Hunters.
That is all I have to say. That is the greeting y'all get today.
Hunters.
Moving on from that, I hope you all had a laugh at yesterday's little April Fools prank. I know I sure as hell did. Now for something I've been meaning to share but kept forgetting: Amity's Guardian design!
Head: Hardcase Helm
Arms: Deep Explorer Gauntlets
Chest: The Shelter in Place
Legs: Brave titan Greaves
Mark: Knightly Noire Mark
Shader: Dusk Mine (That's an uncommon tier shader, it was hard to find one that fit this look.)
This design was meant to be far simpler than Luz's, but I think it fits her well enough. Now, onto the chapter.
If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you liked. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review initiating a cascading vacuum decay that will leave the entire Universe as an unrecognizable hellscape beyond Human comprehension.
Chapter 11: Dream of Blades
"Nobody has time for speeches these days. Shoot the fuckers and be done with it." - The Marauder
Royal crept through the Vex Domain, his hand cannon at the ready. His fingers curled around the grip, comfortably fitting over the trigger. The grip was worn from so many years of use, and the barrel was still smoking from its last shot. He pressed his back against a large data block, dimmed his optics, and focused.
The Vex moved all around him, bending and contorting in ways that would shatter the mind of an unprepared soul. He listened to their rhythms, to the pattern they all adhered to. The currents all flowed in a single direction, save for one. This thread was corrupted, choked with Taken essence. This Mind deviated from the pattern. Royal grinned and placed his hand against the ground. He followed the flow, tracing it through the winding void.
"Have you found it?" His Ghost, Ransack, asked. Royal holstered his hand cannon and drew a flaming knife.
"Quria can't escape us this time," he said, carving the Hunter's symbol into the ground. With practiced ease, the Gunslinger slipped the knife back into its holster and set off. "I'm coming for you, both of you."
"Wait, wait," Royal said, fighting off a fit of laughter. "It gets better. So then, after I scared her half to death, I just waltz right into her office."
"You didn't," Elisabeth said, a smile on her faceplate. Royal grinned and nodded.
"Oh you better believe I made myself very clear to Odalia. By the time I was done, she looked like she had seen the face of death itself."
"Stars above, she sounds like an absolute bint," Elisabeth said. "And believe me, I know a terrible parent when I see them."
"You have no idea," Royal said wistfully before his face shifted to a contemplative frown. "You know, after the Vex were defeated, she just kinda disappeared. It was the weirdest thing."
"Doesn't sound like anyone would miss her," Elisabeth said. Royal chuckled at that.
"Right you are. What do you want to hear next? Oh, how about when Eda and I absolutely schooled Lilith and Steve in a Grudgby match?" His expression turned sullen at the memory. Elisabeth seemed to notice his sudden mood shift.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "It's just now that Luz is back, it's really started to set in that they're all dead by now. I'll never get to see them again."
"I know how you feel," Elisabeth said, setting one of her hands atop his in a comforting manner. "After the Collapse, I was on my own for so long. Everyone I'd ever known had been swept away in the massacre. But I kept my head up and found new people to care for. A few people from my old life even turned back up."
Royal smiled sorrowfully as he thought of the friends he had left behind. "Eda always had a way to keep me on my toes. I think you would've liked her." The two sat in silence for a moment, listening to the gentle Europa winds. After a moment, they both became aware of their hands still being in contact with each other. Royal turned his hand over so that their palms were pressed together. It felt nice to be able to talk to someone who understood and he wanted to relish in her comfort. Before either party could carry forward, Lancer sounded a charm in his ear.
Royal groaned and reluctantly pulled his hand away as he stood up. "Lancer, what is it?"
"Just got an urgent message from Osiris. He needs you back in the Tower an hour ago," Lancer said
"Tell him I'll be there," Royal replied before turning to Elisabeth. "Duty calls. I'll be back, promise."
"I have matters of my own to attend to," she said, rising from her seat. "Don't keep me waiting." She gave Royal a wink and sauntered off. Royal watched her go while his Ghost watched him, a knowing look in his optic.
"What does Osiris need?" Royal asked, turning to his ship. His Ghost beeped.
"Message didn't say, but I bet it's urgent." His optic darted to Royal. "Didn't mean to cock-block you there."
"What are you getting at?" Royal asked as he prepared his ship for takeoff. Lancer scoffed, overplaying it to a considerable degree.
"Oh, come on. Even you aren't that thick. It was obvious what was going on there."
"I have no idea what you mean," Royal said pointedly, turning his nonexistent nose up. Lancer rolled his singular eye, seeing now that Royal was either denser than osmium or was being deliberately ignorant.
"Sure you don't," Lancer said as the engines roared to life. "I ship it."
"What was that?"
"I said, punch it." Royal obliged, and soon, his ship was splitting the atmosphere. Elisabeth watched him go, her gleaming optics locked to his ship as it grew fainter and fainter. She pulled her hood a little tighter and turned away.
"I hope you keep that promise this time." Her Pouka appeared beside her, gliding through the air and fixing her with its twisting gaze. Elisabeth rolled her optics. "Not now, Fish."
The trip back to Earth was smooth, and it wasn't long before Royal docked at the H.E.L.M. He swiftly navigated the vessel until he arrived at the bridge. He ducked into the side room where House Light had hooked up their Servitor.
When he arrived, Luz and Amity were waiting for him, each seeming a little out of sorts. Amity had an air of righteous indignation and pent-up frustration. On the other hand, Luz appeared gloomy and looked as though she hadn't slept well. They perked up as Royal entered, and the three collectively exchanged greetings.
"Good to see you two," he said. "I trust your time was spent productively." They each avoided his gaze, prompting him to raise an eyebrow. Any question he might have had went unasked as Osiris entered.
"Good, you're all here, and not a moment too soon," he said. "Mithrax and I have something to report." He gestured to the large Servitor as it came to life. The spherical machine's lone eye darted wildly for a second before fixating on the three.
