Hello, everyone. I hope you're all doing well. Time for the next chapter. This one's a tad on the short side, mostly just characters doing stuff. Well, I suppose that's technically every chapter.
If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you liked. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review enacting the final curse of the molten sun god.
Chapter 14: Return to the Isles
"An era of peace has a tendency to dull the blade. It is paramount that we remain sharp and vigilant, for all eras must come to an end." - The Paladin, speaking to the President of the Boiling Isles
"Welcome back to the Boiling Isles," Paladin said, arms spread. Royal looked around as the others stepped through. He drank in the familiar sights: the outcroppings of bones from the Titan's skeleton, the blood-red leaves on the tall trees, and the sky painted a medley of colors. Paladin looked back at Amity and gave her a smack between her shoulder blades. "Looks like your plan worked."
"Yeah, mostly," she said. "It's so good to be back. How much has changed? No, wait, don't tell me. I want to find out on my own." Luz walked up behind Amity, looking around in awe. Her eyes drank in the banquet of colors and sensations. Paladin smiled and offered his hand.
"Luz, good to see you," he said. Luz gingerly accepted his hand and shook it.
"You're the Paladin," she said. "Royal's mentioned you before." Paladin raised an eyebrow and looked at his brother. Royal shook his head, answering the unspoken question.
"Only the highlights, I hope," Paladin said. "It's good to have you back. But I'd probably keep your helmets on until we announce your return, both of you. You've become folk legends of a sort. Speaking of which," he turned to the Witches accompanying him, each staring at the new arrivals in amazement, "word of this does not leave this place until I give the call, understood?"
"Yes, Commander," the Witch in charge said, snapping a salute. There was something about this woman that felt familiar to Royal. Maybe it was the way she held herself, an inflection in her voice, or the thick orange nest of hair atop her head. She faced Royal, a goofy grin on her face. "Captain Carolyn Clawthorne of the Boiling Isles Sentries, at your service."
"Clawthorne?" He noted. "You're Eda's-"
"Great times who-gives-a-shit granddaughter," she said. "And you are the famous Hero of the Isles." She furrowed her brow as she looked the Warlock up and down. "Gotta say, I thought you'd be taller." Royal frowned and looked down at himself.
"I'm the same height as all my siblings," he protested. Carolyn grinned and held up her hands.
"Just poking," she said. "It's a real honor to meet you. What you did has been a real inspiration to generations of Witches."
"It wasn't just me," Royal said. Behind him, Zavala cleared his throat.
"I take it you are in charge of the Isles," he said to Paladin. The Titan seemed a little surprised to see him.
"Commander, it's good to see you again," he said. "But no, I'm not. I manage the Boiling Isles Sentries. We're a paramilitary organization dedicated to ensuring the Vex don't break their way back in."
"There's some other stuff we do, but that's our main job," Carolyn said.
"What brings you back?" Paladin asked. "You wouldn't just rebuild the portal for a wellness check."
"The Last City seeks to ally with the people of the Demon Realm," Zavala said. "Our enemies grow more numerous by the day, and we need all the help we can get."
Paladin frowned but nodded in understanding. "If the choice were mine, you would have our aid in a heartbeat. However, it is not me you must convince. You'll have to speak with President Lydia." His tone was laced with tension; it was clear no love was lost here.
"I see," Zavala said. "Then I shall wish to speak with the President as soon as possible." Paladin agreed to try to arrange a meeting at the earliest juncture but made no promises. His tone implied that the political situation of the Isles was tense at the moment. As the Vanguard conferred with the two Royals, Amity took a good look around while Luz stood beside her.
"It feels so good to be home," she said, taking a deep breath. "Don't get me wrong, Earth is lovely, but nothing beats the Demon Realm. I can't wait to show you everything. Oh, I wonder if our Grom tree is still around."
While Amity was speaking, Luz crouched to the ground. Removing her gauntlet, she ran her hand through the dirt. The coarse sediment rolled between her fingers as she scooped up a handful. Seeing this, Amity smiled.
"Feels familiar, doesn't it?"
"I know this place," Luz replied. "Or at least, I feel like I do." She wiped her hands off as the others finished their discussion. Commander Zavala and Ikora will return to the city until he can arrange a proper meeting. It likely wouldn't be for a while, as it would take time to recall all of the officials for the Isles. Until then, Paladin would break the news and try to drum up popular support for the alliance. Paladin exchanged a handshake with the two members of the Vanguard, and they departed, though not before telling Royal to have a report prepared for them as soon as possible.
"Alright, guess we can get moving," Paladin said. "Traveler knows Lydia will chew my audio receptors off for dropping this on her." He ordered the rest of the Sentries to pack up their gear and get it back to headquarters.
