If you missed the last chapter, it is [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/220167007?sort=0&page=0]here[/url]. The one master thread to rule them all is [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/216641797?sort=0&page=0]here[/url]. Enjoy! The soldiers approaching had a grimace. The one leading had no mask on; he had a scar on his cheek, and a long beard. They had a tight grip on their weapons, but I do not want to challenge until I know who they are. The soldier with the scar spoke first. "What business does the Future War Cult have in Old Seattle? This is Lysander's territory; the Concordat's territory. Give us your name and state your business." I was puzzled by this hostility, because this man obviously knows about the War Cult, but no one outside of it was supposed to know. "I am Captain Clubber. I was sent by Maya Sundaresh to--" I couldn't tell them the truth, the mission was classified, "deliver some resources to the Ishtar Academy on Venus. They need it for their studies." The man looked puzzled, and looked at me as if he knew I was lying. "Unless you were delivering supplies to the House of Winter, which would make you an enemy to humanity, there is no way I'm buying that." They aimed their guns at us, and my crew hunkered back. I stood my ground, they were only a group of five. I replied, "What is the 'House of Winter'? You act like you don't even know of the Ishtar Collective. If you know of the War Cult, you definitely know of them." This man left me so confused. Who was the House of Winter? There were no 'enemies to humanity'. Only the ones in the future, that we have seen through the Device. The man had a look of anger, and glared at me as if I was the single-most uneducated man in the system. "Take these men into custody. They'll take it up with Lysander." "We're not going anywhere. We only take orders from our commanders!" My crew stepped up with me, weapons in hand. They were five, we were thirty. The soldier smirked, as if wanting a fight. "Obviously, Lakshmi-2 doesn't provide you the correct education." We sized each other up; I had the bigger gun, but he could be quicker with his. "Soldiers, attack formation!" I gave my orders. The scarred soldier did the same. Then we saw lights in the sky: ships pouring out of the sky, and a massive one appearing from outside of the atmosphere. This was not human spacecraft. The hostiles shouted, "It's the Devils! Lysander will have the rest of the Concordat alarmed!" Another soldier spoke up. "Sir, what about this scum!" "We'll deal with them later. We're seeing an assault!" Vesrik could see the Devils' skiffs swarming Old Seattle. They got here as soon as I did. I ordered the Pilot Servitor to fire upon any and all Devil-craft. They know I am here, and they know who I am. I also saw three Guardian-craft coming in. "Pilot, shoot it down, now!" Whoever the dead soldiers were piloting them, have lot of maneuverability. I knew the Guardians were already transmatted to the surface. My Pilot Servitor could handle itself, and I will have it continue to shoot down enemy craft while I'm on the surface. I will lock down all points of entry; the Ketch will be safe. I was down on the surface, near Elliot Bay. I had to head further inland where the crashed ship was. A Devil skiff dropped down, so I readied my shrapnel launcher. An Archon Priest, large and powerful, banished from the Devils along with the rest of his followers: Aksis, disgraced Archon of Devils. I was shocked to see the mad Archon Priest. "What are you and your crazy band of followers doing here, Aksis?" I challenged him with this. Why wasn't the House of Devils here, and their banished Archon was? He smirked, with his normally insane look. "I won't be just some 'banished priest' for long. The Devils are desperate, yes? They are caving, and they will allow me and my followers to take control. I was a powerful asset to them once, was I not?" I was disgusted. He has a plan, I am sure of it. "No, why are you [i]here[/i], Aksis? Nothing is of worth in Old Seattle." "I say the same to you. I heard the distress signal, and it is of like no other I have seen in the system, or any system." Aksis was clearly mad to anyone who met him. That's what got him exiled, doing things out of madness. He was like a warlock of the dead soldiers: smart, yet insane. "It's not for you, Aksis. Not for the Devils, not for the Guardians, not for you. I'm here to help them if they mean well." Aksis began to get hostile. He raised his blade and aimed it at me. "Whoever or whatever they are, it is mine. If you don't get back on that Ketch, you are not going to be alive long enough to see it again." I wish he would have just joined the House of Exile, so they could ground him to Luna. But no, Aksis is too stubborn to give up on rejoining the Devils. He will be dead before he gets to. I drew my sword. I was Archon-size like Aksis, so we were even in strength. Nonetheless, Aksis would not win. He's arrogant and cocky. That will be his downfall. "Aksis, if you don't back off now, your whole operation could be in jeopardy. Your followers will join the Exiles without you!" This made him furious, I knew he hated disloyalty, and if someone questioned that of his own soldiers. He has too much faith in them. He tried cut off my arm, but my sword negated the stroke. I tried to gut him, and I pierced his armor, but he shook my sword out before I could draw blood. Aksis pulled a shock knife on me, and jabbed my shoulder. I denounced his cheap shot with one of my own; I made a grab for my pistol, and shot him thrice in the chest. He roared at my notion. "Are we even on that, oh, great Archon?" I purred at this, and he tried to spin around me and cut through my back, but I turned around and made a grab for his left arm. I snapped it and he wailed. He clutched his top left arm with his bottom right, and the other two arms to wield his sword. Aksis grew furious, he summoned all of his strength, and I saw Aksis jump up and he kicked me in the jaw. I fell backwards and went unconscious, then I realized I was dreaming. Something was off. Whatever crashed here was causing a pulse in time. My dreams were not my own, but I still had my perspective. I began to drift off, and I fell underwater. I saw many stars, then I saw myself in a lab, strapped down to a device. Humans stood around me, telling me to stay calm. Then they closed the device I was in, and I began to have a vision. Aksis was there, and Eliksni were below him... in worship? The vision had went dark, and ended. A second vision came into being. I saw the Last City, burning, and it was almost pleasant. Accept it wasn't the Eliksni wreaking the havoc... then it just became dark. The third vision was of a human with a hive blade, madness twinkling in his eyes, the Worm Gods' below his feet. Eir pleaded for mercy, and was cut in half, and it knew mercy was crime in the Sword Logic. Xol cursed him, and was gutted by the man. Ur tried to flee, but the man split the winged beast open. Yul, the "Honest" Worm, challenged him. It opened it's jaws and flew at him as the man drew his blade, then everything went dark, and the visions ended.