Man, this year's Guardian Games are rough, my fellow robe-wearers. We need a miracle to even get on the board at this point. It's not like it really matters, but it's about pride, dammit! Enough of this, onto today's chapter.
If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you liked. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review containing nuclear launch codes for a missile directed at my exact coordinates.
Chapter 9: Ruination
"Where have my dreams gone? Who stole them from me?" - The Champion
"Who was that?"
Royal felt a knot tie itself within him. He had been dreading this. He looked at Luz, almost pleading with her. "Please, not here." Luz was a little taken aback by the rawness of his voice but agreed. Osiris moved in, quickly shepherding the Guardians away. He transmatted them into the Tower, bypassing the regular security checks with his clearance.
Now in a secluded room, Royal practically collapsed into a chair. His mind was racing too fast to focus on anything. Luz watched him, her concern for her mentor overriding everything else. She had seen him angry, confused, and even melancholy, but this was different. She had never seen him terrified.
"That was Outcast, wasn't it?" Amity asked. Royal avoided everyone's collective gazes, which provided all the answers Amity needed. Osiris narrowed his eyes but elected to remain silent while Luz furrowed her brow.
"Who?" She asked. Amity rounded on Royal again.
"You haven't told her?" She questioned. Royal shook his head.
"It's not exactly something easy for me to bring up," he muttered venomously. His fingers curled as flames sparked in his palms.
"Your brother across time, the one mentioned in your report," Osiris said pensively, touching his chin. "If it truly is him, then what is his goal?"
"Outcast lost his world to the Darkness," Royal said. "To find a way to undo it, he gave himself to the Vex. He feeds off Minds for their power and butchers us when we try to resist him. I thought he was dead."
"So Outcast is another version of you," Luz said hesitantly. "Like Paladin and Venator." Royal reluctantly nodded, and Elisabeth's warning replayed in her head. Outcast was a living example of the end Royal supposedly always reached.
"If he has absorbed the Mind's strength, then it stands to reason that he would possess his own form of their pseudo-immortality," Osiris hypothesized. "Should he be felled, he will simply be reborn in the Vex Domain."
"We can't focus on him," Royal said forcefully, clenching his hands as he stood up. "We need to stay focused on Quria and Savathûn. Outcast doesn't care about anything beyond his world and the Vex Domain." Osiris nodded in agreement.
"Then I shall return to working on the portal to the Demon Realm," he said. "And speak with Lakshmi about the situation with House Light."
"Wait, the portal to what?" Luz asked. Beside her, Amity was similarly surprised. Osiris rounded on Royal accusingly.
"You didn't tell them?"
"It never really came up," Royal defended, starting to get sick of that question. "I was going to, but other things took precedence."
"I can go home?" Amity asked, her eyes shining hopefully. Osiris held up a hand to calm her.
"It's not complete yet," he said. "We're missing something, one final piece."
"Perhaps I can take a look," Amity offered. "As a Demon Realm native myself, I've got some experience with the portal door."
"Royal's report mentioned your skill with engineering," Osiris mused. "And perhaps a more magical perspective is just what we need." Amity eagerly stepped forward only to catch herself and look back at Royal. The Exo waved her off, and the two departed, leaving Royal and Luz alone.
Luz pulled over a chair beside Royal and took a seat. He looked up at her. "You don't want to go with them?"
"They'll be fine," Luz said. "Right now, you need me."
"I'm fine, just a little shaken," Royal said. Luz gave him a deadpan look.
"You and I both know that's a lie," she said. "Here, I still need to practice my Solar Light. What do you say? It seems like you could use a distraction."
"I've followed Royal's schematics to the letter," Osiris said, gesturing to the portal. Amity ran a hand over it, noting the dozens of neatly-organized wires and tubes connected to the doorframe. She could feel the dormant magic lurking in the machine. Osiris continued as she inspected his work. "Without Titan's Blood, real or artificial, it will remain inoperable."
"Artificial? Have you been making your own?" Amity asked.
"I'm trying to, at least," Osiris said, typing on a data pad as he observed a chemical mixture. "Between all my other duties, it is coming along slowly." The mixture in the vial turned dark green, prompting Osiris to curse in a language Amity didn't recognize. "That's the seventh batch in two days. Something is missing, prompting the instability."
