I'm running out of ways to say that I'm back. New chapter, wooo. I got classes starting up again on the ninth, so that's fun. Shouldn't be too bad of a workload this semester tho, so that's nice. This chapter is gonna be a bit of an interesting one so I hope you all enjoy.
Sidenote, I watched All Quiet on the Western Front recently. It gets a certified 9/10 from this Penguin. Great story, visuals, writing, and atmosphere. My only gripes are that sometimes the music can kinda jar you out of the movie and some of the dialogue looked like it was poorly synced over the actor's lips. If you've seen it, you'll know what I'm talking about. I highly recommend it. If you have a Netflix account and aren't averse to a little (by which I mean a lot) of gore and violence, you owe it to yourself to watch it.
Chapter 19: Until We Meet Again
"We cannot afford to send a search party. Any Guardian lost to the Vex Domain is lost forever." -Vanguard log on the disappearance of Royal-6
Stealth was a core tenant for every Hunter. Arcstriders focused on hand-to-hand combat and Gunslingers focused on marksmanship, but every Hunter knew how to become undetectable. Nightstalkers, however, specialized in it. Their ability to vanish was unsurpassed. You would never be able to see them if they didn't want to be found.
One such Hunter crept through the Vex Domain. The technicolor landscape didn't offer much variety. The Vex hated variety. Still, Venator didn't let that bother her. She was just here to perform some reconnaissance. Her Ghost, Blip, had reported a disturbance near the origin of the strange shockwave from before.
A Golbin paced the area beneath her. She smirked under her helmet. One of the first lessons she had learned from her mentor was that most stealth relied on the fact that people rarely looked up. Vex were no exception. The bronze-colored robot stomped past, its weapon sweeping the area. It was searching for something, just not her.
She stepped off her perch and dropped through the air. She landed on top of the Goblin, skewering its head and chest with her knives. She stood up as it disintegrated into nothing. Her body vanished, cloaked by Void energy. Moving onward, she climbed atop a large pillar of data.
The datascape shook around her. Venator pulled out her snipe rifle and peered through the scope. To her curiosity, she saw the Vex fighting something in the distance. A closer inspection revealed that they were fighting more Vex. However, these other Vex were colored silver and appeared to be partially frozen.
"Blip, what's going on?" She asked. Her Ghost popped out, speaking in his usual even tone.
"Unknown at this time," he said, "The Vex appear to be engaging themselves in combat. I propose we-" His voice cracked with static, gaining a malicious edge, "Eviscerate them all! Atomize them! Make them suffer for all they have done!" Static emerged from the Ghost again as he returned to his calm demeanor and finished his former statement, "Regroup with Paladin."
Venator nodded in agreement, ignoring her Ghost's little mental snap. He did this sometimes, randomly becoming violent and bloodthirsty. She called them 'Blips', hence his name.
"Time to fall back," she said, leaping off the pillar. She rolled on impact, pushing off the ground with her hands. As she flipped through the air, she summoned her sparrow and took off. Venator whistled as she drove through the empty datascape. The Vex Domain had a strange sort of beauty if one appreciated geometric structures and neon colors.
Eventually, she reached the location Paladin would be waiting at. The Titan stood over a map, conversing with his Ghost. The map twisted in strange angles, bending in on itself multiple times wherever timelines crossed. It was a map of a five-dimensional space, after all.
"I'm back, you can stop worrying," Venator called, jumping off her sparrow. Her companion looked up, letting out a deep chuckle.
"And here I thought your presence was plenty of cause to worry." Venator waved him off, joining him around the map. She pointed to a spot just beyond one of the bends.
"I made it about this far," she reported, "Didn't see what caused the shockwave, but I did find something interesting."
"What was it?" Paladin asked. Venator bounced on her heels.
"Guess."
"Seriously?" The Titan asked, tilting his head as Venator nodded. He sighed.
"Did you find a way out?" He asked. Venator shook her head.
"Weirder. The Vex were fighting each other." That got Paladin's attention.
"Fighting each other?" He prompted. The Hunter nodded.
"There were two kinds of Vex duking it out," she said, "Our normal bronze boys throwing hands with these new silver frames."
Paladin crossed his arms as he weighed up what Venator said. It wasn't unheard of for Vex to fall to infighting. The Sol Divisive was public enemy number one to the rest of the Vex.
"Sounds like we have a rogue Mind on our hands," he said, "This has to be related to the shockwave." Venator nodded in agreement.
"Then what's the plan?" She asked. Paladin drew his rocket launcher, propping it on his shoulder.
"We take a closer look," he answered.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Pyrikaga had been busy since the Battle of the Knee. The rest of the Vex Collective wanted to destroy the Temporal Ascendancy. Pyrikaga was holding them off. It teleported across the Vex Domain, landing on the outskirts of one such battle. The Vex forms that were clashing were just a minor skirmish. The true battle was one of data and will.
Pyrikaga strode through its forces, flanked by two Wyverns. It stopped beside a Hydra acting as the overseer for the battle.
