Light Does Not Yield

by Penguin1673

After his misadventures in the Boiling Isles, Royal-6 has finally returned home. However, the world has moved on without him, and he finds himself struggling to keep up. There are rumblings from the Vex Domain, the machinations of Savathûn are closing in, and it appears that the Demon Realm isn't quite done with him yet.

7. Unburied

I said this chapter was gonna be beefy, and I definitely didn't lie. I couldn't even upload it in one chunk; had to copy it over in bits and pieces. Fourteen thousand words, the second longest chapter I've ever written. I've seen longer out there from some other authors but I'm not here to compare sizes. It doesn't make me feel inadequate, not at all.

If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you liked. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review wishing specific and descriptive pain upon my mortal shell.

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Chapter 7: Unburied

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The last thing the Vex ever heard—the grinding wails of a vicious Banshee.

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"Are you ready to talk about it?"

Royal glared at his Ghost as he sat up in his cot. He rubbed his face plate as he swung his legs out of bed. He had just woken up twenty seconds ago, and Lancer was already hounding him. It was a shame that he only needed a few hours of sleep; otherwise, he might've been able to push this off longer.

"Good morning to you, too," he grumbled as he flung his sheets off him. He stood up and flexed his servos, letting his internals whir. A few flashes from last night's dream cycled through his mind. It was the usual nightmare, just a field of beautiful flowers stained by the blood he was forced to spill. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"Don't you get snarky with me," Lancer said. "That's my thing. And when I'm not doing my thing, that's when shit is serious."

"What do you want me to say?" Royal asked, grabbing a fresh set of robes from under his bed. Lancer shook his shell in exasperation as Royal changed.

"An apology to Luz and her friend would be a good place to start." Royal scoffed in response, sliding a loose-fitting set of robes over his body. Lancer sighed wearily.

"She's not listening to me," Royal snapped. "If she would just take a second to understand what I'm saying-"

"She's the one who needs to listen? You just keep peddling the same nonsense over and over." Lancer was starting to get impatient now. "If you won't listen to me, I thought you might at least hear her out. How do you think she felt, having you practically shouting at her? Did you ever take a second to consider that? She has lost everything! Her home, her family, her friends, her memory. All she has is you!"

Royal stared at his Ghost, his jaw slightly agape. Truth be told, the thought had never crossed his mind. His stomach started to churn, and a nauseous feeling began to overtake him. He lowered himself onto his cot, staring blankly at the ground. That was when Lancer went for the coup de grâce.

"You're acting like Outcast."

That got a reaction out of Royal. Fear flashed across his face before being replaced with anger. Anger quickly crumbled, giving way to a hollow and empty gaze. Lancer watched his Guardian deflate and let out a tired sigh.

"Am I finally getting through?" He asked. Royal nodded, unable to make eye contact. "Then I guess you have an apprentice to apologize to." Royal set his hands on his knees and tapped his fingers while he thought. He looked small and uncertain, a far cry from the tall and competent warrior he was.

"I… guess you're right," he said, keeping his voice low. "I'll talk to her. But I need to clear my head first." Lancer nodded, accepting his terms. Rising from his seat, Royal sent a quick message. He needed to consult another friend.

Royal set down the crate of guns he had been carrying with a satisfying clank. He pried it open, revealing a fresh batch of Häkke brand weapons. Häkke was renowned for its sturdy, reliable, and streamlined designs. He was confident it was one of the main reasons Banshee had given Luz a fair share of Häkke brand weapons to try when she was here.

Speaking of Banshee, the Gunsmith peered over the crate. He scribbled a few notes on his clipboard. Royal had arrived a few hours ago to ask Banshee for his help. After seeing that his friend was busy manning his shop, Royal offered to assist him instead. He spoke as they worked, detailing the situation as thoroughly as possible. He valued the older Exo's input, maybe even as much as Paladin's or Venator's.

"New batch of shotguns," Banshee grunted as he leaned over the crate. "Good, inventory was running a little low." Straightening his posture, he turned to Royal. "You haven't talked to her yet?" There was no judgment in his voice, something Royal appreciated. He valued Lancer, but his Ghost viewed tact as a tepid suggestion. Banshee's more measured response was something he needed right now.

Royal nodded in confirmation of the question. Banshee tapped his pen against his clipboard, filling the room with a dull clicking sound. Setting the clipboard aside, he pulled out one of the shotguns and ran his hand over the frame.

"I can't say you handled it well," he said, testing how the grip felt in his hand. "But acknowledging your mistake is the first step to fixing it." He pulled back on the forend, and the gun gave an empty, metallic clack as it tried to rack a shell that wasn't there. "Do you think you were in the wrong?"

"With what I said or how I said it?" Royal asked. Banshee shrugged, testing the loading port of the shotgun.

"Dealers choice."

"I stand by what I said," Royal affirmed. "But I had no right getting angry at her."

"The kid means a lot to you, doesn't she?" Banshee asked, centering a target on the wall through the iron sights.

"She's like the daughter I never had," Royal admitted. "Traveler above, if Eda was here, she'd give me an earful."

"The way I see it, you're approaching the problem from the wrong angle," Banshee said, finally setting the gun down on his workbench as it passed his inspection. "You're trying to make her see things your way without trying to understand where she's coming from. It would be like taking this round and cramming it into this weapon." In one hand, he picked up a 7.62x51mm round commonly used in sniper rifles. With the other, he patted the shotgun he had just set down. "That's just asking for a misfire. You have to step back and assess what the situation calls for. You want her to understand your point; I want to fire this gun. Neither of us will get anywhere if we don't bother trying to comprehend what this problem needs. Try to learn why she believes what she believes. Who knows, maybe you're the one who will be convinced."

Royal frowned at that last remark. "How does that fit into the gun analogy?"

"It's not perfect," Banshee deadpanned. He rolled the bullet through his fingers as he returned to his workbench, reaching for a few tools. His hand froze as his gaze became unfocused. He staggered back slightly, dropping the bullet with a loud clang. Royal's gaze instantly shot to his friend. He set a hand on Banshee's shoulder. The other Exo didn't acknowledge him, his optics darting around the workshop. Royal could swear he heard Banshee muttering the word 'legacy' repeatedly.

"Banshee, are you okay?" Royal's voice seemed to snap his friend out of his mood. The Gunsmith pressed a hand against his forehead and shook his head to clear his mind.

"I've been getting these weird flashes," Banshee muttered. "I see myself trudging through the snow. There are glimpses of a blade and piles of dead Exos." He grunted, and Royal helped him into his chair. "I go a little further and see spires of Vex metal. I hear a saw grinding. Then, nothing."

"Weird," Lancer commented. "Is there anything else?" Banshee shook his head, prompting the Ghost to utter an inquisitive hum. "It has to be something on Europa."

"There's snow on Earth, too," Royal commented. "And Exo's."

"How could you forget, Exo's were born on Europa," Lancer countered. "And if I'm not mistaken, the Deep Stone Crypt was raided recently. What Banshee is experiencing could be some kind of residual mental aftershocks." Lancer's hypothesis had merit. The Deep Stone Crypt was the birthplace of the Exo's. Not long ago, House Salvation had attempted to bring it under their control to convert their own ranks into Exo's. A Guardian raid team had been dispatched and dealt with the threat, destroying the Crypt in the process.

"That doesn't make any sense," Royal said.

"Neither do Banshee's visions, yet here we are," Lancer deadpanned. Royal took a second to think about that before shrugging and conceding. It was quite a peculiar situation.

"I can take a look," Royal offered. "Maybe I'll dig up something. You should just take it easy. Try to relax." Banshee nodded while nursing his head. Royal checked the time, only now realizing he had spent most of the day here. It was late in the evening, and if he wanted to catch Luz, he would have to do so now.

Royal bid farewell, promising to look into the matter as soon as possible. He had to prepare some supplies if he was heading out to Europa. He worked all night gathering everything he needed and preparing his jumpship. Hours were spent browsing every record and report the Vanguard had on Europa, the Pyramid, and Stasis. After checking, double-checking, and rechecking everything, he was satisfied. He'd heard stories about the moon of Jupiter and did not intend to be caught unprepared.

With his jumpship prepared for the journey, he had one last stop to make. A quick check of his tracker revealed that Luz was in her room. He slipped through the halls until arriving outside her quarters. He rapped his fist on the door, producing three loud knocks.

"Luz, may I come in?" There was no response. Royal was okay with that; he had expected the silent treatment. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be unavailable for at least the rest of the day." He turned, setting his back against the wall beside the door. "I don't know when I'll be back, so I wanted to clear the air before I left. And… apologize for how I reacted." His enhanced audio receptors focused on her room, trying to pick up anything that told him she was listening. He couldn't hear the springs in her mattress squeaking or her chair scraping across the floor. He strained his artificial ears to their limit. No heartbeat or breathing was detected.

