-Legend 41-
...is where you seek it
…..
Fireteam Redwing was on the hunt for Truth, their flight as silent as the night around them.
Weapons primed and thoughts as one, they cut through the darkened sky, only the whisper of frigid wind in their wakes.
"Target in five hundred yards." Qrow flipped a variety of switches on the console of his ship. "Reduce propulsion by thirty percent."
The Night Witches did so, their three-point formation slowing ever so slightly.
"Our target is Veritaxx, the Archon of House Truth." This from Raven as she donned her fearsome mask. "He falls, and his House falls with him."
"The mission is set, then," Adam crooned. "All that's left is to execute, in both senses of the word."
"Target in three hundred yards," Qrow said. "Activate camo."
Their three jumpships melted into the air.
"Two hundred yards. Kill propulsion."
The three cut their engines, their ships now gliding in silent, invisible stealth.
"Transmat in three...two...one…
And the three Night Witches were transported from their ships, them now in free fall over the darkened Cosmodrome.
They landed upon the ground of the place known as, "The Blast", their fall from terminal velocity disturbing not the silence around them. Their elemental swords armed, they proceeded unseen across the space.
Qrow gave a signal.
The unit halted.
Qrow motioned to the great door of the building The Fallen House of Truth had made their home, moreover, those that guarded it.
"Reavers, Raven said, her eyes on the small contingent that barred their entry.
"Not just any Reavers," did Qrow say. "Look at their armor."
Indeed the stalwart alien fighters were adorned with accouterments much more ornate than their standard brethren.
"Honor Guards…" Raven breathed.
"Even better," from Adam. "That means daddy's home."
The clever eyes of the Red Witch combed the area. "Six on the ground; Eight up top." He motioned to the rooftops where a unit Of Reaver Vandals were strategically positioned to rain fire upon any intruders.
"Taurus, take the snipers. Raven and I will dispatch the ground unit," was Qrow's instruction.
And the Carbon Witch was off, Blinking his way up to the rooftops.
The Red Witch looked to his sister. "So, three Reavers each then." The Solar Light in his mighty weapon peaked, unseen by those he would soon loose it upon.
The Steel Witch shook her head. "And here I thought this would be a challenge…" She focused her Void Light into Dark Drinker.
The two were fleet and silent in their motion then, running flat out at their unsuspecting enemies.
The first fell without so much as a cry; its sudden death alerting the others of its unit.
The second shouted to the unit above.
A dead Vandal sniper falling to his feet is what answered his call.
The remainder of the unit cursed and swung their weapons at but thin air, all they could muster against the invisible onslaught.
And soon, all again was silent, The Night Witches having wrought their death.
Adam descended silently from the roof. "Those inside will surely have been alerted at this point." He readied his deadly hand cannon. "Do we go loud, or proceed as we are?"
"There's merit in both approaches," Qrow said. "But we should stay unseen as long as possible."
Adam nodded. "So. About this door…"
At a look from Qrow, did The Steel Witch step forward. Two precise strikes from her sword saw the great metal door all but disintegrated. Granted ingress, did they proceed.
"Love what they've done with the place," said Adam.
Here, in this very human facility, had all the touches of humanity been systematically removed. Any computers and other electrical equipment gutted and parted out. And all around the place, were there great and ragged banners, all bearing the sigil of House Truth.
"Subtle.." from Raven. She looked to Qrow. "How do we proceed?"
But the man was not listening, he was busy...feeling.
"What is it?"
Qrow's eyes did slow sweeps of the place. "I don't know…" was his whisper.
"I'm feeling it too…" Adam's Ghost materialized beside his Guardian.
"What are you feeling, Nightshade?" did Adam ask.
"It's...Light…" Raven breathed.
Adam looked to his commander, abstract gaze still searching the room. "Other Guardians maybe?"
"Highly unlikely," Qrow mused. He raised his sword. "Let's move. Keep an eye out for anything...familiar."
And so the three wended their way through the facility that was made a Fallen House, weapons primed.
"Awful quiet for a place on full alert…" Raven said.
"Maybe the alarm wasn't raised after all."
"But we should have seen something by now…" from Qrow. "All I know is that Light signal is getting stronger…"
Down yet another corridor, it lined in Eliksni opulence; banners and flags all bearing the sigil of Truth. They stopped as the corridor let out into a chamber, ringed by a catwalk, more House banners flying from them.
Raven, now at the room's center, at once dropped her camo.
