Already fucked up 2025-2037, 2038 will be my year fr fr.
Hey everybody, hope you guys all had a wonderful Christmas/Hanukkah/Other relevant winter holiday. Mine was certainly pretty good. And, as my gift of merryment to you, the final chapter of the Witch Queen main storyline. It is time to bring the fight to Savathûn. Will the valiant Guardians unravel the plots of the Witch Queen? Will Royal manage to reconcile his loss of faith? Will Luz and Amity get a fucking room already? Most of this and more in the final chapter of 2024!
If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you liked. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review condeming all the new Eldar models to never be released.
NOW ON TO THE REGICIDE!
Chapter 34: One Final Effort
"Revenge is a dish best served with a couple pounds of plastic explosives." - The Venator
It took a while to finalize their plan of attack. By the time they were ready, the Cabal were already laying siege to the exterior of Savathûn's Throne World. Their cannons boomed like the force of a blacksmith's hammer striking their anvil, drawing out the Hive defenses. Misraaks and a few of his best Splicers had arrived and were discussing their route with Ikora. The Vex Network had been in turmoil as of late; its currents had grown congested and challenging to navigate, even for experienced Splicers. With the fall of Quria, Savathûn had retracted her presence from the network, leaving the disparate Vex sub-divisions scattered and easy prey for Outcast to carve through.
Royal waited outside Lilith's tent while the Splicers conferred with the Warlock Vanguard. Her condition seemed to be lessening, though it wouldn't matter if they failed to stop Savathûn. He was currently on call with Elisabeth, bringing her up to speed on what they had uncovered. Her response was about what he had expected.
"So this was her master plan all along," Elisabeth muttered, her voice tinged with interference. "Dammit all."
"We've got one last chance," Royal said. "But it's going to be a long shot. Got any wisdom from previous go-arounds?"
"I wish I did. But things have been different this time. Better, to be certain, but I'm treading blindly into deep waters."
Royal rubbed his faceplate, exhaustion gnawing at the edges of his mind. This must be how Paladin felt all the time. The phantom itch of corrosion and rust ate away at his body, and he couldn't muster the drive to cleanse it. He could feel the grains of sand grinding between his joints, each tick against his artificial nerves like a plucked guitar string resonating through him. The wrongs were tallied, every slight stacked high enough to reach the Reef. Justice would be delivered by his burning hands.
"Whatever happens, just promise me one thing," Elisabeth said. "Promise me that the man who goes into the Throne World is going to be the same man that comes out."
He knew what he should say but didn't know if he could muster the will to lie to Elisabeth. Every time he pictured Savathûn in his mind, all he could feel was a searing inferno of rage, hot enough to boil the oceans of Earth and turn them into something resembling the Isles. Her voice taunted him, gloating over how she had outwitted him at every turn. Outcast joined in the symphony, a constant nagging reminder of the Traveler's great betrayal. When the moment came, how could he know he wouldn't become a slave to his rage?
"We were supposed to be special." He dodged her request like a coward. "We alone were the chosen of the Light. We were better. I thought- I thought that the Light made us pure. How many people have I killed in the name of a god who never ever knew I existed, thinking it was all justified?"
"The Light is neither good nor evil," Elisabeth said. "Much like the Dark, it is merely a tool to be used. You have the power; thus, you have an obligation to use it justly. The Traveler does not matter. All that matters is that there are still people you can save; don't lose sight of them."
She was right, and he knew she was right. "Justice will find Savathûn," he said, setting his shoulders and glaring at the ship still hanging in low orbit. "I will never forsake my oaths to the Last City. In the memory of everything you've undergone to reach this moment, I promise this will be the time we prevail."
"And the Traveler?"
Royal frowned, baring his nonexistent teeth. "What about it?"
"You know what."
He sighed. "It's too complicated to speak on right now. There will be time for that later. After Savathûn lies broken and slain at my feet. But for now, I have to stay focused."
"I suppose that's all I can ask for," Elisabeth said. "Good luck, and don't leave me alone again, or I will hunt you down."
Royal snapped a salute, "Yes ma'am."
"Stop saluting; you look ridiculous," she chided playfully. Royal grinned and acquiesced, grateful that he could at least have this moment, however brief it may be. He never even knew how much he missed it. What he didn't get is how she knew he was saluting from halfway across the system. A question for another, more intimate time.
He bid farewell and rejoined the others as they prepared for departure. Empress Caiatl's forces were fully committed; there would be no backing out now. The Splicers of House Light set to work sculpting the currents of the Vex Domain to pierce the boundary of Savathûn's realm. Luz aided them with her own gauntlet, molding the data into a more suitable form. It felt more malleable than usual, bending beneath her Light with minimal resistance.
"The Vex do not resist us," Misraaks said, his gauntlet glowing with neon green and pink energy. "They have been made pliable."
Royal narrowed his optics. "Outcast."
"Think he'll interfere?" Amity asked. Royal thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"Not if we move fast enough."
Reality snapped and crackled as space bent in on itself, opening a small gateway to the Vex Domain. The Guardians drew their weapons, save for Ikora, whose eyes flashed with Void Light. Iris spun Rose on her finger while Gus chambered a round in his scout rifle.
"Guardians, follow me." Ikora rushed through the portal, crossing the boundary between the which was and that which will be. The others followed closely, charging into the digital plane with their weapons drawn. The Vex Domain churned around them, massive blocks of data detaching and relocating, only to reinsert themselves into new spots. It was random and chaotic, utterly devoid of any true guiding intelligence. The Vex truly were in disarray.
"You are approaching the exit point," Misraaks said over the comm line. "It is a point of vulnerability. You will have to pry it open yourself."
Luz readied her gauntlet as they approached their exit. Light spilled out of the device, carving through the Vex Domain like scalpel through meat. It twisted into a vortex that opened into Savathûn's Throne World.
"I don't know how long I can hold this," she said, straining as Savathûn's enchantments sought to seal the breach. The Guardians quickly dove through, dropping into the courtyard of Savathûn's palace. Pavement cracked beneath their boots as they landed amid a full-scale war between the Lucent Brood and the Scorn. Luz spilled through, sealing the breach behind her, and the Guardians unleashed their fury.