Amity peered into the viscous liquid and tapped the vial, watching how it settled. After ensuring it would be safe, she took a sample out and ran it under some of Osiris's tools. The equipment was way more advanced than anything she had ever seen, but the mechanisms were similar enough for her to use them for their most basic purpose.
"I think I see the issue," she said, procuring a small vial of her own from transmat. Osiris's eyes widened at the sight.
"Is that Titan's Blood?"
"I secured a sample before dying, just in case," Amity said with a wink. She offered the vial to the Sunsinger.
"Your foresight is remarkable," Osiris said, accepting the magical liquid. He held it up to the light, inspecting it closely. No doubt, his mind was already whirling with calculations and ideas.
"Paladin always used to tell me: If you fail to prepare, your preparations will fail you," Amity said. "I don't think that this alone will be enough to power the portal for more than a few seconds. But it might be enough to complete the formula." She compared the two samples closely while Osiris watched. "No wonder you couldn't finish the mixture; you're missing the magic touch."
How do you propose we add this touch to the mix? Osiris asked. Amity pondered his question for a moment, not having an answer.
"I don't know," she admitted. "This is closer to Potion magic than what I'm used to." She tried casting a spell on Osiris's concoction, but it remained inert. She slung a few more spells at it, each resulting in the same lack of reaction. Eventually, she gave up and dropped into a chair. "I wish Lilith was here. She would know exactly what to do."
"Indeed, what a shame such a studious soul is beyond our reach," Osiris said. For a second, Amity thought she caught a glimpse of something in his eyes. Something ancient and almost mocking. A blink later, it was gone. She frowned but ultimately decided it was nothing more than a trick of the light and returned to the experiment.
Luz's fists slammed into Royal's vambraces, trying to break through his guard. Her fists were growing redder with each strike. They throbbed with dull pain, yet Royal's defense remained firm. She drew back to give herself time to breathe. Royal was quick to capitalize, sending two fireballs at her chest. She spun out of the way and tried to retaliate with one of her own, only for her fist to produce a small puff of weak fire.
Royal pushed closer, probing her defenses with a few experimental kicks. She blocked them as best as she could but was slowly pushed back. He aimed another kick at her head, flames sprouting over his greaves. She pushed the strike out of the way, and a jet of fire shot out of Royal's heel. Her fingers blistered from the heat. She recoiled, trying to dull the pain. Royal moved in, sweeping her legs out from under her. She let out a surprised cry as she fell. Royal thrust a blazing fist into her face as she hit the ground. His hand froze a few inches before it made contact.
Royal sighed, "Still not good enough. On your feet." The flames receded, and he offered his hand. Luz accepted it with a slight groan, and Royal pulled her to her feet.
"I don't get it," she said, looking at her hands. "I'm doing all the motions you showed me, but I can't make anything bigger than this." She produced a small flame in her palm before extinguishing it.
"If I ever need someone to light a candle, I'll be sure to call you," Lancer teased. Luz stuck her tongue out at him while Royal thought.
"Whenever I channel my Solar Light, it is not enough to simply spark the flame," he said. "I must feed it. Willpower alone produces a flame that burns bright but brief. I fuel it with my passion." Seeing what Luz would say, he quickly answered the question before it was asked. "No, my fire doesn't get hotter just because I'm angry. At least, not entirely. Any strong emotion will suffice. Rage is just the easiest."
Luz reflect upon her life, recalling all the times she had felt strong emotions. Her mind drifted back to one event: her first death. She could feel the blades cutting into her flesh, hear her heart beating hard enough to burst from her chest, and taste the potent fear poisoning her mind. No one under her protection would ever know that feeling.
Her eyes shot open, and she thrust out her hands. Twin pillars of flame burst from her palms, burning two perfect holes in a nearby training dummy. The dummy collapsed as Luz ceased her barrage, wincing at the power she had unleashed. Royal seemed similarly surprised by her raw power.
"I'm gonna have to pay for that," he muttered before turning to Luz. "That was good. Now do it again."
"Are you sure?" Luz asked, eyeing the dummy as it melted to slag. "I don't think this stuff can take the heat."
"Then hit me," Royal said. He set his arms on fire and slipped into a ready stance. After a moment of hesitation, Luz did as well. Royal didn't give her a second to think, already charging at her. He chopped the air and unleashed a wave of fire toward her. Luz dodged and retaliated, sending a stream of fire at Royal. He placed his hands together like an arrowhead and split the stream as he pushed through it.