Suddenly fearing the worst, he threw open the door and stepped through. He was met with a completely empty room. Her bed was messy, and all the drawers for her desk were open. Despite that, there was no sign of Luz. His optics picked the room apart. His gaze narrowed in on the far corner, where a small device rested on the dust-covered ground. He could hear Lancer mutter a curse as he knelt down to grab it. He raised his tracking beacon between his fingers, holding it to the light.

"That's really bad," Lancer said. "How are we supposed to find her now." Royal didn't respond, instead pocketing the tracker and pulling out a small device. He tapped a few buttons, and it activated, showing a map of Sol. There was a flashing red light on Europa, causing the Warlock to tighten his grip on the homing device.

"You stuck a second tracker on her?" Lancer asked incredulously. "That's paranoid, even for you."

"It's not paranoia if the system is genuinely out to get you," Royal spat. He quickly spun on his heels and set off, with Lancer rushing to keep up.

"Okay, this looks bad, but I'm sure she has a good reason," Lancer tried to argue. Royal wasn't having any of it.

"The reason is that she is insubordinate and refuses to listen," he snapped. The two entered the hangar, and Royal beelined for his ship. He transmatted on board and began bringing it online. The engines let out their familiar hum as he took off.

"Or maybe you're not as good of a teacher as you thought." Royal glared at his Ghost, but Lancer didn't back down. "You're treating her like someone who has gone through everything you have."

Royal tightly gripped the throttle as his ship began to break orbit. "If she will not hear reason, then she must be shown the consequences of her choices." Knowing there was no reasoning with Royal while he was like this, Lancer elected not to respond. The two flew through the vacuum in silence. Europa came into view, a shimmering blue marble set against the orange and tan of Jupiter. Royal plugged his tracker into his ship's navigational system and set the ship to autopilot. It would take him directly to Luz. He just hoped she wouldn't be hurt when he got there.

---

Royal and Luz stared at the Bray Exosciense facility. Luz didn't fully grasp its significance, but Royal understood precisely where he was. His expression hardened under his helmet, and a few flames rose from his hands. Luz eyed him warily, taking a half-step back.

"Look, I'm sorry I went behind your back-" Royal cut her off with a swift gesture, but it didn't come off as angry. Instead, he seemed tense and on guard.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was sent to stop a House Salvation scavenge team," she said, passing a glance over the Vandals that were still trying to drag themselves away. "Wait, where's the Scanner?" The Vandal with the augment had disappeared in the confusion of the battle, leaving their comrades to die. Royal's gaze followed a trail in the snow leading into the facility. He pointed to the opening and summoned his hand cannon.

"Whatever they're hunting, it can't be good," he said, switching into a more professional tone. Luz nodded in agreement before casting a glance at the wounded Vandals.

"What about them?" She asked. Royal spared them a glance before taking aim and planting a round in the nearest one's head. Luz let out a surprised cry and grabbed his wrist. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You buried .308 rounds in their legs," Royal said calmly. "Those bullets would have torn through the limbs in their entirety, leaving them a mangled mess of bone fragments and torn ligaments. They are crippled, stranded in the middle of nowhere, and will likely bleed to death over the coming minutes. I am putting them out of their misery." Luz's eyes widened as she realized what she had unintentionally done.

"I didn't want to kill them," she said softly. Royal expression softened, and he set a hand on her shoulder.

"I know, but we don't always get a choice. If you cannot defend yourself to the fullest, then you will not survive." He jerked his head toward the entryway. "Go see if you can find the Scanner. I'll make sure their deaths are quick and dignified." Luz nodded dully and walked through the entrance. Royal's gunshots rang through her skull as she pushed through the twisted piles of metal. The ground eventually transitioned from snow to an orange metal floor. Her ears perked up as a distant cry of pain reached her. Lying not too far away was the Scanner Vandal. They were huddled against the wall, nursing a cauterized wound in their gut. Their breath came ragged and uneven. They held out a knife weakly as Luz drew closer.

She glanced at the augment clasped to their belt. The Eliksni's helmet had been damaged, revealing panicked eyes that shone with tears of barely repressed pain. The knife fell from their hand as their strength faded. Her hand slipped down to her revolver.

Royal walked in behind her as the Eliksni fell lifeless. He offered an impassive glance. "Did you pull the trigger?" Luz didn't answer, instead delicately closing the Vandal's eyes with her fingertips. Royal watched but refrained from commenting on it.

"You can see why this moon is restricted," he said. "That Captain. The powers she was wielding. It is the Darkness in its purest form."

"Yeah, I know," Luz said, her voice quiet. "The Stranger told me about it."

"The Exo Stranger?" He asked. When she nodded, he set a hand on his chin. "She is an enigma and a portent of doom. The Darkness offers promises of power when all it brings is destruction. You have seen what it has done." He emphasized his statement by gesturing to the ruins around them. Confident his point was made, he pressed further into the facility. Luz waited for a moment, holding out her hand and coating it in Stasis. After a second, she commanded the power to recede and jogged to catch up with him.

After descending down a damaged stairwell and pressing through a few doors that had been crammed open, the two entered a large atrium. The room was in utter disrepair, with a few splotches of orange and white paint that had somehow been preserved for all these centuries. The room was dark, lit only by a few lamps set up by the Fallen.

"The Stranger told me that House Salvation was using the augments to scan the memories of dead Exos," Luz said. "Apparently, it's supposed to lead them to something huge." She offered the augment to Royal, and he activated it. A glowing yellow holographic symbol appeared just above his head. He quickly panned the room before pointing to the far corner.

"Dead Exo, dead ahead." He jogged over to the Exo, gently turning them over and checking their body. "Katrina-7, one of our top architectural engineers." He held the Scanner augment up to Katrina's head and began to draw what limited information he could from them. "There's an ancient Golden Age relic buried deep in the heart of the facility. The last secret of Clovis Bray I himself." He lowered Katrina to the ground and set a hand on her chest. He would ensure she received a proper burial at some point. She deserved that much.

"What do you mean by 'one of our'?" Luz asked.

"I used to work for Braytech during the Golden Age," he said. "Found some logs a while ago that told me a few bits and pieces. I was one of their highest-ranking security officers after my military career ended, entrusted with guarding their most important discoveries and experiments. If even half the things I've read are true…" His voice trailed off as a haunted look entered his optics. "Like I said on Luna, some things deserve to be forgotten." He shook his head to clear his thoughts and pointed at a side room. "Whatever House Salvation is looking for, it's that way."

The second those words left his mouth, the sound of screeching from the tunnel they had trekked through reached them. They simultaneously brought their weapons up and locked them on the entry.

"That sounds like more Eliksni," Luz said. Royal flashed a series of hand signals: fall back, I'll cover you. Luz nodded and disengaged, rushing to the side room Royal had pointed out. She shot toward the stairs as Royal took a defensive position overlooking the doorway. His machine gun came to rest on an abandoned crate, his finger lightly hovering over the trigger. The first Eliksni pushed through, Wretches brandishing Arc-charged spears. Royal squeezed the trigger, and the gun roared as a flurry of bullets tore through the air like the legions of Hell itself. The first wave of Eliksni was torn to shreds, falling to the ground in bloody chunks.

A few Vandals emerged from the chokepoint, shielded from Royal's fire by a Servitor floating behind them. The Dawnblade was forced behind cover as they returned fire, allowing more Wretches to pour in. Royal spun low, planting enough shots in the center of the Servitor to destroy it. He didn't wait for it to go down, already abandoning his machine to fade into transmat as the Wretches closed in. He drew his sword and parried a sloppy jab. He sidestepped their next strike and decapitated them. Another Wretch attempted a charging skewer, only for Royal to hold out his hand. The speartip punched through his palm, and he used that as leverage to drag them into the point of his sword. He removed the spear from his hand with a flick and drew his hand cannon. Holding the still-impaled Fallen as a shield, he fired away at the Vandals.

Luz reached the top of the stairs and began trying to pry the door open. She glanced back just in time to see Royal remove the spear from his hand. However, more Wretches were approaching him from behind. The closest one prepared to deliver a vicious slash to his back. Luz acted quickly, pulling out her scout rifle and planting two shots in the Eliksni's chest. She didn't have time to contemplate what she'd done as Royal spun around, flinging the corpse off his sword and into the Wretches. He set upon them in a whirlwind of gore, his blade little more than a blur as it flicked and stabbed. Trails of alien blood flew through the air, painting the ground with a glistening and grisly art display.

Luz looked back to the entrance as another oversized Captain forced their way through with more Vandals in tow. She drew a shrapnel cannon, glaring at Royal as he cut through her forces. She opened fire on the Warlock, sending volleys of searing hot metal into his chest. He staggered under the hit as chunks of armor and metallic skin flew off. The Captain drew closer, continuing to lay into Royal. Once she was in range, he sprung forward with blazing hands. He swung his right hand down, severing one of her lower arms at the elbow and reducing it to a cauterized stump. The Captain retaliated with an overhead punch that Royal blocked. Unfortunately, doing so left him open to a point-blank blast from the Captain's gun. He was sent flying from the attack with a few new holes burned into his chest. He tried to rise, only for the Captain to freeze his limbs to the ground. Royal superheated his hands in an attempt to break free from his binds. The ice began to melt, but it wouldn't be fast enough. The Captain centered him in her sights and fired.

