AN: Fixing up my new place is taking a while, but these chapter's haven't been affected yet. We'll see if that lasts, I suppose.
The hum of the Platinum Starling's engines is a constant backdrop in the cockpit as I lean back in my chair, the stars streaking by outside the viewport. In the rear of the cabin, Crow snores softly, sprawled across a bench.
It's been a whirlwind of a day, to say the least. Turns out, summoning a miracle on live broadcast has a way of drastically raising everyone's estimation of your abilities.
Fortunately, the Consensus meeting dragged on for hours after I made my dramatic exit, giving me enough time to retrieve Crow and get us airborne. Our destination: Saturn's rings.
VanNet has been buzzing ever since. There's an even mix of Guardians calling me "Speaker" instead of "Wizard" now. They seem to think I'm more powerful than any of my predecessors, which is accurate. But I definitely prefer being called a Wizard.
Between my invention of the infinite ammo enchantment, now capable of mass production with the instructions I gave the Vanguard, and my connection to the Traveler, I could probably start my own Faction, rivaling any of the Factions in size and influence. But why would I? That sounds like a ton of work, and I have better things to do.
Spectre speaks up next to my shoulder. "Incoming call from the Vanguard Commander."
I sigh, flicking a few switches to shift the ship to autopilot. "Patch him through."
A holoscreen flickers to life, and Zavala's face fills the display. He looks tired.
"Mavriel-" He begins, his tone measured. "-While I appreciate your words during the meeting, was the tree really necessary? The factions spent over an hour arguing over what to do with the Botza district after its sudden alteration. Your presence would have helped smooth things over. Not to mention the chaos your sudden departure caused once everyone realized they couldn't find you."
I cross my arms, letting my helmet dematerialize into Spectre's storage. "Look, Commander, I asked for something small, and the Traveler decided this was its version of small." I lean back slightly, letting exasperation seep into my voice. "Politically, the only thing I'm good at is acting wise, pulling some awe-inspiring feat out of my ass to surprise people, and then disappearing before I get trapped explaining. If anyone talked to me for too long, they'd figure out I'm just some asshole with immense cosmic power, desperately making things up as I go along."
Zavala raises an eyebrow. "Is Oryx's resurrection not a threat, then?"
"Oh, it is. But it's not an immediate one. My best guess is we have a few years before his body lands on Titan. We can head that off by retrieving his remains and storing them somewhere classified, or even destroying them. That would make resurrection significantly more difficult."
"And there are other threats?" Zavala asks, his frown deepening.
"There are quite a few." I admit. "But dropping everything on them at once didn't seem like the best idea. I'll share them with you in a few days, when the chaos dies down."
Zavala doesn't look convinced. "Are any of these threats time-sensitive?"
"They can wait for a proper meeting." I say firmly. "These visions are reputable, but my best estimates place them anywhere from a few months to several years down the line."
He grunts in response, leaning forward slightly. "You realize you've become the most important person in the City, don't you? No one's comfortable with you running off without at least a fireteam for backup."
"I've got Crow with me. Should be fine."
Zavala's look could freeze a sun. "I mean no offense to your student, but he's less than a year old and doesn't share your… advantages. At least consider recruiting another Guardian to assuage concerns."
I pause, considering. "I'll think about it. Anyone I recruit would have to mesh well with Crow and me, be skilled enough to keep up, and willing to deal with the crazy shit we get into."
He hums. "The Sora problem then. You'll likely find more success directly recruiting one than with one I ordered to work alongside you. Where are you going now?"
"The Dreadnaught. I need to gather up a decent supply of Hadium for a few projects of mine."
Zavala twists his head to look somewhere offscreen for a few moments, fingers tapping at a keyboard, before speaking up. "The Transmat beacons on the Dreadnaught fell into disrepair during the Red War, and beyond a few scouting missions to ascertain the state of the Hive on board we haven't diverted any resources to the ship." Zavala notes.
"I suppose we'll have to fix that then. Crow and I will set up a few beacons, if only to make any future visits easier. It wouldn't be a terrible idea if you reestablished a few patrols here, keeping an eye on things."
Zavala raises his brow. "Vision?"
I shake my head. "No, just some common sense. Keeping a Guardian presence in the area will let us know if they ever quit killing each other and rally behind either of Oryx's siblings."
"I'll see what I can do. Zavala out." He cuts the feed.
"He seems quite busy." Spectre notes.
"He always is." I mutter. "Imma take a nap of my own. Wake me when we're close?"
