Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Dusk's Rise. Enjoy the 2700-word chapter. I do not own Destiny, Bungie, and Microsoft do.
(Mars)
He was silent for now as he paused to think of what was growing on his mind when it came down to it.
He had a lot more to deal with for now. They had a lot more to try and deal with for now and for good.
All of it when it came down to it now as he clicked his fingers and then thought of it all.
Eramis paused to think of what was going on now as she wished it to be distracted for now and for good reason. They had a LOT more to discuss.
Sam looked at Eramis as he crashed his arms down on his throne. He was tired, exhausted, unwashed, and unwanted. Yet? He had been able to relax and focus when it was all over.
He was able to think, to act… Much more now than before. Sam of all people could and did guess that the others were thrown for a loop.
He of all people was tossed to the side. As a kell? The hunter was thrown for a loop as he faced Eramis.
"For someone who cares so much about the Fallen? You are very keen on ordering a strike on Mars…" Sam said as Eramis frowned.
"We need supplies. You should know that as Kell." Eramis responded.
"I know that my group can handle things," Sam said as he looked over to Raksil as the Archon stood next to him. "The smart thing to do is gather strength. You do not hit an enemy until you know the cracks in the armor." Sam said as he paused to think of himself.
He was able to think, to act when it came to it and he was a soldier, he was a hunter and she saw it in his eyes.
The Salvation Kell sighed, rubbing at her eyes as she reclined in her throne, she was too interested in the future to argue sorts of politics with another Kell.
Granted? These antics were with someone who owned part of her people, who led the second-largest group of Eliksni in the world. It was harder and harder to think of it, to even act when it was all over.
She and he were in different positions but both were okay with these sorts of things when it came down to it. Eramis guessed that Dusk was in the same position that she was and it was going to be hard to push them forwards.
She and he were in a risky spot and it was clear risk was going to be something they dealt with VERY much beyond the damn pale.
She and he were different people… But it made their interactions more interesting.
"So, what's next for the lady I was trying to stab in the throat a few minutes ago?" Sam asked in a tone that was FULL of amusement.
It was all the odder for them but both knew this, they knew damn well that it would have been harder and harder to think of it when it was all said and done at the time being when it came down to it.
He of all people was simply thrown off, too interested in what was going on when it was all said and done. They had too much to deal with now and forever.
He sighed and then leaned back in his throne, too tired, too exhausted now but his damn brain racing in a thousand different ways. They had a lot more to deal with it for now.
All of Sam felt more and more amused with it all to the end of it now when it came down to it.
Raksil looked at both Kells, watching as they glared at each other, their full retinues behind them with weapons at the ready.
He sighed and began to try and appease them, both Kells glancing at them.
"I heard someone broke out of that prison in the Reef, Wolf House," Sam stated as Eramis growled.
"Skolas, Kell of Wolves… Fool. Always eager for power, no cunning." Eramis stated as she reclined.
"That isn't exactly true given what I know," Sam said.
"Are you questioning the Kell?" He heard as a hulking Eliksni advanced on him.
"Are you questioning OURS?" Raksil asked before he shook his head. "Skolas escaped, and took the rest of the House of Wolves and the House of Winter," Raksil stated as Sam sighed.
"Great, another madman with an army," Sam muttered with annoyance.
"Damn him, I do not have time to deal with this," Eramis stated as Raksil snorted. "He must be stopped if he escapes? That fool undermines everything I have worked for." Eramis stated.
"That is nice, lady. Truly, we bleed for you." Sam snarked as Raksil chuckled. "Raksil? Do you know where that idiot went? We can take him down quick if we do." Sam stated as Eramis sighed.
Trying to fight Skolas was needed, the man was charismatic enough to sway both armies and Eramis knew that many soldiers in both her house and Dusk were made of the wolves. Whatever army Skolas had? It threatened their respective armies.
It made the Salvation Kell eager to put down this threat. Sam was not yet revealed as one and the House was now loyal to the city. Killing Skolas made either house that much more powerful and Sam was aware putting down another Kell would earn brownie points both houses needed.
