Chapter 190: Shrine of Oryx (2)
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Writers-Ablood
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[War Tent, Sanctuary]
The war tent felt tighter than it looked. Maps were still sprawled over the table, edges of the parchment pinned by knives and empty mags. Lamps hummed with flickering lights, but this time it no longer felt bleak.
Ikorra pushed the flap and walked in. Tevis, Levi, Cory, Bandit and Pahin came right behind her.
As they entered, all eyes went to them. Zavala looked up from the head of the table, shoulders set. Cayde leaned against a pole. On the other side, Shaxx took an entire corner by himself and still looked too big for it. The Hidden packed the left wall—hoods, scanners, quiet hands. The Praxic Fire—Eriana, Wei Ning, Sai Mota—stood to the right. And by the back post, Liu Feng and three Sunbreakers stood at attention, scorching flames flaring around their figure.
Tevis blinked. "Sunbreakers?"
Liu's chin tipped in a small nod. "Ouros sent us here," she said. "When we heard Void was trapped inside, she felt it was obligatory to send us."
Ikorra didn't waste any more time. "For that, we all thank you. But now, let's get to work."
Cayde pushed off the pole. "So is the part where we pretend this is simple and go in guns blazing?"
"It's not," Ikorra replied, flat. She set a small trapezoid on the map. The green runes along its edges woke like eyes opening. "But it's clear."
She looked around the table. "We're bringing him back."
The tent fell silent, and everyone leaned in.
Ikorra pointed to the chip on Pahanin's wrist. "We track him with that," she said. "It's got a bind on his signature that the Hellmouth hasn't stripped. Naturally, the Nightstalkers lead." She looked to Tevis. "You, Pahanin, Cory, Bandit, your squad moves first. You pick whatever path you need, disregard all threats. Your job is to reach him. Is that clear?"
Tevis nodded once. "Copy."
"Sunbreakers," Ikorra went on, eyes shifting to Liu. "Anything that tries to come up from the core and stop our lead squad—You kill it. Burn it down. Don't chase the Hive, let them come to you, but wherever the Nightstalkers go, they must be protected."
Liu's mouth tipped. "We can do that."
"Praxic Fire and Crucible squads hold the surface approaches," Ikorra said. "Eriana, you take east. Wei, west. Sai, your squad will be on the south. Shaxx-"
Shaxx turned to her, fists clenched. "I'll keep my rookies from getting heroic."
"Exactly," Ikorra said. "Find your lanes, do what you must. But remember. We're doing this to bring someone back. I will not accept a single casualty. No matter what, you must come back alive. "
Eriana folded her arms and nodded, "I will make sure none of us get hurt, you leave that to me," she said. Her voice held heat without shouting.
Ikorra tapped the trapezoid. "My Hidden will ride with the lead team," she said and looked to Eris. "You don't fight unless you have to. Stick to the shadows. Once we locate this shrine, we'll get to deciphering the trap. We have all the records the city received from Void. Do not fail me."
Eris Morn stepped forward and set down a journal of runes, "We won't", she said. "Everything is ready."
"Cayde." Ikorra finally glanced at him.
"At your service." Cayde snapped to a salute.
Ikorra shook her head and continued, "New Lights will go with you. We don't have the luxury to keep them out of this. Let them loose on Helllmouth, do whatever it takes to force the Hive to come outside. Got it?"
Cayde sucked in a cold breath, "Wait just one damn minute", his eyes widened, "Did you just tell me to f*ck around and find out? That's what you said, isn't it? Let loose. Did I hear that right?"
A faint smirk twitched on Ikorra's lips, "Guess your bionics really are getting rusty. The Cayde I know would've jumped at this chance."
"Rude. But you're goddamn right I will." Cayde deftly rolled out his revolver, spinning it on his fingers, "Just you wait. The whole place will be downright unrecognisable when the New lights and I are done with it. I will send the New Lights the mission as soon as possible."
