Some of y'all have never done the Lightblade Grandmaster, AND IT SHOWS. Seriously, that shit is brutal. Got a good roll on the new stasis glaive though, and it's actually pretty fun. Glaives are probably my favorite weapon archetype that I never use because I am weak and gods must be strong. In any event, we're back with the next chapter. Hope you guys had a fun Halloween if you celebrate it and that October treated you well regardless if you don't. Happy festival of the Lost, everyone.
If you enjoy it, feel free to leave a review saying what you liked. If you hate it, feel free to leave a review reminding me that we will never get the good wizard set for Warlock.
Chapter 30: A Witches Truth
"Give your will to me!" - Oryx, the Taken King
The artificial sun of Savathûn's Throne World shone through crimson leaves, casting an amber haze on the stairwell as Luz descended. She didn't know if the sun was merely an exertion of Savathûn's will or one that had been abducted from real space. Then again, how much did it really matter? The three Guardians approached the temple entrance, buried deep within the heart of the Throne World.
The Hive were concentrated thickly here, meaning there must be something worth protecting. They had just gotten out of one particularly fierce gunfight. It likely wouldn't be long before they were in another.
Bushes rustled gently as they emerged into a large opening filled with Savathûn's favorite shrubbery. Across the garden, a pair of massive doors guarded by the Hive stood. A colossal Knight in bright armor bearing an axe towered over the trees, keeping watch and sweeping his gaze across the landscape. The Guardians slipped behind cover and took stock of the defenses.
"Fynch, we've found the temple," Luz said. "Time to make our advance."
"Good, good. The Temple of the Navigator is supposedly protected by one of Savathûn's toughest warriors. Alak-Hul, if I remember right. Savathûn wouldn't stick him there for no reason, not when the Scorn are everywhere."
"Don't suppose Alak-Hul looks like a bigger, paler Kelgorath, do you?" Amity asked.
"Yeah, actually, how'd you know?"
"Well, he's standing right before us."
"What's he doing so far from the inner sanctum?" Fynch wondered. "You'd think Savathûn would keep him on a tight leash."
"We'll deal with Alak-Hul. What have the maps said?" Royal asked. Fynch had managed to liberate a few maps of Savathûn's extensive palaces during his stay with the Lucent Brood, giving the Guardians a unique advantage when it came to traversal. Fynch chirped as he consulted the maps.
"The safest way to the temple's inner sanctum is through some old canals that lead into a swamp, which means we'll need a boat. Leave that to me."
"Understood," Royal said before turning to Amity. "Light 'em up." The Witch grinned and drew her rocket launcher.
"Hey, Kelgorath 2.0!" She shouted, centering Alak-Hul in her targeting optics. "Knock knock!" With a squeeze of the trigger, her rocket sailed through the air. It slammed into Alak-Hul, staggering the Knight. The other Hive immediately perked up, raising their weapons and firing on the Guardians.
Alak-Hul glowered as he wiped some of the soot and charred bone from his armor. The ground shook as he slammed the pommel of his axe on the ground. He locked eyes with Amity before raising his axe and hitting the shaft against his chest. He vanished in a flash of green fire, leaving the lesser Hive to be butchered.
Royal deflected a Swordbearer's strike before shattering the Knight's wrist and tearing the weapon from his grasp. He slipped his hand over the hilt and ran the weapon through the Knight's chest. The Knight grit its teeth and slammed its free hand against the side of Royal's helmet, sending the Warlock reeling. The Knight tried to advance, only for Royal to whip around, sending a fireball directly into the Knight's face. While the Knight fell to the ground, clawing at its charred face, the rest of the Hive were buckling against the Guardian's assault. Luz atomized a horde of Thrall while Amity's shield bounced between Acolytes.
"Well, that wasn't so hard," Luz said, stepping over a pile of bloody limbs that used to be an Acolyte. "An easy mission sounds great right about now."
"This was just the outer guard," Royal said. "I have a feeling that the worst is yet to come." Luz reluctantly nodded; he was probably right about that. Nothing in Savathûn's realm was ever so simple. Royal inspected the doors before gesturing for Amity to join him. The two dug their fingers into the grooves and began to pry, separating the massive chunks of ossific stone. Luz stepped forward, Arc Light flaring in her fingers.
She was instantly at work, unleashing lashes of concentrated lightning at everything that moved. The Hive fired upon her from a vantage point up the stairs. Their shots pinged off her armor, sending jolts of pain through her body. With the door now pried open, Royal and Amity weren't far behind her. They fought their way up the stairs and into an internal chamber.
As they broke into the room, they found a Lightbearer Knight waiting for them. Gnarled teeth twisted into a rotten grin, and he slammed his knuckles together, electricity flowing between his hands. More Swordbearers charged the Guardians while the Lightbearer slammed his fists into the ground. The floor erupted with lightning, exploding as its atoms were overcharged with energy.
The Guardians scattered as the stones at their feet burst. Royal was instantly back on his feet, drawing Lament just in time to parry a lunge from a Swordbearer. At the same time, Amity found herself right before the Lightbearer. She forced herself onto her hands and knees just in time for her teeth to be kicked into the back of her mouth. She flew back from the blow, her mouth filling with blood. She dug a hand into the ground to arrest her momentum before bringing it up to her mouth and clutching her dented helmet.
"Alright, punk," she said, spitting out a few teeth as she did. "Let's get personal." The Knight coaxed her onward as she sprang to her feet. Light pumped through her muscles as she charged. The Knight reciprocated, swinging with a thunderous fist. Their hands met with the force of a lightning strike. A shockwave swept through the room, knocking Acolytes off their feet and staggering the other Guardians.
Amity recoiled from the impact, cradling her dislocated arm. The Knight wasn't faring much better as his arm hung limply from his shoulder. The Knight gave something halfway between a growl and a chuckle before grabbing his shoulder and setting the limb back in place. Amity did the same, and the two were instantly back at it.
She blocked a few light jabs, feeling the sparks roll through her armor. A quick back dodge saved her from an attempted sweep of her legs. The Knights footwork was impressive; if she didn't know any better, she'd assume he'd been trained by Paladin.
The Knight swung overhead, trying to leverage his heavier frame. Under her helmet, Amity grinned. This was the opening she had been waiting for. She stepped under his strike and into his guard before wrapping her arms around the Knights midsection. Her legs and back flooded with Light as she lifted the Knight overhead, slamming him into the ground. She quickly got on top of the Knight and began raining blows directly into his face.
The air was driven out of her lungs by the Knight thrusting his knee into her midsection. She wheezed as she rolled off him, gasping for air. A second strike hit the side of her head, dislocating her jaw and sending her reeling. Grunting in pain, she snapped her jaw back into place and caught the Knight's next blow against her arm.
