ATROPHY MIND ONLINE
READING
READING
READING
MINOTAUR SUBTYPE B DISPATCHED
MINOTAUR...
READING
READING
READING
MINOTAUR SUBTYPE B DISPATCHED
MINOTAUR...
The Lone Guardian (Destiny Quest)
- Thread starter starkiller_ren
- Start date
- Sci-Fi Fantasy Action
-
- Tags
- destiny (video game)
- Created
- Status
- Ongoing
- Watchers
- 12
- Recent readers
- 0
- Threadmarks
- 5
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Statistics (5 threadmarks, 3k words)
User Total starkiller_ren 5 Threadmarks Reader mode
Op
- Location
- United States
ATROPHY MIND ONLINE
READING
READING
READING
MINOTAUR SUBTYPE B DISPATCHED
MINOTAUR SUBTYPE B DEFEATED
HOBGOBLIN GROUPING
HOBGOBLINS DEFEATED
READING
READING
READING
LIFEFORM DETECTED
LIGHT OF THE TRAVELER DETECTED
READING
READING
READING
PREPARING WEAPONS SYSTEMS
***
Gender:
[] Male
[] Female
Race:
[] Human
[] Awoken
[] Exo
Class:
[] Hunter
[] Warlock
[] Titan
Subclass:
[] Arc Light
[] Void Light
[] Solar Light
With a deep breath, The Lone Guardian leapt from their cover, drawing their main weapon, forged by their hand in the fires of the Volundr Forge; they took aim at the robotic lifeforms of the Vex. But their mind was on the gargantuan beast looming behind the army.
The Guardian's Main Weapon (not based on any particular weapons found in game)-
[] Glass (Auto Rifle)
[] The Finale (Scout Rifle)
[] Reach (Hand Cannon)
[] Deus Ex Machina (Pulse Rifle)
READING
READING
READING
MINOTAUR SUBTYPE B DISPATCHED
MINOTAUR SUBTYPE B DEFEATED
HOBGOBLIN GROUPING
HOBGOBLINS DEFEATED
READING
READING
READING
LIFEFORM DETECTED
LIGHT OF THE TRAVELER DETECTED
READING
READING
READING
PREPARING WEAPONS SYSTEMS
***
Gender:
[] Male
[] Female
Race:
[] Human
[] Awoken
[] Exo
Class:
[] Hunter
[] Warlock
[] Titan
Subclass:
[] Arc Light
[] Void Light
[] Solar Light
With a deep breath, The Lone Guardian leapt from their cover, drawing their main weapon, forged by their hand in the fires of the Volundr Forge; they took aim at the robotic lifeforms of the Vex. But their mind was on the gargantuan beast looming behind the army.
The Guardian's Main Weapon (not based on any particular weapons found in game)-
[] Glass (Auto Rifle)
[] The Finale (Scout Rifle)
[] Reach (Hand Cannon)
[] Deus Ex Machina (Pulse Rifle)
Last edited:
- Location
- United States
CHARACTER INFO:
NAME: Declan
CLASS: Hunter
CURRENT SUBCLASS: Arc Light
NAME: Declan
CLASS: Hunter
CURRENT SUBCLASS: Arc Light
Last edited:
vault
- Location
- United States
VAULT:
reserved space
reserved space
- Location
- Florida
(X) Male
(X) Hunter
(X) Arc Light
(X) Reach (Hand Cannon)
(X) Hunter
(X) Arc Light
(X) Reach (Hand Cannon)
- Location
- United States
Any vote for race?
- Location
- United States
Just realized I screwed up the voting. Should have used these [] instead of these (). I edited the original post, but I can just add the above posts to whatever tally appears.
update1
- Location
- United States
[] Male
[] Human
[] Hunter
[] Arc Light
[] Reach (Hand Cannon)
Declan drew in a deep breath, his trusty hand cannon gripped tightly in his right hand; back in his cover, behind the square rock formation that permeated Vex architecture. Loading yet another round into his gun, he steadied himself for what he hoped would be his final few shots.
'Careful! That Vex Mind is dangerous!' Came a vaguely mechanical voice in his head. The voice belonged to Declan's Ghost, Eighty-Six. The little machine was birthed from light, and had revived Declan's long dead body and empowered him with the gift of Light, the only thing remembered of his past life being his name. Declan had taken to calling it Eighty-Six, the number that had been emblazoned on Declan's outfit he had died in.
'I'm aware. But if it gets out of hand, Nessus will waste away completely.' He thought matter of factly. He took the Ghosts silence as agreement, and leapt from his cover, casting fire from his fist, dodging the superheated bolts of Vex energy that sailed all around him.
The Vex were machines of obfuscated origins. No one ever truly understood the creatures, save for one thing- they had pierced the veil of time, and wished to make the universe into their own machine, a final Vex future. But now they were on the relatively small scale, and had taken to converting entire planets to machine worlds. But the Guardians had pushed back on the Vex's hold, and now it seemed their oracles had determined the machines should cut their losses and detonate the planet entirely- and any beings on it. So the Atrophy Mind was created, a beast that would sink it's claws into Nessus and obliterate it into dust. Unlike the Fallen, who were scavengers, the Vex already had everything they needed to reach their goal. Unlike the Cabal, who were war beasts purely focused on the eternal fire of war, the Vex did not fear the Darkness. Unlike the Hive, who drank of the Dark, the Vex did not fear the Light. But Declan fully intended on making the Vex fear him.