Illusions dashed through the battlelines, drawing fire and sowing confusion as explosions choked the air with rubble and smoke. Rows of Scorn collapsed beneath waves of Light. Chieftains were torn apart, Abominations disemboweled, and countless Stalkers crushed underfoot.
Before them was the line of Hive defenders protecting a massive door. A Lightbearer Acolyte commanded the defenders, a pair of blazing knives in his hands. Royal and Gus charged up the steps, dodging a storm of searing blades as they closed the gap. Royal slid as they approached, drawing his Dawnblade and cutting through one of the Acolyte's knees. The Hive Hunter toppled, bringing his neck in line with Gus's knives. A flash of sunlight bounced off the pristine blade, and the Acolyte's head rolled down the stairs. Royal crushed the Acolyte's Ghost before turning to the door.
"Amity, give me a hand with-" Before he could finish, the door slowly opened. A massive Ogre shouldered its way through, roaring as it brought its blighted visage to bear. The door sealed itself shut behind them, locked with binging Hive runes. Royal and Gus backpedaled and raised their weapons, only for Ikora to interrupt them.
"This one is mine."
The Warlock Vanguard flew into the air, Void Light spilling into her hands. She reached back, pouring her power into one enormous orb. Her Nova Bomb flew through the air, atomizing the Ogre on contact. She remained levitating in the air, Arc Light now coursing across her body. Electricity spilled from her fingers, and she stripped Savathûn's enchantments away, wrenching the door open. A chorus of screeches filled the air as Scorn reinforcements poured into the courtyard.
Ikora looked down at the other Guardians. "Go, find Savathûn and end this. I'll hold the Scorn here."
Luz was about to speak up before Gus grabbed her by the arm and dragged her toward the door. "She'll be fine. Let's go."
After they rushed through, the door sealed shut once again. The Guardians could barely make out the muffled sounds of Void explosions and legions of Scorn dying.
"I almost feel bad for the Scorn," Iris said as they resumed their march, pushing further into the inner halls of the palace. Sunlight shone down on them through the open skylights, illuminating the path ahead.
"Don't," Royal said bluntly. As they rushed up a flight of stairs, a feeling of immeasurable power coursed through the air. The skies above the Throne World rippled with energy as Savathûn's magics did their work. Space was mauled and twisted as something massive entered the Throne World. Just as the Demon Realm had been torn into Sol, the Traveler had just been plucked from it.
"She actually did it," Amity said, her jaw hanging loosely as she stared at the underside of the colossal white sphere. "We're too late."
"Not yet, we aren't," Iris said. "This ain't over until Shaxx sings. And Shaxx never sings. Come on, Guardians, move like you've got a purpose!"
"You heard the woman, double time!" Gus said. The Guardians redoubled their pace, tearing through the palace at breakneck speeds.
"Why won't the Traveler take the Light away from Savathûn?" Aurora asked as they continued their charge, cutting through Hive like an unstoppable tide ripping across the ocean. "It can see what she's doing, can't it?"
"All that matters is stopping the ritual," Luz replied. "Answers will have to come later."
The halls of Savathûn's palace were laden with sorcery, opening into dozens of fake passages and stairwells designed to lead them astray. Truly, in the domain of the God of Cunning, nothing was as it seemed. Luz led them through, her deepsight piercing the falsehoods.
They tore across a bridge exposed to the open sky, passing underneath the shadow of the Traveler. Rows of crimson hedges funneled them down a narrow path toward a magical lift. It propelled them upward to a small platform at the base of the inverted dome christening Savathûn's palace. Unfortunately, the Hive were waiting for them. Another lift awaited them, out of reach behind the Hive defenses.
The Guardians scrambled for cover as rows of Hive guns unleashed their firepower. Void Light scoured their positions, courtesy of a Hive Warlock. She unleashed a barrage of miniature Nova Bombs that chipped their cover away. Amity hissed as the edge of one abyssal blast nicked her arm. Armor and flesh sizzled as her atoms struggled to maintain their structure. More Hive Lightbearers emerged from the doors, bringing reinforcements with them. This was Savathûn's last stand, and she had no intention of giving up without a fight.
"We do not have time to deal with this," Amity said. Royal fired a few shots from his rifle, only to be forced back behind cover when the Hive returned fire.
Across from Amity, Iris summoned a staff of Arc Light. "Gus and I will clear a path and hold the line. You three will have Savathûn all to yourself."
"Are you sure the three of us can take down a Hive God?" Luz asked as she slid a new cylinder into her hand cannon.
"I have faith," Iris replied. "Once I make the opening, you won't have much time. Gus, think you can cause a little chaos."
The Hidden spun a spell circle between his hands, summoning illusory duplicates of the three. "One step ahead of you. Good luck up there." Iris reared back and hurled her staff as hard as she could. It skewered the Hive Warock through the chest, pinning her to the ground. Lightning erupted from the staff, frying the Lightbearer and arcing through the Hive defenses. Gus's illusions dove into the mix, masking the advance of the real Guardians as they sprinted toward the lift. A few Hive tried to stop them. The business end of Royal's shotgun stifled their efforts.
Iris flung herself into the fray as they reached the lift, her glaive swirling in a brilliant arc. She wove through gunshots and blasts of Light—a true sign of death incarnate. The roar of battle fell to a dull thunder as the three were carried upward. With a start, the enchantments on the lift burned out, dropping the Guardians into freefall. Before any of them could react, the lift restarted.
"Very funny, Savathûn," Royal muttered. The lift deposited them onto a platform with a stairway leading up and into the dome. A colossal bell swung back and forth, its chimes resounding throughout the Throne World. Thousands of translucent threads latched onto the Traveler, tethering it to Savathûn's realm.
"Oh, you're back! What a surprise." Savathûn's voice melted out of the walls, echoing from all around them. "Only joking. This Throne World is indistinguishable from my own mind. Every step taken, every bullet fired, every thought whispered… I keep and count them all."