The blow rattled her bones and pushed her back. Her boots ground the floor as she tried to hold her ground. The Knight struck again, cracking the armor plating on her upper arm. She staggered back as the Knight thrust both his hands toward the heavens as though he were offering a prayer to Savathûn. Amity barely had time to raise her shield before his fists crashed into the ground. The floor shattered with electrical power, sending Amity flying back into the wall. She dropped to her knees, pain rebounding through her body.
The Knight tried to press his advantage, but Amity was faster. Her finger looped through the air, drawing a glowing purple circle. Goo lashed around the Knights neck, holding it back. Biting back the pain, she began to apply pressure, squeezing the Knights windpipe. His fingers curled around the lash, desperately trying to tear it free. A second circle was drawn, and his hands were bound. Amity tightened her grip, and the bone plating on the Knight's neck began to crack.
There was a loud, wet tear as the Knight's head was liberated from his shoulders. His body dropped, falling like a thunderbolt. A Ghost appeared over the Knight's body as his head hit the ground. Before it could move to escape, Amity's fist wrapped around it. Remembering how Luz had described the sensation, she braced herself and crushed the Ghost. Light erupted from the creature, and the room fell still. Revulsion welled up within her, though not as violently as expected. She felt dirty, like she had stained her very being.
She backed away from the Knights body, absently wiping her hands on her armor. The others finished clearing up the remaining Hive forces, scattering their bones across the floor. Royal quickly took stock of the room before nodding and gesturing to advance forward.
"You weren't lying about what it feels like," Amity said to Luz as she fell in beside her. The Stormcaller's eyes grew cloudy as they walked through the expansive halls.
"What Savathûn has done to the Light…" Luz's voice trailed off, and she shook her head. "I know they're Hive. I know what they've done. But it feels so wrong. Light killing Light." Mist clouded her eyes, thankfully concealed by her helmet. "Sibling killing sibling."
"We are not kin with these monsters," Amity said, trying her best to reassure Luz and herself in equal measure. Luz shook her head, clearly not believing it.
"What we know for certain is that they were raised with the Light, just as we were," she said. "From that, we can assume their minds were wiped clean, just like… just like me and Royal. They were brought back at the behest of Savathûn and molded to become her perfect killers. Are they not also victims of her lies?"
Amity averted her gaze as she thought. She supposed Luz's words had merit, but comparing herself to the Hive felt wrong. They were butchers who had put so many civilizations to the torch over millions if not billions of years. But then, death was supposed to be the great equalizer. A clean slate. A chance to start clean. Savathûn had robbed them of that.
"I don't know," Amity admitted. "But don't pretend they are blameless. They had a choice, and they chose to fight us. We can't hold back, not while Savathûn is still at large." Luz nodded in agreement, though she still seemed somewhat reluctant.
Ahead of them, Royal stopped and crouched near the wall. He ran his hand down the jagged texture, feeling for any structural weakness. After confirming with Fynch that this was the place, he pulled his fist back and slammed it through the wall. It shattered under his fist, and he swiftly tore the wall apart until the breach was wide enough for them to pass through.
"This should bring us directly into the canal," he said, gesturing for the two to catch up with him. "Fynch has supposedly… requisitioned a barge for us. Should allow us to bypass most of the Hive defenses."
"Yeah, exactly," Fynch said. He paused for a moment as though trying to gauge whether he should continue speaking. "So, Savathûn used Ikora's relationship with Osiris to get something. Maybe she slipped up? Said something that Savathûn needed?"
"This isn't Ikora's fault," Royal replied, his voice rather terse.
"Yeah, yeah, of course," Fynch said. "But, you know, Ikora is supposed to be pretty smart, and she's, like, the head spymaster of the Tower. Not to mention that Osiris was supposedly her friend and mentor. You think she would've noticed the signs."
"Measure your words," Royal snapped. "Need I remind you how you were also tricked by Savathûn?"
"Royal, not now," Luz said, setting a hand on his shoulder to call him off. He bit his metaphorical tongue and continued onward. Luz continued, "He's not wrong, though. Ikora isn't alone in this. We're going to unravel Savathûn's web of deception together."
"Fair enough," Fynch said. "By the by, you should be coming up on the barge right about now." True to his words, rounding a corner brought their vehicle in sight. It was a Tombship, though clearly retrofitted for uses outside of combat. Large spikes sprouted from the rim of its otherwise flat top, offering some limited protection for the Guardians as they mounted the rickety vehicle.
"Fynch, are you sure this thing is safe?" Amity asked as the ship rattled beneath her weight. A chunk of the outer metal fell off, dropping far into the waters below. "This thing's falling apart."
"There's a reason this was the only one I could nab. Just count yourself lucky that you'll be flying over the water instead of trudging through it."
Luz and Amity both glanced at Royal as Fynch said that. The Dawnblade had yet to board, glaring at the craft as he stood several feet away from the edge. He looked up as the two stared at him before groaning.
"This place is my waking hell," he muttered as he tentatively stepped aboard. He positioned himself as close to the center as possible and looked ready to bolt at any moment. The barge rocked violently as it detached from the dock and took off, bucking and swaying as it flew through the air.
"Don't suppose we can get inside it, do you?" Luz asked, waving her arms to try and right herself.
"Given the quality of craft, I don't think you'd want to," Amity replied. "It's easier to bail from up here if Fynch's awful flying causes us to crash."
"Sorry, sorry, it's just these weird Hive controls," Fynch said, frantically trying to straighten the barge's flight path. "So archaic. How does it… ah, there it is." The barge righted itself and took to its flight without issue. The barge left the docking bay and began traversing the open canals.
They passed under swooping archways and by towering statues. Water spilled in through massive grates, falling past the barge in incredible waterfalls that splashed into the canal below. Royal visibly retracted, looking as though he wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball and die.
"We've got a gate coming up," Amity said, pointing to an upcoming archway blocked off by glowing runes. A Lightbearer Acolyte overlooked the canal, likely the one in charge of operating the runes. From their slouched pose and downturned head, it was likely that they weren't very interested in their job. A few other Hive milled about, similarly disinterested in their current task. A dormant Shrieker lurked overhead, its blazing eyeball shut tight.
"What? This gate is supposed to be unmanned?" Fynch was clearly panicking. "Why would Savathûn have guards monitoring the junk?"
"She must be upping security," Royal said as they steadily drifted closer. "Fynch, do you have any access codes or passwords that might get us through?"
"I'll send my old codes to you, but none of that will matter if they see you." A trio of small discs inscribed with Hive runes appeared in Royal's hands, likely what qualified as a Hive ID.
