Hello, you goobers; I have returned. I managed to make some good progress; the next few chapters are written and just need to go through review. I hope it was worth the wait.
If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you like. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review ordering the mods to do something wacky and/or comedic to me.
Chapter 15: A Royal Welcome
"Come… kill us! Death is our Sword!" - Fikrul, the Fanatic
The distinct hissing of Amity's ship depressurizing filled the hangar of the H.E.L.M. as she docked. Her ship rumbled as it set down, scaring Ghost, who had no frame of reference for such a machine. The Palisman had clung to her Witch for the entire flight, quivering with fear. Amity stroked the magical creature's spine to calm her before disembarking.
She appeared in the hangar alongside Luz, who had joined her. The woman seemed uncomfortable, trying to avoid meeting Amity's eyes. Stringbean was coiled around her neck like a shawl, sleeping peacefully. The two had been called here by Mara Sov; Royal would have accompanied them, only to be held back to help with the situation regarding the Isles. As such, another Guardian had been assigned to assist them.
Iris was waiting for them, leaning against the entryway. She waved the two down as they approached. "Glad you got the message; Mara's waiting for us. Let's not keep her majesty waiting." The Hunter spun on her heels and set off into the depths of the H.E.L.M. She led Amity and Luz to where the Queen of the Reef awaited them. Mara was conversing with another Awoken woman wearing an eyepatch and Crow. They only caught the tail end of the conversation as Mara saw them enter and dismissed the other woman. She bowed and stepped to the back of the room. Crow acknowledged Luz and Iris's arrival with a friendly nod before shooting Amity a look. She responded in kind, discreetly rolling her eyes as he turned away. A large portal sat in the back of the room, leading to an unknown destination.
"Approach, Guardians," Mara said, turning to face them. "Believe me when I say that I did not know of Savathûn's deception until she arrived in the Dreaming City. She offered me a bargain: if I exorcise her worm, she will release Osiris and help us defeat the Darkness and their Black Fleet. We have spent the last day finalizing the arrangement."
"Making a deal with someone literally named 'The Mother of Lies' seems like a recipe for disaster," Iris commented. Amity couldn't help but nod in agreement; she had experience with Dark entities before, and if Savathûn was anything like the Collector, this could only end poorly.
I recognize the risk," Mara replied. "Her inevitable betrayal is all but a guarantee. But without her worm, Savathûn is vulnerable: unprotected by the security of her throne world."
"Throne world?" Amity whispered, leaning over to Luz.
"A pocket space that grants the most powerful Hive immortality," she replied quietly. "So long as Savathûn is trapped here, she can't reach hers."
Mara stared at the two, clearly a little annoyed at being interrupted. Once she had their attention again, she continued. "To separate Savathûn from the parasite inside her, I need the Techeuns: skilled Awoken mystics."
"I have experience handling Tech Witches," Iris remarked. "Though, mostly in shooting at them. I doubt that'll work here."
Mara nodded. "Few still live. Most were lost when Xivu Arath ambushed them. But I can still feel their minds." She gave Amity a pointed look. "The mystic Compass you hold will reveal pathways to each lost Techeun. Relight the pathways of the Ascendant Plane and guide my people back to me." She gestured to the eyepatch-wearing woman at the back of the room. "My wrath, Petra Venj, will brief you further." With that, Mara turned and stepped through the portal.
The woman in the back now revealed to be Petra Venj, stepped forward. "You heard the Queen. We must recover the Teheuns to free Savathûn from her servitude to the worm gods. I will tell you how. Imagine the Universe as a set of coins stacked one on top of the other. The top coin is our reality. The bottom: the Ascendant Plane. Between them lies an intermeshing of ever-shifting pathways known as Ley Lines. Almost all of the ancient pathways are now defunct, but beings of paracausal ability can navigate and rebuild them. This is the art of Wayfinding."
Petra stopped her spiel when Amity quietly raised her hand. She nodded to the Titan, giving her permission to speak.
"Yeah, I only understood about twenty percent of that," she said. "Still a little fresh out of the grave here. I only learned what the Ascendant Plane was yesterday, and now you're asking me to comprehend a bunch of weird metaphysics nonsense."
Petra sighed and rubbed her forehead, covering her one good eye. "Of course. All that you need to know is that our lost Techeuns are stranded somewhere among the Ley Lines, and they're leaving us markers to follow. I'll forward you the coordinates to the first marker. It should tell us what Ley Line to look in. Then, we'll use the Blind Well to tear open a rift and send you in to find them. Any questions?" Amity awkwardly raised her hand again. Petra pressed her lips together tightly. "Questions from anyone else?" When neither Luz or Iris spoke up, she nodded.
"Xivu Arath is desperate to capture her sister. Her forces, which now include the Taken, will attempt to stop you at every turn," Crow said. Petra gave him an odd glance before looking back at the Guardians.
"Farewell and good luck," she said. Iris clapped her hands and turned to leave, with Amity and Crow behind her. Before Luz could join, Petra grabbed her by the arm.
"Listen, I know Crow intends to accompany you," she said, low enough that the others couldn't hear. "Queen Mara also wants him close. Our Techeuns were lost under my watch. This cannot fail. Not because of him."
