S1-110
Omega
1:09 PM
08/09/3272
Planet Earth - The last City
Bazaar
Music
Destiny - The Tower
The group had returned to the City and filled Ikora in on all that had happened. "I refuse to allow us to come this close to victory and fail. Sagira's sacrifice has to mean something. You know where Panoptes waits, as does Osiris. He will try to fight it on his own, and without our help, he will die, and without Sagira... Only she could open the gateway. She was our key. Osiris may have taught me everything he knew about being a Warlock, but that's not everything I know. You must return to Mercury, and this time, I will go with you."
"Very well, m'lady."
"Mark-18, now is not the time."
1:13 PM
08/09/3272
Approaching planet Mercury
Music
none
"{OK, I don't know how we're gonna get in there, and I don't know what the Infinite Forest looks like.}"
"You've seen the Infinite Forest." Ikora stated.
"{I wasn't there. Some outcast's Ghost possessed me.}"
"That's... interesting."
1:17 PM
08/09/3272
Planet Mercury - Fields of Glass
The Lighthouse
Music
Destiny 2 - Fields of Glass
Once they reached Mercury, Ikora disappeared, and the group simply exited the ship, finding her levitating before the gateway to the Infinite Forest.
"{This is it. Whether it's us or Panoptes, someone's future is ending today.}"
"Well said." Michael replied, glad to have his Ghost back.
"It took Osiris years of study to find a way to open the gateways. We don't have years, so..." She turned to face the gateway, then focused Void Light into it, forcing the barrier open. "It's open, but unstable. Go! I'll hold it open for as long as I can!"
Planet Mercury - Fields of Glass
Infinite Forest
Music
Destiny 2 - The Infinite Forest
"{We've gotta get to Panoptes before Osiris does. Without Sagira, if he dies, he dies for good.}" They entered a simulation, but the atmosphere was a bit darker than normal. "{The Infinite Forest... It's huge. I never thought... When the fate of the world's not at stake, can we come back?}"
"I'm not entirely sure, Rocco."
They blasted past Vex and simulated Cabal and Hive, closing in on Panoptes. "{We're only going to get one chance at this. If we lose Panoptes here, we won't be able to find it again.}"
Planet Mercury - Fields of Glass
Infinity's Crown
In the next sector, the Vex simulation mastermind appeared.
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Panoptes
the Infinite Mind
Music
Destiny 2 - Panoptes, Infinite Mind
A large number of Vex appeared, summoned by Panoptes. The Shadow sent out a dark slash, obliterating a significant portion of them, and leaving the rest for the Pilots.
Once the Vex were gone, Panoptes vanished and reappeared further into the space. A nearby propulsion sphere came into use to get them where they needed to be for the time being. "{Where is Osiris?}"
"Maybe we beat him here." Michael surmised.
Panoptes summoned simulated Fallen to fight the Pilots, but it was in vain as the enemies were killed off. The Mind of the Infinite Forest warped elsewhere, and the group followed after him.
Simulated Cabal, in a matter of seconds, deleted. Panoptes went further back, and he was still being followed.
"What's it gonna be this time? Simulated Hive?" Simulated Hive. They were immediately killed off, and Panoptes went further, as did the Pilots.
"{Osiris and Sagira came to the Forest to stop Panoptes. But they're not here. We are.}"
The group had to face simulated Fallen, but that wasn't too hard when Michael let out a Stormtrance to clear them out.
Suddenly, as Panoptes was manipulating the simulation, the group felt a searing pain. "{No no no no no! It's deleting us from the Forest! I can't stop it!}"
It was then that a swarm of Osiris's Reflections appeared, accompanied by the real Osiris. "Panoptes, face me!" Osiris projected a bright sphere of energy around himself as Panoptes tried to crush him between its hands. The simulation became unstable, and Osiris was somehow gaining control. A propulsion ring appeared, along with other structures. "I'll block it for as long as I can! You must take down its defenses!" The group landed on a platform, and one of Osiris's Reflections created a solid orb of electricity. "Use the Arc charge!"
Michael picked up the Arc charge and followed the path as it formed in front of him. When he reached the end of the walkway and slammed the Arc charge down on the circular platform, which caused an explosion on Panoptes, staggering the Infinite Mind.