Once he was close enough, he broke the stream and delivered a barrage of punches that Luz barely managed to block. She was pushed back as Royal's blows came hard and fast. They lacked the usual restraint he may otherwise have while sparing with her. This wasn't him pushing her; he was actually trying to hurt her.
She danced out of melee range and sent a fireball at him. He batted it aside and spun, dragging a foot across the ground. A wave of knee-high fire raced toward her. Luz managed to jump over the wave. As she landed, she brought down a lash of flame and tried to bring her guard back up. Unfortunately, Royal was faster. His fists slammed into her chest, pushing her back. He hammered again at her stomach, forcing her to hunch over. Finally, he unleashed a controlled explosion at point-blank that sent her flying onto her back.
Luz slid across the ground, her chest plate still smoking. Royal remained on his feet, arms held up. Every part of his body was tense and ready for action. Starting to grow concerned, Luz tapped out. Nursing her sore torso, she moved to the side of the ring.
"Why are you stopping?" Royal asked.
"Why are you hitting so hard?" Luz countered, wincing as she tried to flex her arm, only for her muscles to tighten in protest. "I'm gonna be feeling that in the morning."
"I'm pulling my punches as much as I always do," Royal said. Luz shot him a heavy-lidded stare, not believing it for a second.
"You just turned your fists into grenades and sent me flying across the ring," she deadpanned. Royal looked at his hands.
"I didn't realize," he said. "I just want to make sure you're ready. You should get bruised in here rather than killed out there."
"I get that," Luz said, stepping back into the ring while Royal bounced on his feet. "But I don't learn anything from you beating the crap out of me."
"I've just been thinking," he said, raising his arms as Luz poked his defenses. "You're still not ready for most of the things out there. Europa proved that. And I won't always be around to save you."
"So you don't think I can handle a tough fight?" Luz asked as she ducked under an overhead swing. She tried to fire a lightning bolt at his midsection, but Royal deflected it with his offhand and directed it into the floor.
"I think that you'll try to handle it in the wrong way," Royal said. "You never stop to think about what you're doing."
"I thought I had to act rather than think?"
"In combat, yes," Royal said. "Everything before and after that, no." He poked her in the chest. "You're reckless. You act without thinking. You let your emotions guide you."
"Hypocritical, much?" Luz asked, crossing her arms. Royal raised his hands in an admission of guilt.
"Fair. Traveler knows I can relate to that, but I don't claim to be perfect. I'm just worried that if you continue like this, you'll get yourself killed." Luz could hear the concern in his voice and saw a strange tension in his stance. He seemed tightly wound, almost as though he was ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.
"And what brings all this on?" Luz asked. "You never do anything without reason."
"Can't I just be worried for my student's safety?" He questioned.
"This isn't your normal worry, I can tell."
He gave a short, humorless laugh. "Am I that easy to read? I've just been given a lot to think about, with Amity coming back, the portal nearing completion, and everything happening with the Vex."
Luz lowered her fists as she realized what was eating away at him. "You're afraid of Outcast, aren't you?"
Royal's gaze hardened, and he looked away. However, try as he might, he couldn't deny the truth. "Yes, in a sense. I fear him, but that's not the whole story." He lowered himself to the ground, drawing inward. "In truth, I'm afraid that he is right. I'm afraid that everything I'm fighting for is in vain, that the system will drown in Darkness, and nothing I can do will prevent it."
"And what if he is right?" Luz asked. "What will you do?" She set a hand on his shoulder as he averted his gaze. Royal didn't answer, though Luz couldn't tell whether it was from refusal or inability. He remained somewhat catatonic, trying to huddle up as much as possible to make himself seem smaller. Lowering herself to his level, Luz wrapped her arm around his shoulders and brought him into a one-sided hug.
"It's ok," she said. "Whatever happens, I'll be right there beside you." Royal remained silent, avoiding eye contact by pointedly staring at the floor.
The tender moment was interrupted by the hiss of an opening door. Amity stepped through, wiping some lubricating oil off her fingers with a small rag. Her armor was stained with greasy liquid, providing a dark wash to the plate.
