King of the Sky
Chapter VI
An Audience With The Queen
Mara Sov, was not happy.
She may not have looked overly outraged where she sat on her throne in the Reef, but she was absolutely livid inside.
One of her people's most carefully guarded secrets, the Dreaming City, had been infiltrated by a Guardian and a powerful one according Petra Venj. And not just at the fringes but from the Blind Well itself and with little warning aside from the lighting of a few defunct beacons, which it's self souls be impossible without on of their compasses.
The Queen gripped the armrest of her throne, as she awaited the Guardian's arrival. All the while she debated her options. She could just kill the Guardian and his Ghost but that was assuming her men were strong enough and how much of the Reef she was willing to sacrifice to bring down the Guardian and that also assumed the Vanguard's Hidden didn't find out about it.
No, Mara discarded that idea. Too much risk of blowback for the Reef, and that also went for locking him away in the Prison of Elders. Worse even, if he ever escaped and decided to hold a grudge.
In the end, all she could do was wait to see the Guardian for herself. Perhaps she could even turn the situation to her advantage.
Her brother might be a bit of an issue in that department though, as he had clearly decided his opinion on the Guardian already, and it was not favorable.
The Queen schooled her expressions as the door leading into her throne room was opened and Petra approached "my Queen" she said with a bow.
Mara frowned though as she saw no Guardian forthcoming "where is the Light Bearer?" she asked and Petra stood up strait "forgive me my Queen, but we are having…difficulties, disarming him" she answered, a little uncertainly.
Uldren scoffed from his place by Mara's throne "is that a joke of some kind. No Guardian can be truly disarmed" he replied.
A flash of mild annoyance, crossed Petra's eyes but her face remained passive "I am not referring to the Guardian's abilities. His primary, and aside from a few knives that his Ghost held, only weapon. Cannot be taken from him" she elaborated.
Mara quirked an eyebrow at that "explain" she ordered and Petra sighed "the weapon…if not for the Light we felt radiating from it, and how the Techeuns reacted, I would not think it capable of harm…it is…" she trailed off, not quite sure how to explain. She let loose another sigh though and decide to just bite the bullet, rather then invoke her Queen's anger "it is a giant key" she deadpanned.
The royals just stared dumbly at Petra for a moment "ok, now I know you joking" Uldren muttered. Mara said nothing though as she studied her most trusted subordinate. She wasn't one to make jokes at a time like this, nor did the Queen detect any lies.
Mare allowed a curious hum to escape her "and why, prey-tell, can this weapon not be taken?" she asked and Petra resisted the urge to massage her face "at first the Guardian seamed more then cooperative with handing over everything he had, until one of our men tried to take a charm from the Guardian that we sensed immense Light from. A Techeun later confirmed that it was drained and harmless but, the guard's hand was broken when he tried to take it" Petra paused to think over the events "I don't believe the Guardian actually intended any harm and that it was accidental, if his reaction meant anything. But regardless, afterwards, he just…summoned his weapon out of thin air and used it to heal the guard's hand" she paused to let the information sink in.
The Queen was a little intrigued by Petra's recounting. Uldren was a little more dismissive though, if his scoffing was anything to go off of "so he hid a weapon and was dumb enough to show his hand" he commented.
Petra shook her head though "no, there were no Transmat signatures what-so-ever and he did not summon it with any of the methods we know Guardians use to summon weapons of Light. It simply appeared as if by magic. And for anyone who tries to hold the weapon other then him, it will simply vanish and reappear in the Guardian's hand. Apparently wether he wishes it to or not" she finished.
Mara hummed with curiosity. This was a unique situation indeed "very well. Send the Guardian in" she ordered and Uldren looked to her with surprise "sister, are you sure this is wise. We don't know what all the Guardian is capable of" he said with worry. Mara's expression gave away nothing though, as she spoke "it is as you said. A Guardian cannot truly be disarmed. This will be no different then if any other stood before me" she said and made a point to glance over into the shadows "and besides, it is not as if I am defenseless" she finished as some bodyguards prepared themselves.
Petra bowed slightly before holding her wrist to her mouth and speaking into it as Mare and Uldren looked to the door on the far side of the room. It was then that Mara noticed it.
The Awoke, while decadent from Humans, were not Humans, and by nature could feel Light and Darkness. And right now Mara felt a blinding Light, more intense then the sun, burning beyond the doors to her throne room, and growing brighter by the second.