"This Lydia character sounds real pleasant," Royal commented. Paladin grimaced and shook his head in exhaustion.
"She's just the latest in a long line of bureaucrats trying to trim back the Sentries' ability to help people," the Titan said. "I don't know what it is, but they are obsessed with sticking their noses where they don't belong. The Sentries have stood proud as the Isles defenders for centuries without interference." Carolyn called Paladin, informing him they were fully packed and ready to move. Paladin gave them permission to move ahead and notify President Lydia once they arrived back at base, he would be taking the scenic route. Before they left, he grabbed a crow phone and dispatched a message.
"So where's Venator run off to?" Royal asked. "I hope she hasn't drunk herself into a ditch, but it wouldn't surprise me."
Paladin had a good laugh at that. "No, Venator's fine. She's… well, she's the same as always. Flamboyant, self-aggrandizing, and quite vain. It turns out that being one of the two legendary immortal heroes did wonders for her ego. She's currently at sea, investigating reports of strange activity on a distant Titan. I don't expect her back for another week at most."
"Well, it's good to hear that she hasn't changed," Royal said as the group set off.
"Oh, but she has. I don't believe she's taken another partner in centuries," Paladin said. "Camila's death hit her hard, though she tried not to show it." He glanced back at Luz. "It hit her hard, too."
"I should have been there for them," Royal muttered. Paladin set a hand on his shoulder.
"They were there for each other. Along with everyone else."
"What about you, Paladin?" Amity asked. "Anything happen to our noble Commander?"
"Nothing so interesting," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "When you live as long as I have, you eventually grow static. However, it hasn't all been easy. Once I realized the Collapse was imminent, I made the call to destroy the portal door. Fortunately, we were spared devastation."
"Thank you," Royal said, gripping his brother's shoulder. "For everything."
"Of course." They continued on their trek for a while, taking in the sights. Luz was starstruck by everything she was seeing. Amity relished finally being home, pointing out everything she recognized. For his part, Royal was surprised by how similar everything looked. He pointed this out to Paladin, who agreed with a nod.
"The people of the Isles are not like Humans," he said. "They progress slowly, seemingly content with their current state. They do not possess the same spark of innovation and ambition that drives Humanity." He bowed his head to Amity respectfully. "Present company excluded, of course. But that further proves my point. Many of the designs you pioneered have remained unchanged and are still in use."
"I suppose that makes sense," Amity admitted. "Human technology is something that changes and grows. Once magic is discovered, it simply is."
"Indeed. But that's enough about us," Paladin said. "What about you? Anything interesting happen recently?" The three collectively shared a look, mentally recapping the events of the last few weeks. Eventually, Royal shrugged.
"It's complicated."
Paladin laughed once again. "If that's not the Guardian life in a nutshell." He quieted for a moment as he thought. "People will likely enter a frenzy once they hear you have returned. They call you 'The Hero of the Isles'."
"I gathered," Royal said with a slightly bitter intone.
"It has a nice ring to it," Luz chimed in. "Though I think Vexbane fits better." Paladin suppressed a snicker at that.
"I'm sorry, what do they call you?"
"Can we please not get into this?" Royal asked tersely. Paladin assured him that he wouldn't pry, at least for now. Looking ahead, he saw a large figure appear on the horizon. Paladin flagged him down with a wave, and the stranger drew closer. The ground seemed to thunder as he approached. He was impossibly tall, dwarfing even the two Royals, and wore what appeared to be a thick black coat. As he drew closer, Royal's breath hitched. That was no coat. Instead, it was a bushy layer of fur. And atop his head was a bleached skull with two long, curled horns.
"Is that who I think is it?" Royal asked. Paladin took a few cautious steps away from him.
"You might want to brace yourself."
"Brace myself for wha-" Royal was cut off when King tackled him in a monstrous, enveloping hug. Royal was practically absorbed by King's fur as the last of the Titan Demons held him tightly.
"It's really you!" King cheered, Royal's protests smothered by the bearhug. His voice had grown deep and baritone, rumbling like a barrage of artillery. "It's so good to see you!"
"King?" Amity asked, a smile breaking out on her face. "Is that you?" Her smile morphed into a look of mock fear as King quickly absorbed her into the hug. She laughed it off and hugged him back. Eventually, he relinquished the two and turned to the Guardian he hadn't yet swept up. Luz looked up at him, more curious than anything. That same headache had returned, her absent memories boiling as she looked upon the colossal Demon.
"Hey, sis," King said, raising a clawed hand.