"Osiris said you'd be in here," she said, reaching over to wipe off her vambrace. "We made a breakthrough with the portal. Osiris will have the Titan's Blood formula cracked in a week or two, all thanks to me. You're welcome." She placed her hands on her hips with no small amount of pride before noticing that she may be intruding on a private moment. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt."
"No, it's fine," Royal said, standing up as Luz released him from her hug. "It's good you're here; it's your turn." He gestured to the ring, to which Amity regarded him curiously.
"Shouldn't Malek or another Titan be teaching me?" She questioned.
"I know how to teach hand-to-hand," he said. Amity sighed, resigning herself to the myriad bruises she would be nursing later.
"Alright, let's go then." She stepped into the ring, looking at Royal expectantly. The Exo simply chuckled in response.
"Never said I would be your sparring partner. Luz, you're up." The woman in question pointed to herself, and when Royal nodded in affirmation, she eagerly grinned from ear to ear. She stepped into the ring and began to stretch while Amity pulled Royal aside.
"Are you crazy?" She hissed quietly enough that Luz couldn't hear. "I don't want to hit her!"
"Don't think of it like that," he said. "It's just a sparring session. If it helps, consider it wrestling her to the ground." Amity was about to reply before stopping to think. Her face turned as red as the rusted dunes of Mars as all manner of forbidden images flooded her mind. Lancer appeared beside the Witch and gently nudged the side of her head.
"Great, you broke her."
"Turns out that absence does make the heart grow fonder," Royal noted. "Try not to get too excited, alright?" Amity nodded, bringing herself back under control. She stepped into the ring where Luz was waiting.
"Standard sparring rules," Royal said. "Luz, feel free to make some thunder, and don't hold back." Luz grinned again in response, lightning rising from her fingers. Amity shifted nervously.
"But I still don't know how to wield my Light," she objected. Royal shrugged.
"Then I advise you to pick it up quickly. Titans thrive in battle. There's no better way for you to learn." He raised a hand between the two as they readied themselves. After a second, he brought it down.
Luz was the first to move, taking advantage of her greater experience to quickly close the gap with two Arc-infused fists. Amity shifted to a more defensive stance, blocking the strikes with her vambraces. The sharp tingle of electricity rolled up her arms, slightly numbing them.
"Focus on what drives you," Royal instructed, circling the ring as Luz continued her advance. "Titans are defenders; what do you wish to protect most?" The clang of metal slamming into metal filled the room as their armor clashed. Amity forced Luz back, leveraging her greater upper body strength from being a Titan. She failed to capitalize on the opening she had created, caught off guard by her own power. Luz fired a controlled bolt of lightning that caught Amity in the shoulder, pushing her back and causing her to let out a slight gasp of pain.
"Remember, Titans don't get to dodge and dive," Royal said as Luz closed the gap again. "You stand there, take the hit, and keep moving. Because if you don't get hit, someone else will. Envision the people you wish to protect, then picture yourself as the wall between them and your foes."
Amity tried to strike Luz, but due to inexperience or hesitation, she pulled her punch a little too much. Luz wove around it and rapidly struck Amity in her unarmored midsection. The Witch staggered back.
"Oh, and Amity," Royal said. She looked up at him, only to receive a spinning kick from Luz directly to her face. She hit the ground with a pained groan and glared at Royal as she tried to push herself up, her blood pounding in her ears.
"What?" She snapped, growing increasingly frustrated with the two Warlocks.
"Do remember to pay attention," Royal said innocently. Amity grumbled as she got back on her feet. Luz waited for her to be ready, bouncing from side to side on her feet. Amity looked her in the eye and raised her hands. Her breathing was slow and measured, her arms swaying slightly with each inhale.
Neither of them moved, each assessing the other. Luz was waiting for her to attack, studying her posture for any sign of motion. On the other hand, Amity looked into her former partner's eyes. She could see a spark in there that she didn't recognize, perhaps the Light or Royal's training or some other things she had picked up along the way. Underneath all that, she could see the woman she fell in love with all those lifetimes ago. She saw someone she wanted to protect.
