Man. Trials is literally in the game. Why do I do this to myself? Not important, let's get to the chapter at hand. It's time for Eclipse Lake.
We also hit fifty followers! Hooray! I've been trying to work on chapter 24, but writer's block has been a pain. No promises as to when it will be uploaded.
Chapter 23: Infinite Timelines
"We call them 'The Strands of Fate'. The Vex understand it to be more of a prism." -Field Log of Royal-6
"Brother, are you still with me?" Venator questioned. Paladin was propped up against a large block. He clutched his gut, groaning slightly.
"He's hurt, but he'll make it through," Thatch confirmed, "Stupid lug just had to throw himself at the Typhon."
"Keep me updated," Venator ordered. Thatch confirmed and turned back to her Guardian. Venator crept back to the entrance of their current hideout. Peering through the scope of her sniper rifle, she swept her gaze across the cubic plains. There were no Vex in sight. Such a discovery should have been a relief. Instead, it chilled her to the core.
As she grew tenser, she felt something begin to snap at her hip. Looking down, she saw her hand cannon writhing with dark power. She grabbed it, trying to keep it under control. Her mentor had trusted her to control the dark weapon and she would not be found wanting. Malfeasance continued to fight against her until she finally got it under control.
"Sister?" Paladin weakly asked. Venator dropped back down, rushing to kneel beside him.
"I'm here," she said, "What do you need?"
"I'm not gonna be moving for a bit," he coughed, "Mind telling me a story?" Venator blinked, taken aback by his request.
"Seriously?" She asked. Paladin nodded.
"Not like we have much else to do." Venator sighed and sat down next to the Titan.
"Alrighty, I'll tell you about my last job."
"Alright, alright, alright crew. We have ourselves a new bounty."
Venator, along with the rest of the crew of rogue Lightbearers, looked up from their card game. Above them was their leader. He was a scruffy man, with a face permanently cast into a mischievous grin. His dark-blue robes were well kept and his pauldrons were made of fine fur. Around his neck hung a small jade pendant.
"Turns out that the Red Legion isn't quite broken just yet, despite what the City wants people to think," the Drifter said with a smirk, "There's a new hotshot in town. Val Ca'uor. Word is that he's rallying the scattered remnants of the Red Legion to himself. Big Emps Calus isn't too happy about that, so he's put up a bounty on the Val's head. We cash it and we'll be living like royalty."
"You wanna do a job for the Cabal?" One of Venator's crewmates, Ravie, asked. She was an Awoken Warlock and a former Dredgen. Her Thorn never left her side.
"Don't matter who the job's from," Venator snarked, "So long as we get paid."
"Right you are kid," the Drifter said, "Big bad gets taken out, Cabal gets weakened, and we get paid. Win-win-win."
"So where is this bugger hiding out?" Ringo, a Human Titan who had long since abandoned the City, asked with great interest.
"His last sighting was on Nessus," their leader confirmed, "Gathering recruits, nabbing Vex tech, you name it. We're gonna roll in there, sneak past his defenses, take this beast out, and snag the bounty."
"I'm in," Venator said eagerly, "I've been itching to get back into the field."
Deep within the confines of the palace was a secret chamber. It was where the Emperor conducted his most important business. And at the moment, that business was the portal to the Human Realm. After his battle with the Human girl, Emperor Belos had recovered the shattered pieces and was slowly putting them back together. He had kept the project secret, not wanting any of his enemies to catch word of what he was doing. Silver metal adorned the frame, Vex technology working to make it function.
Hunter peered around the corner, watching the Emperor run his latest test. The Palisman that had been accompanying him poked out, only for Hunter to shush him and hide him again. The Emperor injected the portal with a glowing green liquid and inserted a key. He tried to open the door, only for the key to disintegrate in his hand. His hand curled into a fist before slackening as he stood up.
"Would you like to see how it works, Hunter?" He asked. Hunter's spine instantly straightened.
"Apologies, Emperor Belos," he repented, "I didn't mean to hide." The Emperor turned to look at him. His mask was off, revealing a withered face with ragged skin. His long, pale-blonde hair curled past his shoulders. Most prominently, a massive green scar lay across his face, perfectly curving around a broken nose. Fortunately for Hunter, Belos's face was not unkind.
"We have found every piece of the door," he explained as Hunter stepped forward, "And yet, without the key, it remains inoperable."
"Is it true that rain doesn't boil in the Human Realm?"
"It is," Belos said wistfully, "I've been there before. Have I ever told you that?" Hunter shook his head and Belos chuckled.
"It's such a beautiful world," he recounted, "The trees are green. The nights are quiet. I look forward to seeing it again." Hunter listened with rapt attention as Belos sighed.
"You weren't spying on me just to hear these old stories, were you?"
"The operation at the Knee," Hunter began, "Why did you switch me out with Kikimora?"
"Everyone has their use," Belos said, placing a hand on Hunter's shoulder, "Kikimora has her intricate plans. The Scouts carry out orders. And you, well, the Titan has big plans for you. It would be such a hassle to find a replacement. So right now, the most important thing you can do is stay put and stay safe." He slowly escorted Hunter out of the room, with the Witch reluctantly following.
"If this is punishment for failing my last mission, then I promise I can do better!"
"Goodnight, Hunter."
"You never mentioned that you ran with the Drifter," Paladin tried to laugh, only for Thatch to let out a warning beep.
"Coulda swore I had," Venator said, "We were a small group of rogue Lightbearers who liked to walk on the edge of the Darkness."
"Sounds like a less-than-reputable crew."
"You city folk are so judgemental," Venator joked, "Now, where was I?"
The planetoid of Nessus was a warzone. The entire celestial body had been invaded by the Vex. Most of it had been converted into one of their supercomputers. The Cabal had set up shop as well, constantly doing battle with the machines. The surface was littered with wreckages and ruins from the Golden Age. It was the perfect place for a Hunter.
Venator transmatted onto the planet, with Ringo and Ravie right behind her. Drifter chose to remain on board the Derelict, running tactical for this mission. The three Lightbearers instantly readied their weapons and peered around their landing zone.
"Intel says that Ca'uor is located deep within a nearby Vex structure," Ringo reported.
"This entire planet is a Vex structure," Ravie complained, propping her shotgun up on her shoulder.
"I'm seeing movement ahead," Venator reported, dropping to lie on her stomach. She watched a small squad of Cabal marching into a nearby cave. They wore the colors of the Red Legion proudly on their armor. A centurion watched them as they marched. Once the last one had entered, he turned and followed.
"Whole lotta ugly heading that way," Venator relayed, pointing to the cavern, "Fall in behind me, we're going after them." She stood up, preparing to move, only for Ravie to force her way past. Venator stared at the back of her helmet for a second before shaking her head and jogging to catch up.
