Well, well, well. Look who's finally come crawling back. God, the audacity of this dumbass to just vanish for the better part of a month! I think you all should be outraged at me! In serious terms, sorry for the delay. This chapter took so much longer than I intended. I uploaded the last one, took a break for a few days, and then proceeded to become impossibly busy for the next two weeks. Works giving me new hours, I've taken up tutoring for middle and high school students, college started back up and I switched my major, and, worst of all, a new season of Destiny dropped!
Well, we're back now. As the Cloaker says; "Better late than never!" I'll let y'all get to the chapter. I can't promise that the next one won't have a similarly long wait. I'll try to get it out a bit quicker, but no guarantees.
Chapter 41: When Stars Fall
"Fight for the living. Kill for the dead." -The Scholar
Paladin swung his fists together, shooting a bolt of lightning that cut through the Taken like a blade through flesh. He brought his hands up, blocking a strike from a Trapper. Their spear scraped across his gauntlet. He quickly lashed out and grabbed them by their throat. Lifting the Trapper overhead, he stared into their eyes as he squeezed. Their neck shattered with a sickening crack. A bolt slammed into his side and he stepped away. He held out the Trapper's corpse as a shield, summoning a hammer in his off-hand.
Another shot from a Taken Acolyte hit his impromptu shield. Paladin flung it aside, throwing them into more of their comrades, and hurled the hammer at his assailant. The Taken exploded in flame, leaving a burning pool under their feet. Seeing his motion tracker light up, Paladin dodged a second before a large blade split him in twain. He turned as the Taken Knight pulled its sword back. The colossal creature bore down on him, already drawing its sword back again.
Paladin squared up, pulling his fists close. The Knight swung its blade around, only for a vial of liquid to slam into its back. The potion instantly reacted, exploding violently and causing the Taken to stumble. Paladin turned slightly, seeing Vitimir preparing to throw another potion. The Knight reared its head back and unleashed a torrent of flame. Paladin quickly dove between the two, holding up a shield of Void Light. While the Titan held off the brunt of the assault, Vitimir arced another potion over the shield. It crashed into the Knight and exploded again, staggering it. Paladin flung his shield while it was off balance. The disc cut through the Knights midsection, bisecting it cleanly. The Knight keeled over, falling to the ground.
"How much longer will that Hunter take?" Vitimir scowled, pulling the cork off another potion and waving it before him. The liquid flew out, forming a cloud that froze several Taken in place.
"Just keep holding out!" Paladin shouted. He stomped the ground, shattering the frozen Taken. "We have to buy them all the time we can!"
"Wake up."
Royal groaned as Outcast struck the side of his head. The Nightmare pulled him to his feet. He clawed at his Brothers grasp, trying desperately to free himself. The Nightmare scowled at him, as he dragged the Warlock through the field.
"What more do you want from me?" Royal asked, defeat omnipresent in his voice and posture. Outcast threw him down.
"I thought you would've appreciated catching up on how your friends are doing. Your real friends."
Royal looked up, not daring to believe him. "You told me they were dead." Outcast smirked at him.
"You're fault for taking what I said at face value. But, if it makes you feel any better, they'll be dead soon." Royal forced himself up a little higher. Outcast waved his hand, projecting a mental apparition before the two. Royal face twisted in horror as he saw himself bringing a blade down on Luz.
Luz's eyes widened as Royal's blade cut through the air, arcing over and down to cut her in half. In an instant, everything Royal had taught her over the last few months kicked to life. She dodged to the side and the blade came down. It pierced the floor of the pyramid and Royals mangled head was already turning to track her. He began to pull the weapon free but was interrupted when Eda grabbed hold of his arm.
"Royal, what are you doing?" She questioned. Royal's head whipped to face her and his free arm snapped up. His fist made contact with her chin, causing her head to jerk up painfully. Had that been anyone else, it likely would've been a lethal blow. Fortunately, Eda's curse allowed her to endure it. She looked back down, rubbing her sore jaw.
"Alright, Tincan. You wanna get rough? I can get rough." Her body began to swell as she transformed into her Harpy form. She lept forward, grabbing onto Royal and carrying him into the air. While the two traded blows, Lancer emerged from hiding, staring at Royal's new glaive.
"Why is he attacking us?" Amity asked.
"He isn't," Lancer said, his voice sounding a little choked up. "He's dead. I can feel it. But I can't bring him back."
Eda fell onto her back, slamming into the ground with a painful thud. Royal was perched atop her, delivering rapid and vicious punches to her head as she struggled to defend herself. As his fists came back, Amity and Willow were quick to intervene. The latter girl threw dozens of seeds she had brought with her around the arena, scattering them to give her some much-needed ammunition. Together, a tendril of Abomination goo and a tangle of vines bound both of the Guardians arms, pulling him back. Eda slipped one of her feet under Royal and pushed him off. The shove combined with the pull of his binds sent Royal careening back. He slid over the ground, coming to a stop near his glaive that was still buried in the ground. He tore his binds off and pulled his weapon free, deftly spinning it into a combat stance. Luz pulled out her revolver as her friends readied themselves behind her.
Royal moved first, not giving them much time to prepare. He swung wide, trying to cleave through as many targets at once. They all scattered and moved to retaliate. Eda, supported by a few illusions from Gus, quickly closed the gap. Royal swung his blade with precise expertise, cutting through the immaterial constructs as Eda dodged his swipes. Eventually, he got wise to her tricks. Feinting a strike, he swept her legs out from under her and prepared to bring his blade down.
Before Royal could make the finishing blow, Hunter stepped in. He teleported past Royal, dragging Eda with him to safety. As Royal was recovering, Amity stepped in and swung at the Warlock. She had wrapped herself in Abomination goo, molding it like armor around herself. The spikes on her gauntlet bit into his exposed innards, eliciting no reaction from the Guardian. Unfettered, she swung again, staggering Royal and knocking what was left of his lower face clean off. The flimsy wires that were holding his jaw on snapped. Royal was quick to recover. Grabbing onto Amity's shoulder, he slammed their foreheads together. The impact was diminished by her helmet but it still left her dazed.