Amity felt a rush of all-consuming power pour through her. It was infinite and unbound, linking the empty abyss to the largest, all-consuming black hole. Void energy spiked throughout her body. Sensing some change in her opponent, Luz rushed forward, Arc Light trailing behind her. She threw a punch that split the air with the whip crack of a thunderbolt. Her fist slammed into a solid purple shield, and Luz winced as something in her wrist broke. She pulled her hand back as Amity lowered her shield. She wrapped her arms around Luz's midsection and picked her up before slamming her to the ground, mimicking the move Malek had used on her. The floor of the training ring shattered, sending a few fragments flying into the air. With a bit of help from her Abominations, she pinned the Stormcaller underneath her. Luz struggled against the larger woman for a few futile moments before finally relenting, tapping the ground twice to signify that she yielded.
It took Amity a second to realize that she had won, but she quickly got off Luz and helped her up once she did. Her Abomination sludge was already retreating to her waist-vial as she dusted Luz off.
"Are you alright? I don't know what came over me; I just felt this surge of power, and I couldn't control it," she said frantically. Luz brushed her off, a large smile crossing her face.
"Are you kidding me? That was awesome! I haven't seen much Void in action before."
"For good reason," Royal said. "Many view Void as the most dangerous of the elements. It is volatile and enveloping. Void is power incarnate, and with that power comes ceaseless hunger." He turned to Amity and gave her shoulder a light punch. "Good work in there. I thought you'd be getting smacked around for a lot longer than that."
"Thanks for the confidence," Amity deadpanned. She looked down at her hands, feeling the raw, unfiltered Void energy in her muscles. "I feel like I could punch a mountain to death." Her stomach grumbled loudly, causing her ears to tinge red once again. "And I see what you mean by ceaseless hunger."
"Oh, I know the perfect place," Luz offered. "There's this amazing ramen shop in the city that you'll love."
"Yeah, that sounds great," Amity said. "What's ramen?" Aurora popped out beside Luz and began explaining the subtle nuances of every Guardian's favorite meal. Luz turned to Royal and offered him a spot to join as well.
"Thanks, but I want to check in with Osiris," he said. "And I've already taken far too much time off today. The system isn't going to protect itself." His voice was strained, but she didn't pick up on it. Luz seemed a tad disappointed but accepted his reasoning and bid him farewell.
It took a little while for the two to reach the restaurant. After placing their orders—Amity just got the same thing as Luz—they began to talk. It started as simple pleasantries to pass the time. Luz would inquire a little about Amity's life, and then Amity would ask about the city and broader Sol. Eventually, the conversation shifted.
"If Osiris is almost finished with the portal, you must be excited to go home," Luz said between taking sips of the broth in her bowl.
"Of course I am," she said, scooping up a few noodles. "The Human Realm- sorry, Earth, is lovely. But it was never really my home." She looked up from her food, making eye contact with Luz. "To be honest, it wasn't yours either. You loved the Demon Realm and all its eccentricities. We made a life there." Her voice started to waver a little as emotion threatened to creep in. She cleared her throat and looked away.
"What will you do first when you get back?" Luz asked, unsure of how to respond to what Amity had said. The Witch leaned back in her seat as she thought.
"Probably get myself some fairy pie," she said. Her face suddenly became sullen. Shadows crept into the recesses of her features. "I wonder how different it will all be. Things changed so much after we took down Belos. And that was centuries ago."
"I'll be there to help you through it," Luz said. Amity furrowed her brow, grateful but a little confused.
"You hardly even know me," she said. Luz smiled with that same unconditionally kind smile that Amity had fallen for so long ago.
"That doesn't mean I don't care about you." Amity tightened her lips as her eyes threatened to mist over. She barely fought the overwhelming urge to sweep Luz into her arms and never let go again.
Fortunately, Amity was saved from herself by the door to the shop opening. Luz looked over, a greeting already on her lips as Eido entered. After ordering her usual, she joined the two at their table.
"Thanks again for inviting me," the Eliksni said. "It is good to be away from the bustle and noise of our quarters. Ever since your return, things have been tense."
"How so?" Luz questioned, prompting Eido to hum thoughtfully.
"The Warlock—Osiris, I believe you call him—reported to the Consensus on the nature of your mission. Future War Cult is in an uproar. They believe we are provoking threats in the Vex Domain to strike at the city from within."
"That's insane," Luz objected, not bothering to hide her disdain. "How can they get away with saying things like that?"
"Unfortunately, the people of the city are being pushed to the breaking point," Eido answered. "Enough of them are willing to give Lakshmi the benefit of the doubt. After Lakshmi gave an address, another mob attempted to deface the Eliksni Quarters. Fortunately, we had a Guardian present who defused the situation. Next time, we may not be so lucky."
