Hello, everybody. We are back. It's been a good break, managed to make some great progress. Finished up this chapter and cranked out the next two quickly. I am currently working on Chapter 24, and progress has been good.
If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you liked. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review unscrambling my eggs. You fiend.
Chapter 21: Alea Iacta Est
"I can't see shit in here!" - Unknown Guardian speaking about the Ascendant Plane
By the time Luz arrived at the portal to Savathûn's chamber, Crow was already waiting for her. Fortunately, Petra was nowhere in sight. Luz met Crow's eyes, where she saw eyes full of hardened determination.
"You ready for this?" She asked. He took a breath before nodding.
"If Savathûn is the only person who will tell me, what choice do I have but to listen?" He asked rhetorically. Luz nodded, and the two stepped through the portal. They exited into the Awoken hall leading to Savathûn. Two Corsairs stood guard at the door, straightening as the Guardians arrived. Luz strode forward confidently, confident that the Corsairs could not stop them. Crow was right behind her.
"By order of the Queen, I command you to halt," one of them said, stepping forward. Luz pushed her aside and forced the door open. The other Corsair drew her weapon and leveled it on the Guardians. As quick as lightning, Luz flicked a hand toward the gun barrel. She delivered a small but noticeable electric shock, not enough to gravely wound, but enough to make the Corsair drop her weapon.
"Petra Venj will hear about this," the Corsair threatened.
"We don't take orders from Petra," Crow said. "Step aside, I have been denied my right for too long now." Luz forced the door open and stepped through. Savathûn waited in her usual spot, still trapped in that crystalline shell. Iris was also present, having just finished her conversation with the Witch Queen. The Young Wolf seemed surprised to see them. She eyed Crow warily as he stepped forward.
"What's going on?" She asked. "Crow, what are you doing here?"
"Getting the answers I deserve," he said. "Stay out of this. Please." For a moment, it seemed like Iris would intervene. Luz wasn't confident she could restrain the Hunter long enough for Crow to get his answers. Fortunately, she didn't have to, as Iris sighed and stepped back.
"I won't get in the way," she said. "Just remember, her words are daggers." Crow nodded and stepped forward. Savathûn's cage began to glow as the Hive God turned her attention to him.
"Crow, now, isn't this a surprise," she said. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"You have answers, and I want them," Crow demanded. "You were kind to me. I thought you were my friend."
"Am I not?" Savathûn questioned.
"You lied to me!"
"I helped you break Xivu Arath's hold on the shore," Savathûn said. "Brought you to the Last City. Offered you guidance."
"Stop," Crow said through barred teeth.
"If that's what you want."
"I want the truth," Crow said. Luz nodded as she watched. He deserved answers, just as any of them did. He would prove that the man he was did not reflect upon the man he could be. At the end of it, he would still be her friend.
Would he? For the first time since her argument with Amity, doubt started to creep into Luz's mind. Maybe this was a step too far. Royal had warned her that she tended to jump into action without thinking, and here she was, proving him right. Luz took a breath and set her shoulders; it was all in Crow's hands now, and she had faith in him.
"I was kind to you because I wanted to be," Savathûn said. "Because the truth hurts. You know this better than anyone. Shrinking away from the rumors of the man you used to be."
Crow stepped forward, pointing at Savathûn accusingly. "I'm not him."
"How can you say that when you don't even know who he is?" Savathûn asked. "If the truth is what you really want, then lay your hand on me."
"Crow, don't," Glint begged. "Please."
"Listen to your Ghost," Iris said. "You might not like what you find."
"See, everyone thinks you're better off in the dark," Savathûn said. Crow ignored all of them and stole a glance at Luz. She gave a reaffirming nod.
"Do whatever you think is right." Crow approached Savathûn with steel in his gaze. Iris's brow furrowed in apprehension, and she shifted uncomfortably, but it was clear that she wouldn't intervene. Luz, for her part, observed as Crow reached out and set his hand on Savathûn's cocoon. The enchanted shell pulsed as psychic energy flowed into Crow, just as Savathûn had done to Luz not that long ago. It was less potent, but Crow was still unprepared for it. He writhed in pain from unseen lashes, and his mouth opened in a soundless cream. Luz tensed, unsure of what to do, as she faintly heard Crow's voice, though it wasn't spoken by his lips.
"Everything I did, I did for her!"
The psychic assault finally faded, and Crow recoiled from Savathûn. He staggered aimlessly, staring at his hands with a mixture of revulsion and horror as he gasped for air. Glint flew closer, only for Crow to backpedal away from him.
"Don't- don't come any closer," he said between breaths. Glint furiously rounded on Savathûn.
"What did you show him?" He asked.
Savathûn's response was brief and tepid. "Everything." Crow turned his back to Savathûn and stumbled away. He pushed past Iris and Luz and forced his way out of the room. Luz and Iris shared a look before following him, though not before Luz gave Savathûn a wary glance.
"Ta ta for now, o Guardian mine," Savathûn said. "I imagine we'll see each other again soon." Luz frowned before following Crow and Iris. Crow staggered back through the portal into the H.E.L.M. He collapsed against the wall, his breathing coming raged and erratic.
Luz reached out to him, only to pull her hand back as he lashed at her. His eyes were desperate and unfocused. Luz held up her hands. Eventually, Crow realized it was her and managed to calm down. Luz offered a hand as Iris watched, her gaze distant. Crow accepted her hand, and she pulled him to his feet.