Before her shots could hit him, a wall of ice erupted between the two. Luz, having finished picking off the Vandals, leaped into action. She rolled on impact, firing her auto rifle into the Captain's helmet. The rounds bounced off her shield, prompting a throaty growl from the Eliksni. She was on Luz in a second, batting the rifle out of her hands. Luz ducked under a second swipe and delivered two Arc-powered punches to the Captain's stomach. Unabated, the Captain brought all three of her remaining arms down on the Guardian. She encased her limbs in Stasis, causing them to shatter and sending razor-sharp shards into Luz's armor on impact. The Guardian went down, hitting the ground hard. The Captain raised her hands again, summoning more Stasis power to kill her foe. Before she could strike, the tip of Royal's sword pierced her throat. Her shields were overloaded and collapsed as the Eliksni fell to her knees, choking as her lungs were flooded with her own blood. The Captain hit the ground, and Royal pulled his sword free. He strapped it to his belt and grabbed Luz, dragging her to her feet. They began to run for the side chamber. Royal tackled the door with a burning shoulder, melting straight through it.

"I told you to fall back," he said as they continued to run through the maze-like facility.

Luz spat out a wad of blood, "I'm not just going to leave you to die." They sprinted up the stairs, not wanting to wait around for reinforcements. After they forced open and ran through another door, Royal quickly welded it shut to hopefully slow down any Eliksni that might pursue them. Once they had taken a few turns down the hallway, Luz stopped to catch her breath.

"Man, that was close," she said, resting her hands on her knees and panting heavily. "They almost got you." Royal shouldered past her, conferring with Lancer to ensure they weren't being chased. Once he was done, he rounded on Luz and stormed toward her.

"What was that?" he asked, fury dripping from his words.

"Me helping you out?" She answered uncertainly.

"You're wielding the Darkness! Have you not listened to a single thing I've been telling you?" He snapped.

"Well, I'm sorry for saving your life!" She snapped back. Royal turned away from her. She could tell just by looking at him that he was livid.

"First King, now you," he said, walking further down the hallway. "The Darkness is determined to corrupt everyone I love, isn't it?"

"I'm not corrupted," Luz retorted as she followed him. "I am in complete control. Even the Stranger was impressed by-"

"Oh, the Stranger was impressed, was she?" Royal sarcastically cheered. "Well, isn't that wonderful? Never mind then, crisis averted. Carry on as you were."

"You are such an insufferably stubborn ass!"

"I know how this ends!" He shouted, silencing Luz. Seeing her recoil from him, he took a second to try and calm down. Judging by the flames leaking off him, it wasn't very successful. "I have seen Guardians far stronger than you be consumed by their temptations. Those I thought I was close to. I have seen what the Darkness can do firsthand. I almost died of it. A final death." He stared her in the eye and emphasized each word that left his mouth. "No retries. No respawns. No restarts."

"You said you believed I would be the best," Luz argued. "How can I be the best if I don't push myself? I thought you had faith in me."

"You have potential," Royal said, gripping her shoulder. "So much potential. And yet you seem determined to throw it all away. Just like he did."

Luz pushed his hand off, "Who?" Royal averted his gaze, realizing he may have given away too much. He sharply turned away, locking himself back up.

"I am done talking about this. Come, we have a relic to find."

"And what happens when we find it?" Aurora asked for her Guardian.

"Secure it if we can," Royal said, returning to the mission at hand. "Destroy it if we can't." He set off without another word, moving down the hall while Luz and Aurora watched. The two shared a look, and Luz shook her head before jogging to catch up.

Together, the two trekked through the Braytech facility. They passed large displays and computer servers. Eventually, they reached an impossibly large open room. The ceiling reached high above them while the floor stretched into the abyss below them. A few walkways crossed the pit, leading to a small door in the distance. Behind them was a sectioned-off area where a few assembly lines carried small mechanical pieces. Luz leaned against the railing, peering into the immense chamber.

"This is incredible," she said, audibly awed. "Though it seems a bit excessive." She dropped a small Stasis crystal into the pit. Several seconds after vanishing, the sound of impact reached her. "And incredibly unsafe." She turned back to Royal, only to see him looking at the assembly line. His gaze was fixed on a display showing an Exo body in the pose of a Vitruvian Man.

"The things he did to us," Royal muttered, looking down at his left hand. He flinched as he felt his mind rumble with missing memories. Realizing Luz was looking at him, he pointed at the walkways in the distance. "There's no way these machines have been running for so long without maintenance. Katrina's memories say the relic should be that way." He moved to the edge of the platform and looked down at the walkway. It was a good fifty-foot drop without an elevator, stairway, or even a rope in sight.

"I have so many questions about the architecture in this place," Luz commented. Royal remained silent, instead opting to vault over the railing. Luz watched him dive to the ground, landing with a small burst of flame. He glanced back up and gestured for her to follow. She leaped off the edge and slowly glided to the ground. Together, they moved onward. The platforms and connecting walkways were disjointed, almost like the stairs had been removed. Luz got the feeling that someone didn't want this place to be easily accessible.

They reached the door at the end of the walkway. Royal reached out to touch it, only for the door to automatically open. He shared a look with Luz, and, in unison, the two drew their weapons. The hallway ahead of them was eerily well-kept. Royal signaled Luz to push up to the door while he covered her. She quickly rushed down the hallway, slamming her back into the far wall beside another door. Royal wasn't far behind her. He counted down from five on his fingers. Once he hit zero, he opened the door. The two spun into the doorway, holding their rifles and sweeping the room. Luz was crouched on one knee, tightly squeezing her auto rifle. The barrel of Royal's scout rifle hovered above her head. He held the weapon with a comfortable, familiar grip.

At the end of their barrels was a very apathetic Frame. The worker drone regarded the two with its blank optics before pushing past them and marching down the hallway. Royal watched it go for a second before moving further into the room. The room he entered was bustling with Frames, some armed with guns. They patrolled the area diligently. Their gazes passed over Royal briefly, apparently deeming him as a non-threat. Royal ignored them in turn, staring at the room's far end.

At the edge of a raised platform was an unbelievably large Exo head. It was held in the air by a series of cables and supports. Pipes descended into the distant ground, cycling coolant for whatever lay within the metallic skull. The optics were dark, signifying that it was offline. Royal slung his weapon onto his back and pried off his helmet as Luz joined him.

"Lancer, think you can get any data from this… thing?" He asked. The Ghost shrugged and flew closer to the Exo head. He shone a beam onto the construct and began trying to sort through it for anything useful. As soon as his beam made contact, the head started to activate. Luz could hear the internal mechanisms whirring as its eyes began to glow red.

"Artificial intelligence activated." Its voice caused Royal to flinch and put a hand against his forehead. The head's dinner plate-sized eyes stared down at the two Guardians, and Luz swore she could see some measure of contempt in them. "Who in the hell do you think you are?" Its gaze began to drift toward Royal.

"I think we could ask you the same question," Luz said, stepping closer to the machine. Its optics spun to focus on her. The AI scoffed.

"I don't answer to ingrates like you," he—and it was definitely a he—sneered. "The Deep Stone Crypt has stood for centuries without intervention, and from the ether, your people swoop in and destroy my work without thought."

"Wait, your work?" Lancer questioned. Still nursing his sudden headache, Royal looked up as he realized where this was going. "Are you-"

"More than just an AI?" The head replied snidely. "Indeed. I am an exact replica of Clovis Bray I's consciousness, woken thanks to the intruders in the Crypt."

"Those weren't intruders," Lancer said. "That Guardian fireteam was dispatched to prevent House Salvation from seizing the Crypt." Clovis's AI paused, processing this new information. The previously wandering Frames now stood at attention, likely awaiting their first new orders in centuries.

"House Salvation?" Clovis asked, rolling the words around curiously.

"They're part of an alien race that arrived in Sol after the Collapse," Luz elaborated. Clovis's eyes swung to her once again.

"The Collapse? Sounds like I have much to catch up on. I suppose if you're telling me the truth, I should offer my gratitude in kind."

"Gratitude," Royal said, finally joining the conversation. He glared directly into the eyes of the AI. "History has shown us that the great Clovis Bray I knew of no such thing." The AI's optics narrowed in on him like a camera lens, taking in every detail of the Warlock.

"An Exo, forged of my own designs, dares to speak in such an impertinent tongue," Clovis scoffed. The data swirling in his artificial mind reached a conclusion, and his lenses widened slightly. "Hold on a moment, I know you. If it isn't Royal-6 in the flesh, in a manner of speaking. My, how the centuries have not been kind to you."