"That's horrible," Amity thundered, drawing a few curious eyes from the other patrons. Upon seeing the Titan insignia emblazoned on her chest, they returned to their meals, not wanting to involve themselves with Guardian business after what happened to the last customer who got too rowdy.
"How can the city just stand by and let something like that happen?" Amity asked, taking more care to measure her volume. Eido shrugged dejectedly.
"Because the Consensus is either neutral, unable to assist, or condones the mobs," she said. "Future War Cult has been stoking tensions since we first arrived in the city. Dead Orbit and New Monarchy don't care unless they think they can leverage more power from the situation."
"What about the Vanguard?" Amity asked incredulously. "Surely they won't stand for this!"
"They don't," Eido said. "But seeing as they oversee the Guardians, who are essentially the de facto military of the city, it would be poor form for them to come down in any tangible way. Individual Guardians are free to act as they wish, within reasonable limits, but they act alone." Amity leaned back in her chair, completely dumbstruck. She muttered a curse, denouncing the politics of the city.
"I wish there was more we could do to help," Luz said, curling her hands in frustration. She hated feeling so helpless. What was the point of the Light's power if she couldn't use it where it mattered?
"My people will endure," Eido said, trying to encourage the two. "We always have. I did not mean to ruin the mood. I wanted to ask what you saw in the Vex Domain. You seemed startled, to say the least."
Luz and Amity shared an uncomfortable glance, wondering how much they should disclose. They sparred telepathically for a few seconds, each trying to force the other to speak first. Eventually, Luz won out.
"We can't really say much," Amity said. "It's not our story to tell. But there's something else in there, something dangerous. We barely made it out alive."
"Then I am glad you are safe," Eido said, bowing her head slightly. "More glad than I already was."
The conversation mellowed out from there, settling into more mundane topics. Luz showed Eido a list of new Ghost shells Aurora had her eye on. As Eido offered her input, Amity excused herself to get some fresh air. She stepped out into the brisk evening air, feeling the cold pierce her skin like a million miniature daggers. Despite the cold, her blood was boiling. Eido's words had not put her at ease.
"Pal," she said, holding out her hand. Her Ghost materialized in her open palm, waiting with his usual agitated silence. "Where can I find the leader of the Future War Cult?" Her Ghost's shell loosened a little in surprise. He regarded her with an appraising look.
"I detect the potential for violence." His words were quick and terse as they usually were. However, this time, she could detect a hint of intrigue in his voice. A map appeared on her HUD—something she was still struggling to figure out as she was still adjusting to the technological leap—that marked Lakshmi-2's office. For some reason, it was in the Tower hangar. It seemed like an odd place to keep one's office, what with all the noise. But what did she know? Exo's were all a bunch of wackjobs. She knew three different Royal's who could all attest to that.
Pal slipped away as Amity sent a quick message to Luz, letting her know she would return to the Tower for the night. She had a meeting with the head of Future War Cult in the morning, and she wouldn't miss it for the world.
Royal moved through the halls of the Tower, dodging around Frames, civilian contractors, and the same pair of Guardians who were somehow still dancing. He made a mental note to set up a camera and see if they were really going at this twenty-four-seven or if someone had sprinkled something special into their rations.
"Can't help but notice that we're not getting any closer to Osiris," Lancer said. "What are you plotting?"
"Who said I'm plotting anything," Royal replied as he entered the hangar. He unlocked his jumpship and slipped into the cockpit. Lancer appeared before him as he flicked a few switches and ignited the engine.
"You really gonna say that?" He asked. "I know you better than you know yourself. You're definitely plotting something."
"Maybe I'm scheming," Royal offered as his ship rumbled and began to take off.
"Nah, I've seen scheming," Lancer said. "It looks different. You're plotting. Are you going to tell me, or do I have to guess?" Royal's ship let out a sharp whine as it blasted through Earth's atmosphere.
"I'm going to the source of all my problems," Royal said, his previous light joviality replaced by a bitter edge. "I'm not going to let Outcast hurt anyone else."
"So what was all that drivel about Outcast not caring about anything beyond the Vex Domain?"
"It was just that, drivel," Royal said. "You saw how he acted back there. He's barely holding himself together. All those Minds screaming at once must've made something snap. He's become unpredictable."