"Sis…"
The Steel Witch revolved slowly on the spot, eyes in constant motion behind her mask. "They know we're here," she said plainly. "There is no way they don't. And yet…"
Adam made himself visible as he joined Raven's side. "Perhaps they are amassing their forces at a single point; making a final stand of sorts."
Qrow considered this as his eyes fell upon the doors that lead to the next room. "Maybe that can tell us something."
The trio noted the glyphs scrawled them.
"Eliksni script," from Raven. "Omen, translate."
The little machine got to work shining his beam over the symbols. "Hmm…."
"What do you got?" from Adam.
"It says: 'Ozma will answer for his crimes'."
A contemplative silence followed this.
"So...who in the hell is 'Ozma'?"
Qrow shook his head. "We're not here for riddles." He shouldered his sword. "Let's get through these doors and end this."
Weapons primed, did The Night Witches turn to face the steel double doors before them…
And they at once swung open, parting along their inner hinge.
"Okay…" Qrow muttered.
"Stay sharp." Raven held Dark Drinker down to her side, feet planted in her widened fighting stance.
They bounded through the open doorway and into the space beyond.
They were met with a circular chamber, its minor opulence crafted from the utilitarian implements around the once human space. Banners hung from all sides of the room, all displaying the sigil of House Truth. But the room's most prominent detail, were those who occupied its center.
There were twelve of them.
A dozen Eliksni stood in perfect circular formation, their vigil here silent and still.
The Carbon Witch armed his weapon, but his hand was stayed.
"One second…" Raven beheld the Fallen silent in their formation. "These seem...different somehow…"
"They're priests," did Qrow's Ghost say.
They beheld then the ceremonial dress that these particular Eliksni had donned; long and flowing garments, their patterns and colors identical to the banners that adorned the space around them. And every one of them were in what seemed to be a meditative state; heads bowed and eyes closed; upper and lower limbs steepeled at the fingertips.
"Priests, huh…" Qrow muttered. "What could these monsters possibly be praying to?"
"May be related to the Light coming from this place." Raven looked about the room. "It seems at its absolute strongest in here."
"What the hell are they hiding?" Adam said. "And why haven't they reacted to us yet?"
The answer came from none that were currently present.
"Is it indeed Truth you seek, Guardians?"
The three Night Witches instantly formed a triangle formation, their eyes combing the chamber for the source of the voice.
"Jim, are you getting anything?"
"Not picking up anything."
And then, on a platform at the room's front, was there a flash of light. And there upon it, stood the Archon of House Truth.
Of commanding height and stature, did the mere presence of his form manage to fill the room. His robes, ornate and resplendent, were patterned with runes and elegant script. His posture was that of his disciples that ringed the chamber; his four arms forming a diamond at his front, perfectly framing the shining eye emblazoned upon his chest.
"As you have no doubt deduced, Guardians, I am Veritaxx, Archon of House Truth. I alone, possess what you seek."
"But you won't possess it for much longer," did Raven say. "For what we seek is your head."
A sound issued from the alien's throat. A chuckle perhaps.
"Were I to die, the Truth would perish along with me. Something the lot of us can ill afford."
"Is that so?" Adam took a step forward. "I find myself very willing to test that theory."
The Archon's stance remained unchanged in the face of this. "Alas, Guardians. All Truth is revealed in time. I ask of you the latter, as to impart unto you the former."
"Stop talking in circles, man!" Arc Light coursed through Qrow's body. "You have exactly one chance to give us a reason not to kill everyone in this room."
In answer, did Veritaxx and his disciples move as one.
In concert, did they raise their arms to the ceiling. The Night Witches followed the motion, espying a circular partition there that opened as they watched. And from this new recess, did something slowly descend into the room.
"That can't be…" Nightshade spoke to his Guardian. "Adam, are you seeing this?"
Raven removed her mask as she beheld, and felt the spectacle of the object's arrival. "Light…" was her voiceless whisper. "Qrow...is that..?"
The Night Witches were stood aghast as the object came to rest in the very center of the Eliksni priest's circular formation.
Large and irregular was its shape, like a precious stone yet to be cut. Though these physical imperfections did nothing to diminish the waves of ethereal energy emanating from the thing.
Which the Guardians were duly sensitive to.
"What you see before you, Guardians, is but the vessel of Truth." Veritaxx again steepled his four arms. "Have you the wherewithal to plumb its depths?"
