Welp, back to the front. Back in college after a nice winter break. My days are gonna be packed this semester, and I am already tired. Regardless, we are back with the next chapter of the Witch Queen saga, post campaign edition. Hope it is to your liking.
If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you liked. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review condemning me to another year of German classes.
Chapter 35: A Debt to be Collected
"You seek power? I will give you power beyond measure. The power of life returned." - Xol, the Will of Thousands speaking to Nokris the Unfavored
Crumbs flew across the tent as Lilith practically inhaled a ration bar. She crammed the brick of compact nutrients and processed flavoring, swallowing too fast to taste. Her stomach rumbled, demanding further sustenance. Whatever Savathûn had sustained her with clearly had been very nourishing.
They were about to discuss the repercussions of Savathûn's possession and all she had missed over the long centuries when Lilith's hunger roared within her like a black hole, desperate to devour all that lay before it. Royal had provided his own rations, a boon Lilith gratefully accepted despite knowing how unappetizing they were. She had dined on them more than once during their time exploring the ruins of the Demon Realm. The memory brought the ghost of a smile to Royal's face, only to be dashed as he recalled what happened next.
"Remember to breathe," Royal said, more than a little concerned for his friend. She ignored him, scarfing down another bar. Royal could only watch his supply plummet as Lilith wiped her mouth against her sleeve.
"I trust the food was to your liking?" Amity asked wryly. Lilith seemed to remember that she had company and quickly dusted herself off.
"Right, sorry, I haven't had anything to eat in so long." Her stomach growled again, and she returned to her food. "What were we discussing again?"
"The last thing you remember," Ikora said. The Warlock Vanguard stood across from the Witch with her arms crossed and eyes full of purposeful intent. Lilith nodded and brought her hand to her chin.
"I remember a rumor," she said. "Whispers about ancient magic, forgotten long before Belos ever rose to power. An ancient repository of knowledge on a small island. It wasn't far, so I went alone. All I found was ruined houses filled with moths. I felt so cold, as though all the hope had drained from the world. By the time I realized my mistake, it was already too late."
"Savathûn," Iris said. Lilith nodded, bringing her hands up to her shoulders.
"She burrowed into my bones. Stole my mind. Ripped my thoughts apart and pried through everything I was. I saw the world, but the eyes I looked through were no longer my own. She took them from me. I was a prisoner in my own skin. All I could do was watch as Savathûn paraded about the Isles, sowing the seeds of her great plan. I wanted to warn them. I wanted to scream! But all I could do was watch."
"I'm so sorry," Amity said, bowing her head in shame. "We should have noticed something was off."
"But that's just it," Lilith said. "She played her part masterfully. If I wasn't me, I doubt I would have suspected anything. Even Mike didn't notice, and he was there!" She gestured to her Palisman, who chirped in agreement before rustling his feathers.
"I still don't see what Savathûn would have wanted with you specifically," Luz said. "What was her angle?"
"I had connections," Lilith replied. "And, more importantly, excuses. I could go anywhere in the Demon Realm I wanted, and no one would question it. Savathûn used that to pilfer our oldest secrets, things I had spent my life documenting. She laid her trap, then left, dragging me along."
"She didn't want any loose ends," Iris muttered. "Makes sense, in a vile, repulsive way."
"It would also line up with how she disposed of Odalia," Royal agreed. He turned back to Lilith. "What do you recall of your time after the Isles?"
"Only flashes," Lilith said, pressing a hand against her forehead. "She unraveled me. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. I was her favorite experiment." Those last words came out as a hiss, centuries of torment bubbling up in an instant. "Sometimes, she would even wear my skin again to properly feel the curse. But in those moments, our minds mingled. She stole from me, and I stole from her."
"You don't mean to imply that you read Savathûn's mind, do you?" Ikora asked. Lilith grinned and tapped the side of her head.
"My knowledge of her Throne World is surpassed only by hers and Immaru's. I even possess some limited knowledge of her plans within."
"That's our Lilith," Royal said, pumping his fist. "Anything we should know about?"
Lilith nodded, "Savathûn is not the worst creature within her domain. There is something else lurking deep in the swamps. I never truly saw it, but I know that Savathûn feared it. It has been sealed away for now, but I fear it may break free."
"I'll have the Hidden scour the swamps," Ikora said. "Rest assured, we will find it. Is that all?"
"No, there are more of Savathûn's plots. She plans to raze the Isles with an army buried deep in the bones of a distant Titan."
"You're… a little bit late on that one," Royal said. "She conducted her invasion not too long ago. We drove the Hive to a stalemate, but the cost was great. Paladin is leading Coalition forces against the remaining Hive presence." Lilith shrunk a little as he said that, and Royal felt a pang of unwarranted guilt. Hiding the truth from her would do no good, but that didn't make it hurt any less.
Lilith regathered herself and nodded, pushing the horrible thought out of her mind. "There is still more. Savathûn set into place one last gambit. In the lowest levels of the Apothecary, she seeks to defy death and the Witness. Savathûn is trying to resurrect the Collector with the power of the Light."
The tent fell silent at her proclamation. No one dared to comment, as though to acknowledge such a thing would bring it to fruition. Ikora pondered her words intently, her eyes darting almost imperceptibly. Iris had little reaction aside from dropping her hand to the hilt of her knife and wrapping her fingers around it. Luz was concerned, and Royal was on edge, but Amity was visibly afraid. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth slightly agape. Tightly clenched fists violently shook. She felt cold, despite the temperature not changing. Luz noticed and set a hand on her arm, only to pull it back when Amity flinched. She seemed to calm down a little once she realized who had reached out to her. They weren't in his Pyramid. Luz wasn't dead.
"That's impossible," Royal said. "You can't force the Light to choose someone."
"We also thought the Hive would never wield the Light," Iris said. "And we all know how that turned out." Royal reluctantly conceded the point.
"You said it was in the Apothecary?" He asked. Lilith nodded as Lancer displayed a map the Hidden had been provided by Fynch. She pointed to the lowest rung, the base of the pit that the bridge spanned over.
"That is where you will find him," she said. "The task was entrusted to Savathûn's closest lieutenants."
"With Savathûn dead, it's likely the chain of command will be in shambles," Luz said. "The Hive will fall to infighting as they try to establish a new leader. And with their upper ranks being populated by so many Lightbearers, it could be costly for them."
"Savathûn… is dead?" Lilith asked, the kindling of hope sparking in her eyes. She looked at Luz hopefully, begging her words to be true.