"How are you feeling?" Luz asked. Crow set a hand against his temple, massaging a growing ache.
"Horrible," he muttered. "I got hit with a lot." His voice trailed off for a moment as he collected his regained memories. "Uldren Sov." He rolled the name around in his mouth as if weighing it up to see how it fit him. "Awoken prince. Brother to the Queen… Murderer." He spat that last word out like it was a wad of poison that ate away at his soul. He glared at Iris, untempered rage flooding his eyes not too dissimilar to what Luz saw during Royal's outbursts.
"And you," he growled, locking eyes with Iris. "You…" Iris looked down at his accusation, unable or unwilling to defend herself. Crow's expression softened, and he sighed. "I'm sorry. You did what you had to do. I don't think I would have told me either."
"How do you feel, now that you know?" Luz asked. Crow looked down at his hands as though they were still stained with blood he couldn't clean off.
"It's too early to tell," he sighed. "Savathûn's visions were like a waking dream. I could feel the heat of the flames and taste the blood in my mouth. I saw everything he did… through his eyes."
"And where does that leave you?" Luz asked. "Are you Uldren Sov? Or the Crow?"
"I'm still your friend if that's what you're asking," Crow said. "But I don't know who exactly I am anymore. The lines between the two get blurrier the more I try to focus on them. I need some time away from the field to clear my head."
"You can always go to the Demon Realm sometime to get away from it all," Luz offered. "Think about it: a whole new world to explore filled with people who don't know you. Or who you used to be."
"That… yeah, that sounds nice," Crow said. "But maybe another time. I think I want to be alone for now." Luz frowned and was about to respond, only for Iris to set a hand on her shoulder. The Hunter slightly shook her head, and Luz backed down.
"Alright then, if you want to talk, you know how to contact me," Luz said.
"Of course," Crow replied. "And thank you for helping me get here. I need to do this part on my own."
Luz reluctantly bid him farewell before departing with Iris in tow. The two distanced themselves from Crow, leaving him to his thoughts. Luz stepped back through the portal, determined to confront Savathûn as to what she had done.
"I trust that you see why we were all so wary," Iris said. "There's a reason we aren't supposed to go digging into our past lives."
"Yeah, I get it now," Luz said. "But aren't you the least bit curious about yours?"
Iris shrugged. "Not really. Look, I get that you want to help Crow through this, but that usually means steering him away from stuff like this."
"I'm sorry," Luz said. "I've been under a lot of stress lately."
"Hey, I understand," Iris said. She glanced down the hall, where someone was rapidly approaching them. "Besides, I'm not the one you need to apologize to." Luz followed her eyes and paled as she saw Petra Venj storming toward them.
"Do you have any idea what you have done?" She snapped. Luz tried to speak, only to be cut off before she could get a word out. "Of course you don't. I've had enough of you Guardians pretending you can act without consequence. Queen Mara declared that Savathûn was off-limits to Crow, and your Vanguard agreed."
"She gets the picture, Petra," Iris said, moving quickly to mediate the conflict before it could spill into something more permanent than harsh language. "Let's be honest, Crow was going to find out one way or another. Better it happen while he was around friends."
"That's not the point," Petra snapped. "She risks war with the Reef with every move she makes." She turned to face Luz, glaring at her with one accusing eye. "You're out of line. Were it my call, you would be off the mission." Petra sighed, and the hostility in her gaze lessened, though it was still present. "Unfortunately, it is not my call. My Queen has an interest in you, Luz. As does Savathûn, for better or worse. I advise you to watch your steps carefully."
"I understand," Luz said, bowing her head slightly. "I… I'm sorry." Petra accepted her apology with a tight nod and gestured over her shoulder with a tilt of her head.
"Now, finish whatever business you have with Savathûn. I need to inform my Queen as to the extent of this blunder." Petra transmatted out in a flash of blue light. Luz's brow tightened a little in worry, wondering if anything would come of her ill-made decision. Iris seemed to notice and lightly cuffed her on the shoulder.
"Don't let her get you down," she said. "The worst is behind us now. Whaddya say we go hear whatever bullshit Savathûn has to spin this time?"
"Can't wait," Luz responded, already making her way toward Savathûn's prison. The Witch Queen was already at attention when they arrived. Despite her face being frozen behind the glossy crystal, she seemed to leer down at Luz.
"Don't give me that look," she said. "I told you that you can't stop the inevitable. Deep down, Crow wanted to know. He was going to find out one way or another, Guardian taboos or no. You should thank me. Just imagine if it had come from someone with bad intentions. Someone who could have colored the truth about how he died to turn him against you. Against the Traveler."
One of Luz's eyebrows crept up her face, a clear sign that she didn't believe Savathûn's words. The Witch Queen was quick to notice. "But I would never do such a thing. I see too much of myself in him. We were both looking for our purpose. Now that the Crow has found him as a Guardian, he can see it for what it truly is. A second chance."
"Called it," Iris said, rolling her eyes. "A buncha bullshit."
"Here's something for you to reflect on," Savathûn said. "If people didn't want him to know, was it to protect Crow from himself? Or was it to protect themselves from Crow?" Luz frowned as she processed that question, unsure of how to respond. That seemed to be all the answer Savathûn needed.