"Leave that to me," Amity said, spinning her hands in a circle. A trail of glowing blue energy was left in her wake as she spun her spell. "I was never as good as Ed and Em, but that doesn't mean I don't know a thing or two."
"You sure this will work?" Luz asked.
"No clue," Amity admitted. "Just act natural and let me do the talking." A small cloud of blue smoke erupted over the three, cloaking them in a magical glamour. Luz looked down at her hands, now concealed beneath the illusion of a Hive Wizard. A glance to the side showed what she assumed to be Royal under a similar disguise. A Lightbearer Knight stood between the two, Void Light rippling through her spines.
"Hah, it worked," Amity cheered, her voice emanating from the Knight. It was strange to hear such a pleasant voice coming from such a monstrous creature. Royal looked down at his body before shaking his head.
"Words cannot express how much I hate this."
"You can complain later," Luz whispered. "We're getting close to the gate." The three quieted as they slowed to a stop beneath the Shrieker. The Acolyte above glanced down at them before rolling her eyes and double-jumping down to them.
"State your purpose," she growled, her voice shrill and grating. Amity tapped a finger against her throat, casting a voice-modifying spell.
"The Scorn are breaking into the Temple of the Navigator," Amity said, her voice sounding guttural and scratchy. "We've been sent to assist the defenses. Orders came from the top."
The Acolyte cast a wary eye down at their rickety craft before giving Amity an unconvinced look. "Let me see your glyphs." Amity tilted her head toward Royal, and he presented Fynch's code. The Acolyte accepted the tablets, and her eyes danced across them. With a grunt, she passed them back.
"Seems to be in order," she muttered. "Wish Immaru would let me loose on some Scorn. I could use the exercise." She stretched her arms, prompting an audible crack as she popped the air in her joints. "Crack a few of their skulls open for me, will you?"
"Of course," Amity said. Beneath her helmet, sweat was starting to drip down her forehead as the effort of maintaining three illusions started to wear on her focus. She never understood how Gus or the Twins could keep this up for so long.
"You said Immaru dispatched you, right?" The Acolyte said, her posture tightening. Amity had to fight down a wave of panic as Royal discretely readied a burst of flame behind her.
"He did," Amity replied. "Why do you ask?"
"It's just funny; the little control freak never sends anyone to do anything without making it expressly clear that he's the one in charge. He would've called ahead to let me know." As the Acolyte spoke, the surrounding Knights gathered at the edges of their platforms, brandishing their weapons as they waited for their commander's word.
Amity desperately tried her best to meet the Acolyte's accusative glare while scrambling for any vaguely important-sounding Hive name she could throw out. "We were technically operating under Ir Halak." The Acolyte's eyes glowed, brimming with Light. After a painfully long stare-down, she shrugged and turned away.
"I guess that checks out; Deathsingers can be hard to work with, even for the First Ghost." She leaped back up to her post. "You're free to continue. Make the Scorn bleed."
Amity let out a quiet sigh of relief as the effort of maintaining the illusion wore down on her, relieved that she had managed to hold up the illusion for as long as she had. Unfortunately, before the Acolyte could lower the gate, one of her Knights leaned close to her.
"Commander, Ir Halak was slain on the Boiling Isles just a few weeks ago." As soon as those words had left his mouth, the Lightbearers head whipped around to glare at Amity. She screeched, ordering her soldiers to open fire. Royal stepped forward, flinging a blast of flame at the Acolyte. His illusion fell away in an instant, revealing his battered and dirty purple armor. The Acolyte dug her claws into the Knight who had spoken to her and dragged him in front of the blast. The Knight screamed as his face melted, only for the Acolyte to throw his body into the canal below.
"Kill the Guardians!" She shouted. The Shrieker opened with the sound of dried bones snapping. Its oversized eye locked in on the Guardians and opened fire with a barrage of Void blasts. The Guardians scattered, their illusions wholly discarded as they leaped onto the nearby platforms. From there, they descended into a brutal melee as Knights rushed them. The Acolyte raised a long rifle and sighted Amity in her optics. A pull of the trigger sent a line of Void energy directly into the Titan's chest. Amity grunted as she was sent back, the air knocked out of her lungs. A Knight attempted to turn his cannon on her while she was down, only to cry out in pain as he was electrocuted by Luz.
Across the canal, Royal was carving through Knights with his sword. The Shrieker turned to face him as he disemboweled a Knight, firing a spiral of purple blasts at him. He dodged behind a corner and drew his scout rifle. He slammed his fist into the floor, drawing out a chunk of molten stone before tossing the rock against the wall beside him to draw the Shrieker's attention. As its attention drifted to his diversion, he rolled out of cover and lined up its burning eye. A few shots rang out, and the Shrieker burst, its bony shell falling onto the barge.
While Royal dealt with the Shrieker, Luz and Amity fought their way up the stairs toward the Acolyte. The Hive Lightbearer scowled as the powers of the Void flowed down to her hands. A pair of sickles were soon clutched between her fingers, each sharp enough to cut through a neutron star.
She dove at the pair as they pushed through the last of her support. Her sickles flashed, scoring deep cuts in Amity's armor. Luz tried to pounce, only for the Acolyte to spin, raking her blades through the Stormcaller's robes. The fabric sizzled as the abyssal edge sliced through it. The Acolyte swung again, cutting through one of Luz's hands and sending it falling into the waters below. The Acolyte quickly turned again, blocking a punch from Amity with one arm and slashing across her gut with the other.
Amity hissed as she staggered back. With the Titan temporarily out of commission, the Acolyte returned her focus to Luz. She deflected a bolt of lightning and stepped within Luz's guard, driving her sickle into the bottom of Luz's chin and through her brain. The woman's face was frozen in a flash of surprise and pain as blood poured from the wound. The Acolyte swung the Warlock's body into the wall, flinging it off her blade, and turned back to face Amity.
"One down," she hissed, scraping her blades together while Amity clutched her gut, barely able to stand. "Two to go."
Fury boiled within Amity's head as the Hive Hunter stalked closer, dragging a blade along the wall. Sparks flew from the stone as a vile scraping hiss permeated Amity's ears. Her heart was beating, her Light was blazing, and her mind was fixated solely on the Hunter before her.
With a scream, she sprung to action. Void Light came to her fingertips, instantly obeying her call. Spirals of purple slime shot past the Hunter, drawing her attention away from the Witch. Her hand pulled back, summoning a shield to manifest. The disc of pure Void Light glowed with brilliant defiance as a wall of Abomination goo manifested behind the Acolyte. Void Light was interlaced with the magical ooze, giving it strength and structure.
"You will take nothing else from me," Amity hissed, flinging her shield through the Hunter's stomach. The Acolyte's eyes widened in shock as she looked at the spot where she had been split in half. The shield slammed into the newly constructed wall behind her and ricocheted, flying back toward the Hunter. It met the back of her neck, parting her flesh as easily as Savathûn's machinations had parted the Isles. With a flash of Light, the Hunter was decapitated.