"I disemboweled her myself," Royal said. "My only regret is that you could not see it." The tension that had pervaded Lilith's movements evaporated, and she straightened as though the executioner blade had been lifted from her neck.
"Your word is satisfaction enough."
"Royal, Luz, Amity, reconnect with Fynch and stop this experiment," Ikora said. "We cannot risk such a powerful being falling under Savathûn's sway, dead or alive. Recover his body if you can. Destroy it if you can't. Iris, reestablish contact with Empress Caiatl and continue rooting out the Lucent Hive."
The Guardians saluted—a gesture Ikora returned before fading into Transmat. Iris offered a wave before similarly vanishing, leaving the others to discuss their plan of action amongst themselves. Propping her staff under her arm, Lilith managed to rise to her feet.
"I'm coming with you," she said, an intensity as hot as any Solar flame burning in her eyes. Royal and Amity shared an uncomfortable look, an act that didn't go unnoticed by Lilith. "Don't try to convince me otherwise."
"I won't," Royal said, crossing his arms. "Because you aren't. You are going to stay here and recover your strength."
"You'll need what I know," she countered.
"We can get you a radio," Amity rebuffed. "I'm sure the Hidden will have one lying around somewhere."
"Lilith, look at yourself," Royal said, gesturing to her body. She shook under her own weight as sweat trailed down the side of her head merely from the exertion of standing. Her back was hunched, and her breathing grew labored. Royal offered a hand for support, and Lilith feebly tried to bat it away.
"I need to do this," she said between gulps of air. "She kept me caged for years beyond years. I can't just sit away while everyone else gets to risk their lives!"
"Without the Light, you won't stand a chance," Amity said. Lilith rounded on her fellow Witch, her nostrils flaring with indignation.
"And you will?" She hissed. Amity summoned her shield, letting the all-encompassing power of the Void flood the tent. Lilith's eyes widened as she stared at the pulsating disc. Slowly, she reached out and brushed the tips of her fingers along the bulk of the shield. Power, refined and constrained, met her touch.
"You're… like them," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "You're a Guardian now. How much has happened?"
"We'll fill you in when we can," Luz said. "First, we have a resurrection to prevent. Amity, Royal, with me." Lilith fell back onto her cot and brought her hands to her head, shrinking away from the world around her. Royal gave her a sorrowful look, which didn't go unnoticed by Luz. "On second thought, maybe you should stay with her."
"And leave you two to reach the Collector alone? Absolutely not."
"We took down Savathûn," Amity said, slamming a fist into her chest piece with a metallic clang. "We can manage on our own. Lilith needs someone she can trust, now more than ever." Royal glanced back to his friend, clearly weighing up Amity's words. He accepted with a slight nod and took a seat beside her.
"If you need my help, you know how to reach me," he said. "Call, and I will be there." Amity and Luz nodded before finally departing for their ships. With a short transmat jump, they were on board. Luz activated her radio while she thumbed a few switches.
"Fynch, you still there, buddy?"
There was a brief pause laden with interference before the Ghost replied. "Yeah, I'm here, for what it's worth. Situations gotten a bit crazy down here. The Hive are in chaos, and the Scorn are capitalizing. I've had to relocate a few times to avoid detection. But hey, enough about me. What are you guys up to?"
"We've got a lead from an old friend," Amity said. "You know anything about the Collector?"
"A few scattered mentions in some of Savathûn's oldest records, but nothing substantial. Why do you ask?"
"He died on the Isles long ago, and now Savathûn is trying to revive him. Our source says he'll be in the lowest levels of the Apothecary. Anything we should know?"
"Oh yeah, that must've been what Savathûn brought with her," Fynch said. "That thing was so drenched in magic, even I could feel it." There was a brief silence, spliced with clicks from the Ghost as he consulted his notes. "Savathûn didn't keep many records on her private research. Or if she did, I couldn't grab them. But I doubt she'd entrust something like this to anyone but her most elite lieutenants."
"Sounds like you need to expect a fight," Royal said. "What does the Throne World look like on the ground?"
"Ehhh, not great. With Savathûn dead and her body in Hidden possession, the Hive are in shambles. They were already ceding ground to the Scorn. Now, they're being drowned in a tide of nasty freaks."
Lilith spoke up, having secured her own radio from the Hidden supplies. "I'm sorry, Scorn?"
"Alien zombies, I'll explain the specifics another time," Royal said. "Luz and Amity need to stay focused on breaching the Apothecary."
Luz checked the display from her jumpship as it scanned the surface of the Throne World. The outer rings of Savathûn's palace had been drowned in a tide of corroded metal and rotting flesh. Brilliant flashes of Light could be seen in the frothing warzone below them. Hive Lightbearers were busy at work, ensuring their presence was felt. A few even strayed deep into the Scorn ranks, unleashing scouring waves of Solar Light that set the swamps ablaze. A stark orange hue was cast over Savathûn's dominion, painting a violent sheen over the once beautiful architecture.
The Hive appeared to be fiercely holding the Apothecary, even as waves of Scorn crashed around them. Even in death, Savathûn's grip on her experiments was nigh absolute. Luz and Amity circled overhead as they searched for anywhere they could disembark that wouldn't see them instantly set upon by Hive, Scorn, or both.
"This place is covered in the bastards," Amity said. "Fynch, got a place we can touch down?"
"Maybe, lemme check what the Hidden are saying." A few more chirps passed over the line as Fynch conferred with what little information he had. "Alright, got it. The Scorn have been steering clear of this area. We suspect it might house some old canals that lead into the Apothecary."
"Sounds like the kind of backdoor entrance the Scorn would love to exploit," Luz said as she checked over the coordinates Fynch had sent her. "Why would they go out of their way to avoid it?"
"Lucent patrols? Can't really say. But unless you wanna fight your way through half the Scorn army, it's your only shot."
The two confirmed and adjusted their trajectory, slicing through the skies. They dropped toward their destination, plummeting toward the ground like meteors of the apocalypse. Shortly before hitting the ground, they sharply pulled up. The two transmatted from their ships and landed in the mud as their jumpships peeled away, returning to orbit. In perfect unison, the two brought their weapons up and began their march through the swamp's edge.
Mud clung to their boots and the hems of their fabrics, staining them with the repugnant filth of Savathûn's realm. The distant cries of war and slaughter could be heard, a horrific orchestra of pain and suffering conjured from a clash of two very different kinds of monsters. The outer walls of Savathûn's palace grew from the muck and mire, stretching skyward in defiance of those who would breach them. Despite that, the flashes of combat could be seen over the crest, filling the air with the scent of smoldering flesh and smoke.