"I can give you a clear shot at its eye, Guardians!" A new platform appeared, and the Pilots were immediately teleported onto it.
Panoptes's head appeared to have split open, revealing a large orb. "EMBRACE THE VOID! WELCOME TO OBLIVION!" Mark-18's signature Nova Bomb dealt tremendous damage to Panoptes, but it wasn't enough.
They were ejected from the structure as it vanished, then they had to face more simulated Hive. Same as before; wipe them all out... which was what the Shadow mostly completed, and Michael finished them off.
"Your time in the Infinite Forest ends now!" Osiris proclaimed. The simulation was once again unstable, with more structures appearing. "The shields!"
Just like the first time, the group used the propulsion shields to make their way to an elevated walkway, and Jenny grabbed the Arc charge this time. Panoptes was blown open again, and the Pilots were given another shot at the eye. Michael formed his Andromeda Cannons, blasting Panoptes's eye with pure Light.
Again, they were sent back, and they had to face simulated Cabal, but Panoptes disappeared. It was then that Samus engaged the Morph Ball and rolled in, charging a Power Bomb as Michael mustered enough Light to form a Ward of Dawn. The resulting detonation completely wiped out the simulated opposition. "{We can't let Panoptes get away! Follow it!}"
Another of those propulsion spheres were active up ahead, allowing the group to pursue Panoptes. In the area were no simulated enemies, but Vex, and a Hydra, which was 'krusched'.
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Alecto
Infinite Proxy
Mark-18 [Bonekruscher] Alecto, Infinite Proxy (Sol Collective)
"It's over, Panoptes!" Michael proclaimed.
"No, Panoptes! Your future has only one ending now!" A large platform appeared before the group, and Samus picked up the Arc charge, traveling across the pathway to use it against Panoptes.
They were teleported to a structure that formed just in front of the Infinite Mind as Osiris's Reflections were pulling Panoptes's eye out, making it an easier target.
"This one's all yours, Samus." Michael stepped aside.
"Jenny should score the kill."
Taking the chance, Jenny formed the Golden Gun, taking her three shots at the eye of Panoptes, destroying it. Panoptes's now-empty body became unstable, then exploded, leaving nothing behind.
Jenny [Golden Gun] Panoptes, the Infinite Mind (Sol Collective)
Music
none
"And give me back my Ghost!" Osiris yelled.
1:18 PM
08/09/3272
Planet Mercury - Fields of Glass
The Lighthouse
Music
Destiny - Guardian
The group had made their way back out of the Infinite Forest, with the protective barrier gone, and Ikora was waiting there. "There's someone you should see."
Speaking of whom, Osiris stepped out of the gate, with his hood down, and Sagira was restored, floating by his shoulder. "The Vex Mind is destroyed, and the path to their dark future is gone with it."
"{And in case you were wondering, our Guardians were amazing.}"
"{OUR Guardians?}" Rocco exclaimed. "{Hmph. MY Guardian, Guardian thief.}"
"It's good to have you back, buddy." Michael stated, ruffling Rocco's shell.
The blue-shelled Ghost simply laughed in response. "{Glad to be back!}"
"Osiris, it's been... a very long time." Ikora began.
"Too long, my... I..." Osiris chuckled. "Heh. I was going to say 'student', but... well that word is too small for you now."
"I've had other teachers. Time, pain, Guardians who make a habit of the impossible, who I'm proud to call friends."
Osiris nodded. "The world has changed."
"So has the City. You could come back with me."
"No, my place is here now. We stopped the Vex this time, but many equations lead to the same solution, if they were ever to find another... Besides, I predicted many things, but I never saw any of you. Now we have a future." Osiris and Sagira then headed back to the gate to the Infinite Forest. "The pathway to the Forest will be open if you ever need to find me, or if you want to talk."
Ikora smiled. "I'd like that."
"{Great! Galaxy saved, friends again, our big heroes over here, and by the way, you're welcome.}"
Osiris chuckled at his Ghost. "Heh heh. Come, little light. We have infinite realities to explore, and all the time in the world." And with that, the two returned to the Infinite Forest.
I think we're done here on Mercury.
See you next time.