Declan leapt from cover the cover, the infernal whirring of machinery only punctuated by the sharp blast of gunfire from his hand cannon. He caught a Harpy straight in its eye; a sniping hobgoblin fell before it could even charge a blast; a low level goblin exploded in twisted Vex metal and radiolarian fluid. Declan's senses flashed, and he leapt up high in the air as a massive blast of red energy slammed the space he had just been. A machine roar threatened to blast Declan's eardrums; the Atrophy Mind was hungry for his Light. The Vex could simulate entire timelines, Hell, entire universes; this gave them the edge in their wars. But the Vex could never simulate the yins and the yangs of the universe; the Darkness and the Light. Declan wondered how it must infuriate them, but now was no time for humor.
'Timeline?' He demanded of Eighty-Six in his head.
'Two minutes!' The Ghost chirped. Declan grimaced, reloading Reach as fast as he could. A flash of red, and a crunch; Declan grunted as his HUD informed him that he had just took a shot from a Hobgoblin's Line rifle. He snarled and ended the machine with a clean and simple headshot.
Two minutes. He needed a plan.
[] Activate Your Super and Clear the Footsoldiers- Time consuming, but Declan would be able to focus on the Atrophy Mind. Given the size of the room and the number of Vex, it would leave him just above a minute to try and take out the Mind.
[] Atrophy Mind First- Kill the big bad, and the footsoldiers will fall after. Dangerous plan, because he'd need to be out in the open- but the least time consuming.
[] Human
[] Hunter
[] Arc Light
[] Reach (Hand Cannon)
***
Declan drew in a deep breath, his trusty hand cannon gripped tightly in his right hand; back in his cover, behind the square rock formation that permeated Vex architecture. Loading yet another round into his gun, he steadied himself for what he hoped would be his final few shots.
'Careful! That Vex Mind is dangerous!' Came a vaguely mechanical voice in his head. The voice belonged to Declan's Ghost, Eighty-Six. The little machine was birthed from light, and had revived Declan's long dead body and empowered him with the gift of Light, the only thing remembered of his past life being his name. Declan had taken to calling it Eighty-Six, the number that had been emblazoned on Declan's outfit he had died in.
'I'm aware. But if it gets out of hand, Nessus will waste away completely.' He thought matter of factly. He took the Ghosts silence as agreement, and leapt from his cover, casting fire from his fist, dodging the superheated bolts of Vex energy that sailed all around him.
The Vex were machines of obfuscated origins. No one ever truly understood the creatures, save for one thing- they had pierced the veil of time, and wished to make the universe into their own machine, a final Vex future. But now they were on the relatively small scale, and had taken to converting entire planets to machine worlds. But the Guardians had pushed back on the Vex's hold, and now it seemed their oracles had determined the machines should cut their losses and detonate the planet entirely- and any beings on it. So the Atrophy Mind was created, a beast that would sink it's claws into Nessus and obliterate it into dust. Unlike the Fallen, who were scavengers, the Vex already had everything they needed to reach their goal. Unlike the Cabal, who were war beasts purely focused on the eternal fire of war, the Vex did not fear the Darkness. Unlike the Hive, who drank of the Dark, the Vex did not fear the Light. But Declan fully intended on making the Vex fear him.
Declan leapt from cover the cover, the infernal whirring of machinery only punctuated by the sharp blast of gunfire from his hand cannon. He caught a Harpy straight in its eye; a sniping hobgoblin fell before it could even charge a blast; a low level goblin exploded in twisted Vex metal and radiolarian fluid. Declan's senses flashed, and he leapt up high in the air as a massive blast of red energy slammed the space he had just been. A machine roar threatened to blast Declan's eardrums; the Atrophy Mind was hungry for his Light. The Vex could simulate entire timelines, Hell, entire universes; this gave them the edge in their wars. But the Vex could never simulate the yins and the yangs of the universe; the Darkness and the Light. Declan wondered how it must infuriate them, but now was no time for humor.
'Timeline?' He demanded of Eighty-Six in his head.
'Two minutes!' The Ghost chirped. Declan grimaced, reloading Reach as fast as he could. A flash of red, and a crunch; Declan grunted as his HUD informed him that he had just took a shot from a Hobgoblin's Line rifle. He snarled and ended the machine with a clean and simple headshot.
Two minutes. He needed a plan.
[] Activate Your Super and Clear the Footsoldiers- Time consuming, but Declan would be able to focus on the Atrophy Mind. Given the size of the room and the number of Vex, it would leave him just above a minute to try and take out the Mind.
[] Atrophy Mind First- Kill the big bad, and the footsoldiers will fall after. Dangerous plan, because he'd need to be out in the open- but the least time consuming.
- Location
- Florida
[X] Atrophy Mind First- Kill the big bad, and the footsoldiers will fall after. Dangerous plan, because he'd need to be out in the open- but the least time consuming.
update2
- Location
- United States
[] Atrophy Mind First- Kill the big bad, and the footsoldiers will fall after. Dangerous plan, because he'd need to be out in the open- but the least time consuming.
