Hello there, everyone; welcome back. It is time to continue this accursed stain upon the English language I call a story. This was a fun one to write.
If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you liked. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review reciting a death curse from the Necronomicon.
Chapter 8: Old Ties
"Relationships involving other immortals get… complicated. Just trust me on this, alright?" - The Venator
"Connect those tubes to the main body," Osiris said, pointing to a series of pipes across the room. Royal obliged, grabbing the tubes and pulling the ends closer to the portal door. After receiving the go-ahead from Osiris, he welded them to the frame. In time, they would pump the artificial Titan's Blood Osiris was working on into the portal to power it. Royal gave a thumbs-up, and Osiris turned back to his schematics.
"We should be ready soon," he said. "Once the Titan's Blood formula is finalized, we can activate the machine."
"How much longer until that's done?" Royal asked. Osiris grumbled, shuffling through his notes.
"I can't determine at this time," Osiris said. "The process has been slow, and without a sample to analyze, I do not know when it will be finished. The data you provided has been difficult to work with, to say the least."
"Sorry, I can't help more," Royal said. I never intended to return." Osiris waved off his worries and instructed him to check the structural integrity of the portal frame for imperfections. Royal passed his hand down the door as he searched. A part of him was admittedly excited to return. He could see his siblings and the Isles again. And, as Osiris had said, they could form a powerful alliance to brave the Dark.
His thoughts drifted to Luz, who had spent the last week on Europa learning to wield Stasis as effectively as possible. He was still uncertain about the Dark power, wary of the potential consequences. While he may be willing to entertain Luz's experimentation, he still possessed no desire to delve into that field. She sent him daily reports, talking about her progress and seemingly trying to convince him to return to the frozen moon. Each time, he declined as politely as he could manage.
A ping from Lancer drew his attention, and he checked the mention. The Vanguard wished to see him immediately. He was surprised by the summons but reasoned they might have an urgent mission. Since he reported to them all the time, that wasn't anything out of the ordinary. He informed Osiris he was needed elsewhere, and the Sunsinger told him he was free to go. Royal slipped out and made his way toward the Vanguard's command center.
"Any further details in the message?" He asked.
"Nada," Lancer said. "Just says that the matter is urgent." Royal hummed. Perhaps it had to do with the situation involving the Endless Night. The Vex had been thinned out considerably and were likely getting desperate. He opened the door to the command center and stepped through.
"Commander, ma'am, you wanted to see me?" He looked around the room, seeing Command Zavala and Ikora across the table, looking very confused. On the closer end was a muscular woman with long pink-dyed hair. She turned to face him as he entered, a smile springing onto her face.
"You're actually here!" Amity Blight cheered, pulling the very perplexed Warlock into a backbreaking hug. "You have no idea how good it feels to see a familiar face." Royal just looked down at her, his jaw hanging loosely. Amity released him and awkwardly stepped back. "Sorry about that; it's been a rough week for me."
Royal's hand cannon materialized in his hand, and "Amity's" head was instantly centered in his sight. Her eyes widened, and she backed up in apprehension. Commander Zavala raised a hand, ordering Royal to halt before he did anything rash.
"Stand down, Guardian," he said calmly but firmly. Royal reluctantly lowered his hand cannon but didn't holster it. "Amity" seemed hurt by the gesture but took a deep breath to steady herself.
"Do you know her?" Ikora asked. "She seems to know you."
"Amity Blight has been dead for centuries," Royal said, narrowing his eyes on the imposter. "Whoever this is, they are not her." Ikora shifted her inquisitive gaze to the woman in question, raising an eyebrow with an unspoken query.
"I am Amity," she said cautiously. "I was raised a week ago and started making my way toward the city. Once I got here, I asked for you specifically."
"Bullshit," Royal scoffed. "The Traveler has never resurrected anything non-Human before." "Amity" stuck her hand out and cast a spell circle. Much to the assembled Guardian's shock, a glowing purple ring appeared in the air. A trail of purple slime emerged from a vial on her waist, spiraling through the air before coalescing into a small golem. It bowed before disintegrating, returning to the vial. To further prove her point, she held out her hand.
"Pal, get out here." Nothing happened, causing her to groan in annoyance. "Pal!" Her Ghost appeared in a flash, and "Amity" rolled her eyes. "Sorry, he's a little uncooperative."
"Fascinating," Ikora said. Zavala nodded in agreement, still not entirely sure where this was going.
"How did we meet?" Royal interrogated.
"We first met at the Covention, where you interrupted the duel between Luz and I," "Amity" replied. "We faced the Sub-Mind Sarkarae at Eclipse Lake with Eda and King. I was there when you killed the Collector." Royal brought a hand to his forehead.
"Bloody hell, it really is you," he muttered, finally holstering his hand cannon. "How do you even remember all of this?" Amity gave a sad smile.
"Now that is a story. After the Traveler first showed up, Luz and I got to work. We recorded everything we could, any scrap of information that might help us remember who we were. A journal here, some recordings there. And a couple memory photos on top. After a while-" She took a second to wipe away the tears that were threatening to form in her eyes, and when she spoke, her words became choppy. "-she passed away. It was the hardest time of my life, but I kept going. Then, I found what we had been missing; a spell that could store and preserve a person's memories. It was ancient magic, already long forgotten by the time Belos rose to power. It was too late for Luz, but I locked my memories away and had them buried with me. Once Pal resurrected me, the seal was broken." She looked up, her eyes clouded and misty. "Is she…?"
"She's alive and safe," Royal said comfortingly. "Don't worry. We can discuss it later once you're settled in." Amity gave a weak smile.
"Do you think we could grab some food?" She asked, setting a hand over her stomach. "I've already starved to death twice." Royal looked to the Vanguard for permission. Zavala sighed and looked down at the mounting stack of reports and paperwork. He waved them off, dismissing the two.
"You're free to go," Ikora said. "Though you and I will have much to discuss later." She directed that second comment at Amity, a hunger for knowledge burning behind her eyes. Amity, more than a little intimidated by the Warlock Vanguard, hastily agreed. With their business now concluded, Royal led her into the hall and offered a ration bar. He barely had time to open his mouth before she tore it from his hand and greedily scarfed it down, wrapper and all.
"You mentioned your Ghost was named Pal," he began, a little off-put by her hunger. "Is there a story behind that?"
"It's short for Palisman," she said with a wink as she wiped off her hands. "Since my Palisman was named Ghost. I saw my chance, and I took it."
"I wholeheartedly approve of this," Lancer chimed in. "Welcome, Pal." Pal shot Lancer a death glare and faded away.
"Yeah, he's not very personable," Amity said. "I think he's weirded out by me."
"Right, have you manifested your Light yet?" Royal continued. Amity pressed her fingertips together and began to concentrate. Gradually, Void Light began to spin between her palms. The energy destabilized, snapping out of existence and leaving Amity panting heavily.
"I ran into some of those big red guys with the jump packs," she said between gasps. I threw a purple disc at one of them and cut him in half."
"A Sentinel," Royal muttered. "The shield against which the Darkness breaks. I might know someone who can help you out with that."
"Can't you do it?" Amity asked. Royal shook his head.
"Training you to be a Titan would be very different from training Luz to be a Warlock," he said. "It's more than physical practice. It requires a mindset that I don't have." He gave her a sly grin. "Besides, someone has to go get Luz."