"I've worked with Crow," Luz said, pulling her arm free. "He knows what he's doing. If we fail, it won't be because of him."
"You have no idea who he is, do you?" Petra asked. Luz frowned, not understanding what the Queen's Wrath was implying. Petra regarded her curiously before shooing her off. "Go, don't keep the Queen waiting." Luz nodded sharply and left without another word, though she could feel Petra's stare burning a hole in the back of her head. Luz followed the others to the hangar. Crow had seemingly gotten into a spat with Amity as they tried to determine who should be trusted with the Wayfinders Compass. Iris watched them, more bemused than anything. Seeing Luz enter, she pulled the Warlock aside.
"Petra giving you a hard time?" She asked, having overheard the mood of their conversation.
Luz nodded. "She doesn't seem to like us much. And she definitely doesn't like Crow." Iris hissed uncomfortably as she realized something.
"That's right, you don't know. Look, it's not my place to divulge, but let's just say there was some bad blood there before Crow was a Guardian. As for you, try not to take it personally. Petra's just wound up a little tight. She should lighten up once we get our boots on the ground."
"I'll take your word for it," Luz said. "We should probably get moving; we're burning sunlight out here." Iris grinned and gave her a light slap on the shoulder.
"That's the spirit." She turned to the other two, who were currently wrestling over the Compass. As she was physically larger and had some help from her Abominations, Amity currently had Crow trapped in a headlock. Iris snatched the Compass out of Amity's hands with ease. "Alright, you two, save it for the enemy. It's time to mount up and move out. Crow, I need you working your magic with the Ley Lines; see if you can't pull Xivu's forces attention away from us."
Crow freed himself from Amity's grasp, briskly dusted himself off, and boarded his ship. Amity flipped him off as Luz approached her.
"Do you have to keep antagonizing him?" She asked.
"It's not my fault he can't take it," Amity responded. "Besides, there's just something about him that keeps setting me off. He reminds me of Ed and Em before you helped straighten them out." She saw Luz staring at her blankly, not recognizing those names. "Right, they were my brother and sister. Honestly used to be assholes, then you did what you always do." Amity smiled to herself at the memory.
"it's clear that you two just got off on the wrong foot?" Luz proposed. "Try to meet him halfway." Amity grumbled for a moment, clearly not on board with the idea. Eventually, she relented and went for her own jumpship. Aurora popped out beside her Guardian.
"You're not gonna tell her about your whole memory situation?" She asked. Luz's face twisted into a slight grimace.
"I'm… still processing all of that," she said. "It's just dawning on me that we had a family. That's a lot to get over all at once."
"Have you considered talking to her? You'd be surprised how often that works," Aurora replied with a barely detectable trace of snark in her voice. Luz pouted, giving her Ghost a look of annoyance.
"You've been spending too much time with Lancer." With that, she boarded her ship and took off. She fell into formation behind Iris while she guided them to the Dreaming City.
"Alright, kids, listen up 'cause I'm only gonna say this once," Iris said over the radio as they entered the Dreaming City. "Our target is the Blind Well, a sort of doorway between the Dreaming City and the Ascendant Plane. The bad news is that doors open both ways. Xivu Arath is trying to use it to get to her sister."
"So we're stepping right into the middle of the Universe's most messed up sibling squabble?" Amity asked. "Well, isn't that just wonderful."
"We've reached the Blind Well," Iris said. "Prepare for transmat." The engines on Luz's ship rattled as the air around her began to distort. There was a familiar feeling of weightlessness as she was transported down to the surface. Stringbean stayed in her ship; Luz didn't want to risk exposing her to combat against the forces of the Darkness until the two were more comfortable. She appeared a few feet above the ground and dropped, holding her weapon at the ready. The others appeared around her, all looking ahead apprehensively.
Before them was a massive building that gracefully arced into the sky. Thick, viscous blobs of Taken corruption clung to the walls, rotting away at the arches. A few Awoken Corsairs were waiting for them, holding their own sleek weapons. One of them beckoned for the Guardians to enter; they would hold the entrance. The radio crackled as they moved forward, and Petra began to speak.
"Welcome to the Blind Well, Guardians," she said. "Xivu Arath seeks to capture it so she can use it as an entryway to invade the Dreaming City and capture Savathûn. It must be held at all costs."
Rather than respond verbally, Iris drew her crimson and black pulse rifle. Within the temple was a large circular chamber with a strange fountain-like contraption resting in the center. Dozens of rotten creatures huddled around the device. They wore armor of patchwork metal scraps and leather. Their faces were covered, save for their mouths, which were filled with dozens of sharp fangs. Most possessed four arms, with some clutching crude-looking weapons.
"What are those things?" Amity asked, trying to keep her voice down as the three Guardians snuck closer.
"The Scorn," Iris replied. "Dead Eliksni resurrected through the power of the Ahamkara and the Darkness. They're vicious and don't exactly have a sense of self-preservation anymore. Keep them at barrel length."
