Index

Frontier Act01 Chapter01 Solas............................................................................................... 4

Frontier Act01 Chapter02 Telemica ........................................................................................ 6
Frontier Act01 Chapter03 Vatyr .............................................................................................. 7
Frontier Act02 Chapter04 Should You Choose To Accept It.................................................... 9
Frontier Act02 Chapter05 Concerto ...................................................................................... 11
Frontier Act02 Chapter06 Battaglia....................................................................................... 13
Frontier Act02 Chapter07 Coda............................................................................................. 15
Frontier Act03 Chapter08 Twist of Fate ................................................................................ 17
Frontier Act03 Chapter09 Higher Ground ............................................................................. 19
Frontier Act03 Chapter10 Terminal Logic ............................................................................. 21
Frontier Act03 Chapter11 Dead of Winter ............................................................................ 24
Frontier Act03 Chapter12 Spoils of War ............................................................................... 27
Frontier Act04 Chapter13 Desert Creatures ......................................................................... 30
Frontier Act04 Chapter14 Death From Above ...................................................................... 32
Frontier Act04 Chapter15 Consequences ............................................................................. 34
Frontier Act05 Chapter16 Weapon of Choice ....................................................................... 36
Frontier Act05 Chapter17 Life Waters .................................................................................. 38
Frontier Act05 Chapter18 Freakangel ................................................................................... 41
Frontier Act06 Chapter20 Throwing Stones .......................................................................... 44
Frontier Act06 Chapter21 Broken Mirror .............................................................................. 46
Frontier Act06 Chapter22 The Golden Path .......................................................................... 47
Frontier Act07 Chapter23 A Band Apart ............................................................................... 49
Frontier Act07 Chapter24 Electric Sheep .............................................................................. 51
Frontier Act07 Chapter25 Starseeds ..................................................................................... 53
Frontier Act07 Chapter26 Neverland .................................................................................... 56
Frontier Act07 Chapter27 Murder of Crows ......................................................................... 58
Frontier Act07 Chapter28 Shattered Dreams ....................................................................... 60
Frontier Act07 Chapter29 Defying Gravity ............................................................................ 63
Frontier Act07 Chapter30 Sinister ......................................................................................... 67
Frontier Act08 Chapter31 Lost In Spacetime ........................................................................ 68
Frontier Act08 Chapter32 Time In A Bottle ........................................................................... 71
Frontier Act00 Chapter33 Hardcover .................................................................................... 76
Frontier Act00 Chapter34 Master And Commander ............................................................. 78
Frontier Act00 Chapter35 Do Not Go Gentle ........................................................................ 79
Frontier Act09 Chapter36 Exfil .............................................................................................. 82

Frontier Act09 Chapter37 Maneuver .................................................................................... 84

Frontier Act09 Chapter38 Advance ....................................................................................... 88
Frontier Act09 Chapter39 Gambit ......................................................................................... 91
Frontier Act09 Chapter40 Black Sun ..................................................................................... 94
Frontier Act09 Chapter41 Deep Stone Crypt ........................................................................ 95
Frontier Act10 Chapter42 The Siege of Shards ..................................................................... 98
Frontier Act10 Chapter43 Words That We Couldnt Say .................................................... 101
Frontier Act10 Chapter44 Piercing ...................................................................................... 103
Frontier Act10 Chapter45 Cleaving ..................................................................................... 106
Frontier Act10 Chapter46 Annihilating ............................................................................... 110
Frontier Act10 Chapter47 Infection .................................................................................... 115
Frontier Act10 Chapter48 Sacrifice ..................................................................................... 119
Frontier Act10 Chapter49 Brave.......................................................................................... 121
Frontier Act10 Chapter50 Warden ...................................................................................... 124
Frontier Act11 Chapter51 Forward ..................................................................................... 126

Frontier Act01 Chapter01 Solas

Venus
Aphrodite Terra, Ovda Regio
The sound of distant active volcanoes seemed almost artificially muted so deep in the vast
Venusian rainforest. The boom and rumble bounced and distorted off the thick trunks of the
local flora so much so that to the uninitiated, it was as if the canopy itself was voicing its
displeasure at the foreign presence of a Guardian. However, Solas-3 was anything but
uninitiated in the ways of this world.
The Exo walked carefully through the dense growth, taking care to disturb as little as possible.
The Warlock knew through research and harrowing experience that while there were far more
dangerous things on Venus, even the Fallen scouts learned to fear what naturally lived here.
Predatory beasts, as well as violent plants knew the balance of this place, and were quick to
attack what seemed out of place.
While the tense peace of this place always intrigued Solas-3, this incursion was for a different
purpose. Two days earlier, orbital scans revealed the specific non-baryonic signature of a new
Vex conflux being formed. While the majority of Vex activities have focused more on the
planets other continent, their actions have been less predictable since the Black Garden was
cleansed of the evil heart and returned to the normal spacetime flow of our universe. While
researchers and talking heads back at the City would consider the ramifications of these scans
for days, Solas was far more of a hands-on intellectual.
Wisp, Solas whispered as he placed every step with care on the moss-covered ground. His
Ghost materialized a few inches from his shoulder, hovering with him. How much further?
According to our ships latest low-orbit scans, the neutrino confluence is directly ahead.
informed Wisp calmly. Solas-3 slowly dropped to his stomach and began to crawl. In a few
feet, he found himself at the lip of a large and deep depression in the land, perhaps created
from an ancient celestial impact. A clearing in the canopy let some sunlight in, but the Vex
synth-stone structure as it riled and folded into our 3-dimensional brane did far more to light
up the space, casting its cold glow not just on the local wildlife but on the several dozen Vex
units as well. Solas-3 chose to engage, numerous harpies would lock him down long enough for
the goblins and minotaurs to destroy him. The enemy was most certainly attempting to gain a
foothold in this new area and was ready to repel any small scouting party, thought Solas-3.
At this point in the reconnaissance mission, Wisp would be keying up the armours sensor
suite, being sure to keep all scans passive while Solas-3 would drop into a trance and seek
what the universe was willing only to reveal to one who walks in the light. However, a ping
caught both their attention before this could happen.
Priority Gemini recall order from The Tower. said Wisp, No further information, but it looks
like its just for us. Solas-3 sighed slightly. It was a low-level fireteam recall, usually used to
lure Guardians into non-critical operations. Newer fireteams would usually scoop up these jobs
off the general relays to rack up favour with command and others influentials. For this type of
recall to be sent specifically to a veteran fireteam was odd.
Wisp grabbed what data it could before Solas-3 cautiously vacated the area. An hour later, his
ship auto-extracted him from a bare cliff to deliver him to those who beckon him.

Frontier Act01 Chapter02 Telemica

Mars
Elysium Planitia
West of the Elysium Mons volcano
The sinister powder brought to bare by a Martian sandstorm could be considered far more
dangerous than any Cabal rocket round. Fine enough to get into everything and coarse enough
to do a lot of damage once its there. When whipped about by super-high winds, the sand
overloads barriers and clogs up almost every armour system. A Guardian often has an easier
time acclimatizing to the hard vacuum and null-gravitational conditions on the Moon. Surviving
on Mars is a skill hard-earned.
The storm had passed hours ago, depositing a thick and pristine layer of powder across the
plain. As the last vestiges of the tempest bucked against the distant visage of Elysium Mons, a
new roar filled the landscape, which heralded the approaching Cabal convoy.
Moving southeast, the convoy stretched as far as the naked eye could see. Thousands of Sand
Eaters and hundreds of Harvesters transports and Goliath tanks kept a slow, steady pace
across the terrain. Intel suggested they were interested in setting up several logistical holdings
in the area.
The Cabal column was slowly moving into the engagement zone, but all Telemica Magna could
think about was the sand that was slowly working its way into crevasses that she didnt have
names for. Her Titan armour had saved her from more assaults both seen and unseen than
shed be able to count over the years, but this sand would best her, given time. Her fortresslike form, and the dozens of other Guardians she was currently in command of, were all
suffering the same silent discomfort, since the only way to conceal the trap from Cabal scouts
was the let the storm bury them. It was Telemicas idea. Creative camouflage, she had called
it, and regretted the concept almost instantly.
By charting the course the Cabal would take and forming up Guardians on either side of that
path, Telemicas plan was coming together perfectly. The full length of the Cabal formation
would be assaulted at once and from all directions. Telemica had to use every iota of influence
shed gained from decades of service and storied victories in the Crucible, but eventually
Commander Zavala saw the possible gains outweighed the risks. The Sand Eaters were low on
supplies and needed energy and materials to bolster their forces. Operations in Freehold had
taken its toll over the years and cracks in their effectiveness were showing more readily.
At her word, the Guardian formation would rise from the rust and fire a united salvo of rockets
at the heavy assets, while buried charges would break any Cabal will to respond too quickly.
Telemicas heart began to swell with the glory she was about to bring to these Guardians and
her Titan order. Perhaps shed find the Cabal commander. Perhaps shed make it scream her
name over Cabal comms before jamming a shock grenade down its throat. While others spoke
of much-needed salvage for the City, Titan Magna only cared to send waves of fear through
the Cabal ranks.
Incoming commands from the Tower, Lady Magna. spoke the meek voice of Squire, her
Ghost. Telemicas mind didnt register it. The time for battle had come.

Frontier Act01 Chapter03 Vatyr

Earth
Ruins of Old Toronto
The sun was just cresting over the horizon, but the Awoken hunter Vatyr SJet was always
hours into his schedule. His Ghost Glitch displayed holographic representations of various
traps going through their final automated checks and syncs. Hunter SJet was just finishing the
reconstruction of his sniper rifle. It was a ritual for him. The pattern of it soothed him.
Harassment, others called it. control an area through guerrilla tactics and make operations in
that area undesirable. Vatyr just thought it was wicked fun.
The Fallen House of Exile had recently moved what few Earthbound forces it had to this
continent and were currently seeking a place to build a stronghold. Exile was always in dire
straights when it came to supplies and infrastructure, and this half-flooded city seemed like a
perfect spot to put down some roots and build. Plenty of materials to salvage and old
skyscrapers to dock their ketch against for much-needed repair.
Vatyrs keen hunter instincts warned him of movement at street level before his sensors did,
even from his perch over 50 stories up in a half-destroyed office tower. Settling into sniping
position, he peered down his long-range scope and ramped up the zoom. Yep, 9 Dregs and a
Vandal were weaving their way through the street, filtering around the husks of old vehicles.
While the main force was busy setting up under the broken spire in the city centre a few
kilometers away, this group seemed to be a simple scouting party.
A sly grin formed on Hunter SJets face as his crosshairs settled on the Vandal leader. He took
an almost cruel enjoyment from seeing Dregs panic after their commander either died, or ran
away in a futile effort to save his own life.
A blinking indicator popped up on his heads-up display. Glitch silently overlaid his analysis
along with video from a remote camera feed, showing another scouting party to the north and
another to the west. All three were in Vatyrs actionable zone, and therefore existed from this
point on solely for his amusement.
Through the armours neural interface, Vatyr and Glitch concocted a plan: herd all three
groups into the same killbox using planted explosives, and pick them off one by one. Each one
wondered who was more evil for liking the plan.
The staccato pops of distant explosions echoed through the urban ruins. The party Vatyr had
at the end of his rifle barrel looked agitated as their Vandal commander attempted to keep
composure. Soon the other two squads came running into the intersection that the first was
holding in. Vandals and Dregs screeched, squawked and growled at each other. Vatyr kept
telling himself he should learn the Fallen language, but for now he let Glitch do the translating.
Theyre pretty rattled, boss. They have no idea whats going on. mused Glitch, sharing in her
Guardians smug amusement. He set off a few other distant charges just to keep them on edge
as Vatyr lined up his shots.
Pop, followed by the screaming hiss of a Fallens essence violently vacating its body through
the space where its head used to be. One Vandal down. Pop. Hiss. Another Vandal down with
only one left. The Dregs were in a full craze now. Some fired wildly into the surrounding towers

while others simply ran. Glitch set off another two charges close to the intersection, one of
which vaporized a fleeing Dreg. There was to be no escape from this hidden and wrathful god.
A background beeping caught the hunters attention as he felled another Dreg that attempted
to bug out. Recall order from the Tower. Priority Gemini? Must be a mistake.
Vatyr prized himself on having a keen sense of things, and something about this message
seemed to be more than what it seemed. With lightning reflexes, he quickly mopped up the
last 14 Dregs while letting the last Vandal run back to spread cheery tales of what it was like to
be a fish in a barrel. Glitch set the remaining charges on proximity protocol while Vatyr broke
down his rifle in the same ritualistic fashion he always did. Theyd be back at the Tower before
lunch.

Frontier Act02 Chapter04 Should You Choose To Accept It

Earth
The Last City, Caucasus Mountains
The Tower
While the common understanding of The Tower by citizens of The City is that it was a giant
military installation, to the Guardians who dwelt within it was much more. Over the
centuries since its construction and the legitimization of the Vanguard command, Guardians
had formed their own culture centered there. Rites, rituals and codes evolved naturally among
the demigods that sought to take back what the darkness had stolen.
Vatyr sipped his tea on the steps of the Tower Watch. He found observing ships come and go
soothing. The noon sun felt warm on his shaved head as his sunset-orange eyes tracked flyers
of various designs. A contented grin formed across his blue-white face as the herbal tea
relaxed his body and his mind. He learned a long time ago that one thing a hunter must always
seek is the calm before the storm.
Vatyr spotted Telemica exiting Guardian Hall and waved her over. A powerful Titan in and out
of battle, she towered over other Guardians who honoured her with a wide berth. The natural
intimidation of her tall and powerful physique was offset by her exuberant and reassuring face.
Dark chocolate skin etched by combat, intense emerald eyes and blood-red hair set in a way
that was attractive but just short enough to not become a hassle. Few were not phased when
that scarred visage of confidence and beauty exploded in the fury of battle, but her helm
spared most of that.
Reporting in on your latest glorious victory, no doubt. Vatyr half-joked, grasping her
extended right forearm in an age-old sign of greetings among warriors.
Of course! laughed Telemica, chest puffed in pride. The Cabal formations collapsed easier
than I expected. If only I had an assistant to fill out these damned reports.
Or perhaps a bard to sing your praises everywhere you tarried! joked the Hunter. When it
came to battle, Lady Magnas success was so rarely in doubt, Vatyr considered it some cosmic
joke played on her foes. By the expression on Telemicas face, it appeared mention of a bard
caught her fancy, and suddenly he felt sorry for her Ghost in what would no doubt be his new
responsibilities.
Before Vatyr could continue, a Ghost flew over to them from the north. Hunter SJet and Titan
Magna. The Speaker wishes to address you both at your earliest convenience. it said before
scurrying off.
It was not unheard-of for The Speaker to converse with Guardians, but it was notably rare. The
Speaker was often reclusive within his observatory and few wished to trouble him. The general
feeling was that since he had the ears of the most powerful people in The City and his concerns
were beyond a normal Guardians ken, it seemed unwise to interrupt.
As the two Guardians entered the northern wing of The Tower and approached the
observatory, they spotted the third member of their veteran fireteam waiting at its entrance.
Solas-3 starred at the immense machinery that somehow allowed The Speaker to do his work,
though starred would be technically incorrect. Solas didnt have eyes, but did indeed see.
People often had a hard time conversing with the Exo who had the majority of his face covered

with metal. Some dared to ask if he saw through the two black horn-like apparatuses that gave
him a pseudo-fantastical look, but he would never answer definitively. It was the first secret of
the Warlock built of secrets.
Ho there, Solas spoke Telemica as they reached him. They didnt worry about surprising him,
as they knew Solas saw things beyond what normal eyes could.
Solas turned his head slightly in their direction to address them, his indigo backlight seemed to
be a visual calming agent to his words, We should not keep The Speaker waiting. before
walking in. The other two followed.
At the top of the single curved flight of stairs, The Speaker busied himself with holographic
displays. No doubt the latest scans of The Traveler. The Speaker turned to address the fireteam
when they approached. Ah. Yes. Good. Thank you for returning so quickly, Guardians. I have
need of you. There is a small band of humans living in old Italy. Western Sicily. They need to be
extracted and brought to The City with as much speed and as little attention as possible.
Why not just send a transport with regular militia? Telemica asked as respectfully as
possible. Gathering refugees was not something Guardians often did, especially veteran
fireteams.
The darkness is swirling around a point of light. It must be saved. said The Speaker in his
usually cryptic fashion. The answer didnt satisfy the Titan, but before she could press, Vatyr
touched her shoulder, signalling her to pause.
As you wish, Speaker. said Solas with a small bow. The other two followed suit and exited.
As the three Guardians made their way to the hangers, Telemicas patience was wearing thin.
Do you two want to fill me in? she asked as she followed.
Solas was ahead but didnt slow his pace or turn when addressing her. The Speaker does not
want this mission to be high-profile, but it is critical nonetheless. Gears turn. There is much
more at play here than we realize.
Our dossiers were on his screens as well. Fireteam history, psychological assessments hes
chosen us specifically for this mission, whatever it may be. It also explains why this mission was
given such a low priority but was assigned to us. Hes hiding the operation in plain sight. Vatyr
interjected.
Telemica nodded in understanding. It put her on-edge to not have all the available
information, but a soldier followed orders. At least she knew to expect more than what was on
the surface. Whatever it is, Fireteam Warden will be triumphant! she exclaimed with a raised
fist. Vatyr found her confidence reaffirming, and knew Solas did as well, regardless of the lack
of reaction from him.

Frontier Act02 Chapter05 Concerto

Earth
Old Italy, Western Sicily
The personnel transport bucked hard against the turbulence. A storm was moving into the
area over the Pacific ocean. Vatyr hated turbulence. Put him in a ship approaching the speed
of light and his constitution was solid, but put him on a rocking boat and youre likely to find
him tossing his lunch overboard. Most Awoken had the same affliction. Vatyr could not wait
until he was back on solid ground as he adjusted his armours settings in an attempt to calm
his stomach.
In contrast, Telemica slept sitting up, and Solas was so still in his seat that youd be forgiven for
thinking the synthetic was simply off.
Visual on the landing site announced the pilot over the intercom. This storm will likely get a
lot worse before it gets better. Once we land, itll be difficult to take off until it clears.
Telemica arose and checked the ships sensors. The shoreline was littered with various
structures predating the Golden Age. What little intel The Speaker had provided said the
refugees would be found here. Hiding. Hiding from what, Telemica wondered. No Fallen
houses or bandit gangs were reported to operate in the area.
The ship jostled harder this time. The storm would no-doubt be a full-blown hurricane in
hours. The pilot had little choice but to put her down at the first opportunity. Scans of the
surrounding buildings showed several dozen heat signatures coming from the beachside
buildings, and landed a few meters away from the one with the most signatures.
Under the pitch black and angry sky, Telemica banged on the large door to what looked like an
ancient chapel. We mean you no harm! We bring food, medicine and safety! Please let us in!
she announced loudly enough for those inside to hear over the howling winds. It took a few
more announcements for the doors to open.
Guns, some old enough to be in a museum were leveled on the fireteam as they slowly
entered with hands in the air and helms off. Vatyr instantly counted 56 human refugees in this
chapel alone, with at least 10 of them being armed with more than knives and sharp
implements. Solas was the last to enter and he seemed to change the energy of the room
slightly. Vatyr guessed they didnt encounter many Exo out here.
Telemica rolled the large sack of offerings from her shoulder and held it out at arms-length.
As promised. I hope these help. We only mean to talk.
An elderly woman hidden behind the altar rose to her feet and walked toward the guardians
down the centre isle without reservation. Using simple hand gestures she commanded one of
the armed men to take the sack. He did, and after a quick inspection handed it to the woman,
though the womans eyes never left those of Telemicas. Speak. She commanded.
Were Guardians of the Last City. Its a place where you and your people can be safe and
comfortable. Were here to transport you there. Telemica announced.
And if we decline your offer? the matriarch asked defiantly.
Were not going to abduct you, but if youll let us explain, I am sure youll want to come with
us. responded Vatyr. The Matriarchs gaze seemed to change when looking at the Awoken.

Had she never seen one before, or what it something else? Tense minutes past before the
Matriarch waved her hands in the air, signalling the guards to lower their arms and allow the
Guardians entry. A woman bolted to the Matriarchs side and was handed the sack, which was
promptly emptied and surveyed.
A tense hour later, Telemica, the Matriarch and her advisers were discussing the situation at
hand in a corner room while Vatyr was ogled by the rest. Children prodded his armour, poked
his luminescent face and tugged at his gold-white cloak. A few of the maidens even giggled and
laughed in the corner while stealing glances at him, and Vatyr took enough amusement from it
that he stole a few right back.
Solas was right by the altar, taking in what was obviously the ritual centre of the room. A
statue of a man nailed to a cross fascinated him. No doubt part of a long-lost religion. The face
of the man was of agony, but not pain. There was also something else he was observing: the
small girl hiding behind the altar. You can come out of hiding. I am not a threat to you. he
said softly.
She arose slowly. She was wrapped up completely in grey cloth with not a single part of her
exposed. Even more curious, Solas could not see through the seemingly simple vestments.
Perhaps I am the threat. spoke the girl in a voice that could not be older than eight years.
Perhaps. I suggest a truce for the time being. responded Solas. Normally such a conversation
between a Guardian and a child would be comical, but there was something about this child
that told Solas she was being dead serious.
She stood there for a moment observing the Exo before walking the main group. Night
comes. Be vigilant. she whispered.
An explosion rocked the chapel. Vatyr rushed towards a boarded-up window and peered
between the boards to see the transport in pieces and flames. Telemica rushed out with the
Matriarch and others, donning her helm. A new and angry howling rose over the wind, and
fireteam Warden understood why a simple militia team couldnt handle this mission.
The Hive were upon them.

Frontier Act02 Chapter06 Battaglia

Earth
Old Italy, Western Sicily
Weve got incoming! hollered Telemica. Vatyr and Solas could sense the familiar excitement
in her voice. Of course Telemicas focus was the safety of the refugees, but she savoured
combat like others enjoyed fine food or drink. She quickly posted herself by the front doors as
others created whatever barricades they could. The sleek form of a Suros Regime auto rifle
formed in her hands.
Vatyr leaped up on to a thick wooden beam in the centre of the ceiling. Taking a crouching
position, motioned for his A.1F19X-Ryl scout rifle to appear in one hand and Scout to
materialize in the other. Im going to need as many swarm grenades as you can give me.
Devote all the armour resources to it except for the cloak. he commanded as he faded from
sight. Scout began to zoom around the open space of the hall, depositing exploding nanobots
that would swarm upon any Hive in proximity. In a few short seconds the space was filled with
nearly a hundred of the small buzzing points of light.
Solas readied his hand cannon Heaven Can Wait and took up a defensive position behind the
altar and pulled the mysterious girl under it. Stay here. He said shortly.
I can help! protested the girl, even as the sounds of approaching Hive intensified.
Solas paused for a moment. Yes. You can. Just not here or now. For now it is my place to
protect you. Will you allow that? he asked with a hand on her shoulder. Solas didnt yet
understand the intricacies of it, but he knew this little soul was at the centre of all this, and had
been for a longer time than just this night.
Yes. The girl sighed in resignation. Please. Thank you.
The screams from outside stopped as the front door suddenly bucked hard. Trigger fingers
applied pressure. Muscles tensed. Breathing stopped.
Stained glass and wood exploded from the sides of the room as Thralls leaped into the
chamber. Their cries were short lived as they were shredded by a cloud of buzzing swarm
grenades. Scout continued to zip around the air, replenishing what he could.
The front door bucked again and a sense of panic began to rise. There are far more demons
out there than other nights! cried one of the armed men, his flight instincts overpowering his
fighting sense. Another slam against the door. It would soon give out.
Look to the Guardians, my children! They will keep us safe! announced The Matriarch to her
kin. Telemica took the queue and raised a fist into the air, charging it with a burst of solar light
that spread over her body as she let out a bloody roar. She knew many of these people would
die tonight, but if any were to survive, they needed to have hope first. Giving her troops hope
was something Lady Magna was renowned for.
The door exploded into tinder as the hulking form of rage known as a Hive Knight entered the
chapel, leading a flood of Acolytes and Thralls. Telemica leaped out from behind the
battlements and sundered the Knights armoured skull with a massive light-charged flying
haymaker punch. The knight crumpled and evaporated as Telemica landed and began to
unload on the others.

Fight! The night will be ours! bellowed Telemica. A hail of bullets joined hers as more Hive
poured through the doorway. Squire materialized and began pulsing charges of arc light into
the wall of enemies, hoping to impress his goddess of war.
Vatyr supported Telemica with precision fire from his perch, but he knew Scouts efforts to
cover the area with swarming nanobots would give out soon. Thralls entered the fray via
blown windows as fast as the holes would allow.
From the rear, Solas massive hand cannon rounds helped to hold the space as his warlock
mind raced. He could see that The Hive were being attracted to something, but he couldnt
sense what. Normally his sight, which pierced the veils between this reality and others, could
spot such a thing instantly, but he could find nothing. The only oddity was the child, who
seemed to be encased in a cloak of nothing. Not invisible, but a vacuum of existence. No light
or darkness seemed to interact with her.
Before Solas could continue that train of thought, a Hive Wizard ripped its way into the
spacetime above the altar and dove down. At Solas? No, he realized. He dropped his weapon
and brought his hands up, slamming his void light against the darkness of the intruder. When a
Wizard and a Warlock dueled each other, it was a battle of titanic minds wielding the essences
of universes, rather than tools throwing bullets and explosives. They didnt attempt to simply
destroy each other, but unexist their foe.
Solas had engaged in such duels before, but this Wizard was different. Its mind was deeper and
blacker than anything the Warlock had encountered before. Massive. So deep and cold it
appeared limitless. Energies spiraled between the two but the Wizard was closing in. A
skittering laugh came from the monster, as if to taunt the Exos inevitable failure.
Knights burst through the walls that once held the main doors and slammed into forward
barricades, forcing Telemica to throw up a barrier of light. It would hold but not for long. The
refugees cowered within the bubble, expending the last of their ammo. Vatyrs swarm
grenades had been used up and Scout had retreated back into the Hunters armour,
exhausted. Vatyr switched to his Defiant Gravity-A machine gun, and used an ammo synthesis
module, but his reserves would not hold long.
Enough! screamed the little girl. Solas suddenly noticed she was bravely standing beside him,
holding the hand cannon he dropped with both her hands. As she pointed it at the Wizard, the
gun appeared immense in her small hands. Surely firing it would snap her wrists, but before
Solas could protest, she pulled the trigger.
Everything went white.

Frontier Act02 Chapter07 Coda

Earth
Old Italy, Western Sicily
The sun was shining.
It was the first thing the Guardians and refugees noticed. The sun cast its warmth as if it was a
normal summer afternoon. No rain. No clouds. No wind.
The second thing they all noticed was that they were lying upon the faint remains of the
chapel. A ring of splinters and sticks was all was left of the quaint structure. A crater existed
where walls once stood, and the only thing in the crater were people.
The Guardians were the first to wake up. Vatyr scouted the shoreline while Telemica saw to
the surprisingly intact refugees. Some died in the battle and many were hurt, but whatever
ended the conflict didnt seem to cause any additional injuries.
Solas walked inland towards a cliff overlooking the beach. There he found the little girl,
wrapped in a blanket. As she starred out over the water with trepidation written on her face,
Solas began putting the pieces together.
She turned to him, her elvish Awoken features glowing faintly under the blanket. A tear finding
its way down her cheek. I dont understand. I dont understand any of it. Matriarch Hera just
insisted on keeping me safe. Always safe. She would have died for me, sacrificed the others for
me.
Solas saw the hand cannon on the ground next to her, its barrel pealed back like a banana all
the way to the cartridge. The handle apparently melted by intense heat until the impression of
the girls hand was sunk deep into the metal. Your gift makes you a target.
I led them away from danger, to safe places. I could sense which way to go. They think Im
some sort of blessing, but Im a curse. She said, choking back her sadness and slowly holding
up her Ghost to Solas as if proving her point. Even this little one couldnt protect me. He gave
me my shroud and then just turned off.
Wisp materialized and flew over to the girls ghost, bathing it in light the colour of love and
family. Solas could hear the cheers coming from below. The refugees must think they were
saved from demons by angels. It was not the first time those cut off from humanity saw the
world in such archaic terms. Such is the way of things when the truth of The Travelers light
and the Golden Age becomes myth and legend. In time theyd come to know the truth.
It is not dead, but the light within it is nearly gone. I hypothesize that bringing back one such
as this required a vastly larger expenditure of light than usual. It can be rejuvenated with time
and care. Wisp said, enveloping the girls Ghost in light. In seconds, its little eye blinked
blearily back to life. The girl broke down in tears, thanking Solas and embracing him. The Exo
was not accustom to physical affection, but did his best. He saw this girls light clearly now, and
it was bright and lovely.

Earth
The Tower
One Week Later

The Speaker has sensed the girl, named Angela, coming into the world some time ago, but
because of the stealth shroud her Ghost had given her for protection, he could not track her
down. He knew her Ghost was somehow incapacitated due to the lack of communication, and
that The Hive were sniffing her out. If The Speaker had sent a large group of Guardians, it
would have tipped off the enemy too quickly. Conversely, if a high-priority call was made,
Vanguard command would have likely requested proof and other red tape. The Speaker
needed a small team to get the job done without drawing any attention.
The girl was important. After all, she was to be the new Speaker.
Angelas unique gifts gave her a unique connection to The Traveler and its light that was
beyond that of a normal Guardian. While Speakers were generally long-lived by the days
standards, they needed to train apprentices, yet worthy candidates were few and far between.
These precious few lived with the current Speaker and took over duties when the master died
or was otherwise unfit to continue.
Word of Angela spread fast. Her young age and power were certainly noteworthy, but shed
also be the first Awoken Speaker. That fact alone had far-reaching political ramifications.
Solas found Angela standing on the outer walkway by The Speakers great machine. She wore
white robes and a white metallic headband denoting her place and status, but they didnt
seem to suit her just yet. She was staring at The Traveler as Solas joined her.
Matriarch Hera and my people seem to be integrating well. She said with a sigh.
Yes. Solas responded calmly.
I know. Im not supposed to think of them as my people any more. All under The Traveler be
under my care and guidance at some point. Still, it feels good to focus on a small group for
now.
Solas said nothing. The silence held for some time.
I never thanked you for all you and your team did. Wed all be dead if it wasnt for you.
You saved us. You. Never forget that. It is within you to change to course of our civilization,
and others. I, and all Guardians exist to serve you
Angela nodded, a smile meeting a tear at the corner of her innocent face. Her right hand
reached up to find his left. Youll visit?
Of course said Solas in a caring tone that surprised them both, yet didnt.
As darkness continued to seek paths of destruction, the sun began to set on the last bastion of
a civilization that one little girl was charged to lead under a dormant god, and one synthetic
who would die to protect her.

Frontier Act03 Chapter08 Twist of Fate

Venus
Forward Base Lambda
If the Martian city of Freehold represented the public advancement of The Golden Age, then
surely the Ishtar Collective represented the scientific paragon of that time. The best minds
humanity had ever crafted did there work under the Collectives watch, and surely a great
wealth of it survived The Collapse.
Over the last few months, Vanguard Command has applied increased forces to Venus theatres.
The goal was to put pressure on the now-weakened Vex and keep them under wraps while
City forces dug in and took control of key assets.
The Fallen House of Winter represented an entirely different problem. Arguably the biggest,
strongest and most aggressive of the Fallen houses, Winter was present during The Collapse
and has been picking at the bones of our past for a very long time. Vanguard Command had
found that even though operations to eliminate key members of their leadership- not the least
of which was their Kell, Draksis were successful, their ability to project force on Venus has
only increased.
Telemica was not considering strategy. At the moment she wanted nothing more than to put
her fist through the table, but her Titan honour wouldnt allow such a display against a
superior. Commander Zavala had come to Venus to inspect the ongoing operations there, and
would no doubt be leaving in a more dour mood than usual. Those that he appointed to take
control of the planet were using Guardians as regular soldiers, holding rigid lines and waiting
for orders.
Over the years, the Consensus built a regular military so that Guardians would be more
available for special missions of greater import. Over time, power brokers within the
bureaucracy weaved Vanguard Command into that military structure just enough that
Guardians could be used in regular deployments. It was a situation Zavala, Cayde-6 and Ikora
Rey had yet to find a solution for.
Guardians make their own fate Telemica thought over and over in her head as useless yesmen buzzed around the Commander. How would he be able to make proper choices if all his
advisers fed him nothing but half-truths and placative lies?
Zavala requested that Telemica attend the meeting in the cramped prefabricated bunker. Hed
look at her every so often as the others spoke. Shed check her posture and try to look like she
was honestly considering the empty words of these gnats in uniform.
Guardians make their own fate
Her fist clenched and relaxed.
Guardians make their own fate
She tried to focus on overhead readouts that should be showing all the lives lost due to bad
command decisions but instead heralded unimportant gains.
Guardians make their own fate

She suddenly noticed Zavala was ignoring his lackeys. His eyes were affixed to a map showing
one of Winters ketches. It was once Kell Draksis seat of power, but since influence had shifted
after his death, it was just one more ship in their fleet.
Zavala raised a finger and pointed at display, triggering a holographic representation of the
area to appear above the centre table. The room lit up with images, reports and parameters as
the ketch grew. And what of this? Zavala interrupted with, moving to the table. Why has a
major Fallen asset like a command-level ketch been designated a low priority? He grabbed a
report frame from midair as if it was on a physical clipboard. This report suggests a new PraKell has taken it over, and is perhaps even constructing a new subprime Servitor.
Excuses rang out. Guardians couldnt assemble in great enough numbers, in proper formations
and quickly enough to mount a classical frontal assault on such a hardened target. Excuses.
Blame shifted to Guardians in the latest of half-veiled efforts to bring them more firmly under
boot. Zavalas eyebrow raised at that and his eyes found Telemicas, knowing her Titan honour
was just as much on the line as his. What do you think, Guardian?
Telemicas face exploded in a predatory grin that would strike fear into even the most stalwart
foe. That was why Zavala had asked her to be there. Zavala needed a real Guardian victory,
and he knew fireteam Warden would deliver. Her voice rang out so that even those working
outside would hear her call to arms, Guardians make their own fate! she roared before
charging out the door and into the Venusian midday rain.
The officers protested. Zavala barely cared to hear them.
Solas and Vatyr were under a tent tending to their own equipment. Vatyr whistled a tune as he
calibrated some of his armours tactile feedback routines. You may want to finish up. Were
about to embark on another ill-advised endeavour. said Solas as he and Wisp finished up a
report. Before Vatyr could ask what he was talking about, Telemica joined them, giddy with
excitement.
Ive got our next mission! Telemica proclaimed.
Do tell. responded Vatyr, who now knew what Solas was warning of and that the next words
out of Telemicas grinning face would be tantamount to suicide.
Telemicas fist clenched and rose with assured victory, Were going to steal a ketch from the
House of Winter.