The two clung to the edges of the fortress wall as they moved through fog and filth. The swamp reached an endpoint, sharply dropping into a bottomless expanse. Luz tore a stick off a nearby tree and used a tiny Solar spark on the tip of her finger to set it ablaze. She dropped her new torch into the smoke-filled abyss, watching the light tumble and fade until it could no longer be seen.
"What do you think's down there?" Amity asked, crouching near the edge. Luz tilted her head as she thought.
"If this Throne World is a reflection of Savathûn's mind, I would wager that's the deepest layer of her subconscious. Perhaps her unconscious mind."
"Whatever it is, I wouldn't want to end up down there," Amity said. She pointed to a spot along the edge of the battlements. A massive sewer grate stuck out of the smooth wall, spewing forth countless gallons of water. "I'd wager that's our entrance."
"Lovely." Luz slid her weapon onto her back and cast her gaze up and down the length of the wall. Alas, there were no secret paths to be revealed. The space was truly barren. She double-checked the gap: too far to safely fly with their Light. Luz summoned Stringbean to her head and gave the serpent's neck a gentle stroke. "Ready for another flight, girl?"
The Palisman hissed in apprehension at the proposal, shrinking away from the pit. A vague feeling transferred between the two; Stringbean was warning her of danger. She glanced at Amity, who seemed similarly agitated. The Witch noticed her glance and nodded in confirmation.
"I can feel something," she said. "Faint, but familiar. It has to be the Collector. Savathûn must have some beefy guards on standby."
Luz cracked her fingers and approached the spot where the cliff edge and palace walls met. "Then we need another way to enter." The Darkness swelled up within her, eager to heed her call. It recognized the touch of the Collector that stained this part of the Throne World. Luz took a deep breath and slammed the back of her hand against the wall. Lines of frost crept alongside the edge of the wall, spreading like the webs of a spider. Once it reached the grate, Luz sharply pulled her hand away. Large spikes of frozen crystal shot out of the wall, cracking the ossific material beneath it. A makeshift staircase now connected the two points, offering a reasonably stable means of egress.
"After you," Luz said, curtseying before Amity and gesturing toward the stairway. Amity set a tentative boot upon it, feeling how well the crystals could bear her weight. There was the slightest groan, and Luz felt a lance of ice in her mind as her control wavered. The Stasis construct ultimately held, and Amity took another step forward.
"I gotta learn how to use this stuff," Amity murmured. Static crackled over the radio as Lilith observed their feeds.
"You can… wield the Darkness?" There was a pause as she stopped to analyze the structure of the Stasis crystals. "Remarkable. I thought that it was a corruptive, consuming force."
"I thought the same," Royal said. "But things are not as they were before my extended stay in the Vex Domain. Times have changed, and we all have much to learn."
Lilith managed a small, quiet chuckle as the two Guardians neared the sewer grate. "Earlier, you mentioned Paladin. I trust that he is doing well?"
"As well as he can, given the circumstances. Venator too. The Isles have been peaceful under their watchful optics, ignoring recent tragedies. We've even moved to integrate the Demon Realm into Sol, though circumstances have somewhat forced our hand."
The two Guardians reached the end of Luz's impromptu bridge and stepped inside the grate. Water rushed past their feet, rising as high as their calves. Light flowed into Luz's legs, strengthening them against the water's pull.
Amity retched at the smell of the canal. It stank of rotting meat and necromantic magic. "You know, whenever Paladin would tell me of his times in the field, I never imagined it would entail something this… unsavory."
Royal gave a short bark of laughter, though it was dry and somewhat devoid of humor. "Most of the time, the life of a Guardian is far from glorious. Can't forget that we're all technically a bunch of rotting corpses puppeted by power from a go… the Traveler." They all heard the little slip but made no effort to comment. Maybe it was just a side effect of her relatively short second—or technically third—life, but she had never felt the same pull toward faith that Royal clearly had.
"We're reaching the end of the tunnel." Amity's words pulled Luz from her haze. She summoned her hand cannon and crouched against the wall. They were at a crossroads of sorts for pipage, with multiple tunnels converging on this one location. A ladder led to a small trapdoor with a faint light shining through. Fynch's schematics revealed that they were directly beneath the lowest level of the Apothecary.
"Nowhere to go but up," Luz said, gripping the ladder and beginning her ascent. She quickly scaled the length of the ladder and reached the top. Pressing the barrel of her revolver against the trapdoor, she slowly lifted and peered into the room. A lone Acolyte kneeled on the ground, his back to the Stormcaller. Suspended above his hands was his weapon, offered to the air like a sacrificial Thrall. A door on the side led to a larger space, though she couldn't see much from this angle.
Luz's hands charged with lightning as she reached out and grabbed the Acolyte by the back of their head. In an instant, thousands of volts leaped from her palm and into the Acolyte's skull. The creature barely had time to scream before his head exploded with a sickening pop. The Acolyte slumped over as Amity entered the room.
The two peeked into the broader room. It was surprisingly empty, with a large sealed door leading further into the bowels of the Apothecary. A simple stand rose from the ground beside the door, containing a churning mass within its heart. Luz approached the stand and inspected it. Outside of the glowing purple core, there was nothing unusual about the short spire.
Amity slammed her shoulder against the door in an effort to tear it down. The enchantments around it swirled, sharply pushing her away. Coating her boots in Abomination magic to anchor them, she summoned her gauntlets and tried to dig her fists into the smooth obstacle. The spikes on her knuckles ground against the door, leaving trails of sparks from the friction but little else.
"It's no use," Amity said. "This place is a dead end."
Luz turned back to the small stand. She could feel the pulse of Light within it calling to her. "Maybe not." She reached toward the burning mass.
"What are you doing?" Aurora asked, clearly worried for her Guardian's sanity. Luz ignored her, driving her fist further and further in. The abyss licked her arm, threatening to drag her into its embrace. Sweat trailed down her forehead as her outer plating began to smoke. She wrapped her fingers around the energy, molding it with her Light into a shape she could grab. She heaved, dragging a sphere of humming power out of the pedestal. Dissolved metal dripped from her arms like acid rain, sizzling as it hit the ground. The enchantment around the door faded, and the door slid open.
"How did you know that would work?" Amity asked. Before Luz could respond, she put up a hand. "Let me guess, you didn't."
"You grabbed a ball of highly volatile energy on a hunch?" Aurora questioned, her voice shrill from worry. "If that thing destabilizes, it could level half the palace!"