"It's good to see you finally found a head inflated enough to fit your ego," Royal spat. The eyes of the AI flashed, and the Frames reacted, leveling their rifles on Royal and Luz. She stepped back and drew her shotgun, swinging the barrel between targets. Royal ignored the Frames, meeting Clovis's steely gaze with one of his own. It was a macabre staring contest between two men who, by all rights, should both be long dead. Flames curled around Royal's hands as he balled them into fists. If Clovis had questions about Royals' supernatural abilities, he refrained from vocalizing them. Eventually, the AI broke eye contact and once again turned to Luz as the Frames stood down.

"And who might she be?" Luz holstered her weapon and pulled her helmet free, letting her brown hair fall down her neck.

"My name is Luz. I'm Royal's apprentice."

"He is your instructor?" Clovis asked. "It will be a miracle if he doesn't lead you straight off a cliff."

"I'm here because my friend Banshee-44 has been having strange visions," Royal said evenly, ignoring the jab. "Think you might know anything about that?" Luz's eyebrows shot up. She was unaware of Banshee's condition.

"Banshee, you say," Clovis said with a mockingly inquisitive tone. "If your words are true, then this 'House Salvation' has been encroaching further upon my territory, forcing certain protocols to activate."

"And how does that relate to Banshee specifically?" Royal questioned.

"I'm afraid that information is classified for top-ranking Braytech Exoscience employees only," Clovis taunted. "And seeing as how you haven't been employed by us for centuries now…" His voice trailed off, letting his mockery dissipate into the stale air.

Royal shook his head in exasperation. "Well, he's been having visions of dead Exo's and a blade. Can you tell us about that?"

"Perhaps. I presume you are after the blade?"

"I just want to help my friend," Royal said. "If the blade helps with that, so be it." Clovis hummed, clearly unconvinced as to Royal's altruism.

"I am aware of where it lies," he said. "You want it? Prove you're worth my time first." He looked Royal up and down. While his head was static and incapable of expressing itself, Luz could picture his sneer as clearly as the Europan night sky. His gaze passed to Luz as he appraised her once more. "Hopefully, you'll prove to be more worthwhile than him. In the meantime, try not to destroy anymore of my legacy. I will contact you once your work has proven sufficient. Until we meet again." The light faded from his optics as the head powered down. Royal made sure to flip him off as Lancer received his transmission.

"How did he get this line?" The Ghost questioned. Royal frowned and turned away from Clovis.

"Even I have to admit that man is dangerously smart. If he wants to get into our comm network, it would be childs play for him." Royal pulled up the first task Clovis had for them. "There's a smaller facility buried in a mountain not far from here. The Vex have taken it over." He drew his SMG and prepared to move, stopping only when Luz grabbed him by the forearm.

"You sure you want to help this guy?" She asked. "He seems like a real piece of work, and I get the vibe that you two have a history."

"It's complicated," Royal replied. "I've read enough to pass judgment." He paused for a moment as he thought. "And I just get the overwhelming urge to punch him in the face whenever he speaks."

"Probably wouldn't be all that hard to hit him." Royal didn't laugh, but she swore he was smiling a little.

"If finding this sword helps Banshee, then it's worth putting up with Clovis and his bullshit," Royal said.

"I'll join you," Luz said with a coy grin. "But first, we have to make a quick stop." Royal turned back to face her, curious about what she meant by that.

The two left Clovis's secluded chamber and returned to the large empty room. After retracing their steps, they discovered that teleportation was the intended method of returning to the surface. Luz supposed it made sense; Exos didn't experience transmat sickness. At least, she didn't think they did. It didn't make her feel any better as she emptied the contents of her stomach on the ground. Royal watched from a distance, his face simultaneously uncomfortable and sympathetic.

"You alright over there?" He asked. She tried to answer before retching again. Royal nodded and reached over to pat her on the back. Once Luz was back in order, they continued retracing their steps through the facility. House Salvation had yet to send any more patrols. They returned to the surface where the sun was setting.

"Clovis performed all kinds of terraforming operations on Europa, not all of them successful," Royal said, holding a hand up to the sun. "Including shortening the days to be roughly the same duration as Earths."

"How would he even do that?" Luz asked.

"Whatever Clovis wants, he gets," Royal muttered, a hint of bitterness sinking into his voice. "He will not rest until he imposes his will upon the universe. No matter what he says, he cares for no one but himself and nothing but his image." Lowering his hand, he crossed his arms and turned to Luz. "What's this quick stop you have in mind?"

"Just follow me." She hopped on her sparrow and began to speed away. Royal waited for a second, unsure if he should follow. The air between them was still tense, but he came here to patch things up. He couldn't do that if he ignored the opportunities presented. He felt like he was just starting to get through to her. Besides, he was genuinely curious about where she was leading him.

His decision was made, and Royal mounted up and took off after Luz. She had a noticeable lead on him, but not so much that she was out of sight for long. Together, they wound across icy fields and dove through frozen caves. The lights of their sparrow's exhausts shone upon the jagged tunnel walls, providing a dazzling display of colors. They exited the tunnel and continued riding under the light of distant stars. Royal's grip on his handlebar tightened as the Europan Pyramid came into view.

Luz swerved toward a small bunker, kicking up a snow cloud in her wake. Begrudgingly, Royal followed. Luz braked before the bunker and swiftly dismounted. Royal stopped as well and remained near his sparrow. The door to the bunker opened, permitting the Exo Stranger to exit. Another twitch in his mind caused Royal to flinch. There was an eerie familiarity about this woman.

"I take it your mission was a success," she said, not noticing Royal. Luz gave a snappy thumbs up.

"The House Salvation patrol was scattered. We also managed to uncover what they were looking for."

The Stranger nodded before pausing, realizing what Luz had said. "We?" Luz gestured to Royal, and the Stranger finally turned to face him. The two locked eyes for a second. The Stranger's posture tightened warily as Royal's digital brain briefly sparked.

"You're finally here," she said coldly.

"Do I know you?" Royal questioned. His absent memory screamed at him. Present above everything was the overwhelming feeling that he could trust her. His mind pulsed, but not in pain. Instead, it was a soothing aura. The Stranger didn't seem to share his comfort.

"You did," her words were quick and sharp, "but that was a long time ago." She crossed her arms as she regarded him. "What brings you here this time?"

Royal's face morphed into one of confusion. "What are you talking about?" He held out a hand before she could reply, shaking his head to clear the unwanted distractions from his mind. "On second thought, forget it. I just want to help my friend."

"We uncovered that the relic House Salvation was digging for was an AI replica of Clovis Bray," Luz said, quickly cutting in before either of them could escalate. "Now Royal is trying to replicate some ancient blade to help his friend, Banshee-44." The Stranger seemed to recognize that name, signified by the slightest raising of her eyebrow.

"Interesting." She gave Royal a cautious glance. "While you're here, do you intend to learn? Or will you remain static?"

"I have no interest in your Dark methods," Royal said. "I am here to help Banshee. Then we—" He intently stared at Luz as he said that, "—are going home." His voice has a sense of finality to it. The Stranger seemed a little somber but reserved like she had expected this.

"It doesn't matter how often I go through this; you never seem to change." Her voice was quiet, and Luz barely picked up on it. Royal, either completely oblivious to or pointedly ignoring what had been said, turned to leave.

"I'm going to clear out the facility and get the blade," he bitterly told Luz. "You can join if you want. Or stay here and practice your Stasis. Your choice." He mounted his sparrow and took off. Luz looked at the Stranger.

"You shouldn't have brought him here," the Stranger said, cutting Luz off before she could say anything. She retreated to her camp, browsing something on a datapad.

"Seems you two have some bad blood," Luz agreed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Nothing I can't fix."

"This is none of your business," the Stranger said evenly. "Stay out of it."

"Hate to break it to you, but Royal's still my teacher," Luz replied. "Maybe, if I can help you guys patch up your relationship, he'll start to loosen up and understand that Stasis is nothing to fear." The Stranger rolled her optics and shook her head.

"You clearly don't know him as well as you think you do. Royal is impossibly stubborn. He can't be dissuaded when he sets his mind one way."

"And how would you know that?" She asked. The Stranger waited a few seconds, weighing up what she wanted to disclose. Eventually, she set down her datapad.

"Because I am Elisabeth Bray," she said. Luz just stared at her, having absolutely no idea what the significance of that was. The Stranger continued. "I am Clovis's granddaughter and helped him work on the Exo program. Royal was… an old friend. After his tour in the military, he needed a place to go. I got him a job. Everything was nice for a while." Elisabeth subconsciously smiled at the memory. "I didn't know it then, but Clovis hated him. He would've gotten rid of Royal if he thought he could keep me on his side." Her smile faded. "Then, the Collapse. In an instant, he was gone. I never thought I'd see him again."

"But he's here now," Luz said, gesturing in the direction where Royal had taken off. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"It was," Elisabeth said, crossing her arms and leaning against her bunker. "The first time." Already seeing the question forming on Luz's lips, she elaborated. "I've been trapped in a sort of time loop for… I don't even know how long anymore. I keep going through the same motions, reliving the same events. Every time I or someone close to me dies, I get reset. It all keeps ending the same way: the Darkness overtakes everything."