A bullet slammed into Royal's left shoulder before he could capitalize. Luz's revolver shook slightly as she aimed it at him. As he recovered, she sent two more into his chest, forcing him away from Amity. Camilla joined her daughter, though her own gunfire was less controlled and less frequent. Royal scrambled away from the bullets as they cut into his body.
"Try not to hurt him too much," Lancer said.
"I thought he was already dead!" Gus replied, summoning more illusions to disorient the Guardian.
"He can complain about us filling him holes after we save his ass," Eda added, moving to attack Royal again. Willow joined her, unleashing a storm of vines that snapped at the Guardian. He wouldn't let it be that easy, however, and began to rapidly spin his glaive around him. The Warlock became a tornado of death, cutting through the vines and forcing both Witches back.
Above them, the Collector watched the fight, clapping along and cheering every time Royal went on the offensive. Camilla fixed her gaze on the Collector, swapped out her magazine with one provided by Lancer, and chambered a new round. She took a second to settle her breath and aimed. With the Collector centered in her sights, she pulled the trigger.
A casing ejected from the side of the scout rifle as the bullet cut through the air. The Collector turned to watch just as the bullet bounced harmlessly off his forehead. Royal instantly halted, falling into a guard stance. The Collector picked up the bullet, turning it over in his hand.
"You know, you really shouldn't have done that." He snapped his fingers and Royal obeyed, turning and charging at Camilla. The others tried to stop him, only for the deceased Guardian to shove them aside. He lept into the air, his weapon descending to split the woman in twain.
A torrent of jagged blue spikes rolled across the ground. It moved like a wave, sweeping over the Guardian. Royal was soon encased in solid sapphire crystals, unable to move. King raised his palm from the ground, breathing heavily from the exertion. Hunter dashed in, pulling Camilla away from Royal's blade, now frozen a few inches away from her face.
"What was that?" Gus asked as the Hexsquad regrouped. Royal's prison began to crack slightly as he strained against it.
"Little something I've been learning about," King said. "Doesn't seem like it's going to hold much longer."
"We need a way to stop him for good," Amity said, drawing more Abomination matter to herself. Luz remained quiet, watching Royal as he slowly wore the crystals down. Her eyes tracked to the threads on his limbs.
"He's a puppet," she realized. "The strings; if we cut them, he'll fall limp!" Lancer took a quick scan of them, responding with an affirming chirp.
"It's worth a shot. But those things are drenched in Darkness. Normal weapons or magic aren't gonna cut it. Figuratively or literally." Luz holstered her gun and reached onto her back, pulling Edge of Intent free. The weapon seemed to pulse with Light in her hands, settling her nerves. She could hear Royal's instructions.
Ensure that the blade is pointed toward your enemy, presenting it as a constant threat. Keep your feet spread and set. You have to be ready to make rapid movements, either for evasion, defense, or balance. Your grip needs to be firm, but not too tight. You don't want to hurt your hands if you get disarmed. Most importantly, stay calm. Act and react. Don't think. If you have time to think, you've either already won or are already dead.
Royal finally shattered the ice encasing his body, with small shards clattering to the ground. He pulled his weapon back as he readjusted, turning to stare at Luz with his blank face. She took in a deep breath as she settled into position. Her friends joined her, preparing themselves for his renewed assault.
Venator hissed as she gripped another moon symbol. It lashed at her Light as she sought to tear it off. With a slight grunt, she managed to tug it free. The Witch gasped as they were brought back to reality. Vee stepped over, helping them back to their feet and escorting them to the side to join other freed souls. Venator flexed her arm as Bump laid another puppet on the ground before her.
She had been at this for a while now, slowly freeing every puppet one at a time. Once they had recovered, they would help to bring more of their friends or family down. It was a slow process, but Venator had taken to it with fierce resolve. All she could do was hope that the others were alright. Venator looked down at the puppet laying at her feet and did a double take.
"Well hello there," she said to puppet-Lilith. "I know you."
Belos staggered into the throne room, falling to his knees as Raine tried to resist him. He looked up at his throne, or more specifically, at the beating heart behind it. He reached forward, only to gasp in pain and clutch the Bard's chest.
"Get out… of my… head!" Raine shouted, regaining control just long enough to tear Belos from their body. The former emperor fell to the ground as a pathetic lump of flesh. He glared at Raine and snarled.
"Fine! I don't need you anymore." He turned away and began to crawl toward the heart as quickly as he could. Realizing what he was going for, Raine quickly summoned their lute and strummed the chord. A blade of compressed sonic waves sliced toward Belos. He managed to dodge, desperately pulling himself forward. Raine stepped forward, fighting off exhaustion as they prepared to play another note.
Their fingers tugged at the chords and played a sharp tune. The melody hardened into a barrier that began to rapidly encircle the Titans heart. Belos lunged for it just as the barrier snapped shut, cutting off the tip of his finger. The deposed emperor crashed into the wall of solid sound and fell to the ground. Raine cautiously stepped closed, holding their lute like a weapon. Belos's body disintegrated into ash. Letting out a sigh of relief, they look up at the heart. To their horror, Belos was reforming from his severed finger. Belos's mass of cursed, rotting skin and bone reared up, letting out painful cracks as he drew in ragged breaths. He placed a single, bony hand on the heart and began to melt into it.
"Oh Raine, you tried so hard, didn't you?"
Massive chutes of coral-like growths began to erupt from the heart. Raine's sonic barrier shattered under their assault and the Witch soon found themselves swept up in the encroaching tide.
Luz's entire body shook as she blocked Royal's strike. Her arms screamed in protest as the Guardian pulled back and prepared to attack from the other side. Eda quickly moved in to attack the Warlock. He blocked, only for the illusion to dispel as the real Eda pounced on him from behind. When he tried to cut her down, Amity and Willow caught his strike with their magic. Assessing the situation as Eda's claws raked his body, Royal relinquished his grip on his weapon and delivered two quick punches to her gut. While the Witch was reeling, he dodged out of the way of another wave of ice crystals. King turned to try again as Royal was forced to fend off a series of lightning-fast teleport strikes from Hunter.