Frontier Act03 Chapter09 Higher Ground

Venus
I shouldnt have to say it again. piped up Vatyr.
Im betting you will will anyway. groaned Telemica.
Indeed I will! feigning indigence this time with a slap on the knee. This is a bad idea.
Pray tell, which part of the plan are you referring to? asked Solas. The concept of stealing a
huge interstellar ship filled with Fallen elite? The fact that it is just the three of us alone and
with no backup attempting this madness?
Nope. None of that bothers me in the slightest. corrected Vatyr. Its the halo drop. I hate
drops. The small transport shuddered slightly to flavour his comments as it broke through the
highest layers of the planets thick atmosphere. Before the Golden Age, Venus was covered in
a dense fog caused by a runaway greenhouse effect. Terraforming efforts over hundreds of
years made Venus hospitable to life of a more human variety. While you could now see the
surface from orbit, that didnt ease Vatyrs nerves at all.
Ill never understand how an Awoken could be afraid of heights. teased Telemica.
We dont make a habit out of jumping out of our ships and dropping tens of thousands of
meters. rebuked Vatyr, checking his armours seals for the fourth time. Its bad for your
health.
The ketchs location was originally discovered via an old mine entrance, but subsequent
incursions have forced the Fallen to heavily fortify that route. There was no chance for three
guardians to pass through undetected. Stealth and speed would be key, as the target could
literally fly away at any moment. While the idea for a low-orbit drop directly to the hull was
Solas idea, Telemica was all too eager to enact it. Optical camouflage would hide their decent
from upward eyes and Solas would utilize some intricate arc light to catch them on landing.
A blinking yellow light in the hold notified them that the air was being vented out, which
changed to a solid red as the rear door opened. Fireteam Warden stood in single file as Venus
filled their view, her curvature and terminus proclaiming her majesty. Telemica wanted to take
point, but as Solas was the only thing keeping this trip from ending prematurely, he stood in
front.
The red light began to blink. Once. Twice. Thrice. Green light. Training took over and three
Guardians gave themselves to gravity.
Being exactly on-target was beyond critical for the teams survival, not to mention the
missions success, so each Ghost took over the body positioning and micro-controls of each
Guardians armour. Wisp, Glitch and Squire had to put them down mere meters from each
other, which was a task not possible without their immense computational capabilities.
Vatyr and Solas couldnt hear it, but were certain of the terrifying grin that must now be on
Telemicas face.
As soon as the trio broke through cloud cover, small strapped-on packs on their chests opened
up and thin meshes of optical filaments deployed to cover their fronts, mimicking the view of
the sky behind the descending warriors and rendering them at least partially invisible. Vatyr

could have used his armours cloaking systems, but as he was now unable to see himself falling
faster than the speed of sound, he found he actually calmed a bit.
Of course, Solas could see through the mesh. Wisp gave him the landing target through their
neural interface that the three Ghosts would put the Guardians down on, but it was up to the
Warlock to land them safely.
5000 meters. 4000 meters. 3000 meters. Solas began to form arc light bubbles around his
team, weaving magnetic lines through them and the metallic body of the ketch below.
2000 meters. 1000 meters. The team screamed past the point where parachutes would have
worked if they had them. The bubbles began to coalesce. The camo mesh burned away as the
shells became nearly opaque, but Vatyr still got a quick view of the rapidly approaching landing
site, sending his heart into his throat.
500 meters. 100 meters. The Guardians could feel their skin ignite with arc light as their
armour did all it could to keep them from blacking out due to rapid deceleration.
50. 10. 1. Three solid balls of lightning touched down like feathers on the hull of the massive
ship, then vanished quickly as they grounded out along the hull. Touchdown.
No time to think or breathe. The three Ghosts materialized and quickly cut a hole in the hull as
the Guardians ran quick diagnostics, made sure they were not spotted and armed themselves.
A round slab of hull was silently levitated out and Vatyr bent down inverted into the hole,
Heaven Can Wait hand cannon raised. As expected, they were right over a service gantry. No
guards. Vatyr dropped in silently, followed by his team.
Glitch zoomed over quickly to an interface panel and hacked in. No alarms triggered. Im
tapped in, but I cant take control from here. The other two Ghosts replaced the hull plate so
the intrusion wouldnt be obvious. Ive got the layout. she said as she displayed it
holographically for the team. Command and control is in the centre of the ship, engineering is
closer to the engines and the hanger is on the ventral side. Icons appeared to represent they
locations.
The Pra-Kell will be in C&C and the subprime Servitor will be in engineering. If either one tips
the other off to the attack, were finished. Theyll need to be attacked simultaneously, which
means well have to split up. said Telemica as icons for those targets were placed. Ill go after
the Pra-Kell. Solas, you can match any Servitor. Vatyr youll need to back him up.
Sure thing, but what about the Pra-Kells guards and other Fallen asked Vatyr.
I have a plan. Take control of engineering as quickly as you can, then come back me up. said
Telemica with calm confidence as she summoned her Suros Regime auto rifle.
Vatyr nodded. The three Ghosts reintegrated into their Guardians, and with a quick nod
between them, the fireteam began their journey deeper into the Fallen ship.

Frontier Act03 Chapter10 Terminal Logic

Venus
House of Winter Ketch Simiks-Fel
Engineering section
Rumor has it that Winters Prime Servitor was destroyed long ago in a battle involving some of
the first Guardians. Since then, While the Houses resources have always been vast by Fallen
standards, lost Servitors were not something easily replaced. A form of synthetic life all their
own, they needed to be cultivated and nurtured. Grown, in a fashion. Such a thing took time
and resources not readily available to the Fallen, and there was no assurances that a Prime
would arise from the dozens of precious Servitors being tended even under the care of skilled
priests.
Solas could feel a Subprime Servitor nearby. As beings born of void light, their very nature
sends vibrations through the fabric of spacetime. Their signatures were unique to a Warlock
sensitive to such forces.
Ive search Winters database. The Subprime has been designated Suviks-2 and the Pra-Kells
name is Plasis. The Subprime appears to be performing all the roles of a Prime for Winter, but
has yet to undergo its final metamorphosis. said Wisp over the interface. It could be a matter
of days before Winter becomes a much larger threat.
I suppose it is good timing on Commader Tzus part. He can always trust Telemica to
obliterate a crucial target in grand fashion. retorted Solas.
Not unlike a bomb quipped the Ghost. Solas knew Wisp held a bit of satirical disdain for
Titans and Hunters. Leaving their little lights together to bandy about and tout the Guardians
they are bonded to was a source of amusement for the fireteam.
Solas stayed crouched, separated from the main engineering section of the ketch by a vented
grate. Vatyr had gone ahead under cloak and was systematically clearing the engineering
section of Fallen.
The room was a vast and poorly-lit chamber filled with immense spacetime-bending machines
and crisscrossing walkways. Vatyr used the zero-G functions of his armour to traverse these
walkways inverted and unnoticed. He flowed from target to target, eliminating them silently
by sliding his blade into the back of their necks in a flash. The surgical attack instantly
incapacitated the Fallen, but didnt have the flashy explosion that accompanies taking their
heads clean off. Each dispatched foe was helpless and limp as their ether slipped out.
When Vatyr was relatively sure the room was clear of softer targets, he dispatched Glitch to
interface with the main engine controls that were located high above the floor. Glitch would
attempt to lockdown until the next phase of the plan she and the other Ghosts had devised.
Vatyr found himself an elevated position to cover both his Ghost and the newly located target.
Far down below in a large nest of computers, cables and other unrecognizable devices all
woven together hovered the Subprime Servitor, Suviks-2. It sat there, exposing its inner
workings to the bed of technology it lay in, tendrils of etheric energy everywhere. it pulsed
with a burden Solas knew well as Vatyr relayed back video.
Its preparing to become a true Prime. said Wisp. We need to act immediately.

No. Solas said, obviously engrossed in the site. This is something that happens once in many
lifetimes. We stand to benefit much more if we allow it to happen and observe.
Well have to fight a fully-fledged Prime. Vatyr stated as fact, his voice not betraying his
feelings one way or another.
We can handle it. The gains outweigh the risks. said Solas without pause. His confidence
unwavered as he focused on a new task. The crawlway was just large enough to allow him to
sit in a full-lotus position as he dropped his mind out of the physical world and focused himself
his uncanny Warlock senses.
Vatyr lay there cloaked as a Fallen Archon Priest entered the room, followed by dozens of
Vandals, Servitors, and the Pra-Kell, Plasis. Even though the appearance of such strong foes
should have worried the Hunter, it didnt. Their presence here meant Telemica was not
engaging them alone elsewhere. An Archon Priest being on the ship however did increase the
risk ahead substantially.
Glitch relayed newly mined data from the database she was interfacing with. Confirmed
Archon Priest. Goes by the name Mehsor. Vanguard has a pretty substantial bounty out on this
one.
Plasis was enormous, perhaps larger than the Priest. If he had not already taken control of the
House of Winter, he would be very soon. The Subprime took notice as the Pra-Kell approached
the nest and knelt in front of it, the Priest behind him. As the other Fallen surrounded the
nest, Mehsor began weaving ether-infused void light around all the participants. Solas could
tell these were pathways or conduits, but he was unsure what their purpose was.
The nest suddenly surged to life and slowly encapsulated the Suviks-2 like a cocoon, lifting into
the air. Metallic tendrils shot out of the cocoon and sped through the conduits, impacting into
all the participants except for the Pra-Kell and Priest. Vatyr heard Fallen screams before their
bodies fell apart one by one and Servitor shells dropped lifelessly to the ground.
Of course. Sacrifices. said Wisp as the cocoons tendrils retracted.
The cocoon began to writhe violently as Mehsor poured vast amounts of void light into it
through Plasis in front of him. It grew and grew until it was a solid mass of violent energies.
Suddenly the shell burst open with a dull thump sound that seemed to be heard not by the
ears but by the soul.
A Prime Servitor was born.
It loomed massive and menacing, its body molten metal hate. It stared at the Pra-Kell and
Archon Priest, still cracking with void light. Its ruby red eye glowed hot. The Archon waved his
hands and weaved new conduits, connecting the Pra-Kell to the Prime and the Prime to the
Priest. Mehsor and Plasis bodies lifted from the ground and became suspended in front
of Suviks-2, which was clearly in a partially manic state.
Solas could see it all. The Prime needed to be bound. Leashed. The trinity of the Prime, Archon
Priest and no-doubt what was about to become a true Kell was a power base from which the
greatest Fallen houses found their strength and influence. Tendrils of ether wrapped around
the three, intermingling their very essences and causing the Prime Servitors eye to cool.
Suviks-2s body lurched open, revealing strange mechanisms and metallic organs. From these,

ether poured into the Priest and Pra-Kell, causing their bodies to grow and strain under the
new vigor they shared.
Ive learned much. Now we need a plan of attack. said Solas, coming out of his trance state.
Vatyr cycled through his arsenal list and was about to agree, if not for the booming battlecry of
Telemica from above as she fell terminally on the Fallen monsters like an arc light comet.

Frontier Act03 Chapter11 Dead of Winter

Venus
House of Winter Ketch Simiks-Fel
Engineering section
As Telemica charged through the ships corridors, she didnt stop to engage the Fallen crew
she encountered. The Titan simply ran through them, letting them break upon her like calm
waves on a beach, forgotten a moment later. When she found her path intersecting the
engineering section across a high-up gantry and spotted the ritual far below, she didnt think
that the other members of fireteam Warden were nearby. She only thought how truly epic a
story she would tell when she annihilated a Kell, a Servitor Prime and an Archon Priest in one
meteoric strike. Without a moments hesitation she vaulted from the walkway and fell to her
glory.
It was five minutes after impact, and she was still surprised that her daring maneuver had
barely injured the enemy. She grappled with the Kell named Plasis, whirling with him in a
violent cyclone of close-quarters combat. Her advanced knowledge of strikes, locks and holds
was surely being tested by the four-armed giant.
Immediately after the Titans drop, Mehsor and Suviks-2 attempted to get to a more secure
location. Already perched in a perfect sniping position, Vatyr fired a few shots at them in an
effort to block the escape and separate them. Suviks-2 began to blink-teleport rapidly away,
hoping the Archon would follow but knowing its first concern was its own safety.
Unfortunately, as Mehsor began to hunt for the hidden sniper, the Servitor Prime found itself
face-to-face with Solas.
Telemica and Plasis traded blows and evaded each others attempts at takedowns. The fight
was too close and too fast to make use of any weapons other than those of their own forms.
Plasis had tried to use his long blade, but Telemica had caught the edge between her palms
and snapped it in half. Both knew Plasis had the advantage with two more arms and at least
twice the weight of the Guardian. The Titan had already taken some serious blows and her
armour was telling her of broken bones and internal bleeding while it tried to keep her
moving.
The Kell grabbed his opponent and lifted the Titan over his head with the intent on either
throwing her across the room or breaking her spine across his knee, but a massive hammer-fist
to the back of the head disoriented him enough for the Telemica to drop down on his back,
wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around its upper torso. Plasis vaulted stories
high into the air, coming down on his back and crushing Telemica thunderously underneath,
but limbs augmented with field drivers and myofiber muscles continued to tighten around the
Fallen. Armour began to crack and ether began to escape, causing the last thoughts of the Kell
to be of panic before his head popped off and his lifeforce fled his body. A few minutes later, a
hearty laugh came from under the dead armor of the Kell, still heavy enough to pin the injured
Titan.
Solas and the Servitor blinked in and out of existence so rapidly, one could be excused for
considering them tricks of light. Blasts of void light fired from the synthetic lifeforms eye at
Solas but never came close to finding a target. Solas was smaller and much faster. He knew the
Servitor Prime was still weak from the evolution that just took place and would want to escape

in order to recuperate. Solas cut off escape paths that Suviks tried to use, while also herding it
into a boxed in section of engineering and keeping it on edge with flashy but random attacks.
As soon as the Servitor Prime found itself caged not just by walls but with its own terror, it
lashed out with a mechanical scream as its body opened. Ten metal spears each almost as long
as Solas was tall launched from its inner workings and flew into the cavernous room, quickly
sweeping thin rays of arc light from their tips and attempted to slice Solas into small pieces.
The Exo moved as fast as he could, creating dozens of afterimages in his wake. These spears
were almost as fast as the Warlock was but only just. In minutes the room began to fall apart
after getting shredded by the Servitors arc beams and the shockwaves that Solas left in his
wake.
Suddenly Solas vanished entirely. Minutes passed. Suviks couldnt figure out if it had sliced the
Guardians into bits, buried him under rubble or scared him away. The spears returned to the
main body just as Solas blinked into existence a step away from its huge eye. His hand charged
with light and shaped like an arrowhead, he impaled the huge construct, driving himself into it
up to his shoulder. The Servitor wailed and thrashed as its internal balances of energy were
sent wild, tearing itself apart from the inside out. The Warlock drew out what energy he could
in order to keep the Prime from recovering, but they both knew it was too late. Violent
torrents of ether and light tore Suviks body apart, ending in an explosion that obliterated what
was left of that section of engineering.
Solas appeared on a nearby platform, having blinked away at the last moment. The
warlock had absorbed what he could of the Primes own ether, and with it, some of its
knowledge. It was officially a forbidden technique among the arcane orders, but the more
praxic guardians were known to bend the rules as often as they bent the universe. The
encounter had left him disoriented, however. His body surrounded by a mote of ether as his
mind dove into new resources. Solas simply didnt have the capability to notice Mehsor behind
him.
The Archon was in a blind rage after seeing the Servitor Prime destroyed, ready to bring the
pandemonium of energy he held up in his hands down on the Exo. Vatyr had evaded the
Archon a while ago and was watching Solas back from afar when the saw the Archon appear.
Never taking his eyes from his scope, he formed a void shell of a bullet in his hand and filled it
with as much solar light as he could before placing it in the breach of his sniper rifle. The
Hunter closed the breach and fired the light-bullet at the back of Mehsors head. The shot
echoed through the entire ship and off the walls of the cavern it sat in.
When the star-bright bullet encountered the helmet of the House of Winter Archon Priest, the
energy within expanded and encapsulated the entire target in a huge ball of blue-white plasma
that resembled a chaotic star several meters in radius. The event was so explosive that it sent
Solas flying, tumbling to another platform. If one could listen past the deafening roar of the
plasma ball, one would have experienced the last screams of the Priest as the matter that
made up his body was turned into fuel for nuclear fusion, sustaining the mini-sun and melting
anything nearby for a few seconds before vanishing like an extinguished candle.
Vatyr made his way over to help the dazed Solas, then the pair freed an injured but still giddy
Telemica from under the remains of her foe.
Now what, fearless one? asked Vatyr, aiming the question at Telemica. Weve accomplished
the near-impossible.

Now? Now we collect our prize. Squire? Telemica called her Ghost into being.
Yes, my goddess?
You and the other Ghosts take control of the main engineering controls. Lock out all other
control access on the ship and lock down every compartment. Give me control of this ship. Im
taking it. commanded the Titan.
Glitch was already in the process of dominating the ships systems. Wisp materialized and
followed Squire to Glitchs location.
I hope they can pull this off. murmured Vatyr.
A little faith goes a long way. offer Solas, who sat on the ground to rest. Our little lights will
come through for us.
All over the ship, screens went dark and doors slammed sealed. Amazingly the battles that the
Guardians had initiated had not damaged the ship enough to keep it from flight. Engines
roared to life as anti-grav generators came online. The ship tore itself from the moorings
anchoring it to the cavern and lifted into the sky.
Set course for the city. Send word that were on route. commanded Telemica with arms
crossed and head held high.
My lady, we have ships incoming. Fallen. Skiff-class. Theyre locking weapons on us. said
Squire. A nearby screen offered the view of several dozen of the small ships coming in as
quickly as their engines could manage.
Word must be out. The Fallen on the ground are firing everything theyve got at us, but its
nothing that will damage the hull. Those skiffs on the other hand mused Glitch.
Remove them from my sky! she commanded with a wave of her hand.
Love to. Problem is were already occupied hacking and controlling a few other major
systems. As its only the three of us doing all the work, adding one more high-priority system
to break into and use probably isnt the best idea. suggested Glitch. While the Ghosts tone
the Titan, the advice was sound.
Spinning up FTL. We can jump to just outside the citys defense lines. said Wisp, bringing up
hyperspace telemetry readings in order to solve the equations that make it possible to move
matter without moving it. Squire took over the other systems while Glitch assisted Wisp in
controlling the technology that would rip a hole in spacetime. Generators came to life and
engines whined as the universe swallowed the ketch up here and spit it out there.

Frontier Act03 Chapter12 Spoils of War

Earth
The City
Office of Vanguard Commander Zavala Tzu
It was weeks since the ketch ship of the Fallen House of Winter appeared in a violet flash mere
kilometers from the outermost defense posts of the City. Alarms were sounded and alert
responses initiated as they should, but before intercept fighters could make it to the target,
their mission had changed from destroy to protect and escort. Vanguard command managed
to pull a few strings with the Consensus Council and arranged for the ship to anchor itself
safely behind the defensive walls. Work quickly began to convert the Exodus Blue Crucible
site into a drydock for the massive vessel, causing Lord Shaxx to moan and grumble for some
time after.
Commander Tzu sat behind a large display in his office. The space was deep within the bowels
of the Tower and some distance underground. It was a large but spartan place, with everything
having a place and function. Telemica wondered if his quarters were similarly utilitarian as she
quickly went over the latest reports from the crews.
Were still downloading and decrypting the main computer systems for analysis, but just the
hardware and materials alone makes this one of the biggest enemy asset acquisitions in recent
memory. Theres enough raw materials here to do a lot of good for the Citys growth, enough
weapons and vehicles to keep many Guardians well-equipped, and enough sensitive tech and
data to keep the Cryptarchs intrigued. Fine work. noted Zavala as he reviewed the same
reports. He never actually looked at Telemica, but knew she was incredibly pleased with the
results of her insane mission.
Thank you, sir. She said in as formal and calm a tone as she could manage. There were a few
twinges of pain still left in her body from being crushed under the weight of the massive Fallen
Kell, but they only reminded her of the glory.
We should go. noted the Commander as his Ghost whispered directly into his mind. He stood
from behind his desk in full formal uniform and motioned for the formal-clad Telemica to
follow him. They left the office and routed their way through corridors and up lifts to arrive on
a secure open-air landing pad several stories below the Tower plaza. The area was used to
receive dignitaries and other VIPs. It was cleaner and more decorative than the pads used by
the normal traffic, showing off the scale of the Tower and the majesty of the Traveler.
By the time Zavala and Telemica arrived on the pad, the other Vanguard leaders and the rest
of fireteam Warden were already there and in similar garb. While the two Titans displayed
their military history through their strict and formal uniforms, the others did not. Solas and
Ikora wore ornate robes covered in intricate holographics that changed and morphed based on
a variety of inputs and sensora. Meanwhile, the only difference in what Cayde and Vatyr wore
was the ceremonial dirks and sheaths that hung at their sides. The two Titans joined their
comrades and also passed a number of armed guards who were sticking close to a secure
container several meters in size.
Minutes passed before the guests ship came into view, along with a full two squadrons of
escort. It was obviously designed to be an armoured personnel carrier, but its violet and gold
trappings showed that it was modified for royal use. While some of the escorts took up holding

patterns alongside Tower security forces, others hovered near the pad as the AVIPC landed
and revealed its passengers.
The Vanguard leaders approached as the Awoken queen, her brother and a pair of guards
waited at the bottom of the ships steps. The fireteam couldnt head anything that was being
said so far away. Telemica was rigid at full attention and Solas seemed to have his mind
elsewhere, but Vatyr was good enough at reading lips to catch some stuff and put the
discussion together himself.
Pleasantries. Formal greetings. Blah.
What gift?
Theyve mentioned us. Hes not interested at all but she she loves a good and bloody story.
She always did.
I wonder what this is all about
Cayde motioned to the guards at the rear, who slowly escorted the container towards the ship
on an anti-grav platform. The two Awoken guards met them halfway and scanned the
container vigorously for what seemed like ages.
Vatyr wondered What could be within as his eyes went back to the visitors and found while
the vaunted Master of Crows was intent on the container alone, the queens gaze was focused
entirely on Vatyr.
No.
The slightest of grins appeared on her face.
Im not that anymore.
Her eyes penetrating him. Ever the prey on her hunt.
I cant be that anymore. I
The Awoken guards had finished scanning the container at some point and relieved the Tower
guards of their burden, escorting the container passed the dignitaries and on to the ship. The
queens gaze left Vatyr with satisfaction and almost ignored the gift, as if shed already
accomplished what she set out to do. No further talk was apparently necessary as the royals
boarded the carrier right behind the container and departed with their escort, no doubt
headed back to the Reef.
Vatyr, you are sweating. mentioned Solas without looking directly at him, not that he ever
had to.
Its hot. Im hot. Isnt it hot? said Vatyr in an obvious excuse, almost stammering in defense.
So what was in the container?
The Winter ketchs jump drive core. Such intricate Golden Age marvels are nearly impossible
for us to recreate and are priceless to the Awoken. No doubt it was gifted in the hopes of
strengthening diplomatic ties. said the Exo in a slightly bored tone before wandering off.
Zavala and Ikora were debriefing the guards as Telemica hung around, no doubt expecting the
guards would immediately want to hear of her latest adventure and she was all too eager to
spin the embellished tale.

You doin alright? asked Cayde as he wandered towards Vatyr.

Yeah. I wish you had warned me that they would be here.
Sorry. Operational security. Did she-
Yeah Vatyr said, defeated as he slowly wandered back into the Tower, melting into the
normal hustle of the place like a sound that unearths a dark memory.

Frontier Act04 Chapter13 Desert Creatures

Mars
The Black Garden
It was a rare occurrence when Vatyr found it difficult to believe what he was seeing. Hed read
the reports of this place, of course. He knew about the Vex and how the Traveler had
supposedly trapped them here in a pocket of spacetime, along with a piece of the Darkness
itself. He knew about the brave guardians who dared to break in and slay the heart of
Darkness that the Vex worshiped. Still, for a place of such evil, it was amazingly beautiful and
alive.
Massive corridors of synthstone still coursed with Vex energy. Lush flora grew everywhere,
providing a living snapshot of the Martian ecosystem that was being encouraged during the
Golden Age. Bioengineered flowers with blood-red petals must have been a common sight in
Freehold gardens before the Collapse, but without humanity to nurture the changing global
ecosystem, Mars returned to the sand.
Ever since the Garden was freed, teams of scientists had taken up residence within its walls,
attempting to unlock its secrets. Fireteam Warden was on-site as part of a bolstering of
military security, courtesy of the Tower. Fireteams would shift in and out, making sure the
remaining Vex presence didnt become a problem for the expedition. So far it had been going
rather well.
Vatyr had taken up a well-used sniper perch while he listened to chatter and gazed at the
beauty of his surroundings. It was rare for him to be so relaxed while operating in a combat
zone. Solas was off assisting the group of scientists tasked with surveying the shrine where the
heart of Darkness once resided.
Telemica was called away several hours ago and seemed far too rushed to explain what was
going on. Vatyr didnt even consider how long she was gone until she opened up comms with
the rest of Warden on a secure channel.
We have a big problem.
Nice to see you too. quipped Vatyr at the video link of Telemica in her ships cockpit.
The Cabal are coming. stated Solas so dryly it was as if he was stating that the Sun was hot.
How did you-? Yeah. Cabal. Scouts have been tracking increased activity for some time now,
as well as changes in the Exclusion Zone satellite network. We thought it was a response to the
increased guardian presence of the last few months but a few hours ago we caught a huge
spike in activity. Sats we thought were going one way darted off in another and- Telemica
took a half-breath, knowing her team could piece together the rest.
Theyre taking the Garden from us. said Solas with a hint of sadness.
The interference lattice is already coalescing around you. Normal communications are already
dead and all our orbital assets are either dead, blind or getting extracted. The only way Im
getting through is Ghost-to-Ghost quantum entanglement, but that only gives us a minute at
most. The bulk of the Blind Legion is coming and will have their main Imperial lad tank on top
of you in a little over one hour. Im just ahead of them and burning hard on a suborbital
apogee. You two need to evacuate everyone and everything you can. Telemica commanded

as her signal began to devolve into static. Weve got forces and transports on the way but the
Cabal will get there first! MOVE!
The last command was mostly eaten by static as the line went dead and a rumble from above.

Frontier Act04 Chapter14 Death From Above

Mars
The Black Garden
50 minutes Later
Unlike Fallen houses that often warred against each other, Cabal formations are all served the
same empire. While their specializations and differing missions gave the impression that
they were isolated from each other, you need only give them a target big enough to know your
dire error.
50 minutes ago, the entirety of the Black Garden expedition was beginning to evacuate . Vatyr
was just greenlighting the first transports to lift off when dozens of hypersonic booms
shattered the sky. Leaving quickly and while under fire was always something the scientists
and soldiers had in the back of their head and were prepped to do, but they probably didnt
expect to be doing it while the sky was falling.
Siege Dancer orbital drop pods descended well beyond terminal velocity thanks to heavy heat
shielding, acceleration thrusters (as opposed to the deceleration thrusters one would sanely
expect) and fanatical soldiers inside. The jet-black pods slammed into the ground and walls
within the Black Garden, incinerating some and burying others under synthstone debris.
Almost all of the Cabal survived, much to Vatyrs surprise, and were all too eager to climb out
of their metal tombs and kill anything that was not one of them.
Shock and awe. Thats all Vatyr could think of as he loaded another magazine into his scout
rifle. Hunkering down behind a chunk of broken wall, he tried not to be too impressed with the
creatures trying to blow him up with volleys of micro-RPGs.
They may have had the element of surprise, but its difficult to surprise a group of superpowered soldiers that have all died a few times. Guardians engaged the Cabal shock troops
head-on, allowing the regular military forces to extract what scientists and equipment
remained. Fireteams worked together to isolate the hulking aliens and create avenues of
escape to reach the transports in other sections of the garden.
A pair of warlocks slowly advanced, wreathed in solar light and lashing at the heavy shields of
the Cabal intruders with solar flares. Long whips of plasma extended punishment with
sweeping waves of their hands, cutting their foes to ribbons. A small group of hunters took up
residence within a small cave in a high moss-covered wall, firing sniper rounds and tossing out
swarm grenades to keep the Cabal harassed.
More booms from above. Another wave. More shooting stars bringing fire and death. Their
landings obliterated whatever was in their way, friend or foe. A mighty titan thought he was
protected under his dome of void light, and probably didnt have time to feel regret as the
defense or his armour barely slowed the incoming projectile. A Cabal colossus roared as he
poured death into the hunters cave with his heavy slug thrower.
Vatyr could see the last transport lift off once the drop pods subsided. As he signaled for the
other guardians to take up more defensive positions and dig in, cannons thundered from over
the high ridge behind him, sending huge tracers along the bow of the last personnel carrier.
Shields buckled and armour sizzled but the the pilot at the stick kept his head, pulling the ship
away from the anti-aircraft fire.

Jumping to a higher perch, Vatyr could just make out where the shots came from. The Blind
Legion imperial land tank had arrived. No reinforcements would make it through now.
Sorry I am late. We ran into some Vex along the way and had to take an alternative route. The
crew I was guarding was on that last transport. spoke Solas over comms. Vatyr turned around
just in time to see a massive void light explosion rip apart a handful of Cabal soldiers molecule
by molecule. Sitrep.
The main Cabal force is here! Wheres Telemica? asked Vatyr as he scanned the skies.
We will have to locate her later. For now we have to take control of the situation.
Vatyr made it to ground and cut a path to Solas. Take control? The Black Garden is lost to us,
Solas. We have to get everyone out of here! We cant hold against a land tank and a few
thousand elite Cabal soldiers!
With the processing speed of an Exo and the unfathomable depths of a warlock, Solas mind
quickly assessed the situation. The rolling superfortress was an extinction-level weapon in its
own right and would be fully on top of them in minutes, not to mention the dozens of other
armoured assets and most of the Blind Legion, one of the most dangerous Cabal formations.
There were only around 20 guardians in the garden with no anti-armour backup, and were
having enough trouble with a few dozen Siege Dancers. Youre right.
He tied into the communication frequency that all the local guardians were using. Break Break
Break. Guardians, I am Solas-3. I am assuming command of this operational theatre under
authority code TYR and initiating a code BLACK planetary evac order. Im transmitting a map to
all Ghosts. Encryption Aleph-1056. Decrypt for fortified escape routes accessible on foot.
Evacuate the Black Garden. I repeat, evacuate the Black Garden. Get outside the new exclusion
zone and return to Tower for debrief. Immediate action on receipt. I will take full
responsibility.
Solas received pings of compliance from every guardian on the channel as they made their way
to several uncovered passageways that will leads them out of the danger zone. Most ghosts
were rescued to later revive their charges, but a few were lost to Cabal bombardment.

In the middle of the endless Martian desert, Telemica was a still, crumpled mess.
The land tank had used a repositioned exclusion satellite to triangulate her flight path and
shoot her down. Shed barely managed to keep her shattered craft together, but the ship
desintrigrated in the crash and she was thrown into the side of a dune like a ragdoll, knocking
her unconscious and pulverizing her body.
Squire built an anti-grav stretcher out of the ships remains as quickly as possible, took over
Telemicas armour controls and slowly got her on to the rig so he could get her clear, using the
last of life-support armours systems to keep her alive. After finding a cave for shelter, he sent
out a coded distress beacon and worried himself sick over his injured guardian through the
night before help arrived.