'You got a minute and a half!' Eighty-Six chirped. Declan struck a goblin in the radiolarian cage, the glass shattering and the bot collapsing as the glowing white liquid splattered among the smoking remains of twisted metal. Declan scowled, trying to conjure up a plan.
'Why is there always a time limit?' He thought, but didn't wait for Eighty-Six to reply. He leapt up into the air, once, twice, and drew upon the Light that was crackling within him. A burst of blue light, and arcs of electricity buzzed around his body. A staff of pure Arc energy came to life in his hand, and with one precise movement, he threw it like a Javelin; the staff flew along a part of blue crackling arcs of electricity, bypassing the shields of the Atrophy Mind. The arc staff blasted through the Mind's mechanical eye, melting through.
Declan landed, and a there was a pause; it may have been only a second. Even the gunfire seemed to pause. The Atrophy Mind roared, a sound that seemed to quake Declan's bones; there was a bright flash of light, and then an incredible heat. Declan felt his flesh evaporate, and he sunk quickly into empty and silent darkness.
There was a light.
It grew and grew and grew, until finally he could draw a breath and sit up.
"That was... unexpected." Eighty-Six said, as he zoomed around the cavern; it was covered now in black soot, scattered with brassy metal shards.
"I didn't think... the explosion... would be like that." Declan gasped, coughing. Resurrection was always somewhat traumatizing.
"It was a Vex Axis Mind. Perhaps next time we encounter one-"
"-Hopefully never."
"We will take this into account!"
Declan kicked around some metal, looking for anything worth looting. A Vex rifle seemed to have survived, though there was no Vex arm to control it. Declan had Eighty-Six catalog it, marking it for research.
"Nothing of any use, otherwise. Mission accomplished." Declan said, the message being recorded by Eighty-Six. The Ghost sent the transmission to the Vanguard.
"You'll have a meeting now, Guardian!" Eighty-Six said happily. Declan sighed.
"Yes. Very exciting." He said drily, activating his transmat into his ship.
The magnificent walls that bordered the City stretched as far as the eye could see. Along the top, civilian volunteers and Titans patrolled, watching out for any incursions upon the Last City. Their attention outside of the wall, they wouldn't notice two Guardians meeting within the City, far below; this rooftop was the furthest point from the Tower.
Ikora Rey, Warlock Vanguard, looked out over the City. The clear night sky cast a silvery glow over the clutter of buildings; most of the citizens had turned in for the night, which suited her needs for this meeting. Not often did she conduct business with her Hidden within the City, but she was willing to risk it given the intelligence her spy network had provided.
"Ikora." Declan said behind her. Ikora turned to the Hunter, whose helm was on, hood drawn, casting a shadow over his his face.
"Declan, congratulations on saving Nessus." She said simply. Declan nodded.
"Not the first time it needed saving. Won't be the last." Ikora inclined her head at this. The Vex were nothing if not persistent.
"Do you have the artifact?"
Declan nodded, pulling out three stone cubes with glowing blue symbols. They floated up from his palm, connecting face to face, the symbols growing brighter. They floated to Ikora's outstretched hand.
"These will prove useful in our fight against the Vex. Thank you. But there's more. There is still much to be done. The other Hidden have passed along much information about what is brewing outside of these walls. I've sent the details on an encrypted channel to your communications terminal in your private quarters. Do you accept your next mission?"
Her question was met by silence. Ikora wondered if Declan was having a conversation with his Ghost; yet it was not for her to know, so she waited patiently.
"I do."
It was late enough at night; so Declan really wasn't looking to fight in the hall of the Guardians' sleeping quarters. He really just wanted to shrug off his armor and get some sleep. But there was light shining through the crack under his door, and shadows moving within it. He unholstered Reach, moving into a readied stance. He pressed the button next to the door, and it slid open.
"I like this knife; even with the Arc augments." Cayde-6 said, flipping the silver and blue dagger in complicated flourishes. Declan relaxed, holstering Reach and sighing. Cayde-6 had been his trainer, being the leader of the Hunter Vanguard.
"Cayde, please... don't sneak into my room. Ever. Yeah?" Cayde chuckled at this.
"Don't leave your room unlocked, my young student. Now, come and sit, talk with me." Cayde said, sticking the blade into the wooden table and kicking a chair over. Declan shook his head, taking off his helmet and sitting.
"Good job on that Vex Mind. Woulda sent in a fireteam, but Ikora fought hard to let you do it solo. Nice of her." Cayde said conversationally. Declan wasn't dumb; he knew where this was going.
Cayde knew.
"I'll cut to the chase, Declan. I know you're one of Ikora's Hidden. And we both know how much Zavala disapproves of stuff like that; opinions on ethics and being plain with the Vanguard, all that. But I don't care much, s'long as you're up and fightin'. So I'll keep this little secret and do my best to keep it from under Zavala's nose, but you owe me one. Might be footing the bill at a bar, might be collecting some of my caches, might be coming along on a mission. We'll see."
"We got a deal?" Cayde said. Declan nodded.
"I'll ignore the fact you were bein' nosy, Cayde." Declan said with a smirk. Cayde laughed.
"Be careful on the mission, by the way." Cayde said, indicating the mission terminal as he stood. "From what I know, that situation is reeeal murky." And with that, Cayde left Declan feeling slightly overloaded. Declan stood, and activated the terminal to get his orders.