"Enough!" Royal shouted. "Show yourself so we can end this, Lightbearer to Lightbearer!"
"I know it's not in your nature, but you can still lose gracefully," she replied. "But if you must struggle against inevitability, who am I to deny you?"
Royal clenched his rifle tightly before taking a deep breath and turning to his companions. "You two ready?"
"Not at all," Amity said. She spun her finger and summoned her gauntlets. The power of the Void pulsated just beneath the surface, and the spikes on her knuckles were coated in Light. "But when has that ever stopped us?"
"I was dead just a few months ago," Luz said, looking down at herself. Lightning rippled through her limbs as she met Royal's gaze. "I've been preparing for this my entire life."
"Then this is really it." Royal turned toward the stairs and stretched his arms, letting the artificial muscles loosen in anticipation of the coming slaughter. "We fight for the living."
"And we kill for the dead," Amity finished. Royal nodded, and the three began their ascent.
The waves of sorcerous power emanating from Savathûn hit them with the force of a Cabal cannon. Their boots dug into the ground as they pushed onward, slowly inching closer and closer to the vile Hive God. Glistening overhead was the Traveler, its exterior coated with the shimmering veneer of Savathûn's enchantments.
The bell parted the air as it swung over them, chiming loudly once it reached the zenith of its arc. They reached the top of the stairs, passing through the final layer of spells meant to delay them. They were met with an open expanse looking out over a vast sea. An island sat in the center of the body of calm water, the same island where Sathona had taken that step which damned her species to eternal servitude.
Directly before them, Savathûn's body was obscured in blinding Light, her form mercurial as she wove her great tapestry of magic. She spared the barest glance over her shoulder and chuckled before turning to face the Guardians, her wings beating the air to keep her aloft.
"I'm so glad you're here to see this." The Light wrapped around her body receded as she spread her arms and looked up at the colossal sphere above her. "Behold, the true will of the Traveler." She looked back down and curled her hands into fists. "Regrettably, you have no place within its vision."
She extended her nimble fingers, unleashing a torrent of Arc Light at the Guardians. Amity caught the blast with her shield, digging her heels into the ground as it pushed her back. Stones burst at her feet from the powerful charge coursing through the air. Royal and Luz dispersed, opening fire on the Witch Queen. Their guns scoured her outermost shell, yielding nothing but the most superficial of damage. With a cackle, she waved her arm through the air. An arsenal of flaming blades appeared alongside her. Another flick sent them flying toward the Guardians.
Royal leaped over a trio of blades as they carved through the ground, reducing it to slag. The air whistled as he brought his heel down in an axe kick, unleashing a wave of flames at Savathûn. She shrugged it off as Luz dodged the blades flung at her. Lightning bolts slammed into Savathûn's back, drawing a mild grunt of irritation from the god. Before she could react, Amity slammed into her side, the spikes on her gauntlets eager to find purchase in Savathûn's flesh. Void Light rippled over the Witch Queen's body before she cast her arms out, unleashing a blast of abyssal power that flung Amity back.
Savathûn soared skyward, withdrawing from the fight and retreating into some other plane. In her place, three Hive Lightbearers appeared before the Guardians. The Knight roared as he summoned a pair of Void shields. The Acolyte cracked his knuckles as burning knives appeared around him. Lastly, the Wizard's arms erupted with Arc Light. This was the final gauntlet.
Amity met the Knight, their shields slamming together in a flash of power. She swung her gauntlet into the Knight's midsection, only for the Knight to respond by slamming his forehead into her helmet. She stumbled back, her shield ringing as more blows glanced off it.
To her left, Luz met the Wizards storm with one of her own. Hurricanes of raw electrical power coursed around the two as they traded bolts. Royal was similarly locked in a duel with the Acolyte, sparks flying as their Solar-blessed weapons collided.
Amity stepped forward, magic and Light flying outward in harmony. Her shield punched into the Knights chest, allowing trails of Abomination goo to flow into his body and expand. The Knight popped like a meaty grenade as Royal skewered the Acolyte on his Dawnblade. He withdrew and stabbed again and again, leaving the Acolyte with more holes than body. The Wizard howled as the air cracked. Luz overpowered the Wizard, flensing the flesh from her bones with concentrated streams of Arc Light.
As the Hive Lightbearers fell, the Guardians seized their Ghosts. These obstacles stood in their way, and they had been knocked down. Nothing would protect Savathûn from their divine wrath. Three fists closed, and three Ghosts were sent back to the Traveler.
With a cackle, Savathûn reappeared above the Guardians. Her wings spread as Void Light exploded at her feet, driving the Guardians back. She didn't seem to mind the deaths of her brood; rather, she appeared amused by some unheard joke. The Witch Queen extended her hands, firing lightning bolts that scoured the ground. The Guardians retaliated with Light of their own. Beneath the shadow cast by the Traveler, its chosen clashed in a blitz of colors and will.
Tiles shattered beneath their boots as the Guardians dashed around Savathûn, each pulling her attention in a different direction. She regarded them with the morbid curiosity of a child tearing off an insect's legs as bullets bounced off her exoskeleton. Each curl of her fingers sent Nova Bombs and Solar knives at her foes. Lightning struck the ground with each beat of her wings that cut the air.
A rocket slammed into Savathûn's shoulder, pushing the god back. She looked at the blister of charred chitin as Amity reloaded. Savathûn reached up and dusted off the smoking plating, brushing a few scorched chips to the floor.
"Oh, Amity," the Witch Queen said. "Such tenacity. It is good to know you haven't changed. I did always enjoy our talks." Her hand snapped up, catching Amity's second rocket between her fingers. Her free hand curled, flinging bursts of Void Light at the other Guardians while her three eyes fixated entirely on the Witch in front of her. "Know that at the end of our time together, your mother truly regretted everything she'd done." Her eyes flashed with cruelty—the punchline of a sick joke centuries in the making—as she crushed the rocket in her fingers.