"It'll be fine," Luz assured. As if to immediately contradict her words, the sphere vibrated wildly in her arms, screaming with unrestrained power. Luz quickly smothered it with her Light as they stepped through the door and into a long hallway. "Though we may want to find a place to store this."
At the end of the hallway was another open doorway leading into the Apothecary proper. Sunlight filtered down from the open pit as they passed under the bridge they had used to enter the spire not so long ago. Another stand sat right beside the door, which Luz gratefully deposited her Void charge into.
"See, simple as that," she said, dusting off her hands and taking a look around. The open space was filled with tablets and tomes neatly filed away. Dozens of passages cut into the walls, each leading to their own horrific experiment.
Aurora sighed. "I worry about you sometimes. You know that, right?"
"Welcome to the club," Amity said. She stopped for a moment, tilting her head as if to better listen to a distant melody. Reaching up, she removed her helmet and shook her head to clear the clashing sensations from her mind. Her pink hair fell down to her shoulders as her golden eyes pierced the shadows of the Apothecary. Eventually, she fixated her gaze down one of the numerous hallways. "That one."
"You're certain?" Luz asked. The Witch nodded, her eyes narrowing and her lips curling in apprehension.
"It smells like starlight and celestial winds," she said. "It's the Collector. It has to be." She held her hand out with her palm facing toward the sky. Pal appeared above her outstretched appendage, looking at her with his lone optic. "Pal, please grab some copies of these records. I imagine Ikora would be very interested in whatever Savathûn has been concocting down here."
"Understood." The Ghost vanished with a flash and reappeared beside the stacks of documents. He shone a beam on them, drawing as much information as he could. Amity redonned her helmet and hefted her pulse rifle.
"Let's go." She set off without another word, leaving Luz to follow behind her. The tunnel was poorly lit, forcing Luz to set her hand ablaze so that she may illuminate the path. Distant flashes occasionally pulsed through the tunnel, shaking the stone around them with necromantic power.
"You are close," Lilith whispered. "Savathûn's prize. The Collector reborn and fully under her command."
"They won't let it come to that," Royal said. "We have faced worse than a dead god."
"Like what?" Lilith asked. "What could be worse than him?"
"Outcast, for one."
"But you told us he was dead?"
Royal gave a brief, humorless laugh. "Yeah, that's what we all thought. He's alive and very, very angry. Like a hurricane, he wanders the Vex Domain, destroying everything in his path. And now he has his sights set on the Isles." Static set into their words as Luz and Amity moved deeper into the Apothecary, content to merely listen and prepare.
"First the Collector, then Savathûn, now your wayward brother," Lilith said, her voice suddenly very small. "There is no end to the horror."
"Maybe," Royal said. "But nor is there an end to those who will stand against it. Even as we speak, the protectors of the Isles are meeting the enemy head-on."
"That is good to hear," Lilith said. "I have missed your single-minded drive."
Royal sighed, the sound heavily laden with interference. "And I, your endless font of curiosity. I am sorry that I couldn't help you sooner."
"Self-pity will get us nowhere," Luz chimed in. "What's done is done."
"Indeed," Royal said. "It's a shame you couldn't see her training, Lilith. Luz has shaped up to be quite the commendable Guardian."
Luz wanted to swell at the praise, but something nagged at the back of her mind. The feeling of pride was dragged down into the deepest layers of her subconscious and smothered. How could she be proud of herself when her actions had given Savathûn everything she needed to steal away the Traveler? So many lives that had needed to be saved because of her blunder. She didn't feel much like a hero.
Sensing the tension in the pause, Lilith quickly picked the conversation back up. "How have you been since you arrived back home."
"It's been one haymaker after another," Royal said. "Not a day goes by that I don't regret my decision. But, at the same time, I wouldn't dream of walking it back. The things I can do here are too important.
"You will have to show me around the Last City sometime. Your descriptions made it sound positively delightful. I cannot wait to lay my eyes upon the Traveler itself in all its glory." Once again, the conversation paused. Luz may not have been able to see Royal, but she could tell that he was seething. Such a sore spot likely wouldn't heal for a while. Royal's worldview had been utterly upended, and he would have to find out who he was other than just being a Guardian. At least he wouldn't be forced to walk that path alone.
"Let's not talk about the Traveler right now," Luz said. "There's too much to be said."
"Wait." Amity held up a hand as she stopped. Luz fell in line beside her. Amity tilted her head to the side, raising one ear over the other to better listen. "Do you hear that?"
Luz craned her neck as she listened, waiting for whatever sound her partner had heard. Nothing emerged from the hallway for a while, leaving Luz to wonder if it had ever existed. Then, she felt it. It wasn't a sound, closer to a deep vibration resonating through the ground and into their bones like a low-power earthquake. Amity shook her head and brought a hand to her faceplate.
"Titan, I can feel it pounding against my ribs," she said, her voice slightly woozy. "This place reeks of graves and dust."
"Necromantic magic," Lilith said, her voice faint. "Ancient lore drawn from the Isles. Spells theorized to reanimate the dead."
"It could also be the teachings of Nokris the Unfavored," Royal said. "The forgotten son of Oryx. The first Necromancer. He swore himself to Savathûn shortly before the arrival of the Black Fleet, but he was slain on Io. Perhaps Savathûn has combined his knowledge with this old knowledge from the Isles to facilitate this profane resurrection?"
"We won't know until we're there," Luz said. She set off down the hallway once again, with Amity close behind. They neared the end, where the tight walls opened into a massive mausoleum. Stairs led down into a central amphitheater with a small shrine in the middle. Three spires stretched up around it like fingers sprouting from the earth to ensnare the shrine, each channeling the Light through the air and into the central podium. A large Wizard floated above the podium, channeling the Light through her hands. Her body shimmered with protective enchantments. A Ghost floated beside her, its bony shell twitching with anticipation. Directly below them, fixed upon the altar, was none other than the Collector.
Luz's skull throbbed with agony, as though a spear had just been rammed through her eye and straight into her brain. The dead god's visage swam in her eyes, the lines between blue and orange skin blurring like paint laden with too much water. White hair shot out of his head, twisting with the thick ebony roots sprouting from a gaping hole in his chest. The roots still writhed centuries after life's touch had been retracted.
"That's him," Amity said, her voice like steel. "And that must be Savathûn's hound." She moved to step into the open. Luz stopped her with a hand on her pauldron.
"Wait, look at those spires," she said. "The Light within them. If we can turn them against the Wizard, we can undo the spell. Then, it'll be a two-on-one. We can secure the Collector's body and be out before anyone else knows we're here."
