Light. Exploits; Book I.

Part 20. Daughter of The Blade.

We had taken a few hours to gear ourselves up for the excursion ahead.
Priest relished the idea of running more missions for the Vanguard.
Allowed him to prove his undying loyalty.
Farah was more than happy to run with us.
Allowed her to familiarize herself with her new body.
And I was just interested on having conversation with Variks.
An old senile Vandal in the employ of Queen Mara Sov.
I rarely made my way out to The Reef, ever since a battalion of Guardians put down Skolas and his Wolves.
I would sometimes participate in the Prison of Elders, but, after having earned my share of treasure, decided to stay in our local clusters.
That was of course before the prior events set into play.
Cayde gave my Ghost the data for Comms with the Reef.
With Variks.
Cayde said he'd fill us in on the way, somewhere on the Western Hemisphere of Earth.
Coastal.
Guardians... Guardians are you there? Variks hissed in our ears like a static knife.
Yes, we read you Variks. Cayde told me you needed a Fallen Barroness killed. I reply.
Yes... She is... Well, let's just say she has become more trouble than she is worth... He said in his long, drawn out breaths.
What do you mean? I ask.
Teridia... Barroness of The House of Swords. She is notorious for butchering lesser Fallen houses, he says, pausing to hiss softly.
But as of late, she has been destroying valuable technology. Not salvaging. Not preserving. She is a pillaging disease... He says in a low growl.
She must. Be. Stopped.
Alright, you heard him. As soon as we touch down, look for any Fallen radio signals. We have to find her and end her quickly.
We all drop from our ships.
The region was snowy. But not like the Cosmodrome.
The wind was gentle and calm.
A true ocean wind.
It'd be a lovely place to explore someday.
Anyone get anything? I ask.
Not yet Guardian, my Ghost says softly.
Nada over here, Priest says. I can see him darting around in the distance.
I think I found something, Farah says nervously.
Patch it through, I say gently.
Our Ghosts patch through the signal.
For a few moments, all we hear is static and what sounds like electronic wailing.
I'll clean it up, Ghost says confidently.
After it does, we can hear the growling scratch of a female Fallen.
She goes on for about a minute before her voice cuts out.
She has found a missile bunker... Variks growls.
She will parch the land around her; destroying everything. Hurry Guardians! Variks says as if demanding.
If we hurry we can still catch them! Farah says.
Lead the way.
We found a ruined refinery atop a hill. A true Golden Age skeleton.
Entrance must be somewhere in here, Priest says.
There was English garbled code painted on the walls.
What's this Ghost? I ask.
Patton. He says.
Patton? Priest barks.
Like the old Warmind?
Well Rasputin is one, we have to assume the same thing. And if its active we need to get going, I say as a stairwell opens in the floor.
Cliche, Ghost chortles in my ear.
Priest you're on point, Farah behind me, I say drawing a Fusion Rifle and Priest loads the final shell into a Found Verdict.
We trot in our line through the ancient facility. Far more rundown than any of Rasputin's systems.
This place must have been where the Fallen first dropped down onto, Ghost laments.
They didn't have a chance.
Priest you see anything? I ask.
Quite as a mouse brother, he says softly.
How about you Farah? I say behind me.
I'm not picking anything up, she says.
Variks? Are they still here?
They must be Guardian... Please remain... Diligent... He said with his pause.
We came to a forked hallway with boxes lined up along the walls.
A wispy purple light shown down the halls.
Servitor! I shout as Priest leaps down the left hallway and Farah and I duck down the right.
Meet you in the middle! Priest says as moments later I hear his shotgun ring out.
I look ahead and 4 Reaver Vandals charge us with swords drawn as 4 more are pelting us with Shock Rifle fire.
I look at Farah, nodding and standing up, my fusion rifles coils boiling to life. She leans from behind the boxes, firing on the Vandals in the back as my Fusion Rifles unleashes its light upon 2 of the Reavers.
They recoil and are acquainted with my Palm.
They do not survive.
I charge again as I see Wisp fly from the four in the back.
I miss a shot, and one final Vandal is charging for me.
Farah slips from behind me and stabs it in the neck. Tears her knife through its neck, blood and wisp escaping as it collapses. I reload and join with Priest down the center hallway.
Go low, I say as he crouches down and I step off to the side so Farah can get her shots.
There were Servitors. 4 of them.
Built like tanks.
Farah fires the unmistakeable crack of Mida.
Priest crawls forward, tearing a hole with Found Verdict.
Rocket! I shout as Farah turns the corner and takes cover.
Priest hugs the wall.
I fire Truth as fast as I can, all three rockets whizzing to the Serivtors.
Priest slams the ground with his Fists of Havoc.
Light pours from him.
We gather and press on.
Variks squawks in our ears.
Those Servitors... Could not break the encryption.
Warmind defenses are too strong. All Fallen know that. I say aloud.
Could she be trying to do a soul transfer? Ghost asks Variks.
It is a foolish option... Unless she was mad enough... To know how to succeed...
We have to hurry Guardians. Farah says taking the lead.
After a few steps the lights cut off.
Darkness sets in.
Farah! I shout before my Ghost shines the way ahead.
I'm alright! She says. I'm getting us a way out.
Damn Fallen, Priest sighs.
Dirty rats. He chuckles as she looks around.
Variks, why would Teridia want so badly to destroy everything? I ask as Ghost opens another path down.
Could she know something we don't? Priest suggests.
We begin our decent.
Uh-oh... Guardian. I'm detecting... Hive. Ghost laments in my ear.
Teridia is a fool... But this... I fear she is almost too... Clever for her own good. Variks hisses in our ears.
I could only hear a cry of a Wizard. She summoned forth her brood.
I can feel an Ogre. Tread forth lightly, I say as I take the lead.
We skulked around in the dark, our Ghosts lighting our path foreword a few steps.
Dylan... Priest whispers behind me.
I look back and nod.
If there's Hive, there's Knights. If there's Knights, this is where they'd strike.
I nod and palm forth a burst of Solar Light.
Farah, Bladedancer? I ask.
I see her knife spark.
I draw my fusion rifle as I hear Farah load her machine gun and Priest load his last shell.
It was quiet for a moment.
But soon we heard the footsteps.
Guardians! These are the Dirtuk and Aspear, executioners of The Hive! Be careful!
They roared in unison.
Tried to throw us off.
But we stayed together.
They didn't expect a Pack of Guardians.
Come face your Light creatures! I shout foreword.
Then they rushed.
12 o'clock! I shout as Farah starts firing.
I charge my fusion rifle and its bolts lash ahead and Priest hunkers foreword.
The bolts light up around us and we catch a glimpse of Aspear.
Clad in red armor and bearing gnashing teeth.
His sword seems to be made of bone.
Priest opens up on him.
He roars in pain as he feels the brunt of his Invective.
He waves his sword and cuts through the Darkness, sending forth a bolt of inverse light.
Get down! I shout and hug the wall.
The Knights laugh and taunt us deeper into their maze.
Ghost, are Teridia's markings leading down there? I ask.
Unfortunately, yes, it laments.
Ha. Priest laughs. This'll be fun.