Luz took another look at the Scorn, recognizing them from the descriptions she had read. Her lips curled in disgust. These things were perversions of the Eliksni, an insult to their lives. She would put these beasts down for their sake. Her eyes specifically fixated on a Wraith. The Scorn was a bulky mass of half-decayed flesh and corroded metal. It held two torches that crackled with flames. A few strands of rancid saliva dripped from its fanged mouth. It let out a low growl, swaying as if waiting for something.
"Move on my mark," Iris whispered. She held up her left hand and began counting down from three. On zero, they sprang into action. The Scorn reacted instantly, bringing their weapons to bear and unleashing a barrage of energized bolts and frenzied howls. Luz's hand cannon barked, popping the heads of a few Scorn Stalkers as they tried to rush her. Their skulls burst with Ether, similar to that of the Eliksni. However, Luz could tell by its ocean-blue coloration that it was corrupted.
Beside her, Amity flung her shield through the chest of a Raider. The bisected Scorn detonated with volatile Light, bringing a few others down as their shots slammed into her armor. Another Scorn rushed her, wielding a massive flail burning with incense. It tried to bring the weapon down on Amity's head, only for her to backdodge it. A geyser of flames erupted from the point of impact. Before the Ravager could recover, Amity punched straight through its chest. She pulled her hand out with a disgusting squelch as the decomposed flesh clung to her armor.
"I'm gonna need a deep cleaning after this," she said, backhanding another Ravager. A smaller Scorn bristling with glowing sapphire boils rushed her. Its six limbs curled, and it leaped at Amity. She swung her fist into the diminutive creature, tearing its flesh beneath her gauntlet. As the Scorn died, the boils in its body began to glow as fluid sloshed about within them. The creature exploded, coating Amity and the other nearby Scorn in searing blue liquid.
Amity screamed in pain as the liquid Dark Ether melted the outermost layers of her armor. She frantically began trying to brush the liquid off her armor as more of the small Scorn rushed her. Luz stepped over, flinging Arc bolts into the front of the Scorn lines. She triggered a chain reaction that consumed the entirety of the Scorn lines. The Blind Well seemed to shake under the explosion.
"Watch your fire down there; we're not trying to destroy the Well," Petra said brusquely. Luz winced at the result of her destruction while Amity continued trying to liberate herself from all the burning Dark Ether.
"Mind the Screebs," Luz said. "They explode."
"Really, I had no idea," Amity said, her voice rather grumpy. She removed a gauntlet and shook the last of the Dark Ether and decaying flesh off it. "I'm never going to feel clean again."
Iris finished off the last of the Scorn with a few bursts of gunfire. Seeing them collapse, she lowered her rifle and activated her radio. "The Well is clear, Petra. You can send us in."
"Understood. The Corsairs will move in behind you and secure the area." The air began to hum with Awoken magic as the Blind Well activated. The veil between realities fractured as the Blind Well carved an opening. "Hold onto your teeth, people."
The Blind Well unleashed a blinding flash of energy that forced the Guardians to shield their eyes. The next thing Luz knew, she was standing atop a large plateau covered in grass the color of shining emerald. A path of shimmering sand led toward what Luz guessed was a crystalline computer terminal attached to a large spiral device. A few Taken drifted through the area, twitching madly as they growled to themselves.
"Xivu Arath's forces have infested this area," Petra reported. "The Taken rifts are destabilizing the Ley Lines, making alignment impossible. Activate the terminal, and eliminate the Taken." Iris cracked her knuckles and approached the Taken, fading from sight before she was detected. Wreathed in Void Light, she moved toward the terminal.
"I'll start the alignment process," she said over the comm line, keeping her voice to a low whisper. "Clear out the Taken and keep them off my back."
"What, you pulling seniority on us?" Amity quipped as she drew her shotgun.
"No offense, but you two aren't exactly built for stealth," Iris replied. She reached the terminal and, using the Wayfinders Compass, began to interact with it. The device hummed to life, prompting the heads of every Taken in the vicinity to snap up. Before they could advance, Luz hefted her machine gun and planted it on her cover. She opened fire, cutting through the Taken horde like a buzzsaw.
"I can be stealthy," Amity said, blasting any Taken that got too close to vapor. She pumped the slide of her shotgun, ejecting the shell to hit the ground with a hollow clatter. "Luz, tell her how good I am at sneaking around."
"You're the best at it. I have to keep my eyes on you at all times, or else you'll just vanish." A Taken Knight howled as Luz's bullets tore it in half. She shifted her aim to cut down an encroaching mob of Taken Psions before they could duplicate themselves.
"Whatever you two say," Iris said. There was a loud snapping sound and a curse from the Hunter's lips. "Ow! Damn terminal stung me!" There was a pause as she assessed the source of the issue. "I see the problem; it's got no power."
"If you need batteries, I know where you can find them," Petra said. There's a deposit not far from you. The batteries are charged with Paracausal energy; it will take strength to move them. Good luck, Guardians."
A ping appeared on Luz's display, marking the location of the batteries. They rested in a pile atop another plateau connected by a narrow bridge. Amity tried to send an Abomination to scoop them up, only for the golem to be swiftly torn to shred by the Taken.