Royal eventually caught the Witch and flung him into Willow, who managed to catch him with a cushion of flowers. With the Witches now distracted, Royal pulled his weapon free. As the Hexsquad formed ranks around him, he twisted the shaft of the weapon. There was a click, then the two ends separated. He held a blade in each hand, shifting his focus between each of his foes.
Eda moved first, flying at Royal as he turned both his blades on her. She wove around them, drawing his attention away. His left arm stabbed at her, only for it to be caught in a tangle of roots that bound his arm in place. He tried to pull it free, but King managed to freeze his legs in place. Royal swiped wildly with his lone, free limb. Amity unleashed a large torrent of Abomination sludge that wrapped around the arm. The Guardian bucked and thrashed, trying to break free. He was already gaining ground, the ice at his feet starting to shatter.
"Go for it!" Lancer shouted. Luz complied, swinging Edge of Intent over Royal's head. She met resistance as the blade bit into the threads. She strained against them as Royal began to tear free. There was a snap, then another, and then two more. The strings were severed. Royal stopped struggling, finally falling to the ground, once again nothing more than a corpse. His weapons clattered to the floor beside him.
Lancer flew closer to his Guardian, shining a beam onto him. His shell unfurled and began to spin as Light flooded the arena.
"Well, whaddya know." Outcast leaned back as Royal struggled to his feet, trampling flowers under his boots. He stretched his limbs, feeling the servo-joints slide over each other.
"Guess you're heading back to the land of the living," Outcast said, waving a dismissive hand. "Looks like you did manage to do something right."
"Go to hell," Royal snarled. Outcast grinned.
"Already did." The Nightmare clapped his hands as he began to fade. "I guess this is it, for now. I'll see you again sometime, Brother." The Nightmare vanished, leaving Royal alone in his mindscape. The Exo felt Light flooding into his body, granting it life once more. He flexed his fingers, concern for his Brothers words settling into his mind. He looked back at the recreation of the fight before him and sighed. There was still the Collector and the Vex to deal with.
"One problem at a time."
Royal's optics powered on, shining bright orange light into the darkness above him. His body whirred softly as he sat up, rubbing the side of his head. He heard someone's voice, telling others not to crowd him. Slowly, unsteadily, the Guardian got to his feet. He staggered slightly as something slammed into the side of his head.
"You! Absolute! Jackass!"
Royal let out a tired laugh, relieved to be back. "It's good to hear your voice, Lancer." He looked around, noting his surroundings and the discarded weapons at his feet.
"Is that you Tincan?" Eda asked, her claws still extended. Royal glanced at her right arm or rather her lack thereof. He gestured to it, a slightly off-put expression on his faceplate.
"When the hell did this happen?" He was quipping, but to be truthful, he was barely holding himself back from pulling his friend into a spine-crushing hug.
"It's him." Eda clapped him on the shoulder. The Witch gave him a smile. "Good to have you back. You've missed a lot." Royal looked around at the assembled Hexsquad, raising an eyebrow as his gaze lingered on Camilla for a second.
"Clearly."
Luz shuffled a little closer to Royal, looking at him with tears in her eyes. She held out his glaive, averting her gaze.
"It got a little banged up in the fighting," she said. Royal took the weapon from her and inspected it. He passed it over a few times in his hands before looking back at Luz, his face unreadable. Then, he threw the weapon to the side and wrapped his arms around her. In an instant, his emotional barriers fell away.
"I'm glad you're safe."
Luz returned the hug and Royal looked up. "All of you."
The moment was interrupted by slow clapping. The Collector floated down from his perch, a wry smirk on his face.
"That was amazing!" He gushed. "The action! The spectacle! The teamwork! The drama!" He wiped away an imaginary tear. "I don't know how you're going to top this next time."
"Next time?" Eda asked, flexing her claws again. Royal quickly reclaimed his glaive and aimed it at the Collector, standing at the head of the group.
"We'll run it back," the Collector said. "Maybe we should try a new arena. I'm thinking… spike traps. No, wait, lava pit!" He rubbed his hands together in excitement. Royal's finger twitched as his optics narrowed.
"You will hurt no one else."
The Collector grinned wider, "I'd like to see you stop me." He raised his hands, power swirling within them. Royal prepared himself for a rematch.
Then, everything exploded.
Massive growths of organic matter burst out of the castle, spreading access the Isles. Large spirals coiled up the spires of the castle. They wove around each other in a horrific display, eventually forming a large draconic creature with four blue eyes that each burned with hate.
"Finally," he growled, his voice rippling across the land. "I can cleanse this perdition myself!" He looked up at the pyramid and began to focus. He felt the power of the Titan rippling within him. Warmth spread through his body, giving him strength.
It was exhilarating.
His jaw creaked open as magic and something else began to whirl within him. It coalesced in his mouth and he unleashed a massive torrent of pure power into the side of the pyramid. It shuddered under his assault, the defenses of the structure slowly being overwhelmed. Eventually, the onyx stone began to crumble away and his beam tore through the front of the pyramid, leaving most of it intact. Vernal growths began to spread from the impact point, rapidly overtaking the pyramid. It trailed listlessly through the air, slowly losing altitude, before finally crashing into the Titan's shoulder. The pyramid lay there, dormant and unmoving.
The swipe of a sword drove Paladin back. He regained his footing just in time to catch a second swing in his hands. His feet dug into the dirt under the force of the blow. A Taken Knight reared its head back, preparing to unleash a torrent of flame onto him. Paladin sent Light to his legs in preparation to move.
However, before he could do anything, a loud booming sound cut through the battlefield. The Knight reared back and let out an unholy gargling screech. All around it, other Taken were suffering a similar fate. Paladin looked to the sky, shielding his optics as he watched a beam spear the pyramid. Following the trajectory of the attack, he saw the top of a monstrous creature emerging from the castle. Motion caught his eye and he saw a sickly-green tide getting closer.