Amity glanced at the spines of rocky and ossific matter. Light was infused into the material, giving it a faint glow. The orange glow of molten rock, the electric blue of the hottest stars, and the deep indigo of celestial nebulas. Each element was tied to a different spire, shooting through the air before combining into a rainbow of heat, energy, and power. All that was being channeled straight into the Wizard as she coaxed the Light into the Collector. Should the stream be disrupted, the results could be catastrophic.
"Not that I'm doubting your plan," Aurora began, speaking softly over their comm line, "but how do you plan to safely dispose of the charge once you grab it? The Wizard definitely won't just turn a blind eye."
"Haven't thought that far ahead," Luz admitted. "But we need to do something fast." She paused for a moment to think. A lightning bolt flashed across her mind in a burst of inspiration. "Each of these spires is designed to funnel a certain type of Light into the ritual, right?"
"By my scans, yes."
"So if we switch up which energy is fed into which receptacle, we could cause a chain reaction to bring this whole experiment crumbling down."
"A whole lot of this is riding on that 'could'," Aurora asked. "And again, once you grab the charges, that Wizard is going to figure out that something's up."
"We'll siege that gate when we get to it," Luz said. "Amity, you got all that?"
"I can't help but share Aurora's sentiments, but you haven't led me astray yet. Problem is that there's three charges and only two of us."
"Then we'll need to move fast," Luz said. "You grab the Void charge and bring it to the Arc podium. I'll grab Arc and drop it on the Solar podium, then finish off the trinity."
Amity seemed hesitant. "You sure you'll be able to suppress two of them at once? I can feel the power in these things from here."
"I'm on standby if you need me," Royal said.
"It'll take too long for you to get here," Luz said. "We need to move now." She set an armored hand on Amity's pauldron, looking for some kind of resolve from the Titan. "You got a better idea?"
Amity sighed and shook her head. "I guess not." She reached across her chest and set her hand atop Luz's. "Stick to the shadows and stay safe."
"Back at you." With that, the two dispersed and began creeping along the edges of the room. The shadows bucked and heaved across the walls as Luz moved. Fortunately, both the Wizard and the Ghost were too preoccupied with the ritual to notice them. A sharp tingle raced up Luz's spine as she approached the rippling energy. A tinge stuck to the air like a thick web, latching onto her armor as she passed through and leaving a lingering static fringe on her robes.
Luz approached the glowing sphere of brilliant blue charge. Her hands reached out, and the charge reacted. Lightning reached out to embrace her fingers, welcoming her presence like a long-lost sibling. She felt the charge in her palms. It fit perfectly, as though it had been waiting for her all along.
She braced her legs as she tugged on the orb, yanking it free from its binds. The comfort of the orb faded like a vague sensation only barely recalled. In its place, a sharp pain took its place. The Arc stream fizzled out as she cradled the orb like a newborn. Her Light clashed against the unstable power within the orb, forcing it to calm.
Across the room, the Void stream faded from existence with a snap. The Wizard looked up from the Collector as her spell dissipated. The two Guardians immediately took off, moving to their targets.
"Interlopers," the Wizard hissed. "You defile this sacred place." Arc Light poured into her arms as she wove a new spell into reality. "Vorlog, to me!"
A glowing green glyph appeared on the ground in front of Luz. Hive fire burned within the circle, and a massive green Knight emerged from the spell. His sword was lit with unnatural fire as he bore down on Luz, a distinct malice in his eyes. His chitin was half-rotted, and there were chunks along his body where his flesh had decayed, revealing the muscle and bone beneath. Raising his sword to his mouth, he ran his tongue down the chipped edge, slicing it open. The blade drank in his burning blood, and the flames along its edge grew brighter.
"As you command, Šimmumah ur-Nokru," the undead Knight said, his voice crisp and filled with magic. "My body is your will, my blade is your wrath."
Šimmumah flung an arm toward Luz as she stopped in her tracks before the Knight. "Destroy them! I must maintain the spell!"
Vorlog growled as he brought his blade to bear. With a roar, he slammed it down atop her. Luz narrowly dodged, feeling the rush as the blade parted the air and the spray of fragments as it shattered the floor. He instantly brought the sword up, swiping at her face. Luz quickly withdrew, evasive as a spark in the wind.
Vorlog stabbed his blade into the ground, shooting a lance of ghastly green flame at the Warlock. Luz grunted as it slammed into her chest, digging in like a knife between her ribs. She fell to the floor, cradling her ball of Arc energy as it threatened to overwhelm her. The ground beneath Vorlogs feet cracked as he lumbered toward her, sparks trailing behind him as he dragged his sword along the ground.
Drawing close to his prey, Vorlog raised his sword overhead in a two-handed grip. With a roar, he plunged it toward Luz's chest. She rolled to the side, and the blade slipped past her. With a snarl, Vorlog tore it free. Behind him, a surge of Void Light snapped to life, bathing the room in a purple glow. The Arc podium whined as Void energy flowed into it, dissolving the structure. Vorlog turned just in time to catch Amity's shield to his face. The disc sliced through his head, splitting it in half. The Knight hissed, more from annoyance than pain, as Amity rapidly closed the gap.
Metallic gauntlets coated in magical ooze met the Knight's chitinous carapace. There was the sound of dry wood snapping as Vorlogs biological armor broke. Amity's fist shot out the Knight's back, sending shards of bone flying to the floor.
"I've got him," Amity said, tearing her arm free. "Go!"
Luz didn't wait to respond, scrambling back to her feet and setting off as fast as possible. Amity recalled her shield and used it to block an overhead strike from the zombie Knight. She lashed out again, only for Vorlog to catch her arm by the wrist. A ferocious yank pulled her straight into his knee, and all the air vacated her lungs. Dragging her further along, he drove the tip of his burning sword into her gut. Amity bit back a scream as the blade greedily drank her blood. Vorlog snarled as he pressed against her, driving her toward the ground. He planted the sword in the floor tip first, pinning Amity down as she grasped the weapon still lodged inside her. Relinquishing his grip, Vorlog reared back and slammed his fist into her helmet, producing a sickening crunch as bone and metal buckled beneath his fist.
"One more," Vorlog said as he stepped away from the shattered Titan. His gaze snapped to Luz as she reached the podium containing the Solar charge. With a confident snarl, he began his lumbering charge. Oblivious to the resurrected Knights goal, Luz approached the podium. The Solar flame at its heart responded to her presence, its flames hungrily reaching out to taste her fingers.
