, you're clear to advance!" The call finally came, causing the raid teams to give each other one final nod as they readied their weapons. It was their time now. The outcome of this battle rested in their hands now.
Together they charged out of the transport, racing up the tunnel until they arrived at the spiraling stairway that led up to a tunnel where they could see some faint daylight. This would take them up into the fortress where all of the fighting was taking place. As they drew closer, they could hear the gunfire from the Guardians, screeches from the Hive and Taken and explosions sounding off frequently. But actually seeing the battlefield was a completely different story.
Seeing this massive Blight hanging over them placed an immense amount of pressure on them. They couldn't even see the sun, and they doubted that this fortress had ever seen it either. But even though they couldn't feel the sunlight, the fortress was still hot. Fire was everywhere as the Guardians seemed to follow Niko's words exactly. 'Light the place up!'
The necropolis that the Hive had constructed was crumbling around the area where the Guardians had entered as they razed it to the ground as payback for the loss of their City. Nothing would remain.
"This wasn't the plan at all." Zavala exclaimed, but that didn't matter. The Guardians had still succeeded in performing the task they had received. They had the full attention of the Hive and Taken.
"Over here Commander!" A Guardian called out as he waved over the raid teams from this small barrier that a group of Defenders had created using their Ward of Dawns.
Zavala was shocked to say the least. The call outs they had been listening to didn't match the situation at all. The Guardians were in full control!
"We've already determined where the heart of the fortress, and we have numerous teams that have been holding a pathway open for you all to get through. My Ghost has already given you all their coordinates. Just follow them from checkpoint to checkpoint and you'll be there in no time." The Guardian said as he pointed through the Ward of Dawns. Far down the pathway they could see fireteam laying down some suppressive fire, keeping it clear of enemies for them to advance.
"Excellent work Guardians." Zavala commented with a nod approval and a very small smile on his face.
"Well what are we waiting for, let's get going!" Tobias hollered as he dashed through the Ward of Dawns, receiving the blessings that they definitely needed.
As they began to advance, Hive Boomers rained down on them, doing everything they could to halt their advance. But the raid teams were undeterred as they made it to their first checkpoint, and once they were there, they spotted their destination. Looming over them was a palace that the Diana and Niko recognized.
"It looks just like, Crota's palace." Niko noted as he saw the resemblance. He would never forget the moment he saw Crota's palace when they raided the Hellmouth. For the Hive to construct something like this in such a short span of time was truly incredible, but this thought didn't last long. It was going to be burned to the ground after they completed this mission, just like the rest of the fortress.
Pressing forward from one checkpoint to the next, the raid teams had an opportunity to see just how far the Guardians had advanced. They had done a lot more than they had let on in the comms, and it was amazing to see them in action. Their newest abilities were on full display as they fought the hordes of Taken and Hive to a standstill, opening the pathway for the raid teams to get to the palace. And even when the Hive and Taken started to mass together on their path to the palace, the Guardians quickly swooped in to clear the way.
"Hold it, the resistance is heavy up ahead." A Titan called out as he motioned for the raid teams to join him behind the remains of a structure that had been knocked over earlier. Several Hunters were there as well, firing upon the horde of enemies ahead of them from behind cover, as if they were waiting for something.
"We're in flanking position. Commencing our attack!" A voice called out over the comms.
"They're ready, Nightstalkers, we need those Tethers down ASAP!" The Titan commanded, to which the Hunters gave him a nod in response before they summoned their bows. They all let their arrows loose, dropping them down all over the forces blocking the path to the palace. Even with so many Tethers down, there was still a number of enemies that hadn't suppressed, proof of how high the concentration was around the heart of the fortress.
"Coming through!" A voice roared as sparks began to fly. Lightning bolts began chaining through the enemy forces as a group of Stormcallers came through, mowing down everything in their sight with shouts of excitement. In just a few moments, what had been a massive gathering of the Hive had been whittled down to nothing in the wake of the Guardians.
"The pathway is clear Commander." The Titan called out as he looked back at Zavala. "Good luck in there."
"Well what are we waiting for, let's get this done!" Zeke shouted as he punched his palm, eager to get to work. The raid teams pushed forward, charging to the stairway that led up to the massive arched doorway that acted as the entrance to the palace. But guarding the entrance was a pair of Ogres which spotted the approaching Guardians and roared defiantly. They then lowered their heads, beginning to unleash a torrent of purple blasts from the front of their faces, pelting the Guardians with this attack.