"I take it you're King," Luz replied awkwardly. She looked him up and down before cracking a small smile. "You're a bit bigger than I expected."
"Yeah," he said. "Filled out a bit over the years, but I'm still aging. I've got a long way to go before I'm… you know." He gestured to the lands around them, built atop the decaying body of his father. King used a claw to deftly wipe away a tear that had been forming and knelt so that he was closer to Luz's level. Despite this, he was still forced to look down at her. He extended his arms for a hug, and Luz obliged. The two embraced for a moment, though it clearly wasn't as impactful for Luz as it was for King.
"I get the feeling that I'm never going to get used to having to look up at you," Royal said as he dusted himself off. "How have you been?"
"Oh, you know," King said, relinquishing Luz from his hug. "Same old, same old. Going around helping people with their issues, being a sort of spiritual leader. Some of these people take their Titan worship very seriously."
Paladin snorted, "Don't remind me. I never want to quell a religious schism again." A sharp caw signaled the arrival of a crow phone. The bird landed on Paladin's shoulder and opened its mouth.
"Commander, we have a situation," Carolyn said over the line. "Madam president wants to see you and Scholar, and she is not taking no for an answer." Paladin let out a soft curse and rubbed his faceplate.
"I knew she'd be upset, but I didn't think she'd be this bad," he muttered. "Captain, tell her we're on our way."
"You got it, Commander. Carolyn, over and out."
"We've gotta get you some radios," Royal remarked as the crow flew away.
"Satellites could be a good argument for the alliance," Paladin noted. "Remind me to bring that up."
Royal nodded before turning to his companions. "You three get out there and reacquaint yourselves with the Isles. King, we'll catch up more later." King accepted and gestured for Luz and Amity to follow him.
"Come on, I know some people who would love to see you two." They departed, leaving the two Exos to continue their walk to the Sentries headquarters. It didn't take them long to get there, though Paladin was intentionally dragging the journey out with small talk. Royal obliged his brother's malicious compliance.
Unfortunately, it couldn't last, as they reached their destination. It was a squat building smaller than a city block. A few Witches were outside practicing the magic and tinkering with some dormant Abomatons. They saluted Paladin as he walked past, a gesture which he returned. Royal overheard a few whispers directed at himself. One Witch elbowed his partner and pointed at the Warlock. Royal awkwardly hiked up his collar and kept moving.
Paladin pushed open the front doors where Carolyn was waiting for him. She stopped her pacing and angled her head toward a side room.
"She just stormed in and demanded to speak with you," Carolyn said. "I tried to defuse the situation, but she wasn't having it." Paladin thanked her before shouldering open the door. Royal and Carolyn followed him in, the latter casting a silencing spell to ensure they couldn't be overheard.
President Lydia was waiting for them, perched in a seat with a cup of apple blood before her. The drink was untouched, and her posture was sharp. The reptilian Demon narrowed her slit-like eyes as Paladin entered. Her chair screeched as she pushed herself back from the table and stood up.
"Ma'am," Paladin greeted innocently. "You wished to see me?"
"It isn't very proper to keep the president waiting," she said. Carolyn rolled her eyes and mockingly mimed the woman's words behind Paladin's back.
"You forget, ma'am, I don't technically answer to you," Paladin said, somehow maintaining his air of politeness. "I am a neutral advisor, as set in place by-"
"By our first president, yes, I am aware," she interrupted. "And that is the root of the issue. You do not answer to me and thus do not represent me. You have no business opening communication with the Human Realm, especially if your statements are true. You should have notified me immediately and ceased your communication there."
"With all due respect, this was a meeting between Guardians," Paladin said calmly. "My oaths of service to the Last City take precedence, and I must answer to my superior."
"Are they your superiors if they are from another time?" Lydia questioned. "You also swore an oath to protect the people of the Isles. Are you implying that you have conflicting interests?" Her voice had gained a dangerous, accusatory edge. She was waiting for Paladin to yield ground. Fortunately, the Titan was experienced with this sort of thing.
"Perish the thought. My brother attests that we are all on the same side here. An alliance with the city can only strengthen the Isles." Lydia propped an eyebrow at his deflection but didn't press the issue. Instead, she turned to Royal and appraised him.
"So you are the legendary Hero of the Isles," she said. To her credit, her voice had lost its hostility. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Despite her words, she didn't seem very happy. She didn't seem much of anything at the moment.
"It's good to be back," Royal said, trying not to say anything that could compromise Paladin's position. "I hope I can help the Isles now as I did all those centuries ago."
"I'm sure we can reach a mutually beneficial arrangement," Lydia replied cooly. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must clear my schedule for an important inter-realm meeting. In the meantime, I'm certain that there will be parades and celebrations to honor your return. More things for me to worry about." With that, she took her leave. She seemed to glide across the ground. The door closed with a creak.