Blushing a little, Amity smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. "How is she?"
"Well, so far," Royal assured. "She's really starting to get the hang of being a Guardian. She's currently on Europa, studying what I cannot teach her. She's only been around for a few weeks, yet she's already made her mark."
"That sounds like her alright," Amity said. She set her hands on her hips and puffed her chest out. "Guardian Blight, ready for action." Royal chuckled and plucked at her tattered sleeve.
"Not in those rags, you aren't. Follow me, I know a guy."
Malek's chin rested on his palm as he stared at Amity through narrowed eyes. His gaze couldn't seem to decide what it wanted to settle on; the point at the end of her ears, her golden irises, or the fangs he had seen when she introduced herself. He opened his mouth to speak, reconsidered his words, and closed it again. Amity averted her gaze, feeling incredibly awkward and out of place. Eventually, Malek closed his eyes and sighed.
"Alright, I give up. Is this a prank?"
"A prank?" Royal asked. Malek gestured to Amity.
"Is she some kind of prank?"
"I'm a Witch," she said.
"And I'm the next Speaker," Malek replied. "Seriously, what don't I know here?"
"There's a lot you don't know," Royal said. "And a lot I technically can't tell you. But she's right. She belongs to a Human-adjacent species, and she's a Guardian now. I need your help." Malek cast one last look at her ears before shrugging and turning to his workbench.
"I'll see what I've got," he said, rummaging through his papers.
"I was also hoping you could help with her training," Royal added. Malek leaned back in his chair and propped an eyebrow up at Royal.
"Me?" He questioned. When Royal nodded, he let out a snort of laughter. "Alright, since you asked so nicely. Just don't expect me to go easy on her."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"Whatever you've got, I can take," Amity said confidently. Royal and Malek both shared a look, and an evil grin overtook the Titan's face.
"Whatever you say, Bubblegum." Flustered, Amity protested her new nickname while Malek grabbed some measuring tools. He began sizing her up, muttering to himself all the while.
"We should have some plate to work with somewhere in the back," he said. "It's been sitting around for a while, so Ada probably won't miss it."
"Then, if you're settled, I need to slip out. I'll be back later," Royal said. He gave Malek a fistbump and departed, leaving Amity alone with the Titan. It wasn't long before he was fitting her with armor pieces. They were relatively slim and would allow her the full range of movement without compromising protection.
"So what's the deal with Titans?" She asked. Malek weighed the question up while locking a shoulder pauldron into place.
"To be a Titan is to be a protector," he answered, his voice as steadfast and certain as the mountains. "We have weathered countless storms and emerged stronger for it. Every battle is another lesson, every war another trial." With the pauldron now secured, Malek began helping Amity fasten a cuirass. "There are traditions among our orders that are as ancient as the city's walls. Foremost among them: service to all who need it." Malek rapped his knuckles along the chest plate. It gave a satisfying ring, and Malek nodded, mildly pleased with himself. "There is not a single person within the Last City for whom I would not lay down my life. And I expect the same of every Titan." He held up a strip of cloth and checked the integrity of the fabric. It gleamed in the artificial light of the Black Armory's forges.
"This is your mark," Malek said. "It is your symbol, your standard, and your sigil. It shall signify your status as a Titan. Wear it with pride." He offered the cloth to Amity. She reached out to accept it, only to hesitate and retract her hand.
"How can you know I'm worthy?" She asked.
"That is not my call to make," Malek replied. "You must prove yourself worthy. Besides, the Traveler chose you to live again. It has never chosen a non-Human before. I look forward to seeing what you can do." Amity set her jaw and accepted the Mark. She fastened it around her waist, hiding the bulk of the cloth under her armored belt. Two strips of fabric dangled between her legs, one in the front and another in the back.
"And now, our enemies shall quake before you," Malek said. What do you say we get onto the fun part?" Amity grinned and accepted. Malek grabbed his helmet, which bore the visage of a ravenous beast. The sculpted teeth seemed to snarl at her as he slipped it onto his head. "Time to see what you can do."
Luz pressed her fists together and listened to the howling winds within her. She could picture the hail ripping through her body should she lose control. A few crystals of ice floated in the air, circling around her. A dozen training dummies stood at hand, awaiting whatever punishment she had in store for them. She took a deep breath and channeled the Light and Dark in unison. She swept her hands outward, deploying a rift of healing energy. A flash of freezing chill radiated around her, encasing the closest dummies in ice.
She quickly spun, delivering a powerful kick to the nearest target. It shattered into thousands of pieces, each falling to the ground in a pile the color of the midnight sky. A line of sharp dagger-like crystals pierced the ground where the training dummy fell. More began to erupt as Stasis began to worm across the ground, coiling like a viper hunting its prey. It lunged at one of the remaining dummies and froze it solid.
Luz stood down as the sound of slow clapping reached her ears. Elisabeth leaned against a nearby crate, watching Luz hone her abilities. The Warlock smiled and bounced over. "How was that?"
"Most impressive," Elisabeth replied. "You have a natural gift for controlling the Dark." Luz smiled at the praise before flexing her arm.
"This momma's got it all under wraps," she said. "There's nothing this system can throw at me that I can't handle." Elisabeth raised an eyebrow at Luz's boast, but any rebuttal she might have had went unsaid as the familiar silhouette pierced the skyline. It roared as it flew overhead, delivering its passenger to the ground. Royal stood up and stretched, getting the feeling of all those G-forces out of his servos. Luz perked up and ran over to him, leaving Elisabeth to watch through guarded eyes. Royal smiled under his helmet as she drew closer.
"Hey, did you miss me?" Luz asked, grinning from ear to ear.
"Nope," Royal jabbed, popping the 'p'. I just have some pressing matters that require your presence." Seeing the first hints of worry starting to emerge, he held up a hand to cut her off. "You're not in trouble or anything. I'll tell you in a minute, but first, how is your Solar training coming along? Did my advice help?"
Luz nodded and took a step back. "Watch this." She raised both her hands up, palms facing toward the sky. A few glowing embers appeared and sprouted into small flames. The fire soon enveloped her hands. It wavered uncertainly as though the winds might snuff it out instantly. She clenched her hands, silencing the fire.
"It's been a bit slow," she said, "but I'm making progress."
"Very good. Now, there's been a situation back at the Tower that you need to be present for."
"What kind of situation?" Luz asked. Royal fidgeted awkwardly.
"There's no answer I can give that won't lead to more questions. It would be better if you saw for yourself." Luz pursed her lips before shrugging.
"Alright, just let me get my stuff packed up." She turned away, glancing at Elisabeth mischievously before waltzing off to her tent. Royal and Elisabeth were left alone, standing in uncomfortable silence. Elisabeth tapped away on a datapad, acutely aware of Royal's every glance.
"How has she been?" He asked, trying to break the ice between them. Given what she was capable of, he wasn't entirely sure the ice was metaphorical. Elisabeth's eyes darted up from her datapad briefly.
"A delight," she said. "She is a studious learner."
"Yeah, that's Luz alright," he half-mumbled. The silence returned and Royal realized that he would rather be anywhere else right now. A glance at Luz's tent revealed nothing. How long did it take her to pack?