"Someone get ready for clean up!" Niko called out as he jumped high into the air, shaping a bow of out Void Light. He then pulled back, igniting an arrow which he let loose. The arrow landed on the ground between the pair of Ogres where it became an anchor before ropes of Void Light extended out, latching on to each the Ogres who roared as they became suppressed by the Tether.
"I'm on it!" Diana shouted as leapt into the air to fire down a Nova Bomb onto the targets that were blocking the entrance. The Ogres were blasted away by this attack, becoming nothing more than bright sparkles that were blown away in the blast.
"Attention all Guardians, we've arrived at the heart of the fortress. Your goal is to continue drawing as much attention as possible for us while we're in there." Zavala called out as the raid teams separated into their predetermined groups now that it was time to commence their attack.
The raids teams entered the foyer of the palace which separated into three different corridors. One for each team.
"Perfect." Cayde commented. "Looks like this is where we'll go our separate ways."
"Prepare yourselves Guardians, for I am certain many horrors await you in the depths of this fortress." Eris warned them over the comms.
"Stick to your guns Guardians." Cayde added as the three teams now went their separate ways, venturing down into the palace.
Undaunted remained silent as they traveled down their corridor, looking around at the various columns that seemed to have been uprooted from the ground with Hive Arcana engraved on it. None of them felt any pressure despite the fact that they were journeying through the heart of the Hive stronghold in the center of enemy territory.
"I just completed my scan of the building. There are multiple floors going both above and below ground. I haven't been able to narrow down the location of the Hive incantation, but hopefully I'll find it soon." Diana's Ghost explained for the group.
"Each of us Ghosts will be monitoring the flow of energy. If anything comes up, we'll notify you." Tobias' Ghost added.
Deep within the palace, a lone silhouette watched as the Guardians separated into their three teams to search the palace. In particular though, they focused on Undaunted, closely following them as they commenced their mission.
"Our fated clash will finally take place Tobias." He said to himself with a small chuckle, eager to engage the Guardians.
"Raid teams, we've been compromised." Zavala stated over the comms.
"Yeah, we know." Niko barked in return as he stood behind a small pillar, occasionally peeking out to take a few shots at the Taken that were hounding them in the large chamber that they had previously been inspecting.
Just a few minutes ago they had been quietly trekking through the palace in search of any fluctuations that could hopefully lead them to the source of the incantation. Undaunted was the first to report that they had discovered some on unusual activity, but that turned out to a Taken opponent.
A Taken Archon to be specific.
"That thing is huge!" Carmen exclaimed as they looked up at the massive beast that had been waiting for them. And upon engaging it, it howled loudly, sending a quake through the palace that alerted all everyone that there were enemies inside. The Taken began to swarm them almost immediately as Undaunted fought this Archon.
And within minutes, all of the raid teams found themselves being smothered by the Taken as they tried to progress through the palace.
"Ghost, this is it isn't it?" Zeke asked as he and his team stood in a large chamber with a massive pit at the center of it. The pit was completely white, almost blinding at the bottom, contrasting the dark colors of the chamber they stood in now. Numerous pillars were protruding from the walls of the pit that would likely have to use to jump down.
"Yup, the fluctuations are coming from down below." His Ghost replied, earning a laugh from Zeke.
"I didn't think it be so obvious." He said, earning a nod of agreement from the rest of the team.
"This is raid team two calling in, we've tracked the energy fluctuations through the palace and we're closing in on source of the incantation." Axel explained over the comms as he watched Zeke and Sheryl leap down into the pit, bounding off of the pillars before vanishing into the white light below. "Tell Eris we're almost ready to open the transmat."
"She's ready and waiting." One of the operators replied.
"Excellent." Axel said as the remaining three Guardians jumped down as well, leaving him to follow them down. Axel gave a whoop as he jumped over the edge, beginning to plummet down into the pit. Unlike everyone else who took their time, moving from pillar to pillar, Axel went straight to the bottom, passing all his teammates who he gave a wave to.
As the light became blinding, Axel glanced at his radar to see if it could detect anything for him to get a bearing on his location, but it was of no use. It was just as lost as he was at this point. They were flying blind here.
"Do you see anything Axel?" Sheryl asked since he had passed them.
"Nothing so far." Axel replied.
"I don't see anything either." Zeke added.
Axel rotated in the air and put his hands behind his head as the drop continued with no end in sight. But in doing so he failed to notice that his fall was indeed coming to an end. Beneath him a steep decline hill took shape which Axel hit hard.
"Gah!" Axel groaned as he hit the ground, beginning to roll down the hill until he collided with one of the small columns which stopped him from going any further. "That hurt."