"The Light is fading, Guardians," Mithrax said. "We know the name of the sickness in the heart of the network. Quria strangles the Light."
"I have managed to isolate the Dreaming Mind," Osiris chimed in. "It is critically vulnerable. Should we strike and uproot the Mind, we may well undo the Endless Night."
"Sounds easier said than done," Amity said.
"Indeed, Guardian Blight," Mithrax said. "It does not bend the Vex Domain as we Splicers do, but twists it, shatters it, and pushes the shards through the skin of reality. It is forcing its terrors upon us. And if it succeeds, there will be nothing left."
"This is really it?" Luz asked, crossing her arms. "We take this thing out, we stop Savathûn. Are you sure we're ready?"
"No Splicer could stand before a being of such power… but you are like no Splicer before you," Mithrax said.
"I requested your presence specifically," Osiris said. "Royal, for your experience, which rivals only my own; Luz, for your skill with manipulating the Splicer gauntlet; and Amity, for that extra edge that only an unforeseen weapon can provide."
"If we go back in there, won't Outcast be waiting for us?" Royal asked. Under his mask, Osiris parsed his lips.
"It is possible, but that is a risk we must take," Osiris said. "If Quria is as powerful as we suspect it is, your brother will be drawn to it like the opposing poles of a magnet. If there was ever a chance to kill him, it would be now."
"So be it," Royal said, looking to his companions. Amity rolled her arms to loosen her muscles and summoned a Void shield. Luz pulsed her body with Arc Light and nodded to Royal. He turned back to Osiris. "Let's finish this."
"May the Light guide you," Mithrax said. A few nearby Splicers activated their gauntlets and another portal of swirling data opened before the three. Luz looked at Royal, a slightly worried look in her eyes.
"You ready?"
"Nope." Then, he stepped through. There was the familiar sensation of weightlessness, absence, and that ever-present feeling of being watched. But this time, there was something else. The Darkness was potent here, tightly bound in this space. He landed in the same expansive, jade-tinted liminal space. Luz and Amity landed behind him, ready for combat. Luz immediately stepped forward, activating her gauntlet.
"When Guardians first stole into this realm, I did not believe they could achieve what they have," Osiris said over the feed, his voice tingling slightly with static. "But now, here you are. Invading the heart of the Vex. The very embodiment of the impossible." Luz opened their entryway and they began to file through. "Despite everything you've accomplished, I've managed to underestimate you. I won't make that mistake again."
"Yeah, we're amazing," Amity said before leaping across a gap. Light surged through her legs and boosted her comfortably over the pit. She stumbled a little on the landing, still trying to adjust to her expanded range of movement. They progressed as usual, dodging deletion matrices and slipping through tunnels.
The exit of their passage drew close, and they dove through, arriving at Quria's domain. The sky was choked with corrupted energy, shrouding the area in a dull, hazy glow. Royal felt the Network pulse and ripple; it was not resisting the Taken presence but incorporating the blight. Luz stepped up to the edge of their platform and looked into the distance. A few thin strips of data floated before them, offering the only path forward. More nets of deletion flowed down the path.
"This is a Vex disintegration domain," Osiris instructed. "It eradicates unneeded simulation data and abandoned terraforming projects. Beware those barriers; they will destroy all matter they touch."
"Don't have to tell us twice," Luz said as she dropped onto the first platform. A few barriers came rushing down the field. Luz easily avoided them, leaping from platform to platform like it was second nature. She reached the end of the field and turned back, gesturing for the others to follow.
Amity and Royal joined her soon after, crossing the field without issue. There had been a close call when Amity's foot got caught in a small crevice, but a quick lash of Abomination magic had managed to pull her free. The three pressed onward and the Vex Domain rumbled.
"What was that: Outcast or Quria?" Luz asked, panning the space around them with her auto rifle.
"Quria, without doubt," Mithrax said. "It has shielded itself in multiple layers of this domain. It hides, a festering rot deep within the core of this network." The Kell of Light paused as he conferred with his Splicers. "Savathûn's eye is upon us now. I can feel her. It is as if this moment was unavoidable… fated."
Royal held out his hand and set it alight. He felt the Light writhing against unseen pressure that threatened to snuff it out. "I agree. The Darkness is thick here. Wherever Quria is, it must be close."
The journey was slow and cautious. Every pulse, every flicker, every minute snap in the fabric of the Vex's programming could be a threat. Resistance was minimal, little more than a few scatter groups of minor Vex frames. They were dispatched quickly. Royal brought Lament down upon the last Goblin of one such group, splitting it in twain.
"This feels wrong," Amity said. "If Quria is so important to Savathûn's plans, why isn't it better defended?" Royal knelt and set his hand against the ground, sensing the push and pull of the Vex. He felt their cold, disinterested contempt for life. He pushed further, feeling around him with his Light. Finally, he found what he was looking for. He could practically taste the Solar ashes. Another Guardian had been through here.
"Has anyone else been dispatched to assassinate Quria?" He asked. Osiris responded with a negative, prompting Royal to bring his hand to his chin in thought. He followed the trail of Solar energy to a spot nearby. There, carved in the ground, was the Hunter symbol. Royal placed two fingers against it and grinned. "We've got some inside help." He stood back up and pointed further down the path. "Let's keep moving."
As the three pressed on, Luz fell back to Royal, letting Amity take point. "So, where did you vanish to?"
"Went to Europa," he said tactfully. "Needed to clear my head."
"And you went to Europa to do it?" She asked.
"It was good for him," Lancer said. "He got to spend some lovely quality time with a certain Exo who has, and I quote, 'a fine ass'." Royal did his best equivalent of closing his eyes and sighing while the two cackled.
"Sounds like someone's got a crush," Luz teased.
"No comment," he said. "Speaking of things utterly unrelated to what we're discussing, what did you do while I was out? Did you get up to anything interesting?" Luz's mood immediately soured, and she tucked her arms under her chest. "What happened? Did anyone hurt you?"
