Hello, everybody, here's part 68 of Into the Hellmouth! So, I'd like to give you guys a few quick updates; first of all, part 69 will go live on Tuesday, so be on the lookout for that! Secondly, it's looking like Part 71 will be the final chapter of Into the Hellmouth. It'll probably be pretty brief (it'll be more of an epilogue than a chapter, tbh), and will be accompanied by an Author's Note, in which I discuss both the story itself and future projects! So, yeah! In any case, here's [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218104392?showBanned=0&path=0]part 67[/url] if you missed it, or, if you're looking for a different part, here's the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/209303839?showBanned=0&path=0]master post[/url]! Stay classy, Guardians! “You see, even now, Crota readies for an invasion of Earth,” she said. “This, you cannot deny. You have, after all, seen the signs. The Hive invade the cosmodrome, and ready themselves for attack. You know the truth of what I speak. This is my message to you; prepare, for what we face next shall be worse than anything that the City has ever faced - and I say this as a veteran of Twilight Gap.” She looked over her audience. “Crota will come, my friends. And you had best be ready when he does.” The Speaker nodded. “Thank you for your story, Eris,” he said. “Ikora. Please escort her to your room. You may rejoin us later.” Ikora nodded. “Understood,” she said. She grabbed Eris by the shoulder. “Good job,” she whispered. Eris nodded, and followed her out of the room. “Do you think they’ll listen?” she asked eventually. “Only time will tell,” Ikora said. “But for what it’s worth, you were very persuasive.” She shook her head. “So we really only just evaded a full-fledged invasion of earth?” she said. “Yes,” Eris replied. “And it’s my belief that our invasion of the Hellmouth may have forestalled the invasion even further. Ikora nodded. “I see.” They arrived in Ikora’s room some time later. “This new Guardian that everyone is talking about seems particularly interesting,” Eris said. “That they are,” Ikora said. “They’ve made quite a name for themselves thus far - even discovered an old warmind, Rasputin, in the Cosmodrome. Eris nodded. “Yes, I read about it that,” she said. Warminds were Artificial Intelligences who’d been tasked with the defense of humanity during the Golden Age. There had always been rumors that one had survived, but never any proof - until now. “Yes, doomsday weapons and all,” Ikora said. “In addition to that, they killed an Archon of the House of Devils, discovered a Hive invasion of the Cosmodrome, ventured to Luna -fought the Vex on Venus, visited the Awoken to find the location of the Black Garden. . .” Eris shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe they might actually destroy it.” “They managed to get the Awoken to give them it’s location,” Ikora replied. “Hopefully, it’s just a matter of fighting through the cabal.” “Assuming that the Awoken were telling the truth,” Eris said. Ikora smiled. “Mara Sov is many things, but a liar she is not,” she replied. “I personally hope that this is a sign of new cooperation between the City and the Reef.” “Mm.” Eris continued to scroll through the tablet. Then, she frowned. “The warmind,” she said. “So that’s it!” Ikora frowned. “What’s it, Eris?” she asked. “I finally figured out why Omnigul is here!” Eris replied. Ikora frowned. “Who’s Omnigul?” “The Will of Crota,” Eris said. “One of his chief Lieutenants.” Eris paused. “I told you about her. She’s the one who killed Mota. Down in the pit.” Ikora blinked. “Oh,” she said. “And this Omnigul is here? On Earth?” Eris closed her eyes, and stroked the orb. “I can feel it,” she said. Ikora frowned. “Why?” “She’s left the Hellmouth,” Eris said. “Her inner chambers are active. More so than I have seen. But she is no longer in the shadows.” “No, not—“ Ikora began. She sighed. “I don't question your belief. I’m asking why she is here. Why Earth? Please, try to be clear. There is no time for cryptic half-answers and almost-truths.” Eris cracked a smile. “Heh,” she said. Ikora couldn’t help but breathe a faint sigh of relief. “She still laughs,” she said. Eris shook her head. “It seems I have become more like the Speaker—“ “Secrets have their places,” Ikora said, cutting her off. “Here, now, is not that place. Omnigul. Tell me what you’ve learned. Tell me how we stop her. Eris shook her head. “There may be no stopping what comes,” she said. “The Hive in Old Russia—in that dead land—their assault on the Cosmodrome is no coincidence. They