Amity paced down the hall of the Owl House, tapping away at her clipboard.
"Hooty, what's your status?" The House Demon instantly burst through the window.
"Perimeter secure!" He reported, "Nothing is getting past me!"
"Good," Amity said, marking that off and walking away, "Now clean that up."
"Ma'am!" Hooty saluted, swallowing up the broken glass. Amity entered the kitchen where Willow was waiting, along with her Palisman.
"Willow, have you gathered the supplies?"
We're ready to attack this on all fronts," the plant Witch confirmed. A white cat entered the room, dropping a dead spider at Amity's feet. She reached down to scratch the Palismans ear.
"Aww, Ghost," she cooed, "Did you catch this all by yourself?" While she scratched her Palisman, Gus, King, and Lancer made their entrance. Gus was holding a record player while King looked through a few of the discs they had available.
"Soothing rain or beach noises?" He asked. Gus snatched up a disc and read over it.
"What's Lofi?" He asked. Lancer tsked, transmitting another disc into the Witches hands.
"You should try some classic rock from the Golden Age," he provided, "Loved by Guardians and Vex alike. It's the one thing we can all agree on."
"Sounds like music is coming along well," Amity said, "Where's Eda and Lilith?" Gus pointed to the living room. Sure enough, the two Clawthorne sisters were there. Eda was doing some kind of exercise while Lilith sat on the couch taking notes.
"Eda, you're supposed to be helping Hooty shore up our defenses," Amity rebuked.
"I'm busy trying to learn how to go Harpy mode on command," the outlaw dismissed, "I found some old Human exercise DVD. If I scream hard enough, I can transform." Amity picked up the packaging and read it over.
"This looks ancient."
"No it isn't," Eda said, taking it from the young girl, "It's only- Thirty years old! I remember seeing this in theaters."
"Yes, you're old, we get it," Amity dismissed, "Who cares? We have a crisis on our hands!"
"Chill, Boots," Eda calmed, "Everything is fine, Luz is in good hands." Amity frowned and dragged the Owl Lady off. They stopped outside Luz's room and Amity pushed the door open. She gestured to the Human, lying in bed with colorful fungus growing from her scalp. Royal sat nearby, occasionally prodding the mushrooms.
"Does this look fine to you?"
"What's the verdict, Rustbucket?" Eda ignored her.
"Well," Royal started, standing up, "In my professional medical opinion, I have absolutely no idea what I'm looking at. I tried a healing grenade but that didn't work. Nor did a healing rift. I could try a Well of Radiance but I doubt it would be any different." Luz held up her sock-covered arms, looking at them with wonder.
"It's like I have snakes for arms," she murmured, waving them through the air.
"It's just the Common Mold," Eda said, "It's harmless."
"To Witches!" Amity argued, "We have no idea what it'll do to Humans."
"If I ate the portal key, would I return to the Human Realm?" Luz pondered absently. She held up the key, preparing to consume it. Amity instantly snatched it out of her hand and hung it around her neck.
"You can have this back when you're feeling better, ok?" Amity asked. Rather than respond, Luz whined and pulled out a small device. She typed away and a matching device in Amity's pocket buzzed. Pulling it out, she saw that Luz had sent her a message consisting of random symbols.
"Uhh, yeah! You got it." Everyone evacuated the room, leaving Luz to her sickness. Willow stepped up behind Amity.
"You know, it's weird seeing you around more often."
"I know," she agreed, "But I was taught that every situation is an opportunity. And today, I show Luz that I am an awesome girlfriend." Lancer let out a soft 'aww' that she tried to ignore. Suddenly, Luz let out a loud scream. Without hesitation, everyone burst back into the room where the Human was vividly gesturing to the cage on her desk.
"Mouse!" She shouted, "Journal! Phillip! Portal!" Sure enough, the Echo Mouse was displaying a recording from the diary.
"After five years, I have finally found it," Phillip reported, "A power source so potent it can pierce through realms. Titan's Blood. There are old tales of lakes reflecting green trees and blue skies. The Titan's vein runs through the land. And many believe that these wild portals are created when a little of its blood leaks into the water. That is how I came here. So that is the first place I shall look. I will journey back to Eclipse Lake." With that, the recording faded and the mouse fell asleep. Luz tried to push herself out of bed.
"I need to go to Eclipse Lake," she said before her arms gave out from under her. Amity knelt next to her.
"It's alright," she soothed, "We'll go get it for you. How does that sound?" Luz pulled her into a hug, much to Amity's elation and embarrassment.
"You guys are the best," she said, relinquishing her girlfriend. King lept onto Eda's shoulder.
"This sounds like the perfect chance to test our new powers out," he exclaimed.
"Alright then," Royal said, "Amity, Eda, King, and myself are the away team. Gus, Willow, Lilith, and Hooty will hold down the fort here." The assembled members of the Owl House all nodded in agreement. Off to the side, Lilith massaged her head, now overcome by a spike of pain. She quickly pulled Royal aside.
"Vex activity?" He asked before she could get a word out.
"Possibly," she confirmed, "I don't know to what extent though."
"Oh, I have a hunch."
Sarkarae teleported across the Isles once more, appearing in a snow-swept land. The area around it was desolate, partially converted into metal. The land still bore the scars of the Vex's first invasion. The Sub-Mind looked around, finally catching sight of the one it was sent to meet.
Kikimora gazed at Sarkarae with an unimpressed look from her spot atop an Abomiton. The Typhon clenched its fists as it walked over. The nearby scouts stepped back in apprehension. Kikimora, however, remained where she was.
"You are the one sent by Ignosi?' She asked in her typical shrill voice.
"I am… the finest warrior… this Universe… has ever… witnessed," Sarkarae rumbled. Its voice caused the assembled members of the Emperor's Coven to flinch slightly. Kikimora waved her hand dismissively.
"I doubt that we will need your martial abilities," she said, "You are here to help with excavation. And, should the Golden Guard show up, you will bring him to me. I just know he's going to try and steal my mission. I can practically hear his annoying voice." Unbeknownst to the Demon, she was completely correct. Sarkarae knew that the Golden Guard was watching them from nearby. However, it didn't see any reason to let Kikimora know that. Internal Coven politics were of little concern to the Vex.
"As… you… wish."
-]This is humiliating[-
"So you hunted Val Ca'uor?" Paladin croaked, "Coulda used someone like you during our assault on the Spire."
"You mentioned that you were involved in the team that took him down back in your home," Venator prompted, "What was that like?"
"Difficult. Very difficult," Paladin grunted, "What happened next?"
