S1-131
Ice and Shadow

2:37 PM
07/02/3272

Approaching planet Mars

Music
Destiny 2 - A Guardian's Past

Taking a big break from their interdimensional travels, City Hawk 723 plotted a course for Mars to investigate why one of the Shadow's 'eyes and ears' suddenly went dark.

"{Mars; the first place where humanity encountered the Traveler, home to the Clovis Bray research facility, and lost wonders of the Golden Age. The ice caps have kept those wonders hidden for hundreds of years, but the return of the Traveler's Light has sounded an alarm heard throughout the system, and perhaps beyond.}"

"Fascinating." The Shadow's voice echoed over the comms. "Team, I need your help. One of my Echoes suddenly vanished. I'd say it was one of those WarSats, but then I saw what looked like Hive."

"Hive? On Mars?" Michael wondered.

"I know. I don't get it either. I'm on my way there right now."

"{The Red War is over, but Ghaul's forces, what remains of them, have been scavenging during their retreat. And now that WarSats are falling out of orbit near Mars, the Cabal are headed there too. I'll plot a landing course.}"

Once they entered Mars's lower orbit, City Hawk 723 narrowly avoided a falling WarSat, then got a communication alert. "That's the private Counsel channel!"

"Mayday! Mayday! Do you copy?! ~grunt~ Vanguard access code zero-three-zero-six- ~static~ GET AWAY FROM MY GHOST, YOU FROZ- ~static~ Guardian, requesting back-up! I repeat, I need back-up down here!"

"{This frequency is reserved for official Council business. So look, whoever this is-}"

"That's cute. You've got one of the uptight Ghosts."

Michael got agitated real fast. "Uptight? UPTIGHT?! YOU LISTEN H-"

"I'm uploading coordinates to a safe landing zone. Please hurry."

"...here... ~sigh, groan~ Alright, but you're going to owe us for this one." Michael said sternly.

"I wouldn't have called you down here unless it was absolutely critical. The most dangerous weapon in this solar system is on this planet, and an entire army of Hive is trying to destroy it. I need your help."

Planet Mars - Hellas Basin
Olympus Descent

Music
Destiny 2 - Hellas Basin

"We've touched down on the surface of Mars, Guardian. What is your status? Are you safe?" Spyglass asked the new Guardian over the comms.

"For now. But there's a whole lot of 'not safe' between us and the Clovis Bray facility, which is where we need to be."

"What's so important there?" Samus asked. "WarSats, like the one that almost hit you on approach, have been dropping out of the sky since I got here, which usually means only one thing."

"Rasputin? The 'greatest weapon of the Golden Age' you were talking about? But... that's impossible!" Michael exclaimed.

"Nothing is impossible where Rasputin is concerned. Meet me at the facility."

"Solid copy."

"TN, can you reach the facility?" Jenny asked through her neural link.

"[I'm already en route.]" The Titan responded.

As the Fireteam went down the path, they saw a crashed WarSat just outside the entrance to a cave.

Music
Destiny 2 - Beneath the Ice

Inside the icy cavern, Hive quickly crawled out of the frozen terrain, with ice and snow encrusted in their skin alongside the armor they already had.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Grasp of Nokris

"I've never seen Hive like this before." Michael remarked.

"As far as I know, they don't exist anywhere but here."

Up ahead, a Taken rift opened up, and the Shadow walked out. "Frozen Hive... Now I've seen everything."

Further ahead was a new Hive soldier, wielding an actual shield with a large cleaver.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Vanquisher

The Shadow disarmed the Vanquisher, then took the sword and shield, adding them to his own arsenal as he vanquished the new Hive soldier. Up ahead was more Hive, eventually followed by a special Vanquisher.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Golur
the Plagued

Instead of being killed, this new Hive was added to the Shadow's Taken, then brought back.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Golur
the Cured

Before anything could be said, the Shadow vanished, his half of the Yin Yang Switch attaching to his new Taken troop, which started glowing a reddish purple. The Taken Vanquisher completely decimated the remaining Hive, then looked at the Fireteam. "The path is clear! Let's move!" His voice seemed to be more... aggressive.

"Lemme guess... New trick." Michael stated as his Taken half shifted out of the Taken Vanquisher.

"Yeah, new trick. I call it 'Taken Meld'." The Shadow put the Darkscythe on his back, then pulled out the Touch of Malice, ready for longer ranged engagements.

Up ahead was another WarSat, but with a strange holographic display within the exposed wiring. "Rocco, take a look at this one."

The Ghost appeared and scanned the WarSat, gaining some results. "{There's no reason for this satellite to have fallen from orbit. Something pulled it down. I think it might be time to call in help from the Counsel.}"

"Is that what you call the Vanguard nowadays? Interesting. And it's not a great idea. Zavala won't be happy about us digging around Bray. He wants the past to stay buried, but we need to get in there to find out what's going on with Rasputin."

Eventually, they came across the exit.

Planet Mars - Hellas Basin
Glacial Drift

Music
Destiny 2 - The Frozen Horde

Up ahead was the Bray facility, and a Vanguard-class Titan running in the distance.

Suddenly, a part of one of the buildings up ahead exploded. "What was that?" Samus wondered.

"{Not sure.}"

More frozen Hive up ahead, and there was another new type. A Hive sniper.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Adherent

After managing to get through the Hive, City Hawk 723 encountered an Ogre.

SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES

1: Urrot
Hammer of Nokris

This Ogre was no problem as it was added to the Taken.

"I thought you didn't like the knowledge of the Hive." Jenny was right to question the Shadow's decision.

The Taken King turned to her. "We need answers, and we need them now."

"Guardians, you still with me?"

"We're clear. Where to next?" Michael asked.

"We've found a Golden Age research facility buried inside a glacier. Where do you think? Meet me at the entrance to Clovis Bray."

Music
none

Once City Hawk 723 reached the closed entrance, another Vanquisher appeared, ready to attack, only to get shot from behind by none other than their mystery ally.

SCANNING...
GUARDIAN ID RECOGNIZED

1: Ana Bray
Warmind Crypto-Linquist

"Hey, you all made it!"

"Actually, yes. We did."

Michael stated. "Well, there were a lot more of them, but you did great. C'mon, let's see what's hiding in here. Besides hordes and hordes of frozen Hive, I mean."

"Ha... Ha..." The Shadow let out a fake laugh.

"What's his problem?" Ana wondered.

"He hates the Hive more than he hates the Fallen, Cabal, or Vex." Spyglass replied.

"He just finds the Hive revolting, disgusting, disturbing, and practically parasitic." Mark-18 added.

"Well, he's alright with me."

He's alright with me as well, Ana.

The Warmind DLC has gone live!

And yes, the Shadow has a new ability. Taken Meld allows the Shadow to 'meld' with one of his Taken. While it makes him more powerful, yet more aggressive, it makes the Shadow more vulnerable. If the Taken unit the Shadow is melded with is destroyed, the Shadow will be reduced to Ascendant cinders. Remember that Mote of Light in CH 82?

The Shadow becoming more aggressive when melded with one of his Taken is actually based off of Ghor from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption becoming more aggressive when merging with his massive armorsuit.

See you next time!