"You're going to regret ever glancing at the Isles," Amity hissed through clenched teeth, trading her launcher for a shield. She blocked a torrent of flames that drove her back as Savathûn cackled.
"Don't you have anything else to say?" She asked, quickly flicking a lightning bolt into Royal's chest as he tried to dive at her. "Surely you, of all people, can be more creative than that."
Amity didn't respond, instead deflecting a burning knife before flinging her shield at Savathûn. The disc whistled as it parted the air before meeting Savathûn's flesh. It ground into her chest, parting the bony plating covering her center like a ship's keel through the ocean waves. Flaming rain poured from the wound, the drops sizzling as they hit the ground. Savathûn grunted as the Void disc ground against her bones, sending more waves of liquid fire crashing to the ground as though she were the river Phlegethon itself.
Savathûn raised her hands to retaliate, magic and Light coursing through her hands. Before she could, streams of energy slammed into her back. Lightning surged through her spine, splintering through every little nook and cranny of her body and shooting out her feet to anchor her to the floor.
Savathûn spasmed as Luz poured all her Light into her body. The Witch Queen struggled against the young Warlock while her body lit up like the city during the Dawning. Before Savathûn could move so much as a finger toward Luz, Royal dove upon her. The Exo's sword was like a comet in the night sky as it met Savathûn's neck. Planting his boots on her chest, he gunned the trigger, and the ravenous beast within his sword roared to life. The teeth of the all-consuming maw clamped down on Savathûn, shattering the outermost layers of her armor and tearing into her flesh. To her credit, Savathûn maintained her composure as Royal tore Lament through her throat. The stump that was her neck became a fountain of flaming blood as her head rolled off her shoulders and fell to the ground.
Savathûn's body plummeted, a meteor of mauled flesh and charred carapace. Royal leaped off her body and landed atop her head, crushing her skull beneath his armored greaves. Savathûn's brains coated his boots and robes, staining his armor with her vile matter.
"She is shattered!" Royal roared, raising his boot again. He brought it down on the remnants of Savathûn's cranium, spraying her greymatter across the floor. "Brain and body! Mind and matter! Flesh and form!" Each shout was accompanied by another stomp. The ground beneath his boot cracked as Light flowed from Savathûn's body. Savathûn's Ghost emerged, twitching as he looked down upon his Guardian's body. His shell bore additional spines, marking him as the pinnacle of the Lucent Hive.
"Get her Ghost!" Amity shouted, already lunging forward. Before she could even clear the ground, translucent threads lashed around her wrists and ankles, binding her in place. Luz tried to step forward, only to find herself similarly ensnared. A glance to the side revealed that Royal hadn't managed to escape as he yanked on his binds hard enough to tear the ground beneath him apart. Savathûn's Ghost unfurled his shell and began to pour Light back into the god.
Royal transmatted his helmet away and unhinged his jaw. A stream of fire poured out, an arrow of Apollo soaring toward the Ghost. Before Royal's attack could impact the Ghost, his shell snapped shut, and he faded into nothing. Savathûn rose into the air with all the grace of a dancer. Reaching up, she gripped her head and jerked it sharply, audibly snapping one last bone back into place.
"So close," she cooed. "Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory." Her body collapsed in on itself as she whisked herself away to the island in the midst of her ritual. The threads wrapped around the Guardians fell away as the spectral form of Savathûn appeared over the Throne World. The sound of thousands of gallons of water crashing together reached them as a massive bridge rose to the surface, connecting this landmass to the island.
"Damn it all!" Amity struck the ground, burying her arm up to her wrist in the ground. "We had her!"
"Then we'll just have to do it again," Luz said. "Remember our secret weapon. We just have to throw her off her game."
"Agreed," Royal said. "Besides, tearing her apart felt so good the first time, I look forward to doing it again." With a small amount of hesitation, the three approached the bridge and began to sprint across. Royal ran with single-minded determination, paying no mind to the churning waters below. All he cared about was getting to Savathûn.
"Look at you all," Savathûn said as they crossed the massive bridge. "Such a colorful collection of characters. Royal, a slave to your own fears. Like a mountain, you refuse to bend to the winds of change and so shall be eroded away. Amity, so close to being the last daughter of the Boiling Isles. How does it feel knowing you aided the one who condemned your home forever? Last, and most certainly least, Luz. Nothing more than a sad little girl, scared of her own shadow. What will they think of you when you finally make your choice? What will you think of yourself?"
Luz's stride faltered as Savathûn's words hit their mark. Her memory dilemma had fallen by the wayside with the recent struggles. She was still undecided, floundering in the ocean of her subconscious, unsure of whether she should continue to tread or finally submit to the pull of the currents and simply sink into that comforting chill.
"Don't listen to her," Royal said, his voice a low, engine-like growl. "She's cornered, and she knows it. This is her last attempt to get under our skin."
The three crossed the final threshold onto the island where so many worlds and their inhabitants had been damned all those millions of years ago. A parapet in the shape of a half-circle rose from the rocky shore, encircling a statue of Savathûn. Resting at the statue's base was the portal to the Altar of Reflection, ablaze with energy but shielded from egress. Massive spires of rock curled around the circumference of the island like the spines of a slumbering beast, almost entirely enveloping the island.
"Cornered, am I?" The spectral form of Savathûn asked, turning her hazy gaze down to the Guardians. Three apparitions of the Witch Queen appeared in the corners of the arena, containing but a fraction of her power. The apparitions unleashed their power upon the Guardians, scattering them as they opened fire.
Amity charged her apparition, coating her armor in a sheen of goo. Void Light pulsed through the shell, strengthening her armor and allowing her to weather the facsimile storm easily. Long spikes of glistening purple energy overtook her forearms as she lunged for the duplicate. She dug her talons into the false being, ripping Savathûn's magical construct apart. As it was destroyed, the protective shield on the portal began to crack.
The second construct was felled by Luz thanks to some concentrated fire from Coldheart. The third was literally torn apart in a burst of flame, with Royal emerging from the decaying copy. The cracks on the barrier spread further like the arms of a spider's web before it finally shattered into millions of pieces.