"You got it." Spectre hovers over to the controls, altering trajectories slightly as I doze off.
"Wake up, Mav. We're here."
I sit up in the pilot's chair, blinking away the last remnants of my nap. Outside the viewport, Oryx's Dreadnaught looms in all its ominous glory
Its design is a consistent rectangular hexahedron along its length, while the ends curve inward like an inverted pyramid. Four main spines protrude from the bow; numerous lesser spines protrude outward from both bow and aft. The massive superweapon on the side of the ship lies dormant.
There's a noticeable hole in the side of the ship, formed by the crash of a Cabal carrier. They couldn't punch through the armor with their weapons, so they used their ship as one to form a beachhead.
It's been there for years, so I doubt many of the Cabal are left on the ship, all fallen to the significantly more numerous Hive.
Behind me, Crow stirs on the bench, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. When he catches sight of the Dreadnaught, he whistles low. "How big is that thing?"
"Externally? Somewhere in the vicinity of 1000 miles long. Internally is a different story, as Oryx managed to invert his Throne World onto it. Expect Ascendant plane weirdness the deeper you go." I answer, steering my ship towards the hull breach.
I hover over the abandoned camp that marks the place one of the old transmat zones used to be, overlooking the crashed Cabal ship. Hive chitin has overtaken large chunks of the dull metal, and there's no sign of any Cabal. The Hive must have finally killed them all off.
Crow and I transmat down, autopilot leading the Platinum Starling outside the hull as I reach into my robes, pulling out a transmat beacon from my hammer space.
{Discovered 'The Dreadnaught' +100 points
Rolling…
Domain - Witch's Broomstick - Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (200 points)
Roll Success. Current stockpile: 200 Points.
Purchase Witch's Broomstick?}
In northern Holodrum there lies a town known as the Sunken City. In that city lives a woman named Syrup and her grand-daughter, Maple. They are witches, and do witchy things like brew potions (expensive but worth it) and ride around on broomsticks. Well, Maple does. Syrup mostly just tends the shop and makes potions from the ingredients that Maple gathers. That aside, you have somehow gotten your hands on a flying broomstick of similar make and model to theirs. Maybe it actually is Maples, and she gave it to you after she upgraded to a vacuum cleaner? Yes, that's a thing.
With Six Eyes, the cost of my flaming wings is negligible to maintain, so a flying broom isn't really necessary for me. And for any distance I need to travel that my wings won't suffice, my jumpship will pick up the slack. Better to save the points for a stronger perk.
"Right, so we're going to set up two more of these before shifting focus to gathering Hadium." I say, impaling the transmat beacon into the ground next to the shattered remains of the old one.
"Should we split up to cover more ground?" Crow asks.
I hum thoughtfully, stretching out my arms as I finalize the plan. "Not entirely. Here's how we do this: you head up to the top of that crashed carrier-" I point to the hulking wreck looming in the distance. "-and practice making your scout rifle shots Radiant on demand. Infuse them with just enough Solar energy to boost their power. From there, you'll thin the Hive ranks from a safe vantage point."
"And you?" Crow asks, his grip tightening on his weapon as he glances uneasily at the dark trench below us.
I flash a grin, already stepping toward the edge. "I'll be the distraction. I'll draw them out while practicing some spells. Once we've thinned the herd, we'll loot the area for Hadium and move on to the next transmat zone. Simple."
He nods. "Any tips?"
"If your gun catches fire and starts spitting Solar beams, you're overdoing it." I reply, pausing before the drop. "Think of it like a mini Golden Gun. You want just enough energy to empower your shots without draining your Light reserves. Got it?"
"Got it." He starts jogging toward the carrier as I leap into the trench below, Spectre taking initiative and summoning my Speaker mask onto my head.
The air is thick with the oppressive stench of Hive corruption despite my helmet's filters. Scuttling sounds echo around me, growing louder as three Hive Thralls rise from the muck. Their shrieks tear through the silence as they lunge toward me.
My hands move instinctively, guided by the latent magic in my veins. "Tormentum!"
Three crimson bolts of force materialize in the air, spinning briefly before launching themselves toward their targets. The magical projectiles each cave in a Thrall's chest and they collapse lifelessly into the grime, killed by my Magic Missiles.
I move forward, only for an Acolyte to crest the edge of the trench. It screeches a war cry, raising its Void Shredder and firing in rapid succession.