(All paths will eventually be reached; each reward a rare and powerful weapon upon completion)
[] Path of Penumbra- "Perhaps neutrality isn't all that awful, favored Light?"
[] Path of the Curse- "Does murder taste good, o Hunter mine?"
[] Path of Sorrow- "i promise ill make you rich, brotha."
[] Path of the Nine- "OH HOW WE'VE WONDERED OF YOU, LIGHTBEARER."
[] Path of the Deep Stone Crypt- "Subroutine: Sleep activated. Paracausal cannons activated. Braytech under attack. Protect. Protect. Protect. BURN."
'You got a minute and a half!' Eighty-Six chirped. Declan struck a goblin in the radiolarian cage, the glass shattering and the bot collapsing as the glowing white liquid splattered among the smoking remains of twisted metal. Declan scowled, trying to conjure up a plan.
'Why is there always a time limit?' He thought, but didn't wait for Eighty-Six to reply. He leapt up into the air, once, twice, and drew upon the Light that was crackling within him. A burst of blue light, and arcs of electricity buzzed around his body. A staff of pure Arc energy came to life in his hand, and with one precise movement, he threw it like a Javelin; the staff flew along a part of blue crackling arcs of electricity, bypassing the shields of the Atrophy Mind. The arc staff blasted through the Mind's mechanical eye, melting through.
Declan landed, and a there was a pause; it may have been only a second. Even the gunfire seemed to pause. The Atrophy Mind roared, a sound that seemed to quake Declan's bones; there was a bright flash of light, and then an incredible heat. Declan felt his flesh evaporate, and he sunk quickly into empty and silent darkness.
There was a light.
It grew and grew and grew, until finally he could draw a breath and sit up.
"That was... unexpected." Eighty-Six said, as he zoomed around the cavern; it was covered now in black soot, scattered with brassy metal shards.
"I didn't think... the explosion... would be like that." Declan gasped, coughing. Resurrection was always somewhat traumatizing.
"It was a Vex Axis Mind. Perhaps next time we encounter one-"
"-Hopefully never."
"We will take this into account!"
Declan kicked around some metal, looking for anything worth looting. A Vex rifle seemed to have survived, though there was no Vex arm to control it. Declan had Eighty-Six catalog it, marking it for research.
"Nothing of any use, otherwise. Mission accomplished." Declan said, the message being recorded by Eighty-Six. The Ghost sent the transmission to the Vanguard.
"You'll have a meeting now, Guardian!" Eighty-Six said happily. Declan sighed.
"Yes. Very exciting." He said drily, activating his transmat into his ship.
***
The magnificent walls that bordered the City stretched as far as the eye could see. Along the top, civilian volunteers and Titans patrolled, watching out for any incursions upon the Last City. Their attention outside of the wall, they wouldn't notice two Guardians meeting within the City, far below; this rooftop was the furthest point from the Tower.
Ikora Rey, Warlock Vanguard, looked out over the City. The clear night sky cast a silvery glow over the clutter of buildings; most of the citizens had turned in for the night, which suited her needs for this meeting. Not often did she conduct business with her Hidden within the City, but she was willing to risk it given the intelligence her spy network had provided.
"Ikora." Declan said behind her. Ikora turned to the Hunter, whose helm was on, hood drawn, casting a shadow over his his face.
"Declan, congratulations on saving Nessus." She said simply. Declan nodded.
"Not the first time it needed saving. Won't be the last." Ikora inclined her head at this. The Vex were nothing if not persistent.
"Do you have the artifact?"
Declan nodded, pulling out three stone cubes with glowing blue symbols. They floated up from his palm, connecting face to face, the symbols growing brighter. They floated to Ikora's outstretched hand.
"These will prove useful in our fight against the Vex. Thank you. But there's more. There is still much to be done. The other Hidden have passed along much information about what is brewing outside of these walls. I've sent the details on an encrypted channel to your communications terminal in your private quarters. Do you accept your next mission?"
Her question was met by silence. Ikora wondered if Declan was having a conversation with his Ghost; yet it was not for her to know, so she waited patiently.
"I do."
***
It was late enough at night; so Declan really wasn't looking to fight in the hall of the Guardians' sleeping quarters. He really just wanted to shrug off his armor and get some sleep. But there was light shining through the crack under his door, and shadows moving within it. He unholstered Reach, moving into a readied stance. He pressed the button next to the door, and it slid open.
"I like this knife; even with the Arc augments." Cayde-6 said, flipping the silver and blue dagger in complicated flourishes. Declan relaxed, holstering Reach and sighing. Cayde-6 had been his trainer, being the leader of the Hunter Vanguard.
"Cayde, please... don't sneak into my room. Ever. Yeah?" Cayde chuckled at this.
"Don't leave your room unlocked, my young student. Now, come and sit, talk with me." Cayde said, sticking the blade into the wooden table and kicking a chair over. Declan shook his head, taking off his helmet and sitting.
"Good job on that Vex Mind. Woulda sent in a fireteam, but Ikora fought hard to let you do it solo. Nice of her." Cayde said conversationally. Declan wasn't dumb; he knew where this was going.
Cayde knew.