"Bitch," Carolyn said.
"Captain, it is poor form to insult the elected representative of the Isles," Paladin scolded in jest. "Though, I must agree with your assessment."
"I don't think she likes you," Royal said.
Paladin snorted. "You don't say? If you think she doesn't like me, you should see how she deals with Venator." Carolyn had to suppress a laugh at that. Royal grinned, but the mention of his sister reminded him why he was here personally.
"May I speak with you, away from prying ears," he said, glancing at Carolyn quickly. The Witch put her hands up.
"I know when I'm not wanted," she said. "If you need anything, just holler." With that, she slipped out of the room.
"If Eda knew her descendant joined the military, she'd have a heart attack," Royal joked. Paladin had a hearty laugh at that.
"She missed you," the Titan said. "Everyone did." Royal nodded solemnly.
"Not a day goes by that I don't regret my decision."
"Would you change it?" Paladin asked. Royal pondered the question in silence before slowly shaking his head. He knew where he was needed. It didn't make the regret less prominent, but it at least felt a little easier to deal with.
Seeing his brother's response, Paladin decided to move along. "Pray tell, what is so important that the Captain of the Sentries can't hear it?"
"It's about Outcast," Royal said. Paladin instantly sobered up, crossing his arms and staring at his brother intently.
"Go on." His voice was tense, like a tightly wound bowstring waiting to snap. Arc Light flickered between his fingers for a second.
"He's still alive," Royal explained. "And he's coming for me- for us. Luz told me that he knows about the Isles. If he has a way to get here—and we have no reason to think he doesn't—everyone on the Isles is in danger."
Paladin turned away, setting a hand on his chin as he thought. "What quarrel would he have with the Isles? I can understand having umbrage with us, but these people are not of his time."
"He has grown erratic, for lack of a better term," Royal said. "He doesn't care if they're innocent. They're not Human, and so they must suffer. The fact that it would wound us doesn't hurt the prospect." Paladin nodded, his mind already whirring with plans.
"Tactically, it is sound," he admitted, sitting as he thought. "We need to warn Venator. I can dispatch a crow and see if she can hasten her return." He turned away from Royal, whispering a message to his Ghost, Thatch.
"How do we tell the people?" Royal asked. Paladin pressed the tips of his fingers as his elbows rested on the table.
"We don't." Royal's head whipped around to face him, a protest already on his lips. Paladin held up a hand to cut him off. "The Isles have enjoyed a period of calm and stability since you left. Our capacity for defense has decreased despite my best efforts. If people realize how defenseless we are in the face of such an overwhelming threat, panic will set in. I do not like keeping things from them, but we must act in the people's best interest."
"We could use this as extra leverage against Lydia," Thatch chimed in. Paladin nodded in agreement with his Ghost.
"I have spent the last few centuries mired in the miasma of politics," he said. "I've picked up a thing or two. Even I still have things to learn, despite all my years."
"Discretion is often the better part of valor," Royal admitted. "I'll trust your judgment."
"Thank you," Paladin said. "It's nice to hear that from one I consider an equal." He gestured for Royal to take a seat. "Now, for real this time, what have you been up to? How have you been since I last saw you?"
Royal let out a deep sigh and slumped back in his chair. "Where do I even begin? I get dropped back in the city amid a simulated Vex assault. They blotted out the sun and threatened to consume the city with Taken mass. And all the while, the Fallen of House Light are trying to ingratiate themselves amongst our ranks."
"That's… a lot," Paladin said. Royal gave a humorless laugh.
"Oh, it gets better. Or worse, depending on how you want to look at it. I'm out on patrol when I basically trip over Luz. Now, she's back as a Guardian. I start her training, and she ends up befriending someone from House Light—I think her name was Ezio or something—and I get approached by Osiris offering to rebuild the portal door. Luz does some galavanting across Europa, learning about the power of Stasis and meeting the infamous Exo Stranger. Turns out she's actually Elisabeth Bray, and she knows me."
Paladin's expression shifted to one of sorrowful mourning, and Royal froze. He reached out and gently took his brother's forearm in a show of support. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to remind you of Elliot."
"It's fine," Paladin said. "It was lifetimes ago. Continue."
"So Luz learns Stasis, I have a wonderful reunion with the mad bastard Clovis, and we eventually dive into the Vex Domain to undo the Endless Night. There, we run into Outcast. We barely escaped but had to return to destroy the Mind coordinating the assault. I ran into Marauder, and he lent us a hand."