"She mentioned that you knew me before… you know," he said, doing anything he could to stave off the awkwardness.
"Did she?" Her words were terse and snappy.
"What was my name?"
Elisabeth looked up from her datapad, completely wrong-footed by that question. She took a second to gather her thoughts, prompting Royal to continue.
"There's no way in hell that my parents named me Royal. I must've been called something else," he rambled. Unable to help herself, Elisabeth began to laugh. She quickly disguised it as a cough, but it still caused an inexplicable warmth to swell within Royal. He rationalized it as his Solar Light flaring in response to the arctic conditions around him.
"Out of everything, that's what you want to know?" Elisabeth asked. Royal nodded sheepishly.
"I was just curious," he mumbled. "I can ask something else if you want."
"No, it's fine," she said. I do know what your name was, but you made me promise never to tell you. It was the last thing you said to me before going under and becoming an Exo. You said something about not being defined by who you were and forging a new path. Really, I think you just found it embarrassing."
"Please, you must tell me his name," Lancer begged. "For the prosperity of future generations, they must know!" Royal rolled his optics.
"Alright, may I ask something else?"
"You just did," Elisabeth said. "And you may, provided I can ask you something first." Royal nodded, and she continued. "How does the sunset at the Knee compare to Bonesborough?"
Royal immediately tensed, his hand subconsciously curling around a nonexistent hand cannon grip. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Royal, please, you've never been able to lie to me. I've seen the Demon Realm, though only briefly." Royal opened his mouth to inquire further, only for Elisabeth to cut him off. "No, I can't step back over there whenever I want. I was just keeping an eye on you."
"I have a Darkness-wielding stalker," Royal muttered, slightly flabbergasted. Elisabeth rolled her optics and sighed, though there was good humor to the action.
"Don't flatter yourself," she quipped. "I keep an eye on dozens of Guardians of interest."
"Alright, I'm just going to ignore that gross invasion of my privacy," Royal said. "Second question: why am I so tall? It doesn't exactly match the standard Exo template."
"Your body's custom built," Elisabeth said with a shrug. "You're welcome."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you had a special interest in my Guardian here," Lancer said coyly. Perhaps that's something you should discuss further." Elisabeth silenced him with an icy glare. The Ghost flinched and hid behind Royal.
"Question time's over," Elisabeth said as her frigid exterior returned. "After all, you have urgent matters to attend to when you return to the city." She pivoted and began to walk away. Royal watched her go with an inexplicable feeling of sorrow. Before she went too far, she stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "Just so you know, my name is Elisabeth." She vanished as Royal's optics widened.
"Luz kept her promise," he realized. At that moment, the woman in question finally decided to rejoin him.
"Everything's packed, and I'm ready to go," Luz said. Royal narrowed his optics; her timing was too perfect to be coincidental. There was no way she had that much stuff to pack. She must have been eavesdropping, orchestrating their meeting. Royal didn't know whether to be proud of how far her people skills had come or horrified by what it could mean for someone like Luz to be that adept. She gave him a knowing smirk. "Did you enjoy your little chat?"
"It was certainly illuminating," he replied evenly. "I would like to get to know her more."
"For purely academic reasons, I assume," she teased. Royal tugged at his collar.
"She makes for good conversation," he said, perhaps too quickly. When Luz raised one of her eyebrows, Royal was forced to relent. "And she is quite easy on the optics." A teasing grin crossed her face, causing Royal to groan in exasperated defeat. "She's very charming, ok? What else do you want me to say?"
"That she has a fine ass," Luz said as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Royal froze in surprise, watching Luz as she continued toward her jumpship. Lancer floated beside him, equally astounded.
"What happened to that sweet, innocent girl we met all those years ago," the Ghost lamented. Royal shook his head and chuckled a little.
"She grew up."
Amity's jaw buckled, threatening to shatter as it took the full force of Malek's right hook. She wavered, desperately trying to keep her hands up. Blood began to pool in her mouth. She spat a crimson blob out and tried to retaliate with a punch of her own. Malek caught it against his arm. He twisted the limb so it was interlocked with his, and his other fist came around and crashed into Amity's face. The front of her skull threatened to splinter, and she staggered from the blow. Malek relinquished his grip and let Amity fall onto her back.
Malek shook his arms to keep them limber as he stood down. Pal circled Amity, patching her up. The Witch forced herself to sit, feeling up her face to see if it was broken. Malek offered her a hand, and she accepted it.
"What did you do wrong?" He asked. She tried to mumble a response, only for her jaw to fall slack. Pal rolled his optic and fixed her cracked jaw.
"I didn't roll with the blow," she said, nursing the now-healed bone. "I have to push through the pain." Malek nodded.
"Remember, Titans don't get to dodge," he said before slamming his fists into his chest plate. "You must fight until every bone is shattered, every ligament is torn, and every drop of blood is spilled. Then, you stand back up and do it again."
Amity rolled her shoulder a few times to ensure it wasn't getting stiff. "I got it; come at me again." Malek nodded, and the two entered a ready stance. Malek tapped his fist against hers, and they went at it again. Amity brought up her arms to block two quick jabs. Malek tried to knee her, only for Amity to lightly dance back. She returned as he attempted to regain his footing, sending a powerful haymaker at his head. While he was dazed, she jabbed at his chest. Predicting this, Malek pushed her arm away with one hand and chopped her throat with the other. Amity brought a hand to her throat as she gasped for air. Malek capitalized by going for another punch.
Amity deflected the strike with her forearm and headbutted Malek. He recoiled, a small amount of blood leaking from the wound on his head. Amity went on the offensive, counting on Malek being preoccupied with keeping the blood out of her eyes. She lunged at him, only for the older Titan to slide under her. He wrapped his arms around her midsection, lifted her off the ground, and slammed her into the floor of the ring. Now on her back, Amity could do little but bring her arms up as Malek began to lay into her. Her arms screamed as they absorbed blow after blow, threatening to give way. Eventually, they did just that.
Malek batted her arms aside and struck her in the face. A few of her teeth were sent to the back of her mouth. She spat a mixture of blood, teeth, and saliva into his face. Temporarily blinded, Malek reflexively reached for his face. Amity lashed at his eye, digging her thumb into the socket. For his part, Malek didn't so much as grunt as he grabbed her forearm and began to crush it.
Her free hand came around, Amoination goo coalescing into a gauntlet. She struck him in the side of the head, finally forcing him off. Malek, now with only one functional eye, grinned a little madly. He summoned a shield made of Void Light in his hand and flung it vertically. Amity brought up a hand to block, only for the shield to cut through her palm like a steel blade through a tunic. The shield planted itself in the center of her face. Amity had only a few brief seconds to feebly grasp at the foreign object lodged in her skull before she tipped over.
"Overkill, don't you think?" Malek turned and saw Royal leaning against the entrance. The Titan popped the joints in his neck as he stepped out of the ring.
"She's learning well," he said plainly as Pal brought Amity back to life. She gasped from the rush of it and nursed the spot where her skull had been cracked open.
"I thought we agreed; no Light!" She protested. "I still can't call it on command."
Malek shrugged, "If you get to use magic, I get to use Light. Besides, the enemy won't play fair either." Royal laughed as he helped Amity to her feet.