move against the Light with purpose. Always with purpose.” Ikora looked thoughtful. “The Warmind?” she said at last “Rasputin,” Eris said. “Yes. The last fail safe against the night.” Ikora shook her head. “He’s still yet to heed our calls—“ Eris held up the tablet. “I’m aware,” she said. Ikora held up a hand. “—but seems just.” Eris nodded. “Just is enough. Just can save us all.” Ikora nodded slowly. “And the Hive?” Eris leaned her head back. “They will tear into its eyes—or worse. Ikora frowned. “Worse?” Eris looked down at the clothes, made from Hive bone and flesh. “The dust and bone and horror of their existence is simply who—what they are,” she said. “But it does not negate their ageless intelligence.” Ikora began to pace the room, a look of consternation on her face. “They do not seek to destroy Rasputin,” she said. Eris shook her head. “I don’t know. Destroying Rasputin would cost us a treasure beyond belief. But, such fury twisted to the Hive’s ends?” Ikora stopped. The Warminds had been in control of the greatest weaponry that the Golden Age had to offer. Doomsday weapons. Prototype space weaponry. Automated defenses scattered throughout Earth. An army of frames and who-knew-what-else. “We would fall,” she whispered. Eris nodded. “All would fall.” Ikora nodded, and turned back towards Eris. “The Omnigul is here for Rasputin,” she said. “She is here to pave the way,” Eris replied. “For Crota?” Ikora asked. “That could just be the beginning,” Eris said somewhat dismissively. “He’s not their only god.” “As I am learning,” Ikora said. “I will make the others listen.” Eris sighed. “It may be too late.” Ikora nodded. “Then you need a new army.” Eris paused. She turned towards a nearby window. “I’ve made that mistake before,” she said. So many had already died for the sake of defeating Crota; how could she ask others to do the same? “You saved us all,” Ikora said. “Your sacrifice—“ Eris shook her head. “I am still here,” she said. Unlike most of her friends, she was still alive. What she had lost was paltry by comparison. “My sacrifice was—“ “Enough,” Ikora said, cutting her off. In Ikora’s eyes, Eris had lost more than most Guardians ever would - or could. Her ghost, her light, her eyes. She’d endured years of torture down in the pit, and helplessly watched her friends die right before her eyes. She’d sacrificed more than enough. “And I should ask new heroes to fall... as they did?” Eris said. Ikora gave a slight nod. “It is why we were reborn in the Light,” she said. She remembered what Cayde had said, all those years ago. “They’re Guardians. I trained them to fight for this City. Die for it, if they had to.” Eris walked over to the balcony, and looked out over the city. She sighed. “My Light is all but gone,” she said. It had died, down in that pit. Like so many other things.” The former hunter felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her, and saw Ikora. “Cherish what remains, but know that you have done enough,” the Vanguard mentor said. “Your time in the shadows…” She shook her head. “I can't fathom—“ Eris straightened up. “My role among the Hidden is an honor,” she said. “None would argue,” Ikora said. Her brown eyes gazed sympathetically at Eris. “But it's had its cost. Your place is to gather the understanding we need to wage these wars, but your own war is long done. Let those prepared to fight, fight.” Eris looked out on the City once more, and saw the Traveler, hanging over all. “And should they die?” Ikora gazed down at her. “None who walk these Towers is afraid—and Rasputin must not fall,” she said. Eris looked at the peaceful city down below. If she squinted, she could see people and vehicles beneath her, going peacefully about their lives. She imagined doomsday weapons raining down on this little slice of Utopia. An army of frames advancing on them alongside acolytes and thralls. She took a deep breath. “Then Omnigul must be stopped,” she said. Ikora nodded. “Two goals that appear to be one and the same.” “Perhaps,” Eris said. She turned back to Ikora. “So I am to stay?” “I will see to it,” Ikora said. She couldn’t imagine it would take much too convince the Vanguard otherwise. Eris nodded. “Then let us hope we are strong enough to stand against what is upon us—and hope the others do not follow.” And with that, she looked out on the city once more. Ikora nodded. “I’ll go back to the Vanguard,” she said. “Don’t want to keep them waiting too long.” Eris nodded slightly. Letting out a sigh, Ikora left the room. Edit: [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218461215]Part 69[/url]