"Any other ideas?" Luz asked, ducking behind cover to reload her machine gun.
"Hang on, I've got one," Amity replied. "Darius taught me a few tricks." Thick purple sludge crept up her body, starting from the ankles and rising to her head. She attempted to melt into the ground and teleport across the plateau, only for her magic to destabilize and leave her in place. Unsure of what she just saw, Luz offered some pity applause.
"Titan damn it," Amity hissed. "Why isn't this working?" She tried again, only for the magic to fail her once more. "Now is not the time to have performance issues! Here, just cover me. I'll get them myself." Luz offered a thumbs up, and Amity prepared her shield. After swapping her shotgun for her pulse rifle, she charged out of cover. Holding her shield up in one arm to absorb the Taken's shots, she retaliated with a constant stream of bullets. Luz focused fire on the bulkier targets, gunning them down before they could attack. Iris also contributed a little, chucking smoke bombs into the Taken horde, leaving them disoriented and confused.
Amity crashed through their lines, reducing most of them to molecular paste. One, a Taken Captain, charged to meet her. It brought its twin swords down on the Witch. She blocked the strikes with her shield and struck back with a spiked punch to the Captain's gut. Gelatinous onyx liquid spilled from the wound. The Captain's blades came back around in a blur, forcing Amity back. It scored a few shallow cuts in the exposed bits between her protective plates. Her shields flared as the corrupted weapons began to corrode them.
While Amity was backpedaling, Luz peppered the Captain with a few shots. It flinched under the barrage and teleported erratically to throw off her aim. It flung a cloud of corrupted energy that was not too dissimilar from the one Quria had used, though far weaker. As Luz dodged out of the way, Amity charged the Captain. Her shoulder slammed into the monstrosity, sending it to the ground hard. The Captain landed on its back and tried to push itself back up. Before it could get the chance, Amity brought her shield down on its midsection. A horrific screech escaped its lips as the creature was split in half. Its upper half tried to drag itself away, leaving a trail of oily lifeblood, only to finally collapse and dissolve.
With her path now unobstructed, Amity secured the batteries. After summoning an Abomination to help her, she scooped up two of them and rushed to Iris as fast as possible. The Taken had been severely depleted and were little more than a nuisance to be picked off by Luz.
As she drew close, Amity chucked one of the batteries to Iris. The Hunter caught and inserted it with ease. The contraption came to life with a hum. An ethereal gleam shone from the machine as it pierced into the Ascendant Place. Iris fiddled with the Wayfinders Compass while Luz tried to peer over her shoulder. As far as they could tell, the machine was at work.
"Whatever you just did, it's gotten the Taken in a tizzy," Crow said over the comm line. The sound of gunfire could be heard. "It feels good to be back in the field; the Vanguard has kept me cooped up in the Tower for too long."
"From what I see, the Guardians are doing most of the work," Petra replied. Crow began to say something, only to be cut off by a loud roar.
"Oh, that's not good," he said. "Xivu Arath is sending some of her most ferocious Taken to secure the Blind Well."
"Iris, I'm rerouting your team back there," Petra quickly said. "We cannot allow them to establish a beachhead for the Hive!"
"We won't let them lay a finger on it," Amity said. The air around them began to distort, and they were pulled through space again.
By the time they reached the Blind Well, the Taken had already overrun it. The bodies of most of the Corsairs were strewn about. They lay in bloody clumps, their bodies savagely torn apart by the Taken. The few survivors were cornered on the far side of the room, firing their weapons at the Taken. Most of their fire was focused on a large Taken Ogre, which was clearly the source of the roaring Crow had heard earlier.
"Move in and assist the Corsairs," Iris said. She instantly summoned a bow of Void Light. She drew back, took aim, and unleashed a volley of binding tethers that latched onto the Ogre and the broader Taken. Most of the lesser infantry disintegrated on impact, and the Ogre turned to face the Hunter. It roared and fired a blast from its forehead. Amity quickly intercepted it with her shield and sent forth a lash of goo. It latched onto the Ogre's swollen face, and she pulled with all her might. The beast stumbled forward, now vulnerable to a concentrated lightning blast from Luz. The Void tethers biting into the Ogre pulsed and burst, decimating the remaining Taken.
The Ogre tried to pull itself back up, only to receive a burst of nanite-infused rounds to the forehead. Its flesh burst as it was torn apart by SIVA nanomachines, and the Ogre collapsed. A few of the remaining Corsairs let out a quiet cheer before setting about to tend their wounded. Iris took one last look around before turning on her radio.
"The Blind Well is secure, all in a day's work."
"Well done, Guardians," Mara said. "The Reefborn thank you. If we are to survive the coming storm, the Tower and the Dreaming City must stand united."
"We'll hold the Bline Well together," Petra said. "As we open more Ley Lines, we can start exfiltrating more of our lost Techeuns."
"And once my coven is reassembled, we'll exorcise Savathûn's worm and put an end to her lies. Once and for all." Amity frowned at that particular choice of words but didn't comment. Aurora perked up as she received a message. Luz gave it a quick read before tapping Amity's shoulder.