"You sure you can withstand two of these charges at once?" Aurora asked. "Just the one is taking a lot from you."
"I don't have a choice," Luz said. Setting her feet in place, she steeled her back and reached into the core of the podium. Her fingers wrapped around the Solar charge, and the reaction was instant. Unimaginable heat shot across her nerves, nearly shaking a scream from her. The hair on her arm caught on fire, and her skin immediately burned. Solar and Arc Light clashed within her as the storm and the inferno each raged to be the first to consume her. Her arm shook violently as she dragged the Solar charge out of the heart of the podium. Flares of orange and blue nearly burned out her retinas as she brought the Arc charge forward. With one last scream, she plunged the Arc charge into the podium.
There was an eruption of crackling electricity that shot into Luz's body. Lightning wove into her muscles and bones, infusing her with energy beyond her wildest dreams. The unfiltered energy coursed through her body, begging her to use it. Behind her, Vorlog was forced to shield himself with his hands as Arc tendrils snapped at him.
Wrenching her eyes shut, Luz cradled the Solar charge close to her chest, its heat radiating through her core as though the searing blood of the Hive was pumping through her veins. Her muscles quivered and shook with energy that had nowhere to go. She needed to act, lest the energy begin to tear her apart.
Within the center of the room, the spell waned. Šimmumah deftly wove her fingers, doing her best to stabilize the enchantment. Scowling, she turned to Luz, Arc Light sparking between her fingertips. "Enough of these games, I shall cast you down!"
The Lucent Necromancer unfurled her hands. Sickly green lines shot through the floor, crossing over each other to form intricate symbols. The glowing Hive glyphs shone beneath Luz's feet, her eyes still tightly clenched. Her ears were pounding with all the sensations of the ring; Vorlog drawing close to her, Šimmumah weaving her spells, Amity dragging the blade out of her chest, and even her own heart pounding against her ribs.
Unable to bear the unrestrained energy, Luz let her eyes slide open. Lightning shot across her pupils, and the entire world seemed to slow. She looked to one side, then the other. Vorlog was caught mid-lunge, moving through the air like he was stuck in a thick sap. The rune at her feet was activating, fangs of green fire slowly shooting upward to entrap her. Across the room, Amity shifted her grip on the sword in her chest, her hands moving so slow as to appear that they were entirely still.
Luz took a step forward, carefully extracting herself from the erupting trap. Arc bolts sprouted from every inch of her body, shooting off in wild directions until they met something and fizzled from existence. Even the lightning appeared to be moving slower, though still breathtakingly quick.
Luz took a few more steps forward, feeling her excess energy fade away with each motion. The world slowly returned to its normal speed as she flowed across the floor. Vorlog followed her, his rotting claws snatching at the space she had been just a heartbeat before. The ball of Solar energy nestled against her stomach throbbed with barely contained heat.
Šimmumah cast her hand across the room, sending a wave of necromantic magic over the floors. More glyphs sprouted between Luz and her goal. The ground began to glow as Šimmumah charged it with magic. The atoms within began to burst, overloaded with energy. The floor around her exploded, sending Luz flying into the wall. The Solar charge spilled out of her hands and landed on the ground, where it instantly began melting the floor. Šimmumah immediately directed her attention to it, smothering the charge with her own Light. Vorlog, now returned to full speed, stomped over to her. A single decrepit hand wrapped around her neck and lifted her into the air. He balled the second into a fist and drove it into her unarmored gut, shattering his own fist against her stomach. Luz gasped as all the air was driven from her lungs before reaching for the burning orb on the floor.
Vorlog pulled his fist back, observing the broken bone fragments and mangled flesh that fell from his limb. His rotten body fell apart from the force he had imparted, leaving a few jagged bones at the end. With a growl, he plunged the spearlike bone protrusions of his own forearm into Luz's gut. A lance of fire shot through her midsection. Vorlog's half-rotted skull morphed into a vicious grin as he twisted his arm, grinding his improvised knife further into Luz's guts. His other hand relentlessly crushed her neck. Her vision swam and faded as her strength began to slip away.
"Get your filthy hands off her!"
The tip of Vorlog's sword perforated his chest, staining Luz's robes with blood and bits of bone. The sword greedily devoured Vorlog's rancid vitae, burning brighter. Amity grit her teeth as she drove the sword further in, the hole in her chest closing. Her armor glowed with Void power, driving her far beyond what she should be capable of.
Relinquishing his hold on Luz's throat, Vorlog feebly gripped the burning blade. Luz dropped to the ground, clutching her cut as Aurora soothed the wound. Amity set her feet on the ground and squeezed the sword grip tightly as she pulled upward. The sword eagerly devoured Vorlog's flesh as it split through him, slicing his skull in half. The twin stumps fell away from each other as Amity held the sword overhead. With an exhausted gasp, she let it clatter to the ground.
"Come on, Guardian," she said with a strained voice as she offered Luz a hand. "Eyes up." Luz accepted the outstretched hand and rose to her feet.
"You fools!" Šimmumah hissed. The Solar Charge continued to sizzle and destabilize as she struggled to contain it. The charge had been out of its receptacle for too long and taken too much of a beating. Šimmumah shielded her eyes as sparks flew across the room. "You've doomed us all!"
"We have to get out of here," Luz said. Before she could move, Šimmumah lashed a hand toward the doorway, sealing it with a glowing rune.
"This entire wing of the Apothecary is coming down," Šimmumah spat. "And I will ensure that you are buried along with the rest of us!"
"So much for securing the body," Luz said. "We have to destroy it."
Amity blanched as she backed away from the Solar charge. It glowed brighter and brighter until it was blinding white. The heat radiating from it was closer to a star than a flame. "I don't think that's going to be a problem." She cast one last look around the room, searching for an exit. When she didn't find it, she took a deep breath. "Stay close to me; I'll cover us." She brought her arms close to her chest and flooded them with Void Light.
"You sure you'll be able to withstand something like this?" Luz asked.
"Let's find out together." With a scream of exertion, Amity thrust her arms to the side, projecting Light and magic outward at once. A dome of unyielding Void Light enveloped them, reinforcing their armor with its protective sheen. Abomination goo snaked along the sides, hardening into an additional layer of protection.
The Solar charge finally reached its breaking point, shining bright enough to nearly blind Luz even after she shielded her eyes. A wave of explosive force crashed into the chamber, shaking the very foundations of the Apothecary. Šimmumah gave one last rageful hiss before fading in a flash of green fire.