"I'll cut to the chase, Declan. I know you're one of Ikora's Hidden. And we both know how much Zavala disapproves of stuff like that; opinions on ethics and being plain with the Vanguard, all that. But I don't care much, s'long as you're up and fightin'. So I'll keep this little secret and do my best to keep it from under Zavala's nose, but you owe me one. Might be footing the bill at a bar, might be collecting some of my caches, might be coming along on a mission. We'll see."
"We got a deal?" Cayde said. Declan nodded.
"I'll ignore the fact you were bein' nosy, Cayde." Declan said with a smirk. Cayde laughed.
"Be careful on the mission, by the way." Cayde said, indicating the mission terminal as he stood. "From what I know, that situation is reeeal murky." And with that, Cayde left Declan feeling slightly overloaded. Declan stood, and activated the terminal to get his orders.
***
(All paths will eventually be reached; each reward a rare and powerful weapon upon completion)
[] Path of Penumbra- "Perhaps neutrality isn't all that awful, favored Light?"
[] Path of the Curse- "Does murder taste good, o Hunter mine?"
[] Path of Sorrow- "i promise ill make you rich, brotha."
[] Path of the Nine- "OH HOW WE'VE WONDERED OF YOU, LIGHTBEARER."
[] Path of the Deep Stone Crypt- "Subroutine: Sleep activated. Paracausal cannons activated. Braytech under attack. Protect. Protect. Protect. BURN."
Last edited:
- Location
- Florida
[X] Path of the Nine- "OH HOW WE'VE WONDERED OF YOU, LIGHTBEARER."
Huh. What's the Nine have in store?
Huh. What's the Nine have in store?
- Location
- United States
[] Path of the Nine- "OH HOW WE'VE WONDERED OF YOU, LIGHTBEARER."
The odd sensation of being transmatted from the jumpships passed quickly, Declan landing on solid ground. He drew Reach, aiming it carefully, watching for any enemies. The mission terminal sent him to these coordinates, only informing him that he needed to survey this specific area within the European Deadzone.
'There's lots of odd frequencies here. Sterile neutrinos abound up ahead,' Eighty-Six said. Sterile neutrinos were the particulates emitted by the Taken, and by extension the Darkness itself.
Declan moves forward, eyes sweeping over the area carefully. The landscape was unremarkable; he stood currently in a gulch, with flat, grassy ground underneath his feet. Above him, the gulch was surrounded by thick growths of trees. Boulders peppered the gulch. Declan took a few more steps forward, and felt as though he had passed through a sheet of ice cold water.
'Frequencies off the charts. I don't recognize anything in the air here. It's like... the neutrinos are at war with other particles. A mixture like I've never seen!' Eighty-Six chirped. Declan suppressed a shiver, and continued on. He came to a larger boulder, and had to do a double take.
On the smooth face of the stone, there was a symbol, glowing; a perfectly round circle, two lines dividing it into unequal portions. The symbol looked vaguely familiar, but Declan was having a hard time placing it.
"Eighty-Six.... what the hell is this?" He said out loud, rummaging through his memory for the symbol.
'That's a piece of the symbol of the Nine! Let me scan it!'
Declan put his palm outward, Eighty-Six appearing in a flash of bright light; a blue beam shot from the Ghost's eye, scanning over the symbol. After a few moments, Eighty-Six disappeared.
'There's a message encrypted into the symbol... it says this symbol requires a... tribute of blood?'
"Sure as hell not my blood." Declan muttered. He'd heard enough about the Nine to know what kind of manipulators they could be. He felt something akin to dread; he didn't exactly want to get tangled up within their plans.
'Whose blood then? Surely this requires more exploration?' Eighty-Six said through the psychic link. Before Declan could reply, there was a scratchy roar behind them; Declan turned and drew Reach in one fluid motion.
"Right on cue." Declan quipped, firing on single shot between the beady eyes of a Fallen dreg. More were running forward, and Declan easily put down all comers.
'No finesse,' Eighty-Six remarked. 'These dregs seem crazed!'
"That would be the frequencies, right?" Declan speculated, dodging a Dreg's shock dagger and putting a shot through its head. There was a blast of glowing blue Ether, then a splash of purplish blood; Declan watched as the splatter nearly covered the Nine's glyph. The symbol grew brighter still, and some kind of shockwave erupted from it, a wave of energy that seemed to affect the visual area around Declan; as he looked around, everything had an odd, flickering red, green and blue outline; and the Dregs had all stopped mid motion.
'Time has... paused?' Eighty-Six said. Declan had no words. He turned to the glyph, to find that the rockface had faded away, and was now enveloped by a bright white light; a portal.
"Well. Don't got much of a choice, do I?"
And Declan stepped into the portal.
It felt as though every atom was vibrating; he felt each and every part of him being pulled violently in every direction, and his eyes were wrenched shut, but even then the light was blindingly bright-
Declan felt his feet hit solid ground, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. Wherever he was, there was no light.
Then came a noise like a deep, grinding roar; and a single spotlight appeared, a few feet away from Declan. He looked around the room, but the spotlight provided no detail he could make out. His hand twitched toward Reach.
[] Draw Gun and Demand Details
[] Step Into Spotlight
The odd sensation of being transmatted from the jumpships passed quickly, Declan landing on solid ground. He drew Reach, aiming it carefully, watching for any enemies. The mission terminal sent him to these coordinates, only informing him that he needed to survey this specific area within the European Deadzone.