Frontier Act04 Chapter15 Consequences

Earth
The Tower
Solas stood oddly rigid at the foot of a long holo-glass meeting table. The room was mostly
empty except for the table at the centre of the room, 12 simple plastic chairs around it, and a
few monitors on the three otherwise stark walls. The fourth wall along the long side of the
table was a window which looked out over the city. Ikora Rey peered out through the window
while Zavala Tzu gave Solas a full dressing down.
In all my years of command Ive never seen such an astounding disregard for objectives. Your
mission was to protect the assets! Scientists and site. Now all we have to show for all those
months of work are bodies to bury, lost guardians and perhaps the most important location on
Mars just handed over to the Cabal!
Sir. Solas said. Ikora was not sure if he was agreeing, trying to interject something or simply
proving he was still listening. The last option put a bit of a grin on her face, which grew ever so
slightly each time he said it.
Do you have any idea what you simply handed to the enemy? I sure dont, because all of our
best minds were still trying to crack the place! Zavala growled. Commander Tzu was a lion.
Normally a calm and collected creature, its roar put a primal fear into most beings that prized
their own survival.
Sir. Solas wondered if Cayde was similarly laying into Vatyr or if they were just sharing drinks
and stories again.
Were still picking up stray guardians from the surface as they pop up, and each time we have
to engage the Cabal inside a new exclusion zone that we have yet to crack. Youre the one who
told them to scatter and fend for themselves. Do you think that was a good call? Do you think
that puts us in a good position? Were still cleaning up your mess days later, warlock!
Sir. Solas hadnt heard about Telemica surfacing yet, but hed been in debrief almost the
entire time.
Zavala slammed his fist hard on the table. In front of him were reports depicting the details of
the defeat. Before he could continue, a message popped up on the glass just under his stillclenched fist. The commander audible deep breath and got up. Theyve found Telemica. Shes
in critical but Squire kept her alive. he said to neither warlock in particular before exiting the
room.
Solas stance relaxed an almost imperceptible degree at the news. The warlock pair let the
news hang in the air for a few minutes, neither moving, neither needing to.
Even if she died, Squire would have been able to recreate her. Solas noted.
Titans see death as equal parts insult and defeat. Pulling back from the brink of death is an
important state of being for them. It shows their tenacity. Their elan. Ikora said as Solas
joined her for the view. You did the right thing, my friend, and in the right way. Zavala knows
that, but when control of the situation breaks down so much and so quickly, he sees it as a
personal failure. When the exclusion zone shifted and cut him out of contact from what he
knew would be a dire situation Hes not angry at you so much as hes angry at himself.

Suspension. Solas said. He didnt have eyes, but Ikora knew him well enough to knew he was
looking far below at the life down on the street. He was looking at the reason for his existence.
Yes. Fireteam Warden is suspended pending the completion of the investigation and any
further reprimands or punishment, which I am sure wont be needed. Just give it a few weeks
to blow over. Consider it an unscheduled sabbatical.
Ikora put a hand on Solas shoulder, Im glad you made it out, old man.

Frontier Act05 Chapter16 Weapon of Choice

Vatyr slowly roused from a deep slumber and into a world of pain. His tiger-orange eyes
blinked slowly and dryly at his surroundings while his sluggish mind attempted to recall the
events of the previous evening. He pieced it together, step by step.
He was horizontal. A couch. Hes woken up on couches in the past. Nothing new. His left hand
hung over the side, weakly hanging on to an large and empty bottle that at one point must
have been full of something strong and promising. His right arm was pinned under something
warm, smooth and sweet-smelling. Though the sunlight flowing in through the window was
like daggers in his eyeballs, he could make out the lithe and naked form of a woman. Right.
Blonde. Red dress. She was wearing a red dress last night. They danced. They drank. They did
everything they could do to feel alive.
It was hard, these days. Life was a precious and tenuous thing. It could all end at any moment.
It almost did, and what made that happen was coming back. So, what did people without the
power to fight beyond the walls do? They fought the darkness within. They laughed. They
loved. They lived as brightly as they could.
He slowly unwrapped himself from her sleeping embrace and rolled off the couch. He
massaged the back of his neck where the sigil of the Cryptarchs was tattooed. After letting the
room stop spinning, he took a more detailed look at his surroundings. An apartment. Ultramodern and utilitarian, there was very little in the room. There were other people, strewn
around the floor. All sleeping the sleep born of a raucous night that was slowly coming back to
Vatyrs memory. A clicking over in the corner told him there was someone else awake. Slowly
turning, he pieced together who owned the space.
Look whos back from the dead. Cayde-6 said softly as he filled out reports on his terminal,
knowing anything even remotely loud would be like taking a hammer to Vatyrs fragile head.
Its over there. he said as he pointed to something in the corner.
Vatyr smiled weakly. He slowly gathered his clothing and redressed in the scents of the
nightlife. Liquor. Smoke. Perfume. Sex. Walking over to the corner that Cayde pointed to, he
picked up a large, long case. Within was Vatyrs most devastating weapon. His most powerful
tool. Scout swooped over from Caydes desk, no doubt after a full night of talking to Caydes
ghost about whatever ghosts talk about when their guardians slumber. Vatyr made it over to
the desk to quickly down a cup of strong tea that awaited him, put a thanking hand on the
Exos shoulder, and found his way out the door.
The sun was already high in the sky as Vatyrs boots found pavement. Many veteran guardians
had private residences in the City, and Caydes was high above the Citys largest bazaar. People
were already deep into a normal busy day, pushing past carts, pushing their wears, pushing to
survive. The sounds and sights and smells were almost too much for the hungover Awoken,
but the fog and pain was rapidly lifting as Scout tweaked his chemistry.
Winding his way through the throng of life, Vatyr browsed, purchased and just breathed it all
in. These people were the blood of the city, coursing through its busy streets. Hunters often
cracked under the weight of their self-imposed exile, and veterans like Vatyr found that
reconnecting to the people and places that they were protecting kept them sane. A cup of
coffee. Some fruit. Buttered bread. A raw egg and some smoked meat. By the time Vatyr found
his destination, his belly was full and his head was clear.

Vatyr found this corner years ago. The Traveler hung overhead but never fully blocked the
summer sun. Buildings carried echoes of the City through like some sort of acoustical layline. A
wooden crate sat there for what seemed like forever, not labeled and seemingly full of
nothing. He leaned his weapons long case on the mortar wall, sat on the crate and drank in
everything his senses could catch.
People noticed Vatyr pass through the crowds and followed him. When he reached his corner
and paused, they paused with him. They stood still, or sat on anything they could to be
comfortable, awaiting the guardian to unleash his devastating weapon upon them. In time he
picked up his case, sat on the crate and opened it on his lap.
The six-string lute was a deep lacquer and glowed like fire in the warm noon sun. There was an
almost audible inhale as the people saw it, knowing what it could do in the guardians
uncanny hands. Vatyr tuned his weapon, the sound drawing more people in until the alley
corner was impassable. They knew Vatyr not for his skill in battle or the brightness of his light,
but for his work in rediscovering the music of ages past. While others logged and studied in
dark rooms, he gave music to the air, stones and people. This was his corner. This was his
crate. The most powerful and devastating weapon of the Awoken guardian known as Vatyr
SJet was a simple wooden lute with six organic strings.
He played. His songs told stories to the people. Some songs were happy tales that inspired the
audience to sing along and dance and laugh. Other songs were ballads filled to bursting with
sorrow, driving some to weep openly with broken hearts. Scout offered some slight
accompaniments at times, but often she simply listened and embraced the music along with
the people.
Vatyr played all day and into the night made bright by candle and moon. He took breaks. Time
to stretch. Time to talk. Time to eat and drink with the people. Time to enjoy the sight the full
moon above with the people he loved and the people who loved him in return. He reminded
them that life was not worth the effort if it was just about survival. One must feel everything
possible to make everything worth anything. It amused him in a melancholy way to think that a
dead man who saved the world on a regular basis reminded the living why life was worth the
effort with music from a lute, but deep in the throws of a heart-tugging performance, it didnt
seem silly at all.
In time, morning came. The crowd had dwindled to a memory, and the bard made his way
home to rest and reflect.

Frontier Act05 Chapter17 Life Waters

Through the ages after the Collapse, Guardians have organized themselves under different
banners. The Hunters have their loosely-aligned groups that seem to be concerned more about
territory and bragging rights than anything else, while the Warlocks have their secretive
covens that pool astronomical geniuses together as they peel back the layers of the universal
onion. Titan Orders hold the most meaning to the day-to-day survival of our current
civilization, as they were the ones that built and man the protective walls of the last City.
The Titans hold their traditions to the highest standard as well as the strictest of secrecy.
Hushed discussions in dark corners revolve around rites, oaths and ceremonies that have
bound Titans together over their 12 ages.
Incredibly tall doors parted to allow Telemica entry into the vast and dim room. The hall and
pillars seemed built of pure onyx and lit only by hundreds of handmade wax candles and
reflecting moonlight off The Traveler, illuminating the space through huge windows that took
up the entirety of the outer wall. Telemica was clad only in a veil of white silk that was drapped
over her body, while the two attendants flanking her were in full fieldplate armour. Telemica
did her best to walk evenly, but recent injuries made walking at all a painful effort. Under her
veil healing wounds of varying degrees of severity covered a good deal of her body.
In the center of the room was an empty pool with concentric rings of steps built in going 13
feet deep. Her attendants stopped a few paces short as Telemica found her place at the side of
the pool.
My wounds are deep she sang out in a sorrowful key.
The one secret that nobody seemed to guess at was that all Titan rituals were sung, the notes
just as important as the words. From their earliest initiations, Titans were taught to sing,
a cypher that only another Titan would know how to unlock. Every rite and ritual was a musical
production, and a Titans song was as core to their identity as their light.
Out of the shadows, several Titans converged on the rim of the pool. A Titan knew who
respected her by who attended a ceremony as important as this, and Telemicas heart was
filled to see who stood with her tonight. The lords and ladies of the Titan Orders came to pay
respects to one that has proven herself extraordinary. They were dressed in ornate ceremonial
garb that was halfway between their military dress uniform and a Warlocks ceremonial robes,
a wardrobe never seen by non-Titans.
Embrace hardship, for a Titan shall endure all. hymned the gathering. Each Guardian began
to intone, holding a deep trance-like note that filled the chamber and vibrate sympathetically
off the walls. As the vibration became all-encompassing, a glowing blue liquid began to stream
into the pool, being fed from a thousand winding pathways embedded in all of the surfaces of
the room which seemed to whistle as if it was wind flowing through a host of flutes. The
illumination of the liquid found its way to the centre as the pool filled to the brim. Once the
pool was full, the intoning stopped.
Telemica allowed her veil to drop behind her, exposing her full form to the caress of the light
as she stepped in the pool. As soon as her toe met the mysterious liquid, thin and intricate
markings on her skin with thousands of details began to glow the same colour, as if her skin
was taking the liquid in. Slowly she made her way in, and the markings glowed even brighter
than the pool. By the time she was submerged up to her neck, it was clear the entirety of her

was covered in the markings. Without pause or hesitation, she sunk fully into the pool and
floated freely in its centre.
If anyone who didnt understand the ritual had seen this, after the first few minutes had
passed by there would be an intense urge to rescue what looked like a naked and drowning
woman. However, everyone in attendance knew Telemica was breathing freely and in a deep
trance, reliving her greatest victories, deepest defeats and each death with excruciating hyperrealism. All her personal angels and demons did battle in her mind. Failure to survive this trial
would be the loss of ones light, and a permanent and painful death.
One by one, and in a pecking order that was a social calculation done over generations,
Guardians in attendance sang their praise of Telemica and dipped their bare dominant hand
into the pool, lending their light to her survival. Not everyone standing around that pool was
beholden to help Telemica in her struggle, instead singing her failure in notes of defeat. It was
an honour to even undergo this ritual, but not every Titan survived it. This was a judgement at
the highest levels of their society and judgments were in the interests of the survival of
civilization. Weakness could not be allowed at any cost.
Telemicas wounds began to open up slightly, spilling blood into the pool and dimming the
brightness of her markings. When a Titan died and was revived by their Ghost their markings
were lost, unable to be recreated or duplicated, even if their body was salvaged. Every Titan
had different markings created through hardships, and those secret markings helped to inform
the choice of a Titans mark, considered the public face of this Titan secret. Titans given the
choice of this judgement of peers or death gladly risk all to retain their markings and their
honour.
Titans who deeply embraced the Crucible and died often were the exception, though a life
lived too long in such training and not in the service of the City was sometimes seen as
dishonourable and unworthy. It was a grey area for the Orders and their traditions.
One by one, the lords and ladies of the Titan Orders shared their light and her pain. Her
markings brightened. Wounds closed and became shining scars that sprouted their own
markings like flora, telling the tale of the wound in a language only the Order seneschals could
completely decipher.
Telemica opened her eyes, signalling the others to intone again at a higher and more
triumphant key which drained the pool. Once her head was above the liquid line she took a
deep breath of air, but not as urgent as one would expect from someone who was submerged
for close to an hour. Those in the circle looked upon her markings with reverence for they
were proof of a Titan of truly exotic qualities. The markings she earned this occasion were
certainly not alone, as her body was a dense maze of shining scars. Her attendants stepped
into the now drained pool and affixed her armour to her still luminescent body. Once fully clad
with the exception of her helm, she stepped out and rejoined the circle, her body was the now
far brighter than the liquid was, shining even through the armour and creating a dancing aura
of light around her.
Every wound adds to my story. Every injury etches a path of fate on my skin. Every victory
paid for in pain. Telemica sang, the others intoning in the background to elevate her notes
like a symphony.

The lords and ladies of the Titan Orders slowly backed into the darkness from whence they
came, never turning their back on Telemica. She was left alone by the empty pool to reflect on
the experience, and the experiences that brought her there for as long as she wished.
The dawn sun was just breaking over the City, and it was customary to spend a day and a night
on the wall as a simple watchguard to allow one to decompress from the experience. To fly the
flag over the walls that the Titans built and guarded for generations. The posting superseded
her suspension from active duty because it was mostly ceremonial and quiet. Telemica took
her time before slowly donning her helm, pivoting sharply and marching doubletime to her
honoured post.

Frontier Act05 Chapter18 Freakangel

Towers sprouted up over the centuries around the Last City on Earth to fill the role of
sanctuaries for the guardians who fought back against the forces that would lay waste to it.
Inevitably, the deep interiors of these places were claimed in some capacity or another or this
guardian of such and such a group. Nobody really complained. There was plenty of room and
everyone more or less respected each others claims.
Solas-3 had been around for a very long time, even for an Exo. When a freshly unearthed
recruit by the name of Ikora Rey with a bad attitude and an uncanny ability to roll over
instructors appeared, it was Solas-3 that took her under his wing as his apprentice and taught
her how to hone that tenacity into a weapon. He gained a reputation for being calm, focused
and determined. He called the Warlock Iron Lords Skorri and Timur among his friends, valiantly
fighting with them at the Battle of the Twilight Gap. He was Arch-Magus of a small but wellregarded Warlock Order. His official power rank was AAA+, though some believe his true
limits may be well beyond rank S. He was known as The Blind Dragon.
Her blonde hair shone brightly under the harsh hallway spotlights as Angela walked down the
hall, looking at the labels on the doors as she went. Guardians and staff noticed the young girl
and stopped to offer assistance, recognizing her from vids telling of a new Speakers
Apprentice. Angela thanked them kindly for the offer but declined, preferring to take
advantage of the few times she was not waited on like royalty. Her arms encircled a huge
tome, holding it close to her chest. Within the book was documentation of Solas at a
monumental event in the Citys history. She hoped to use this as an excuse to spend time with
someone she considered one of her few and precious friends.
She was so excited and nervous that she almost passed Solas lab entirely. In fact, the door
seemed to almost not be there unless you looked at it directly and focused your mind on it.
The door was only marked with a glowing ward in the centre that was about the size of
someones hand. A lock? There didnt seem to be any other mode of entry. Angela placed her
hand on the runes as it came to life, warming up and vibrating.
Angela. I want to see my friend, Solas. she said. She was not quite sure, but the door seemed
to ask a question, to which she responded almost without her own intent. Her training allowed
her to make sense of some of the glyphs design, parsing out spells that could force the truth
out of unwilling participants. It glowed in many colours and hummed in many tones as
Angelas hand remained on it. Was it deciding whether or not to let her in?
The door bled from view, as did the entire hallway. Immediately it was replaced with the
interior to a dimly-lit but extremely well-equipped laboratory about 2000 square feet in size.
The Speaker himself would have been jealous by what Angela saw, as was she before
backtracking to how she got inside in the first place. She could see no door or window around
her, and her best guess was that Solas somehow kept his lab separated from normal spacetime
by sealing it within a pocket dimension. windows showed her that the lab was indeed floating
in the bleed between realities. Perhaps that door was not the only point of access.
Still clinging to her book, Angela walk around the lab, silently observing all the wondrous
experiments. Several Frames seemed to handle the labs various workings and ongoing
experiements but didnt bother interacting with her. She considered trying to get the attention
of one but decided it was best not to impede their work.

She came to a curious device in the centre of the room. It resembled a large metal seed,
lacking any readouts but several conduits snaked from it and around the pedestal it was set
on, leading into the floor. She hadnt touched anything else in the lab, but something made the
thought of touching this curiousity compelling. Her hand grazed the platinum shell and felt the
presence of her friend. Was he inside? Bracing herself, she firmly placed her right palm flat on
the pod, the book occupying her entire left arm to hold. She closed her eyes and focused her
light into her hand like she was taught to, extending her senses and projecting her mind
forward.
Bright and warm sunlight washed over Angela as she opened her eyes and found herself in yet
another place. The smell of old books, older wood, dazzling crystal and a vague something
baking filled her nostrils. It was instantly the most comforting place she had ever been, yet she
was pretty sure it was not real. It was too perfect, but that didnt make it any less wonderful to
her.
The true secret of this place was that it was not a place at all. While Solas body rested inside a
sunflower seed-shaped platinum pod of his own design, his mind had room to expand and
evolve, thanks to the pods supplemental memory and processing capabilities. The warlocks
celestial-scale mind was indeed contained fully within the Exos frame, but he built the pod
some time ago to allow his intellect some room to breathe and stretch. All of the wisdom that
hed collected since his resurrection was stored here. Every book. Every experience. All of his
knowledge stored in this place to be constantly reviewed and analyzed.
Still clinging to her own book, Angelas curious eyes ran across dozens of other book spines.
She found that she could taste the data within them if she just focused on them a bit. She was
checking out a recovered Golden Age scientific journal about using exotic matter resonance
fields to stabilize quantum slipstream travel, when she felt a new warmth coming from the
third floor. Turning, she saw a silhouette of pure light. It didnt have any features but Angela
could not just tell it was Solas, but that he was looking and smiling at her. It was stunning to
her because Solas always had his emotions under strict control, but this side of him was free.
With all his balances and barriers left behind, the Exo was able to simply be. He was intensely
happy to see her. Moving through the construct of the library, Solas floated down to her
and lifted her up, embracing her in a warm hug. Angela could hear no sound emanate from
him, but she knew he was laughing.. He was so happy to see her it was a bit of a shock at first,
letting loose her own laugh and returning the embrace.
They spent the day sharing stories without speaking, laughs without laughing and just reading
in the comfortable silence of kin.

Frontier Act06 Chapter19 Glass House

En Route To Mercury
Spaceflight always put Telemica on edge. It was the silence. The stillness. Without any
atmosphere to cut through or landmarks to see come and go, the vessel seemed to not be
moving at all. The Titan has been known to fly erratically on long sublight journeys. She needed
to feel her surroundings. Being in the massive hold of a Vanguard transport made it that much
worse. So, she paced. The other dozen Guardians in the hold thought she was anxious for the
battle ahead, but Solas and Vatyr knew better.
It had been 30 hours since the briefing. Vatyr was not sure when he had ever seen so many
Guardians called in for a single offensive. The hangers were beyond capacity and the
shipwrights were working double shifts. Quarters were tight and getting tighter as more
Guardians and shipments of equipment came in. Everyone was talking about what could be in
the works behind the oddly closed doors of Vanguard command.
The evening of the briefing had Guardians packed into every Towers conference room and
huddled around every display. The three Vanguard leaders, flanked by possibly every mover
and shaker in the war effort, appeared in the Speakers observatory. The Traveler loomed
silently in the evening air behind them.
Commander Zavala cleared his throat and spoke. Greetings, fellows. Approximately 72 hours
ago, long-range sensors detected a massive surge of energy from the planet Mercury. Initial
recon revealed this. the image cutting to a high orbital video of the south pole of Mercury.
The image zoomed in fast, coalescing into a shot of a gigantic Vex conflux reaching hundreds of
kilometers into space. The circuit-like canyons of the planet were filling with that same white
light, as if the conflux was spreading roots. The is a live feed. This conflux is growing in size
and energy output at an exponential rate.
A wave of murmurs flowed through the crowds. There was no doubt that this presented a
clear and present danger to the entire system. The Vex were believed to have been more or
less subdued since they lost the Black Garden, but this was the largest display of power theyve
ever shown.
Zavala continued, quashing the quiet conversations. Within the next hour, every recalled
fireteam will be given deployment orders for Operation: Glass House. The sole objective will be
to neutralize the Vex escalation.
As the fleet approached Mercury, The gold shine from Sol gave way to a cold white. They were
approaching the conflux. The southern half of Mercury was now shining brightly, and the
energy spire jutted menacingly into space. Telemica was one of the few Guardians not huddled
around the viewports. instead, she locked herself into her seat and prepared for the rough ride
in. No doubt the Vex would have mighty defenses in place To her, it was a welcome change of
pace.

Frontier Act06 Chapter20 Throwing Stones

Mercuryfall during Operation: Glass House would go down in history as the deadliest 15
minutes in Guardian history. Vex anti-space emplacements appeared instantly all around the
conflux, taking aim at incoming transports. At the same time, the conflux itself did a
remarkable impression of a tesla coil, swatting craft with huge lashes of electromagnetic
energy.
After the battle, it would be found that only one in five transports made it to the surface.
As the fight on the surface materialized, the battle for the skies took shape. The Shipwright
selected fireteams with the best pilots to form fighter squadrons. The top brass was not sure if
the Vex would have a significant spaceborne force or not, so the fighters were equipped for
bombing runs as well. Guardian craft streaked along the surface, annihilating Vex cyclops
emplacements and allowing more Guardians to land and reach the conflux.
Electric fog poured out of the cracks between space and time, ball lightning rolling through it
to reveal legions of Vex. Titans rushed forward, deploying forcefield generators for cover.
Firefights all over the surface reached a fever pitch quickly. It was expected that the Guardians
would be severely outnumbered, and the Vex didnt disappoint. As sparrow-riding fireteams
performing high-speed strafing runs across the front, the wall of red eyes appeared endless.
Where the conflux met the planet surface was a synthstone base which seemed to be growing
outward at the same rate as the conflux itself grew upward. Every Guardian on the ground
fought
Vatyr slid from a full sprint to his knee then down to his belly, never taking his eyes from the
scope of his sniper rifle. The entire contents of his clip had found homes in the cores of
perched Vex hobgoblins before Telemica overtook him and advanced past him. Ten minotaurs
marched towards the Titan, but stopped as she was engulfed in flame. Telemica streaked
towards them an leaped into into them, smashing them to bits with her hammer of solar light.
Solas joined the pair as Vatyr rose to his feet. Lights popped within the ever-present fog,
revealing 23 goblins surrounding them. Solas rose into the air and shredded the new
challengers with an omnidirectional onslaught of arc light.
Vatyr put down a cyclops blocking the entrance to the base with a massive solar shot, clearing
the way for Warden to enter the installation. Were pretty far ahead of anyone else. We
should dig in. he said as they gathered at the entrance and surveyed the battle behind them.
No! We should press ahead! Telemica insisted, the fever of war having fully took hold of her
as she readied her rifle. The synthstone around them continued to grow outwards, and the
structures they could see past the entrance shifted around just as much.
Solas waved his hand in the direction of the dark pathway, sensing what was ahead. small
points of light dancing around his fingers. We have run out of time. We must press
forward. Telemica burst ahead, eager to meet the challenges before them, but Vatyr was
momentarily frozen in place. Something about Solas tone and body language. If he had to put
a word to it, it would be terrified. Still, the word was to press on. Vatyr took a quick breath and
took off after Telemica.
Solas watched Vatyr disappear inside the complex. The complex grew around Solas and closed
the entrance behind him, plunging the Exo into darkness save for the dim glow of the

synthstone. The singularity holds. All paths lead through this crucible. He said, as if praying
to spacetime before breaking into a run.

Frontier Act06 Chapter21 Broken Mirror

While the synthstone structure was only a matter of days old and located on a longdead planet, the caverns within appeared centuries-old covered in deeply coloured flora. As he
ran his hand along the verdant moss, Vatyr posited that this must be either a byproduct of the
Vexs time manipulation techniques, or something carried over from where this synthstone
originated.
Fireteam Warden had been marching at a brisk pace for hours, traveling far deeper into the
construct than they expected. It had been quite a while since the sounds of the battle outside
ceased to reach them. Were they even on Mercury anymore? One could never be certain of
anything when the Vex were involved.
Paths diverged as they traveled further. Solas took point and did his best to sense their
direction, Telemica staying close to him to check corners while the Warlocks mind stretched
forward.
Guardian SJet broadcasting to anyone on these frequencies. We have entered the conflux
installation and are proceeding onward. Is anyone receiving this transmission? Over. Vatyr
spoke into his comms for what felt like the thousandth time. He was not sure if the signal was
reaching anyone, and didnt want to consider that there was nobody left to reach.
I wouldnt bother with that anymore. Chances are they only beings who can hear you now are
us and the Vex. Telemica retorted.
Stealth was never an option. The walls themselves are clearly watching us. Solas interjected,
causing the skin of his fellows to crawl. Solas often forgot that he saw far more than the others
could. The ghosts could offer few answers and refused to even speculate on the situation,
which was adding to the general sense that every step the fireteam into these caverns was a
very bad idea.
Days passed with no rest. Guardians possessed superhuman endurance but even their minds
and bodies still had limits. Telemicas vigilance was beginning to take a serious toll as they
rounded a corner and saw a hazy white glow at the end of a long and widening passage.
Finally. Be on guard, Guardians.
The hall ended at a cliff, water pouring over the end like a waterfall into oblivion. Warden had
to cling to the almost sheer walls to keep from being taken by the rapids that seemed to come
from nowhere. What they saw next shook their confidence to the core.

Frontier Act06 Chapter22 The Golden Path

Fireteam Warden had found the trunk the conflux, which was now wider than they could
perceive from their vantage point. As tall as it had grown, it had also driven itself down into
the planets core as well. The area around the massive energy form had been transfigured into
a shaft so spacious that it held its own atmospheric phenomena, rolling clouds slightly
obscuring the far walls. Tendrils of light and data jutted like roots into the walls of the shaft, no
doubt connecting to the canyon-size circuits coursing throughout Mercury. Even with the aid
of his rifles scope, Vatyr couldnt get eyes on a top or bottom to the shaft. The conflux itself
hummed in a note that made Telemica think of synthetic monks intoning, the frequency of
which she could feel in her bones.
Without pause, Solas began to crawl along the walls of the shaft, avoiding the occasional static
discharge. Vatyr and Telemica shook themselves out of their awe and followed, noticing that
he was headed for a nearby outcropping of synthstone near an oddly thick root. It took them
close to an hour of climbing slowly along the near-shear walls to reach the outcropping, which
almost appeared like a landing pad or control station. Veins came off the root and connected
to a large synthstone wall at the end of the platform.
Anyone find it odd that we have not encountered as much as a goblin since we entered this
place? Vatyr said, looking over the edge.
Odd, and disappointing. grumbled Telemica.
It doesnt matter. This is exactly where we to be where I need to be. said Solas as he
walked slowly but with purpose towards the wall.
It is? How do you figure that? Theres nothing here that will help us shut this thing down.
said Telemica. An anxiety from an unknown place within her began to creep. She brought her
rifle up a little tighter to her frame in a subconscious effort to feel in control.
Solas placed his flat palms on the wall as if trying to push it over the edge. There was an
explosion of kaleidoscopic light that would have blinded Vatyr and Telemica had their helmets
not adjusted quickly enough, though the light seemed to creep into their brains as well and
disoriented them for a few seconds. As they came to, they saw Solas cocooned in rainbows of
violent light, some of it coming from the wall and some from him. the Exo continued to appear
to push as hard as he could against the wall with his palms, bracing his feet under him. The
others knew the vast majority of his exertions were not physical.
Before they could ask the warlock what was going on, the wall at the base of the outcropping
slid aside to reveal a very large portal, which immediately opened and began pouring out Vex
units. Vatyr blink-jumped high into the air, forming void light into the shape of a bow and
arrow. The hunter unleashed a salvo of dark bolts which pinned the Vex in place. Meanwhile,
Telemica was bringing to bear her most prized possession, a Gjallarhorn rocket launcher.
Unleashing shots in quick succession, the initial wave of Vex were leveled, but more were
pouring out of the portal every second.
The light surrounding Solas began to emit a high-pitched sound reminiscent of metal
screaming under stress. The same light and sound seemed to slowly reverberate through the
wall and into the massive conflux root that it was connected to. The normally ordered and
serene white motes of data within the conflux began to become erratic, their colour changing

slowly to an angry crimson. Golden symbols and streams began to flow out of the wall Solas
was interfaced with and fight their way to the main trunk of the conflux, disrupting it further.
Vatyr and Telemica poured every bit of firepower into the oncoming wall of Vex from behind
their portable cover barriers, but it only slowed them. Within minutes they would be overrun.
Solas! I have no idea what youre doing but were running out of time! yelled Vatyr over his
shoulder. Solas showed no signs of hearing him but appeared to be doing everything he could
to accomplish whatever he was intent on accomplishing.
Hydras with dozen of harpy swarms could be seen flying towards the outcropping, and nearby
sections of the shaft wall began to transfigure into cyclops batteries. Telemica screamed
mightily as she unleashed clip after clip into the metal foes. The bloodlust inherent in a
warriors final stand against an insurmountable enemy had taken hold. Her rifle clicked a
second before Vatyrs, announcing that they were entirely out of ammo. Flipping her rifle and
holding it barrel-first, she called forth all the light in her being to form a colossal hammer.
Vatyr followed suit, using his sniper rifle as a core to an immense sword. They both charged
into the horde with battlecries on their tongues, knowing they would die together.
Before the duo met their fate, the shaft began to quake violently, throwing both all but Solas
off their to the ground. The conflux began to shift and mutate, changing colour and shape
rapidly. A fog that usually announced the arrival of Vex spewed out of the portal, wrapping the
Vex in darkness and dragging them back into the network.
Telemica and Vatyr were stunned, turning to Solas for answers. They saw their Exo companion,
facing them at the edge of the outcropping, the interface wall crumbling behind him. It must
be this way. We must walk the golden path. All others lead to oblivion. he said telepathically.
Before either Guardian could speak a word or take a step, the outcropping below Solas gave
way, sending the warlock falling to the depths below and beyond their sight.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to jump over to save him, even though it was impossible.
The outcropping continued to collapse in their direction. Vatyr grabbed the stunned titan and
pushed her against the wall and into the nook that the now-inactive portal had cut out. It was
just big enough to house them as the shaft continued shake itself apart.
The conflux sputtered an stammered, sending waves of cascading multicoloured corruption
throughout its body and out through the roots that spread through the planet. Like a hologram
that had a faulty emitter, it shook and waved until finally collapsing in on itself in a flash of
blinding light and deafening sound.

Frontier Act07 Chapter23 A Band Apart

Vatyr and Telemica awoke on comfortable cots, surrounded by golden linens embroidered
with a black and white sun. A fireplace nearby crackled warmly. Too confused and disoriented
to think or speak, the only thing that got them up was the residual vigilance of the battle they
were in seemingly seconds before.
Vatyr was the first to realize they were at the top of the Burning Shrine, home to the
mysterious Brothers of Osiris. They saw no such brothers around here, but the symbols were
recognizable. Vatyr had been fascinated by them for some time.
Walking towards a nearby ledge, they saw the aftermath of their engagement with the Vex.
The battlefield that was mere minutes ago filled with guardians, Vex, and a gargantuan conflux
was now devoid of battle. Vanguard forces were buzzing around, tending to the wounded
guardians and the few still-living ghosts that housed what remained of fallen comrades. After
getting picked up and reuniting with their forces, they learned that the Vex and their conflux
had both vanished in a violent cascade of light and fog. Many considered it a miracle of some
sort, as the tide of battle was beginning to flow heavily in the Vexs favour.
Telemica and Vatyr didnt say much then, nor did they revel in the hard-won celebration of
others later. Instead, they did their best to help the wounded and assist with evacuation
efforts. They did everything they could to take their focus away from the fact that they had
just lost their friend.
The debriefing took place after a slight recovery time. On one side of the long conference
table, Vatyr and Telemica told their accounting of how they infiltrated the Vex installation and
shut down the conflux. On the other side, Ikora Rey stared out a window at the Traveler and
listened to as much as she could bare. She had arranged it so she would run the debrief, but it
was in some ways like a wake, as Vatyr told of the sacrifice Solas had made. Telemica and
Vatyr knew how close Ikora and Solas had been over the years. Solas had trained her as a
rookie, after all. Telemica knew that while they had lost a dear friend, Ikora had lost perhaps
the closest thing to a father she will ever know.
At the end of his recounting, Vatyr stood up from his chair tried to force all of his ache out
from his throat. He tried to say he should have done more, should have fought harder. His
words choked behind welling tears and a wave of regret that threatened to swallow him
whole. He began to shake before Ikora and Telemica could ease him back into his seat. The
three sat there together and felt what needed to be felt. Funerals were not a custom among
guardians, but many were known to grieve in some ritualized form or another. Ikora noted
that Solas would have been the first to call this mournful reprieve wasted energy, saying he
would note clinically that such emotions detracted from ones focus instead of enhancing it.
The next hour was spent sharing stories of the one they had lost.
Eventually Ikora informed them that they were on leave until further notice before dismissing
them.
Telemica and Vatyr walked the inner halls of the main Tower. Almost every person they met
stopped to offer their condolences. Some came to attention and saluted as they passed, while
others stopped to share stories of how Solas had touched their lives. Some titans spoke of a
rite of honourable passage. Hunters spoke of a small memorial they found at the base of The

Burning Shrine, presumably built by the Brothers of Osiris and that some were journeying to
add to. Warlocks offered words, but whatever plans they had were, like anything, shrouded in
secrecy.
Angela had not come out of her room since Solas death, refusing to see anyone or even eat.
Ikora had asked that they try to coax her out. They went to her quarters and she let them in,
collapsing on to the floor in a weeping fetal ball of pain. Telemica carried her over to her bed
and the two guardians just let her cry for hours until words could come out. Soon she was calm
enough to eat and sleep. Telemica noted as they left the exhausted child that a loss like that at
her age will come to define her, and neither guardian could figure if that would be for good or
ill.
The pair spent the late afternoon hours at the Watch by the hanger doors, trying to calm their
minds while the world moved around them. Not a word was spoken and nobody disturbed
them. Twilight began to set in when someone approached and cleared their throat. Guardian
Arrenn Gee, reporting for duty.
Telemica didnt turn to meet the voice. She knew fully that shed see a rookie guardian
ordered to replace Solas on the fireteam. It was standard procedure and while many would
have liked to have given them special dispensation to act as a two-guardian fireteam, their
experience and skills were priceless to those new to this life and in need of mentoring.
Vatyr turned to duly greet the guardian. A human warlock. He introduced his titan companion,
as well, and asked that she be forgiven as they were in mourning.
I understand. From what Ive heard, Solas-3 was someone I would have liked to have met. I
also understand were on leave for the time being.
True, but we do have a mission. One of the utmost importance. said Vatyr in a matter-of-fact
tone that snapped Telemica out of her daze and turn.
We do? Telemica and Arrenn said at the same time.
Of course! Were going to bring Solas back from the dead.