Luz looked away, a slightly haunted look in her eyes, "And what happened to Royal? Does he…?" The Stranger looked down as Luz's voice trailed off, her face obscured by her hood,

"Fall to Darkness? No. He's too prideful for that. Instead, he becomes increasingly fanatical, lashing out at everything hinting at being touched by the Dark. Sometimes, he dies. Usually, he goes further and further, eventually seeking answers from the Vex. Every time, I've been forced to put him down." She brought a hand to her face, almost like she was wiping away nonexistent tears. "I've tried so hard to save everyone I love. This time, things have been different. Guardians are controlling Stasis rather than being controlled by it. I've even reconnected with my Sister. But Royal… nothing I can do ever gets through to him. He is determined to drive himself to oblivion."

Luz sat on a nearby crate, resting her chin on her hand as she thought. Everything the Stranger said had lined up with what she saw from Royal, especially as of late. But when she thought about what he had told her of the Isles and what she had read for herself from his report, none of it clicked with the man she knew. He was stubborn, temperamental, and borderline fanatical. But he was also driven, passionate, and loyal.

"What about me?" Luz asked. Elisabeth looked up with curiosity, prompting Luz to repeat herself. "What about me? If you've gone through all this before, how do I factor into everything?"

"You don't," Elisabeth said, furrowing her brow as she realized what Luz was implying. "I've never met you before." Luz spread her hands triumphantly, a broad smile on her face.

"Then maybe I'm the missing piece." She rose from her seat and summoned her sparrow to set off after Royal. "I'll do everything possible to keep him from the brink."

"How do you know you'll succeed?" Elisabeth asked. "I've failed every single time." Luz shrugged, equipping her helmet.

"I don't. But I'll never know unless I try."

---

Royal bashed the stock of his rifle into a thin sheet of ice, causing it to cave in and reveal the pathway hidden behind it. He brought the barrel up and swept the hallway. The icy ground gave way to mangled steel as he carefully stepped through. There were no signs of Vex's presence yet, just the decay of time.

"You know you're overreacting, right?" Lancer chirped. Royal rolled his optics; his Ghost had pestered him since he left the Stranger.

"It's not an overreaction; it's being wary of danger."

"Right," Lancer said. "And your contempt of the Fallen isn't blind hatred; it's vengeance for ancient sins."

"How can you say that when you have seen what the Darkness has done to Earth?" Royal asked. "Done to our home? The Darkness corrupts everything it touches."

"Which is why King was completely corrupted by it. Hang on, I just remembered that didn't happen. Or why Luz has been gunning down everything in sight. Oh wait, no, she hasn't. In fact, she seems the same as always."

"It is only a matter of time," Royal said. "And when it begins to overtake her, I will have to be the one to act."

Receiving a ping on his tracker, he turned back the way he had come. Luz was slowly working her way down the tunnel, moving through the pathway Royal had carved out. He gestured for her to join him, not showing his relief.

"Glad you decided to join me." He pointed down the hallway ahead of them. "This is the place Clovis wants to be cleared out. No Vex detected yet."

Luz nodded as she stood beside him. "How about I take point on this one?" Royal regarded her with interested curiosity. Perhaps he suspected she just wanted to practice. In reality, she wished to show that the Darkness was no threat to them. Royal nodded, permitting her to go in first. She moved through the decrepit halls while Royal brought up the rear.

Eventually, they reached the edge of a small balcony overlooking a room occupied by a few stray Vex Harpy's. A Hydra floated in the back, watching over its subordinates as they did whatever the Vex did. Luz crouched behind a small ceiling panel that had fallen against the railing and peered over it. Once she was ready, she leaped into action.

The Vex opened fire on her the second her boots hit the ground. Lightning surged through her muscles, amplifying her speed. She dodged the incoming shots and retaliated, flinging lashes of electricity into the machine spawn. Royal provided covering fire from above. Each time his rifle thundered, a Harpy exploded. The Hydra brought its weapons to bear, unleashing blasts of Void energy. Luz slammed her palm into the ground, shooting a spear of Stasis crystals upward. It slipped between the Hydra's shields and punched through what passed for its head. The frame collapsed and began to detonate as Luz summoned a wall of crystals to shield her from the blast.

"She's manipulating it like the old ice glyphs," Lancer noted. "She already has that much control?" Royal didn't respond, instead shifting his aim to the Vex reinforcements as they teleported in. He was forced down as a small contingent of Hobgoblins opened fire on him. A Minotaur charged at Luz, firing its weapon as it closed the gap. She circled around its jab, summoning a staff of frost in her hand. She thrust it toward the Minotaur and unleashed a flurry of frigid bolts. The machine was instantly frozen, Stasis robbing its atoms of all their energy. She raised her other hand, striking the Minotaur directly in the chest with an open palm. The Minotaur shattered, raining its shards on the ground around her like a glass rain.

Royal spun out of cover, planting a shot in each Hobgoblin. They staggered back under his fire as Luz turned on them, pulling out her shotgun. She quickly tore them apart with blasts of buckshot. Radiolaria sprayed across the ground as the machines collapsed. Luz slid the pump back, ejecting a shell to land on the ground with a hollow clack as Royal approached her.

"What did you think of that control?" She asked, puffing out her chest a little. The Exo ignored her, moving to the stairs on the side of the room. Luz quickly caught up with him as he reached the top of the stairs, "What will it take for you to consider the idea that you might be wrong?"

Rather than answer, Royal crouched behind a crate as the Vex ahead took notice of them. A horde of Goblins opened fire as a nearby Wyvern spun its cannons up. Royal glanced back at Luz before dashing out of cover, cutting down the Goblins in a spray of bullets. One of them reeled back, allowing Royal to use its head as a stepping stone. He pushed off, leaping over a Void blast from the Wyvern. The construct trained its guns on him as he spun through the air, flames swirling in his hands. He drew a blade of celestial fire as he began to descend. He wove between the Wyvern's shots and planted his Dawnblade directly in its center. The machine-spawn spasmed as Royal practically tackled it to the ground. He ground his sword a little deeper, perhaps drawing some perverse pleasure from the Wyvern's last motions.

He pulled the sword out and let it fade away, stepping over the now motionless frame as he stepped further into the room. Luz cast her gaze across the carnage as she delicately stepped over puddles of molten slag. She eyed the dead Wyvern, feeling a dull ache in her leg.

"I almost feel bad for them," she muttered, causing Royal to aggressively huff.

"Don't."

"I said almost."

Together, they reached the end of the facility. A strange construct was at the far end of the room, suspended in a lattice of Vex data. It was styled like a sapphire circuit board with silver pipes running across its body. One side housed a chain of vicious teeth and a sharp hook nested at the end. Lancer gave it a quick scan before chirping.

"This is it." Royal approached, holstering his gun as he did.

"Doesn't look like a sword," he said.

"Maybe it's not the whole thing," Luz proposed. "If it's as dangerous as Clovis says, I could see the Vex wanting to split it." Royal accepted her reasoning with a nod and reached out to grab the fragment. The second his hand pierced the lattice, it changed from a placid blue to a blaring red. Royal's hand was instantly trapped in the lattice. Vex immediately teleported into the room, flooding it with Harpy's. The blade's protector appeared; Alkestis, Sacrificial Mind. The oversized Minotaur leveled its weapon on Luz. Royal tried to turn on the Mind, only to find himself trapped. His arm, still buried in the lattice, refused to budge. Lancer immediately set to work, trying to decode the prison. The lesser Vex drew close to him, only to be incinerated by jets of fire from his free arm. Luz quickly tried to scramble back as Alkestis opened fire. The ground around her exploded as Luz brought her machine gun to bear. She sprayed the Sacrificial Mind with gunfire. The bullets had little effect as the Mind quickly closed the gap. Its fist slammed into the ground directly before her as she backpedaled. The hand came back up, backhanding Luz and sending her flying through a support column and into the far wall.

Having finished the Harpy's, Royal continued trying to free himself from his makeshift prison. He planted his boot against the now-solid lattice and pulled with all his might. His arm didn't move. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Luz go flying. His optics narrowed, and he looked to his elbow. Setting his free hand on fire, he raised it over his head. He took a half-second to steel himself before chopping through his arm. There was a sharp jolt of pain as the limb was severed, and he clutched the stump as Light flowed into it.