"You sent a request for aid," the Torchbearer announced, "I have arrived to see what's causing such commotion." The Hydra screeched, reporting on the current situation. Synegorus's forces were holding the line, but additional Collective Vex had been arriving steadily. Should the lines break, the Hydra would be vulnerable. If the Hydra fell, the Vex Collective would have an opening to attack Synegorus. Pyrikaga processed the data, gripping its sword tightly. It opened a message to all nearby Vex.
-]Strategic algorithms active[-
-]All units acknowledge new orders[-
=Hobgoblin units focus on enemy command units=
=Minotaur units spread out across the battlelines=
\Subnote: Direct Goblin units and Harpy units
=Wyvern units follow me=
The Sub-Mind teleported into the battlefield, appearing in a colossal ball of flame. The Collective Vex halted as it appeared, no doubt calling for reinforcements. The two Vex forces each ran countless calculations as they tried to out-predict each other. A new Collective Vex force began to teleport in. Pyrikaga readied its blade, coating it in flame.
Data flew through the air as a Gate Lord manifested before the Sub-Mind. It stood up, screeching in a challenge. Pyrikara screeched as well, meeting the threat with one of its own. The Gate Lord readied its Torch Hammer as the Typhon brandished its blade.
"Finally," Pyrikaga growled, "I've been looking for something to distract me from logistics work."
Luz gently tapped her knuckles against the door and stepped back, waiting for someone to answer. She didn't have to wait long, as Gus pulled it open from within.
She snapped her fingers in greeting, "Gustopher! Gusteban! Agustabeth! Any of these doing it for you?" His unamused expression was her answer.
"You need my library card to visit Amity, don't you?" He deadpanned. Luz grinned awkwardly.
"I haven't been doing a good job of hiding that, have I?" Gus shook his head.
"It's not just that," Luz explained, "Eda's mom told me that I'm not the first Human to live in Bonesborough. I was hoping to do some more research."
"Alright, follow me."
Paladin crouched atop a large cliff face overlooking the battlefield. Venator lay near him, watching through the scope of her rifle. He cocked an eyebrow as the Vex commanders appeared. One, a Gate Lord, was nothing out of the ordinary. The other, however, was something he had never seen before.
"A Vex with a sword," he commented, "It seems they're learning some new tricks."
"Ready to fire on your word," Venator said, holding her finger over the trigger. Paladin placed a hand on the barrel, pushing it down.
"No, let them have at it first. Then we only have to kill the winners." Venator accepted his reasoning with a disappointed huff.
"Now," he grumbled, "Let's see what we're up against."
The Gate Lord opened fire, its Torch Hammer annihilating swathes of lesser Vex frames. Pyrikara deflected the blasts with its blade, swiping at the Gate Lord. It blocked the swing with its free arm and attempted to knee the Sub-Mind in the chest. Pyrikaga had predicted this and caught the leg with its cannon arm. Pulling on the leg, it dragged the Gate Lord into a headbutt.
The Gate Lord staggered, holding its weapon at the ready. Pyrikaga twirled its blade around, taunting the Collective. The Gate Lord molded the Domain around it, creating large pillars and pits to trap the Typhon. All around it, the two armies clashed.
"Some light entertainment," Pyrikaga laughed, "This should give me some pleasure." The Gate Lord summoned a defense matrix and sent it through the air. The red grid crashed over the Temporal Ascendancy, destroying most of the lesser forms. Pyrikaga let the beams flow over itself. Its form singed under the assault, not that it cared.
"Now I see," Pyrikaga gloated. It opened a link between itself and the Gate Lord. The Collective Vex attempted to use this bridge to launch a mental attack. Pyrikaga easily batted it aside, overpowering the Gate Lords' will. The Vex Domain shifted once more, bending to Pyrikaga's desires.
-]Mission statement: Destroy rogue Vex[-
Pyrikaga heard the thoughts of the Collective Vex and began sifting through them eagerly.
-]Theoretical: Rogue Vex deviates from the pattern[-
-]Practical: All that which deviates must be destroyed[-
Pyrikaga pushed through its mental barriers, grabbing its physical form with its cannon arm.
-]Must resist[-
-]Rogue Mind Synegorus must be deleted[-
-]Must resist[-
-]Rogue Mind Synegorus must be deleted[-
-]Must resist[-
-]Rogue Mind Synegorus must be deleted[-
Pyrikaga crashed down on the Gate Lord, forcing it down on one knee. It twitched under the Sub-Minds power.
-]Must obey[-
-]Vex Mind Synegorus must be served[-
It finally broke, buckling to its new master. Pyrikaga dragged it back to its feet. The Torchbearer cast a hand over the other Collective Vex, bending them to the will of its master. Their metal shifted and rippled, changing from bronze to silver. The Gate Lord processed its new mission, downloading everything the Vex understood about the Boiling Isles.
"This was Harpy's work," Pyrikaga scoffed, turning away from the converted Vex. Its Wyverns fell in line, marching in lock-step. The three teleported away, heading off to another battle in need of their presence. Above the battle, the Hydra faded as well, no longer needed.
Venator whistled, impressed by the display before her. Paladin grunted, rising to his feet.