Frontier Act07 Chapter24 Electric Sheep

I know you are there.

Am I dead?
Negative.
Am I alive?
Negative.
What am I, if I am neither alive nor dead?
Both. Neither answer applies exclusively.
Where am I?

Ah, yes. That question would certainly not apply. Everywhere Nowhere

Well, Arent you helpful

It is not critical that you understand. Conversely, It is you that has helped us.
You most of all, I would imagine.
There is much you do not understand.
I understand more than you think.
Impossible. We are vast, bordering on all. We are five while you are barely four.
I know of many of your aspects. Your goals. Your limits. The cracks and fissures among you.
You deny that we perceive you. You deny that we can affect you. You are willfully blind toward
us, but we are the only thing in your way. Curious.
You attack constructs. Shadows. Impressions. Nothing substantive is within your sphere.
And yet we have damaged you in the past. We have taken things from you. Hurt you.
Impeded your quest to become all.
On the back of a giant.
Id like to believe we make our own fate, but yes.
And yet.
And yet for you to exist, we must have failed.
You have. You are. You will.
You may be many things, but you are not yet immutable. I am not a chalk figure drawn on a
cave wall trying to understand the artist. I see things even you do not.
Impossible.

Is it?
Your presence here has happened before, and will happen again. It is how your kind end and
how we become all.
So much effort to destroy us One wonders if you are afraid. You are certainly acting afraid.
Why else would you be conversing with me?
You delay the inevitable.
Time is meaningless. All that matters is the path, and I have found the one that you can not
see. The golden path that you can not close. Ive stared into this abyss many times, but this is
the first time it has blinked.

Frontier Act07 Chapter25 Starseeds

On any other occasion, Titan Telemica Magna would have strongly advised against such an
insane course of action, but after the loss of Solas, she was willing to entertain any ideas.
On any other occasion, Hunter Vatyr SJet would have been denied his request to fly out to the
Reef with the express intent of confronting Queen Mara Sov, but as fireteam Warden was on
leave, no permission was expressly sought or given. Plausible deniability, as Cayde-6 would
have put it. Vatyr had simply asked Telemica and Arrenn to suit up for a jaunt-type campaign.
Arrenn seemed quietly nervous about it at first, but given the option of simply staying behind,
he chose to follow.
Vatyr and Telemica had tried to learn what they could of Arrenn in the time they had. He was
certainly becoming known as the quiet type, not prone to voicing himself unless directly
confronted, and even then it was short and to-the-point. Likewise, his ghost Gnome only spoke
to Arrenn and even then only on a pure telepathic level. Calling the ghost shy would have been
an understatement. On the other hand, Arrenns skills as a warlock seemed to be beyond what
a new guardian would usually have, especially one that had not aligned with any of the covens
or other organizations. Inherently talented, theyd say.
Any ship approaching the Reef was immediately set upon by the Queens patrols from the
fleets, or by Corsairs. In the past guardians were forced to either turn back or be destroyed,
but that had changed recently. The Reef was beginning to open to Earth, but security was still
extremely tight and the air of clandestine machinations along with general mistrust continued
to hang thick in this part of the system. Guardians were expressly prohibited from
communication with anyone but chosen representatives. Contact with the general populace
would be a grave error, and attempting to contact the higher-ups was tantamount to insulting.
Earth ships bearing zero-two-zero-mark-one-two-zero, you have entered the realm of the
Awoken. State your business.
Say nothing. Glitch will handle this. said Vatyr on a private commline.
Minutes passed and Telemicas sense of impending danger grew with every humming cycle of
her ships engines. These days, the comings and goings of guardians was handled by the Tower
and Vestian Docking Control. It was all veey official and locked-down. Who was Glitch
communicating with? She was about to ask Vatyr what was going on until the patrol ships cut
in.
Vatyr SJet, by direct order of Queen Mara Sov, you and your companions will conform to my
trajectory. Any deviation or communication from this point forward will result in your
destruction.
From this point forward, do whatever they say. Answer all questions and submit to every
demand. Otherwise were pretty much dead. said Vatyr before cutting comms.
Fireteam Warden brought their ships alongside the Awoken patrol, who then banked hard to
starboard. Telemica had visited the Reef before. She knew the way to the Vestian Outpost
where all guardians were routed to, and they were headed nowhere near it, or even the
Awoken military headquarters at 5560 Amytis. The escort took a winding route, ending up at
the heart of Awoken space, 4 Vesta. The staggering sight of one of the systems largest

asteroids fused with hulks of civilization-moving ships and teeming with Awoken life was a
sight that few outside of the realm would ever have.
Landing at a small hanger bay, the guardians were immediately taken into custody and
separated. Telemica kept a close eye on Vatyr for signs of agitation as they were relieved of
armour and weapons, but this appeared to be entirely part of his plan. They dared not
communicate even via ghost as it was known that the Queens Techeuns would hear it and
relay it to the Queen instantly.
Telemica and Arrenn were shackled and led down dimly-lit passages, leaving Vatyr on the pad
surrounded by the majority of their Awoken reception. The sounds of civilization and
movement fell away until the deep silence of vacuum surrounded them, save for the clang of
boots on metal walkways that they themselves created. Eventually they were deposited in a
small spherical holding cell with no windows. The door closed with a hermetic hiss that
separated the atmo of the complex from the cell, and artificial gravity quickly bled away. it was
obvious they were being held in a module that was simply tethered in space, no doubt
ejectable at a moments notice and reserved for the most dangerous of beings outside of the
Prison of Elders.
Once the titan and warlock were out of view, Vatyr was given more space, a level of charade
lifting. A number of the royal guard entered from the far side of the hanger and took
over. The Queen has agreed to your request for a meeting. Follow closely. said one of the
guards with a curt bow of the head, her hand resting on her sidearm. Vatyr was led across the
hanger and through the door that the guard entered from. They traversed halls bustling with
activity, mostly of the military variety. As the entourage passed, people stepped to the side,
speaking in hushed tones about those that passed. It had been a long time since Vatyr had
seen so many of his people, and it plucked a lonely string within him.
The group turned down a corridor and entered an elevator. Vatyr could feel the air pressure
and gravity change as they took speedy but prolonged ride into the modified ship hulls that
encapsulated the asteroid. As they exited, Vatyr noted a distinct change in scenery. Wide halls
ornately decorated. Murals and other artwork depicting the history of the Awoken. Welldressed nobles, ornately-armoured guards and hurried functionaries. Everything was spotless
and just so. Vatyr was led down the hall as he listened intently and with a sense of grim
satisfaction to the whispers around him, most were not as well-hidden as the commoners
gossip was below.
Him? Is he suicidal?
Never thought
a lot of brazen nerve
dead within the hour.
Prince Uldren will have his head.
How dare
Large doors opened to let Vatyr and his accompanying guards into a vast open space
overlooking the Vestian Web. At the end of a long walkway was a raised throne, turned to look
out over the realm. Three robed figures stood by the throne, speaking without words to each
other and whomever occupied the seat. Sedia was the first of the Techeuns to notice the

newcomers. Shuro Chi and Yasmin Eld joined Sedia and moved from the throne to meet them
a few feet from its base. With a waved hand Sedia dispersed the royal guards, sending them
back the way they came. The Awoken witches surrounded Vatyr, peering intently at every
detail of his form. They lifted his arms, felt his stomach, peeked inside his mouth, all the while
conversing with each other via their jewel-like augmentations.
Why have you returned to me? spoke a haunting voice from the throne.
Before he could respond, Vatyr turned to see Uldren Sov, The Master of Crows and brother to
the Queen, flying through the air at him with rage in his voice, pain in his eyes and blade in his
hand.

Frontier Act07 Chapter26 Neverland

The bed seemed impossibly soft, but sleep was at most an elusive concept to Vatyr.
The hunter stood nude in the center of the huge cylinder-shaped bedchamber, taking in the
singular mural that took up the entire wall. It depicted the mighty Queen Mara Sov as she rose
to power in the Reef Wars. Most would much rather look at the naked form of that same
Queen on the bed, pale and drenched, a far cry from the embodiment of power immortalized
in the painting, but Vatyr knew how terrifying she truly was. The conquering and idealized
entity rendered in the mural was far less intense.
The Techeuns had easily stopped the murder-fueled Uldren in mid-flight with their
psychokinetic gifts, the Queen herself ordering him and the witches to leave, not even
deeming the scene unfolding worth her gaze. She was clearly displeased with his actions but
could not possibly be surprised, and neither was Vatyr. As the visage of fury soared through
the throne room at him with a pure and deep violence singing from his aura, Vatyr considered
letting the Master Crows blade sink into his heart. At least this dance would end after so long.
He knew fully all the levels of antithesis that the Guardian represented to Uldren, and Vatyr
couldnt yet bring himself to war over it. Had she commanded it, he would have embraced the
steel looking to rip the life from his body without hesitation.
Numerous veiled attendants appeared and scurried off with Vatyr, removing his bodysuit,
bathing him and scenting him with perfumes to the Queens liking. He was then led to her
bedchambers, where she awaited him.
The night had been long and exhausting. There was no love in her actions, only lust and the joy
in being worshiped. His every movement, exertion and word intended to placate and satisfy
the goddess that straddled him commandingly. Even now she merely lay there in her
afterglow, letting her plaything recuperate for the next round.
He loved her. Endlessly.
He was not sure why he adored her, and he couldnt possibly be sure that his devotion existed
purely because she bent his will to it with her own. Nobody was quite sure where the borders
of her influence lay, nor how she came by the power that bent spacetime and souls. Most
were certain that she was the source of whatever encapsulated the Prison of Elders, and that
was more than enough to fill most sane people with fear and awe.
Yet, he still loved her.
My Queen, may we converse in the time between Vatyr was not quite sure how to
properly describe what had filled the last few hours.
No doubt you came back to me with purpose more serious than your need to venerate me
most directly. she purred as her naked body arose from the mountain of sheets and pillows as
if carried upon libidinous dreams. She stalked slowly towards Vatyr as if the hunter was prey,
Are there not more enchanting focuses of your attention?
When she pivoted around him and met his gaze, Vatyr was awestruck. Such power housed in
such a faultless form, and yet he was the only one to find the softness in her eyes. He dropped
to his knees and began to kiss her body deeply, speaking as he went. A dear friend has
sacrificed himself in a colossal battle against the Vex, no doubt saving Earth and the Reef in the
process. His deeds alone won the day. He kissed her feet, her calves, her venus, her belly and

her breast. A smile crawled across her lips. With a slight hesitance as he met her gaze again. he
cradled her head softly in his hands and for a fleeting moment his fear was elsewhere, seeking
that softness in her eyes that only he knew. He kissed her lips in the long and tender way that
took him back to what seemed like another lifetime.
My Queen is powerful, and benevolent. She rewards those who serve her people, and so I
come to her now to beg for her guidance. If there was some way to bring my friend back,
surely my Queen would know of it. Vatyr had hoped he would be more eloquent in his plea,
but his reason for being here was being quickly overshadowed by the divine creature before
him.
Vatyrs body suddenly shot into the air, 20 feet above the bed, and hung there inverted.
Maras outstretched hand pointed at him, holding him in place. Static filled the space between
them. her face stoic and timeless. Her eyes locked on to his, staring into his soul. Guardians
were used to seeing impossible things, but Vatyr had never seen such a display of power put
on with such ease. To Queen Mara Sov, bending spacetime to her will was as easy as
breathing. Vatyr could feel her mind pressing on every inch of him. The world around him
echoed a low thunder at the edge of his perception, like the atavistic thrum of a black hole,
threatening to shake him to quantum potentials.
You come here seeking a boon which only I can give, and yet you denied me what I sought
from you all those years ago.
Yes, my Queen.
A thing that I could have easily taken and, one would have thought, came from a mutual
place.
Yes, my Queen.
And in response to my invitation the likes of which no other being in the cosmos would not
covet, you left to scurry around in the dirt and fight a war that is not your own.
Yes, my Queen.
The pressure increased. The thunder rolled. It was if he was being driven deep into the Earths
mantle.
Are you willing to give me what I still seek, in exchange for what you seek?
A split-second of hesitance is all Vatyr could allow himself. Yes, my Queen.
Vatyrs body slammed down into the vast bed with purpose, dazing the guardian. Gathering
himself, he found he was already set upon by the nubile form of the Awoken queen, moving
not unlike a pouncing cat playing with her kill. I always knew my pet would come back to me
one day. Tomorrow I will grant you your boon. Tonight, we play.

Frontier Act07 Chapter27 Murder of Crows

Telemica was going to scream.
Sure, she trusted Vatyr to do what needed to be done, but how long was it going to take? She
had exhausted her patience trying to make conversation with Arrenn, who seemed to be
content to float there like an empty shell, and going through strategic simulations and lessons
with Squire had worn down every other nerve. She needed to get out and know what was
going on. It had been a full day since they had been thrown into this forsaken pod and the
Titan was not sure how much longer she could handle it.
She was about to ask Squire for the umpteenth time what the time was before the pressure
changed and the pod shifted back into its dock. The doors opened just as the gravity kicked
back in, throwing the two Guardians at the feet of two royal guards. Get dressed quickly, one
said before throwing a package at each of them. Within were clothes, but not their clothes.
This is formal attire. The kind that Awoken nobility would wear to a special occasion, noted
Arrenn as he began to follow the guards orders. Telemica was so eager to get out of this cell
that shed wear a clown costume.
The two Guardians were led to a grand multi-floored ballroom filled with nobles and
dignitaries from across the Reef, all dressed in what seemed like the most formal of formal
attire. The room itself seemed carved out of massive pieces of crystal that ranged from
transparent to opaque. At the far end of the gleaming and ornate room was an unobstructed
view of 4 Vesta in its entirety, and a stage just before it. A loud buzz of gossip filled the air as
not a single person knew what was going on. All anyone was aware of was that the Queen
would be making a snap proclamation and it would be important. Telemica and Arrenn were
led to a balcony to the right of center stage to view the event from. The balcony was suitably
isolated from the rest of the room. It would have been inappropriate for Guardians to mingle
with Awoken nobles.
Minutes later, the crowd hushed at the sound of singing chimes, signaling the entrance of the
Queen. Flanked by three guards on each side and trailing a long procession of Paladins,
Techeuns and Corsairs, she wore a much more ceremonial outfit than usual, mirroring the
clothing of onlookers. A vast and ornate violet gown flowed around her and rebelled against
gravity in twists and curls, never really touching the floor. Military medals that gleamed and
moved holographically adorned the left breast while insignia proving the loyalty and fealty of
all the noble houses to her reign covered her right.
At the very end of the party was Vatyr, wearing a noble suit that gleamed like polished white
marble woven into cloth. The hunters knife sat ceremoniously on his hip. Telemica nearly
called out to him but was stayed by Arrenn. Whatever this was, it would be unwise to interrupt
at this point. Vatyr looked up at them for a brief moment, but his eyes quickly returned to the
front.
As Mara Sov took center stage amid music reminiscent of Awoken heritage anthems, her
presence claimed the room completely and silence took hold. The Techeuns performed a
blessing on the crowd in the name of the Queen and cast a blue cloud of sparkly mist over the
attendance, but few of the nobles reacted to it with more than a token gesture of thanks.
Telemica guessed that it was all for show, but instinctively twitched as it passed over her.

The Techeuns made way for the Queen to take center stage and make her announcement. Not
only could you hear a pin drop in the silence, but one could guess the attendees would kill
whomever dropped it.
Her hand raised into the air to make her proclamation and her mouth opened.
Stop! came a voice from the rear rafters of the room. The Queens entourage quickly took
defensive positions around their leader as everyone turned to see who was so brazen. Uldren
Sov leaped down from a hidden gantry and floated to the stage a few feet from the Queen,
coming instantly to a low kneel before his sister.
A breath passed, but nobody dared to breathe.
In a flash, Uldren drove to tackle Vatyr to the ground. Vatyr let his knees give way and dropped
under the charge, grabbing the lunging prince and using his momentum to toss him to the
rear. Uldren spun and landed on his feet, removing his dagger and crouching. This will not
happen! This traitorous dezgra has no place here anymore! Uldren yelled with as much
venom as he had in him.
If you would stop such an event, do it in accordance with our ways, brother, spoke the
Queen in that even tone she was known for. Telemica had noticed that she had yet to move a
single foot during the commotion, or even pivot to view the battling men. Was she so
supremely secure in her power, or did she know this would happen?
Very well. conceded Uldren after a moment of forced calm. The prince straightened his back
and pointed his blade at Vatyr, who lifted finally from his own defensive posture. I am Uldren
or the Clan Sov and I challenge you to the batchall, traitor. To the death.
The room erupted in commotion. A true batchall challenge had not been issued in so long,
some wondered if it was even legal anymore. Whats more, nobody knew what stillundisclosed announcement the Queen was about to deliver that caused this turn of events.
I accept. Vatyr said calmly. One on one bladed combat. No champions or representatives.
The battleground will be the Fortuna Plummet.
Uldrens face twisted into something between an angry snarl and a righteous sneer before
transmatting away. The Queens entourage escorted her off the stage, leaving one Techeun by
Vatyrs side to assist him. The room was now a cacophony of loud gossip as the Awoken
nobility strained to understand what had just taken place, a state that was no doubt quickly
spreading through the entire Reef.

Frontier Act07 Chapter28 Shattered Dreams

Telemica and Arrenn were escorted to a small waiting room and left alone, save for the two
guards posted just outside the door. Arrenn sat quietly and said nothing but Telemicas mind
raced.
The door slid open quickly to make way for Vatyr who was walking so fast he might have
broken into a jog at any moment. His hands flew up in a sign of submission as soon as his eyes
met the fury in Telemicas. Dont kill me until you hear my plan! he cried.
Plan? The only thing you seem to have planned is suicide. Telemica said, crossing her arms
over her chest and leaning back. Go ahead. Surprise me.
Vatyr walked over to the far wall and activated the news feed holographics embedded in its
wide surface. Everyone in the Awoken Empire was talking about the challenge. His eyes glazed
over the data and slipped into his memory. Now was the time to come clean with those he
professed to trust most. I wasnt always a Guardian. My remains were unearthed during the
celestial collision that we called the Fortuna Plummet. I was found by the Queens Corsairs in
the aftermath and brought to her. Those touched by the Traveler are always quietly sent
Earthward, but for some reason she kept me. Claimed me. Officially I was just another Awoken
military officer thanks to some creative identity creation by her agents, but in reality I was her
consort. Her lover.
Telemicas expression had shifted slowly from smoldering anger to pure shock as Vatyr
revealed his past in melancholy tones. He sounded as if he were remembering her first
embrace with more than a little longing, and more than a little conflict.
Why? asked Arrenn in his coldly analytical tone.
Vatyr had to take a deep breath to bring himself back to the moment. His eyes found purchase
on a proclamation by a minor house, supporting the Princes actions.I cant say for certain. I
asked from time to time and her answers were always cryptic. Something about me intrigued
her, and that intrigue itself was a rare thing.
Youre powerful, even for a Guardian.
That would not have been enough. Trust me when I tell you that her power makes beings like
you and I seem entirely laughable. Shes a goddess in every meaning of the word.
Telemica reacted to that. You love her.
Vatyr turned away from the feeds and locked eyes with his Titan companion. The answer was
never in doubt. With every fiber of my being. It only ended because Uldren came close to
finding out. Mara had me whisked away.
Telemica rose from her seat to stand in front of him with a compassionate smile on her face.
Her hand coming fast and hard across Vatyrs face nearly upended him, but the smile
remained. Thats for keeping secrets from your family. Now, why dont you tell us your plan
for getting us all out of here in one piece?
Vatyr rubbed his cheek but didnt protest. She was right, and hed have to make amends for it
at some point.

On the outskirts of Awoken space, theres a derelict ship from the Exodus fleets. This in itself
isnt special as many Awoken major structures are built out of such massive hulks. This one,
however, is off-limits and its exact location is beyond top-secret. The theory is that this ship
was outfitted with something that allowed its engines to bend spacetime in a unique way.
Someone was hoping that this would help those aboard escape The Darkness. Whatever the
nature of that system, it must have malfunctioned. The ship is mired in a bubble where
spacetime is completely shattered. Whats more, there are some signs that Vex have taken up
residence inside the ship.
Vatyr walked over to a small table and poured himself a drink before continuing. The amber
alcoholic liquid tasted slightly sweet and burned the new wound inside his mouth caused by
Telemicas strike, and reminded him that she was not going to like this plan. I came here to
trade myself for the location of the ship.
And what? Stop being a Guardian and become the Queens toy? Why?
The tech on that ship was bleeding-edge at the apex of the Golden Age. It potentially
manipulates spacetime in a big way. Its probably why the Vex have shown interest. Solas fell
into a Vex conflux, which is basically a big processor for data sent along the Vexs spacetimebending network. I think that ship is our best chance to get him back, if hes still out there at
all.
Arrenn had begun reading the feeds flashing along the wall which had started to trend towards
the Princes supporters. What about Uldren?
If youre asking whether I knew hed do something so brazen, the honest answer is I was told
by one of the aids that hed be kept in the dark until it was all over. If youre asking if Mara
knew, I have no idea. Perhaps I should have expected this.
What exactly happened out there? asked Telemica.
Vatyr sighed slightly. He knew how odd some of his peoples traditions could sound to Terrans.
This needed to be framed properly. The Awoken have ancient codes of conduct. While
theyve mostly been synthesized into more modern laws and cultural practices, the old ways
are still valid. The Batchall is an honorable challenge between two parties when one feels their
honor is being gravely encroached upon. Theyre basically unheard of these days among the
populace. Even among the nobles, such challenges are rare and are almost always settled with
words and assets. It has been lifetimes since there has been a challenge to the death. As the
challenged, it was my right to name the type of combat and where it will take place, though
Im sure in Uldrens mind, I should have no rights at all. Personal, bladed combat was my only
choice without involving Tower assets or personnel. Anything else would just escalate the
problem beyond control, and we need to get to that ship.
Telemica rose from her seat and shook her head slowlySo let me get this all straight. Youre
about to enter a mortal duel with Prince Uldren Sov of The Awoken, a legendary virtuoso of
bladed combat, on the immense shattered asteroid pair where you were brought back from
the dead. He wants to deader than dead for the sole reason that his queenly sister made you
her sex toy once upon a time and youve made the incredibly bad choice to come back for
more. If you miraculously win, we have a slim shot at boarding a centuries-old spaceship mired
in fragmented timestreams in a one-in-a-billion effort to retrieve Solas from a galactic clusterspanning super machine quantum network, while you become the Queens concubine?

Vatyr gulped down the last few fingers of liquor as she laid all the insanity out in stark fashion.
Thats about right, yeah. What could go wrong?

Frontier Act07 Chapter29 Defying Gravity

Asteroid Belt
19 Foruna /687 Tinette
The Fortuna Plummet
During the Reef Wars, Queen Mara Sov and Paladin Abra Zire deployed the mysterious gravity
weapon Carybdis, slamming asteroid 687 Tinette into asteroid 19 Fortuna in an effort to stop
the Fallen fleet of Beltrik, the Veiled from resupplying. The battle, as well as the resulting mass
of two shattered asteroids, has since been known as The Fortuna Plummet.
Vatyr floated silently in the hard vacuum, hidden in a nook of a random rock as he reviewed his
position. The two celestial bodies had indeed met catastrophically, but they were far from
obliterated. In the end they resembled two bubbles partly joined together with a cloud of
debris around the molten hot contact area. Huge canyons had torn through the minor planets,
giving the impression that the only thing keeping it all together was their own gravity. It was
within one of these canyons on 19 Fortuna that Vatyr hid.
Indeed, the gravity in the area was perhaps the most remarkable and dangerous element. The
leftover effects from the Carybdis created small, random but severe gravitonic events in the
area. The result of these gravity events popping in and out of existence could potentially rip
holes in the hulls of passing ships or send them careening into the Plummet itself. In addition,
the constant shifting of gravitational fields in the area sent the millions of smaller objects in
the Plummet careening around at railgun speeds, and from a distance the cloud of dust and
rocks more resembled an angry swarm of wasps. To a lone body with minimal attitude control
and even less protection, any time spent in the Plummet was suicidal.
Vatyr had no idea where Uldren could be. The Plummet spanned hundreds of kilometers in
every direction and was filled with billions of places to hide and ambush. His passive sensorium
would help to some degree, but using any sort of active scan would give his position away
instantly. Of course, that was the only way to track down ones target in this environment, so
both Vatyr and Uldren took to sending out sporadic active pings over the past few hours,
shifting position to avoid assault and pinging the enemy before shifting again. Two sharks
circling each other.
The Hunter did his best to control his breathing. Breath control was core to his training. In
space, your breathing your only companion. It lived inside your suit and your head. It had a
tendency to amplify things. Calm breathing meant a cool head and steady hands. Aggravated
breath made you claustrophobic of your suit and agoraphobic of everything outside it. Your
mind spins and your hands shake. Vatyr was having a hard time keeping things in check. Was it
because of the lethality of his opponent? Was it because of what would happen if he lost? Was
it because of what would happen if he won? H was not sure which he feared more, and that
fear was making choices for him at the moment. Deep breath. Control. Calm. Focus, damn it.
A vibration shook his bones suddenly, like being too close to a huge sub-woofer. Vatyr tucked
his legs under him and instinctively shoved off the rock he was nestled up against, only to see
it reverberated to dust in seconds by a graviton eddy.
Vatyr floated towards the surface of 19 Fortuna, peeking over the crest of the canyon wall. A
rock the size of a Hive seeder flew silently past Vatyrs head, only inches away and faster than
a bullet. Death came at you at all directions in this place. Normally space was not so

inhospitable to a trained Hunter. Vatyr had taken multiple jaunting missions where zero-g
traversal and combat was called for, but the constantly and aggressively changing landscape of
The Fortuna Plummet was unlike anywhere else in the system.
Ping. One of Uldrens. Vatyrs HUD told him his opponent was closing in fast now. If Vatyr left
the canyon hed be spotted easily, so he took off quickly down the canyon ridge that led
directly to where the two asteroids had made contact.
Ping. Uldren again. Vatyr realized that he had let himself get cornered. Nowhere to go but
towards the infernal wall at the end of the trench. The Hunter would love to set up an ambush
at that point, but with what? No projectile weapons, no explosives, nothing. Sure, he could
conjure something out of his light that could end this thing pretty quickly, but the entire point
of a Batchall was to meet on equal terms. Uldren had no access to The Travelers power, so
honour dictated that Vatyr could not use it either.
Ping. Closer. A lot closer. Uldren was in full pursuit and gaining fast. Most zero-g combat
instructors would tell you that if you have the good fortune to have decent attitude control
systems, it is beyond unwise to open them up completely in a straight line. You become a
bullet without control. Uldren was letting his emotions take over, lusting after the kill. The
Prince was normally a focused and cool machiavellian operator, but this was as personal as
personal gets. Vatyr was under Uldrens skin and he suspected that using this propensity to
blind aggression constituted his only, if slim, chance of winning. The question was, how?
The horizon curved sharply towards the Plummets epicenter and Vatyr decreased his speed.
Hed need to be able to maneuver sharply among the dense debris.
Vatyr pinged his own active sensorium and fed all his data into a cartography matrix. The
layout shifted quickly and constantly in this molten hellhole but a quick snapshot could help.
His HUD sprang to life, illustrating his immediate vicinity. The Hunters eyes danced across the
data as his mind ran a thousand different scenarios instantly. A plan emerged, and as usual for
Hunter SJet, it was reckless.
Pings began to spring up on Uldrens HUD. Lots of them. The Prince surmised that the
Guardian (no doubt naive in the ways of zero-g combat) had gotten himself lost in the crush
between Fortuna and Tinette and was desperately trying to find a way out with his active
sensorium. A sneer crawled across his face as he armed his tether and readied his blade. He
squeezed the handle of his knife, relishing the impeding sensation of sinking with all his might
into Vatyrs heart. It had been some time since a kill had been so raw and personal. There was
no mask to wear here. The Prince of Crows wanted his honour back, and hed carve it our of
the Guardians vacuum- frozen corpse.
Zooming into the hellish environment, Uldren brought his weapon up, expecting the
disoriented Hunter to be right in front of him, but all that floated there was the small, shiny
active sensor module that would have normally been in Vatyrs helmet. A trick? A trap? Uldren
fired his tether towards one of the rocks floating close to where he had entered the area,
intent to exit by using the environment in a swooping brake maneuver. The Prince angled his
maneuvering jets and began to swing around his anchor when his comms opened.
Gotcha, my lord. said Vatyr, who was standing on the very rock that Uldren was rocketing
towards. Even with his vast superiority in skill, Uldren had no control over his direction or

angle. In comparison, Vatyrs feet were planted firmly and could apply his blow easily, which
gave him the clear advantage.
A moment before contact, reality itself seemed to quake. Uldren came to a stop just outside
the reach of Vatyrs dagger, and for an instant their eyes met in bewilderment.
Suddenly, both of them lurched violently towards the Plummets core and rapidly picked up
speed. Gravity event! yelled Uldren who engaged his thrusters in the opposite direction of
the pull, up imposing itself aggressively. His engines whined and struggled but quickly proved
to be useless against the deepening gravity well. Vatyr clung with all of his strength to the rock
he was perched on. Given the extremely localized nature of these events, there was a good
chance he could weather it from his position. Uldren, however, was rapidly falling in. Given the
intensity of the pull and the fact that it was pulling directly into the molten Plummets core,
the Prince would not survive the crush.
His engines finally dying, Prince Uldrens only hope was the tether. Uldren looked up at Vatyr
and sneered his sneer as his arm began to strain with every enhanced fibre. It looks like youll
win this. You get what youve wanted.
This isnt what I wanted, you egotistical fool! I was never your enemy or the enemy of our
people, but you could never see past your pride! screamed back Vatyr. This wasnt right. He
was a Guardian, and a Guardian should be able to find the right path through the darkness.
Uldren screamed as his joints popped out of their sockets, his rage-filled eyes never unlocking
from the Guardian. The gravity field only continued to grow in intensity and the Prince thought
his thoughts of ending. He screamed defiantly at the world but knew the world would not
move for him this time.
But a Guardian would, and the world would move for the Guardian on this day.
Vatyr sheathed his blade and dove straight down at him, firing his wrist-mounted tether back
at a rock face that was well-clear of the event. He came to a spine-snapping stop inches from
Uldren and latched on to him. Focusing all of his light through his armour, he took his
maneuvering thrusters far beyond their operational limits. A column of violent white light
rushed out under him, but it was not enough.
Glitch! Get your tiny shiny ass out here! Vatyr roared.
The Ghost appeared and quickly sprang open, enveloping the two. Ill emit all the antigravitons I can but this event keeps growing!
The anti-gravitons should accelerate the destabilization. We just need to hang on a little while
longer! said Vatyr, trying to instill what hope he could.
Uldren was grasping on to Vatyrs waist with his free hand, but the Princes hand slowly snaked
towards the Guardians sheathed blade. Vatyr noticed just as his hand reached the handle.
You kill me now, we both die. If we survive, Ill be exhausted and defenseless. Killing me then
is still within the terms of the Batchall. It is to the death, after all. Vatyr said. There was no
regret in his tone for saving the man who was intent on killing him.
What do you want? Why did you come back? Why did you come into our lives in the first
place? Uldren challenged, his voice full of confusion, desperation and pain both physical and

emotional. He was begging for answers at what he thought was his failure and his end. There
was no honor in killing his opponent in this way, and he had to know the truth.
Right now, all I want now is to save a friend and brother-in-arms from a fate he never
deserved. I came back for my only shot at rescuing him. As for our sordid past, all I can say is
that I love her. I love her with all my being and I would never do anything to hurt her or her
people. Im sorry you got hurt in all this, but after I pull of this amazingly heroic and nearimpossible rescue, Ill explain everything.
The world around them convulsed as if they were about to be vomited up by some gargantuan
beast. As the gravity well destabilized, Vatyr cried out in effort as it yanked violently at them.
Suddenly, a pressure wave smashed into them, expelling the two Awoken from the Plummet
core at blinding speed and in a chaotic tumble. Both Vatyr and Uldren were knocked
unconscious by the ejection.
It took Glitch some time to find them again. The little light kept both of them from careening
hopelessly into the black and carried them both to a nearby Awoken cruiser. The Queen
awaited.