"And how is the old sharpshooter?" Paladin asked, his tone now far more jovial. Royal averted his gaze. Paladin realized what he was implying and bowed his head.
"So then Lakshmi of Future War Cult opens a Vex portal in the middle of the city to try and kill the Fallen. She gets caught in the crossfire, but Luz and Amity manage to shut them down. However, it turns out that Osiris has actually been little more than a meat sack puppeted about by Savathûn." He pauses, going over everything in his head before turning to Lancer. "Did I miss anything?"
"No, I think that about covers it," the Ghost replied. Paladin whistled.
"You just have a knack for finding trouble," he said.
"We live in interesting times," Royal said bitterly. "I can't believe I let myself be tricked like that. I should have noticed."
"Savathûn isn't the God of Lies for nothing," Paladin said. Royal nodded, though it was clear the thought still weighed on him.
"I just can't see her angle," he said. "Why did she offer to help rebuild the portal? What interest could she possibly have with the Isles?"
"Actually, I have a theory," Lancer said. "Savathûn may have tipped her hand when she was trying to convince you."
"You don't think…" Royal began. Lancer nodded sharply.
"The Collector." As soon as he said that, Paladin's back straightened, and he shared a wary glance with Thatch. Royal noticed and looked at the two curiously.
"You know something, don't you?"
"I have my private thoughts," Paladin said carefully. "Thoughts that do not reflect the broader Boiling Isles government. Understand that I cannot disclose the location of the Collector's body. That information is classified and is known only by Lydia and me. Darius put that decision in place."
"Makes sense," Royal said, though he clearly didn't like it. Paladin's fingers rapped on the table nervously.
"Around a year after your departure, Odalia reappeared. But she was different. She kept to the outskirts of society and made no moves to try and rebuild herself. At the time, I chalked it up to lingering symptoms of the Vex's torture. However, now that you mention it, she spent a lot of time around the ruins of the Collector's Pyramid. She was half the damn reason why we had the place sectioned off and quarantined. Only official personnel and verified scholars are allowed in."
"You don't think Savathûn was possessing Odalia, do you?" Royal asked.
"I'm not certain, but I wouldn't take it off the table," Paladin said grimly. "I can try and dig up some old records, see if I can find anything that might hint one way or the other."
"If I can help in any way, don't hesitate to tell me how," Royal said. Paladin nodded, and the two brothers clasped their forearms.
From the outside looking in, Bonesborough hadn't changed much over the centuries. It looked like the same streets, with the same buildings and the same kinds of people going about their day. Of course, the reality was far less straightforward. Buildings had been renovated, relocated, or outright replaced. Entire districts had changed. The library had been significantly expanded over the years, a fact that Amity took great joy in.
King led the two around the outskirts of the town, wishing to avoid drawing unwanted attention. He was already a local celebrity; Luz and Amity would likely be seen as damn near messiahs. Instead, he guided them through the nearby forest, exchanging small talk as they pushed through the thicket. The two women had introduced him to their Ghosts, each having very different reactions to the Isles. Aurora was a little overwhelmed but was eager to learn more. Pal didn't seem to care about any of it, more disappointed that there wasn't anything to kill.
Eventually, they arrived at a clearing in the trees. In the center sat a large cabin with all the amenities one would need for living in the woods. King gestured to it proudly.
"Welcome to my home. I got too big to live anywhere else, and I grew sick of being pestered by missionaries. So, I live out here. Built it all myself. Pretty nice, isn't it?"
"Very quaint," Luz said, running her hand across the cabin wall until she reached an open window. She peered inside, taking in the decor. "Sure beats the quarters we get in the Tower."
"I'm sure you didn't bring us out here just to show us your home," Amity said, raising a curious eyebrow. King chuckled.
"That I did." He set two of his claws in his mouth and whistled. A few noises emerged from within the cabin as something passed through the building. A small cat leaped onto the windowsill beside Luz. She had fur as white as a swan's feathers and light blue eyes. The cat went to lick her paw, only to freeze. She stared at Amity, who met the stare with one of her own.
"Ghost?" Amity asked, hardly believing what she was seeing. The cat sprung off the windowsill and took off at full speed. Amity knelt down and caught her Palisman in a hug. The cat licked her face happily, causing Amity to laugh as her Palisman's tongue tickled her. "It's good to see you too, girl." Luz covered her mouth to suppress her laugh
"So this is my namesake," Pal grumbled. "Great. Just lovely."
"I've been looking after them ever since you died," King said.
"Them?" Amity asked, holding Ghost over herself. King turned to the window as another small creature emerged from the cabin. She was a small snake-like creature with lavender scales and luminous green eyes. She looked at Luz, tilting her head as her tongue flicked in and out of her mouth. Luz felt her brain rumble, a sensation she was starting to get sick of.