"This is why I can't teach you," he said. "You wouldn't call a librarian to build a fortress, would you?" Amity grumbled as she massaged her head but accepted his reasoning.
"Is Luz with you?" She asked. Royal nodded and sent a ping to Lancer. The door to the training room opened, and Lancer led her in. Luz stepped through the door and greeted Malek. The Titan nodded at her as he downed some water.
"So what is so urgent that you had to bring me all the way…" Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of Amity. The pink-haired woman smiled warmly. Her smile changed to a look of confusion as Luz flinched and shied away from her. One of her hands shot to her forehead as she held the other out. Luz massaged her skull as her brain tumbled over itself. Acting reflexively, Amity moved to comfort her, but Luz kept her at bay with her free arm.
"Who are you?" She questioned. "I've seen you before." Amity looked over to Royal, a question of what to do on her lips. The Exo could only shrug. Malek continued to sip his drink.
"My name is Amity," she said gently. I… well, I'm your wife." She tried to smile but couldn't keep it up. She reached out to take Luz's hand, only for the Warlock to pull it away. Luz had a strange mixture of apprehension, caution, and fear in her eyes. Amity could see clear as day. Luz was afraid.
"I need to go," she said without warning. Before anyone could stop her, she bolted from the room, leaving a trail of lightning in her wake. Amity tried to reach out for her, cursing loudly in Spanish once she realized Luz was already gone.
"That's rough," Malek said, giving Amity a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. The Witch fell back onto the ground.
"I'm sorry about that," Royal said. "I didn't think she would react that way." Dejected, Amity looked away.
"I'm in a completely foreign time and place," she said. "I've lost my home, my friends, everything. And now, the woman I love doesn't even know who I am."
"She didn't get to keep her memories," Royal gently reminded her. "Just give her some time."
"I should have known this was coming, but I was kinda hoping everything would just fall back into place," Amity admitted. She looked up at Royal with a strained expression on her face. "You're smart, aren't you? How do you make someone fall in love with you a second time?"
Royal sighed dejectedly and shook his head. "When you find out, let me know."
Luz rushed through the halls of the Tower, paying little attention to where she was going. Her heart raced as a dozen conflicting emotions all fought for dominance. Aurora was trying to get her attention, but Luz couldn't focus. Her brain was aching, struggling to recall memories that were no longer there.
Eventually, her Light receded, and she slowed to a stop. She found herself on an external maintenance walkway on the lower levels of the Tower. She leaned against the handrail, trying to catch her breath. The artificially darkened sky was dominated by the almost pristine shell of the Traveler. She glared at the silent god and tightened her grip on the railing.
"Why did you do this to me?" She shouted, her voice swept away by the uncaring winds. "Tell me! What could you possibly want from me!" She hung her head. "Am I being punished? I thought I was a good person."
Aurora appeared beside her Guardian, worried about her. She wanted to console Luz but didn't know what to say. How could she help guide a drifting soul when she had always known her purpose? The Ghost chirped, drawing Luz's attention.
"What happened back there?"
Liz drew in a shaky breath. She could feel herself begin to calm as the icy air flowed through her lungs like the first snowfall of the year. "I'm just a little confused. And scared. I mean, what was I supposed to say to her? Hello, my darling, I have no idea who you are!" She rubbed some mist out of her eyes. "And just when things were returning to normal. I was getting the hang of being a Guardian, mastering the Light and Dark, and maybe even starting to turn Royal from his path of self-destruction." Leaning against the handrail, she closed her eyes and sank to the ground. "Why can't anything be simple?"
"Being a Guardian is never easy," Aurora said, trying to comfort her. "But you were chosen for a reason."
"And what if the Traveler was wrong?" Luz asked. Bitterness touched her voice, poisoning the words. Luz looked out across the city, feeling something inexplicable tug at her. She got the feeling that she should go back. Another urge rose up in opposition; she wanted to leave and take time to process this.
She gripped the railing rung and jumped over it, entering freefall as she plummeted toward the city. She caught herself before slamming into the ground and smoothly glided into a determined stride, already typing a message.
It didn't take her long to get where she was going. The Eliksni Quarters lay before her. The place had been cleaned up a bit since she had last been here, but it was still the same squalid ruins. The sight brought a slight pang of anger to the forefront of her mind. House Light deserved better than this. A few Eliksni offered brief greetings, which she returned.
"Luz!" She turned as Eido's voice reached her. The scribe ran over to her, her eyes shining with concern. "I received your message. Is everything alright?" Luz managed a small smile and greeted her friend with a side hug.
"Can we take this somewhere more private," she asked. Eido nodded and quickly escorted the Guardian to her private quarters. Once she made sure they were alone, Eido turned to Luz.
"What happened? Is your mentor giving you a hard time again?"
"No, it's not him," Luz said. "We talked, and I think I'm starting to get through to him. It was something else." She paused, measuring up her words. "Do you know what it means to become a Guardian? What do we have to lose?"
"Your mind is wiped clean," Eido answered confidently. "You're essentially a blank slate."
"Exactly. But now, in walks someone claiming that they knew who I was. She says she's my wife! How am I supposed to process that? I don't know her, I don't know who she is! I don't want to be rude, but I can't reciprocate. I can't help but feel like someone else is trying to paint on my canvas. Is that fair?"
Eido sat for a moment, completely quiet, as she processed everything Luz had just unloaded. The Eliksni wove her many fingers together as she thought. Eventually, she began to speak.
"That is a lot to think about," she said slowly. "What do you make of this woman?"
"She seems nice, I guess," Luz said, unaware of her cheeks doing their best impression of a Cabal Thresher. Eido, for her part, did not miss it. "I wouldn't mind getting to know her."
"Then why did you come here?"
"I got scared, panicked, didn't stop to think." She buried her face in her hands. "Traveler, that probably looked so pathetic." Eido suppressed a giggle at her friend's antics.
"I'll tell you what," Eido said. "You can stay here for now, but eventually, you must reach out. You can't let this just hang over your head forever. It will come back to bite you. Besides, I would like to meet her."
"Alright," Luz said. "I'll reach out soon, just not right now." Eido clapped her hands excitedly.
"I will have to notify my father. Then, we can have a proper Human sleepover."
The rest of the night had passed without incident. Royal helped Amity adjust to her new life in the Tower. She had her own quarters, a registered jumpship and sparrow, and enough firepower to get by. She seemed to brighten up as the day went on, her mind drifting away from Luz. That was a problem they would tackle tomorrow.
And tomorrow it was. Royal tried his best to hide his laughter as he watched Amity sprawled on the ground, courtesy of his and Lancer's usual tricks. She glared at him as she picked herself up off the floor.
"Wakey wakey, time to move," Royal said. "But first, get yourself cleaned up. Don't you know how filthy the ground is?" Amity dusted herself off, no doubt muttering a few curses under her breath. Whether they were just colorful expletives or something more magical, Royal didn't know. "So what's your plan?"
"I'm still working on that," Amity said. First, we need to find her. I assume you already have that sorted out?"
"Naturally," Royal said, pulling up Luz's location. "She's in…" His voice trailed off as he realized where she was, right in the center of the Fallen District. He brought a hand up to his face, already feeling a migraine coming on. "Of course she is."
"Don't you think about trying to back out of this," Lancer hissed in his ear. "I am not letting this ship die."