Frontier Act07 Chapter30 Sinister

Audiences with Mara Sov of the Awoken, Queen of the Reef, were often very small. The Queen
herself, her Prince and brother, some guards and whomever was being granted the audience.
Almost without exception, audiences were only a single person, and if they were
representative of a group, that group would only send one person to represent them. No
attendants. No servants. Such things were distractions that the Queen didnt allow in her
throne room.
This time, however, there were three. Three Guardians. A Human Warlock, a Human Titan, and
an Awoken Hunter. This irked the guards, but Mara Sov saw the necessity of it this time.
The Techeuns stood in seemingly random places around the room, seeing things useable and
saying things without saying. They sensed this was a pivotal moment, but for all their effort
could not yet see the shape of it.
Uldren looked out of the large windows towards the Awoken people. His people. His first duty
was always to them. Did Vatyr represent a danger to them and their ways? He did honour the
Batchall challenge. His second duty was to his sister, the Queen. Did Vatyr represent a danger
to her? The Queen loved him and trusted him implicitly. His third and final duty was to his own
honor, and in that, Vatyr had shown some new and unexpected value. The Guardian saved his
life when all the Prince wanted was revenge for a slight that perhaps never existed. He turned
his head to see his sister had pivoted her throne directly toward him, her eyes peering into his
soul. Sometimes she could still drive fear into his core, but this stare was one of sibling
compassion, though her expression was the stone and perfection that her station demanded.
Uldren turned and walked towards Vatyr, who was flanked by his team on either side. The
Guardians bowed deeply, as was custom. Uldren signaled with a twitch of his hand that they
could rise, and they did so slowly, as was custom. Uldren and Vatyr stared at each other for a
few long moments, trying to discern each others heart.
Without breaking the stare, Uldren brought up his hand and opened his palm to reveal a small
data stick. This will lead you to the ship and get you past the automated sentries weve set up
around it. Youll find it anchored to 1143 Odysseus, trailing in the orbit of Jupiter. Vatyr
looked at the device and slowly took hold of it. Uldrens other hand shot up and grasped
Vatyrs wrist tightly, holding it in the space between their faces. The Guardians eyes returned
to Uldren and he was brought in close. There is a great deal between us that remains
unresolved. If you die, Ill consider it your loss of the Batchall and a forfeit of whatever honor
you have left. I expect you to return, alive and successful. Uldren whispered in a low growl.
Vatyr nodded, and the grasp was slowly released.
Go. Now. said the Prince, turning his back and coming to a deep kneel before his sister.
Another bow given by the Guardians before they departed.

Frontier Act08 Chapter31 Lost In Spacetime

L4 Lagrangian point of the Sun-Jupiter system
The passcodes supplied by Prince Uldren would only allow entry to a single ship, so the
Fireteam requisitioned a small troop carrier from the Reef Navy. There was some talk about
sending a small SpecOps team along with the Guardians to ensure that they didnt steal any
valuable secrets from the derelict ship. It was top-secret property of the Awoken, after all. The
idea was quickly dispelled, as those in the know expected any incursion on to that ship to be
suicide.
The Corsair escort had broken off some time ago, leaving a few short words of luck in their
wake. Telemica didnt find them comforting in the slightest, but was happy to be out from
under Awoken scrutiny all the same. She sat in the small troop bay going over her equipment
again and again to occupy her mind.
Vatyr sat calmly at the controls of the sluggish vessel. His hands danced aimlessly along the
control interfaces, not really doing anything but making sure that things were still working as
they had been seconds prior. Autopilot: still on. Engines: not about to explode. Cabin: not
about to vent into space. Running lights: still blinking. There was nothing out there to even
gauge relative speed, leaving him alone in his head to decompress everything that had just
happened to him.
Arrenn simply went to sleep once they were on their way, stretching oddly across some seats
that lined the trooper bay wall. The other two envied his calm detachment.
A light on the comms panel blinked yellow a few times, then green before going dark again.
The ships computer has shaken hands with the automated sentries hanging somewhere in the
black, and been given leave to proceed. Chances are if anything had gone wrong with that
part, theyd be dead before knowing it.
1143 Odysseus rolled silently in space, but it took hours of approach before the ship came into
view. Rather, the absence of the ship came into view. The massive ovoid vessel was nearly a
kilometer from stem to stern, but was so black it was almost darker than the backdrop of deep
space. The ship didnt have any lights or markings of any kind, making its presence more than a
little intimidating.
Transmatting on or off that ship will be impossible. The hull plating is designed to absorb all
electromagnetic radiation, among a few other things. The provided data indicates that there is
a large docking bay on the bow of the ship. informed Squire over the shuttles internal
speakers.
Fantastic. Does the provided data also mention that? Vatyr pointed out the window at an
almost imperceptible oddity just off the derelicts hull. Looking like a perfectly clear and still
pool of water, it was as if the black derelict was surrounded by a nearly invisible barrier. Then,
as if someone had dropped a small stone into the pool, ripples began traveling along its
surface and through the ship itself. More ripples propagated and became more violent as
minutes passed until the ship was completely enveloped by a white-hot cataclysm.
Squire, what are we seeing? asked Telemica softly, as if a raised voice would send the fury
they were seeing upon them next.

Squires tone was not unlike that of a professor. Whatever mechanism was created to bend
the universe around this ship has been on an overload cycle since The Collapse. Every
distortion you see is a different spacetime continuum overlapping and colliding with another.
It causes a chain reaction within the 4th dimension until the 5th dimension is breached. You
are seeing the future starlight of all possible futures compounded on each other.
External radiation and heat warnings began sounding off. Brilliance surged and crashed around
the derelict so brightly and fiercely that Vatyr began moving the ship back, fearful that the
asteroid would be torn apart by the small star.
Just as it seemed as if the chaos before them would reach a crescendo, it simply stopped.
Squire hummed in understanding, which earned him a glare from the Titan. Deepest
apologies, my lady. I hypothesized that a form of cosmic censorship would cause the reaction
to cease. Otherwise such a thing would have caused our universe to collapse on a quantum
level ages ago.
Vatyr rubbed his face in exasperation. OK. The universe ending or not, we still need to board
that damned ship. How do we do that?
Ive built a virtual model of the reaction and it seems as if it all happens on very strict
intervals. By my estimations the reaction should occur every 52 minutes and 42 seconds.
After sitting through the universe-ending violence nearly a dozen times, Squire was proven
correct. The shuttles sensors were nothing to write home about, but after launching a few
probes and some creative math by the Ghosts, Warden compiled a reasonably accurate layout
of the ships interior, which now hung holographically in the troop bay. The egg-shaped ship
was laid bare in orange light. Most of the ship was empty frame, no doubt once destined to be
filled with refugees. For some reason or another, there was no evidence that anyone had been
aboard when the ship attempted its jump.
At the centre of the ship was a gigantic engineering section. Scans showed that this was where
a number of Vex had set up shop. The engines themselves were built around a device that the
team couldnt quite make out but was no doubt the spacetime-manipulation matrix. The Vex
had encased it in a large conflux in an attempt to interface with it. Every time the device went
into its overload cycle, all the Vex units on board ceased to exist, but were quickly replaced by
other units through a portal next to the conflux. Dozens seem to mill about the space.
They must be trying to stop the reaction and take control of the ship. No doubt it would be a
useful asset for them. noted Glitch.
Lets say we manage to make it on to the ship, get to engineering and eliminate the Vex
threat. Then what? I still dont understand what were doing here or how this thing helps us
get Solas back. inquired Telemica. At this point this all felt like a half-planned suicide mission
with no real victory conditions.
Arrenn actually taking control of a conversation had simply never happened before, so
Telemicas surprise when he started talking from his seat was no surprise to Vatyr. Ive
studied Vex technology and how it interfaces with our own. Ill use a modified frontier unit to
take control of the conflux, scan the network for Solas unique Guardian signature and
summon him through the transfer gate theyve built. he said in his usual deadpan tone.

Frontier units were the all-in-one stations that Guardians used when claiming new territory.
The first use of one was on the Moon, and it could still be found at the Archers Line
accelerator. It was rugged, compact, multipurpose and powerful, designed to effectively
expand the influence of Guardian logistical networks. Arrenn pointed to a frontier unit tucked
into the small cargo compartment. Ive modified this one for our proposes using a Vex
chronospanner as an I/O bridge. Assuming there isnt more than one Guardian floating around
their web, finding him and pulling him out should be a simple task.
You can do that quickly enough that we have time to get out of there before reality explodes
around us? asked Telemica. All she got from Arrenn was a nod.
This is the largest stable conflux I know about. The larger and more powerful the conflux, the
better the chance we have to finding Solas. Also, since the ship is constantly being wiped clean,
theres no heavy support like Minotaurs or a Hydra. quantified Vatyr.
This is crazy, even for us. mused Telemica.
I think we passed crazy quite some time ago. Since when have you been afraid of a little
crazy?
Telemicas belly laugh seemed to blast the pall of dread that had soaked into the shuttles
walls. Afraid? This will make a fantastic tale to tell! I cant wait!
We should move into position near the docking bay. Well need to board the ship as quickly as
possible. noted Arrenn as he took the controls and activated the maneuvering thrusters. His
new assertiveness warranted a raised eyebrow to pass between the Hunter and Titan, but the
Warlock was not wrong. Time was a real enemy here, as it often was when dealing with the
Vex.

Frontier Act08 Chapter32 Time In A Bottle

50:38
50:37
50:36
The derelicts nose segmented into sections and slid back, revealing a portal more than large
enough to allow small ships to enter. Inside was mostly open space. Scaffolding supported the
outer hull and hundreds of docking clamps, gantries and other connectors to secure passenger
ships for their ride through impossibility. However, not a single one was occupied. The
emptiness seemed to echo with the voices of those long dead.
Arrenn gunned the engines and aimed the shuttle to the derelicts centre, a huge glass orb
which housed engineering as well as a few adjacent pods. He seemed completely unfazed by
the sight.
I wonder what happened here whispered Vatyr under his breath. Perhaps the captain of
the ship decided to make his own escape. Perhaps the ships engines began their catastrophic
pattern and the crew managed to evacuate all the refugees in time. Perhaps the ship was full
of people who met their end in the light of all possible futures.
41:13
41:12
41:11
Hard seal. Too much radiation coming from engineering to safely transmat in or out, so Arrenn
quickly docked the shuttle as close to the core as possible. Telemica had the modified frontier
unit packed up and strapped to her back. They darted through the gantry walkways, Arrenn
taking point with a fusion rifle on standby spin. There were no corners to turn, doors to open
or rooms to clear on the way, so fireteam Wardens dash took them right into engineering
and a wall of Vex energy rifle fire.
The glass orb of a room had three levels. The middle level was a ring, cluttered with towering
server pillars and control consoles. Stairs led from the centre ring at the cardinal points to
suspended platforms above and below. The lower platform was once clearly arranged to be a
large office and meeting area, probably for the command staff, while the upper platform held
the spacetime manipulation device that was key to the ships operation.
Telemica popped up a curved wall of void light to block the Vex salvo, large enough to give
them some quick tactical options. The Titan shifted right and took cover low behind a nearby
server stack to protect the frontier unit, while the Hunter and Warlock engaged the enemy.
Vatyr blinked high and settled into a perch between two support beams, while Arrenn ducked
left and posted up behind what may have been a navigation console.
Not to add yet another complication to the mix, but those are not your usual Vex. Theyre Sol
Imminent. Relayed Glitch.
So theyre not just Vex, but theyre Vex from the future? asked Vatyr.
It makes sense, considering the nature of this ship.
Arrenns fusion rifle sprayed mercilessly into the advancing Vex units while Vatyrs scout rifle
popped their chest-mounted mind cores rapidly. Telemica would have been first into the fight,

but the mission came first. While her cargo was built to take a beating, she didnt want to put
it in the crosshairs of a Hobgolbins line rifle. Peeking out and looking up a staircase, she
spotted the target. Encased in a Vex conflux and perched on a pillar surrounded by controls,
the core spun slowly and in random directions, suspended in its clear casing. Its shape was
reminiscent of three large-belled hourglasses fused together on the X, Y and Z axis. Small orbs
of rainbow light wandered between the bulbs and seemed to become excited when observed.
The Vex transfer portal was set up in the middle of the lower platform, the pleasant furniture
having been destroyed to make room for it and the command controls repurposed to control
the portal. Vex began to crawl out like metal zombies from a glowing grave, first replacing the
destroyed units, and then to bolster their numbers. A small group of Hobgoblins were using
their stasis fields to defend the portal from attacks, making it impossible for the Guardians to
stop the endless flow of enemies. Things were escalating quickly and time was running out.
Arrenn launched a spread of void bombs, eliminating two Minotaurs that had tried to flank,
clearing a path for the Titan to reach the stairs and get to the core. Telemica grabbed the
frontier units straps tight and roadie-ran to the upper platform.
24:55
24:54
24:53
The Titan slid into the cores control pillar, bringing her pulse rifle up quickly to confirm that
she was alone on the platform. She set the rifle down at her side and unclipped the straps
holding the frontier unit to her back. Activating the unit was as simple as opening the two
latches on the front of its rugged case and opening the lid. Automatically, the units interfaces
and antennas unfolded as the computer booted up.
///GUARDIAN NETWORK: NOT FOUND///
Tell me something I dont know muttered Telemica, slightly irritated as she checked the
countdown to the next overload. Arrenn had explained that once the wired-up chronospanner
had interfaced with the conflux, the frontier unit was programmed to tap into the Vex network
and begin scanning for signs of Solas. She quickly grabbed the alien disc and held it up to the
conflux. It hummed, whistled and glowed a bit before latching on hard like a magnet.
///VEX NEXUS NETWORK: ACCESSING///
///SEARCH PROTOCOL SOLAS: RUNNING///
Vatyr didnt have an opportunity to stick his head out from behind cover and take aim. The
Hobgoblins were doing too good a job at pinning him down. Luckily this was not the first time
he had to snipe blind. Glitch formed and blinked off to another vantage point not being
covered by the Vex and remotely accessed Vatyrs armour. Theyd practiced this in the past,
even tried it once while they hunted Fallen. They were still figuring out what they were going
to call it once the technique was ready for primetime. String Fighting. Puppet Master. Vatyr
was pretty sure regardless of its name that people would think he was crazy for letting his
Ghost use his body to fight. Then again, the relationship between Guardian and Ghost was
anything but simple.
Vatyr held on to the secure feeling he got when gripping his sniper rifle and waited for it.
There. It was like the rhythms of his suits systems skipped a heartbeat. He was in the
passenger seat now. His grip on the rifle shifted into just his right hand, which shot out from

around the corner and fired off a round quicker than Vatyr could think. One down. Glitch
said to him over comms. In another lightning fast movement, the rifle was tossed to the left
hand and another shot loosed. Two. Hang on
Glitch switched over to team comms as the lower platform was engulfed in smoke and flashing
lights. Hydra is inbound. Theyre probably pissed were messing with their toys.
The sound of a Hydra, flanked by four Minotaurs porting in was enough to chill even
experienced Guardians. Nobody was quite sure what the sound was or why they made it, but it
was as if the Vex roared.
21:24
21:25
21:26
///SEARCH PROTOCOL SOLAS: SIGNATURE FOUND///
///SUMMONING PROTOCOL: INITIATED///
Arrenn unloaded a fusion clip into the new arrivals, vapourizing two of the Minotaurs before
they could bring their torch hammers to bare. The other two came up and returned fire,
forcing the Warlock to fall back. He could have obliterated the Minotaurs and perhaps even
the Hydra with a single nova bomb, but if the transfer portal was damaged, this entire mission
would have been for nothing.
While the Minotaurs and remaining Hobgoblins pressed forward, the Hydra fell back and
traveled up towards the top platform. Vatyr took control back of his armour and began laying
down fire, allowing Glitch to return. Telemica, you have an incoming Hydra. Arrenn and I are
stuck dealing with his buddies, so the glory of a solo Hydra kill is all yours. he said in grim
humour. Taking on a Hydra solo and in such a tight space was insane, not to mention shed still
have to protect the frontier unit, but there was nothing he could do.
The Hydra slowly rose up to the upper platform while Telemica readied herself. Squire urged
the frontier unit to work faster, but the transfer portal showed no signs of activation. The Titan
brought out a heavy machine gun and began unloading it as soon as the Hydras eye came over
the platforms edge. The loud and chugging repetition of the weapons call rang hard against
the walls as the slugs slammed hard into the Vex monster, causing both Titan and Hydra to
stagger and brace. She emptied the clip, threw up the strongest barrier she could, and began
unloading with her pulse rifle. The Hydra roared its mechanical roar, and the Titan roared back
in defiance.
19:43
19:42
19:41
Vatyr and Arrenn both tossed grenades at the advancing Vex group, eliminating the last two
Hobgoblins. The Minotaurs were fast enough to blink forward and lunge at the Guardians.
Arrenn took the hit directly and was sent smashing through a server stack, while Vatyr barely
avoided the blow by rolling to the side and broke into a sprint around the curve of the
platform, dodging from cover to cover. As the Minotaur turned and gave chase, new flashes of
light in the corner of Vatyrs eye drew his attention to the transfer portal.

///SUMMONING PROTOCOL: IN PROGRESS///

///TRANSFER PORTAL: ACTIVE///
The breach clicked empty on her weapon as Telemicas ward shattered like sugar glass under
the Hydras pressure. Instinctively, she lunged at the Vex, ready to tear it apart with her arcwreathed hands. A pulse of energy not only stopped her in mid-flight, but sent her back to the
platform with such force that she went through it, falling through the middle the centre
platform and landing right next to the flaring transfer portal.
Telemica! Arrenn! Sound off! Vatyr called out. Nothing. Hed lost sight of the Warlock and his
pursuing Minotaur as the other Minotaur teleported rapidly to close the distance on him. The
Hunter pivoted, thinking what this Minotaur needed was a few solar light bullets in the face.
Instead, the Vex giant teleported right on top of him, knocking him hard with the side of its
arm and sending him flying to the lower platform.
15:34
15:33
15:32
Telemica was just coming around as Vatyrs ragdoll body plopped right next to her in a lifeless
heap. Guardian down! Vatyrs severely injured! Im not sure I can get him back on his feet!
said Glitch over comms. The Titan was still dazed. Her ears rang and her vision was blurred.
She recognized the feeling of her injuries before looking at Squires reports on her HUD.
Queasy and blurred vision means severe concussion. Copper taste means internal bleeding.
Four, five, six broken ribs, and both legs are shattered.
Anyone get the number of that moon that hit me? she said with a shake in her voice. She
propped herself up with a hand under her body and shifted towards the transfer portal, which
was now going crazy. The energy lattice within the portal that seemed to encase a blindingly
white liquid was reverberating and jumping as if someone had placed it on a huge speaker.
From within that chaos, Telemica could make out something else sticking up from inside the
pool of light. Something solid.
An Exos hand.
Without thought of aggravating her own injuries or the enemies surrounding her, Telemica
lurched her body forward enough to grip the hand firmly with her left hand. It gripped back.
She used her right to anchor herself to the portals rim. I have him! Travelers light, I have
him! I need help! she screamed. No response. Vatyr had yet to move and she had no idea
what had become of Arrenn. The Exos hand began pulling back, threatening to submerge and
disappear. Was the Vex network resisting? She howled in pain as she pulled back with every bit
of strength she could muster, feeling another rib crack under the pressure. Her armour was
working overtime just to keep her alive, and she knew at this point Squire must have been
protesting her continued exertions, but she could barely hear anything over the ringing.
Vatyr came to slowly, staring up at the hole left by Telemica in the upper platform. Seeing the
Hydra and the hourglass core begin to spin up for its next overload cycle, he was not quite sure
what terrified him more.
Vatyr! I have him! I have Solas! Help me pull him out! Howled Telemica, barely reaching
through to her Hunter companion through his own daze.

The arm yanked hard, pulling deeper into the portal. Refusing to let go, Telemica cried out as
her body began to fall in, the sound of a sister in need releasing some instinctual reserve of
energy within the Hunter. Suddenly, Vatyr was diving for the Titan and seeing her arm
submerge into the portal and evaporate into nothingness.
The moment Vatyr made solid contact with Telemica, the whole world around them exploded
into everything and nothing. His last thought was that he must have screwed up the overload
calculations, and now they were all being erased from the world.

Frontier Act00 Chapter33 Hardcover

Luna
The Collapse
The weapon felt odd in her hands. The weight of the rifle seemed to speak with authority to its
lethality. She had held a gun before. Of course she had. She was a soldier, after all. Well, that
wasnt actually true. There were very few soldiers these days, but a lot of people decided that
a change in career was necessary since this mysterious invader had arrived.
The enemy had moved in quick, and all the security that people thought they had in this
golden age quickly evaporated. The Warminds, stalwart protectors of everything they had built
with The Travelers gifts, ceased all communication, but people really started to panic when
The Traveler began to move from Mars to Earth. Was it afraid? How could a god feel fear?
Her father had been a knight. An avatar of The Travelers protection. Hed trained her in the
arts of war, and she had loved those days dearly, but as she grew older her heart turned to
different mysteries and her mind focused her towards the study of the newly-vibrant Martian
ecosystem. Now, Mars was being evacuated, and she was on Luna, with a gun in her hand,
being told that if they failed to repel this threat, it was all over. She could see a symmetry in it,
and in the past she would have mused at it. Not now.
At least she was not alone. Sure, there were knights leading the largest volunteer army
humanity had ever known, but thats not the presence that made her feel safe.
Years prior, when she had left home to pursue her thirst for knowledge, she went with a group
of other colleagues to Mars. Most were university students at the time like herself, but one
individual stood out to her while she waited for the transports to be filled with passion-filled
youth like herself. An Exo. Clad in a tasteful cream with brown patches tweed jacket and some
well-worn blue denim jeans, he sat in a terminal lounger reading an old paper-printed book
about Martian beetles.
How did you come across that? she asked, sitting in the lounger next to him.
I beg your pardon?
She nodded towards the book and smiled at him. His glowing azure eyes blinked at her
curiously.
Its a widely-read treatise.
Im very familiar with the paper but how did you get it on actual paper? she asked with a
giggle. I dont think Ive seen someone reading a physically printed book in years.
Ah, yes. Of course. Forgive me. It was a parting gift from a friend. A bit of a running gag with
him. He always enjoyed giving me archaic items as a juxtaposition to my synthetic nature.
She hid a small laugh.
He smiled at her and closed the book to give her his full attention. I assume youre here with
the rest of these students.
Yes! Im very excited to begin my work on Mars. I have to say that Ive never met an Exo
academic. Your kind is-

-As full of surprises as any other sapient being. Yes, originally we were made for war, but
many of us explore lets call them divergent paths from the one that was set out for us
before The Traveler.
She nodded, understanding his intent. Being a knight was a calling of the highest honour, but
not all Exos were given the chance at such exaltation. Of course such sentient beings as the
Exos would be free to follow their individual callings. They were perhaps most blessed by The
Traveler, after all.
He held up the book. Ever read it?
Of course! The giant Olympian beetles are fascinating. The largest known invertebrates by a
wide margin, and such complex behaviours! Some call them Martian dolphins on account of
how intelligent and agile they are. Reading about their study was more entertaining than most
of the fiction I relaxed with.
The Exo smiled, picking up the book and retrieving a pen from his inside jacket pocket. To
whom should I make this out to?
Wait youre
I can tell youre really going to love Mars.
In a years time, they were wed at the base of Olympus Mons, where the beetles were first
discovered. Now, they were both looking up from the lunar surface at an enormous space
battle that spanned as far as they could see, and The Traveler itself limping its way to Earth.
The enemy was plowing through humanitys forces like they were not even there. Enemy
monsters were amassing on the ridge two klicks away from the anti-space batteries their
volunteer unit was tasked with defending. There was no plan, no strategy, no hope.
My kind was made for war, but Ill admit that Im probably just as terrified as you, my love.
said the Exo, clad in the same equipment as her but looking not one iota more competent. His
visage was especially calming to her as it was encased in a forcefield helmet, and she was
thankful for it.
I miss our beetles. she said softly, knowing the carnage was almost upon them.

Frontier Act00 Chapter34 Master And Commander

Mars
High Orbit
The Collapse
He found it so very odd how heavy the pocket watch was. No matter where he was or what
kind of gravity he was subjected to, it was always far heavier than he thought it should be. It
was just a silver pocket watch. A fine one, to be sure. Ornate. Durable. Befitting an officer of
his station.
The watch had been a gift from his wife Hitomi and daughter Kara when he became a Grand
Admiral of all humanitys spacebound Argosy forces some months ago. Well, his wife bought it.
His daughter was just born, after all. Hed found it in her crib on the night of his congratulatory
party, her little hands lightly grasping the chain. Hitomi had obviously wanted it to look like she
was presenting it to her father. She really knew how to tug at his heart strings, and her
daughter was turning out to be a natural at it.
The flagship Tuatha D Danann was built to be a shining example of the glorious heritage The
Traveler had bestowed upon humanity, and the torch to be carried forward. It was
commissioned to prototype many bleeding-edge advances and usher in a new era where
humanity would protect The Traveler. His command of such a stunning ship was heralded as
the first of many bright new days.
Such wonderful memories helped keep him sane in these dark times. Helped to keep him
fighting.
The battle had been tempestuous, but severely one-sided. It was as if the blackness of space
had somehow become a thing. An angry god with the singular intent of wiping humanity away
for the some unfathomable transgression. The god and its legions attacked unrelentingly, and
with unfathomable power.
True to its name, The Tuatha D Danann was the finest of ships and full of great heroism, and
great hubris. Unlike its namesake, it was not the thundering king of gods that tore the hero
down, but an enemy so dark that it blotted out the stars.
Tactics shifted quickly from repelling the enemy to buying time. Time for a plan, or at least
perhaps time for some to escape. He was not sure how many refugee ships made it through, if
any had. Openings in the enemy lines were hard to come by and carving them out by force
cost many precious lives.
He didnt make it easy on them. No ship deserted, no crew abandoned their post. The finest
ships of the line were cornerstones to formations that spanned thousands of kilometers. Manmade stars that gleamed with the hope and determination of an entire civilization. Every ship
pumped pure war into the foe, but formations crumbled faster than commanders could
compensate. Front after front dissolved. The day would inevitably be lost.
As his ship was torn apart around him, he held his silver pocket watch in his hand and judged
the weight one last time. Popping it open and looking at the picture of his loving family
embedded in the lid, he finally understood why the watch weighed so much. It carried the
heart of his family inside.

Frontier Act00 Chapter35 Do Not Go Gentle

Luna
The Collapse
More than anything at that moment, he missed Mars. It was the place where hed made his
mark as a pioneering xenobiologist, but that was not what he missed about it at this moment.
He missed waking up next to his beloved wife in their Freehold City condo. He missed the smell
of her hair as the Martian breeze came through the window. He missed the smile that she
smiled at him when she thought he wasnt looking.
Now, with pure death raging all around them, he knew theyd never have that again.
Mars was completely cut off. The Traveler limped towards Earth as swarms of ships did battle
around it. He didnt have much time to watch the space battle as enemy troops on the Lunar
surface had rushed their position. The few knights that had been positioned on Luna were in a
heated exchange with them while the rest of the militia assisted as best they could, though it
was almost like ants trying to assist gods.
He couldnt quite fathom how they did what they did. The Traveler had blessed the knights
with metahuman abilities in the mission of safeguarding humanity from threats. While the
common soldiers and conscripts were armoured in one-size-fits-all hardlight armour, knights
were clad in glorious vestments and armaments that illustrated their quasi-divine nature.
It takes thousands of them to match every knight, but I get the feeling that they could expend
those numbers easily. They want a stalemate, for these knights to be locked down here. He
said, clumsily spraying his rifle at stragglers.
The battle moved faster than the militia could, and soon the light of the battling knights was
only a beacon on the horizon.
She was out of breath, but he never left her side. Youre an Exo, remember? You can run
faster than I can. You dont get tired.
Youre the only thing on this rock I care about, and I wont let you leave my sight.
Her eyes. It never mattered what mood he was in, when he looking into her emerald eyes, he
found peace. It was as if she was looking into his soul and saying This is you. You are luminous.
I love you.
It was not a gas, though it looked and moved like one. A gas wouldnt have penetrated their
armour. It was a miasma, black as onyx and thick as crude oil. It rushed over the horizon from
the direction that the knights were fighting, moving with supernatural speed, as if it were
an eldritch god with endless appendages grasping hold of the entire moon. It moved through
them as if they were not even there, drowning them.
He reached for her, but she was no longer there. He screamed her name, but could only hear
her cough and attempt to scream in pain and horror as her lungs filled up. Exos didnt breath,
but he felt it fill his body and reach into his mind. He dropped to the ground. Silence enveloped
him as his senses were buried, and he thought his time was over.
The smoke began to part, rotating around them like the eye of a hurricane, and the outline of
her began to form before him. He reached out a hand, his mind scrambling to figure out a way

to protect her. Get her to Earth, perhaps. His hand was swatted away with such force that it
was nearly torn off.
Where his love once stood, now loomed one of the enemy soldiers. Huge. Its black armour
seemed to devour the light around it, shrouding it in a shadowy haze. It stood there, growling
at him like a rabid dog. The more he looked at it, the more details he could make out. Huge
stalactite teeth, no eyes but many holes of random sizes which could have been sockets, claws
covered in writhing tentacles. The more he looked, the more he felt his mind fracture, as if the
enemys visage was applying pressure to it.
Something dripped off one of its claws, something red. Blood? Another drip. Blood. Her blood.
The miasma whirlwind seemed to thin out behind the creature for just an instant. Was that a
body? Her body? The enemy seemed to take notice of his revelation and chuckled like an
otherworldly hyena. Was it laughing at him? The smoke enveloped the prone body as the
chuckle became louder. It stepped forward as the miasma continued to close, flexing its claws.
An undeniable and shattering horror gripped him. Instinctively reacting, his hand reached for
the energy rifle hed dropped and began unloading its clip into the creature. He screamed at it
as his weapon unleashed its lethality like a firehose, consumed by the need for this
abomination to be erased from existence. The barrel came close to melting before the clip ran
dry. It staggered, but continued to laugh. He pounced on it and began to bludgeon it with the
rifles stock, pounding it to the ground with all his strength. He screamed at it as loud as he
could, commanding it to die, drowning out its cackling.
The moment it seemed that the creature was finished, the miasma rushed back in, pressing
into him like the grip of a colossus. At least the enemy was dead, he thought. He was ready to
die. He had nothing left to live for.
As quickly as the miasma had rushed in, it was blown away. He looked at where hed seen her
body behind it, but there was nothing. Looking down, he expected to find the laughing
monster hed pounded into the dust. He didnt. He saw carmine red hair and lips. He saw
emerald eyes. He saw dark chocolate skin. He saw her.
She was dead, killed not by this evil, but by the person she had loved. The person who loved
her, manipulated by the darkness enveloping everything they had ever known. With her went
all hope from him. Bodies strewn the landscape, and the lights over the horizon had stopped.
He wailed. Nobody heard him. He held her body close to his and tried begging her to come
back to him. Nobody saw. He sat silently with her in the dust, and wished he had let the enemy
kill him.
The pain growing in his skull almost went unnoticed. As if a thousand leeches rushed in to feed
on his head. Even now, the enemy sought to make him an instrument of death, just as it had
before with illusions and lies. He could feel it digging into his mind.
He looked one last time at her, trying to picture her as she once was.
The hardlight encapsulating his body allowed him to lay hands on himself without effort, so it
was easy to reach up and drive his fingers into his eyes. Exos could feel pain as much as
humans did, but the anguish he felt as he clawed out his eyes was smothered by the coldness
her death had left him with. With slow precision, he grasped his eyes and pulled them out. He

felt no hesitation as he snapped the gel-covered cables connecting them to his head with a
sharp pull.
The miasma dispelled as he crushed the techno-organic orbs, but he could feel that it had left
its mark on him. A seed, buried deep and unreachable. It was a blessing, he thought, that hed
die in this place, unable to hurt anyone else.
He arose slowly, lovingly placed the remains of his eyes in his beloveds hand, and that hand
on her chest. A small penance, my love. It took some time to bury her with only his two
hands, but he did.
He would have knelt there by her grave like a living tombstone for the rest of time , swallowed
by his pain and loss. The Traveler had different plans.
A column of searing light engulfed him, slamming him to the floor. Every sense he had was
flooded to overload, even the one he had just removed.
Words, and yet not words, came to him. They were in her voice, but there was no sound. Like a
memory and a premonition at the same time. This is not the end of your path. It sounded like
she was smiling.
The light left as quickly as it had come. He stood, his head encased in a horned, eyeless helm
eternally fused to his frame.
He saw. He saw everything for the first time, not as it appeared as photons bounced off objects
and met photo-receptors in machines and eyes, but as they truly were. Light. Dark. Brilliant
colours that had no name but carried such afflictive import. He dared not look at his fallen
wife, for fear the sight would break him once again. He could still feel the seed of darkness, but
it was sealed by The Travelers light. He hoped that would be enough.
A troop carrier landed near him. Two soldiers stepped out but were stopped dead in their
tracks by the carnage around them. They half-heartedly raised their rifles at the approaching
figure. An horned Exo with no eyes.
Where is the fighting heaviest? he asked.
Earth, sir.
Take me there. Now.