"That was certainly new," he commented, checking his rocket launcher, "Now, it's time for us to make our introductions." He aimed the rocket launcher, gaining multiple target locks. He pulled the trigger and the weapon barked multiple times, firing a half-dozen rockets into the air. The rockets flew into the horde and detonated. The Vex lines crumpled under the assault, struggling to retaliate to the ambush.
"Stay up here," Paladin ordered, "Give me some covering fire."
"Gladly, Brother. Happy hunting," Venator said, opening fire on the Vex. With each pull of the trigger, at least one Vex crumpled. Paladin slung the rocket launcher across his back and backed up from the edge.
"Please tell me you're not going to do what I think you're going to do?" His Ghost, Thatch, pleaded. Paladin smirked and charged, leaping off the cliff. He let out a booming laugh as he charged himself with Arc Light, plunging toward the ground with an extended fist.
He slammed into the Vex, disintegrating a dozen lesser forms with his impact. Drawing his shotgun, he blasted a Hobgoblin in the chest before delivering a roundhouse kick to a Minotaur, sending it flying. A few Harpies tried to fire on the Titan. He responded by throwing a grenade at them, wreathing them in Arc Light.
Paladin raised a barrier of Light, blocking a volley of shots from the Vex horde. Traveler help him, he loved this part of the job. Letting the thunder course through his body, he jumped into the air and brought his fists down on the ground. A massive shockwave erupted around him, atomizing any Vex unfortunate enough to be nearby. He continued to pummel his way through the Vex army, ripping them to pieces with his bare hands. The Gate Lord attempted to organize its forces but the Guardian carved through them too quickly.
Paladin's power finally ran out as the Gate Lord raised its weapon. Before it could fire, Venator intervened. She dove through the air and fired a Shadowshot at the Vex. Void energy tethered the Vex, binding it in place. Paladin reloaded his rocket launcher and took aim as Venator raised her linear fusion rifle. They fired in unison, tearing the Gate Lord to pieces.
It dropped to the ground as the two cleaned up the last of the Vex. Now leaderless, they were disorganized and easy pickings. Once the last of the Vex were cleaned up, Paladin approached the broken form of the Gate Lord. He grabbed its eye and pulled, tearing it out of its socket.
"Why is it, that out of all the Guardians I could have resurrected, I chose a Titan with a death wish?" Thatch lamented. She inspected the Gate Lords' eye as Paladin laughed.
"We're still alive, aren't we?"
"Yeah, barely," she mumbled, "I'll see what data I can extract from this thing." Venator waltzed over, chatting with Blip.
"Did you see how that Gate Lord keeled over," she boasted, "We ruined it!"
"Indeed," her ghost agreed, "Vex forces have suffered one hundred percent force depletion. You have- Pulverized them! -successfully routed them."
Luz typed away on the Crystal Ball's search function. She had just arrived at the library not long ago. Gus had departed, going off on a soul-searching exercise without her. She would have joined him, but her current work was more important. She entered 'Human' into the search function and began to browse.
"Mystery vendor flood market with dangerous Human goods," she read, before rolling her eyes, "Classic Eda. Now, what's next? Human resident donates local personal diary to library." Her eyes lit up as she found her first lead.
"This must be it," she celebrated quietly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see children leaving the Kids' Corners. Remembering the second reason she had come here, she quickly moved over to the entrance. Amity's knowledge of the library would make searching far easier.
Yeah. That was why she wanted Amity's help. That was totally the only reason.
She peaked around the corner just in time to glimpse Amity negotiating with one of the children for her hairband. Luz's eyebrows crept up her forehead, she had never seen Amity with her hair down.
"If you give me back my hairband, I'll read you whatever book you want tomorrow," Amity offered. The young girl quickly accepted and handed back the hairband.
"I'm gonna summon the Dark Lord," the young Witch cheered as she ran past Luz. Amity perked up as she noticed the Human.
"Oh, hey Luz," she greeted nervously, rubbing her arm, "What are you doing here."
"Well I came here to see you and, uhhh, here you are," Luz responded, equally nervous, "But I'm also here to ask for your help."
"Of course," the Witch responded instantly, "What do you need?"
"I'm looking for a journal that was donated to the library by another Human," Luz detailed, "He lived here a few hundred years ago."
"And you think this journal might help you build a new portal?"
"Yes! My mom probably thinks I'm missing, she must be worried sick. I have to get back to her as soon as possible." Amity nodded in understanding.
"Something that old can only be in one place," she said, "The Forbidden Stacks."
"More Guardians," Synegorus rumbled. It watched the battle through the eye of its new, albeit short-lived, servant. Anger racked the Mind as it struggled to factor the Lightbearers into its plan.
-]There are new threats in our Domain[-
-]Priority mission: Prevent Guardians from reaching the Boiling Isles[-
=Potential risk to plan is catastrophic=
Pyrikaga acknowledged the order, redirecting its forces around the Domain. Synegorus, ever the multi-tasker, checked in with its other agents. Sturme reported that the Blights were proving to be useful tools. They had begun integrating Vex technology into their Abomitons, making them far more powerful and, more importantly, placing them directly under Synegorus's command. The Vex-Witch continued his work obediently, unaware that Belos had allowed the Guardian to uncover his location. Synegorus knew what he had done. In fact, it had been counting on it. Thanks to the Emperor's decision, it now had Sturme fully under its control. Ignosi chimed in not long after, informing its master that their new Conflux was ready for activation.