"Yeah, yeah, let's just get this over with." He slipped out of the room and waited for Amity to get ready. Once she had rejoined him, the two set off. She was awed by the city, the technology on display far outstripping anything on the Isles or Old Earth. She asked a variety of questions on all manner of topics that Royal was more than happy to discuss.
Eventually, they arrived at the Fallen District. Royal regarded the squalor conditions with some measure of disdain. Amity carried on without hesitation, and Royal reluctantly followed. He pointedly avoided looking at the Fallen as they scurried about. He singled out the building Luz was in and directed Amity to it while he hung back. It was a small communal building for the upper ranks of House Light, though one wouldn't be able to tell at first glance. It was the bombed-out ruins of some old building, with haphazard cloth and scaffolding barely covering the exposed parts. Amity knocked on the door, and after a brief moment, it opened.
Standing in the doorway was the same Fallen that had been with Luz before her trip to Europa. She seemed a little caught off guard and glanced warily at Royal. Amity introduced herself, and Royal began to listen.
"Hi, is Luz here? I wanted to talk with her." A look of surprise crossed her face before shifting to apprehension. She gave Amity an appraising look, trying to gather whatever information she could about the woman.
"I'll be right back, just wait a moment," the Fallen said. She gently closed the door, leaving Amity to sway on her heels impatiently. She was gone for a minute or two before returning. "Please, come inside." Amity looked back to Royal for support, and the Warlock nodded, joining the two. The Fallen kept her distance from him, which suited Royal just fine. The less he had to interact with them, the better. The Fallen escorted the Guardians to a small table and gestured for them to take a seat.
"Luz said she'll be down when she's ready," she said. "She's only just waking up. In the meantime, would you care for anything to drink?" Amity accepted with a nod and a smile while Royal stiffly shook his head. After a moment, the Fallen returned and set a pair of cups on the table. They were filled with a strange, steaming liquid that looked like something halfway between black coffee and oil. Not wanting to appear rude, Amity took a cautious sip. Upon realizing that it was actually quite delicious, she downed the drink. The two took up a bit of small talk while they waited, and the Fallen finally introduced herself as Eido.
"So I take it you are the reason Luz came here," Eido said, the barest note of hostility in her voice. Royal propped up an eyebrow at Eido's defensiveness of his apprentice while Amity winced at the accusation.
"I never meant to scare her; I just wanted to be with her again," she said. "She was- she is the most important person in my life."
"How do you know this?" Eido asked. "I was not aware that Guardians could recover their memories."
"That's classified," Royal said, quickly cutting into the conversation. Eido shrank away from him. Amity held out a hand, signaling him to stay out of this. The Warlock shrugged and looked away.
"Truth is, I'm not exactly Human," Amity said. "I'm a Witch from the Demon Realm, and I used a magic spell to keep my memories. That's how I know her." Eido stared blankly at Amity for a moment, her cup frozen halfway between her face and the table.
"Classified, got it," she said. She removed her mask and sipped her drink as Amity tried to elaborate.
"I'm telling the truth. Just look at me? Have you ever seen a Human with golden eyes or pointed ears?" Eido's fingers tapped the table, and she was forced to concede that she had not. To further emphasize her point, Amity uncorked her vial and raised another miniature Abomination. There was a loud clatter as Eido's grasp on her cup slipped. She stared at the small construct with wonder in her eyes. One of her upper arms gently prodded it while her lower two scrambled for her notepad. She began jotting down everything she could.
"You must tell me more," Eido insisted. "What is it made of? How do you control the form it takes? What are the limits of its capabilities?" Before Amity could answer, the sound of someone coming down the hall reached them. Luz entered the common room, her armor fastened in place and her helmet at her hip. There was a distinct tension to her posture, as though her muscles were coiled and ready to spring at the slightest provocation. She avoided meeting Amity's gaze as she sat across from her. Eido put her notes away and offered Luz a reassuring nod.
The woman took a deep breath and finally looked at Amity. She managed a weak smile, one that Amity returned. Royal watched carefully but knew that he needed to stay out of this; whatever decision they reached must be of their own volition.
"I'm sorry for how I reacted the other day," Luz said. "That was inconsiderate. I may not know you, but you know me. And I hurt you by running away like that." She paused and took a shaky breath. Before she could continue, Amity spoke up.
"How much do you know?" She asked. Luz hesitated, caught off guard by the question.
"Only what Royal has told me and what I've pieced together from what I left myself," she said. "I've got a journal, a broken phone, and a few photos." Amity perked up at that.
"You still have the memory pictures?" She asked, her mouth breaking into a hopeful smile. Luz was once again caught on the wrong foot.
"A few," she said. "What exactly are 'memory pictures'?"
"They're your memories, preserved in a physical photograph," Amity explained. If you still have them, you can get your memories back." She looked excitedly between Royal and Luz. Royal was pensive, watching his apprentice to see how she reacted. Luz seemed uncomfortable, to say the least. She squirmed in her seat awkwardly, pointedly avoiding eye contact.
"I think I'd like to figure it out on my own," she said. Amity seemed surprised, then dejected, and then a little hurt. She masked it quickly, though, so as not to appear as though she was attempting to guilt Luz into anything.
"If that's what you choose, then I'll leave it at that," she said. "Should you ever want to remember, all you need to do is ask." Luz nodded, grateful for her understanding.
"I'm sorry I can't return your feelings. However, I am willing to start over." She held out her hand. "Friends?" Amity looked at the extended hand, a few tears misting her eyes. Royal couldn't tell if it was sorrow or relief. The Witch wiped them out of her face and accepted the offered appendage.
"Thank you," Amity said. "This means more than you know." The two relinquished their grasp, though Amity was reluctant. Eido offered Luz her own drink, which she accepted with a smile. She had barely taken a sip when the front door opened. Misraaks swiftly strode through, each movement purposeful. He stopped when he saw the assembly at the table; any surprise he felt masked by his armor.
"Good, you are still here," he said to Luz, offering only a sideways glance to the other two Guardians. "The House of Light and all the city require your aid once again." To her credit, Luz was surprised for only a second. She quickly put on a brave face and stood up.
"What is it?" She asked. Misraaks gestured for them to follow him to House Light's command center. Like in the HELM, another colossal Servitor hooked up to a dozen terminals. Eliksni Splicers were hard at work decoding the incoming data. Misraaks led them aside.
"I expected our continued assaults on the Vex to weaken their foothold, but I reach into the network now, and it pulls—hungry, greedy—like slogging through mud," he said. "I felt this the first time Guardians entered the network. You pushed into the system, and something malevolent has pushed back. We Splicers must know the Vex, know that which can and cannot be bent. They are like seasons or the great sea; the surge and flow like a primordial force."
"The Vex transcend all known laws," Royal said, drawing upon all he had learned of the machine spawn. "They move in ways that we, in isolation, cannot comprehend. But they are still bound to their programming. There are patterns they must obey."
"And yet, here they are, deviating from those patterns," Misraaks said. "They cannot be manipulated… but something is doing just that."
"The Vanguard has its theories," Royal said noncommittally. Misraaks paused for a second as he watched the Vexbane before resuming.
"Regardless, this something has targeted your city. I suspect the Endless Night has some greater, unseen purpose." The Kell looked at each of the three Guardians gravely. "Darkness encircles us. You must rip it out."