Frontier Act09 Chapter36 Exfil

Telemica was the first to regain consciousness. The shuttle cruised silently in the black, the
white chaos of the derelicts overloading systems shining behind them like a star. She
attempted to rise very slowly from the row of trooper seats in the bay that she laid on, but the
symphony of pain surging throughout her body forced her to abandon that idea immediately.
An overhead readout was interfaced with her nearly wrecked armour and displayed objectively
that she was lucky to be alive.
Shattered bones and ruptured organs were one thing, but she was missing her left arm. Shed
been through hell before, but this was new for her. The armour had encased the wound in bionoble foam to keep her from bleeding out and flooded her system with every combat cocktail
it had in order to keep her moving. She vaguely recalled it being torn apart in the quantum
foam inside the Vex transfer gate. She couldnt feel it, nor could she not feel it. Some
confluence of phantom limb and a warehouse worth of drugs, she figured.
She turned her head. Slowly, carefully and taking frequent breaks in order to give the cabin a
chance to stop spinning.
Vatyr was out cold, hooked up to some medical equipment that told her while he was almost
as banged up as she was, he was barely stable. Titans and Hunters were just built differently.
Hed need some serious surgery.
Between them was a stasis pod. The pattern for it must have been in the shuttles transmat
memory for emergencies. It looked like a metal coffin with a domed transparent cover,
offering a clear view of its patient submerged in a translucent green liquid that seemed to emit
its own light, a nanotech approximation of amniotic fluid that protected and rejuvenated the
patient at a cellular level. Its base was lined with all manner of interfaces and controls. It was
almost funny that the entity being healed by fluids modeled after pregnancy waters had never
been born in the traditional fashion.
Solas
She didnt remember being able to pull him out of that transfer gate. In fact, she couldnt
remember making it off that derelict ship. Arrenn must have pulled it off, somehow. She
assumed he was at the shuttles controls. What about the Vex? Had he taken them all on? She
felt so rattled. She could barely think straight, and actually speaking was out of the question.
And then, there were the dreams.
They had to have been dreams. Impossible dreams. Dreams that felt so real that they left an
imprint on a persons bones, but at the same time there was a representative archetype aspect
to them that made them feel like lucid dreams. Simulacra or something warlocky like that.
Representations of grave import. If they were just hallucinations caused by injuries and meds,
then that was that. If, however unlikely, the dreams were actually memories, then they were
not just hers but those of Vatyr and Solas as well. Was that even possible? Had the others
experienced the same?
Plenty of stories and rumours flowed through the Towers about Guardians trying crazy things
to find their own memories. The Thanatonauts came about primarily in the search for the
intelligence found in past lives, or so people said. Stories of mesmerizing success and terrifying
failure were common gossip fodder. This, however, was a whole different level.

Shed been so caught up in her thoughts that she didnt notice Vatyr staring back at her. He
must have woken up at some point while Telemica was lost in thought. His eyes were dilated
so she knew he was under meds similar to the ones in her system, but there was an intensity
to his stare that tore into her. It was like he was screaming at her that hed seen what shed
seen, and it was real. He was struggling to say something, but the strain must have triggered a
drug rebalance by the equipment and he passed out.
Telemica needed answers and tried once again to get up, triggering a drug rebalance for her as
well. She fought it just enough to sit partially up before succumbing, managing to get a single
glimpse inside the stasis chamber that held Solas. As a heavy sleep took her and she fell back
on to her makeshift bedding, one thought consumed her from the pit of her turning stomach:
Why did Solas have eyes?

Frontier Act09 Chapter37 Maneuver

Earth
The Keep
Medbay
When seen from a distance, the Towers that segmented the protective walls of The Last City
on Earth can seem ominous and imposing. Every citizen and aspiring invader knew that these
looming structures were teeming with powerful Guardians, who are portending regardless of
which side of the walls you find yourself on.
The Keeps were the inward smile of the Guardians. At the bases of the main cardinal-point
towers lining the inner wall were massive, sprawling acropolises. These complexes were
bristling with everything from local markets to services offered by both Guardians and other
entities. In the higher levels one could find the main hospitals that serviced The City, and
within those, the specialized medbays that serviced the Guardians.
The Stasis pod that housed Solas had been wheeled into a surgery theater. The doctors and
technicians said they needed room to employ supplementary equipment. Telemica and Vatyr
found themselves in post-operative care, recovering from the auto-surgeons and medical
Frames with their programmed bedside manner. The majority of long-term rooms for
Guardians were built with three patients in mind, and with Solas still in the pod, the Hunter
and Titan had plenty of space. Attendants had removed the central bed, leaving an inescapable
void in the room. Outside the room was the hustle and bustle of a busy hospital, keeping the
ambient noise just high enough that the two could attempt to avoid each other. Attempt, but
fail.
You shouldnt be out of bed. mentioned Vatyr in his most paternal tone that was halfway
between mocking and caring. It was a tone he knew she responded to. He didnt even look at
Telemica as he said it, preferring to read the Citys latest news and a few after-action reports
on his tablet. There was very little anyone could do to convince him to move an inch, even on
the pain meds he was on.
She ignored his warnings. Telemica stood at the window wearing a robe over her hospital
gown, overlooking the farmland that filled up most of the space between the Citys inner and
secondary walls. She was constantly shifting and stretching in small movements. In ages past
when wounds were bound closed with staples and fibers, she would have surely opened up
and be rushed back into emergency care. These days surgical technology allowed for openings
to be sealed fully with stem cells and bio-reactive energy fields that promoted growth.
Her left arm was another matter entirely. Rebuilding the limb properly would take a while and
the long surgery to attach it to her body would require her to be healthier than she currently
was. Normally this wouldnt be an issue for a Guardian, but Titans like her were special cases.
Injuries carried far more import than just something to be healed and forgotten.
The silence between them was becoming more uncomfortable. Enough uneasy glances had
been passed between them to know that the dreams they shared were not just dreams. Could
a dream feel that real? On an instinctual level, they both felt that yes, those things happened.
After coming to that conclusion, processing the actual content and ramifications of the
memories would likely take longer than any physical injury would need to heal. Solas was also
involved, and beginning to move through these memories without him seemed wrong. There
was an undeniable intimacy about it all that required him to be present.

Telemica looked down at where her arm used to be, trying to dispel the phantom limb from
her mind. How does one convince ones body that they no longer have a left arm? She was
going to have a harder time handling all the downtime she was being forced to take.
Commander Zavala sent down orders that she was to be grounded indefinitely under the guise
of medical leave, but in actuality her participation in recent events at The Reef were no doubt
difficult to swallow. There were rumours of Vatyr being court-martialed and possibly exiled.
They hadnt told anyone about the memories. Best to figure it all out among the three of them
first.
I wonder if Solas saw the same memories Telemica said, knowing the answer. Vatyr knew
the implications of it. Not only had they been married, but Solas had been the one who killed
Telemica. The fact that he was under the influence of The Darkness made things much more
tangled, not to mention the possibility that The Darkness never truly left him.
Even though The Traveler sealed that curse inside of Solas, he could still pose a serious
problem. Vatyr said in his most serious tone. Telemica moved as quickly as her broken body
could towards the door and closed it, worried that someone would overhear them over the
soft bedlam in the hall.
We dont know that.
We dont know much of anything at this point.
Telemica wanted to shut Vatyr down, but paused as something more pressing occurred to her.
Did you see his face? In the pod.
No. First thing I remember after the derelict was waking up in here. Why?
Solas. He- Telemica was cut off as the sound of an explosion ripped through the halls,
followed quickly by alarms and the sounds of panic. Vatyr threw of his covers and painfully
shuffled to the door in his hospital gown and slippers, both Guardians peering out the doors
small window.
Explosions have been reported in the surgery wing. Near where Solas pod would be.
reported Glitch as he materialized.
The staccato repeating of rifles rang out through the halls beyond the door, punctuated by
more screaming and explosions. A firefight? queried Squire as he joined the group.
Sounds like it, and its getting closer. added Glitch. The group began to move away from the
door and towards the window when another explosion blew the door and the wall around it
apart, sending both Titan and Hunter flying crumpled into the corner.
Arrenn stood in the hole in the wall, debris and smoke whipping around him from the wind
coming in from the blown window behind Telemica and Vatyr, shattered by the compression
wave. A Vex torch hammer in the Warlocks hands spewing violet fumes from its barrel.
Before either Vatyr or Telemica could speak, Arrenn lifted the weapon and took aim at them.
In their state, one shot would be enough to obliterate them both.
Engage! someone down the hall shouted as a hail of bullets slammed into the Warlock.
Arrenn burst into a ball of solar light to protect himself.

Before Arrenn could take aim again, the roar of a shuttles engines boomed through the
destroyed window. A familiar wave of disembodiment washed over the Titan and Hunter just
before the torch hammer lit up with the destruction held within.
They found themselves in a familiar trooper bay. This was the same Awoken shuttle that
Warden had come home in.
Theres not much time to explain, but Ill try. yelled the small blonde girl at the helm. She
yanked on the controls, narrowly avoiding the torch hammers bolt and gaining altitude.
Angela? asked Telemica. Whats going on? Since when can you pilot a shuttle?
I believe I can illuminate the situation much more effectively while the young lady Speaker
focuses on not getting us all killed. said a floating voice somewhere in the cockpit.
Ive got it, Wisp! Ive got it. I think said the girl who was struggling with controls made for
someone quite a bit larger than her.
Wisp? Vatyr asked. Solas Ghost floated into the trooper bay.
It is truly good to see you both.
We figured you were dormant inside Solas. What happened?
When Solas fell into the conflux on Mercury, he ejected me. The disconnection sent me into a
stasis/shock state not unlike a coma. When I regained consciousness, I was in orbit above
Mercury. Solas knew the dangers inherent in his plan, and I was to be part of his insurance
policy.
What exactly was his plan?
Hang on! Were coming in to pick up our V.I.P. Angela called back. Telemica and Vatyr looked
through the windows to see the Tower Watch embroiled in chaos. A huge cloud of grey electric
smoke poured out of the head of a lone figure, growing and writhing like a living thing.
Is that Solas? asked Telemica.
Yes. The seed of Darkness within him is coalescing. It will kill him if we dont act quickly.
noted Wisp.
As soon as it has vacated him, we can get him out of there. yelled Angela, clearly struggling
with the maneuver of swooping in close enough to transmat Solas but avoiding the evil coming
out of him.
The shuttle buffered harshly against the turbulence being caused. Below, the last of the smoke
rushed out of the Warlock and discarded his lifeless form off the Tower.
Hold on! Angela announced as she put the shuttle into a nosedive after Solas. Telemica and
Vatyr were pinned to the back of the bay as the child pilot activated the transmat recovery she
had programmed in beforehand and pulled roughly back on the control wheel. The engines of
the shuttle strained to level out the craft, narrowly avoiding crashing into the Keep below.
Solas body appeared on the floor of the bay, completely limp and lifeless. Ill do my best to
keep him stable. said Wisp before merging with him.
Now what? asked Telemica.

Well, since this is the worst-case scenario, we better hope Solas plan works! said Angela as
she banked the shuttle hard towards a secondary landing bay.
Meanwhile, atop the main Tower Watch, a massive hand made of glass reached out of the
cloud of smoke, reaching in the direction of The Traveler.

Frontier Act09 Chapter38 Advance

Vatyr crouched low against a corner, a found Suros WSC-17 scout rifle at the ready but only
handful of rounds left in the mag. A hand signal told the others behind him to hold as he
cloaked and darted around to make sure the way was clear. Pain reverberated in a dull throb
throughout his body, adding half-seconds to all of his movements. The ghosts had equipped
the two Guardians and Angela with rudimentary armour made with available reprogrammed
matter, but it was worlds apart from Wardens usual loadout. The life-support suite barely put
a dent in Vatyrs aches.
Angela clutched a Hkke Thalestris-C sidearm tight in her two small hands, doing her best to
look confident with it. The armour helped. Shed never worn anything like it before and was
still getting used to how it reacted to her moves and thoughts. Shed received basic combat
training by her aides, but never been terribly comfortable with the tools of war. There wasnt
time for ineptitude here. Everyone was counting on her.
Telemica held Solas unconscious body in a one-armed fireman carry, clearly annoyed to be the
only unarmed person in the group and not making any real effort to hide it.
Vatyr reappeared in front of them. His face a mask of concern.
Did you find it? whispered Angela.
Not sure, but there are a lot of Vex between here and there. How is that even possible? How
can they be here? asked Vatyr, confused as to why The Travelers protection was suddenly
ineffective at keeping hordes of Vex from porting in and wreaking havoc.
The seed of Darkness is suppressing The Travelers power like a disease suppressing an
immune system. The City is nearly defenseless, and this is only the beginning.
More are coming in every minute. I cant get us through.
Angela held up her pistol in confidence as Wisp, Glitch and Squire materialized to join her.
My lady, we must prevail. stressed Squire to Telemica.
Weve got this! assured Glitch to Vatyr.
This is the path we must follow. asserted Wisp to the group.
Trust us. We can make it. resolved Angela, probably to herself just as much as anyone else.
Telemica and Vatyr had to say something, they thought. Of course they did. They were the
adults, and combat was not a place for a child, especially one as important as her. They had no
idea if The Speaker was dead, making her the single most important person on the planet.
They tried to say something, but no words came. There was something in their eyes. There was
something about how their own ghosts hung solidly in the air next to this girl who showed a
confidence beyond the innocence many would attribute to her.
Before the two Guardians could force a halting sentence from their minds to their mouths, the
hallway that Vatyr had just scouted was instantly flooded with thick smoke laced with
lightning. The group slunk back, already detecting the sounds of Vex units porting in.

Cloaking again, Vatyr peeked around the corner after the fog cleared. The hall is full of them!
Theyre almost shoulder-to-shoulder in there. Theres no way we can fight our way through
that.
Why are they here? Why not go where the rest of the fighting is? Telemica asked Angela in a
whisper.
Theyre here to find the same thing we are. Its the only thing that could stop them. If they
find it first, weve lost everything. Humanitys time will be over and the light will be gone from
the universe soon after.
Whatever were here to find, I dont see how- Hey!
Angela and the ghosts had darted around the corner before Telemica could finish her thought.
Dozens of Vex Descendant units turned from probing walls and rooms to see a little girl,
holding a little gun, with three little ghosts floating with her. The Vex didnt hesitate to open
fire on them.
But the firing didnt stop, and light began to pour out from the hall, growing brighter every
second. Bringing his rifle up again and fearing the worse, Vatyr peeked around the corner.
Ghost bits whizzed around Angela almost faster than the eye could see, their brilliant orbs of
light combined around the girl and held her a few feet above the ground. Every shot the Vex
loosed entered the light, curved around her small frame and exited the orb to unerringly strike
the same unit that fired it. The small cores of the ghosts rapidly tracked each shot with their
little eyes from their perches above her head. Angela brought her gun up and unleashed
tremendous bolts of searing light from its barrel, incinerating several units at once. The angelic
figure gritted her teeth, holding on to the pistol for dear life as she fed her power through it
and the ghosts. Her eyes flared in determination as Vex units were obliterated.
Telemica and Vatyr couldnt afford the luxury of believing their eyes or not. Vatyr started
loosing his precious few shots, taking his time to aim and make each pull of the trigger count.
Each bullet demanded to count for a kill, and did. Telemica would have cussed up a storm for
not being able to join the fight, if not for the innocent ears nearby. These four little lights were
pushing back an enemy force that would cause any Fireteam to fall back.
More Vex continued to port in, replenishing what units they could.
It didnt take long for the breech on Vatyrs rifle to clack empty. Angela and the ghosts
expanded their orb, allowing The Guardians to take shelter inside. Slowly, Angelas sphere
moved forward, advancing into the space left vacant by the destroyed Vex and progress to
their destination. Bolts of death buzzed around them, almost whimsically in how they angled
in order to accommodate Angelas passengers.
The weapon in Angelas hands began to glow hot, being brought well past the breaking point.
Angelas will was holding it together, but there were limits. Another wave of Vex
reinforcements rushed in from both ahead and behind them when the piece simply
evaporated in her hands.
Dont worry, sweetheart. Well take it from here. Vatyr roared. Awash in so much light that it
was almost viscous, the Hunter and Titan surged with power. Vatyr channeled his light through
his empty rifle much like Angela had done with her sidearm, unleashing a solid beam of
annihilation from its barrel and carving out the path forward. Meanwhile, Telemica focused on

the enemies to the rear, stomping on the group with her feet and sending decimating Arc
waves through their ranks.
The Vex didnt let up. The machines poured in from every direction, unloading all their
firepower into the sphere of light as if they hoped at least one bolt would find purchase in
their targets. Harpies, Hydras and Minotaurs had also been added to the mix, filling in every
inch of the hallway with metal death. The full concentration of the three ghosts were on
redirecting the walls of beams and projectiles, and Angela was nearing her limit when she saw
a familiar mirage.
We have arrived. Wisp exclaimed over comms from inside Solas unconscious body.
Where? Telemica asked. All she saw was blank walls with some doors further down the hall
beyond a sea of Vex.
Everyone, hang on! Angela announced, reaching her hands towards the portal only she knew
how to see and activating it. The sphere of light and all those inside were pulled in instantly.

Frontier Act09 Chapter39 Gambit

The first time was always a little rattling.
By the time Vatyr and Telemica got their bearings back, Angela was already accessing one of
the labs terminals and getting the next step in the plan set. The three ghosts rested on a
pedestal that looked like a small bird bath filled with a glowing white liquid, soaking in the
energy.
Whwhat happened? Where are we? asked Vatyr, standing up slowly.
This is Solas lab. It resides in its own pocket universe, and the only static portal in or out is
the one I just took us through. Sorry it was so rough. Usually the gatekeeper A.I. has to verify
each person requesting access, but given the situation we were in, Wisp and I had to get a little
insistent. explained Angela.
The Frames that has been proceeding with their assignments without interruption for months
were now assisting the young Speaker. One carried Solas body to the coffin-sized metallic pod
in the centre of the room. It split along a previously invisible horizontal seam, the top half
levitating to open the pod up. Inside there was only padding with a person-shaped indentation
in it. The padding was clear and filled with a glowing aquamarine crystaline gel that shifted as
it sensed Solas presence. The Frames carefully placed his body inside and sealed it closed.
Angela took a moment to breathe. It felt like she had been holding her breath since Solas first
told her of his plan, and she was beginning to feel more than just a little drained. She looked at
Telemica and Vatyr, who were looking at her, awaiting answers. She placed her hand on the
pod gently as light coursed through it in tiny shooting stars and collected her thoughts.
This pod allows Solas to decompress his mind, allowing him access to faculties and processes
that would normally be physically impossible. Not too long ago, he was meditating in this
chamber when a lets call it a vision to keep it simple coalesced. A million different bits of
seemingly unconnected data came together to form an inescapable conclusion. The Vex were
preparing to move on The Traveler. Eliminating The Traveler and The Guardians not only in
response for weakening them in The Black Garden and The Vault of Glass, but also in an effort
to eliminate a viable threat to the Vexs future.
From that point on, there was only one way to survive the Vex plan. Solas called it The
Golden Path. The Mercury assault, him falling into the conflux, Vatyr going to The Reef, all of
it his plan.
How did the Vex get into The City? asked Telemica.
The seed of Darkness that Solas carried with him was the cornerstone to the Vex plan. With it,
they could suppress The Travelers power enough to expose The City to invasion.
So they plan to overrun us?
No. That would cripple both sides, but end in a stalemate. The Vex are only an element to the
immediate threat.
What else is there? Fallen? Cabal?
Rasputin.
No way! Rasputin is not our enemy. interjected Vatyr.

Rasputin was the greatest warmind of the Golden Age. He was built to safeguard, and The
Collapse taught him that humanity was not the be-all and end-all of existence, and stopping
The Darkness became his only real objective. He formed a new moral structure that didnt hold
humanity at its core during The Collapse. Hes been combating the real threats out there since
he was reactivated while to him weve become close to irrelevant, which is why he doesnt
care to collaborate with us. Were nowhere near his level.
So why is he a threat to us now?
As we speak, whatever came out of the seed is not just suppressing The Traveler, its
attempting to infect it. Dominate it. Devour it. Once Rasputin realizes that weve lost control of
the situation, itll only be a matter of time before he decides to deny the asset.
Meaning?
Meaning hell turn The City and The Traveler into nothing more than a smoldering crater.
Telemica answered.
Angela nodded grimly. Solas knew this was inevitable. He even tried warning Rasputin, but
never got a response.
Wait a minute. If the Hive Dreadnaughts destruction would have wiped out most of the
system, wouldnt something as powerful as The Traveler represent a far larger threat? Vatyr
inquired while looking over complex data sets displayed on multiple screens.
Maybe. Maybe not. We still know very little about The Traveler. It could just die. It could take
our entire galactic cluster with it. It could end the universe. Rasputin has decided that the lack
of data is sufficient to establish that destroying The Traveler is less of a threat to universal life
than letting it fall into the wrong hands. Angela explained.
What about the Vex? They have to be aware of Rasputin in all this.
They can throw a near-infinite number of units at us by pulling from all points in space and
time. Their only limits are power, but given the reasonable possibility of a win that for them
could give them the universal acausal powers that theyve been after all this time, theyd drain
black holes dry to make it happen. Their goal is to own The Traveler before Rasputin makes his
move.
Either one of those outcomes means were all kinds of wrecked. What do we do?
We stop them by any means necessary.
And Solas believed that wed be uniquely equipped to do that now?
He called it a gambit. By sacrificing himself to the enemy, he lured them into a course of
action that left them more exposed than they would have been otherwise. The Vex incursion
on Mercury would have decimated our forces if it had continued. That many Guardians being
pushed to their limits and beyond would have strained The Travelers reserves, leaving it
exposed to a much worse incursion than this. On top of that, they would have had an
opportunity to remove Rasputin from the equation without our interference. We never would
have stood a chance, and Solas knew it. So, by giving them him and the seed of Darkness that
resided within him, he gave them more power, but also gave us an opportunity to defend
ourselves and win.

Red light pulsed out of the pod as warning messages covered nearby screens.
What is it now? Vex? asked Telemica as Angela ran passed her and read the screens.
Oh no. No no please no
Angela, what is it?
The seed didnt completely leave. Its still trying to kill him.
Is there anything we can do?
Only one thing can be done, though I was praying this wouldnt be necessary. It was my hope
that hed be able to retain his eyes this time, but that wont be possible. Angela said with a
tone that told Telemica and Vatyr that her little heart was breaking. Her hands began to fly
across the console in front of her as the pod began to glow with a bright white light. Im
flooding the pod with all the light in the labs core. Itll reform The Travelers seal on his eyes
and lock The Darkness away once again. After that, hell need to pass through the Deep Stone
Crypt
Angelas last few words were forced through a choked voice as she fought and failed to remain
composed. The thought of her friend having to endure that trial ran a cold dagger into her
chest. he body shook as the anguish slowly erupted. Her hands clenched into fists so white and
tight that her nails threatened to break the skin on her palms. Tears began to stream down her
cheeks.
Telemica put her hand on her shoulder. Itll be alright, little one. Ive known Solas capable of
achieving the impossible. Hell do it again. Hell return to us, I promise you that. Angela
quickly twisted around and embraced Telemica around her waist, letting her pain flow freely. A
good loud cry that heals the heart rang out through the lab. Telemicas only remaining hand
came to rest on her shoulder as the young Speaker let herself be young for a few minutes.
Guardians fight their way through death more than once in our existence. The Deep Stone
Crypt was created by The Traveler in order for worthy Exos to forge their own souls in the
crucible of combat. Solas will return to us. Hes stronger than even we know. What we need to
figure out is what do we do when he comes out of that pod. We need to be ready for him.
Vatyr said, looking at the glowing pod and wishing his wounded friend well.
He *sniff* he had a plan for that as well. A plan for you two. Angela said as she composed
herself. Follow me.

Frontier Act09 Chapter40 Black Sun

V343WNI877PCE121 DARK MORNING OUTCRY
AI-COM/RSPN: ASSETS//FORCECON//IMPERATIVE
CONTINGENT ACTION ORDER
This is a ALL ASSETS IMPERATIVE (NO HUMAN REVIEW) (NO AI-COM REVIEW).
Total strategic collapse imminent. FENRIR HEART reports complete operational
mortality. SURTR DROWN on standby. Forecasts unanimously predict terminal VOLUSPA
failure. Neo-human intervention is negative. Non-human intervention is negative. Extra-solar
intervention is negative. Extra-temporal intervention is negative.
As of PCE121 an ANCILLARY CIVILIZATION KILL EVENT [[all flexions]] is in progress. Terra-local.
Enemy is PARACAUSAL and EXTRA-TEMPORAL. RAM-UNIVERSAL. Designation: VEX
Declaring YUGA KNOCKDOWN effective on receipt (epoch reach/FORCECON variant). Tactical
morality is built at MIDNIGHT.
Stand by for CRITERIA:
Under CARRHAE (WHITE/BLACK/ORANGE/GREY)
If SECURITY STATE is ROMAN
If event rank is NIETZSCHE: TRAUMATIC CONTEXT or SKYSHOCK: EXTRA-TEMPORAL CONTEXT
If VOLUSPA is ACTIVE and in FAILURE [[synapse to FENRIR::SURTR]]
If FAILURE of WARDEN [T] proxies
Stand by for DECISION POINT:
If available ISR and WARWATCH indicates imminent [T] capture
>then [T] capture compromises human/neo-human/non-human survival and super-epochal
strategy/ALL
Stand by for ABHORRENT IMPERATIVE:
Activate BLACK SUN
Repurpose all assets
Prevent [T] capture by any means available
Full caedometric release authorized on [T] and surrounding theatre
Remove [T] from operational theatre
Stand by for effect assessment criteria:
Coerce pseudoaltruistic [T] defensive action via proxies [G]
Vex disengagement via removal of [T] and [G] variables
Defer civilization kill.
STOP STOP STOP V343WNI877PCE121

Frontier Act09 Chapter41 Deep Stone Crypt

Where am I?
What am I?
Am I?
I?
Grappling with the concept of I is like trying to hold smoke in my hands. Nebulous. No matter
what self does, self leaks out of every crack in self. Maybe self is the smoke trying to keep self
from wafting away to nothing. Yes, thats it. Selfs mind is barely holding a form.
Self needs to move forward. Forward where? Self has no concept of where self is, and yet
some instinct is telling self to just go.
A first step. I apparently have legs. In fact, Im a bit more solid now. Stone-like. I feel stiff.
Gritty. The same grey-black stone and fertile earth under me is also makes me. All of me.
Step. The smoke-self is gone. Im not leaking anymore. I am I, fully and completely. I can see
further now, as well. The sun is cutting across a mountain ridge in the distance, scattering
unnatural fancies of light over the sky and terrain as it sets. Theres something in the far
distance. I feel a pull towards it. A purpose. My only purpose, though I have no idea why.
Step. Im much closer now. Far closer than a single step should have taken me. This place
might not be real, but perhaps its simply a different kind of real. Im not quite sure Im real
yet. There are others. Others exist, when only moments ago it seemed the concept of I was
hard to grasp. Theres something rising high into the sky out of the group. A stone spire in the
shape of a giant fist. Im drawn to it.
Step. Im among them now. Theyre made of the same stuff as me, but most seem somewhat
less than me. Less substantial. Less corporeal. They seem happy though. Content in this place.
Theyre not moving towards the spire. Some are pushing through the mob, as I feel I must.
Step. Theyre packed so tightly together. Their shuffling and random paths would have
knocked me down a few times if there was enough space to fall. It takes almost all my effort
and limited physicality to make my way through. The closer they get to the spire, the more
agitated they seem. They move faster. They swing about as if theyre under attack. The spire
seems so close now. Im almost through.
Fall. Pain. Im on the ground. Have I been hit? No, Ive made it past the violent throng. This is a
pressure. A force is being exerted on me, like a mountain avalanche falling on me, or an ocean
drawing me down. I notice that at some point I started breathing because now it seems almost
impossible to. There are others. They scream in pain? No. Terror. They crawl back to the
others. Others can barely move at all. I have to get up. I have to keep going.
Stand. Step. It gets worse the closer I get to the spire. I stumble again but do not fall, focusing
on keeping my feet under me.
Step. More pain. Slashing pain. Bludgeoning pain. Burning pain. Freezing pain. Its coming from
all around me, but nothing is there. My parts tell me theyre damaged and failing, but I force
them forward.

Step. Fall. Its the spire. Its crushing those who attempt to approach it. Im pinned to the
ground and in more pain than I thought existed. Death. I can be unmade. Fear crushing my
chest and blurring my sight. Panic on the edges of me. I can see an entrance at the base of the
spire. Its so tall that I can no longer see the top. It seems to rise infinitely, but I saw its peak
before. A rising fist. A sign of resolution.
Crawl. I feel my grip on the world beginning to burn away. Am I returning to the mist of my
genesis? Im coming apart. If I turned back I could survive.
Crawl. No. I must press on, though I still dont understand why. Im almost gone.
Crawl. My fingertips break through to the spires interior, and now Im inside.
Stand. The pressure is still there, but I can stand. I can force the terror into a box in the back of
my mind. Im made of something else now. Metal. Rusty, dirty metal. Im stronger, though. I
have a better sense of my own capabilities. The room is huge, and there are very few others. A
pillar of light shines at the centre.
Punch. Something came at me. I was too far in my own head so I barely noticed it, but I spun
and ran my fist right through its head. It fell and vanished. Im not quite sure how or why I did
that. Another is coming at me. A thing made of oil and miasma. It had a face but I didnt
recognize it, though it felt like I should have. It slashes at me with its claws but I duck under it
and thrust an upward palm strike through its chest. It coils and vanishes around my hand. My
whole body instinctively knew how to do that, and I feel less rusty. Less dull. Is that the
purpose of this place? To fight? Was the pressure outside a first of tests?
Run. The pillar of light is surrounded by the enemy. Others are trying to fight through them to
get to the pillar but theyre failing and being ripped apart. I run at an enemy full on and throw
a punch, but this one is far stronger. It grabs my outstretched arm and throws me far. I roll and
collapse into a heap. Getting up hurts, as if the failed attack leeched more energy from me
than a the physicality of it should. I cant risk that again. Another like me is racing by me to
attempt the same thing, but I call out to stop him. He helps me to my feet. If we work
together, we can break through.
Rally. Others join us. We move as one, rushing a section of the enemys line. Together we are
stronger than the sum of our efforts. A few fall, but I break through with others and enter the
light.
Blink. Another chamber. Same size. Same pillar of light in the centre. I dont see any of the
others that I came through with, but I do see a single enemy by the pillar. Its bigger. Its
wearing armour and has a sword. Luckily and for unknown reasons I also have a sword,
though it is made of stone. My body is less dull and most of the rust is gone. My mind is
clearer, though Im keenly aware that the pressure being exerted on me by this place has
never been more intense.
Step. Its waiting for me patiently, like a duelist awaiting his challenger. It has a face. Dark skin,
red hair and strong feminine features. I raise my sword to it to show that I am ready, and it
attacks. A failed parry sends me sprawling hard. I pick my sword back up before it can pounce
and narrowly avoid its killer strike. It swings, I block. I stab, it twists. It lands a blow and I
recover. Is it getting slower? No, Im getting faster. I can read its movements. The sword is
getting lighter in my hands, and I am getting to understand it beyond where the sharp parts
are. The next slash the enemy takes finds only empty air. Im no longer there. Im behind it,

and I plunge my blade into its back straight through to the ground. I enter the pillar of light
leaving it propped up on my killer intent.
Blink. This chamber is different. The others were empty. This one is a maze. Lefts, rights, ups
and downs. Corridors and smaller chambers. Objects and hurdles. Im beginning to look more
like I feel I should, though I have no idea why I have that sense or what my final form should be
like. The dullness is gone, replaced with shine and complexity. Theres a stone gun in my hand,
though I know for some reason it will work when I want it to.
Dash. I enter a hallway. I know I need to get to the centre of the room and find the pillar of
light, but the labyrinth Im in seems to shift and deceive. I can hear others and weapons fire.
Turn. Duck. Bullets wiz by my head. The enemies are less armoured than the last one but far
faster, and theyre moving in packs of three. I see two others like me pinned down by the same
enemies keeping me on the defensive. I make eye contact with them and with our combined
firepower we take down the immediate threats. We move through the maze together. Every
kill causes our guns to morph and evolve into more effective instruments of death. We find
another group of three and join them for the final assault on the pillar, each of us making it
through.
Blink. The others are gone again. A hallway of mirrors lies before me. The pressure is intense
here, but I can endure. I walk through the hall, seeing my reflection in the mirrors change. I can
see images other than myself in the reflections. Memories? Whatever they are Im having an
emotional response to them. I knew that place. I remember that person. Im changing. No, Im
returning. The pieces of me are coming back together. By the time I leave the hall and enter
the last chamber, Im almost me again.
Solas. Im almost back to being Solas.
Breathe. I know this is the last room because I can see the outlines of the spires fist shape in
the ceiling. Starlight pours in through cracks in the walls. Ive been rising through the spires
interior, though Im quite sure its not just a simple three-dimensional space. In fact, Im sure
this place doesnt physically exist at all. There is no pillar of light at the centre of the room,
only a mass of roiling and twisting darkness. That is where the pressure has been emanating
from. If it had been this strong at the base of the spire, I would have surely been vapourized.
My mind and senses are under full assault once more. There are no enemies here, so I walk
slowly towards the darkness, feeling waves of pure terror slam into me over and over.
The final test. I spear both hands into the darkness, my light confronting it directly. My body
wracked with agony. My mind shaken with shock. It challenges me with questions and riddles,
demanding answers under a level of duress that no words could describe. Im turning to smoke
and dust once more. Only my light and my mind hold me together. I defy the darkness with my
very soul. I meet its inquisition with everything I am. Every nucleus of wisdom, every trace of
fortitude. Every ray of emotion.
As I give my last to it, every sense is flooded with light. The pressure is gone. I am Solas-3 once
more, and I have returned from the Deep Stone Crypt that all Exo brothers and sisters must
climb to reach the life beyond ones and zeros that The Traveler has offered us.
I only hope I was right.