Qrow, his weapon stowed, stepped forward. "Where…" was his whispered question. "How did you get this?"
Veritaxx was silent a moment before answering. "The Great Machine, The Traveler as your people call it, has left a great many pieces of its legacy upon the worlds it once blessed, including our own."
"What does that mean?" Adam asked of Qrow.
The man chewed his lower lip. "The Traveler, whatever the hell it is, didn't just come out of nowhere. We're thinking it came from another world, the Eliksni home-world specifically. That's why they showed up shortly after its arrival here."
Raven turned inquisitive eyes upon the Archon. "So you know what it is?" Her hands were open before her as she plundered on in her questioning. "Is it some kind of weapon? Did you and the Eliksni build it? Is that why you're killing us trying to get it back?"
"The Great Machine is anything but of our making," did Veritaxx say. "It is possibly an even greater mystery to us than it is to you."
The Night Witches shared a look.
"So, what then?" from Qrow. "You said The Traveler left pieces of its...legacy on your world. What about ours?"
There was a ripple of somewhat agitated affirmation that ran through Veritaxx's form then, his circle of disciples responding in sympathy. "There is indeed a shard of The Great Machine upon your world. It lies beneath the place where your dead ships live."
Raven's crimson eyes rounded as the pieces came together in her mind. "The Mothyards!" she gasped.
"And The Steppes…" Adam breathed.
"Is that why you people keep coming at that place?" Qrow asked. "You're looking for a shard of The Traveler?"
"Indeed." the Archon's posture was again at ease. "Our efforts to dig, while peaceful in intent, have been met time and time again with resistance by your Guardians."
After a moment did Qrow say, "If there is a shard of that machine there, then why the hell have any of our Guardians been unable to feel it?"
"Detached from the Great Machine, it is but dormant, waiting in sleep to be awakened by our calling."
"And yet you somehow know it's there," Adam said. "How?"
The great horned head of the Archon reared in reverence. "By the guiding Light of our sacred Oracle."
"And this 'Oracle' is whom exactly?"
The answer came not from Veritaxx himself, but rather, marked by a new entrant into the chamber.
From on high, did a small machine putter into the view of the Guardians.
"A...Ghost…" Raven looked to her brother. "How does he have a Ghost!?"
"Ah, a Ghost…" did the little machine beep. "I must admit, I take substantial umbrage with such a moniker. I much prefer to think of myself as a...Monitor of sorts."
"And you monitor, what, exactly?" from Qrow.
"The shard,"was the Monitor's simple answer. "And all of the memories contained therein."
"Memories?" from Raven.
"Quite so," said Veritaxx. "Memories: the tale of the fall of our great civilization from grace. The destruction of our Home-Riis, brought about by the departure of Ozma and his Great Machine. A fate that has befallen many worlds before ours, and will befall many worlds after."
"I'm so sick of asking questions…" Qrow pinched the bridge of his nose. "Who is this 'Ozma', and why does any of this matter? What do you know that your not telling us?" he grumbled.
Veritaxx motioned to the shard of The Traveler, his disciples copying the motion. "The Truth lies within the shard, as it always has. You've sought it out, now you only need listen."
Qrow, sensing the looks from his teammates, looked upon the Archon without blinking. "Just do it. Let's see what this 'Truth' really is."
Veritaxx nodded, grace and acceptance in the motion. "Holy Oracle, if you would impart our Truth unto our visitors. Perhaps, with their eyes open, they will be willing to join us once The Great Journey begins."
"I will be happy to oblige!" did The Monitor chirp. The small machine shone his blue beam of light over the shard of The Traveler, it coming aglow from a source seemingly from within.
"Qrow…" Raven's eyes remained fixated on the spectacle of light before them as she addressed her brother. "What does any of this mean? And is any of this a good idea?"
The shard grew to but a blinding brilliance that consumed all in the chamber in its glow.
"If it isn't," Qrow muttered, "It's too late to turn back now…"
….
-End of Legend 41-
…..
A/N:
Been a while since I updated; six day work weeks are pure torture. And aside from that, Stellar Blade has proven to be one hell of a distraction. With that, I'm going to be posting the next two chapters rather rapid-fire; one a week back-to-back. They'll be a bit on the shorter side, but form the whole tale of this, 'The Truth' Arc.
And as always, if you liked what you read, a favorite, follow, or review would be greatly appreciated. If you didn't like what you read, I thank you for reading this long. Take care and see you next week.