The three rogue Lightbearers crept through the halls of the Vex structure, guns held at the ready. Ravie held her Thorn out in one hand, with the other curled around a Void orb. Ringo had a fusion rifle ready to spray Arc death on anything he saw. Venator walked at the rear of the group, holding her Malfeasance in one hand and the tracker in the other. Their surroundings were painfully silent, with nothing but the clanking of their boots bouncing off the walls. Small pools of radiolaria sat on the sides of the tunnel.
"How did the Cabal even fit through here?" Ravie whispered.
"Very carefully, I would imagine," Ringo replied evenly. Venator pulled the two back and signaled for them to stop.
"Up ahead," she whispered, "Two guards."
"Well then," Ringo said, slinging his fusion across his back, "Why don't I give them the Sunbreakers handshake?" He charged forward, turning around the corner where two Centurions were waiting. They perked up, surprised by Ringo's sudden appearance. The Titan summoned two flaming hammers and lept into the air, dragging them across the ground. A wave of flame tore through one Centurion, causing him to howl in pain as he died.
Ringo turned in midair, bringing his hammers down on the remaining Centurion. The Cabal officer was instantly incinerated. Ringo stood up and dusted his hands off.
"What part of 'stealth mission' do you not understand?" Venator hissed. The Titan waved her off.
"Oh please, it's not like they heard me." He was instantly proved wrong when alarms started going off. The three heard the sound of hundreds of Cabal legionnaires rushing toward them.
"This is why you follow my lead," Venator lectured, "In all matters of stealth, I have jurisdiction."
"We don't have to listen to you," Ravie argued, consuming her Void energy, "Kid takes one step into the Vex Domain and thinks she gets to call the shots."
"We're supposed to be a team," Venator shot back, "Or did you fail to get that through your thick skull?" Before Ravie could respond, a large explosive bolt soared between the two. They instantly broke off, falling behind cover as the Cabal closed in. A few Phalanxes stepped forward and expanded their shields. The Legionnaires moved into formation and continued firing at the intruders. Venator tried to peek out for a shot, only to jump back as a bolt slammed into the cover beside her.
"Great, now we're pinned," she cursed, "You happy?" Ravie pulled back the hammer on her Thorn.
"Extremely." She dove out of cover and charged to Cabal. She tackled one Phalanx and blasted him in the head, splattering his brains across the floor. A few slugs slammed into her. She responded in kind, Void energy sustaining her. Venator cursed again and tried to offer her cover fire. Ringo joined in, spraying away with his fusion rifle.
"This is way more fun than sneaking around," Ravie laughed cruelly, plunging her fist into one Legionnaire's guts and detonating him with Void energy. The Cabal continued to swarm in. Ringo stood up, charging himself with Solar energy. He clutched a colossal two-handed hammer and brought it down on the ground. A wave of flames caused the Cabal lines to explode.
"I'm pushing through!" The Titan shouted, "Your ass is dust Ca'uor!" He charged forward as the Cabal began to pull back. Ravie was right on his heels. Venator stood up to join them, only to be shot from behind. She grunted, flipping around to the other side of her cover. She peered over just in time to see Vex marching in perfect unison. Waves of Goblins pressed down on her, with more teleporting in from behind.
"I'm gonna need some backup here," she shouted, firing away with Malfeasance into the Vex lines.
"You have plenty of experience with the Vex," Ravie snarked, "We're going for the prize." The two ran further down the tunnel while Venator chucked a grenade at the Vex.
"Oh, you fucking dicks!"
The journey to the base of the Knee didn't take long. Royal disembarked from his sparrow while the Witches dismounted their staves. Eda cast her gaze to a nearby clump of Vex metal.
"I still have trouble believing it," she said.
"This is what I'm fighting to prevent," Royal reminded her. Amity poked the metal with her staff.
"The Vex did this?" She asked. The Warlock nodded and pointed toward the base of the Knee.
"That's where Eclipse Lake will be," he said, "Deep down, far from the Vex's reach. Let's not keep Luz waiting."
They pushed through the snow, causing it to crunch under their boots. The others wore heavy winter gear while Royal just channeled Solar power through his body, melting any snow that landed on him. Amity pulled out her map, looking it over. They heard the sound of stone shifting, no doubt the Emperor's Coven conducting a similar excavation.
"Great, this place is crawling with tools," King complained, "What gives?"
"Titan's blood is the most potent source of magic in the Isles," Eda offered, "I'm not surprised Belos wants it too."
"Well we're not letting Luz down," Amity said, redoubling her efforts. She pushed forward, only for a loud crack to sound from above them. Looking up, she saw a cloaked figure tumbling down the hill toward them. A small red bird flew over them while they groaned, picking themselves up out of the snow. He looked up only to receive the blade of a glaive just under his chin.
"A coven scout!" Amity shouted, drawing her staff. Eda did the same while King tried his best to look as intimidating as possible.
"Yes," he said slowly, "I am but a humble scout and I surrender."
"That was easy," King cheered. Royal leaned in closer.
"I remember that annoying voice," he growled. The scout quickly shot up and turned to run. He didn't make it very far, as Amity caught his legs with a lash of Abomination goo. He tripped, causing his mask to fall off. The four gathered around him. Royal turned the scout over with his foot, revealing his face.
"I know this punk," the Guardian said, "This is the Golden Guard." The Guard glared at him.
"My voice is not annoying!"
"Whatever you say," Royal taunted, "By the way, how's your face feeling?"
"This is the Golden Guard?" Amity questioned, "He's a lot scrawnier than I imagined."
"Why are you here," Royal interrogated, "What does Belos want with the Titan's Blood?"
"As if I'd tell you," the Guard scoffed, "Why don't you go ask the Vex." Royal's optics narrowed.
"So the Vex are here."
"Yeah," the Guard continued, "Big one. Got long claws. Kikimora has it digging out an entrance." Royal flexed his fingers, letting fire spark between them.
"What are you thinking, Tincan?" Eda questioned.
"How does a diversion sound?"
"Abandoned by your squad," Paladin coughed while Thatch healed his wounds, "Guess they forgot rule number one."
"And that is?" Venator prodded.
"No one gets left behind."
"Well, out in the frontier, things work a little different," Venator said, flipping one of her knives between her fingers, "No one's coming to save you. Besides, it isn't so bad. Now it's just me, reporting to me."
Venator continued to fire into the advancing Vex horde. Their numbers were endless and their resolve unwavering. She slowly backed up, shooting all the way. Placing a few trip mines along the wall, she ducked around the corner and ran. Explosions rocked the tunnel behind her. It wouldn't slow the Vex for long, so she had to move fast. As she ran, she saw slain Cabal littering the path.