"I shall kill Skolas," Eramis growled out to which Sam chuckled.
"What happened to not having time?" Sam asked as Skriviks walked around to stand at his right with Raksil on his left.
"I can put down this damned rebellion… There will be time for much later." Eramis stated before she turned to her side, looking to the side. "Phylaks? Find them." Eramis ordered to which there was a snort.
She knew damn well how it sounded but they had LITTLE in the way of ideas when it came down to it as of now. They had a LOT more to deal with, a LOT of different ideas.
Sam for his ideas simply turned to one of his minions before he sighed.
"Thaviks? Raksil says you are the best assassin in the group… See what you can dig up on Venus… Breviks? Take some men and back him up… I am going to Earth to go figure out what he wanted with the Kings and Devils." Sam stated.
Eramis blinked, her good eyes narrowing themselves at the time as she paused to think once more.
The House of Devils. Her home, her former clan which she had served and had long since forsaken for now at the time being.
Eramis looked at Sam and Raksil, watching as he looked over at the Archon, both were too thrown off when it came down to it.
Both were at a crossroads. Fine, she seemed at ease with it and she was a powerful enough warrior to do it, to relax and focus on the issues at hand.
"I will come with you… Kridis? Bring a group of soldiers with us…. I will lead them." Eramis stated.
"No, I and Raksil can handle this, you go back to chilling on your ketch," Sam stated as Eramis growled.
The Kell of House Salvation pushed herself to her full height, her eyes burning with anger as she realized just what was going on, realizing what was growing on her mind before she looked to the side.
She looked at Sam who looked at her, growling as she did so. Both Kells glared at each other, their houses forming up behind them.
"I will do what is my business, Samuel… And as Kell of House Salvation? I must destroy any flaws in my leadership. Now? I will investigate what he is doing on Earth… If that bothers you? Please, allow me." Eramis said as he looked to the side.
Sam shrugged and then looked to the side as he seemed to finally shrug it off, he looked to Raksil and then nodded.
"Skriviks? You oversee the ships while I am gone, we are dealing with things when we come down to it." Sam stated to which the baroness nodded.
She and he were different people but it was clear that both were willing to do something for the sake of it all when it was all said and done.
Sam sighed and pushed himself from his throne as he looked to the side as he wished to think of it. She had been able to think of it all when it came down to it.
If nothing else, Eramis glared at him, watching Sam look at her, burning holes in his helm as the Kell paused to get up. It was that Sam of all people was amused and he would not ever back down when push came to shove.
Not at all. Not once would it have been done so perfectly and without remorse.
Sam for all his snark simply nodded before turning to Raksil.
"Gather up some of the group, I will lead them. We go find out what the Kings wanted with Skolas. I will investigate the devils afterward." Eramis heard.
She bristled but said nothing, guessing that Sam would do what he had always done, and she? She would hate it for now and hate it for good but she had no choice, Skolas threatened both their houses and for them to ignore the obvious threat he posed would be foolishly tactical and strategic on her mind.
"You know Skolas is not on Earth, right? If I was him? I would not want anything to do with the most dangerous planet on Earth." Sam stated.
Eramis would balk at this but the strategy did have some merit. If she was Skolas? Her first idea would NOT be to attempt to climb the ladder again but to lick her wounds.
It was telling just how much Skolas was beaten down that he only held a few hundred Eliksni… But given his control over time? She guessed he might soon have an army, one strong enough to crush both Houses.
And while she would be fine with Skolas strangling the life from Sam? She was not privy to letting all her ideals come crashing to the ground.
She knew it more than enough to question him. Both had things to do as Kells and it was their business as rulers to see to said business.
"Can I assume you will be bringing a retinue?" Eramis asked as Raksil spoke up.
"Of course, the kell will… As will you, both houses will come and yet? only one shall kill Skolas." Raksil stated.
Sam cut the feed a few moments later and she was left staring from her throne room at her soldiers, Vandals and Dregs and Marauders and Wretches all staring at her.