Sweat trailed down Amity's face as her muscles howled. "Just… hold… on…"
The chamber detonated, collapsing into a pile of rubble that spanned half the Apothecary. Spires collapsed, and countless rooms were destroyed in an instant as the tower swayed. Massive chunks of rubble rained atop Amity's Ward of Dawn, each getting a little closer to piercing the dome.
Eventually, the tide of destruction ceased, leaving Amity and Luz under a small mountain of rock. Amity slowly let her protection fade away, catching the chunks of rock that shifted and fell atop them. Slowly, the two dug their way out until the gentle touch of sunlight graced them once again. The distant screams of wounded Hive and eager Scorn reached them as they took a moment to rest.
"No signs of the Collector," Aurora said as Amity tugged off her helmet, letting her pink hair fall past her shoulders. "I think he was completely atomized."
Amity spat into the rubble around them. "Good riddance. The system is already in enough chaos without another deluded god-creature causing mayhem."
"No sign of Šimmumah either," Pal said. "Not even her Ghost. She must have escaped."
"A problem for another day," Royal said. "I'm sure we'll trip across her again. Hive Wizards have a nasty habit of cropping up when you least expect them. In any event, good work down there, you two. Your ships will be around to pick you up in a minute. You've earned a good rest."
"Agreed," Lilith said. "Seeing the two of you as Guardians… it truly dawns on me just how long I was a prisoner."
"I hate to say it, but your shared memories with Savathûn really came in clutch," Lancer said. "Not saying it was a good thing, but it certainly helped."
"A silver lining, I suppose," Lilith said. "Knowing what she knows, a part of me pities the Collector."
"You pity that monster?" Amity questioned. Lilith sighed wearily.
"You, of all people, should know how easily the malicious can exploit a scared, isolated child. The Collector was a victim as much as he was a monster. Savathûn's affection for him may have been genuine, but it is better that he be finally put to rest rather than be raised to serve her whims."
Amity fell silent at that, tightly gripping her helmet. Luz gave her shoulder a supportive squeeze. "In any event, we won't have to worry about him again." She raised an ear to the wind, taking in the approaching sounds of hundreds of feet scrambling over stone. "The Scorn are gonna be drawn to this place like a Selkidomus to a kelp forest. Let's get out of here."
There was a thunderous roar as their jumpships soared overhead. The two transmatted away as the first Scorn scavengers arrived, crawling over the wreckage of the Apothecary. They sniffed the air, prying under stones for their quarry. One Stalker dug into the rubble, tearing away huge chunks of stone with their bare hands. Fragments chipped at their flesh, but they mindlessly continued their work until their fingers met flesh.
The Stalker screeched as it dug a small body out of the ruins. More gathered around it, lending their strength. The Darkness beckoned them here, guided their actions. Their master sought a prize, and they would deliver.
With a final, ravenous cry, the Scorn dug the body of the Collector free. He was covered in dust and singes—and was still dead, of course—but was otherwise undamaged. The Stalker hefted his body and slung it over their shoulder, then set off back into the depths of the Throne World. Their master had plans for the Collector, alive or dead.
Real quick, on Lilith's Palisman's name. He was never named in the show, obviously, and the wiki had no concrete answer. There were two unofficial answers provided by the crew. The first was that his name was "Mike Socks" as a joke, and the second was that he was named after an old historian with a super long and convoluted name. I am combining the two and just using "Mike" as a shortened version. Ther's some more stuff I could get into with how Mike fits into Lilith's possession and whatnot, but it's not really relevant. Maybe another time.
Revenant is dead, long live Revenant. What an interesting episode this has been. I know it's not technically over, but it's not like there's anything else new to look forward too. The seasonal activities were fine, but really lacked in compelling loot to chase. Vespers was a great dungeon, but was also the catalyst for a massive issue in loot tables. The story was better than Echoes, but suffered from severe pacing issues in the axact opposite way from Echoes. Echoes had a lot of things it wanted to tackle—Saint and Osiris, Failsafe, Maya, and the Vex being changed up—but never really went anywhere with any of them until the third week of each act. By comparison, Revenant is much more focused, but having every act condensed into ninety minutes means that things don't have room to breathe. They kind of alleviated this by putting Crow's drive to do well on his first mission as Hunter Vanguard and Eido's fears over her father deteriorating into the fieldwork. But then, fieldwork was incredibly boring, didn't even work half the time, and tied to the absolutely abysmal tonic system.
For some specifics on the story, I have a few little points I want to get off my chest. First, Fikrul and Crow needed way more interactions. That was the main appeal of Fikrul even coming back, personally. They got one real conversation, and that was it. The second one is more for the community. Stop saying that you're sick of Bungie redeeming villains because of Eramis. Eramis was not redeemed, we've just reached a mutual understanding. She still very much does not like us, she's just decided to fuck off to somewhere else and be a problem over there. How many villains have even been redeemed anyway? Uldren is the only one that comes to mind, and his circumstances are unusual. Maybe Riven, I guess. Savathûn certainly wasn't redeemed, she was only ever an ally of desperation. Who else could it be? Caiatl? Mithrax? Variks? Antagonists at one point, maybe. But redeemed villains feels inaccurate.
Oh, forgot about Skolas. But Bungie also forgot about him so I guess it evens out.
Overall, I think Revenant was an improvement over Echoes. But, Heresy really needs to be good or we can safely discard this "episodes" experiment. Going into 2025, I'm really not sure where Destiny stands. Feels like the game is falling apart. Maybe it'll get better, maybe it won't. I genuinely don't know. I just wish all the doomsayers would shut up for just a moment. If you've seen Datto's recent "Destiny in 2025" video, then I basically share his sentiments on the state of the game and the community.
But enough of that, onto the reviews.
Elthreee: Happy anniversary Light Does Not Yield! It's been a fun and great read for this past year, and holy hell I cannot believe it's already been that long. I'm super excited for Vow Of The Disciple and what's to come after, namely Season of the Haunted for obvious reasons. Also good for Royal, getting not just one, but two cathartic final blows on Savathûn. Ik I say it all the time but keep it up, fr. And I hope you're able to keep building a great story like usual up to TFS.
What a year its been. 34 chapters, 10k views, 322k words. Very productive. Don't know how well I'll be able to keep up that momentum this year, cause my semester is absolutely packed. But I'm decently proud of what I've made and excited for where I'll be going.
GuardianLightTheVanguard: 1) where did this dialogue come from, We fight for the living." "And we kill for the dead, is it a war cry or is it a reference to some series or film my friend Penguin1673.
2) I hope Luz Noceda recovers her memories just like Amity. Before the Events of LIGHTFALL.