Arriving at the end of the tunnel, she saw it open up into a massive cavern with a large opening in the ceiling. Sunlight poured in through the roof, illuminating the Cabal soldiers. Ringo and Ravie were right in the thick of it, fighting as hard as they could. Venator lept atop a large pillar and pulled out her sniper rifle. The second she aimed, a large ball of flame slammed into the center of the arena. A humungous Cabal warrior clad in ornate Incendior armor drew to his full height. He was simply massive, towering over his soldiers.
The impact knocked Venator off her podium. She fell into the shadows right as the Vex arrived. She picked herself up as the Vex, Cabal, and Lightbearers began to do battle. Val Ca'uor swept his free hand into Ravie, sending her flying into a wall. Venator could make out a painful crack as she dropped to the ground.
Ringo ignored his teammate's death, continuing to swing his Burning Maul around with reckless abandon. Waves of Vex crumbled before him while Venator tried to make her way over to the downed Warlock. Getting closer she could see Ravie's Ghost trying to put her back together. A shadow loomed over them and Venator tried to call out a warning.
However, she was too late. Val Ca'uor's fist slammed into the Ghost, crushing it to dust. A shockwave of Light erupted forth, rolling across the cavern. Ringo finally looked over, only for a Minotaur to teleport in behind him and deliver a savage punch to his back. The Vex forms fist punched through his chest. He dropped to the ground, already dead. The Vex descended on his Ghost, no doubt tearing it to pieces. Venator cursed, hiding in the shadows while the Vex and Cabal fought.
"Kid, what's the situation down there?" Drifter's voice crackled over the comms, "Have you made contact with the target?"
"Ringo and Ravie are down!" she shouted back, "I have Vex and Cabal converging on my position. Calling mission abort."
"Copy that," his tone was strict and professional. Loss was common on the frontier. Logic told Venator that she shouldn't mourn her teammate's death. After all, fewer people meant bigger cuts.
"I'm picking up readings from a Vex teleporter at the far end of the cavern," Drifter reported, "It should get you out of there." Venator took in a deep breath before rolling out from behind cover. The two warring factions turned to face Venator, only for her to dive past them. Soaring over the crowd with the help of the Light, she leaped over the Val. The Cabal leader howled as she soared over him.
She saw a Vex portal at the back of the room, surrounded by Cabal equipment. Moving quickly, she rolled out of the way of incoming fire. She raced toward the portal. The Vex were finishing off the last of the Cabal, now free to turn their attention to the rogue Lightbearer while Ca'uor tried to reorient himself. He glared at Venator with hatred in his eyes, raised his weapon, and fired. The projectiles exploded as Venator entered the portal. She felt it distort and twist. It felt like she was being torn apart on the microscopic level. Venator screamed in pain as the portal collapsed, dragging her along with it.
"Kid!" She heard Drifter shout on comms, his voice cutting in and out with static, "Can… hear… I'm… my way… St… wn… al…" Finally, the feed cut out. Venator fell through the empty abyss. She slammed into the ground, though she fortunately didn't die.
"Blip," she groaned, pushing herself up, "Where in Sol are we?"
"Slight problem," her Ghost said in his usual even tone, "We're not in Sol anymore."
"What do you mean…" her voice died as she looked up. Massive technicolor spires of data stretched up around her. She couldn't distinguish the sky from the ground. In the distance, Vex forms had already sighted her and were closing in.
"We're in the place between timelines," Blip said, confirming her worst fears, "We're in the Vex Domain."
Stone, to most creatures, was impassable. Its rigidity made it incredibly durable and resistant to damage. Such qualities made it a favorite of the Construction Coven. Indeed, most Witches would need a tool or magic to break through.
Edalyn Clawthrone was not most Witches.
She burst through the sheer stone face with her bare hands, rolling with her landing. She shot back up, completely oblivious to the fact that she had just burst through solid rock.
"Did I do it?" She asked, looking around eagerly, "Did I go Harpy mode?"
"No," King said, batting away the dust that hung in the air, "You just screamed 'Hoot' and charged at the wall. It was actually pretty funny." Amity walked in behind him, guiding a bound Golden Guard with her staff. Eda inspected the nearby mining equipment. A machine that focused magical power into a concentrated beam to chip away at the rocks.
"This stuff looks ancient," she commented, twisting one of the laser drills around on its stand.
"Witches used to use it to mine the crystalized Titan's Blood," the Guard explained with a shrug. Eda grinned and spun it around to face herself.
"This oughta give me the kick of adrenaline I need," she said. The Guard tried to warn her but he was too late. Eda activated the laser. A beam of magic flew out at an awkward angle due to the rust that had settled on the machine. It slammed into the crystalline wall and bounced off, refracting into multiple separate beams. Everyone panicked as the beams flung themselves around the room. After a few seconds, they died down, leaving the four in silence.
"This isn't a normal cave!" The Guard shouted, "These walls are made from the veins of the Titan. They're resistant to magic."
"You seem fun at parties," Eda deadpanned. King gazed down the tunnel before them.
"Maybe I can echolocate the Titan's Blood."
"How would that even-" The Guard was cut off by King letting out a mighty 'WEH'. The sonic blast bounced down the hall, growing more and more distant. Realizing that it wasn't coming back, King turned back and shrugged.
"You're going to get us caught," the Guard said, "And then killed."
"There is no 'us'," Amity countered, poking the blonde in the back with her staff. The four walked further down the tunnel, into the growing darkness.
"At least we have the easy job," Amity whispered to herself.
Outside, Royal watched from the trees. Sarkarae tore away massive chunks of stone with its bare hands before pulling out its cannons and disintegrating the remaining rubble. With a path finally cleared, Kikimora ordered her troops forward. Royal frowned and drew his rocket launcher. He aimed it just above the entrance, preparing to collapse it in on itself. He fired and the rocket soared through the air. Before it could make contact, however, Sarkarae lashed out and snatched it out of the air.
"An ambush!" Kikimora screeched, turning with a wild look in her eye, "It must be the Golden Guard."
"It is the… Guardian," Sarkarae snarled, crushing the rocket in its hand.
"Oh… of course," Kikimora realized, "It appears we may have need of your martial prowess after all."
"Leave him… to me." It instantly set off in Royal's direction. The Guardian cursed and reloaded. He pulled out his Fatebringer in one hand and glaive in the other. Sarkarae charged through the trees, uprooting them as it crashed through the snow-swept lands. It stopped before Royal, drawing its blades.
"Fancy meeting you here," Royal snipped, spinning his glaive around. Sarkarae growled threateningly. Around it, several Minotaurs teleported in and leveled their weapons at the Guardian. Royal tilted his head, keeping his weapons held ready. Sarkarae looked directly at him and rolled its head around the joint.
"There will… be no… female… to save you… this time."