"We need to move," he muttered. Then, turning to the Witches, "Everyone! Fall back!" His soldiers began to turn and flee from the encroaching storm. The Trappers seemed listless and confused, still gawking at the downed pyramid. Paladin stepped forward, manifesting a flaming hammer in his hand. Rearing back, he flung it into the coral-like swarm. The hammer exploded on contact, spreading fire across the wave. It kept coming and he kept slinging fire, slowly backing up as he did. The tide fell upon him and he began to tear into it with his hands, trying desperately to buy the others as much time as possible.
Some of the growth latched onto his arm, quickly spreading over the armor. Setting his hand on fire, he tried to burn it off only for the organic matter to spread to his other hand. It grew over him, burying the Titan in an unstoppable tide.
Everyone stumbled as the pyramid rocked under the unexpected blow. The Collector looked around in shock. Massive chunks of stone began to rain from the ceiling. The Collector raised his hands in an effort to stem the destruction. A feeling of weightlessness began to overcome everyone as the pyramid began its descent. Royal drew his Dawnblade and plunged it into the ground, releasing a wave of healing Light.
"Rally to me and hold on to something!"
The others were quick to gather around him. Willow used her plant magic to tie them together, hoping they would be safe. Noticing their attempt, the Collector drew back his hand.
"No! I will not be denied!" Threads lashed out at the Hexsquad, striking seemingly at random. Royal quickly cut through most of them. However, one managed to slip past his guard. It wrapped around Luz's arm and pulled her toward the Collector. Royal tried to reach out and grab hold of her other arm. Before he could, the pyramid hit the ground and everything went dark.
Vee slowly pushed herself up, rubbing her sore head. Venator wasn't far, helping Lilith to her feet and checking up on the others after the crash. Since they were in the back of the pyramid, they had been spared the brunt of the force. Blip floated off to her side, trying to map their location.
"Fourteen dead," Venator reported, drawing her weapon. "We need to move. Any idea which way?"
"Negative."
Venator was about to speak up again before their chunk of the pyramid shook. Something could be heard coming down the hall. Venator stepped closer, with Blip shining a light down the hallway. As he did, a tide of rotten organic matter came tearing toward them. Venator unloaded, doing remarkably little to stem the tide. She began to back up and the others followed suit. Eventually, the tide fell upon her. Venator cut and sliced as quickly as she could but was quickly becoming overwhelmed.
Vee stepped forward, drawing in a deep breath and sucking the magic out of the twisted mass. She could feel the magic draining but noticed that there was something else, something she couldn't devour. The sickly-green wave faded to a dull grey, slowly being pushed forward by the pressure behind it. Vee rested her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. There was too much for her to drain all the magic at once, but she had bought them time.
"Keep moving back," Venator ordered. "Vee, you're with me. We're going to buy as much time as we can."
Camilla felt her consciousness coming rushing back to her and she shot awake. Looking down at her hands, she couldn't see so much as a scratch. A golden beam of Light trailed from her to a large blazing sword impaled in the ground. The others lay around her in various states of consciousness. As she stood up, she became aware of Royal standing over her. The Warlock was holding a large chunk of the pyramid over his head. He glanced down, offering a slight nod.
"Get everyone away from me." The weight above him shifted, causing the Warlock to stumble slightly. Camilla nodded back and turned away as Eda scooped up Gus and Hunter. They moved away from the Warlock, heading toward a part of the pyramid that had been shorn open, revealing an opening that led the way to freedom. Once they made it outside, everyone stopped to gape at the colossal draconic Belos dominating the skyline.
While everyone else was escaping, Royal struggled against the force bearing down on him. Lancer circled him, occasionally projecting a beam to repair Royal's arms and legs when they began to give way.
After ensuring the kids got out first, Camilla did a quick headcount. Realizing they had come up short, she turned back and called out, "Luz?"
"I'm back here." The girl limped out of a partially collapsed side corridor, stepping delicately and holding an arm close to her midsection. Her breath was coming ragged and slow, and her eyes were unfocused. She leaned against the wall as Camilla ran to her. Luz tried to step forward, only to collapse into her mother's arms. Blood coated her torso, with a few fragments of shrapnel sticking out of her skin. Carefully, Camilla carried her outside and laid her down in the grass.
"Luz!" Amity quickly crouched beside her, already starting to panic. The others were soon to join. Camilla tore off one of her sleeves and quickly pressed it against Luz's stomach, trying to stem the bleeding.
"Do any of you know healing spells?" She begged.
"Nothing strong enough for this," Amity said, taking her girlfriend's hand. There was a thunderous boom from the pyramid as Royal freed himself and raced outside. Quickly assessing the situation, he knelt next to Luz and began to pool his Light into a healing rift. However, she remained catatonic, her eyes flickering in and out of focus. Stringbean slithered around her head, giving a few worried hisses.
"Why isn't this working," he cursed. Camilla looked at him, tears forming in her eyes.
"Please, do something!"
"I'm trying! But she's too hurt. She's practically soaked in Darkness." He bowed his head and balled his hands into fists. "There's… nothing more I can do."
"It's ok," Luz managed to say weakly. "At least we got to have one last adventure." She groaned and her head listed to the side. "I wish I knew what to say." The last of her breath left and life faded from her eyes. Amity shook her hand gently.
"Luz?" Her voice wavered, threatening to break at any moment. Camilla shook her daughter gently, trying to will her back to life. The others were no less affected. Gus dove into Willow for support, with the older Witch trying to hide Luz from his view. Hunter looked like he wanted to reach out to Amity, but held himself back. Camilla began to sob, cradling her daughter's corpse.
Royal, Eda, and King remained silent, a quiet fury bubbling within them. Frost began to form on King's claws and horns as an air of chill settled around him. In addition, his body seemed to grow slightly. Eda's body also started to swell, shifting somewhere between between the Harpy and Owl Beast. As for Royal, he didn't change physically, but anyone would be able to feel the aura of pure murderous violence surrounding the Guardian. Arc lightning danced between the fingers on one hand, Void energy curled in the palm of another, and Solar flames coated his body.
Collectively, the three looked up at Belos. Eda let loose an unearthly howl and spread her wings. King clambered onto her back and the two took off, flying toward the castle. Royal rose to his feet, all three elements swirling around him at once. The servos in his leg tensed with a slight whirr and he took off, leaving three glowing trails behind him; one bright blue, one deep purple, and one blazing orange.