Finally the doors opened, admitting the walking supernova of Light and Mara laid her eyes upon the Guardian and his Ghost floating over his shoulder.
And blinked with surprise…
The Guardian appeared to be little more then a child, early to mid teens at most. Mara quickly dismissed that thought though. Guardians were immortal, so he could very well be hundreds of years old, and most likely a master manipulator if the friendly manner displayed by the guards that were escorting him, was any indication to Mara.
It wasn't just his age that intrigued Mara though. For one thing he wasn't wearing armor and she couldn't pin down what class he belonged to. No armor and healing abilities, would normally suggest a Warlock but he just didn't seam to fit that, what with the way he carried himself and the clueless expression on his face, more reminiscent of a Titan. And yet he didn't quite match up with that ether. Not enough muscle over everything else. Hunter might fit better, on account of the hood and carefree attitude, but he didn't have that arrogant air about him or cold aloofness that she knew they favored.
More then that though was his Light. It was blindingly bright, that much was obvious. But Mara saw what the rest of her people could not.
His Light was…different.
Mara couldn't quite pin down why but it had a different…flavor…then what other Light bearers held.
And there was also Darkness. It was buried so deep underneath all that Light that she wasn't surprised her less perceptive subjects had missed it, but it was there, and it wasn't being purged or in conflict with the Guardian's Light. It was shackled and contained but in a way that was kept in balance within the boy. Something that was disturbingly similar to the Awoken.
Mara shook herself from her musings as the Guardian approached her and, to everyone's surprise, bowed to her, but then glanced to his Ghost just floating there in confusion, who Mara noticed had a chipped shell, and the Guardian used his hand to tilt the Ghost forward along with him "your majesty" he said as he rose back up and the Ghost briefly shot a glare at his Guardian.
Mara actually had to take a moment before responding. No Guardian had ever showed that kind of respect for her power. It wasn't submission but an acceptance of her authority. Sure the few Guardians she'd had contact with understood that she was the queen, but they acted like their own status as Guardians made them equals or even superior.
Mara took extra effort to school her features. Surly this Guardian must be a master manipulator to trip her up, right off the bat and even stall whatever insults Uldren had been prepared to hurl at him.
One of the guards then walked up to Mara "this and the charm are all he had on him my Queen" he said and held out a few empty flasks with remnants of unknown substance and a device that look suspiciously like an old smartphone from before the collapse, but it was effectively dead and she couldn't identify what it was made of "I still can't believe you didn't think to check your pockets" Mara heard the Ghost whispering to his Guardian and glanced up at them and noticed the Guardian was holding the charm that Petra spoke of "give me a brake, you didn't think to check ether" the Guardian muttered back but kept his eyes on the Queen.
Mara hummed slightly as she handed the items back to the guard "you are the first Guardian to ever bow to me. That shall earn a small amount of respect. But you are also the first Guardian to lay eyes upon the Dreaming City, our most closely guarded and hidden secret. Your fate will depend on your explanation and wether or not you can keep it secret" she said, studying him closely for his reaction.
The Guardian looked a little surprised by the threat on his life, but quickly brushed it aside and scratched his cheek with his finger for a moment as he hummed in thought "well I don't really see why that last part would be a problem. I mean it's not our secret to tell so we have no reason to tell anyone" he said.
Mara's mask nearly broke. This boy must be on the same level as Savathün. The way he spoke and his expression. It was far to conveniently naïve and…innocent!…it was as if she were actually speaking to a child that believed every word he said.
But that couldn't be possible. He was far too powerful in the Light to be that young and had clearly fought a creature of great Darkness if his Ghost was damaged so and still reeked of the Dark.
The boy straightened himself though "my name is Sora by the way, and according to Chirithy here I'm supposed to be a Hunter Guardian or something like that…I'm still kinda lost on a lot of it" he said.
Mara's eyebrow twitched… Innocent, Naïve and honest were the only things she saw yet again. Things she new must be lies and yet she saw no indication of deception.
Uldren finally snapped out of his own haze "you seriously expect us to believe you're a new Guardian? You have far too much Light for that to be true!" he accused and Chirithy bristled "my Guardian is new! Just look at his Light and you'll see he's only drawing a little through me. As for the rest…" he trailed off in though "we're still trying to figure that out" Sora finished for him.
The Awoken around him did indeed look closer but most couldn't really tell the difference. Mara's sight was better though and her eyes widened as she finally noticed it. Underneath the unbearable brightness she saw that nearly all his Light came from within himself. A source of Light and Dark outside of the Traveler.