"And that's how I ended up back here," Venator finished her story. She looked down, uncomfortable with reliving the memory. Paladin remained silent, staring at her through his helmet. He reached out, grabbing her by the shoulder.
"Don't worry, Sister," he said, "You're not alone anymore." She was about to respond before the ground under them shook. Venator quickly stood up. Paladin tried to join her, only to let out a grunt of pain. Venator pushed him back down as worry began to bubble up.
"Stay here Brother, I'll take care of this." She left before he could object. Poking her head out of the entrance, she saw a Vex army marching toward them, shaking the ground with each step. She felt Malfeasance writhe with Darkness, feeding off her uncertainty.
"Remember what Drifter taught you," she muttered, taking a deep breath, "Fear is normal. Assess it, accept it, authoritate it." At the head of the army was a Wyvern, glowing with quantum energy. She pulled out a machine gun and quickly checked the sights.
"Come on then," she called, putting on a brave face, "Don't keep me waiting!" The Vex obliged, charging to kill her.
Eda pushed aside a pile of rubble, escorting the rest of the group through. She fell in line with Amity and the Guard, walking just beside them.
"You know, Luz told me about her trip to Latissa," she said, "She mentioned a beat-up blonde Witch with no powers. Called him a 'bad but sad boy'. Does that ring any bells?"
"If I ever see that Human again," the Guard began to mutter, only for Amity to hold up her staff under his throat.
"Watch it," she warned with a slight growl in her voice. Before he could respond, the four heard chatter up ahead. Moving forward, they hid behind a cluster of rocks while they watched. Before them, they saw Kikimora pacing before her squad.
"What's going on?" The Demon demanded, "Why have we stopped? Is it the Golden Guard?" The Captain stepped over.
"No ma'am, these mines are unstable. We need to move carefully."
"We don't have time for careful," Kikimora screeched, "My ass is on the line and, Titan help me, if I go down then all of you are coming with me."
"That girl is going through some things," Eda pitied.
"She's also blocking the path to Eclipse Lake," Amity noted, "We could really use Royal's help right about now."
"We can do this without him," Eda said confidently, "I'll make a distraction. King, you're with me." The Demon accepted with glee and the two snuck off, leaving Amity along with the Golden Guard.
"Well, that was easy," he said, "When they're caught, we can sneak past and get to the Titan's Blood."
"Stop talking like we're a team," Amity hissed. The Guard shrugged.
"We might as well be," he said nonchalantly, "The Owl Lady and her pet have nothing at stake, unlike us."
"You have no idea what you're talking about," Amity rebuffed. As soon as she did, her pocket buzzed. She pulled out the device Luz gave her, opening a new message. A series of gibberish symbols flashed at her. The Guard peered over her shoulder.
"Ooh, that doesn't look good."
"Stay back!" Amity ordered, whipping around to push him away, "But what doesn't look good?"
"Seems clear to me," the Guard shrugged again, "Come back with results or… I'm sure you can figure out the rest." Amity looked at the message again. As she did, she could piece together the message the Guard spoke of.
"No," she denied, shaking her head, "Luz wouldn't make that kind of threat. I'm an awesome girlfriend."
"Has she told you that?" The Guard asked innocently. Amity glared at him.
"We have a lot in common, Blight," he continued unabated, "We're both trying to show what we can bring to the table. And we can't afford to fail, because there's nothing worse than failing someone who thinks you're special." Amity turned away from the Guard, looking down at the Coven party. She could make out King and Eda huddled behind a rock, planning their move. Her grip on her communicator tightened before she slipped it back into her pocket. She summoned a purple fireball and lept off her perch, with the Guard being unwillingly dragged along. She hurled the fireball at Kikimora, causing a nearby Abomiton to raise a Void shield.
"What gives, Boots?" Eda shouted as the two raced past.
"We don't have time for this," she shouted back, "We need to get the blood now!" Eda looked at King and the two shrugged in unison before running behind her.
"Someone else is in the tunnel!" They heard Kikimora holler, "It must be him!" The four continued to run down the tunnel. As they did, large chunks of frozen liquid began to appear along the sides of the path.
"Is this Titan's Blood?" Eda asked, slowing to inspect them. The rest of the group fell in with her. The cardinal Palisman continued to pester the Guard, despite his attempts to shoo him away.
"But Eclipse Lake is still further ahead," Amity questioned, referencing her map.
"Who cares?" King cheered, "We did it!" He reached out to touch it.
"Don't!" The Guard shouted, "That's Fools Blood!"
"Yeah right," Eda scoffed, "And I'm a Titan's uncle." She gave the chunk a good jab with her staff. It cracked upon contact, falling apart into multiple shards. The cracks continued up the wall as the tunnel began to collapse. The ground beneath Eda and King fell away, causing the two to drop into a dark pit. Amity cried out for them as they vanished from sight. She mounted her staff to go after them.
"Wait, take me with you!" The Guard panicked. Down the tunnel, they could hear Kikimora calling for him in a malevolent tone.
"At least untie me so I can escape," he pleaded, looking into Amity's eyes with desperation. She relented, calling back the Abomination goo that bound him.
"Fine. Where will you go now?" She asked while he stretched his arms to get the blood flowing again.
"Now, I get to Eclipse Lake first." He swept her legs out from under her, causing Amity to let out a surprised yelp. He took off down the tunnel, running as fast as he could. The cardinal chirped and took off after him. Amity pushed herself back up, summoning a fireball in her hand as she prepared to give chase. Before she could, she felt something powerful grab her by the neck. It picked her up and she let out a cry of pain. The Abomiton held her up to Kikimora's eyes.
"Well, well, well," she taunted, "If it isn't our little firestarter." She snapped her fingers the Abomiton dropped her to the ground with a thud. One of the Guards confiscated her staff.
"So, the Golden Guard is after the Titan's Blood as well," she cackled, "I knew it! That little snake is always trying to make me look bad. Now, I can finally crush him into paste!"
"And get the Titan's Blood, right?" The captain asked. Kikimora waved her off.
"Yes, yes, of course," she dismissed, "Captain, stay here with our prisoner. I imagine her parents won't be too happy with her actions today." The two Abomitons marched down the tunnel with Kikimora letting out a maniacal cackle. The scouts fell in behind her and soon the two were alone.
"So…" the captain started slowly, pointing her staff at Amity in a half-hearted threat, "Did you come here with anyone else? Well, you must've come here with the Guardian, but you know what I mean." Amity kept her lips tight.
"Alright, this is boring," the captain said. She planted her boot on Amity's chest and pushed, causing the girl to tumble down the same abyss that had taken Eda and King. She let out a cry as she fell. As she plummeted, she felt someone grab onto her arm. She snapped to a stop and looked up. Eda held onto her, with King not far away. The three were precariously hanging from Eda's staff as it held them up, stuck between the two walls.