Everything was cold and wet. Water, or some other unknown liquid, seeped into her clothes. The liquid sent chills into her bones as Luz slowly sank into its depths.
Oh, I know what I should've said. Her mind flashed with memories of all her friends and all the opportunities lost. I should've thanked them. She continued to sink, her eyes closed and resigned. She didn't know for how long she descended.
Then, something grabbed her by the arm. Her eyes shot open, barely able to make out a clawed hand holding onto her. It pulled her up until she broke the surface. Luz gasped for air. She looked up, viewing her savior.
They were a large figure with a well-rounded physique. Their clothes were casual; slippers, sweat pants, robes, and a Bad Girl Coven shirt. They didn't have any skin, rather appearing as a skeletal figure. Large wings made of bones stretched out from their back. A horned skull sat atop their neck, with one eye glowing and the other an empty socket. A familiar worm-like demon nested in the empty socket. They had a slight limp, favoring their right leg.
"King?" Luz asked, her mind still muddled from dying. The figure chuckled.
"No, but he does get his devilish good looks from me."
"O,h my Titan."
"In the flesh," the Boiling Isles chuckled. "In a manner of speaking." He shifted his weight, wincing as he put pressure on his right leg.
"It can't be." She stumbled back, sitting down in the water. "If I'm talking to you, then I must be…" Her voice trailed off as she began to sink. Papa Titan acted quickly, dragging her back out.
"You're not dead, not yet. But if you down there, you will be."
"I can't believe this, you're King's dad!"
"I believe he said it best," Papa Titan mused. "I am King and Queen, best of both worlds." Luz looked around, realizing she was in that realm of infinite mirrors.
"Where are we?"
"In a place between… well, a lot of places. From here, you can glimpse into any realm, and watch any soul. Not the Vex though." His expression darkened. "Those monstrosities lie beyond this realm. But they're not important. This place let me keep watch on King." He gave Luz a sideways look. "And those who have been good to him."
"My friends," Luz realized. "What's happening to them?" She tried to call out, but no cubes came to her. Papa Titan sighed, tucking his hands into his pockets.
"Look, kid, I'll level with you. I didn't save you for purely altruistic reasons. Everything is getting out of hand and I need your help to set it right."
"Why me?" Luz asked. "I'm half the reason it is the way it is."
"Have you gotten into Eda's Apple Blood?"
"I taught Belos the light glyph!" She shouted. "I helped him meet the Collector! My plan almost led to everyone I love being killed by the Collector!" Papa Titan watched her while she ranted, waiting for her to calm down. Once she was settled, he sighed.
"Believe me, I get it. I assumed the worst and drove the Collector away when he first came to visit. Drove him straight into the arms of the Darkness. Then, when karma came calling and the Great Sphere fled, I was the one who sealed him away and left him to rot."
"Wait, Great Sphere? The Traveler visited the Demon Realm?" Luz questioned. Papa Titan chuckled and snapped his fingers. Lightning sparked to life between his fingers.
"I don't possess the same attunement with it as the Guardians do," he admitted. "But the Traveler blessed us with the Light. I still have a little within me, buried deep down there. The point I'm trying to make is, we've both made mistakes, monumental ones at that. But we're still trying to help people and that's what matters."
"Like Belos," Luz said. "Everything he does is to save Humanity." Papa Titan scoffed.
"Please, your mistake is assuming anything he does comes from a place of genuine sincerity. All Belos cares about is playing the hero. Any excuse he comes up with is just that: an excuse. You are much more like your friend, Royal." Papa Titan let out a cry as rotten coral growths appeared on his chest, originating from his heart.
"I thought I had more time. Now, I have two cancers eating away at me."
"Two?"
Papa Titan rolled up his right pant leg, revealing that the bone had been replaced with bronze metal. The mechanical appendage creaked as he moved the leg, the metal slowly spreading over his leg.
"Those Vex are persistent," he said. "That's part of the reason I need to send you back. Even now, I can feel them, scratching at the inside of my mind." Luz nodded slightly, still gawking at the limb, before something Papa Titan had said caught her attention.
"You think I'm like Royal?"
"Well, just look at it. You accidentally set Belos's rise to power into motion. Royal accidentally brought the Vex here. Both of you made mistakes, both of you are trying to fix them. Though, personally, I like you more than him. I mean, he's a quick-to-anger, xenophobic, sarcastic-"
"Hey, that's my friend you're talking about."
"Right, sorry. Anyway, are you ready to fix your mistake?" He held out his right hand, glyphs and light swirling together in a beautiful display of color. "I have just enough Light within me to resurrect you. Once, and only once. I'll give you my power, but from there, you're on your own."
"Are you sure you want to give this to me?"
Papa Titan looked around the empty void, "I guess I could pass it off to someone else, I got quite the nice variety to choose from."
"Didn't you just criticize Royal for being sarcastic?"
"If you don't want it, I won't force you to take it. So instead I'll ask you; will you accept it?" He reached out for a handshake. Luz started to accept before hesitating.
"What about King?"
Papa Titan looked down, pondering his words as Luz waited patiently. They remained like that for a moment and an eternity. Eventually, he looked back up.
"I've thought for so long about what I would say to him if I could. Yet, over all these millennia, I haven't been able to figure out how to condense everything I wanted to convey. So, just tell him that I'm sorry, I love him, and I'm proud of him."
Luz nodded and accepted his hand. The two shook and Luz felt her body flood with Light and magic working together in unison. She looked back to Papa Titan, only to realize that he had changed. He towered over the girl, now appearing much closer to his rotting carcass in the real world. He began to sink into the depths, giving Luz one last look.
"Farewell, Luz the Human."
"Mija, please," Camilla begged, shaking Luz's body. Amity remained silent beside her, crying silently as she held her girlfriend's hand. Around them, the rest of the Hexsquad was somber.