"Prepare for combat," Eramis stated as they nodded, vanishing out the door and leaving only her and her council here.
"Why do you bother dealing with him? You almost killed him." She heard to which she glowered.
She knew more and more that more and more soldiers were coming into the conflict when push came to shove. Something that would be done at the end of their little game, one would die but she wished it to be different.
Sam had yet to go home, how would they react to it when it was all said and done? She did not know; she was not in that position now and she did not wish it to be so.
However? She guessed they would be somewhat more than they should have been. She was pushed down a path she did not wish to be on and it angered her, it vexed her to no damn end.
She and he were in different spots, she and he were on the end of the path. This damn war was going to anger her either damn way she poised it for now… Something about it.
Eramis was silent as she guessed Sam was busy trying to control the house, he of all people was odd when all of it was done, she and he did not know what was growing on her mind.
She did not know it for now or for it all. All of it was odder and odder, something about it all had been odd.
(With Sam aboard the Ravager)
Sam stepped down from the throne as he realized very well that such a thing was going to be done by hand. He could only find Skolas if he went alone which meant leaving his new allies for the moment.
"We need to hunt Skolas down before he does any real damage," Sam stated before he looked at Raksil. "Raksil? Tell the others to go check out the rest of the area, the more land we cover. The more we can do… That and we have other things to do." Sam stated.
Sam could guess that they were busy, very much so now that it became harder and harder.
To be fair? Sam guessed they had work to do, work that made their jobs harder to figure out. Yet? He had other issues to deal with for now.
Sam was interested in making sure that Skolas was taken down, he had a LOT more on it all when it came down to it. Sam sighed and then thought of every single option that was possibly done when it came down to it.
Raksil paused him, putting a hand on the Dusk's leader as the guardian turned, looking at him.
"I do not trust her… She is willing to kill those who cross her." Sam heard as he hummed.
"And you think I trust her? I do not." Sam stated to which the man nodded.
Both looked ahead and walked, a group of wretches pausing to leave from their path as Sam walked with the Archon next to him.
"Your city…. Home has friends." Sam heard before he sighed.
Sam said nothing. Why? Because there were problems to handle now and he knew it, Raksil knew it. The clan knew Sam as a leader who was busy with things but that also included taking care of his friends and family.
Sam had other duties, ones which he needed to address. Why? Because now he had other issues, they had a LOT more to figure out now than before. Something about it all came as no surprise to them, to anyone when push came to shove.
Sam would have to return to the city eventually and reveal what had gone on. Not the weirdest issue but he knew the council might take issue with it.
Granted? He of all people was able to deal with it but now? Now he had a LOT more riding on this than before. A LOT more than now.
It vexed him, it vexed him VERY damn much at the end of it. They had a lot more to this, a lot more to do something about it all.
He looked to the side as he paused to think, to act, to make sure it was all going the way it needed to have been, there was MORE to this scheme.
"You plan to follow Eramis." Sam heard as he shrugged.
"I plan to find her goal out. And yes, Raksil. I know we must go to the city… But I would rather focus on fighting." Sam stated as they arrived at the hangar.
Sam sighed and then cracked his fingers, knowing that he had business to do, there would be time later for their problems.
"Then what is the plan?" Raksil asked, crossing his arms.
"We go look for the Cosmodrome. I am asking someone to get work on stealing supplies around there." Sam stated to which Raksil nodded.
Ah, they would look for intel while the rest of the House slowly started to rebuild with things from around the desert.
All of it reminded him that there was still a future for their clan, a future with the guardians… Still? That was work for another day and for now? Their group had to survive.
"And Thaviks?" Sam heard to which Raksil hummed.
"He has a mission and I need to focus on getting work done… There are only a few of us when it comes down to it and I need to focus on luring out Skolas." Sam added, muttering to himself before he sighed to himself.
Sam sighed, too much had been going on now, and for good reason.
Author notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show more of both Eramis and Sam working together and more of their next move. Until the 900–6500-word chapter, Lighting Wolf out!