"Finally, some good news." Synegorus summoned the dormant form of Sarkarae. The Typhon floated in the void, empty and lifeless.
"It is time," Synegorus said, opening the frame, "Now, you shall see as I see." Sarkarae shook as Synegorus poured a drop of itself into the frame. Its eyes lit up as it flexed its talons. With a harsh metallic scrape, its wrist blades extended to their full length. Sarkarae dropped to the ground and let out a guttural scream that tore at the Vex Domain. It slumped as Synegorus gazed down at it.
"Rise."
The Typhon slowly stood up, retracting its blades. The frame twitched anxiously, eager to rend its foes apart.
"I need… orders!" It growled, its voice ragged and painful, stuttering as the Sub-Mind struggled to contain its rage, "I need… murder!"
"What is your function?" Synegorus prompted. Sarkarae held up a hand, its fingers folding back to reveal an atomic flayer.
"My craft is… omnicide."
"Travel to the Isles," Synegorus ordered, "Ignosi will direct you. Do not engage the Guardian directly, you must isolate and destroy him."
"I… move," it said, bowing to its master, "I… ache." With a single mental pulse, Synegorus ordered the Conflux to be activated. A small portal appeared, revealing Ignosi standing in a metallic cave. The ground shifted slightly, being mildly disturbed by the power of the Vex. The Sub-Mind had been busy, converting the area to one more suited to the Vex.
A small force of Goblins appeared around Sarkarae, following it as it stomped through the portal. Ignosi regarded the new Sub-Mind curiously as it towered over them.
"I have arrived to… sterilize this world," Sarkarae declared, inspecting the cave around it. Ignosi turned away from it, directing the Goblin to begin their construction. This entire island would serve as more than a Conflux. It would become an entire Vex structure, similar to the Pyramidion on Io or the Vault of Glass, buried deep within Venus.
"This world is… even more… unimpressive than anticipated," Sarkarae commented. Ignosi received a transmission from Sturme, specifically a request for its presence.
"Remain here for now," Ignosi commanded, "You shall be unleashed soon." It teleported away, leaving Sarkarae alone. In an instant, it arrived at its desired location. The air crackled and split as Ignosi landed. Alador took a surprised step back at the Sub-Minds arrival.
"How did you do that?"
"Teleportation is a complex equation," Sturme answered, "With a simple solution."
"Space and time, time and space. To me, they are one in the same," Ignosi elaborated.
"Remarkable," the Witch commented, closely studying Ignosi's frame.
"Indeed, it is quite the act of providence," Sturme agreed.
"Why have you requested my presence?" Ignosi interrogated.
"Alador simply had some questions on your full capabilities," Sturme said quickly, cutting off the Blight before he could speak, "I rationalized that you would be capable of providing a more complete explanation."
"A logical conclusion," Ignosi agreed. It turned to Alador, staring into his eyes with its own. The Witch gulped nervously under its gaze.
"Now, what would you have me do?"
Amity and Luz stood outside a foreboding set of doors. Above them was a sign that read "The Forbidden Stacks'.
"If the journal is anywhere, it's here," Amity said, "But only Head Librarian Malphas is allowed to enter."
"No te preocupes. Todo va a salir bien," Luz whispered, "You know, we can always find another way." She turned to leave but, before she could, Amity grabbed her by the hand.
"I never said I won't help you," she said, "My staff card can get us in. But once we pass those doors, we have to be very sneaky or I could lose my job." Luz nodded in understanding and assured Amity she wouldn't lose anything. The two looked down at their hands, still clutching each other, and pulled back, blushes furiously plastered on their faces.
The two pushed into the Forbidden Stacks. Unlike the bright and lively atmosphere of the rest of the library, the Stacks were dark and gloomy. The room was filled with shelves that were each fully stocked with books. As the pair walked through the aisles, Luz looked around nervously. She could practically feel the tomes casting their judgement upon her.
"H-how much further do we need to go?" She asked anxiously.
"Actually, we're here," Amity said, stopping at the edge of a large pit. It receded far into the shadows, out of sight. Luz stared into the depths, wishing there was a conveniently placed rock for her to kick into it.
"Well, let's get a looking," Luz said, wanting to get out of the Stacks as soon as possible. Amity hushed her, dragging Luz down as a shadowy form appeared on a nearby alcove. A massive bird Demon levitating on an open book. Malphas cast an inquisitive eye around the pit. Finally, he turned and departed. Amity pushed herself back up, blushing yet again as she realized how close she was to her crush.
"Alright, sneaky-deeky time," Luz nodded.
"Malphas gave me my job and the secret room," Amity said, "He's usually pretty nice, but if we get caught he will feed us to the bookworms."