"Hello there, little friend," Luz said, offering an awkward wave. "Let me guess, you know me?" The snake hissed, and Luz felt something within her mind. However, it wasn't that headache that came with not knowing. This was different, almost soothing. With a start, she realized she could decipher the sensation into words.
"You're my Palisman?" She asked, already knowing the answer. The snake hissed again and flew over to Luz, where she circled the Warlock's head a few times before resting on her shoulder. Luz felt the hiss in her mind and translated it into speech. "Stringbean? I take it that's your name?" Stringbean hissed happily as Aurora appeared beside her. The Ghost and the Palisman regarded each other, exchanging hisses and chirps in a strange competition.
"She's my Guardian," Aurora said brazenly. "I have dibs." Stringbean responded by shapeshifting to resemble a Ghost, with her face as the core. Aurora's resolve shattered like a Hive's chitinous armor beneath Amity's fists. "Alright, fine, we can share."
As Luz watched the two drift through the air, a smile fought its way onto her face. Everything felt so painfully familiar, so right. This was where she was meant to be. Yet, simultaneously, she felt something tugging her back to Earth. Amity continued cuddling with Ghost while Pal remained his usual grumpy self.
Seeing his adoptive sister's internal turmoil, King leaned down and set a hand on her shoulder. "Are you ok?"
Surprised by the sudden contact, Luz's head snapped up. She took a calming breath before nodding. "You know, I've been hearing that question a lot. It's weird getting hit with all these things I should know but just… don't. It feels like I'm looking at it all through someone else's eyes."
"Well, it could be worse," King said. "You've had people who love you by your side. People like Royal." He gave Luz a wink. "People like Amity. It's nice to know that even death couldn't keep you apart."
"We're not together-together," Luz quickly said. "Besides, I'm too busy trying to figure myself out to worry about romance." King seemed surprised by that.
"Oh, that's certainly something," he said. Gaining a wry smirk, he leaned down to playfully prod Luz in her side. "Are you sure you're not interested?"
"I didn't say that," Luz whispered viciously, suddenly wishing she was wearing her helmet as a blush formed on her face. "I'm just too busy to worry about getting distracted by Amity and her flirting and her caring smile and her warm laugh and her toned physique… and her… beautiful… eyes…" Her voice trailed off as she realized where her mind was leading her. She covered her face with her palms, wanting nothing more than to melt into nothingness. She leaned against the wall of King's cabin and slowly slumped to the ground. "Traveler help me; I am interested."
"That's adorable," Aurora cooed while Stingbean circled her. "Two lovers, torn from their time. But even death cannot keep them apart."
"Not. Helping. Aurora." Luz looked up at King, who was watching with a mixture of bemusement and empathy. "Great, this just adds more problems to my identity crisis. How do I know this is really me and not just some left-over feelings from centuries ago?"
King shrugged. "Does the difference matter?" He held up his hands to placate her when she glared at him. "Alright, alright, it matters. You left yourself some memoirs before you died. Have you looked into them?"
"How would that help?" Luz asked.
"Well, how are you supposed to know where to go if you don't know where you started from?" King asked. Luz raised a finger, only to lower it as she realized he had a point.
"I've been reading my journal," she said. "I haven't gotten through much of it. There are a few memory photos, but I haven't used them. And there's this." She pulled out her phone. "A friend fixed it up, but I haven't thought to look yet."
"Why not?"
Luz shrugged passively, "Just waiting for the right time, I guess."
"Now seems like as good a time as any," King said. Luz turned away from him and looked at her phone. She powered the device on, revealing that her screensaver was a picture of herself, Amity, and a young boy and girl. The four were all posing together, appearing happy and at peace with the world.
A splash of water hit the screen, smearing the image. A second joined it not long after, and liquid began to run down the screen. Luz realized that they were tears. King pretended not to notice as she dried her eyes with her robes. Royal would probably be indignant at the blatant disrespect to a Warlock's garments, but she couldn't bring herself to care right now.
"What are you guys talking about?" Amity asked, walking over with Ghost perched on her shoulder. The cat nuzzled the side of Amity's head and began licking her paw.
"Just catching up," King said. "I've got a lot of stories. And, more importantly, a lot of puns."
"I definitely can't wait for that," Luz said as she stood up. "But it will probably have to wait for another time. It's getting late back on Earth, and Commander Zavala probably expects a report."
"Duty calls, I get it," King said. "Don't let me keep you." Amity gave him a hug, which he gladly returned.
"It's good to see you again," she said.
