The group stood by the bay, with Ritsuka leaning against the railing that ran along the sidewalk and by. Gudako and Mash stood to the side, closer toward the road, and Olga stood back, attempting to contact Dr. Roman.
Ari walked over to Ritsuka and leaned her back against the rail next to him. "How are you holding up?" Ari asked curiously.
Ritsuka looked over at the Lancer, letting out a long sigh. His blue eyes looked at the water beneath him. "I am doing fine, it's just..."
"Everything is going too fast?" Ari guest, turning her body to the water. Ritsuka nodded, which cause the Guardian to chuckle. "I figured, it was similar for me when I was newly risen."
Ritsuka raised his eyebrow at her, in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked her, turning his gaze toward the Lancer."Well, after I was risen as a Guardian, the first thing I did was run from space pirates, kill their equivalent to a god, then with no break went and saved the Last City from the threat on the moon, and then faced another God."
Ritsuka looked back out at the water, which reflected the flaming city behind them. "That is a lot. Did you get any time to rest in between?"
"Well, we guardians barely get any sleep, so that entire escapade was over half a month," Ari said with a slight chuckle before her smile fell. "I didn't even meet my fireteam until afterward, and near the end, I felt tired, drained, and clueless. But I still kept going for the greater good."
Ritsuka watched his reflection as Ari looked up into the sky, seeing a few stars over the smoke and blazing light. "Why did you continue?"
"If I stopped, then the rest of humanity would've fallen into darkness once more. Plus, I meant many people on that journey I would consider friends." Ari explained, pulling away from the railing with a yawn.
"I just don't think I can do this," Ritsuka admitted to her, quickly catching her attention. "I only came here for some summer cash, and because me and Gudako thought it sounded cool, but being here, seeing all of this... how did you handle it?"
Ari let out a sigh, grabbing Ritsuka by the throat. "Turn around." The Master Cadidate turned to face Ari as she gestured toward Gudako and Mash, who were talking to Ghost. Ghost and Gudako were laughing while Mash looked confused. "That is why, to see people I love laugh and be happy. Yes, it is hard. Yes, it is overwhelming, and yes, there are rough times... but you keep fighting just to see the people you are protecting smile. That is the greatest reward a hero can get."
"But I am not qualified to -" Ritsuka began, which caught her attention causing her to laugh bit. She placing both her hand on his shoulder.
"No one is ever qualified to be a hero, hell I wasn't. It just sorta happens, when you rise to face a threat and protect those you love. Do you understand?"
Ritsuka looked at Aro from a second and gave a slow nod. "I think so."
"Good. You might not be a hero now, but soon I know you will do fantastic things." Ari cheered her accent, getting a bit heavier.
Ritsuka could help but laugh as he heard the heavier accent. "When this is over could you tell us your story. The director says every Servant has a a mostly famous legend behind them."
"We'll see. if said director doesn't kill me permanently first," Ari laughed nervously causing the boy to laugh a bit harder.
"I can't believe we fou- you fought a giant monster! That was so amazing!" Gudako squealed.
"Good. You might not be a hero now, but soon I know you will do fantastic things." Ari cheered her accent, getting a bit heavier.
Ritsuka could help but laugh as he heard the heavier accent. "When this is over could you tell us your story. The director says every Servant has a a mostly famous legend behind them."
"I will tell everyone soon, but first we have to save humanity," Ari chirped gleefully.
A few minutes early, Mash and Guadako stood at the edge of the street, looking out into the flaming city. Ghost flew over beside them, curious about what they're doing.
"I can't believe we fou- you and Ari fought a giant monster! That was so amazing!" Gudako squealed. Her eyes beamed brightly as she stared into the city.
"Gudako is right, there were many moment that, without you Ari would've died," Ghost stated causing Gudako to jump with a squeak. flying closer to Mash's face.
"I'm sorry," Ghost apologized temporarily turning his attention to the red-head.