Ignoring the continued pain in her gut, Amity reached out and caught her shield as the Hunter fell to the ground in a few more pieces than she had been a second ago. She lunged at the Hunter's Ghost, wrapping her fingers around it. The Ghost tried to tear free, but Amity's grip was unrelenting. Her grip tightened, and the core cracked. The Ghost exploded with Light, and its shell fell to the ground.
Amity forced the inevitable wave of revulsion down and turned to help Luz to her feet. The Stormcaller swayed as Aurora finished healing her wounds. Dried flakes of her own blood still clung to her chestpiece and robes. Amity offered a hand, and Luz gratefully accepted.
"Thanks for the assist; I thought I was-" Her voice died in her throat as she looked down at Amity's midsection, still wholly coated with her own innards. "Holy Traveler! Are you alright?"
Amity blinked as the pain caught up with her. She became acutely aware of the blood pouring out of her body, and her vision started swimming. The Light had sustained her like adrenaline, but with the fight over, she was about to crash. Luz quickly helped Amity to a resting position, laying a healing rift around the two to speed her recovery.
"You hardly notice these things in the moment," Amity said, clutching her stomach as Pal slowly closed the wound. She grit her teeth as the pain flared up.
"Stop talking," Pal said evenly. "You keep agitating the wound and tearing it back open." Amity rolled her eyes and mimed the Ghost blabbering with her hands, prompting a small laugh from Luz. Amity grinned only to wince again as the wound flared.
"Seriously, zip it," Pal said with a surprising lack of condescension.
"That Acolyte was something else," Luz said, shifting the topic and Amity's mind off her wound. "How did you manage to kill her?"
"Well, it was simple," Amity said. "I-" She was cut off by yet another spike of agony. Pal sighed and shook his optic.
"One more word and I'll transmat a rock into your throat. As for your question, she bounced her Sentinel Shield off a wall of that purple goo." Amity looked as though she were about to comment on his words, only to be silenced by a glare from her Ghost. "Shut up and let me fix you."
"Wait, you used magic and Light in tandem?" Luz asked. "I thought that wasn't possible."
"Shouldn't be," Pal grunted. "But she did it. It was…" He paused, awkwardly clearing his nonexistent throat. "It was kinda cool." The area fell silent, save for the splashing waters below them, and Pal looked up to find both Amity and Luz staring at him. "What?"
"Did you just compliment Amity?" Luz narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Her hand flashed out, grabbing hold of Pal's shell. "What have you done with the real Pal? Are you another of Savathûn's tricks?"
"Hey, watch it!" Pal beeped angrily. He turned to Amity, struggling in Luz's grasp. "Call your crazy girlfriend off!" Amity merely offered a smug grin before dragging her fingers over her lips.
"Luz, he's not a fake," Aurora said. "You can let him go." With a short huff, Luz let him go.
"I knew that, just yanking his chain."
"Now, if I can actually get back to fixing my Guardian," Pal grumbled. Luz held up her hands in surrender, and the Ghost returned to his work. As he did, Luz dismissed herself to help Royal operate the gate release mechanism, leaving the pair alone in silence.
Amity watched Pal circle around her gut, occasionally shining a beam of Light onto her wounds to clean away the lingering Void Light. She sighed in relief as he finally reknit the laceration. She gingerly prodded her freshly healed stomach before smiling.
"There, good as new," Pal said.
"Thank you."
Her Ghost scrunched his shell in confusion. "You don't have to thank me. I'm just doing my job."
"That doesn't mean I don't appreciate it," Amity replied. "Besides… I've come to realize that our relationship is supposed to be a two-way street. Things have been… tense between us-"
"That's an understatement."
"-and it's as much my fault as it is yours."
"What do you know, she can self-reflect."
Amity frowned. "I'm trying to extend an olive branch here." A small corner of her pain-addled mind remembered that she didn't know what olives even were, but she'd heard Camila use the phrase before, and it seemed to fit well enough.
Pal looked down, his shell visibly expanding as he forced himself to relax. "Right. Look, I won't pretend to be good at mushy feeling nonsense, but I know I haven't been the easiest Ghost to work with."
"Understatement," Amity said in a sing-song voice. Pal merely gave a deadpan stare in response.
"But I am willing to try again," he continued. "I haven't treated you fairly. Truth be told, you were just a convenient target for all my frustrations with the Traveler."
"There seems to be a lot of those going around lately. Absent father figure, I get it." Amity paused, looking to the ground as she thought. "I'm sorry about naming you Pal. It was a stupid joke."
"It's fine. Honestly, it's the smallest issue. Besides, it's growing on me."
Amity held out her hand. "Truce." Pal placed one of the prongs of his shell between her fingers, and the two shook. "There, now we're friends."
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Bubblegum," Pal said. He faded away before speaking over their private comm line. "Tell anyone I called you that, and I'll just stop reviving you." Amity smiled and made another sign of dragging her fingers over her lips.
As Pal vanished, she looked down at her hands. Truth be told, she didn't even recall trying to cast a spell. It had been purely instinctual, like a reflex. Something… natural.
The symbols barring the gate burned away, sizzling as the barrier dissolved and pulling her from her thoughts. Royal stepped back from the Hive's control terminal and flashed a thumbs-up. Fortunately, Fynch had come through and opened the gate for them.
"Fynch wasn't lying about those Hive controls," Royal muttered as he tentatively returned to the gondola. "Half of it may as well have been Greek for how well I understood it, and I couldn't even begin to recognize the other half."
"And I thought you Warlocks were supposed to be smart," Amity said, taking her place as the barge began to move.
"I was lost in the Vex Network, not the depths of the Moon. If you want an expert on Hive Apocrypha, I advise you to talk to Eris Morn."
Luz shivered a little as the thought of the woman passed through her mind. Despite everything she had seen and fought, Eris still left her feeling unsettled. It was probably the eyes. Or the weird inky smoke. Or just everything about her.
The barge floated down the canal, moving under empty bridges and past sweeping aqueducts. The bottom of the canal dropped away, sending the waters tumbling downward to some unseen destination. Their barge followed this drain into a small, dimly lit tunnel. The tunnel split into two paths, one leading to a sealed door and the other to an open path that should lead them directly toward the temple's inner sanctum.
As they reached the fork in the path, their barge shuddered to a stop. The Guardians staggered as their momentum carried them onward. The barge creaked as more of its plating fell off, plummeting into the crashing waters below.
"Fynch, we're stopped again," Luz said. "Think you could work a little more of your magic?"