Mara struggled to keep her face neutral as her mind ran wild with the implications and possibilities. How this could completely brake the power scales that balanced the warring factions of Soul.
Uldren and the others couldn't see any of this though and continued the same as before "even if that were true, it still doesn't explain how you got into the Ascendant Plain and then bypassed every defense and barrier into the Dreaming City" Uldren growled.
Sora just scratched his head innocently and completely unfazed by Uldren, which only infuriated the Prince even more "hmm…I just used my Keyblade to lead us out. As for how we got into the…um…" Sora paused and Chirithy sighed "Ascendent Plain" the Ghost supplied "yah that" Sora quickly said to his Ghost as the Queen's eye twitched.
Sora quickly turned back to the Queen though "we don't really know how we got there after Chirithy saved me in the Final World" he said, and received more questioning looks which lead to him giving a brief explanation of the Final World and how Chirithy ended up there.
Mara felt a migraine coming on as she listened to the Guardian. It was all pretty unbelievable and yet she saw no discernible lie in the boy's story or even the child-like Ghost's small additions. Especially when the childish little lightbulb had shown recording of the endless world of water.
Mara could practically feel her brother about to go off on the boy, not believing any of it, so she held up her hand, cutting him off "perhaps it would be easier to believe if you showed us this 'Keyblade' of yours" she said.
Sora and Chirithy simply looked to each other and shrugged while Mara's guards stiffened a little. He then held out his hand and summoned the weapon, ignorant of the danger in drawing a weapon so suddenly before the Queen, even if she requested it.
It was here that the bodyguards that were hidden in the shadows, decided to make themselves know "Fallen!" Chirithy called out with shock and worry as he hid behind Sora.
The boy just glanced back at his Ghost though before looking to the four armed aliens without a shred of fear "what, those guys? They don't look so bad" he said with a tilted head and even the Fallen themselves would have sweat dropped if they were physically capable of it.
It was made all the worse by the fact that Sora himself seamed ignorant of the effect he was having on everyone.
Mara was really fighting not to show anything as she gave the Guardian a curious look "you do not fear the Fallen?" she asked and Sora just scratched the back of his head while letting his sword arm fall to his side "no, why would I. It's not like they're trying to hurt me or anything, and just because a few of them might be bad, doesn't mean they all are" he said, completely oblivious to the amazed and disbelieving stares that were directed at him "Surly you don't believe that nonsense" Uldren said.
The Guardian just gave a smile in return "of corse I do. After all, strangers are just friends you haven't met yet" he said and it took the collective strength of everyone around him not to collapse in utter disbelief 'there's no way this kid is for real' literally everyone around Sora thought.
But then, the final straw dropped, as Sora gave his trademark smile to everyone. Such a radiant and innocent smile that couldn't possibly be faked 'DEAR GOD HE GENUINELY BELIEVES IT!!!' everyone thought in utter shock as even Mara's mask broke completely. Her eyes wide and her moth hanging ajar.
The Queen would later be infinitely grateful that everyone's eyes were glued to Sora and they completely missed her flabbergasted expression, which had never and would never be seen by anyone, EVER again, if she could help it.
She would not, however, be pleased with the Childish Ghost, who had caught a glimpse of her face and would later show it to Cayde-6.
Mara quickly composed herself again and stood up "you are certainly different from all the other Guardians I've met" she said as she walked down the few steps leading to her throne and her guards stiffened in preparation.
Mara stood over the boy and, though she would never show or admit it, the Queen felt a tenge of fear as she looked down upon the Guardian.
Give her Warlords, crime bosses or even Hive gods. Mara would feel no fear before them, even with a knife to her throat. But what stood before her now was something she had never dealt with before. The blatant, innocent, naïve honesty of the boy, was something she really didn't believe still existed in this day and age. Sure, Mara had seen innocence in the children that Uldren often entertained, but never in a warrior before. And she knew, nothing was more dangerous then a believer, who had the power to back up said beliefs.
Mara bottled all of those feeling up for later though, as she held her hand out and, after a moment, Sora held up the Keyblade for her.
When Petra said it was a giant key, Mara didn't think she was being so literal, but here it was, before her very eyes. The Queen didn't take it from the boy's hands, knowing it would simply vanish, but she did run her fingers along it's shaft and felt the threads of causality bending and braking around it.