Hunter's ears twitched as he heard the rubble near them shift. He turned, raising his fists, waiting for whatever was approaching to show itself. Willow joined him as the shadows around them peeled away. Creatures of inky blackness melted from the walls. Night made manifest encircled them, dozens of Taken Thralls closing ranks. One of them staggered toward Hunter, wildly dashing from point to point. Hunter matched its stride, teleporting behind it and preparing to strike. However, the Thrall was faster, quickly slipping behind him in turn. Its claws extended into the air as it prepared to strike.
Before the talons could descend, the Taken was swiftly torn apart by a storm of thorns. Willow pulled her barrage back, sweeping across the Taken lines with a wave of roots. Gus quickly moved to support her. He wove an illusion around the area, isolation and distracting the Taken.
Despite their efforts, a few slipped past and charged at Luz's body. Camilla stood up, drawing her bat and holding it out defensively. Amity rose without a sound, his hands balled into fists. She looked up, her eyes glowing, and unleashed a rage-fuelled scream. Abomination goo began to crawl up her legs as she did. It rapidly overtook her until the girl was one with her magical summons. Her hands morphed into oversized gauntlets with spikes protruding from the knuckles. She surged forward and unleashed her rage on the Thralls. With each swing of her fists, they crumpled into nothing. Each fallen Taken only seemed to drive her on more.
Camilla watched the slaughter before her, content to guard her daughter's body. As she watched, a glow caught her eye. She chanced a look and gasped. Luz had Light swirling within her. Her body shined brighter and brighter until it couldn't be seen anymore. Eventually, the Light died down.
Where Luz once was, there was now a tall feminine figure covered in sleek, black fur. A large-brimmed hat sat atop her head. In the center of her chest was a blazing symbol. Glyphs danced around both of her hands, the language of the Isles at her fingertips. Stringbean flew beside her, resting on her shoulder as she pushed up her hat. Luz grinned at her friends, his eyes a deep blue with irises that shone like suns. She looked down at Amity, who had reverted to her normal self. The girl's face was unmistakably crimson and it seemed that her brain had short-circuited. Luz offered a wink before crouching down. A glyph combo appeared at her feet and she lept into the air, soaring across the Isles.
"Disciple."
The Collector groaned as he opened his eyes. He felt an immense weight upon him and a cursory glance informed him that it was a large chunk of what was once his pyramid. A crack hung in the air before him, his master watching him with its inscrutable gaze.
"You disappoint us, Disciple."
"My Witness." The Collector removed the weight from his back with a flick of his wrist. "I am so close."
"Excuses."
The Collector's eyes widened at his master's tone. The Witness remained impassive, yet an aura of dread began to set in around the Collector. He let out a panicked cry as his strength began to leak from his body.
"Not only have you failed to uproot the Lightbearers, but you have allowed their numbers to grow." The Witness's tone was as measured as ever. "You do not deserve the chance you were given." The Witness turned away. "We shall send another to deal with your blunder. And you."
"Please, my Witness," the Collector begged, "Give me just a little more time!" The Witness didn't acknowledge him, letting the silence hang for just a second longer before fading. The Collector slumped to the ground as a wave of coral crept toward him.
"INSOLENT PESTS!"
Belos let out a roar as parts of his body were torn off. His eyes narrowed as he focused on the Owl Lady. She circled him, swiping with her talons and scything through his flesh. He raised one of his arms, the gargantuan limb creaking under the strain. He brought it down on the Owl Lady, only for it to be blasted apart by a sonic wave. King stood his ground, unleashing blasts of noise and waves of frozen crystals. Belos tried to shift his focus, only to stagger when a flurry of Arc, Void, and Solar Light crashed into him. Parts of his body were incinerated, other parts dissolved, and yet more were electrified. He howled as the Guardian flew past him, elements swarming around him.
Belos roared and unleashed another burst of power. The beam slammed into Royal, knocking him out of the air. The Guardian hit the ground hard, coral growths beginning to overtake him. The Exo looked up, fury in his optics, and tried to rise. The growths dragged him down, worming into his joints and locking them up. He could do nothing but watch as Belos prepared to blast Eda out of the air.
His colossal head reared back, ready to unleash a torrent of energy into the cursed Witch. His jaw unhinged and he fired a beam of death. Royal surged his Light to burn the growths away as the beam soared toward Eda in the vain hope that he could do something to help her. He didn't want to lose any more family.
There was a bright light and something appeared between Eda and her death. The beam crashed into it, spraying in dozens of directions as it met unexpected resistance. Belos relented, curious as to what had drawn his ire. Floating in the air was none other than Luz, graced with the Titan's power. She spread her arms, Stringbeam clutched in one clawed hand.
"I'm back!" She floated there for a moment, all eyes on her. Realizing the attention she had drawn, she tensed up. "Wait, I can do better. You couldn't keep me away! No, that doesn't sound right."
"Luz?" Eda asked as the Owl Beast relinquished control. The girl turned to face her, a grin plastered on her face. The two touched down beside Royal and King as Belos narrowed his eyes.
"You couldn't do it, could you?"
He began to concentrate, exerting his control over the rotting carcass of the Titan. His growths spread further, rapidly gaining ground. The world seemed to shake, heaving as though it was armageddon. With a thunderous noise, the left arm of the Titan began to lift, stretching into the sky. The ground rumbled and cracked as it rose. Belos unfurled the Titan's fingers as though he sought to tear the moon from the sky. The four watched its ascent with jaws agape as more rot began to creep up on them.
"You couldn't lay down and DIE!"
Seeing the encroaching ruin, Luz encircled her friends in a dome with interlocking glyphs inscribed upon it. In an instant, they were flung skyward.
"Sorry, still trying to get the hang of this." Eda took her hand, a calming smile on her face.
"Remember kiddo, focus on what you want." Luz drew in a deep breath and drew a circle. An orange ring hung in the air, sparking briefly with power. After a second of build-up, it fired, releasing a swathe of cleansing power. Wherever the magic hit, the rot was burned away.
"Now we're talking!" King cheered. Luz drew another circle and he stepped forward, letting loose a sonic blast into the ring. The shockwave rippled out, destroying waves of Belos's cursed matter. He growled at the damage and drew back his arm. Eda quickly grabbed Luz by one hand as she stuck out the other. Acting in unison, Eda spun the girl around her, casting a massive spell circle. It detonated, causing Belos to stagger. Seeing his opening, Royal moved forward and raised his Sleeper Simulant. Luzcastd several smaller circles before the barrel as Royal sighted Belos's head.