"That's probably super scary, but in the Human Realm that's just a cute name for nerds," Luz joked.
"The Human Realm is weird," Amity giggled.
"Yeah," Luz agreed wistfully, "I'd love to show you someday. But we should head back, I don't want to risk getting you in trouble."
"Oh no," Amity said forcefully as she grabbed Luz's wrist, "We are getting that diary." She dragged Luz further into the stacks with the Dominican girl blushing all the way.
Eventually, they found the aisle they were looking for and began to browse attentively. A few mice ran across the shelves, squeaking in the darkness.
Luz's hand traced across the forgotten volumes hidden away from the public. Suddenly, she froze as she found the book she was looking for. She eagerly pulled it free and held it up so Amity could see. The two shared a silent celebration before calming down. Luz cracked open the book, only for her eyes to widen in horror as she saw a mouse devouring the pages.
"You little RAT!" She clamped her mouth shut but it was too late. A large silhouette appeared behind the duo, dwarfing them with its menacing aura. Amity stepped back in fear as Malphas stared down at them.
The two Guardians had returned to their previous campsite. Though calling it that was an over-exaggeration. There wasn't anything there, it was just the location they were currently staying at. They would relocate soon, one had to constantly be on the move to avoid the Vex. Staying put was a death wish.
Thatch and Blip both investigated the Gate Lords' eye, drawing whatever information they could from it. Off to the side, Paladin was performing maintenance on his rocket launcher while Venator sharpened her knives.
"That was one hell of a fight," she quipped, breaking the silence, "I'm really starting to feel at home here." Paladin nodded in agreement.
"Still feel more welcome here than in the Dreaming City," he replied, "Those Reefborn Awoken are pricks."
"That's just you," Venator laughed, "They love me out there. The food is amazing, the views are gorgeous, and the women are simply divine." Paladin rolled his eyes at his companion's antics, not letting her see his amusement.
"Well then, Sister, why did you come back here?" He asked, "If you loved the Reef so much, why not stay there?"
"Got ran out," Venator said smoothly, "Made the mistake of hitting on Petra Venj."
"So you retreated to the Vex Domain? If the Queen's Wrath wants your head, I doubt that even the Vex could stop her."
"Not exactly," Venator sighed, "After you and Scholar helped me escape, I managed to meet back up with my old crew. We did as we used to. Then, we bit off a tad more than we could chew. Got lost in the depths of Nessus hunting some Cabal leader and the only way out was a glitchy Vex teleporter. Things went sideways fast and now I'm here."
Paladin nodded in understanding. This wasn't the first time Venator or himself had been in the Vex Domain. Him, Venator, and Scholar, their third, had been lost here because of his own reasons. Eventually, they managed to help Venator escape. Then, Scholar helped him get out. He still remembered the Warlocks' last words.
Don't worry about me Brother, I'll find my own way home.
"What about you, Brother?" Venator asked hesitantly, "Why are you back?" She didn't expect an answer. Paladin didn't like to talk about what he had found when he escaped.
"My return was my own choice," he said wearily, refusing to elaborate. Venator tapped the flat of her knives along her thighs, unsure of how to continue to conversation. Fortunately, the Ghosts finished their work.
"Alright, we've finished compiling the data acquired from big and spooky," Thatch said, "It's definitely… something else."
"Start from the beginning," Paladin said, getting down to business, "What are we up against."
"So, the silver Vex, they're a whole separate branch that is disconnected from the rest of the Vex Collective. They call themselves the Temporal Ascendancy, under the influence of Synegorus, Paradoxical Mind."
"That bastard?" Venator gasped, "It's still kicking?"
"Correct," Blip confirmed, "It is- Absolutely pissed! -very much active."
"Does it know where Scholar is?" Paladin asked, trying to get back on topic.
"Kinda," Thatch beeped, "It's… complicated."
"How so?" Venator questioned.
"Scholar is not located within the Vex Domain," Blip said, "He is trapped in a strange new world that the Synegorus is attempting to invade. According to what we have uncovered, he has already repelled one invasion."
"That's Scholar for you," Paladin laughed, punching Venator on the shoulder. She flinched under the Titan's strength, rubbing her arm.
"We were unable to figure out what the Vex's current plan is," Blip continued undeterred, "But it can't be good."
"So if we get to this 'strange new world', we'll be able to find Scholar?" Paladin asked. Thatch whistled in confirmation. The two Guardians shared a glance.
"Any idea how we can get in there?" Venator inquired.
"Negative. Only the Vex can open a portal. You would have to wait until one is open to slip through." Paladin stroked his chin as he weighed up what Blip had said.
"Don't even think about it," Thatch interjected, "You are not charging through a Vex army just so you can wait for a portal to open."
"Of course not," he said, "I was planning on sneaking past a Vex army so we can wait for a portal to open." He gestured to Venator as he said that.
"I'll turn you into a lean, mean, stealth machine," she said, flashing him a double thumbs-up.
"First we need to figure out more about the Vex position," he said. Venator jumped over and the two began to strategize. Their Ghosts floated off to the side.
"We're going to die," Thatch wailed. Blip let out a beep as he calculated their chances.
