S1-81
Enemy of My Enemy

4:29 PM
05/03/3241

Approaching the Dreadnaught

Music
none

Mark-18 was en route back to the Dreadnaught, with MF-8472, the other two Exo brothers, and their Titans following him. "Oryx could be anywhere on the Dreadnaught. With time, we could find him, but we don't have time. The Cabal have been there long enough to have real field intelligence. The path to Oryx lies on their ship." Zavala reported.

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Calm down, Tanner. We'll get through this." Mark-18 stated, readying himself for combat.

"[We can assist you in area of the Cabal ship, but we will be unable to follow you further into the Dreadnaught.]"

"[We'll handle anything the Cabal, Hive, or Taken throw at us.]"

"[Except for Michael. Also, Jeeves is picking up signs of a distress call through his neural link.]"

"So Michael's still alive. Good to know. I don't know if we're gonna be able to help him though." Hayden-10 worried.

"Samus just went to the Speaker to figure this out." Zavala transmitted.

The Dreadnaught
Hull Breach
(!) Darkness Zone (!)

Music
Destiny - The Dreadnaught

Once they arrived, it was revealed that the Cabal were still there, fighting off the Hive. "{Cabal are still holding out. Multiple survivors.}"

"Survival is a temporary condition. Cut through them and get inside their ship." Zavala ordered.

"{Who fights this hard to protect a crashed ship?}"

"That's not a crash site. It's a beachhead. Only way those doors will open is to send reinforcements. Draw them out."

Wanting to take his Titan for a spin, Tanner-21 jumped into XM-2536's cockpit. "[Control transferring to Pilot. Thermite Launcher ready.]" With the T-203 Thermite Launcher locked and loaded, Tanner-21 started firing upon both the Hive and the Cabal, dealing with a Hive Ogre by using an Incendiary Trap. "[Flame Core is ready.]"

A massive amount of Hive came out, attacking the Cabal, with very few of them realizing the presence of the Guardians.

"[Flame Core activated.]" Tanner-21 activated the Flame Core, unleashing the fires of Hell, which rippled through the ground, purging all Hive in its wake.

The doors to the Cabal ship began to open. "{I think you got their attention.}"

"When those doors open, fight through it." Zavala ordered.

Tanner-21, Hayden-10, and Mark-18 disembarked, putting their Titans in Guard-Mode to secure the area as they fought their way into the ship.

The Dreadnaught
Dantalion Exodus VI
(!) Darkness Zone (!)

"{Zavala, we're in. What's next?}" Mindsight questioned.

"Cabal protocol is to detonate any ship that crashes. If they haven't after all this time, it must be a base of operations. They're looking for something on the Dreadnaught. See what they know about Oryx."

As the Exos moved through the Dantalion Exodus VI, they encountered quite a few Cabal, killing them with ease.

Once the area was cleared out, Hayden-10's Ghost came out and scanned the turbines in the floor. "{There's still enough power moving through this ship for it to take off.}"

"They won't leave until they get what they came for. A lesson I learned the hard way from Valus Ta'aurc. He didn't know every dog had its day until he saw his last. These will too."

"{Oh, nice! There's a terminal nearby. It should have the info we're looking for.}" Hayden-10 scouted ahead, finding the terminal guarded by two Psions, which were easily killed off before the Hunter's Ghost arrived to scan it. "{The Cabal have located Oryx. He's protected in the center of the Dreadnaught, reachable only through something they call 'a Rupture'.}"

"Must be some kind of portal. Have the Cabal found one?"

"{They've got a team heading for it right now.}"

"Then I suggest you get there first."

The three moved through the ship, seeing a strange ventilation mechanism releasing fumes. "{I can't categorize all of the chemicals moving through these machines, but keep your helmet on, it could be toxic. And furthermore, it stinks.}"

"Uh... Yeah, thanks for the heads-up." Mark-18 said.

Eventually, they exited the Cabal ship, ending up in another sector of the Dreadnaught.

The Dreadnaught
Mausoleum
(!) Darkness Zone (!)

The Cabal were being absolutely destroyed by Hive and Taken. "{We've found the Cabal team headed for the Rupture. They're outnumbered by Taken.}"

"Forget what they say about 'the enemy of my enemy'. Something stands between you and the Rupture, put it down."

"{The Cabal won't last much longer...}"

As the carnage continued, one of the Cabal was pulled out of existence through a rift. "{Oryx just recruited a Centurion!}"

"Let him take all he wants. He won't be around long enough for it to matter."

