While the rest of his clan cast their shadows over the Siberian Shipyards, the Clan Founders had set out in search of other ways to glean an advantage against their coming foe.
They've always gone about things differently, Hades and Shade. Hades had always found comfort in the minds of other people, believing there to truly be no shortage of good people to call upon, while Shade was something of a pessimist. Always believing that there were no safer hands than their own. So, while Hades scoured the Sol system, questioning those who would know of the Hive and Vex, Shade-7 chose to set a course for more familiar territory.
Rippling out of warpspace, Shade's Paracausal ship, the rare and elusive 'A Thousand Wings', screeches to a halt. The Ethereal energy trailing off of the Starship sprinkles off of its form in recoil, then it suddenly begins to trail behind again as Saber brings the ship forward at nominal speeds. Shade peers out of his ship's cockpit window, looking down on their destination, The Red planet: Mars.
His gaze lingers for a moment, doubts begin to fill his mind. About his work, about his team's own ability and most importantly, about the mission they are about to set out on. What they're gearing up to do lies on already treaded ground. Guardians have prepared for battle in the past, sure, but there have certainly been more tragedies than successes.
The Assault on the Moon failed spectacularly, ending in the shattering of Luna's surface, the slaughter of hundreds of Guardians, and the embarrassment of the Vanguard. The Siva crisis involving the Iron Lords, also fell to disaster. Siva was relentless. It replicated, eliminated and immunized the Iron Lords, from their light down to their very bodies. Only one Guardian would survive each encounter. Of the wars Guardians have fought, the one the Shadowswere about to take was no exception. They were about to Step into a War with the Forgotten aboard a Re-taken Dreadnaught. This could be one of the City's greatest victories. Or, They could be lost to history by those who would deem themselves 'Forgotten'. It filled Shade with as much excitement as it did anxiety.
For someone who was risen During the Taken War, glory was never his to take. He'd faced off against Monsters, usually beside Hades, but they'd never done anything truly remarkable to the extent the task ahead of them was reporting. It excited him to, for once, make history for the City. Still though, he couldn't let his excitement cloud his judgment. He knew, just as much as anyone, that there was a thin line between being a Hero, and being a Memory.
"Set course for Olympus mons." He commanded his Ghost. "And take us in." Saber obliged, taking the reins of A Thousand wings, and rocketing them toward the planet.
They broke the atmosphere. The Ship's starry night appearance contrasted the bright red-orange of Mar's sky, appearing as a black stip of night as it zipped down towards the Planet's surface. Moments went by before they could see it, a massive mountain, on the edge of the Northern lowlands of Mars' geographical structure. Olympus Mons stood, a raging statement to heavens above. Named after the home of the Greek gods, Olympus Mons stood tall at 72,000 feet, the second largest mountain in the entire solar system, and yet the youngest of the shield Volcanoes on Mars. Impressive as it was, Shade was not looking to reach its peaks, quite the opposite in fact. He needed to reach its deepest depths, for a secret buried in the mountain.
Once close enough, Saber transmatted them both out of the Starship and a few ways off from the base of the Mountain. She could not bring them any closer, or they'd have been shot down by the very same entity they'd come to enlist the aid of. Instead, She called forth Shade's sparrow and they rode the rest of the way on the hovercraft.
Reaching the base of the mountain did not take long, Shade placed his hand upon the sparrow's center console, it connected with something called 'Ras Bunker/Pandora's Box'. Shade entered credentials on the Sparrows keypad, the words 'access granted' flashed upon his sparrows screen, and the ground began to rumble. A passage opened up, displacing sand and rock as it led to a cavern deep within the mountain. Shade drove in and followed the path inside.
Some time passed before he would reach his destination. A familiar diamond shaped door now stood before him, the signs of Warmind Bunker. The hum of golden age tech rippled through the doorway before it cracked open, shining bright lights and hissing as a vacuum of Air left its chamber. Shade left his sparrow, and Saber appeared beside him, idly bobbing in the air.
The two entered the facility, cautious but optimistic. This was not their first time in the bunker, far from it in fact. They'd taken it during the Siva Crisis, and with the help of Charlemagne, kept it hidden from the Tyrannical eye of the Warmind proper: Rasputin. They did not know how much longer it would remain that way, as Rasputin continues to regain his power with each passing day but, at least for the time being, this was something of a little home away from home. One that would remain disturbed and isolated…or, so he thought.