"We need to separate him from the source," Luz said. "From the Titan's heart." Royal nodded, lowering his aim to the front of the castle door. He squeezed the trigger and the weapon began to hum. After a second of charging, a ruby-red beam of death punched through Belos, shattering the doors to the castle. Belos screamed as the Golden Age weapon hit him.
"Let's go!" Royal shouted, drawing his glaive and flying after Luz as she led the charge, King perched on her back. The four landed in the throne room, now completely overgrown. They stepped into the dark chambers, lighting it however they could.
"Who's there?"
A weak voice reached them and Eda's ears instantly perked up. She sprang forward, moving to a nearby wall where someone had been practically fused with it. Raine hung from the wall, straining against Belos's binds. Noticing something on the ground, Eda bent over to pick it up.
"Whoever you are, stay away!" Raine protested feebly. Eda slipped their glasses onto their face. Raine blinked a few times as their vision refocused.
"Eda?"
"Heya, Rainestorm." She cut at the wraps holding them up and caught them as they fell into her arms. Holding them gently, she lowered Raine to a sitting position. Royal knelt next to them, pressing a healing orb into their chest. Raine sighed in relief as their strength returned.
"You all are a sight for sore eyes," they said.
"Where's Belos?" Luz asked. Raine gave her a once over, blinking a few times to make sure they weren't hallucinating.
"Down there," they jerked their head to the side, down the hall. Eda stood up nervously, glancing down at Raine.
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on them," Lancer said, appearing beside the Bard. "They'll be in good hands." Eda offered a smile and a nod before turning to the others.
"Let's go kick the Emperor right where it hurts." Royal grinned, racking a shotgun shell.
"I had no idea how much I missed your attitude."
The four set off, moving down the hall as quickly as they could. The walls were coated in thick, dull-green coral. The air festered with musk and dread hung in the air like a fog. At the end of the hall was the heart of the Titan. It had fallen silent, no longer beating. Right in the center of the heart, fused with the very Titan itself, was Belos.
The man, if he could even be called that anymore, had seen better days. He was little more than a skeleton made of sickly green matter. Whatever comprised his body wasn't natural. Each of his limbs and his spine practically melted into the heart and his eyes glowed as brightly as ever. Despite his body's decrepit state, his mind remained ever-potent.
"If I'm going down," he hissed venemously, "I'm taking all of you with me!" The walls seemed to fold in, pillar-like growths erupting forward to strike them. One nearly hit Luz, only for Royal to intercept it with his Dawnblade. Eda cut through another on her other side. King lept ahead of her, destroying three more with a sonic blast. Capitalizing on her opening, Luz charged forward. Her fingers wrapped around Belos's ribs and she pulled. He resisted, his hold on the heart like iron. More growths tried to attack her, but her family was there to protect her.
"Do not underestimate me Belos," Luz said with a grunt as she continued to tug. "For I am the Good Witch Luz. Child of the Human Realm! Student of the Demon Realm! Apprentice of the Light!"
She gathered all her strength into her arms, letting both the Titan's magic and the Traveler's power swell as one. Slowly, Belos began to give way. His cursed flesh began to tear as Luz pried him free from the heart. An agonized scream shredded his lips as he was separated.
"NOW EAT THIS SUCKA!"
Luz yanked with all her might, finally wrenching Belos free from his resting place. His scream echoed through the halls of the castle. On the outside, the colossal behemoth he had summoned repeated his cry. Its green rot slowly turned grey before dissolving into ash. The castle began to collapse, its foundations irreparably damaged. Luz raised a protective barrier overhead as the ceiling crashed down atop them, careful to ensure Raine and Lancer were similarly shielded. Stone crashed down atop them, shattering to dust as it hit the shield. Eventually, the collapse ended, leaving Luz and co to see the night sky. Raine stumbled over, Lancer inspecting their body to ensure they were fit to move.
As Eda embraced Raine, small streams of green rot began to flow over the ground. They coalesced into the form of a kneeling man, panicked and confused. Phillip Wittebane stood up and made eye contact with Luz. Royal began to step forward, only for Luz to place a hand over his chest. The two made eye contact, transferring some silent communication between themselves. After a second, Royal nodded and backed up, content to watch Luz finish this.
"Luz, you did it," Phillip said, his voice weak. "You saved me. Freed me from that… horrible, horrible curse. I was cursed with a terrible sickness, just like the Owl Lady. It forced me to do all those terrible things!" As he spoke, clouds began to form over his head. A few drops of boiling rain fell, searing his flesh. The man let out a pained cry as his skin melted away, revealing the rotten mass beneath.
"Luz! Help me!" He pleaded, falling to his knees as more raindrops fell onto his head. He crawled forward as his skin sloughed off his bones. Feebly, he managed to wrap a hand around Luz's ankle. Calmly, she stepped back, breaking his grip. Behind her, a pair of Nightmares returned to him. Evelyn and Caleb both watched him grovel. Belos glared at them, daring them to speak. And Caleb obliged.
"Was it worth it?"
"We're Human!" He snarled, letting the facade fall, "We're better than this!" Royal shook his head in disgust as Eda marched over, now back to her normal form and with a glyph shield over her head.
"Well, we ain't!" She said. Beside her, Raine cracked their knuckles and King summoned a small sapphire crystal. Collectively, the three began to lay into what was left of Belos, crushing his remains and scattering them to the wind. Luz watched, a sense of catharsis hanging over her. The symbol on her chest flickered as the last of her boost ran out. The girl slumped back as the power faded, leaving Royal to catch her.
"You did good kid," he said, helping her back to her feet. "You did good."
Venator swung her knives wildly, no longer caring about form or technique. The wave grew closer, threatening to finally overwhelm her. Before it could, the unstoppable advance came to a halt. The wall slowly began to disintegrate, freeing the Witches from the corner they had been backed into. Venator fell to one knee, exhaustion overtaking her.