"So you're going on a one-man assassination mission?" Lancer asked. "And you said Luz was reckless." Royal's jumpship rattled as it pushed through stellar debris. Jupiter's domineering pale orange consumed the entirety of their view, with Europa's icy hue sticking out like a star against the dark void.
"You don't have to follow me," Royal said, pressing a few buttons as he prepared to breach Europa's atmosphere. Lancer chuckled, though it was utterly devoid of humor.
"No, I'm with you through everything, no matter how terrible an idea it is. Besides, you'll need someone watching your back."
"Just like old times." His ship soared low over the ground, and Royal ejected himself. His boots skidded through the snowy ground, leaving a perfect trail of his trajectory. As he slid to a stop, he looked around Asterion Abyss. Before him was a massive cave, partially overgrown with Vex metal. He shouldered a scout rifle and began to march.
"This cave is not a natural formation," Lancer remarked. "Well, not entirely. There's a lot of Vex down here."
"That means they're in my way." True to Lancer's words, there were dozens of Vex waiting for him inside. Royal fell upon them like a blazing cannonball, crashing into their lines with unparalleled ferocity. Every emotion he had bundled up since seeing Outcast again, every emotion he accidentally unleashed on Luz, all of it was let out. The Vex never stood a chance.
Royal moved on autopilot, acting purely based on instinct. With every step he took, another Vex appeared and was instantly dismantled. Anger, frustration, fear, and a dozen other feelings he wasn't emotionally mature enough to decipher flowed through his body like molten metal. Before he even realized it, he reached his destination. He found himself in an expansive room that stretched to each side. In the center was a small pool of Radiolaria with a colossal yet inert Vex portal resting on just the other side of it.
"This is the Glassway," Lancer noted. Royal nodded and carefully moved to the edge of the Radiolaria.
"This is the origin point for the Vex's invasion of Sol. This is where they first crossed through." He glared at the inactive portal, years of resentment bubbling up within him. "This is where everything can be traced back to. This is our door back in."
"Not that this doesn't seem like a super healthy coping mechanism, but what exactly is your plan?" Lancer questioned.
"You crack it open. I go through. Once in, Outcast will be able to find us. Then—" Royal holstered his rifle and drew Lament. The teeth spun as the engine rumbled hungrily. "—we take care of him."
"And if we can't?"
"Then I'll be dead," Royal said without a hint of emotion. "And he will have no further interest in this timeline. Luz, Amity, everyone will be safe from him."
"Are you insane?" Lancer asked incredulously. "That's your master plan? Throw yourselves into the saw and hope your corpse jams the blade. I get that emotions are running high, but this is insane, even for you."
"If we don't stop him, he'll keep coming after us," Royal asserted. "Again and again until everyone between me and him is dead. I won't put Luz through that."
"But you're perfectly fine with forcing her to lose her teacher," Lancer said. "Her guide. The closest damn thing she has to a father. If you want to rip some Vex to shreds, I'll be right there with you. But if this is just history's most elaborate suicide, then you're doing it on your own."
"I thought you were with me through everything," Royal spat. Lancer seemed genuinely hurt by that, shrinking away from his Guardian's accusatory gaze.
"Do you think I enjoy seeing you like this?" He asked quietly. "Watching you continue to tear yourself apart over things that happened so long ago? Why are you so determined to be miserable?" Royal hesitated, surprised by his Ghost's question. He hadn't considered Lancer's position; the thought never even crossed his mind. Hesitantly, he looked to the portal and realized what he had almost done, almost forced his friend to do.
"I gladly stood by you because I always trusted you had a plan," Lancer continued. "That you would find a way out. This… this won't help anyone. You'd just be throwing your life away for nothing."
"Listen to your Ghost," a familiar feminine voice said from the entryway. Royal and Lancer both turned to see the Stranger leaning against the wall, watching with her typical guarded expression. "He's smarter than you."
Lancer ruffled his shell a little but didn't comment as Royal stepped forward. "Why are you here? How did you find me?"
"Wherever you go, something interesting is bound to happen," Elisabeth said, pushing off the wall and stalking closer. "As for how I found you—" she gestured back the way Royal had come. "—You're not exactly subtle."
"Look, I get that you're keeping an eye on me, but this is a private matter," Royal said. "If whatever relationship we had means anything to you, leave."