"It's Royal. He needs us in the you-know-where," she said, glancing at Iris, unsure how much she could disclose. The woman in question gave a bemused smile before waving them off.
"Feel free; I can finish tracking down the first Techeun myself. I'll let you know if anything of interest pops up." With that, she turned away and began conferring with the Corsairs. Amity and Luz took their leave, wondering what was so urgent that their immediate presence was required.
"I'm just saying, I think we should wait until Venator is back," Royal said. Paladin set a hand over his mouth as he leaned back in his chair. The two were currently situated in Paladin's office. The Titan was seated behind his neatly organized desk, where everything was kept tidy and controlled. Royal leaned against the wall beside the door, arms crossed as he watched his brother.
"Her being brought up to speed is not essential," Paladin said. "Besides, we still don't know when she'll return."
"What's she even doing, anyway?" Royal asked.
"Just investigating a minor disturbance. We don't suspect anything unusual, but with the Demon Realm, you can never be too sure."
"Fair enough." A knock sounded on the door, prompting Royal to withdraw from his perch.
"Commander, you have guests," Carolyn said. Paladin called out to let them in, and she opened the door, allowing Luz and Amity to enter. "I'll leave you all to your Guardian business." With that, she closed the door behind them.
"Glad you could make it," Paladin greeted. "I trust the directions weren't too complicated?"
"You say that like I don't remember the way," Amity said. She pulled over a side chair and slipped into it. "So, what's the situation?"
"I believe it is time to reveal your return to the Isles," Paladin said, prompting a double take from the two women.
"Are you sure?" Luz asked. "I thought Lydia wanted to wait."
"She does, at least until negotiations are underway," Paladin said. "But, since you do not technically represent the Isles anymore, you can choose yourselves. Of course, Lydia will understand that I did everything in my power to dissuade you from such an action."
"And then there's the matter of why he wants to do it sooner rather than later," Royal said, emphasizing his brother's role in the decision-making process. "He believes it will put additional pressure on Lydia, forcing her to capitulate more to the Vanguard."
"It will allow us to offer you more assistance far more quickly," Paladin said. "Simply put, if Lydia feels that she has more to gain by making the negotiations go smoothly, we will be able to facilitate inter-realm cooperation that much sooner. I don't doubt she would eventually ensure some arrangement; I am simply arguing for expediency."
"The centuries have turned you into quite the politician," Royal muttered, crossing his arms again. "I can already see the headlines."
"It's only a matter of time until word slips regardless," Paladin said. "My men are tight-lipped, but I can't guarantee that you won't be seen by stray eyes. Of course, the final decision ultimately falls to you three."
"Count me in," Amity said with an eager grin. "Getting the red carpet rolled for us out would be a wonderful sight."
"If it will help the Last City, then it's not much of a choice," Luz agreed. Seeing that he was outvoted, Royal sighed.
"Alright, it looks like we're going through with this. Let me know once you've told Lydia."
"Oh no, I'm going to set up the press release," Paladin said. He got up from his chair, opened a window, and stuck his hand outside. He drew it back in, pulling a crow phone with it. "Since it's totally your idea, you're the one who gets to speak with the president." Royal looked at the bird as it cawed, his expression tight and unamused.
"I hate you." With that, he took the phone and dialed the number Paladin provided him. The bird let out another loud caw before opening its beak. The Striker dismissed himself to arrange the meeting while Royal waited for someone to pick up. Eventually, he heard the sound of another crow being prepared.
"Yes, Paladin, what is it?" Lydia asked, her words brief and sharp. Royal could practically see her rubbing the exhaustion out of her eyes.
"Actually, it's the other one," Royal said. He took a second to gather his words, already regretting agreeing to this. "I just wanted to inform you that I have decided—through my own volition—to announce my return to the Boiling Isles in order to… soften the blow, so to speak."
The line was silent, leaving Royal tensely waiting while Amity and Luz watched. He reflexively curled and uncurled his hand until Lydia finally spoke.
"I understand." Her tone was surprisingly measured, not letting a thing slip. Royal was mildly taken aback. He looked at the other two, only to be met with shrugs.
"I'm glad that you agree," Royal said. "My brother is already arranging the press release."
"Very well," Lydia replied cooly. "Be sure to send me the relevant information; I shall see you there." Royal agreed and ended the call. Setting the crow on Paladin's desk, he gave it a slight stroke. The bird cawed happily.
"That went better than I expected," Amity said. "Almost a little too well. She must have something up her sleeve."
"She's a politician; of course she does," Royal replied. "May as well tell Paladin; he'll want to hear this."
It didn't take long for Paladin to get the meeting set up. After that, there wasn't much to do but wait for the news crew to arrive and set up, eager to hear Paladin's announcement. Lydia had arrived as well, alongside a few of her advisors. Paladin was busy speaking with her and the reporter on a live broadcast. This message would be seen by every crystal ball on the Boiling Isles.
The other three Guardians were off in Paladin's office, waiting for the Titan to call them in. Amity lounged in his chair, flipping through a book she had pulled off his shelf. Royal was knelt on the ground, keeping his head bowed as he meditated. Flames rhythmically pulsed over his body. Luz, for her part, was just pacing around the room. A bit of static energy could be seen jumping from the floor to the bottom of her feet as she walked, likely just her Arc Light flaring up.