"You know, this whole memory debacle has got me wondering," Savathûn began again. "How many enemies have you felled with your Light? More than you can count, I imagine. Of those, how many looked at your Ghost and thought, 'So that's how they do it.' Not many, but a few. Some were even brave enough to take a shot." Savathûn chuckled with a low intone. "R.I.P. Cayde."
Iris immediately seemed to tense and half-started toward Savathûn. Luz recoiled away from the Hunter, caught off guard by the sudden, violent motion. One of Iris's hands curled around her Rose, her fingers perfectly slipping over the worn grip. Luz could see anger in her eyes that didn't match with the Hunter she had come to know.
"Keep his name out of your mouth," Iris spat. Savathûn chuckled once more.
"Of course, my apologies. I meant no disrespect to the dear departed. But to continue my point, how many saw beyond your Ghost? How many followed the line of your Light straight back to the Traveler? And how many knew enough to aim a weapon there? A few. The smart ones. The dangerous ones. You'd recognize their names."
"Ghaul," Iris said in a soft voice, her grip on her hand cannon not wavering. "Oryx. The Black Heart."
"Listen to me now," Savathûn said. "Look beyond my brother and I to our worms. Look beyond our worms to something far, far worse. Then look down at that little gun in your hand and tell me what you think you're going to do with that thing?"
Iris pulled the hand cannon up to her face and stared at the sleek weapon, remembering just how many times she had pulled the trigger. Her grip on the weapon tightened, and she slipped the gun back into its holster.
"It worked just fine on your brother," Iris said. "Should it fall short, I'll just get a bigger gun."
Royal continued staring at the once-Emperor, utterly unsure of how to proceed. Belos stared back at him blankly. Royal pressed his fingertips together, took a deep breath, and nodded.
"You're back." Royal wasn't asking a question, just stating a fact as he looked Belos up and down. His initial gut reaction told him to seize the man by the throat and not let go. His more rational side was quick to speak up, urging for caution. Royal took a moment to look the resurrected man up and down. He seemed deceptively normal. His clothes were tattered and frayed, and his hair was matted with dried mud, but aside from that, he looked as he had back then. His mind flashed back to that day in the ruins of the Collector's Pyramid. Suns blazed to life behind his eyes as he saw Luz's broken body before him.
"I am," Phillip said evenly. Royal managed to quash the fury rolling through his limbs and turned to his siblings.
"Do we know what kind of Guardian he is?" That title suddenly felt alien on his tongue. Applying it to a man like Belos felt wrong. However, Royal's thoughts on the matter were irrelevant. The Traveler had made its decision, and he had faith in its judgment.
"Now that you mention it, we don't," Paladin said. He tilted his head as he thought. "Figuring that out is your job now."
"You're really just gonna keep pushing everything you don't want to do onto me, aren't you?" Royal asked. Paladin shrugged.
"Perks of being the Commander."
"Then why not Venator?" Royal asked, pointing at his sister. She gave him a deadpan look, promptly flipped him off, and cloaked herself in Void Light. Paladin vaguely gestured to where she had been while Royal sighed, pressing his fingers against the center of his face in exasperation. "Alright. Fine. Come with me."
"Phillip, take this," Paladin said, tossing the man a large fabric sheet. "Cover yourself the best you can. I would advise showing your face in public for the time being." Belos, or rather Phillip, quickly threw the cloak over him. Royal gave his brother one last grimace before departing.
Phillip followed Royal to a secluded area in the forest near the Sentry base. It was isolated from the rest of the compound for practicing with equipment or magic that required distance for everyone's safety. It was just out of the way enough that nobody frequented the area, making it perfect for keeping Phillip out of the public eye.
"Alright, this will do," Royal said. "Have you managed to manifest your Light yet?"
"No," Phillip said before pausing. "Well, I felt this surge of power not long after I was revived." Royal gestured for him to continue. "I was attacked by the first people I saw. They seemed to recognize me. They called me horrible things. As their blows landed, I felt this rush of energy and a bottomless pit in my stomach. I could have killed them." As he spoke, his eyes hardened, and his voice grew harsher. Royal could see deep lavender swirling in his eyes. Phillip took a deep breath, letting his anger dissipate. "But I didn't want to hurt them. So I waited and let them work out their rage."
"You said you felt a pit in your gut?" Royal asked, an idea forming in his head. Phillip nodded, and Royal decided to test his hypothesis. He willed an orb of Void Light into his hand. The sphere hummed with unstable power as it rotated like a miniature black hole. Phillip stared into its depths, utterly transfixed by the volatile construct.
"Such power," he muttered. Royal passed the orb from one hand to another before looking at Phillip.
"Catch." He tossed it at the man, who panicked and quickly scrambled to catch the unstable ball before it hit the ground.
"Are you insane?" Phillip questioned. "You could have blasted us into nothing!" Royal didn't respond. Instead, he placed a hand on his chin and looked at Phillip's hands. The man glanced down, watching the ball cycle in his palms. Its rhythm calmed, stabilizing in his grip. Phillip released it in surprise, and the ball suspended between his hands. Void energy bent around his fingers, instinct giving way to results.
"The abyss beckons you," Royal said. "You're a Voidwalker." Royal let luminous purple energy flow over his body, compressing it into a miniature neutron star in his hands. "And those who have stared into the Void are not bound by the laws of time and space." Royal let the energy burst around him. The waves rolled over Phillip harmlessly. He felt the power crash around him and relished in it.