"I got you Boots," Eda said, struggling to pull Amity up.
"You guys are ok?"
"Yeah, managed to catch a lucky spot," Eda grunted, "But Owlbert's knocked out, so we can't fly out of here."
"I'm gonna just throw this out here, but now would be a really good time for Harpy Eda to show up," King panicked.
"I don't know how!" Eda rebuffed, "I've tried yelling at it, scaring it, forcing it. Nothing's working."
"Have you tried asking nicely?" King proposed. Eda looked at him in surprise.
"No, actually," she admitted. She closed her eyes and focused.
"Hey," she muttered, "I need a save here, think you can help me out? What, you want… alright fine, just help me out here!" Her form began to shift as the Owl Beast agreed to help her. Her body grew in size, her hair lengthened, and her fingers turned into clawed talons. Most importantly, massive wings sprouted from her back. She grabbed onto King and Amity tightly, with the young Blight clutching Owlbert. With a mighty hoot, she flapped her wings and flew upward.
"So what were you talking about with the Owl Beast there?" King asked.
"Don't ask," Eda grimaced with her distorted voice. The three landed on solid ground and Eda let the other two dismount. The three took off down the tunnel, coming up behind Kikimora's squad as they just finished clearing out a recently collapsed support beam. Eda grinned, flexed her talons, and dove at the scouts. Amity's staff flew out of the scuffle and she quickly retrieved it.
"You two go ahead," the Harpy called, "I'll deal with these mooks." She dodged a punch from one of the Abomitons and retaliated. Her claws dragged harmlessly over its Void shields. Amity, with King resting on her shoulder, raced past them toward Eclipse Lake.
Royal dodged through the air, leaving a burning trail in his wake. Sarkarae's claws cut through the space he had been in not a second before. Landing, Royal pulled out his fusion rifle and charged up a burst. A spray of bolts tore one Minotaur to shreds, only for three more to bear down on him.
"Dodge thirteen degrees back off your left," Lancer instructed. Royal instantly obeyed, years of training and experience translating to instinct. Sarkarae prepared to fire on the Warlock, only for him to spin behind a Minotaur. The creature screeched as the Sub-Mind's beam tore it apart.
"You should be warned," Royal said as he continued to dodge, periodically firing with his hand cannon, "I've gotten a full night of sleep. You can't beat that." Sarkarae didn't verbally respond, instead electing to fire another beam which Royal narrowly dodged. He drew his glaive and fired it at another Minotaur. Its shields collapsed, allowing him to skewer it. He spun, flinging the Minotaur's body into the other. Both of them fell limp. Sarkarae capitalized on his momentary distraction, delivering a vicious swipe to Royal's chest. The Guardian dashed back, touching the gashes in the plate. He could feel his Light pooling into the wound, reknitting his body and armor.
Sarkarae charged forward, dragging its blades through the snow. It pulled them upward, flinging chunks of stone at the Guardian. He released a blast of Solar energy, incinerating the shrapnel. As soon as he did, Sarkarae lunged at him. It plunged its blades into his chest. Royal let out a cry of pain. Sarkarae pushed him off its blades and let Royal fall to the ground. It raised a foot and stomped down on his chest. Royal grasped at the limb as the Sub-Mind crushed him underfoot.
Royal snapped his fingers, releasing a swarm of Solar projectiles that lit the Sub-Mind on fire. Roaring in defiance, he pulled out his fusion and fired. The Solar power ignited, causing the Vex to explode. It stumbled back as Royal rolled over, clutching his chest. Sarkarae recovered quickly, grabbing Royal by the back of his head and lifting him up. It smashed his face into a nearby stone, shattering the rock.
"It is not enough to simply kill you," Sarkarae growled while Royal groaned in pain, "Such a worthy foe deserves a worthy end. You shall bear witness to your companions' deaths. Then, I shall present you to my master as a trophy." It teleported away, dragging Royal along with it.
The Vex horde charged at Venator as she opened fire. Her machine gun barked as it sprayed death over the machines. Their front lines buckled and collapsed, yet they still charged on. The Hydra charged at the front, firing its weapons as fast as it could. Venator rolled to the side, reloading her gun as she did so. She jumped into the air, firing all the way. Landing above her hiding spot, she continued to fire at the Vex as they teleported around her. Running out of ammo, she threw the gun at a Goblin, causing it to stagger back. She drew her knives as a Minotaur closed in. She spun around its jab and stabbed it in the back of its neck. Using that as leverage, she pulled herself atop its shoulders. She stabbed the Minotaur's head before sheathing her knives and drawing two grenades. She flung them out, letting Void energy spill over the Vex.
She jumped, spinning through the air as the swarm closed in on her. She landed, summoning her Spectral Blades and cloaking her presence. She dashed from Vex to Vex, cutting them to pieces. The Wyvern watched her flash in and out of sight, lining up a shot. She lept toward a Hydra that floated overhead, plunging the Spectral Blades into it. She pulled herself atop it and blindly fired her sniper rifle into the Vex below her. The Wyvern charged its weapons and fired. Void blasts tore through the air and slammed into the Hydra. The construct exploded, flinging Venator away.
She hit the ground hard, struggling to stand back up as the Wyvern marched over. With each stomp, she felt her fear coiling harder. Malfeasance snapped at her, tempting her to embrace the Darkness. Blip was shouting for her, but she couldn't hear him over the Vex's marching and her panicked thoughts. The Wyvern arrived next to her and prepared to crush her head beneath its foot. She looked up at it, clenching her fists.
"I'm not dying here!" She shouted, summoning a bow of Void Light. She pulled back the string and released it, sending Void energy spiraling into the Wyvern, binding it in place. She glared at it, forcing her fear down, and grabbed Malfeasance from her hip. Dark energy curled around her arm. She summoned a hand cannon made of Solar Light in her free hand. She pointed both weapons at the Wyvern and fired. Light and Dark punched through the Vex, bringing it down. She continued to fire into the Vex horde. Some exploded in flame while others were consumed with entropic energies.
Paladin forced himself up to the entrance of their hiding spot, watching as Venator blasted away at the Vex. Grunting, he drew his rocket launcher and aimed, firing a swarm of rockets at the remaining Vex. They collapsed, leaving Venator to stand alone, surrounded by Vex corpses. Her breathing was heavy as Paladin pushed himself onward, despite Thatch's protests.
"Sister?" Venator whipped around, pointing both of her hand cannons at the Titan. Realizing who was standing before her, she let her arms drop. The Golden Gun faded from existence as she holstered Malfeasance, the Dark weapon now silent.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"I feel like I should be asking you that."
"You just seem off balance," the Titan continued. Venator patted her hand cannon, letting the Dark weapon rest on her hip.