"Nervous?" Amity asked. Luz jumped at the sudden sound before abashedly nodding. "No judgment, I just find it kinda funny. You've faced Vex Minds, Taken monstrosities, and an evil version of Royal—and that's just in this life—but a little bit of public speaking has you walking in circles."
"What am I supposed to say?" Luz asked. "These people think we're legends. I don't want to disappoint them." Amity let out a small laugh and reassured Luz that she would be fine.
Lancer let out a loud chirp. "Don't mean to interrupt, but they're moving onto the main topic." Royal finished his meditation and began to listen in. He could hear the voices through the door as they conversed.
"This meeting was called for a reason," Paladin said. "It is my great honor to announce that the portal to the Human Realm is once again operable." There were a few gasps from the assembled crew and reporter. Paladin waited for them to settle before continuing. "We have established contact with the Last City of Earth and are working to secure an alliance."
"Is there a reason why the portal reconstruction was kept a secret?" The reporter asked. Paladin chuckled with a humorous rumble.
"Who said we were the ones who rebuilt it? My brother, Royal-6 the Scholar, has returned to the Isles alongside a pair of familiar faces." Royal let out a sigh as the room went silent. He set his hand against the door and swung it open.
Outside the room were a dozen photographers from different newspapers and a camera crew. Lydia and Paladin were seated around a small table with the news reporter. The Witches' mouths were agape as they stared at the Guardians. A few moved to quickly snap pictures. Paladin gave a confident smile to the camera and moved over to his brother. He threw an arm around Royal's shoulder.
"Everyone back home, be sure to give the Hero of the Isles a warm welcome!" The photographers began to cheer and take photos of the two. Royal tried to mask his discomfort by putting on a smile. Once he was satisfied that enough pictures had been taken, Paladin turned to the other two. "I would also like to announce the return of the famous Luz Noceda and Amity Blight, back from the dead and infused with the Traveler's power." His words led to another round of pictures. Amity smiled and waved confidently while Luz looked about as uncomfortable as Royal felt.
Eventually, the topic shifted to an interview with the Guardians. The questions were incessant, and Royal deflected them as best he could, offering platitudes and half-answers. He kept things vague, only stating that he wished to once again help the people of the Isles. The reporters ate it all up. All the while, he could feel Lydia burning a hole in the back of his head with her gaze.
After a volley of interviews, the broadcast finally ended. The news crews reluctantly allowed themselves to be shooed out by Carolyn. Lydia also shared a few tense words with Paladin in private before departing.
"There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Paladin asked, patting his brother on the back. Royal frowned and shook his head.
"Thanks for offering me up like that," he said bitterly. "Next time, send me to fight a Goliath tank with nothing but a used toothbrush. It'll probably be easier."
"Sorry about that," Paladin said, bowing his head. "I know you're not comfortable with such things, but people need heroes to look up to. Besides, it's over now, isn't it?" He turned to Amity and Luz. "Now that word is out, you're free to roam the Isles. Just don't do anything Venator would do, alright?"
"You got it," Amity said. She grabbed Luz by the wrist and began to drag her off. "Come on, I've got to show you around." Luz didn't resist, allowing herself to be dragged away as she tried to stammer out a response.
Royal watched them go through narrowed optics. "Are you sure letting them out unsupervised is a good idea?"
Paladin shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. More importantly, it gets them out of the way. I have something I want to show you." He glanced around to ensure no one was listening in. "It's the real reason I wanted your return to be public knowledge." He gestured for Royal to follow him. His curiosity now piqued, Royal obliged.
The two walked outside, where Paladin mounted his sparrow. Royal did the same and followed his brother. Paladin led him across the Isles, down a familiar forest path on the outskirts of Bonesborough. They drew close to a large house on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Boiling Sea. The house was painted a pristine white, with a blue roof. A large eye-like window sat above the front door. It wasn't the same door Royal knew, clearly having been replaced some time ago. All in all, the Owl House looked almost the exact same as it had when he left.
"Venator and I clean the place out twice a month," Paladin said, watching his brother as he looked at the house silently. "Old promise to Eda." He paused for a moment. "She's buried out back along with Raine if you want to pay respects. I'll leave you in peace."
"I'd like that," Royal said quietly. "Thank you." Paladin nodded and excused himself. Royal continued staring at the Owl House, listening to the wind rustling the trees and blowing against his robes. Slowly, he stepped up to the door and gently pushed it open.
The inside of the house was pristine. Furniture was in place, the floors were swept, and a few pictures were hung on the walls. Royal's optics darted between them as he and Lancer browsed. There were pictures of Eda and Raine, along with what he presumed were their family and King. A few pictures of Luz could also be seen with the rest of her friends. There were even a handful of himself alongside the others. A small smile emerged on his face.
Eventually, he worked his way out back. There, resting in the ground, were a pair of tombstones. Lancer averted his gaze while Royal knelt before them, slipping into a meditative kneel. The inscriptions were long since faded, but Royal knew where he was.