Luz grinned, "Right back into the fray."
"You're not going back in there," Royal said. Luz tried to object, only for the Warlock to hold up a finger. "Not without backup. I know the Vex Domain like the back of Lancer's shell." Luz grinned and nodded eagerly.
"Count me in as well," Amity said. "I've faced Vex without the Light before. They don't stand a chance now."
"I am surprised you are so willing to work alongside us," Misraaks said to Royal. "Your reputation precedes you, as does your support for the Future War Cult." His tone was lightly accusatory. Royal crossed his arms and met the Kell's gaze with a look of disdain that was masked only by his helmet.
"Rest assured, I will stand against the enemies of the city," he said, just quietly enough that only Misraaks could hear him. "No matter what form they take." Misraaks didn't respond; instead, he turned back to his Splicers. Royal turned as well, facing Luz and Amity.
"You already know what to expect, but be on guard regardless," he said to Luz. "The Vex have grown desperate, and desperation makes them dangerous." He then turned to Amity. "I advise you to stay here and run tactical but I can't force you.
"I can do this," Amity said, a determined look on her face.
Royal nodded, "If you're going to join us in there, stay close."
"If you're ready, we can send you in," Eido said. She looked at Luz and smiled. "Good luck." The Warlock smiled warmly and activated her Splicer gauntlet. The other Splicers around them joined in and opened a stable pathway to the Vex Network. Royal felt the familiar tug of data on him and instinctively tensed up. He took a second to settle himself and pulled Lament from transmat.
"Once more into hell," he muttered before diving in. Luz and Amity were right behind him, and the three plummeted through digital nothingness. Royal felt the familiar oppressive weight of the Vex's overbearing consciousness. He steeled his nerves as his boots hit the ground. He held Lament before him and panned his surroundings. Luz planted herself behind him, her auto rifle sweeping the terrain. Lastly, Amity brought her pulse rifle up, though she seemed to still be a little uncomfortable with it.
They were in a space made of glowing green prisms, not unlike the one Luz had entered not that long ago. Luz holstered her rifle and approached the wall, deploying her gauntlet. She got to work carving a pathway as Osiris's voice spoke over the line.
"Proceed through the temporal breachway and infiltrate the Vex's subnetwork," he instructed. "Focus on the task at hand; do not be distracted by your senses."
"I wasn't aware that you would be running tactical for us, Osiris," Royal said. The Sunsinger chuckled.
"I have more experience with the Vex than any single being in the city," he said. "Who do you think found this opportunity?"
Luz holstered her gauntlet and gestured for the others to follow. She led them through narrow pathways and twisting corridors. She took no small amount of amusement in Amity and Royal's difficulty with traversal, their larger frames making it difficult for them to navigate the tight tunnels.
Luz slid down a steep slope at the end of their path. As she did, her hand glided through a spot of dark matter. Disgusted, she tried to wipe it on the wall beside her while Royal leaned in to inspect it more closely.
"Taken blight corruption," he said, analyzing the decaying neutrinos. "The Taken have infiltrated the Vex Domain."
"What does that mean?" Amity asked.
"That my armor is gonna need a deep cleaning after this," Luz said, still trying to get the goop off her gauntlet.
"Whatever it means, it can't be anything good," Royal said. "Let's keep moving; we've almost breached their firewalls."
As they continued along their path, Taken corruption became increasingly prevalent. They reached a dead end, and Luz got to work once more. After ensuring she was out of Luz's earshot, Amity prodded one of the corruptive cancers with her foot.
"You know, I'm also a Blight who happens to be Taken," she quipped, tilting her head toward Luz. Unamused, Royal shook his head.
"Never say that again."
"Door's open!" Luz called, once again holstering her gauntlet. The wall disintegrated, revealing a long hallway with no floor. Instead, the walls continued downward into the infinite abyss. A few narrow strips emerged from the walls, offering limited ground to stand on. Luz took a running start, leaping into the void and gliding to safety. Amity stepped up behind her, took a deep breath, and sprinted to the edge. She pushed off as hard as she could and tried to use her Light to boost forward. She realized that nothing was happening, and panic overtook her.
She hit the edge of the platform stomach-first and began to slide down. She scrambled to gain purchase on something, but the smooth platform yielded nothing. Right before she slipped, Luz dove in and grabbed her hand.
Amity's descent stopped, much to the woman's elation. Royal landed beside Luz and grabbed her free hand. Together, they pulled her up. Amity collapsed on the platform, drawing in deep breaths.
"That was close," Luz said. She looked at Amity, concerned and worried. "Are you sure you don't want to go back?"
"No, I can do this," Amity said, pushing herself back up. Unconvinced, Luz turned to Royal.
"We'll take it slow," he said. "You move ahead, I'll help her out." Luz accepted his offer, though it was clear she wasn't entirely on board with the idea. She leaped to the next platform as Royal helped Amity back to her feet.
"Nice to know she still cares," Amity said, half-joking as she dusted herself off.
"Are you sure you're up to this? Because I won't tolerate you slowing us down in here," Royal said. "I know you want to rebuild those bonds, but this isn't the place to do it. When you're on a mission, the mission is your top priority. And if I suspect you are a detriment to the mission, I will send you back. Understood?" Amity had the grace to look a little ashamed but accepted his words. She approached the edge of their platform and looked to the next one. An idea formed in her mind, and she drew a spell circle. Her vial popped open, and the Abomination goo formed a small bridge for her. She quickly tested it with her foot. Deciding that it was safe, she crossed and recalled the goo. Planting her hands on her hips, she gave Royal a smug grin.
"Why didn't you open with that?" Royal asked. Upon seeing Amity slump in realization, he sighed and flew across. Luz holstered her gauntlet, having finished prying away a section of the wall. The cavity in the wall transformed into a swirling portal. Royal stepped through first.
He emerged in a vast, expansive void. The endless abyss stretched outward in all directions, bathed in solemn blue. A few floating islands of data were suspended in the nonexistent air. The entire space was thick with Taken blights, a cancer that eroded the perfect order of the Vex's will. Luz and Amity appeared behind him, with the latter gasping at the sight before her.
"So this is the infamous Vex Domain," she said. She kicked a small, loose chunk of data over the edge of their current platform and watched it vanish from sight. She paled a little as the bottomless vacuum stared back at her.
"Home sweet home," Royal said with bitter sarcasm. He scanned the distant islands and pointed to the nearest one. "Let's move up; we still have a job to do." He jumped and glided to the next patch of data. Amity eyed the gap warily, realizing that she couldn't make it even with her magic.
"Really wish I had Ghost with me," she said. Luz perked up and readied her Splicer gauntlet.
"Here, allow me." She began to sculpt the Vex Domain, forcibly bending the data into a bridge. The construct wavered, fighting against her to restore its previous state. She pressed down on it with her foot to ensure it was stable. Once she was satisfied, she set off. Amity followed along, feeling a little uncertain but ultimately deciding to trust Luz. They regrouped with Royal, who was busy panning the space around them with his rifle.
"This place is too quiet," he said, his finger hovering over the trigger warily.
"Isn't that good?" Amity asked. "They must not know we're here." He shook his head in response.