The Void bolts streak toward me but slow and fizzle out before they can land, dissipating harmlessly within the warped space of my Limitless field. Calmly, I raise both hands, palms upward, golden flames swirling into existence above the Acolyte. "Incendē!"
The fire crashes down, igniting the Acolyte in a radiant blaze. Its exoskeleton cracks and chars before it crumples to the ground.
Sacred Flame seems decently powerful, I'd say a bit more powerful than my average Pyro bolt. I could unleash those much faster though. Probably won't use it much. Magic Missile though, that spell is considerably more useful, automatically homing in on enemies and always dealing at least a bit of damage, unless blocked by an energy shield.
I break into a jog down the trench, my left hand curling around wisps of Magicka before they coalesce into a spike of ice. I let Magicka suffuse the spike further, willing the spike to levitate above my hand as I stumble upon another group of Thralls, this time already alerted to my presence.
I hurl the spike forward. It impales the first Thrall cleanly, pinning it to the trench wall. The remaining two charge, their claws slashing uselessly against the protective barrier of Limitless. I step forward, grasping each by their skeletal faces.
"Bye now." I quip as Void Light surges from my hands, atomizing them both.
The trench bends upward, opening into a wider space. My Pyro wings ignite, lifting me out of the pit and into the open air. The sudden movement draws the attention of dozens of Hive scattered across the battlefield.
Something in my blood shifts, a new fledgling energy source revealing itself to me, my own knowledge labeling it as Sorcery Points. Instinctively I know I could use these two motes of energy to soothe the metaphysical strain my Sorcery puts on me, regaining spell slots. In addition, a new spell avails itself to me, Command.
Level 2 already? Damn, my perks are really accelerating my growth rate.
Bolts of Void and Arc fizzle in the spatial field enveloping my body, returning my attention to the approaching Hive forces. A few scout rifle bullets plink against a few stragglers, barely empowered by Solar Light.
"Too little Solar energy, use a bit more." I advise over comms.
I twist my head to an approaching Hive Knight, an otherworldly echo suffusing my force as I speak my Command. "Disarm!"
Nothing happens, unfortunately. Seems it doesn't understand English. I hurl a conjured Solar hammer at the Knight, my aim ringing true with a satisfying crunch as its skull shatters.
I will the Sorcery Points inside me to sooth the metaphysical strain spellcasting puts on me, regaining not one, but two first level spell slots, twice the amount an ordinary Sorcerer would with the same amount.
The efficiency bonus of Six Eyes is truly broken.
Dozens of Thrall screech uselessly below me, unable to reach me where I hover, and the Acolytes find no success firing their weapons at me. I almost feel bad for them.
A Daybreak blade forms in my hand as I descend in a Phoenix Dive, incinerating the Thralls and leaving the blade stabbed into the muck, a Well of Radiance springing forth to empower my attacks and supercharge my healing, not that I think I'll be injured.
I draw the Moonlight Greatsword from my back and let Solar flame overtake the blades inherent magic. With a sharp swing, the blade unleashes a crescent of flaming Light that cleaves through the front line of Thralls, sending their charred bodies tumbling back into the muck.
{Cast 'Well of Radiance' +50 points
Advanced to Level 2 Sorcerer +50 points
Rolling…
Divination - Unblinded by The Veil - Generic Angels and Demons (200 points)
Roll Success. Current stockpile: 300 Points.
Purchase Unblinded by The Veil?}
It's not that uncommon to see that the veil that separates the mundane from the supernatural isn't just metaphorical but also more literal, as the mortals literally can't see spiritual beings in various worlds. To ensure you won't be blind like your fellow mortals, you're able to see basic supernatural things, like magic, stands and spiritual beings that aren't actively trying to conceal their presence.
Redundant with Six Eyes. I reject the perk, refocusing my accelerated thoughts on the battle.
"Let's try something new." I mutter, planting the greatsword into the ground. I stretch out both hands, summoning swirling motes of Magicka into a shifting orb of ice above me.
The orb shatters outwards in a conical shape, jagged shards of ice raining down on the Hive, impaling dozens of Thralls and forcing Acolytes to retreat behind whatever cover they can find. The Knight trudges forward undeterred, its Void Shield absorbing the icy assault. Expensive energy-wise, but the dying thralls refill my energy reserves… including my Sorcery Points.
I crouch low, gathering Void Light into my palm. As the Knight draws nearer, I spring forward, my hand outstretched.