Frontier Act10 Chapter42 The Siege of Shards

There would come a day when this invasion would become known by many names. The day
The Traveler fell. The Siege of Shards. Hell. Not a soul considered these names on the day,
which offered no time for poetry or reflection. This day was only for battle.
Earth
The Last City
Hangar
Amanda Holliday ducked fast under a hastily-erected barricade made of crates and other
structures that could be thrown into place. Line rifle bolts buzzed angrily over her head,
putting holes in various things behind her. Vex ground units were not known for their mobility,
so the hope was that it would force them into a stalemate. So far, it was working.
A crash and a hail of gunfire from above tore Amandas attention to a few brightly-coloured
combatants, loosing as much death upon the machines as they could from their lounge
window. Get those birds in the air, Shipwright! No doubt the support is needed elsewhere.
called down Lakshmi-2 of the Future War Cult as she reloaded her fusion rifle. Others cowled
in violet, gold and orange added themselves to the battle.
Shes right. Well hold the line here. Theres a command centre of sorts that weve rigged for
you in our shuttle hangar. You and your people should fall back there and get as many ships
into the air as possible. said Arach Jalal, his black and white soldiers flanking him and relieving
her mechanics of their positions. She quickly fell back to the shuttle, finding a hastily slappedtogether command centre. Not much more than a comms station and a few readouts tied into
the Towers hangar management systems. Reports were coming in of huge swarms of fastmoving harpies strafing the Citys defense placements. Everyone quickly got to the work of
bringing the automated systems in all the Tower hangars to life.
Earth
The Last City
Street Level
Shaxx was no doubt the only person with a grin under his faceplate. The sound of distant
battle like soothing music to him. His Redjack fireteams quickly engaged the Vex threat, pulling
the attention of the machines away from the defenseless populace. Arcite 99-40 loomed in his
shadow of his larger horned partner. Shaxx knew his attention wasnt on the battle in front of
him, but on dozens of engagements around the City. Coordinating the Redjacks took a fair bit
of finesse. After all, it was a rare skill indeed to out alpha-personality all of those huge alpha
personalities. Bribery and the promise of glory/bragging rights often did the trick.
More Redjacks reporting in. The Lords of Iron are en-route. No word from the Disciples of
Osiris yet but Ill keep trying. said Arcite.
Give them challenges. Evacuate all citizens from each district to the towers and shelters. The
faster, the better. suggested Shaxx as he lobbed another grenade over the wall.
What about forcing back the Vex?
We need to prioritize. We wont be able to clear every area of the enemy when they keep
porting in at this pace. The most important thing to do now is remove soft target collateral
damage from the equation.

Earth
The Last City
Observatory
Eris Morn felt that her time was being wasted. The Vex were just machines. Powerful
machines, but only machines. Surely everyone realized that the Hive represented a much
larger threat during this time of weakness. They must be monitored! The Dreadnaught alone
could obliterate them in an instant, even from Saturns rings. Nobody would listen during the
chaos, so she followed suit and assisted where she could.
Even the Vex were vulnerable to the illusion-casting powers of a Hidden Warlock. The Vex
came down the hall from the main watch and ported in from Traveler-only-knows where, but
they never saw the observatory or the people. The Vex saw an empty platform, and simply left
to find targets.
Executor Hideo and his New Monarchy entourage stood guard at the entrance to the
observatory. The Speaker asked them to remain outside as he worked. Perhaps he worried
that Hideo would take the opportunity that this invasion presented to eliminate The Speaker,
further clearing the way for their agenda. Eris would have been unable to stop them and turn
back the Vex at the same time. Regardless, he was far more focused on finding Angela. Her
survival was of paramount importance to him. The observatorys arcane mechanisms whirled
and spun and calculated, but instead of attempting to gleam The Travelers secrets and
messages, he looked for the young protg.
No! You must not peer into the timestream! screamed Eris.
In his haste, The Speaker had allowed his instruments to send out a tachyon pulse to detect
Angela elsewhere in the timestream. To the Vex, the pulse was like a flare being sent up. Vex
units began to crash though Eris illusion and engage the New Monarchy resistance.
Eris fell back directly to the Speaker. Shed berate him later for his foolishness, she thought.
Earth
The Last City
Hall of Guardians
Hed never admit it to anyone, ever, but Cayde-6 was having fun. It didnt mean that he didnt
find the situation as gravely serious as it was, but that didnt mean he didnt miss the life or
death struggle. Perhaps hed seek professional help if any of them survived. For now hed just
crouch beside the door that lead into the Hall of Guardians, throwing as many bullets down
the hall as he could without getting popped. Banshee-44 stood on the other side of the
doorway, adding his firepower.
Ikora Rey sat full-lotus in a corner, her mind trained entirely on keeping the room clear of Vex
trying to port in. In her many years of study, shed learned something about how The Traveler
kept The Last City free from foes that would quickly overrun their defenses. Shed never had to
replicate the effect before, but in the past shed found a sense of impending doom had a
wonderful ability to motivate.
Zavala Tzu worked with all the intent and focus he was known for. He had ordered the frames
to relocate their workstations to the same corner. Once they were all set up, he erected a
barrier of void light around them, allowing them to organize the counter to the Vex incursion

without the risk of an errant shot. Air support was beginning to roll in so the situation in the
hangar must be improving. Good. Receiving recon and battle data from Shaxxs Redjacks, as
well as Saladin and his fellow lords. Sending fireteams to fill in the gaps and apply cover for the
fleeing citizens. Sending fireteams to the observatory to secure The Speaker. Zavalas fingers
flew furiously over interfaces and his voice spoke with the authority of a god over comms. The
chaos began to clear, and Zavalas will began to reforge the battlefield.
Earth
The Last City
Tower Watch
Arrenn Gee was no more. His function had been executed. His facade was no longer required.
He was The Companion Mind once more.
He looked at his glass shell. His architecture was far more complex than common Vex units,
but he was the smallest in stature of the Axis Minds. He was also one of the very few Vex that
had a sense of individuality. It was a necessity to accomplish his function.
His function was his entire reason for existing, and it was simple. He was a key part to a larger
equation. God desired The Traveler, and together with his partner, God would take it for its
own. In return, the Vex would become gods themselves.
Above him, his companion slowly formed from a cloud of Gods shadow found within one of
The Travelers minions. This hidden seed was the key to this victory. Already, The Infecting
Mind exerted its power over The Traveler, slowly blighting the light and replacing it with Gods
will. The Infecting Mind was the greatest carrier of Gods power that the Vex have ever
created, dwarfing even the revered Sol Progeny. Its glass body designed to carry the purity of
Gods wrath. Together, they were known as The Shards.
There was a third, and is and will be again. Atheon built the centre of the Vexs universe and
grew the Vexs influence in leaps and bounds, but The Travelers pawns defeated Atheon,
exposed by the loss of the garden. God took notice of this, and demanded retribution.
The Vex conquest would be perfect. Gods enemy would be dominated by God itself and
eliminated from the perfection of the Vex equation. God demanded it.

Frontier Act10 Chapter43 Words That We Couldnt Say

The pod pulsed and flickered with a wide spectra of light and patterns while they watched. All
any of them could do is watch and know that while they did nothing, the outside world fell
apart. The silence was barely dented by the low modulating hums and whistles of the pod, the
busy working frames and the floating ghosts.
Hes probably looking for me. Angela said under her breath.
Who? The Speaker? asked Vatyr.
Yeah. Chances are that regardless of how bad things are getting, all he cares about is finding
me.
Youve become quite the focus.
The world is a dangerous place. He knows that if anything happens to him, a replacement
would be vital to everyones survival. Without a connection to The Traveler, wed be lost. I
think its more than that for him. Im like his daughter now.Angela had lost count of how many
times she had to stop herself from calling the old man father. How many times had he stopped
himself from calling her daughter, she wondered.
Telemica sat and watched the pod with a still intensity. If she allowed herself to look at the
reports coming in from the outside that flashed across the nearby screens, shed leap out of
her own skin. Every fibre of her being was screaming at her to dive into the fray and tear some
Vex apart, but she knew that she alone wouldnt be enough to turn the tide. Solas had planned
a critical role for her, and after everything shed been through and remembered she
decided that patience was the better part of valour.
As the metallic cocoon slowly ceased to glow, the tension in the room skyrocketed. Whatever
processes had been going on within, they were complete. Was Solas alive? Dead? Still
corrupted by the seed of Darkness? It was like someone had flooded the lab with arctic cold
water. Everyone held their breath. Even the frames paused their work and came to attention
close around the pod, ready to act.
It was only half a minute before the pods seam reappeared and it began to open, but it felt
like an eternity. Solas lay inside, motionless. The contours of the padding shifted to give him a
reclined seated position as the frames moved in, checking him over with scanning equipment
embedded in their armatures. Holographic readouts appeared all around the pod, no doubt
automatically to give the occupant critical data after being deprived for extended periods. His
eyes were once again gone, sealed behind an eyeless and all-seeing horned shell. Angela
rushed in between the frames and took Solas hand tightly in both of hers, her eyes clenched
shut as if she was willing him to come to life. Wake up. Please. We need you. I need you.
Solas hand slowly closed around Angelas. Sensing his return to consciousness, the pod
inclined further, allowing Solas to face his comrades.
Status? Solas asked dryly. Wisp floated close and in a flash, reintegrated with his long lost
Guardian. At the speed of thought, Solas was brought up to speed. I see. According to plan
more or less.
Vatyr approached and extended his hand towards the Warlock, A plan I wish wed been made
aware of beforehand. he said with a smile. Im glad youre back, brother.

Solas nodded and clasped Vatyrs forearm in a classic warriors greeting, It was imperative
that you be kept in the dark. Your actions after my apparent demise needed a unique driving
factor. Vatyr nodded, knowing better than to argue with the Exo in matters like these.
Angela was shaking. Her body quaked as her hands gripped the Exos for what appeared to be
dear life. Her bowed head did nothing to hide the fact that she was crying. Solas free hand
came to rest lightly on her head. You did exceedingly well. I could not be more proud of you.
A few seconds passed before Angela nodded and released her grip. Pivoting quickly and
moving towards the closest interface station, she began to bring programs and systems online
within the lab. The frames immediately went to work to support her. She turned to face
fireteam Warden, tears still in her eyes but a smile on her face and a puffed chest that
screamed pride and confidence. Weve got a civilization to save. Lets get to it, Guardians!
Two frames approached Vatyr and Telemica, each motioning for one to follow. Whats this
about? asked Vatyr.
This stage of the plan requires that we have access to power not available to other Guardians.
Foreseeing this, Ive designed and built equipment packages designed specifically for each of
you. Using them, we should be able to repel the current threat before Rasputin can act, or
before the Vex and their Axis Minds can succeed in defeating The Traveler. Follow the frames
and theyll get you set to engage. explained Solas, standing slowly.
Angela continued to prepare things and Vatyr followed his attending frame towards a different
chamber, but Telemica remained standing with Solas.
I know what I saw. I know you saw the same things. I know they were memories of us.
I will never forgive myself for killing you, my love.
Love. There was love, once. I can feel the space it left in me. A pain that Ive never noticed
before.
One day, well resolve this. To find our way forward.
Tomorrow holds many possibilities for us, but now is a time for battle. We fight today to win a
tomorrow. Together.
Are you two going to hustle or am I gonna have to save the day on my own? called out Vatyr
before entering. After all, Telemica and Solas were just staring at each other in silence as far as
he could tell. Not that I mind. Ill need whatever goodwill I can work up to keep Zavala from
making me walk back to Vesta naked. he said with his back turned as he passed from view.
Telemica smiled. Whatever the past was and whatever the future still held, Warden would
endure together. She turned and followed her attending frame, grasping Solas shoulder in
assurance as she passed.

Frontier Act10 Chapter44 Piercing

Earth
Above The Last City
As the battle raged in the streets and structures all across The City, the air above was filled
with screaming engines and circus-like streaks of aerospace combat. Vast swarms of
squawking Vex high-speed harpies commanded by gigantic hydras surged through the sky. The
Vanguard had seen these formations in play before on Mercury, but not in anywhere near
these numbers. Guardians werent just rapidly getting shot down, they were getting swatted
away like bugs.
In contrast to the Vexs specialized air/space superiority units, the craft employed by guardians
were simply insufficient. It was rare to have a guardians jumpship fitted with any serious
weaponry, as most guardians found that speed, agility and stealth proved far more effective in
their field tasks. Also, while Amanda Holliday had amassed a sizable arsenal of guns, missiles,
bombs and the like, they were too difficult to replace to be applied day-to-day in the field.
Amanda worked furiously from her fortified command centre in the Dead Orbit shuttle to get
whatever implements of destruction she could into the field. Fighters were being called back
to land when they could and being hastily fitted with all manner of offensive systems before
being launched again. With sophisticated automated systems at her disposal as well as her
impressive deck crew of specialized frames, she was slowly working the turnaround time
down. The defensive guns perched at the hangar doors were doing a good enough job at
protecting ships as they landed and took off, but the shipwright knew that it was only because
the Vex had not turned their attention to her efforts yet. Once they did, she imagined theyd
only have seconds before being rooted out.
A Javelin-class jumpship had just taken off freshly laden with a suite of micro-missile launchers
and a forward gun when Amanda noticed an odd shimmer in the middle of the landing pad. At
first she thought the camera had been damaged by stray fire, but the shimmer was on all the
cameras and in the same localized space. The shimmer intensified after a few seconds and
coalesced into a winged and armoured humanoid form.
Transwarp transmat successful. Were back in our own universe. That wasnt nearly as jarring
as going through Solas door. said Glitch.
And were in a hangar. Thats pretty appropriate. I guess were supposed to go through a preflight of some sort? quizzed Vatyr.
Yeah that seems like a good thing to do let me see what I can pull up from the OS.
Watch out! screamed Amanda through the loudspeakers. Vatyr turned to see a ship
swooping in for a landing at high-speed and mere seconds away from plowing right through
him. Amanda instinctively closed her eyes, knowing that nobody would have been fast enough
to evade the landing ship.
Thanks, Holliday. That was a bit close. Vatyr called out. Amanda opened her eyes again to
see the ship had indeed landed, but a different camera on a different angle showed Vatyr,
hovering near the hangar ceiling. Black metal wings on his back were outstretched and
emitting a soft yellow-orange solar glow. The landed ship was automatically shuffled to the

side of the hangar for refit. Amanda rushed out of the Dead Orbit shuttle and over to the
landing pad as Vatyr landed a little less than gracefully.
What in blue blazes are you wearing? Amanda asked in a mix of amazement and disbelief.
Her eyes flashed all over the suit of armour that Vatyr wore. The wings seemed to move and
flex in a way that normal metal shouldnt be able to. It was as if it was something between
technological and organic. The wings were attached to the back of a chest piece that seemed
reminiscent of prototypes of the thruster-ladden Twilight Garrison titan armour, but this
design was far leaner and obviously far more advanced. With the exception of gauntlets and
boots that matched his chest piece, most of Vatyrs body was covered in a slim black hunteresque bodysuit that looked designed for maximum dexterity with segmented aqua hard-light
plates protecting him in key areas. His helm looked like a cross between a golden-age flight
helmet and the top half of a large falcons beak, on the tip of which was a small orb that
Amanda recognized as a ghosts core. Glitch? Where was the rest of him?
Its called the Astranagant. Id love to show it off to you, but we should both focus on work.
You get back to organizing our ships, and Ill see what I can do about evening the score.
I dont know if youve taken a look outside, but were not exactly able to put up much of a
fight. They own the sky.
Then Ill take it back. Vatyr announced. In the blink of an eye, Vatyr was a hundred meters
clear of the hangar. With the help of his wings, a main thruster on his back that roared with
solar light, micro-verniers covering his armour and small canard wings growing out of his hardlight armour segments, he accelerated at blinding speed toward the closest hydra.
Lets see what this thing can do! exclaimed Glitch. Deploying feathers! The armours wings
stretched out fully, launching eight feather-shaped devices in all directions. The feathers began
to glow with arc light, coming up alongside Vatyr. Each feather contains one of my bodys
segments, so controlling them is almost second nature. Glitch realized. A dozen harpies
angled to intercept the hunter, and Glitch found it was finally his turn to take the lead in a
battle. Commencing attack! Each feather accelerated to blurs ahead of them, darting
through the sky at crazy angles and changing directions instantly to evade fire. Within seconds
they had reached, engaged and destroyed the harpies, unleashing piercing beams of void light
from their tips.
Nicely done, Glitch, but we have a lot more incoming! Vatyr yelled. A group of harpies rained
death down from above him. Glitch recalled the feathers instantly and arranged them in a tight
geometrical shape around Vatyr. Connecting void beams to each other and running arc light
along them, Glitch created a protective bubble that easily weathered the attack.
Ive got you covered, boss! Glitch declared jokingly.
Thanks, partner. Now its time for me to earn my keep. Vatyr answered. The Hunter quickly
accelerated to top speed towards the closest hydra, streaking solar light in his wake. Four of
Glitchs feathers extended circular barriers and ran point-defense routines while the others
fired at will, sweeping their beams across the sky. The massive hydra and the thousands of
harpies it commanded changed focus from eliminating guardian ships to Vatyr. Instantly, a
cloud of harpies changed course and swooped in to meet the hunter.
Vatyr called up the Astranagants main heavy weapon. The frames that introduced him to the
Astranagant armours systems had shown him three weapons before deployment, and it was

the first time in ages that the veteran guardian had been at a complete loss for words. Exia was
an impressive autorifle that when one of Astranagants feathers was mounted around the
barrel, a massive energy sword was formed. Infinity Cylinder was a beam-based sniper rifle
that while was slow to change and fire, had enough output to vapourize the side of a mountain
off in a single shot. This situation, however, required the heavy.
The gun was called Dis, a heavy machine gun patterned after the fabled Super Good Advice,
and adorned with the ornate symbology of Alpha Lupi. The gun lacked a magazine, instead
having a quantum entanglement generator that transmatted all of its ammo continuously from
Solas lab stores, ensuring that the weapon could be fired for hours without needing to reload
any kind of magazine. Not only that, but the ammo itself was decades ahead of anything Vatyr
had seen in the field, traveling at the speed of a railgun round but being able to drastically
change course mid-flight. As the leading edge of the harpy swarm came into range, Vatyr let
lose a cold machined fury he had never thought existed.
Dozens of harpies were torn apart by the second, but the towering hydra only threw more at
the guardian until they formed a singular metal blob, lashing out at a small point of light.
Tendrils made of attacking harpies jutted out of the mass as if trying to grab Vatyr. Astranagant
had what the frames had called an inertia store converter, which repurposed the immense
amount of energy that Vatyr was creating through inhuman acrobatic maneuvers and kept it
from killing him or causing him to pass out. Vatyr accelerated at speeds that would flatten a
persons brain inside their own skull and still managed to continually fire at the harpy swarm.
Not to be a killjoy, boss, but we cant spend all of our time on this one hydra. We have a
schedule to keep. noted Glitch in a slightly somber tone. He was enjoying this just as much as
his guardian, but there were bigger considerations.
It took a matter of seconds for Vatyr to launch dive down into the city, blink-shifting rapidly
around buildings and obstacles. The harpies simply could not keep up. I assume you have an
idea. said Vatyr.
One. If youll indulge me. Bringing the feathers into a spiral formation ahead of them and
emitting as much light as possible, Vatyr and Glitch dashed upward at full burn. A giant drill
formed from the light, spinning fiercely and driving into the harpy cloud. This is the drill that
will pierce through the heavens! Glitch exclaimed wildly as waves of harpies smashed against
the light construct. Unable to defend their hydra master, the hunter and his ghost smashed
through the Vex defense and straight through to the other side like a bullet, skewering the
hydra lengthwise and causing the mountain of metal to rupture and explode.
The hydras destruction sent feedback through to the harpies it controlled, setting off chains of
self-destruction that enveloped the entire swarm in massive strings.
Um A drill that will pierce through the heavens themselves? quizzed Vatyr jokingly.
What? Ive always been a bit hot-blooded, boss. Anyways, One down. announced Glitch with
pride.
Many more to go. Lets work.

Frontier Act10 Chapter45 Cleaving

Earth
The Last City
Street Level
These Vex were getting wise, Shaxx thought. Theyd somehow figured out that he and Arcite
had been commanding a sizable number of fireteams across the combat zone. Of course, he
was a much easier target than the Vanguard leaders in their fortified hall. The pair had to
move faster and faster to stay ahead while still coordinating their forces. It was only a matter
of time before the Vex locked him down.
There was a chase. Shaxx never considered the Vex were an enemy that would pursue a target
in that fashion. Numerous rapidly-teleporting minotaurs flanked by harpies managed to run
him and Arcite into a dead-end between two fallen apartment buildings. The alley was around
30 feet across, and the destroyed structures created high walls with multiple outcroppings but
little in the way of cover on the ground. There were two nearby fireteams, but they were
already engaged and couldnt break off to assist. Shaxx and Arcite dug in and did their best to
hold off the Vex.
It was inevitable that the Vex would wear them down, but Shaxx didnt seem to mind. You
know, my friend, the horror of this day and most probably the end of everything weve built
notwithstanding, Im having a great time!
I figured you might be. Ever consider that you may have an issue? Arcite posited, throwing a
grenade over his cover at an approaching minotaur.
Oh, Im sure that Im unhinged in some way. Shaxx laughed.
Can your deranged mind figure out how were going to get out of this one? asked Arcite as
he reloaded his Hakke Strongbow-D shotgun.
A miracle, and nothing less.
Someone call for a miracle? boomed a voice from atop the wall behind Shaxx and Arcite.
Looking up and peering through the noon sun reflecting off The Traveler, the two saw a titan
standing tall on the ledge.
Ho there! Come to save our sorry asses? called out Shaxx.
It would be an honour! the titan called out as she tipped over the side of the wall.
The frames had time to properly explain Telemicas new armour to her because it first required
that her arm be replaced. Somehow, Solas predictions had calculated a high probability that
shed lose an arm in the rescue attempt due to the nature of Vex transfer gates. The new
armour, named Regalia, included bleeding-edge cybernetic arms to replace the lost limbs.
Telemica would only need the left one.
The first system she was told about was the Spiral Caliber. Each boot had two aggressively
segmented wheels which encased highly-miniaturized solar light-based repulsor tech modeled
after sparrows like the EV-36 Sol Scout. Using a combination of solar light, nano-kinetic drivers
and artificial gravity fields, a guardian could traverse any terrain with extreme efficiency. Shaxx
and Arcite were amazed as the titan rode the wall down to them at both incredible speed and
with incredible control.

The Vex began to divert their firepower to the newcomer. Rapid-fire bolts peppered and torch
hammer fireballs surged towards Telemica and would have surely been her undoing, if not for
the Null Jacket defensive system. A void light cloak that moved with her, shaping to her as if it
were a long coat made of violet energy.
The Vexs aggression didnt worry Telemica in the least with such a strong defense at her
command, but her code demanded it be responded to. Bringing the drive cores of the Spiral
Caliber to full, she performed a sweeping kick at her attackers, sending a blast of roaring solar
light slamming into their front line. Telemica bounced from outcropping to outcropping,
sending searing shockwaves of devastation down until landing between Shax and Arcite, and
what was left of the Vex group.
Two damaged minotaurs were attempting to return fire, but Telemica had other plans. Bolting
towards them at ground speeds that even a sparrow rider would find extreme, she was upon
them in a fraction of a second and plowed a left hook through both of them. The third part of
the Spiral Caliber system was her new left arm, laced with the same tech as the wheels on her
feet and designed to convert all that kinetic energy into destructive force.
Leaping back to a few feet from Shaxx and Arcite, Telemica took stock of the remaining Vex.
Seven minotaurs with varied levels of damage and two harpies.
Shaxx and Arcite took the pause to reload and move up to better cover along each wall.
Thats some interesting gear you have there, titan Magna. mused Arcite. Her entire armor
seemed to be patterned after this helm Arcite had once heard about. The Empyrean
Bellicose. A silvery translucent shell that barely hid the magnificent mechanisms it protected.
Word was that it was filled with all manner of tech that was cutting edge even in the golden
age. Arcite could tell that her left arm was entirely cybernetic and used the same design
philosophies, which led his eye down to something entirely different on her hip.
A sword.
A katana, to use the old-world vernacular, hung off the titans belt, opposite Jolders iron sash.
It was very obviously technological in nature, but great care was taken to make it look like a
traditional weapon from centuries past, right down to the plasteel in the handle tinted just so
to make it look like ray skin. The tsuba guard was modeled after the titan symbol, and the
scabbard was ornately etched with the orange and white pattern of the Vanguard.
I dont mean to be the bearer of bad news, but Im just about out of ammo. noted Shaxx.
Not a problem. Well be out of this mess in a minute, and Ill get you back to the Tower.
assured Telemica with ultimate confidence. Arcite stayed silent, knowing something special
was about to happen.
Thats quite a statement, titan. Care to tell me how you plan on making that miracle
happen?
I can do better than that. Ill show you. Telemica asserted as she slowly placed her hand on
the katana and crouched. Half a breath passed before she drew her blade in a flash, sending an
arc light shockwave slamming into the Vex. Both remaining harpies were sliced in two, and two
of the more damaged minotaurs fell. Shaxx couldnt tear his eyes away from the alley walls,
which were etched deeply on both sides by the edges of the wave. Hed seen swords become

more popular among guardians recently, as well as money pour into research and
development of such weapons, but this was on a completely different level.
Telemica slowly pointed the sword at the Vex. The handle segmented and doubled in length.
The tsuba split perpendicular to the blades edge and extended out, revealing mechanisms
that looked similar to forcefield generators. The air in the alley suddenly took on a charge as
the blade itself seemed to change from a solid black steel to black and angry smoke.
Nanomachines? Asked Arcite out loud, almost in spite of himself.
Precisely! These nans are filled with fighting spirit! With my mighty hands guiding them, their
true greatness will be unsealed!
More likely theyre programmed to respond to her via neural interface, but correcting her
seemed like a dangerous proposition, Arcite thought. The nans whirled and twisted until
forming a new blade. This one was flat on its sides, double-edged, and huge. Arcite guessed
that it was 10 feet long and around a foot and a half wide and surmised that the nans had
arranged in a new lattice that gave their construct the greatest surface area without sacrificing
strength. Also, because no new material was added, it was the same mass as it was while in
the katana form. How many different forms could this sword take? Snake blade? Rapier?
Gladius? Shuang gou? Kukri? Spear? Arcite realized his recent fascination with bladed combat
had distracted him from what was happening, because the titan had brought the massive
cleaving sword back to a low two-handed hang at her side. She was preparing to finish this
fight.
In an instant explosion of solar light from the Spiral Caliber system, she was among the Vex.
One swung its arm around in a twisting hammer motion, but was caught effortlessly in
Telemicas left hand. Her fist closed around the Vexs arm and crushed it with equal passivity.
The sword came down on the minotaurs head, spitting the entire unit in half. Turning the
blade around and sweeping nearly 360 degrees, she cleaved another five units cleanly across
the thickest parts of their bodies.
One last minotaur remained, and not only was it relatively unharmed, it was a praetorian. It
began to unload its torch hammer on Telemica, who let the slam into her Null Jacket with
ease. She wanted to show this one Vex that it was completely incapable of harming her.
Perhaps other units in the network would see it. Telemica wondered if the Vex could feel fear.
She was in front of it in a blink. An instant later, its arms and head were surgically removed. It
stumbled back but Telemica didnt pursue. She wanted it to regenerate its shields and come at
her one last time. When it did, she rested the blades edge where its head used to be, but
didnt apply pressure. This is the Buster Sword, a mighty blade destined to cut a path through
the darkness. You are unworthy of its power, but in my way nonetheless. Now, return to
nothing! Telemica commanded as arc light surged from the blade in a massive torrent of
destruction. The shape of the blade didnt change, but Arcites finely-tuned sensorium could
see the truth. The arc light was reorganizing the arrangement of the nans and supercharging
them, causing those that made up the nano-molecular edge to oscillate millions of times a
second, like a chainsaw built to break apart the bonds of matter. Even though the blade was
relatively weightless, it fell right through the extremely durable shield and body of the
praetorian. Telemicas hold was the only reason it didnt bury itself in the ground.

She turned to Shaxx and Arcite as the two halves of the Vex were still falling to the side.
Another member of my fireteam is clearing some airspace. Well get you picked up and
somewhere safe in no time.
Are you kidding me? After seeing something as awesome as that, how could I not want to
press on! Shaxx bellowed. Get them to drop some supplies. My redjacks and I have a war to
win!

Frontier Act10 Chapter46 Annihilating

Earth
The Last City
Ground Zero
Ikora felt his presence before she saw the shimmer indicative of a higher-dimensional
transmat insertion. How could she ever forget the telltale tingle in the air caused by her
mentor, friend and closest confidant? She could only spare the effort to open her eyes for a
single moment and witness him standing there. The others were far more surprised.
Warlock Solas! Get your damned head down! cried out Cayde. Solas was standing in the
middle of the Hall of Guardians, and was a clear shot for the Vex to take. Crimson bolts lanced
at Solas from the hallway, and evaporated inches from him. Several more volleys assaulted the
Exo but none landed, merely ceasing to exist before landing.
Solas walked up to the hallway, and extended his arms. Before that point Cayde had been too
concerned with the wellbeing of the warlock, and the confusion directly after, to notice.
Solas had six arms.
More accurately, Solas had four additional arms, a pair above and a pair below the two anyone
would expect to see. It was difficult to see where they connected to his body under the layers
that a warlocks garb normally entailed, but there didnt seem to be any additional apparatus
connecting the arms to his body. No backpack. The Exo must have made the modifications
directly, Cayde surmised.
As the Vex considered how to attack an enemy such as this, Solas six hands began to weave
patterns of light in the air. Cayde had seen this sort of light expression before from many of
the highest-level warlocks, but never with this level of complexity, and obviously only with two
hands. All six danced in expert coordination, composing light as if it were a full orchestra.
And then, in a blink of an eye, the Vex in the hall were gone. The air popped as it rushed in to
fill the sudden vacuums left by the departed units.
What- Cayde began to ask.
I moved them. Solas answered.
Where?
The same supermassive singularity accretion disk that their weapons pull their energy from.
How?
Solas didnt answer, instead making his way down the hall and up the stairs.
The entire Watch was swarming with Vex. Hobgoblins and praetorians stood on guard for the
seed of Darkness, now grown large enough to block Solas view of The Traveler. Solas could
feel what it was doing to The Traveler. Poison. Infection. Domination. Solas entry into the area
instantly caused every Vex gun to be trained on him.
Extending his arms as through he were about to begin to lead a symphony, he called upon his
true weapon.