"How do I learn to do that?" He asked.
"First, you must find the thing that binds you to reality," Royal said as his power faded. "It can be difficult, especially for a New Light. But to discover your power, you must discover yourself. After that, it is simple repetition and practice."
"That's not very helpful," Phillip muttered.
Royal shrugged. "It isn't. I suggest you meditate upon it."
Phillip rolled his eyes as he dropped to his knees. "The others won't like me, will they?"
"What makes you say that?" Royal asked.
"The way everyone has responded to me," he said. "Disgust. Contempt. Loathing. Even the Commander abhorred my presence. I could see it in his eyes. Or whatever those lights in his face were."
"No, people likely won't take well to you," Royal said. "And for good reason. You left scars on the Isles, some of which have not yet healed."
Phillip winced at the accusation. "Paladin told me not to pry into my past."
"It is not Paladin's call to make," Royal said. "There are many who will judge you for the crimes of your past life. But we are both different men from who we were then. Paladin's age leaves him unable to understand. He views life as one unbroken continuum rather than the peaks and valleys it is. Whoever you were before does not matter. The Traveler has chosen you, and I have faith in its judgment."
"That is wise," Phillip said.
Royal shrugged noncommittally. "It is knowledge gained through bitter experience. There have been monsters who were made heroes." He averted his gaze, looking into the distance. "And champions made into wretches." He stayed silent for a moment, letting his thoughts whirl. Eventually, he cleared his mind and looked back to Phillip. The servos in his knees lightly whirred as he knelt. An outstretched hand gestured for Phillip to join him.
"Kneel. You must meditate and reflect upon yourself," he said. Phillip acquiesced, kneeling across from the Warlock. The Void ball still hung before him, singing with power. Royal looked at the man, his searing optics circling as they focused. The skin-steel of his face gave away nothing, neither contempt nor acceptance.
"Now, breathe."
As Phillip began to meditate, Royal heard soft rustling in the bushes near them. His audio receptors honed in on the sound, listening to the approaching footfall. He looked up as Luz pushed through the foliage into the clearing. She stole a glance at Phillip before turning to Royal, a tired look on her face.
"Venator said you'd be out here," she said quietly. Royal nodded, gesturing for her to join them.
"Indeed, it's good that you're here. I'm giving our newest recruit some private instructions. You should join us; we've fallen behind on your training."
Luz snorted. "That's an understatement. Things have been a bit crazy lately." Royal hummed in agreement. Luz knelt before her mentor, only a stone's throw from Phillip. The man offered her a polite wave. Luz returned the greeting before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Everything around her faded into the background as she slipped into meditation.
Luz leaned back in her seat, bringing a bowl of noodles to her face and practically inhaling them. She shoveled them into her mouth, letting the thin strands slide down her throat. She swallowed, downed the broth, and set the bowl with an ever-growing stack. She grabbed the next bowl as Eido watched, simultaneously bemused and a little confused.
"You certainly have quite the appetite today," she said, absently swirling her chopsticks through her noodles. Luz glanced at Eido, then at her food, and then at her pile of empty bowls. She finished her current bite and set it aside.
"Sorry, I'm just really hungry lately," she said, rubbing her stomach. "Royal's started teaching me how to wield Void Light a few days ago, and it's… straining." Eido stared at the mounting stack of empty bowls that Luz had gone through in the last few minutes.
"I see," she said. She brought her own bowl up to her mouth and relished the savory flavor. "I trust the Isles are treating you well?"
"It's…" Luz paused for a moment as she struggled to find the right words. "Different. But it feels so familiar at the same time. Like I never really left." She looked at her hands, curling her fingers as the faintest trace of Void Light covered her palm. The energy dissipated, exacerbating the gnawing hunger in the pit of her gut. Luz returned to her noodles, furiously scarfing them down. Eido suppressed a giggle at Luz's appetite.
"You know, it's quite a marvelous place," Luz said in the brief moments she had to come up for air. "It's so different from Earth, yet not at the same time. Like the twin halves of a coin. Do you think Riis might have had its own equivalent?"
"None of the records I have transcribed would indicate so," Eido said. "But it is nice to wonder, isn't it?"
Luz clicked her tongue in agreement and used her sleeve to wipe some juices off her face. "Maybe you can come visit sometime once this whole Savathûn crisis is dealt with. You, me, Crow, Amity. We can make a week of it."
Eido smiled and raised her bowl. Luz grabbed another of her own, and they tapped their meals together.
"To better times," Eido said. Luz echoed the sentiment, and the two tipped their food back and drank. As they did, Aurora buzzed with a message notification. Luz sighed as she put her bowl down.
"It's from Royal," Aurora said. "The last Techeun has been found. It's time to move in."
Luz sighed and cradled her face. "Of course. Sorry to cut and run, Eido, but duty calls." She dropped a few stacks of Glimmer cubes on the table to cover her substantial chunk of the bill.
"A Guardian's work is never done," Eido replied. "Soon, this will be over, and Savathûn will be brought to justice."
"Justice," Luz mused. "Or vengeance. But honestly, what's the difference?"
Perking up at the question, Eido said, "Actually, I know of some old Eliksni texts from House Judgement that might elucidate the difference." She paused at Luz's lazy grin, the woman already halfway out the door. "Another time. Go and return safely." Luz nodded and sprinted out the door, already slipping her helmet on.