"Hey, Birdbrain," he greeted. "Raine. It's… been a while."
Of course, there was no response except for the gentle whistle of the wind blowing through the trees. He hadn't expected anything of the sort. For a moment, he sat, content with the silence of the grave. Royal took a deep breath and stared at the ground.
"All this time, and I still don't know what to say," he said with an almost imperceptible smile. "Things have been going… well, they've certainly been going. Luz is back. She's a Guardian now. It's been difficult for her to adjust, but she seems to be doing well. I ran into someone I knew before… you know. Elisabeth Bray, I'm sure you remember me mentioning her. I'm still figuring out what exactly we are."
"Royal's trying to get himself a girlfriend," Lancer teased. "I can hardly believe it myself; never thought he had it in him." Royal rolled his optics, though he couldn't hide his grin.
"We've established contact between the Last City and the Demon Realm," he continued. "Just waiting for the wheels of bureaucracy to turn, so we all know how long that's going to take. People have been acting weird around me. I swear, if I go into town, they're going to start worshipping the ground I walk upon. I mean, I'm just an undead robot from another world who can shoot celestial fire with his mind. I'm not that special."
He paused for a moment, looking down at the ground. "They call me the Hero of the Isles. Can you believe that?" He let out a sharp, almost resentful laugh. "The Hero of the Isles!" The laugh died down, and his smile faded, leaving only a sorrowful, tired gaze. "As if there was only ever one."
He remained silent after that, kneeling before the two and simply mourning as the sun traced a path across the sky.
To say that Boneborough was currently in a frenzy would be an understatement. The streets were packed with people in response to the broadcast they had all just witnessed. Some were panicking, wondering what interaction with the Human Realm would mean. Most were overjoyed and amazed; living legends had returned.
Needless to say, it was difficult for Luz and Amity to enter town without being mobbed. As such, Amity had been forced to put her tour of Bonesborough on hold. Fortunately, King allowed them to swing by his place so they could chat. Luz was currently watching as Amity and King arm wrestled, each Titan trying to overpower the other.
Neither could force the other's arm to move. King remained focused but relatively at ease. Amity, on the other hand, was clearly struggling. Void energy curled around her arm, threading through her muscles.
"Your Light is no joke," King said, his voice slightly strained. "But I've wrestled with Paladin." Amity grunted as King slowly began to force her arm down. Eventually, she relented and tapped out. She shook her arm while King gave a few mock flexes.
"I almost had you," Amity said, rubbing her shoulder. Luz giggled, drawing Amity's ire.
"It looks to me that you haven't been exercising your Light enough," Luz said innocently. Amity sighed and looked down at her hands.
"Not for lack of trying," she said, slamming her fists together. "I've been trying to learn how to become a Striker, but it's just not clicking."
"Maybe I can help?" Luz offered. Her own hands began to spark with electricity. "You've got to feel the current. Listen to the positive and negative forces as they are separated, then direct them when they come crashing back together." She whipped around and shot a lightning bolt through a tree, instantly frying it.
"You know I live out here, right?" King asked. Luz sheepishly apologized while Amity took in a deep breath. She tried to draw power from the energy of all motion, only to find nothing. She let out a frustrated groan.
"Here, let me try something," Luz said. She took one of Amity's hands and let electricity pour into her palm. The charge flowed from one hand to the other, passing as effortlessly as the seconds of the day. Amity's breath hitched as she felt a surge of energy within her. She felt the swirling storm rage in her chest and relinquished control. Releasing her grip on Luz's hand, she let the storm's currents guide her actions and struck the air before her. The punch cracked like thunder, shooting a massive burst of Arc energy from her knuckles that destroyed another tree, prompting another protest from King.
"This is incredible," she said, looking down at her fists. "I feel so invigorated!" She punched again, sending another bolt into the sky. "So alive!" She gave a few more punches, though the lightning was dying down. She could still feel it within herself, dormant but now awakened. She looked back at Luz and smiled. "Thanks for the help; Paladin or Malek can probably help me practice more."
"I'm just glad that worked," Luz said. "Honestly, I thought I might end up just electrocuting you."
Amity narrowed her eyes. "Did you just admit to putting my life on a coin toss?" Luz huffed and rolled her eyes.
"You scared of a little static?" She teased.
Amity gave a menacing grin and cracked her knuckles. "Wanna test that idea?" She advanced on Luz, and the two began to half-wrestle and half-spar while King watched, offering his own comments and advice as blows were traded.
Deep within the confines of the Tower, a Ghost wove through the winding halls. She carefully stuck to the shadows, staying out of sight. She was very good at sneaking, a task that had aided her well in her quest to find her Guardian. Unfortunately, she was still without a partner. However, there were rumors that the Vanguard had discovered a new world filled with potential candidates. Osiris was even reported to have been involved before the Vex invasion.
She hid in the rafters as a few security frames walked past. Fortunately, they passed without detecting her. She let out a compressed sigh, her determination unwavering, and continued her search. She meticulously checked the dozens of sectioned-off rooms, each one coming up empty. She refused to let the setbacks discourage her; surely her Guardian would be behind the next door.