"No!" She quickly said. "Well, kinda, yeah." Royal's posture tightened, and fire began to crackle between his fingers. "It was sorta my fault. I was down visiting Eido and a mob of civilians tried to attack. I intervened and almost killed one of the rioters. Took a hit to the head, but it wasn't anything major. And… there's more." She told Royal about her encounter with Marq at the ramen shop and what had happened to him in the aftermath, her voice wavering the whole time. Royal listened without making a sound. Once she was finished, he set a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.
"It's going to be alright," he said, trying to soothe her. "He went to attack you. You were just defending yourself… and your friend." He had to force those last words out, but Luz seemed to appreciate the sentiment.
"That doesn't change anything," Luz objected. "He's dead! Because of my actions!"
"No," Royal said forcefully. "He had a choice—we all have a choice—and he chose to attack you. What happens after that is the consequence, nothing more."
"What would you have done in my place?"
Royal shook his head, "probably something far worse." He gave her a pat on the back. "You can't let this get to you. We are all forced to make hard choices in the moment that we regret later. Do you think I'm proud of everything I've done? No. But I can't do anything to change it. Live with your choices, learn from their consequences."
As Luz accepted his words, Amity rejoined the two. She bounced on her feet, adrenaline coursing through her limbs.
"We've got a large group of Taken ahead," she reported. "They're protecting a stronghold of some kind." She looked between the two. "Did I miss something?"
"No, we're fine, I just had a question for Royal," Luz said, already pushing forward. "Come on, these Taken aren't going to kill themselves." Amity watched her go through the visor of her helmet.
"Well that's lovely," she muttered dejectedly. "She used to confide everything in me."
"Just be patient," Royal said. "She still loves you; she just needs to remember it." Amity sighed wearily and the two regrouped with Luz at the edge of an ample, open space. Royal peered around the corner. Taken were patrolling the area. His optics darted between the inky constructs and took note of their ranks: Plenty of Vex, a good amount of Hive, and even a few Cabal milling about. Across the open field was a massive structure of glowing prisms. Darkness seemed to emanate from this place. It was so thick that they were practically treading through it.
"They're protecting that stronghold," Amity said, pointing to an entrance. Royal hefted Lament, propping the bulky weapon on his shoulder.
"A frontal assault would be difficult," he said. "Luz, your thoughts?" The woman thought for a moment, assessing the small army before them. She looked around the field's edges, where walls of data reached into the sky and the thick, incredibly tall columns stretched from the ground across the compound.
"The ridge is higher on the right side," she said. "It would offer us a better vantage point to rain fire upon them. Royal, a few well-placed grenades will collapse those pillars on the Taken. Amity, if any of them try to flank around us, you send them right back to their master."
"Yeah, I think that'll work," Amity said.
"Taken are strong but not very smart," Royal mused. "Catch them on the back foot, and they'll go down easy."
"I agree," a fourth voice said. The three looked up and saw a Hunter sitting on a small outcropping above them, his legs dangling over the ledge. He pushed off his seat and landed beside them. The Hunter stretched his arms as he drew to his full height. "However, the Taken have an Ogre protecting that fortress and a beefy one at that. I haven't been able to find a way past." He stepped closer, only to be met with the barrels of Luz and Amity's rifles. He held up his hands in a show of surrender, and Royal gestured for them to lower their guns.
"Easy, he's a friend."
The Hunter placed his hand over his chest in mock offense. "I'd say we're a little more than that." Royal and the Hunter clasped each other's forearms. "Well met, brother."
"Marauder, you son of a bitch, good to see you," Royal said. "Didn't know you were still out here."
"Come on, Scholar, don't talk about our mother like that," Marauder quipped. "Besides, I can't leave yet. Not while Champion is on the loose." The two relinquished their grips as Royal frowned.
"You've run into him too?"
Marauder gave a bitter laugh, "You could say that. I've been hunting him down, along with Justicar, Seraphim, and Nomad."
"We could use their help," Royal said. "Where are they?"
Marauder turned his head down. "Dead. All of them. Champion got to them first. He's different now, changed. The Vex have taken his mind."
"Or it's the other way around," Royal said. "Paladin, Venator, and I were the first to see what he had become. He is a Champion no longer. He is the Outcast, now and forever more."
"Outcast," the Hunter said. "Fitting. I've been hunting the Blade Transform. He can't resist a Mind of that power. What it offers is too tantalizing for him."
"Then we have your support?" Royal asked. Marauder laughed and gestured to his companions.
"So long as you introduce me to your friends." Royal complied and introductions were made. Marauder seemed to get on with them well enough. He'd always been one of the most easy-going versions of Royal out there. Royal hadn't known him for long—they'd only met briefly during Royal's unintended stay in the Vex Domain all those years ago. Granted, due to the way time worked in the Vex Domain, briefly could've been five minutes, five decades, or anything in between.
The four took up a perch atop the right flank, just as Luz had recommended. Royal charged a pair of fusion grenades while Luz set up her machine gun. Amity readied her weapons while Marauder simply drew his knife.
"Is that all you have?" Amity asked. Marauder flipped the blade in the air and caught it.
"Don't worry about me, kid, I've been doing this since before you were raised."
"How do you know that?" Amity asked, genuinely curious.
"It's all in the stance," Marauder replied smoothly. "Comes with experience." Their conversation ended when Luz held up her hand, all five fingers splayed. She began to count down. Once she hit zero, the Guardians sprang into action.
Royal flung his fusion grenades at the most prominent pillars in range. They exploded, consuming the nearby Taken in searing Light. The pillars swayed as the explosions rocked them. However, they refused to fall. Luz opened fire with her machine gun, spraying the horde with Arc-infused bullets. The Taken were already reacting, beginning to shamble toward the Guardians. Gunfire splashed the edge of their perch, but their elevated position kept them from getting hit. Royal cursed at his half-finished job but had little choice save to draw his own machine gun and open fire.