A concentrated pulse of Void energy erupts from my hand, slamming into the Knight's shield and overloading it, a bassy whump emitting at it staggers from the backlash. I retrieve my sword and drive it through the Knight's chest, the flaming blade searing through its exoskeleton with ease.
"Crow, how's it going up there?" I ask over the comms, yanking the sword free and stepping back into the Well of Radiance.
"Not bad. I'm starting to get the hang of this Radiant thing." Crow replies, punctuating his statement with a series of Solar-enhanced shots that tear through a group of Acolytes trying to flank me.
"Good. Keep it up!" I shout, redirecting my focus as a group of Hive Wizards materializes in the distance. Their Arc-infused projectiles streak toward me, but fizzle uselessly.
"Crow, get the posers." I command, already turning my attention to the next threat; a swarm of Cursed Thralls rushing toward me, their unstable forms glowing ominously.
I extend my hand, summoning a pulsing orb of Arc energy and hurling it in their midst.
The Storm grenade explodes, unleashing a chaotic storm of lightning that arcs between the Thralls, detonating them in a chain reaction. The resulting explosion sends chunks of Hive flesh raining down around me.
The ground trembles as a massive Ogre lumbers into view, its bulbous head pulsating with malevolent Void energy. A dozen Thralls and a handful of Acolytes flank it, their movements uncoordinated.
"Big guy incoming." I warn Crow. An Ogre might actually be able to overload Limitless with its Void eye blasts, so I should take it seriously from the start.
"I see it. I'll keep the smaller ones off you." Crow replies, already firing at the supporting Hive.
I plant my feet and channel Pyro energy, coalescing into a rectangular barrier in front of me.
The Ogre roars, unleashing rapid beams of Void energy. The barrier absorbs the attack, refracting the energy into harmless heat that dissipates into the air. As the beam dies down, I drop the barrier and charge forward, wings blazing as I leap onto the Ogre's massive arm. With a powerful swing of my blade, I sever the Ogre's arm at the elbow, causing it to bellow in enraged pain.
The creature retaliates, swinging its remaining arm toward me. I backflip away from the strike, wings propelling me back into its guard as I slash upwards, carving a deep gash into its torso. Black ichor spills from the wound, but the Ogre remains standing, its rage only intensifying.
I blink onto its back, planting my sword in its spine and holding on as it thrashes wildly. "Crow, Super time!"
The loud crack of a Golden Gun being cast is immediately followed by three beams piercing the Ogre's head, harmlessly impacting my Limitless. The massive creature collapses, shaking the ground as it falls dead.
"Nice shots." I say, landing gracefully beside the fallen Ogre.
"Thanks." Crow replies, his voice laced with pride.
The battlefield grows quiet, the Hive lying dead around us. I take a moment to catch my breath, the Well of Radiance fading as its energy is spent.
"Not bad for a warm-up." I say, surveying the carnage.
"Warm-up?" Crow chuckles. "You're insane."
I chuckle, my eyes instantly finding Crow where he sits crouched on the ruined carrier a little under a hundred meters away. "There are two types of people in the world: the insane ones, and the boring ones. I may be many things, but I assure you: I'll never be boring."
The remainder of our time on the Dreadnaught played out as expected: I took point, drawing the Hive's aggression, while Crow found high ground to hone his skill with Radiant and support me from a distance. Once the area's were cleared, I slammed down a transmat beacon. The work was fun, if a bit repetitive, and we gathered enough Hadium from scattered chests and Hive corpses to meet my needs. I also hit level three in my sorcery, unlocking metamagic as well as a second level spell, Enhance Ability. Incredibly useful, that one, and since I have so many Spell slots compared to the average Sorcerer I'll probably keep my intelligence enhanced most of the time, if only to improve my mystical advancements even quicker.
The trip back to the Tower is uneventful, though the shift from the oppressive depths of Oryx's domain to the bright bustle of the City feels like whiplash. As I stride through the hallways connecting the hangar to the courtyard, the weight of stares presses against me. Guardians, civilians, and even Tower staff stop what they're doing to gape or murmur as I pass.
Haven't grown used to it quite yet. The Speaker's mask, my robes, and the aura of power I carry are all part of the role. Still, I ignore the attention. Crow, by contrast, walks a step behind me, his unease palpable.
When we finally enter the armory, my eyes immediately fall on a familiar figure lounging at my workbench. The Drifter, leaning on my workbench, idly fiddles with a jade coin between his fingers. He looks up as we approach, a sly grin spreading across his face. Must have came while I was going through landing procedures.