"Likewise," King said. He looked up at Luz and motioned for her to join in. "Come on, sis. You know you wanna." Luz rolled her eyes and complied. She suddenly realized how warm she felt being so close to Amity. Then again, it could be King's body heat. The heat pulsed through her chest, leaving her oddly energetic. It wasn't like when she let lightning flow through her. This was different, more carnal.
Eventually, the three broke off. Luz and Amity took their leave with their Palismen in tow. Amity practically bounced on her heels, humming as she cradled Ghost. Luz fell in behind her.
"You know," Aurora began, speaking over their private comm line, "I'm not sure why you're so determined to separate yourself from your past life. Most Guardians would kill to know more about their history."
"I want to figure out who I am on my own," Luz said. Aurora rolled her shell and gave a few small beeps.
"And it looks like you left yourself all the clues you need. Besides, it seems like you were a pretty good person. Have you considered that you're trying so hard to define who you are that you cannot see the path you've already plotted for yourself?" The Ghost faded into transmat, leaving Luz stewing over her words.
Later that day, Luz fell back into her cot. She, along with Amity and Royal, had long since returned to the Tower. Stringbean was familiarizing herself with the new space, though Luz had to keep her under wraps to avoid the prying eyes of any other Guardians. She held her phone overhead, staring at the home page.
"Are you ready?" Aurora asked as she appeared beside her.
"Not really," Luz said. "But when has that stopped me." After a moment of struggling with the UI, she found a folder filled with recorded videos of herself. They gradually increased in age; Luz suspected there were hundreds, maybe even thousands of them. She selected a random video, and it began to play.
"¡Hola! Me, nice to see you," her digital doppelganger said before her brow furrowed. "Wait, that's not how this works." There was a laugh from off-screen.
"Having some technical difficulties, Batata?" Past Amity asked as she walked up behind Past Luz. She wrapped her arms around her wife from behind and gave her a small peck on the forehead. Past Luz tried to push her away playfully, only for Past Amity to hold on tightly. The two descended into a mock wrestling contest that Past Amity easily won. As her reward, she continued to shower Past Luz in kisses.
The recording ended, leaving the present Luz to stare at her own reflection on the screen. Aurora looked at her warily, and Stringbean, sensing her partner's mood, stopped her exploration. The Palisman shifted into a small pillow and wrapped herself around Luz's neck. The Stormcaller set a hand against her Palisman and smiled before swiping to the next video.
She continued like this for some time. The hours slipped away, fading into history as easily as a Nightstalker fades into shadow. Eventually, her eyelids drooped, and she set her phone down. As she did, she heard the sound of a young child laughing. Her curiosity peaked, and she snatched the phone back up.
Displayed on the screen was a recording of herself playing with a small baby boy. The child cooed as Past Luz hid behind her hands, revealing herself to a chorus of babbling cheers. Eventually, the boy grew tired and fell asleep, gurgling peacefully. Past Luz scooped him up gently and turned to the camera.
"Hey me," she whispered to not disturb the baby. "I want you to meet my-our son. Manuel Royal Noceda, named after the two most important men in my life. I hope he can grow up to be just like them. Of course, Amity made me promise that she gets to name our next kid." Past Luz softly kissed her son on the forehead, then reached over to grab the camera. The recording ended, leaving Luz trapped in the present to stare at her reflection. This time, her eyes were mistier than the early dawn air.
Luz set her phone aside and turned over in her bed. Aurora gave a concerned whistle and flew to face her Guardian. Stringbean gave a soft hiss, and Aurora saw that Luz was fast asleep, with a small but content smile on her face.
Just so you're all aware, I will probably put uploads on hold so I can write out a few more chapters. I'm trying to keep a buffer between my current upload and the chapter I'm currently working on and progress has been slow as of late. I want to stay a bit ahead so I can properly plot things out and set stuff up ahead of time. That's all, see you guys next time. Whenever that is.
Also, the first chapter of Witches and Warlocks was Escape to the Isles and now this chapter is Return to the Isles. I'm sure there's a quote about poetry and rhyming that would apply here, but I'm not clever enough for that.
Elthreee: Yeah, I get what you mean about the comparison thing. At the time of writing that I was in a bout of doubting my fic, but I'm now overly satisfied with what I've come up with
Also, great chapter as usual. I'm hoping the Scorn get introduced sometime soon. I feel like Luz would still have some kind of moral dilemma with killing them even though they're undead evil Eliksni, and it'd be cool to see that, not to mention I also think they're a pretty cool concept. (i peeped that cheeky DMC reference btw, noice lmao)
Scorn will show up next chapter, whenever I get around to posting that. Though you have given me an idea for what I can do with them. Might make for a good chat with Savathûn.
