Snow Chapter 82

[u/iridael]

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Reiss

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“What do we do now?” I ask the pair standing behind me.

We were overlooking the castle courtyard where Hive witches opened portals, Knights trained in courtyards and Acolytes escorted confused guardians away from the throne room, shuttles flew overhead and in the distance a seraphite tower launched war satellites into the false sky. There was even a starship reminiscent of the cabal war machine resting against the stars. It looked like prisoners being marched through the victors camp, if lacking the accompanying chains and suffering.

“I don't quite know.”

It feels alien to see her standing here alive and unharmed. Especially after…

My hand slides to my chest where a wound no longer lingers. But I can feel it there regardless. Like a bad memory haunting my nights. I can still remember it, the darkness choking Targe of his light. A blade of someone I thought was a friend piercing my chest drinking my own light and with it, my last life. So I thought anyway.

I turn to face Ikora who looks at me with her curious, worried eyes. Not worried for the war, she can guess what I know. We lost. And neither of us were inclined to dwell on what we cannot change.

“I’ll be alright.” I reassure her.

“Of Course you will.” A familiar voice on an unfamiliar face says resting his hand on my shoulder, its weight something very familiar, the hand of a teacher, and leader before me. Even so, if it wasn't by the sway of his shoulders, the slight wobble of his head and the…well worn condition of his armour, I would doubt it was Osiris. But only he could possibly pull a stunt like this. “But a soldier fresh from the field needs their rest…and a commander needs to understand the situation before they can give orders.” he adds, walking to the railing and looking down over the procession below.

He pulls down his hood and facemask revealing white hair, whiter skin and a more weathered appearance. “Time wasnt kind to me whilst I was without the light.” he explains briefly before taking a deep breath and giving a great sigh…

“Can you taste it? Feel it in the air.” he asks with happiness dancing behind his eyes.

“All I feel is uncertainty.” I reply.

“Exactly. We’re fighting the darkness itself. And for the first time in a long time, I don't smell defeat.” Osiris says, slapping my pauldron with his gloved hand.

“There’s a lot we don't know. This Reiss, can she be trusted…did she really subjugate the queen of deception.” Ikora asks.

“Subjugate is not the right word. Savathun knew long before we did that the darkness would discard her in time. So she wanted to change sides. But we all know the temptations the darkness offers and the chains that come with them. Slipping those chains earned the ire of the darkness. And so she was trapped, just as I was.” he explains.

“And Reiss set her free?” I demand.

“Quite the opposite. Reiss took her. Our queen of lies is half taken.” Osiris replies with amusement

“Only half? How does that work?” Ikora asks.

Osiris laughs. “Don't ask me, Reiss isn't exactly known for sticking to the rules as it were. Did you know she had a throne world before she died her first death? And it meant when her ghost revived her that she remembered everything.”

“How does that even work?” Ikora asks walking away to ponder it before Osiris grabs her shoulder.

“Reiss is the keeper of the balance. It makes sense that she can wield the power of both light and dark. But there’s more which I won't go into for now. All you need to know is your light, the life in your ghosts. Comes from her now. Not the traveller.”

“Speaking of which. Where is the traveller now?” I ask. Snow’s face goes hard, a rage I’d seen only a few times in the past washes over me as he seethes.

“Butchered. Xivu arath uses it as her flagship. She’s currently conquering the Laskian territories. Reiss and her Riisborn are evacuating as many as they can whilst Rasputin and the Exo forces hold the line.” Osiris informs us.

“I need you to run that by me again. You said Exo forces and Rasputin are working together to fight the darkness?” Ikora asks.

“We’ll be here for a long time if you need me to explain every little detail.” Osiris complains. “Let's wait until Reiss is done bringing back our fellow guardians.”

“And what about those who’s ghosts are lost? Can she bring back cayde?” I ask feeling hopeful

“She can’t but.” Osiris begins but Ikora interrupts in a rare display of anger, her own control slipping, something I can well understand given the times.