Marauder lightly backhanded Amity's armored shoulder, just hard enough to get attention, and pointed to the pillars that were just barely standing. "Think you can hit that support with a shield?"
Amity took a moment to gauge the distance before nodding. "What about the other one?"
"I'll handle it, just focus on hitting your own," he said. Amity reached back with her right arm and manifested a shield of Void Light. She lined up her shot and threw it into the horde. The shield bounced between a few of the Taken, moving as though it had a mind of its own. Amity directed its trajectory with her will, carefully guiding it closer to the target. She was still getting the hang of the technique.
The shield bounced off its final target and headed straight for the pillar. It sliced through the remaining support, finally allowing the rectangular structure to fall onto the writhing mass of Taken constructs. Marauder stepped up beside her, drew his knife back, and threw it as hard as he could. The blade spun end-over-end as it soared through the air before finally planting itself in the base of the column.
Seeing the question forming on Amity's lips, Marauder held up a finger. "Wait for it." The knife's pommel flashed twice before letting out a high-pitched whine. The knife exploded with a payload far beyond anything it should be able to carry. Marauder recreated the knife in his hand as the second column collapsed. Countless more Taken were crushed, leaving their forces severely depleted.
"Nice work, guys," Luz said. "Let's mop them up." On the ground, a Taken Knight unleashed a torrent of flames that arced over the ledge. The flames splashed on the ground around them, forcing Luz and Royal to abandon their perch lest they be burned to death.
Royal was opening fire the second he hit the ground, his SMG spraying bullets in every direction. Luz landed and immediately began slinging blasts of Stasis. She felt the Dark energy subtly curling within her, waiting for its moment to strike. A being that was once a Cabal Centurion stomped close to her, preparing to cave her skull in with the bulk of its rifle. Luz dodged around its blow, grabbed hold of its armor, and unleashed a storm of lightning. The Centurion burst in a shower of gore as its shields overloaded. Lightning danced between a dozen nearby Taken, frying them to death.
Luz retched in disgust as she wiped the Taken ooze off her face plate. Royal took a second to deadpan at her, half of his body similarly painted. A quick burst of Solar Light evaporated most of it and he returned to unleashing massive swathes of flame over the Taken. Amity and Marauder remained above, providing covering fire with their weapons.
A Taken Phalanx charged at Luz, shrugging off gunfire with its shield while spraying explosive slugs at her. She managed to avoid the brunt of the damage as it closed the gap. The Phalanx attempted to strike her in the face with its shield, only for Luz to dance out of the way. It tried again, backhanding with the bulky shield. She wove around it and punched the Phalanx in the chest, pushing it back. It screeched and planted its shield in the ground as the center began to glow a blinding white.
The front of the shield burst, unleashing a swell of sheer concussive force that flung Luz into the wall behind her. The wall of data cracked as she crashed into it. She was acutely aware of a few ribs cracking with an audible crunch. She clutched her gut as the Phalanx leveled its rifle on her.
Before it could blow her brains out, a cry sounded out from above. Amity slammed into the ground between the two, planting a shield of her own in the ground. The shield expanded into a wall of semi-solid Void energy. Light washed over Luz, wrapping her in a protective shell. The wall absorbed most of the gunfire. Baring her fangs under her helmet, Amity charged through her wall and plunged her fist into the Phalanx's chest. The Taken shrieked and brought the stock of its rifle down on Amity's head with a dull thud that did little to stop the rampaging Titan. It raised the weapon to try again, but Amity was ready this time. She caught the blow in her free hand and crushed the Phalanx's arm in her fist.
While the Phalanx writhed, Amity plunged her other fist into the Taken's chest. She let out a grunt of exertion as she lifted it. Light wove into her muscles as she hefted the bulky alien overhead. A feral scream escaped her lips as she tore the Phalanx in two. The two halves fell to the ground in a messy heap. A nearby Taken Psion backed away as Amity took a few heavy breaths.
Luz looked up at the Titan standing over her protectively. It was a good thing she was wearing a helmet. As much as she may be unwilling to admit it, there was a fire burning within her. And it wasn't Solar Light.
"I've got your back," Amity panted, reaching down and offering Luz a helping hand as Aurora reknit her ribs. Slightly flustered—and more than a little impressed—Luz accepted.
"Yeah, thanks," she said. "If I've got you watching my back, then I've got nothing to worry about." Before Amity could respond, another Taken Knight opened fire on them with his explosive Boomer cannon. Amity raised her shield, absorbing the blows while Luz prepared to electrocute it. She didn't get the chance, as Marauder dashed past, severing the Knights head cleanly from its neck with his knife.
"Ladies, please, save the flirting for after the fight," Marauder said with a cheeky head tilt. Before either had a chance to respond, the ground rumbled under the weight of something massive. Royal looked up from a Taken Minotaur he had just cut down.
"Big and ugly, inbound!" he shouted. A colossal Taken Ogre smashed aside another pillar of data as it strode closer to the Guardians. The pillar crashed to the ground with an audible thunderous boom. The Ogre slammed its oversized fists into the ground and roared. Amity and Luz covered their ears at the overwhelming sound.
The Ogre grabbed hold of another pillar and, with a mighty heave, tore it from the ground. It swung the construct like a bat, aiming for a low sweep. Royal, Marauder, and Luz were able to leap over it with minimal difficulty. Amity, still familiarizing himself with her boost, wasn't so lucky. The pillar caught her center mass and sent her flying across the field. Amity was barely able to cushion her fall with a quick Abomination net. It wasn't enough to prevent her from letting out an audible cry of pain as numerous bones were pulverized and her organs were reduced to paste.
"Go help her," Royal shouted to Luz. "We can take care of this beast." Luz shot a two-fingered salute and quickly dove across the field. The Ogre raised its weapon to crush her flat, only to catch a lash of Solar Light from Royal's Dawnblade. He flew around the Ogre as it tried to bat him out of the air, flinging waves of flames as he did. Marauder circled around its feet, leaving trip mines and explosive knives for the Ogre to tread upon.