"Apology accepted," Gudako responded.
Mash merely stared at Ghost who turned back to her. Mash could since a smile appear on Ghost's nonexistent face. "Anyway, you made a fantastic fireteam member, hell if I didn't know any better I would call you a Titan."
Mash looked at Ghost cluelessly for a second. "Thank you?" The confusion caused Ghost to laugh a bit, realizing he forgot to explain the class system of the Vanguard. Mash grew even more confused at the sudden laughter of Ghost, which then caused Gudako to burst into laughter as well.
Ghost's laughter only laster for a couple seconds while Gudako was like a clown with how much she was laughing, which concerned Ghost and Mash. When she was finished, she was out if breath, panting heavily.
"Anyway, Mash, you are basically a superhero, I can see comics and books written about you, by yours truly," Gudako said wrapping her arm around Mash's neck.
"I don't think you can publish anything about Chaldea to the outside world without premission," Mash stated causing Gudako to frown a bit.
"Dang it," she mutttered.
Olga paced while Dr. Romani talked about his discovery or lack thereof. Olga had an irritated expression, her gaze shifting constantly between the different members of the group.She saw them all a peculiar, especially the two Servants: the rather useful, Mash, due to her Demi-Servant caliber; and the infuriating confusing Lancer, Ari, due to how little information there was on her.
"From the data I received by tracking you, the Servant seemed to be a Berserker, though from the description and can not tell you who off the top of my head," Roman explained, rubbing his chin.
"I think it has something to do with Lancer," Olga responded, "Did you find anything, doctor?"
Roman looked down at the floor as his holographic body shook his head. "No, I did not." Just as he expected, he saw Olga tense up in anger.
"I knew it!" Olga shouted, causing the group to suddenly look at her before going back to whatever they were doing. Olga let out a sigh. "What is the status of Chaldea?"
Roman gave a small defeated sigh. "Everything is running on the backup generators. There are these weird black puddles throughout the facility, and all Master Cadidate are... gone, outside of the two with you."
Olga clenched her fists, thinking back to the moment, to when everything went upside down. She remembered the black flames and energy that engulfed everything, murdered her mentor and friend, and took away everything she earned in a matter of seconds.
"Director, if I may, I suggest you should wait before you confront, Lancer. Lev wouldn't - " Roman began before Olga quickly cut him off.
"I know, but he wasn't the director... maybe you are right," Olga admitted reluctantly, crossing her arms across her chest.
"The Fujimaru twins are rather quick learners, and even though I have faith in Mash, I don't think she can help you solve this Singularity by her lonesome. Plus, from what I've seen, Lancer seems more than qualified and kind enough to help," Roman explained to the director, earning a small glar from her.
"I get it, Dr. Romani. I will wait until this Singularity is over, or until there is another unknown that she has a connection to," Olga reluctantly stated."Anyhow, I am picking up a curious signal north of you," Roman stated to the director."What do you mean?" Olga asked the doctor, looking at his holographic form.
"I'm not too sure what it is, but it seems to just be eating at reality, like some sort of parasite," Roman explained. "I recommend you go investigate it."
Olga rubbed her chin. "It could lead us to the source of this Singularity."
"Alright, contact me if you need anything," Roman said before the hologram suddenly disappeared.
A few moments later and the group was back along the road walking north. Ari walked towards the front with Olga and Mash toward the back with the twins, both being more observant to avoid getting ambushed.
A few moments later and the group was back along the road walking north. Ari walked towards the front with Olga and Mash toward the back with the twins, both being more observant to avoid getting ambushed.
The Guardian really wasn't the one observing their surroundings, but Ghost -who was hovering above Ari's shoulder- was. Ari was more focused of Olga, who had their gaze focused on them. The Lancer has had people dislike her before, but they were usually enemies beforehand or other fireteams she fought in Trials of Osiris. Then again, she and E, a member of her Fireteam, didn't get along well until they faced a certain Hive God on the moon together.