'There's lots of odd frequencies here. Sterile neutrinos abound up ahead,' Eighty-Six said. Sterile neutrinos were the particulates emitted by the Taken, and by extension the Darkness itself.
Declan moves forward, eyes sweeping over the area carefully. The landscape was unremarkable; he stood currently in a gulch, with flat, grassy ground underneath his feet. Above him, the gulch was surrounded by thick growths of trees. Boulders peppered the gulch. Declan took a few more steps forward, and felt as though he had passed through a sheet of ice cold water.
'Frequencies off the charts. I don't recognize anything in the air here. It's like... the neutrinos are at war with other particles. A mixture like I've never seen!' Eighty-Six chirped. Declan suppressed a shiver, and continued on. He came to a larger boulder, and had to do a double take.
On the smooth face of the stone, there was a symbol, glowing; a perfectly round circle, two lines dividing it into unequal portions. The symbol looked vaguely familiar, but Declan was having a hard time placing it.
"Eighty-Six.... what the hell is this?" He said out loud, rummaging through his memory for the symbol.
'That's a piece of the symbol of the Nine! Let me scan it!'
Declan put his palm outward, Eighty-Six appearing in a flash of bright light; a blue beam shot from the Ghost's eye, scanning over the symbol. After a few moments, Eighty-Six disappeared.
'There's a message encrypted into the symbol... it says this symbol requires a... tribute of blood?'
"Sure as hell not my blood." Declan muttered. He'd heard enough about the Nine to know what kind of manipulators they could be. He felt something akin to dread; he didn't exactly want to get tangled up within their plans.
'Whose blood then? Surely this requires more exploration?' Eighty-Six said through the psychic link. Before Declan could reply, there was a scratchy roar behind them; Declan turned and drew Reach in one fluid motion.
"Right on cue." Declan quipped, firing on single shot between the beady eyes of a Fallen dreg. More were running forward, and Declan easily put down all comers.
'No finesse,' Eighty-Six remarked. 'These dregs seem crazed!'
"That would be the frequencies, right?" Declan speculated, dodging a Dreg's shock dagger and putting a shot through its head. There was a blast of glowing blue Ether, then a splash of purplish blood; Declan watched as the splatter nearly covered the Nine's glyph. The symbol grew brighter still, and some kind of shockwave erupted from it, a wave of energy that seemed to affect the visual area around Declan; as he looked around, everything had an odd, flickering red, green and blue outline; and the Dregs had all stopped mid motion.
'Time has... paused?' Eighty-Six said. Declan had no words. He turned to the glyph, to find that the rockface had faded away, and was now enveloped by a bright white light; a portal.
"Well. Don't got much of a choice, do I?"
And Declan stepped into the portal.
It felt as though every atom was vibrating; he felt each and every part of him being pulled violently in every direction, and his eyes were wrenched shut, but even then the light was blindingly bright-
Declan felt his feet hit solid ground, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. Wherever he was, there was no light.
Then came a noise like a deep, grinding roar; and a single spotlight appeared, a few feet away from Declan. He looked around the room, but the spotlight provided no detail he could make out. His hand twitched toward Reach.
[] Draw Gun and Demand Details
[] Step Into Spotlight
Last edited:
- Location
- Florida
[X] Step Into Spotlight
update3
- Location
- United States
[] Step into the Spotlight
"I must be going crazy." Declan muttered. Eighty-Six was silent, probably running a million different situations to try and help Declan plot a course, but the Hunter didn't wait. He stepped into the spotlight, and instantaneously he felt something grasp his mind none too gently and parse through his memory.
Declan remembered waking up in an overgrown wheat field somewhere in the Western Hemisphere, bathed in orange sunlight. He remembered seeing the odd little angular creature whizzing around before him, saying things, things Declan could barely register because what the hell was happening? He was surrounded by skeletons, and he couldn't remember anything except his name, and something else at the edge of the void that was his memory- it was... a beach. Clear blue water, soft sunwarmed sand. That was all.
++WE KNOW OF YOUR LOVE.++
Declan remembered screaming, blood pouring from a gash on the side of his head, his left arm hanging useless and broken by his side as he took a running start, and jumped high into the air, driving a rusty piece of scrap metal into the skull of a Fallen Archon named Riksis, a massive Etherdrunk beast. He remembered it roaring as it's life faded, and he remembered finally gaining access to the jumpship the little Ghost had found.
++WE KNOW OF YOUR BEGINNINGS.++
Declan remembered arriving to the magnificent Tower, in awe at the moon sized Traveler. Cayde-Six was there before any of the other Vanguards, and it was Cayde-Six who taught Declan to be a Hunter, it was Cayde-Six who gifted Declan his first Hunter dagger, a sharp blade edged in metallic blue, with the name "Riksis" carved into the handle, a red slash through it. It was Cayde-Six that told Declan to cling to that memory of the beach, that it would be that memory that would keep Declan going amidst all of the Darkness and desolation.