"Seriously? But I did all the things… Must be these stupid Hive controls. Give me a second."
As Fynch worked on the barge, a series of loud screeches echoed through the small room. The Guardians instantly brought their weapons up, putting their backs together as small hatches opened above them. Dozens upon dozens of Thrall poured forth, crashing down upon the Guardians in a rain of teeth and claws.
Some of the Thrall hit the side of the barge, desperately digging their claws into the loose plating as they slid into the turbulent waters below. They tore large panels free, exposing the struggling internals of the ship and causing it to rumble uncertainly. Most landed safely atop it, unleashing their single-minded hatred upon the Lightbearers.
One lunged at Amity's neck, desperate to sink their fangs into her flesh. She responded with a vicious uppercut that tore the creature's head clean off its shoulders. She instantly lashed out, seizing another and arresting them mid-flight. She slammed the minuscule Hive into the gondola, cracking their bones with a vicious snap. Beside her, Luz was scouring the Thralls with blasts of lightning. Royal swung his sword in a wide arc, cleaving through a half-dozen Thrall with each swing.
Despite their efforts, there were too many Thrall to completely stem the tide. A few swipes broke through the Guardian's defenses, gouging their armor and joints. The barge was beginning to buckle from the sheer weight as more and more of it fell away.
"Fynch! We need this boat moving now!" Luz shouted, blasting lightning in every direction. Thrall were crawling over piles of their own slain kin, screeching as they lunged at the Guardians.
The barge shook as it slowly pivoted to face the opening before taking off. Thrall were still pouring out of the walls, crawling all over the tunnel and divining at the barge while the Guardians continued to fight them off.
"I got it!" Fynch celebrated as Royal seized a Thrall out of the air, holding them by the neck. Their jaw snapped furiously as they tried to scratch at his arms. Royal crushed the creature's neck, ignited its body, and flung it back at its kin. It barely made a dent in the Thrall's numbers as they continued spilling onto the barge. The vessel wobbled uncertainly as it was slowly dragged down.
The barge crashed into the lip of the tunnel, smashing through the shimmering bone. The Guardians and Thrall were torn free from the barge as it plummeted toward the ground like a flaming boulder. Amity quickly spun a spell, encasing the three in a protective bubble of goo. The Thrall were less fortunate, with their bodies either shattering against the ground or being consumed in ghostly fire when the barge exploded. Shrapnel and flames scoured Amity's protective barrier, slowly whittling it away.
Eventually, the Throne World stilled. Amity dropped the wall, exposing the destruction before them. Dozens, maybe even hundreds of broken Thrall lingered in the muddy wreckage. A few cried out weakly, still desperately clinging to life. They tried to drag themselves toward the Guardians in a single-minded drive to kill but were stopped by their wounds.
"Fynch, the barge crashed," Luz said. She looked down at her boots and the hems of her robes, now thoroughly caked with mud, then ahead of the overgrown marsh before them. "We're at the outskirts of a swamp."
"What is with Savathûn's obsession with mud?" Amity asked, scraping her legs together to grind the mud off. "She could sculpt this place to be anything she wants, and she chooses this."
"If you're in a swamp, then that means you're getting close to the inner sanctum," Fynch said. "Bad news is that this place is one of the reasons I wanted you guys to take the barge. If it's grounded, you'll have to take the rest on foot."
"Shouldn't be too bad," Luz said, pulling out Stringbean is staff form. "We can just fly right over." Stringbean shrunk in her hands and curled around her neck, hissing apprehensively at the swamp.
"Somethings not right about this place," Royal muttered, slowly treading toward the swamp. "I can feel it in the air. Fynch, why exactly did you want us to circumvent this place?"
"I haven't been able to find any straight answers—go figure, am I right—but I do know that Savathûn supposedly laid some kind of curse on these swamps. Something that will 'drown the intruders under the weight of their own subconscious.' I don't know what it means, but if Savathûn had a direct hand in it, it can't be good."
"Not to mention that," Amity said, pointing to another spot at the swamp's edge. Trails of Dark Ether whisked along the ground, gradually morphing into Scorn that dove into the swamp without hesitation.
"Huh, whaddya know, the Scorn are trying to break in," Luz said. "Looks like you were right."
"The Scorn must be here for the same thing we are," Royal said, drawing Lament off his back. "We need to move." He took off, sprinting toward the swamp while Lancer marked their exit, a small cave entrance that should lead directly to where they wanted to go. Amity and Luz were only a few steps behind him as he broke into the thick foliage. The effect was immediate. Darkness permeated every root and vine, a barrier of icy pressure pushing against them. Royal split thick trees and overgrowth with his sword, forcefully hacking his way through the swamp.
The world around them grew dark as they passed under the tree canopy. Amity and Luz lit their hands on fire, holding them up to illuminate the path forward. The shadows lengthened around them. The barrel of Luz's hand cannon wavered as she held it outward. Her eyes ached as they pierced the veil around the swamp. She could see the potent Darkness leaking from the mire, dripping down the trees like frigid sap. Yet it wasn't alone; something else swam alongside it: a multicolored barrage of power.
They could hear the Scorn scurrying through the shadows, rustling the thick greenery as they barked and growled angrily. Royal continued cleaving through the undergrowth, carving a path through the swamp. With each swing, he slowed a little. With a start, Luz realized that each step she took was demanding more and more of her strength.
There was a crackle of electrical energy as brilliant blue lights appeared in the fog. Trails of ionic charge surged to life, rushing toward the Guardians. Luz and Amity opened fire, blasting the Arc moths out of the air. Screams filled the damp swamp as the Scorn honed in on the gunshots.
The first Stalkers tore through the foliage, barring their fangs and hissing as they brought their mauls down on Royal. He gripped his sword tightly and swung, splitting three of them in half. Their bodies fell to the ground in a heap of tangled limbs and severed flesh. More piled on him, slowly dragging him down into the muck.
A burst of lightning scoured the Scorn, passing harmlessly over Royal. Luz strode forward, lightning dancing between her fingers. The swamp weighed on her, inviting her to sink into its embrace. Mud choked her armor as the dead Scorn sank into the bog.
"This place is definitely cursed," Amity said, stepping past and firing her rifle. "We've got to keep moving." She quickly stepped in front of Luz and raised her shield. Blasts of energy slammed into the shield as the Scorn fired on them from the dark. Royal forced himself to his feet, straining against the weight of the swamp.
The three Guardians fought their way through the swamp, slaying Scorn and exploding Hive moths. The bog continued to wear them down. Eventually, Luz couldn't keep up. She fell into the mud, weakly raising her arm as she tried to claw her way forward.