Amity huddled on a bed in King's guest room, her arms clutching her knees tightly as she held them close to her chest. She had been left reeling since Luz's outburst, completely off-balance since the incident. It only took Paladin an hour to notice, and he immediately ordered her to take some time off. Having nowhere else to stay, she had been crashing at King's cabin for the last few days. It was awkward with everything being built for someone over twice her size. But that wasn't the hard part.
Amity's eyes were hard as she mentally replayed her last conversation with Luz. That furious accusation, the outrage in her eyes. She hadn't seen it on Luz's face since the fall of Synegorus. To have it directed at her.
Amity's cheek was suddenly wet, and she wiped it with her palm. She realized it was a tear and frowned. She collapsed onto her back, staring at their ceiling.
"Titan, what am I? A schoolgirl?" She asked nobody in particular. The walls remained silent, leaving her with nothing but her own thoughts. Ghost sat beside her, licking her paw. Amity gave her Palismans back a stroke, eliciting a soft purr from the cat. "At least I still have you."
Amity sat up, crossing her legs as she did. "Was Luz right? Am I trying to force her to be who she was? Who I want her to be?" Ghost didn't respond, not having an answer to give. Pal, as usual, remained silent.
"This memory spell has caused nothing but trouble," Amity continued. "Maybe… maybe things would have been better if Lilith never found it." She was pulled from her ruminations when King knocked on the door. She called out for him to enter, and the Titan obliged. He carried a pair of cups, one fitting comfortably in his palm and the other looking comedically tiny between his claws.
"Feeling any better?" He asked. Amity gave a noncommittal grunt as she accepted her drink. "That bad, huh?"
"I don't know what to do," Amity admitted. "We've had fights before, but… nothing like this. I think she's really mad at me. And I can't blame her! Ever since I came back, I haven't stopped to think about her position. I just wanted everything to go back to the way it was." She looked up at King, her eyes a little foggy. "Is that such a bad thing?"
King sighed wearily as he set his cup on the nightstand. "I've had to watch the Isles grow around me. It took decades, but it didn't feel like it to me. Eventually, it was just Venator and Paladin left. And Hooty, but he's… Hooty. It's hard watching things change. We can't fight it. You can embrace the river's flow or be swept away in its current."
"Maybe the Light washes our minds clean for a reason," Amity said. "Maybe… maybe this was a mistake." She paused for a moment, her eyes darting as she thought. "I have to let them all find out who they are, who they want to be."
"Then what do you want to do?" King asked. He sipped his drink, only to hiss as it burned his tongue.
"First, I need to take some time away from everyone," Amity said. "They can't make any progress with me around. Second, I need to discover who I am in this new life. Finally, after all that, I need to be someone Luz can love again, should she choose to do so."
"Not a bad plan," King said, coating his claw in Stasis crystals and dipping it into his drink. "The question is, where do you start?" There was a sizzle as steam rose from the cup. Amity stared at his hand, gears clicking into place in her head.
"How about there."
By the time Luz arrived in the H.E.L.M., Iris was already speaking with Mara and Petra. Royal stood to the side, fiddling with his hand cannon's cylinder. His fingers slipped over the mechanism, his mind clearly elsewhere. He looked up as she arrived and mustered a slight grin.
"Good, you have arrived," Mara said, staring past Iris. The Queen's glowing eyes remained inscrutable as they followed Luz.
"The last Techeun has been found?" Luz asked, trying her best to shake the Queen's gaze.
"Indeed," Petra said. "No thanks to Crow, wherever he went off to." Luz glared at the woman and was about to rebuke her, only for Mara to beat her to it.
"Calm yourself, Petra," she commanded. "We cannot risk division tearing us apart when we are so close to the reunification of my coven."
Petra bowed her head. "Of course. Apologies, my Queen."
"Back to the matter at hand," Iris said. "We've found the Techeun, but so has Xivu Arath. Her Taken have swarmed the Techeun; worse, she's been Taken herself."
"What use would Xivu Arath have for Techeuns?" Luz asked. Royal sighed, holstering his hand cannon.
"Techeuns are adept at manipulating the Ascendant Plane," he said. "Should one be swelled with the power of the Deep, they could theoretically wield that dimension as a weapon against us."
"Fleets bypassing our satellites," Iris said. "Warhosts appearing at our doorstep. With the Techeun under Xivu Arath's control, she could bypass our armor and plunge a knife straight into our hearts."
"So our objective is to find someone who can turn the very space we inhabit against us?" Luz asked. Iris nodded, prompting Luz to furrow her brow as she thought. "Then a frontal assault would be doomed to fail. We'll have to rely on speed and surprise."
"My thoughts exactly," Iris said. "I'll take point. Once we find the Techeun, she will resist us. We'll have to purge the corruption from her flesh."
"Leave that part to me," Mara said. "We Awoken are born of the clash between Light and Dark. Her will may not be her own, but she can be saved."
Petra grabbed a datapad and punched in a few instructions for their Ghosts. Collectively, the three Guardians received their coordinates. The last Techeun, Sjara, was moving in the open. Finding her would be simple; all they needed to do was look for the largest conglomeration of Taken.