While the two Royal's distracted the Ogre, Luz reached Amity and crouched beside her. Pal was fast at work, shining beams of Light onto his Titan to force her damaged body back together. However, for every wound he patched up, it seemed like three more needed focus. Luz snapped her fingers in front of the Titan's faceplate and didn't receive any response. Digging her fingers under Amity's helmet, she tore it free. The Witches face was a mess of bruises and torn skin. A part of her skull was exposed, and the bones visibly cracked. Her eyes were unfocused and it looked like her mouth was filled with blood. She retched, unable to breathe as crimson vitae flooded her smashed lungs.
Luz took a quick breath to steady her nerves before channeling her Light. She let it pour out around her into a pool of healing energy. Energy from the rift fused with Amity, slowly and surely repairing the extensive damage done to her body. The woman's pained gurgling faded, replaced by steady breathing. Her skin dragged itself back across her wounds as her bones sealed themselves together. Amity blinked once and then twice as her focus returned. Amity sat up, rubbing her forehead with her hand. Still a little weary, she looked up at Luz whose face was one of relief.
"You got my back; I got yours," Luz said. Amity smiled.
"That is a sight I don't mind waking up to."
The tender moment was ruined by another stomp from the Ogre. Marauder had barely dodged out of the way of the Ogre's massive foot. It swung its weapon at the Hunter, only for Royal to bring his Dawnblade down on the creature's elbow. The Orge unleashed a horrific shriek as its lower arm fell off, leaving a burning stump behind. The acrid smell of charred Taken matter assaulted everyone's noses.
The Ogre's forehead glowed as it prepared to unleash a surge of rotten energy. It owned fire, blasting Royal right in the chest. His concentration broken, the Warlock plummeted from the sky. The Ogre attempted to stomp forward to crush him, only to tread on another tripmine left behind by Marauder. The bomb detonated with a flaming boom, causing the Ogre to stagger. Marauder rolled in front of it and thrust his hand into the air. Solar Light rushed up his arm, molding itself into the shape of a hand cannon. He poured all his might into this weapon, infusing it with the power of the Sun's infernal core. His free hand morphed into a thumbs-up as he aimed directly at the Ogre's forehead. It let out one last defiant roar as Marauder pulled the trigger.
Luz was forced to shield both hers and Amity's eyes as a blinding flash of Light erupted from the end of Marauder Golden Gun. The shot tore through the air with the screech of a phoenix. It slammed into the Ogre and instantly annihilated the beast. The monstrosities body exploded, disintegrating into nothing more than ash. Marauder spun the flaming revolver around his finger before letting it fade away.
"Showoff," Royal jabbed, recovering from his forced reminder of Newton's third law. Marauder shrugged.
"What's the point of immortality if you can't have a little fun with it?"
"Then all that is left is the stronghold," Royal said while Luz, supporting Amity on her shoulder, rejoined them. The more petite woman was clearly having difficulty holding up the Titan, so Royal took the weight off her. "You alright?" He asked Amity.
The Witch grinned, "Right as rain. Just give me a few seconds, and I'll be back on my feet."
"Quria awaits," Marauder said, looking toward the entrance. He drew his hand cannon and loaded a fresh magazine. "Let's not keep it waiting."
The four marched into the stronghold, where dozens of branching paths awaited them. Marauder took a second to feel the Vex Domain before pointing down a path. Amity returned to her own two feet, and they began to move.
"What's your goal after Outcast is dealt with?" Royal asked his brother. Marauder took a moment to think before shrugging.
"Don't have one. He's been the only thing that's mattered for so long."
"You don't want to go home?" Royal asked as they took another turn.
Marauder let out a bark of laughter. "What home would I return to? The city was razed decades ago."
"You could come back with us," Luz offered. "Anything would be better than here."
"I don't think any universe is ready to hold two Royal's," Marauder said.
"Paladin and Venator settled in just fine," Royal said. "Though they're probably still in the Demon Realm."
"I'm sorry, in the what now?" Marauder asked. Royal let out a laugh of his own.
"It's a long story; I'll tell you once we're out of here." He held out his hand. Marauder looked at it for a moment before cracking a small smile and accepting it.
"You drive a hard bargain. Beside's Venator still owes me a beer."
"You'll have to wrangle it from her Lightless body."
The path continued to twist and bend as they walked. Royal kept a rifle squared at his shoulder. Luz tried her best to mimic his posture. Amity brought up the rear, watching to ensure they wouldn't get flanked. She glanced at Marauder as he slowed down to walk beside her.
"I saw what you two were doing back there," he said bluntly, causing Amity's cheeks to flush slightly. "It's cute. Are you two… you know?"
"We were," she said. "Before we were Guardians. But she doesn't remember me anymore. It's been rough, looking her in the eye and not seeing that spark."
"Ah, til death do us part," Marauder said. "Well, if you did it once, I'm sure you can do it again."
"That's what Royal—sorry, Scholar said. I don't want to come across as trying to force anything on her, but I also don't know what I'll do if she decides she doesn't want to be with me again."
"It's better to miss your shot than never make it in the first place," Marauder said. "At least a miss is something you can learn from. Believe me, I would know."
"You got someone of your own?" Amity asked. Marauder smiled sadly.
"I might have, a long time ago," he said. "But I never took my shot, and I missed my chance. Don't make the same mistake I did."
Amity nodded as they reached the end of their path, where a swirling portal awaited them. Marauder gave a flourishing bow and dove through. Luz and Amity went next. Royal took one last look behind himself, trying to shake a sudden uneasy feeling that had settled over him. Seeing as the feeling wouldn't fade, he turned and stepped through.
The four were in the middle of an expansive void, with the only structure being a circular series of platforms wrapped around a central podium. A few other side platforms were present. The entire area was empty, devoid of even the Taken Blights that had dominated the Vex Domain.