"Something's out there," he said. "Watching us. I can feel it. You won't last long out here if you don't pick up on these things." Amity tightened her grip on her gun and moved forward. Luz moved to follow, only for Royal to stop her. "That's some tool you've got there."
"The Splicer's have a few tricks up their sleeve," she said, flexing her gauntlet. Royal didn't respond, instead fixing the gauntlet with a suspicious gaze. He elected to drop the topic and keep moving.
Together, the three Guardians advanced slowly through the Vex Domain. The pathway began to narrow, forcing them to march single-file. A few unstable blights awaited them, pulsating with corruptive energy. Royal would have to slowly approach them and trigger their eruption before quickly backing away to avoid being blasted off the platform. Eventually, the pathway rapidly descended, turning into a slide. They continued onward through split pathways and over immense gaps. All the while, Taken corruption became more and more prevalent, choking the skies with vile matter.
The entire Vex Domain seemed to pulse as they reached a circular gateway. Pressure pounded on Royal's head, causing him to let out a cry of surprised pain and drop to his knees. Everything around them flashed crimson, a promise of violence.
"Are you alright?" Luz asked as she helped Royal back to his feet. The Dawnblade shook his head to clear the mounting pressure.
"I'm fine, but that presence feels… familiar." Royal stepped closer to the edge and peered into the void. Unfortunately, his search revealed nothing unusual save for more Taken blights.
"To think the Vex are able to divide themselves between the material world and this place to engineer their plans," Osiris mused pensively. "This is not unlike the Ascendant Plane… which raises many questions."
Left to ponder Osiris's words, the Guardian crossed the gap before them. They advanced upon a small terminal guarded by two Goblins. The closest construct readied itself, only for Luz to blast it apart with lightning. The second was consumed in a lash of Abomination goo that began constricting it. The machine's head and limbs popped off as Amity exerted more pressure. Royal stepped over their bodies and pressed his hand against the terminal. He poured Light into it, and it obeyed.
The Vex Domain responded to their intrusion. A swarm of Taken essence appeared beside them, eventually coalescing into the hulking form of a Minotaur. The machine's flawless bronze exterior had been replaced by a sickly black. The Taken Minotaur slammed its fist into Royal. He had enough time to block but was pushed back. Luz attempted to fire more Arc energy, only for the Minotaur's form to blur. It faded and reappeared behind her, its weapon glowing as it prepared to fire.
Before it could, a fist coated in a spiked Abomination gauntlet slammed into it. The corrupted construct staggered back, and Amity hit it again. The machine reached the platform's edge, and Amity delivered an uppercut to its optical lens. It tipped backward, falling into the abyss.
Drawing back to his feet, Royal offered a compliment for her takedown before the three continued their trek, encountering a few scattered Goblins of both the standard and Taken variety that were quickly dispatched. A large Hive Ogre appeared before them, Taken energy coursing through its body. The Orge roared and slammed its oversized hands into the ground. Its face glowed as it fired a rotten surge of energy. The projectile caught Luz in the chest, pushing her back to the edge. Before she could fall over, Amity caught her with a lasso of Abomination goo.
While Amity pulled Luz back to safety, Royal rushed forward. Lament appeared in his hand as he dodged the Ogre blasts. It raised its fists to crush him, only for Royal to slide under it. He spun, slicing through one of its legs. The Ogre bled a viscous, smoking ink as it sank to one knee. Royal leaped into the air and brought his sword down, dividing the Ogre in two. The two halves separated with a sickening squelch as Royal holstered his sword on his back.
With the Orge now felled, a Harpy that radiated data was revealed. The flying construct unfurled itself threateningly. The Guardians were not intimidated. It was dispatched before it could flee, dropping a data spike on the ground.
Royal picked up the Vex key and quickly located the lock. Before he could insert it, the Vex Domain flashed red once again. Dropping the spike, Royal clawed at his helmet. The Exo cried out in pain. Luz reached out for his shoulder, only for him to push it away.
"I'm fine," he said, a little too forcefully to be true. Let's just keep moving. We're almost there." He forced the data spike into its lock, and the Vex Domain responded once again. A series of propulsion cannons appeared before them. Royal looked at them and sighed.
"I hate these things." He stepped into it and was instantly flung into the distance. His body was violently tossed from cannon to cannon before finally settling down at the entrance to a large chamber. Amity and Luz landed behind him, evidently having had much more fun than he did.
They fell into formation, cautiously moving into the square-shaped arena with their weapons ready. A large Vex rested at the far end of the room, its fingers twitching every other second. A few Taken blights coated its body, leaking their thick, acrid vapor.
"Anomalous designs detected," Fantis, the reborn Oppressive Mind, said. "Enslaver presence: Confirmed. All systems: Damaged. Flight: Not an option." The Mind drew to its full height, revealing several spots where its outer layer had been stripped away. The machine's body sparked violently as it brought its weapon to bear.
Royal instantly dove toward the Mind while Luz and Amity split in opposite directions. They peppered it with weapon fire as Royal jumped over its blast. His fists burned as he slammed into the Mind, delivering two vicious punches to its center. The Mind staggered back, clawing at its chest as Royal pushed off.
Before anyone could act, the Vex Domain turned scarlet for the third time. Royal and Fantis both staggered. The Mind fell to its knees with a thunderous crash, its talons digging into the ground beneath it.
"What's going on in there?" Osiris asked, his voice heavily tigned with interference. We can't see your feed!" He continued to speak, but the static drowned out his voice.
"Sibling-Slayer. Mind-Eater. Enslaver Prime." Before the Mind could stand back up, a glowing blue blade pierced its optic from behind. The Mind unleashed an unholy screech as its body writhed. Fantis keeled over, slamming face-first into the ground. Its body disintegrated, fading into a blue light that spiraled through the air toward an outstretched hand.
Outcast sighed as he absorbed the Mind, his glaive resting against his shoulder. His red eyes glowed more brightly as the Mind's power flowed through him. He looked down at Royal, whose posture was marred with horror.
"Hello, little brother." Outcast strode forward, casting his gaze on Luz. "Pawn," he said with a mocking nod. His gaze finally shifted to Amity. "And I see you brought your pet with you. How quaint." He vanished, suddenly reappearing before the Witch. He looked down at her disparagingly, and his hand seized her faceplate with a grip stronger than gravity.
Before he could do anything, Royal brought Lament down on his brother's arm. Outcast faded once more before it could cut him. Amity fell to the ground, and Royal quickly put himself between her and Outcast.
"I offer my thanks for cornering Fantis," Outcast said. "I spent so long chasing it down, only for it to slip away like water through my fingers." He again turned to Luz. "And I never got the chance to thank you for your help with Dimio."
Her eyes widened. "That was you?" Outcast grinned and spread his arms, his stance relaxed and suave.
"Guilty. You must be the infamous Luz Noceda. I've heard much of you, and I must say, you're not living up to the legend."
"Stay away from her," Royal threatened, moving closer to Outcast. "How are you even here? We killed you."
"You did, didn't you." Outcast frowned. "Do you have any idea how much that hurt? It took me so long to reconstitute my form and even longer to track down the Minds that broke free. It's nothing like having a Ghost bring you back. How long ago was that? Years? Eternities? Seconds? It's so hard to tell out here. But you should know that you can't keep a Guardian down."