"I estimate that this- Will be bloody! -is going to be interesting."
"I'm just like, super disappointed in you Amity," Malphas bemoaned. He had dragged the two girls out to the front steps and promptly began lecturing them.
"It sucks to do this, but you're like, fired." He held out an expecting hand. Amity hesitantly obliged, offering up her staff card. Malphas shook his head somberly and departed while Amity looked down in sorrow.
"Amity, I am so-" Luz began, reaching out to console her friend.
"Not right now, Luz," Amity cut her off as she started to tear up, "Everything has changed since you've come here. Being around you… it makes me do stupid stuff and I wish it didn't."
"It's ok," Luz said, fighting off tears of her own, "I do stupid stuff around you too."
"I need to go home." Amity ran off before Luz could react. She looked up at the doors to the library.
"Nada funcionará a menos que lo haga funcionar," she said, squaring her shoulders and pushing the doors back open.
Several days (or at least, they thought they were days) had passed and the two had begun their training. Venator taught Paladin about the basics of stealth, which he grasped surprisingly well for a Titan. In turn, she provided him with data about the Temporal Ascendancy's strength and position so he could properly strategize their mission. It would be a long time before they had an opening, but they would be ready.
The two sat around a small table of Light, playing a game of poker with cards also made of Light. The two kept their helmets on, in order to keep the playing field level. Venator dropped a flush, revealing that she had five clubs in her hand. Paladin groaned, showing a straight hand.
"So that's five to me," Venator tallied, "Versus three to you."
"And one hundred thirty-two to Scholar," Paladin remarked. A somber aura fell on the two as they paid remembrance to their lost Brother-in-arms.
"What do you miss most?" Venator suddenly asked. Paladin looked at her in confusion.
"What do you miss most about home?" She elaborated.
"Hard to say," he shrugged, "Home, in general. Walking through the streets of the Last City, hearing the children laugh, and watching families feel safe and protected." He looked down, clenching his fist tightly and coating it in flame.
"I was lost for so long," he continued, "Then when I finally manage to escape, I find myself driven right back in. I'm not where I need to be. I should be protecting my people." His head turned up, looking into the digital sky.
"Can I even call myself a Titan?" He asked the uncaring reality around him. Venator drummed the table lightly.
"I was gonna joke that I missed the ramen shops the most," she admitted, "Now you got me actually thinking."
"What do you miss the most then?"
"That a hard question," she said, "Cruising around the ruins of the old world, going on missions with my crew, spending the night with beautiful women." She tapped her fingers on the table as she thought.
"I think I miss my ship the most," she finally said, "Flying through the empty vacuum, unbothered by the Universe around me. It was quiet, peaceful."
"I'm surprised you can appreciate peace and quiet."
"I know right?" Venator laughed, "My mentor used to say I was the jumpiest bugger he'd ever seen. He was a wild man, but damn he could grill a good War Beast."
"We'll find a way home," Paladin promised, "No one gets left behind."
Pyrikaga stomped through the Vex Domain, flanked by its ever-present Wyverns. It had returned to the site of its battle with the Gate Lord, inspecting the area for anything that might give them a lead on where the Guardians were. While the Vex may be able to find Royal while he was in the Boiling Isles, the Vex Domain had too much data and conflicting signals to narrow them down easily. Just when they thought they had found the Guardians, they relocated. It was a frustrating cycle. Yet Pyrikaga enjoyed the hunt.
It crouched down over the shattered form of the Gate Lord, replaying the battle in its mind. Pyrikaga sneered at how easily the Gate Lord fell. It was truly a pathetic construct. Panning around the battlefield, it traced the Guardians through the memories of their foes. Pyrikaga's gaze snapped back to the Gate Lord, staring into its empty eye socket.
-]Theoretical: Guardians possess knowledge of our plans[-
-]Practical: They will attempt to reunite with their comrade[-
Pyrikaga stood up, signaling for the Wyverns to join it. With a simple pulse, it summoned a legion of Vex to itself. It led its force onwards, splicing data to attempt to pinpoint the Guardian's location. Finally, its search was rewarded. The Torchbearer flicked its blade, igniting the weapon.
"Follow me, no questions," it ordered, "Do not fail or I shall see you disintegrated for your incompetence."
Their progress was slow as Pyrikaga attempted to more precisely hone on to where the Guardians were. It had a general direction, now it just needed to narrow down the distance.
"Cower all you want, Lightbearers," it snarled, "You will burn in the end."
The Vex Domain was quaking under the approach of the legion. Paladin moved quickly, readying his rocket launcher. Venator crept around above him, moving into position. The army before them stretched far. A quick glance from the Titan confirmed his suspicion, there wasn't much cover. It was a good thing he could make his own.
The real target of interest was the Typhon leading the Vex army. The Ghosts had informed them about the new combat frames created by Synegorus. Paladin was itching for a chance to brawl with one. Pyrikaga raised a single hand and the army halted. It looked over the area, unable to find what it was looking for.
"Where is your companion?" It asked. Paladin felt the power radiating off the Typhon. This was going to be a good fight.