Ikorra smiled at him. She looked down, and her smile slowly faded. Ikorra's gaze moved one more time around the circle. "I won't lie to you," she said and paused.
She took in a breath and heaved a sigh. "This is risky. If you don't feel right about it, if you have even the slightest doubt, walk out now. No one will say a word. No one will hold a grudge."
As her words echoed around the tent, everyone shared a glance, and a still silence passed over the crowd. A moment later, Eriana stepped forward.
"Risky? It's always been risky." She gave a wry smile, "Besides, most of us here were saved by him. Were we not? It's about damn time we pay him back."
Sai scratched her head, "I'd say the same. But I thought that was a given."
Wei chuckled and slammed her fists together, "A little Hive won't scare us off. And like Eriana said. We owe him one." She looked around.
Cayde pulled his hood down, and his lips curled, "Guess we're all idiots."
Shaxx rumbled under his breath, not quite a laugh.
Zavala drew in a breath, "Then let's hear the plan clearly," he said.
Ikorra nodded to Pahanin. "Chip."
Pahanin stepped forward, flipped the cover, and pushed the twin studs. The light woke under the plates. A dot glowed on a thin map of the Moon and sat deep. "He's still there," Pahanin said, voice level through effort. "He hasn't moved."
"Bring up the scanned map of Hellmouth." Ikorra flicked her wrist, and a Hidden passed her a chip. She used her ghost to project the data within.
A topographic map of Hellmouth's maw appeared in the room. Ikorra traced a route from Sanctuary to the maw with her finger. "We run the direct lane," she said. "Shaxx, you and the curcible squads hold the ridge here. Cayde, you'll be right on the other side."
Wei Ning leaned in over the map, smile thin and real. "Been a while since we did something this stupid."
"Then we're long overdue," Sai said, almost cheerful.
Pahanin's hand tightened on the edge of the table. "How long do we have?"
Ikorra didn't dress it. "A day. Two. Not much more. We need to move now."
Zavala looked at a data pad by his side, counting the gear they had gathered. "Sparrows prepped," he said. "Ammo rations at the gate. Medics on the second line. I've got scouts watching the maw—anything changes, you'll hear it on our comms"
Ikorra turned for the flap, then paused and looked back once more. "Last thing, don't be careless, listen to those you're with," she added. "Whatever the Hive have down there was enough to trap our best. Do not let your guard down."
Cayde snapped two fingers off his thigh. "You heard the woman."
Shaxx's helm dipped. "Move."
Ikorra pushed the flap aside. "Let's go."
The crowd broke apart, and the Hidden flowed out first, already quiet. The Praxic Fire gathered their kits without speaking and followed. Shaxx ducked the pole and filled the doorway for a second like a door himself, then was gone. Liu clapped one of her Sunbreakers on the shoulder and headed for the light. Tevis grabbed Pahanin's shoulder and gripped hard, then let go. Pahanin nodded, and the two stepped out.
Zavala stood a heartbeat longer, watching the tent empty itself into motion, then turned and went to his boards.
Ikorra didn't look back. She crossed the yard in long, steady steps. At the gate, she stopped just long enough for Tevis to pull up alongside her.
"You really sure about this plan?" Tevis asked quietly.
"You've never questioned my plans before," Ikorra smiled, "Guess this really is something crazy."
Tevis shook his head and took a few steps forward, "No. It's just that for the first time, I really don't want to fail." He looked back and gave a wry smile. Tevis moved and disappeared into a blur.
Ikorra looked up at the Horizon and then she spoke almost to herself, "We'll bring him out. I promise you that."
Moments later, sparrow engines flared, and squads gathered in lines, shooting towards Hellmouth. In the distance, the inverted fortress still stood tall, its maw radiating a terrifying darkness that seemed to sap away the life around it.
But it didn't matter anymore. Even when Hellmouth bellowed with its fiendish fire, the ground cracked open with fissures, and the horizon split at its seams, not a single guardian turned back.
=
A/N: Throw some reviews and stones!