On the far side of the sector, overlooking a bottomless pit, was a Hive structure they were looking for. "{That must be the Rupture.}"

"Eris, what's their next move?" Zavala wondered.

Eris Morn was on the comms. "Toland spoke of statues the Hive use to navigate Ruptures."

"{We'll look for them.}"

There was a statue nearby that vaguely resembled a Thrall. "{I'll see if it's still active.}" Tanner-21's Ghost was released as the sector was secured. "{It's linked to the Rupture, but I can't understand how the Hive control it. Let's try another statue.}"

Two more statues were found, and the other Exos had their Ghosts take a look at them.

"Yes, the statues control where the Rupture leads. They could deliver us to Oryx."

"{It's dead. But something's happening at the Rupture.}" The Hive portal flashed open. Something was up. "{The Rupture's opening!}"

Out of the Rupture came a massive amount of Thralls. "The Thrall will smother your Light! Do not underestimate them as Tarlowe did!"

Mark-18 suddenly surged with Arc Light, using a Stormtrance to keep them at bay, but he couldn't keep it up long enough, so he had to rely on his machine gun. "Forget about the Thrall! Get through that Rupture! Quick! Before the Rupture closes!"

Hayden-10 rushed to get through the portal, but some unseen force sent him flying back. "{I don't think we're going that way.}"

"Then it's true. Only the Ascendant can will a Rupture to open."

"{There's something Ascendant passing through right now.}" It was an Echo of Oryx, accompanied by Taken.

Hayden-10 returned and used a Shadowshot to pin them down, allowing Tanner-21 to use his Solar Super to destroy them.

Tanner-21 [Hammer of Sol] Echo of Oryx

The Dreadnaught
Mausoleum

Music
none

Before they could try the Rupture again, it closed. "{The Rupture is closed.}"

"It will only open for Ascendant Hive."

"{Then how do we reach Oryx?}"

"Become your enemy. Become Ascendant."

"We'll sort this out, Guardians. Head back to the Tower when you can." Zavala ordered.

With the mission now being elsewhere, the Exo brothers turned to depart to their ships, guarded by their Titans.

Music
Metroid Fusion - SA-X Appears

"[Pilot, I am detecting a massive Taken energy surge in the Hall of Souls, and it's advancing on your location!]" MF-8472 transmitted.

Mark-18 shuddered. "The Shadow..." The Guardians were being hunted down.

They ran through a small tunnel beside the Dantalion Exodus VI, discovering a shortcut between the surrounding sectors.

The Dreadnaught
Hull Breach
(!) Darkness Zone (!)

"This doesn't look good." A massive amount of Taken were fighting the Titans, and were beginning to gain the advantage.

Just then, UQ-2153 activated her Flight Core, destroying the Taken.

As the Guardians approached, the Shadow arrived, leading a group of Taken Hobgoblins and Legionaries.

Music
Code Lyoko - William

"⍜⌿⟒⋏ ⎎⟟⍀⟒! ⎅⍜⋏'⏁ ⌰⟒⏁ ⏁⊑⟒⋔ g⟒⏁ ⏃⍙⏃⊬!" The Taken Legionaries rushed in and attacked while the Taken Hobgoblins tried to snipe the Guardians.

Unfortunately for them, the Guardians and Titans managed to escape.

Music
none

"⏁⊑⟒⊬'⌰⌰ c⍜⋔⟒ ⏚⏃ck. ⟟ ⟊⎍⌇⏁ k⋏⍜⍙ ⟟⏁."

4:47 PM
05/03/3241

Planet Earth - The last City
Tower Plaza

Music
Destiny - The Tower

Once the Guardians had returned to the Tower, they went to see the Counsel. "Hmm... Well, according to the scan data MF transmitted, the Shadow came from a certain place in the Hall of Souls. A place known as the 'Court of Oryx'." Cayde-6 stated.

Just then, a certain individual returned, accompanied by two Ghosts. It was Samus. "I just came back from the Speaker's study. I think we have a plan to get Michael back."

"Tell us." Ikora wanted to know.

"{Well, Jeeves picked up a distress call through his neural link with Michael, which means his will hasn't been erased, and that he's still alive. His Light has been contained within the Shadow, but if you can imbue him with a Mote of Light, it will give him enough power to break free. The easy part is luring him out, the hard part is getting close enough without getting permanently killed by the Shadow's dark powers.}" Michael's Ghost explained.

"The Light will illuminate the Darkness, and Oryx's control over Michael will break, but in order to go through the Rupture, you must become Ascendant." As creepy as she is, Eris was right.

This plan will work. It HAS to work!

See you next time.