"She's around," Paladin commented noncommittally, "You get me for now."
"I shall drag your charred corpse before my master," Pyrikaga threatened, "Your world, just like all others, is doomed." Paladin tightened his grip on his rocket launcher as fury began to bubble up within him.
"Maybe," he accepted, "But I'm going to keep fighting for it regardless." He quickly fired his rocket launcher, sending multiple projectiles spiraling into the horde. Pyrikaga charged forward, swinging its blade masterfully. As he brought it down, Paladin summoned a large shield made of Void energy. He absorbed the blow directly, slowly lowering to one knee as the weight bore down on him.
He tilted his shield, letting the blade slide off and hit the ground. Spinning with the movement, he flung the shield into Pyrikaga's chest. He summoned another shield on each arm and charged at the Sub-Mind. The Torchbearer swung his blade in a wide arc, slamming into the Titans' shields. The two locked once again as Venator finally made her introduction known.
"Time for a little shock and awe!" She shouted, spinning an Arc Staff over her head. She threw it into the Vex horde. Electricity lashed across the army, atomizing them instantly. She raced along the ridge above, firing into the mob of Vex beneath her. In an instant, Pyrikaga's Wyverns teleported to her. One, appearing directly in front of her, opened fire immediately. She lept over the blast, firing away with her hand cannon. The Darkness-infused slugs punched into the combat frame. Once five had impacted, they exploded, consuming the Wyvern in a burst of dark energy.
She spun and sprayed the other Wyvern with twin submachine guns. The Wyvern barely flinched under the assault. It jumped into the air and suspended itself for a moment as it sparked with energy. It dove through the air like a bolt of lightning. Without a second thought, Venator hurled herself off the ridge and fell through the air. Seconds before impact, she pooled her Light into her feet. She pushed out, bouncing off thin air with nothing but her will. While she soared over the Vex, she pulled out her knives. Landing, she immediately attacked the nearest Vex form, a hapless Hobgoblin.
While Venator fought with the Vex horde, Paladin continued to battle Pyrikaga. The Sub-Mind was growing increasingly frustrated by the Titans' stubborn refusal to stop existing. Paladin bashed the Torchbearer's leg. The metal creaked and groaned as it caved to the Titan's Light.
"Enough!" Pyrikaga roared, flames dripping from its body, "My legion, rally to me!" Yet more Vex forms began to teleport into the battlefield. Venator jumped through the air, landing next to Paladin.
"Teleportation makes ambushes so much easier," Pyrikaga gloated, "This is the art of war, as it should be performed." It raised its cannon arm as the Vex readied their weapons. Paladin thrust his hands to the side as he forced his Light outwards. A dome of Void power appeared around the two Guardians, shielding them from the fury of the Vex.
"We need to go," he grunted, struggling to sustain the Ward of Dawn, "Any ideas?" Venator pulled out a smoke bomb and primed it.
"I got one," she confirmed, "Now hold on tight and think happy thoughts."
The Ward finally failed as Pyrikaga tore it to shreds with its flames. The second it dropped, Venator fired a Shadowshot directly into its chest. As it staggered, she released the smoke bomb, instantly hiding the two Guardians from the Vex. She rolled a couple of suppression grenades into the horde, temporarily disorienting them long enough for the two to escape.
Pyrikaga regained its composure as the Lightbearers fled. With a roar, it scraped its blade along the ground, flinging a wave of molten sparks in the direction the Lightbeareres were running. One of them let out a pained gasp, but it wasn't enough to stop them from vanishing once more. The fire coating its body began to burn hotter before finally erupting, incinerating dozens of minor Vex forms. Its sole remaining Wyvern teleported over, waiting patiently for its superior to address it.
"Pursue them," the Sub-Mind growled, "And should you fail, remember who I will be reporting to." The Wyvern didn't respond, instead gathering the remnants of Pyrikaga's army and following the Guardians. The Torchbearer inspected its damaged frame as it began to repair itself.
"I envy the organics' ability to threaten their subordinates and watch them flinch."
Luz reached out to knock on the door to Blight Manor. She hesitated before drawing in a deep breath and once more tapping her knuckles against the door. After a second, it opened. Seeing that it was Amity, she held out a slightly scorched staff card.
"I'm sorry about everything!" She apologized profusely, "If you never want to see me again, then I understand but I…" Her voice trailed off as she got a good look at her friend. Amity's already short hair had been trimmed down even further and no longer needed to be tied back. On top of that, she had changed the dye from mint green to a light shade of lavender. Luz blinked a few times in surprise.
"Woah, that's new."
"Yeah," Amity said awkwardly as she tucked a stray strand behind her ear, "Mom always wanted it to be green. Just thought I could use a change." She looked down at the staff card clutched in Luz's outstretched hands.
"How did you get this back?" She asked.
"Malphas made me do a bunch of tasks in order to get your job back. I had to tame some paper dragons and categorize some man-eating books. Fortunately, it was nothing I couldn't handle." While Luz talked, a small creature climbed out of her hood and took a perch on her shoulder.
"Looks like you made a little friend along the way," Amity pointed out.