Check out my Patreon for more!
patreon.com/Writers_Ablood
The war tent felt tighter than it looked. Maps were still sprawled over the table, edges of the parchment pinned by knives and empty mags. Lamps hummed with flickering lights, but this time it no longer felt bleak.
Ikorra pushed the flap and walked in. Tevis, Levi, Cory, Bandit and Pahin came right behind her.
As they entered, all eyes went to them. Zavala looked up from the head of the table, shoulders set. Cayde leaned against a pole. On the other side, Shaxx took an entire corner by himself and still looked too big for it. The Hidden packed the left wall—hoods, scanners, quiet hands. The Praxic Fire—Eriana, Wei Ning, Sai Mota—stood to the right. And by the back post, Liu Feng and three Sunbreakers stood at attention, scorching flames flaring around their figure.
Tevis blinked. "Sunbreakers?"
Liu's chin tipped in a small nod. "Ouros sent us here," she said. "When we heard Void was trapped inside, she felt it was obligatory to send us."
Ikorra didn't waste any more time. "For that, we all thank you. But now, let's get to work."
Cayde pushed off the pole. "So is the part where we pretend this is simple and go in guns blazing?"
"It's not," Ikorra replied, flat. She set a small trapezoid on the map. The green runes along its edges woke like eyes opening. "But it's clear."
She looked around the table. "We're bringing him back."
The tent fell silent, and everyone leaned in.
Ikorra pointed to the chip on Pahanin's wrist. "We track him with that," she said. "It's got a bind on his signature that the Hellmouth hasn't stripped. Naturally, the Nightstalkers lead." She looked to Tevis. "You, Pahanin, Cory, Bandit, your squad moves first. You pick whatever path you need, disregard all threats. Your job is to reach him. Is that clear?"
Tevis nodded once. "Copy."
"Sunbreakers," Ikorra went on, eyes shifting to Liu. "Anything that tries to come up from the core and stop our lead squad—You kill it. Burn it down. Don't chase the Hive, let them come to you, but wherever the Nightstalkers go, they must be protected."
Liu's mouth tipped. "We can do that."
"Praxic Fire and Crucible squads hold the surface approaches," Ikorra said. "Eriana, you take east. Wei, west. Sai, your squad will be on the south. Shaxx-"
Shaxx turned to her, fists clenched. "I'll keep my rookies from getting heroic."
"Exactly," Ikorra said. "Find your lanes, do what you must. But remember. We're doing this to bring someone back. I will not accept a single casualty. No matter what, you must come back alive. "
Eriana folded her arms and nodded, "I will make sure none of us get hurt, you leave that to me," she said. Her voice held heat without shouting.
Ikorra tapped the trapezoid. "My Hidden will ride with the lead team," she said and looked to Eris. "You don't fight unless you have to. Stick to the shadows. Once we locate this shrine, we'll get to deciphering the trap. We have all the records the city received from Void. Do not fail me."
Eris Morn stepped forward and set down a journal of runes, "We won't", she said. "Everything is ready."
"Cayde." Ikorra finally glanced at him.
"At your service." Cayde snapped to a salute.
Ikorra shook her head and continued, "New Lights will go with you. We don't have the luxury to keep them out of this. Let them loose on Helllmouth, do whatever it takes to force the Hive to come outside. Got it?"
Cayde sucked in a cold breath, "Wait just one damn minute", his eyes widened, "Did you just tell me to f*ck around and find out? That's what you said, isn't it? Let loose. Did I hear that right?"
A faint smirk twitched on Ikorra's lips, "Guess your bionics really are getting rusty. The Cayde I know would've jumped at this chance."
"Rude. But you're goddamn right I will." Cayde deftly rolled out his revolver, spinning it on his fingers, "Just you wait. The whole place will be downright unrecognisable when the New lights and I are done with it. I will send the New Lights the mission as soon as possible."
Ikorra smiled at him. She looked down, and her smile slowly faded. Ikorra's gaze moved one more time around the circle. "I won't lie to you," she said and paused.