3) I hope that in Season of Seraph and Lightfall, Lilith will be an important character just like Osiris.
4) so Lilith was with her Palisman this whole time, right, my friend.
5) Light Does Not Yield Completed One Year of Launch! Alive! I'm very happy about that my friend! And I also thank you for creating the best crossover in the world of the two favorite series that I love so much. Destiny And The Owl House!
6) Lilith Awake, Live! I'm very happy that Royal's best friend is among us, Amity and Luz Noceda have a lot to talk about with her, especially Royal with Lilith.
7) I hope Lilith already has a room in the Last City that will be right next to Royal's room and Luz And Amity's room.
8) I hope Royal can show Lilith and take her to see the Last City.
9) King Will Be Very Happy That His Aunt Lilith Is Alive!
10) Carolyn Will Be Very Surprised When She Meets Her Aunt Lilith.
11) I hope that in the Missions of Royal, Amity And Luz Noceda, Lilith Can Help them in the Communication Line and in The H.E.L.M.
12) I Hope Royal Introduces Lilith So She Can Meet Ikora, Zavala And The Crow.
13) I would really like to know what are these cool surprises that you mentioned that will appear in Chapter 35, I hope it leaves me surprised.
14) What Will Lilith's Reaction Be When She Meets Eris Morn.
15) I hope that at the beginning and end of the Seasons Iris Appears To Help Her Friends Royal,Luz Noceda, Amity And Lilith. in Seasons Missions With Royal, Luz Noceda And Amity.
16) I hope that like Osiris, Lilith has obtained information about Neptune and The Veil.
17) I hope to know what Lilith's reaction will be when I tell her about Philip Returning as Guardian.
18) I hope to know what Lilith's reaction will be when Royal takes her to The Owl House and finds Eda's tombstone.
19) Friday, January 10th It was the 5th anniversary of The Owl House! and its arrival and debut on Disney Channel!.
20) What did you think of the End of the Revenant Episode, and the Exotic Journey and the Exotic Weapon and What are your expectations for the Next Heresy Episode. Could you share your opinion my friend.
1. I initially drew it from the Horus Heresy books where "Kill for the living! Kill for the dead" was a warcry for the Luna Wolves. I changed it up a bit for my own mysterious and nebulous reasons.
2. Mayhaps. We will be getting into that soonish. Prolly around Haunted.
3. I intend for her to be.
4. Yes, she was.
5. Many thanks.
6. Indeed.
7. I haven't committed to anything like that just yet, though she likely won't be far from the city.
8. He very likely will.
9. Getting Lilith back to the Isles at some point is a priority.
10. She will indeed.
11. For now.
12. More than likely.
13. I hope that was cool enough for you.
14. Interesting indeed.
15. Nothing concrete at the moment.
16. Possibly. Her memories are still a bit murky.
17. Probably a second punch to the face.
18. We will get to that.
19. It most certainly was. Fun times.
20. I gave my thoughts on the episode overall, but the exotic mission has more to talk about. It was fine, I guess. Shorter and easier than Encore, which I like and don't like. It's nice for completing it three times in the story, but it makes the mission a bit boring. The final fight was really pathetic and ended way too soon. The exotic is neat. I doubt I'll ever use it because I don't like slug shotguns, but it's not a bad weapon by any metric.
Heresy... well, Hive stories are usually pretty good, so I'm willing to wait and see.
Unity123: Other than them looking for the Osmium shard and Immaru. Nothing I can think of for the next chapter. When it comes to these end segments, it's always best to look for memes and moments taken out of context like when Amanda dropped in a tank for Iris and Cayde complains why didn't he get one.
Well, bit different from your predictions. Bringing the focus back to the mystery of the Collector. Took some inspiration from Ghost of the Deep for this, to the point where I just decided to add the final boss. Think of this as their test run for Oryx.
As for the end bits, you are correct. I try to poke a little fun at the absurdity of Destiny where I can, all in good fun.
GodzillaMaster: Is it weird that I'm picturing Luz to be the one that has the Parasite grenade launcher, and to name the worm Wormy McSquirmy?
We finally got the Witch Queen expansion done, yay. Now we have to seasons of the Risen, Haunted, Plunder, and Seraph before we can get to Lightfall.
Wouldn't say it's weird, though I'm not planning on giving it to Luz. And yup, looking forward to these next few seasons. Risen will probably be a bit on the shorter end, really looking forward to Haunted, and we'll get more of the Outcast plot as things go forward.
BlueRoseLevi: And so the Bitch Queen falls, and the Witness makes its move
The all out attack on the Throne World from the Coalition forces was not disappointing, especially with Iris being the tiny apparition of Death (finally the pokey stick in action) to the Hive forces between Royal and his firteam and Savathun.
Savathun getting her head smashed in multiple times by Royal was very satisfying.
The final battle was very well done, and Immaru just had to get the last word, the little bastard.
Lilith is finally awake and reunited with some of her old friends, her curse going haywire when she woke was a nice touch.
And so we wait until ch.35 to learn more of what Lilith may know from her time trapped by Savathun.
Iris truly is the physical manifestation of death itself.
Royal's working through a lot of repressed stuff. Best to just let the man get it out of his system.
I know people were expecting Lilith to awaken around Plunder, but I don't want to keep her out of commision for that long. I rationalize it as Savathûn's impact on Lilith's mind being far less recent and thus weaker. So now, she's back in action, centuries removed from just about everyone she knew and loved.
The two rolled back into the Enclave, ready to celebrate a job well done. Royal was there to meet them, with Lilith hanging off his shoulder. She still needed support to walk, but it was better than the alternative. Their fabrics danced as a pair of jumpships flew by, depositing their Guardians.
"Welcome back," Royal said as Luz and Amity approached. "I can imagine you are more than ready for some RnR."
"You know it," Amity said, rolling her shoulder. I pulled muscles I didn't even know existed."
"Of course," Royal said. "You'll just need to quickly debrief first. Lilith is waiting for you at the holoprojector."
Luz propped an eyebrow at that. "The holoprojector?" She pointed at the small terminal a few steps away from them. "That holoprojector?"
"The very same," Royal replied.
"Lilith is waiting for us there," Amity said, picking up on Luz's confusion.
"She most certainly is."
"The same Lilith that is literally leaning against you… right now," Luz said, pointing to the Witch, who responded with a simple wave.
"That would be a correct assessment, yes."
"And she wants us to walk all the way over there so she can talk to us via hologram," Amity said. Royal and Lilith shared a look with each other before nodding.
"Yup."