After almost an hour of searching, she found what she was looking for. There, sitting on the far side of the room, was a door-shaped portal. It was elegantly carved and intricately detailed, prominently featuring a massive amber eye at head height. Her curiosity piqued, she took a moment to ensure the coast was clear, before entering the room and flying up to the door. With a surge of bravery, she nodded and began to force it open.
The door swung on its hinges, revealing a bright swirl of flashing colors coursing with an energy she didn't recognize. The Ghost inspected it curiously for a second. After taking a moment to gather her courage, she flew through the portal and into the Demon Realm.
Similar to the first meeting with Savathûn, Royal's little scene there at Eda's grave is another of the main reasons I wanted to write this story.
Having finally gotten the chance to play Pantheon, hot damn it's awesome. Cleared the first two tiers and got some sick loot. Probably won't be able to do the next two until early June, so here's hoping. I wish we knew why Bungie won't leave it as a permanent mode.
Also, Zero Hour is officially back. Ran that with the boys; pretty neat. I loathe those Fallen turrets with a fury only matched by my hatred of the ATF. TR3-VR will be haunting my nightmares for the next week.
GuardianLightTheVangaurd: Yeah, you already know what's up.
1. I did. The Dread look really cool. A lot of awesome things to look forward to with them.
2. Indeed I have; Bungie's pulling out all the stops here.
3. Probably, can't guarantee anything concrete.
4. Mayhaps.
5. She just can't help herself, can she?
6. Cue evil laughter
7. I wasn't referring to Amity having another mentor, rather, I was referring to Paladin perhaps mentoring someone else.
8. That was a complete spur-of-the-moment addition, totally unplanned, but it just seemed to fit.
9. That was another last-minute addition. I have a bit more to say about it, but I'll get into that with another review.
10. Wait and see, my friend. Wait and see.
11. As above, so below.
12. Maybe.
Elthreee: I enjoyed this chapter despite not too much happening. Also, just wanted to point out that Lydia reminds me of First Minister Jinn from Gears of War, who is a complete and utter bitch. Hopefully she has some Abomatons that get absolutely destroyed just for having her voice associated with em. Can't wait for the next chapter yo!
Yeah, gotta have some slower chapters to let things breathe every now and then. And it's been a hot minute since I placed Gears 4, so I had to go double-check who Jinn was and... yeah, she fits pretty well.
davisjustus99: Long time no see. But I must say... YES! YES! YES! YES! I love it when things come together. But why do I get the feeling Royal gonna flip when he figures out that Luz is her mom.
Ok, so I think you're implying that Luz is Royal's mom. I'll say straight up, she isn't. They're not related by blood. She just named her son after him. However, this does remind me of an idea that I've been batting around which probably will be canon, but not terribly relevant. That being: I envisioned one of Luz and Amity's descendants eventually marrying into what would become the Bray family, thus making Elisabeth a descendant of the Noceda-Blights. Not a terribly relevant detail, but I think it's fun.
OMAC001: Great reunion with the Palismen! Can't wait to see the Boiling Isle adventure start!
Thanks, I really enjoyed how the scene turned out.
BlueRoseLevi: Paladin and King returning
A cheeky new character Carolyn (I already adore her)
And more interactions with the ghosts
Yeah this was a good chapter. A nice little break from the action.
We already talked more in-depth, so I don't have much to say here. So... uhh...
Hunters have the worst fashion options of the three classes. YEAH, I SAID IT!
hornig3: OK Carolyn seems like fun, she'll definitely be a migraine for the Vanguard if she's anything like Eda. Also I get the feeling that Mrs President is hiding some things.
Carolyn's been a fun character to write. Gotta walk the line of just the right amount of irreverence, snark, and responsibility. Fun fact, Carolyn was initially envisioned as a male named Amar. Everything else was the same. As for dear President Lydia... Cue even more maniacal cackling.
"You know, I've been thinking," Amity said as she whaled on a punching bag. Luz braced it from the other side and was pushed back slightly from the force of Amity's punches.
"Royal would want me to warn you not to break anything in there," Luz responded, prompting a giggle from Amity.
"But seriously, this has been eating me up," she said. "Savathûn calls herself the Witch Queen, but she isn't even a Witch."
"Well, technically, she's a Hive Witch," Aurora said. "She's still a Witch, just a different kind of Witch. Like Titans and… well, Titans." Amity waved her hand dismissively before giving the punching bag a few more hits.
"Technicalities and drivel," she said. "It's cultural appropriation; that's what it is."
"I'm not sure I follow," Luz said. Amity gave a few more punches before elaborating.
"I'm going to be suing Savathûn for copyright infringement on behalf of the Boiling Isles," she said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Luz leaned around the bag to give Amity a confused look.
"Aren't the Hive, like, billions of years old?" She asked. "As your friend, I must inform you that you have no case here." Amity raised a finger as she prepared to rebut Luz's argument, only to lower it as she realized she had nothing. Frustrated, she roundhouse kicked the bag, breaking it off its hinges and sending Luz to the ground with a meek 'ow.'
"Damn you, Savathûn!"