After a few minutes of preparation, they entered the Ascendant Plane. Royal took a second to watch the twisting currents of thought, absently swirling his hand through the air and seeing how the fabric of this unreality rippled.
"Weird, isn't it?" Luz asked.
"It feels similar to the Vex Domain," Royal muttered. "But… different. Entropic. The Vex would never allow such chaos."
"This plane is molded by thought and will," Mara said over the comms. "You and you alone can carve your path forward. Good luck, Guardians."
Royal confirmed and loosely shouldered his rifle, not fully bringing it to bear but keeping it ready. He nodded to Iris, who had her hand cannon drawn. The Hunter beckoned for them to follow, slowly and silently.
It was hard to say how long they searched for. The currents of the Ascendant Plane steadily eroded Luz's perception of time. All she could do was prioritize putting one foot before the other as the ephemeral winds whipped at her ears. A distant, high-pitched scream tore at their eardrums, emanating from the top of a small mountain. Iris looked back at the two Warlocks and nodded; they had their destination.
The path grew narrow, forcing them to cross between thin islands suspended in the void. Luz glided through the air from one strip of land to the next. A chunk of rock gave way beneath her as she touched down, causing the woman to stagger toward the edge. Royal managed to grab hold of her before she could fall. His face was grim under his helmet as he pulled her to safety.
"If this place is a reflection of our minds, it makes sense why it's so unstable," he said. "Best to watch your step; I won't always be there to look out for you." Luz hastily agreed, and the group continued moving. Eventually, the path led to the base of their mountain. A small trail snaked its way up the mountain, leading far out of sight.
"Time for a hike," Iris said. "Best to keep low; there could be scouts."
"I hate being sneaky," Royal muttered softly. Luz shrugged somewhat sympathetically and began the climb. A few shadowy figures appeared on the side of the path as they moved up. The lines of Taken steadily grew thicker, watching the Guardians advance. Luz raised her hand cannon to fire, only to stop when Royal set a hand on the barrel.
"Hold." He stared at the Taken as they twitched vacantly. Reaching down, he scooped up a stone and threw it at the feet of a Taken Vandal. The shade flickered but made no effort to attack. Royal grimaced. "They're watching us. Xivu Arath is inviting us to battle."
"Then it appears the need for stealth is no longer present," Petra said. "Move forward with haste." The three Guardians sprinted up the mountain, crushing the coarse dirt beneath their feet. The acrid scent of Taken matter permeated the air, burning Luz's nostrils. She forced down a wave of revulsion as they crested the mountain.
The peak of the mountain resembled a large crater. Hundreds of lesser Taken were perched on the edges of the pit. They swayed with the flow of the Ascendant Plane as if they were ignorant of the Guardian's arrival. A single Taken floated in the center of the crater. A shell of glistening white energy coursed around it. A closer inspection revealed that it was the Techeun they were seeking.
Iris gave a series of hand signals to the Warlocks. Royal and Luz nodded and pressed further on the flanks, moving to encircle the Techeun in a three-pronged assault. As they grew closer, Sjara's head snapped up. Her eyes glowed with the power of the Deep as she raised her hands and unleashed an unholy scream. A blast of concussive energy crashed into Iris, pushing the Nightstalker back and kicking up a cloud of dust in front of her. Royal and Luz opened fire in unison, peppering Sjara with gunfire. Their bullets bounced harmlessly off her protection. The Techeun waved her hand toward Royal, shattering the ground beneath his feet. Royal leaped out of the way with a burst of Solar Light as reality bent in half where he had been.
The Taken screamed with a hundred voices as they charged. Thralls, Psions, and Goblins descended upon the Guardians. Royal summoned his Dawnblade as his boots met the ground. He swung it in a wide arc, cutting through a dozen Taken with one swing. Across the crater, Luz wreathed their ranks with lightning. Their bodies erupted into charged sparks as Luz disintegrated them. And down the center, Iris's swords were a blur of motion as she gut, slashed, and impaled the Taken.
Sjara chanted as the Taken were cut down. Her hands glowed as blasts of energy erupted from her palms. Royal turned to face the Techeun just in time to catch a blast to his chest. He grunted in shock as he stared at the newly formed fist-sized hole in his chest. A few wires sparked as he fell to his knees. As he went down, Luz became lightning. She faded into ionic energy, rematerializing beside Royal as he clutched his chest. With Iris providing covering fire, she had enough time to lay down a healing rift and stabilize him.
As the Taken horde thinned, Sjara waved her hands above her. Trails of energy drifted from her hands as she wove the Ascendant Plane. A large mass of blighted Taken energy swelled into being, slowly expanding into a giant mess of rotten, corrupted flesh. Corroded metal armor oozed with vile Dark essence. Chains dug into the creature's flesh, holding its ramshackle body together. A large burning flail hung from one hand. The monstrosity opened its crooked jaw filled with dozens of knife-like teeth and roar.
"Wait, is that a Taken Scorn?" Iris asked. The thing that once was Scorn growled and swung its flail at her. Iris cleanly dodged as the weapon scarred the ground. "They can make those?"
"Just focus fire!" Royal shouted. "Bring the bastard down!" Iris summoned a shadowshot and fired her tethers at the beast's legs. It roared and swiped with its flail, forcing the Guardians back. Liquid fire dripped from the head of the flail, leaving burning trails of molten death. Luz and Iris opened fire as Royal charged in, Lament's engine screaming for blood. He wove through the field of flames and swung his sword into the colossal Taken Scorns calf. Lament whined as it ground against the flesh, the creatures' muscles like steel cables that refused to cut. He was forced to retreat when the ground beneath him began to glow. Sjara gave an unearthly howl as the stones under Royal's feet burst with energy.