She took in a breath and heaved a sigh. "This is risky. If you don't feel right about it, if you have even the slightest doubt, walk out now. No one will say a word. No one will hold a grudge."
As her words echoed around the tent, everyone shared a glance, and a still silence passed over the crowd. A moment later, Eriana stepped forward.
"Risky? It's always been risky." She gave a wry smile, "Besides, most of us here were saved by him. Were we not? It's about damn time we pay him back."
Sai scratched her head, "I'd say the same. But I thought that was a given."
Wei chuckled and slammed her fists together, "A little Hive won't scare us off. And like Eriana said. We owe him one." She looked around.
Cayde pulled his hood down, and his lips curled, "Guess we're all idiots."
Shaxx rumbled under his breath, not quite a laugh.
Zavala drew in a breath, "Then let's hear the plan clearly," he said.
Ikorra nodded to Pahanin. "Chip."
Pahanin stepped forward, flipped the cover, and pushed the twin studs. The light woke under the plates. A dot glowed on a thin map of the Moon and sat deep. "He's still there," Pahanin said, voice level through effort. "He hasn't moved."
"Bring up the scanned map of Hellmouth." Ikorra flicked her wrist, and a Hidden passed her a chip. She used her ghost to project the data within.
A topographic map of Hellmouth's maw appeared in the room. Ikorra traced a route from Sanctuary to the maw with her finger. "We run the direct lane," she said. "Shaxx, you and the curcible squads hold the ridge here. Cayde, you'll be right on the other side."
Wei Ning leaned in over the map, smile thin and real. "Been a while since we did something this stupid."
"Then we're long overdue," Sai said, almost cheerful.
Pahanin's hand tightened on the edge of the table. "How long do we have?"
Ikorra didn't dress it. "A day. Two. Not much more. We need to move now."
Zavala looked at a data pad by his side, counting the gear they had gathered. "Sparrows prepped," he said. "Ammo rations at the gate. Medics on the second line. I've got scouts watching the maw—anything changes, you'll hear it on our comms"
Ikorra turned for the flap, then paused and looked back once more. "Last thing, don't be careless, listen to those you're with," she added. "Whatever the Hive have down there was enough to trap our best. Do not let your guard down."
Cayde snapped two fingers off his thigh. "You heard the woman."
Shaxx's helm dipped. "Move."
Ikorra pushed the flap aside. "Let's go."
The crowd broke apart, and the Hidden flowed out first, already quiet. The Praxic Fire gathered their kits without speaking and followed. Shaxx ducked the pole and filled the doorway for a second like a door himself, then was gone. Liu clapped one of her Sunbreakers on the shoulder and headed for the light. Tevis grabbed Pahanin's shoulder and gripped hard, then let go. Pahanin nodded, and the two stepped out.
Zavala stood a heartbeat longer, watching the tent empty itself into motion, then turned and went to his boards.
Ikorra didn't look back. She crossed the yard in long, steady steps. At the gate, she stopped just long enough for Tevis to pull up alongside her.
"You really sure about this plan?" Tevis asked quietly.
"You've never questioned my plans before," Ikorra smiled, "Guess this really is something crazy."
Tevis shook his head and took a few steps forward, "No. It's just that for the first time, I really don't want to fail." He looked back and gave a wry smile. Tevis moved and disappeared into a blur.
Ikorra looked up at the Horizon and then she spoke almost to herself, "We'll bring him out. I promise you that."
Moments later, sparrow engines flared, and squads gathered in lines, shooting towards Hellmouth. In the distance, the inverted fortress still stood tall, its maw radiating a terrifying darkness that seemed to sap away the life around it.
But it didn't matter anymore. Even when Hellmouth bellowed with its fiendish fire, the ground cracked open with fissures, and the horizon split at its seams, not a single guardian turned back.
=
A/N: Throw some reviews and stones!
Check out my Patreon for more!
patreon.com/Writers_Ablood