"The portal is open!" Aurora reported. "Now's your chance!" The three tore over the smooth floor, ducking under arches and slipping past rows of hedges. Luz was the first through, lightning coursing through her legs as she blitzed through the mirror. Royal was literally hot on her heels, the ground beneath his feet melting as he sprinted. Lastly, Amity charged through like an unstoppable tank of vengeful destruction.
Reality bent and warped, sending waves of revulsion through their bodies as they passed into the hearts of Savathûn's spell. They entered into a plane cast in perpetual twilight, with themselves on a small platform suspended in utter nothingness. The endless ocean around the altar was gone, replaced with a void dominated by the spectral visage of the Witch Queen and six towers rising from the empty nothing. Six more portals lined the perimeter, each alight with energy of their own. Fixed above the altar was a dark sphere, the shadowy reflection of the Traveler. Countless threads had latched onto its exterior, chaining it to Savathûn's Throne World.
"There's so much magic here," Amity said, her voice small and awed by the sheer scale of the spell being cast. She had never felt a spell so powerful—she didn't even think the Titans could have cast something this complex. Savathûn was not just sealing away a god but a fundamental aspect of the Universe itself.
"Savathûn seeks to weave a net," Royal said, drawing his sword and approaching one of the portals. "We must sever the threads. Take a portal, and stop this sorcery." He stepped through the portal, vanishing in a flash of magical fire. Luz and Amity did the same, teleporting to their respective towers.
Luz arrived at the base of one of the spires. Looking up, she could vaguely hear a Hive Wizard chanting in their scratchy, hissing tongue. Pumping Light into her legs, she began her ascent. She flew as high as she could, about half the distance at a glance, and dug her hands into the tower wall to climb the rest of the way. Reaching the top, the Wizard was so enraptured by her spell that she didn't see Luz coming until it was too late. The Wizard collapsed in a pile of sparking limbs. There was a horrific screech as the Wizard's portion of the spell failed. Countless threads fell away from the Traveler, disintegrating as they dropped into the abyss.
"What do you think you're doing?" Savathûn asked, more bemused than alarmed. "You must know that you can't stop this."
As she spoke, two more screeches filled the empty space. More threads fell away as two more Wizards died, loosening Savathûn's grip on the Traveler. A return portal appeared before Luz, and she stepped through, reappearing on the central island. Amity and Royal appeared beside her.
"The spell is weakened," Royal said. "This is our chance. Show her the memory!" Luz nodded and ran to the Altar of Reflection. The worm-familiar appeared in her hands, and she practically shoved it into the altar. Rather than a tide of water, they were instead met with the shadows around them bending to take shape. The gaunt image of Sathona appeared once more, cradling the worm-familiar.
"These frail siblings will soon be claimed by the Light… unless we claim them first," the Witness said.
Savathûn's massive visage turned to face them. "What is this? How did you-" Her features were inscrutable, but they could all hear the confusion in her voice. The Witch Queen had been caught off guard.
"We will tell the most cunning sibling of cataclysm. A prophecy of great loss."
"No… no, that's not what happened," Savathûn said, her previous confidence fading into memory. "The Traveler never came to us. We were forced to choose the Deep."
"She's off balance," Luz said. "Take the remaining towers!" The Guardians scattered once more, diving through the three remaining portals. They flew up their respective towers as quickly as they could while Savathûn contemplated what she had just seen.
"How could I have missed this?" She wondered aloud while her remaining Wizards were dispatched, so absorbed by her own befuddlement that she couldn't see her schemes literally unraveling before her eyes. "I have ruminated upon this moment thousands of times."
The Guardians returned to the central platform, and Luz was instantly back at the altar. She reached out, unraveling the layers of condensed memory bound within the desecrated worm.
"We will feed her fear," the Witness continued. "Her pride. Lead your sisters down. And you… will be reborn. The Witch Queen. Savathûn."
Luz stepped back from the altar as the memory ended. Above them, Savathûn shook her head in utter bewilderment. Confusion slowly gave way to rage as she brought her entire focus to the Guardians.
"So you're the expert now?" She snapped, her previous bemusement cast away. "The expert on me, on the Hive, on trickery! Is that really what you think? You want to play games? I'll play."
The air began to distort, bending around the Guardians as Savathûn cast them out. They were flung from the heart of the spell, landing back on the island. Savathûn appeared above them, her entire body tight with indignant fury. The thought that these mere insects—corpses puppeteered by a broken god—could unmake her clouded her mind. She would smear them across the planes of her Throne World. Their torment would be unending. They would be her greatest trophies.
The Witch Queen spread her arms, Light bundled within every atom of her body. Light exploded from her body, scouring everything around her. A dome of Void Light rippled out from a point above her, sealing the Guardians in with her. She wasn't interested in playing anymore. No, she was here for blood.
"Go ahead then, tell me who I am!"
The three Guardians instantly opened fire on Savathûn. Coldheart beeped as it bore through her armored carapace. She raised a hand to retaliate, only for a brilliant crimson beam to slam directly into her face. Savathûn reeled, clutching her smoldering face. She fired a Nova Bomb at the Guardians, followed quickly by a rapid series of precise lightning strikes. Royal went down, his body torn asunder by the deadly combination.
"Split her focus!" Luz shouted, slapping a new battery into her trace rifle. Amity nodded, summoning her shield and sprinting away from the Stormcaller. Savathûn followed the Witch, hounding her with a barrage of Solar knives. Luz took advantage of her single-minded distraction to kneel beside Lancer and pour her Light into Royal's body, accelerating his revival. The Exo snapped up, his optics refocusing on the world around him.
"Savathûn is off balance," she said, helping him to his feet. "If we can find a way-"
"Forget that," Royal hissed. "I'm ending this, here and now." He tore away from her and sprinted straight at Savathûn, Lament rumbling in his hands. A Spanish curse tumbled out of Luz's mouth as she raised Coldheart once more.