"Ms... director, I couldn't help but notice you have taken a small disliking to me," Ari admitted, choosing her words rather carefully.
Olga took a second to realize she is being talked to. She gave a brief glare to the the Lancer, before responding. "I merely dislike what is unknown, since they tend to get in the way of our missions."
"Well I always liked not knowing things, because the sense of discovery such a great feeling," Ari chirped childishly, earning a look from the director. "But I understand. If you want to know, I do plan to tell everyone everything about my past when this is over."
Ari looked away briefly, gripping her arm. "Most of it anyway," she quickly added.
Olga crossed her arms and huffed. "That is what I expected." Olga walked forward a bit more matching the pace of the Lancer. "I do admit everything about this excursion is unorthodox, mostly due to a lethal mishap," Olga admitted attempting to sound less hurt than she was, as a memory entered her mind.
Ghost quickly flies in front of the group, sensing something odd, something scarely familiar. "Hold up." This caused the group to stop, and Gudako to walk into the back ot Ritsuka, since she wasnt completely paying attention.
"What is it Ghost?" Ari asked, looking at her drone-like companion, while grabbing the digital glaive on her back.
"I am sensing paracausal energy up ahead," Ghost stated, leading to clueless looks from the twins.
Gudako raised her hand from behind her brother, stepping over toward the guardian. "What does paracasual mean," she asked curious, leaning towards them.
"Paracausality is when something defies the known laws of the Universe, though it has only been theorized about recently," Olga explained to them, turning her gaze to Ghost and Ari.
"Ari and I naturally a Paracausal force called the light, but the one I am picking up and darker," Ghost stated ominously.
"We should head towards it, it could be the source of the Singularity, or lead us to it," Olga ordered, which Ari nodded.
The twins stared at each other nervously, quickly getting behind Mash as they began to marxh forward yet again. The more they walked, the more the ground seemed to distort. The cracks became small cliffs as they past small black and white rifts, pulsing with dark energy, eating at the world around it.
Ari and Ghost quickly take notice of the rifts, raising their guard. Olga takes notice as well, as everything felt ever-so-slightly off. They kept marching on though, until they reached a dead it.
The road continued above them as from where they were, it was a sheer cliff. It seemed the Earth itself was crumbling. The rifts were everywhere here, adding a strange sense of terror for the twins.
[Soul of Crota (Destiny: The Taken King) begins]
The sounds of swirling flame are heard behind them. Mash pushes the twins in front of her before she turns to face the source of the noise. Her eyes went wide as she saw a figure twist and contort.
Ghost disappeared as Ari rushed toward the back with Mash. The figure was made of pure black flames with a single white eye at the center of its head. Its arms were uncannily long; at its waist was what seemed to be once a cloth as if flows with slight breeze blowing in.
"What is that thing," Ritsuka yelled.
"Taken," Ari responded before rushing at figure. Slashing toward the neck, the Taken figure blocks the glaive with its forearm.
The figure goes to slash at Ari, pushing the bladed side of the glaive away. Using the butt of the glaive, Ari pushes the attack to go above her head. Mash shakes her head as a determined look appears on her face. Mash runs toward the two. Ari slides to the side as Mash slams the shield into its gut.
The Taken skidded against the ground, its upper body falling limp. It twitched a bit as Ari slashed it with her glaive, sending it flying further back. It was absolutely limp on the ground.
"We did it!" Gudako cheered, and as if it heard her, the Taken rose to its feet like a puppet on a string.
One claw digged into its own chest and the other its head. It began to pull itself apart, the flames tearing like flesh. The twins looked on with horror and disgust. Soon another arm shot from the forming second body, pushing away the original.
Ari quickly aimed and fired at it with her glaive; however, she was two late. it split in two and dodged the shots with in jagged and unnatural movements.
"Did that thing just split in two?" Gudako asked disgusted.
"I believe so," Ritsuka answered in horror.