He forced the pain down and punched at the Mind. A constant stream of fire pushed it back before it could continue pummeling Luz. Royal let his hand fall slack and launched a kick at the Mind. More fire washed its body as it rotated to crush the Exo. Luz dragged herself up as Aurora stitched a few crushed organs back together. She lashed out with both hands, sending a stream of lightning into the Mind. Electricity coursed through its body, but the Mind continued toward Royal unabated. He braced himself for the inevitable strike as it prepared to crush him. Ending her surge of Arc energy, Luz pulled her hands back to her chest. She thrust again, this time sending a whirlwind of Stasis crystals directly into the Mind's back. The crystals bit into the metal and rapidly began to overtake the construct. Alkestis was quickly frozen, leaving it vulnerable to a flaming roundhouse kick from Royal. The Mind shattered, its body quickly fracturing and falling apart. Royal watched it fall as Luz limped over.

"You've lost your arm!" She cried, frantically gesturing to the stump that was once his right arm. Royal regarded the smoldering stump before shaking his head.

"I didn't lose it; it's right there." he gestured to the lattice where the remains of his arm were still suspended. Lancer chirped in victory as he finally dispelled the lattice. Royal quickly scooped up his arm and held it to the stump to repair it faster. While he did, Lancer secured the first component of the blade.

"I'm picking up some chatter from the Vex Network," he said. "They are really mad at us." His shell spun a few times as he ran some calculations. "Fortunately, I managed to cleave off some data before they repaired their firewalls. The second half is in Bunker E-15, up in Riis-Reborn."

"Then that's where we're going," Royal said, testing the fingers on his now reattached arm. He turned to leave before freezing and casting a sideways glance at Luz. "Thanks. For the assist there."

Luz's eyebrows crept up in surprise. "Yeah, back at you." The two exited the buried facility and stepped into a furious blizzard. The howling winds cut at them as they mounted their sparrows.

"We'll need to move quickly before the storm freezes us solid," Royal said. "Stay close to me." With Luz staying behind him, he gunned his engines and pushed through the storm. His vision was obscured by a sheet of white as hail broke against his armor. He was glad that his Exo body had regulators against extreme temperatures. Luz was not so lucky. She shivered as the cold encroached upon her. Aurora sent Royal a warning, which he acknowledged with a quick nod. "This cold is too harsh, and I can't tell where we're going. We'll have to wait the storm out." They entered a cave formed from destroyed Golden Age facilities, granting them some reprieve from the storm.

"All the unfathomable power of the Light," Luz said, rubbing her hands together to try and keep warm. "And it can't keep out a little chill." Royal didn't speak up, but he did summon a small fireball and threw it on the ground before Luz. Thanking him, she sat beside it and let the crackling flames warm her bones.

"The Stranger knows you," she said before cupping her hands and breathing into her palms. Royal looked away from his map and crossed his arms.

"Feels like a lot of people do nowadays," he said. "Never cared for the attention. So many people contributed just as much as I did. All the statues and praise don't sit right with me. Venator loved the adulation. Paladin didn't care. But I always hated it."

"That isn't what I meant," Luz said. "She knows you-you. Royal, not the Vexbane." His optics instantly narrowed.

"Why do I sense a Luz plan coming on?"

"Hey, my plans are great!" She objected.

"History would vehemently disagree." His head turned down in thought. "What brings it up?"

"I've been pondering what you told me of my own past," Luz admitted. "That book you gave me got me thinking."

"You liked it?" Royal asked. Aurora giggled bubbly.

"She practically read the entire thing in one sitting. She literally passed out before putting it down." Royal chuckled a little, happy that his gift had been well received.

"I left myself a few things before I died," Luz continued. "Journal, broken phone, and a couple photos. I've been poking through them, and I don't really know what to think." She pulled one of the photos from transmat and offered it to Royal. He gingerly accepted it from her, feeling the ancient paper crinkle in his grasp. He held the picture of Luz at her wedding up to the light. Luz could see his fingers shift uncomfortably as something akin to guilt and regret came over his face.

Luz looked away as a tinge of guilt crept into her as Royal passed it back. Maybe she shouldn't have brought this up. Her gaze drifted to the flame Royal had made. She stared into its depths, feeling the warmth in her body and soul. She reached out and set her hand in the crackling fire, letting it roll over her fingers.

"What does it feel like to wield Solar Light?" She asked. His interest piqued, Royal looked up.

"Arc is the element of motion and energy," he said, waving a few electrical sparks through the air. He switched the lightning to more fire, closely holding it up to his face. "Conversely, Solar is the element of warmth and life. To wield it is to set your very soul ablaze. Heat radiates throughout your very being, giving you strength. But you must be wary, for it is easy for a fire to grow out of control." He gestured to the flame resting on the ground. "Take a moment to reflect upon the fire. Bask in the warmth. Listen to it and connect it to your tether. Feel the burning desire and weave it into a torch to light our darkest hour."

Luz shifted her posture to one more suited for meditation. She slowly breathed in and out as the shadows cast by the flames danced across her face. Royal silently joined her, mentally stoking the flame. She focused inward, trying to feel the warmth within herself. She was acutely aware of her own body heat. She pictured a candle with a tiny flame slowly eating away at the wick. She willed for the flame to grow, only for it to remain as it was. She tried again, putting a little more force into her effort. Rather than increase, the flame receded. Luz felt ice creeping into her mind. Frigid winds smothered her flame. The whiplash of Darkness yanked her out of her meditation.

She gasped from the sudden shock of it. She looked down at her body, where her legs had begun to frost over. She brushed it off as Royal watched silently. He snapped his fingers, extinguishing the flames.

"The storm is dying down," he said curtly. "We should move in case it picks back up again."

"Royal, wait." She grabbed his wrist, holding him back. "I can do this." Despite his helmet obscuring his face, Luz knew they were making eye contact. She gestured for him to sit and continued, "I need you to trust me." The Exo hesitated for a moment, weighing up his options. Inside, he was at war. He loved her as though she were his own kin. This love drove him to put his faith in her, to believe that she would do the right thing. Yet it also compelled him to protect her from what he considered a grave mistake. The two sides battle fiercely with each other inside his mind. Eventually, one had to win out.

"Fine," he said, his voice slightly unstable. "I'll trust you. Show me that you can do it." He crossed his arms and watched as Luz took a deep breath. She began to focus, channeling the spark of life within herself.

"Stasis represents the ability to impose your will upon reality," she said, coating her left hand in a sheet of ice. "It is the ultimate example of mind over matter. It allows you to channel absolute zero, the antithesis of life."

"Did the Stranger teach you this?" Royal asked, genuine curiosity leaking into his voice. Luz smiled a little under her helmet.

"Technically, you did," she said. "Taught me how to reflect on it, anyway. I applied your teachings to the Darkness and brought it under control."

Royal nodded, "So how does this apply to the Light?"

"Solar and Stasis are equals and opposites," Luz proposed. "To master one is to reject the other."

"So you must seek balance," Royal finished, pondering Luz's idea. "If you can wield two opposing forces in unison, then the Dark would have no more hold of you than the Light." Luz snapped her fingers and shot him a finger gun. Now, he was getting it. She drew back into herself and began to meditate. Once again, she pictured the flickering candle and tried to swell the flame. She felt the icy grip of Stasis rising within her, trying to smother the flame. With great effort, she resisted it and forced the creeping chill away. She coaxed the fire, letting it slowly grow larger and larger. Her breast began to burn with the heat of the sun, threatening to consume her. She tightened her brow and slightly relinquished her grip on Stasis, allowing it to slip back in. The two forces battled each other, dueling for dominance over her body. Gradually, she forced the two powers into a stalemate, with equals and opposites existing in harmony.

She finally let herself exhale and became acutely aware of a slight pain on her skin. Wrenching her eyes open, her eyes were met with the sight of smoke rising from her body. She patted it to smother the acrid vapor while Royal regarded her curiously.

"I can feel the Light within you, bright and unhindered," he said in awe and disbelief. "Yet the Darkness does not shirk from you."

"I control the Darkness," Luz said. "Not the other way around." She stood up and extended her right hand. After a second of focus, a small flame sparked in her palm. She raised her left hand, still covered in Stasis crystals. She clenched both hands, smothering both the Light and the Dark. She punched the air before her, unleashing a small puff of fire from her fist.

"I was hoping it would be bigger," she said, looking at her fist in disappointment.

"That will take time," Royal said. He glanced at her face and looked down in shame. "I… believe I owe you an apology."

"It's fine," she said. "You were just worried about me."

"The world has changed, Royal," Lancer said. "You can't stay stuck in place." Royal nodded, clearly still unconvinced, and rose from the ground.

"The storm has receded," he said. "We should finish up here. E-15 isn't far." He offered a hand to Luz, and, with a smile, she took it.

Royal's prediction was correct. The bunker was at the bottom of a ruined building—the entryway concealed by a destroyed girder. He easily moved it aside, allowing the two to enter the bunker. The Vex were more numerous here, having stepped up their defenses after losing the first half of the blade. It wasn't enough to stop the two as they cleared the bunker, liberating a few security Frames along the way. An Inquisitor Hydra was waiting for them at the end, guarding the rest of the blade for study.

The Hydra could not stop them, being swiftly torn apart by the combined might of the two Guardians. Lancer freed the second half of the weapon—a strange-looking handle with a trigger—and Royal quickly secured it.