The Exo dove at Savathûn, swiping at her gut. She slapped him away with an Arc-infused hand and sent him into the wall of her dome, catching a rocket from Amity to the back for her trouble. Luz unleashed an unstoppable stream of lightning directly into Savathûn's stomach, pushing the Witch Queen away. A burst of flame hit her side, courtesy of Royal. Savathûn retaliated with a fireball of her own that Royal easily sidestepped, launching more blazing projectiles at Savathûn. Behind her, Amity prepared a spell.
A massive Abomination appeared behind her, lumbering toward Savathûn. Its gooey fists slammed into her, driving Savathûn to the ground. The golem seized the back of her head and slammed it into the dirt. Savathûn snarled before her body exploded with Void Light, shattering the Abomination. She rose once again, only for a pair of Abomination lashes to catch her hands. Amity dug her heels into the ground as she reigned Savathûn in. Luz changed tactics, summoning her crystalline staff. She unleashed a chilling blast that slowly encased Savathûn's body in sapphire, further restraining her. Lament practically screamed in Royal's hands as he dashed forward, leaving burning embers in his wake. The edge of his sword met Savathûn's gut and tore it open. Flesh parted and bone fractured, shattering the Stasis entrapment and leaving the Witch Queen's entrails to spill across the ground.
Savathûn collapsed with a thunderous boom, blood pouring from her abdomen and mouth. The three Guardians gathered once more, regarding her warily. After all, when a beast is wounded and cornered, it becomes unpredictable. Luz kept Coldheart's emitter pointed squarely at Savathûn's face. To her right, Royal held Lament tightly. To her left, Amity glared at the prone Hive God, her shield held at the ready should she need to throw herself between Luz and Savathûn. Rather than scream, Savathûn began to chuckle.
"Isn't this interesting?" She spat out another wad of blood that immediately began melting into the ground. "I miscalculated. And so did you. So protective of your Traveler… that you wouldn't let me keep it safe." She laughed at the bitter irony of it all before succumbing to a fit of coughing.
"It's over," Royal said. "You are bested. Now keel over and die like the worm you are!"
"Maybe I am bested," Savathûn admitted. "But the Witness is coming. The game is yours to play now. Yours to win." She stared directly at Luz; the light within dimmed but no less conniving. "Yours to lose. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
The last of Savathûn's strength faded away, and she collapsed to the ground. Royal approached her body first, nudging her head with his foot. It rolled limply, and he nodded, satisfied, before taking a step back. He unleashed a deafening scream of triumph, his body a blazing beacon of Light.
"No!" Immaru, Savathûn's Ghost, shouted. "Do you imbeciles realize what you've done?" The Ghost contracted his shell angrily, and Royal moved to seize him. Before he could, the Ghost vanished in a flash of Light. With its last jailer slain, the Traveler enacted one final exertion before vanishing from the Throne World.
"We did it," Amity said, almost sounding like she didn't quite believe it. "We saved the Traveler. We killed a god! Ooh, maybe that should be my title. Amity Blight the Godslayer has a nice ring to it, no?"
Luz mustered a small, tired smile before her radio scratched to life.
"Guardians," Ikora suddenly said. "I'm receiving word from the Last City. The Traveler has returned. Is Savathûn…?"
"We stand before the smoldering remains of the Witch Queen," Royal said. "And what a glorious sight it is!"
"Her Ghost got away, though," Lancer added.
"A problem for another time," Ikora replied. "I'll let Empress Caiatl know her forces can withdraw and send the Hidden to collect the body shortly. Meet me in the Enclave as soon as you can." The line went dead, and Amity turned to Luz.
"What happens now?"
Luz took a deep breath and set her shoulders. "Now, we prepare for the arrival of the Witness and stop the second Collapse."
Shortly after the Hidden secured Savathûn's body, the Guardians limped back into the Enclave. The camp was deceptively quiet, almost entirely abandoned now. Iris sat on a small stack of crates, looking up as they transmatted in. She offered a grin and a wave as they approached.
"There's our resident conquering heroes," she said, giving Amity's chest a few light punches. "I knew you all could do it. Literally never doubted you."
"She doubted you quite a lot," Hajime said. Iris scoffed and pushed her Ghost aside.
"Those were jokes," she said. "I was joking."
"Thanks for keeping Savathûn' brood off our backs," Luz said. "Must've been fierce."
Iris shrugged. "Eh, only had to kill a couple thousand Hive. Wasn't too bad. Gus put in his fair share of work. He's got some serious skill backing those blades. You Witches are just full of surprises."
"Worried about the new competition," Amity quipped. Iris raised an eyebrow at that.
"Don't flatter yourself; you still don't have the experience to match most of us. Speaking of experience, Ikora wants to debrief, and I wouldn't keep her waiting any longer." The Guardians bid farewell and walked to a small overhang where Ikora looked over Mars.
"I assume you've all heard the stories," she said as they approached, not turning to face them. "Where evil is vanquished, and the sky opens, shining peace down on Humanity?"
"More or less," Luz said. "Why do you ask?"
"Savathûn is dead, and yet I see no signs," Ikora said. "Instead, Immaru lives, no doubt plotting his return while the Lucent Hive battle with the Scorn for supremacy of the Throne World. And somewhere among the stars, the Witness toys with us, preparing to finish what it started so long ago.
"We evaded extinction once," Royal said, slamming a fist against his chest. "We'll do it again. Let the Witness try."
Ikora sighed. "I wish I could share in your confidence, but I-" Before she could finish that thought, a commotion sprung up from the few people remaining in the camp. Namely, it came from the very medical tent that housed Lilith. The Guardians tore their way down the path, practically storming into the tent where they saw a few medics trying their best to restrain a writhing Lilith. She bucked and heaved wildly, feathers erratically growing and shrinking all over her body. The screens displaying her vitals beeped as everything spiked. Her eyelids fluttered as she rolled until she finally tore herself free and fell onto the tent floor.