"Just dragged up some bad memories."
Amity and King burst into a large cavern. If the map was to be believed, this was Eclipse Lake. However, instead of an actual lake, all they saw was an empty pit with the Golden Guard waiting in the center of it. The cardinal sat nearby, watching the Guard. She slowly approached, pointing her staff at the Guard's back.
"Don't worry," he said without getting up, "I don't want to fight. There's no Titan's Blood."
"Then why are you digging?" Amity questioned. The Guard turned to face her, an unhinged look in his red eyes.
"Well it's simple," he began, "Belos needs Titan's Blood to make a new portal key. Can't get to the Human Realm without it." Amity gasped, clutching the key that was still hanging around her neck.
"Since I failed my last mission, I just thought this might be a chance to make it up to him," the Guard continued to rant, oblivious to the key, "But I can't go back empty-handed!" He devolved into maddened laughter, gripping the sand tightly.
"Not again. Long story short, this is my grave," he said, sobering up, "Want me to make you one too?"
"This is really bumming me out," King said.
"That's just life, Rat," the Guard commented, "Everyone has a use. And if you don't, then…" He gestured to the grave he was digging, "You're friend gets it."
"What's he talking about?" King asked, turning to Amity while the Guard slumped over in his grave. She sighed, pulling out her communicator.
"Luz has been sending me these cryptic messages," she admitted, "I don't quite understand it, but I think it means: Come back with results, or we're through." King reached out, grabbing the device and turning it on its side. Amity read the symbols again, seeing how they looked similar to letters.
"You are rad," she read, "Beware Fool's Blood. Come home safe." She laughed at the messages.
"Of course, this is Luz we're talking about." The cardinal began to peck at the Guard while he covered himself in sand. He attempted to wave the Palisman off.
"Go away," he said half-heartedly, "Go find a better Witch." Amity pocketed her device and approached the depressed Witch. She knelt next to him.
"You know, you were right," she admitted, "We do have a lot in common. I grew up thinking every day was an opportunity to justify existing. But there are people out there who won't make you feel worthless. You just have to let yourself meet them." She held out her hand as the Guard looked up. He stared at her with a foreboding look in his eyes.
"What are you looking at?" Amity questioned, looking down. Her eyes widened as she realized the portal key had slipped out, allowing the Guard to see it. The Guard lunged for it, only for Amity to dodge back.
"Oh come on," she grumbled, "Being nice works so well for Luz." The Guard lunged again, only for King to send him flying back with a loud scream. The Guard was pushed back as the cardinal flew over. It transformed into a staff, falling into the Guards' hands. King sent another sonic wave at the Guard, who vanished in a flash of yellow light, reappearing a few feet away.
"Oh man, using a real staff feels weird." Amity lashed out, flinging Abomination goo at the Guard. It bound him, only for him to teleport out. He fired off a few blasts that Amity deflected with her staff. He began to rapidly teleport, taking a shot before fading away again. Amity struggled to raise an Abomination shield before finally predicting his next move. A giant Abomination fist rose from the ground, striking the Guard in the gut. As soon as he landed, she wrapped him in an Abomination orb.
Quickly scooping up King, she hopped on her staff and took off. The trap began to twist and buckle before the Guard finally burst free. He slammed his staff into the ground, shaping the earth around him. A stone fist erupted underneath Amity, sending her and King flying. The Demon landed horns first in the ground. He flailed uselessly, unable to free himself. Amity attempted to reorient herself as the Guard teleported over. He thrust his staff under her chin only for her to hold up a dagger made of Abomination goo to his throat. The two huffed with exhaustion, waiting for the other to make a move.
"If you really want to help, give me that key!" The Guard ordered, "Let's be reasonable. You're strong and I'm tired. If we keep this up, you'll probably win. But we know where you live." Her eyes widened as she realized what the Guard was implying.
"That's right," he goaded, "Give me the key or we will come after your friends, your family, and your little Human girlfriend." Amity hesitantly reached up to grab the key. Squeezing it until she heard a faint crack, she pulled it free from her neck. She held it out to the Guard who eagerly snatched it away.
"Just stay away from Luz," she pleaded. The Guard lowered his staff and swiftly backed away.
"Thanks," his voice sounded sincere, "I mean it." He mounted the staff and teleported away, fading once more. Amity slowly forced herself up and helped King down. Eda chose that moment to swoop in through the entrance, claws ready.
"I heard the sound of violence," she said eagerly, "Where is it?"
"You're too late," Amity sulked, walking over to the Harpy. Before Eda could say anything, the three felt a powerful presence wash over the cavern. Eda pulled the two behind some rocks as a bright blue light appeared in the center of the pit. Sarkarae teleported into the cavern, holding Royal's body in one hand.
"There is… flesh to be… cleaved… in here," it snapped, "My sensors tingle." Its gaze turned to where the three were hiding. Eda gestured for the other two to stay low and flew out of cover. She distanced herself from the others, flying before the Sub-Mind.
"Let the Tincan go!" She shouted. Royal's head limply looked up, offering Eda a nod. Sarkarae flexed its free hand.
"The cursed female," it snarled, "Let us see… if you… are a worthy… foe." Before it could attack, Royal thrust out his hand, sending a ball of lightning into the Sub-Mind's face. It roared at the sudden attack and Royal tore his way out of its grasp.
"Get out of here!" He shouted, "I'll be right behind you!" Eda nodded and quickly snatched up the others. They flew down the tunnel with Royal right behind them. Sarkarae roared again and chased after them, forcing its way into the tunnel. Royal turned to face it.
"For the record," he said while Sarkarae pushed aside stone and metal, "I would've kicked your ass the first time even if the lady hadn't intervened!" He called the storm to himself, casting lightning into the ground around him. The Landfall rolled outward, shaking the stone and causing it to collapse.
Royal turned and ran down the collapsing tunnel. Sarkarae let out a harrowing roar as it was buried. He dashed through the air while the world collapsed around him. A large crevice appeared in the ground before him. He lept across, reaching out for the edge. Before he made it, a large chunk of stone fell onto his back. As he began to fall, Eda swooped in from above and grabbed him by the wrist. She pulled him up and the two flew back out through the entrance. Royal landed, rolling with the impact. He stopped just before Amity and King as Eda touched down beside the two.
"Everyone alright?" He asked. Amity and King nodded, seeming a little shaken.
"Looks like everyone made it out," Eda said with her distorted Harpy voice. Royal gave her a sideways look while Amity took a deep breath.
"What was that Vex?" She questioned.
"A Sub-Mind," Royal explained, "And a nasty one at that. I'll explain more when we're back at the Owl House. Did you manage to get any Titan's Blood?"