Mara hummed in thought for a moment before letting the blade go and retreating back to her throne "so long as you promised not to speak of the Dreaming City, your intrusion can be forgiven, and you also restored a long lost Ley Line, and by extension, restored some of my kingdom's reach. Therefore I believe a small reward is in order" she began as she took her seat once again and waved her hand, causing a chest to Transmat before Sora and the Guardian's already radiant smile seamed to only grow brighter in response and Chirithy opened the chats to reveal a pile of Glimmer and several Engrams.
Uldren, meanwhile, was staring at Mara in shock and was about to speak his mind, but Mara held up a hand to silence him as her eyes turned steely "however, my benevolence does no come without a price" she warned as Chirithy finished stowing away the loot "well, ok. What can we do for you?" Sora asked without hesitation.
Mara allowed a small smirk "in this case, I believe a small demonstration of your abilities will suffice" she said as she leaned back in her throne "do this for me, and I will consider your debt paid and I will even provide you with a ship, with which you can return to the Last City" she finished.
Sora looked to his Ghost, who had grown a little excited at the prospect of getting a ship and the boy shrugged "ok, when do we start?" he asked and Mara suppressed a chuckle as she turned to Petra "have Variks prepare the Prison of Elders, and bring in some Techeuns to decode the Guardian's Engrams" she said before turning back to Sora "as for you Light Bearer, you may take this time to rest while your trials are prepared. My guards will guide you" she said.
Sora smiled and gave another bow "thank you, your majesty" he said before turning to fallow the guards out. The Queen narrowed her eyes through, as he left "and Guardian" she called out and Sora paused to look back at the Queen "get yourself a cape. Even I know a Hunter doesn't look right without one" she said.
Sora blinked a few times before giving a smile and a thumbs up, then continuing on his way, leaving the Queen alone with her brother and Petra.
Mara actually sighed with relief, once Sora was gone and the remaining occupants of the room did in kind "well…that was unusual" Petra commented while Uldren turned his gaze to his sister "are you sure about this. I don't trust that Guardian and why go through the trouble of sending him to fight in the Prison of Elders?" he asked.
Mara actually chuckled at how much they couldn't see what was right in front of them "fools…that boy has the power to overturn everything in the system. And that weapon of his…" she paused for a moment as her thoughts lingered on the blade "that sword is literally the key to upturning the balance of power in this war between Light and Dark. Indeed it is likely that his mere existence has already sent out ripples that will soon wash over everything we know" she said ominously before rising from her throne and looking out the window into space.
Meanwhile, far away from the Soul System, in a ship that was also another plain of existence. An enormous, chitinous being with large, tattered wings, stood within his monument to death and pain, staring out into the void with his three eyes.
More specificity, he was looking to a system he had mostly ignored up to this point. The world his son was currently preparing for his brood's arrival. The newest in the long line of worlds blessed by the Sky and doomed to fall upon his sword.
Oryx, The Taken King, tightened his grip on his ancient and decrepit sword as his emerald eyes glowed with rage as he they bore down on the distant system. The Taken King had been more then content to let the dead machine be, for a few more centuries, while his brood continued their work, reducing entire civilizations and spices to ash.
But no longer. Not since he felt ripples in the Ascendant Plain. Small ripples admittedly and ultimately insignificant in the grand scheme of things…for now at least.
But what it represented had set the entirety of the Hive on edge and Oryx knew those ripples would build into an all consuming wave if not handled soon, and all broods of the Hive felt the tension in the air, even if they themselves didn't feel the ripples.
The joyful cries of Taken who had been released from their corruption, still rang in Oryx's ears, even now.
A desecration of some of the Hive's most holy warriors.
It should have been impossible. Oryx knew this. His Taken had been presented before the true Darkness. Before the Deep it's self. The great Final Shape. They had been made perfect in the eyes of the Hive and should be beyond purification.
And yet Oryx could not deny what he felt. A handful of Taken had been desecrated. Their perfect shapes stripped away and their weak original forms restored.
Oryx felt such an odd combination of emotions as he looked to Soul with such rage. Something out there was powerful enough to take from the Deep. An act that should have earned the King's respect in the Sword Logic. But what was taken had been surrendered. Just given away, as the Sky always did. As if it were not worth keeping. It was the greatest insult he could imagine.
Oryx growled deep in his throat as he stared unblinkingly ahead and his Throne World rumbled in response. He would find this supremely powerful being and reap un-holy vengeance upon them. He would put them to his blade and Take them. By the sword he would take this power for his own.