Suddenly, a feeling of overwhelming power washed over the area. The Guardians took the brunt of the force without much issue. In the center podium, a small point of data was rising. It unleashed a blinding radiance as it expanded, slowly morphing into a titanic Vex Hydra. A series of impenetrable barrier shields appeared around the Mind, slowly moving to protect its vulnerable areas.
"There it is," Osiris said over the feed. "Quria, Blade Transform. The Dreaming Mind."
"Guardian, this is it!" Saint-14 roared, having arrived to personally oversee the final push. "Fight with everything you have!"
"The Light shall protect you," Mithrax said. Quria gave a few chirps that could almost be mistaken for curiosity as it regarded the four Guardians. Its body was coated in a sickly black matter with a glistening white sheen. The Taken Mind released a screech that brought pain to the ears and began charging its weapons.
Before it could fire, the Vex Domain pulsed. Royal and Marauder both recoiled, clutching their helmets in pain. Behind the Guardians, another platform of data appeared, and a figure wrapped in bronze armor stepped out of a wall atop it. With a flick of his hand, Outcast summoned his glaive. He regarded the Mind, his two brothers, and the other Guardians without reaction.
"Brothers," he said, his voice projecting across the arena as Quria brought its might to bear on him. "What a pleasant surprise. Marauder, it's been too long. How's Seraphim doing?"
Marauders grip on his knife tightened. Royal gestured for him to be cautious. "We'll take him together once Quria is dead."
"To hell with that," Marauder snapped. "Take him now!" He rushed forward as Royal shouted, trying vainly to make him stop. Marauder leaped across the gap toward Outcast, his hands filled with flaming knives. He flung them at Outcast, only for the corrupted Exo to casually twist his hand. A wall appeared between the two, absorbing the knives. Outcast let the wall fade as Marauder landed before him, his knife already flashing.
Royal cursed and prepared to leap over to help, only for Outcast to raise a finger. Another wall appeared between the platforms, preventing Royal from reinforcing his brother. Royal cursed again as Quria opened fire. The three Guardians scattered, with Luz and Amity opening fire on it through whatever gaps it had in its shield.
"This is for Justicar!" Marauder screamed as he slashed at Outcast's throat. The strike bounced off Outcast's glaive. "For Seraphim!" He delivered a few rapid stabs at Outcast's chest that were all blocked. "For Nomad!" He brought up his hand cannon and tried to plant a shot in Outcast's face. Outcast simply leaned out of the way and let the shot go wide. "For everything!"
Royal crouched behind Amity's barricade as Quria hammered into their position. Amity was busy reloading her grenade launcher while the wall began to splinter. On the other side of the ring, Luz coalesced her Stasis power into her hand. She threw it on the ground, ordering it to take shape. The Darkness molded itself into a Bleakwatcher, a small turret that immediately locked onto Quria and began unleashing a hail storm.
The fire from the turret slipped past Quria's defenses and struck the Mind. It rattled and unfurled its body. Large translucent blocks of crimson data manifested before it. They began to fly toward Royal and Amity.
"Deletion protocol, move!" He dove out of the way, Amity right on his heels. The deletion protocol flew over them, crackling with destructive energy. Royal drew a bulky linear fusion rifle. It was an ancient weapon born from the design of the Warmind Rasputin. Sleeper Simulant began to charge, its barrel glowing bright red. A massive beam of crimson energy blasted Quria directly in its optic, causing the Mind to shudder.
The plates constituting the Minds form slid over each other as it refocused. Its shields drew in until its entire body was concealed. The platform under Royal and Amity began to fade. The two sprinted to safety as quickly as they could. They both jumped right as the ground dematerialized. Enhancing his flight with stellar winds, Royal managed to land safely. Amity was not so fortunate. She fell short of the platform's edge and Royal's outstretched hand. With a startled cry, she plummeted into the bottomless void.
Knowing she had to think quickly lest she be wiped from time, Amity summoned her shield and planted it in the sheer vertical face before her. Her shield cut into the data construct and tore through it, slowing her descent to a crawl before arresting it completely. Amity let out a sigh of relief and coated her hand in Abomination goo. She flung it upward and the purple slime latched onto a small outcropping. She began to pull herself up, with Royal giving her a helping hand once she was in range.
Across the arena, Luz was busy dodging cannon blasts from Quria. She leaped over one as it exploded beneath her, rolled on her landing, and slid under another. Once she came back up, she peppered the Dreaming Minds shields. Her bullets fizzled out of existence as they met Quria's protection. Cursing, she was forced to resume her dodging as Quria opened fire on her.
"I can't punch through its defenses!" She shouted, struggling to be heard over the sounds of battle. Royal lashed out with a few blasts of fire. Quria was left without so much as a slight singe.
"Your gauntlet!" He shouted back. "Can you use it to scramble the shields?"
Slipping behind a block of cover, Luz deployed her gauntlet and inspected it. She flinched a little as Quria hammered her only source of protection. Large, blocky chunks were being torn off with every shot, leaving her more and more vulnerable. "Maybe, but I'd need someone to guard me while I do it."
"Leave that to me," Amity said. "Royal, draw it's attention!" The Dawnblade quickly saluted before leaping forward and punching at the Mind with both fists. His fists unleashed a cyclone of fire, washing over Quria with the fury of an erupting volcano. Unbothered by the intense heat, Quria brought its fury down on Royal. While he dodged, Amity and Luz made their moves. Amity rushed across the arena, a shield already forming in her hand.
Meanwhile, Luz dropped to one knee and aimed her gauntlet at Quria. The gauntlet began to focus her Light into a chisel that slowly started chipping away at the Minds shield. Quria ceased firing on Royal and turned to face her. It fixed Luz with its eternal, unblinking stare. It lined up its weapons and prepared to open fire. Luz held her ground, positive that she was almost through the shields. The blasts flew through the air in a dazzling, neon-colored arc toward Luz.
Seconds before impact, Amity slid between Luz and the blasts. She raised her shield, channeling her Light through it to project a massive wall of Void energy. Amity's barrier shuddered as the blasts slammed into it. The wall flickered but ultimately held, buying Luz the last few precious seconds she needed to pierce the barrier.