"Get her!" Royal shouted to Amity, firing into the seemingly endless Scorn tide. "I'll clear a path!" He pressed on, burning bright and defiant. Amity knelt beside Luz and grabbed her. The Witches body ached, her muscles were sore, and her vision swam as exhaustion crept in. Despite the enchantments of Savathûn, she hoisted Luz into the air. Slinging the smaller Warlock atop her shoulders, she struggled against the weight of Darkness and pushed through the swamp. Seeking an easy target, Scorn flung themselves at the pair. Royal was quick to intervene, striking with burning fists to cover the two.
"Go!" He shouted. Amity groaned as her muscles began to fail. Darkness crashed down upon them. She hadn't felt power this intensely concentrated in one place since she had been face-to-face with the Collector.
The swamp's edge was in sight now, leading into a small cave opening. Scorn melted out of the shadows, coming in from every direction. Royal was being swarmed by an unstoppable wave of decrepit flesh and bloody mauls. His limbs sagged as his strikes became slower and less vicious.
Amity desperately reached for the end as her legs finally gave out. She fell to her knees, struggling to bear Luz's weight. Royal vanished beneath the tide of Scorn, his flames dying out as the horde buried him. Luz groaned softly, and Amity grit her teeth. She would not fail here.
Her muscles burned as she pushed herself onto her feet. One boot fell before the other as she slowly marched toward the edge of the swamp. The Scorn hounded after her, baying for her flesh.
The second her foot was clear of the treeline, the enchantment faded in an instant. Her strength returned to her like a bolt of rejuvenating lightning. She stumbled to her feet, Luz falling off her shoulders. The Scorn continued their mindless charge, screeches tearing free of their decrepit throats. Amity could barely bring her rifle up as the first one dove at her.
Its claws were mere inches away from her flesh when a stream of lightning crashed into it. The electricity rebounded through the Scorn lines, reducing them to shrieking piles of charred meat. Luz pushed herself up, her hand outstretched and fingers splayed. Beautiful blue energy scythed through the mob of Scorn. The heap of rotten flesh that had consumed Royal was reduced to dust, freeing the Exo and allowing him to claw his way out of the swamp.
The second he was free of the enchantment, he collapsed and stared at the cave ceiling. He looked about as bad as the others felt. Amity's muscles ached, and her brain acted sluggishly as if trying to steer her through a fog. Her heart was beating violently as the creeping tendrils of Darkness relinquished their grip on her body.
"You know, I kinda gotta hand it to Savathûn," Lancer said. "She knows how to craft a trap."
"Stop complimenting our enemy and let me rust away in peace," Royal groaned. "Traveler above, I can still feel the Scorn tearing at my wires." He shivered in disgust before slowly rising to his feet. Amity's bones creaked as she forced herself up.
"Look on the bright side, we're practically there," she said. "We just have to get through this cave."
"And then we've got Alak-Hul waiting for us," Luz added. "Can't wait for that."
"I know that name from somewhere, but I can't place it," Royal said as he stepped into the cave, his hand lit as a torch. Shadows were scattered across the cave walls as the Guardians moved, flowing like a murky liquid that dripped with hidden danger. The faint sound of Scorn and Hive battling could be heard in the distance. The cave walls would shake under a great weight every so often, raining dust on everything.
"Alak-Hul's an old rival of Oryx, and he's no joke," Fynch said. "Pretty funny that Savathûn stuck him in charge of guarding Oryx's temple."
"Anything else you can tell us?" Luz asked as they rounded a bend, reaching a spot where sunlight spilled into the cave through a small opening overhead. A quick spell from Amity, and they were soon scaling an Abomination staircase. They emerged onto a large cliff edge overlooking an open field of mud.
Waves of Scorn flung themselves at the Hive defenses, crawling over the torn bodies of their fellows as they bared their fangs. The Hive lines held firm as a trio of Ogres met the Scorn advance. Dozens of Scorn were crushed beneath their oversized fists that rattled the ground.
"All I know is that he was reforged in the Light," Fynch said. "Don't expect him to go down easy."
Amity approached the edge of the cliff and knelt. "The Hive are gonna have their hands full with this. With luck, we could be in and out without being detected."
"Call me paranoid, but I doubt we'll be so fortunate," Royal said. He pointed to a narrow path that snaked down the side of the cliff. "Let's move. And remember, slow is smooth, smooth is swift."
The slim rocky path was barely wide enough to fit both of your feet together. Each step knocked loose pebbles from their perch, sending them to the ground. Fortunately, the Hive and Scorn were too preoccupied with each other to notice the Guardians.
They carefully crept alongside the edge of the temple's inner sanctum. It was guarded by giant walls that displayed the scars of previously repelled Scorn assaults. Massive chunks of the ossific barricades had been gouged out, leaving swathes of weakened defenses. Amity stepped up and, after waiting for Royal's signal, bashed a hole in the wall. As she did, a massive Scorn Abomination slammed its electrified fists into an Ogre's face, sending the towering creature to the ground with a thunderous boom.
A lone Knight was waiting for them, caught in the middle of carrying more armaments to the walls. He stumbled back, dropping his pile of weapons save for a single boomer cannon. Before he could even lift the gun up, Amity's shield cut through his neck. She caught the rebounding shield as the Knights lifeless body toppled to the ground. Still undetected, the three continued into the center of the keep.
Inside, all they found was a hole in the ground. The pit dropped into the heart of the inner sanctum, with no visible way out. Going down there would leave them cornered. But at the same time, Luz could feel something down there. Whatever it was, it practically boiled with Dark energies. Savathûn's prize was just within reach.
Royal looked to Luz for confirmation. She met his gaze and nodded. Without hesitation, the Exo dropped into the pit. Luz was right behind him, with Amity on her heels.
The three landed atop a massive podium in the center of a circular, two-floor room. Dozens of doors lined the walls, leading to smaller chambers and passages. One wall had been partially torn out to make room for a colossal statue.
Oryx, the Taken King, stood eternally frozen in marble. His massive wings were spread to encompass the night sky. His sword, Willbreaker, was held firmly as he brandished it. A massive serpentine creature coiled around his feet, arching upward with its maw open wide enough to consume the stars. Akka, the Worm God of Secrets, dueled with the former supreme leader of the Hive Pantheon. Maybe it was a trick cast by the shadows, but the statue seemed to move. Nestled in the heart of the statue, between the two combatants, was a small tablet inscribed with innumerable runes that hurt to simply see. That was their objective.
"Guardians."
The voice came from nowhere and everywhere, laden with ancient strength and a profound weariness. The Guardians instantly put themselves back-to-back, their weapons pointed outward.
"You come to this place seeking the relics of my Gods. What makes you believe you are worthy?"
"Show yourself!" Royal shouted. The voice didn't respond, but phantasmal green fire erupted in the central podium. The Guardians scattered as the flames grew brighter.