Royal checked his list, "That should be the last of it. Let's head back to Clovis and-" He was cut off when both of their radios sparked to life in unison, causing them to flinch as the harsh static cut into their ears.

"What have you done?" Clovis demanded, a note of panic in his voice. "You've meddled in my affairs, haven't you? The Vex march upon me through no provocation of my own."

"We were just gathering the blade pieces like you asked," Lancer said.

"And you have provoked the Vex to my doorstep," Clovis accused. "If you wish to see it restored, then you'd best make haste. There is an old maintenance tank not far from your location. Now hurry up, or there won't be any 'me' left to save." The call ended, leaving the two Guardians in silence.

"Prick," Royal muttered, doubling back the way they came.

"You think he'd be a little more polite if he wants us to save him," Luz said. A humorless laugh escaped Royal's mouth as they returned to the surface.

"Like I said, Clovis knows nothing of gratitude." They breached the surface, and Royal's HUD marked the location of the tank. "Mount up and roll out; I'll move ahead and try to draw their attention away from Clovis." Luz grinned and instantly took off, running toward the tank as fast as she could. Boarding the vehicle was simple enough, and she cracked her knuckles as she looked at the controls.

"Aurora, think you can give me a hand here?" Her Ghost obliged, starting the engine and directing Luz on how to operate the heavy vehicle. It lacked a cannon, but its sheer bulk allowed it to easily smash through walls of ice and Vex frames. The vehicle roared to life, and she took off, following Royal's trail. A Vex strike force appeared in her path as she drew close to Bray Exoscience. They didn't last long, swiftly crushed into metallic paste under her treads. More and more poured in, tearing off chunks of armor with every shot. She crashed through all of them, destroying swathes of Goblins, Minotaurs, and Cyclopses.

A Wyvern appeared directly in front of her and opened fire. The tank shuddered under the assault as she barrelled toward the bipedal construct. Flames sprouted from the vehicle as the Vex slowly tore it apart. Luz smashed the pedal down, locking it in place, and dismounted. The runaway vehicle crashed into the Wyvern as she hit the ground and took off. The Wyvern, heavily damaged but still active, tried to center her in its line of fire. Luz slid under its shot and fired a single grenade directly into the center of its body. The Wyvern collapsed as she continued to run.

Royal was in the distance, fighting his way through a small horde of Vex. He leaped off a large rock and drew back his arm. Purple energy swirled in his palm, and he flung it toward the Cyclops guarding the entrance. The Nova Bomb exploded in a brilliant display of abyssal energies. A vortex was torn open at the impact point, dragging any surviving Vex into it and crushing them with the gravitational weight of a black hole. He let himself drop to the ground, rolling to break his fall.

"They were waiting for me when I arrived," Royal said, drawing his rifle as Luz approached him. The radio sparked to life once again.

"It is possible that the Vex use me as bait to reclaim the sword," Clovis said. "If it falls into their hands, it will be lost forever. Along with your beloved Banshee's memories." The two heard the sound of gunfire and explosions over the radio. "They have breached my defenses; I require immediate protection!"

"We're on our way," Royal replied. "Traveler, he's such a drama queen."

"I heard that!" Clovis objected.

"I am well aware," Royal said before killing the line. He signaled for Luz to advance with him, and the two plunged once more into the depths of the facility. There were signs of conflict everywhere they went, and the further they went, the worse it got. They dispatched a few Vex patrols that had been sent to slow them down.

"They've found me," Clovis frantically barked. "Where are you?"

"We're close," Luz said as she gunned down a Minotaur. "Just hold out a little longer."

"The blade—do you retain it? It must be reforged!"

"So now you want to help us?" Lancer questioned. Clovis huffed in annoyance.

"That blade is the bane of the Vex, wielded by a valiant Exo the last time they invaded—centuries ago. The blade was split afterward and scattered to the winds. The Vex located the pieces but were unable to fully claim them until you broke their seals. Now, they have a chance to acquire it for themselves." Clovis let out a disgusted sigh. "I will relent this once: I should have helped you sooner. We must now rebuild it together."

"The great Clovis Bray admitting he was wrong about something?" Royal said. "It must be a sign of the end times." Clovis didn't deign to respond. They pushed through the final hurdles and arrived at Clovis's sanctum. The Frames were slowly being pushed back into the hallway. Royal landed in the center of the Vex force and unleashed a ring of fire before rushing into the hallway with Luz on his heels.

"There! The pedestal!" Clovis ordered. "Place the blade upon it. I will initiate the forging protocol." Royal inserted the two halves of the blade, and the pedestal came to life. The sword components were suspended, and the forging protocol was activated. As soon as he did, the door burst down. The remaining Frames trained their guns on the entrance right as a Minotaur rushed through.

"Here they come!" Luz shouted, opening fire as the Minotaur tore the closest Frame apart.

"The onslaught is here. They must not disrupt the forging protocol," Clovis warned. Royal elected to remain close to the sword and drew his scout rifle. His aim was surgical as he dispatched the Vex. Luz was in the thick of it, sending out lashes of electricity and waves of frozen crystals. The Minotaur teleported beside Royal and tried to strike him, only for the Warlock to nimbly dodge the jab. His left fist rose in a flaming uppercut that sent the machine staggering back. It drew back to its full height as Royal stepped closer, unleashing two controlled bursts of fire. The first knocked out its shield, leaving it vulnerable to the second. The Minotaur melted into a puddle of molten slag, allowing Royal to turn his attention back to the main bulk.

More Vex were beginning to teleport in, encircling the forge. Royal was forced away as a Wyvern crashed into the ground beside him. Another moved to secure the blade, only to be sent reeling by Luz. She slid past it and froze its legs solid. She summoned a staff and slammed it into the ground, releasing a shockwave that shattered the crystals and the Wyvern. Behind her, Royal leaped onto his Wyvern and tore its faceplate off. Sparks trailed from the gaping wound as the construct collapsed.

Despite their efforts, more Vex were pouring into the room. The Frames were being cut down left and right, leaving the Guardians alone. Luz erupted with Arc Light and channeled a hurricane of lightning through the room. The closest Vex were atomized, yet more kept coming.

"The forging protocol is complete!" Clovis barked. "Grab the blade! Now!" Royal looked at the pedestal and saw that the two halves had been joined. He dove toward it and wrapped his hand around the grip. It fit comfortably in his hand, though the sword was a tad heavier than he was used to. Clovis's optics tracked him as he stood up and gripped the hilt with two hands. "Wield the blade. Destroy them all. Every. Last. One."

Royal's fingers gripped the trigger, giving it a quick squeeze. The motors in the blade sprang to life, and it began to whir. The chain along the edge started to spin, dragging the teeth with it at rapid speeds. Royal held it a little tighter, unprepared for the sudden motion.

A Goblin made the mistake of getting too close to the Exo. Royal swung in a horizontal arc. The teeth bit into the machine and tore through it as though it were made of vapor. Royal swung again, decapitating a Hobgoblin. Another Wyvern brought its guns to bear on him, only for Royal to leap into the air and vertically bisect the combat form in a single strike.

The closest Vex distanced themselves from Royal as he landed. They weren't just being cautious. There was something in those optics that the Vex were not meant to understand, much less feel.

They were afraid.

Royal lifted the blade and listened to the engine rumble for a second. He gave it a few more experimental swipes. Across the room, Luz's lightning died down. The Vex shifted their focus away from her, bringing all their guns to bear on Royal. He propped the blade on his shoulder and met the Vex's unblinking stare with one of his own.

The Vex horde parted as their overseer teleported in their midst. Aedon, Cultivating Mind, regarded him with caution. Royal didn't give it time to form a plan, already leaping toward the Mind. Solar Light enveloped him, aiding his flight. The Mind reached out and manifested its own sword made of data. The two clashed repeatedly, each strike filling the room with growls as the teeth of Royal's sword bit into the Vex's. Slowly being pushed back, Aedon ordered its subordinates to close ranks. However, before they could, Luz was on them. Lightning shot out of her hands, tearing through the Vex lines. Aedon brought its sword down on Royal, only for the Exo to catch it against his own. He let it slide off and brought his sword around, catching the Mind in the leg. He sawed clean through it, and the Mind fell to one knee. Royal spun the sword over hand and severed the Mind's sword hand. He finished it off by swinging into Aedon's chest. The teeth ate away at the Mind's steel-flesh. It buckled as Radiolaria spilled out of the wound. Aedon collapsed, and Royal set a foot atop it. He thrust the blade toward the depleted Vex horde—teeth spinning and motor rumbling. With their Mind broken and the tide rapidly swinging against them, the Vex retreated.

Silence fell on the chamber as the last Vex vanished. Luz stretched as her adrenaline faded. Royal gave the blade a few more swings, feeling up the weight of it. He flourished the weapon, spinning it around his hand.

"I think I'm in love," he murmured, running his hand down the sword's spine. Luz propped up an eyebrow as a slight grin fought its way onto her face.