GuardianLightTheVanguard: At least once more, O vengeance mine.
1. Oh yeah, I've always got stuff swirling around up in my noggin. I've got plans for Witch Queen, ideas for Lightall, and maybe a couple of notes for Final Shape. I want to see how the campaign story plays out before setting to anything concrete.
2. She can already use Light and magic in tandem, so there's no reason she wouldn't be able to use Prismatic and magic.
3. Of course.
4. I don't mind longer reviews; they give me more to chew on.
5. That remains to be seen. Season of the Lost will be a chance for me to explore how the people of the Deamon Realm interact with the people of Sol.
6. Boom, there you go.
7. Got a bit of that as well. More will likely roll out over the coming chapters.
8. Mayhaps. He did promise Royal that he would never use it again.
9. Not immediately, but at some point.
10. And I'm glad I've finally got us here.
11. At some point.
12. We'll have to wait and see with Outcast.
13. Yessir.
14. That is kind of the plan. However, since Amity picked up on things quickly due to her memory shenanigans, I have another candidate in mind.
OMAC001: Always good to see Savathun work! Can't wait to see how the Demon Realm has changed in the years Royal's been away!
Savathûn is so much fun to write. We'll see more of the Demon Realm as things play out.
BlueRoseLevi: Ah yes Savathun my favorite villan in destiny. Can't wait to see the plans you have with her come to fruition and how Royal and the gang will handle it. Also Paladin let's gooooo!
PS: meant to mention this last chapter but love the end bit gags returning!
Alas, wait you shall. Might take a bit to get there. I'm still quite amazed how much people seem to like Paladin specifically. Of all the Royals, he's probably the most well put together, emotionally speaking. Lastly, if anyone has ideas for end bits, feel free to send them, and I'll see what I can do. They might not be an every-chapter thing since my current list of ideas is quite short.
hornig3: OK so Isles magic and Awoken magic sort of coincide or at least agree with each other if Amity is any indication. Also can't wait to see how Luz talks about Crow and his past to the Vanguard or those that know of his past and basically question why it's okay for her and Amity to have their memories but not him. Oh the pain this season is going to be delicious.
I must agree; the pain will be most delectable. That is all I can say at the moment.
Eido ran her finger down her list, checking House Lights' stocks of life-giving Ether. She double-checked the tank levels, ensuring they were all filled. Luz leaned against the wall nearby, having helped carry some of the tanks into position.
"Everything looks good," Eido said. "All tanks are full." She produced a small canister from her robes and held it to one of the nozzles. "Now, as a reward for a job well done." She filled the canister and took a deep breath of the pearly white gas.
"So you can survive purely off Ether, but you still eat ramen?" Luz questioned. "How exactly does that work?
"The ramen is more for the flavor and texture," Eido said before taking another hit. "Ether grows rather stale when it is all one has."
"What does it even taste like?" Luz asked. Eido pondered the question momentarily, trying to figure out how to describe it. Eventually, realizing that whatever words she could choose wouldn't cross the language barrier very well, she just shrugged.
"Here, may I try?" Luz asked. Eido looked down at her container uncertainly.
"Are you sure? I don't know how it would interact with Human biology."
"Then it sounds like we have a perfect learning opportunity on our hands," Luz said. "Come on, what's the worst that could happen?" Eido relented, handing the container to Luz and pulling out her notebook.
"Simply insert the nozzle into your nose and breathe in," she said. Luz set it in place and gave herself a countdown. Once she hit zero, she inhaled. The Ether flooded into her nostrils like towering waves in a stormy sea. In an instant, the vapor spilled into her lungs and mingled with her system. Luz became acutely aware of every nerve in her body dancing. Her pupils dilated until they encompassed the entirety of her eyes.
Bright flashes of colors she didn't recognize and couldn't decipher flushed past her vision. She could hear the whole of the cosmos, from the mightiest star to the smallest atom. Her mouth tasted like blood and fire and love and radiation. She bore witness to the Universe in its entirety, from beginning to end. Before her was the face of the creator, and it was weeping crystalline tears of sorrow and joy.
Meanwhile, from Eido's perspective, Luz had frozen in place, her muscles locked up save for the occasionally spastic twitch. Her eyes were unfocused, looking in two completely different directions. A trail of drool hung from her gaping mouth as she murmured something incomprehensible.
"Luz? Are you in there?" Eido asked. When Luz didn't respond, Eido gently prodded her. The woman tipped over, collapsing to the ground as she continued to stare into nothing and everything. Eido looked at her own hands with a hollow expression.
"What have I done?"