A book appeared in front of him. The large ornate tome floated silently in the air. It opened
fully to him as if he were going to read from it, its spine cracking with the sound of old natural
bindings. Within were pages made not of paper, but of light. Impossibly thin, they fluttered
back and forth in a rainbow blur, humming and whistling whimsically. Within the tome, Wisp
was remotely connecting Solas mind to the pod in his lab via a hyper-entanglement interlink,
and in turn bridging Solas mind to the gargantuan quantum processing capabilities that the
pod afforded him. Solas true weapon had always been his mind, and now it was fully
unleashed.
The Vex began their assault on the intruder, loosing a torrent of gunfire upon him. The Exo
warlock blink-stepped with such speed and rapidity that he seemed to be in more than a
dozen places at once. Light poured from Solas 30 fingertips, intricately weaving reality around
him at the speed of thought. Cryptic symbols and labyrinthine constructs of power filled the
space. Vex fired wildly at afterimages, sometimes destroying other Vex with friendly fire in the
process. The remaining Vex came to a variety of ends, but all in short order. Some vanished as
those in the hall did, while others exploded into light or evaporated like dust in the wind. One
was encased in a jet black coffin of energy and quickly transformed into pure Hawking
radiation.
In seconds, Solas was left with only two opponents: whatever was within the seed of Darkness,
and former Guardian Arrenn Gee.
I dont believe weve been formally introduced. spoke Arrenn, who had yet to turn and give
notice to the Exo.
No, but Ive met another Shard. Solas noted as he walked toward his foe. Arrenn had
completely shed his human visage to reveal an incredibly imposing Vex. Arrenn was only a
fraction smaller than a minotaur but no less imposing. At the same time, his glass-like body
was far more complex than an average Vex, giving Solas a sense of his deadly speed and
accuracy. Add to that Arrenns ability to manipulate reality like a warlock and his lineage as
one of the Shards. Solas knew that this would be no simple contest.
No doubt brother Atheon told you that there was no way you could find victory. You most of
all should be aware of all the turning gears here. Why come back at all? Why try to protect that
which is doomed to fall? Arrenn asked, turning to meet Solas. Solas had never seen such a
face on a Vex. Though cycloptic, it was humanoid and amazingly complex given how little the
Vex would care for such things or even what most Exo were gifted with. Did Arrenn create his
own face? The perfect baleful sneer that the metallic face formed spoke volumes of the unique
entity within. The creature inside surely demanded a shell that could properly display the evil it
contained.
Ive studied many things in my time, and the Vex have been one of the most interesting of
subjects. You want us to think that your existence denotes our inevitable defeat, but in fact its
the other way around. Your current state, still bound by the laws of a universe you have yet to
fully tame, proves that we can match you. We can survive. We can prevail. You think us so
small, but Ive seen it. The golden path. The way forward. The only way forward. Imagine my
complete lack of surprise when I saw that the path led right through you.
Solas last words had barely left his lips before Arrenn was upon him, a black metal vibroknife
heated to a dull lava glow in his left hand, driving for the Exos face. Solas two upper arms
were fast and strong enough to catch the Vexs wrist before it landed, but just barely. Arrenns

face had turned from a malefic sneer to a visage of deadly rage, and his right hand was inches
away from Solas torso, weaving a quick gravity pulse into existence.
Solas was thrown back, slamming hard into the archway leading to the Hall of Guardians and
collapsing down the steps.
You speak of things you cant possibly understand. We are the Vex! Our realm encompasses
all of spacetime. Our influence over reality is complete! We exist in every possibility. Our
victory is the only probability! You are less than nothing on the cosmic scales that we control.
Arrenn roared, stalking towards the steps with the intent of grinding what was left of the Exo
under his boot.
Solas rocketed into the air, levitating within an aura of light. His two lower arms were wrapped
in thick steel cables that he tore up from under the steps, their ends in his palms sparking
wildly.
Its no wonder you posed as a warlock. You talk too much. Solas asserted calmly. His four
remaining hands wove quickly. In an instant, the entire watch filled with lightning. The Vex was
lifted into the air as he was assailed by most of the power that usually kept the Tower alive.
The cables in Solas hands glowed white-hot as they conducted far more energy than they
were used to, as Solas used the power to attack Arrenn on an atomic level, hacking away at the
bonds that held the materials that made him together.
Just as it seemed that Arrenn would be broken down, the cables failed and melted into
glowing molten metals, giving the Vex his chance to retreat to the relative shelter of the seed.
Solas fell to the ground. The attack had exhausted him.
Impressive. I have to say that youve surprised me. We could take shots like that at each other
all day, but that would bore me. I couldnt present such an ugly victory to god! What do you
say we finish this properly? quizzed Arrenn, standing in wait a few feet from Solas.
The Exo got up. He knew exactly what Arrenn had in mind. It was called The World Circle.
There was a time before the Citys walls were raised when warlocks fought deadly duels in this
fashion, but such practices had fallen out of favour since the advent of the crucible. Legends
suggested that the symbol that Osiris himself took as his own was patterned after this contest.
They stood nine feet apart and saluted each other in the traditional warlock way, with the right
hand palm covering the left closed fist. Outstretching their open palms to each other, the circle
was formed. Between them was a ring of jet black null-energy. A blank canvas that was
intrinsically connected to both combatants. From this, two warlocks would weave, attack and
defend their opponent until one was defeated, and almost always dead.
The two warlocks began to create constructs within the circle, symbols of power formed a new
cryptography of local reality. Leylines intersected where one warlock attempted to block or
parry the others efforts. Attacks landed on a warlocks essence while their bodies reacted
sympathetically. The goal was not to kill your opponent from physical trauma, but to obliterate
the very concept of their being.
Every minute into the battle, another circle randomly formed, intersecting the main one in
some fashion and expanding the battlefield in unpredictable ways. The first addition was equal
to the size of the original but hung perpendicular, creating an entire third dimension to the

trial. Equations of life and death flooded outwards and around the combatants, interlacing
furiously as each warlock attempted to get ahead of the other.
Minutes passed as the circles rapidly filled with death. Solas quickly learned that Arrenn was
adept at feints and misdirection, while Arrenn found it a challenge to cope with Solas vast
breadth of skill. Moves came at a furious pace, neither combatant daring to take more than a
moment to consider their next series of moves.
Neither warlock seemed to be gaining an advantage over the other when a crack of thunder
shattered the world. The warlocks staggered as if they were slammed by sonic booms but
dared not break from the Circle, as certain death awaited those that took the cowards way
out. The bright noon sun that normally lit up the brisk mountain valley quickly darkened as Sol
was eclipsed from the centre out. The sky turned an angry lightning-filled violet, and the wind
picked up to match the deathly tone.
Youre quite a skilled combatant, but Im afraid your time is at an end! When Rasputin
attempts to destroy The Traveler in the hopes of keeping its power from God, my brother
within the seed will seal it off in a localized time-dilation field. This City will be leveled. The
Traveler will soon after succumb to our corruption, and then nothing in this universe will be
able to stop us! gloated Arrenn with a cackle.
Impressive plan. Firstly, thank you for this invigorating match. It has been an enjoyable
distraction, as well useful in keeping your attention away from the efforts of my comrades.
Even now, the tide of the battle throughout is turning heavily in our favour. In fact, I feel a
small amount of guilt by indulging the ego of such a weak opponent while my friends did all
the real work. Solas calmly noted.
What? How dare-
Secondly, thank you for confirming your plans. My calculations pointed almost assuredly
towards it, but its pleasant to have my findings verified. Solas continued.
Impossible!
Lastly, and hopefully quite obvious at this point, there was one element to this game that you
and the Vex neglected to properly qualify.
Which was?
Me.
It was then that Arrenn realized how outmatched he had been from the beginning. Solas four
additional hands had yet to be employed in The World Circle, but were only the tip to the
enormous iceberg of his power. His tome gave him access to all of his vast mental resources,
and his enhanced body allowed him to apply those resources on a truly exponential scale.
Multidimensional thoughts processed in attoseconds. Fingers weaved with such blinding speed
that they nearly disappeared, and with such accuracy that Arrenn almost found himself in awe.
Solas was operating at a level so far beyond Arrenn that the only way the he could realize it
was to have it plainly demonstrated.
The Circles suddenly filled with an overwhelming incursion. Before Arrenn could counter, Solas
perfectly and conclusively dominated their shared world. Arrenns essence was unconditionally
ripped away from his self in the span of a breath. Perhaps if The Companion Mind had not

been so shocked at the revelation, he would have had the chance for one last retort, but it was
too much, too fast. Arrenn was simply gone. Erased. His vacant shell fell back, completely
evaporating into rusty dust in the strong wind with nothing left to land on the floor.

Frontier Act10 Chapter47 Infection

The petrified ash that moments ago was the body of The Companion Mind known as Arrenn
Gee quickly became airborne as the sky above the City became angrier. Rasputin was perhaps
minutes away from deploying The Black Sun protocol, a gravitational annihilation beam
weapon that would reduce its target into 4D holographic data in much the same way that
quantum singularities did. Its existence was only known to a very select few in the higher
echelons of Vanguard command. Panic would have surely resulted if the general population
had known that the warmind had such a weapon hanging over their heads.
Solas understood why Rasputin was taking this course of action, and also understood why all
attempts to dissuade him proved fruitless. Even after all this time, Rasputin still had little faith
in guardians. The only way to stop Rasputin was to end the threat, so without giving himself
time to rest or congratulate himself on his victory, he turned his complete attention to the
seed of Darkness.
The sickly oil-like energy stream of corruption that poured out of the seed curved and twisted
its way through the air, ending at The Traveler and gradually covering the huge white orb like a
disease. Arcs of light traveled back along the stream. Was the seed feeding on The Traveler?
Solas could sense that the connection was far too strong to break with brute force and there
was not enough time for proper analysis, therefore the only option was to destroy the seed
itself. But how to do that? The only other encounter with a seed was in The Black Garden, and
the seed was only vulnerable after inhabiting the Sol Progeny. The prevailing theory was that
the seed itself couldnt directly influence the physical world, so it required hosts and subjects
to do its bidding, but here it was, affecting The Traveler. How?
Among the myriad of broken Vex bodies, Solas sat in full lotus and opened his mind to the
convulsing mass of evil before him. Something was unique about this seed. He sensed little he
could understand, until a speck of Arrenns remains carried on the wind to the seed and
touched its surface. The roiling body of the seed exploded in a furious torrent of what Solas
could only describe as anti-life, throwing the warlock backwards and blanketing the watch in a
thick miasma. Once it cleared, Solas had his answer.
The seed was exactly that, a seed from which something was intended to grow from. What
emerged stood nearly as tall as Atheon. A wide body of glass that was reminiscent of a more
evolved hydra, with humanoid limbs and a cycloptic head atop its torso. Eight small balls of
darkness similar in appearance to the seed floated around him. The infection stream continued
to pour out the Vexs crystalline body and towards The Traveler like a thick smog.
The last Shard brother finally emerged from his chrysalis. Virulion, The Infecting Mind.
Solas sent out a quick burst message on every friendly channel he knew of, informing them of
the situation. On the surface of it, this seemed to work in their favour. Now the seed was gone,
and a corporeal entity could be defeated.
Solas six hands became a blur of light as he attempted to bind Virulion. Small portals to Sols
photosphere opened up around the Vex giant, launching thick solar filaments at it. The ropes
of light looped around and lashed Virulion, impeding his movement. More portals opened as
Solas continued his binding.
Solas considered how to destroy the now-bound monster, but only had a few seconds before
he saw that it would not be so easy. The orbs of darkness quickly wizzed around Virulion,

severing the filaments and collapsing the portals. The Vex was free in less time than it took to
bind him.
Solas was suddenly knocked to his knees, not by a physical attack, but by something else. A
psychic attack? No, that was not something the Vex did. This was something else. Psychic
vibrations pulsed from Virulions glass shell with such strength that it was like Solas mind was
being shaken apart. Concepts flooded in. Anger. Destruction. The zealot-like fanaticism that
these acts was the will of God. Wordless thoughts and fractals of emotions boomed
deafeningly in Solas skull. The warlock found it impossible to focus on anything, or even grasp
on to a single thought of his own. This was how The Infecting Mind communicated. He
screamed his dark thoughts at you until your will to resist was buried under the rubble of your
shattered psyche.
Here we come to save the day! called out Vatyr over comms. Solas could focus just enough
to perceive Vatyr flying in with Telemica in tow. The titan dropped from 20 feet and landed in
front of the warlock. The resonance of her null jacket distorted the telepathic link enough for
Solas to break it. He rose to his feet slowly as he quickly slapped together a psychic barrier
patch for himself, while also remote-installing it in the armour Telemica and Vatyr wore.
Telemica turned to face Virulion with sword unsheathed. Did you take care of Arrenn? she
asked.
Conclusively. He was protecting his brother, who just emerged from the seed. Meet Virulion,
The Infecting Mind. We only have a few minutes to defeat him before Rasputin launches his
attack. informed Solas.
Not a problem. Ill end this in one shot! hollered Vatyr. Hed landed on the centre peak of
the watchs architecture and deployed Infinity Cylinder, his new sniper rifle. The unusually long
barrel and thick cable connecting the rifles body to the back of Vatyrs Astranagant armour
told Telemica that the weapon was less of an anti-personnel weapon and more of a heavy antimaterial cannon, designed to eliminate heavy and hardened targets from extreme ranges.
Judging from the advanced nature of Solas other creations, the titan guessed it could punch a
hole clear through a Cabal land tank in a single shot. Vatyr brought the rifle up to aiming
position and a grin formed on his face.
The body of the rifle seemed based on the newest fusion rifle tech, as there were six heavy
fusion cores laid out in a tight hexagon that came to life. Vatyrs wings furled out and back,
venting the vast amount of excess heat away from his body.
Virulion seemed to either not notice the two new guardians, or not care. He slowly turned his
hulking form back towards The Traveler. The sickening miasma began to pour out of him
thicker and faster than before, as if he were refocusing his efforts on dominating his target.
Dont wanna play with us? Id rather not shoot you in the back, but Im not above taking the
shot when the clock is running. Vatyr mused. Stand back! This thing packs a whallop! he
screamed as the Infinity Cylinders cores roared deafeningly. The hunter pressed the trigger,
and the world lit up. A high-pitch scream burst forth from the weapons barrel, along with an
intensely wrathful bright beam of white-hot light.
The event shook Telemicas perception enough that it took her a full second to turn and see
the beams target still standing, Infinity Cylinders beam shattering off of some invisible barrier

around the Vex. Some beams arched into the sky, while others lanced straight into the tower
or off to skewer far off mountain faces.
Before an expletive could escape the lips of either Vatyr or Telemica, Solas braced. Infinity
Cylinders shot would end soon and another may not be possible in this fight. He had to act
fast. His hands shot out and grasped at the sky that the beams cut across and pulled fiercely.
Through a sheer force of will that some warlocks would find astounding while others would
deem inelegant, he curved the beams back towards Virulion like a flowers petals closing in the
moonlight. Infinity Cylinder began to cut into Virulions front mere fractions of a second after
its shot broke across his back.
By the time the attack got Virulions attention, the rifles charge was expended. Not the
game-ending attack I was hoping for. Vatyr mused darkly. Now what?
Now we press the attack until the damn thing falls! Telemica cried out, already leaping on
Spiral Calibers solar burst at Virulion with a fully-deployed Buster Sword. She swung hard at
his head, powering through with her new arm and doing her best to sever the Vexs head from
the rest of his body. Thunder clapped as the blade met Virulions protective barrier, but that
just made Telemica press harder with an ecstatic warcry.
Recalling Infinity Cylinder and deploying Exia, an autorifle which doubled as an anti-starship
beam sword when the barrel was connected to Anstranagants feathers. Vatyrs energy blade
slammed into the opposite side of Virulions neck, doubling the titans continued assault like
scissors.
Before Solas could warn his comrades, the barrier pulsed once with a deep bass sound that
rocked the world, sending all three guardians flying back and slamming into the walls of the
watch.
This isnt going to be that simple. noted Solas through considerable pain as he got up.
So do you have a plan? asked Vatyr.
Thats an light-equalization barrier of staggering density and genuinely transcendental
complexity. Virulion is using The Travelers core essence-light to protect itself from our attacks.
At the same time, Virulion is injecting a quasi-pathogenic anti-light construct into The Traveler
in an attempt to dominate it. explained Solas.
Come again?
We use The Travelers light to do what we do, but it is impossible to use that light The
Travelers very nature to injure The Traveler itself. The Infecting Mind was designed to take
advantage of this fact. To shroud himself in The Travelers light to defend against us, while
taking control of it host. Without overcoming that defense, none of our attacks will land.
So what youre telling me is that for the first time ever, you have no plan? suggested
Telemica.
Im working on it. assured Solas in a tone that was halfway between personally insulted and
honestly grave.
Thats not what I wanted to hear. the titan mused as she readied herself for another attack.

Solas didnt want to let on how dire the situation was. Could a way be found around the
barrier? Probably, after months or maybe years of research on a target that was not trying to
kill them. The problem was that they didnt have months. In the next few minutes, either the
Vex would take The Traveler as an offering to The Darkness, Rasputin would destroy
everything, or both. Virulions imposing and disregarding back was beginning to look bigger by
the second, and the sky was most definitely getting darker.

Frontier Act10 Chapter48 Sacrifice

The clock ticked, and the world became darker.
Telemica and Vatyr continued to engage Virulion, The Infecting Mind. At least, they attempted
to engage him. Virulions focus remained solely on The Traveler. The Vex monster refused to
acknowledge the guardians or their attacks.
Solas hung back and applied himself to the puzzle before him. He poked and pulled at
Virulions being from every angle and dimension he could access, doing everything he could to
open up some sort of gap in the defense.
The clock was ticking. While the City beyond was slowly being retaken by guardian forces,
comm channels were beginning to take interest in the rapidly changing sky, as it was clearly
not Vex-related. Solas refused to explain the truth of the situation. What purpose would it
serve? There was nothing anyone could do. Virulions infection was progressing at an alarming
rate, and his barrier made of the essence-light of The Traveler was unnervingly effective at
negating any incursions the guardians tried to make. It made perfect sense to Solas. The
guardians got their power from The Traveler. It was insanity to think that The Travelers gifts
could be used against it. The warlocks expanded mind raced to find a solution.
The clock ticked, and The Traveler began to slump in the air.
Youve become so strong since you first came to me, but this is beyond madness even for
you! The Speaker pleaded to his young apprentice at the other end of the commlink. The
Speaker was at the helm of an old Arcadia-class jumpship and bringing it in alongside the
stream of sickly corruption that connected Virulion to The Traveler. Angela was crouched on
top of the jumpship, holding on for dear life as the inexperienced pilot at the helm
maneuvered into position.
This is the only way either of us can think of to break the Vexs connection to The Traveler
and turn the tide of this battle. Warden cant do it themselves and were running out of time!
There is no other way to dissuade Rasputin from leveling this entire mountain range. Angela
reaffirmed. Ill be able to give them the opening Warden needs to end this!
You could die! You simply do not understand how important you are to us!
Were all going to die if I dont!
The Speaker wanted to argue her out of this plan. He wanted nothing more than to turn the
ship around and find another way. He wanted to protect her, but he knew it was imposssible.
Angela was far too headstrong and tenacious. He adjusted his course to bring Angela directly
under the stream. Ill hold position right under you. After youve broken the connection, Ill
catch you. I promise.
She wanted to tell him how much he meant to her, but she needed to stay focused. She could
feel the stream of sickness sap her strength from a few feet above her head. Was this what
The Traveler was feeling? The effect intensified as the ship inched closer, as if the the spectre
of death was breathing down her neck. Every cell in her body was demanding that she escape,
but she forced herself to reach up and let herself be absorbed by the riptide of energy.
Angelas scream of anguish seemed to carry along the stream like an echo down a metal tube
and slam into Virulion with enough force to slightly stagger him. Wardens full attention turned

to the girl suspended in midair, but only Solas knew what she was trying to do. Her connection
to The Traveler allowed her to act as a graft over the wound torn open by Virulions infection.
A boost to The Travelers natural defenses. Her hope was that The Traveler would then be able
to break the connection itself, but that didnt happen. Virulions refocused its efforts, causing
the contagion to rip through the young girl.
Angela! Get out of there! The Speaker pleaded. She couldnt respond. Looking though a
camera, The Speaker could see that she was clearly unconscious, but still pouring out massive
amounts of light. Her arms were spread wide in the air as if she were trying to block Virulions
efforts with her tiny body. Slowly, pure light crept from The Traveler through the stream and
into Angelas back, brightening her already radiant aura.
For the first time, Virulion appeared to be set upon. The barrier around him seemed to flicker
and dim. The infection stream thinned.
Whatever shes doing, its working. Vatyr noted. He fired off a few rounds from his rifle, but
even though Virulions barrier was weakened, the projectiles still bounced off harmlessly.
Fall back, Warden. We need to regroup and come up with a new plan before Angelas light is
exhausted completely. ordered Telemica.
No! You will not diminish her sacrifice! For the City! The Speaker bellowed at Virulion.
Gritting his teeth and throwing the throttle forward hard, he sent his jumpship on a collision
course with The Infecting Mind. His old lungs launched into a dead mans defiant warcry as he
poured all of his light into the ship itself.
The clock stopped. The world turned on its head as The Speakers suicide attack found its
mark.

Frontier Act10 Chapter49 Brave

Telemica lifted a slab of debris away from the corner Solas was buried in.
Are you alright? the titan asked with concern.
For the most part. Vatyr?
Up here. Vatyr answered over comms, high above the now demolished tower watch and
coming in to land near his comrades. The Speakers ship just detonated on contact.
Vapourized. Pretty much no significant debris from the ship itself. The effect is similar to a
slipspace core overload. I recognized the telltale whine of a jump core being overspun, but Ive
never seen the fallout so localized and focused. Virulion was sent sailing through the back wall
and into the lookout, but hes still moving. Doesnt look too damaged either. Im surprised this
tower is still standing to be honest. All that energy must have been focused right into the Vex.
Crazy.
We all knew The Speaker was powerful. A fitting end. Telemica considered.
What about Angela? Solas demanded. The warlock ran back to the centre of the watch to
find most of it had been obliterated by The Speaker. Peering out, he saw Angela still hanging in
the air in a huge mote of The Travelers essence-light. It was significantly brighter than before,
and the infection stream had been completely severed.
Angela. Angela, can you hear me? Solas queried into open comms. There was no response.
The light around her continued to grow and take on an aggressive note. Was The Traveler
trying to defend itself?
Virulion shifted and whined, throwing debris off itself and rising.
He looks pissed off. Vatyr noted.
Good. Solas growled. With a roaring fury, he sent a salvo of huge nova bombs hurtling
towards the Vex, slamming Virulion with enough void light to level a small apartment building.
The Infecting Mind shielded itself with its arms and braced under the impact. It was not
seriously damaged by any stretch, but it was not immune to the attack either.
It felt that! The light barrier is gone. Angela and The Speaker broke the link, making it
vulnerable. Telemica shouted in triumph. Her armours systems burst with renewed vigour.
Lets go! yawped Vatyr. Fireteam Warden leaped into the fray with Virulion quickly, before
the Vex could reestablish its attack on The Traveler.
Vatyr ignited his anti-ship beam saber once again and attacked Virulion in tandem with
Telemicas Buster Sword from opposite directions. Virulion brought its arms up and blocked
the massive blades with surprising speed, shrugging them off easily and batting Telemica with
the back of a hand. The titan was sent smashing through a high section of the wall. Vatyr
blasted upwards and rained harassing fire down on Virulion with his Dis heavy machine gun.
Solas called forth a vast reserve of void light and reached his mind deep down into the weave
of reality. Focusing on Virulions glass-like structure, he willed the crystal to vibrate. Solas
wanted to shake the monster apart, atom by atom.
Telemica launched out of her hole with an echoing battlecry. Spinning, she sent two sweeping
waves of solar light at Virulion from her feet, as well as a meteoric jet from her left arm.

The Infecting Mind blocked the titans first two solar attacks and redirected the last one up at
Vatyr, narrowly missing him but forcing him to veer off. Then, opening his huge palms and
exposing a port in each that looked like the muzzles of torch hammers, he fired two immense
blasts of boiling energy at the titan and warlock. Solas was too focused on his attack to react in
time. A hastily-erected barrier saved his life but sent him sprawling. Telemica narrowly
managed to evade it with the aerial maneuvering capabilities of the Spiral Caliber system. She
tried to press the attack, but Virulion was ready for it. He grabbed her out of the air and tossed
her back in the direction of The Traveler. She would have gone clear over the side and fallen to
her death if Vatyr didnt pluck her out of the air.
Solas scrambled for cover behind a toppled pillar while his comrades observed from above.
We certainly have his attention now.
For all the good its doing us. We still cant put any real hurt on him. Ive never seen a Vex
move like that! exclaimed Vatyr.
Or take that level of punishment. Guardians have defeated Vex like this before, right?
Telemica asked.
Yes. The Sol Progeny of the Black Garden were little more than enormous, lumbering
minotaurs. Easy to take down if youre smart enough. Atheons defeat within the Vault of Glass
was made narrowly possible by the disruption of the Vaults Oracles, which allowed Atheons
significant control over the local spacetime of the Vault of Glass interior to be neutralized just
enough to claim victory. Neither strategy will assist us here. informed Solas.
Great. Does anyone have any ideas? Vatyr asked with some frustration.
Let the light flow through you
Who-
Let the light flow through you
Angela? Solas asked to nobody. Turning to look at the young girl, he could barely perceive
her through the enormous amount of light pouring out of The Traveler and surrounding her.
Is that Angela on comms? asked Telemica.
Shes made direct contact with The Traveler for the first time since The Collapse, but through
some sort of shared dream-state. Whatever is speaking to us through our light is a merged
consciousness between Angela and The Traveler.
She really is The Speaker now. Vatyr said with a note somewhere between mourning and
hope. He dropped off Telemica by Solas and reengaged The Infecting Mind with his Dis heavy
machine gun. We cant let him attack Angela. Ill keep him occupied for as long as I can. Solas,
think!
Solas celestial-sized mind raced, arriving finally at a strategy that gave definitive new meaning
to the phrase last-ditch, but was no doubt the only play they had left. Years ago, I toyed with
the idea of giving guardians one final option. It never worked properly, but with Angela and
The Travelers help, theres an infinitesimal chance it could work for us here and now.
Im all ears! Vatyr said as he dodged oversized torch hammer blasts.

Id reduce us to our core light, and merge the three essence patterns that each of our ghosts
hold into a single being of staggering power. Easily enough to defeat Virulion.
Sounds great! Lets do that!
The chances that the merger would work are, as I said, infinitesimal. Even if it did work, the
resulting lifeform would only last a few short minutes. Also, we three as individuals as well as
the entities within our ghosts would cease to exist. Wed die.
Telemica grabbed hold of Solas arm. Weve died before, remember? Dying again was always
a pretty good possibility in our world.
But our time Solas found himself at a loss for words. The silent and deafening conflict
brought on by the return of their memories had been pushed to the side for the moment by a
world-ending battle, but he needed to fix this wound between him and Telemica. Even if it
took lifetimes.
Telemicas lips found where Solas forehead would be if he had eyes. Our time is once again
at an end, but I know no fear or regret because you are once again with me, my love.
Had she been contemplating the past this whole time? Had she ever been conflicted by it?
Solas was one of the most brilliant minds the star system had ever seen, but hed always been
ignorant of the emotional aspects of life. Perhaps it had been a simple willful blindness. He was
often told he needed to pay more attention to the feelings of others, as well as his own. It had
been the one puzzle in his life that scared him, so he avoided it. Now, all of those walls hed
built up around his heart were suddenly gone, and only she remained. He placed his hand over
hers. The fear was simply gone, and for the first time in perhaps both of his lives, he needed no
words.
Vatyr, meet us centre stage. Were doing the crazy thing. Telemica commanded as she pulled
.
Yes maam! Operation crazy thing is a go. Vatyr joked as he swooped down to meet them at
the broken ledge made of what remained of the tower watch. Guys, just so you know, it has
been an honour and a privilege. I may have failed my family and my fleet during The Collapse,
but its good to know I wont fail you.
Telemica clasped Vatyrs shoulder in understanding, then turned to Solas, So how do we save
the world?
Clear your mind and do what the little lady told you to. Let the light flow through you. Solas
offered. Within each guardian, silent thanks and farewells were offered to the little lights that
bore them for so long. The dutiful Squire. The enigmatic Wisp. The daring Glitch. The hunter
and titan took one last look at Virulion before closing their eyes. Four of Solas hands took hold
of theirs while the remaining two began to weave the world, opening a conduit to Angela.

Frontier Act10 Chapter50 Warden

Angela awoke atop The Travelers zenith. The worlds curvature was almost noticeable from
this altitude, but Angela had no trouble breathing or discomfort of any kind. Being this close to
The Traveler, its essence must support life regardless of the surrounding environment, she
deduced.
The last thing she recalled was getting pulled into the infection stream and the feeling of her
life being drained away, before a warmness enveloped her. The voice that spoke to her was
both alien and oddly familiar. It was sweetly welcoming and beyond old. The voice asked her
for help, like the elderly asking for the strong hands and sturdy back of the young. She was
glad to help, but had no idea how. The voice now sounded a bit like hers, and told her that
now was the time for her to be strong. Now, together, they would shine like never before.
The next thing she knew, she was on top of The Traveler, and in the distance, though mere
specks of light and echoes of booms could be perceived from this far away, she knew what was
happening. She looked up, and the machine god of a bygone age prepared to strike at home.
She filled her lungs with air and screamed at the faraway point of light that carried all their
fates with it. Fight!
Solas, Telemica and Vatyr simply ceased to be amid the furious torrent of light. When it calmed
and coalesced, what remained was a towering humanoid figure made of blue-white light and
without any discernible features. It had no eyes, ears, nose or mouth. It had no fingers or toes.
It wore no clothes. Its body had no definition denoting biology or gender. Its boundaries
shifted and licked like the surface of a flame. Its core was intensely bright required no strain to
gaze into.
Virulion, The Infecting Mind fired a pair of torch hammer shots at it, but the shots were
harmlessly absorbed into its being. The Vex fired several more shots but with the same result.
The new entity stood motionless, facing The Traveler in reverent posture.
It was when Virulion charged with a lunging right punch that the entity heard it. A girls voice.
Fight, the girl said. The entity twisted with supernatural speed and caught Virulions fist,
stopping it dead. The impact echoed across the landscape. Virulion attempted to pull itself free
but couldnt. The entity pulled the fist in to grab Virulions arm, spun around, and threw
Virulion back towards the lookout with ease. The Vex sailed through the air with a defiant roar
came down with a crash. The Infecting Mind got up quickly, but the entity was already
standing in front of him, waiting.
When it spoke, sound emanated from it in all directions. Its voice was a combination of the
three guardians that formed it. I am The Warden. This place and these people are under my
protection. Be gone.
Virulions chestplates shifted and moved, revealing a cavity which held the last fragment of the
seed of darkness from which Virulion emerged. The evil pulsing heart of Virulion, The Infecting
Mind. Cables and connections webbed through and around the seed. Virulion was showing The
Warden that he was chosen. Blessed. An ordained avatar of the Darkness will. Screaming
tendrils of diseased energy shot out of the seed and hooked into The Warden, attempting to
drain the entity of its light. A sound raked from Virulion that could be considered nauseating
laughter.

The Warden didnt stagger or shift. The tendrils buried their way in, but burned away in
moments. The seed sent out more and more in an effort to devour this entity of pure light, but
every attempt simply evaporated. The Wardens light was simply too intense for The Darkness
to corrupt.
Virulion quickly closed its chest to protect the seed and brought both its arms together in front
of it. Components shifted and rearranged until the Vex monsters arms and body formed a
singular immense energy cannon. Virulion would destroy this abomination of light in the name
of God. It took moments to charge and the blast would land at point-blank range, but The
Warden didnt move.
The avalanche of dark energies Virulion unleashed seemed to roar up without sound from the
pits of some nameless hell and spill into the world like a plaque of ruin, leveling what was left
of the tower watch and collapsing a large section of the nearby hanger. It was as if the pure
and unadulterated will of some dark god of destruction poured out of the Vexs body. Such a
thing could exist for only moments, but that was all it needed to annihilate anything in this
universe.
The Warden stood unharmed. Through Virulions armour, the seed screamed in rage. The
Infecting Mind separated his arms again and threw a desperate haymaker punch. Midway
through the attack, The Warden countered, in a flash severing both Virulions arms at the
shoulders with a flurry of cleaving knifehand strikes.
Virulion staggered and convulsed as the seed of Darkness within it attempted one last time to
lash out, bursting out from the chest of The Infecting Mind and leaving Virulion a dead hulk for
its penance. The seed lashed out like a hydra, constantly growing hellish heads and tentacles
to replace the ones that either burned away in the light or were severed by The Wardens
uncanny counters. The tables so obviously turned only seemed to cause Virulion to attack
more violently and exhausting itself, perhaps feeling its end was at hand.
When the futile attacks ceased, the Warden slid its right leg back and brought its arms up to
deliver a serious, finishing blow. You end is now. The rest of your kind will meet the same
fate in time.

Frontier Act11 Chapter51 Forward

Earth
The Last City
Years later
It has taken years for us to rebuild this City. Our home. Years to heal from our wounds, mourn
the dead and reforge our bonds. Hard time full of blood, sweat and tears. First the Vex came to
take away The Traveler, but were denied them their prize. Then the Fallen house of Kings came
to our walls to strike at us while we were wounded, but they too were turned away.
Angela stood at the podium atop the rebuilt and improved observatory in the centre of the
tower lookout and took a breath to collect her thoughts before continuing. Her voice and
image projected across the domain and beyond. She had expected her heart to be beating out
of her chest. Perhaps in a time not so long ago, that would have been the case. She had found
her mettle since then.
The young Speaker was flanked by the Vanguard leadership and other dignitaries, all in formal
dress. Shed been preparing this speech for some time. She needed the people behind her for
what was to come. She needed their hearts and minds. She could feel they were with her so
far, and now she had to turn it up.
Our valiant guardians protected us, laying down their restored lives for us time and again
when things seemed most bleak. They stood, fought and were victorious!
The crowd cheered.
The factions found new common ground. The Dead Orbit became the foundation from which
we built the Vanguard Navy. The Future War Cult opened their mysteries to us, allowing our
research and development to jump ahead decades. New Monarchy enshrined me, your
Speaker, as their Queen. New allies came to hear our call. The Queen of The Reef, The House
of Judgement, the warmind Rasputin and more!
The crowd cheered louder.
Today, we commemorate that fateful day when three brave guardians accomplished the
impossible. Through The Travelers blessing gifts, they destroyed the invaders leader with a
glorious blow. A single punch with such fury and power that it carved a deep valley into this
mountain range that stretches into the horizon. Today, in honour of their service, bravery and
sacrifice, we name this battle scar in the face of the world The Valley of The Warden.
The crowd cheered even louder.
The Darkness has officially been put on notice!
The crowd roared. A chant of her name rolled through the masses. The entire City came alive.
She let them and herself have it for a minute, then raised her hand to calm them.
My people, we have walked through the forge of dark days and been remade stronger than
ever before, but darker days still await us. Forces that will stop at nothing to grind us back into
the dust. Will we let them?
The crowd cried out defiantly.

Our unity will make us stronger than anything they could ever break. Our light will burn The
Darkness and its minions away. We will take back our worlds, and pioneer the golden path
beyond. Today is a day of remembrance and celebration. Tomorrow, and for all the tomorrows
after, we will move forever forward!
The crowd erupted. Nothing could stop them now, Angela thought. She took a wave and
vacated the podium. The festivities below were now in full-swing, and the time for pretty
words was over. For the people of the Last City on Earth, it was a time for joy. For Angela, it
was always time to work. She had Vanguard reports to review and expansion plans to oversee.
Tomorrow shed be on a transport to The Reef to formalize trade negotiations and other
partnerships.
Angela entered her private office in the observatory. An elegant space full of old books mixed
with new tech. She keyed the biometric scanner hidden in the mechanisms of a sextant sitting
on her wide Brazilian walnut desk. Hidden scanners in the office identified her and activated
the portal.
Solas old lab had held up fairly well after the Vex incursion. The invaders never found a way
into it, so as soon as Angela had gotten the chance after the battle, she had run down to the
main entry and keyed the door. The power core was nearly drained, the unique ammo stores
were all but depleted, and the main processing core was totally burned out. Ikora helped her
close the few experiments that the frames were still running and relocate the main entry
portal to Angelas new office. The lab had once been where Solas prepared for Wardens
ordeal. Now, itll serve a new purpose.
At the centre of the lab, where Solas pod once was, stood something new. Within a complex
assortment of cables, scanners and interfaces, three clear teardrop-shaped crystalline bulbs
hung from a miniaturized version of the labs old power core. Each bulb containing a ghost.
After the battle, Angela had ordered Wardens ghosts found. They were assumed dead but
Angela had just become the new Speaker and she didnt hesitate to put that influence to work.
Using the wealth of tools in Solas lab, she discovered that Wisp, Glitch and Squire were in fact
still alive, perhaps through some residual effect of The Travelers boon. It should not have
been possible, but impossible was becoming more and more common these days. Fireteam
Warden had survived by the thinnest of margins.
The three ghosts now floated comfortably in a liquid light solution pioneered recently by
Omolon foundries. Slowly, they were absorbing light and gaining strength. There was no way
for her to know when theyd wake up. It could be tomorrow, or it could be a hundred years
from now. Every evening, Angela would come down to this lab, make sure the frames were
tending to them properly as well as Angelas other experiments, check the readouts and
findings, look at the three ghosts, and promise her friends that the world they saved would
flourish in their absence. Finally before retiring to her bed, shed always ask her friends for a
small favour.
Come back soon.