"Shade look." Saber beckoned to the floor.
Shade glanced down to find shock at the sight footprints on the ground. Footprints. In Rasputin's bunker? They were, Dusty, fresh, and small. They did not belong to Cabal or Vex, nor Fallen or Hive. And unless Rasputin or Charlemagne had built themselves a body, they were unmistakably Human.
The boot print matched the make of armor manufacturers stationed in the City, but how? How the hell did anyone else get in? Who could have even known? Ana Bray? Perhaps, but she'd been too busy defending Rasputin's core in the Hellas Basin, too far South East of Olympus to possibly have found the place.
Shade continued, turning the corner with his weapon drawn, he would have his question answered. There, sitting in a chair before an armory, was Katie the Hunter who'd saved him all those years ago, and the Hunter he'd saved just a few days ago.
"I thought you'd come here first." She said, sipping what smelled like Coffee from one of Shade's Mugs, the Cabal Light dampener still sat fashioned tight to her neck.
"What are you doing here? How did you even get here? And why is that thing still around your neck?"
"I just thought I'd check on my favorite Exo, see how things were going, you know. All that sort."
Shade didn't respond. On any other day, her usual Sarcasm would have been welcome. But not today.
"Hmm, serious are we?" She said, sipping from the mug again, before putting it down on the table and sitting up. "I heard about what happened. I'm sorry about your friend. I want to come with you, I do. But…"She motioned to the device on her neck. "This stupid thing isn't coming off anytime soon."
"It's alright. I'd rather you stay safe in the tower anyway." Shade said, moving further into the room and past her. He walked up to a terminal inputting codes, he pressed enter and the room shifted, allowing passage into a secret room. Katie was unimpressed.
"You don't seem surprised." Shade asked as he entered the room. You act as if you've been here before.
"I have, actually." She said. "This was an experimental Armory before the Collapse. I specialized in everything here."
"I figured. How else would you have got in?" You are the person who cured my DER after all. You ah, still haven't told me how you did that, or how you knew to."
She smiled at him. "Maybe another time." She moved out of the room, leaving him to his work. "Go, kick ass, but come back in one piece, Shade. You're important." She said to him, eyes full of hope.
He nodded at her. "Depend on it."
"I do." she said before Transmatting out of the bunker and off to her orbiting ship.
"I don't trust that Woman." Saber growled. "I get the idea that she isn't telling you everything."
"Yeah, I do too." Shade input a final code, opening up 7 cases. "But then again, I don't tell her everything either."
In the cases stood 7 weapons of mass destruction, all born of his own hand. Though one was born of a one way pact with a Worm god, the other 6 were forged right here in the bunker.
The first weapon he retrieved was one he'd already been quite familiar with. Found In a portal on Io alongside Hades and Ace, It was a long rifle, Taken with energies beyond his understanding it was Cold, black like the space between stars, it was prickly like a spindle and the caliber of munitions it fired meant it'd hit Hammer. It whispered to him whenever he aimed down the scope, something that he personally didn't like. Still, he knew he'd need the power of a Worm God if The Forgotten were to be banished. Saber transmatted it into his personal inventory and he kept it moving.
Next, he found himself before a case enclosing a great sword. It crackled and surged with arc energy, and sent out Arc bolts whenever he waved it. Combined with Fist of Havoc or the Thundercrash, it sent out a Roar of Thunder at his enemies. The sound alone stretched on for miles. He took it up personally, deciding it was time to finally test it in the field, and placed it on his back.
In the remaining 5 cases, weapons remained. A Scout Rifle, a Bow. A pair of Axes, a pair of Gauntlets and last but not least, a green and black Hand cannon with cogs adorning the Hammer. These 5 weapons were forged for those he fought alongside. They were gifts to his brothers; so, rather than take them out of their cases, Shade had Saber transmat them up, case and all. He'd give them to his allies in pristine condition.
The purpose for his bunker visit fulfilled, Shade exited the bunker, allowing the doors to close behind him, sealing all including the air within. Saber transmatted them both out of the facility. With the weapons in tow, all he had to do now was wait for Primus Umbra to secure the shipyard. He thought of the looks on all of their faces when they'd seen what he built. Especially Hades. The Man was always so very stoic and monotone. He wondered if he'd be able to surprise him with his gift.
All the weapons were built with tools of the past to ensure their future, they'd need the extra firepower if they were going to have a ghost of a chance against the Forgotten.
End of Chapter 3