++WE KNOW OF YOUR HOPE.++
Declan remembered his fireteam, a brave batch of Hunters who went under the designation Alixion. He remembered storming upon the Dreadnaught and watching Oryx cut through three of his fireteam like they were nothing, and it was the Darkness that choked Declan, that constricted his light as Oryx obliterated three Ghosts easily, laughing as he did it. Declan watched helplessly, trapped within a blight of pure Darkness, as Oryx lifted the last remaining member of the team in his massive hand. The Guardian did not scream, he did not cry; he looked defiant into the glowing eyes of the Taken King. And the Taken King looked into his eyes; a blast of putrid green fire sprayed forth from Oryx's eyes, consuming the Guardian. And as Oryx cast his infernal eyes upon Declan, Declan only hoped that he could show the same defiance. It was only through miracle that Fireteam Alpha finally arrived; a battle of epic proportions was fought, and Declan was helpless as he watched them decimate Oryx. And the wish for revenge and the hatred for the Darkness that pumped through them couldn't possibly match the hatred and thirst for revenge that pumped through Declan.
++WE KNOW OF YOUR HEART.++
Declan remembered the loneliness. How no matter how many Fallen, Taken, Hive, Cabal or Vex he killed, he couldn't fill the void in his heart.
++OH, HOW WE'VE WONDERED OF YOU, LIGHTBEARER.++
Declan was back in the dark room, the only light being the spotlight that shone upon him. He felt as though he'd been holding his breath for minutes; he was gasping great lungfuls of air.
"H-how- how did you do that?"
++WE ARE CAPABLE OF FAR MORE THAN YOUR TRAVELER COULD EVER GRANT YOU.++
"Who are you?" Declan demanded, his defiance getting the better of him. Whatever was speaking, it was many voices, all different yet all the same.
++WE ARE THE NINE, GUARDIAN. AND WE HAVE MADE A HABIT OF AIDING YOUR KIND.++
"Xur." Declan whispered, speaking of the odd alien that sold wares in the Last City on behalf of the Nine.
++A VENDOR BEARING GIFTS FROM US TO YOU. TO HELP YOU TAME THE DARKNESS IN THE WAY YOU DO.++
"Why?"
++WE ARE ALL CREATURES OF LIGHT, FOR WE ARE CONSCIOUS, FOR WE THINK.++
"Even the Hive?" Declan asked. The Hive were conscious, yeah; but they were no creatures of Light.
++IN THE TIME BEFORE, UPON THE FUNDAMENT, THE HIVE WERE MERELY LOWLY BEINGS WITH ONLY A SMALL SPARK. IT IS THE DARKNESS AND ITS WORMS THAT SWALLOWED THAT SPARK.++
"Why do you want me?"
++YOU ABOVE ALL WISH VENGEANCE UPON ORYX. BE THE FINAL NAIL IN HIS COFFIN. WE WISH TO CONVENE WITH THE QUEEN OF THE AWOKEN, MARA SOV.++
"Mara Sov is dead, because of Oryx." Declan stated, now thoroughly confused.
++HER BODY IS GONE, BUT MARA SOV IS A CUNNING BLADE. HER INTELLIGENCE IS THE SHARP EDGE, AND SHE INVERTED THE PRINCIPLES THROUGH WHICH ORYX SLICED THE UNIVERSE. SHE IS QUITE UNREACHABLE FOR US, BUT YOU, GUARDIAN, CAN OPEN THE PASSAGEWAY, AND GAIN THE HELP OF THE QUEEN.++
"What for?"
++WE HAVE FORESEEN THE COMING WARS. YOU CAN BE INSTRUMENTAL, AND YOU ARE THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TOWER AND THE DREAMING CITY.++
"The Dreaming City?"
++IN DUE TIME, GUARDIAN. IN DUE TIME WILL THE TRUTH OF THE UNIVERSE'S GAME BE OUTED.++
"Stop speaking in riddles! What do you want me to do?"
++TRAVEL TO THE RUINS OF THE REEF. GAIN INFORMATION FROM YOUR OLD FRIEND, THE ELIKSNI. PROVE YOUR WORTH TO THE REEFBORN, AND YOU CAN FIND THE QUEEN.++
Before Declan, two small sparks of light appeared. To the left, within a golden glow, there was what appeared to be a small, broken half of an intricately carved figurine. To the right, within a blue light, a metal disk with a blue jewel set in its center slowly spun.
++YOUR PATH IS YOURS, GUARDIAN. TAKE A RELIC. YOU WILL FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH THERE.++
[] Take the Figurine
[] Take the Disk
"I must be going crazy." Declan muttered. Eighty-Six was silent, probably running a million different situations to try and help Declan plot a course, but the Hunter didn't wait. He stepped into the spotlight, and instantaneously he felt something grasp his mind none too gently and parse through his memory.
Declan remembered waking up in an overgrown wheat field somewhere in the Western Hemisphere, bathed in orange sunlight. He remembered seeing the odd little angular creature whizzing around before him, saying things, things Declan could barely register because what the hell was happening? He was surrounded by skeletons, and he couldn't remember anything except his name, and something else at the edge of the void that was his memory- it was... a beach. Clear blue water, soft sunwarmed sand. That was all.
++WE KNOW OF YOUR LOVE.++
Declan remembered screaming, blood pouring from a gash on the side of his head, his left arm hanging useless and broken by his side as he took a running start, and jumped high into the air, driving a rusty piece of scrap metal into the skull of a Fallen Archon named Riksis, a massive Etherdrunk beast. He remembered it roaring as it's life faded, and he remembered finally gaining access to the jumpship the little Ghost had found.