"You like it that much?" She asked jokingly.

"It's perfect," Royal said. Clovis made a sound akin to clearing one's throat.

"Yes, well, I suppose I am in your debt," he said. "However, I generally prefer not to be indebted to anyone. As such, you may consider the sword your property. Though you should allow this 'Banshee' an opportunity to test its integrity." It seemed like he was struggling to force the words out. He cast a disparaging look down at Royal. "Now get out of my sight."

Royal gave a mocking salute, "Pleasure as always, Clovis." Slinging the sword onto his back, he spun on his heels and fell out. Luz blew a raspberry at Clovis and followed.

"You know," she began, "I'm sure the Stranger wouldn't mind teaching you how to wield Stasis." Royal shook his head.

"I need to get this sword back to Banshee ASAP," he said. He looked to the side and rubbed his arm. "If you want to stay, feel free." Mildly surprised by his offer, Luz grinned and gave him a hug.

"Another time then," she said. Royal tensed awkwardly, unprepared for the sudden embrace and her offer. He may be willing to entertain the idea of Stasis, but he had no interest in wielding it. He gave a noncommittal response, and Luz relinquished her grip. Lancer brought his ship around, and Royal bid farewell, for now at least.

Luz waved goodbye as his ship broke the atmosphere. She set her hands on her hips, a feeling of pride overtaking her. Hopefully, she had helped avert his path of self-destruction.

Eventually, Royal's ship touched down at the Tower hangar. He set off toward Banshee's stall with all haste. The sky was still dark, trapped under the influence of the Endless Night, but Royal's internal clock told him that Banshee should still be in his store. Royal dodged a few other Guardians milling about—including the two still in their dance-off—and reached the backdoor of Banshee's shop. He knocked on the door and heard the telltale sound of Banshee making his way over. The Gunsmith opened the door and, after a moment of surprise, welcomed him inside. Royal pulled out the blade and set it on Banshee's workbench. The Gunsmith ran a hand over it as Royal briefly recounted how he had found it.

"This is it," he said. "I can feel my memories-" He groaned and clutched his forehead. "I can see now. That big Exo head… it's me." He paused as Royal tilted his head in confusion. "And I'm it. Both of us, Clovis Bray. And this is our sword; The Lament."

"Hold up a second," Royal said, putting up a hand to stop his friend. "You are Clovis Bray?" Banshee nodded hesitantly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Clovis sought to preserve himself, so he devised two ways to do it," Banshee said. "He created an AI replica of himself, a perfect one-to-one copy. Then, he underwent the Exo process with a few key alterations. Clovis-1 was born, though he wasn't quite the same as when he went under."

"You're Clovis-1," Royal realized, leaning against a crate for support. "You've gotta be kidding me." Banshee shook his head in confirmation.

"I couldn't stand the person I was, so I shed that identity. Eventually, all the resets scrubbed my memories."

"So you mean to tell me that Clovis tried to create a version of himself that was a slightly better person," Lancer said, fighting to keep a straight 'face'. "And the end result was someone who vehemently hated Clovis and everything he stood for?" The Ghost devolved into a fit of laughter. Royal ignored him and set a hand on Banshee's shoulder.

"It doesn't matter who you were back then. I know who you are now," he said. "You're my friend. Don't think that this changes anything."

"Good to hear," Banshee said. "Think I might stop over there some time; pay giant me a visit."

"I would advise against that," Royal said. He pointed at Lament. "By the way, I'm keeping that."

---

Deep in the ruins of Old Earth, a solitary Ghost flew through the ruins of Human civilization. He passed bombed-out buildings, torn-up streets, rusted cars, and decayed skeletons. All to find his Guardian.

He checked a few bodies lying on the side of the road, only to come up empty. He ruffled his shell, disappointed but not surprised. He continued passing through the town, thoroughly checking everybody he came across. Every single one came back negative. The Ghost pressed onward, moving from corpse to corpse.

Eventually, he arrived at a cemetery. He wove between the tombstones, scanning their occupants. There was a slight tug as he floated, an imperceptible feeling that drew him toward one grave. His beam passed over it. A strange sensation overtook him; there was something unusual about this person. But he knew in his core that they were meant to be his Guardian.

His shell unfurled and spun as he channeled Light into the body, commanding them to live again. The dirt began to buckle as the resurrected Guardian sought to tear their way out. The Ghost watched silently—he didn't speak much and had no intention of breaking that streak.

A hand broke through the ground, clawing desperately at the air. The second followed not long after, and the woman pulled herself out of the dirt, gasping for air as she did. The Ghost passively watched her as she scrambled to her feet, panting heavily as she did. That was when the Ghost got a look at her face and made a confused chirp.

To his utter disbelief, the woman had eyes of molten gold and ears like arrowheads. She brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. The hair was dyed pink, with visible brown roots. She stumbled forward uneasily, looking around and taking in her surroundings. A look of realization came over her, and she quickly patted herself down. She held up a small, reinforced vial filled with dark blue liquid. She let out a relieved sigh and pocketed it.

She looked up at her Ghost and grinned as though everything was going to plan. "I wondered if you would ever show up," she said. The Ghost tilted his shell, completely lost on what to do. Out of all the reactions he had expected, this was not one of them.

He beeped, spinning his shell as he spoke, "What in the actual fuck."

---

Ah, the Lament. My favorite exotic in the game. It really lets me live out my fantasy of being an armored space warrior with a chainsword. And who's that popping up at the end? Hmmm, curious, isn't it? Royal has started to take the first steps to realizing that he's kind of an asshole. Let's see where he goes from here.

Now, I take it y'all know what time of year it is? It's Guardian Games, baby! Kinda insane that we're getting bloody K-Drives. And the armors actually pretty baller this year too. Bungie cooked with this one. To all my robed brethren, let's make Ikora proud.

GuardianLightTheVanguard: Questions from DestinyTheOwlHouse The Witch-Queen

1: I'm very happy that Luz Noceda and Royal met and Royal will be her Mentor like Eda.

2: I really hope there are scenes of Royal and Luz fighting the enemies together.

3: I hope that Luz finds Iris and becomes great friends and that Iris shares all the information for when Luz is ready to wield Stasis.

4: I hope Luz makes friends with Mithrax, Eido, Saint-14 and Iris become great friends.

5: I hope there will be a scene with Luz, Saint-14, Ikora and Royal defending the Eliksni of the house of Luz against Lakshimi-2's accusations.

6: the H.E.L.M. Will it appear in History?

7: this means that there are now two Luz Noceda, an adult Luz Guardian in the Last City and a young Luz Noceda in the Boiling Isles, I hope this is true because when Amity finds out she will turn very red and faint.

8: I hope Royal will tell about the story of her past life instead of telling the whole story in full because Luz can get overwhelmed with too much information at once about her past life.

9: Will Luz gain her Sparrow and a ship in this Story?

10: Will Luz be able to use the seasonal armor ornaments?

11: what is the Ghost shell of Guardian Luz Noceda's Ghost?

12: Could you edit your synopsis of the Story because the name of The Witch-Queen is wrong in your Synopsis It says Savanthûn and the Correct Name is Savathûn Can you correct the name my friend Penguin1673 Please.

Ps: I will be waiting for your Answers on All my questions in the Next Chapter ok my friend Penguin1673.

#Destiny #TheOwlHouse #TheWitchQueen #Royal #Lancer #Luz #Aurora #Iris

1. I am too.

2. There are and there will be more to come.

3. Maybe at some point, but that would be further down the line.

4. She's already befriended Eido and Misraaks to a lesser degree, so halfway there.

5. I can neither confirm nor deny.

6. The H.E.L.M. does appear in chapter five and will probably continue to pop up at later points.

7. That's not quite how it works. What happened is that Royal went back and met Luz during the events of the show, then returned to her future/his present where she has been dead for a very long time.

8. He's given her the basics and is willing to inform her of anything she might wonder about.

9. She will, yes.

10. Yes again.

11. At the moment, just the default shell.

12. I did not notice that, thank you for telling me. It has been fixed.

davisjustus99: Royal found something that he feared. And Luz found something knowledge many should forget. What a predicament.

Oh, the drama. But now, how does he go forward from here?

Elthreee:Would be interesting to see how a conversation between Bray and Royal would turn out. That's if the story gets to that part though, guess I'll have to wait and see. I'm hooked dude keep up the good work, yeah?

And there you have it. Hope you enjoyed. I promise that I will try to keep up the good work.

hornig3: Glad to know I summoned Variks into existence. Also if Luz every meets Clovis "Ego bigger than a damn moon" Bray, I'm pretty sure she'll subconsciously be reminded of Belos, even if she doesn't remember who that is, and just shoot one of his eyes. It would be both a funny and a bit of a scary moment for Luz.

That's an interesting comparison that I never considered. They both seem to have savior complexes. Though I would contend that Clovis's stems from arrogance, whereas Belos's is from pure delusion.