Quira shrieked as the shield fell and summoned more matrices of the deletion protocol. Amity and Luz dodged out of the way, allowing Royal to capitalize on Quria's opening. He swung his Dawnblade in a wide arc, unleashing a vast swathe of searing Light. The flames rocked Quria, melting its form and burning away the Taken corruption. The Mind let out an unholy sound as its plates shifted once more. Taken energy swelled within the Mind. A glow emerged on the tip of its dangling tail and began to rush up the frame until it reached Quria's optic. It waited a half-second to line up its shot. Royal dashed through the air, flinging more lashes of sunlight. Unfortunately, he had just placed himself directly in Quria's sights. The Mind fired a colossal sphere of shadowy energy that tore through the air. It struck Royal directly, enveloping him in raw, potent Darkness. The Warlock cried in pain as his Light receded. His flames extinguished, he plummeted to the ground.
Seeing the Warlock's wings be clipped, Amity created a large Abomination hand. She lunged to catch him, easing his crash from a meteor impact to a hard landing. Royal's body convulsed as Dark energy rippled through him.
Luz saw her teacher go down, saw him writhing in pain, and saw him fail to stand back up. At that moment, all she could see was red. Her blood chilled, and the temperature around her dropped drastically. Crystals began overtaking her arms and legs and she tried to step forward. Darkness swirled within her, threatening to drown out her mind. Quria had to die. The Blade Transform must be torn apart. The machine-spawn needed to feel fear, needed to feel pain. And if it could not feel, it would be taught.
Luz fell to her knees as Stasis continued its assault on her mind. Amity was trying to shield Royal from Quria's continued barrage, but her shield was beginning to crack. She was calling to Luz, but her voice was drowned out by the blizzard raging inside her. Luz took a deep breath and focused on the spark of lightning and the ember of flame still within her. She channeled her Light, forcing Stasis to a stalemate. She would destroy the Mind for the right reasons; not vengeance or a desire for violence, but to protect all it threatened.
"I am not your puppet," she hissed. "You. Bend. To. Me!" The growing Darkness shattered, succumbing to her willpower. She was a Guardian. She would not be broken. The blizzard shrank away, yielding to her power. Now unobstructed, Light flooded through every part of her body. Lightning surged through her every nerve; she had never felt so close to the Traveler.
With a small jolt of panic, Luz realized her Light was overflowing. Erratic bolts of lightning shot out of her body in every direction. She clutched her right arm and began to force her Light into it. The limb began to shake as her Light became more concentrated. It felt like it was about to explode from the sheer power coursing through it. She flung her arm toward Quria, palm first, and unleashed her power.
A blinding beam of pure Arc Light erupted from her palm, illuminating the area around them with its radiance. The beam slammed into Quria and immediately blasted a hole through the Mind. Its form was racked with crackling electricity, forcing its guns to fall silent. Amity lowered her shield and dropped to one knee, panting with exhaustion. She looked on, watching with stars in her eyes as Luz atomized the Mind. Quria's form began to fall apart as Luz's power destroyed it. The Dreaming Mind let out one final, ear-splitting shriek before collapsing. The Mind head fell free from its body, rolling off the podium and stopping at Luz's feet as her power faded. She swayed to the side, her strength fading. Luz fell backward, only to be caught in Amity's arms.
"Quria is dust!" The Witch shouted as she dragged Luz closer to Royal, his body still convulsing. "We need a way out, now!" The structures around them began to shake and dissolve, fading back into the Vex Network.
"NO!" Luz blinked the exhaustion out of her eyes and looked to the source of the shout just in time to see Outcast beat Marauder to the side. "Do you have any idea what you've cost me?" Grunting in pain, Marauder forced himself to his feet and tackled Outcast from behind. He planted his knife in his brothers neck. Outcast flung Marauder off him and gripped the knife.
"Did you really expect a mere knife to hurt me?" He snarled. Marauder, his helmet long since shattered, gave a pained but still cocky grin.
"There is nothing mere about that knife." The pommel flashed twice and let out its characteristic whine before exploding, wreathing Outcast in Solar flame. A portal opened behind Amity, and she grabbed the two Warlocks by their collars to drag them toward it.
"Marauder!" She shouted. "We need to go!" Marauder looked at her before glancing back at Outcast, the bronze-armored warrior already getting back on his feet, no worse for wear. He tried to step back, only to find his feet trapped by the Vex Domain molding around them. Marauder reached for his knife, and Outcast's glaive flashed. Marauder stared blankly at the sparking stump that was once his right elbow. A few wires hung out of his mangled limb.
Outcast backhanded his brother, sending him to one knee. Amity tried to move forward to help, but the ground in front of her disintegrated. She looked to the prone forms of Royal and Luz, then back at Marauder.
"Get out of here," Marauder ordered, his voice stuttering due to the damage dealt to his vocal systems. He tried to move, but Outcast grabbed him by the shoulder and flung him back to the central platforms. Marauder grunted as he hit the ground. He looked up at Amity, his left eye flickering. "I'll be right behind you."
Amity tried to summon an Abomination to assist, only for Outcast to wave his hand. The golem fell apart, dispelled before it could take shape. He wagged a finger disapprovingly. "You're in my world; you play by my rules." He teleported closer to Amity, only to catch a Golden Gun shot to the back. More of the ground faded, dropping a large chunk of data between the two parties.
"I'm not going to tell you again," Marauder said, barely avoiding a stab from Outcast. "Get out of here!" Seeing no other options available, Amity reluctantly nodded. She scooped up the two Warlocks in her arms and, after sparing one last glance at Marauder, dove through the exit portal.