Everyone fell still as the Witch lay on the ground motionless. Her body shuddered before she raised a single arm and slowly pushed herself up. The effort required was great, and the limb shook unsteadily. Royal knelt beside her, pressing a Solar orb into her back and reaching out to help her up. The second his hand made contact, she froze. Then, without warning, she whipped around and scrambled away from him.
"No!" She shrieked, her eyes wide and bloodshot. "Stay away from me!" Royal held up his hands defensively and inched back while everyone else tense, which did little to soothe Lilith's mood. "I won't let you back in! My mind is my own!" She brought her arms up to her face and curled into a ball.
"Lilith," Royal said softly. "It's ok, you're among friends."
"You won't trick me again!" She screamed. "You're not real! You're not real! You're not real! You're not real!" Royal reached up and tugged his helmet free. The sharp hiss of his pressure seal breaking caught her attention. He could barely see one of her eyes peering out from between her arms.
"You're safe now," he said, careful to keep his voice as soft as possible. "She can never hurt you again." The medics stayed to the side, unsure of what to do. Ikora and Iris watched on, curious as to what they were watching. Amity looked like she was about to step in, only for Luz to put an arm across her chest. It would be best not to crowd Lilith while she was still in shock.
"You're… real?" Lilith asked, slowly unfurling from her ball. Royal nodded and reached out to her. She looked at his hand apprehensively before reaching out with one of her own. She poked his hand, quickly withdrawing her hand the second she made contact. Once she had confirmed that he was no illusion, she reached out again. Their hands met, and Lilith's eyes widened. She shifted her weight around as she took in her surroundings for the first time. "Where… where am I?"
"That's a long, complicated story," Amity said, causing Lilith to jump with shock before her head snapped to face her fellow Witch. "We'll explain everything."
Lilith seemed taken aback by Amity's appearance, her heavy armor and older face likely the root of her perplexion. Her eyes drifted to Luz, and she squinted, fighting against her blurry vision. Reaching out, she summoned an elegant ebony staff crowned by a large bird Palisman. Her weight fell against the staff as she forced herself to her feet, her legs wobbling uncertainly. "Luz? Is that really you?"
Luz shifted somewhat awkwardly as she rubbed the back of her neck. Her brain prickled with absence, a feeling she really thought she was past now. "Yeah. It's me."
"Like Amity told you, it's a long story," Royal said, gently forcing Lilith to sit on the cot she had been resting on not long ago. "Let's start simple; what is the last thing you remember?"
In a far corner of space, a fleet of Pyramids patiently awaited instructions from their master. The onyx-black ships housed countless horrors. They had overseen the deaths of countless civilizations, upended worlds, and finalized every soul that did not enact their will. And these obsidian vessels housed one being that presided above all.
Within the lead Pyramid, a lone figure emerged from an undulating, inky black wall. It seemed to glide over the floor, never truly making contact. Its robes were darker than dark, drinking in the light of the room. The material rippled, transforming into cubes that rose and fell in mesmerizing patterns.
The being's hands were pressed together in the shape of a diamond. Its body was entirely covered by this strange black material, save for the upper half of its head. Its skin was deathly pale, whiter than bone. Smoke drifted from its scalp, taking the form of countless faces. Some smiled and laughed; others wept and raged. Most were neutral, impassive, and uncaring. Worst of all were the creature's eyes, perfectly spherical and pitch black. These eyes observed every facet of the Universe, never once blinking, for to blink would mean allowing the wanton suffering of existence to occur unobserved. And if a thing was not observed, did it truly even exist?
The Witness, master of the Black Fleet, traversed down the hallway. They lowered their hands to their sides, every motion leaving a rippling afterimage. Each side of the wall was lined with statues from species long since vanquished.
"We have seen enough."
The voice contained pure power, finely controlled and wielded like the finest knife.
"The children of Sol cry out for salvation."
The Witness approached the end of the hallway, entering a larger room filled with countless spheres. Each sphere was a planet, torn across space and time to be placed within the Pyramid.
"You promise them life… but deliver only death. As you have for so many before."
The planets parted at the Witnesses' approach, each swinging to one side or the other. They stared at another wall of constantly shifting black mass. The Traveler was displayed across it. The Witness's oldest foe. The one which had always barely evaded it. The one that had crippled itself. The one with nowhere left to run.
"Enough. Enough death. Enough life."
The Witness spread their hands, separating the curtain of shifting mass to reveal more Pyramid ships. The Witness inspected its fleet, its features betraying nothing at all.
"You have no pieces left to place. The game is over."
They turned to stare back the way they had come. They turned to stare across the endless expanse at the Traveler.
"Do not be afraid. Your pale heart holds the key. This time… there is no escape."
With this chapter going up on New Years Eve, we are two days away from the one year anniversary of Light Does Not Yield. It's been a hell of a year for me. It's wild to look back at where all this started and compare that to where we are now. This whole project was just a shot in the dark that completely changed where I was going with my life. So, from the bottom of my mechanical heart, thank you all.
Alright, enough mushy crap. The next two chapters will be focusing on post-campaign stuff in the build-up to Vow of the Disciple, which I am just now realizing is probably going to be really freaking long. Chapter 35 will be original material containing some neat little surprises and Chapter 36 will be the Parasite questline, which is also shaping up to be kind of a long chapter. My free time has been hampered thanks to my new job, but I am working diligently to provide you all with the highest quality slop I can muster. Dare I say, we may be approaching the coveted realm of being a 6/10.
GuardianLightTheVanguard: 1) I'm glad you liked the idea for The Spark of Guardian fanfic, and I hope you can make this story happen someday, maybe and that you can take my ideas into consideration, right my friend Penguin1673. Destiny And Transformers Prime Crossover.
2) Merry Christmas, Dawning and Happy New Year to you my friend Penguin1673.
3) I hope Iris is there to help Royal, Luz Noceda And Amity get through the magical barriers of the Throne world so they can reach and Defeat Savathûn.
4) Lilith will wake up from the Coma at the same time as Osiris and I hope they are Great Friends and an Incredible Duo and have a great Friendship.