"Oh thank the Traveler," she panted. Lilith helped the Hunter back to her feet. "Time to get the hell out of here. Not gonna lie, you might have to carry me."
"You might be a bit too heavy for me," Lilith replied, trying to help guide the Hunter forward. She let out a surprised grunt as the Exo leaned on her. "How heavy are you?"
"Don't you know it's rude to ask a lady her weight," the Hunter murmured deliriously. "By the way, love the haircut."
Paladin drew to his feet as the ash blew off him. The Titan took stock of his surroundings, finding no threats before him. He looked out in the direction of the island and let out a sigh of relief.
Within the lair of the Vex, a small blue orb of light manifested itself. Ignosi completed its teleportation, returning from the island. It marched toward its control cube, walking past the bound form of Odalia. The Witch flinched as it stalked past her, trying to avoid drawing its baleful crimson gaze.
-]Analysis: The incompetent has been vanquished[-
-]Theoretical: Both the Guardians and the Collector remain active, jeopardizing our situation[-
Ignosi felt the presence of its master sweep over the room. Odalia let out a cry, feeling the weight of the Mind upon her own.
-]Practical: It may be time to undertake drastic measures[-
So. The past few weeks have been a... interesting time to be a Destiny fan, to say the least. If any of you are interested in my take on the State of the Game Bungie put out, then my reaction is; "So did Hive Ghosts get their shells automatically, or did they all choose to swap them out?"
You're out of you're mind if you think I'm touching that debate on a public platform where people can call me out for my shit takes. But we got the Final Shape reveal, which was cool. Subjegators, new Light supers and aspects (rip Stasis lmao), baller Fusion Rifle, and a dope-sounding healing auto-rifle. I am not going to lie, that has me the most excited. No new subclass though. I'm both relieved and a little disappointed. On the one hand, no new toys. On the other hand, Lightfall was kind of hijacked by Strand. Eh, it is what it is.
I also have a few things I wanted to talk about in regard to this chapter. Initially, there were going to be segments where all of the Hexsquad had to face their own Nightmares for the Collector's amusement. That ended up getting scrapped, mostly due to pacing issues and also because I didn't know what to do for Gus or Amity. Willow is the one I'm saddest about missing out on. I'll be trying to repurpose the base idea going forward, probably in the next chapter. I also wanted to do more with Royal's dual-wielding stance there, but, again, pacing issues. This chapter is too damn long and I am too damn tired.
Idk what to put lmao: I dunno, that sounds like what a main account would say.
Parvus: Anytime. I'm looking forward to finishing this story up. I've got plans moving forward. Other fanfics, other stories, maybe even a sequel wink wink.
Frank180: Thanks chief.
OMAC001: And there you have it, hope it lived up to your expectations.
GodzillaMaster: Worry more! It gives me strength! The joke of the two exotics is just that, a joke. I don't know if there's a lore reason we can't wield more than one and, quite frankly, I don't care. I like my idea better.
mmmplays27: You thought I was gonna throw the Hexsquad up against Rhulk? I'm not trying to kill them! Well, not that badly anyway.
davisjustus99: Damn, two for one? Also, I'm not a Christian, but based Jesus.
Jebest4781: I am pleased to have pleased.
Todays ending bit was shamelessly stolen from If the Emperor had a Text-to-Speech Device on YouTube, a much better fanfic than I could ever hope to write. I would highly encourage watching it.
The Collector clapped mockingly, gazing down at the mortals and Guardian beneath him. The Disciple lowered himself to the ground, his grin not wavering.
"That was amazing!" He gushed. "The action! The spectacle! The teamwork! The drama!" He wiped away an imaginary tear. "I don't know how you're going to top this next time."
"Next time?" Eda asked, flexing her claws again. Royal quickly reclaimed his glaive and aimed it at the Collector, standing at the head of the group.
"We'll run it back," the Collector said. "Maybe we should try a new arena. I'm thinking… spike traps. No, wait, lava pit!" He rubbed his hands together in excitement. Royal's finger twitched as his optics narrowed. He started to step forward before stopping as an idea came over him. It was a risky idea. It was a dangerous idea. It was a bloody stupid idea. But, it was literally the only thing he had.
"Collector," he said, drawing the Star Child's undivided attention, "You like to play games, do you not?"
"This may be the case," the Collector said coyly. Royal narrowed his optics, now that the Collector had taken the bait, he had to commit to his gambit.
"Then I challenge you," the Warlock began, pointing a finger at the Disciple, "to a game of Paradox-Billiards-Russian-Roullette-Fourth-Dimensional-Hypercube-Chess-Strip-Poker!" The room was silent enough to head a grenade pin drop. Everyone was staring at Royal; the Collector in surprise, Lancer in concern, and everyone else in confusion.
"So that loony orb actually packs you beings with such cranial capacity," the Collector mused. "It is rare for mortals to master such an intricate clashing of minds."
"That is the opposite of true," Royal rebuked, his tone losing none of its gravity.
"The only intricate thing about this game is its ban list!" Lancer chimed in, sounding almost angry. The Collector contemplated his options, leaving his victims to themselves.
"Tincan, mind explaining what exactly you're doing?" Eda hissed. Royal sighed, summoning a deck of cards.
"This game is an ancient duel, enacted between only the most powerful and dangerous beings in the universe. I put everything in jeopardy by doing this, but I fear that we have no other option." Luz slipped a few of the cards out of his deck and flipped through them, growing more and more confused with each card.
"I don't think this is Billiards, Russian Roulette, Hypercube, Chess, or Poker."
"I accept your challenge Lightbearer!" The Collector declared. "But let it be known, this is now an ULTRA-GAME!" Royal met the Collectors gaze with steel in his optics. His will was unbreakable, his conviction unyielding.
"I have no idea what that means," he growled. "Now, prepare your deck!" The Collector obliged, summoning his own cards from thin air.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Eda muttered. Royal sighed.
"So do I. Just, please promise me you'll look away when the strip part of this comes into play."
Eda let out a sharp laugh, "No promises." Beside her, Camilla blushed a little at the thought and nodded in agreement with the Witch.