"Our relationship is precisely why I'm here," Elisabeth said. "You have a crossroad before you. Either you can continue down your path of vengeance and self-destruction until all that remains is a being of spite, or you can let go of that pain and begin the path to healing." She held out a hand, inviting him to take it. He stared at the outstretched limb uncertainly.
"I can't promise it will be easy," Elisabeth continued. "The road to betterment is long and fraught with difficulty. It will challenge everything you believe and force you to change. You will stumble, you will slip. But I promise you it will be worth it."
Royal stared at the offered hand, not daring to move a servo. His every instinct was screaming at him to hunt his brother, to tear him apart and make him suffer for every sibling he had killed. Royal wanted nothing more than to end the cycle and free himself of that knot of terror tied deep within him.
Yet, despite that, something else sang in opposition. A part of him was begging to take Elisabeth's hand. That small part of his subconscious wanted to heal, to be better, to be someone Luz could be proud of.
He thought back to his outbursts—his anger, his contempt, his fury. It was a fire that fueled him, and he had allowed it to rage out of control for far too long. He timidly reached out, his entire arm feeling like it was filled with lead, and took Elizabeth's hand.
Her touch sent a strange feeling through the Warlock, invigorating him as though he had just cast a super for the first time all over again. Her fingers locked around his palm, and, for a second, her facade cracked.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to do that."
And there it is, finally cracking Royal open and making him confront his vulnerabilities. Sometimes you just need a hot chick from your past life that you don't remember to talk you down from suicide via plankton robots. It's simple; I don't know why everyone doesn't do it this way. The next two chapters are mostly finished and in the review stage. I'm really looking forward to uploading them. I think they've got some great stuff.
I also wanted to take a moment to dive further into Royal's fear of Outcast. It's nothing super plot important, just my way of breaking it down. It can be broken down into three specific chunks. The first and most obvious is that Royal is afraid of the physical threat that Outcasts poses. He knows that Outcast could ragdoll him pretty effortlessly. The second layer is what he said; he is afraid that Outcast is right in his way of thinking because that would mean that Royal is wrong. The third layer is one even Royal isn't really aware of; he's afraid of becoming like Outcast. This one builds off the second. If Outcast is right, then Royal would logically need to emulate that. Hell, he even has a few parallels already that he's uncomfortable with.
But this is all just my nonsense. None of it is super relevant to understanding what's going on.
Elthreee: its pretty funny how i called royal and clovis interacting with each other like that.
also it is very weird seeing luz and amity be distant from each other in terms of feelings, ouch. hopefully they can rekindle their old flame. this was really fun to read, keep it up bro.
Come on man, I'm not gonna have Royal and Clovis be that close and just ignore the opportunity. Loved getting to write their back and forth. Step aside Synegorus, Clovis really is Royal's number one hater. As for our dear Mittens, the plan was always to bring her back as a Guardian. However, letting her keep her memories was a much more recent addition. The sweet angst was just too good to pass up.
hornig3: I'm amazed Liz pointed out Elsie's ass. Less for the fact that she did and more so on that she didn't focus on her tits. I mean those are definitely the more eye focusing thing in my opinion, but I guess Luz is a butt girl and Royal a chest boy.
I cannot express how amused I was seeing Luz described as a "butt girl." Cracked me up the first time I saw it, so thanks for that. As for Royal, he fully agrees with Palpatine: If one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects.
(If Luz truly is a butt girl, then Amity really lucked out)
davisjustus99: Alright, so Royal found Outcast... And Outcast immediately found him to be a problem. Either he dies from the blade of Lament. Or he finds out what Savathûn has planned and he can't come back. The throne world shakes with anticipation young wolf.
Hang on, maybe Outcast is Royal's number 1 hater. Hmmm, this is unexpected information.
bryan.925: Love your story! Sorry about my previous reaction. I just got excited. I mean no disrespect. I look forward to future chapters.
I'm sorry if I came off as rude or upset. I'm just always surprised how well you guys can pick up on things. And thank you for the kind words, I really appreciate it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the reviews are my favorite part of this. Love getting them, love reading them.
Crazy Cakes 23: I do wonder, if the Demon Realm was razed to the ground by either humans looking for resources or the Hive...
*Cue evil laughter* You shall find out soon enough.