"Not exactly," Amity said, "We actually kinda… lost the key." Royal let out a quiet curse.
"We can sort this out later," Eda said, "Right now, I need to uphold my end of the bargain." Her eyes danced across the tree line until they finally snapped to a small vole. She subconsciously licked her lips as the Owl Beast drove her forward. Royal turned Amity and King away while Eda pounced, tearing the creature to shreds.
"That was tastier than I was expecting," the Harpy said, wiping some blood off her face, "Time to head home." She turned to walk off, with King no far behind. Before Amity could follow, Royal pulled her back.
"Real quick, I wanted to talk with you," he began, "Haven't had much time to speak with you since Hooty's little meltdown and I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page."
"Is this the part where you threaten me if I break Luz's heart or something?"
"No. Nothing like that," he chuckled, "I'm not her dad. I know she means a lot to you. Just… look out for her, alright? I have a feeling she's going to need you before this is all over."
"I promise," Amity said, "I'll be there when she needs me." Royal nodded and made to follow Eda. Before he could, Amity spoke up again.
"You say you're not her dad, but I've seen the way she looks at you." Royal stopped but didn't look back. After a moment of silence, he responded.
"Let's not keep her waiting."
A loud commotion dragged Luz out of her sleep. She slowly sat up, absently brushing the mold out of her hair. Groggily, she pushed open her door and walked downstairs. When she got down there, she bore witness to Amity and King trying to drag Harpy Eda through the doorway while Royal pushed on her back.
"Ow! Ow! This clearly isn't working, just go get an elixir already!" King quickly scurried off while Eda stepped back from the door.
"Great, I got into Harpy mode and now I can't get out," she complained.
"I'm still not sure how this makes me feel," Royal commented.
"Oh?" Eda grinned, striking a pose, "See something you like?"
"Quite the opposite, actually," he said, completely missing her implication, "The Harpy mode sheds away the more Human aspects of your body and makes you look far more alien than you already did. I can feel my trigger finger twitching every time I look at you. And there's the whole eating a live vole thing, that was kind of unsettling to watch."
"I thought you worked past this!"
"Centuries of bad blood don't just wash away," Royal said evenly. Inside, Luz practically tackled Amity with a hug.
"I'm so glad my awesome girlfriend is ok," she rejoiced. Amity was quick to hug her back. King came back with the elixir which Eda quickly downed, shrinking back into her normal Witch form. Fortunately for the decency of everyone, her clothes did survive the transformation.
"So do you wanna break the bad news or should I?" She asked Amity.
"What bad news?" Luz questioned.
"The lake was empty," King reported, "There was no Titan blood and we lost the key."
"Actually," Amity started, "We may have a workaround." She pulled off one of her gloves and held it out, revealing that it was soaked with the blood from the portal key.
"Then we still have a shot," Luz said, pulling Amity into another hug that the Witch eagerly accepted.
"You two are just adorable," Lancer cooed, causing them both to blush as they remembered their surroundings.
Hunter held out his hand, letting the key dangle before him. He watched a drop of Titan's Blood drip out and fall to the snow beneath him. Letting out a sigh, he pocketed the key. He heard distant rumbling from the Knee, likely Sarkarae breaking free. Kikimora had already escaped with her soldiers and had likely returned to the castle. The cardinal that had been accompanying him perched on his shoulder, chirping happily.
"Oh hey, you stuck with me through that," Hunter greeted, "Thanks for that." The cardinal chirped again and Hunter felt something in the back of his mind.
"Hang on, I think I understood that." The bird chirped again.
"Flapjack? Is that your name?" The bird nodded and Hunter let out a laugh.
"Can you say other stuff?" The bird obliged as Hunter began the trek back to the castle. He decided to walk, seeing no reason not to take his time.
So, that Lightfall weapon reveal. Good stuff, Strand looks like a bop. I can't believe they're putting the Smart Pistol from Titanfall into Destiny. Also, I can finally wield two Glaives. Glorious!
Before we get to reviews, just a quick heads up, reviews left by guest accounts don't appear until two days after you post them. So I would recommend you make a proper account, otherwise, I might not see them.
Trials sweat: I dunno man, am I building up to Stasis? You decide. The Darkness subplot isn't even close to being wrapped up, so stay tuned. I pictured Amity as a Sentinel mainly because of her predilection toward the color purple and her move with the spiked Abomination gauntlet. For Luz, Warlocks are the mage archetype of Destiny and I feel that fits who she is as a person. I don't really have any plans for exotic armor pieces in the story. I don't like using them in my fashion personally, so all my Guardians just run normal legendary gear.
reggielacey2: This story is set before the events of Beyond Light, so Royal does not know what Stasis is. And none of us have gotten our hands on Strand yet.
Thatnewguy11: Well thank you. The last chapter was the group therapy session. Now, back to the killing!
Guest: I'm sorry, you teleported what? But yeah, I love my 40k jokes.
GodzillaMaster: The Architects are a cruel and ruthless master. I'm looking forward to writing Season 3, but it kinda feels like the team saw my plans and went "lmao, get fucked idiot."
OMAC001: Trying to figure out how to take the Collector, this incredibly childish entity, and turn him into a genocidal Disciple of Darkness has been difficult. I'm taking my time and I think I've got a good grasp on what I want. Now to wait for the last episode to demolish my plans all over again.
mysticalex: I mean, I obviously can't just tell you everything I have planned. However, I have considered the idea of giving Luz a Ghost. So, you know, make of that what you will. My most ridiculous death comes from when I was but a wee Kinderguardian in the Prophecy Dungeon. I was on the sparrow race, doing the little bitch-boy parkour. Dropped down to a platform that was five feet beneath me and instantly died. The most powerful Guardian in the Universe, felled by gravity. How fitting.
mmmplays27: Yeah it's good, just found it funny how I was about to post the chapter and then barely saw that I had a new review. For what it's worth, glad to have you here.
"What do you mean I can't buy it?" Royal asked indignantly. The shopkeeper sighed, pushing a stack of currency back across the counter.
"We only accept Snails here, sir," he said in an incredibly bored voice.
"Do you not understand what this is?" Royal wasn't going to let this go, "This is Glimmer! Programmable matter! The common currency of the Last City!"
"Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but we aren't in the last city. Whatever that is." Royal clenched his fist as flames began to spark. Lilith placed a hand on his shoulder and slowly pulled him back.
"Of course we aren't," she said, placing a small stack of snails on the counter and grabbing their groceries, "Have a nice day sir." The clerk waved them off and Lilith quickly steered Royal out of the shop.
"This is bullshit," he ranted, "Do you have any idea how valuable Glimmer is?" The Guardian continued to curse out the shopkeeper while Lilith dragged him away, only half-listening.