5) and I hope that after the completion of each of their missions and when they are not busy, I hope that Royal, Luz Noceda And Amity Can Visit Lilith even though she is in a Coma.
6) It's great to know that Iris (Us) will be there to help Her Friends Royal, Luz Noceda And Amity in the Final Mission The Ritual and Defeat Savathûn.
1. Indeed.
2. And a happy new year to you as well.
3. She was to an extent. Can't have Iris stealing too much of the spotlight. I have a good amount of fun writing her, so I have to be careful to intentionally limit her inclusion at times.
4. Yeah... about that. Patience is a virtue, and I am a man of many vices. Lilith is waking up now because the effects of Savathûn's mind-fuckery are much less recent for her. Savathûn's death was the last psychic whiplash she needed. Like a bucket of ice water straight to the face.
5. Well, visiting her in a coma might become a bit complicated, but I'll see what I can do.
6. She did what she is meant to do, help in the background so the story can progress.
Elthreee: Man, has it really been a year since you started this? Great googly moogly. Time really is just a bullet train with no brakes.
Real tense chapter, so looking forward to the epic final battle, no doubt. Also couldn't help but laugh a little at Royal and Lancer's little discussion. I'm glad they were able to find some sort of resolution to their dilemma instead of just brooding about Though I didn't expect them to do that anyway. (not until The Final Shape at least)
Anyhow, great chapter. Merry Christmas, Dawning or whatever holdiay you celebrate and have a holly jolly 50 more chapters.
And what a year it's been. I admit to being a little unsatisfied with Royal's quick heel turn, but it is a limitation of the structure of the story I am adapting. I would have liked it to be more drawn out, I just don't have the time in universe to do that. So I rationalize it as Royal realizing that he needs to put all his personal baggage on hold since the literal apocalypse is happening and he is one of the only people who can stop it. I'll spend more time on his myriad of issues as we go forward.
Merry Christmas, you Cabal-loving bastard, and a happy new year.
GodzillaMaster: Called it, Royal did not take that discovery well at all
Yeah, not the wildest reveal out there. Call that consistent character writing, I guess.
Unity123: Was Royal being unintentionally racist, yes. Did it carry a sense of irony and poetic justice, definetly. I can only Xivu Arath and Rhulk just watching this, subtly giving the Guardians her blessings for the push against the traitor. Wonder if they eat popcorn if they're depressed like Boom Eggman?
Ah, what an image that is. Thank you for that, I will be saving it.
hornig3: Well that crashout was better than I expected. At least no one died! And Lu-lu is stuck in a coma like Osiris. I feel like the time she awakes is obvious but if it does happen around the same time i feel like Lilith and Osiris would make a cute friendship. Now is time to take down a queen and then to prepare to face a witness.
Listen, friend, I know the crashout seems alright, but...
Its gonna get way worse.
Probably, anyway. I haven't written it yet, so bleh. But yeah, Lilith and Osiris parallels. Definitely want to explore that. Who knows, maybe she'll make his mood during Lightfall slightly more tolerable.
BlueRoseLevi: *insert something about a great chapter here*
The way you brought the Savathun reveal into adaptation was a cool way of bringing it out
Ana finally makes her debut in LDNY
Love the addition of other important Coalition leaders into the meeting
An all out attack is coming for Savathun
Royal almost falling down a dangerous path but thanks to his and Lancer's copium a new motivation keeping them from turning into an Outcast
Until next chapter!
The lack of input from all those other characters during the Vaguard meeting was really weird. Perks of not having to pay voice actors, I can address that. Also, gotta get Ana in so I can start to set up her inevitable rapport with her great-great-great-great-great-great... (you get the picture) grandmothers. May have been kinda limited right now, but we have time. Lots and lots of time.
"And you are absolutely certain that the tie was necessary?" Royal asked as he straightened the tight loop of black fabric wound around his neck. A few threads got snagged in his overlapping plates, threatening to unravel the entire thing as it fluttered in the wind. It stood out against his metallic purple armor, polished to a mirror shine.
"It is essential," Lancer said in a voice that left little room for argument. "We've been over this before; you're the murder person, I'm the people person."
"It just feels a little tacky," Royal said as he marched through the Europa snow. "I know my knowledge of proper decorum is lacking, but aren't these things usually worn in the company of a nice suit?"
"Do you wanna march through this winter wonderland in soggy clothes?" Lancer asked. Royal was about to answer before pausing, considering, and nodding. Lancer gave a chirp of victory as he spun his shell. "Besides, it really ties the whole look together."
"If you had a face, I'd punch it."
"Yeah, yeah, love you too, buddy."
Royal shot his Ghost one last glare as the small machine faded into transmat. They had arrived at their destination. After a moment of hesitation, he reached out and knocked on the door before him. With a hiss, it retracted, revealing Elisabeth looking up at him. A small smile overtook her face.
"Well, aren't you a sight for sore optics," she said, leaning against the doorframe. She raised an eyebrow at the sight of his tie, which only further heightened Royal's uncertainty. "Shouldn't you be back at the Tower, enjoying the festivities?"
"Shouldn't you?"
Elisabeth shrugged. "Work doesn't end just because it's the festive season. House Salvation isn't stopping to party, so neither will I."
"Well, I guess I just didn't want you to be left out this year," Royal said. Lancer chirped over their comm line, and Royal reached into a small pouch on his belt. "I brought this for you. Happy Dawning." He held out a small canister, sealed against the harsh Europan climate. Elisabeth regarded it with curiosity before accepting the offering. With a small click, she opened the tin.
"Starwort thins." She extracted the small bundle of cookies. A slight waft of steam rose from the pastry treats, though the arctic conditions threatened to smother the warmth. Elisabeth smiled as she gestured for Royal to join her inside. She reclined on her cot and took a bit of one of the cookies. The flavor melted across her mouth, blooming when it met her artificial tastebuds.
"How'd you know these are my favorites?" She asked, quickly scarfing down the delectable treat as though it were the first edible scraps she had found in weeks. Royal smiled softly and shook his head.
"I didn't. Making these just… felt right."