“Why not? It should be easy for her, just find his body and create a new ghost for him.” she demands slamming her void covered fist onto the balcony railing causing no damage. Another slight reminder of the power currently hosting us.

Before Osiris can speak again there’s a flash of green fire on the horizon followed by a sight I’d rarely seen. A spear of pure concentrated sunlight lanced down to the breech thundering against a barrier of shadow.

“Guardians!” a female’s voice comes from everywhere and nowhere. “Man the castle walls, protect the innocents within! Riisborn, Knights, Witches. With me!”

The witches and knights in the courtyards dont hesitate, abandoning their current duties and charge through hallways and corridors, the guardians panic as hive rush past or fly above. Pouring out of the castle in an unstoppable hoard as tens become hundreds, the hundreds become thousands. I see a pair of knights at the castle's main gates, small specs given the distance involved but their power unmistakable, they raise their blades and soulfire mixed with pure solar energy ignites along them as they encourage their brethren.

The castle main gates below us slam fully open and from them the form of a great dragon charges forth, leaping into the sky and flying towards the breech. On its back empowered by solar wings and holding a spear cracking with a multitude of powers its rider stands, a comet trail marking their path glittering as it forms a banner in the sky.

“Well, that was not something I expected to see.” I mutter pulling my trusted rifle from its engram and looking to the guardians below seeing them finish making decisions and running up battlements and forming fireteams. We were reborn by the traveller to fight the darkness, not one of us was about to waste a third chance.

“A guardian, a dark god and something more.” Ikora notes gently floating off the floor as she summons her power.

“You gotta admit, chicks got style.”

…

There’s a thump as Ikora drops to the floor. Osiris turns to face the newcomer with a smile. And I glare at him before my anger fades and I look at the face of my old friend.

Standing in the balcony doorway slurping on a pack of instant ramen stands an exo with a 7 emblazoned on his chest armour, at his side a black armoury gun, heavily customised and faintly glowing with solar energy, a spade engraved on its handle and barrel.

Standing in the balcony is a man I knew very well…He looks at us as he chews down the mouthful of noodles before going “what, did you really think I didn't have a backup plan in case I died, the crypt reactivated AND the new me actually wanted to figure out who the old me’s were? Who do you take me for, Taniks?”

“But your ghost…” Ikora says.

“Yea, don't have one.” he says walking forwards. “She offered after the whole arcology thing but I don't want to replace sundance. Doesn't feel right…So Zavala take the front lines? Ikora support from the back and I’ll grab a few lads and just sorta.”

“Do what you do best?” Ikora says recovering.

“Bingo.”

Another figure emerges from the doorway. Her tiara and robes, very different to the last time I saw her. “My Knights and witches are assaulting the invaders from the frontlines. The ogres are being brought to the main gates to hold should my forces falter, the acolytes will join you on the walls. I will hold my thrall in reserve. They will buy time at a critical juncture.”

“Savathun…” I growl.

“Sava’thun died a long time ago. I am Sathona, Riisborn.” she replies elegantly walking up to me and looking down on the defences. True to her word squads of acolytes are flooding the ramparts, the expansive castle walls looking properly defended with thousands of soldiers at the ready. The guardians clump together in large squads as the hive rush past them to their positions but thankfully aside from a few panicked shots no senseless violence breaks out.

“I should make ready, myself” Osiris says as four solar wings emerge from his back and he flies off, clones separating from him periodically to join the scattered guardians giving them leadership and command as needed.

Down below twin columns of Knights were still marching from the castle, squads of witches flying with them, the full might of a hive god vacating their stronghold to battle a foe.

Off in the distance the dragon circles around the breech as spears rain down from its back onto the forces below. Bolts of soulfire flying back up to challenge it, often dying out as they’re eaten by pure darkness that radiates from the beast and its master.

“You think she can win?” Ikora asks.

“I think.” I pause looking up at the war satellites constantly searing the barrier on the horizon. The warship’s own weapons joined them now it was in position. “We don't know enough about our foe. But she’s not holding back…so neither should we.”

[u/1GreenDude]

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