"You lost the right to call yourself that long ago," Royal said. "Ever since you let the Darkness corrupt you-"
"The Darkness has no hold on me!" Outcast roared, his posture suddenly becoming feral. "You forget, little brother; I reject the duality. Light and Dark are but two kinds of cancers in the universe. I will restore my home, free of both." He glared at Amity as she gripped her rifle uncertainly. "Free of alien scum like her."
"You're going to pay for what you've done," Royal said. "For all our siblings you've killed."
"Yes, them," Outcast said bitterly. "I don't know why you are all so determined to resist me. I mourn each sibling I cut down; I truly do. It wounds me every time. But none have wounded me like you." He glared at Royal. In his anger, the Vex Domain around him became corrupted, bristling with hostility. "Do you have any idea how far back you set me? My home could be restored by now! I could be free of this endless torment! If it wasn't for you!" Without warning, he teleported behind Royal, his glaive brought back to cut off the Warlock's head. Before he could swing, Luz fired a bolt of lightning at him. He teleported away again before it hit him. Reappearing before Luz, he swung upward. She barely managed to avoid the attack. Amity tried to attack him from behind, only for Outcast to raise a wall between himself and her.
Amity's fist struck the wall, and Outcast flicked his wrist. The wall slammed into her and pushed her back. She crashed into the edge of the arena and became sandwiched between the two walls. Her muscles screamed as the blocks slowly crushed her. She did everything she could to hold them back, using her strength and Abominations to assist her.
Royal and Luz attacked Outcast in unison. Royal swiped at his head with Lament, only for Outcast to weave his way around it. His glaive deflected each of Luz's lightning bolts into the ground. Outcast twisted his hand once again, and Luz instantly sank up to her waist. The solid data constricted her, leaving her stranded as Royal continued to trade blows with his brother.
"So you've moved on from your glaive," Outcast said as he parried a strike. "What a shame. It was such an elegant weapon, unlike that hunk of metal you call a sword." He pushed Royal away and swung his blade through the air, sending a few waves of energy toward him. Royal dodged and retaliated with a fireball.
"Though I do recognize that blade. Where is it from, I wonder?" He asked, catching the fireball with another wall. He teleported into a stab aimed at Royal's chest, only for the Warlock to catch it with Lament. Royal pushed it away and brought his sword up and around. He gunned the engine mid-swing, and Lament began to wail. Its teeth spun, hungry to bite into Outcast's bronze armor. Outcast parried using the shaft of his glaive. A glimpse of recognition washed over him as he listened to the engine rattle.
"CLOVIS!" Outcast roared, fury overtaking him. He shifted his glaive, causing Royal's sword to slide off. Before he could recover, Outcast grabbed him by one of his fins and delivered a vicious headbutt. Amity finally managed to free herself and charged toward Outcast, firing her rifle as she did. The bullets bounced off his armor as he turned to face her, his previous jovial carelessness now long gone.
Amity let her gun fade into transmat as she drew close, instead opting for two spiked gauntlets. She struck Outcast repeatedly, with him effortlessly blocking every jab and cross she threw. Eventually, he blocked a left hook with his forearm. His free hand came around, striking her in the face. Her helmet shattered under the impact as she fell to the ground, revealing a bloodied, terrified face.
"That glimpse of realization," Outcast mocked. "That flash of fear. That moment when a lesser creature meets a higher power. That is what I live for." Summoning his glaive to him, he prepared to impale her chest. Before he could, a storm of Arc Light slammed into him. Having freed herself with her Splicer gauntlet, Luz flung more electricity at him.
Royal pushed himself off the ground, still dazed from having his head almost caved in. He activated his comm line, hoping that Osiris could hear him.
"We need an immediate extraction," he said, his voice modulator slightly damaged. Not waiting for a response, he raised Lament and revved the blade. Before he could do anything, Outcast teleported behind Luz and seized her by the throat.
"I don't see why he cares about you so much," Outcast hissed. "What makes you so special?" He began to squeeze, crushing her neck in his hand.
Amity rose from the ground, wiping the blood off her face. She saw Luz clutched in Outcast's hand and let out a furious scream. Light coiled around her arm, molding into a shield of Void energy. She flung it toward Outcast, who only had a split-second to realize it was coming before it cut into his chest. Outcast howled and dropped Luz as Royal charged in. He brought Lament down on his brother and forced him back.
Behind Amity, a swirling portal opened. Osiris barked through the static of her radio, ordering her through. She quickly picked Luz up and chanced a glance at Royal. He continued swinging away at Outcast, his sword biting into his brother's skin-steel. He brought it back around for another swing. This time, Outcast was faster. He caught the sword in his hand, stopping the spinning teeth with his own raw strength. All of the wounds Royal had inflicted were already patching themselves back together.
Amity quickly traced a spell circle with her foot, commanding a large Abomination to rise behind Outcast. He had only a second to look up before the golem's fists slammed into him. Royal stumbled back.
"Come on, we've got to go!" Amity shouted. Royal spun and raced toward the portal. Outcast was already tearing through the Abomination, dismantling it with ease. He glared at the retreating Guardians and lashed out with his hands. The Vex Domain twisted, snapping at their heels as they dove through the portal. It snapped shut, leaving Outcast alone in the endless digital expanse. He glared at the spot where the portal had been, his eyes burning with malice.
Royal's feet crashed into the ground as he exited the portal. Amity landed beside him, falling to her knees as she cradled Luz. She looked down at the Warlock in her arms, a small amount of blood still tracing its way down her face. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Luz said a tad awkwardly. "Thanks for the save back there."
"Anytime," Amity said with a smile. Luz was glad her helmet was still intact; otherwise, everyone would be able to see the reddish tinge in her cheeks. Across the room, Osiris was already in motion.
"What happened in there? Did you slay the Mind?"
"Fantis is dead," Royal said, grimacing slightly as Lancer patched him up. "But we weren't the ones who finished it off. I'll explain once we're somewhere more private." He glanced at the assembled House Light Splicers, and Osiris nodded in agreement. Eido quickly made her way over and helped Luz back to her feet.
"Royal," she began, her voice shaky, "who was that?"
My fellow Warlocks, this year's Guardian Games is not going well for us. Curse those Hunters, and their larger player counts.
Also, we've got Amity and Outcast both in the story proper now. Took my time getting there. I've got more to get into with the next chapter, but that's not for now.
Frank180: has royal ever encounter asher mir, while he was on the vex network? (amazing chapter as always)
He has never met Asher Mir. He would be vaguely aware of who Asher is, but he never met the man.
davisjustus99: This better be Eda or Amity.
Well, it was Amity. Don't know why Eda would be buried on Earth.
hornig3: Nice to see Royal mellow out a bit. Also damn, if Luz shows her control of stasis to other guardians she might be getting a bit popular. When we get to Neptune Royal is going to have a pain with strand, literally, while Luz will "control" it with ease. Let's see where the cards fall.
This is but the start of a long string of reflection and growth for Royal. As for Lightfall, I have a few ideas in mind. Nothing concrete, and it's a long way out, but I have ideas.
bryan.925: The PICTURES! They're not just pictures! They are memories! I willing to bet they will play a significant role in the future!
It's reviews like these that make me worry that y'all will think the story gets plotted by the reviews because you guys have such an impressive track record for calling plot points a chapter before they get revealed.