"I faced your ilk once as a Darkblade, the finest of our warriors. I was an executioner, a sign of death unrelenting. Now, I am reborn with your strength. Your power. Your Light. I have claimed this through deed and might."
The flames erupted into a blinding blaze. A cyclone of green fire shot out of the hole the Guardians had entered through. The flame's gradient shifted as Hive green faded into Solar orange. Alak-Hul emerged from the roaring pillar of heat, his axe and armor ablaze. He slammed the blade of his weapon into the ground.
"I am Alak-Hul, the Lightblade. You believe yourselves worthy of claiming this prize. Prove it to me." Dragging his axe out of the floor, Alak-Hul leaped from the podium. The ground shook as he landed, and the colossal Knight charged.
Luz and Royal immediately opened with blasts of lightning and fire, respectively. The Knight barely even seemed to notice as he brought his weapon down on Amity. It scraped against her shield, jarring her arm and forcing the Witch to yield ground lest she be toppled. With speed that belied his bulk, Alak-hul pulled his axe back and struck again, driving Amity into the wall.
Lament's teeth growled as Royal leaped onto the Knight's back. He cut at the chitin on Alak-Hul's neck, leaving only shallow marks in the Knights armor. Alak-Hul's body burned as he reached up toward Royal. Luz circled the Knight's ankles, slowly melting through his carapace with Coldheart.
By the time Amity was rushing back into the fight, Alak-Hul had grabbed Royal and tore the Exo off his back. He slammed Royal into the ground before whipping around and backhanding Luz. The Stormcaller was sent flying across the room like a rocket.
Summoning her gauntlets, Amity dove at Alak-Hul. She crashed into his chest, driving the Knight back a few steps. Alak-Hul took a second to adjust his grip while Royal picked himself up and stood beside Amity. The Exo set his hands ablaze while Amity summoned her shield.
"He's strong in the Light," Royal muttered. "It'll be hard to overpower him. Think your magic might cut it?"
"Not sure," Amity replied. "I'm still having some-" She was forced to cut herself off when Alak-Hul slammed the blade of his axe into the ground. A wave of flame spot forth, consuming everything in its path. Amity dove to the side while Royal soared over the wave. He prepared to bring his sword down, only for Alak-Hul to snatch him out of the air and slam him again into the ground.
Royal grunted in pain as Alak-Hul stomped on his chest. His armor shattered, and his internal circuitry was crushed, leaving the Exo unable to move. Alak-Hul leaned down and gabbed Royal's legs in one hand. Using his foot to keep the Warlock pinned, he tore Royal's lower body off and flung it across the room.
Alak-Hul discarded Royal's lower half as Amity charged. He swiped at the encroaching Titan, and she deflected his strike with her shield. Alak-Hul brought his axe back around just in time for Luz to turn the weapon into a lightning rod. She pumped a steady stream of lightning into Alak-Hul, prompting the Knight to rumble.
Alak-Hul struck at Luz, only for his blow to be intercepted by Amity once again. Luz retaliated with more lightning. The two fell into this rhythm, Luz striking and Amity defending, leaving Alak-Hul with little opportunity to attack.
Amity's shield rang as she caught another blow against it. Alah-Hul shifted to a one-handed grip as he pressed against her guard. His free hand snapped up and unleashed a torrent of Solar Light. Scores of burning waves scoured Amity's armor, forcing her to retreat with Luz in tow. Alak-Hul hounded them, his axe gleaming with celestial fire.
Luz went down with a scream as Alak-Hul's axe took her legs off at the knees. She fell onto her back, the wounds cauterized by Alak-Hul's inferno. Lightning sparked in her hands, only for Alak-Hul's fist to crash down atop her. He stood victorious over the broken Warlocks as Amity rose, her armor half-melted, and her mark singed. Alak-Hul slammed the shaft of his weapon against the ground and approached the Titan, stepping over Luz's shattered body.
Amity's heart was beating again; she could feel it in her throat. She could feel magic pumping through her veins, but it refused to fully obey her. Alak-Hul cleaved in a wide arc, driving Amity back as he hit her shield. The buried of Void Light would remain strong. Amity's arm was a different story.
She flung a grenade at Alak-Hul. It burst on contact, wreathing Alak-Hul's chest with volatile Light. The Knight only briefly paused before slamming his blade into the ground. Fire rippled outward in every direction, sending Amity reeling. She manipulated her Light like a second instinct; it took shape before the thought in her mind could. But Alak-Hul knew how to fight against the Light. And when he could wield it himself, it left her at a marked disadvantage. She needed something more powerful. She needed to be stronger.
The bile sac in her chest seemed to stutter as she took another swing. She could practically feel the magic in her veins building up as it begged to be unleashed. Spinning a circle, she summoned a pair of Abominations to help her. If Alak-Hul was surprised, he didn't show it.
Amity went to throw her shield, pouring more Light into it as Alak-Hul smashed one Abomination into a muddy puddle. She needed something else, but her magic wasn't strong enough despite her best efforts. Something in her chest tightened as she pulled back to fling her shield. She knew the feeling intimately; her bile sac was pouring magic into her body, allowing her to sculpt her spell. But she hadn't cast anything.
Her magic took shape, sculpting goo around her shield. It sharpened into jagged spikes, which were reinforced by Void Light. She flung the disc at Alak-Hul. It cut through the air with unparalleled ferocity. The barbed shield bit into Alak-Hul's shoulder, its teeth easily slicing through his armor. It buried itself deep within his shoulder, rendering the limb utterly useless. Burning blood dripped from the wound, and Alak-Hul seemed genuinely caught off guard.
"Curious," he said. "You must be one of the Witches I have heard about."
Amity summoned another shield, careful to maintain her distance from the Knight. "What does it matter?"
"Savathûn has something of yours," he said. "Something stolen from your lands."
Her eyes darted to the others, still dead on the ground. Their Ghosts were fast at work, but the damage to their bodies was extensive. "I know that already. She stole it during her attack on the Isles."
Tearing the shield out of his shoulder, Alak-Hul shook his head. "Something else. Something far older. She hides it within her closest chambers."
"You're rather quick to reveal Savathûn's secrets," Amity asked, trying to keep the Knight talking. With luck, she would buy enough time for the others to revive. "I'm not seeing any reason to trust your words."
Alak-Hul gave the Hive equivalent of a scoff. It was an ugly and violent sound, like spitting out a clump of iron nails. "You think my allegiance lies with Savathûn? I once rivaled Oryx himself. Now, Savathûn demands my fealty by no right other than resurrection. Her will sees me walk again, and for that, I am expected to be grateful. I lived well and died well, slain by the Young Wolf herself. Savathûn robbed me of my perfect death through treachery and deceit. Then, she places me here as a final act of mockery. In you, I see a familiar strength. And you have my respect for it."