++WE KNOW OF YOUR BEGINNINGS.++
Declan remembered arriving to the magnificent Tower, in awe at the moon sized Traveler. Cayde-Six was there before any of the other Vanguards, and it was Cayde-Six who taught Declan to be a Hunter, it was Cayde-Six who gifted Declan his first Hunter dagger, a sharp blade edged in metallic blue, with the name "Riksis" carved into the handle, a red slash through it. It was Cayde-Six that told Declan to cling to that memory of the beach, that it would be that memory that would keep Declan going amidst all of the Darkness and desolation.
++WE KNOW OF YOUR HOPE.++
Declan remembered his fireteam, a brave batch of Hunters who went under the designation Alixion. He remembered storming upon the Dreadnaught and watching Oryx cut through three of his fireteam like they were nothing, and it was the Darkness that choked Declan, that constricted his light as Oryx obliterated three Ghosts easily, laughing as he did it. Declan watched helplessly, trapped within a blight of pure Darkness, as Oryx lifted the last remaining member of the team in his massive hand. The Guardian did not scream, he did not cry; he looked defiant into the glowing eyes of the Taken King. And the Taken King looked into his eyes; a blast of putrid green fire sprayed forth from Oryx's eyes, consuming the Guardian. And as Oryx cast his infernal eyes upon Declan, Declan only hoped that he could show the same defiance. It was only through miracle that Fireteam Alpha finally arrived; a battle of epic proportions was fought, and Declan was helpless as he watched them decimate Oryx. And the wish for revenge and the hatred for the Darkness that pumped through them couldn't possibly match the hatred and thirst for revenge that pumped through Declan.
++WE KNOW OF YOUR HEART.++
Declan remembered the loneliness. How no matter how many Fallen, Taken, Hive, Cabal or Vex he killed, he couldn't fill the void in his heart.
++OH, HOW WE'VE WONDERED OF YOU, LIGHTBEARER.++
Declan was back in the dark room, the only light being the spotlight that shone upon him. He felt as though he'd been holding his breath for minutes; he was gasping great lungfuls of air.
"H-how- how did you do that?"
++WE ARE CAPABLE OF FAR MORE THAN YOUR TRAVELER COULD EVER GRANT YOU.++
"Who are you?" Declan demanded, his defiance getting the better of him. Whatever was speaking, it was many voices, all different yet all the same.
++WE ARE THE NINE, GUARDIAN. AND WE HAVE MADE A HABIT OF AIDING YOUR KIND.++
"Xur." Declan whispered, speaking of the odd alien that sold wares in the Last City on behalf of the Nine.
++A VENDOR BEARING GIFTS FROM US TO YOU. TO HELP YOU TAME THE DARKNESS IN THE WAY YOU DO.++
"Why?"
++WE ARE ALL CREATURES OF LIGHT, FOR WE ARE CONSCIOUS, FOR WE THINK.++
"Even the Hive?" Declan asked. The Hive were conscious, yeah; but they were no creatures of Light.
++IN THE TIME BEFORE, UPON THE FUNDAMENT, THE HIVE WERE MERELY LOWLY BEINGS WITH ONLY A SMALL SPARK. IT IS THE DARKNESS AND ITS WORMS THAT SWALLOWED THAT SPARK.++
"Why do you want me?"
++YOU ABOVE ALL WISH VENGEANCE UPON ORYX. BE THE FINAL NAIL IN HIS COFFIN. WE WISH TO CONVENE WITH THE QUEEN OF THE AWOKEN, MARA SOV.++
"Mara Sov is dead, because of Oryx." Declan stated, now thoroughly confused.
++HER BODY IS GONE, BUT MARA SOV IS A CUNNING BLADE. HER INTELLIGENCE IS THE SHARP EDGE, AND SHE INVERTED THE PRINCIPLES THROUGH WHICH ORYX SLICED THE UNIVERSE. SHE IS QUITE UNREACHABLE FOR US, BUT YOU, GUARDIAN, CAN OPEN THE PASSAGEWAY, AND GAIN THE HELP OF THE QUEEN.++
"What for?"
++WE HAVE FORESEEN THE COMING WARS. YOU CAN BE INSTRUMENTAL, AND YOU ARE THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TOWER AND THE DREAMING CITY.++
"The Dreaming City?"
++IN DUE TIME, GUARDIAN. IN DUE TIME WILL THE TRUTH OF THE UNIVERSE'S GAME BE OUTED.++
"Stop speaking in riddles! What do you want me to do?"
++TRAVEL TO THE RUINS OF THE REEF. GAIN INFORMATION FROM YOUR OLD FRIEND, THE ELIKSNI. PROVE YOUR WORTH TO THE REEFBORN, AND YOU CAN FIND THE QUEEN.++
Before Declan, two small sparks of light appeared. To the left, within a golden glow, there was what appeared to be a small, broken half of an intricately carved figurine. To the right, within a blue light, a metal disk with a blue jewel set in its center slowly spun.
++YOUR PATH IS YOURS, GUARDIAN. TAKE A RELIC. YOU WILL FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH THERE.++
[] Take the Figurine
[] Take the Disk
- Location
- va
[X] Take the Disk
- Location
- Florida
[X] Take the Disk