As Royal withdrew, Luz flung a barrage of lightning at the Scorn monstrosity. It snarled at her and swung its flail in a wide arc. A wave of searing hot flames radiated outward in a circular pattern, rapidly enveloping the area around it. Luz let her lightning fade and prepared her Solar Light. Pushing her hands outward like an arrow, she sliced through the fire like a knife. As the wave of incredible heat passed by her, she looked up and saw the Scorn bringing its flail down on her. She barely managed to roll out of the way and was flung through the air by the weapon's impact upon the ground. Royal charged back in while Iris continued peppering the beast with her pulse rifle.
Royal cut at the creature's ankles, weaving around its feet as it tried to stomp on him. Bitter smoke leaked from the dozens of wounds on the creature's legs. The beast howled in pain as it tried to crush him. It brought its flail back, only for Iris to bind its arm with another Void tether. It tugged against the restraint, threatening to break free. Royal lept into the air, flames trailing in his wake. Lament roared as he brought it down on the creature's elbow. There was a brief moment of resistance before it tore through the arm, severing the limb and liberating the monster of its weapon. The Scorn staggered as it bled Taken essence. It fell to one knee, shaking the ground as it landed. Luz flew up to the creature's face as its beady eyes glared at her. It's jaw unhinged, revealing rows of rancid fangs, and screamed. Luz responded by firing a beam of pure lightning straight down the creature's throat. The Scorn's body lit up as Taken corruption burned away. Its remaining limbs violently spasmed. The twice-dead creature keeled over, hitting the ground with a loud thud. Smoke leaked from its body as it fell.
As the Scorn hit the ground, Sjara screamed. Her protective shell snapped, leaving the Techeun vulnerable. She spat a curse in a corrupted tongue that hurt to hear and began charging her power.
"Now is our moment, Guardians," Mara said. "Subdue the Techeun so that I may purify her." Iris fired one last volley of tethers that latched onto Sjara and held her in place. Royal dove to one side, grabbing an arm and holding it down to prevent her from firing more blasts of energy. Luz quickly secured her other hand as Iris wrapped her arms around her neck. Sjara bucked in their grasp, trying to break free. The Techeun's strength had been enhanced when she was Taken, but she was no match for three Guardians.
A portal opened before the Techeun and Mara stepped through. The Awoken Queen's eyes blazed with power. She took a breath, then thrust her hands out. The light in her eyes grew brighter until it lit the Ascendant Plane like a sunrise. Sjara screamed as the power of her Queen scoured the blight from her body. Luz was forced to shield her eyes from the display.
Eventually, Sjara's screams faded, and Mara's power followed. Luz cracked an eye open. Before her was the Techeun, no longer under Xivu Arath's influence. The Guardians relinquished their hold on Sjara, and she stumbled under her own weight. Luz caught her before she could collapse, supporting the Techeun on her shoulder.
"My Queen," Sjara said, her voice weak as she struggled to regain her strength. "You have returned to us." She took a wary step forward, shaking under her body weight. She tried to bow to her Queen, only to stumble and once again be caught by Luz.
"Save your strength," Mara said. "Once you are rested, we will need all you have to spare."
"I do not need rest, my Queen," Sjara said, drawing to her full height. "Merely a moment. Then, I am yours to command, as we always have been." Mara gave an appreciative nod before turning to the Guardians.
"Return to the H.E.L.M. and prepare yourselves. I shall have Savathûn transported to a more secure location. We will begin the exorcism as soon as possible." Sjara stepped away from Luz, sharing a grateful bow for the Guardian's efforts. Royal stepped up behind her, the tip of Lament propped on the ground while he rested his hand on the pommel.
"Let's get what rest we can," he told his pupil. "Soon, this will all be over."
You know, I had to do some research on the nature of the Taken. Specifically, the reason we never see Taken Scorn is because there's just not much point to Taking them. Also, the reason we can purify Taken Techeuns is likely something to do with them being born in Light and Darkness, giving them some mild Paracausal potency. At least, those are the prevailing theories I was able to find. The more you know.
Elthreee: I had fun reading these last two chapters, they got some laughs n giggles out of me, I can't lie. Admittedly I only read them sometime on a Monday night because TFS has just been so addicting to play. The lead up to the Witch Queen is hype so far, keep it up my guy.
Also completely unrelated but the best part of the raid are the Witness hands in the first three encounters and the last, which my group have affectionately named 'Thronglers'. They don't do anything special, I just really like the movements they make. Can't wait for the Hexsquad to get launched into the air by the circle hand in like 60 chapters. Random yap sesh over, can't wait for the next chapter, dude!
Well, that's always good to hear. It's difficult to know when jokes do and don't land. And yeah, TFS has been absorbing my free time for the last month. I'm taking every opportunity to get out of the house and do other things, so I'm not tempted. Finally, really enjoy Salvations Edge... for the most part. No complaints for the first four encounters; hell, Verity is easily one of the best encounters Bungie has designed IMO. But the Witness fight... I'll preface by saying that I haven't actually cleared it yet, mostly due to just not having the time to throw at it. But it has the same problem that Ghost of the Deep has. When everything flows smoothly, it's great. But if one thing falls out of line, it becomes a miserable slog. Still a great raid though.
davisjustus99: Hmmm... Belos causing problems. What's new?