Outcast watched the three escape his clutches once more and glared at Marauder. The Gunslinger offered his best smile, though his faceplate was heavily dented and torn apart. He threw a swarm grenade that Outcast easily dodged. Outcast's glaive came up and bit into Marauder's chest. The Gunslinger didn't even have the strength to cry out in pain as he fell to his knees. Outcast reached out and wrapped his fingers around Ransack. He crushed the Ghost, unleashing a massive shockwave of Light. The last of Marauder's strength abandoned him, and he went limp.
Outcast took a moment to gloat as the world fell apart around them. "Your ambition outstrips your ability," he said, grabbing Marauder by the neck. The Hunter, his left eye long since dimmed, met his brother's gaze.
"I'm sure you think you're so much better than us. That only you can do what needs to be done," the Hunter spat. He grabbed Outcast's wrist with his one good arm. "Once, you were the greatest of us. We respected you, looked up to you, wanted to be like you. Now look at you. You've shown us how weak you truly are. You are enslaved to your past, and blind to your future. Too hateful to truly live, too spiteful to finally die. I'm sure, in her last moments, Renegade cursed the day she found you."
Outcast stared at him, his expression hidden behind his helmet. His body was almost entirely still, save for his hand. His fingers twitched, and his grip was slowly tightening. Marauder let his head tilt back and accepted his fate.
Outcast let out a feral scream as he tore Marauder's head clean off his shoulders. Marauder's spine dangled from Outcast's grip, still leaking coolant fluid. Outcast met his brother's vacant stare and snarled before kicking his body into the endless void.
Amity fell through the portal and landed on solid ground, her passengers spilling from her grasp. Everyone around her was cheering; the Splicers, the Human workers, and, loudest of all, Saint-14. The only one in the room that was silent was Osiris. He waited behind the group crowding around the Guardians, watching with his inscrutable gaze. Amity drowned them out and crawled over to Luz. She tore Luz's helmet off, seeing that the woman was conscious but clearly exhausted. Royal was coming, too, groaning with pain as his systems rebooted.
"You have done it!" Saint cheered, pulling Amity to her feet. Royal forced himself up as well, staggering under his own weight. A few Eliksni helped Luz to stand as she nursed her head. Saint clapped Amity on the back. "You have broken the Blade Transform! The Endless Night is over!" A cheer rose from the crowd that none of the three Guardians joined in on.
"You need to reopen the portal," Amity stammered. "Marauder, he needs our help."
"We cannot go back through," Osiris said, his stern voice cutting through the festive mood like a bullet through flesh. "Marauder is on his own."
"We have to help him!" Amity shouted. "He's stuck fighting Outcast on his own! If you won't open it, I-" She was cut off when the air behind her snapped. In the spot where the portal had previously been, a new one appeared. Everyone stopped and turned to look at it. Saint drew his shotgun and racked a shell, ready for whatever might step through.
Rather than a person, the only thing that came through was a small object roughly the size of a cannonball. It bounced off the ground with a dull metallic clang, stopping at her feet. The Lightless scattered, fearing that it may be a grenade. Amity slowly crouched down and gently wrapped her fingers around it. She picked it up and held it in the air.
Marauder's head was clutched between her fingers, his jaw hanging loosely. His left eye dangled from the socket, connected by a single chord. Behind her, Luz retched. He may have been an Exo, but the thought of someone having their head torn off with their spine still attached sickened her. Royal took the head from Amity, staring at his brother's visage with regret. He set it on a table and pushed his loose eye back into place.
"Rest well, brother," he whispered. Luz set a hand on his shoulder while Amity bowed her head. Saint and Osiris remained silent as a sign of respect, though Osiris's gaze never left Royal. The Dawnblade took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. His synthetic lungs didn't truly need the oxygen, but the exercise calmed him, if only slightly. He repeated this cycle a few times, flames growing and shrinking on his body in tandem with the rhythm.
"One of these days," he said. "I will get my hands on you, brother. And when I do, I'm going to kill you."
I wanted to wait until all three of the dev streams were finished before discussing Into the Light. And what I have to say is that it looks really fucking good. It's insane that we're getting as much, if not more, content as the 30th Anniversary, all for free. And to think that this wasn't planned ahead of time and was thrown together in a few months. This all looks great, and I can't wait to play it.
Also, The Final Shape gameplay reveal in one week. We're almost at the end.
Reviews from the April Fools
Elthreee: loved this chapter. why did ghaul come back and kill everyone tho?
Because they were weak and undisciplined, cowering behind their walls.
Frank180: what an amazing chapter, it surpassed all my expectations.
Dawww, stop; you're making me blush. (Keep going)
davisjustus99: Creature of steel, my gratitude upon thee for my freedom. But the crimes thy kind have committed against humanity are not forgotten. And thy punishment... Is DEATH!
You make a compelling case. I have but one simple counterargument: heads or tails?
Reviews from Chapter 10
Frank180: lakshmi, believe me when i say that amity is not the weirdest thing a ghost has resurrected, in the lore books a ghost resurrected a human baby (ghost stories, if anyone is curious)
Yeah, Destiny lore gets weird sometimes. Also, haha, Space Racism. Gotta love it.
Elthreee: "I merely question why the Traveler would choose such a creature to be a Guadrian,"
Lines like this always make me laugh a little, especially knowing what species the Traveler chose to be Guardians. And saying it to 'Osiris' makes it even better. Though I wonder if our favorite arthropods will wield the Light, or perhaps some other kind of power?
Glad I can make chuckle. But if you're implying that the Hive might wield Boiling Isles magic... eh, I wouldn't bet on it.
davisjustus99: Don't you dare kill Royal. But I do want to see how Luz interacts with Savathûn and the other Hive Broods and maybe the Cabal Legions. Especially Empress Caital's.
Huh, that's odd. I suddenly have an overwhelming urge to murder Royal. Wait, I did technically kill him in this chapter. Funny how that all works out. If you're waiting to see how Luz interacts with Caital and the Blue Legion, you'll be waiting for a while. In the meantime, might I advise you to check out Mind of Opulence by the wonderful (and handsome, if the rumors are to be believed) Elthreee. That might just scratch your itch.