"Wait, you're the one who ate the journal!" Luz accused, grabbing the mouse in her hands.
"Wait, that's an Echo Mouse," Amity said, "It consumes knowledge through writing and can play it back later. We have to deal with them a lot."
She demonstrated by gently stroking the mouse under its chin. The mouse let out a happy noise before its eyes began to glow. It projected an image onto the wall beside the two.
"My journey through the Demon Realm is far from over. But today I humbly donate my journal to the ages. Entry one: May 21st... I think," a disembodied voice said. Luz held the mouse up to her face, now much less aggressive than before.
"Thanks, little buddy, I have a feeling you and I are going to become good friends," she said, nuzzling the mouse slightly. Amity smiled at the display.
"You do have a way of sneaking into people's hearts," she said before leaning in. Without thinking, she pecked Luz on the cheek. The Human straightened, turning to face Amity with an impossibly shocked and incredibly red face. Amity's face soon changed to match as she backed into Blight Manor.
"Alright, good to see you, now goodbye forever. Titan, why did I do that?"
The two Guardians finally stood down, having escaped the Vex for now. Paladin slumped against the wall, clutching the partially-melted armor covering his gut. Venator checked the path behind them, ensuring that they weren't in imminent danger. Once she was satisfied, she crouched down beside her companion.
"Brother, are you with me?" She asked gently. The Titan coughed as his body was racked with pain.
"I'm still alive," he groaned, "That will have to be good enough."
"We better keep moving," Thatch interjected, "The Vex are coming after us and we have nowhere to hide."
"You're right," Paladin said, struggling to his feet, "Follow me, Scholar showed me another spot we might be able to lie low at for a while so we can regroup and recollect ourselves." Venator nodded, pulling out her hand cannon as the two marched off to a future unknown.
Lilith raced downstairs, her afternoon disturbed by a horrific vision. The Vex had returned to her mind in force. She felt a familiar presence wash over her mind. Pyrikaga, or something similar to it, had returned to the Isles. Once she made it to the living room, she was greeted by the sight of Royal muttering to himself madly while he pondered the symbols of Darkness.
"Guardian," she panted, trying to catch her breath. Royal looked over, momentarily distracted from his work.
"What is it?"
"The Vex," she said, gasping for air, "They're back. Something powerful has entered the Isles."
"You're certain of this?" He asked. Lilith nodded. Before he could question her further, the front door swung open. Luz walked in, cradling a small mouse in her arms. Her face was colored a vibrant red as she gently rubbed her cheek, a small smile on her face. She paid the other two no mind, returning to her room.
"Questions for later," Royal muttered, turning back to the Witch, "Tell me everything you saw."
And there you have it, quick as you like. This chapter was initially only going to be the two other Guardians and Vex with a little bit of our favorite Warlock at the end. But I decided to combo it up with Through the Looking Glass Ruins. Partly because it's pretty relevant to Lumity and partly because I wanted to inflate my word count past an arbitrary number to satiate my ego. Kinda ignored Gus but hey, so did the first half of season two.
In season one there were a fair few episodes I could skip, due to the more episodic nature of that season. But season two has way more episodes that are plot-critical. It's annoying but also fun.
Also, do not worry, there will be more chapters dedicated to these two Guardians that will flesh them out more and explain why they're in the Vex Domain. Right now, all you need to know is that Royal met them there while he was trapped and helped them escape once. Now, they're back and they're looking for him.
GodzillaMaster: Hey, the pun got a laugh out of me, so I say it was worth it. And if you thought a god-like child (or is the Collector a child-like god? Questions for another time) was bad, just wait until you see him wielding the Darkness.
OMAC001: Yessir the Collector was a bonafide Disciple-in-training. I've been waiting to get to this plot point ever since I drafted it up back in chapter six or seven.
mysticalex: I don't have any plans for other races to show up. There are other Vex, but they're not super plot important. And it's nice to hear that the Collector/Darkness reveal had the intended effect. Sadly, I don't have any plans for a Cayde bit. If I get an idea I will most certainly add it in.
Trials sweat: The Destiny story will not impact this story. At least, not at the moment. As with many questions, I have ideas for waaaaaaay down the line. But no promises.
"Where is it?"
Luz rummaged through a pile of clothes, searching for the cloak Eda had knitted for her. As she flung the garments around the room, her Mentor watched from the doorway. She stifled a laugh as the Human paced, trying to retrace her steps.
"Give up yet?" Eda asked. Luz sighed and nodded, admitting defeat.
"I put it in the wash," Eda said, ruffling Luz's hair, "You gotta stay on top of your laundry." Luz rolled her eyes with a grin on her face.
"Yes mom," she said playfully. Royal stepped through the entrance, holding a basket of clothes.
"Your wash finished," he said, setting it on the floor, "Here you go."
"Thanks, dad," Luz said absentmindedly. Her face turned red as she suddenly realized what she said. She attempted to cover her face in embarrassment. Eda let out a surprised snort, looking between the two Humans with a cheeky grin. Royal did a double take, turning back to face Luz.
"Uhhh… you're welcome?"