In other news: Water, wet.
GuardianLightTheVanguard: You already know what's going on.
1. That is not an error. Savathûn was referring to Odalia, who she possessed before Lilith. Savathûn arrived in the Isles about a year after Royal left. She then found and possessed Odalia, using her as a puppet for a few years. After Odalia outlasted her usefulness, Savathûn jumped ship to Lilith.
2. I want to kinda retroactively fill in some space. Maybe that's a retcon, but eh, whatcha gonna do?
3. More to avenge her.
4. Maybe. It's a bit more story relevant, so it might happen.
5. Probably not.
6. They get along well enough. Work friends and all that.
7. Wait and see.
8. There's no real reason she would be. Savathûn got what she wanted.
9. Oh, she's resting alright.
10. If he does, he'll probably just be a background character.
11. I thought that Act 1 was fine. Met my expectations. I wasn't expecting Episodes to be a drastic change from Seasons. To all the people complaining about the timegating of the weekly story, genuinely, what were you expecting? Act 1 has set up some potentially interesting things, let's see if Act2 and 3 follow up.
12. He is a Voidwalker.
13. This chapter was just being a bitch. I lost my flow. Got it back and cranked it out though. Sometimes, you just gotta bash your face against a wall until the wall gives.
Rebiele: Oooohhh, now I'm looking forward to seeing Royal go through the 5 stages of grief when he witnesses what he preceives as impossible in the not so distant future on Mars.
It will certainly be an experience. Kinda sucks that we haven't gotten a Strike or something that explores those temporal rifts.
OMAC001: Wow, Savathun can't seem to help but screw people over. Suppose it make sense Phillip is back for shock value if nothing else!
I wouldn't say it was just for shock value. He existed to facilitate change in other characters.
GodzillaMaster: I said it before and I'll say it again, it must be very frustrating for Amity to be the only one who remembers their old life
But damn, Luz didn't even need Stasis to be that cold
I'm not sure who to side with here. Amity has a point, since this is the parasite we're talking about, but becoming a Guardian means getting a blank slate
Yeah, my plans for Amity have changed drastically since I started writing this story. Ultimately, she's starting to realize that preserving her memories may have been a mistake.
BlueRoseLevi: Luz: Looks like I can make my sneaky deaky deeds even sneaky deakier thanks to Iris's stealth
Iris: SUPERSECRETSUPRISESWORDATTACKGO!
Nice chapter, love seeing Iris and Luz working together to make Kelgoroth run like a bitch. Iris just casually shaking off getting her leg severed was hilarious. Royal ready to throw hands at Savathun was a great scene. I love that Luz snapped at Amity, she needed to be put in her place, I'll continue to be in the Amity hate club!
Iris is a practitioner of the mythical "Heavy Stealth." Also, shoutout to Kelgorath; gotta be my favorite punching bag.
I CAST: CURSE OF ONLY GETTING THE SE SMG!
hornig3: Okay so you weren't kidding about having fun with Savathun. Girl is making my blood boil and I still love her. That's how you know you wrote her well! And Luz's outburst... I wanna say I didn't see it coming but Amity having her memories may have some niche advantages but they're just hurting more and more. It's like the Dissenters said, "The light forgives. The light forgets." Whatever purpose the Traveler truly has for lightbearers it's burden of light has one true gift, to forgive the past and forge your own fate.
Good to hear I'm doing Savathûn justice. And, yeah, Amity's got some serious self-reflecting to do. Kinda touching on the "She has no character outside of being Luz's girlfriend" allegations, which I don't personally agree with but I see the argument.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Amity asked. Malek looked up from his notes and gave a thumbs up.
"You'll be fine," he said. "Just take a deep breath, squeeze the trigger, and think happy thoughts." Amity glanced at the twin auto rifles clutched in her hands. Though calling them auto rifles felt wrong. They were more like miniguns with their rotating barrels.
"I just don't see how this is going to work," Amity said, hefting one Sweet Business and propping it on her shoulder. "This chest piece will reload my guns… while I'm firing them?"
"If the specs are right, that's exactly what will happen," Malek said. Amity looked downrange where a dozen targets sat in wait. She pressed her lips together and dropped into a low stance to spread her weight. Abomination goo swirled around her feet, anchoring her to the ground. She brought both weapons up, her fingers hovering over the triggers. Malek began to count her down. When he hit zero, she opened fire.
The noise was almost deafening, reverberating like an earthquake in each palm. The barrels of the weapons each formed a miniature star as they glowed with intense heat. A barrage of bullets, numbering in the hundreds if not thousands, tore free from the magazines and punched through the targets, a testament to the sheer power of the weapon.
Amity continued firing for minutes on end. Her teeth rattled, and her arms felt like they were made of goo. Eventually, the magazines ran dry. The guns produced a series of hollow clicking sounds, and Amity relinquished her grip on them.
"How many targets did you hit?" Malek asked, his voice tinged with surprise as he looked up from his computer terminal. Amity blinked the spots out of her eyes as she looked at the lump of smoking metal that used to be a target.
"Just one, but I hit it around three thousand times."