"Look who decided to grace me with their presence." He drawls. "You've been busy, kid. Forgot about little old me?"
"I've been waiting for you to contact me to craft your gun." I reply, crossing my arms.
{Advanced to Level 3 Sorcerer +50 points
Rolling…
Divination - Observation Haki - Epic of Leviathan (200 points)
Roll Success. Current stockpile: 350 Points.
Purchase Observation Haki?}
Observation haki is the most common haki power that enhances the user's observational abilities. Some examples of this are seeing the aura of others, sensing their emotions, gauging power levels, and even judging an individual's intent. Purchasing this will unlock all of the sub types of Observation haki including Future Sight and Voice of All Things. Future Sight as you might guess grants the user precognition. The exact amount of time that can be seen varies based on the user's skill. Voice of All Things grants the user the ability to hear the voices of others including animals and even objects.
Isn't Haki a One Piece power? Based on the description alone, it sounds incredibly powerful.
Yoink.
Drifter snorts, flipping his coin into the air before catching it deftly. "Yeah, well, you've become something of a hot commodity. Y'know, when I saw you on the news, playing Speaker, I figured you were running some kinda scam on the City. Thought to myself, 'This kid's got nerve, foolin' even ole Zavala.'" He gestures at me with the coin, his grin widening. "But then you go and prove it. Can't argue with the results."
I shrug, ignoring my new perk in favor of the conversation. "I take it our deal still stands?"
"Wouldn't be here if it didn't." He says, leaning forward. "Gotta say, though, I like you better than the last Speaker. That guy was a buzzkill. You, though? You're open-minded. I respect that."
He reaches under the bench and pulls out three unfinished weapon frames. The jagged, sinister designs immediately catch my attention.
I raise an eyebrow. "Three? I thought we were working on two."
Drifter waves me off. "Relax. The extra is for for the Guardian who gathered all the pieces I needed. Figured I'd save her a trip."
Probably Sora. "Right. Well, I've got enough Ahamkara teeth to enhance all of them. Let's get started."
The next fifteen minutes are a blur of assembly and enchanting. My hands move with practiced precision, channeling Taken energy from Drifter's materials into the frames while Drifter instructs me. By the time we're finished, three enchanted copies of Malfeasance sit on the desk, their barrels emanating faint wisps of darkness.
Drifter scoops up two of the guns, spinning one theatrically before holstering it. "You've outdone yourself, kid. Enjoy your new toy." With a sly wink, he turns on his heel and saunters out of the armory, leaving the faint scent of ozone in his wake.
Crow watches him go, frowning. "That guy gives me a bad feeling."
"He's relatively harmless, as long as you're careful." I reply, picking up the remaining Malfeasance and examining it. "Just don't let him rope you into any of his schemes."
Crow nods but doesn't look convinced.
Setting the weapon aside, I turn my attention to the materials for my next project. From the gathered Hadium, I extract a portion, setting the rest aside for future use. Beside it, I place the luminous feathers. Finally, I retrieve the weapon frame we'd recovered, its sleek design a stark contrast to Malfeasance.
"Let's get to work." I say, more to myself than to Crow.
Piece by piece, Hawkmoon takes shape. The frame comes together seamlessly, every curve and edge aligned with purpose. The Hadium reinforces the structure, adding a resilience that ensures it can withstand the rigors of battle. The luminous feathers are the final touch, their energy suffusing the weapon and imbuing it with a radiant aura.
As the last component clicks into place, I place the gun into an enchanting circle, alongside a piece of the Pale Tree, and enchant the weapon.
Hawkmoon gleams in the soft light of the armory, its barrel etched with intricate patterns, its grip perfectly balanced.
I turn to Crow, holding the gun out to him. "Here."
His eyes widen. "You don't want to try it yourself first?"
"Not my gun." I say simply, pressing Hawkmoon into his hands.
He hesitates for a moment before gripping the weapon, his hands reverent as they close around it. "Thank you."
"Come on." I say, clapping him on the shoulder. "Let's go test out our new guns."
CHAPTER 18 END
AN: Hawkmoon works a bit differently here, since Mav was involved in its crafting, but I'll explain its abilities in the next chapter. Suffice to say, its stronger than the canon version.
Observation Haki sounds incredibly busted, but I'll need to do a bit of research on it before I can see how powerful it truly is. I know barely anything about One Piece, even less than I did about Jujutsu Kaisen.
[Benevolence - Divine Rejection - Marvel: Age of Krakoa (400 points)] (Insufficient Points)