"I don't want your respect," Amity spat. "You're all monsters, every last one of you. You tried to destroy my home, kill my people!"
"And that struggle has sharpened you," Alak-Hul said. His axe flashed with flames as he regarded the Witch before him. How small she was in comparison, but that size belied a vicious bite. He tilted his head toward the tablet. "Go. Claim your prize. Bring the Witch Queen low. Unmake her." With that, he tapped the shaft of his weapon against the ground. Cursed green fire crawled up Alak-Hul's body, consuming him utterly. He vanished in a flash of sparks and sulfur, leaving Amity with the bodies of her friends.
Not stopping to question what was happening, she rushed to Luz's side. Pal poured some of his Light into the woman's body, aiding Aurora with her resurrection. After a few seconds, Luz shot up, gasping greedily for air as she felt up her stomach.
"That never stops feeling horrible," she muttered. Looking up at Amity, she managed a weak grin. "Where's Alak-Hul?"
"He left," Amity said. Seeing Luz's confused expression, she sighed. "I'll explain later. First, let's get Royal up."
Lancer was still at work with the Exo, carefully reknitting the dozens of wires and nylon weaves in his midsection. Exo's had such complicated bodies, forcing the Ghost to be careful. With a little help from Pal and Aurora, Royal was back on his feet. Amity quickly brought him up to speed while Luz approached the tablet. She could hear a voice, infinite in its malice and desire to kill. It whispered to her, begging for its knowledge to be learned. Luz forcefully tore her eyes away from the chunk of calcified stone as she grabbed hold of it.
At once, her body grew cold and numb. She knew what this chunk of sculpted rock was. It was one of the Tablets of Ruin, inscribed by the Taken King to house his most ancient lore. The secrets inscribed into the rock were older than Humanity itself. Savathûn's voice came from everywhere: the tablet, the walls, her throat, her mind, her flesh.
"The tablets hide a riddle…" was all Savathûn said. The world righted itself and returned to normalcy, leaving Luz to safely secure the relic. She could feel the raw Darkness in the tablet, both ancient and fresh. Oryx's touch hadn't left the stone, and Savathûn's machinations permeated it nearly as deeply.
"Fynch," Amity said. "Your intel was good. We found a tablet. Luz seems to have had some kind of reaction."
"This tablet contains the secrets of Oryx, the greatest lore of the Deep," Royal said. He squirmed, visibly uncomfortable. "It's how he created the Taken. We must get it in Ikora's hands as quickly as possible."
"First, we have to unlock the memory within it," Luz said. "And to do that, we need to return to where we saw Savathûn's memories."
No ending bit, again. Ideas are still dry at the moment.
But this was a fun chapter to write. Got to wrangle a few things here and there with the Strike, gave Amity some spotlight, and Pal's finally decided to be less of a dick. We love character growth out here. But what could Alak-Hul be referring too? Well, I know, obviously. You guys will just have to wait and see. Next chapter will be the Cunning, so synchronize your watches or something.
Elthreee: Not the most action packed chapter, but was still fun to read. Looking forward to the gang getting beamed and flung across the arena by Alak-Hul while being suppressed by a Lightbearer Knight
Yeah, they can't all be super action-packed, can they? Gotta give them some time to breathe.
GuardianLightTheVanguard: 1) Is there a reason why Iris is using Hand Cannon Rose instead of using Cayde-6's Hand Cannon Ace of Spades.
2) I hope Iris appears in the final mission of The Witch-Queen to help Royal, Luz, Amity and Gus to defeat Savathûn and his Hive Witches and Sorceresses.
3) I hope Royal, Luz and Amity find the answers and find out what Savathûn did to Lilith.
4) and the reason why I sent the post twice is that in the first one, the 2nd question had a word spelled wrong, that's why I sent the post again so that you don't get confused and can understand my question when you answer it , and I hope you understood my explanation ok my friend.
5) have you seen the armor from this year's Festival of the lost, these armors are Spectacular, especially the Warlock armor, the black color of the armor matches very well with Luz noceda, it is the same color when she was in her Luz's Titan Powers mode.
Ps: and I hope that at some point you make Luz Noceda get this Warlock armor from this year's Festival of the Lost, in my opinion it looks a lot like Luz Titan Form.
1. I conferred with the ancient sources (asked my friend) and he said that Iris prefers the recoil of Rose to Ace of Spades. Ace feels a bit heavy in her hands. Free Iris lore for you, since you asked so politely.
2. I'm still working on the finale as I write this, so no promises. Trying to see what flows best.
3. They're certainly going to find something. That something may or may not be related to Lilith. It also may or may not be good.
4. Ah, that makes sense. Fair enough.
5. Yeah, evil wizard and all that. It's fine as a set. But man I really wanted that good wizard set. But no, we just had to get the lame edgelord armor. Look, I like a little edge here and there, but we already have so much armor that could fit that vibe. Is it too much to ask that we get a clean looking armor set that fits this vibe? One that isn't torn to shreds and all malicious looking? I'm not too chuffed about the Hunter set, cause knowing Hunter mains, that one was a lost cause. But man, this community has such bad fashion taste. Not you guys, your fashion is all exquisite.
Also, probably won't be putting it on Luz, but I did imagine that she was wearing the good wizard set in the FotL end bit a few chapters back.
BlueRoseLevi: Great chapter per usual etcetera etcetera
Royal having an identity crisis what's new? A well needed therapy session from Elsie duh
I like the whole deepsight thing being a literal affliction to Luz's vision
Cutting the fluff was a good decision cause damn that mission was all fluff before the end
Damn, learning Savathun's intentions with the Isles was crazy
Behind every great man is a great woman, keeping him from falling apart. She is fighting tooth and nail to prevent him from winding up like all the other incarnations of this timeline. I'm worried that I'm kinda just using Elsie solely as Royal's therapy gf, but I haven't had many chances to incorporate her in a different way. Hopefully, that should change as we move forward and Royal becomes slightly more stable.
hornig3: Good chapter, love how you brought up how Savathun's brood don't truly know her, only the sword logic. They believe it's will is her own but nothing could be further from the truth. She wants power amd control by any means, but she's not one to use brute force to get it. And she definitely doesn't want her people to be the quote, "patriarchal mess," they have been for centuries. She wants them to grow into their own. It's one of the few things I can respect her for.
Something strange I've realized is that Savathun claims she wants the Lucent Brood to branch out and do their own thing, yet at the same time, she stuck a bunch of aspects of herself in their heads during Season 16 to keep watch of them. Is she being hypocritical, or is this just fifth-dimensional scheming from the God of Cunning? I genuinely can't tell.