"What happened Axel?" Zeke asked upon hearing his teammate groan and complain.
"I found the bottom." He said as he rose up, standing on the column to look down at the scene in front of him. After passing through the bright light from above, this tunnel was dark, lit by only a few small torches that were mounted on the walls with green flames. It was long tunnel that had a sharp decline with columns that varied in size rising from the floor. And at the bottom of the tunnel was a large doorway that likely led to the chamber they were searching for.
Soon enough the rest of the raid team landed down in the tunnel, using the columns to stop themselves from sliding down to the bottom of the end of the tunnel.
"As much as I want to run in there, we can't be reckless." Zeke said to all of them as they slowly moved down from column to column, allowing their Ghosts to map out the area.
"My radar is still dead, so rushing in isn't a good idea to begin with." Sheryl stated. They had no idea what was waiting for them down in this room below.
"It's just one room down there." Zeke's Ghost said having finished mapping the small area they were in now. "And I can confirm that there's no enemies in there."
"Well it looks like we'll wrap things up without a problem." Axel said with a grin as they jumped down from the columns to the floor where they began to slide down the hill, speeding down to the chamber below.
Arriving at the entrance, they wasted no time entering to see what was waiting for them. It was a large, circular and empty room, just like Zeke's Ghost had said. Stepping in, Zeke heard a splash before looking down. He couldn't see it, but there was water on the floor. It was so dark in this room since the only source of light was a very faint green hue that came from a pedestal at the center of the room.
"That's it, the source of the incantation." Zeke's Ghost said as their Ghosts appeared to light the room a bit as they split up to begin examining the room for anything else.
"This is raid team two, we've found the source." Zeke declared through the comms. "My Ghost is opening the transmat for Eris."
"Good work team two, she's on her way." The operator replied.
Zeke's Ghost split its shell, opening the pathway for Eris to join them in this room. Several blue sparkles began to appear, gathering together as they took on the shape of a Guardian. It took a few moments before the form materialized, but once the sparkles faded away, they could see that Eris had made it through safe and sound.
"Yes, this is it." Eris said without even glancing around the room. She could feel Oryx's presence in the room. Zeke raised his eyebrows as she turned to the center of the room, approaching the pedestal. It was small, but hovering above it was a small stone, similar to the one that Eris carried with her.
Placing her hands around the light it was producing, Eris shut her eyes and her hands began to flow softly.
"This will take some time." She stated. This incantation wasn't done by Oryx himself, but whoever made it was powerful as well. She would need time to break this one down.
"That won't be a problem, there isn't much to do anyway." Zeke noted as he looked around at the rest of his teammates as they joined him and Eris at the center of the room. "Good work team, we knocked this out without a hitch."
"Don't get ahead of yourself Zeke, we still have to get back out of here once Eris shuts down the shield." Sheryl pointed out, causing them all to realize that they had jumped down into the pit, but how would they get back up it?
"Shoot man, I didn't even think about that." He noted. There weren't stuck down here. There must have been a wait for them get out. Maybe some kind of secret path that would take them back up to the palace.
"Well we're underground aren't we?" Axel asked as he looked toward Zeke's Ghost.
"We certainly are." It replied.
"We could always dig a tunnel like we're escaping from prison." Axel suggested with a chuckle.
"With spoons too?" Sheryl added.
"Exactly." Axel said as the two shared a laugh along with everyone else, but small laugh came to a sudden end as everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
"Did you feel that?" Zeke asked as they all looked around, reaching for their weapons.
"Someone else is here." Sheryl said.
"There!" Zeke's Ghost exclaimed as a circle of green flames lit up on the other end of the room. Their Ghosts began to tremble as a figure began to rise up from the water on the floor, freaking out just about all of them. Their Ghosts quickly vanished at this as all of them now readied their weapons.
Around the perimeter of the room, green flames were lit, providing them with enough light to see the figure that had appeared before them. But it became a blur before any of them could get a decent look at it.
"It's going for Eris!" Sheryl snapped as she jumped in front of Eris, drawing her hand cannon and using it to block and attack from their opponent who now stood in front her for all of them to see.
Sheryl's eyes became wide as she stared at the person standing in front of her. She recognized the helmet, the robes, and the boots. Only a Guardian would wear something like this. But this Guardian wasn't part of their team. He was attacking them!
"What's a Guardian doing down here?!"
A/N
Oh man, I've been so pumped to get to this point in the story. I've been envisioning these chapters for months and now I'm finally posting them.
I have nothing to say this time but to keep an eye out for the next update. Thank you all for reading and I hope to see you at the next chapter!