Olga was frozen in fear behind them, remembering the last moments of Chaldea. She saw tendrils of that same black flames yank and pull any and all persons or Servants in its reach toward these... blights. She then remembered the explosion.
The Taken charged at the Servants with a surprising burst of speed. One clashed against Mash's shield, sending sparks as claw met steel. The other lept into the air toward the Lancer. Ari rolled our of the way as a small dust cloud formed from the impact.
Ari jabbed her glaive into its back -as it attempted to recover from missing- firing away a few shot. A purple glow came from it before it exploded from the inside. Meanwhile, Mash defended against blow after blow, slowly being pushed back by the Taken. One peculiar strike how ever left it vulnerable as Mash pushed against it. Taking advantage of she slammed the front of her shield against it side, causing it to fall down. She then jammed the bottom of her shield in its neck, slicing its head off. The then body disapated.
[Soul of Crota ends]
"Was that all of them," Ritsuka asked looking around.
"Usually there is more, which makes this disa-" Ari began before the sounds flames was heard on the cliff. The group looked up to see a more feminine Taken, holding what seemed to be scythe as three purple orbs slithered around its body. "Nevermind, this might actually be fun."
By the new Taken were two more of the lengthy ones that they just took out. "Guardian, please focus," Ghost said in Ari head causing her mind.
Ari sighed twirling her glaive as she rushes toward the front. The Taken leap down from the cliffside. Sudden a burst of flames struck them, slamming them into the wall. The three orbs shot out, launching past the group to a man with blue hair. He slammed the staff into the ground as wood crept up from the concrete blocking the attack.
"Are you lads going stay there or are you going run?" the man asked.
"You're a Servant," Mash noted, look toward him.
"Good eye lass, but let's save the questions for later," the man responded as the group backed away from the cliff.
[Visage of Oryx (Destiny: The Taken King) plays]
The Taken fell to the ground as Ari opened fired immediately. She managed to land a few shots as she back away, but she notice their numbers grow, as more appeared along the cliff's edge. Ari flicked her wrist, tossing was seems to be a purple orb. The orb arched like ball, as it hit the ground a series of explosions went causing the Taken to rear back and disapate.
Olga and Ritsuka watched horrified as the Taken started to leap from cliff and march towards. Gudako on the otherhand was excited, as adrenaline flooded her veins. The man fired a few runes which became balls of fire at the Taken, while Mash batted a few away with her shield.
Ari was in the thick of it blocking various attacks while managing to take down a few. On of the scythe wielding Taken clashes blades with her, before being kicked to the side. One slashed her in the back causing her to stumble forward, as they attempted to cut her off from the group.
"Upon darkest day, destruction came!" Ari began as purple energy covered her arms, body ascending into the air. "Upon brightest night, fill the void with light!" The group watched in as they looked at Ari. The Taken turned their entire attention towards her. A purple orb grew in her palm.
"Devour them all, NOVA BOMB!"
Ari threw the now body size orb into the horde of Taken. As it collided with the ground it began to pull every thing it, as if it was a black hole. The Taken were being ripped apart peice by peice, as Gudako felt her feet slip bit, gripping on to Mash's shoulder.
Ari landed by the group and the man, who all struggled to maintain their footing as the orbs absorbed loose chunks of rock, rubble, and Taken alike. Ghost appeared by her shoulder as she had a small smirk behind her helmet.
Soon the orb sputtered out. Leaving them in a moment of silence as they looked at the carnage the orb left behind. The rifts seemed the same, but a major chunk of the road was gone.
[Visage of Oryx ends]
"I thought I would be a bit more useful, but ot worked out well enough," the man said to himself. He then looked at the rest of the group to see all their attention on him. "I guess you have some questions, well I have answers, lads."
Taken Assassin = Taken Psion
Taken Lancer = Taken Hobgoblin
I would like to see your guess on what the other Taken Servants will be like. Plus 3 to 2 more chapters to go in Singularity F.